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<p>Investing.com – European markets opened mixed on Wednesday, as political turmoil in Spain continued to weigh and as investors looked ahead to speeches by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi due later in the day.</p>
<p>The inched up 0.01%, France’s eased 0.09% and Germany’s was up 0.25% by 03:45 a.m. ET (07:45 GMT).</p>
<p>Spain’s was down 1.51% on Wednesday, a day after a general strike took place in Catalonia, adding to tensions with the Spanish government following Sunday’s independence vote.</p>
<p>Spain’s King Felipe VI accused Catalan secessionist leaders of shattering democratic principles and dividing Catalan society, while the head of Catalonia’s government Carles Puigdemont said the region will declare independence “in a matter of days.”</p>
<p>Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenderd BNP Paribas (PA:) and Societe Generale (PA:) slid 0.38% and 0.79%, while Germany’s Commerzbank (DE:) and Deutsche Bank (DE:) lost 0.28% and 1.40%.</p>
<p>Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Unicredit (MI:) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:) declined 0.05% and 0.57% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:) and Banco Santander (MC:) tumbled 1.29% and 1.30%.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Thyssenkrupp (DE:) shares plummeted 2.55% after the group said that workers will be equally represented following the planned merger of its European steel operations with Tata Steel’s.</p>
<p>Thyssenkrupp and India’s Tata Steel last month agreed to merge their European steel operations, creating the continent’s second biggest steelmaker with revenues of €15 billion.</p>
<p>In London, eased up 0.09%, led by Tesco (LON:), whose shares rallied 1.63% after the retailer reported a 2.1% increase in second-quarter like-for-like sales for the U.K. The company’s revenues climbed 3.7% to £28.3 billion for the first half of the fiscal year.</p>
<p>Mining stocks added to gains on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:) and BHP Billiton (LON:) rose 0.28% and 0.37%, while Fresnillo (LON:) gained 0.35% and Randgold Resources (LON:) jumped 0.95%.</p>
<p>In the financial sector, stocks were mostly lower as the Royal Bank of Scoland slid 0.33% and Lloyds Banking (LON:) dropped 0.58%, while Barclays (LON:) declined 0.59%. HSBC Holdings (LON:) overperformed however, with shares up 0.27%.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Royal Mail (LON:) was one of the worst performers on the index, with shares down 3.93% as the group is facing the threat of the first national strike since it was privatised after workers voted in favour of industrial action in the midst of a dispute over pensions, pay and jobs.</p>
<p>Standard Life (LON:) added to losses, with shares down 2.17% following reports the investment company’s chairman supports the controversial listing of oil giant Saudi Aramco in London, putting him at odds with others in the asset management industry.</p>
<p>In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to lower open. The pointed to a 0.01% dip, signaled a 0.02% downtick, while the indicated a 0.02% loss.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p> | DAX 30 Moves Higher, Other European Markets Mixed in Early Trade | false | https://newsline.com/dax-30-moves-higher-other-european-markets-mixed-in-early-trade/ | 2017-10-04 | 1right-center
| DAX 30 Moves Higher, Other European Markets Mixed in Early Trade
<p>Investing.com – European markets opened mixed on Wednesday, as political turmoil in Spain continued to weigh and as investors looked ahead to speeches by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi due later in the day.</p>
<p>The inched up 0.01%, France’s eased 0.09% and Germany’s was up 0.25% by 03:45 a.m. ET (07:45 GMT).</p>
<p>Spain’s was down 1.51% on Wednesday, a day after a general strike took place in Catalonia, adding to tensions with the Spanish government following Sunday’s independence vote.</p>
<p>Spain’s King Felipe VI accused Catalan secessionist leaders of shattering democratic principles and dividing Catalan society, while the head of Catalonia’s government Carles Puigdemont said the region will declare independence “in a matter of days.”</p>
<p>Financial stocks were broadly lower, as French lenderd BNP Paribas (PA:) and Societe Generale (PA:) slid 0.38% and 0.79%, while Germany’s Commerzbank (DE:) and Deutsche Bank (DE:) lost 0.28% and 1.40%.</p>
<p>Among peripheral lenders, Italy’s Unicredit (MI:) and Intesa Sanpaolo (MI:) declined 0.05% and 0.57% respectively, while Spanish banks BBVA (MC:) and Banco Santander (MC:) tumbled 1.29% and 1.30%.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Thyssenkrupp (DE:) shares plummeted 2.55% after the group said that workers will be equally represented following the planned merger of its European steel operations with Tata Steel’s.</p>
<p>Thyssenkrupp and India’s Tata Steel last month agreed to merge their European steel operations, creating the continent’s second biggest steelmaker with revenues of €15 billion.</p>
<p>In London, eased up 0.09%, led by Tesco (LON:), whose shares rallied 1.63% after the retailer reported a 2.1% increase in second-quarter like-for-like sales for the U.K. The company’s revenues climbed 3.7% to £28.3 billion for the first half of the fiscal year.</p>
<p>Mining stocks added to gains on the commodity-heavy index. Shares in Glencore (LON:) and BHP Billiton (LON:) rose 0.28% and 0.37%, while Fresnillo (LON:) gained 0.35% and Randgold Resources (LON:) jumped 0.95%.</p>
<p>In the financial sector, stocks were mostly lower as the Royal Bank of Scoland slid 0.33% and Lloyds Banking (LON:) dropped 0.58%, while Barclays (LON:) declined 0.59%. HSBC Holdings (LON:) overperformed however, with shares up 0.27%.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Royal Mail (LON:) was one of the worst performers on the index, with shares down 3.93% as the group is facing the threat of the first national strike since it was privatised after workers voted in favour of industrial action in the midst of a dispute over pensions, pay and jobs.</p>
<p>Standard Life (LON:) added to losses, with shares down 2.17% following reports the investment company’s chairman supports the controversial listing of oil giant Saudi Aramco in London, putting him at odds with others in the asset management industry.</p>
<p>In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a steady to lower open. The pointed to a 0.01% dip, signaled a 0.02% downtick, while the indicated a 0.02% loss.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p> | 2,600 |
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delano Spencer, who missed the first half after an allergic reaction during pregame, scored his 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in the second half when Tennessee State pulled away from Austin Peay 70-56 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Kamar McKnight scored 13 points, Darreon Riddick had three treys and 12 points and Armani Chaney added 10 points for Tennessee State (8-10, 3-4 Ohio Valley), which shot 50 percent.</p>
<p>The Governors were up two early in the second half before the Tigers went on a 15-2 run with Spencer and Hamilton scoring five points each. Spencer had a 3-pointer and Christian Mekowulu four free throws in a 7-0 spurt that put the Tigers ahead by 14 with five minutes left and they kept their double-digit lead.</p>
<p>"He suffered an allergic reaction in the warm-up line for whatever reason," coach Dana Ford said of Spencer, a senior guard who is the team's leading scorer at 15.2 per game. "We were able to medicate him prior to tipoff but it took a while for it to kick in. He came to us and wanted to play the second half. He came out and I think he made his first four shots, his defense was good. ... Putting him out there gave us a great lift, and we kind of needed it."</p>
<p>Terry Taylor scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and Dayton Gumm added 11 points for Austin Peay (10-9, 5-2), which dropped into a four-way tie for second place behind Belmont (6-1).</p>
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delano Spencer, who missed the first half after an allergic reaction during pregame, scored his 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in the second half when Tennessee State pulled away from Austin Peay 70-56 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Kamar McKnight scored 13 points, Darreon Riddick had three treys and 12 points and Armani Chaney added 10 points for Tennessee State (8-10, 3-4 Ohio Valley), which shot 50 percent.</p>
<p>The Governors were up two early in the second half before the Tigers went on a 15-2 run with Spencer and Hamilton scoring five points each. Spencer had a 3-pointer and Christian Mekowulu four free throws in a 7-0 spurt that put the Tigers ahead by 14 with five minutes left and they kept their double-digit lead.</p>
<p>"He suffered an allergic reaction in the warm-up line for whatever reason," coach Dana Ford said of Spencer, a senior guard who is the team's leading scorer at 15.2 per game. "We were able to medicate him prior to tipoff but it took a while for it to kick in. He came to us and wanted to play the second half. He came out and I think he made his first four shots, his defense was good. ... Putting him out there gave us a great lift, and we kind of needed it."</p>
<p>Terry Taylor scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and Dayton Gumm added 11 points for Austin Peay (10-9, 5-2), which dropped into a four-way tie for second place behind Belmont (6-1).</p> | Spencer comes in in 2nd half to spark Tennessee State 70-56 | false | https://apnews.com/amp/3f45c40f842c4c45be37d1c7ad61d776 | 2018-01-19 | 2least
| Spencer comes in in 2nd half to spark Tennessee State 70-56
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delano Spencer, who missed the first half after an allergic reaction during pregame, scored his 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in the second half when Tennessee State pulled away from Austin Peay 70-56 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Kamar McKnight scored 13 points, Darreon Riddick had three treys and 12 points and Armani Chaney added 10 points for Tennessee State (8-10, 3-4 Ohio Valley), which shot 50 percent.</p>
<p>The Governors were up two early in the second half before the Tigers went on a 15-2 run with Spencer and Hamilton scoring five points each. Spencer had a 3-pointer and Christian Mekowulu four free throws in a 7-0 spurt that put the Tigers ahead by 14 with five minutes left and they kept their double-digit lead.</p>
<p>"He suffered an allergic reaction in the warm-up line for whatever reason," coach Dana Ford said of Spencer, a senior guard who is the team's leading scorer at 15.2 per game. "We were able to medicate him prior to tipoff but it took a while for it to kick in. He came to us and wanted to play the second half. He came out and I think he made his first four shots, his defense was good. ... Putting him out there gave us a great lift, and we kind of needed it."</p>
<p>Terry Taylor scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and Dayton Gumm added 11 points for Austin Peay (10-9, 5-2), which dropped into a four-way tie for second place behind Belmont (6-1).</p>
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delano Spencer, who missed the first half after an allergic reaction during pregame, scored his 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in the second half when Tennessee State pulled away from Austin Peay 70-56 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Kamar McKnight scored 13 points, Darreon Riddick had three treys and 12 points and Armani Chaney added 10 points for Tennessee State (8-10, 3-4 Ohio Valley), which shot 50 percent.</p>
<p>The Governors were up two early in the second half before the Tigers went on a 15-2 run with Spencer and Hamilton scoring five points each. Spencer had a 3-pointer and Christian Mekowulu four free throws in a 7-0 spurt that put the Tigers ahead by 14 with five minutes left and they kept their double-digit lead.</p>
<p>"He suffered an allergic reaction in the warm-up line for whatever reason," coach Dana Ford said of Spencer, a senior guard who is the team's leading scorer at 15.2 per game. "We were able to medicate him prior to tipoff but it took a while for it to kick in. He came to us and wanted to play the second half. He came out and I think he made his first four shots, his defense was good. ... Putting him out there gave us a great lift, and we kind of needed it."</p>
<p>Terry Taylor scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and Dayton Gumm added 11 points for Austin Peay (10-9, 5-2), which dropped into a four-way tie for second place behind Belmont (6-1).</p> | 2,601 |
<p>Donald Trump isn’t going to start a war with North Korea. That’s just not going to happen.</p>
<p>Not only does the United States not have the ground forces for such a massive operation but, more important, a war with the North would serve no strategic purpose at all. The US already has the arrangement it wants on the Peninsula. The South remains under US military occupation, the economic and banking systems have been successfully integrated into the US-dominated western system, and the strategically-located landmass in northeast Asia provides an essential platform for critical weapons systems that will be used to encircle and control fast-emerging rivals, China and Russia.</p>
<p>So what would a war accomplish?</p>
<p>Nothing. As far as Washington is concerned, the status quo is just dandy.</p>
<p>And, yes, I realize that many people think Trump is calling the shots and that he is an impulsive amateur who might do something erratic that would trigger a nuclear conflagration with the North. That could happen, but I think the possibility is extremely remote. As you might have noticed, Trump has effectively handed over foreign policy to his generals, and those generals are closely aligned to powerful members of the foreign policy establishment who are using Trump’s reputation as a loose cannon to great effect. For example, by ratchetting up the rhetoric, (“fire and fury”, “locked and loaded”, etc) Trump has managed to stifle some of the public opposition to the deployment of the THAAD missile system which features “powerful AN/TPY-2 radar, that can be used to spy on Chinese territory, and the interceptors are designed to protect US bases and troops in the event of nuclear war with China or Russia.”</p>
<p>THAAD is clearly not aimed at North Korea which is small potatoes as far as Washington is concerned. It’s an essential part of the military buildup the US is stealthily carrying out to implement its “pivot to Asia” strategy.</p>
<p>Trump’s belligerence has also prompted a response from the North which has accelerated it ballistic missile and nuclear weapons testing.&#160; The North’s reaction has stirred up traditional antagonisms which has helped to undermine the conciliatory efforts of&#160; liberal President Moon Jae-in. At the same time, the North’s behavior has strengthened far-right groups that –among other things– want to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the South. By playing to the right wing and exacerbating hostilities between North and South, Trump has helped to fend off efforts to reunify the country while creating a justification for continued US military occupation. In other words.</p>
<p>The crisis has clearly tightened Washington’s grip on the peninsula while advancing the interests of America’s elite powerbrokers. I seriously doubt that Trump conjured up this plan by himself. This is the work of his deep state handlers who have figured out how to use his mercurial personality to their advantage.</p>
<p>A Word About North Korea’s Nukes</p>
<p>Leaders in North Korea don’t want to blow their money on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles when their people are on the brink of starvation. But what choice do they have? The primary responsibility of every government is to provide security for their people. That’s hard to do when the nation is still technically at war with a country that has toppled or tried to topple 50 sovereign governments in the last 70 years. The Korean War did not end with a treaty, it ended with an armistice which means the war is ongoing and could flare up at any time. And Washington won’t sign a treaty with the North because it despises their form of government, and is just waiting for the opportunity to force them from power. Trump is no different from most of his predecessors in this regard. He hates the leadership in Pyongyang and makes no bones about it.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The US refuses to provide the North with any written guarantees that it won’t resume hostilities, kill its people and blow their cities to smithereens. So, naturally, the North has taken steps to defend itself. And, yes, Kim Jong-in fully realizes that if he ever used his nukes in an act of aggression, the United States would –as Colin Powell breezily opined– “turn the North into a charcoal briquette.” But Kim is not going to use his nukes because he has no territorial ambitions nor does he have any driving desire to be subsumed into a fiery ball of ash.&#160; His nukes are merely bargaining chits for future negotiations with Washington. The only problem is that Trump doesn’t&#160; want to bargain because US geopolitical interests are better served by transforming a few pathetic missile tests into an Armageddon-type drama.&#160;No one knows how to exploit a crisis better than Washington.</p>
<p>Does Trump know anything about the history of the current crisis?&#160; Does he know that North Korea agreed to end its nuclear weapons program in 1994 if the US met its modest demands?&#160; Does he know that the US agreed to those terms but then failed to hold up its end of the bargain?&#160;&#160; Does he know that the North honored its commitments under the agreement but eventually got tired of being double-crossed by the US so they resumed their plutonium enrichment program?&#160; Does he know that that’s why the North has nuclear weapons today, because the United States broke its word and scotched the agreement?</p>
<p>That’s not conjecture. That’s history.</p>
<p>Here’s a clip from an article in the Independent that provides a brief outline of the so called&#160; Framework Agreement:</p>
<p>“Under the terms of the 1994 framework, North Korea agreed to freeze and ultimately dismantle its nuclear programme in exchange for “the full normalisation of political and economic relations with the United States”. This meant four things:</p>
<p>By 2003, a US-led consortium would build two&#160;light-water nuclear reactors&#160;in North Korea to compensate for the loss of nuclear power.</p>
<p>Until then, the US would supply the north with 500,000 tons per year of heavy fuel.</p>
<p>The US would lift sanctions, remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, and – perhaps most importantly – normalise the political relationship, which is still subject to the terms of the&#160;1953 Korean War armistice.</p>
<p>Finally, both sides would provide “formal assurances” against the threat or use of nuclear weapons.” (“Why America’s 1994 deal with North Korea failed – and what Trump can learn from it”, The Independent)</p>
<p>It was a totally straightforward agreement that met the requirements of both parties. The North got a few economic perks along with the security assurances they desperately wanted and, in return, the US got to monitor any and all nuclear sites, thus, preventing the development of weapons of mass destruction.&#160; Everyone got exactly what they wanted, right? There was only one glitch: The US started foot-dragging from Day 1. The lightwater reactors never got beyond the foundation stage and the heavy fuel deliveries got more and more infrequent. In contrast, the North Koreans stuck religiously to the letter of the agreement. They did everything that was expected of them and more. In fact, according to the same article, four years after the agreement went into effect:</p>
<p>&#160;“both the US and the international atomic energy agency were satisfied that there had been ‘no fundamental violation of any aspect of the framework agreement’&#160;by North Korea.&#160;But on its own pledges, Washington failed to follow through.” (Independent)</p>
<p>There you have it: The North kept its word, but the US didn’t. It’s that simple.</p>
<p>This is an important point given the fact that the media typically mischaracterizes what actually took place and who should be held responsible. The onus does not fall on Pyongyang, it falls on Washington. Here’s more from the same article:</p>
<p>“On its own pledges, Washington failed to follow through.&#160;The light-water reactors were&#160;never built. …Heavy fuel shipments were often delayed….North Korea was not removed from the state department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism until 2008, though it had&#160;long met the criteria for removal….Most importantly, no action was taken to formally end the Korean War – which was&#160;never technically ended&#160;– by replacing the 1953 ceasefire with a peace treaty. The “formal assurances” that the US would not attack North Korea were not provided&#160;until six years after&#160;the framework was signed.”&#160;&#160;(Independent)</p>
<p>When&#160;Bush was elected in 2000,&#160; things got much worse. The North was included in Bush’s the Axis of Evil speech, it was also listed as&#160; a “rogue regime against which the US should be prepared to use force”, and the Pentagon stepped up its joint-military drills in the South which just added more gas to the fire. Eventually, Bush abandoned the agreement altogether and the North went back to building nukes.</p>
<p>Then came Obama who wasn’t much better than Bush,&#160;except for the public relations, of course.&#160; As Tim Shorrock points out in his excellent article at The Nation,&#160; Obama sabotaged the&#160;Six-Party Talks, suspended energy assistance to pressure the North to accept harsher “verification plans”,&#160; “abandoned the idea of direct talks” with Pyongyang, and “embarked on a series of military exercises with South Korea that increased in size and tempo over the course of his administration and are now at the heart of the tension with Kim Jong-un.”</p>
<p>So although Obama was able to conceal his cruelty and aggression behind the image of “peacemaker”, relations with the North continued to deteriorate and the situation got progressively worse.</p>
<p>Check out these brief excerpts from Shorrock’s article which help to provide a thumbnail sketch of what really happened and who is responsible:</p>
<p>“The Agreed Framework led North Korea to halt its plutonium-based nuclear-weapons program for over a decade, forgoing enough enrichment to make over 100 nuclear bombs. “What people don’t know is that North Korea made no fissile material whatsoever from 1991 to 2003.”</p>
<p>“…the framework remained in effect well into the Bush administration. In 1998, the State Department’s Rust Deming testified to Congress that&#160; “there is no fundamental violation&#160;of any aspect of the framework agreement.”</p>
<p>“…Pyongyang was prepared to shut down its development, testing, and deployment of all medium- and long-range missiles.”</p>
<p>“By 1997…the North Koreans were complaining bitterly that the United States was slow to deliver its promised oil and stalling on its pledge to end its hostile policies…”</p>
<p>“It was against this backdrop—Pyongyang’s growing conviction the US was not living up to its commitments—that the North in 1998 began to explore” other military options.”</p>
<p>“Bush tore up the framework agreement, exacerbating the deterioration in relations he had sparked a year earlier when he named North Korea part of his “axis of evil” in January 2002. In response, the North kicked out the IAEA inspectors and began building what would become its first bomb, in 2006, triggering a second nuclear crisis that continues to this day.”&#160; (“Diplomacy With North Korea Has Worked Before, and Can Work Again”, Tim Shorrock, The Nation)</p>
<p>Now&#160;the North has hydrogen bombs&#160;and Washington is still playing its stupid games. This whole fake crisis is a big smokescreen designed to conceal Washington’s imperial machinations. Trump is using Kim’s missile tests as a pretext to extend the Pentagon’s military tentacles deeper into Asia so the US can assume a dominant role in the world’s fastest growing region. It’s the same game Washington has been playing for the last hundred years.&#160; Unfortunately, they’re pretty good at it.</p> | Why Trump Won’t Start a War With North Korea | true | https://counterpunch.org/2017/09/08/why-trump-wont-start-a-war-with-north-korea/ | 2017-09-08 | 4left
| Why Trump Won’t Start a War With North Korea
<p>Donald Trump isn’t going to start a war with North Korea. That’s just not going to happen.</p>
<p>Not only does the United States not have the ground forces for such a massive operation but, more important, a war with the North would serve no strategic purpose at all. The US already has the arrangement it wants on the Peninsula. The South remains under US military occupation, the economic and banking systems have been successfully integrated into the US-dominated western system, and the strategically-located landmass in northeast Asia provides an essential platform for critical weapons systems that will be used to encircle and control fast-emerging rivals, China and Russia.</p>
<p>So what would a war accomplish?</p>
<p>Nothing. As far as Washington is concerned, the status quo is just dandy.</p>
<p>And, yes, I realize that many people think Trump is calling the shots and that he is an impulsive amateur who might do something erratic that would trigger a nuclear conflagration with the North. That could happen, but I think the possibility is extremely remote. As you might have noticed, Trump has effectively handed over foreign policy to his generals, and those generals are closely aligned to powerful members of the foreign policy establishment who are using Trump’s reputation as a loose cannon to great effect. For example, by ratchetting up the rhetoric, (“fire and fury”, “locked and loaded”, etc) Trump has managed to stifle some of the public opposition to the deployment of the THAAD missile system which features “powerful AN/TPY-2 radar, that can be used to spy on Chinese territory, and the interceptors are designed to protect US bases and troops in the event of nuclear war with China or Russia.”</p>
<p>THAAD is clearly not aimed at North Korea which is small potatoes as far as Washington is concerned. It’s an essential part of the military buildup the US is stealthily carrying out to implement its “pivot to Asia” strategy.</p>
<p>Trump’s belligerence has also prompted a response from the North which has accelerated it ballistic missile and nuclear weapons testing.&#160; The North’s reaction has stirred up traditional antagonisms which has helped to undermine the conciliatory efforts of&#160; liberal President Moon Jae-in. At the same time, the North’s behavior has strengthened far-right groups that –among other things– want to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the South. By playing to the right wing and exacerbating hostilities between North and South, Trump has helped to fend off efforts to reunify the country while creating a justification for continued US military occupation. In other words.</p>
<p>The crisis has clearly tightened Washington’s grip on the peninsula while advancing the interests of America’s elite powerbrokers. I seriously doubt that Trump conjured up this plan by himself. This is the work of his deep state handlers who have figured out how to use his mercurial personality to their advantage.</p>
<p>A Word About North Korea’s Nukes</p>
<p>Leaders in North Korea don’t want to blow their money on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles when their people are on the brink of starvation. But what choice do they have? The primary responsibility of every government is to provide security for their people. That’s hard to do when the nation is still technically at war with a country that has toppled or tried to topple 50 sovereign governments in the last 70 years. The Korean War did not end with a treaty, it ended with an armistice which means the war is ongoing and could flare up at any time. And Washington won’t sign a treaty with the North because it despises their form of government, and is just waiting for the opportunity to force them from power. Trump is no different from most of his predecessors in this regard. He hates the leadership in Pyongyang and makes no bones about it.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The US refuses to provide the North with any written guarantees that it won’t resume hostilities, kill its people and blow their cities to smithereens. So, naturally, the North has taken steps to defend itself. And, yes, Kim Jong-in fully realizes that if he ever used his nukes in an act of aggression, the United States would –as Colin Powell breezily opined– “turn the North into a charcoal briquette.” But Kim is not going to use his nukes because he has no territorial ambitions nor does he have any driving desire to be subsumed into a fiery ball of ash.&#160; His nukes are merely bargaining chits for future negotiations with Washington. The only problem is that Trump doesn’t&#160; want to bargain because US geopolitical interests are better served by transforming a few pathetic missile tests into an Armageddon-type drama.&#160;No one knows how to exploit a crisis better than Washington.</p>
<p>Does Trump know anything about the history of the current crisis?&#160; Does he know that North Korea agreed to end its nuclear weapons program in 1994 if the US met its modest demands?&#160; Does he know that the US agreed to those terms but then failed to hold up its end of the bargain?&#160;&#160; Does he know that the North honored its commitments under the agreement but eventually got tired of being double-crossed by the US so they resumed their plutonium enrichment program?&#160; Does he know that that’s why the North has nuclear weapons today, because the United States broke its word and scotched the agreement?</p>
<p>That’s not conjecture. That’s history.</p>
<p>Here’s a clip from an article in the Independent that provides a brief outline of the so called&#160; Framework Agreement:</p>
<p>“Under the terms of the 1994 framework, North Korea agreed to freeze and ultimately dismantle its nuclear programme in exchange for “the full normalisation of political and economic relations with the United States”. This meant four things:</p>
<p>By 2003, a US-led consortium would build two&#160;light-water nuclear reactors&#160;in North Korea to compensate for the loss of nuclear power.</p>
<p>Until then, the US would supply the north with 500,000 tons per year of heavy fuel.</p>
<p>The US would lift sanctions, remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, and – perhaps most importantly – normalise the political relationship, which is still subject to the terms of the&#160;1953 Korean War armistice.</p>
<p>Finally, both sides would provide “formal assurances” against the threat or use of nuclear weapons.” (“Why America’s 1994 deal with North Korea failed – and what Trump can learn from it”, The Independent)</p>
<p>It was a totally straightforward agreement that met the requirements of both parties. The North got a few economic perks along with the security assurances they desperately wanted and, in return, the US got to monitor any and all nuclear sites, thus, preventing the development of weapons of mass destruction.&#160; Everyone got exactly what they wanted, right? There was only one glitch: The US started foot-dragging from Day 1. The lightwater reactors never got beyond the foundation stage and the heavy fuel deliveries got more and more infrequent. In contrast, the North Koreans stuck religiously to the letter of the agreement. They did everything that was expected of them and more. In fact, according to the same article, four years after the agreement went into effect:</p>
<p>&#160;“both the US and the international atomic energy agency were satisfied that there had been ‘no fundamental violation of any aspect of the framework agreement’&#160;by North Korea.&#160;But on its own pledges, Washington failed to follow through.” (Independent)</p>
<p>There you have it: The North kept its word, but the US didn’t. It’s that simple.</p>
<p>This is an important point given the fact that the media typically mischaracterizes what actually took place and who should be held responsible. The onus does not fall on Pyongyang, it falls on Washington. Here’s more from the same article:</p>
<p>“On its own pledges, Washington failed to follow through.&#160;The light-water reactors were&#160;never built. …Heavy fuel shipments were often delayed….North Korea was not removed from the state department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism until 2008, though it had&#160;long met the criteria for removal….Most importantly, no action was taken to formally end the Korean War – which was&#160;never technically ended&#160;– by replacing the 1953 ceasefire with a peace treaty. The “formal assurances” that the US would not attack North Korea were not provided&#160;until six years after&#160;the framework was signed.”&#160;&#160;(Independent)</p>
<p>When&#160;Bush was elected in 2000,&#160; things got much worse. The North was included in Bush’s the Axis of Evil speech, it was also listed as&#160; a “rogue regime against which the US should be prepared to use force”, and the Pentagon stepped up its joint-military drills in the South which just added more gas to the fire. Eventually, Bush abandoned the agreement altogether and the North went back to building nukes.</p>
<p>Then came Obama who wasn’t much better than Bush,&#160;except for the public relations, of course.&#160; As Tim Shorrock points out in his excellent article at The Nation,&#160; Obama sabotaged the&#160;Six-Party Talks, suspended energy assistance to pressure the North to accept harsher “verification plans”,&#160; “abandoned the idea of direct talks” with Pyongyang, and “embarked on a series of military exercises with South Korea that increased in size and tempo over the course of his administration and are now at the heart of the tension with Kim Jong-un.”</p>
<p>So although Obama was able to conceal his cruelty and aggression behind the image of “peacemaker”, relations with the North continued to deteriorate and the situation got progressively worse.</p>
<p>Check out these brief excerpts from Shorrock’s article which help to provide a thumbnail sketch of what really happened and who is responsible:</p>
<p>“The Agreed Framework led North Korea to halt its plutonium-based nuclear-weapons program for over a decade, forgoing enough enrichment to make over 100 nuclear bombs. “What people don’t know is that North Korea made no fissile material whatsoever from 1991 to 2003.”</p>
<p>“…the framework remained in effect well into the Bush administration. In 1998, the State Department’s Rust Deming testified to Congress that&#160; “there is no fundamental violation&#160;of any aspect of the framework agreement.”</p>
<p>“…Pyongyang was prepared to shut down its development, testing, and deployment of all medium- and long-range missiles.”</p>
<p>“By 1997…the North Koreans were complaining bitterly that the United States was slow to deliver its promised oil and stalling on its pledge to end its hostile policies…”</p>
<p>“It was against this backdrop—Pyongyang’s growing conviction the US was not living up to its commitments—that the North in 1998 began to explore” other military options.”</p>
<p>“Bush tore up the framework agreement, exacerbating the deterioration in relations he had sparked a year earlier when he named North Korea part of his “axis of evil” in January 2002. In response, the North kicked out the IAEA inspectors and began building what would become its first bomb, in 2006, triggering a second nuclear crisis that continues to this day.”&#160; (“Diplomacy With North Korea Has Worked Before, and Can Work Again”, Tim Shorrock, The Nation)</p>
<p>Now&#160;the North has hydrogen bombs&#160;and Washington is still playing its stupid games. This whole fake crisis is a big smokescreen designed to conceal Washington’s imperial machinations. Trump is using Kim’s missile tests as a pretext to extend the Pentagon’s military tentacles deeper into Asia so the US can assume a dominant role in the world’s fastest growing region. It’s the same game Washington has been playing for the last hundred years.&#160; Unfortunately, they’re pretty good at it.</p> | 2,602 |
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<p />
<p>The travel advisory applies to nonessential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the deadly disease has killed more than 700 people this year.</p>
<p>“The bottom line is Ebola is worsening in West Africa,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who announced the travel warning. He called Ebola “a tragic, dreadful and merciless virus.”</p>
<p>The purpose of the travel warning is not only to protect U.S. travelers, but also limit their use of overburdened clinics and hospitals for injuries or other illnesses, he said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>For more than a month, the CDC has advised travelers to simply take precautions when in the outbreak region. Thursday’s alert is the highest level. The World Health Organization, however, has not issued a similar travel warning for the West Africa region. The last time the CDC issued a high-level warning was in 2003 because of a SARS outbreak in Asia.</p>
<p>The current outbreak is the largest since the disease first emerged in Africa nearly 40 years ago. The virus is contagious and is spread by direct contact with blood or bodily fluids from a sick person. Ebola can’t be spread like flu through casual contact or breathing in the same air.</p>
<p>Experts estimate that, in this outbreak, about 60 percent of the people who have gotten sick with Ebola have died – a frightening fatality rate that is among the highest of any disease. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment for it.</p>
<p>Two American aid workers in Liberia have been diagnosed with Ebola and one of them was getting an experimental treatment.</p>
<p>At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest said the U.S. is looking into options to bring them back. While the U.S. would facilitate the trip, private companies would be used to transport them.</p>
<p>Earnest said that type of response would be consistent with how the U.S. handled other situations, including the SARS outbreak, and the goal would be to ensure Americans can benefit from treatment in the U.S.</p>
<p>The CDC has about two dozen staffers in West Africa to help try to control the outbreak. Frieden on Thursday said the CDC will send 50 more in the next month. CDC workers in Africa also are at airports to help screen passengers, he said.</p>
<p>The CDC has said that the risk of the Ebola virus coming to the United States remains small. On Monday, the agency sent a health alert to U.S. doctors, updating them about the outbreak. The alert stressed they should ask about foreign travel in patients who come down with Ebola-like symptoms, including fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhea.</p>
<p>Even if someone infected with Ebola came to the U.S., the risk of an outbreak is considered very low, Frieden said. Patients are contagious only when they show symptoms and U.S. hospitals are well equipped to isolate cases and control spread of the virus.</p>
<p>Frieden also noted that relatively few people travel from West Africa to the United States. He said about 10,000 travelers from those countries come to the United States in an average three- or four-month period and most do not arrive on direct flights.</p>
<p>The CDC has staff at 20 U.S. airports and border crossings. They evaluate any travelers with signs of dangerous infectious diseases and isolate them when necessary. The agency is prepared to increase that staffing if needed, he said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | CDC: Ebola-hit West African countries are off-limits | false | https://abqjournal.com/438864/cdc-ebolahit-west-african-countries-are-offlimits.html | 2least
| CDC: Ebola-hit West African countries are off-limits
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<p />
<p>The travel advisory applies to nonessential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the deadly disease has killed more than 700 people this year.</p>
<p>“The bottom line is Ebola is worsening in West Africa,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who announced the travel warning. He called Ebola “a tragic, dreadful and merciless virus.”</p>
<p>The purpose of the travel warning is not only to protect U.S. travelers, but also limit their use of overburdened clinics and hospitals for injuries or other illnesses, he said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>For more than a month, the CDC has advised travelers to simply take precautions when in the outbreak region. Thursday’s alert is the highest level. The World Health Organization, however, has not issued a similar travel warning for the West Africa region. The last time the CDC issued a high-level warning was in 2003 because of a SARS outbreak in Asia.</p>
<p>The current outbreak is the largest since the disease first emerged in Africa nearly 40 years ago. The virus is contagious and is spread by direct contact with blood or bodily fluids from a sick person. Ebola can’t be spread like flu through casual contact or breathing in the same air.</p>
<p>Experts estimate that, in this outbreak, about 60 percent of the people who have gotten sick with Ebola have died – a frightening fatality rate that is among the highest of any disease. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment for it.</p>
<p>Two American aid workers in Liberia have been diagnosed with Ebola and one of them was getting an experimental treatment.</p>
<p>At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest said the U.S. is looking into options to bring them back. While the U.S. would facilitate the trip, private companies would be used to transport them.</p>
<p>Earnest said that type of response would be consistent with how the U.S. handled other situations, including the SARS outbreak, and the goal would be to ensure Americans can benefit from treatment in the U.S.</p>
<p>The CDC has about two dozen staffers in West Africa to help try to control the outbreak. Frieden on Thursday said the CDC will send 50 more in the next month. CDC workers in Africa also are at airports to help screen passengers, he said.</p>
<p>The CDC has said that the risk of the Ebola virus coming to the United States remains small. On Monday, the agency sent a health alert to U.S. doctors, updating them about the outbreak. The alert stressed they should ask about foreign travel in patients who come down with Ebola-like symptoms, including fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhea.</p>
<p>Even if someone infected with Ebola came to the U.S., the risk of an outbreak is considered very low, Frieden said. Patients are contagious only when they show symptoms and U.S. hospitals are well equipped to isolate cases and control spread of the virus.</p>
<p>Frieden also noted that relatively few people travel from West Africa to the United States. He said about 10,000 travelers from those countries come to the United States in an average three- or four-month period and most do not arrive on direct flights.</p>
<p>The CDC has staff at 20 U.S. airports and border crossings. They evaluate any travelers with signs of dangerous infectious diseases and isolate them when necessary. The agency is prepared to increase that staffing if needed, he said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 2,603 |
|
<p>LONDON (AP) — Cold War monster movie "The Shape of Water" led nominations Tuesday for the <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film" type="external">British Academy Film Awards</a> , as organizers announced a new female host and promised to fight sexism and sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.</p>
<p>Guillermo del Toro's fantastical thriller scored nominations in 12 categories, including best picture and best director, for the U.K. equivalent of the Oscars.</p>
<p>Del Toro said the nominations were vindication for an ambitious, genre-crossing movie "so in love with cinema that it fuses melodrama, musical, spy thriller, comedy."</p>
<p>"You toil and you never know whether you are going to be well received, what the destiny of the movie is," the Mexican director told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Scorching tragicomedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and Winston Churchill biopic "Darkest Hour" received nine nominations apiece for the BAFTA prizes, considered an indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards.</p>
<p>Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed "Three Billboards," said he was thrilled by the positive response to the film and its "strong and outrageous and nuanced" central character, played by Frances McDormand. The story of a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter won four trophies at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles on Sunday.</p>
<p>"You never know if a film that is as dark as this, and has as many strange shifts in tone as this, is going to connect," McDonagh said.</p>
<p>Other multiple nominees include sci-fi sequel "Blade Runner 2049" and World War II drama "Dunkirk," which each secured eight. Figure-skating showdown "I, Tonya" was nominated in five categories.</p>
<p>The BAFTA nominations brought good news for two movies snubbed by the Golden Globes: Christopher Nolan's visually dazzling war picture "Dunkirk" and Jordan Peele's comedy-horror story "Get Out."</p>
<p>The British academy embraced "Dunkirk" with nominations for best film and best director, among other categories. "Get Out" gained nominations for its British star, Daniel Kaluuya, and for original screenplay.</p>
<p>Winners will be announced at London's Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 18, two weeks before the Oscars.</p>
<p>The ceremony will be hosted by "Absolutely Fabulous" star Joanna Lumley, who is taking over from longtime master of ceremonies Stephen Fry.</p>
<p>Best-picture nominees are "The Shape of Water," ''Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," ''Dunkirk" and sun-dappled romance "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Best-actress nominees are McDormand for "Three Billboards," Annette Bening for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool," Margot Robbie for "I, Tonya," Sally Hawkins for "The Shape of Water" and Saoirse Ronan for "Lady Bird."</p>
<p>Best-actor contenders are Daniel Day-Lewis for "Phantom Thread," Gary Oldman for "Darkest Hour," Kaluuya for "Get Out", Jamie Bell for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" and Timothee Chalamet for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Supporting-actor nominees include Christopher Plummer for "All the Money in the World." Plummer was a last-minute replacement for Kevin Spacey, who was cut from the already completed film following allegations of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>Best-director contenders are del Toro, McDonagh, Nolan, Denis Villeneuve for "Blade Runner 2049" and Luca Guadagnino for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Nominees for best British film — a separate category — are "Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," chilling comedy "The Death of Stalin," gay rural romance "God's Own Country," period drama "Lady Macbeth" and ursine adventure "Paddington 2."</p>
<p>The BAFTA awards ceremony is likely to echo the political tone of the Golden Globes, where many attendees wore black as a statement against sexual misconduct and Oprah Winfrey made a rousing speech calling for change.</p>
<p>BAFTA chair Jane Lush said the British film academy was determined to see the disturbing recent revelations become "a catalyst for real, lasting change."</p>
<p>Kristin Scott Thomas, who received a supporting actress nomination for playing Clementine Churchill in "Darkest Hour," said it's about time.</p>
<p>"The inequality is just insane, whether it's pay or whether it's opportunity," Scott Thomas said. "It's just enough, already.</p>
<p>"It will change," she said. "It's changing already. And now that the bullying has been highlighted — whether it's sexual bullying or just plain old bullying — men are starting to wake up to the fact that actually it's not acceptable. They have woken up to it, and they know they're not going to be able to get away with it anymore."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — Cold War monster movie "The Shape of Water" led nominations Tuesday for the <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film" type="external">British Academy Film Awards</a> , as organizers announced a new female host and promised to fight sexism and sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.</p>
<p>Guillermo del Toro's fantastical thriller scored nominations in 12 categories, including best picture and best director, for the U.K. equivalent of the Oscars.</p>
<p>Del Toro said the nominations were vindication for an ambitious, genre-crossing movie "so in love with cinema that it fuses melodrama, musical, spy thriller, comedy."</p>
<p>"You toil and you never know whether you are going to be well received, what the destiny of the movie is," the Mexican director told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Scorching tragicomedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and Winston Churchill biopic "Darkest Hour" received nine nominations apiece for the BAFTA prizes, considered an indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards.</p>
<p>Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed "Three Billboards," said he was thrilled by the positive response to the film and its "strong and outrageous and nuanced" central character, played by Frances McDormand. The story of a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter won four trophies at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles on Sunday.</p>
<p>"You never know if a film that is as dark as this, and has as many strange shifts in tone as this, is going to connect," McDonagh said.</p>
<p>Other multiple nominees include sci-fi sequel "Blade Runner 2049" and World War II drama "Dunkirk," which each secured eight. Figure-skating showdown "I, Tonya" was nominated in five categories.</p>
<p>The BAFTA nominations brought good news for two movies snubbed by the Golden Globes: Christopher Nolan's visually dazzling war picture "Dunkirk" and Jordan Peele's comedy-horror story "Get Out."</p>
<p>The British academy embraced "Dunkirk" with nominations for best film and best director, among other categories. "Get Out" gained nominations for its British star, Daniel Kaluuya, and for original screenplay.</p>
<p>Winners will be announced at London's Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 18, two weeks before the Oscars.</p>
<p>The ceremony will be hosted by "Absolutely Fabulous" star Joanna Lumley, who is taking over from longtime master of ceremonies Stephen Fry.</p>
<p>Best-picture nominees are "The Shape of Water," ''Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," ''Dunkirk" and sun-dappled romance "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Best-actress nominees are McDormand for "Three Billboards," Annette Bening for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool," Margot Robbie for "I, Tonya," Sally Hawkins for "The Shape of Water" and Saoirse Ronan for "Lady Bird."</p>
<p>Best-actor contenders are Daniel Day-Lewis for "Phantom Thread," Gary Oldman for "Darkest Hour," Kaluuya for "Get Out", Jamie Bell for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" and Timothee Chalamet for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Supporting-actor nominees include Christopher Plummer for "All the Money in the World." Plummer was a last-minute replacement for Kevin Spacey, who was cut from the already completed film following allegations of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>Best-director contenders are del Toro, McDonagh, Nolan, Denis Villeneuve for "Blade Runner 2049" and Luca Guadagnino for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Nominees for best British film — a separate category — are "Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," chilling comedy "The Death of Stalin," gay rural romance "God's Own Country," period drama "Lady Macbeth" and ursine adventure "Paddington 2."</p>
<p>The BAFTA awards ceremony is likely to echo the political tone of the Golden Globes, where many attendees wore black as a statement against sexual misconduct and Oprah Winfrey made a rousing speech calling for change.</p>
<p>BAFTA chair Jane Lush said the British film academy was determined to see the disturbing recent revelations become "a catalyst for real, lasting change."</p>
<p>Kristin Scott Thomas, who received a supporting actress nomination for playing Clementine Churchill in "Darkest Hour," said it's about time.</p>
<p>"The inequality is just insane, whether it's pay or whether it's opportunity," Scott Thomas said. "It's just enough, already.</p>
<p>"It will change," she said. "It's changing already. And now that the bullying has been highlighted — whether it's sexual bullying or just plain old bullying — men are starting to wake up to the fact that actually it's not acceptable. They have woken up to it, and they know they're not going to be able to get away with it anymore."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p> | 'The Shape of Water' leads race for British Academy Awards | false | https://apnews.com/amp/521d9608746649c4a310e23bec588343 | 2018-01-09 | 2least
| 'The Shape of Water' leads race for British Academy Awards
<p>LONDON (AP) — Cold War monster movie "The Shape of Water" led nominations Tuesday for the <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film" type="external">British Academy Film Awards</a> , as organizers announced a new female host and promised to fight sexism and sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.</p>
<p>Guillermo del Toro's fantastical thriller scored nominations in 12 categories, including best picture and best director, for the U.K. equivalent of the Oscars.</p>
<p>Del Toro said the nominations were vindication for an ambitious, genre-crossing movie "so in love with cinema that it fuses melodrama, musical, spy thriller, comedy."</p>
<p>"You toil and you never know whether you are going to be well received, what the destiny of the movie is," the Mexican director told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Scorching tragicomedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and Winston Churchill biopic "Darkest Hour" received nine nominations apiece for the BAFTA prizes, considered an indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards.</p>
<p>Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed "Three Billboards," said he was thrilled by the positive response to the film and its "strong and outrageous and nuanced" central character, played by Frances McDormand. The story of a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter won four trophies at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles on Sunday.</p>
<p>"You never know if a film that is as dark as this, and has as many strange shifts in tone as this, is going to connect," McDonagh said.</p>
<p>Other multiple nominees include sci-fi sequel "Blade Runner 2049" and World War II drama "Dunkirk," which each secured eight. Figure-skating showdown "I, Tonya" was nominated in five categories.</p>
<p>The BAFTA nominations brought good news for two movies snubbed by the Golden Globes: Christopher Nolan's visually dazzling war picture "Dunkirk" and Jordan Peele's comedy-horror story "Get Out."</p>
<p>The British academy embraced "Dunkirk" with nominations for best film and best director, among other categories. "Get Out" gained nominations for its British star, Daniel Kaluuya, and for original screenplay.</p>
<p>Winners will be announced at London's Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 18, two weeks before the Oscars.</p>
<p>The ceremony will be hosted by "Absolutely Fabulous" star Joanna Lumley, who is taking over from longtime master of ceremonies Stephen Fry.</p>
<p>Best-picture nominees are "The Shape of Water," ''Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," ''Dunkirk" and sun-dappled romance "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Best-actress nominees are McDormand for "Three Billboards," Annette Bening for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool," Margot Robbie for "I, Tonya," Sally Hawkins for "The Shape of Water" and Saoirse Ronan for "Lady Bird."</p>
<p>Best-actor contenders are Daniel Day-Lewis for "Phantom Thread," Gary Oldman for "Darkest Hour," Kaluuya for "Get Out", Jamie Bell for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" and Timothee Chalamet for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Supporting-actor nominees include Christopher Plummer for "All the Money in the World." Plummer was a last-minute replacement for Kevin Spacey, who was cut from the already completed film following allegations of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>Best-director contenders are del Toro, McDonagh, Nolan, Denis Villeneuve for "Blade Runner 2049" and Luca Guadagnino for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Nominees for best British film — a separate category — are "Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," chilling comedy "The Death of Stalin," gay rural romance "God's Own Country," period drama "Lady Macbeth" and ursine adventure "Paddington 2."</p>
<p>The BAFTA awards ceremony is likely to echo the political tone of the Golden Globes, where many attendees wore black as a statement against sexual misconduct and Oprah Winfrey made a rousing speech calling for change.</p>
<p>BAFTA chair Jane Lush said the British film academy was determined to see the disturbing recent revelations become "a catalyst for real, lasting change."</p>
<p>Kristin Scott Thomas, who received a supporting actress nomination for playing Clementine Churchill in "Darkest Hour," said it's about time.</p>
<p>"The inequality is just insane, whether it's pay or whether it's opportunity," Scott Thomas said. "It's just enough, already.</p>
<p>"It will change," she said. "It's changing already. And now that the bullying has been highlighted — whether it's sexual bullying or just plain old bullying — men are starting to wake up to the fact that actually it's not acceptable. They have woken up to it, and they know they're not going to be able to get away with it anymore."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — Cold War monster movie "The Shape of Water" led nominations Tuesday for the <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film" type="external">British Academy Film Awards</a> , as organizers announced a new female host and promised to fight sexism and sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.</p>
<p>Guillermo del Toro's fantastical thriller scored nominations in 12 categories, including best picture and best director, for the U.K. equivalent of the Oscars.</p>
<p>Del Toro said the nominations were vindication for an ambitious, genre-crossing movie "so in love with cinema that it fuses melodrama, musical, spy thriller, comedy."</p>
<p>"You toil and you never know whether you are going to be well received, what the destiny of the movie is," the Mexican director told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Scorching tragicomedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and Winston Churchill biopic "Darkest Hour" received nine nominations apiece for the BAFTA prizes, considered an indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards.</p>
<p>Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed "Three Billboards," said he was thrilled by the positive response to the film and its "strong and outrageous and nuanced" central character, played by Frances McDormand. The story of a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter won four trophies at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles on Sunday.</p>
<p>"You never know if a film that is as dark as this, and has as many strange shifts in tone as this, is going to connect," McDonagh said.</p>
<p>Other multiple nominees include sci-fi sequel "Blade Runner 2049" and World War II drama "Dunkirk," which each secured eight. Figure-skating showdown "I, Tonya" was nominated in five categories.</p>
<p>The BAFTA nominations brought good news for two movies snubbed by the Golden Globes: Christopher Nolan's visually dazzling war picture "Dunkirk" and Jordan Peele's comedy-horror story "Get Out."</p>
<p>The British academy embraced "Dunkirk" with nominations for best film and best director, among other categories. "Get Out" gained nominations for its British star, Daniel Kaluuya, and for original screenplay.</p>
<p>Winners will be announced at London's Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 18, two weeks before the Oscars.</p>
<p>The ceremony will be hosted by "Absolutely Fabulous" star Joanna Lumley, who is taking over from longtime master of ceremonies Stephen Fry.</p>
<p>Best-picture nominees are "The Shape of Water," ''Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," ''Dunkirk" and sun-dappled romance "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Best-actress nominees are McDormand for "Three Billboards," Annette Bening for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool," Margot Robbie for "I, Tonya," Sally Hawkins for "The Shape of Water" and Saoirse Ronan for "Lady Bird."</p>
<p>Best-actor contenders are Daniel Day-Lewis for "Phantom Thread," Gary Oldman for "Darkest Hour," Kaluuya for "Get Out", Jamie Bell for "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" and Timothee Chalamet for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Supporting-actor nominees include Christopher Plummer for "All the Money in the World." Plummer was a last-minute replacement for Kevin Spacey, who was cut from the already completed film following allegations of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>Best-director contenders are del Toro, McDonagh, Nolan, Denis Villeneuve for "Blade Runner 2049" and Luca Guadagnino for "Call Me By Your Name."</p>
<p>Nominees for best British film — a separate category — are "Three Billboards," ''Darkest Hour," chilling comedy "The Death of Stalin," gay rural romance "God's Own Country," period drama "Lady Macbeth" and ursine adventure "Paddington 2."</p>
<p>The BAFTA awards ceremony is likely to echo the political tone of the Golden Globes, where many attendees wore black as a statement against sexual misconduct and Oprah Winfrey made a rousing speech calling for change.</p>
<p>BAFTA chair Jane Lush said the British film academy was determined to see the disturbing recent revelations become "a catalyst for real, lasting change."</p>
<p>Kristin Scott Thomas, who received a supporting actress nomination for playing Clementine Churchill in "Darkest Hour," said it's about time.</p>
<p>"The inequality is just insane, whether it's pay or whether it's opportunity," Scott Thomas said. "It's just enough, already.</p>
<p>"It will change," she said. "It's changing already. And now that the bullying has been highlighted — whether it's sexual bullying or just plain old bullying — men are starting to wake up to the fact that actually it's not acceptable. They have woken up to it, and they know they're not going to be able to get away with it anymore."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p> | 2,604 |
<p>DETROIT — <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jose_Bautista/" type="external">Jose Bautista</a> drove in two runs and Aaron Sanchez allowed one unearned run in six innings Friday night to help the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Toronto-Blue-Jays/" type="external">Toronto Blue Jays</a> get a 10-game post-All-Star break trip off to a successful start with a 7-2 victory over the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Detroit-Tigers/" type="external">Detroit Tigers</a>.</p>
<p>Sanchez (1-2) was making only his seventh start of the season because of a blister on his right middle finger. He allowed a double and six singles in six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.</p>
<p>Toronto sealed it in the eighth inning with three runs, one when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Russell_Martin/" type="external">Russell Martin</a> drew a four-pitch, two-out walk from reliever Blaine Hardy and two more when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Josh-Donaldson/" type="external">Josh Donaldson</a> lined a 3-2 single to left. That put the Blue Jays up 7-1.</p>
<p>Andrew Romine hit his fourth home run of the season for the Tigers with one out in the ninth off reliever Jeff Beliveau to wrap up the scoring.</p>
<p>Danny Barnes gave up one hit in the seventh, Joe Biagini got three outs in the eighth and Beliveau finished the ninth for the Blue Jays.</p>
<p>Bautista greeted Tigers reliever Warwick Saupold in the seventh inning with his 15th home run of the season, upping the Blue Jays’ lead to 4-1.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Kevin-Pillar/" type="external">Kevin Pillar</a> drew a sixth-inning walk on a full count pitch from Detroit reliever Shane Greene with the bases loaded to increase the Toronto lead to 3-1.</p>
<p>The Tigers put runners at first and third with nobody out in their fifth thanks to singles by Jose Iglesias and Alex Presley, but the Blue Jays escaped by giving up only one unearned run thanks to <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Miguel_Cabrera/" type="external">Miguel Cabrera</a> hitting into an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p>The run scored when Donaldson caught <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Alex_Avila/" type="external">Alex Avila</a>‘s line drive to third but then threw the ball wildly to first for an error that let both runners move up, shaving Toronto’s lead to 2-1.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Steve_Pearce/" type="external">Steve Pearce</a> hit a 2-0 fastball from <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Justin_Verlander/" type="external">Justin Verlander</a> (5-7), who was the losing pitcher, leading off the Blue Jays’ fifth for his seventh home run of the season, breaking a scoreless tie.</p>
<p>Pillar reached second when J.D. Martinez dropped his fly ball near the foul line for an error, advanced on a groundout to short and scored an unearned run on Bautista’s first-pitch sacrifice fly to center, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>Verlander threw 114 pitches in 5 1/3 innings, running up 2-2 counts on seven batters and 3-2 on six. He struck out five, and two of his three walks came to the last two batters he faced.</p>
<p>Detroit is 7-15 in its last 22 games to fall to 10 games below for the season and increase the likelihood it will be a seller by the time the non-waiver trade deadline is reached July 31.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Blue Jays have tabbed LHP <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Francisco_Liriano/" type="external">Francisco Liriano</a> and RHP <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Marco-Estrada/" type="external">Marco Estrada</a> to work the Saturday/Sunday games. … Tigers LHP Daniel Norris is eligible to come off the disabled list (groin) on Tuesday, but whether he will start or not is up in the air, according to manager <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Brad_Ausmus/" type="external">Brad Ausmus</a>. … Tigers 2B <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Ian_Kinsler/" type="external">Ian Kinsler</a> reported from the All-Star break with the flu and was not in the starting lineup. … Toronto had its fewest wins at the All-Star break (41) since 2004. Detroit was at its lowest win total (39) since 2003.</p> | Toronto Blue Jays return with win over Detroit Tigers | false | https://newsline.com/toronto-blue-jays-return-with-win-over-detroit-tigers/ | 2017-07-15 | 1right-center
| Toronto Blue Jays return with win over Detroit Tigers
<p>DETROIT — <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jose_Bautista/" type="external">Jose Bautista</a> drove in two runs and Aaron Sanchez allowed one unearned run in six innings Friday night to help the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Toronto-Blue-Jays/" type="external">Toronto Blue Jays</a> get a 10-game post-All-Star break trip off to a successful start with a 7-2 victory over the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Detroit-Tigers/" type="external">Detroit Tigers</a>.</p>
<p>Sanchez (1-2) was making only his seventh start of the season because of a blister on his right middle finger. He allowed a double and six singles in six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.</p>
<p>Toronto sealed it in the eighth inning with three runs, one when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Russell_Martin/" type="external">Russell Martin</a> drew a four-pitch, two-out walk from reliever Blaine Hardy and two more when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Josh-Donaldson/" type="external">Josh Donaldson</a> lined a 3-2 single to left. That put the Blue Jays up 7-1.</p>
<p>Andrew Romine hit his fourth home run of the season for the Tigers with one out in the ninth off reliever Jeff Beliveau to wrap up the scoring.</p>
<p>Danny Barnes gave up one hit in the seventh, Joe Biagini got three outs in the eighth and Beliveau finished the ninth for the Blue Jays.</p>
<p>Bautista greeted Tigers reliever Warwick Saupold in the seventh inning with his 15th home run of the season, upping the Blue Jays’ lead to 4-1.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Kevin-Pillar/" type="external">Kevin Pillar</a> drew a sixth-inning walk on a full count pitch from Detroit reliever Shane Greene with the bases loaded to increase the Toronto lead to 3-1.</p>
<p>The Tigers put runners at first and third with nobody out in their fifth thanks to singles by Jose Iglesias and Alex Presley, but the Blue Jays escaped by giving up only one unearned run thanks to <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Miguel_Cabrera/" type="external">Miguel Cabrera</a> hitting into an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p>The run scored when Donaldson caught <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Alex_Avila/" type="external">Alex Avila</a>‘s line drive to third but then threw the ball wildly to first for an error that let both runners move up, shaving Toronto’s lead to 2-1.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Steve_Pearce/" type="external">Steve Pearce</a> hit a 2-0 fastball from <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Justin_Verlander/" type="external">Justin Verlander</a> (5-7), who was the losing pitcher, leading off the Blue Jays’ fifth for his seventh home run of the season, breaking a scoreless tie.</p>
<p>Pillar reached second when J.D. Martinez dropped his fly ball near the foul line for an error, advanced on a groundout to short and scored an unearned run on Bautista’s first-pitch sacrifice fly to center, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>Verlander threw 114 pitches in 5 1/3 innings, running up 2-2 counts on seven batters and 3-2 on six. He struck out five, and two of his three walks came to the last two batters he faced.</p>
<p>Detroit is 7-15 in its last 22 games to fall to 10 games below for the season and increase the likelihood it will be a seller by the time the non-waiver trade deadline is reached July 31.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Blue Jays have tabbed LHP <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Francisco_Liriano/" type="external">Francisco Liriano</a> and RHP <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Marco-Estrada/" type="external">Marco Estrada</a> to work the Saturday/Sunday games. … Tigers LHP Daniel Norris is eligible to come off the disabled list (groin) on Tuesday, but whether he will start or not is up in the air, according to manager <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Brad_Ausmus/" type="external">Brad Ausmus</a>. … Tigers 2B <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Ian_Kinsler/" type="external">Ian Kinsler</a> reported from the All-Star break with the flu and was not in the starting lineup. … Toronto had its fewest wins at the All-Star break (41) since 2004. Detroit was at its lowest win total (39) since 2003.</p> | 2,605 |
<p>Army spokesmen are saying that the murders of 24 Iraqi civilians, most of them women and young children, at Haditha last November took place because the troops just weren’t well enough trained.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that, and neither should you.</p>
<p>The Defense Department is saying that it is going to initiate a huge training program that will keep such incidents from happening in the future.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that either, and neither should you.</p>
<p>It has been, admittedly, a long time, but I do not remember anyone ever during the whole time I was in the Marines telling us “It is a bad thing to shoot to death unarmed men, women and children who pose no threat to you and who have not done or even seemed to want to do you any harm.” Neither do I remember anybody ever during the whole time I was in the Marines telling us, “It is not okay to kill innocent civilians because you are pissed off because one of your guys got hurt earlier in the day someplace else.”</p>
<p>I do remember them telling us to keep mud out of the muzzles of our weapons, to take care of our feet, and not to salute indoors.</p>
<p>I remember lots of things from those years. But I cannot remember anyone of any rank telling us that we shouldn’t shoot to death unarmed little kids and women and working stiffs and old guys.</p>
<p>If anybody had said anything that stupid to us someone surely would have said what someone always said when somebody said something really, really, really stupid: “No shit?”</p>
<p>None of the interviewers on network and cable stations these past few weeks, however, has said that or anything close like it to any of the generals and Defense Department officials they’ve had on the air doing the administration’s damage control. Again and again, the brasshats or suits have talked about training failed or training needed, and not one interviewer from “Newshour” to the flacks at Fox has said, “No shit?”</p>
<p>The White House and Pentagon love the excuse of “inadequate training” because it makes atrocities the result of innocent procedural negligence or “a few bad apples” rather than the result and acknowledgement of the administration’s basic policy.</p>
<p>The excuse of “inadequate training” came up after Lt. William Calley’s platoon murdered as many as 500 old men, women and children in the Vietnamese village of My Lai on March 16, 1968. There are other similarities in My Lai and Haditha. The secondary excuse for My Lai was that the platoon had earlier lost some members and the soldiers were pissed off; the Haditha Marines were, it is said, enraged because they’d lost a buddy some time earlier. The My Lai story only came out because it appeared on CBS and in the New Yorker, up to which time the military was doing everything it could to cover the murders up; the Haditha story came out because somebody leaked it to Time, which published a scathing article. Before the Time article, DoD had no public interest in the murders at Haditha at all.</p>
<p>“Inadequate training” was also the Defense Department’s primary excuse for its torture program at Abu Ghraib. That ugliness went public only because some idiot with a digital camera and laptop posted some of the atrocity photos on a website. The Defense Department worked very hard to play that one down, and it fought very hard to keep any more of the hundreds of other digital photographs from coming out, as if the evil we did not get to see would therefore be evil that never happened. (DoD continues to be, according to Seymour Hersh, who broke the Abu Ghraib story, successful in suppressing videos which are far more awful than any of the digital photographs.)</p>
<p>But Haditha was no more a function of “inadequate training” than was My Lai or Abu Ghraib. Each of them was a direct consequence of US policies at the highest levels, policies that said the US had the right to apply deadly force halfway around the world in pursuit of what its leaders had decided in secret were the country’s national interest. All three atrocities happened because the presidential administrations in power declared the lives of distant individuals trivial, disposable, theoretical.</p>
<p>In each of those events, the troops scorned for atrocities (Calley was the only one who got a sentence out of My Lai, and that was only house arrest for a few months; no officer went into the dock for Abu Ghraib, just a few enlisted losers) were in fact carrying out US policy without the window-dressing, without the bullshit. They performed what was in America’s heart of darkness. In My Lai, they were in a script written for them by Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara; in Iraq it has been a script crafted by George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.</p>
<p>Those dumb bastards at My Lai and Haitha pulled the triggers, but who put those guns in their hands, and to what end? Those thugs at Abu Ghraib performed those abominations, but who were their spiritual and moral leaders?</p>
<p>Were they evil, those torturers and murderers? What about the leaders who sent them there and who wrote their scripts? Who told Calley’s thugs that we had more right to tell Vietnamese what to do with their country than the Vietnamese? Who told the torturers at Abu Ghraib and the murderers at Haditha (and the killers and torturers at all those other places where the cover-ups worked as they were supposed to) we had more right to tell Iraqis what to do with their country than Iraqis? Who stood on the deck of a carrier in a flight suit with a padded crotch and told the world that our power was given to us by God but comes out of the muzzle of a gun and if you don’t like it watch what we do next?</p>
<p>Calley’s platoon of murderers, the torturers at Abu Ghraib, the Haditha killers who, in one family alone gunned down children of 14, 10, 5, 3 and 1: the problem isn’t that they weren’t sufficiently trained. The problem is that they were trained far too well.</p>
<p>BRUCE JACKSON is SUNY Distinguished Professor at University at Buffalo and editor of the web journal <a href="http://www.BuffaloReport.com/" type="external">BuffaloReport.com</a>. Temple University Press will publish his book “Telling Stories” early next year.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Why Haditha Happened | true | https://counterpunch.org/2006/06/05/why-haditha-happened/ | 2006-06-05 | 4left
| Why Haditha Happened
<p>Army spokesmen are saying that the murders of 24 Iraqi civilians, most of them women and young children, at Haditha last November took place because the troops just weren’t well enough trained.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that, and neither should you.</p>
<p>The Defense Department is saying that it is going to initiate a huge training program that will keep such incidents from happening in the future.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that either, and neither should you.</p>
<p>It has been, admittedly, a long time, but I do not remember anyone ever during the whole time I was in the Marines telling us “It is a bad thing to shoot to death unarmed men, women and children who pose no threat to you and who have not done or even seemed to want to do you any harm.” Neither do I remember anybody ever during the whole time I was in the Marines telling us, “It is not okay to kill innocent civilians because you are pissed off because one of your guys got hurt earlier in the day someplace else.”</p>
<p>I do remember them telling us to keep mud out of the muzzles of our weapons, to take care of our feet, and not to salute indoors.</p>
<p>I remember lots of things from those years. But I cannot remember anyone of any rank telling us that we shouldn’t shoot to death unarmed little kids and women and working stiffs and old guys.</p>
<p>If anybody had said anything that stupid to us someone surely would have said what someone always said when somebody said something really, really, really stupid: “No shit?”</p>
<p>None of the interviewers on network and cable stations these past few weeks, however, has said that or anything close like it to any of the generals and Defense Department officials they’ve had on the air doing the administration’s damage control. Again and again, the brasshats or suits have talked about training failed or training needed, and not one interviewer from “Newshour” to the flacks at Fox has said, “No shit?”</p>
<p>The White House and Pentagon love the excuse of “inadequate training” because it makes atrocities the result of innocent procedural negligence or “a few bad apples” rather than the result and acknowledgement of the administration’s basic policy.</p>
<p>The excuse of “inadequate training” came up after Lt. William Calley’s platoon murdered as many as 500 old men, women and children in the Vietnamese village of My Lai on March 16, 1968. There are other similarities in My Lai and Haditha. The secondary excuse for My Lai was that the platoon had earlier lost some members and the soldiers were pissed off; the Haditha Marines were, it is said, enraged because they’d lost a buddy some time earlier. The My Lai story only came out because it appeared on CBS and in the New Yorker, up to which time the military was doing everything it could to cover the murders up; the Haditha story came out because somebody leaked it to Time, which published a scathing article. Before the Time article, DoD had no public interest in the murders at Haditha at all.</p>
<p>“Inadequate training” was also the Defense Department’s primary excuse for its torture program at Abu Ghraib. That ugliness went public only because some idiot with a digital camera and laptop posted some of the atrocity photos on a website. The Defense Department worked very hard to play that one down, and it fought very hard to keep any more of the hundreds of other digital photographs from coming out, as if the evil we did not get to see would therefore be evil that never happened. (DoD continues to be, according to Seymour Hersh, who broke the Abu Ghraib story, successful in suppressing videos which are far more awful than any of the digital photographs.)</p>
<p>But Haditha was no more a function of “inadequate training” than was My Lai or Abu Ghraib. Each of them was a direct consequence of US policies at the highest levels, policies that said the US had the right to apply deadly force halfway around the world in pursuit of what its leaders had decided in secret were the country’s national interest. All three atrocities happened because the presidential administrations in power declared the lives of distant individuals trivial, disposable, theoretical.</p>
<p>In each of those events, the troops scorned for atrocities (Calley was the only one who got a sentence out of My Lai, and that was only house arrest for a few months; no officer went into the dock for Abu Ghraib, just a few enlisted losers) were in fact carrying out US policy without the window-dressing, without the bullshit. They performed what was in America’s heart of darkness. In My Lai, they were in a script written for them by Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara; in Iraq it has been a script crafted by George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.</p>
<p>Those dumb bastards at My Lai and Haitha pulled the triggers, but who put those guns in their hands, and to what end? Those thugs at Abu Ghraib performed those abominations, but who were their spiritual and moral leaders?</p>
<p>Were they evil, those torturers and murderers? What about the leaders who sent them there and who wrote their scripts? Who told Calley’s thugs that we had more right to tell Vietnamese what to do with their country than the Vietnamese? Who told the torturers at Abu Ghraib and the murderers at Haditha (and the killers and torturers at all those other places where the cover-ups worked as they were supposed to) we had more right to tell Iraqis what to do with their country than Iraqis? Who stood on the deck of a carrier in a flight suit with a padded crotch and told the world that our power was given to us by God but comes out of the muzzle of a gun and if you don’t like it watch what we do next?</p>
<p>Calley’s platoon of murderers, the torturers at Abu Ghraib, the Haditha killers who, in one family alone gunned down children of 14, 10, 5, 3 and 1: the problem isn’t that they weren’t sufficiently trained. The problem is that they were trained far too well.</p>
<p>BRUCE JACKSON is SUNY Distinguished Professor at University at Buffalo and editor of the web journal <a href="http://www.BuffaloReport.com/" type="external">BuffaloReport.com</a>. Temple University Press will publish his book “Telling Stories” early next year.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,606 |
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military announced on Thursday it is reopening an investigation into the death of a paraplegic Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip who died during a violent protest along the border with Israel.</p>
<p>The military said it will examine the circumstances of Ibrahim Abu Thraya's death last month after new information emerged. Palestinian medical records in Gaza obtained by The Associated Press show he was killed by a bullet that struck him in the head.</p>
<p>The military closed its initial probe after a day, saying live fire was employed against the main instigators of the protest but was not directed at Abu Thraya, and that it was impossible to determine the cause of his death.</p>
<p>The case has become a rallying cry among Palestinians since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old Abu Thraya, who lost his legs in a separate incident several years ago, was killed on Dec. 15 in clashes that broke out along the Israeli border. Palestinians say he was shot deliberately by an Israeli sniper - a claim the military denies.</p>
<p>The medical records, which include a hospital report and a death certificate, say Abu Thraya was struck by a bullet above his left eye and died from bleeding in the brain. The same findings were detailed in a report by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service reviewed by the AP. The reports did not specify who fired the bullet or what caliber it was.</p>
<p>Posters of Abu Thraya in a wheelchair, raising the Palestinian flag and flashing a "victory" sign, have become ubiquitous in Gaza. He has emerged as a symbol of resistance to Trump's Jerusalem move, which the Palestinians largely see as siding with Israel.</p>
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military announced on Thursday it is reopening an investigation into the death of a paraplegic Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip who died during a violent protest along the border with Israel.</p>
<p>The military said it will examine the circumstances of Ibrahim Abu Thraya's death last month after new information emerged. Palestinian medical records in Gaza obtained by The Associated Press show he was killed by a bullet that struck him in the head.</p>
<p>The military closed its initial probe after a day, saying live fire was employed against the main instigators of the protest but was not directed at Abu Thraya, and that it was impossible to determine the cause of his death.</p>
<p>The case has become a rallying cry among Palestinians since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old Abu Thraya, who lost his legs in a separate incident several years ago, was killed on Dec. 15 in clashes that broke out along the Israeli border. Palestinians say he was shot deliberately by an Israeli sniper - a claim the military denies.</p>
<p>The medical records, which include a hospital report and a death certificate, say Abu Thraya was struck by a bullet above his left eye and died from bleeding in the brain. The same findings were detailed in a report by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service reviewed by the AP. The reports did not specify who fired the bullet or what caliber it was.</p>
<p>Posters of Abu Thraya in a wheelchair, raising the Palestinian flag and flashing a "victory" sign, have become ubiquitous in Gaza. He has emerged as a symbol of resistance to Trump's Jerusalem move, which the Palestinians largely see as siding with Israel.</p> | Israeli army to reopen probe into Gaza paraplegic's death | false | https://apnews.com/amp/cd8e4ed67dbc4467a424a919a2ed85a5 | 2018-01-04 | 2least
| Israeli army to reopen probe into Gaza paraplegic's death
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military announced on Thursday it is reopening an investigation into the death of a paraplegic Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip who died during a violent protest along the border with Israel.</p>
<p>The military said it will examine the circumstances of Ibrahim Abu Thraya's death last month after new information emerged. Palestinian medical records in Gaza obtained by The Associated Press show he was killed by a bullet that struck him in the head.</p>
<p>The military closed its initial probe after a day, saying live fire was employed against the main instigators of the protest but was not directed at Abu Thraya, and that it was impossible to determine the cause of his death.</p>
<p>The case has become a rallying cry among Palestinians since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old Abu Thraya, who lost his legs in a separate incident several years ago, was killed on Dec. 15 in clashes that broke out along the Israeli border. Palestinians say he was shot deliberately by an Israeli sniper - a claim the military denies.</p>
<p>The medical records, which include a hospital report and a death certificate, say Abu Thraya was struck by a bullet above his left eye and died from bleeding in the brain. The same findings were detailed in a report by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service reviewed by the AP. The reports did not specify who fired the bullet or what caliber it was.</p>
<p>Posters of Abu Thraya in a wheelchair, raising the Palestinian flag and flashing a "victory" sign, have become ubiquitous in Gaza. He has emerged as a symbol of resistance to Trump's Jerusalem move, which the Palestinians largely see as siding with Israel.</p>
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military announced on Thursday it is reopening an investigation into the death of a paraplegic Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip who died during a violent protest along the border with Israel.</p>
<p>The military said it will examine the circumstances of Ibrahim Abu Thraya's death last month after new information emerged. Palestinian medical records in Gaza obtained by The Associated Press show he was killed by a bullet that struck him in the head.</p>
<p>The military closed its initial probe after a day, saying live fire was employed against the main instigators of the protest but was not directed at Abu Thraya, and that it was impossible to determine the cause of his death.</p>
<p>The case has become a rallying cry among Palestinians since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old Abu Thraya, who lost his legs in a separate incident several years ago, was killed on Dec. 15 in clashes that broke out along the Israeli border. Palestinians say he was shot deliberately by an Israeli sniper - a claim the military denies.</p>
<p>The medical records, which include a hospital report and a death certificate, say Abu Thraya was struck by a bullet above his left eye and died from bleeding in the brain. The same findings were detailed in a report by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service reviewed by the AP. The reports did not specify who fired the bullet or what caliber it was.</p>
<p>Posters of Abu Thraya in a wheelchair, raising the Palestinian flag and flashing a "victory" sign, have become ubiquitous in Gaza. He has emerged as a symbol of resistance to Trump's Jerusalem move, which the Palestinians largely see as siding with Israel.</p> | 2,607 |
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<p>The pirates on Monday afternoon anchored the sailboat on the coast off Elhur, 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Hobyo, which was a center of the piracy that was rampant several years ago, said Ahmed Mohamed, an official with the Somali state of Galmudug.</p>
<p>Local elders are trying to negotiate with the pirates to secure the release of the crew and the boat, he said. Somali pirates often release boats chartered by Somali businessmen without ransom.</p>
<p>The attack on the small ship happened Saturday as the vessel passed through the narrow channel between Yemen’s Socotra Island and the Somali coast, said Graeme Gibbon Brooks, CEO of Dryad Maritime, a shipping security firm. He said the pirates were taking the vessel to the Eyl area of northern Somalia.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>There was conflicting information over the boat’s name and where it was heading.</p>
<p>Brooks said the small dhow, a traditional wooden sailing ship common in regional waters, initially was heading from Dubai to Bosaso, Somalia. Malini Shankar of the Indian Directorate General of Shipping told the Press Trust of India news agency that the vessel was instead heading to Yemen, where a Saudi-led war against Shiite rebels holding its capital has raged for years.</p>
<p>Other Indian media reported the boat was heading to Mukalla, a southern port city once occupied by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula that has since been captured by Saudi-led forces. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was trying to gather information about the hijacking.</p>
<p>Databases also showed the boat was named either the MV Al Kausar or the MV Al Kaushar. It wasn’t immediately known what cargo the vessel is carrying or who owns or operates it.</p>
<p>Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said sailors there are “aware of the reports and we are monitoring the situation.” The 5th Fleet oversees regional anti-piracy efforts.</p>
<p>Piracy off Somalia’s coast was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry. It has lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near the country, whose weak central government has been trying to assert itself after a quarter-century of conflict. Since then, concerns about piracy off Africa’s coast have largely shifted to the West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean.</p>
<p>But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign fishermen illegally fishing in local waters.</p>
<p>In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy.</p>
<p>Dryad Maritime, the maritime safety company in Britain, is warning its clients to stay at least 100 nautical miles away from the so-called Socotra gap over piracy concerns.</p>
<p>“The fact they’ve taken three now in a row is an indicator or a warning of a growing problem” Brooks said. “I don’t think they are going to stop doing this.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Gambrell contributed from Dubai. Associated Press writer Nirmala George in New Delhi also contributed to this report.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellap" type="external">www.twitter.com/jongambrellap</a> . His work can be found at <a href="http://apne.ws/2galNpz." type="external">http://apne.ws/2galNpz.</a></p> | 11 Indian sailors on small boat hijacked off Somali coast | false | https://abqjournal.com/981495/11-indian-sailors-on-small-boat-hijacked-off-somali-coast.html | 2017-04-03 | 2least
| 11 Indian sailors on small boat hijacked off Somali coast
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The pirates on Monday afternoon anchored the sailboat on the coast off Elhur, 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Hobyo, which was a center of the piracy that was rampant several years ago, said Ahmed Mohamed, an official with the Somali state of Galmudug.</p>
<p>Local elders are trying to negotiate with the pirates to secure the release of the crew and the boat, he said. Somali pirates often release boats chartered by Somali businessmen without ransom.</p>
<p>The attack on the small ship happened Saturday as the vessel passed through the narrow channel between Yemen’s Socotra Island and the Somali coast, said Graeme Gibbon Brooks, CEO of Dryad Maritime, a shipping security firm. He said the pirates were taking the vessel to the Eyl area of northern Somalia.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>There was conflicting information over the boat’s name and where it was heading.</p>
<p>Brooks said the small dhow, a traditional wooden sailing ship common in regional waters, initially was heading from Dubai to Bosaso, Somalia. Malini Shankar of the Indian Directorate General of Shipping told the Press Trust of India news agency that the vessel was instead heading to Yemen, where a Saudi-led war against Shiite rebels holding its capital has raged for years.</p>
<p>Other Indian media reported the boat was heading to Mukalla, a southern port city once occupied by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula that has since been captured by Saudi-led forces. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was trying to gather information about the hijacking.</p>
<p>Databases also showed the boat was named either the MV Al Kausar or the MV Al Kaushar. It wasn’t immediately known what cargo the vessel is carrying or who owns or operates it.</p>
<p>Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said sailors there are “aware of the reports and we are monitoring the situation.” The 5th Fleet oversees regional anti-piracy efforts.</p>
<p>Piracy off Somalia’s coast was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry. It has lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near the country, whose weak central government has been trying to assert itself after a quarter-century of conflict. Since then, concerns about piracy off Africa’s coast have largely shifted to the West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean.</p>
<p>But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign fishermen illegally fishing in local waters.</p>
<p>In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy.</p>
<p>Dryad Maritime, the maritime safety company in Britain, is warning its clients to stay at least 100 nautical miles away from the so-called Socotra gap over piracy concerns.</p>
<p>“The fact they’ve taken three now in a row is an indicator or a warning of a growing problem” Brooks said. “I don’t think they are going to stop doing this.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Gambrell contributed from Dubai. Associated Press writer Nirmala George in New Delhi also contributed to this report.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellap" type="external">www.twitter.com/jongambrellap</a> . His work can be found at <a href="http://apne.ws/2galNpz." type="external">http://apne.ws/2galNpz.</a></p> | 2,608 |
<p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ These Arkansas lotteries were drawn Friday:</p>
<p>Cash 3 Evening</p>
<p>8-9-5</p>
<p>(eight, nine, five)</p>
<p>Cash 3 Midday</p>
<p>6-5-9</p>
<p>(six, five, nine)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Evening</p>
<p>4-0-5-6</p>
<p>(four, zero, five, six)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Midday</p>
<p>1-6-2-0</p>
<p>(one, six, two, zero)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>03-17-23-49-66, Mega Ball: 23, Megaplier: 3</p>
<p>(three, seventeen, twenty-three, forty-nine, sixty-six; Mega Ball: twenty-three; Megaplier: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Natural State Jackpot</p>
<p>04-29-30-31-34</p>
<p>(four, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $95,000</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ These Arkansas lotteries were drawn Friday:</p>
<p>Cash 3 Evening</p>
<p>8-9-5</p>
<p>(eight, nine, five)</p>
<p>Cash 3 Midday</p>
<p>6-5-9</p>
<p>(six, five, nine)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Evening</p>
<p>4-0-5-6</p>
<p>(four, zero, five, six)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Midday</p>
<p>1-6-2-0</p>
<p>(one, six, two, zero)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>03-17-23-49-66, Mega Ball: 23, Megaplier: 3</p>
<p>(three, seventeen, twenty-three, forty-nine, sixty-six; Mega Ball: twenty-three; Megaplier: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Natural State Jackpot</p>
<p>04-29-30-31-34</p>
<p>(four, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $95,000</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p> | AR Lottery | false | https://apnews.com/amp/74db821a4447436fbbd94daa72881b98 | 2018-01-20 | 2least
| AR Lottery
<p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ These Arkansas lotteries were drawn Friday:</p>
<p>Cash 3 Evening</p>
<p>8-9-5</p>
<p>(eight, nine, five)</p>
<p>Cash 3 Midday</p>
<p>6-5-9</p>
<p>(six, five, nine)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Evening</p>
<p>4-0-5-6</p>
<p>(four, zero, five, six)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Midday</p>
<p>1-6-2-0</p>
<p>(one, six, two, zero)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>03-17-23-49-66, Mega Ball: 23, Megaplier: 3</p>
<p>(three, seventeen, twenty-three, forty-nine, sixty-six; Mega Ball: twenty-three; Megaplier: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Natural State Jackpot</p>
<p>04-29-30-31-34</p>
<p>(four, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $95,000</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ These Arkansas lotteries were drawn Friday:</p>
<p>Cash 3 Evening</p>
<p>8-9-5</p>
<p>(eight, nine, five)</p>
<p>Cash 3 Midday</p>
<p>6-5-9</p>
<p>(six, five, nine)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Evening</p>
<p>4-0-5-6</p>
<p>(four, zero, five, six)</p>
<p>Cash 4 Midday</p>
<p>1-6-2-0</p>
<p>(one, six, two, zero)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>03-17-23-49-66, Mega Ball: 23, Megaplier: 3</p>
<p>(three, seventeen, twenty-three, forty-nine, sixty-six; Mega Ball: twenty-three; Megaplier: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Natural State Jackpot</p>
<p>04-29-30-31-34</p>
<p>(four, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $95,000</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p> | 2,609 |
<p><a href="" type="internal">&lt;img class=" size-full wp-image-3478 aligncenter" src="http://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169.jpeg" alt="150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169" width="780" height="438" srcset="https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169.jpeg 780w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169-300x168.jpeg 300w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169-768x431.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>Apparently there is a “ <a href="http://www.people.com/article/tess-holliday-blog-challenging-perceptions-beauty" type="external">plus size revolution</a>” in modeling, giving overweight women the role models in fashion they’ve all be looking for. You’d think, hearing this exciting news, that bountiful beauties&#160;everywhere would be rejoicing.</p>
<p>Not so, according to an OpEd on <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/opinions/tess-holiday-people-plus-size-model/index.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter" type="external">CNN</a>…&#160;because too many of them are white.</p>
<p>But I was disappointed when I looked at the models featured inside the magazine as members of “The Plus-Size Revolution.” At first glance there appeared to be no women of color among the four women featured. (Further research revealed that model Denise Bidot is Puerto Rican and Kuwaiti.)</p>
<p>There is no industry more vapid and judgmental than the fashion industry. By definition, it’s discriminatory. It’s the way the people in charge&#160;– generally gay, liberal men&#160;– want it. If the images of rotund ladies sold clothing, magazines wouldn’t have to be shamed&#160;shamed into putting them there. And of course now that the fashion industry has given the world (that didn’t ask for it) fat models, other chubby chicks&#160;are complaining that they aren’t the right fat models.</p>
<p>Funnily&#160;enough, these models who demand that morbid obesity be praised as beautiful don’t see the irony in having their self-esteem being entirely tied to the superficial. True self-confidence doesn’t require anybody else to celebrate your diabetes. After all, you couldn’t eat the party-cake anyway.</p>
<p>They also don’t see the irony in demanding that we recognize their beauty,&#160;as they continually shame and demean their thin female counterparts.</p>
<p>Here’s an idea, instead of celebrating fat or thin, white or black… let’s just celebrate and encourage healthy bodies.</p>
<p>I know, I know… my healthy privilege is showing.</p>
<p>Send your fat, white hate-tweets to <a href="http://twitter.com/scrowder" type="external">Steven Crowder</a></p>
<p /> | New Liberal Outrage: Fat Models Complain That Too Many Are… White? | true | http://louderwithcrowder.com/shocker-fat-models-complain-many-white/ | 2015-05-26 | 0right
| New Liberal Outrage: Fat Models Complain That Too Many Are… White?
<p><a href="" type="internal">&lt;img class=" size-full wp-image-3478 aligncenter" src="http://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169.jpeg" alt="150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169" width="780" height="438" srcset="https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169.jpeg 780w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169-300x168.jpeg 300w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150525114425-tess-holliday-cover-exlarge-169-768x431.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>Apparently there is a “ <a href="http://www.people.com/article/tess-holliday-blog-challenging-perceptions-beauty" type="external">plus size revolution</a>” in modeling, giving overweight women the role models in fashion they’ve all be looking for. You’d think, hearing this exciting news, that bountiful beauties&#160;everywhere would be rejoicing.</p>
<p>Not so, according to an OpEd on <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/opinions/tess-holiday-people-plus-size-model/index.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter" type="external">CNN</a>…&#160;because too many of them are white.</p>
<p>But I was disappointed when I looked at the models featured inside the magazine as members of “The Plus-Size Revolution.” At first glance there appeared to be no women of color among the four women featured. (Further research revealed that model Denise Bidot is Puerto Rican and Kuwaiti.)</p>
<p>There is no industry more vapid and judgmental than the fashion industry. By definition, it’s discriminatory. It’s the way the people in charge&#160;– generally gay, liberal men&#160;– want it. If the images of rotund ladies sold clothing, magazines wouldn’t have to be shamed&#160;shamed into putting them there. And of course now that the fashion industry has given the world (that didn’t ask for it) fat models, other chubby chicks&#160;are complaining that they aren’t the right fat models.</p>
<p>Funnily&#160;enough, these models who demand that morbid obesity be praised as beautiful don’t see the irony in having their self-esteem being entirely tied to the superficial. True self-confidence doesn’t require anybody else to celebrate your diabetes. After all, you couldn’t eat the party-cake anyway.</p>
<p>They also don’t see the irony in demanding that we recognize their beauty,&#160;as they continually shame and demean their thin female counterparts.</p>
<p>Here’s an idea, instead of celebrating fat or thin, white or black… let’s just celebrate and encourage healthy bodies.</p>
<p>I know, I know… my healthy privilege is showing.</p>
<p>Send your fat, white hate-tweets to <a href="http://twitter.com/scrowder" type="external">Steven Crowder</a></p>
<p /> | 2,610 |
<p />
<p>Image source: Square.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>What: Shares of mobile payment processor Square are getting crushed today, down by 20% as of 11:20 a.m. ET, after the company reported disappointing first-quarter earnings amid rising costs.</p>
<p>So what: Adjusted revenue in the first quarter came in at $146 million, up 64% year over year. That was driven by higher gross payment volume of $10.3 billion, which was in turn driven by growth within the existing seller base. That all translated into a net loss of $96.8 million, or $0.29 per share, far below analysts' expectations of $0.09 per share in red ink.</p>
<p>Now what: Operating expenses soared a gut-wrenching 72% to $207 million in the first quarter. However, $50 million of that total was attributable to a non-recurring litigation accrual. But even without that charge, the bottom line would have still fallen short of investor expectations. As far as guidance goes, second-quarter adjusted revenue is expected to be $151 million to $156 million. For the full year, adjusted revenue should be $615 million to $635 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $8 million to $14 million.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/06/why-square-inc-shares-got-crushed-today.aspx" type="external">Why Square, Inc. Shares Got Crushed Today Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFNewCow/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Evan Niu, CFA Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Why Square, Inc. Shares Got Crushed Today | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/05/06/why-square-inc-shares-got-crushed-today.html | 2016-05-06 | 0right
| Why Square, Inc. Shares Got Crushed Today
<p />
<p>Image source: Square.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>What: Shares of mobile payment processor Square are getting crushed today, down by 20% as of 11:20 a.m. ET, after the company reported disappointing first-quarter earnings amid rising costs.</p>
<p>So what: Adjusted revenue in the first quarter came in at $146 million, up 64% year over year. That was driven by higher gross payment volume of $10.3 billion, which was in turn driven by growth within the existing seller base. That all translated into a net loss of $96.8 million, or $0.29 per share, far below analysts' expectations of $0.09 per share in red ink.</p>
<p>Now what: Operating expenses soared a gut-wrenching 72% to $207 million in the first quarter. However, $50 million of that total was attributable to a non-recurring litigation accrual. But even without that charge, the bottom line would have still fallen short of investor expectations. As far as guidance goes, second-quarter adjusted revenue is expected to be $151 million to $156 million. For the full year, adjusted revenue should be $615 million to $635 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $8 million to $14 million.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/06/why-square-inc-shares-got-crushed-today.aspx" type="external">Why Square, Inc. Shares Got Crushed Today Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFNewCow/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Evan Niu, CFA Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
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<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 2,611 |
<p />
<p>The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose to a six-month high last week, but remained below a level that is associated with labor market strength.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 275,000 for the week ended Dec. 17, the highest since June, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior week were unrevised.</p>
<p>It was the 94th straight week that claims were below 300,000, a threshold associated with a healthy labor market.��That is the longest stretch since 1970, when the labor market was much smaller. The labor market is viewed as being at or near full employment.</p>
<p>Labor market strength contributed to the Federal Reserve raising its benchmark overnight interest rate last Wednesday by 25 basis points to a range of 0.50 percent to 0.75 percent. The U.S. central bank forecast three rate hikes in 2017.</p>
<p>Economists polled by Reuters had forecast first-time applications for jobless benefits rising to 256,000 in the latest week. Claims tend to be volatile around this time of the year because of different timings of the various holidays.</p>
<p>A Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing last week's data and that no states had been estimated. The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, increased 6,000 to 263,750 last week.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Last week's claims data covered the survey period for December nonfarm payrolls. The four-week average of claims increased 10,750 between the November and December survey period, suggesting some moderation in job gains.</p>
<p>Nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 jobs in November.</p>
<p>The claims report also showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 15,000 to 2.04 million in the week ended Dec. 10. The four-week average of the so-called continuing claims fell 1,750 to 2.04 million.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)</p> | U.S. jobless claims rise to six-month high last week | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2016/12/22/us-jobless-claims-rise-to-six-month-high-last-week.html | 2016-12-22 | 0right
| U.S. jobless claims rise to six-month high last week
<p />
<p>The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose to a six-month high last week, but remained below a level that is associated with labor market strength.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 275,000 for the week ended Dec. 17, the highest since June, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior week were unrevised.</p>
<p>It was the 94th straight week that claims were below 300,000, a threshold associated with a healthy labor market.��That is the longest stretch since 1970, when the labor market was much smaller. The labor market is viewed as being at or near full employment.</p>
<p>Labor market strength contributed to the Federal Reserve raising its benchmark overnight interest rate last Wednesday by 25 basis points to a range of 0.50 percent to 0.75 percent. The U.S. central bank forecast three rate hikes in 2017.</p>
<p>Economists polled by Reuters had forecast first-time applications for jobless benefits rising to 256,000 in the latest week. Claims tend to be volatile around this time of the year because of different timings of the various holidays.</p>
<p>A Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing last week's data and that no states had been estimated. The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, increased 6,000 to 263,750 last week.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Last week's claims data covered the survey period for December nonfarm payrolls. The four-week average of claims increased 10,750 between the November and December survey period, suggesting some moderation in job gains.</p>
<p>Nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 jobs in November.</p>
<p>The claims report also showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 15,000 to 2.04 million in the week ended Dec. 10. The four-week average of the so-called continuing claims fell 1,750 to 2.04 million.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)</p> | 2,612 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it "seems unlikely" that he'd give an interview in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.</p>
<p>Trump said "we'll see what happens" when asked if he'd provide an interview to Mueller's team.</p>
<p>"When they have no collusion and nobody's found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you'd even have an interview," Trump said during a joint news conference with the prime minister of Norway.</p>
<p>The special counsel's team of investigators has expressed interest in speaking with Trump, but no details have been worked out. Trump's lawyers have previously stated their determination to cooperate with requests in the probe, which has already resulted in charges against four of Trump's campaign advisers.</p>
<p>Trump called the investigation a "phony cloud" over his administration.</p>
<p>"It has hurt our government," he said. "It was a Democrat hoax."</p>
<p>Trump's words differed from what he said at a news conference in June, shortly after fired FBI Director James Comey had told Congress that Trump asked him for a pledge of loyalty. Trump denied that, and said he'd be "100 percent" willing tell his version of events under oath. He said he'd be "glad to" speak to Mueller about it.</p>
<p>The comments come after Trump had already lashed out at the investigations on Twitter Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to take control of the inquiries and repeating his claim that they are on a "witch hunt."</p>
<p>"There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, &amp; yet on and on it goes," he tweeted. "Russia &amp; the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!"</p>
<p>In a separate tweet Wednesday morning, Trump accused Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of being "underhanded and a disgrace" for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>A day earlier, Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier. She released the transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview over the objections of the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. She is the top Democrat on the panel.</p>
<p>"The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace," Trump tweeted. "Must have tough Primary!"</p>
<p>The material wasn't classified, and Feinstein said Wednesday that she didn't do anything illegal. And as the top Democrat on the committee, she didn't need authorization from Grassley to release it. Her staff helped conduct the interview with Simpson, who had also asked for the interview to be released.</p>
<p>Still, the release was a blow the two lawmakers' earlier attempts at bipartisanship on the committee's Russia investigation. Feinstein told reporters that she didn't tell Grassley beforehand, and "I owe him an apology and I will give him an apology as soon as I see him."</p>
<p>Grassley said in an angry news release on Tuesday that he was "confounded" by the release and argued that it could undermine attempts to get additional witnesses. By Wednesday he appeared to have softened, saying he was continuing to negotiate witnesses with Feinstein in the Russia probe.</p>
<p>"Listen, I screw up regularly and she doesn't owe me an apology," Grassley said.</p>
<p>Trump has derided the dossier as a politically motivated hit job. Following his lead, several GOP-led committees are now investigating whether the dossier formed the basis for the FBI's initial investigations. That has angered Democrats, who say those probes are distractions from the Russia investigations.</p>
<p>Feinstein said that she was trying to set the record straight after speculation about Simpson's interview.</p>
<p>"The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice," she said. "The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public."</p>
<p>Feinstein also sits on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation into the Russian interference and whether Trump's campaign was in any way involved.</p>
<p>Trump has often invoked Feinstein on the collusion issue. She said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Oct. 8 that there's "no proof" yet that there was any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign, adding: "I think that proof will likely come with Mr. Mueller's investigation."</p>
<p>Feinstein faces a primary from California state Senate leader Kevin de Leon. Asked about Trump's tweet, she brushed off the idea that the release had anything to do with her election.</p>
<p>"Oh come on," she said. "Of course not."</p>
<p>Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, also criticized Trump's tweet, saying it "smacks of interference in investigations and I think that's inappropriate."</p>
<p>Also Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, and FBI Director Christopher Wray were on Capitol Hill to speak to Warner and the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr. Neither senator would comment on the meeting's purpose.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Associated Press reporters Catherine Lucey, Ken Thomas and Jonathan Lemire in Washington and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it "seems unlikely" that he'd give an interview in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.</p>
<p>Trump said "we'll see what happens" when asked if he'd provide an interview to Mueller's team.</p>
<p>"When they have no collusion and nobody's found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you'd even have an interview," Trump said during a joint news conference with the prime minister of Norway.</p>
<p>The special counsel's team of investigators has expressed interest in speaking with Trump, but no details have been worked out. Trump's lawyers have previously stated their determination to cooperate with requests in the probe, which has already resulted in charges against four of Trump's campaign advisers.</p>
<p>Trump called the investigation a "phony cloud" over his administration.</p>
<p>"It has hurt our government," he said. "It was a Democrat hoax."</p>
<p>Trump's words differed from what he said at a news conference in June, shortly after fired FBI Director James Comey had told Congress that Trump asked him for a pledge of loyalty. Trump denied that, and said he'd be "100 percent" willing tell his version of events under oath. He said he'd be "glad to" speak to Mueller about it.</p>
<p>The comments come after Trump had already lashed out at the investigations on Twitter Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to take control of the inquiries and repeating his claim that they are on a "witch hunt."</p>
<p>"There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, &amp; yet on and on it goes," he tweeted. "Russia &amp; the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!"</p>
<p>In a separate tweet Wednesday morning, Trump accused Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of being "underhanded and a disgrace" for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>A day earlier, Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier. She released the transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview over the objections of the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. She is the top Democrat on the panel.</p>
<p>"The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace," Trump tweeted. "Must have tough Primary!"</p>
<p>The material wasn't classified, and Feinstein said Wednesday that she didn't do anything illegal. And as the top Democrat on the committee, she didn't need authorization from Grassley to release it. Her staff helped conduct the interview with Simpson, who had also asked for the interview to be released.</p>
<p>Still, the release was a blow the two lawmakers' earlier attempts at bipartisanship on the committee's Russia investigation. Feinstein told reporters that she didn't tell Grassley beforehand, and "I owe him an apology and I will give him an apology as soon as I see him."</p>
<p>Grassley said in an angry news release on Tuesday that he was "confounded" by the release and argued that it could undermine attempts to get additional witnesses. By Wednesday he appeared to have softened, saying he was continuing to negotiate witnesses with Feinstein in the Russia probe.</p>
<p>"Listen, I screw up regularly and she doesn't owe me an apology," Grassley said.</p>
<p>Trump has derided the dossier as a politically motivated hit job. Following his lead, several GOP-led committees are now investigating whether the dossier formed the basis for the FBI's initial investigations. That has angered Democrats, who say those probes are distractions from the Russia investigations.</p>
<p>Feinstein said that she was trying to set the record straight after speculation about Simpson's interview.</p>
<p>"The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice," she said. "The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public."</p>
<p>Feinstein also sits on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation into the Russian interference and whether Trump's campaign was in any way involved.</p>
<p>Trump has often invoked Feinstein on the collusion issue. She said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Oct. 8 that there's "no proof" yet that there was any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign, adding: "I think that proof will likely come with Mr. Mueller's investigation."</p>
<p>Feinstein faces a primary from California state Senate leader Kevin de Leon. Asked about Trump's tweet, she brushed off the idea that the release had anything to do with her election.</p>
<p>"Oh come on," she said. "Of course not."</p>
<p>Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, also criticized Trump's tweet, saying it "smacks of interference in investigations and I think that's inappropriate."</p>
<p>Also Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, and FBI Director Christopher Wray were on Capitol Hill to speak to Warner and the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr. Neither senator would comment on the meeting's purpose.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Associated Press reporters Catherine Lucey, Ken Thomas and Jonathan Lemire in Washington and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.</p> | Trump says it 'seems unlikely' he'll give Mueller interview | false | https://apnews.com/amp/97c57c4302c042119812106b9134aef9 | 2018-01-10 | 2least
| Trump says it 'seems unlikely' he'll give Mueller interview
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it "seems unlikely" that he'd give an interview in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.</p>
<p>Trump said "we'll see what happens" when asked if he'd provide an interview to Mueller's team.</p>
<p>"When they have no collusion and nobody's found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you'd even have an interview," Trump said during a joint news conference with the prime minister of Norway.</p>
<p>The special counsel's team of investigators has expressed interest in speaking with Trump, but no details have been worked out. Trump's lawyers have previously stated their determination to cooperate with requests in the probe, which has already resulted in charges against four of Trump's campaign advisers.</p>
<p>Trump called the investigation a "phony cloud" over his administration.</p>
<p>"It has hurt our government," he said. "It was a Democrat hoax."</p>
<p>Trump's words differed from what he said at a news conference in June, shortly after fired FBI Director James Comey had told Congress that Trump asked him for a pledge of loyalty. Trump denied that, and said he'd be "100 percent" willing tell his version of events under oath. He said he'd be "glad to" speak to Mueller about it.</p>
<p>The comments come after Trump had already lashed out at the investigations on Twitter Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to take control of the inquiries and repeating his claim that they are on a "witch hunt."</p>
<p>"There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, &amp; yet on and on it goes," he tweeted. "Russia &amp; the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!"</p>
<p>In a separate tweet Wednesday morning, Trump accused Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of being "underhanded and a disgrace" for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>A day earlier, Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier. She released the transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview over the objections of the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. She is the top Democrat on the panel.</p>
<p>"The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace," Trump tweeted. "Must have tough Primary!"</p>
<p>The material wasn't classified, and Feinstein said Wednesday that she didn't do anything illegal. And as the top Democrat on the committee, she didn't need authorization from Grassley to release it. Her staff helped conduct the interview with Simpson, who had also asked for the interview to be released.</p>
<p>Still, the release was a blow the two lawmakers' earlier attempts at bipartisanship on the committee's Russia investigation. Feinstein told reporters that she didn't tell Grassley beforehand, and "I owe him an apology and I will give him an apology as soon as I see him."</p>
<p>Grassley said in an angry news release on Tuesday that he was "confounded" by the release and argued that it could undermine attempts to get additional witnesses. By Wednesday he appeared to have softened, saying he was continuing to negotiate witnesses with Feinstein in the Russia probe.</p>
<p>"Listen, I screw up regularly and she doesn't owe me an apology," Grassley said.</p>
<p>Trump has derided the dossier as a politically motivated hit job. Following his lead, several GOP-led committees are now investigating whether the dossier formed the basis for the FBI's initial investigations. That has angered Democrats, who say those probes are distractions from the Russia investigations.</p>
<p>Feinstein said that she was trying to set the record straight after speculation about Simpson's interview.</p>
<p>"The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice," she said. "The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public."</p>
<p>Feinstein also sits on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation into the Russian interference and whether Trump's campaign was in any way involved.</p>
<p>Trump has often invoked Feinstein on the collusion issue. She said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Oct. 8 that there's "no proof" yet that there was any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign, adding: "I think that proof will likely come with Mr. Mueller's investigation."</p>
<p>Feinstein faces a primary from California state Senate leader Kevin de Leon. Asked about Trump's tweet, she brushed off the idea that the release had anything to do with her election.</p>
<p>"Oh come on," she said. "Of course not."</p>
<p>Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, also criticized Trump's tweet, saying it "smacks of interference in investigations and I think that's inappropriate."</p>
<p>Also Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, and FBI Director Christopher Wray were on Capitol Hill to speak to Warner and the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr. Neither senator would comment on the meeting's purpose.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Associated Press reporters Catherine Lucey, Ken Thomas and Jonathan Lemire in Washington and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it "seems unlikely" that he'd give an interview in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.</p>
<p>Trump said "we'll see what happens" when asked if he'd provide an interview to Mueller's team.</p>
<p>"When they have no collusion and nobody's found any collusion at any level, it seems unlikely that you'd even have an interview," Trump said during a joint news conference with the prime minister of Norway.</p>
<p>The special counsel's team of investigators has expressed interest in speaking with Trump, but no details have been worked out. Trump's lawyers have previously stated their determination to cooperate with requests in the probe, which has already resulted in charges against four of Trump's campaign advisers.</p>
<p>Trump called the investigation a "phony cloud" over his administration.</p>
<p>"It has hurt our government," he said. "It was a Democrat hoax."</p>
<p>Trump's words differed from what he said at a news conference in June, shortly after fired FBI Director James Comey had told Congress that Trump asked him for a pledge of loyalty. Trump denied that, and said he'd be "100 percent" willing tell his version of events under oath. He said he'd be "glad to" speak to Mueller about it.</p>
<p>The comments come after Trump had already lashed out at the investigations on Twitter Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to take control of the inquiries and repeating his claim that they are on a "witch hunt."</p>
<p>"There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, &amp; yet on and on it goes," he tweeted. "Russia &amp; the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!"</p>
<p>In a separate tweet Wednesday morning, Trump accused Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of being "underhanded and a disgrace" for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>A day earlier, Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier. She released the transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview over the objections of the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. She is the top Democrat on the panel.</p>
<p>"The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace," Trump tweeted. "Must have tough Primary!"</p>
<p>The material wasn't classified, and Feinstein said Wednesday that she didn't do anything illegal. And as the top Democrat on the committee, she didn't need authorization from Grassley to release it. Her staff helped conduct the interview with Simpson, who had also asked for the interview to be released.</p>
<p>Still, the release was a blow the two lawmakers' earlier attempts at bipartisanship on the committee's Russia investigation. Feinstein told reporters that she didn't tell Grassley beforehand, and "I owe him an apology and I will give him an apology as soon as I see him."</p>
<p>Grassley said in an angry news release on Tuesday that he was "confounded" by the release and argued that it could undermine attempts to get additional witnesses. By Wednesday he appeared to have softened, saying he was continuing to negotiate witnesses with Feinstein in the Russia probe.</p>
<p>"Listen, I screw up regularly and she doesn't owe me an apology," Grassley said.</p>
<p>Trump has derided the dossier as a politically motivated hit job. Following his lead, several GOP-led committees are now investigating whether the dossier formed the basis for the FBI's initial investigations. That has angered Democrats, who say those probes are distractions from the Russia investigations.</p>
<p>Feinstein said that she was trying to set the record straight after speculation about Simpson's interview.</p>
<p>"The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice," she said. "The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public."</p>
<p>Feinstein also sits on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation into the Russian interference and whether Trump's campaign was in any way involved.</p>
<p>Trump has often invoked Feinstein on the collusion issue. She said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Oct. 8 that there's "no proof" yet that there was any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign, adding: "I think that proof will likely come with Mr. Mueller's investigation."</p>
<p>Feinstein faces a primary from California state Senate leader Kevin de Leon. Asked about Trump's tweet, she brushed off the idea that the release had anything to do with her election.</p>
<p>"Oh come on," she said. "Of course not."</p>
<p>Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, also criticized Trump's tweet, saying it "smacks of interference in investigations and I think that's inappropriate."</p>
<p>Also Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, and FBI Director Christopher Wray were on Capitol Hill to speak to Warner and the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr. Neither senator would comment on the meeting's purpose.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Associated Press reporters Catherine Lucey, Ken Thomas and Jonathan Lemire in Washington and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.</p> | 2,613 |
<p>IAC-owned video streaming service <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/" type="external">Vimeo</a>&#160;added support for high-dynamic range videos Thursday. The service is now allowing creators to upload <a href="http://variety.com/t/hdr/" type="external">HDR</a> videos, and viewers can watch them on supported devices, including Apple’s recently-launched Apple TV 4K.</p>
<p>Creators are now able to upload their <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-mobile-hdr-1202552235/" type="external">HDR</a> videos through <a href="http://variety.com/t/vimeo/" type="external">Vimeo</a>’s web interface as well as apps like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X. The service will automatically mark any such upload with a HDR badge, and also create separate standard-dynamic range files for viewers that don’t have compatible viewing devices yet.</p>
<p>The company also added support for 5K, 6K and <a href="http://variety.com/t/8k/" type="external">8K</a> videos. <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/vimeo-livestream-acquisition-live-video-broadcasting-1202573047/" type="external">Vimeo</a>’s director of product Sara Poorsattar <a href="https://vimeo.com/blog/post/luminous-colors-stunning-high-quality-hdr-arrived" type="external">said in a blog post</a> that this wasn’t just about future-proofing videos for a time when consumers will be able to watch them on next-gen TVs: “While <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/imagica-pushes-8k-expands-production-1202599363/" type="external">8K</a> displays are just starting to hit the market, this isn’t&#160;just&#160;about your viewers: if you shoot in 8K we want you to be able to sell, distribute, or submit to festivals in the best quality possible.”</p>
<p>Vimeo is adding support for HDR by embracing H.265 HEVC as a new video codec. “This enables us to unlock next-generation features like HDR, and improve efficiency, so you can view a higher quality video with the same bandwidth,” said&#160;Poorsattar. Next year, Vimeo also wants to start using Google’s open source VP9 video codec, she added.</p>
<p>Vimeo is not the first video service to support HDR. Both Netflix and Amazon have been streaming some of their content in HDR for some time, and YouTube added support for HDR videos about a year ago. However, YouTube doesn’t support HDR on Apple devices, which makes Vimeo the first service to stream user-uploaded videos to the new Apple TV as well as compatible iPad and iPhone models.</p> | Vimeo Adds Support for HDR and 8K Videos | false | https://newsline.com/vimeo-adds-support-for-hdr-and-8k-videos/ | 2017-11-16 | 1right-center
| Vimeo Adds Support for HDR and 8K Videos
<p>IAC-owned video streaming service <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/" type="external">Vimeo</a>&#160;added support for high-dynamic range videos Thursday. The service is now allowing creators to upload <a href="http://variety.com/t/hdr/" type="external">HDR</a> videos, and viewers can watch them on supported devices, including Apple’s recently-launched Apple TV 4K.</p>
<p>Creators are now able to upload their <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-mobile-hdr-1202552235/" type="external">HDR</a> videos through <a href="http://variety.com/t/vimeo/" type="external">Vimeo</a>’s web interface as well as apps like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X. The service will automatically mark any such upload with a HDR badge, and also create separate standard-dynamic range files for viewers that don’t have compatible viewing devices yet.</p>
<p>The company also added support for 5K, 6K and <a href="http://variety.com/t/8k/" type="external">8K</a> videos. <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/vimeo-livestream-acquisition-live-video-broadcasting-1202573047/" type="external">Vimeo</a>’s director of product Sara Poorsattar <a href="https://vimeo.com/blog/post/luminous-colors-stunning-high-quality-hdr-arrived" type="external">said in a blog post</a> that this wasn’t just about future-proofing videos for a time when consumers will be able to watch them on next-gen TVs: “While <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/imagica-pushes-8k-expands-production-1202599363/" type="external">8K</a> displays are just starting to hit the market, this isn’t&#160;just&#160;about your viewers: if you shoot in 8K we want you to be able to sell, distribute, or submit to festivals in the best quality possible.”</p>
<p>Vimeo is adding support for HDR by embracing H.265 HEVC as a new video codec. “This enables us to unlock next-generation features like HDR, and improve efficiency, so you can view a higher quality video with the same bandwidth,” said&#160;Poorsattar. Next year, Vimeo also wants to start using Google’s open source VP9 video codec, she added.</p>
<p>Vimeo is not the first video service to support HDR. Both Netflix and Amazon have been streaming some of their content in HDR for some time, and YouTube added support for HDR videos about a year ago. However, YouTube doesn’t support HDR on Apple devices, which makes Vimeo the first service to stream user-uploaded videos to the new Apple TV as well as compatible iPad and iPhone models.</p> | 2,614 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Two California Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have asked Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the House International Relations Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee to formally investigate reports of more than 200 Mexican military incursions into the United States since 1996, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin of Ontario, Calif., <a href="http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_3419224" type="external">reported</a>&#160; today on its Web site.</p>
<p>Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and author of the controversial proposal to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, joined Rep. David Dreier, chairman of the House Rules Committee, in formally requesting the probes, reported the Daily Bulletin, which published a report last Sunday citing a Department of Homeland Security study documenting the incursions.</p>
<p>Chertoff this week downplayed the reports of Mexican military incursions as "alarmist," asserting that most of the crossings documented by his own department were innocent mistakes.</p>
<p>And Mexican officials have denied any incursions by its military.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"We write to request that your committee investigate the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to prevent Mexican military personnel, or those posing as Mexican military personnel from illegally crossing the United States’ southern border," Hunter and Dreier said in a joint letter to Rep. James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.</p>
<p>Hunter, who represents a San Diego district, used the occasion to push his proposal to fence the entire U.S.-Mexico border beyond what was approved in a bill passed by the House in December that would require fences at five strategic locations along the border.</p>
<p>"If the Mexican military attributes these incidents to being lost or bad directions, then we need to make the exact location of the border clear to them," the Daily Bulletin quoted Hunter.</p> | 1:55pm — Border Investigation Sought | false | https://abqjournal.com/22144/155pm-border-investigation-sought.html | 2least
| 1:55pm — Border Investigation Sought
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Two California Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have asked Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the House International Relations Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee to formally investigate reports of more than 200 Mexican military incursions into the United States since 1996, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin of Ontario, Calif., <a href="http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_3419224" type="external">reported</a>&#160; today on its Web site.</p>
<p>Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and author of the controversial proposal to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, joined Rep. David Dreier, chairman of the House Rules Committee, in formally requesting the probes, reported the Daily Bulletin, which published a report last Sunday citing a Department of Homeland Security study documenting the incursions.</p>
<p>Chertoff this week downplayed the reports of Mexican military incursions as "alarmist," asserting that most of the crossings documented by his own department were innocent mistakes.</p>
<p>And Mexican officials have denied any incursions by its military.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"We write to request that your committee investigate the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to prevent Mexican military personnel, or those posing as Mexican military personnel from illegally crossing the United States’ southern border," Hunter and Dreier said in a joint letter to Rep. James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.</p>
<p>Hunter, who represents a San Diego district, used the occasion to push his proposal to fence the entire U.S.-Mexico border beyond what was approved in a bill passed by the House in December that would require fences at five strategic locations along the border.</p>
<p>"If the Mexican military attributes these incidents to being lost or bad directions, then we need to make the exact location of the border clear to them," the Daily Bulletin quoted Hunter.</p> | 2,615 |
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<p>FORT WORTH (TX)Dallas Morning NewsFW diocese also faces new lawsuit alleging conspiracy over priest</p>
<p>04/12/2003</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>By BROOKS EGERTON and DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News</p>
<p>A former lay leader in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth was sentenced to prison Friday for raping a girl, the same day a young man filed a lawsuit accusing diocesan leaders of conspiring to protect a predatory priest.</p>
<p>Joseph Mangone, who was director of liturgy at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in North Richland Hills, was convicted this week after a police detective testified that the defendant had confessed to him. Mr. Mangone denied confessing and vowed, through his attorney, to appeal.</p>
<p>Mr. Mangone, 45, was sentenced Friday to five years on the sexual assault charge and two years each on two counts of indecency. The sentences will be served concurrently.</p>
<p /> | Ex-Catholic official sentenced for rape | false | https://poynter.org/news/ex-catholic-official-sentenced-rape | 2003-04-12 | 2least
| Ex-Catholic official sentenced for rape
<p />
<p>FORT WORTH (TX)Dallas Morning NewsFW diocese also faces new lawsuit alleging conspiracy over priest</p>
<p>04/12/2003</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>By BROOKS EGERTON and DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News</p>
<p>A former lay leader in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth was sentenced to prison Friday for raping a girl, the same day a young man filed a lawsuit accusing diocesan leaders of conspiring to protect a predatory priest.</p>
<p>Joseph Mangone, who was director of liturgy at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in North Richland Hills, was convicted this week after a police detective testified that the defendant had confessed to him. Mr. Mangone denied confessing and vowed, through his attorney, to appeal.</p>
<p>Mr. Mangone, 45, was sentenced Friday to five years on the sexual assault charge and two years each on two counts of indecency. The sentences will be served concurrently.</p>
<p /> | 2,616 |
<p>Reform efforts across this city are improving education for children. Now we need to stand tall and affirm our beliefs: A quality educational program needs consistent, fair, equitable and increased funding from all levels of government, city, state and federal.Let’s take technology—very costly to fund. Every school has a different level of commitment to it. Yet, all children should be afforded the opportunity to take advantage of technology’s vast potential for increasing achievement.</p>
<p>At Smyser Elementary School, we committed to technology three years ago when we received a $45,000 grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. Since then, the total has risen to $232,000 as we received additional grants and dipped into both state Chapter 1 and Operations and Maintenance funds. Yet we have barely made a dent in what is needed to integrate technology and computers into the daily lives of our students.</p>
<p>This large amount of money networked the computer lab with three classrooms, purchased 34 computers and provided in-service educational opportunities to teachers. More than 50 percent of the staff have received training on Scholastic Network, PowerPoint, Netscape and e-mail. As a result, teachers have used online lesson plans to teach about weather, taken students on a virtual field trip to Washington, D.C., and used a paper airplane contest to teach measurement and graphing—in this case, of hang time. Next up for teachers is training in lesson plan software.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, students have used e-mail to survey students in Lansing, Ill., about recycling in their community; they then compared the results to Chicago’s experience with Blue Bag Recycling. Students also have used various software to research special projects, including acid rain, endangered species and recycling.</p>
<p>What makes these learning experiences especially powerful is that they have been integrated into the school’s basic curriculum. At Smyser, technology is an integral part of a constructivist classroom, not an add-on.</p>
<p>Twelve additional classrooms will soon be connected to the Internet. However, we now can afford no more than one computer per classroom. What we are aiming for is one computer for every five students, a technology coordinator for every 300 students, network support and plenty of well-trained teachers.</p>
<p>Ask the Consortium on Chicago School Research for the numbers on what parents want most from education. Computer proficiency ranks right at the top. Yet, the equipment most schools have is usually a hodgepodge purchased over the years. Without the proper equipment in classrooms, it’s hard to get teachers “hooked” on computers.</p>
<p>Other areas requiring funding are training for teachers and administrators, electrical upgrades, data lines and software. All of this is very costly, and it is naive of a school to think that its commitment alone can do it. We need the commitment of all officials, local, state and federal. We all say we want children and adults committed to lifelong learning. Well, the computer is the perfect hook.</p>
<p>If the politicians really care about children, they would fund computer labs with the best equipment and place five computers in every classroom. The labs would be open until 9 p.m. and staffed by a computer lab teacher, similar to the playground teacher positions of years ago. We would have “family computing nights” where moms and dads could come and learn how to use a computer with their children.</p>
<p>There is a big surplus of dollars in the state and federal treasuries. Let’s commit it to technology. Eliminate the bureaucracy and administrative red tape and provide block grants directly to the schools for technology. Distribute the money on a per-pupil basis so every child benefits. In the grand scheme of things, it wouldn’t cost that much! Five hundred dollars per pupil would allow us to purchase the hardware, upgrade the wiring, put in data lines, train the staff and hire a tech person.</p>
<p>I call upon everyone to make a commitment to technology and computers. Give us the money, and we’ll do the job. Our students will be better trained and better educated, and test scores will go up.</p>
<p>Jeannie Gallo is principal of Smyser Elementary School in Portage Park.</p> | Technology for all | false | http://chicagoreporter.com/technology-all/ | 2005-09-16 | 3left-center
| Technology for all
<p>Reform efforts across this city are improving education for children. Now we need to stand tall and affirm our beliefs: A quality educational program needs consistent, fair, equitable and increased funding from all levels of government, city, state and federal.Let’s take technology—very costly to fund. Every school has a different level of commitment to it. Yet, all children should be afforded the opportunity to take advantage of technology’s vast potential for increasing achievement.</p>
<p>At Smyser Elementary School, we committed to technology three years ago when we received a $45,000 grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. Since then, the total has risen to $232,000 as we received additional grants and dipped into both state Chapter 1 and Operations and Maintenance funds. Yet we have barely made a dent in what is needed to integrate technology and computers into the daily lives of our students.</p>
<p>This large amount of money networked the computer lab with three classrooms, purchased 34 computers and provided in-service educational opportunities to teachers. More than 50 percent of the staff have received training on Scholastic Network, PowerPoint, Netscape and e-mail. As a result, teachers have used online lesson plans to teach about weather, taken students on a virtual field trip to Washington, D.C., and used a paper airplane contest to teach measurement and graphing—in this case, of hang time. Next up for teachers is training in lesson plan software.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, students have used e-mail to survey students in Lansing, Ill., about recycling in their community; they then compared the results to Chicago’s experience with Blue Bag Recycling. Students also have used various software to research special projects, including acid rain, endangered species and recycling.</p>
<p>What makes these learning experiences especially powerful is that they have been integrated into the school’s basic curriculum. At Smyser, technology is an integral part of a constructivist classroom, not an add-on.</p>
<p>Twelve additional classrooms will soon be connected to the Internet. However, we now can afford no more than one computer per classroom. What we are aiming for is one computer for every five students, a technology coordinator for every 300 students, network support and plenty of well-trained teachers.</p>
<p>Ask the Consortium on Chicago School Research for the numbers on what parents want most from education. Computer proficiency ranks right at the top. Yet, the equipment most schools have is usually a hodgepodge purchased over the years. Without the proper equipment in classrooms, it’s hard to get teachers “hooked” on computers.</p>
<p>Other areas requiring funding are training for teachers and administrators, electrical upgrades, data lines and software. All of this is very costly, and it is naive of a school to think that its commitment alone can do it. We need the commitment of all officials, local, state and federal. We all say we want children and adults committed to lifelong learning. Well, the computer is the perfect hook.</p>
<p>If the politicians really care about children, they would fund computer labs with the best equipment and place five computers in every classroom. The labs would be open until 9 p.m. and staffed by a computer lab teacher, similar to the playground teacher positions of years ago. We would have “family computing nights” where moms and dads could come and learn how to use a computer with their children.</p>
<p>There is a big surplus of dollars in the state and federal treasuries. Let’s commit it to technology. Eliminate the bureaucracy and administrative red tape and provide block grants directly to the schools for technology. Distribute the money on a per-pupil basis so every child benefits. In the grand scheme of things, it wouldn’t cost that much! Five hundred dollars per pupil would allow us to purchase the hardware, upgrade the wiring, put in data lines, train the staff and hire a tech person.</p>
<p>I call upon everyone to make a commitment to technology and computers. Give us the money, and we’ll do the job. Our students will be better trained and better educated, and test scores will go up.</p>
<p>Jeannie Gallo is principal of Smyser Elementary School in Portage Park.</p> | 2,617 |
<p>Gold prices are up nearly 13% year to date, but some of the biggest gold-mining stocks are struggling to keep up with the prices of the precious metal. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG), one of world's top five gold miners in terms of production, is down about 3% so far this year. Likewise, Canada-based gold mining giant&#160;Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY)&#160;has seen a similar drop in its shares drop year to date.</p>
<p>Are investors overlooking the potential in these two stocks amid rising gold prices? Between Goldcorp and Yamana Gold, which stock offers better value for money at current prices? Read on to know.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Before I dive into the bull cases for Goldcorp and Yamana Gold and reveal which stock is a better buy today, it's important to understand why these stocks have underperformed lately.</p>
<p>Yamana Gold's earnings for the past two quarters didn't sit well with investors. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Yamana reported a net loss of $42.8 million, compared with a $71.3 million profit in the comparable period of 2016, largely because of a deferred tax expense. However, Yamana's six-month operating earnings also declined 14% year over year on lower sales.</p>
<p>For Goldcorp, it's declining production, not profits, that's been a concern. The miner reported&#160;a 9% year-over-year decline in its gold output for the six months ended June 30 because of lower-grade ore from two of its primary mines in Canada: Porcupine and Red Lake.</p>
<p>The worst, however, could be behind Goldcorp and Yamana Gold, as each company has outlined ambitious plans that should drive them to the next level of growth.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The decline in Goldcorp's production is just a blip, as the miner is ramping up several mines, including its primary mine, Penasquito in Mexico.&#160;Meanwhile, Goldcorp also raised&#160;$500 million from the divestment of non-core assets in the past year and a half and reinvested those proceeds into projects to boost its gold reserves by nearly 22% to 50 million ounces.</p>
<p>Goldcorp's all-in-sustaining cost (AISC) also fell to $800 per ounce of gold in its second quarter, from $1,067 per ounce in Q2 2016. This, by far, is the most important development that investors in Goldcorp need to track, as cost efficiency remains the key to growth for any gold company, given the inherent volatility in gold prices.</p>
<p>By 2021, Goldcorp aims to bring down its AISC to $700 per ounce of gold as it strives to become one of the lowest-cost gold producers in the industry. That's only one part of Goldcorp's recently announced 20/20/20 five-year growth plan, denoting 20% growth in reserves (to 60 million ounces) and production (to 3 million ounces) and a 20% reduction in AISC.</p>
<p>At a price-to-cash flow ratio of 12, Goldcorp may not be the cheapest gold stock around, but its growth plans and a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/23/why-goldcorp-inc-shareholders-have-nothing-to-worr.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">rock-solid balance sheet Opens a New Window.</a> create a great investment thesis.</p>
<p>Yamana just released its preliminary third-quarter numbers, and they don't look too encouraging. Gold and silver production for the nine months ended Sept. 30 declined roughly 3% and 25%, respectively, year over year.</p>
<p>However, I'm not ruling out a possible full-year outlook upgrade when Yamana reports its Q3 numbers this week,&#160;simply because gold prices are currently way stronger than where they were during the last quarter of 2016, which should help offset any decline in production to a great extent.</p>
<p>What's important, though, is Yamana's outlook for 2018 and beyond looks bright.</p>
<p>For starters, Yamana is on track to bring its seventh mine, Cerro Moro, online early next year. The mine is expected to produce&#160;80,000 ounces of gold and 4.5 million ounces of silver in 2018. By 2019, Yamana's total gold and silver production is projected to jump 20% and 200%, respectively.</p>
<p>Cerro Moro is also expected to be one of Yamana's lowest-cost mines, and cash flows from the mine should help the company pare down its near-term debt. Furthermore, as Cerro Moro comes online and Yamana's expansionary capital expenditures taper next year onward, its cash flows should grow substantially. Yamana has <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/04/where-will-yamana-gold-inc-be-in-3-years.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">several other Opens a New Window.</a> exploration and development projects in the pipeline to sustain growth in the longer run.</p>
<p>Both Goldcorp and Yamana Gold look like great investment opportunities, given their growth plans, but which stock you choose today depends on your risk appetite.</p>
<p>From a valuation standpoint, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/22/these-3-gold-stocks-are-ridiculously-cheap.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Yamana is incredibly cheap Opens a New Window.</a>, at a price-to-cash flow ratio of only 5, which is less than half of Goldcorp's. The problem is that Cerro Moro is the end-all and be-all for Yamana. If it delivers, Yamana's earnings and stock&#160;price could zoom. If not, Yamana will have an uphill task winning the market's confidence back.</p>
<p>Comparatively, Goldcorp is a less risky stock. The miner has a multitude of projects to fall back on to expand production. It was profitable last year and free-cash-flow positive in the past couple of years, unlike Yamana. In fact, Goldcorp generated greater free cash flow than net income in four out of the past five years, which is a big plus in my books when it comes to investing.</p>
<p>Assess your risk-taking ability and make your pick.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Yamana GoldWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=6c423890-090c-42a5-b0d5-7c99ff20cece&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Yamana Gold wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=6c423890-090c-42a5-b0d5-7c99ff20cece&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Neha Chamaria Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Better Buy: Yamana Gold Inc. vs. GoldCorp | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/04/17/better-buy-yamana-gold-inc-vs-goldcorp.html | 2017-10-22 | 0right
| Better Buy: Yamana Gold Inc. vs. GoldCorp
<p>Gold prices are up nearly 13% year to date, but some of the biggest gold-mining stocks are struggling to keep up with the prices of the precious metal. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG), one of world's top five gold miners in terms of production, is down about 3% so far this year. Likewise, Canada-based gold mining giant&#160;Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY)&#160;has seen a similar drop in its shares drop year to date.</p>
<p>Are investors overlooking the potential in these two stocks amid rising gold prices? Between Goldcorp and Yamana Gold, which stock offers better value for money at current prices? Read on to know.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Before I dive into the bull cases for Goldcorp and Yamana Gold and reveal which stock is a better buy today, it's important to understand why these stocks have underperformed lately.</p>
<p>Yamana Gold's earnings for the past two quarters didn't sit well with investors. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Yamana reported a net loss of $42.8 million, compared with a $71.3 million profit in the comparable period of 2016, largely because of a deferred tax expense. However, Yamana's six-month operating earnings also declined 14% year over year on lower sales.</p>
<p>For Goldcorp, it's declining production, not profits, that's been a concern. The miner reported&#160;a 9% year-over-year decline in its gold output for the six months ended June 30 because of lower-grade ore from two of its primary mines in Canada: Porcupine and Red Lake.</p>
<p>The worst, however, could be behind Goldcorp and Yamana Gold, as each company has outlined ambitious plans that should drive them to the next level of growth.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The decline in Goldcorp's production is just a blip, as the miner is ramping up several mines, including its primary mine, Penasquito in Mexico.&#160;Meanwhile, Goldcorp also raised&#160;$500 million from the divestment of non-core assets in the past year and a half and reinvested those proceeds into projects to boost its gold reserves by nearly 22% to 50 million ounces.</p>
<p>Goldcorp's all-in-sustaining cost (AISC) also fell to $800 per ounce of gold in its second quarter, from $1,067 per ounce in Q2 2016. This, by far, is the most important development that investors in Goldcorp need to track, as cost efficiency remains the key to growth for any gold company, given the inherent volatility in gold prices.</p>
<p>By 2021, Goldcorp aims to bring down its AISC to $700 per ounce of gold as it strives to become one of the lowest-cost gold producers in the industry. That's only one part of Goldcorp's recently announced 20/20/20 five-year growth plan, denoting 20% growth in reserves (to 60 million ounces) and production (to 3 million ounces) and a 20% reduction in AISC.</p>
<p>At a price-to-cash flow ratio of 12, Goldcorp may not be the cheapest gold stock around, but its growth plans and a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/23/why-goldcorp-inc-shareholders-have-nothing-to-worr.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">rock-solid balance sheet Opens a New Window.</a> create a great investment thesis.</p>
<p>Yamana just released its preliminary third-quarter numbers, and they don't look too encouraging. Gold and silver production for the nine months ended Sept. 30 declined roughly 3% and 25%, respectively, year over year.</p>
<p>However, I'm not ruling out a possible full-year outlook upgrade when Yamana reports its Q3 numbers this week,&#160;simply because gold prices are currently way stronger than where they were during the last quarter of 2016, which should help offset any decline in production to a great extent.</p>
<p>What's important, though, is Yamana's outlook for 2018 and beyond looks bright.</p>
<p>For starters, Yamana is on track to bring its seventh mine, Cerro Moro, online early next year. The mine is expected to produce&#160;80,000 ounces of gold and 4.5 million ounces of silver in 2018. By 2019, Yamana's total gold and silver production is projected to jump 20% and 200%, respectively.</p>
<p>Cerro Moro is also expected to be one of Yamana's lowest-cost mines, and cash flows from the mine should help the company pare down its near-term debt. Furthermore, as Cerro Moro comes online and Yamana's expansionary capital expenditures taper next year onward, its cash flows should grow substantially. Yamana has <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/04/where-will-yamana-gold-inc-be-in-3-years.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">several other Opens a New Window.</a> exploration and development projects in the pipeline to sustain growth in the longer run.</p>
<p>Both Goldcorp and Yamana Gold look like great investment opportunities, given their growth plans, but which stock you choose today depends on your risk appetite.</p>
<p>From a valuation standpoint, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/22/these-3-gold-stocks-are-ridiculously-cheap.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Yamana is incredibly cheap Opens a New Window.</a>, at a price-to-cash flow ratio of only 5, which is less than half of Goldcorp's. The problem is that Cerro Moro is the end-all and be-all for Yamana. If it delivers, Yamana's earnings and stock&#160;price could zoom. If not, Yamana will have an uphill task winning the market's confidence back.</p>
<p>Comparatively, Goldcorp is a less risky stock. The miner has a multitude of projects to fall back on to expand production. It was profitable last year and free-cash-flow positive in the past couple of years, unlike Yamana. In fact, Goldcorp generated greater free cash flow than net income in four out of the past five years, which is a big plus in my books when it comes to investing.</p>
<p>Assess your risk-taking ability and make your pick.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Yamana GoldWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=6c423890-090c-42a5-b0d5-7c99ff20cece&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Yamana Gold wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=6c423890-090c-42a5-b0d5-7c99ff20cece&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Neha Chamaria Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=34d24aa8-aab8-11e7-8542-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 2,618 |
<p>This <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175827/" type="external">story</a> first appeared on the <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/" type="external">TomDispatch</a> website.</p>
<p>Rahinah Ibrahim is a slight Malaysian woman who attended <a href="http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=66231" type="external">Stanford University</a> on a US student visa, majoring in architecture. She was not a political person. Despite this, as part of a post-9/11 sweep directed against Muslims, she was investigated by the FBI. In 2004, while she was still in the US but unbeknownst to her, the FBI sent her name to the no-fly list.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com" type="external" /></p>
<p>Ibrahim was no threat to anyone, innocent of everything, and ended up on that list only due to a government mistake. Nonetheless, she was not allowed to reenter the US to finish her studies or even attend her trial and speak in her own defense. Her life was derailed by the tangle of national security bureaucracy and pointless “anti-terror” measures that have come to define post-Constitutional America. Here’s what happened, and why it may matter to you.</p>
<p>The No-Fly List</p>
<p>On September 10, 2001, there was no formal no-fly list. Among the many changes pressed on a scared population starting that September 12th were the creation of two such lists: the no-fly list and the selectee list for travelers who were to undergo additional scrutiny when they sought to fly. If you were on the no-fly list itself, as its name indicated, you could not board a flight within the US or one heading out of or into the country. As a flight-ban plan, it would come to extend far beyond America’s borders, since the list was shared with <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/18/no-fly-no-answers-veterans-among-americans-suing-over-fed-grounded-list/" type="external">22 other countries</a>.</p>
<p>No one knows how many names are on it. According to one <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/18/no-fly-no-answers-veterans-among-americans-suing-over-fed-grounded-list/" type="external">source</a>, 21,000 people, including some 500 Americans, are blacklisted; <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/unlikely-terrorists-on-no-fly-list/" type="external">another</a> puts the figure at 44,000. The actual number is classified.</p>
<p>On January 2, 2005, unaware of her status as a threat to the United States, Ibrahim left Stanford for San Francisco International Airport to board a flight to Malaysia for an academic conference. A ticket agent saw her name flagged in the database and called the police.</p>
<p>Despite being wheelchair-bound due to complications from a medical procedure, Ibrahim was handcuffed, taken to a detention cell, and denied access to medication she had in hand. Without explanation, after extensive interrogation, she was allowed to board her flight. When she tried to return to America to resume her studies, however, she found herself banned as a terrorist.</p>
<p>Suing the United States</p>
<p>Stuck in Malaysia, though still in possession of a valid student visa, Ibrahim filed a <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">lawsuit</a> against the US government, asking to be removed from the no-fly list and allowed back into the country to continue her architectural studies.</p>
<p>Over almost nine years, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) employed an arsenal of dodges and post-9/11 tricks to impede her lawsuit, including invoking the “state secrets doctrine” to ensure that she would never have access to the records she needed. “State secrets” is not a law in the US, as it is, for example, in <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1911/28/pdfs/ukpga_19110028_en.pdf" type="external">Great Britain</a>, where the monarch also retains “ <a href="https://ccrjustice.org/learn-more/faqs/100-days%3A-end-abuse-state-secrets-privilege" type="external">Crown Privilege</a>,” the absolute right to refuse to share information with Parliament or the courts. Here, it is instead a kind of assumed privilege and the courts accept it as such. Based on it, the president can refuse to produce evidence in a court case on the grounds that its public disclosure might harm <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/07/us-government-special-privilege-scrutiny-data" type="external">national security</a>. The government has, in the past, <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2010/09/08/ninth-circuit-feds-can-use-state-secrets-privilege-to-block-lawsuits-over-terrorist-renditions/" type="external">successfully employed</a> this “privilege” to withhold information and dead-end legal challenges. Once “state secrets” is in play, there is literally nothing left to talk about in court.</p>
<p>A related DOJ dodge was also brought to bear in an attempt to derail Ibrahim’s case: the use of made-up classification categories that dispatch even routine information into the black world of national security. Much of the information concerning her placement on the no-fly list, for instance, was labeled Security Sensitive Information (SSI) and so was unavailable to her. SSI is among hundreds of post-9/11 security categories created via memo by various federal agencies. These categories, too, have no true legal basis. Congress never passed a law establishing anything called SSI, nor is there any law prohibiting the disclosure of SSI information. The abuse of such pseudo-classifications has been common enough in the post-9/11 years and figured significantly in the ongoing case of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) whistleblower <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175814/" type="external">Robert MacLean</a>.</p>
<p>Next in its end-run around Ibrahim’s lawsuit, the DOJ pulled “ <a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/standing" type="external">standing</a>” out of its bag of tricks. Standing is a legal term that means a person filing a lawsuit has a right to do so. For example, in some states you must be a resident to sue. Seeking to have a case thrown out because the plaintiff does not have standing was a tactic used successfully by the government in other national security cases. The ACLU, for instance, sued the National Security Agency for Fourth Amendment violations in 2008. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.aclu.org/national-security/supreme-court-dismisses-aclus-challenge-nsa-warrantless-wiretapping-law" type="external">rejected</a> the case in 2013 for lack of standing, claiming that unless the ACLU could conclusively prove it had been spied upon, it could not sue. In the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations showing that the NSA indeed spied widely on American citizens, the ACLU has revived the suit. It claims that the new documents provide clear evidence of broad-based surveillance and so now give it standing.</p>
<p>Standing was also used by the DOJ in the case of American citizen and purported al-Qaeda member <a href="http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2011/10/01/us-executes-an-american-citizen-without-trial/" type="external">Anwar al-Awlaki</a>, whom the US murdered by drone in Yemen. Prior to his son’s death, attorneys for al-Awlaki’s father tried to persuade a US District Court to issue an injunction preventing the government from killing him. A judge <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/07-8" type="external">dismissed</a> the case, <a href="https://www.aclu.org/national-security/al-aulaqi-v-panetta-legal-documents" type="external">ruling</a> that the father did not have standing to sue.</p>
<p>In Ibrahim’s no-fly case, the government argued that since she was not an American citizen, she had no standing to sue the government for its actions against her in the US When all of those non-meritorious challenges failed to stop the case, the government invoked the very no-fly designation Ibrahim was challenging, and refused to allow her to travel to the United States to testify at her own trial.</p>
<p>Next, Ibrahim’s daughter, an American citizen traveling on a US passport, was not allowed to board a flight from Malaysia to serve as a witness at her mother’s trial. She, too, was told she was on the no-fly list. After some legal tussling, however, she was finally allowed to fly to “the Homeland.” Why the American government changed its mind is classified and almost all of the trial transcript concerning the attempt to stop her from testifying was <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140206/23092426127/entire-court-discussion-feds-blocking-us-citizen-flying-to-no-fly-list-trial-redacted.shtml" type="external">redacted</a> from public disclosure.</p>
<p>In addition, by regularly claiming that classified information was going to be presented, the government effectively hid the ludicrous nature of the Ibrahim case from much public scrutiny. The trial was interrupted at least 10 times and the public, including journalists, were asked to leave the courtroom so that “classified evidence” could be presented.</p>
<p>A message of intimidation had been repeatedly delivered. It failed, however, and Ibrahim’s case went to trial, albeit without her present.</p>
<p>Ibrahim Wins</p>
<p>Despite years of effort by the DOJ, Ibrahim won her lawsuit. The US District Court for Northern California <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">ordered</a> the removal of her name from the no-fly list. However, in our evolving post-Constitutional era, what that “victory” revealed should unnerve those who claim that if they are innocent, they have nothing to fear. Innocence is no longer a defense.</p>
<p>During the lawsuit, it was made clear that the FBI had never intended Ibrahim to be placed on the no-fly list. The FBI agent involved in the initial post-9/11 investigation of Ibrahim simply checked the wrong box on a paper form used to send people into travel limbo. It was a mistake, a slip up, the equivalent of a typo. There was no evidence that the agent intended harm or malice, nor it seems were there any checks, balances, or safeguards against such errors. One agent could, quite literally at the stroke of a pen, end someone’s education, job, and family visits, and there was essentially no recourse.</p>
<p>Throughout the nine years Ibrahim fought to return to the US, it appears that the government either knew all along that she was no threat and tried to cover up its mistake anyway, or fought her bitterly at great taxpayer expense without at any time checking whether the no-fly designation was ever valid. You pick which theory is most likely to disturb your sleep tonight.</p>
<p>Ibrahim Loses</p>
<p>Having won her case, Ibrahim went to the airport in Kuala Lumpur to fly back to Stanford and resume her studies. As she attempted to board the plane, however, she was pulled aside and informed that the US embassy in Malaysia had without notice revoked her student visa. No visa meant, despite her court victory, she once again could not return to the United States.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935462911/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external" /></p>
<p>At the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Ibrahim was handed a preprinted “explanation” for the visa revocation with the word “terrorist” <a href="http://i.imgur.com/95eHdUdm.png" type="external">hand-written</a> next to the boilerplate text. Ibrahim was never informed of her right under US law to apply for a waiver of the visa revocation.</p>
<p>Though it refused to re-issue the visa, the State Department finally had to admit in court that it had revoked the document based solely on a computer “hit” in its name-checking database, the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS.) That hit, in turn, appeared to be a straggler from the now defunct no-fly list entry made erroneously by the FBI.</p>
<p>The State Department and CLASS</p>
<p>As is well known, the State Department <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130051" type="external">issued legal visas</a> to all of the 9/11 terrorists. In part, this was because the CIA and other US intelligence agencies failed to tell State what they knew about the hijackers, as all were suspected to be bad guys. Then and now, such information is passed on when intelligence and law enforcement agencies make electronic entries in State’s computerized lookout system. CLASS is part of the Consular Consolidated Database, one of the <a href="http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/93772.pdf" type="external">largest</a> known data warehouses in the world. As of December 2009, it contained over 100 million cases and 75 million photographs, and has a current growth rate of approximately 35,000 records per day. CLASS also collects the fingerprints of all foreigners issued visas.</p>
<p>Pre-9/11, various agencies in Washington were reluctant to <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41093.pdf" type="external">share</a> information. Now, they regularly dump enormous amounts of it into CLASS. The database has grown <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41093.pdf" type="external">400%</a> since September 11, 2001.</p>
<p>The problem is that CLASS is a one-way street. Intelligence agencies can put data in, but can’t remove it because State keeps the database isolated from interactive data maintenance. In addition, the basic database it uses to screen out bad guys typically only has a subject’s name, nationality, and the most modest of identifying information, plus a numerical code <a href="http://www.cavanaughlegal.com/waiver-immigration/inadmissibility-waiver/212-a-inadmissibility-grounds-waiver-of-inadmissibility/" type="external">indicating</a> why a name was entered. One code, 3B, stands for “terrorist”; another, 2A, means “criminal”; and so forth through the long list of reasons the US would not want to issue a visa. Some CLASS listings have just a partial name, and State Department visa-issuing officers regularly wallow through screen after screen of hits like: Muhammad, no last name, no date of birth, Egypt–all marked as “critical, Category One” but with no additional information.</p>
<p>Nor, when the information exists but was supplied by another agency, do US embassies abroad have direct access to the files. Instead, when a State Department official gets a name “hit” overseas, she must send a “Security Advisory Opinion,” or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Advisory_Opinion" type="external">SAO</a>, back to Washington asking for more information. The recipient of that cable at Foggy Bottom must then sort out which intelligence agency entered the data in the first place and appeal to it for an explanation.</p>
<p>At that point, intelligence agencies commonly to refuse to share more, claiming that no one at State has the proper clearances and that department should just trust their decision to label someone a bad guy and refuse to issue, or pro-actively revoke, a visa. If, on the other hand, information is shared, it is often done on paper by courier. In other words, a guy shows up at State with a bundle of documents, waits while someone reviews them, and then spirits them back to the CIA, the FBI, or elsewhere. That way, the intelligence agencies, always distrustful of State, are assured that nothing will be leaked or inadvertently disclosed.</p>
<p>In cases where no more information is available, or what is available is inconclusive, the State Department might allow the visa application to pend indefinitely under the heading “administrative processing,” or simply “prudentially” revoke or not issue the visa. No one wants to risk approving a visa for the next 9/11 terrorist, even if it’s pretty obvious that the applicant is nothing of the sort.</p>
<p>This undoubtedly is what happened to Ibrahim. Though the details remain classified, State certainly didn’t possess super secret information on her unavailable to other law enforcement or intelligence outfits. Some official surely decided to take no chances and revoked her visa “prudentially” based on the outdated information still lodged in CLASS.</p>
<p>Not CLASS Alone</p>
<p>Ibrahim’s case also reveals just how many secret databases of various sorts exist in Washington. Here’s how a name (your name?) gets added to one of those databases, and how it then populates other lists around the world.</p>
<p>A name is nominated for the no-fly list by one of hundreds of thousands of government officials: an FBI agent, a CIA analyst, a State Department visa officer. Each nominating agency has its own criteria, standards, and approval processes, some–as with the FBI in Ibrahim’s case–apparently pretty sloppy.</p>
<p>The nominated name is then sent to the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) at a classified location in suburban Northern Virginia. TSC is a multi-agency outfit administered by the FBI and staffed by officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and all of the Intelligence Community.</p>
<p>Once a name is approved by the TSC (the process is classified), it will automatically be entered into a number of databases, possibly including but not necessarily limited to:</p>
<p>As Ibrahim discovered, once a name is selected, it travels deep and far into both US and foreign databases. If one clears one’s name from one database, there are many others out there waiting. Even a comprehensive victory in one nation’s courts may not affect the records of a third country. And absent frequent travel, a person may never even know which countries have him or her on their lists, thanks to the United States.</p>
<p>Once she learned that her student visa had been revoked in Malaysia, Ibrahim sued again, asking that the State Department reissue it. The government successfully blocked this suit, citing a long-established <a href="http://www.leagle.com/decision/19861770800F2d970_11592.xml/LI%20HING%20OF%20HONG%20KONG,%20INC.%20v.LEVIN" type="external">precedent</a> that visa matters are essentially an administrative function and so not subject to judicial review.</p>
<p>A court did <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">scold</a> State for failing to notify Ibrahim of her right to seek a waiver, as it was required to do by law. To the extent that Ibrahim’s case has any life left in it, her next step would be to return to the Department of Justice’s bailiwick and apply for a waiver of the revocation the State Department made based on data given to it by the DOJ that both outfits know was struck down by a court. It’s that “simple.” Meanwhile, she cannot return to the US.</p>
<p>Nothing to Hide?</p>
<p>A common trope for those considering the way the National Security Agency spies on almost everyone everywhere all the time is that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. If your cell phone conversations are chit-chats with mom and your emails tend toward forwards of cute cat videos, why should you care if the NSA or anyone else is snooping?</p>
<p>Ask Rahinah Ibrahim about that. She did nothing wrong and so should have had nothing to fear. She even has a court decision declaring that she never was nor is a threat to the United States, yet she remains outside America’s borders. Her mistaken placement on the no-fly list plunged her head first into a nightmarish world that would have been all too recognizable to Franz Kafka. It is a world run by people willing to ignore reality to service their bureaucratic imperatives and whose multiplying lists are largely beyond the reach of the law.</p>
<p>Sad as it may be, the Ibrahim case is a fairly benign example of ordinary Washington practices in the post-9/11 era. Ibrahim is going about her life at peace in Malaysia. Her tangle with the United States seems to have been more a matter of bureaucratic screw-ups than anything else. No one sought to actively destroy her. She was not tortured in a CIA black site, nor left for years in a cage at Guantanamo. Her case is generally seen as, at worst, another ugly stain on the white wall we imagine we are as a nation.</p>
<p>But the watch lists are there. The tools are in place. And one thing is clear: no one is guarding the guards. You never know whose name just went on a list. Maybe yours?</p>
<p>Peter Van Buren blew the whistle on State Department waste and mismanagement during Iraqi&#160;reconstruction in his first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805096817/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external">We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People</a>. A <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175732/tomgram%3A_peter_van_buren,_the_manning_trial_began_on_9_11/" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175732/tomgram%3A_peter_van_buren,_the_manning_trial_began_on_9_11/" type="external">TomDispatch regular</a>, he writes about current events at his blog, <a href="http://www.wemeantwell.com/" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.wemeantwell.com/" type="external">We Meant Well</a>. His latest book, a novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935462911/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external">Ghosts of Tom Joad: A Story of the #99Percent</a>, is now available. To stay on top of important articles like these, sign up to receive the latest updates from TomDispatch.com <a href="http://tomdispatch.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=6cb39ff0b1f670c349f828c73&amp;id=1e41682ade" type="external">here</a>.</p> | When “Anti-Terror” Measures Ruin the Lives of Innocent People | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2014/04/no-fly-list-anti-terror-measures/ | 2014-04-08 | 4left
| When “Anti-Terror” Measures Ruin the Lives of Innocent People
<p>This <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175827/" type="external">story</a> first appeared on the <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/" type="external">TomDispatch</a> website.</p>
<p>Rahinah Ibrahim is a slight Malaysian woman who attended <a href="http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=66231" type="external">Stanford University</a> on a US student visa, majoring in architecture. She was not a political person. Despite this, as part of a post-9/11 sweep directed against Muslims, she was investigated by the FBI. In 2004, while she was still in the US but unbeknownst to her, the FBI sent her name to the no-fly list.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com" type="external" /></p>
<p>Ibrahim was no threat to anyone, innocent of everything, and ended up on that list only due to a government mistake. Nonetheless, she was not allowed to reenter the US to finish her studies or even attend her trial and speak in her own defense. Her life was derailed by the tangle of national security bureaucracy and pointless “anti-terror” measures that have come to define post-Constitutional America. Here’s what happened, and why it may matter to you.</p>
<p>The No-Fly List</p>
<p>On September 10, 2001, there was no formal no-fly list. Among the many changes pressed on a scared population starting that September 12th were the creation of two such lists: the no-fly list and the selectee list for travelers who were to undergo additional scrutiny when they sought to fly. If you were on the no-fly list itself, as its name indicated, you could not board a flight within the US or one heading out of or into the country. As a flight-ban plan, it would come to extend far beyond America’s borders, since the list was shared with <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/18/no-fly-no-answers-veterans-among-americans-suing-over-fed-grounded-list/" type="external">22 other countries</a>.</p>
<p>No one knows how many names are on it. According to one <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/18/no-fly-no-answers-veterans-among-americans-suing-over-fed-grounded-list/" type="external">source</a>, 21,000 people, including some 500 Americans, are blacklisted; <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/unlikely-terrorists-on-no-fly-list/" type="external">another</a> puts the figure at 44,000. The actual number is classified.</p>
<p>On January 2, 2005, unaware of her status as a threat to the United States, Ibrahim left Stanford for San Francisco International Airport to board a flight to Malaysia for an academic conference. A ticket agent saw her name flagged in the database and called the police.</p>
<p>Despite being wheelchair-bound due to complications from a medical procedure, Ibrahim was handcuffed, taken to a detention cell, and denied access to medication she had in hand. Without explanation, after extensive interrogation, she was allowed to board her flight. When she tried to return to America to resume her studies, however, she found herself banned as a terrorist.</p>
<p>Suing the United States</p>
<p>Stuck in Malaysia, though still in possession of a valid student visa, Ibrahim filed a <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">lawsuit</a> against the US government, asking to be removed from the no-fly list and allowed back into the country to continue her architectural studies.</p>
<p>Over almost nine years, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) employed an arsenal of dodges and post-9/11 tricks to impede her lawsuit, including invoking the “state secrets doctrine” to ensure that she would never have access to the records she needed. “State secrets” is not a law in the US, as it is, for example, in <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1911/28/pdfs/ukpga_19110028_en.pdf" type="external">Great Britain</a>, where the monarch also retains “ <a href="https://ccrjustice.org/learn-more/faqs/100-days%3A-end-abuse-state-secrets-privilege" type="external">Crown Privilege</a>,” the absolute right to refuse to share information with Parliament or the courts. Here, it is instead a kind of assumed privilege and the courts accept it as such. Based on it, the president can refuse to produce evidence in a court case on the grounds that its public disclosure might harm <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/07/us-government-special-privilege-scrutiny-data" type="external">national security</a>. The government has, in the past, <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2010/09/08/ninth-circuit-feds-can-use-state-secrets-privilege-to-block-lawsuits-over-terrorist-renditions/" type="external">successfully employed</a> this “privilege” to withhold information and dead-end legal challenges. Once “state secrets” is in play, there is literally nothing left to talk about in court.</p>
<p>A related DOJ dodge was also brought to bear in an attempt to derail Ibrahim’s case: the use of made-up classification categories that dispatch even routine information into the black world of national security. Much of the information concerning her placement on the no-fly list, for instance, was labeled Security Sensitive Information (SSI) and so was unavailable to her. SSI is among hundreds of post-9/11 security categories created via memo by various federal agencies. These categories, too, have no true legal basis. Congress never passed a law establishing anything called SSI, nor is there any law prohibiting the disclosure of SSI information. The abuse of such pseudo-classifications has been common enough in the post-9/11 years and figured significantly in the ongoing case of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) whistleblower <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175814/" type="external">Robert MacLean</a>.</p>
<p>Next in its end-run around Ibrahim’s lawsuit, the DOJ pulled “ <a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/standing" type="external">standing</a>” out of its bag of tricks. Standing is a legal term that means a person filing a lawsuit has a right to do so. For example, in some states you must be a resident to sue. Seeking to have a case thrown out because the plaintiff does not have standing was a tactic used successfully by the government in other national security cases. The ACLU, for instance, sued the National Security Agency for Fourth Amendment violations in 2008. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.aclu.org/national-security/supreme-court-dismisses-aclus-challenge-nsa-warrantless-wiretapping-law" type="external">rejected</a> the case in 2013 for lack of standing, claiming that unless the ACLU could conclusively prove it had been spied upon, it could not sue. In the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations showing that the NSA indeed spied widely on American citizens, the ACLU has revived the suit. It claims that the new documents provide clear evidence of broad-based surveillance and so now give it standing.</p>
<p>Standing was also used by the DOJ in the case of American citizen and purported al-Qaeda member <a href="http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2011/10/01/us-executes-an-american-citizen-without-trial/" type="external">Anwar al-Awlaki</a>, whom the US murdered by drone in Yemen. Prior to his son’s death, attorneys for al-Awlaki’s father tried to persuade a US District Court to issue an injunction preventing the government from killing him. A judge <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/07-8" type="external">dismissed</a> the case, <a href="https://www.aclu.org/national-security/al-aulaqi-v-panetta-legal-documents" type="external">ruling</a> that the father did not have standing to sue.</p>
<p>In Ibrahim’s no-fly case, the government argued that since she was not an American citizen, she had no standing to sue the government for its actions against her in the US When all of those non-meritorious challenges failed to stop the case, the government invoked the very no-fly designation Ibrahim was challenging, and refused to allow her to travel to the United States to testify at her own trial.</p>
<p>Next, Ibrahim’s daughter, an American citizen traveling on a US passport, was not allowed to board a flight from Malaysia to serve as a witness at her mother’s trial. She, too, was told she was on the no-fly list. After some legal tussling, however, she was finally allowed to fly to “the Homeland.” Why the American government changed its mind is classified and almost all of the trial transcript concerning the attempt to stop her from testifying was <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140206/23092426127/entire-court-discussion-feds-blocking-us-citizen-flying-to-no-fly-list-trial-redacted.shtml" type="external">redacted</a> from public disclosure.</p>
<p>In addition, by regularly claiming that classified information was going to be presented, the government effectively hid the ludicrous nature of the Ibrahim case from much public scrutiny. The trial was interrupted at least 10 times and the public, including journalists, were asked to leave the courtroom so that “classified evidence” could be presented.</p>
<p>A message of intimidation had been repeatedly delivered. It failed, however, and Ibrahim’s case went to trial, albeit without her present.</p>
<p>Ibrahim Wins</p>
<p>Despite years of effort by the DOJ, Ibrahim won her lawsuit. The US District Court for Northern California <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">ordered</a> the removal of her name from the no-fly list. However, in our evolving post-Constitutional era, what that “victory” revealed should unnerve those who claim that if they are innocent, they have nothing to fear. Innocence is no longer a defense.</p>
<p>During the lawsuit, it was made clear that the FBI had never intended Ibrahim to be placed on the no-fly list. The FBI agent involved in the initial post-9/11 investigation of Ibrahim simply checked the wrong box on a paper form used to send people into travel limbo. It was a mistake, a slip up, the equivalent of a typo. There was no evidence that the agent intended harm or malice, nor it seems were there any checks, balances, or safeguards against such errors. One agent could, quite literally at the stroke of a pen, end someone’s education, job, and family visits, and there was essentially no recourse.</p>
<p>Throughout the nine years Ibrahim fought to return to the US, it appears that the government either knew all along that she was no threat and tried to cover up its mistake anyway, or fought her bitterly at great taxpayer expense without at any time checking whether the no-fly designation was ever valid. You pick which theory is most likely to disturb your sleep tonight.</p>
<p>Ibrahim Loses</p>
<p>Having won her case, Ibrahim went to the airport in Kuala Lumpur to fly back to Stanford and resume her studies. As she attempted to board the plane, however, she was pulled aside and informed that the US embassy in Malaysia had without notice revoked her student visa. No visa meant, despite her court victory, she once again could not return to the United States.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935462911/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external" /></p>
<p>At the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Ibrahim was handed a preprinted “explanation” for the visa revocation with the word “terrorist” <a href="http://i.imgur.com/95eHdUdm.png" type="external">hand-written</a> next to the boilerplate text. Ibrahim was never informed of her right under US law to apply for a waiver of the visa revocation.</p>
<p>Though it refused to re-issue the visa, the State Department finally had to admit in court that it had revoked the document based solely on a computer “hit” in its name-checking database, the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS.) That hit, in turn, appeared to be a straggler from the now defunct no-fly list entry made erroneously by the FBI.</p>
<p>The State Department and CLASS</p>
<p>As is well known, the State Department <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130051" type="external">issued legal visas</a> to all of the 9/11 terrorists. In part, this was because the CIA and other US intelligence agencies failed to tell State what they knew about the hijackers, as all were suspected to be bad guys. Then and now, such information is passed on when intelligence and law enforcement agencies make electronic entries in State’s computerized lookout system. CLASS is part of the Consular Consolidated Database, one of the <a href="http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/93772.pdf" type="external">largest</a> known data warehouses in the world. As of December 2009, it contained over 100 million cases and 75 million photographs, and has a current growth rate of approximately 35,000 records per day. CLASS also collects the fingerprints of all foreigners issued visas.</p>
<p>Pre-9/11, various agencies in Washington were reluctant to <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41093.pdf" type="external">share</a> information. Now, they regularly dump enormous amounts of it into CLASS. The database has grown <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41093.pdf" type="external">400%</a> since September 11, 2001.</p>
<p>The problem is that CLASS is a one-way street. Intelligence agencies can put data in, but can’t remove it because State keeps the database isolated from interactive data maintenance. In addition, the basic database it uses to screen out bad guys typically only has a subject’s name, nationality, and the most modest of identifying information, plus a numerical code <a href="http://www.cavanaughlegal.com/waiver-immigration/inadmissibility-waiver/212-a-inadmissibility-grounds-waiver-of-inadmissibility/" type="external">indicating</a> why a name was entered. One code, 3B, stands for “terrorist”; another, 2A, means “criminal”; and so forth through the long list of reasons the US would not want to issue a visa. Some CLASS listings have just a partial name, and State Department visa-issuing officers regularly wallow through screen after screen of hits like: Muhammad, no last name, no date of birth, Egypt–all marked as “critical, Category One” but with no additional information.</p>
<p>Nor, when the information exists but was supplied by another agency, do US embassies abroad have direct access to the files. Instead, when a State Department official gets a name “hit” overseas, she must send a “Security Advisory Opinion,” or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Advisory_Opinion" type="external">SAO</a>, back to Washington asking for more information. The recipient of that cable at Foggy Bottom must then sort out which intelligence agency entered the data in the first place and appeal to it for an explanation.</p>
<p>At that point, intelligence agencies commonly to refuse to share more, claiming that no one at State has the proper clearances and that department should just trust their decision to label someone a bad guy and refuse to issue, or pro-actively revoke, a visa. If, on the other hand, information is shared, it is often done on paper by courier. In other words, a guy shows up at State with a bundle of documents, waits while someone reviews them, and then spirits them back to the CIA, the FBI, or elsewhere. That way, the intelligence agencies, always distrustful of State, are assured that nothing will be leaked or inadvertently disclosed.</p>
<p>In cases where no more information is available, or what is available is inconclusive, the State Department might allow the visa application to pend indefinitely under the heading “administrative processing,” or simply “prudentially” revoke or not issue the visa. No one wants to risk approving a visa for the next 9/11 terrorist, even if it’s pretty obvious that the applicant is nothing of the sort.</p>
<p>This undoubtedly is what happened to Ibrahim. Though the details remain classified, State certainly didn’t possess super secret information on her unavailable to other law enforcement or intelligence outfits. Some official surely decided to take no chances and revoked her visa “prudentially” based on the outdated information still lodged in CLASS.</p>
<p>Not CLASS Alone</p>
<p>Ibrahim’s case also reveals just how many secret databases of various sorts exist in Washington. Here’s how a name (your name?) gets added to one of those databases, and how it then populates other lists around the world.</p>
<p>A name is nominated for the no-fly list by one of hundreds of thousands of government officials: an FBI agent, a CIA analyst, a State Department visa officer. Each nominating agency has its own criteria, standards, and approval processes, some–as with the FBI in Ibrahim’s case–apparently pretty sloppy.</p>
<p>The nominated name is then sent to the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) at a classified location in suburban Northern Virginia. TSC is a multi-agency outfit administered by the FBI and staffed by officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and all of the Intelligence Community.</p>
<p>Once a name is approved by the TSC (the process is classified), it will automatically be entered into a number of databases, possibly including but not necessarily limited to:</p>
<p>As Ibrahim discovered, once a name is selected, it travels deep and far into both US and foreign databases. If one clears one’s name from one database, there are many others out there waiting. Even a comprehensive victory in one nation’s courts may not affect the records of a third country. And absent frequent travel, a person may never even know which countries have him or her on their lists, thanks to the United States.</p>
<p>Once she learned that her student visa had been revoked in Malaysia, Ibrahim sued again, asking that the State Department reissue it. The government successfully blocked this suit, citing a long-established <a href="http://www.leagle.com/decision/19861770800F2d970_11592.xml/LI%20HING%20OF%20HONG%20KONG,%20INC.%20v.LEVIN" type="external">precedent</a> that visa matters are essentially an administrative function and so not subject to judicial review.</p>
<p>A court did <a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2014/02/ibraruling.pdf" type="external">scold</a> State for failing to notify Ibrahim of her right to seek a waiver, as it was required to do by law. To the extent that Ibrahim’s case has any life left in it, her next step would be to return to the Department of Justice’s bailiwick and apply for a waiver of the revocation the State Department made based on data given to it by the DOJ that both outfits know was struck down by a court. It’s that “simple.” Meanwhile, she cannot return to the US.</p>
<p>Nothing to Hide?</p>
<p>A common trope for those considering the way the National Security Agency spies on almost everyone everywhere all the time is that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. If your cell phone conversations are chit-chats with mom and your emails tend toward forwards of cute cat videos, why should you care if the NSA or anyone else is snooping?</p>
<p>Ask Rahinah Ibrahim about that. She did nothing wrong and so should have had nothing to fear. She even has a court decision declaring that she never was nor is a threat to the United States, yet she remains outside America’s borders. Her mistaken placement on the no-fly list plunged her head first into a nightmarish world that would have been all too recognizable to Franz Kafka. It is a world run by people willing to ignore reality to service their bureaucratic imperatives and whose multiplying lists are largely beyond the reach of the law.</p>
<p>Sad as it may be, the Ibrahim case is a fairly benign example of ordinary Washington practices in the post-9/11 era. Ibrahim is going about her life at peace in Malaysia. Her tangle with the United States seems to have been more a matter of bureaucratic screw-ups than anything else. No one sought to actively destroy her. She was not tortured in a CIA black site, nor left for years in a cage at Guantanamo. Her case is generally seen as, at worst, another ugly stain on the white wall we imagine we are as a nation.</p>
<p>But the watch lists are there. The tools are in place. And one thing is clear: no one is guarding the guards. You never know whose name just went on a list. Maybe yours?</p>
<p>Peter Van Buren blew the whistle on State Department waste and mismanagement during Iraqi&#160;reconstruction in his first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805096817/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external">We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People</a>. A <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175732/tomgram%3A_peter_van_buren,_the_manning_trial_began_on_9_11/" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175732/tomgram%3A_peter_van_buren,_the_manning_trial_began_on_9_11/" type="external">TomDispatch regular</a>, he writes about current events at his blog, <a href="http://www.wemeantwell.com/" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.wemeantwell.com/" type="external">We Meant Well</a>. His latest book, a novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935462911/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external">Ghosts of Tom Joad: A Story of the #99Percent</a>, is now available. To stay on top of important articles like these, sign up to receive the latest updates from TomDispatch.com <a href="http://tomdispatch.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=6cb39ff0b1f670c349f828c73&amp;id=1e41682ade" type="external">here</a>.</p> | 2,619 |
<p>Today's Geo Quiz is coming in for landing.</p>
<p>We're after the name of an airport today. It's located in the center of the German capital, Berlin.</p>
<p>This airport was built in the 1920s and expanded under the Nazi regime. But its heyday came in 1948 and 1949.</p>
<p>That's when the airport was used as a hub for the Berlin Airlift.</p>
<p>Allied pilots flew in supplies to break the Soviet blockade of the city.</p>
<p>That's one reason many Berliners are fond of the place.</p>
<p>"The airport is unique historical place keep it the way it is, well its small fast cozy means a lot to Berlin and a lot to me."</p>
<p>But Berlin's oldest airport may soon be a thing of the past.</p>
<p>We'll tell you why here...</p>
<p>We're landing at our Geo Quiz destination now.</p>
<p>Berlin's Tempelhof Airport is the answer.</p>
<p>It played a major role during the "Berlin Airlift" at the start of the Cold War.</p>
<p>City officials want to close the airport down -- and a referendum on the issue was held yesterday.</p>
<p>The World's David Leveille has more:</p> | Geo answer: Tempelhof airport | false | https://pri.org/stories/2008-04-28/geo-answer-tempelhof-airport | 2008-04-28 | 3left-center
| Geo answer: Tempelhof airport
<p>Today's Geo Quiz is coming in for landing.</p>
<p>We're after the name of an airport today. It's located in the center of the German capital, Berlin.</p>
<p>This airport was built in the 1920s and expanded under the Nazi regime. But its heyday came in 1948 and 1949.</p>
<p>That's when the airport was used as a hub for the Berlin Airlift.</p>
<p>Allied pilots flew in supplies to break the Soviet blockade of the city.</p>
<p>That's one reason many Berliners are fond of the place.</p>
<p>"The airport is unique historical place keep it the way it is, well its small fast cozy means a lot to Berlin and a lot to me."</p>
<p>But Berlin's oldest airport may soon be a thing of the past.</p>
<p>We'll tell you why here...</p>
<p>We're landing at our Geo Quiz destination now.</p>
<p>Berlin's Tempelhof Airport is the answer.</p>
<p>It played a major role during the "Berlin Airlift" at the start of the Cold War.</p>
<p>City officials want to close the airport down -- and a referendum on the issue was held yesterday.</p>
<p>The World's David Leveille has more:</p> | 2,620 |
<p>UPDATE: Seventy-six people died in Norway's twin attacks—eight when a blast ripped through Oslo’s government headquarters, and 68 at a mass shooting at a nearby youth camp. Dozens more were hospitalized. Norway's prime minister said, "Not since the Second World War has the country experienced such an atrocity.”</p>
<p>As rain poured down from a gray sky Friday afternoon, the heart of Oslo was struck by a <a href="" type="internal">powerful explosion</a> outside the prime minister’s office, and on an island outside the city, a man dressed as a police officer began shooting at teenagers. The twin attacks left a total of 87 dead.</p>
<p>“First came the blast, then our glass roof exploded,” said newspaper columnist Anders Giaver, whose office is just across from a plaza ringed by the prime minister’s office, the Ministry of Oil and Energy, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Education. “We ran down the stairs and smelled smoke. We knew immediately that this was a terror attack.”</p>
<p>Outside, Giaver met shocked and wounded citizens. “Unbelievable” was the word many used to describe the tragedy. A terror attack is something that happens elsewhere, not in Norway.</p>
<p>“Norway lost its innocence today,” a grim-faced Ola Borten Moe, the minister of oil and energy, told The Daily Beast. Several of his staff were wounded in the blast, which killed at least seven and wounded 15. “This will change Norway forever. This is something we have read about from other countries. But the most important thing now is to keep our tempers in check. We don’t yet know who or why.”</p>
<p>The feeling of shock intensified Friday as a gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire on teenagers who were attending a political summer camp run by the ruling Labor Party at Utøya, an island on one of the lakes surrounding Oslo. The teenagers fled, with some running away and others diving into the water in an effort to escape. At least nine were killed, and the 32-year-old shooter, who police said was <a href="" type="internal">linked to the Oslo bombing</a>, was arrested. <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_NORWAY_EXPLOSION?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" type="external">An unexploded bomb</a> was later found on the island.</p>
<p>The blond Norwegian suspect had told guards that he was on the island to carry out a “routine check” on security after the terror attack in Oslo. He was ferried by boat to the island by the camp’s own staffers. Just after reaching the crowd of teenagers, he began shooting.</p>
<p>“July 22 will go down in history as the day when political violence brought death to our streets and to our youth,” Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told The Daily Beast in a phone interview. He spent Thursday with the Labor Party youth at Utøya, having what he described as “lively discussions about the Middle East, soccer, music—all the ingredients of a political summer camp.” On Saturday the prime minister, who was not in his office at the time of the Oslo bombing, was scheduled to attend.</p>
<p>“Tonight we are mourning the loss of innocent citizens who have been targeted by terror,” said Gahr Støre, who, between security meetings Friday, took calls from survivors and parents of victims of the Utøya camp attack. “As we do that, we also make every effort to bring those responsible to justice. Norway must live up to its standard of the rule of law. But for the moment, we have no theories about who is behind it. Having theories means you limit the scope of the investigation.”</p>
<p>Right before midnight, the Oslo police raided the flat of Anders Behring Breivik in the upper class district of Oslo, where the 32-year old had been living with his mother. The man arrested in connection with the shootings at Uttøya and the explosions in Oslo is a devote rightwing extremist, known to have posted several attacks on Islam, immigration and the creation of a multicultural society in Norway on the web.</p>
<p>In 2009 Breivik registered the company Geofram, to deal with vegetables. Through this company he got access to large quantities of fertilizers, which is suspected have been used in the explosives.</p>
<p>Breivik was registered with a Glock pistol, a rifle and a hunting gun in the weapon register. In his car several other weapons were found, including machine pistols, after the arrest. Six days ago he posted <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/AndersBBreivik/status/92651821369266176" type="external">his one and only message on Twitter</a>, a version of a quote by John Stuart Mill: "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100 000 who have only interests."</p>
<p>Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.</p>
<p>A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).</p>
<p>Norway is a member of NATO and has troops stationed in the Faryab province of Afghanistan. It has taken part in the West’s bombing raids on Tripoli and in 2006 <a href="" type="internal">was mentioned by Ayman al-Zawahiri as a possible target</a>. Norwegian newspapers’ reprinting of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad angered Muslim groups, and protests against Norway were staged in several countries.</p>
<p>Oslo is one of the most open capitals in the world. Before Friday, a person could walk straight into the reception area of the building where the prime minister had his office on the top floor. Now that reception area lies in ruins. Oslo is a city where the police patrol is unarmed, where people can take a stroll in the king’s garden around the clock. The city has been struck in the heart—and it may be forever changed.</p> | Oslo Bombing, Utoya Attack: Shock After the Blast and Shooting in Norway | true | https://thedailybeast.com/oslo-bombing-utoya-attack-shock-after-the-blast-and-shooting-in-norway | 2018-10-07 | 4left
| Oslo Bombing, Utoya Attack: Shock After the Blast and Shooting in Norway
<p>UPDATE: Seventy-six people died in Norway's twin attacks—eight when a blast ripped through Oslo’s government headquarters, and 68 at a mass shooting at a nearby youth camp. Dozens more were hospitalized. Norway's prime minister said, "Not since the Second World War has the country experienced such an atrocity.”</p>
<p>As rain poured down from a gray sky Friday afternoon, the heart of Oslo was struck by a <a href="" type="internal">powerful explosion</a> outside the prime minister’s office, and on an island outside the city, a man dressed as a police officer began shooting at teenagers. The twin attacks left a total of 87 dead.</p>
<p>“First came the blast, then our glass roof exploded,” said newspaper columnist Anders Giaver, whose office is just across from a plaza ringed by the prime minister’s office, the Ministry of Oil and Energy, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Education. “We ran down the stairs and smelled smoke. We knew immediately that this was a terror attack.”</p>
<p>Outside, Giaver met shocked and wounded citizens. “Unbelievable” was the word many used to describe the tragedy. A terror attack is something that happens elsewhere, not in Norway.</p>
<p>“Norway lost its innocence today,” a grim-faced Ola Borten Moe, the minister of oil and energy, told The Daily Beast. Several of his staff were wounded in the blast, which killed at least seven and wounded 15. “This will change Norway forever. This is something we have read about from other countries. But the most important thing now is to keep our tempers in check. We don’t yet know who or why.”</p>
<p>The feeling of shock intensified Friday as a gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire on teenagers who were attending a political summer camp run by the ruling Labor Party at Utøya, an island on one of the lakes surrounding Oslo. The teenagers fled, with some running away and others diving into the water in an effort to escape. At least nine were killed, and the 32-year-old shooter, who police said was <a href="" type="internal">linked to the Oslo bombing</a>, was arrested. <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_NORWAY_EXPLOSION?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" type="external">An unexploded bomb</a> was later found on the island.</p>
<p>The blond Norwegian suspect had told guards that he was on the island to carry out a “routine check” on security after the terror attack in Oslo. He was ferried by boat to the island by the camp’s own staffers. Just after reaching the crowd of teenagers, he began shooting.</p>
<p>“July 22 will go down in history as the day when political violence brought death to our streets and to our youth,” Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told The Daily Beast in a phone interview. He spent Thursday with the Labor Party youth at Utøya, having what he described as “lively discussions about the Middle East, soccer, music—all the ingredients of a political summer camp.” On Saturday the prime minister, who was not in his office at the time of the Oslo bombing, was scheduled to attend.</p>
<p>“Tonight we are mourning the loss of innocent citizens who have been targeted by terror,” said Gahr Støre, who, between security meetings Friday, took calls from survivors and parents of victims of the Utøya camp attack. “As we do that, we also make every effort to bring those responsible to justice. Norway must live up to its standard of the rule of law. But for the moment, we have no theories about who is behind it. Having theories means you limit the scope of the investigation.”</p>
<p>Right before midnight, the Oslo police raided the flat of Anders Behring Breivik in the upper class district of Oslo, where the 32-year old had been living with his mother. The man arrested in connection with the shootings at Uttøya and the explosions in Oslo is a devote rightwing extremist, known to have posted several attacks on Islam, immigration and the creation of a multicultural society in Norway on the web.</p>
<p>In 2009 Breivik registered the company Geofram, to deal with vegetables. Through this company he got access to large quantities of fertilizers, which is suspected have been used in the explosives.</p>
<p>Breivik was registered with a Glock pistol, a rifle and a hunting gun in the weapon register. In his car several other weapons were found, including machine pistols, after the arrest. Six days ago he posted <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/AndersBBreivik/status/92651821369266176" type="external">his one and only message on Twitter</a>, a version of a quote by John Stuart Mill: "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100 000 who have only interests."</p>
<p>Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.</p>
<p>A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).</p>
<p>Norway is a member of NATO and has troops stationed in the Faryab province of Afghanistan. It has taken part in the West’s bombing raids on Tripoli and in 2006 <a href="" type="internal">was mentioned by Ayman al-Zawahiri as a possible target</a>. Norwegian newspapers’ reprinting of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad angered Muslim groups, and protests against Norway were staged in several countries.</p>
<p>Oslo is one of the most open capitals in the world. Before Friday, a person could walk straight into the reception area of the building where the prime minister had his office on the top floor. Now that reception area lies in ruins. Oslo is a city where the police patrol is unarmed, where people can take a stroll in the king’s garden around the clock. The city has been struck in the heart—and it may be forever changed.</p> | 2,621 |
<p>Falcon vs. Vulcan? United Launch Alliance turned to a "Star Trek" favorite, Vulcan, to name its next-generation rocket, which is due for its maiden launch in 2019 with a new breed of U.S.-made engine. The Vulcan is being positioned as the main U.S. rival for SpaceX's Falcon line of rockets.</p>
<p>ULA went with the top choice from an online poll to name what was previously known as the Next Generation Launch System. "As the company currently responsible for more than 70 percent of the nation's space launches, it is only fitting that America got to name the country's rocket of the future," Tory Bruno, ULA's president and CEO, said Monday in a <a href="http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-unveils-americas-new-rocket-vulcan.aspx?title=United+Launch+Alliance+Unveils+America%E2%80%99s+New+Rocket+%E2%80%93+Vulcan%3a+Innovative+Next+Generation+Launch+System+will+Provide+Country%E2%80%99s+Most+Reliable%2c+Affordable+and+Accessible+Launch+Service" type="external">news release</a>.</p>
<p>Vulcan joins the Atlas and Delta lines of rockets that are offered by ULA, a joint venture involving the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin.</p>
<p>During Monday's big reveal at the <a href="http://www.spacesymposium.org/" type="external">National Space Symposium</a> in Colorado Springs, Bruno also unveiled an plan to recover the Vulcan's first-stage booster engines by using a helicopter to capture the <a href="http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/14/ula-chief-explains-reusability-and-innovation-of-new-rocket/" type="external">heat-shielded, parachute-equipped engine package</a> in midair as it descends. The initiative is called Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology, or SMART.</p>
<p>"This will take up to 90 percent of the propulsion cost out of the booster," <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_27905093/america-meet-vulcan-your-next-united-launch-alliance" type="external">Bruno told The Denver Post</a>.</p>
<p>SpaceX is working on a different approach to rocket reusability, which involves having the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage fly itself back to a landing pad. SpaceX has been working on that technology for years, and it's <a href="" type="internal">due for another test as early as Tuesday</a>during the launch of a Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station.</p>
<p>Rocket reusability is regarded as a key strategy for reducing the cost of access to space.</p>
<p>The Vulcan rocket's first stage would use <a href="" type="internal">BE-4 engines developed in cooperation with Blue Origin</a>, the rocket venture founded by Amazon.com billionaire Jeff Bezos. ULA said the BE-4 would serve as a "viable alternative to the Russian-made RD-180." Members of Congress have pressed the Pentagon and ULA to phase out the RD-180s, which are currently used on Atlas 5 rockets for national security launches.</p>
<p>Early flights would use ULA's Centaur upper stage, but the company said the Centaur eventually would be replaced by the more powerful Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage, or ACES.</p>
<p>Update for 8:30 p.m. ET April 13: Strangely enough, ULA's rocket wasn't the only Vulcan in the spotlight at the Space Symposium. Software billionaire Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. took the wraps off <a href="http://www.vulcan.com/news/articles/2015/vulcan-aerospace-takes-the-next-step-in-space" type="external">Vulcan Aerospace</a>, a newly created "NextSpace" corporate entity that encompasses <a href="" type="internal">Stratolaunch Systems</a> and Allen's other space ventures.</p>
<p>Chuck Beames, the president of Vulcan Aerospace Corp. and executive director of Stratolaunch Systems, addressed the Vulcan vs. Vulcan branding issue in a statement messaged to NBC News:</p>
<p>"Vulcan is a trademark of Vulcan Inc., and we have informed ULA of our trademark rights. Paul Allen and Vulcan were early leaders within space exploration with the launch of SpaceShipOne more than a decade ago. We are flattered by ULA’s tribute to our legacy by naming their new rocket 'Vulcan.'"</p> | United Launch Alliance Boldly Names Its Next Rocket: Vulcan! | false | http://nbcnews.com/science/space/united-launch-alliance-boldly-names-its-next-big-rocket-vulcan-n340881 | 2015-04-14 | 3left-center
| United Launch Alliance Boldly Names Its Next Rocket: Vulcan!
<p>Falcon vs. Vulcan? United Launch Alliance turned to a "Star Trek" favorite, Vulcan, to name its next-generation rocket, which is due for its maiden launch in 2019 with a new breed of U.S.-made engine. The Vulcan is being positioned as the main U.S. rival for SpaceX's Falcon line of rockets.</p>
<p>ULA went with the top choice from an online poll to name what was previously known as the Next Generation Launch System. "As the company currently responsible for more than 70 percent of the nation's space launches, it is only fitting that America got to name the country's rocket of the future," Tory Bruno, ULA's president and CEO, said Monday in a <a href="http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-unveils-americas-new-rocket-vulcan.aspx?title=United+Launch+Alliance+Unveils+America%E2%80%99s+New+Rocket+%E2%80%93+Vulcan%3a+Innovative+Next+Generation+Launch+System+will+Provide+Country%E2%80%99s+Most+Reliable%2c+Affordable+and+Accessible+Launch+Service" type="external">news release</a>.</p>
<p>Vulcan joins the Atlas and Delta lines of rockets that are offered by ULA, a joint venture involving the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin.</p>
<p>During Monday's big reveal at the <a href="http://www.spacesymposium.org/" type="external">National Space Symposium</a> in Colorado Springs, Bruno also unveiled an plan to recover the Vulcan's first-stage booster engines by using a helicopter to capture the <a href="http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/14/ula-chief-explains-reusability-and-innovation-of-new-rocket/" type="external">heat-shielded, parachute-equipped engine package</a> in midair as it descends. The initiative is called Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology, or SMART.</p>
<p>"This will take up to 90 percent of the propulsion cost out of the booster," <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_27905093/america-meet-vulcan-your-next-united-launch-alliance" type="external">Bruno told The Denver Post</a>.</p>
<p>SpaceX is working on a different approach to rocket reusability, which involves having the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage fly itself back to a landing pad. SpaceX has been working on that technology for years, and it's <a href="" type="internal">due for another test as early as Tuesday</a>during the launch of a Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station.</p>
<p>Rocket reusability is regarded as a key strategy for reducing the cost of access to space.</p>
<p>The Vulcan rocket's first stage would use <a href="" type="internal">BE-4 engines developed in cooperation with Blue Origin</a>, the rocket venture founded by Amazon.com billionaire Jeff Bezos. ULA said the BE-4 would serve as a "viable alternative to the Russian-made RD-180." Members of Congress have pressed the Pentagon and ULA to phase out the RD-180s, which are currently used on Atlas 5 rockets for national security launches.</p>
<p>Early flights would use ULA's Centaur upper stage, but the company said the Centaur eventually would be replaced by the more powerful Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage, or ACES.</p>
<p>Update for 8:30 p.m. ET April 13: Strangely enough, ULA's rocket wasn't the only Vulcan in the spotlight at the Space Symposium. Software billionaire Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. took the wraps off <a href="http://www.vulcan.com/news/articles/2015/vulcan-aerospace-takes-the-next-step-in-space" type="external">Vulcan Aerospace</a>, a newly created "NextSpace" corporate entity that encompasses <a href="" type="internal">Stratolaunch Systems</a> and Allen's other space ventures.</p>
<p>Chuck Beames, the president of Vulcan Aerospace Corp. and executive director of Stratolaunch Systems, addressed the Vulcan vs. Vulcan branding issue in a statement messaged to NBC News:</p>
<p>"Vulcan is a trademark of Vulcan Inc., and we have informed ULA of our trademark rights. Paul Allen and Vulcan were early leaders within space exploration with the launch of SpaceShipOne more than a decade ago. We are flattered by ULA’s tribute to our legacy by naming their new rocket 'Vulcan.'"</p> | 2,622 |
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<p />
<p>But Albuquerque city councilors did make it much harder for opponents to kill the project.</p>
<p>The action came down to a procedural move. At Councilor Isaac Benton’s suggestion, the council narrowly agreed to postpone action until Dec. 2 on a plan to halt construction of the roundabout.</p>
<p>That’s a problem for opponents. Roxanna Meyers, the councilor sponsoring a bill to kill the roundabout plan, won’t be a member of the council that day. Her term ends Nov. 30.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Meyers’ bill will die automatically unless another councilor steps in to sponsor it.</p>
<p>The proposed roundabout would lie at Rio Grande and Candelaria.</p>
<p>Benton is the councilor replacing Meyers as the North Valley’s representative on the council. The two ended up running against each other this year because of redistricting.</p>
<p>Benton doesn’t necessarily support the roundabout, but he has said he opposes rejecting it as an option at this point.</p>
<p>The city has already accepted about $1 million in federal funding to move forward with the project. That money would be returned to the state if the project is abandoned and might be spent elsewhere in New Mexico.</p>
<p>In any case, Benton said deferral of the bill until Dec. 2 is necessary because a city-sponsored study of the intersection hasn’t been formally reported yet to the full council. The study would go to council Dec. 2 under the normal course of events, he said.</p>
<p>The engineers who studied the intersection, Parsons Brinckerhoff, haven’t yet finished responding to public questions and comments about their work, the company said Monday.</p>
<p>“To vote on this tonight is putting the cart before the horse,” Benton said.</p>
<p>But some councilors saw Benton’s motion to postpone as a political move.</p>
<p>“I just think it’s very disrespectful that we’d use politics to keep it so (Meyers) is off the council before we bring it back,” Councilor Brad Winter said.</p>
<p>Supporting the postponement were Democrats Benton, Ken Sanchez and Rey Garduño, in addition to Republicans Dan Lewis and Don Harris. Opposed were Meyers, Trudy Jones, Winter and Janice Arnold-Jones, all Republicans.</p>
<p>The Parsons Brinckerhoff report recommended the addition of a left-turn signal rather than immediate construction of a roundabout. But the firm also said that at current traffic volumes, the intersection “would operate at reasonable levels of service” regardless of whether it remains a signalized intersection or becomes a roundabout.</p>
<p>City Council rules call for any pending legislation sponsored by a councilor to die automatically at the end the councilor’s tenure. Meyers’ bill could stay alive, however, if the council agrees to suspend the rules or another councilor agrees to sponsor it.</p> | Council makes it harder to kill roundabout | false | https://abqjournal.com/285918/council-makes-it-harder-to-kill-roundabout.html | 2013-10-21 | 2least
| Council makes it harder to kill roundabout
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<p />
<p>But Albuquerque city councilors did make it much harder for opponents to kill the project.</p>
<p>The action came down to a procedural move. At Councilor Isaac Benton’s suggestion, the council narrowly agreed to postpone action until Dec. 2 on a plan to halt construction of the roundabout.</p>
<p>That’s a problem for opponents. Roxanna Meyers, the councilor sponsoring a bill to kill the roundabout plan, won’t be a member of the council that day. Her term ends Nov. 30.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Meyers’ bill will die automatically unless another councilor steps in to sponsor it.</p>
<p>The proposed roundabout would lie at Rio Grande and Candelaria.</p>
<p>Benton is the councilor replacing Meyers as the North Valley’s representative on the council. The two ended up running against each other this year because of redistricting.</p>
<p>Benton doesn’t necessarily support the roundabout, but he has said he opposes rejecting it as an option at this point.</p>
<p>The city has already accepted about $1 million in federal funding to move forward with the project. That money would be returned to the state if the project is abandoned and might be spent elsewhere in New Mexico.</p>
<p>In any case, Benton said deferral of the bill until Dec. 2 is necessary because a city-sponsored study of the intersection hasn’t been formally reported yet to the full council. The study would go to council Dec. 2 under the normal course of events, he said.</p>
<p>The engineers who studied the intersection, Parsons Brinckerhoff, haven’t yet finished responding to public questions and comments about their work, the company said Monday.</p>
<p>“To vote on this tonight is putting the cart before the horse,” Benton said.</p>
<p>But some councilors saw Benton’s motion to postpone as a political move.</p>
<p>“I just think it’s very disrespectful that we’d use politics to keep it so (Meyers) is off the council before we bring it back,” Councilor Brad Winter said.</p>
<p>Supporting the postponement were Democrats Benton, Ken Sanchez and Rey Garduño, in addition to Republicans Dan Lewis and Don Harris. Opposed were Meyers, Trudy Jones, Winter and Janice Arnold-Jones, all Republicans.</p>
<p>The Parsons Brinckerhoff report recommended the addition of a left-turn signal rather than immediate construction of a roundabout. But the firm also said that at current traffic volumes, the intersection “would operate at reasonable levels of service” regardless of whether it remains a signalized intersection or becomes a roundabout.</p>
<p>City Council rules call for any pending legislation sponsored by a councilor to die automatically at the end the councilor’s tenure. Meyers’ bill could stay alive, however, if the council agrees to suspend the rules or another councilor agrees to sponsor it.</p> | 2,623 |
<p />
<p>Business messaging start-up Slack raised $200 million during its latest round of funding in April, which gives it a valuation of $3.8 billion. This means that Slack is now worth more than BlackBerry , which has an enterprise value of $2.6 billion. BlackBerry was once the king of business email and messaging, but it's been losing ground to disruptive messaging apps like Slack.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Slack has about 3 million daily active users, while BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) had 190 million registered usersat the beginning of 2015 -- but less than half were monthly active users. But should a seven-year-old start-up really be worth more than a former tech leader which has been around for over three decades? Let's take a closer look at Slack's core business to find out.</p>
<p>Slack's iOS app. Image source: Slack.</p>
<p>Slack runs on a freemium model, where users can get more features by subscribing to monthly plans which either cost $6.67 or $12.50 per month. It also offers a more robust enterprise package for $48 per month. Nearly a third of its daily active users now pay for the service. That's a more straightforward strategy than BlackBerry's clumsy attempts to monetize BBM, which included selling stickersto users and offering content channels to paid partners.</p>
<p>Slack expects to generate about $64 million inrecurring revenue this year. That would be more than double the $30 million it "expected" to generate in 2015, but the company hasn't released any concrete annual figures yet. However, co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield stated last year thatSlack wasn't profitable, and that its losses totaled a "couple hundred thousand dollars" per month.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Since we have a rough estimate of Slack's 2015 sales, we can divide its last valuation by that total to get an EV/Sales ratio of 127 -- which would be extremely high for any private or public company. By comparison, BlackBerry has an EV/Sales ratio of just 1.2.</p>
<p>However, Slack might deserve that high valuation due to its steep growth trajectory. If it doubles its revenue in 2016, it would certainly be much more impressive than BlackBerry's expected growth rate of 3%. That could be easy for Slack, since its daily active user base has tripled within the past six months.</p>
<p>Slack for Apple Watch. Image source: iTunes.</p>
<p>We should also compare Slack to other tech companies which are expected to post comparable sales growth this year, but EV/Sales ratios can vary widely. For example, Chinese online finance marketplace Yirendaiis expected to grow sales 98% this year, but it only trades with an EV/Sales ratio of 2.3. Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networksis expected to report 47% sales growth this year, but it trades with a much "pricier" EV/Sales ratio of 11.</p>
<p>If Slack had the same EV/Sales ratio as Yirendai, it would be valued at just $69 million based on its 2015 revenue. If it were valued the same as Palo Alto, it would have a valuation of $330 million. But both figures are well below its current valuation of $3.8 billion.</p>
<p>Slack's valuation seems to defy fundamental gravity, but Microsoft was reportedly interested in buying the company for $8 billion earlier this year. However, CEO Satya Nadella and co-founder Bill Gates shot down the idea. Instead of buying Slack at more than 260 times its trailing sales, Gates reportedly wanted Microsoft to improve Skype as a communications platform.</p>
<p>This also highlights a long-term challenge for Slack -- if Microsoft improves its enterprise messaging and collaboration offerings with Skype, Yammer in Office 365, and other cloud-based features, it might prevent Slack from becoming more widely adopted. Facebook'sintroduction of Facebook at Work, which enables employees to form workgroups and collaborate online, is another major threat. If Slack spends more heavily to widen its moat against big gorillas like Microsoft and Facebook, its losses could widen.</p>
<p>Slack is a hot tech unicorn, but it shouldn't be worth more than BlackBerry. Assuming that Slack generates $64 million in recurring revenue this year, that would only be equivalent to about 2% of BlackBerry's projected sales for the year.</p>
<p>Slack would need to post several more years of triple-digit sales growth to justify its current valuation, but I'm not confident that it can achieve that with bigger enterprise players all eyeing the same market. That's probably why the company is reportedly already getting ready foran IPO -- it wants to go public before it loses its start-up momentum.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/05/29/should-slack-really-be-worth-more-than-blackberry.aspx" type="external">Should Slack Really Be Worth More Than BlackBerry Limited?</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Leo Sun</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> | Should Slack Really Be Worth More Than BlackBerry Limited? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/05/29/should-slack-really-be-worth-more-than-blackberry-limited.html | 2016-05-29 | 0right
| Should Slack Really Be Worth More Than BlackBerry Limited?
<p />
<p>Business messaging start-up Slack raised $200 million during its latest round of funding in April, which gives it a valuation of $3.8 billion. This means that Slack is now worth more than BlackBerry , which has an enterprise value of $2.6 billion. BlackBerry was once the king of business email and messaging, but it's been losing ground to disruptive messaging apps like Slack.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Slack has about 3 million daily active users, while BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) had 190 million registered usersat the beginning of 2015 -- but less than half were monthly active users. But should a seven-year-old start-up really be worth more than a former tech leader which has been around for over three decades? Let's take a closer look at Slack's core business to find out.</p>
<p>Slack's iOS app. Image source: Slack.</p>
<p>Slack runs on a freemium model, where users can get more features by subscribing to monthly plans which either cost $6.67 or $12.50 per month. It also offers a more robust enterprise package for $48 per month. Nearly a third of its daily active users now pay for the service. That's a more straightforward strategy than BlackBerry's clumsy attempts to monetize BBM, which included selling stickersto users and offering content channels to paid partners.</p>
<p>Slack expects to generate about $64 million inrecurring revenue this year. That would be more than double the $30 million it "expected" to generate in 2015, but the company hasn't released any concrete annual figures yet. However, co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield stated last year thatSlack wasn't profitable, and that its losses totaled a "couple hundred thousand dollars" per month.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Since we have a rough estimate of Slack's 2015 sales, we can divide its last valuation by that total to get an EV/Sales ratio of 127 -- which would be extremely high for any private or public company. By comparison, BlackBerry has an EV/Sales ratio of just 1.2.</p>
<p>However, Slack might deserve that high valuation due to its steep growth trajectory. If it doubles its revenue in 2016, it would certainly be much more impressive than BlackBerry's expected growth rate of 3%. That could be easy for Slack, since its daily active user base has tripled within the past six months.</p>
<p>Slack for Apple Watch. Image source: iTunes.</p>
<p>We should also compare Slack to other tech companies which are expected to post comparable sales growth this year, but EV/Sales ratios can vary widely. For example, Chinese online finance marketplace Yirendaiis expected to grow sales 98% this year, but it only trades with an EV/Sales ratio of 2.3. Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networksis expected to report 47% sales growth this year, but it trades with a much "pricier" EV/Sales ratio of 11.</p>
<p>If Slack had the same EV/Sales ratio as Yirendai, it would be valued at just $69 million based on its 2015 revenue. If it were valued the same as Palo Alto, it would have a valuation of $330 million. But both figures are well below its current valuation of $3.8 billion.</p>
<p>Slack's valuation seems to defy fundamental gravity, but Microsoft was reportedly interested in buying the company for $8 billion earlier this year. However, CEO Satya Nadella and co-founder Bill Gates shot down the idea. Instead of buying Slack at more than 260 times its trailing sales, Gates reportedly wanted Microsoft to improve Skype as a communications platform.</p>
<p>This also highlights a long-term challenge for Slack -- if Microsoft improves its enterprise messaging and collaboration offerings with Skype, Yammer in Office 365, and other cloud-based features, it might prevent Slack from becoming more widely adopted. Facebook'sintroduction of Facebook at Work, which enables employees to form workgroups and collaborate online, is another major threat. If Slack spends more heavily to widen its moat against big gorillas like Microsoft and Facebook, its losses could widen.</p>
<p>Slack is a hot tech unicorn, but it shouldn't be worth more than BlackBerry. Assuming that Slack generates $64 million in recurring revenue this year, that would only be equivalent to about 2% of BlackBerry's projected sales for the year.</p>
<p>Slack would need to post several more years of triple-digit sales growth to justify its current valuation, but I'm not confident that it can achieve that with bigger enterprise players all eyeing the same market. That's probably why the company is reportedly already getting ready foran IPO -- it wants to go public before it loses its start-up momentum.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/05/29/should-slack-really-be-worth-more-than-blackberry.aspx" type="external">Should Slack Really Be Worth More Than BlackBerry Limited?</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Leo Sun</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> | 2,624 |
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<p />
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=cbd6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 5A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=f1d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 4A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=14d7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 3A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=39d7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 2A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=5ed7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=483d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 6A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=6b3d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 5A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=8e3d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 4A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=b13d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 3A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=d53d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 2A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=f83d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class A - Girls</a></p> | 2016 high school basketball state tournament brackets | false | https://abqjournal.com/734470/2016-high-school-basketball-state-tournament-brackets.html | 2016-03-03 | 2least
| 2016 high school basketball state tournament brackets
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<p />
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=cbd6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 5A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=f1d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 4A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=14d7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 3A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=39d7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 2A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=a2d6c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=6da42435-84c3-4200-8e1d-9f7403344b2e&amp;bracketid=5ed7c380-05c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class A - Boys</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=483d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 6A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=6b3d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 5A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=8e3d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 4A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=b13d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 3A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=d53d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class 2A - Girls</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/view.aspx?tournamentid=473d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c&amp;ssid=ca779a46-8fc3-4db8-9bc6-b015749777a8&amp;bracketid=f83d15c2-11c9-e511-bef0-a0369f3c1b4c" type="external">2016 U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships Class A - Girls</a></p> | 2,625 |
<p>Published time: 13 Nov, 2017 17:28</p>
<p>US scientists have reported a bizarre breakthrough in genetics – the ability to grow a third eye on a scarab beetle.</p>
<p>Matching up cells is a major part of the scientific puzzle to regenerate limbs. Researchers at Indiana University Bloomington now say they have made a promising step in developing body parts “outside their normal context.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/409314-old-cell-rejuvenation-breakthrough/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;‘Like magic’: Scientists find way to make old human cells young again</a></p>
<p>The development comes in the form of manipulating the genetic makeup of a dung beetle to give the creature a third eye at the center of its forehead. Tests on the extra eye showed it grew nerve connections and displayed the response associated with a working eye.</p>
<p>Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/114/45/12021.abstract" type="external">journal</a>, the study describes the “down-regulation” of a beetle’s head gene to produce a “functional compound eye-like structure.” Armin P <a href="https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/11/iub/10-science-extra-eye-beetle.html" type="external">Moczek</a>, a professor in the IU Bloomington Department of Biology, told <a href="https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/11/iub/10-science-extra-eye-beetle.html" type="external">IU News</a> the discovery centered on disrupting a specific gene called orthodenticle.</p>
<p>“This study experimentally disrupts the function of a single, major gene. And, in response to this disruption, the remainder of head development reorganizes itself to produce a highly complex trait in a new place: a compound eye in the middle of the head,” Moczek said.</p>
<p>He compared the gene-tinkering process to playing with Lego, although the creation of an additional eye appears to have been anything but child’s play. “Developmental biology is beautifully complex in part because there’s no single gene for an eye, a brain, a butterfly’s wing or a turtle’s shell,” Moczek said.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/408397-all-will-die-cancer-age-study/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;If age doesn’t get you, cancer will: Humans will never be immortal, study says</a></p>
<p>“You can make new things over and over or in new places using the same old set of ‘bricks,’” he added. “But in Legos, we know the rules of assembly: which pieces go together and which things don’t. In biology, we still struggle to understand the respective counterparts.”</p>
<p>Lead author of the study, Eduardo Zattara, said the results suggest abnormal growth of eyes is a highly accessible area of study:“We regard this study as really opening the door to new avenues of investigation in multiple disciplines.”</p> | Beetle with functional third eye developed by genetic researchers (PHOTO) | false | https://newsline.com/beetle-with-functional-third-eye-developed-by-genetic-researchers-photo/ | 2017-11-13 | 1right-center
| Beetle with functional third eye developed by genetic researchers (PHOTO)
<p>Published time: 13 Nov, 2017 17:28</p>
<p>US scientists have reported a bizarre breakthrough in genetics – the ability to grow a third eye on a scarab beetle.</p>
<p>Matching up cells is a major part of the scientific puzzle to regenerate limbs. Researchers at Indiana University Bloomington now say they have made a promising step in developing body parts “outside their normal context.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/409314-old-cell-rejuvenation-breakthrough/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;‘Like magic’: Scientists find way to make old human cells young again</a></p>
<p>The development comes in the form of manipulating the genetic makeup of a dung beetle to give the creature a third eye at the center of its forehead. Tests on the extra eye showed it grew nerve connections and displayed the response associated with a working eye.</p>
<p>Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/114/45/12021.abstract" type="external">journal</a>, the study describes the “down-regulation” of a beetle’s head gene to produce a “functional compound eye-like structure.” Armin P <a href="https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/11/iub/10-science-extra-eye-beetle.html" type="external">Moczek</a>, a professor in the IU Bloomington Department of Biology, told <a href="https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/11/iub/10-science-extra-eye-beetle.html" type="external">IU News</a> the discovery centered on disrupting a specific gene called orthodenticle.</p>
<p>“This study experimentally disrupts the function of a single, major gene. And, in response to this disruption, the remainder of head development reorganizes itself to produce a highly complex trait in a new place: a compound eye in the middle of the head,” Moczek said.</p>
<p>He compared the gene-tinkering process to playing with Lego, although the creation of an additional eye appears to have been anything but child’s play. “Developmental biology is beautifully complex in part because there’s no single gene for an eye, a brain, a butterfly’s wing or a turtle’s shell,” Moczek said.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/408397-all-will-die-cancer-age-study/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;If age doesn’t get you, cancer will: Humans will never be immortal, study says</a></p>
<p>“You can make new things over and over or in new places using the same old set of ‘bricks,’” he added. “But in Legos, we know the rules of assembly: which pieces go together and which things don’t. In biology, we still struggle to understand the respective counterparts.”</p>
<p>Lead author of the study, Eduardo Zattara, said the results suggest abnormal growth of eyes is a highly accessible area of study:“We regard this study as really opening the door to new avenues of investigation in multiple disciplines.”</p> | 2,626 |
<p>Less than a week after the president and prime minister of Yemen resigned in the face of demands by Shiite Houthis rebels who held the presidential palace, the U.S. resumed its drone offensive against al-Queda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP). The strike was in the oil-rich province of Marib east of the Yemen capital of Sanaa, often referred to as “the capital of al-Queda.” Reports of fatalities were unconfirmed, although a spokesman for al-Queda told the Associated Press that two Yemeni, one a teenaged boy, and a Saudi were killed in the strike.</p>
<p>The action confirmed the intention of the U.S. to continue anti-terrorism operations in Yemen despite the uncertainty created by the fall of President Hadi’s government on Jan. 22. Col. Steve Warren, a&#160;spokesman for the Pentagon, admitted that although the drone attacks and training of Yemeni troops four will go forward,&#160;“they are curtailed in some cases.”</p>
<p>On the same day,&#160;the U.S. State Department announced that the embassy in the Yemen capital city of Sanaa was closed to the public citing the resignations and “ongoing security concerns.” The department went on to repeat its travel advisory warning, “Americans who remain in Yemen are&#160;&#160;vulnerable to kidnappings and terrorist attacks.”</p>
<p>According to a statement released by the embassy on Monday, it will be staffed with reduced personnel to handle emergency cases involving U.S. citizens, and plans to return to full operation as soon as it is possible to do so safely. The&#160;U.S. Navy repositioned two ships, the an amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and the USS Fort McHenry, a dock landing ship, shifting them to the Red Sea in order to be closer to Sanaa. Both ships are manned with Marines.</p>
<p>The U.S. has used Yemen as a base of operations to fight AQAP in the Arab Peninsula, the group taking credit for the attacks at the Paris offices of satirical newspaper, “Charlie Hebdo,” on Jan. 7. Former Yemen President Hadi was considered a solid ally and was said to have approved each drone strike launched by the U.S. The drone operation is headquartered inside the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, with training taking place far to the south in Lahj province, which borders the Gulf of Aden at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Neither location has been under fire from the Houthis.</p>
<p>The turmoil in Yemen has raised questions about President Obama’s intention to use the relationship with Yemen as a model for fighting IS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), rather than deploying U.S. troops to the area. “This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years,” Obama said on September 10. The president added,&#160;“The alternative would be for us to play whack-a-mole every time there is a terrorist actor inside of any given country.”</p>
<p>The U.S. – Yemen partnership has fed sectarian tensions in Yemen as Hadi used U.S. aid to fight the Houthis to the north of the capital near the Saudi border, which may have served to fuel the group’s anti-American stance and its attack on the capital. Hadi’s focus on the Houthis also led to a renewed presence of al-Queda in the primarily Sunni south of Yemen where AQAP’s took over several towns two years ago. The Muslim Brotherhood boasts its own well-armed militias and has a longstanding hatred of the Houthis adding to what remains a Sunni-Shiite struggle to be considered the “true” faith and impose a particular interpretation of Islam on the entire region.</p>
<p /> | Situation remains fluid in Yemen as U.S. resumes drone strikes | false | http://natmonitor.com/2015/01/28/situation-remains-fluid-in-yemen-as-u-s-resumes-drone-strikes-closes-staff-at-embassy-in-capital/ | 2015-01-28 | 3left-center
| Situation remains fluid in Yemen as U.S. resumes drone strikes
<p>Less than a week after the president and prime minister of Yemen resigned in the face of demands by Shiite Houthis rebels who held the presidential palace, the U.S. resumed its drone offensive against al-Queda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP). The strike was in the oil-rich province of Marib east of the Yemen capital of Sanaa, often referred to as “the capital of al-Queda.” Reports of fatalities were unconfirmed, although a spokesman for al-Queda told the Associated Press that two Yemeni, one a teenaged boy, and a Saudi were killed in the strike.</p>
<p>The action confirmed the intention of the U.S. to continue anti-terrorism operations in Yemen despite the uncertainty created by the fall of President Hadi’s government on Jan. 22. Col. Steve Warren, a&#160;spokesman for the Pentagon, admitted that although the drone attacks and training of Yemeni troops four will go forward,&#160;“they are curtailed in some cases.”</p>
<p>On the same day,&#160;the U.S. State Department announced that the embassy in the Yemen capital city of Sanaa was closed to the public citing the resignations and “ongoing security concerns.” The department went on to repeat its travel advisory warning, “Americans who remain in Yemen are&#160;&#160;vulnerable to kidnappings and terrorist attacks.”</p>
<p>According to a statement released by the embassy on Monday, it will be staffed with reduced personnel to handle emergency cases involving U.S. citizens, and plans to return to full operation as soon as it is possible to do so safely. The&#160;U.S. Navy repositioned two ships, the an amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and the USS Fort McHenry, a dock landing ship, shifting them to the Red Sea in order to be closer to Sanaa. Both ships are manned with Marines.</p>
<p>The U.S. has used Yemen as a base of operations to fight AQAP in the Arab Peninsula, the group taking credit for the attacks at the Paris offices of satirical newspaper, “Charlie Hebdo,” on Jan. 7. Former Yemen President Hadi was considered a solid ally and was said to have approved each drone strike launched by the U.S. The drone operation is headquartered inside the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, with training taking place far to the south in Lahj province, which borders the Gulf of Aden at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Neither location has been under fire from the Houthis.</p>
<p>The turmoil in Yemen has raised questions about President Obama’s intention to use the relationship with Yemen as a model for fighting IS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), rather than deploying U.S. troops to the area. “This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years,” Obama said on September 10. The president added,&#160;“The alternative would be for us to play whack-a-mole every time there is a terrorist actor inside of any given country.”</p>
<p>The U.S. – Yemen partnership has fed sectarian tensions in Yemen as Hadi used U.S. aid to fight the Houthis to the north of the capital near the Saudi border, which may have served to fuel the group’s anti-American stance and its attack on the capital. Hadi’s focus on the Houthis also led to a renewed presence of al-Queda in the primarily Sunni south of Yemen where AQAP’s took over several towns two years ago. The Muslim Brotherhood boasts its own well-armed militias and has a longstanding hatred of the Houthis adding to what remains a Sunni-Shiite struggle to be considered the “true” faith and impose a particular interpretation of Islam on the entire region.</p>
<p /> | 2,627 |
<p>California is the place to be if you're a criminal. Not only do you, a convicted criminal, get your sex-change surgery paid for by tax-payers if you "identify" as transgender, but you are now mandated to receive your own special flattering undergarments and access to pretty jewelry, hairbrushes and hair accessories!</p>
<p>A federal judge made all this possible on Friday via an order. The Associated Press <a href="http://abc7.com/news/california-must-allow-transgender-inmates-earrings-judge-says/1931770/" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar issued the order in a federal lawsuit that earlier led California to become the first state to provide taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgery to an inmate. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also agreed as part of the suit by Shiloh Quine to give transgender inmates access to certain products. Quine, 57, had sex reassignment surgery in January and was transferred from a men's facility to a women's prison in Chowchilla. She is serving a life sentence for murder, kidnapping and robbery.</p>
<p>Prison officials are said to be "reviewing" Judge Tigar's ruling.</p>
<p>Transgender inmates in the state were already awarded special goodies their non-trans counterparts were not, says the AP, but the Friday ruling "expanded that list to include pajamas, nightgowns, robes and scarves."</p>
<p>Some of these goods, such as special undergarments, were already offered via commissary to trans "male" inmates in women's prison; Judge Tigar felt this was unfair for the criminals who couldn't afford the goods.</p>
<p>Of course, the judge's order completely defies arguments of opposition presented by the corrections department. Officials warned that allowing any inmate to have such clothing could lead to an inmate altering the items to look like "street clothes," which they say can be helpful for escape plots. Additionally, as noted by a previous judge, the hair clips and jewelry are thought to be a safety risk at a men's prison, although women's facilities already have such goods.</p> | Transgender Inmates In California Now Mandated Special Underwear And Pretty Jewelry! | true | https://dailywire.com/news/15928/california-must-allow-transgender-inmates-earrings-amanda-prestigiacomo | 2017-05-01 | 0right
| Transgender Inmates In California Now Mandated Special Underwear And Pretty Jewelry!
<p>California is the place to be if you're a criminal. Not only do you, a convicted criminal, get your sex-change surgery paid for by tax-payers if you "identify" as transgender, but you are now mandated to receive your own special flattering undergarments and access to pretty jewelry, hairbrushes and hair accessories!</p>
<p>A federal judge made all this possible on Friday via an order. The Associated Press <a href="http://abc7.com/news/california-must-allow-transgender-inmates-earrings-judge-says/1931770/" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar issued the order in a federal lawsuit that earlier led California to become the first state to provide taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgery to an inmate. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also agreed as part of the suit by Shiloh Quine to give transgender inmates access to certain products. Quine, 57, had sex reassignment surgery in January and was transferred from a men's facility to a women's prison in Chowchilla. She is serving a life sentence for murder, kidnapping and robbery.</p>
<p>Prison officials are said to be "reviewing" Judge Tigar's ruling.</p>
<p>Transgender inmates in the state were already awarded special goodies their non-trans counterparts were not, says the AP, but the Friday ruling "expanded that list to include pajamas, nightgowns, robes and scarves."</p>
<p>Some of these goods, such as special undergarments, were already offered via commissary to trans "male" inmates in women's prison; Judge Tigar felt this was unfair for the criminals who couldn't afford the goods.</p>
<p>Of course, the judge's order completely defies arguments of opposition presented by the corrections department. Officials warned that allowing any inmate to have such clothing could lead to an inmate altering the items to look like "street clothes," which they say can be helpful for escape plots. Additionally, as noted by a previous judge, the hair clips and jewelry are thought to be a safety risk at a men's prison, although women's facilities already have such goods.</p> | 2,628 |
<p>A <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/opposition-to-same-sex-marriage-narrow-and-concentrated-study-finds/2013/03/06/99bfc3cc-8688-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394_story.html" type="external">new analysis of exit polls</a> conducted by pollsters representing both political parties found that opposition to marriage equality is concentrated in a few specific population groups: voters over the age of 65, white evangelical Christians, and white voters who do not have a college degree. African American voters who identify as evangelicals were pretty closely split on the question, but all other groups were quite supportive. Here’s a breakdown of how the opposition compares with other groups:</p>
<p>It’s thus unsurprising that legislators who support marriage equality are <a href="" type="internal">not likely to endanger</a> their re-election prospects by doing so, as the voters who might punish them for their vote are isolated to these three pockets. This also demonstrates how ineffective the National Organization for Marriage’s efforts to drive a wedge <a href="" type="internal">between racial groups</a> have been. Polling has consistently shown that nationwide support for marriage equality <a href="" type="internal">continues to grow</a>, and these new data confirm that the freedom to marry is embraced quite widely.</p> | Opposition To Marriage Equality Concentrated Among Elderly, Evangelicals, And Non-College Educated | true | http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/03/07/1685601/opposition-to-marriage-equality-concentrated-among-elderly-evangelicals-and-non-college-educated/ | 2013-03-07 | 4left
| Opposition To Marriage Equality Concentrated Among Elderly, Evangelicals, And Non-College Educated
<p>A <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/opposition-to-same-sex-marriage-narrow-and-concentrated-study-finds/2013/03/06/99bfc3cc-8688-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394_story.html" type="external">new analysis of exit polls</a> conducted by pollsters representing both political parties found that opposition to marriage equality is concentrated in a few specific population groups: voters over the age of 65, white evangelical Christians, and white voters who do not have a college degree. African American voters who identify as evangelicals were pretty closely split on the question, but all other groups were quite supportive. Here’s a breakdown of how the opposition compares with other groups:</p>
<p>It’s thus unsurprising that legislators who support marriage equality are <a href="" type="internal">not likely to endanger</a> their re-election prospects by doing so, as the voters who might punish them for their vote are isolated to these three pockets. This also demonstrates how ineffective the National Organization for Marriage’s efforts to drive a wedge <a href="" type="internal">between racial groups</a> have been. Polling has consistently shown that nationwide support for marriage equality <a href="" type="internal">continues to grow</a>, and these new data confirm that the freedom to marry is embraced quite widely.</p> | 2,629 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>In a recent news article, Albuquerque was named fifth-most-violent city in the nation.</p>
<p>That’s not surprising to believe after our community has witnessed violent crimes such as the quadruple shooting that took place last November. Unfortunately, these types of crimes are becoming a commonality in our city. The men and women who spend several hours working scenes like this investigating and helping victims and their families are at a higher risk for developing post-traumatic-stress disorder. There is a stigma in our society that because first responders wear a badge, trauma is “part of the job” or “that’s what they get paid for.” No amount of money or training will prepare a first responder for dealing with the crime scene of three young children shot and killed in cold blood.</p>
<p>The National Institute of Mental Health defines PTSD as a disorder that develops in some people who have experience with a shocking, scary or dangerous event.</p>
<p>Everyday, first responders are faced with shocking, scary or dangerous situations in Albuquerque. Throughout my career as a counselor working with first responders, I’ve noticed that over time acute stress and PTSD come with the job. It appears as a sign of weakness if someone admits they’re mentally suffering. However, if untreated it can have severe long-term effects emotionally and physically, and could lead to suicide.</p>
<p>In a study done by the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, over 135 firefighters had committed suicide in the United States in 2015 and 130 in 2016. These numbers have continued to rise significantly from those taken in previous years. In another study by Badge of Life, there were more than 50 law enforcement suicides committed in 2015 in a six-month period. While it’s hard to say exactly how many first responders have committed suicide in our community due to PTSD, I can say that there is a huge need to make sure there are more options for those suffering.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>This is why I’ve created a non-profit that helps first responders and their families receive counseling due to the impact from the stressors of their job and exposure to traumatic events. Behind the Badge New Mexico (BTBNM) provides free services for first responders and their families seeking treatment, regardless of economic means or employment status. BTBNM creates the perfect collaboration between a volunteer Peer Support Team of first responders, a clinical team of counselors and other health practitioners.</p>
<p>As a community, it is critically important that our First Responders are mentally, physically and emotionally equipped to carry out their jobs. Their ability to successfully function on the streets directly impacts public safety. In order to have healthy first responders we have to invest in their health.</p>
<p>As we focus on the New Year, consider resolving to support your public safety servants. They deserve more than what’s available to them. Add the following to your New Year’s Resolution list: Treat first responders with gratitude, stop thinking PTSD is part of their job, and lastly if you know a first responder in need of help, encourage them to seek treatment. Chances are they’re not alone. We cannot afford to lose those who protect us.</p>
<p /> | Support those who serve | false | https://abqjournal.com/948722/support-those-who-serve.html | 2least
| Support those who serve
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>In a recent news article, Albuquerque was named fifth-most-violent city in the nation.</p>
<p>That’s not surprising to believe after our community has witnessed violent crimes such as the quadruple shooting that took place last November. Unfortunately, these types of crimes are becoming a commonality in our city. The men and women who spend several hours working scenes like this investigating and helping victims and their families are at a higher risk for developing post-traumatic-stress disorder. There is a stigma in our society that because first responders wear a badge, trauma is “part of the job” or “that’s what they get paid for.” No amount of money or training will prepare a first responder for dealing with the crime scene of three young children shot and killed in cold blood.</p>
<p>The National Institute of Mental Health defines PTSD as a disorder that develops in some people who have experience with a shocking, scary or dangerous event.</p>
<p>Everyday, first responders are faced with shocking, scary or dangerous situations in Albuquerque. Throughout my career as a counselor working with first responders, I’ve noticed that over time acute stress and PTSD come with the job. It appears as a sign of weakness if someone admits they’re mentally suffering. However, if untreated it can have severe long-term effects emotionally and physically, and could lead to suicide.</p>
<p>In a study done by the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, over 135 firefighters had committed suicide in the United States in 2015 and 130 in 2016. These numbers have continued to rise significantly from those taken in previous years. In another study by Badge of Life, there were more than 50 law enforcement suicides committed in 2015 in a six-month period. While it’s hard to say exactly how many first responders have committed suicide in our community due to PTSD, I can say that there is a huge need to make sure there are more options for those suffering.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>This is why I’ve created a non-profit that helps first responders and their families receive counseling due to the impact from the stressors of their job and exposure to traumatic events. Behind the Badge New Mexico (BTBNM) provides free services for first responders and their families seeking treatment, regardless of economic means or employment status. BTBNM creates the perfect collaboration between a volunteer Peer Support Team of first responders, a clinical team of counselors and other health practitioners.</p>
<p>As a community, it is critically important that our First Responders are mentally, physically and emotionally equipped to carry out their jobs. Their ability to successfully function on the streets directly impacts public safety. In order to have healthy first responders we have to invest in their health.</p>
<p>As we focus on the New Year, consider resolving to support your public safety servants. They deserve more than what’s available to them. Add the following to your New Year’s Resolution list: Treat first responders with gratitude, stop thinking PTSD is part of their job, and lastly if you know a first responder in need of help, encourage them to seek treatment. Chances are they’re not alone. We cannot afford to lose those who protect us.</p>
<p /> | 2,630 |
|
<p>When Kathleen felt a lump in her right breast she began a journey that millions have experienced—or, sadly, will experience. After a painful biopsy and other tests confirmed it was cancer, my wife was thrown into a cauldron of tears, doubt, and fear for herself and her loved ones. Our two daughters were then just eight and twelve.</p>
<p>Like many cancer patients, Kathleen also experienced a stranglehold of guilt. Was it something she did or didn’t do that fed the tumor? Was it the meat in our diet? Our water? The air? Her genes? I assured her that we couldn’t be at fault. We had banned soda pop and anything with high-fructose corn syrup from our house more than a decade before. We tried to eat organic food, we were transitioning to more vegetarian fare, and she did yoga and took regular walks. We didn’t even have cable.</p>
<p>After a test showed that Kathleen didn’t have the BRCA breast cancer gene, her surgeon, Dr. Sonya Sharpless, suggested that environmental factors might be implicated. But what could they be? Kathleen had already thrown out a bevy of household cleaning products and plastic containers.</p>
<p>Then she discovered the work of the Breast Cancer Fund, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that for the last ten years has been focusing on cancer-causing agents in personal care products. Through a coalition of health and environmental groups called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (of which the Breast Cancer Fund is the principal sponsor), the organization has been drawing attention to the fact that known carcinogens—substances like formaldehyde—are used as preservatives in everything from suntan oil to makeup. Kathleen frantically threw out her all her expensive Clinique and Shiseido cosmetics.</p>
<p>Did a lifetime of using cosmetics cause or contribute to Kathleen’s breast cancer? We don’t know. But here are some facts that every American woman and her loved ones should absorb. The European Union bans nearly 1,400 chemicals from personal care products because they are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction. But in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration entrusts safety regulation of cosmetics to a private entity that is housed and funded by the industry’s trade association. To date, this entity has found only eleven chemicals to be “unsafe for use in cosmetics.” The FDA has no oversight of cosmetics products before they come on the market and, unlike the EU, leaves it to the cosmetics industry to determine which ingredients should be banned.</p>
<p>Because the American cosmetics industry is largely self-regulated, American women have to worry that they may be exposed to all sorts of cosmetics ingredients that may be dangerous to their health. Without greater powers for the FDA to regulate cosmetics, there is just no way that people like Kathleen who have cancer, or those who fear getting it, can know for sure. Indeed, even while in the hospital cancer patients are exposed to cosmetic products that the FDA has never evaluated and that activist groups like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics say contain known or suspected carcinogens.</p>
<p>This happened to Kathleen. During her first round of chemo in 2009, some volunteers at the hospital came calling with a little red bag that contained products from Clinique, Estée Lauder, and Del Laboratories. Everything from eyeliner pencils to blush was in the bag, accompanied by a brochure that provided helpful advice on skin care and wig purchases.</p>
<p>Her well-meaning visitors were part of the Look Good Feel Better program (LGFB), which involves 16,000 volunteers who hand out $10 million worth of personal care products every year to women being treated for cancer. Behind this effort is a Who’s Who of the personal care industry: Alberto Culver, Avon, Chanel, Coty, Aveda, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Neutrogena, L’Oreal, LVMH, Mary Kay, Procter &amp; Gamble, and Unilever, among others. The sponsors, as Kathleen learned from the brochure, are the American Cancer Society and the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), the leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and personal care products industry, which, through its tax-exempt foundation, kicked in $8.6 million to LGFB in 2011.</p>
<p>No doubt many women who are feeling awful about the loss of their hair, breasts, and dignity are grateful for these gifts from the cosmetics industry. But Kathleen, even though the chemotherapy by this point had caused her hair to fall out and turned her skin ghostly white, was not one of them. Upon reviewing the contents of her LGFB bag, she realized that several of the products in it contained parabens—chemicals that mimic estrogen and that according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics are linked to cancer. You can image how that made her feel.</p>
<p>For a while, fighting the cancer was all we could do. After her mastectomy, Kathleen’s chemo treatments proved so debilitating that she ended up in the emergency room and in isolation wards twice in December of 2009. The drugs in her body were robbing her of hemoglobin and she became dangerously anemic, a common side effects of blasting the entire bloodstream withtoxic chemicals.</p>
<p>Kathleen could barely walk. Her immune system was also in shambles and needed frontline antibiotics. We had to get rid of our houseplants for fear of infection. Meanwhile, I was trying to hold body and soul together even as I lost my main source of income as a contract columnist for Bloomberg News.</p>
<p>Once Kathleen began to recover from the trauma of the chemo I decided, however, to throw myself into answering a basic question: How is it, I wanted to know, that the FDA, which was created by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, leaves the regulation of cosmetics largely up to the cosmetics industry?</p>
<p>Start with a fact that is hardly a secret yet still little known by the public:the FDA does not have the authority to test cosmetics ingredients before they go on the market. This is explained right on its Web site: “FDA’s legal authority over cosmetics is different from other products regulated by the agency, such as drugs, biologics, and medical devices. Cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to FDA premarket approval authority, with the exception of color additives.”</p>
<p>Instead, as the FDA’s site goes on to explain, “Cosmetic firms are responsible for substantiating the safety of their products and ingredients before marketing.” In other words, the industry is largely responsible for regulating itself. How good a job do they do?</p>
<p>There exists an obscure entity called the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. According to the industry, the CIR is responsible for ensuring the safety of cosmetic products. On its board sit nine voting members. The voting members are all academics, and, according to the CIR, they must meet the same conflict-of-interest requirements as individuals serving on FDA advisory committees. However, there is no independent way to verify what conflicts of interest might actually exist. As a private organization, the CIR is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, as I found out when I tried to make a FOIA request. Nor will the CIR publicly disclose its budget.</p>
<p>“Since we are not a part of FDA, there is no obligation to provide information under FOIA,” Dr. F. Alan Andersen, the CIR’s director, explained in an email, adding, “The annual budget is not a matter of public record, so that information is not available.” According to a search of the Internal Revenue System’s database of tax-exempt organizations, the CIR has not filed a Form 990, which would contain at least its budget. It is accordingly not known whether the cosmetics industry pays the “experts” on the CIR, much less how much.</p>
<p>The CIR does admit that its overall funding comes from the industry’s main trade association, the Personal Care Products Council. The PCPC has filed Form 990, and it shows that in 2011, the organization paid Dr. Andersen, the CIR executive director, a total of $372,151 in wages and other compensation, including a performance bonus of $55,675. And the form shows that PCPC paid a total of $292,257 in employee compensation and contracting fees to a Mr. John Bailey, “a key employee who retired from the Council during 2011 because of his former employment with the FDA.” (John Bailey’s wife also received $49,930 for her part-time work with the council.) There is no breakdown, however, of what the PCPC may have paid the CIR’s expert panel.</p>
<p>The two organizations both list their mailing address as 1101 17th Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., though one is in Suite 300 and the other in Suite 412. In Suite 412, the CIR goes about its business, which does not include conducting any clinical studies or trials. “The panel does not conduct its own research,” spokesperson Lisa Powers explained in an email, “but carefully examines all of the currently available scientific data.”</p>
<p>The CIR discusses its findings at four meetings a year that are open to the public, and publishes the proceedings on its Web site. It also publishes reports in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Toxicology.</p>
<p>Does that mean you should rest assured that your blush won’t give you cancer or damage your unborn children? At least on one occasion, the CIR has pronounced cosmetics ingredients to be safe despite protests that there was no scientific basis for doing so. For example, in 2002, the CIR pronounced that it was safe for the industry to continue adding possible endocrine and reproductive disruptors known as phthalates to cosmetics marketed to women of childbearing age. This decision was based on what the Environmental Working Group characterized as the “ad hoc calculations” by one of the trade association’s scientists during the course of its proceedings.</p>
<p>But the more salient reality is that, regardless of the quality of its research, the CIR has no power over the industry that finances it. How often has the industry taken action to reformulate products that contain harmful chemicals? According to the PCPC, the trade organization does not “keep a record of products that have been reformulated or removed from the market as a result of a CIR review.” Of the 12,500 ingredients used in personal care products, only a handful are not used in the U.S.</p>
<p>By law, cosmetics companies are supposed to do some kind of research into the safety of their products before putting them on the market. “If the safety of an ingredient as used in a cosmetic product has not been established by CIR,” a PCPC spokesman stated, “a company must possess other information to substantiate the safety of the ingredient for its intended use and make that information available for inspection by FDA upon request.” But the FDA’s review of industry-sponsored research, if it happens at all, won’t occur until the product is already on the market.</p>
<p>For example, in recent years, a substantial controversy has arisen over the use of lead in lipstick. Lead can be a pretty serious substance. The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of lead in house paint in 1977, due to the brain damage it has been proven to cause in children. Because of its neurotoxicity, leaded gasoline has been entirely banned in the U.S. since 1995. The FDA also bans the presence of lead in candy bars in concentrations greater than 0.1 part per million.</p>
<p>Yet the FDA never got around to even testing lead in lipstick until 2010. When it did, it found concentrations as high as 3.06 parts per million—or more than thirty times the maximum allowed in candy bars. Whether this is an unsafe level for lipstick users I’ll leave to others to dispute, but the point is, under the current regulatory regime, lipstick users were exposed to these concentrations of lead for decades without their knowing it and without the FDA ever conducting so much as one test. For now, at least, the FDA says the lead in lipstick is safe, though if I were a woman, I wouldn’t be licking my lips.</p>
<p>And what if the FDA does determine that a cosmetic product being sold on the market is unsafe? “FDA does not have the legal authority to order a recall of a cosmetic,” a spokesman explained. “However, FDA works with firms to ensure that voluntary recalls are effective.” One exception provided by the FDA’s statutory authority is for cosmetics products with ingredients that are “adulterated and misbranded.”</p>
<p>The FDA’s lack of regulatory authority over perfumes and other fragrances is also troubling. In 2010, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group tested popular colognes and body sprays and found fourteen “secret chemicals not listed on the label.” These substances are linked to hormone disruption, skin irritation, and allergic reactions, according to several studies. The FDA did not test, much less ban, the products, which included American Eagle Seventy Seven, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, and Britney Spears Curious.</p>
<p>It’s the same story with hair products. In August 2011, under pressure from consumer groups such as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the FDA tested hair straighteners produced by a California company called Brazilian Blowout. The agency found high levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, but did not request the manufacturer to pull the product off the market. The state of California is suing the company while the product remains on the market. The company has agreed to disclose the presence of formaldehyde in Brazilian Blowout, which was previously labeled “formaldehyde free.” In the case of hair products used in beauty salons across the country, which often contain formaldehyde and other toxins, the FDA has even more limited authority to regulate.</p>
<p>The only exception to this pattern of lax regulation is telling: the FDA does vigorously regulate imported cosmetics. Just between January 2000 and December 2011, the FDA stopped more than 14,000 shipments from various countries abroad. That information led me back to the FDA. I wanted to know if they at least had any evidence of personal care products harming people in the U.S.</p>
<p>As it turns out, the FDA does collect reports of adverse reactions to personal care products through its Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS). (Should you care to drop them an email, the address is <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.)</p>
<p>The FDA was kind enough to let me read through 543 pages of complaints from users of different cosmetics products. People reported about products that burned their skin or caused their eyes to water, and that in some cases sent them to the emergency room. The names of the people involved were all redacted. I wondered how or if the agency was following up on these reports. Despite my queries, the FDA didn’t respond directly, instead referring me to their Web site, which doesn’t have the answers either.</p>
<p>Kathleen’s greatest fear when she was diagnosed with cancer was that our daughters, who were just then getting to the age where they would start to use cosmetics, would be at risk. Again, we can’t know for sure. But there is no doubt that the lax regulation of cosmetics exposes American girls and women—and men and boys as well—to an unknown health risk they do not need to be taking, even if definitive, unbiased science is not always available to evaluate each particular ingredient.</p>
<p>We know, for example, that the skin, our largest organ, easily absorbs cosmetic ingredients, safe or toxic. Repeated low-level exposures may accumulate through a person’s lifetime (such as lead in hair dyes and mercury in skin whiteners). Girls often start using cosmetics at a very young age, thereby increasing lifetime exposure. Puberty is a critical development time for both girls and boys, and exposure to reproductive and/or hormonal toxins often starts before.</p>
<p>So why doesn’t the American public demand that we at least take a precautionary approach, and not use ingredients in cosmetics until they are proven safe, instead of waiting to see how many people they harm?</p>
<p>One explanation is the pervasive corporate influence over how most Americans even think about cancer. Have you noticed all the feel-good advertising that hundreds of companies have adopted to make it appear that they are “working for the cure”? Often they do this by releasing merchandise in pink, the color that has been chosen to show support for breast cancer victims and research. Companies have jumped on the bandwagon to promote everything from pink guns to pink vodka to pink fried chicken. Even NFL players wear pink shoes during the breast cancer awareness period. Some critics call this phenomenon “pinkwashing.”</p>
<p>The first such campaign originated with the cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, which gave $1.5 million worth of pink ribbons away in 1992 to show support for breast cancer patients and research. Cosmetics manufacturers have been in the forefront of pinkwashing ever since. Avon, for example, sponsors the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. And, of course, with those Look Good Feel Better bags, the whole industry associates itself with being behind a cure or palliative for a devastating disease—albeit one it may be exacerbating. Don’t worry about what’s in your rouge; the money you spend on it goes to “cancer research,” and meanwhile, using more cosmetics will make you “Feel Better.”</p>
<p>When I challenged the industry’s trade group to disclose what chemicals might be in those bags, the PCPC responded, “In an abundance of caution, certain types of products and ingredients, which may be used safely in products for the general public, may not accepted for use in the LGFB kits … each product accepted into the LGFB program is subject to FDA oversight and has undergone multiple levels of review including safety, quality and regulatory reviews by the manufacturer, and is re-evaluated by Council staff before being accepted for use in the kits.”</p>
<p>Yet as we’ve seen, FDA “oversight” is, to put it mildly, weak. To make sure it stays that way, the PCPC alone spent $809,000 in direct lobbying in 2011, according to its disclosures to the IRS, plus $933,955 in conferences, conventions, and meetings, and $785,000 in travel. Meanwhile the staff of its putative research arm, the CIR, serves at the pleasure of the industry.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As public awareness has grown of the links between environmental chemicals and cancer, at least some politicians have responded. One is Illinois Democratic Representative Jan Schakowsky, who in 2012 cosponsored the Safe Cosmetics Act. It would have banned the use of ingredients linked to cancer and reproductive disorders while also requiring companies to include complete ingredient labels on fragrances and salon products. Sponsored as well by Wisconsin Democratic Representative Tammy Baldwin, who was recently elected U.S. senator of Wisconsin, the bill received strong support from the Breast Cancer Fund, along with other consumer groups. Nonetheless, it received just one hearing in the Republican-controlled House, and never left committee. Schakowsky has reintroduced her bill again this year.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the PCPC and other industry groups, after a $3.5 million lobbying campaign, seeded the introduction of a weak, pro-industry bill called the Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012. Introduced by New Jersey Republican Senator Leonard Lance last year, the legislation called for registering product manufacturing facilities, disclosing product ingredients, and reporting adverse events from product use (which, as noted above, is already done through the FDA’s adverse report-ing system).</p>
<p>The bill favored the industry, because it didn’t give the FDA any meaningful power to take harmful products off the market, and rubber-stamped research from the industry-funded CIR. The Lance bill (which has since died) would also have preempted tough state laws such as those found in California, while the Schakowsky bill would not.</p>
<p>In voicing the industry’s support for the Lance bill, the PCPC issued a statement in April 2012. It asserted, without apparent irony, that “FDA regulation of cosmetics has protected the public for decades, and this landmark legislation will enhance protections for millions of American consumers.”</p>
<p>When I requested further comment from the PCPC, spokesperson Lisa Powers replied, “We support increased regulation and authority by FDA over cosmetics. This increased regulation should allow and require FDA to set safety levels on ingredients found in cosmetic and personal care products. We look forward this year to working with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle on discussion of these issues.”</p>
<p>Schakowsky is optimistic she can reach a compromise with Republicans. “We’re hearing that there’s some possibility that something on cosmetics might move,” she told me in a telephone interview in mid-January. As of this writing, the legislation has not been allowed to come to a vote.</p>
<p>Research for this piece was generously supported with grants from the Nation Institute Investigative Fund, the Chicago Headline Club, and the National Press Foundation.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Did Make-Up Give My Wife Breast Cancer? The Ugly Truth Hidden by the Cosmetics Industry | true | http://alternet.org/personal-health/did-make-give-my-wife-breast-cancer-ugly-truth-hidden-cosmetics-industry | 2013-05-08 | 4left
| Did Make-Up Give My Wife Breast Cancer? The Ugly Truth Hidden by the Cosmetics Industry
<p>When Kathleen felt a lump in her right breast she began a journey that millions have experienced—or, sadly, will experience. After a painful biopsy and other tests confirmed it was cancer, my wife was thrown into a cauldron of tears, doubt, and fear for herself and her loved ones. Our two daughters were then just eight and twelve.</p>
<p>Like many cancer patients, Kathleen also experienced a stranglehold of guilt. Was it something she did or didn’t do that fed the tumor? Was it the meat in our diet? Our water? The air? Her genes? I assured her that we couldn’t be at fault. We had banned soda pop and anything with high-fructose corn syrup from our house more than a decade before. We tried to eat organic food, we were transitioning to more vegetarian fare, and she did yoga and took regular walks. We didn’t even have cable.</p>
<p>After a test showed that Kathleen didn’t have the BRCA breast cancer gene, her surgeon, Dr. Sonya Sharpless, suggested that environmental factors might be implicated. But what could they be? Kathleen had already thrown out a bevy of household cleaning products and plastic containers.</p>
<p>Then she discovered the work of the Breast Cancer Fund, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that for the last ten years has been focusing on cancer-causing agents in personal care products. Through a coalition of health and environmental groups called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (of which the Breast Cancer Fund is the principal sponsor), the organization has been drawing attention to the fact that known carcinogens—substances like formaldehyde—are used as preservatives in everything from suntan oil to makeup. Kathleen frantically threw out her all her expensive Clinique and Shiseido cosmetics.</p>
<p>Did a lifetime of using cosmetics cause or contribute to Kathleen’s breast cancer? We don’t know. But here are some facts that every American woman and her loved ones should absorb. The European Union bans nearly 1,400 chemicals from personal care products because they are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction. But in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration entrusts safety regulation of cosmetics to a private entity that is housed and funded by the industry’s trade association. To date, this entity has found only eleven chemicals to be “unsafe for use in cosmetics.” The FDA has no oversight of cosmetics products before they come on the market and, unlike the EU, leaves it to the cosmetics industry to determine which ingredients should be banned.</p>
<p>Because the American cosmetics industry is largely self-regulated, American women have to worry that they may be exposed to all sorts of cosmetics ingredients that may be dangerous to their health. Without greater powers for the FDA to regulate cosmetics, there is just no way that people like Kathleen who have cancer, or those who fear getting it, can know for sure. Indeed, even while in the hospital cancer patients are exposed to cosmetic products that the FDA has never evaluated and that activist groups like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics say contain known or suspected carcinogens.</p>
<p>This happened to Kathleen. During her first round of chemo in 2009, some volunteers at the hospital came calling with a little red bag that contained products from Clinique, Estée Lauder, and Del Laboratories. Everything from eyeliner pencils to blush was in the bag, accompanied by a brochure that provided helpful advice on skin care and wig purchases.</p>
<p>Her well-meaning visitors were part of the Look Good Feel Better program (LGFB), which involves 16,000 volunteers who hand out $10 million worth of personal care products every year to women being treated for cancer. Behind this effort is a Who’s Who of the personal care industry: Alberto Culver, Avon, Chanel, Coty, Aveda, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Neutrogena, L’Oreal, LVMH, Mary Kay, Procter &amp; Gamble, and Unilever, among others. The sponsors, as Kathleen learned from the brochure, are the American Cancer Society and the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), the leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and personal care products industry, which, through its tax-exempt foundation, kicked in $8.6 million to LGFB in 2011.</p>
<p>No doubt many women who are feeling awful about the loss of their hair, breasts, and dignity are grateful for these gifts from the cosmetics industry. But Kathleen, even though the chemotherapy by this point had caused her hair to fall out and turned her skin ghostly white, was not one of them. Upon reviewing the contents of her LGFB bag, she realized that several of the products in it contained parabens—chemicals that mimic estrogen and that according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics are linked to cancer. You can image how that made her feel.</p>
<p>For a while, fighting the cancer was all we could do. After her mastectomy, Kathleen’s chemo treatments proved so debilitating that she ended up in the emergency room and in isolation wards twice in December of 2009. The drugs in her body were robbing her of hemoglobin and she became dangerously anemic, a common side effects of blasting the entire bloodstream withtoxic chemicals.</p>
<p>Kathleen could barely walk. Her immune system was also in shambles and needed frontline antibiotics. We had to get rid of our houseplants for fear of infection. Meanwhile, I was trying to hold body and soul together even as I lost my main source of income as a contract columnist for Bloomberg News.</p>
<p>Once Kathleen began to recover from the trauma of the chemo I decided, however, to throw myself into answering a basic question: How is it, I wanted to know, that the FDA, which was created by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, leaves the regulation of cosmetics largely up to the cosmetics industry?</p>
<p>Start with a fact that is hardly a secret yet still little known by the public:the FDA does not have the authority to test cosmetics ingredients before they go on the market. This is explained right on its Web site: “FDA’s legal authority over cosmetics is different from other products regulated by the agency, such as drugs, biologics, and medical devices. Cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to FDA premarket approval authority, with the exception of color additives.”</p>
<p>Instead, as the FDA’s site goes on to explain, “Cosmetic firms are responsible for substantiating the safety of their products and ingredients before marketing.” In other words, the industry is largely responsible for regulating itself. How good a job do they do?</p>
<p>There exists an obscure entity called the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. According to the industry, the CIR is responsible for ensuring the safety of cosmetic products. On its board sit nine voting members. The voting members are all academics, and, according to the CIR, they must meet the same conflict-of-interest requirements as individuals serving on FDA advisory committees. However, there is no independent way to verify what conflicts of interest might actually exist. As a private organization, the CIR is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, as I found out when I tried to make a FOIA request. Nor will the CIR publicly disclose its budget.</p>
<p>“Since we are not a part of FDA, there is no obligation to provide information under FOIA,” Dr. F. Alan Andersen, the CIR’s director, explained in an email, adding, “The annual budget is not a matter of public record, so that information is not available.” According to a search of the Internal Revenue System’s database of tax-exempt organizations, the CIR has not filed a Form 990, which would contain at least its budget. It is accordingly not known whether the cosmetics industry pays the “experts” on the CIR, much less how much.</p>
<p>The CIR does admit that its overall funding comes from the industry’s main trade association, the Personal Care Products Council. The PCPC has filed Form 990, and it shows that in 2011, the organization paid Dr. Andersen, the CIR executive director, a total of $372,151 in wages and other compensation, including a performance bonus of $55,675. And the form shows that PCPC paid a total of $292,257 in employee compensation and contracting fees to a Mr. John Bailey, “a key employee who retired from the Council during 2011 because of his former employment with the FDA.” (John Bailey’s wife also received $49,930 for her part-time work with the council.) There is no breakdown, however, of what the PCPC may have paid the CIR’s expert panel.</p>
<p>The two organizations both list their mailing address as 1101 17th Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., though one is in Suite 300 and the other in Suite 412. In Suite 412, the CIR goes about its business, which does not include conducting any clinical studies or trials. “The panel does not conduct its own research,” spokesperson Lisa Powers explained in an email, “but carefully examines all of the currently available scientific data.”</p>
<p>The CIR discusses its findings at four meetings a year that are open to the public, and publishes the proceedings on its Web site. It also publishes reports in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Toxicology.</p>
<p>Does that mean you should rest assured that your blush won’t give you cancer or damage your unborn children? At least on one occasion, the CIR has pronounced cosmetics ingredients to be safe despite protests that there was no scientific basis for doing so. For example, in 2002, the CIR pronounced that it was safe for the industry to continue adding possible endocrine and reproductive disruptors known as phthalates to cosmetics marketed to women of childbearing age. This decision was based on what the Environmental Working Group characterized as the “ad hoc calculations” by one of the trade association’s scientists during the course of its proceedings.</p>
<p>But the more salient reality is that, regardless of the quality of its research, the CIR has no power over the industry that finances it. How often has the industry taken action to reformulate products that contain harmful chemicals? According to the PCPC, the trade organization does not “keep a record of products that have been reformulated or removed from the market as a result of a CIR review.” Of the 12,500 ingredients used in personal care products, only a handful are not used in the U.S.</p>
<p>By law, cosmetics companies are supposed to do some kind of research into the safety of their products before putting them on the market. “If the safety of an ingredient as used in a cosmetic product has not been established by CIR,” a PCPC spokesman stated, “a company must possess other information to substantiate the safety of the ingredient for its intended use and make that information available for inspection by FDA upon request.” But the FDA’s review of industry-sponsored research, if it happens at all, won’t occur until the product is already on the market.</p>
<p>For example, in recent years, a substantial controversy has arisen over the use of lead in lipstick. Lead can be a pretty serious substance. The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of lead in house paint in 1977, due to the brain damage it has been proven to cause in children. Because of its neurotoxicity, leaded gasoline has been entirely banned in the U.S. since 1995. The FDA also bans the presence of lead in candy bars in concentrations greater than 0.1 part per million.</p>
<p>Yet the FDA never got around to even testing lead in lipstick until 2010. When it did, it found concentrations as high as 3.06 parts per million—or more than thirty times the maximum allowed in candy bars. Whether this is an unsafe level for lipstick users I’ll leave to others to dispute, but the point is, under the current regulatory regime, lipstick users were exposed to these concentrations of lead for decades without their knowing it and without the FDA ever conducting so much as one test. For now, at least, the FDA says the lead in lipstick is safe, though if I were a woman, I wouldn’t be licking my lips.</p>
<p>And what if the FDA does determine that a cosmetic product being sold on the market is unsafe? “FDA does not have the legal authority to order a recall of a cosmetic,” a spokesman explained. “However, FDA works with firms to ensure that voluntary recalls are effective.” One exception provided by the FDA’s statutory authority is for cosmetics products with ingredients that are “adulterated and misbranded.”</p>
<p>The FDA’s lack of regulatory authority over perfumes and other fragrances is also troubling. In 2010, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group tested popular colognes and body sprays and found fourteen “secret chemicals not listed on the label.” These substances are linked to hormone disruption, skin irritation, and allergic reactions, according to several studies. The FDA did not test, much less ban, the products, which included American Eagle Seventy Seven, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, and Britney Spears Curious.</p>
<p>It’s the same story with hair products. In August 2011, under pressure from consumer groups such as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the FDA tested hair straighteners produced by a California company called Brazilian Blowout. The agency found high levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, but did not request the manufacturer to pull the product off the market. The state of California is suing the company while the product remains on the market. The company has agreed to disclose the presence of formaldehyde in Brazilian Blowout, which was previously labeled “formaldehyde free.” In the case of hair products used in beauty salons across the country, which often contain formaldehyde and other toxins, the FDA has even more limited authority to regulate.</p>
<p>The only exception to this pattern of lax regulation is telling: the FDA does vigorously regulate imported cosmetics. Just between January 2000 and December 2011, the FDA stopped more than 14,000 shipments from various countries abroad. That information led me back to the FDA. I wanted to know if they at least had any evidence of personal care products harming people in the U.S.</p>
<p>As it turns out, the FDA does collect reports of adverse reactions to personal care products through its Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS). (Should you care to drop them an email, the address is <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.)</p>
<p>The FDA was kind enough to let me read through 543 pages of complaints from users of different cosmetics products. People reported about products that burned their skin or caused their eyes to water, and that in some cases sent them to the emergency room. The names of the people involved were all redacted. I wondered how or if the agency was following up on these reports. Despite my queries, the FDA didn’t respond directly, instead referring me to their Web site, which doesn’t have the answers either.</p>
<p>Kathleen’s greatest fear when she was diagnosed with cancer was that our daughters, who were just then getting to the age where they would start to use cosmetics, would be at risk. Again, we can’t know for sure. But there is no doubt that the lax regulation of cosmetics exposes American girls and women—and men and boys as well—to an unknown health risk they do not need to be taking, even if definitive, unbiased science is not always available to evaluate each particular ingredient.</p>
<p>We know, for example, that the skin, our largest organ, easily absorbs cosmetic ingredients, safe or toxic. Repeated low-level exposures may accumulate through a person’s lifetime (such as lead in hair dyes and mercury in skin whiteners). Girls often start using cosmetics at a very young age, thereby increasing lifetime exposure. Puberty is a critical development time for both girls and boys, and exposure to reproductive and/or hormonal toxins often starts before.</p>
<p>So why doesn’t the American public demand that we at least take a precautionary approach, and not use ingredients in cosmetics until they are proven safe, instead of waiting to see how many people they harm?</p>
<p>One explanation is the pervasive corporate influence over how most Americans even think about cancer. Have you noticed all the feel-good advertising that hundreds of companies have adopted to make it appear that they are “working for the cure”? Often they do this by releasing merchandise in pink, the color that has been chosen to show support for breast cancer victims and research. Companies have jumped on the bandwagon to promote everything from pink guns to pink vodka to pink fried chicken. Even NFL players wear pink shoes during the breast cancer awareness period. Some critics call this phenomenon “pinkwashing.”</p>
<p>The first such campaign originated with the cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, which gave $1.5 million worth of pink ribbons away in 1992 to show support for breast cancer patients and research. Cosmetics manufacturers have been in the forefront of pinkwashing ever since. Avon, for example, sponsors the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. And, of course, with those Look Good Feel Better bags, the whole industry associates itself with being behind a cure or palliative for a devastating disease—albeit one it may be exacerbating. Don’t worry about what’s in your rouge; the money you spend on it goes to “cancer research,” and meanwhile, using more cosmetics will make you “Feel Better.”</p>
<p>When I challenged the industry’s trade group to disclose what chemicals might be in those bags, the PCPC responded, “In an abundance of caution, certain types of products and ingredients, which may be used safely in products for the general public, may not accepted for use in the LGFB kits … each product accepted into the LGFB program is subject to FDA oversight and has undergone multiple levels of review including safety, quality and regulatory reviews by the manufacturer, and is re-evaluated by Council staff before being accepted for use in the kits.”</p>
<p>Yet as we’ve seen, FDA “oversight” is, to put it mildly, weak. To make sure it stays that way, the PCPC alone spent $809,000 in direct lobbying in 2011, according to its disclosures to the IRS, plus $933,955 in conferences, conventions, and meetings, and $785,000 in travel. Meanwhile the staff of its putative research arm, the CIR, serves at the pleasure of the industry.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As public awareness has grown of the links between environmental chemicals and cancer, at least some politicians have responded. One is Illinois Democratic Representative Jan Schakowsky, who in 2012 cosponsored the Safe Cosmetics Act. It would have banned the use of ingredients linked to cancer and reproductive disorders while also requiring companies to include complete ingredient labels on fragrances and salon products. Sponsored as well by Wisconsin Democratic Representative Tammy Baldwin, who was recently elected U.S. senator of Wisconsin, the bill received strong support from the Breast Cancer Fund, along with other consumer groups. Nonetheless, it received just one hearing in the Republican-controlled House, and never left committee. Schakowsky has reintroduced her bill again this year.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the PCPC and other industry groups, after a $3.5 million lobbying campaign, seeded the introduction of a weak, pro-industry bill called the Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012. Introduced by New Jersey Republican Senator Leonard Lance last year, the legislation called for registering product manufacturing facilities, disclosing product ingredients, and reporting adverse events from product use (which, as noted above, is already done through the FDA’s adverse report-ing system).</p>
<p>The bill favored the industry, because it didn’t give the FDA any meaningful power to take harmful products off the market, and rubber-stamped research from the industry-funded CIR. The Lance bill (which has since died) would also have preempted tough state laws such as those found in California, while the Schakowsky bill would not.</p>
<p>In voicing the industry’s support for the Lance bill, the PCPC issued a statement in April 2012. It asserted, without apparent irony, that “FDA regulation of cosmetics has protected the public for decades, and this landmark legislation will enhance protections for millions of American consumers.”</p>
<p>When I requested further comment from the PCPC, spokesperson Lisa Powers replied, “We support increased regulation and authority by FDA over cosmetics. This increased regulation should allow and require FDA to set safety levels on ingredients found in cosmetic and personal care products. We look forward this year to working with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle on discussion of these issues.”</p>
<p>Schakowsky is optimistic she can reach a compromise with Republicans. “We’re hearing that there’s some possibility that something on cosmetics might move,” she told me in a telephone interview in mid-January. As of this writing, the legislation has not been allowed to come to a vote.</p>
<p>Research for this piece was generously supported with grants from the Nation Institute Investigative Fund, the Chicago Headline Club, and the National Press Foundation.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,631 |
<p>Iran will compete in next year's freestyle wrestling World Cup in Iowa City, Iowa, after Turkey dropped out of the competition.</p>
<p>United World Wrestling announced the move on Thursday, although no reason was given why the Turks won't compete in the eight-nation event.</p>
<p>The powerhouse Iranian team has won the last six World Cups, a team competition that trails only the annual World Championships in importance. But Iran finished ninth at last year's world tournament and only the top eight teams qualified for the World Cup.</p>
<p>The World Cup will be held April 7-8 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.</p>
<p>The U.S. will be the top seed after winning the freestyle world title in 2017. But the Americans haven't taken a World Cup since 2003.</p>
<p>Iran will compete in next year's freestyle wrestling World Cup in Iowa City, Iowa, after Turkey dropped out of the competition.</p>
<p>United World Wrestling announced the move on Thursday, although no reason was given why the Turks won't compete in the eight-nation event.</p>
<p>The powerhouse Iranian team has won the last six World Cups, a team competition that trails only the annual World Championships in importance. But Iran finished ninth at last year's world tournament and only the top eight teams qualified for the World Cup.</p>
<p>The World Cup will be held April 7-8 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.</p>
<p>The U.S. will be the top seed after winning the freestyle world title in 2017. But the Americans haven't taken a World Cup since 2003.</p> | Iran slides into wrestling World Cup after Turkey drops out | false | https://apnews.com/amp/27eefc7a29bf458e86fcde06a99247fa | 2018-01-04 | 2least
| Iran slides into wrestling World Cup after Turkey drops out
<p>Iran will compete in next year's freestyle wrestling World Cup in Iowa City, Iowa, after Turkey dropped out of the competition.</p>
<p>United World Wrestling announced the move on Thursday, although no reason was given why the Turks won't compete in the eight-nation event.</p>
<p>The powerhouse Iranian team has won the last six World Cups, a team competition that trails only the annual World Championships in importance. But Iran finished ninth at last year's world tournament and only the top eight teams qualified for the World Cup.</p>
<p>The World Cup will be held April 7-8 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.</p>
<p>The U.S. will be the top seed after winning the freestyle world title in 2017. But the Americans haven't taken a World Cup since 2003.</p>
<p>Iran will compete in next year's freestyle wrestling World Cup in Iowa City, Iowa, after Turkey dropped out of the competition.</p>
<p>United World Wrestling announced the move on Thursday, although no reason was given why the Turks won't compete in the eight-nation event.</p>
<p>The powerhouse Iranian team has won the last six World Cups, a team competition that trails only the annual World Championships in importance. But Iran finished ninth at last year's world tournament and only the top eight teams qualified for the World Cup.</p>
<p>The World Cup will be held April 7-8 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.</p>
<p>The U.S. will be the top seed after winning the freestyle world title in 2017. But the Americans haven't taken a World Cup since 2003.</p> | 2,632 |
<p />
<p>A Coptic church in Egypt. <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-47005336/stock-photo-coptic-church-in-egypt.html?src=O9tjA6wO3-KR6zWmi4VDoA-1-11" type="external">(Shutterstock)</a></p>
<p>Egypt has just joined the war against the Islamic State in the Levant (also known as ISIL or, in Arabic, Daesh). Its air force has attacked the jihadist army in retribution for the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christian Copts held in Libya, whom they described as “Crusaders.”</p>
<p>As usual, jihad polemics were ignorant. Coptic Christianity goes back to the earliest Christian conversions in Egypt, centuries before the Crusades, and its adherents are mostly members of the original population of Egypt. They were Christians long before Egypt’s incorporation into the Islamic Arab caliphates in the seventh century and after.</p>
<p />
<p>This is one more instance of the sheer ignorance influential in driving events in the Middle East in modern times. The United States’ invasion of Iraq under George W. Bush was conceived as a crusade by many evangelical American Protestant churches, and so seen by many others in the U.S. (At the time, President George W. Bush even called it a crusade). It has so been seen in the Islamic countries.</p>
<p>Among the results of America’s modern crusades has been the retaliatory murderous attacks by jihadists against the ancient Christian churches founded in Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine in Apostolic times following the death of Christ — all of them taken as agents of the modern Americans. How many American churchmen know?</p>
<p>This war launched by Americans and Europeans into Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan, and now penetrating northern and sub-Saharan Africa, was supposed to die out this year as Western military forces withdrew, as promised by President Barack Obama in his presidential campaign of 2008.</p>
<p>However, the new Crusade goes on, due to the influence of other varieties of Western credulity, those of officials, generals and intellectuals devoted to naive doctrines of “spreading democracy” and promoting the “Arab spring.” Among them are prominent in the Obama administration, who remain committed to the idea of the West’s “duty to rescue” the masses of victims of these wars by opening still newer battlegrounds, attacking Arab dictators and the new jihadists of the ISIL as they multiply and extend their influence — including inside the Western countries themselves.</p>
<p>There is in the United States an incorrigible conviction that only the “indispensible” nation can bring peace to nations, and that can be done by means of more intervention and war, splitting nations in civil, tribal and sectarian battles in which the United States chooses sides, nominates leaders and bestows alien institutions.</p>
<p>Thus President Obama has in recent days asked Congress for authorization to wage war against the Islamic State for three years. Washington already is carrying out air strikes and arming and training troops in the Middle East, claiming as justification “an inherent right of individual and collective self-defense.” What is the threat ISIL poses to the United States? It threatens American forces in the region, but that is easily solved by taking those forces out of the region.</p>
<p>That would leave the Arabs to defend themselves against whatever or whomever it is that threatens them. Is it not better that way? The principal reason that continuous warfare has dragged on in the Middle East for nearly 40 years is that American troops have been deployed there continuously in one form or another, with one or another justification, since “Operation Desert Shield” in 1990. (Previously the Reagan administration placed U.S. forces in Lebanon for three months, with disastrous consequences for the U.S. Marines, causing their withdrawal.)</p>
<p>Washington has been obsessed with the Middle East since 1990, because of oil, Israel and the recognition that the region constitutes the center and dynamism of Islamic religion — even though the majority of the world’s Muslims are in Indonesia, Pakistan, elsewhere in Asia and in Africa.</p>
<p>Washington since the fall of the Soviet Union has been driven by a compulsion to dominate, and not only in the Middle East. This is what most recently inspired the coup in Ukraine: to complete a NATO wall around Russia, and intimidate the government of Vladimir Putin, so as eventually to see to his replacement. It inspired the intervention of Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande last weekend to block the American program to ship NATO arms to that country in a dangerous effort to intimidate Putin. The major countries of Western Europe no longer trust the American government. This may — perhaps must — be taken as a reassuring development, although most Americans don’t yet understand why.</p>
<p>Visit William Pfaff’s website for more on his latest book, “The Irony of Manifest Destiny: The Tragedy of America’s Foreign Policy” (Walker &amp; Co., $25), at <a href="http://www.williampfaff.com" type="external">www.williampfaff.com</a>.</p>
<p>© 2014 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.</p> | The Uses, and Abuses, of History in the Middle East Conflict | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/the-uses-and-abuses-of-history-in-the-middle-east-conflict/ | 2015-02-18 | 4left
| The Uses, and Abuses, of History in the Middle East Conflict
<p />
<p>A Coptic church in Egypt. <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-47005336/stock-photo-coptic-church-in-egypt.html?src=O9tjA6wO3-KR6zWmi4VDoA-1-11" type="external">(Shutterstock)</a></p>
<p>Egypt has just joined the war against the Islamic State in the Levant (also known as ISIL or, in Arabic, Daesh). Its air force has attacked the jihadist army in retribution for the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christian Copts held in Libya, whom they described as “Crusaders.”</p>
<p>As usual, jihad polemics were ignorant. Coptic Christianity goes back to the earliest Christian conversions in Egypt, centuries before the Crusades, and its adherents are mostly members of the original population of Egypt. They were Christians long before Egypt’s incorporation into the Islamic Arab caliphates in the seventh century and after.</p>
<p />
<p>This is one more instance of the sheer ignorance influential in driving events in the Middle East in modern times. The United States’ invasion of Iraq under George W. Bush was conceived as a crusade by many evangelical American Protestant churches, and so seen by many others in the U.S. (At the time, President George W. Bush even called it a crusade). It has so been seen in the Islamic countries.</p>
<p>Among the results of America’s modern crusades has been the retaliatory murderous attacks by jihadists against the ancient Christian churches founded in Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine in Apostolic times following the death of Christ — all of them taken as agents of the modern Americans. How many American churchmen know?</p>
<p>This war launched by Americans and Europeans into Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan, and now penetrating northern and sub-Saharan Africa, was supposed to die out this year as Western military forces withdrew, as promised by President Barack Obama in his presidential campaign of 2008.</p>
<p>However, the new Crusade goes on, due to the influence of other varieties of Western credulity, those of officials, generals and intellectuals devoted to naive doctrines of “spreading democracy” and promoting the “Arab spring.” Among them are prominent in the Obama administration, who remain committed to the idea of the West’s “duty to rescue” the masses of victims of these wars by opening still newer battlegrounds, attacking Arab dictators and the new jihadists of the ISIL as they multiply and extend their influence — including inside the Western countries themselves.</p>
<p>There is in the United States an incorrigible conviction that only the “indispensible” nation can bring peace to nations, and that can be done by means of more intervention and war, splitting nations in civil, tribal and sectarian battles in which the United States chooses sides, nominates leaders and bestows alien institutions.</p>
<p>Thus President Obama has in recent days asked Congress for authorization to wage war against the Islamic State for three years. Washington already is carrying out air strikes and arming and training troops in the Middle East, claiming as justification “an inherent right of individual and collective self-defense.” What is the threat ISIL poses to the United States? It threatens American forces in the region, but that is easily solved by taking those forces out of the region.</p>
<p>That would leave the Arabs to defend themselves against whatever or whomever it is that threatens them. Is it not better that way? The principal reason that continuous warfare has dragged on in the Middle East for nearly 40 years is that American troops have been deployed there continuously in one form or another, with one or another justification, since “Operation Desert Shield” in 1990. (Previously the Reagan administration placed U.S. forces in Lebanon for three months, with disastrous consequences for the U.S. Marines, causing their withdrawal.)</p>
<p>Washington has been obsessed with the Middle East since 1990, because of oil, Israel and the recognition that the region constitutes the center and dynamism of Islamic religion — even though the majority of the world’s Muslims are in Indonesia, Pakistan, elsewhere in Asia and in Africa.</p>
<p>Washington since the fall of the Soviet Union has been driven by a compulsion to dominate, and not only in the Middle East. This is what most recently inspired the coup in Ukraine: to complete a NATO wall around Russia, and intimidate the government of Vladimir Putin, so as eventually to see to his replacement. It inspired the intervention of Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande last weekend to block the American program to ship NATO arms to that country in a dangerous effort to intimidate Putin. The major countries of Western Europe no longer trust the American government. This may — perhaps must — be taken as a reassuring development, although most Americans don’t yet understand why.</p>
<p>Visit William Pfaff’s website for more on his latest book, “The Irony of Manifest Destiny: The Tragedy of America’s Foreign Policy” (Walker &amp; Co., $25), at <a href="http://www.williampfaff.com" type="external">www.williampfaff.com</a>.</p>
<p>© 2014 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.</p> | 2,633 |
<p>Paid subscriptions to read News Corp's <a href="" type="internal">Wall Street Journal</a> on tablet devices such as <a href="" type="internal">Apple</a> Inc's <a href="" type="internal">iPad</a> and electronic readers have quadrupled to 200,000 in the past year, a top executive said.</p>
<p>Les Hinton, publisher of the Journal, gave the figures while speaking to reporters after a speech in Boston on Thursday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Hinton, who is also chief executive of News Corp's <a href="" type="internal">Dow Jones</a> unit, said the figures were surprising and showed how even though consumers have many choices online, they are willing to pay to read certain content on tablets.</p>
<p>"The actual proliferation of these things is so rapid," he said of the devices. "What surprised us is that other periodicals than ours (also) seem to be getting good traction" for their own tablet content.</p>
<p>Dow Jones counted about 50,000 paid Wall Street Journal tablet subscribers a year ago. The subscription figures refer to sales on mobile devices including Amazon.com's Kindle, the Nook device from bookseller Barnes &amp; Noble, the iPad, and tablet devices running Android software from <a href="" type="internal">Google</a> Inc.</p>
<p>The company also sells access to WSJ.com on smartphones, but did not break out subscription figures.</p>
<p>The company charges users a general subscription rate of $3.99 a week for access to products like WSJ.com and associated applications, though it makes some content free via wsj.com. By way of comparison the company said the Wall Street Journal's print edition circulation was 1.6 million.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Hinton spoke at the Boston College Chief Executives Club of Boston.</p>
<p>News Corp. is the parent company of the FOX Business Network.</p> | News Corp's Hinton Says Tablet Subscriptions Soar | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2011/03/11/news-corps-hinton-says-tablet-subscriptions-soar.html | 2016-03-04 | 0right
| News Corp's Hinton Says Tablet Subscriptions Soar
<p>Paid subscriptions to read News Corp's <a href="" type="internal">Wall Street Journal</a> on tablet devices such as <a href="" type="internal">Apple</a> Inc's <a href="" type="internal">iPad</a> and electronic readers have quadrupled to 200,000 in the past year, a top executive said.</p>
<p>Les Hinton, publisher of the Journal, gave the figures while speaking to reporters after a speech in Boston on Thursday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Hinton, who is also chief executive of News Corp's <a href="" type="internal">Dow Jones</a> unit, said the figures were surprising and showed how even though consumers have many choices online, they are willing to pay to read certain content on tablets.</p>
<p>"The actual proliferation of these things is so rapid," he said of the devices. "What surprised us is that other periodicals than ours (also) seem to be getting good traction" for their own tablet content.</p>
<p>Dow Jones counted about 50,000 paid Wall Street Journal tablet subscribers a year ago. The subscription figures refer to sales on mobile devices including Amazon.com's Kindle, the Nook device from bookseller Barnes &amp; Noble, the iPad, and tablet devices running Android software from <a href="" type="internal">Google</a> Inc.</p>
<p>The company also sells access to WSJ.com on smartphones, but did not break out subscription figures.</p>
<p>The company charges users a general subscription rate of $3.99 a week for access to products like WSJ.com and associated applications, though it makes some content free via wsj.com. By way of comparison the company said the Wall Street Journal's print edition circulation was 1.6 million.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Hinton spoke at the Boston College Chief Executives Club of Boston.</p>
<p>News Corp. is the parent company of the FOX Business Network.</p> | 2,634 |
<p>Minister’s move from six-figure fundraising position to community gardening was ‘tectonic’ shift</p>
<p>Linda Brinson</p>
<p>DENTON, N.C. — When Don Durham speaks of the “shift” in of his ministry, he’s talking more along the lines of a shift in tectonic plates that leads to an earthquake than of a routine change in jobs.</p>
<p>In June 2010, Durham, then 41, swapped white collars for a sunburned neck. He moved from a comfortable home in Atlanta to a farm near Denton, N.C, that doesn’t include a house. He let his hair grow long. His most reliable transportation became his Harley. Rather than working with those who donate and invest money, he found himself dealing with those who are struggling.</p>
<p>Durham walked away from a six-figure job as president of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation to start growing food to give to the needy. He left a job in which he worked mostly with conventional churches and started ministering to people who sometimes feel that an organized church has no place for them.</p>
<p>Two years later, Durham says he’s convinced that he made the right move, even if he’s sometimes discouraged at the pace of progress at his community garden, Healing Springs Acres. After two growing seasons, he’s still tending crops on a little more than one acre, even though he has 20 acres ready for expansion. The crops, planted, tended, harvested and distributed with a lot of volunteer help, were primarily potatoes — more than 2,000 pounds of white, yellow and red varieties this year — and corn. He’d like more variety.</p>
<p>But his two seasons at Healing Springs Acres have provided a lot of food — an estimated 8,600 pounds in 2011 — for the hungry, much of it distributed through His Laboring Few, a biker ministry in nearby Thomasville, N.C.</p>
<p>“I think that’s well worth doing, and a tangible expression of Jesus’ statement of ‘for I was hungry and you fed me,’ ” Durham said.</p>
<p>Durham dates his ministerial “shift” to his “epiphany,” on a January night in Daytona, Fla., in 2008.</p>
<p>Until that moment, his life had been split in two. He’d grown up in a rural, often prejudiced, insular community. When he left to attend Mars Hill College, “I had to make a pretty clean break with huge chunks of the culture that had produced me. I felt that many of the values I had inherited from my culture were 180 degrees opposite from values I was internalizing as I figured out what it meant to follow Jesus and be a minister.”</p>
<p>After graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Durham started the white-collar career raising and managing money for religious and educational institutions that culminated in his eight years with the CBF.</p>
<p>But that night in Daytona, mingling with people like those he’d left behind, he felt that his “worlds collided.”</p>
<p>“I began trying to remember and interact with pieces of myself that I hadn’t interacted with in a long time,” he said. “I eventually realized that no matter who I have become, where I’ve gone and what I’ve done, that culture I grew up in is always going to be home base. It took me a couple of weeks to realize that whatever had happened that night in Daytona was something that I needed to pay attention to and find a way to respond to.”</p>
<p>For the next year and a half, Durham worked on that response. His decision was made easier because he wanted to be closer to his two daughters, who live with their mother north of Charlotte. He could have continued his work with the CBF from a North Carolina base, but he felt the time was right to do something different.</p>
<p>He was inspired by the writings of church and society specialist Tex Sample about ministry to the down-and-out and by gardening ministries such as Fields of Hope at Mars Hill Baptist Church in North Carolina’s Madison County. He started the Healing Springs farm with the idea of collecting volunteers, then progressing to Bible study and a church. But he began to question the need for yet another congregation. And he began to think that growing food and giving it away was a worthwhile ministry in itself.</p>
<p>Durham served as interim pastor at First Baptist Church of Elkin, N.C., for several months. He enjoyed working with that church’s garden ministry, and church members have come to Healing Springs to help him. First Baptist Church in Denton sends many volunteers and has adopted Healing Springs as a mission project.</p>
<p>The CBF of North Carolina also has made Healing Springs Acres a ministry partner, accepting contributions on its behalf. And Durham sometimes works as a consultant helping CBF churches figure out ways to “be a relevant ministry for people in their community who aren’t already a part of us,” he said.</p>
<p>Durham has come to realize that to develop Healing Springs Acres to its full potential, he’ll have to raise money for the ministry. That may be a return of sorts to the job he thought he’d left behind — but things seem very different on the farm.</p>
<p>Linda Brinson ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is a Religious Herald contributing writer, based in Madison, N.C.</p> | Minister’s move from six-figure fundraising position to community gardening was ‘tectonic’ shi | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/ministersmovefromsix-figurefundraisingpositiontocommunitygardeningwastectonicshi/ | 3left-center
| Minister’s move from six-figure fundraising position to community gardening was ‘tectonic’ shi
<p>Minister’s move from six-figure fundraising position to community gardening was ‘tectonic’ shift</p>
<p>Linda Brinson</p>
<p>DENTON, N.C. — When Don Durham speaks of the “shift” in of his ministry, he’s talking more along the lines of a shift in tectonic plates that leads to an earthquake than of a routine change in jobs.</p>
<p>In June 2010, Durham, then 41, swapped white collars for a sunburned neck. He moved from a comfortable home in Atlanta to a farm near Denton, N.C, that doesn’t include a house. He let his hair grow long. His most reliable transportation became his Harley. Rather than working with those who donate and invest money, he found himself dealing with those who are struggling.</p>
<p>Durham walked away from a six-figure job as president of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation to start growing food to give to the needy. He left a job in which he worked mostly with conventional churches and started ministering to people who sometimes feel that an organized church has no place for them.</p>
<p>Two years later, Durham says he’s convinced that he made the right move, even if he’s sometimes discouraged at the pace of progress at his community garden, Healing Springs Acres. After two growing seasons, he’s still tending crops on a little more than one acre, even though he has 20 acres ready for expansion. The crops, planted, tended, harvested and distributed with a lot of volunteer help, were primarily potatoes — more than 2,000 pounds of white, yellow and red varieties this year — and corn. He’d like more variety.</p>
<p>But his two seasons at Healing Springs Acres have provided a lot of food — an estimated 8,600 pounds in 2011 — for the hungry, much of it distributed through His Laboring Few, a biker ministry in nearby Thomasville, N.C.</p>
<p>“I think that’s well worth doing, and a tangible expression of Jesus’ statement of ‘for I was hungry and you fed me,’ ” Durham said.</p>
<p>Durham dates his ministerial “shift” to his “epiphany,” on a January night in Daytona, Fla., in 2008.</p>
<p>Until that moment, his life had been split in two. He’d grown up in a rural, often prejudiced, insular community. When he left to attend Mars Hill College, “I had to make a pretty clean break with huge chunks of the culture that had produced me. I felt that many of the values I had inherited from my culture were 180 degrees opposite from values I was internalizing as I figured out what it meant to follow Jesus and be a minister.”</p>
<p>After graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Durham started the white-collar career raising and managing money for religious and educational institutions that culminated in his eight years with the CBF.</p>
<p>But that night in Daytona, mingling with people like those he’d left behind, he felt that his “worlds collided.”</p>
<p>“I began trying to remember and interact with pieces of myself that I hadn’t interacted with in a long time,” he said. “I eventually realized that no matter who I have become, where I’ve gone and what I’ve done, that culture I grew up in is always going to be home base. It took me a couple of weeks to realize that whatever had happened that night in Daytona was something that I needed to pay attention to and find a way to respond to.”</p>
<p>For the next year and a half, Durham worked on that response. His decision was made easier because he wanted to be closer to his two daughters, who live with their mother north of Charlotte. He could have continued his work with the CBF from a North Carolina base, but he felt the time was right to do something different.</p>
<p>He was inspired by the writings of church and society specialist Tex Sample about ministry to the down-and-out and by gardening ministries such as Fields of Hope at Mars Hill Baptist Church in North Carolina’s Madison County. He started the Healing Springs farm with the idea of collecting volunteers, then progressing to Bible study and a church. But he began to question the need for yet another congregation. And he began to think that growing food and giving it away was a worthwhile ministry in itself.</p>
<p>Durham served as interim pastor at First Baptist Church of Elkin, N.C., for several months. He enjoyed working with that church’s garden ministry, and church members have come to Healing Springs to help him. First Baptist Church in Denton sends many volunteers and has adopted Healing Springs as a mission project.</p>
<p>The CBF of North Carolina also has made Healing Springs Acres a ministry partner, accepting contributions on its behalf. And Durham sometimes works as a consultant helping CBF churches figure out ways to “be a relevant ministry for people in their community who aren’t already a part of us,” he said.</p>
<p>Durham has come to realize that to develop Healing Springs Acres to its full potential, he’ll have to raise money for the ministry. That may be a return of sorts to the job he thought he’d left behind — but things seem very different on the farm.</p>
<p>Linda Brinson ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is a Religious Herald contributing writer, based in Madison, N.C.</p> | 2,635 |
|
<p>Palestinian intellectual and ex-Knesset member Azmi Bishara followed Egypt’s 25 January Revolution minute by minute from the Qatari capital Doha where his think tank — the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Study — is based.</p>
<p>“It was crucial for me,” he told his audience at Cairo University’s Faculty of Political Science Tuesday morning. He emerged as crucial for the revolution too — at least in the eyes of many Egyptians who found in Bishara, 54, an ideologue of sorts during the uprising.</p>
<p>Four months after Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, Bishara who was banned from entering Egypt after criticising Cairo’s stand during Israel’s war on Gaza in December 2008, ventured to visit the new Egypt. His name was still on the traveller’s blacklist when he arrived at Cairo Airport Monday. The intelligence official who put his name on the list was the very same person who removed it upon his arrival. This was Bishara’s first direct experience with the new Egypt: he is no longer banned, but the powers that be that deemed him unwelcome earlier haven’t changed. It says a lot about the revolution that Bishara came to talk about.</p>
<p>Bishara’s visit comes at a sensitive time in post-revolution Egypt. There is uncertainty prevailing about the future, as the deeply polarised political spectrum appears to have taken Egyptians away from the spirit of Tahrir Square and the goals of the revolution itself. It’s a far cry from the “genius” of the first days of the revolution, as he describes it.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Bishara continues to describe the revolution as a “great event” and “historical”. “Very few revolutions in history were more organised than the Egyptian revolution,” he said. “The genius of the Egyptian revolution was that the people could have dispersed on 25 January, but they continued and realised that this is bigger than a ‘Day of Anger’ (on 28 January); that they have something in their hands they can’t let go of.” Suddenly, they “held their destiny in their hands and they heard the wings of history flapping. There can be no turning back.”</p>
<p>The Egyptian people’s participation in the revolution, he said, exceeds any other revolution in history where participation is almost always only one per cent, with the exception of the 1979 Iranian Revolution where seven per cent of the population took to the streets. In Egypt and Tunisia (which began the season of Arab revolutions when it ousted its president on 15 January), a massive “unit” which is “the people” moved and dreamed as one. “It’s such a major progress in the history of mankind,” said Bishara.</p>
<p>Moving on, Bishara noted what both Egyptians and Tunisians know: in both revolutions, the revolutionaries didn’t take over power; they “knocked on its door” but “didn’t assume it”. This, he said, “will have massive consequences on Egypt’s history in the future and on other Arab regimes.” In Egypt, like in Tunisia, the military is in charge. “These are not new elites in power,” he said. What happened, Bishara added, is that a part of the outgoing regime’s ruling elite practically sided with the revolution’s demands and were forced to reform.</p>
<p>But if the Egyptian revolution was spontaneous, he warned, building a democracy can’t be left to spontaneity too. “The revolutionaries are the primary people entrusted with the revolution. And whether they like it or not, they have to articulate the objectives of the revolution.” In other words, decision-making can’t be left to remnants of the regime who were part of its decision-making process but are practically running the country.</p>
<p>But what are the tools for change, he asked? “The regime remains the regime and the revolutionaries continue to plan the next Friday demonstration.” Despite his admiration of the revolution, Bishara voiced concern over the flood of foreign aid pouring into Egypt for “development”.</p>
<p>Moving forward can’t be done with the help of foreign aid, he said, alluding to the $3 billion loan the IMF extended to Egypt earlier this month. “They don’t help you, they hamper and handicap your economic and social development.” Egypt has to make a choice, he said.</p>
<p>On elections, Bishara said there should be consensus first on a number of principles to safeguard democracy, “which isn’t about the rule of the majority… it’s about a majority ruling under the principles of democracy.” Furthermore, he added, there’s “no democracy” without an independent judiciary, separation of the state’s branches of power, and an elected legislature.</p>
<p>Bishara wouldn’t say whether Egypt is stumbling in its first attempts at democracy. On 19 March, 77.2 per cent of voters said yes to proposed constitutional amendments in a referendum, easing restrictions on presidential nominees and obliging the coming parliament to elect a 100-member assembly to draft a new constitution. But less than three months later, many of the political forces and figures who opposed the amendments are now pushing to ignore the referendum result, arguing that the constitution should be drafted before any election.</p>
<p>Bishara is “aware” of this debate. He described the March vote as very democratic. “The people didn’t participate in the revolution in such massive numbers to replace one despotism with another,” he said in an implicit criticism of the “constitution first” camp. In his words, the resulting polarisation — secularists versus Islamists — is nothing but the legacy of the outgoing regime, which fed the divide. Today, these very same forces are replaying their old battle. “This is an insult to the blood of the people who lost their lives in the revolution, and is definitely a diversion from its goals.”</p>
<p>“I’m almost certain this isn’t the battle or concern of the diverse groups who were in Tahrir Square,” Bishara said.</p>
<p>Amira Howeidy writes for <a href="http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/" type="external">Al-Ahram</a>, where this originally appeared.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> | Revolution in Their Eyes | true | https://counterpunch.org/2011/06/24/revolution-in-their-eyes/ | 2011-06-24 | 4left
| Revolution in Their Eyes
<p>Palestinian intellectual and ex-Knesset member Azmi Bishara followed Egypt’s 25 January Revolution minute by minute from the Qatari capital Doha where his think tank — the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Study — is based.</p>
<p>“It was crucial for me,” he told his audience at Cairo University’s Faculty of Political Science Tuesday morning. He emerged as crucial for the revolution too — at least in the eyes of many Egyptians who found in Bishara, 54, an ideologue of sorts during the uprising.</p>
<p>Four months after Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, Bishara who was banned from entering Egypt after criticising Cairo’s stand during Israel’s war on Gaza in December 2008, ventured to visit the new Egypt. His name was still on the traveller’s blacklist when he arrived at Cairo Airport Monday. The intelligence official who put his name on the list was the very same person who removed it upon his arrival. This was Bishara’s first direct experience with the new Egypt: he is no longer banned, but the powers that be that deemed him unwelcome earlier haven’t changed. It says a lot about the revolution that Bishara came to talk about.</p>
<p>Bishara’s visit comes at a sensitive time in post-revolution Egypt. There is uncertainty prevailing about the future, as the deeply polarised political spectrum appears to have taken Egyptians away from the spirit of Tahrir Square and the goals of the revolution itself. It’s a far cry from the “genius” of the first days of the revolution, as he describes it.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Bishara continues to describe the revolution as a “great event” and “historical”. “Very few revolutions in history were more organised than the Egyptian revolution,” he said. “The genius of the Egyptian revolution was that the people could have dispersed on 25 January, but they continued and realised that this is bigger than a ‘Day of Anger’ (on 28 January); that they have something in their hands they can’t let go of.” Suddenly, they “held their destiny in their hands and they heard the wings of history flapping. There can be no turning back.”</p>
<p>The Egyptian people’s participation in the revolution, he said, exceeds any other revolution in history where participation is almost always only one per cent, with the exception of the 1979 Iranian Revolution where seven per cent of the population took to the streets. In Egypt and Tunisia (which began the season of Arab revolutions when it ousted its president on 15 January), a massive “unit” which is “the people” moved and dreamed as one. “It’s such a major progress in the history of mankind,” said Bishara.</p>
<p>Moving on, Bishara noted what both Egyptians and Tunisians know: in both revolutions, the revolutionaries didn’t take over power; they “knocked on its door” but “didn’t assume it”. This, he said, “will have massive consequences on Egypt’s history in the future and on other Arab regimes.” In Egypt, like in Tunisia, the military is in charge. “These are not new elites in power,” he said. What happened, Bishara added, is that a part of the outgoing regime’s ruling elite practically sided with the revolution’s demands and were forced to reform.</p>
<p>But if the Egyptian revolution was spontaneous, he warned, building a democracy can’t be left to spontaneity too. “The revolutionaries are the primary people entrusted with the revolution. And whether they like it or not, they have to articulate the objectives of the revolution.” In other words, decision-making can’t be left to remnants of the regime who were part of its decision-making process but are practically running the country.</p>
<p>But what are the tools for change, he asked? “The regime remains the regime and the revolutionaries continue to plan the next Friday demonstration.” Despite his admiration of the revolution, Bishara voiced concern over the flood of foreign aid pouring into Egypt for “development”.</p>
<p>Moving forward can’t be done with the help of foreign aid, he said, alluding to the $3 billion loan the IMF extended to Egypt earlier this month. “They don’t help you, they hamper and handicap your economic and social development.” Egypt has to make a choice, he said.</p>
<p>On elections, Bishara said there should be consensus first on a number of principles to safeguard democracy, “which isn’t about the rule of the majority… it’s about a majority ruling under the principles of democracy.” Furthermore, he added, there’s “no democracy” without an independent judiciary, separation of the state’s branches of power, and an elected legislature.</p>
<p>Bishara wouldn’t say whether Egypt is stumbling in its first attempts at democracy. On 19 March, 77.2 per cent of voters said yes to proposed constitutional amendments in a referendum, easing restrictions on presidential nominees and obliging the coming parliament to elect a 100-member assembly to draft a new constitution. But less than three months later, many of the political forces and figures who opposed the amendments are now pushing to ignore the referendum result, arguing that the constitution should be drafted before any election.</p>
<p>Bishara is “aware” of this debate. He described the March vote as very democratic. “The people didn’t participate in the revolution in such massive numbers to replace one despotism with another,” he said in an implicit criticism of the “constitution first” camp. In his words, the resulting polarisation — secularists versus Islamists — is nothing but the legacy of the outgoing regime, which fed the divide. Today, these very same forces are replaying their old battle. “This is an insult to the blood of the people who lost their lives in the revolution, and is definitely a diversion from its goals.”</p>
<p>“I’m almost certain this isn’t the battle or concern of the diverse groups who were in Tahrir Square,” Bishara said.</p>
<p>Amira Howeidy writes for <a href="http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/" type="external">Al-Ahram</a>, where this originally appeared.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> | 2,636 |
<p>The monster in the photo is&#160;Jose Hamilton Villada Castano, a teenager living in Colombia who obviously has nothing better to do with his time than&#160;to upload&#160;videos of himself torturing animals. In the video (which has since been removed), the teen chokes the cat before slamming the poor animal against a brick wall, then poses for a snapshot with the cat's body dangling from his clinched fist.</p>
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<p>Please help bring this monster to justice! You can make a difference by speaking up for this defenseless animal who can't speak for himself. This disgusting act of animal cruelty needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law!</p>
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<p /> | Animal Abuser Laughs About Torturing This Innocent Cat - Help Bring Him To Justice! | true | http://fury.news/2016/06/animal-abuser-laughs-torturing-innocent-cat-help-bring-justice/ | 2016-06-09 | 0right
| Animal Abuser Laughs About Torturing This Innocent Cat - Help Bring Him To Justice!
<p>The monster in the photo is&#160;Jose Hamilton Villada Castano, a teenager living in Colombia who obviously has nothing better to do with his time than&#160;to upload&#160;videos of himself torturing animals. In the video (which has since been removed), the teen chokes the cat before slamming the poor animal against a brick wall, then poses for a snapshot with the cat's body dangling from his clinched fist.</p>
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Please help bring this monster to justice! You can make a difference by speaking up for this defenseless animal who can't speak for himself. This disgusting act of animal cruelty needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law!</p>
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<p>Editor’s note:&#160;&#160;Here is a Photo Caption Contest from one of our guest writers, Myra Adams, that is currently posted on&#160; <a href="http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/11/07/photo-caption-contest-is-george-washington-crying-while-obama-apologizes-about-obamacare" type="external">PJ Media</a>.&#160;Today&#160;she is&#160;offering our&#160;BizPac Review&#160;readers an opportunity to showcase creativity and humor by submitting your own&#160;captions and “thought bubbles.”&#160;Then a BizPac Review winner will be announced in a future post.&#160; Please take a minute and register as a commenter so you can enter the contest and allow&#160;millions of readers around the globe&#160;to be dazzled by your brilliance.</p>
<p>Credit: NBC News</p>
<p>Exclusive report from NBC News:</p>
<p>Obama personally apologizes for Americans losing&#160;health insurance.</p>
<p>The&#160;Drudge Report&#160;displayed our contest image from Chuck Todd’s interview with this caption:&#160; <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/07/21352724-exclusive-obama-personally-apologizes-for-americans-losing-health-coverage?lite" type="external">SO SORRY, HE SAYS.</a></p>
<p>Let us take a moment and reflect upon this scene.</p>
<p>It was one year ago, on November 6, 2012, when President Obama was reelected with 332 electoral votes to Mitt Romney’s 206, a blow-out victory, even though the popular vote was much closer — 65 million to 60 million.</p>
<p>Now, are any of the 60 million who voted for Romney surprised that on November 7, 2013, President Obama sat down with his in-house cheerleader network, otherwise known as NBC, and apologized for misspeaking about his signature program now wreaking havoc on millions of Americans?</p>
<p>As one of those 60 million Romney voters, I fully expected Obamacare to be a disaster, but never believed it would be&#160;this bad,&#160;this soon&#160;— which brings us to our contest.</p>
<p>This image is “crying out” for captions that surpass Drudge’s in creativity and non-political correctness.</p>
<p>Furthermore, is it only my imagination, or do I see tears in George Washington’s eyes while he is listening to this conversation? Tears or no tears, George still needs some “thought bubbles,” because you may remember our Founding Father died due to some bad health care involving&#160; <a href="http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/washdeath.html" type="external">excessive bloodletting</a>.</p>
<p>Our normal rules of “be nice and stay classy” are suspended for this contest, since the Obama administration demonstrated it had no rules and no class when it sold Obamacare to the American people. (If Obamacare was a product offered by any American company, the Federal Trade Commission would be shutting it down.)</p>
<p>However, this being a “family contest” your entries must still display a certain degree of decorum.</p>
<p>Have fun, and will somebody please research if bloodletting is covered under Obamacare?</p> | Photo Caption Contest: Is George Washington Crying While Obama Apologizes For Obamacare? | true | http://bizpacreview.com/2013/11/08/photo-caption-contest-is-george-washington-crying-while-obama-apologizes-for-obamacare-86790 | 2013-11-08 | 0right
| Photo Caption Contest: Is George Washington Crying While Obama Apologizes For Obamacare?
<p>Editor’s note:&#160;&#160;Here is a Photo Caption Contest from one of our guest writers, Myra Adams, that is currently posted on&#160; <a href="http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/11/07/photo-caption-contest-is-george-washington-crying-while-obama-apologizes-about-obamacare" type="external">PJ Media</a>.&#160;Today&#160;she is&#160;offering our&#160;BizPac Review&#160;readers an opportunity to showcase creativity and humor by submitting your own&#160;captions and “thought bubbles.”&#160;Then a BizPac Review winner will be announced in a future post.&#160; Please take a minute and register as a commenter so you can enter the contest and allow&#160;millions of readers around the globe&#160;to be dazzled by your brilliance.</p>
<p>Credit: NBC News</p>
<p>Exclusive report from NBC News:</p>
<p>Obama personally apologizes for Americans losing&#160;health insurance.</p>
<p>The&#160;Drudge Report&#160;displayed our contest image from Chuck Todd’s interview with this caption:&#160; <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/07/21352724-exclusive-obama-personally-apologizes-for-americans-losing-health-coverage?lite" type="external">SO SORRY, HE SAYS.</a></p>
<p>Let us take a moment and reflect upon this scene.</p>
<p>It was one year ago, on November 6, 2012, when President Obama was reelected with 332 electoral votes to Mitt Romney’s 206, a blow-out victory, even though the popular vote was much closer — 65 million to 60 million.</p>
<p>Now, are any of the 60 million who voted for Romney surprised that on November 7, 2013, President Obama sat down with his in-house cheerleader network, otherwise known as NBC, and apologized for misspeaking about his signature program now wreaking havoc on millions of Americans?</p>
<p>As one of those 60 million Romney voters, I fully expected Obamacare to be a disaster, but never believed it would be&#160;this bad,&#160;this soon&#160;— which brings us to our contest.</p>
<p>This image is “crying out” for captions that surpass Drudge’s in creativity and non-political correctness.</p>
<p>Furthermore, is it only my imagination, or do I see tears in George Washington’s eyes while he is listening to this conversation? Tears or no tears, George still needs some “thought bubbles,” because you may remember our Founding Father died due to some bad health care involving&#160; <a href="http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/washdeath.html" type="external">excessive bloodletting</a>.</p>
<p>Our normal rules of “be nice and stay classy” are suspended for this contest, since the Obama administration demonstrated it had no rules and no class when it sold Obamacare to the American people. (If Obamacare was a product offered by any American company, the Federal Trade Commission would be shutting it down.)</p>
<p>However, this being a “family contest” your entries must still display a certain degree of decorum.</p>
<p>Have fun, and will somebody please research if bloodletting is covered under Obamacare?</p> | 2,638 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>For the past couple of years, though, it has become impossible for Martinez or hundreds of others with homes in the mountainous northern New Mexico enclave to do much of anything with their properties.</p>
<p>The 31-square-mile land grant, parceled out by the Spanish monarchy in the early 19th century to encourage settlement of the then-remote region, is at the heart of a bitter legal tug-of-war that has thwarted property owners’ efforts to sell or refinance their homes, or even buy insurance policies, while pitting frustrated neighbors against each other.</p>
<p>Martinez is among those who finds himself in the legal quagmire after a group of descendants of the original landowners claimed they are the rightful heirs to the land.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It’s a mess,” said Martinez, 66, a retired miner who couldn’t obtain a title to the house he wanted to purchase. “We can’t do anything. It’s like we’re stuck in time.”</p>
<p>Arroyo Hondo Land Grant heir Fernando Martinez is shown at the historical northern New Mexico Spanish land grant. Because of challenges to title of the land, he is unable to sell property.</p>
<p>The dispute began in 2010 after the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board filed a warranty deed with the Taos County Assessor’s office in an attempt to reclaim 20,000 acres of private land originally granted to Arroyo Hondo’s founding families.</p>
<p>In the deed, the five-member board claimed that the Spanish land grant belonged to board members and heirs with blood ties to the original Hispanic settlers, some of whom later became victims of white land speculators who were allowed to roam free after the U.S.-Mexican War.</p>
<p>“What you’re dealing with is colonial history and land grabs as a result of conquest,” said Santiago Juarez, the board’s attorney. “It’s not easily resolved.”</p>
<p>That may be true, some homeowners say, but they believe the deed filed in the county assessor’s office is bogus and didn’t have the approval of most heirs. In fact, Martinez said, the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board is controlled by one family that has often clashed with other heirs.</p>
<p>No phone number was listed for Lawrence Ortiz and Leandro Ortiz, two brothers and board members behind the deed filing. No one answered the door at an address listed for Lawrence Ortiz.</p>
<p>Pennie Herrera Wardlow, an Arroyo Hondo heir and a real estate agent in Taos, learned of the dispute after she sought to lower her interest rate and reduce her monthly payments from $1,200 a month to $700. But she couldn’t do the refinancing because underwriters are too leery given the uncertainty over the dispute.</p>
<p>“They are hurting the very people that they say they want to help,” said Wardlow. “I haven’t been able to do anything for two years now.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The uncertainly also has hurt real estate in trendy Taos just as the area was starting to recover from the economic downturn, said Paul A. Romero, a broker. He said around 3,000 properties within the land grant boundaries have been affected.</p>
<p>“This comes at a bad time,” Romero said. “We’re up 30 percent overall but people can’t buy or sell in Arroyo Hondo.”</p>
<p>Unique to Spanish colonial territories in the American Southwest, land grants were awarded to settlers by the Spanish government to encourage settlement in the empire’s northern territories, which were difficult to control due to their distance from Mexico City. The area was also populated by American Indians, some of whom were hostile to European, and later Mexican, settlers.</p>
<p>The Arroyo Hondo Land Grant fight is just the latest in a string of similar battles that began in the 1960s when former preacher Reies Lopez Tijerina organized heirs to various land grants in New Mexico after years of the issue being ignored.</p>
<p>He contended that the U.S. government stole millions of acres from Hispanos following the signing of the treaty that ended the Mexican War in 1848.</p>
<p>The United States pledged in the treaty to respect private land holdings, including land grants made under the Spanish and Mexican governments.</p>
<p>In 1967, Tijerina and followers raided the courthouse in Tierra Amarilla to attempt a citizen’s arrest of the district attorney at the time after eight members of Tijerina’s group had been arrested over land grant protests.</p>
<p>During the raid, the group shot and wounded a state police officer and jailer, beat a deputy, and took the sheriff and a reporter hostage before escaping to the Kit Carson National Forest.</p>
<p>The raid sparked excitement among Mexican-American college students who identified with Tijerina’s message of Latinos getting displaced and led to years of court battles around land grant claims.</p>
<p>Since the Tierra Amarilla courthouse raid, the land grant movement has become more widely accepted, and even gets its own day from New Mexico state lawmakers during legislative sessions.</p>
<p>That’s probably why courts closely examine all land grant claims “no matter how ridiculous they may be,” said David Correia, author of “Properties of Violence: Law and Land Grant Struggle in Northern New Mexico.”</p>
<p>“Someone making unsubstantiated claims can really disrupt titles in New Mexico,” Correia said. “It shows the conflicts of property ownership that still exist in northern New Mexico.”</p>
<p>Typically, land grant claims lose in court, he said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Arroyo Hondo heirs say they are bracing for months, if not years, of more court fights. In February, a district judge ruled that the deed filed by the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board had no legal basis since it did not create or transfer any interest in real property.</p>
<p>The judge ordered an attorney representing heirs who filed a lawsuit against the board and three title companies to draft the order.</p>
<p>Juarez disagreed with the order and the other attorney asked for another hearing, saying it’s “far from over.”</p> | Legal battle rages over land grant | false | https://abqjournal.com/192755/legal-battle-rages-over-land-grant.html | 2013-04-26 | 2least
| Legal battle rages over land grant
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>For the past couple of years, though, it has become impossible for Martinez or hundreds of others with homes in the mountainous northern New Mexico enclave to do much of anything with their properties.</p>
<p>The 31-square-mile land grant, parceled out by the Spanish monarchy in the early 19th century to encourage settlement of the then-remote region, is at the heart of a bitter legal tug-of-war that has thwarted property owners’ efforts to sell or refinance their homes, or even buy insurance policies, while pitting frustrated neighbors against each other.</p>
<p>Martinez is among those who finds himself in the legal quagmire after a group of descendants of the original landowners claimed they are the rightful heirs to the land.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It’s a mess,” said Martinez, 66, a retired miner who couldn’t obtain a title to the house he wanted to purchase. “We can’t do anything. It’s like we’re stuck in time.”</p>
<p>Arroyo Hondo Land Grant heir Fernando Martinez is shown at the historical northern New Mexico Spanish land grant. Because of challenges to title of the land, he is unable to sell property.</p>
<p>The dispute began in 2010 after the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board filed a warranty deed with the Taos County Assessor’s office in an attempt to reclaim 20,000 acres of private land originally granted to Arroyo Hondo’s founding families.</p>
<p>In the deed, the five-member board claimed that the Spanish land grant belonged to board members and heirs with blood ties to the original Hispanic settlers, some of whom later became victims of white land speculators who were allowed to roam free after the U.S.-Mexican War.</p>
<p>“What you’re dealing with is colonial history and land grabs as a result of conquest,” said Santiago Juarez, the board’s attorney. “It’s not easily resolved.”</p>
<p>That may be true, some homeowners say, but they believe the deed filed in the county assessor’s office is bogus and didn’t have the approval of most heirs. In fact, Martinez said, the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board is controlled by one family that has often clashed with other heirs.</p>
<p>No phone number was listed for Lawrence Ortiz and Leandro Ortiz, two brothers and board members behind the deed filing. No one answered the door at an address listed for Lawrence Ortiz.</p>
<p>Pennie Herrera Wardlow, an Arroyo Hondo heir and a real estate agent in Taos, learned of the dispute after she sought to lower her interest rate and reduce her monthly payments from $1,200 a month to $700. But she couldn’t do the refinancing because underwriters are too leery given the uncertainty over the dispute.</p>
<p>“They are hurting the very people that they say they want to help,” said Wardlow. “I haven’t been able to do anything for two years now.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The uncertainly also has hurt real estate in trendy Taos just as the area was starting to recover from the economic downturn, said Paul A. Romero, a broker. He said around 3,000 properties within the land grant boundaries have been affected.</p>
<p>“This comes at a bad time,” Romero said. “We’re up 30 percent overall but people can’t buy or sell in Arroyo Hondo.”</p>
<p>Unique to Spanish colonial territories in the American Southwest, land grants were awarded to settlers by the Spanish government to encourage settlement in the empire’s northern territories, which were difficult to control due to their distance from Mexico City. The area was also populated by American Indians, some of whom were hostile to European, and later Mexican, settlers.</p>
<p>The Arroyo Hondo Land Grant fight is just the latest in a string of similar battles that began in the 1960s when former preacher Reies Lopez Tijerina organized heirs to various land grants in New Mexico after years of the issue being ignored.</p>
<p>He contended that the U.S. government stole millions of acres from Hispanos following the signing of the treaty that ended the Mexican War in 1848.</p>
<p>The United States pledged in the treaty to respect private land holdings, including land grants made under the Spanish and Mexican governments.</p>
<p>In 1967, Tijerina and followers raided the courthouse in Tierra Amarilla to attempt a citizen’s arrest of the district attorney at the time after eight members of Tijerina’s group had been arrested over land grant protests.</p>
<p>During the raid, the group shot and wounded a state police officer and jailer, beat a deputy, and took the sheriff and a reporter hostage before escaping to the Kit Carson National Forest.</p>
<p>The raid sparked excitement among Mexican-American college students who identified with Tijerina’s message of Latinos getting displaced and led to years of court battles around land grant claims.</p>
<p>Since the Tierra Amarilla courthouse raid, the land grant movement has become more widely accepted, and even gets its own day from New Mexico state lawmakers during legislative sessions.</p>
<p>That’s probably why courts closely examine all land grant claims “no matter how ridiculous they may be,” said David Correia, author of “Properties of Violence: Law and Land Grant Struggle in Northern New Mexico.”</p>
<p>“Someone making unsubstantiated claims can really disrupt titles in New Mexico,” Correia said. “It shows the conflicts of property ownership that still exist in northern New Mexico.”</p>
<p>Typically, land grant claims lose in court, he said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Arroyo Hondo heirs say they are bracing for months, if not years, of more court fights. In February, a district judge ruled that the deed filed by the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant Board had no legal basis since it did not create or transfer any interest in real property.</p>
<p>The judge ordered an attorney representing heirs who filed a lawsuit against the board and three title companies to draft the order.</p>
<p>Juarez disagreed with the order and the other attorney asked for another hearing, saying it’s “far from over.”</p> | 2,639 |
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.fotopedia.com/users/annamnt"&gt;Anna Moritz&lt;/a&gt;/Fotopedia</p>
<p>We asked Mother Jones staffers to take a break from the hard news for a minute to reflect on what artists, songs, albums, videos, etc. they feel thankful for in 2011. Here, in no particular order, are an even dozen things they came up with.</p>
<p>1. I’m thankful for the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G81mpqcrSw" type="external">bringing Fela</a> Anikulapo Kuti back to the people. (Few artists fought more ferociously for the 99%.)</p>
<p>2. Still reeling from Tyler the Creator and Hodgy Beats’ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Jh0Du1ec8" type="external">apeshit performance</a> on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. (And yeah, we get it, Mos Def: swag.)</p>
<p>3. Lisa Hannigan’s <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141684634/lisa-hannigan-tiny-desk-concert" type="external">Tiny Desk Concert</a> in October (“Knots”, “Little Bird”, “Passenger”), because even if you’re not really a folkie, her transcendent vocals will totally light you up.</p>
<p>4. <a href="" type="internal">Johnny Flynn</a> live at the Independent with the Sussex Wit was a night I never wanted to end.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p><a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/" type="external">5. The Current</a>, Minnesota Public Radio’s 24-hour music station, because at least one node on the FM dial has to play something other than Pitbull and Kei$ha all day.&#160;</p>
<p>6. Portishead, “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GujRPw9tSuQ" type="external">It Could Be Sweet</a>,” Because when they finally toured North America in 2011 after 13 years, it totally was.</p>
<p>7. Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend” <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv644ipg2Ss" type="external">video</a>, because the world needs more moonwalking, gyrating Swedes.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>8. Rebecca Black’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0" type="external">Friday</a>,” because we desperately needed her soulful explication of social problems—like the front-seat-back-seat convertible dilemma.</p>
<p>9. The tUnE-yArDs’ “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbkMPHW67xM" type="external">Gangsta</a>,” a much-needed antidote to wannabe rappers and thugs—but points deducted for annoying punctuation.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>10. Oh Land’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4wHMORwlHY" type="external">Wolf and I</a>,” because you can never have enough love triangles between the sun, the moon, and a wolf, howled with silky harmonies and a sexy Danish accent.</p>
<p>11. SuperHeavy’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTF7T1Nw5OU&amp;ob=av2e" type="external">Miracle Worker</a>,” because Mick Jagger’s Mick Jagger. (And he somehow pulls off this pink suit splendidly.)</p>
<p>12. Frank Turner’s <a href="" type="internal">England Keep My Bones</a>, because who’d have thought, that after all, something as simple as rock and roll would save us all.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Click <a href="" type="internal">here</a> for more music features from Mother Jones.</p> | Thanksgiving Music Top 12 | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/12-songs-thanksgiving-music/ | 2011-11-23 | 4left
| Thanksgiving Music Top 12
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.fotopedia.com/users/annamnt"&gt;Anna Moritz&lt;/a&gt;/Fotopedia</p>
<p>We asked Mother Jones staffers to take a break from the hard news for a minute to reflect on what artists, songs, albums, videos, etc. they feel thankful for in 2011. Here, in no particular order, are an even dozen things they came up with.</p>
<p>1. I’m thankful for the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G81mpqcrSw" type="external">bringing Fela</a> Anikulapo Kuti back to the people. (Few artists fought more ferociously for the 99%.)</p>
<p>2. Still reeling from Tyler the Creator and Hodgy Beats’ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Jh0Du1ec8" type="external">apeshit performance</a> on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. (And yeah, we get it, Mos Def: swag.)</p>
<p>3. Lisa Hannigan’s <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141684634/lisa-hannigan-tiny-desk-concert" type="external">Tiny Desk Concert</a> in October (“Knots”, “Little Bird”, “Passenger”), because even if you’re not really a folkie, her transcendent vocals will totally light you up.</p>
<p>4. <a href="" type="internal">Johnny Flynn</a> live at the Independent with the Sussex Wit was a night I never wanted to end.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p><a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/" type="external">5. The Current</a>, Minnesota Public Radio’s 24-hour music station, because at least one node on the FM dial has to play something other than Pitbull and Kei$ha all day.&#160;</p>
<p>6. Portishead, “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GujRPw9tSuQ" type="external">It Could Be Sweet</a>,” Because when they finally toured North America in 2011 after 13 years, it totally was.</p>
<p>7. Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend” <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv644ipg2Ss" type="external">video</a>, because the world needs more moonwalking, gyrating Swedes.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>8. Rebecca Black’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0" type="external">Friday</a>,” because we desperately needed her soulful explication of social problems—like the front-seat-back-seat convertible dilemma.</p>
<p>9. The tUnE-yArDs’ “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbkMPHW67xM" type="external">Gangsta</a>,” a much-needed antidote to wannabe rappers and thugs—but points deducted for annoying punctuation.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>10. Oh Land’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4wHMORwlHY" type="external">Wolf and I</a>,” because you can never have enough love triangles between the sun, the moon, and a wolf, howled with silky harmonies and a sexy Danish accent.</p>
<p>11. SuperHeavy’s “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTF7T1Nw5OU&amp;ob=av2e" type="external">Miracle Worker</a>,” because Mick Jagger’s Mick Jagger. (And he somehow pulls off this pink suit splendidly.)</p>
<p>12. Frank Turner’s <a href="" type="internal">England Keep My Bones</a>, because who’d have thought, that after all, something as simple as rock and roll would save us all.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Click <a href="" type="internal">here</a> for more music features from Mother Jones.</p> | 2,640 |
<p />
<p>President Trump was elected specifically because conservatives are concerned about the growing nanny state, which Hillary Clinton would have gladly expanded. Democrats understand that the key to controlling a population is by making them dependent on the government, and that’s exactly why conservatives don’t WANT handouts.</p>
<p>Apparently some thugs will never learn, however—after learning that President Trump was going to take away his ghetto mama’s food stamps, one violent little thug threatened to start a war with President Trump, the U.S. Army, and the Green Berets.</p>
<p>“Let’s get it, n***a, a hundred round n***a, let’s go to war!” he proclaims, adding that he wants to “take the government to war,” and that he goes to war “with whoever the f*ck” he wants to. Most of the lyrics in this video are unintelligible, presumably because this thug didn’t pass third grade English class, but it’s still worth a watch.</p>
<p>“I really want to go to war with Donald Trump, because Donald Trump wants to take food stamps from my mama and that’s all the f*ck she got, b***h,” he states. “As long as the mother f*cking government let us keep food stamps, we gonna be good.”</p>
<p>He warns that things will get “ugly” and that “b*****s gonna go down” if President Trump decides to take away people’s “Fruit Loops.” This man is a prime example of why Barack Obama was elected president for not one, but two terms, despite him being the most racist, Marxist politician America has ever seen.</p>
<p>“We want war, we gonna declare war…we got the drums b***h and grenades,” he adds. You can watch the whole video below:</p>
<p>If you take my momma's food stamps we coming after you Trump. I'm dying right now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackLivesMatter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">#BlackLivesMatter</a> <a href="https://t.co/XvN6owQikR" type="external">pic.twitter.com/XvN6owQikR</a></p>
<p>— RPUranium4Cash (@redpillusa) <a href="https://twitter.com/redpillusa/status/894722552542711809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">August 8, 2017</a></p>
<p /> | WATCH: Dumb Thug Threatens to Shoot Trump For Taking Away His Mama’s Food Stamps (VIDEO) | true | http://silenceisconsent.net/watch-dumb-thug-threatens-shoot-trump-taking-away-mamas-food-stamps-video/ | 2018-04-04 | 0right
| WATCH: Dumb Thug Threatens to Shoot Trump For Taking Away His Mama’s Food Stamps (VIDEO)
<p />
<p>President Trump was elected specifically because conservatives are concerned about the growing nanny state, which Hillary Clinton would have gladly expanded. Democrats understand that the key to controlling a population is by making them dependent on the government, and that’s exactly why conservatives don’t WANT handouts.</p>
<p>Apparently some thugs will never learn, however—after learning that President Trump was going to take away his ghetto mama’s food stamps, one violent little thug threatened to start a war with President Trump, the U.S. Army, and the Green Berets.</p>
<p>“Let’s get it, n***a, a hundred round n***a, let’s go to war!” he proclaims, adding that he wants to “take the government to war,” and that he goes to war “with whoever the f*ck” he wants to. Most of the lyrics in this video are unintelligible, presumably because this thug didn’t pass third grade English class, but it’s still worth a watch.</p>
<p>“I really want to go to war with Donald Trump, because Donald Trump wants to take food stamps from my mama and that’s all the f*ck she got, b***h,” he states. “As long as the mother f*cking government let us keep food stamps, we gonna be good.”</p>
<p>He warns that things will get “ugly” and that “b*****s gonna go down” if President Trump decides to take away people’s “Fruit Loops.” This man is a prime example of why Barack Obama was elected president for not one, but two terms, despite him being the most racist, Marxist politician America has ever seen.</p>
<p>“We want war, we gonna declare war…we got the drums b***h and grenades,” he adds. You can watch the whole video below:</p>
<p>If you take my momma's food stamps we coming after you Trump. I'm dying right now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackLivesMatter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">#BlackLivesMatter</a> <a href="https://t.co/XvN6owQikR" type="external">pic.twitter.com/XvN6owQikR</a></p>
<p>— RPUranium4Cash (@redpillusa) <a href="https://twitter.com/redpillusa/status/894722552542711809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">August 8, 2017</a></p>
<p /> | 2,641 |
<p>Michal Fludra/Newspix/ZUMA Press</p>
<p />
<p>With Mitt Romney the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, his wife, Ann, has become the most high-profile advocate for people with multiple sclerosis since Mouseketeer <a href="http://multiplesclerosis-relief.com/2012/05/02/annette-funicello-brings-public-awareness-to-ms/" type="external">Annette Funicello</a>. From her new post as potential first lady, Ann Romney has done much to raise the profile of an incurable, degenerative illness that afflicts some 400,000 Americans. Local chapters of the National MS Society have been clamoring for her to appear at their fundraisers and other events.</p>
<p>But there’s a problem: MS advocates say that policies Romney now supports would be detrimental for many MS sufferers, and they are actively opposing these proposals. Which means that Mitt Romney is now at odds with the MS community he and his wife have long supported.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, Mitt and Ann made a <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/embed/video/soul-mate" type="external">short video called “Soul Mate</a>” for his presidential campaign in which they talked about what it was like in 1998 when Ann was diagnosed as having the degenerative nerve disease. “Probably the toughest time of my life,” Mitt said. The campaign video ended with a pitch for people to donate to the National MS Society.</p>
<p>National MS advocates are appreciative of Ann Romney’s efforts to help boost the profile of the disease and raise money for the cause, but they are opposing her <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/issues/health-care" type="external">husband’s campaign health care policy proposals</a>, many of which are mirrors of GOP legislation currently pending in Congress. MS advocates believe many of the proposals would be extremely harmful to most people with multiple sclerosis.</p>
<p>“To the degree that Mrs. Romney brings attention to the disease, that’s extremely positive,” says Ted Thompson, the vice president for federal government relations at the National MS Society in Washington. But he acknowledges that her husband’s health care platform is not helpful.</p>
<p>“The contradiction has been pointed out to us,” he says judiciously. &#160;</p>
<p>Romney has pledged to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. He also would turn Medicaid, the government health care plan for children and the poor, into a block grant, a plan that would ultimately cut millions from the program. And when he promises to replace Obamacare, Romney has offered only a few weak substitutes, such as capping damages in malpractice lawsuits. All of this would have tremendous implications for people with multiple sclerosis.</p>
<p>The MS Society is actively opposing the repeal of Obamacare, which it enthusiastically supported (just as it did with Romneycare in Massachusetts). “There are so many provisions in the health law that are beneficial to people with chronic illness, including MS,”&#160;Thompson says. “To do a wholesale repeal would be a real setback. MS is a very expensive disease to have, unlike cancer, where you either get cured or pass away.” He explains that MS can cost sufferers about $70,000 a year, half of which is attributed to medical costs. That’s one reason why the new health care law is so critical to people with MS: The law ends lifetime limits on insurance coverage, which someone with MS can quickly burn through.</p>
<p>The new law also has a host of measures that will help people with chronic illness live better lives. It includes <a href="" type="internal">requirements that insurers sufficiently cover habilitation services,</a> which include physical and occupational therapy and other measures that can help slow the progression of chronic diseases and keep people in the workforce and out of government programs. Thompson says that requiring coverage of those services is “not only the right thing to do, but it saves money because we’re not letting the disease deteriorate so quickly.”</p>
<p>The MS Society also strongly opposes block-granting Medicaid, which would turn the federal program over to the states to run on a fixed allocation from Washington. Romney sells his plan as a way of allowing states to innovate. But block grants are a form of stealth budget cut. A similar move in the welfare program in the mid-1990s has <a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&amp;id=3700" type="external">resulted in a 30 percent reduction</a> in the amount of money the country now spends on cash assistance to poor single mothers.&#160;Cuts to Medicaid could seriously imperil people with MS, Thompson notes. MS is such an expensive disease that the high medical costs, combined with the associated disability that often forces people out of the workforce, can leave middle-class sufferers deeply impoverished and forced to rely on Medicaid. “The reason they’re on Medicaid is that they may have slipped into poverty because of the illness.”&#160;Thompson says. “It’s through no fault of their own,”</p>
<p>Mitt Romney’s opposition to policies embraced by the MS community comes after years of Ann Romney publicly advocating on behalf of people with MS. From 2004 through 2007, she served on the board of trustees of the <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/MAM/index.aspx" type="external">Greater New England chapter of the MS Society,</a> while her husband was governor of Massachusetts. In that position, she lobbied the Massachusetts statehouse for the society’s legislative agenda, which included proposals for state funding for health care and disability programs and the society’s <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/programs-services/direct-assistance/home-links/index.aspx" type="external">Home LINKS program,</a>a public-private partnership that provides case management services to people with MS.&#160;Ann helped press legislators for improved long-term care services, better access to prescription drugs for Medicaid beneficiaries, and a host of other issues designed to assist people with disabling chronic conditions like MS.</p>
<p>Steve Sookikian, the associate vice president for communications at the Greater New England chapter of the MS Society, collaborated with Romney regularly during her time on the board. “She was wonderful to work with,” he says, “ready to share her experience of personally living with MS.” Ann attended a number of activities sponsored by the chapter and made herself available for publicity to generate awareness for MS. Romney was a committed advocate who could be counted on to make the 70- or 80-mile drive from home in time to show up at 7 a.m. on Cape Cod to kick off the chapter’s annual 50-mile fundraising walk.</p>
<p>Sookikian says that for several years Ann helped launch the MS chapter’s annual lobbying day at the statehouse with a motivational speech. At one of those events, Ann recounted her interaction with her husband that morning. Mitt had noticed she was getting dressed up and asked, “Where are you going?” She replied, “To the statehouse.” When Mitt asked why, Ann exclaimed, “To lobby you!”</p>
<p>The Greater New England MS chapter’s <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/about-this-chapter/annual-reports/index.aspx" type="external">2006 annual report</a> featured a photo of Gov. Romney signing a bill supported by the society to create a commission to study the needs of young adults with chronic disabilities, with the goal of expanding long-term care options for them. The law also required the state’s regional transportation authorities to include disabled people on their boards, to ensure that the needs of the disabled were included in transportation planning.</p>
<p>Linda Guiod, the chapter vice president for programs, services, and advocacy who also worked closely with Ann Romney, says, “The governor was never openly opposed to any of our legislative issues…Whenever our bills were approved by the Legislature, he signed them.” And the chapter backed Romneycare because it helped guarantee, among other things, that people with chronic illnesses could obtain affordable insurance and could not be discriminated against by insurers for preexisting conditions.</p>
<p>That was then.</p>
<p>The MS Society is not a partisan political operation—its nonprofit status bars it from getting involved in presidential campaigns or endorsing candidates—but there’s no doubt that privately, individual MS advocates would be overjoyed at the prospect of having the spouse of a leading supporter become president of the United States. A first lady with MS could do wonders for their cause—everything from pushing for better medical research on the disease to making sure that the chronically ill and disabled aren’t an afterthought in major policy battles.</p>
<p>But in this case, the MS community has good reason to root for the other team. MS advocates could well face the possibility of having to use money the Romneys helped them raise to fight a President Romney’s attempts to kill policies and programs they need to survive.</p>
<p /> | MS Advocates Split With Romney Over Obamacare | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/mitt-ann-romney-multiple-sclerosis/ | 2012-08-07 | 4left
| MS Advocates Split With Romney Over Obamacare
<p>Michal Fludra/Newspix/ZUMA Press</p>
<p />
<p>With Mitt Romney the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, his wife, Ann, has become the most high-profile advocate for people with multiple sclerosis since Mouseketeer <a href="http://multiplesclerosis-relief.com/2012/05/02/annette-funicello-brings-public-awareness-to-ms/" type="external">Annette Funicello</a>. From her new post as potential first lady, Ann Romney has done much to raise the profile of an incurable, degenerative illness that afflicts some 400,000 Americans. Local chapters of the National MS Society have been clamoring for her to appear at their fundraisers and other events.</p>
<p>But there’s a problem: MS advocates say that policies Romney now supports would be detrimental for many MS sufferers, and they are actively opposing these proposals. Which means that Mitt Romney is now at odds with the MS community he and his wife have long supported.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, Mitt and Ann made a <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/embed/video/soul-mate" type="external">short video called “Soul Mate</a>” for his presidential campaign in which they talked about what it was like in 1998 when Ann was diagnosed as having the degenerative nerve disease. “Probably the toughest time of my life,” Mitt said. The campaign video ended with a pitch for people to donate to the National MS Society.</p>
<p>National MS advocates are appreciative of Ann Romney’s efforts to help boost the profile of the disease and raise money for the cause, but they are opposing her <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/issues/health-care" type="external">husband’s campaign health care policy proposals</a>, many of which are mirrors of GOP legislation currently pending in Congress. MS advocates believe many of the proposals would be extremely harmful to most people with multiple sclerosis.</p>
<p>“To the degree that Mrs. Romney brings attention to the disease, that’s extremely positive,” says Ted Thompson, the vice president for federal government relations at the National MS Society in Washington. But he acknowledges that her husband’s health care platform is not helpful.</p>
<p>“The contradiction has been pointed out to us,” he says judiciously. &#160;</p>
<p>Romney has pledged to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. He also would turn Medicaid, the government health care plan for children and the poor, into a block grant, a plan that would ultimately cut millions from the program. And when he promises to replace Obamacare, Romney has offered only a few weak substitutes, such as capping damages in malpractice lawsuits. All of this would have tremendous implications for people with multiple sclerosis.</p>
<p>The MS Society is actively opposing the repeal of Obamacare, which it enthusiastically supported (just as it did with Romneycare in Massachusetts). “There are so many provisions in the health law that are beneficial to people with chronic illness, including MS,”&#160;Thompson says. “To do a wholesale repeal would be a real setback. MS is a very expensive disease to have, unlike cancer, where you either get cured or pass away.” He explains that MS can cost sufferers about $70,000 a year, half of which is attributed to medical costs. That’s one reason why the new health care law is so critical to people with MS: The law ends lifetime limits on insurance coverage, which someone with MS can quickly burn through.</p>
<p>The new law also has a host of measures that will help people with chronic illness live better lives. It includes <a href="" type="internal">requirements that insurers sufficiently cover habilitation services,</a> which include physical and occupational therapy and other measures that can help slow the progression of chronic diseases and keep people in the workforce and out of government programs. Thompson says that requiring coverage of those services is “not only the right thing to do, but it saves money because we’re not letting the disease deteriorate so quickly.”</p>
<p>The MS Society also strongly opposes block-granting Medicaid, which would turn the federal program over to the states to run on a fixed allocation from Washington. Romney sells his plan as a way of allowing states to innovate. But block grants are a form of stealth budget cut. A similar move in the welfare program in the mid-1990s has <a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&amp;id=3700" type="external">resulted in a 30 percent reduction</a> in the amount of money the country now spends on cash assistance to poor single mothers.&#160;Cuts to Medicaid could seriously imperil people with MS, Thompson notes. MS is such an expensive disease that the high medical costs, combined with the associated disability that often forces people out of the workforce, can leave middle-class sufferers deeply impoverished and forced to rely on Medicaid. “The reason they’re on Medicaid is that they may have slipped into poverty because of the illness.”&#160;Thompson says. “It’s through no fault of their own,”</p>
<p>Mitt Romney’s opposition to policies embraced by the MS community comes after years of Ann Romney publicly advocating on behalf of people with MS. From 2004 through 2007, she served on the board of trustees of the <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/MAM/index.aspx" type="external">Greater New England chapter of the MS Society,</a> while her husband was governor of Massachusetts. In that position, she lobbied the Massachusetts statehouse for the society’s legislative agenda, which included proposals for state funding for health care and disability programs and the society’s <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/programs-services/direct-assistance/home-links/index.aspx" type="external">Home LINKS program,</a>a public-private partnership that provides case management services to people with MS.&#160;Ann helped press legislators for improved long-term care services, better access to prescription drugs for Medicaid beneficiaries, and a host of other issues designed to assist people with disabling chronic conditions like MS.</p>
<p>Steve Sookikian, the associate vice president for communications at the Greater New England chapter of the MS Society, collaborated with Romney regularly during her time on the board. “She was wonderful to work with,” he says, “ready to share her experience of personally living with MS.” Ann attended a number of activities sponsored by the chapter and made herself available for publicity to generate awareness for MS. Romney was a committed advocate who could be counted on to make the 70- or 80-mile drive from home in time to show up at 7 a.m. on Cape Cod to kick off the chapter’s annual 50-mile fundraising walk.</p>
<p>Sookikian says that for several years Ann helped launch the MS chapter’s annual lobbying day at the statehouse with a motivational speech. At one of those events, Ann recounted her interaction with her husband that morning. Mitt had noticed she was getting dressed up and asked, “Where are you going?” She replied, “To the statehouse.” When Mitt asked why, Ann exclaimed, “To lobby you!”</p>
<p>The Greater New England MS chapter’s <a href="http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/mam/about-this-chapter/annual-reports/index.aspx" type="external">2006 annual report</a> featured a photo of Gov. Romney signing a bill supported by the society to create a commission to study the needs of young adults with chronic disabilities, with the goal of expanding long-term care options for them. The law also required the state’s regional transportation authorities to include disabled people on their boards, to ensure that the needs of the disabled were included in transportation planning.</p>
<p>Linda Guiod, the chapter vice president for programs, services, and advocacy who also worked closely with Ann Romney, says, “The governor was never openly opposed to any of our legislative issues…Whenever our bills were approved by the Legislature, he signed them.” And the chapter backed Romneycare because it helped guarantee, among other things, that people with chronic illnesses could obtain affordable insurance and could not be discriminated against by insurers for preexisting conditions.</p>
<p>That was then.</p>
<p>The MS Society is not a partisan political operation—its nonprofit status bars it from getting involved in presidential campaigns or endorsing candidates—but there’s no doubt that privately, individual MS advocates would be overjoyed at the prospect of having the spouse of a leading supporter become president of the United States. A first lady with MS could do wonders for their cause—everything from pushing for better medical research on the disease to making sure that the chronically ill and disabled aren’t an afterthought in major policy battles.</p>
<p>But in this case, the MS community has good reason to root for the other team. MS advocates could well face the possibility of having to use money the Romneys helped them raise to fight a President Romney’s attempts to kill policies and programs they need to survive.</p>
<p /> | 2,642 |
<p />
<p>Westport's WiNG Power System powers Ford trucks. Source: Westport Innovations</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Having seen Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT) jump more than 40% in the past month despite low oil prices hitting demand for the natural-gas engines it builds for key partners likeFord Motor Company (NYSE: F), investors were eagerly awaiting the company's fourth-quarter and 2015 results to understand whether the stock could continue to rally. Unfortunately, Westport Innovations has left investors in the lurch by missing earnings estimates and postponing its outlook for 2016 until the completion of its merger with Fuel Systems Solutions (NASDAQ: FSYS) later this month.</p>
<p>The growing uncertainty has raised an important question: Could catalysts like the recent surge in Westport's sales from its joint venture with Cummins (NYSE: CMI) help it turn around, or is the loss-making company on the verge of collapsing? Should you jump in, or dump Westport Innovations stock? Find out the answer in the following slideshow.</p>
<p><a href="//www.slideshare.net/TheMotleyFool/a-look-at-westport-innovations-threats-and-opportunities-to-help-you-decide-what-to-do-with-the-stock" type="external">Will Westport Innovations Sink or Swim?</a> from</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/05/will-westport-innovations-inc-stock-sink-or-swim.aspx" type="external">Will Westport Innovations Inc. Stock Sink or Swim?</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Neha Chamaria</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Cummins and Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>
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<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> | Will Westport Innovations Inc. Stock Sink or Swim? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/04/05/will-westport-innovations-inc-stock-sink-or-swim.html | 2016-04-05 | 0right
| Will Westport Innovations Inc. Stock Sink or Swim?
<p />
<p>Westport's WiNG Power System powers Ford trucks. Source: Westport Innovations</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Having seen Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT) jump more than 40% in the past month despite low oil prices hitting demand for the natural-gas engines it builds for key partners likeFord Motor Company (NYSE: F), investors were eagerly awaiting the company's fourth-quarter and 2015 results to understand whether the stock could continue to rally. Unfortunately, Westport Innovations has left investors in the lurch by missing earnings estimates and postponing its outlook for 2016 until the completion of its merger with Fuel Systems Solutions (NASDAQ: FSYS) later this month.</p>
<p>The growing uncertainty has raised an important question: Could catalysts like the recent surge in Westport's sales from its joint venture with Cummins (NYSE: CMI) help it turn around, or is the loss-making company on the verge of collapsing? Should you jump in, or dump Westport Innovations stock? Find out the answer in the following slideshow.</p>
<p><a href="//www.slideshare.net/TheMotleyFool/a-look-at-westport-innovations-threats-and-opportunities-to-help-you-decide-what-to-do-with-the-stock" type="external">Will Westport Innovations Sink or Swim?</a> from</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/05/will-westport-innovations-inc-stock-sink-or-swim.aspx" type="external">Will Westport Innovations Inc. Stock Sink or Swim?</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Neha Chamaria</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Cummins and Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>
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<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> | 2,643 |
<p><a href="" type="internal">&lt;img class=" size-large wp-image-8116 aligncenter" src="http://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-1024x535.png" alt="ManlyMen Link2" width="669" height="350" srcset="https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-1024x535.png 1024w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-300x157.png 300w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-768x401.png 768w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>Is liberalism killing the real, masculine male? It seems that way. Keep in mind here, that when I say “man,” I’m not talking about the clichéd embodiment of false machismo&#160;who throws back macro-brews, chases skirts and scratches himself in public. By “real” I don’t mean someone who has to be tough, brawny or even rough around the edges.</p>
<p>I’m speaking about the ideal of manhood that young boys have upheld in their hearts and minds for generations. I’m speaking of course… of Matlock. The man could car chase like it was nobody’s business.</p>
<p>In all seriousness, my father (like most fathers) always taught me that a man is someone who stands by his principles, someone who lives with integrity and puts his family before himself. That last one is important, because as a young boy, it’s your pops who provides you with security.</p>
<p>The financial, emotional, even physical security of the son rests squarely on the shoulders of his father. What could possibly be more manly than providing all of the above for your kin? Maybe bear-wrestling, but legally I’m not allowed to endorse it. Though I think you know where I stand.</p>
<p>Here’s the problem with the modern, liberal man — he can never fully provide that sense of security for his family, because he doesn’t believe that he can provide it for himself.</p>
<p>Liberals don’t believe in the ultimate concept of self-reliance, which is why they look to the government for stability. Extravagant welfare programs, the near impossibility of getting fired on the public dole and an increasingly complicated tax code are all products of the same deeply rooted concept that man cannot provide for himself.</p>
<p>Liberals simply believe that man is not good enough. Indomitable spirits be damned! That’s why most college students are liberal. Living on a diet of Kraft Dinners and Mountain Dew would make anyone yearn for somebody else to step in and take the reins. Instead of looking to a dietician they reach for Uncle Sam (and a keg).</p>
<p>When a child can see this belief in his dad’s world view, it makes him uneasy to the core. Words like “Everything’s going to be okay” ring completely hollow because children understand that daddy doesn’t even believe himself that he can make everything okay. That’s why daddy he votes for Democrats.</p>
<p>Every manly icon the West has ever admired has embodied the very spirit of American independence. If liberalism bred manliness, our heroes would sound a little different:</p>
<p>“Seeing that bell ring, and I’m still standing. All I want to do is go the distance… but only if the commission gives me a handicap” – Rocky Balboa</p>
<p>“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory… though it’s easier with subsidies.” – General George Patton</p>
<p>“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom! … also, we’ll try for dental.” – William Wallace</p>
<p>The truth is, that the spirit of the great American man is dying. In the age of entitlement mindsets and a perpetually defeatist attitude, if we don’t pro-actively pass the concept of independent self-reliance on to our children it could be lost forever.</p>
<p>– “They’ll be doomed for a life dominated by doubt” – Santa Claus</p>
<p>Now Santa was a real man. I bet he was beating dames off with a stick.</p>
<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.FoxNews.com" type="external">FoxNews.com</a></p>
<p /> | Is Liberalism Killing the Manly Man? | true | http://louderwithcrowder.com/liberalism-killing-manly-man/ | 2010-10-12 | 0right
| Is Liberalism Killing the Manly Man?
<p><a href="" type="internal">&lt;img class=" size-large wp-image-8116 aligncenter" src="http://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-1024x535.png" alt="ManlyMen Link2" width="669" height="350" srcset="https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-1024x535.png 1024w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-300x157.png 300w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21-768x401.png 768w, https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ManlyMen-Link21.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>Is liberalism killing the real, masculine male? It seems that way. Keep in mind here, that when I say “man,” I’m not talking about the clichéd embodiment of false machismo&#160;who throws back macro-brews, chases skirts and scratches himself in public. By “real” I don’t mean someone who has to be tough, brawny or even rough around the edges.</p>
<p>I’m speaking about the ideal of manhood that young boys have upheld in their hearts and minds for generations. I’m speaking of course… of Matlock. The man could car chase like it was nobody’s business.</p>
<p>In all seriousness, my father (like most fathers) always taught me that a man is someone who stands by his principles, someone who lives with integrity and puts his family before himself. That last one is important, because as a young boy, it’s your pops who provides you with security.</p>
<p>The financial, emotional, even physical security of the son rests squarely on the shoulders of his father. What could possibly be more manly than providing all of the above for your kin? Maybe bear-wrestling, but legally I’m not allowed to endorse it. Though I think you know where I stand.</p>
<p>Here’s the problem with the modern, liberal man — he can never fully provide that sense of security for his family, because he doesn’t believe that he can provide it for himself.</p>
<p>Liberals don’t believe in the ultimate concept of self-reliance, which is why they look to the government for stability. Extravagant welfare programs, the near impossibility of getting fired on the public dole and an increasingly complicated tax code are all products of the same deeply rooted concept that man cannot provide for himself.</p>
<p>Liberals simply believe that man is not good enough. Indomitable spirits be damned! That’s why most college students are liberal. Living on a diet of Kraft Dinners and Mountain Dew would make anyone yearn for somebody else to step in and take the reins. Instead of looking to a dietician they reach for Uncle Sam (and a keg).</p>
<p>When a child can see this belief in his dad’s world view, it makes him uneasy to the core. Words like “Everything’s going to be okay” ring completely hollow because children understand that daddy doesn’t even believe himself that he can make everything okay. That’s why daddy he votes for Democrats.</p>
<p>Every manly icon the West has ever admired has embodied the very spirit of American independence. If liberalism bred manliness, our heroes would sound a little different:</p>
<p>“Seeing that bell ring, and I’m still standing. All I want to do is go the distance… but only if the commission gives me a handicap” – Rocky Balboa</p>
<p>“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory… though it’s easier with subsidies.” – General George Patton</p>
<p>“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom! … also, we’ll try for dental.” – William Wallace</p>
<p>The truth is, that the spirit of the great American man is dying. In the age of entitlement mindsets and a perpetually defeatist attitude, if we don’t pro-actively pass the concept of independent self-reliance on to our children it could be lost forever.</p>
<p>– “They’ll be doomed for a life dominated by doubt” – Santa Claus</p>
<p>Now Santa was a real man. I bet he was beating dames off with a stick.</p>
<p>Originally posted on <a href="http://www.FoxNews.com" type="external">FoxNews.com</a></p>
<p /> | 2,644 |
<p>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A strong earthquake has struck central Greece and was felt in the capital Athens, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southeast.</p>
<p>According to a preliminary estimation by the Athens Geodynamic Institute, the 4.6 magnitude tremor occurred at 6:02 a.m. at a depth of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on the coast of the Corinth Gulf, in a sparsely populated area. No damage has been reported so far.</p>
<p>Earthquakes of this magnitude are common in Greece.</p>
<p>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A strong earthquake has struck central Greece and was felt in the capital Athens, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southeast.</p>
<p>According to a preliminary estimation by the Athens Geodynamic Institute, the 4.6 magnitude tremor occurred at 6:02 a.m. at a depth of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on the coast of the Corinth Gulf, in a sparsely populated area. No damage has been reported so far.</p>
<p>Earthquakes of this magnitude are common in Greece.</p> | 4.6 magnitude quake strikes central Greece; no damage | false | https://apnews.com/amp/d5de36c7238e4243b7b32063fa70c85a | 2017-12-31 | 2least
| 4.6 magnitude quake strikes central Greece; no damage
<p>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A strong earthquake has struck central Greece and was felt in the capital Athens, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southeast.</p>
<p>According to a preliminary estimation by the Athens Geodynamic Institute, the 4.6 magnitude tremor occurred at 6:02 a.m. at a depth of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on the coast of the Corinth Gulf, in a sparsely populated area. No damage has been reported so far.</p>
<p>Earthquakes of this magnitude are common in Greece.</p>
<p>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A strong earthquake has struck central Greece and was felt in the capital Athens, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southeast.</p>
<p>According to a preliminary estimation by the Athens Geodynamic Institute, the 4.6 magnitude tremor occurred at 6:02 a.m. at a depth of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on the coast of the Corinth Gulf, in a sparsely populated area. No damage has been reported so far.</p>
<p>Earthquakes of this magnitude are common in Greece.</p> | 2,645 |
<p>Foreign investors are showing an insatiable appetite for a popular short-term debt instrument issued by Chinese banks, pushing their holdings of the high-yielding product to record levels in September.</p>
<p>The strengthening of the Chinese currency this autumn has further boosted the appeal of the bond-like product known as "negotiable certificates of deposit" or NCDs. They have become an increasingly crucial tool for Chinese banks, especially small lenders, to raise funds in recent years.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Data shows foreign investors, which include global central banks and sovereign-wealth funds, were the second-biggest buyers of NCDs in September by type of investor--an unusually prominent position for them in any Chinese market.</p>
<p>Their holdings of NCDs, the maturities of which range from a month to a year, surged to 138.4 billion yuan ($21 billion) in the month, up 57% from 88.3 billion yuan in August--and just 2.2 billion yuan in January--according to data provider Wind Info. Foreigners' net purchases of NCDs in September totaled 50.1 billion yuan.</p>
<p>Though their buying has sharply increased, foreign investors still account for only 1.7% of a market that has expanded more than 13 times in size, to $1.2 trillion, since its launch in 2013.</p>
<p>"The yields are attractive, the yuan is strong and there's little credit risk. Of course foreigners would love buying the NCDs," said Liu Yi, a fixed income analyst at Guotai Junan Securities. Foreigners typically buy the instruments using trading accounts inside mainland China.</p>
<p>Six-month NCDs issued by AAA-rated, midsize Chinese banks--the most popular category of the product--pay an average return of 4.6%, compared with 3.5% for six-month bills issued by the Chinese government. The returns are also much better than the current 1.3% yield on six-month U.S. Treasurys.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Foreign investors still dare not touch corporate bonds here, especially the lower-graded ones, but they know Beijing won't let any of the banks fail and lead to systemic risk," said Mr. Liu.</p>
<p>Foreign investors have continued to pile into the NCD market even as Beijing has started to heighten its scrutiny of the sector due to concerns that banks are issuing them as a tool for leveraged investment rather than for genuine refinancing needs.</p>
<p>On Aug. 31, China's central bank said it would ban issuance of NCDs with maturities longer than a year.</p>
<p>"This is to rein in excessive borrowing by banks but the central bank is happy to see foreign investors snap up assets in China to counter capital outflows," said a Hong Kong-based banker at an Asian bank, who helps foreign investors trade in China's debt markets.</p>
<p>When foreign investors first expressed concerns about the safety of NCDs earlier this year, the People's Bank of China supplied them with background information and clarifications about the product, said the banker, who declined to be named.</p>
<p>"To a lot of them, that felt like a tacit endorsement for their future investment," the banker said.</p>
<p>Write to Shen Hong at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>November 02, 2017 07:25 ET (11:25 GMT)</p> | Foreign Investors Red-Hot for Short-Term Chinese Bank Debt | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/11/02/foreign-investors-red-hot-for-short-term-chinese-bank-debt.html | 2017-11-02 | 0right
| Foreign Investors Red-Hot for Short-Term Chinese Bank Debt
<p>Foreign investors are showing an insatiable appetite for a popular short-term debt instrument issued by Chinese banks, pushing their holdings of the high-yielding product to record levels in September.</p>
<p>The strengthening of the Chinese currency this autumn has further boosted the appeal of the bond-like product known as "negotiable certificates of deposit" or NCDs. They have become an increasingly crucial tool for Chinese banks, especially small lenders, to raise funds in recent years.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Data shows foreign investors, which include global central banks and sovereign-wealth funds, were the second-biggest buyers of NCDs in September by type of investor--an unusually prominent position for them in any Chinese market.</p>
<p>Their holdings of NCDs, the maturities of which range from a month to a year, surged to 138.4 billion yuan ($21 billion) in the month, up 57% from 88.3 billion yuan in August--and just 2.2 billion yuan in January--according to data provider Wind Info. Foreigners' net purchases of NCDs in September totaled 50.1 billion yuan.</p>
<p>Though their buying has sharply increased, foreign investors still account for only 1.7% of a market that has expanded more than 13 times in size, to $1.2 trillion, since its launch in 2013.</p>
<p>"The yields are attractive, the yuan is strong and there's little credit risk. Of course foreigners would love buying the NCDs," said Liu Yi, a fixed income analyst at Guotai Junan Securities. Foreigners typically buy the instruments using trading accounts inside mainland China.</p>
<p>Six-month NCDs issued by AAA-rated, midsize Chinese banks--the most popular category of the product--pay an average return of 4.6%, compared with 3.5% for six-month bills issued by the Chinese government. The returns are also much better than the current 1.3% yield on six-month U.S. Treasurys.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Foreign investors still dare not touch corporate bonds here, especially the lower-graded ones, but they know Beijing won't let any of the banks fail and lead to systemic risk," said Mr. Liu.</p>
<p>Foreign investors have continued to pile into the NCD market even as Beijing has started to heighten its scrutiny of the sector due to concerns that banks are issuing them as a tool for leveraged investment rather than for genuine refinancing needs.</p>
<p>On Aug. 31, China's central bank said it would ban issuance of NCDs with maturities longer than a year.</p>
<p>"This is to rein in excessive borrowing by banks but the central bank is happy to see foreign investors snap up assets in China to counter capital outflows," said a Hong Kong-based banker at an Asian bank, who helps foreign investors trade in China's debt markets.</p>
<p>When foreign investors first expressed concerns about the safety of NCDs earlier this year, the People's Bank of China supplied them with background information and clarifications about the product, said the banker, who declined to be named.</p>
<p>"To a lot of them, that felt like a tacit endorsement for their future investment," the banker said.</p>
<p>Write to Shen Hong at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>November 02, 2017 07:25 ET (11:25 GMT)</p> | 2,646 |
<p />
<p>Kellogg (NYSE:K) posted a second-quarter bottom-line beat on Thursday but warned that softer-than-hoped demand in the U.S. would likely weigh on full-year sales growth.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Battle Creek, Mich.-based maker of cereals like Special K and Froot Loops and snacks such as granola bars and Pop Tarts reported earnings of $352 million, or 96 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $324 million, or 90 cents.</p>
<p>Excluding one-time items, Kellogg said it earned a dollar a share, two cents ahead of average analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll.</p>
<p>Revenue for the three-month period ended June 29 was up 6.9% to $3.7 billion from $3.5 billion a year ago, narrowly below the Street’s view of $3.8 billion.</p>
<p>"While sales growth has been slower than we anticipated in developed markets, particularly the U.S., the work we have been doing on our cost base has enabled us to offset the impact,” Kellogg CEO John Bryant said in a statement.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, more than a year after buying Pringles for $2.7 billion from Proctor and Gamble (NYSE:PG), Kellogg said the integration has “gone very well.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>However, Kellogg lowered its sales growth expectation to 5% citing slower-than-expected growth in developed markets, particularly the U.S. It reaffirmed its non-GAAP EPS of $3.84 to $3.93, mostly above the consensus view of $3.84.</p>
<p>Shares of the cereal giant were down more than 1% in early trade to $65.45.</p> | Kellogg Tops Views in 2Q, But Warns of U.S. Weakness | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/08/01/kellogg-tops-in-2q-but-warns-us-softness.html | 2016-01-25 | 0right
| Kellogg Tops Views in 2Q, But Warns of U.S. Weakness
<p />
<p>Kellogg (NYSE:K) posted a second-quarter bottom-line beat on Thursday but warned that softer-than-hoped demand in the U.S. would likely weigh on full-year sales growth.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Battle Creek, Mich.-based maker of cereals like Special K and Froot Loops and snacks such as granola bars and Pop Tarts reported earnings of $352 million, or 96 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $324 million, or 90 cents.</p>
<p>Excluding one-time items, Kellogg said it earned a dollar a share, two cents ahead of average analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll.</p>
<p>Revenue for the three-month period ended June 29 was up 6.9% to $3.7 billion from $3.5 billion a year ago, narrowly below the Street’s view of $3.8 billion.</p>
<p>"While sales growth has been slower than we anticipated in developed markets, particularly the U.S., the work we have been doing on our cost base has enabled us to offset the impact,” Kellogg CEO John Bryant said in a statement.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, more than a year after buying Pringles for $2.7 billion from Proctor and Gamble (NYSE:PG), Kellogg said the integration has “gone very well.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>However, Kellogg lowered its sales growth expectation to 5% citing slower-than-expected growth in developed markets, particularly the U.S. It reaffirmed its non-GAAP EPS of $3.84 to $3.93, mostly above the consensus view of $3.84.</p>
<p>Shares of the cereal giant were down more than 1% in early trade to $65.45.</p> | 2,647 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>WASHINGTON - Delivering at last, triumphant House Republicans voted Thursday to repeal and replace the "Obamacare" health plan they have reviled for so long, overcoming united Democratic opposition and their own deep divisions to hand a major win to President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>The 217-213 vote was a narrow victory, and ultimate success is far from assured since the measure must still make its way through a highly skeptical Senate. But after seven years of campaign promises and dozens of show votes, Republicans finally succeeded in passing a health care bill that has a chance of becoming law.</p>
<p>They weren't waiting for final passage to celebrate.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"What a great group of people!" Trump exclaimed at the White House, arms raised to salute the dozens of lawmakers who hurried to join him in the Rose Garden immediately after the vote. Set aside for the moment were the feuds and philosophical divides that nearly sank the bill time and again.</p>
<p>And at the same time, the Republicans had begun to show that perhaps they can come together and govern the country now that they control Washington in full.</p>
<p>"Make no mistake, this is a repeal and a replace of Obamacare, make no mistake about it," Trump declared. "Premiums will be coming down, deductibles will be coming down, but very importantly it's a great plan."</p>
<p>Democrats countered that the GOP bill would have the opposite effect from what Trump predicted, pointing to estimates it will kick millions off the insurance roles while imperiling coverage for people with pre-existing conditions who had gained protections under Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>They also forecast that Republicans will pay a steep political price for passing legislation that's polled poorly and takes concrete benefits away while offering only promises of more choices and lower costs.</p>
<p>"You will glow in the dark on this one," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi dramatically warned, predicting Republicans will be radioactive with voters in the 2018 midterm elections.</p>
<p>Indeed Democrats seemed practically giddy as the vote closed on the House floor, jeering at Republicans with chants of "nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, goodbye" - an echo of how protesters serenaded Democrats seven years ago when they passed Obama's bill.</p>
<p>New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., voted in favor saying it would give New Mexicans more health insurance coverage options.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"New Mexicans deserve a 21st century health care system based on what they need and want, not what Washington thinks is best for them," Pearce said. "The bill passed in the House today will put the power back into the states' hands so they can decide what is best for their unique populations and will provide care for everyone, including people with pre-existing conditions, those in high-risk pools, and children who wish to continue being covered under their parent's plans."</p>
<p>New Mexico Democratic Reps. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan voted against the bill.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The GOP health bill would eliminate the fines Obama's law imposed on people who don't buy coverage, and erase tax increases in the Affordable Care Act on higher-earning people and the health industry. It would cut the Medicaid program for low-income people and let states impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. It would transform Obama's subsidies for millions buying insurance, now based largely on their incomes, making the funding skimpier and tying it to consumers' ages.</p>
<p>And states could get federal waivers freeing insurers from other Obama coverage requirements. With waivers, insurers could charge people with pre-existing illnesses far higher rates than healthy customers, boost prices for older people to whatever they wish, and ignore a mandate that they cover specified services like pregnancy care.</p>
<p>The bill would block federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year, considered a triumph by many anti-abortion Republicans.</p>
<p>The Congressional Budget Office estimated in March that the GOP bill would end coverage for 24 million people over a decade. The House voted without a CBO estimate for the latest version of their bill.</p>
<p>Although it's focused mostly on the minority of Americans who buy health coverage in the individual market, the GOP bill could also significantly impact the many who are covered by large employer plans. In one little-noted provision, employer plans could take advantage of state flexibility under the legislation to pick and choose which states' rules to live by. That could allow them to impose annual and lifetime coverage limits, which are prohibited under Obamacare, and get rid of certain annual out-of-pocket spending caps.</p>
<p>Protesters were on hand again for Thursday's vote, shouting "Shame on you! Shame on you!" and "2018! 2018!" as Republicans boarded buses outside the Capitol to head to the White House.</p>
<p>Yet as the 2016 election amply demonstrated, political outcomes can be difficult to predict. Republicans argued they would have had a still heavier price to pay if they failed to make good on an endlessly repeated pledge that helped them seize control of the House, the Senate and the White House in the years since the law passed.</p>
<p>Back in 2010, the Democrats held Congress and the White House and used their majorities to jam through an unpopular health care law on a partisan basis, just as Republicans have done now.</p>
<p>As lawmakers prepared to vote, House Speaker Paul Ryan told them: "Many of you have been waiting seven years to cast this vote. Many of you are here because you pledged to cast this vote."</p>
<p>"They expect us to govern - if we're going to be around," Republican Rep. Dennis Ross of Florida said of voters.</p>
<p>The White House had pushed hard for a vote, and Trump got personally involved in last-minute maneuvering. He helped bring wavering moderates on board after a deal secured by conservatives last week scared them off by limiting protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The final change, agreed to just Wednesday at the White House, was to add $8 billion over five years to help people with pre-existing conditions, a sum critics called a relative pittance.</p>
<p>Indeed, despite assurances by GOP leaders that their legislation would rescue a failing health care system, it was opposed by nearly all medical and consumer groups, from the American Medical Association to AARP. The Chamber of Commerce supported the bill.</p>
<p>The health legislation passed the House on a banner day for Republicans on Capitol Hill, as the Senate gave final congressional approval to a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep the government running through September, and a House committee approved legislation that would gut the Democratic-authored Dodd-Frank law that regulated Wall Street after the 2008 financial crisis.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Stephen Ohlemacher and Andrew Taylor contributed.</p> | Joyful House Republicans vote to repeal reviled 'Obamacare' | false | https://abqjournal.com/998290/gop-revives-struggling-health-care-bill-and-plans-house-vote.html | 2017-05-04 | 2least
| Joyful House Republicans vote to repeal reviled 'Obamacare'
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<p>WASHINGTON - Delivering at last, triumphant House Republicans voted Thursday to repeal and replace the "Obamacare" health plan they have reviled for so long, overcoming united Democratic opposition and their own deep divisions to hand a major win to President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>The 217-213 vote was a narrow victory, and ultimate success is far from assured since the measure must still make its way through a highly skeptical Senate. But after seven years of campaign promises and dozens of show votes, Republicans finally succeeded in passing a health care bill that has a chance of becoming law.</p>
<p>They weren't waiting for final passage to celebrate.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"What a great group of people!" Trump exclaimed at the White House, arms raised to salute the dozens of lawmakers who hurried to join him in the Rose Garden immediately after the vote. Set aside for the moment were the feuds and philosophical divides that nearly sank the bill time and again.</p>
<p>And at the same time, the Republicans had begun to show that perhaps they can come together and govern the country now that they control Washington in full.</p>
<p>"Make no mistake, this is a repeal and a replace of Obamacare, make no mistake about it," Trump declared. "Premiums will be coming down, deductibles will be coming down, but very importantly it's a great plan."</p>
<p>Democrats countered that the GOP bill would have the opposite effect from what Trump predicted, pointing to estimates it will kick millions off the insurance roles while imperiling coverage for people with pre-existing conditions who had gained protections under Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>They also forecast that Republicans will pay a steep political price for passing legislation that's polled poorly and takes concrete benefits away while offering only promises of more choices and lower costs.</p>
<p>"You will glow in the dark on this one," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi dramatically warned, predicting Republicans will be radioactive with voters in the 2018 midterm elections.</p>
<p>Indeed Democrats seemed practically giddy as the vote closed on the House floor, jeering at Republicans with chants of "nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, goodbye" - an echo of how protesters serenaded Democrats seven years ago when they passed Obama's bill.</p>
<p>New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., voted in favor saying it would give New Mexicans more health insurance coverage options.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"New Mexicans deserve a 21st century health care system based on what they need and want, not what Washington thinks is best for them," Pearce said. "The bill passed in the House today will put the power back into the states' hands so they can decide what is best for their unique populations and will provide care for everyone, including people with pre-existing conditions, those in high-risk pools, and children who wish to continue being covered under their parent's plans."</p>
<p>New Mexico Democratic Reps. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan voted against the bill.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The GOP health bill would eliminate the fines Obama's law imposed on people who don't buy coverage, and erase tax increases in the Affordable Care Act on higher-earning people and the health industry. It would cut the Medicaid program for low-income people and let states impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. It would transform Obama's subsidies for millions buying insurance, now based largely on their incomes, making the funding skimpier and tying it to consumers' ages.</p>
<p>And states could get federal waivers freeing insurers from other Obama coverage requirements. With waivers, insurers could charge people with pre-existing illnesses far higher rates than healthy customers, boost prices for older people to whatever they wish, and ignore a mandate that they cover specified services like pregnancy care.</p>
<p>The bill would block federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year, considered a triumph by many anti-abortion Republicans.</p>
<p>The Congressional Budget Office estimated in March that the GOP bill would end coverage for 24 million people over a decade. The House voted without a CBO estimate for the latest version of their bill.</p>
<p>Although it's focused mostly on the minority of Americans who buy health coverage in the individual market, the GOP bill could also significantly impact the many who are covered by large employer plans. In one little-noted provision, employer plans could take advantage of state flexibility under the legislation to pick and choose which states' rules to live by. That could allow them to impose annual and lifetime coverage limits, which are prohibited under Obamacare, and get rid of certain annual out-of-pocket spending caps.</p>
<p>Protesters were on hand again for Thursday's vote, shouting "Shame on you! Shame on you!" and "2018! 2018!" as Republicans boarded buses outside the Capitol to head to the White House.</p>
<p>Yet as the 2016 election amply demonstrated, political outcomes can be difficult to predict. Republicans argued they would have had a still heavier price to pay if they failed to make good on an endlessly repeated pledge that helped them seize control of the House, the Senate and the White House in the years since the law passed.</p>
<p>Back in 2010, the Democrats held Congress and the White House and used their majorities to jam through an unpopular health care law on a partisan basis, just as Republicans have done now.</p>
<p>As lawmakers prepared to vote, House Speaker Paul Ryan told them: "Many of you have been waiting seven years to cast this vote. Many of you are here because you pledged to cast this vote."</p>
<p>"They expect us to govern - if we're going to be around," Republican Rep. Dennis Ross of Florida said of voters.</p>
<p>The White House had pushed hard for a vote, and Trump got personally involved in last-minute maneuvering. He helped bring wavering moderates on board after a deal secured by conservatives last week scared them off by limiting protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The final change, agreed to just Wednesday at the White House, was to add $8 billion over five years to help people with pre-existing conditions, a sum critics called a relative pittance.</p>
<p>Indeed, despite assurances by GOP leaders that their legislation would rescue a failing health care system, it was opposed by nearly all medical and consumer groups, from the American Medical Association to AARP. The Chamber of Commerce supported the bill.</p>
<p>The health legislation passed the House on a banner day for Republicans on Capitol Hill, as the Senate gave final congressional approval to a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep the government running through September, and a House committee approved legislation that would gut the Democratic-authored Dodd-Frank law that regulated Wall Street after the 2008 financial crisis.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Stephen Ohlemacher and Andrew Taylor contributed.</p> | 2,648 |
<p>The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is claiming that allegations that former President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of President Trump were "confirmed" Wednesday by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).</p>
<p>In an email to supporters on Thursday, the NRCC wrote that Obama was accused of surveilling Trump, as well as members of his transition team, leading with the subject line, "Confirmed: Obama spied on Trump."</p>
<p>"Former President Obama is accused of spying on Donald Trump in his final days in office," reads the email, which described it as "disturbing news."</p>
<p>"No other president has ever even been accused of spying on his successor."</p>
<p>In fact, there has been no confirmation that Obama was spying on Trump, a charge the president first made earlier this month.</p>
<p>Nunes on Wednesday said that he has seen intelligence showing that the intelligence community incidentally collected information on members of Trump's transition team during routine surveillance of foreign targets.</p>
<p>But the California Republican also noted that the intelligence gathering was not tied to investigations into Trump and his aides' potential ties to Russia, and said that he didn't know whether Trump was among those surveilled or whether Obama was aware of the collections.</p>
<p>Nunes briefed Trump on the matter Wednesday afternoon, a move that drew the ire of intelligence panel Democrats, who said that the chairman did not discuss the information with the committee.</p>
<p>Nunes apologized to committee Democrats on Thursday for going to the White House with the information first. His decision to do so led Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the panel's ranking member, to suggest Nunes appeared to be acting more as a member of Trump's team than as the head of an independent investigatory arm of Congress.</p>
<p>Trump on Wednesday said he felt "somewhat" vindicated by what Nunes has revealed, which led some observers to wonder whether that was the aim of the House Intelligence Committee chief.</p>
<p>Trump's fundraising machine, like the NRCC, has used the Nunes claims to argue that Trump's initial claims about Obama were correct.</p> | true | http://24dailynew.com/nrcc-claims-obama-surveillance-trump-confirmed/ | 0right
|
<p>The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is claiming that allegations that former President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of President Trump were "confirmed" Wednesday by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).</p>
<p>In an email to supporters on Thursday, the NRCC wrote that Obama was accused of surveilling Trump, as well as members of his transition team, leading with the subject line, "Confirmed: Obama spied on Trump."</p>
<p>"Former President Obama is accused of spying on Donald Trump in his final days in office," reads the email, which described it as "disturbing news."</p>
<p>"No other president has ever even been accused of spying on his successor."</p>
<p>In fact, there has been no confirmation that Obama was spying on Trump, a charge the president first made earlier this month.</p>
<p>Nunes on Wednesday said that he has seen intelligence showing that the intelligence community incidentally collected information on members of Trump's transition team during routine surveillance of foreign targets.</p>
<p>But the California Republican also noted that the intelligence gathering was not tied to investigations into Trump and his aides' potential ties to Russia, and said that he didn't know whether Trump was among those surveilled or whether Obama was aware of the collections.</p>
<p>Nunes briefed Trump on the matter Wednesday afternoon, a move that drew the ire of intelligence panel Democrats, who said that the chairman did not discuss the information with the committee.</p>
<p>Nunes apologized to committee Democrats on Thursday for going to the White House with the information first. His decision to do so led Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the panel's ranking member, to suggest Nunes appeared to be acting more as a member of Trump's team than as the head of an independent investigatory arm of Congress.</p>
<p>Trump on Wednesday said he felt "somewhat" vindicated by what Nunes has revealed, which led some observers to wonder whether that was the aim of the House Intelligence Committee chief.</p>
<p>Trump's fundraising machine, like the NRCC, has used the Nunes claims to argue that Trump's initial claims about Obama were correct.</p> | 2,649 |
||
<p>This is what happens when a presidential administration works to subvert the nation.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>Judicial Watch has just issued a damning <a href="http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2016/03/crack-dealer-freed-early-under-obama-plan-murders-woman-2-kids/?utm_source=twitterfeed&amp;utm_medium=twitter" type="external">report</a> and one that shows the fatal effects of the&#160;Obama administration's program to&#160;release&#160;federal inmates en masse.</p>
<p>Now, one convicted crack dealer who was released early under the program&#160;has been indicted by a grand jury for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and her children.</p>
<p>The tragedy took place&#160;in Columbus, Ohio, and has since garnered national attention due to the particular heinousness of the crime. JW reports:&#160;</p>
<p>This week a grand jury in Franklin County returned a 10-count, death-penalty indictment against the ex-con, 35-year-old Wendell Callahan, for the triple murders. Callahan broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and stabbed the three victims, according to a&#160;statement&#160;issued by Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announcing the indictment. The bloody crime scene was discovered by the woman’s current boyfriend, who subsequently engaged in a fight with Callahan before he fled. The indictment includes charges of aggravated murder with prior calculation and design and aggravated murder of victims under the age of 13. “There are multiple charges regarding the three victim deaths because there are different methods to commit the crime of murder and the Prosecutor’s Office typically charges all methods”, O’Brien stated. Callahan is in jail on $3 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned later this week.</p>
<p>The report explains how&#160;Callahan should have remained in prison, but that he was instead&#160;released four years early "because federal sentencing guidelines for crack dealers got reduced":</p>
<p>The change is part of President Obama’s effort to reform the nation’s justice system as a way of ending racial discrimination. The initiative was technically launched back in 2010 when the president signed a&#160;measure&#160;that for the first time in decades relaxed drug-crime sentences he claimed discriminated against poor and minority offenders. This severely weakened a decades-old law enacted during the infamous crack cocaine epidemic that ravaged urban communities nationwide in the 1980s. As part of the movement the U.S. Sentencing Commission lowered maximum sentences for drug offenders and made it retroactive, leading to the early release of thousands of violent thugs like Callahan.</p>
<p>In November the administration began releasing 6,000 drug convicts coined “non-violent” offenders whose sentences were too long under the old guidelines. News reports quickly surfaced contradicting the administration’s assessment that the newly released convicts were not violent. Among them was the leader of a multi-million dollar operation that smuggled drugs from Canada to Maine. Prosecutors refer to the 29-year-old con as a “drug kingpin” who was one of “America’s Most Wanted.” Shortly before the administration’s mass release of drug convicts, federal prosecutors warned that drug trafficking is inherently violent and therefore the phrase “non-violent drug offenders” is a misnomer. The nation’s prosecutors also cautioned that reducing prison sentences for drug offenders will weaken their ability to bring dangerous drug traffickers to justice.</p>
<p>JW notes that if releasing dangerous drug kingpins weren't bad enough, the Obama&#160;administration is also rewarding said convicts with taxpayer-funded&#160;programs that help&#160;them find housing and jobs.</p>
<p>According to the report, one such program to help released convicts find housing&#160;received $1.7 million in taxpayer funding while another&#160;program by the Department of Labor&#160;was funded to the tune of $20 million.&#160;</p> | Convicted Crack Dealer Freed Under Obama Plan Kills Woman, 2 Children | true | http://truthrevolt.org/news/convicted-crack-dealer-freed-under-obama-plan-kills-woman-2-children | 2018-10-06 | 0right
| Convicted Crack Dealer Freed Under Obama Plan Kills Woman, 2 Children
<p>This is what happens when a presidential administration works to subvert the nation.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>Judicial Watch has just issued a damning <a href="http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2016/03/crack-dealer-freed-early-under-obama-plan-murders-woman-2-kids/?utm_source=twitterfeed&amp;utm_medium=twitter" type="external">report</a> and one that shows the fatal effects of the&#160;Obama administration's program to&#160;release&#160;federal inmates en masse.</p>
<p>Now, one convicted crack dealer who was released early under the program&#160;has been indicted by a grand jury for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and her children.</p>
<p>The tragedy took place&#160;in Columbus, Ohio, and has since garnered national attention due to the particular heinousness of the crime. JW reports:&#160;</p>
<p>This week a grand jury in Franklin County returned a 10-count, death-penalty indictment against the ex-con, 35-year-old Wendell Callahan, for the triple murders. Callahan broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and stabbed the three victims, according to a&#160;statement&#160;issued by Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announcing the indictment. The bloody crime scene was discovered by the woman’s current boyfriend, who subsequently engaged in a fight with Callahan before he fled. The indictment includes charges of aggravated murder with prior calculation and design and aggravated murder of victims under the age of 13. “There are multiple charges regarding the three victim deaths because there are different methods to commit the crime of murder and the Prosecutor’s Office typically charges all methods”, O’Brien stated. Callahan is in jail on $3 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned later this week.</p>
<p>The report explains how&#160;Callahan should have remained in prison, but that he was instead&#160;released four years early "because federal sentencing guidelines for crack dealers got reduced":</p>
<p>The change is part of President Obama’s effort to reform the nation’s justice system as a way of ending racial discrimination. The initiative was technically launched back in 2010 when the president signed a&#160;measure&#160;that for the first time in decades relaxed drug-crime sentences he claimed discriminated against poor and minority offenders. This severely weakened a decades-old law enacted during the infamous crack cocaine epidemic that ravaged urban communities nationwide in the 1980s. As part of the movement the U.S. Sentencing Commission lowered maximum sentences for drug offenders and made it retroactive, leading to the early release of thousands of violent thugs like Callahan.</p>
<p>In November the administration began releasing 6,000 drug convicts coined “non-violent” offenders whose sentences were too long under the old guidelines. News reports quickly surfaced contradicting the administration’s assessment that the newly released convicts were not violent. Among them was the leader of a multi-million dollar operation that smuggled drugs from Canada to Maine. Prosecutors refer to the 29-year-old con as a “drug kingpin” who was one of “America’s Most Wanted.” Shortly before the administration’s mass release of drug convicts, federal prosecutors warned that drug trafficking is inherently violent and therefore the phrase “non-violent drug offenders” is a misnomer. The nation’s prosecutors also cautioned that reducing prison sentences for drug offenders will weaken their ability to bring dangerous drug traffickers to justice.</p>
<p>JW notes that if releasing dangerous drug kingpins weren't bad enough, the Obama&#160;administration is also rewarding said convicts with taxpayer-funded&#160;programs that help&#160;them find housing and jobs.</p>
<p>According to the report, one such program to help released convicts find housing&#160;received $1.7 million in taxpayer funding while another&#160;program by the Department of Labor&#160;was funded to the tune of $20 million.&#160;</p> | 2,650 |
<p>The great debate on how much—or how little—Barack Obama would change our disastrous U.S. foreign policy usually focuses on the Middle East. That makes sense. Nowhere has the price of the Bush national security strategy been higher, as the violent deaths of more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers and 93,000 Iraqis attest.</p>
<p>But a smaller, no less passionate, debate exists over Latin America policy. Although the Western Hemisphere isn’t a headline-grabber these days, the debate raises matters that deeply affect people south of our border and the millions of Americans with family ties to the region. U.S. relations with Latin America can no longer be seen as a regional foreign policy box. In an increasingly integrated world, they have become part of fundamental U.S. debates on trade, employment, immigration, and transnational crime.</p>
<p>In this context, Obama heads to Denver this month to become the Democratic Party candidate for the presidency. Opinion divides sharply on whether his platform for U.S. policy in Latin America is really a “Change We Can Believe In.”</p>
<p>The campaign following the nomination will inevitably include some pandering to the Latino vote, especially in swing states like Florida and New Mexico. This will muddy the picture of what can be expected if the candidate becomes the chief executive.</p>
<p>But electoral posturing aside, the cards have been laid out for a first reading on the hemispheric future. Obama’s approach, more than the policies themselves, gives us much to work with in turning disaster into a genuine good neighbor policy for the region.</p>
<p>Obama’s “Partnership for the Americas”</p>
<p>The first card was played at the gathering of the Cuban-American National Foundation in Miami on May 23. With the primary race still raging, Obama sought to win over the politically powerful group in the state that has previously sunk democratic hopes. He offered the crowd a mix of tough talk and new policies.</p>
<p>Shortly after the speech to the Cuban-Americans, the campaign released “A New Partnership for the Americas.” The 13-page document laid out the approach to regional foreign policy under three main headings: political freedom/democracy, freedom from fear (security), and freedom from want (poverty). These “freedoms” harked back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms.</p>
<p>The speech and the platform immediately provoked volleys of punditry and emails. Chicano and progressive listservs buzzed and political blogs argued over whether the positions were net positive, net negative, or merely electoral blather.</p>
<p>Something can be said for all three evaluations. On first read, the position paper feels a little green. Some ideas pop up as though they occurred to someone at the moment rather than as a result of thought-out policy proposals. To give a few examples: the proposal to extend Plan Mexico, officially dubbed the Merida Initiative, to all of Latin America shows no recognition that the mostly military initiative embodies widely repudiated Bush policies and would be vehemently rejected by other nations in the hemisphere. Also, the emphasis on cap-and-trade markets as a panacea for environmental threats falls short of a comprehensive program.</p>
<p>Without question, however, Obama’s platform marks a major departure from continuing Bush policy in the region. When John McCain tapped Otto Reich as his Latin America adviser he signaled his intention to continue the very worst of the past policy. This has made blood boil in Latin American countries. Reich alienated Central Americans for his role in the Iran-Contra affair. He infuriated the Venezuelans by supporting the 2002 coup, and angered the Cubans by protecting Orlando Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles, convicted of anti-Cuba terrorist attacks. Everywhere he’s gone he’s left a trail of human rights violations and murky political manipulations a mile wide.</p>
<p>Obama’s foreign policy team, on the other hand, mixes crusty veterans with new thinkers and appears to be in flux. This shows in the Latin America policy proposal, where, for example, hardline support for Plan Colombia stands alongside opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.</p>
<p>But the paper demonstrates a new perspective on the region that holds out hope for real change.</p>
<p>The political freedom section focuses on Cuban policy, calling to lift travel restrictions and free up remittances, while “holding back” on relaxation of the trade embargo as a negotiating tool in a post-Fidel transition. Backtracking on his previous commitment to lift the embargo is a lily-livered electoral move, but the text indicates it’s a question of timing rather than principle.</p>
<p>Other breaks with Bush policy include the section on “democracy begins at home” that advocates ending torture, extraordinary rendition, and indefinite detentions, restoring habeas corpus, and closing Guantanamo. These concrete commitments not only change lives but send a clear message to Latin American partners who have long held that U.S. foreign policy in their region too often follows a double standard.</p>
<p>The “freedom from want” section calls for increased U.S. aid for “bottom-up development by concentrating on microfinance, vocational training, and community development programs.” It notes the need to develop benchmarks and fight corruption, leading by example with “merit-based and transparent” contracting decisions. Other objectives include achieving the Millennium Development Goals; reducing the education deficit, especially for girls and women; supporting 100% debt cancellation for Bolivia, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, and St. Lucia; and reforms to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.</p>
<p>These proposals in particular go considerably beyond the standard fare for Democratic candidates. Debt cancellation and reforming international financial institutions are demands that broad citizen movements have been pressing for years. That these issues have been incorporated into Obama’s Latin America plan indicates he’s listening to new voices and is ready to place the kind of emphasis on social justice issues like poverty alleviation that previously was reserved for corporate investment, trade liberalization, and ideological-based regime change programs. Some of the proposals have already been backed up by actions, like the Obama-sponsored Global Poverty Act to support achievement of the Millennium Goals.</p>
<p>In regional economic integration, Obama’s platform cracks the paradigm by calling for “fair trade” (rather vaguely defined), amendment of NAFTA, opposition to the U.S.-Colombia agreement, and a path to earned citizenship for undocumented workers and their families. The commitment to fair trade has been called into question by his support of the Peru free trade agreement and statements of support for the Pelosi-Reid platform of promoting free trade with shallow environmental and labor conditions, but he has also called for in-depth evaluation of trade policy and noted the relationship between trade policies and high immigration under NAFTA.</p>
<p>Even the security section, which has been most heavily criticized for mimicking Bush policies, introduces ideas considered heretic according to Bush-McCain dogma. These include a far greater willingness to assume shared responsibility, take on domestic challenges in drug control and arms trafficking, and create measurable benchmarks, while emphasizing many non-military alternatives. The inclusion of a “Northbound and Southbound Strategy” recognizes U.S. responsibilities and failings in its own territory and seems to break with the sanctimonious declarations that place the onus for transnational security threats on the South and have been used to justify U.S. intervention.</p>
<p>The energy partnership proposal is one of the sections that needs work. It promotes new markets for green technologies, and puts stock in cap-and-trade mandates to offset emissions without mentioning the need to demand clean industry in the United States or change consumption patterns. It also relies on carbon sequestration incentives to discourage deforestation, while ignoring the role that U.S. corporations play and the possibility of international regulation. But again, citizen discussions find their way into the thinking on the issues. So, for instance, while the paper promotes biofuels it does recognize the conflict between food and fuel.</p>
<p>Immigration is not generally considered foreign policy, and it is to Obama’s credit that he includes it in the Latin America platform. His proposal to “tap the power of remittances” commits to working with the Inter-American Development Bank and others to “maximize the impact of remittances on social and economic development across the hemisphere.” It is not clear what is meant here. The pressing needs of immigrant communities are to lower the costs of financial services, and while some organizations have had success in collective development projects funded through collective remittances, with the crisis in food prices driving up the cost of living it’s likely that most remittances will continue to go toward basic family needs in the country of origin.</p>
<p>More importantly, Obama reiterates his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform as “a top priority in my first year as president.” His proposal includes a path to earned citizenship, fixing the dysfunctional bureaucracy and the obligatory reference to border security. In a recent questionnaire from The Sanctuary, a multi-issue Latino organization, he complements the need for immigration reform with the need to “encourage job creation and economic development and to decrease the pressure to immigrate.” He tempers any proposal for a guest worker program saying it must have “strong worker protections and not exclude people from ever becoming Americans.” His Latin America program does call for using immigrants in public diplomacy.</p>
<p>Missteps and Leaps of Faith</p>
<p>By far the most controversial of Obama’s Latin America positions concern security policy. These have provoked the most outcry among progressive Latinos, Latin Americans, and regional policy analysts.</p>
<p>Obama issued his platform just weeks after the Colombian attack on a guerrilla camp in Ecuador. Most nations on the continent, with the exception of Colombia backed up by the United States, condemned the incursion on the grounds that it violated international law and the guerrillas were attacked not in self-defense but while asleep.</p>
<p>The military incursion was the opportunity to show that international law trumps ideological alliances and Obama did just the opposite. Not only did he justify the Uribe government’s attack, he vowed to:</p>
<p>“… continue the Andean Counter-Drug Program, and update it to meet evolving challenges. We will fully support Colombia’s fight against the FARC . We’ll work with the government to end the reign of terror from right wing paramilitaries. We will support Colombia’s right to strike terrorists who seek safe-haven across its borders. And we will shine a light on any support for the FARC that comes from neighboring governments. This behavior must be exposed to international condemnation, regional isolation, and—If need be—strong sanctions. It must not stand.”</p>
<p>The enthusiastic endorsement of Alvaro Uribe’s government in its war against the FARC was clearly not for the benefit of the Colombian government. Uribe has publicly maligned Obama for his opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and orchestrated the recent McCain visit to throw support for a Republican administration in 2009. With no love lost between those two, the real question is: who is Obama appeasing with the tough language and one-sided policy outlined here?</p>
<p>The other long section on security is dedicated to Mexico. The Obama Latin America plan supports Plan Mexico and proposes “a new security initiative with our Latin American neighbors—one that extends beyond Central America.”</p>
<p>Mexico and Colombia are the only large nations ruled by far-right governments in Latin America. Support for the military/police models embodied in Plan Mexico and Plan Colombia, and the temptation to equate regional cooperation with U.S. military involvement, clearly contradicts the FDR principles invoked in the rest of the document. Perhaps the “new security initiative” referred to would modify and not merely extend Plan Mexico. But if that’s the case, the Obama team should develop a critique of the Bush plan.</p>
<p>And if, like the Bush administration, an Obama administration plans to drive a wedge through the heart of Latin America by rewarding ideological allies and punishing perceived enemies, then we have a real problem.</p>
<p>That doesn’t seem to be the case though. In Obama’s later statements in response to the Sanctuary questionnaire, he tempered his more gung-ho positions. On Plan Colombia, he notes:</p>
<p>“I support Plan Colombia. However, it is important to take a hard look at whether our assistance to Colombia reflects the right mix of combating drug trafficking and supporting legitimate agriculture efforts.”</p>
<p>And on Plan Mexico, Obama leaves himself some wriggle room by asserting the importance of “properly targeted” U.S. assistance to defeat Mexico’s “drug gangs.”</p>
<p>He adds: “We need to carefully examine the administration’s recent request for Plan Mexico, particularly given the secrecy that has surrounded the formulation of the proposed package.” Congress already appropriated $465 million to Plan Mexico and a request for another $400 million is in the hopper for FY2009, so to make this statement more than rhetoric a critical examination of this extension of Bush security policies into Mexico and Central America would have to take place immediately.</p>
<p>Obama’s tough talk on crime and violence is balanced by non-military solutions and a commitment to engagement with Venezuela, Cuba, and the rest of the region. The anti-Chavez rhetoric, rightly criticized by many as divisive and inaccurate, is not so disturbing in context. Both sides tend to get blustery in the U.S.-Venezuela relationship, yet no one seems to be getting out the sticks and stones yet. While progressive political analysts raged against Obama’s uninformed stabs at Hugo Chavez, few recalled that Obama was among the first and only politicians to announce his willingness to meet with Chavez, and he has reiterated, not retracted, that offer.</p>
<p>Finally the Obama document commits some important sins of omission that one can only hope will be rectified in the future. The candidate has issued only loud silences on matters that could define a new regional policy built on the principles he has championed most vociferously. One is closing down the School of the Americas, the military training school in Fort Benning, Georgia now renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). Activists pushed Congress within a handful of votes of closing the doors on the institution that has trained some of the worst human rights violators in the hemisphere.</p>
<p>Citing many of these points, author Greg Grandin concludes that “the Obama Doctrine” will not represent a clean break from the Monroe Doctrine of U.S. hegemony in the region. Tom Hayden more optimistically calls it a “mixed blessing” and a “brave beginning,” while critics excoriated the speech and platform as more of the same.</p>
<p>This is where the leap of faith comes in.</p>
<p>Subjectivity factors high in the debate over Obama’s Latin America platform. Nobody really believes that campaign rhetoric is the same as applied policy, so the discussion hinges on whether the candidate will move toward the progressive or conservative side of his platform after election. Like biblical prophets, everyone’s watching for signs.</p>
<p>One side believes his “instincts are good” for building a more humane foreign policy, and the more conservative positions are electoral posturing. Among progressive non-believers there are three positions. Obama skeptics believe that his progressive positions are the posturing and once in office the status quo will win out. Electoral skeptics argue that the two-party electoral system in the United States will never produce real change—their beef is not so much with Obama as with anyone who comes out of the political system and claims to change it. And the system-izers believe that the international system trumps the power of any president—even of the world’s most powerful capitalist nation—to make fundamental changes even if he or she wanted to. These are generalizations, of course, and all have a grain of truth. But they serve to characterize important if latent debates surrounding the Obama candidacy.</p>
<p>Three Reasons to Make the Leap</p>
<p>In 2004 I wrote that the main expectation of Latin American governments and societies closely watching the U.S. elections was to keep things from getting worse. A good neighbor policy seemed too much to ask, and John Kerry failed to make even a rhetorical break with “democracy promotion” programs, or military intervention under the thinly disguised wars on terrorism and drugs. In other areas, the Democratic candidate got the discourse right but the policy proposals repeated the tired formulas of the past.</p>
<p>So why feel any differently now?</p>
<p>The first reason is that Obama’s policy toward the region—beyond the specific policies—reflects a significant change in perspective. The best way to illustrate this is the following phrase from his Miami speech:</p>
<p>“It’s time for a new alliance of the Americas. After eight years of the failed policies of the past, we need new leadership for the future. After decades pressing for top-down reform, we need an agenda that advances democracy, security, and opportunity from the bottom up. So my policy toward the Americas will be guided by the simple principle that what’s good for the people of the Americas is good for the United States.”</p>
<p>“What’s good for the people of the Americas is good for the United States” is nothing short of a total inversion of U.S. history in the region. And Latin America today shows that the formulation is not based on altruism but a careful reading of reality. Most threats to human security, economic well-being, and democratic freedom have arisen precisely because a succession of governments and the policies of the U.S. government and international financial institutions have made it impossible to do “what’s good for the people.”</p>
<p>The result is that Latin America suffers the greatest inequality of any region in the world, and poverty engulfs over half the population.</p>
<p>This perspective also seems to recognize that Latin America has come of age and validates in principle the reform experiments in the region that the Bush administration has vilified.</p>
<p>It’s also no accident that Obama’s Latin America program takes off from the Rooseveltian model. Lately the candidate, Progressives for Obama, think tanks, and citizen groups have been picking up the language of FDR to adopt the principles of the Good Neighbor policy of the 1930s, and also to demonstrate to the U.S. public that significant change in our foreign policy is possible.</p>
<p>For Latin America—the staging area for the original good neighbor policy—the analogy is especially relevant. Today many popular movements and new left-leaning governments espouse social programs much closer to FDR’s New Deal than to the “Washington Consensus.” The Bush administration perceived that as a threat rather than recognizing the growing rumblings in Latin America as a call to re-examine the current economic integration model and adopt greater flexibility.</p>
<p>This is the other reason Latin America policy is important today. Free of widespread conflict, ruled by democracies, and in the midst of major redefinitions of policy for the public good, Latin America is the testing ground for change in a globalized world. And that’s exactly what many nations there have been doing over the past years.</p>
<p>Second, there are reasons to suspect that Obama, the human being, does have good instincts. His background, his organizing experience, and his previous stances in political life set him off from most politicians, and his position in the African-American community gives him greater sensitivity to the historically excluded.</p>
<p>“Matching rhetoric with deeds,” the phrase used in the Latin America paper, will be a big challenge. Obama will have to make good on the promise to seek “what’s good for Main Street, not Wall Street” by insisting that corporations obey international law and sacrifice some of the mega-profits they’ve made off natural resources in Latin American countries. If that means telling Chevron it’s on its own in its legal battle with the Ecuadorean government over the destruction of thousands of acres of Amazon jungle, or Chiquita that it’s not okay to pay paramilitaries for protection in Colombia, so be it.</p>
<p>As in all aspects of foreign policy reform, the critical factor in defining a new regional policy is the ability to break the inertia in Washington that has limited vision and action for change. The Obama team will have to take with a grain of salt the policy recommendations of, say, the Council on Foreign relations, which in a recent report fell back on tired calls for more free trade and echoed Condoleezza Rice by deeming Latin American measures to redistribute national wealth a sign of “resurgent resource nationalism.” He must be willing to stick to policy promises even when interest lobbies put the pressure on, or pollsters and politicos warn they might not be mainstream.</p>
<p>The most important reason to take change seriously is that the Obama campaign is bigger than the candidate. This is its saving grace. Through the media, the public has been taught to be skeptical of real change. The incipient movement to buck that socialization is the grandest achievement of the Obama campaign so far. Relations of mutual respect in the hemisphere don’t depend just on presidential elections; they depend on a reactivation of civil society in the Americas at a critical moment for the region.</p>
<p>In the debate over change in foreign policy, it’s not a matter of sitting back to wait to see who’s right: those who believed it could be done or those who said it couldn’t. We can’t allow either extreme: the optimistic scenario that Obama, once ordained, will single-handedly usher in a new era in U.S.-Latin America relations; or the pessimistic scenario that, frozen by the inertia of the system, he will preside over the same old practices. Neither allows for an active role of the citizenry in shaping a new foreign policy.</p>
<p>If the Obama campaign continues to build a grassroots base, incorporating parts of the population that had been distanced from democratic participation—especially youth—we have the raw material for making change. This change ultimately won’t depend so much on policy prescriptions as a new collective self-image that, as Roosevelt said, respects itself in order to respect the rights of others.</p>
<p>LAURA CARLSEN (lcarlsen(a)ciponline.org) is director of the <a href="http://www.americaspolicy.org" type="external">Americas Policy Program</a> in Mexico City. This piece was part of a talk at the Lessons from NAFTA Conference. Check out the Americas Mexico blog at <a href="http://www.americasmexico.blogspot.com" type="external">www.americasmexico.blogspot.com</a>.</p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | Obama and Latin America | true | https://counterpunch.org/2008/08/22/obama-and-latin-america/ | 2008-08-22 | 4left
| Obama and Latin America
<p>The great debate on how much—or how little—Barack Obama would change our disastrous U.S. foreign policy usually focuses on the Middle East. That makes sense. Nowhere has the price of the Bush national security strategy been higher, as the violent deaths of more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers and 93,000 Iraqis attest.</p>
<p>But a smaller, no less passionate, debate exists over Latin America policy. Although the Western Hemisphere isn’t a headline-grabber these days, the debate raises matters that deeply affect people south of our border and the millions of Americans with family ties to the region. U.S. relations with Latin America can no longer be seen as a regional foreign policy box. In an increasingly integrated world, they have become part of fundamental U.S. debates on trade, employment, immigration, and transnational crime.</p>
<p>In this context, Obama heads to Denver this month to become the Democratic Party candidate for the presidency. Opinion divides sharply on whether his platform for U.S. policy in Latin America is really a “Change We Can Believe In.”</p>
<p>The campaign following the nomination will inevitably include some pandering to the Latino vote, especially in swing states like Florida and New Mexico. This will muddy the picture of what can be expected if the candidate becomes the chief executive.</p>
<p>But electoral posturing aside, the cards have been laid out for a first reading on the hemispheric future. Obama’s approach, more than the policies themselves, gives us much to work with in turning disaster into a genuine good neighbor policy for the region.</p>
<p>Obama’s “Partnership for the Americas”</p>
<p>The first card was played at the gathering of the Cuban-American National Foundation in Miami on May 23. With the primary race still raging, Obama sought to win over the politically powerful group in the state that has previously sunk democratic hopes. He offered the crowd a mix of tough talk and new policies.</p>
<p>Shortly after the speech to the Cuban-Americans, the campaign released “A New Partnership for the Americas.” The 13-page document laid out the approach to regional foreign policy under three main headings: political freedom/democracy, freedom from fear (security), and freedom from want (poverty). These “freedoms” harked back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms.</p>
<p>The speech and the platform immediately provoked volleys of punditry and emails. Chicano and progressive listservs buzzed and political blogs argued over whether the positions were net positive, net negative, or merely electoral blather.</p>
<p>Something can be said for all three evaluations. On first read, the position paper feels a little green. Some ideas pop up as though they occurred to someone at the moment rather than as a result of thought-out policy proposals. To give a few examples: the proposal to extend Plan Mexico, officially dubbed the Merida Initiative, to all of Latin America shows no recognition that the mostly military initiative embodies widely repudiated Bush policies and would be vehemently rejected by other nations in the hemisphere. Also, the emphasis on cap-and-trade markets as a panacea for environmental threats falls short of a comprehensive program.</p>
<p>Without question, however, Obama’s platform marks a major departure from continuing Bush policy in the region. When John McCain tapped Otto Reich as his Latin America adviser he signaled his intention to continue the very worst of the past policy. This has made blood boil in Latin American countries. Reich alienated Central Americans for his role in the Iran-Contra affair. He infuriated the Venezuelans by supporting the 2002 coup, and angered the Cubans by protecting Orlando Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles, convicted of anti-Cuba terrorist attacks. Everywhere he’s gone he’s left a trail of human rights violations and murky political manipulations a mile wide.</p>
<p>Obama’s foreign policy team, on the other hand, mixes crusty veterans with new thinkers and appears to be in flux. This shows in the Latin America policy proposal, where, for example, hardline support for Plan Colombia stands alongside opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.</p>
<p>But the paper demonstrates a new perspective on the region that holds out hope for real change.</p>
<p>The political freedom section focuses on Cuban policy, calling to lift travel restrictions and free up remittances, while “holding back” on relaxation of the trade embargo as a negotiating tool in a post-Fidel transition. Backtracking on his previous commitment to lift the embargo is a lily-livered electoral move, but the text indicates it’s a question of timing rather than principle.</p>
<p>Other breaks with Bush policy include the section on “democracy begins at home” that advocates ending torture, extraordinary rendition, and indefinite detentions, restoring habeas corpus, and closing Guantanamo. These concrete commitments not only change lives but send a clear message to Latin American partners who have long held that U.S. foreign policy in their region too often follows a double standard.</p>
<p>The “freedom from want” section calls for increased U.S. aid for “bottom-up development by concentrating on microfinance, vocational training, and community development programs.” It notes the need to develop benchmarks and fight corruption, leading by example with “merit-based and transparent” contracting decisions. Other objectives include achieving the Millennium Development Goals; reducing the education deficit, especially for girls and women; supporting 100% debt cancellation for Bolivia, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, and St. Lucia; and reforms to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.</p>
<p>These proposals in particular go considerably beyond the standard fare for Democratic candidates. Debt cancellation and reforming international financial institutions are demands that broad citizen movements have been pressing for years. That these issues have been incorporated into Obama’s Latin America plan indicates he’s listening to new voices and is ready to place the kind of emphasis on social justice issues like poverty alleviation that previously was reserved for corporate investment, trade liberalization, and ideological-based regime change programs. Some of the proposals have already been backed up by actions, like the Obama-sponsored Global Poverty Act to support achievement of the Millennium Goals.</p>
<p>In regional economic integration, Obama’s platform cracks the paradigm by calling for “fair trade” (rather vaguely defined), amendment of NAFTA, opposition to the U.S.-Colombia agreement, and a path to earned citizenship for undocumented workers and their families. The commitment to fair trade has been called into question by his support of the Peru free trade agreement and statements of support for the Pelosi-Reid platform of promoting free trade with shallow environmental and labor conditions, but he has also called for in-depth evaluation of trade policy and noted the relationship between trade policies and high immigration under NAFTA.</p>
<p>Even the security section, which has been most heavily criticized for mimicking Bush policies, introduces ideas considered heretic according to Bush-McCain dogma. These include a far greater willingness to assume shared responsibility, take on domestic challenges in drug control and arms trafficking, and create measurable benchmarks, while emphasizing many non-military alternatives. The inclusion of a “Northbound and Southbound Strategy” recognizes U.S. responsibilities and failings in its own territory and seems to break with the sanctimonious declarations that place the onus for transnational security threats on the South and have been used to justify U.S. intervention.</p>
<p>The energy partnership proposal is one of the sections that needs work. It promotes new markets for green technologies, and puts stock in cap-and-trade mandates to offset emissions without mentioning the need to demand clean industry in the United States or change consumption patterns. It also relies on carbon sequestration incentives to discourage deforestation, while ignoring the role that U.S. corporations play and the possibility of international regulation. But again, citizen discussions find their way into the thinking on the issues. So, for instance, while the paper promotes biofuels it does recognize the conflict between food and fuel.</p>
<p>Immigration is not generally considered foreign policy, and it is to Obama’s credit that he includes it in the Latin America platform. His proposal to “tap the power of remittances” commits to working with the Inter-American Development Bank and others to “maximize the impact of remittances on social and economic development across the hemisphere.” It is not clear what is meant here. The pressing needs of immigrant communities are to lower the costs of financial services, and while some organizations have had success in collective development projects funded through collective remittances, with the crisis in food prices driving up the cost of living it’s likely that most remittances will continue to go toward basic family needs in the country of origin.</p>
<p>More importantly, Obama reiterates his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform as “a top priority in my first year as president.” His proposal includes a path to earned citizenship, fixing the dysfunctional bureaucracy and the obligatory reference to border security. In a recent questionnaire from The Sanctuary, a multi-issue Latino organization, he complements the need for immigration reform with the need to “encourage job creation and economic development and to decrease the pressure to immigrate.” He tempers any proposal for a guest worker program saying it must have “strong worker protections and not exclude people from ever becoming Americans.” His Latin America program does call for using immigrants in public diplomacy.</p>
<p>Missteps and Leaps of Faith</p>
<p>By far the most controversial of Obama’s Latin America positions concern security policy. These have provoked the most outcry among progressive Latinos, Latin Americans, and regional policy analysts.</p>
<p>Obama issued his platform just weeks after the Colombian attack on a guerrilla camp in Ecuador. Most nations on the continent, with the exception of Colombia backed up by the United States, condemned the incursion on the grounds that it violated international law and the guerrillas were attacked not in self-defense but while asleep.</p>
<p>The military incursion was the opportunity to show that international law trumps ideological alliances and Obama did just the opposite. Not only did he justify the Uribe government’s attack, he vowed to:</p>
<p>“… continue the Andean Counter-Drug Program, and update it to meet evolving challenges. We will fully support Colombia’s fight against the FARC . We’ll work with the government to end the reign of terror from right wing paramilitaries. We will support Colombia’s right to strike terrorists who seek safe-haven across its borders. And we will shine a light on any support for the FARC that comes from neighboring governments. This behavior must be exposed to international condemnation, regional isolation, and—If need be—strong sanctions. It must not stand.”</p>
<p>The enthusiastic endorsement of Alvaro Uribe’s government in its war against the FARC was clearly not for the benefit of the Colombian government. Uribe has publicly maligned Obama for his opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and orchestrated the recent McCain visit to throw support for a Republican administration in 2009. With no love lost between those two, the real question is: who is Obama appeasing with the tough language and one-sided policy outlined here?</p>
<p>The other long section on security is dedicated to Mexico. The Obama Latin America plan supports Plan Mexico and proposes “a new security initiative with our Latin American neighbors—one that extends beyond Central America.”</p>
<p>Mexico and Colombia are the only large nations ruled by far-right governments in Latin America. Support for the military/police models embodied in Plan Mexico and Plan Colombia, and the temptation to equate regional cooperation with U.S. military involvement, clearly contradicts the FDR principles invoked in the rest of the document. Perhaps the “new security initiative” referred to would modify and not merely extend Plan Mexico. But if that’s the case, the Obama team should develop a critique of the Bush plan.</p>
<p>And if, like the Bush administration, an Obama administration plans to drive a wedge through the heart of Latin America by rewarding ideological allies and punishing perceived enemies, then we have a real problem.</p>
<p>That doesn’t seem to be the case though. In Obama’s later statements in response to the Sanctuary questionnaire, he tempered his more gung-ho positions. On Plan Colombia, he notes:</p>
<p>“I support Plan Colombia. However, it is important to take a hard look at whether our assistance to Colombia reflects the right mix of combating drug trafficking and supporting legitimate agriculture efforts.”</p>
<p>And on Plan Mexico, Obama leaves himself some wriggle room by asserting the importance of “properly targeted” U.S. assistance to defeat Mexico’s “drug gangs.”</p>
<p>He adds: “We need to carefully examine the administration’s recent request for Plan Mexico, particularly given the secrecy that has surrounded the formulation of the proposed package.” Congress already appropriated $465 million to Plan Mexico and a request for another $400 million is in the hopper for FY2009, so to make this statement more than rhetoric a critical examination of this extension of Bush security policies into Mexico and Central America would have to take place immediately.</p>
<p>Obama’s tough talk on crime and violence is balanced by non-military solutions and a commitment to engagement with Venezuela, Cuba, and the rest of the region. The anti-Chavez rhetoric, rightly criticized by many as divisive and inaccurate, is not so disturbing in context. Both sides tend to get blustery in the U.S.-Venezuela relationship, yet no one seems to be getting out the sticks and stones yet. While progressive political analysts raged against Obama’s uninformed stabs at Hugo Chavez, few recalled that Obama was among the first and only politicians to announce his willingness to meet with Chavez, and he has reiterated, not retracted, that offer.</p>
<p>Finally the Obama document commits some important sins of omission that one can only hope will be rectified in the future. The candidate has issued only loud silences on matters that could define a new regional policy built on the principles he has championed most vociferously. One is closing down the School of the Americas, the military training school in Fort Benning, Georgia now renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). Activists pushed Congress within a handful of votes of closing the doors on the institution that has trained some of the worst human rights violators in the hemisphere.</p>
<p>Citing many of these points, author Greg Grandin concludes that “the Obama Doctrine” will not represent a clean break from the Monroe Doctrine of U.S. hegemony in the region. Tom Hayden more optimistically calls it a “mixed blessing” and a “brave beginning,” while critics excoriated the speech and platform as more of the same.</p>
<p>This is where the leap of faith comes in.</p>
<p>Subjectivity factors high in the debate over Obama’s Latin America platform. Nobody really believes that campaign rhetoric is the same as applied policy, so the discussion hinges on whether the candidate will move toward the progressive or conservative side of his platform after election. Like biblical prophets, everyone’s watching for signs.</p>
<p>One side believes his “instincts are good” for building a more humane foreign policy, and the more conservative positions are electoral posturing. Among progressive non-believers there are three positions. Obama skeptics believe that his progressive positions are the posturing and once in office the status quo will win out. Electoral skeptics argue that the two-party electoral system in the United States will never produce real change—their beef is not so much with Obama as with anyone who comes out of the political system and claims to change it. And the system-izers believe that the international system trumps the power of any president—even of the world’s most powerful capitalist nation—to make fundamental changes even if he or she wanted to. These are generalizations, of course, and all have a grain of truth. But they serve to characterize important if latent debates surrounding the Obama candidacy.</p>
<p>Three Reasons to Make the Leap</p>
<p>In 2004 I wrote that the main expectation of Latin American governments and societies closely watching the U.S. elections was to keep things from getting worse. A good neighbor policy seemed too much to ask, and John Kerry failed to make even a rhetorical break with “democracy promotion” programs, or military intervention under the thinly disguised wars on terrorism and drugs. In other areas, the Democratic candidate got the discourse right but the policy proposals repeated the tired formulas of the past.</p>
<p>So why feel any differently now?</p>
<p>The first reason is that Obama’s policy toward the region—beyond the specific policies—reflects a significant change in perspective. The best way to illustrate this is the following phrase from his Miami speech:</p>
<p>“It’s time for a new alliance of the Americas. After eight years of the failed policies of the past, we need new leadership for the future. After decades pressing for top-down reform, we need an agenda that advances democracy, security, and opportunity from the bottom up. So my policy toward the Americas will be guided by the simple principle that what’s good for the people of the Americas is good for the United States.”</p>
<p>“What’s good for the people of the Americas is good for the United States” is nothing short of a total inversion of U.S. history in the region. And Latin America today shows that the formulation is not based on altruism but a careful reading of reality. Most threats to human security, economic well-being, and democratic freedom have arisen precisely because a succession of governments and the policies of the U.S. government and international financial institutions have made it impossible to do “what’s good for the people.”</p>
<p>The result is that Latin America suffers the greatest inequality of any region in the world, and poverty engulfs over half the population.</p>
<p>This perspective also seems to recognize that Latin America has come of age and validates in principle the reform experiments in the region that the Bush administration has vilified.</p>
<p>It’s also no accident that Obama’s Latin America program takes off from the Rooseveltian model. Lately the candidate, Progressives for Obama, think tanks, and citizen groups have been picking up the language of FDR to adopt the principles of the Good Neighbor policy of the 1930s, and also to demonstrate to the U.S. public that significant change in our foreign policy is possible.</p>
<p>For Latin America—the staging area for the original good neighbor policy—the analogy is especially relevant. Today many popular movements and new left-leaning governments espouse social programs much closer to FDR’s New Deal than to the “Washington Consensus.” The Bush administration perceived that as a threat rather than recognizing the growing rumblings in Latin America as a call to re-examine the current economic integration model and adopt greater flexibility.</p>
<p>This is the other reason Latin America policy is important today. Free of widespread conflict, ruled by democracies, and in the midst of major redefinitions of policy for the public good, Latin America is the testing ground for change in a globalized world. And that’s exactly what many nations there have been doing over the past years.</p>
<p>Second, there are reasons to suspect that Obama, the human being, does have good instincts. His background, his organizing experience, and his previous stances in political life set him off from most politicians, and his position in the African-American community gives him greater sensitivity to the historically excluded.</p>
<p>“Matching rhetoric with deeds,” the phrase used in the Latin America paper, will be a big challenge. Obama will have to make good on the promise to seek “what’s good for Main Street, not Wall Street” by insisting that corporations obey international law and sacrifice some of the mega-profits they’ve made off natural resources in Latin American countries. If that means telling Chevron it’s on its own in its legal battle with the Ecuadorean government over the destruction of thousands of acres of Amazon jungle, or Chiquita that it’s not okay to pay paramilitaries for protection in Colombia, so be it.</p>
<p>As in all aspects of foreign policy reform, the critical factor in defining a new regional policy is the ability to break the inertia in Washington that has limited vision and action for change. The Obama team will have to take with a grain of salt the policy recommendations of, say, the Council on Foreign relations, which in a recent report fell back on tired calls for more free trade and echoed Condoleezza Rice by deeming Latin American measures to redistribute national wealth a sign of “resurgent resource nationalism.” He must be willing to stick to policy promises even when interest lobbies put the pressure on, or pollsters and politicos warn they might not be mainstream.</p>
<p>The most important reason to take change seriously is that the Obama campaign is bigger than the candidate. This is its saving grace. Through the media, the public has been taught to be skeptical of real change. The incipient movement to buck that socialization is the grandest achievement of the Obama campaign so far. Relations of mutual respect in the hemisphere don’t depend just on presidential elections; they depend on a reactivation of civil society in the Americas at a critical moment for the region.</p>
<p>In the debate over change in foreign policy, it’s not a matter of sitting back to wait to see who’s right: those who believed it could be done or those who said it couldn’t. We can’t allow either extreme: the optimistic scenario that Obama, once ordained, will single-handedly usher in a new era in U.S.-Latin America relations; or the pessimistic scenario that, frozen by the inertia of the system, he will preside over the same old practices. Neither allows for an active role of the citizenry in shaping a new foreign policy.</p>
<p>If the Obama campaign continues to build a grassroots base, incorporating parts of the population that had been distanced from democratic participation—especially youth—we have the raw material for making change. This change ultimately won’t depend so much on policy prescriptions as a new collective self-image that, as Roosevelt said, respects itself in order to respect the rights of others.</p>
<p>LAURA CARLSEN (lcarlsen(a)ciponline.org) is director of the <a href="http://www.americaspolicy.org" type="external">Americas Policy Program</a> in Mexico City. This piece was part of a talk at the Lessons from NAFTA Conference. Check out the Americas Mexico blog at <a href="http://www.americasmexico.blogspot.com" type="external">www.americasmexico.blogspot.com</a>.</p>
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<p>Corn futures sunk to fresh lows on better-than-expected field reports from Midwestern crop scouts.</p>
<p>Scouts in the Farm Journal Midwestern crop tour forecast a corn yield of 171.23 bushels per acre for Indiana and 165.42 in Nebraska on Tuesday, both above the three-year average for those states.</p>
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<p>Corn-yield forecasts for the tour have so far been higher than what many analysts were expecting. After the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast an above-expectation yield of 169.5 bushels per acre nationally earlier this month, many traders were looking to crop scouts to uncover problems that would suggest the crop would be considerably smaller. There is limited evidence of that up until this point, they say.</p>
<p>Corn futures for September delivery fell 1.2% to $3.42 a bushel at the Chicago Board of Trade on Wednesday, closing at the lowest point since early December.</p>
<p>Soybean and soybean-oil futures bounced after the Commerce Department ruled that Argentina and Indonesia subsidize their biodiesel industries, slapping preliminary duties on imports to the U.S. CBOT September soybean-oil futures ended Wednesday 1.9% higher at 34.72 cents a pound.</p>
<p>Soybean contracts eased off those gains, however, after the USDA said that private exporters reported cancellations of more than 600,000 metric tons of soybean sales to China for 2016-17. Analysts said that was worrying for U.S. producers who depend on business from China to absorb growing supplies of the oilseed.</p>
<p>The agency also said that exporters sold near 300,000 tons of soybeans to unknown destinations for 2016-17 and 2017-18.</p>
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<p>CBOT September soybean futures closed 0.1% higher at $9.35 a bushel. September wheat futures rose 0.3% to $4.03 1/4 a bushel.</p>
<p>Write to Benjamin Parkin at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 23, 2017 15:38 ET (19:38 GMT)</p> | Corn Futures Tumble; Soybeans Mixed on Exports, Biodiesel | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/23/corn-futures-tumble-soybeans-mixed-on-exports-biodiesel.html | 2017-08-23 | 0right
| Corn Futures Tumble; Soybeans Mixed on Exports, Biodiesel
<p>Corn futures sunk to fresh lows on better-than-expected field reports from Midwestern crop scouts.</p>
<p>Scouts in the Farm Journal Midwestern crop tour forecast a corn yield of 171.23 bushels per acre for Indiana and 165.42 in Nebraska on Tuesday, both above the three-year average for those states.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Corn-yield forecasts for the tour have so far been higher than what many analysts were expecting. After the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast an above-expectation yield of 169.5 bushels per acre nationally earlier this month, many traders were looking to crop scouts to uncover problems that would suggest the crop would be considerably smaller. There is limited evidence of that up until this point, they say.</p>
<p>Corn futures for September delivery fell 1.2% to $3.42 a bushel at the Chicago Board of Trade on Wednesday, closing at the lowest point since early December.</p>
<p>Soybean and soybean-oil futures bounced after the Commerce Department ruled that Argentina and Indonesia subsidize their biodiesel industries, slapping preliminary duties on imports to the U.S. CBOT September soybean-oil futures ended Wednesday 1.9% higher at 34.72 cents a pound.</p>
<p>Soybean contracts eased off those gains, however, after the USDA said that private exporters reported cancellations of more than 600,000 metric tons of soybean sales to China for 2016-17. Analysts said that was worrying for U.S. producers who depend on business from China to absorb growing supplies of the oilseed.</p>
<p>The agency also said that exporters sold near 300,000 tons of soybeans to unknown destinations for 2016-17 and 2017-18.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>CBOT September soybean futures closed 0.1% higher at $9.35 a bushel. September wheat futures rose 0.3% to $4.03 1/4 a bushel.</p>
<p>Write to Benjamin Parkin at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 23, 2017 15:38 ET (19:38 GMT)</p> | 2,652 |
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<p>Protestors from an anti-fracking group wait for the start of a demonstration outside EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a framework for climate and energy policies beyond 2020 and up to 2030. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)</p>
<p>BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday shied away from more ambitious renewable energy goals as the bloc’s sluggish economy appeared to dent its zeal in the global fight against climate change.</p>
<p>To the dismay of Germany, environmentalists and others, the European Commission stepped back from proposing tougher binding renewable energy targets for each of the 28 member nations. Instead, it seeks the introduction of a less ambitious pan-European goal of 27 percent by 2030.</p>
<p>There are fears the EU, long a trendsetter in climate change policies, might make it easier for the U.S., China and developing economies to dodge tougher action.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The proposal by the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, will shape the EU’s energy and climate action policies over the coming years, but it still needs approval from EU governments and the European Parliament over the coming year.</p>
<p>On greenhouse gas emissions, the commission called for a reduction of 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels instead of its existing binding target that calls for a 20 percent reduction by 2020.</p>
<p>Overall though, Europe’s financial crisis and protracted recession from which it is only slowly emerging has subdued its appetite for tough climate action.</p>
<p>European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso defended the package as striking the right balance between fighting climate change and making sure Europe won’t fall behind economically, calling it “ambitious but realistic.”</p>
<p>“Climate action is central for the future of our planet, while a truly European energy policy is key for our competitiveness,” he said.</p>
<p>Germany, which is Europe’s biggest economy, has vowed to replace nuclear power with renewable energy sources by 2022. Berlin had urged the commission beforehand to stick to binding national targets for energy generated from water, biomass, solar and wind instead of watering it down by introducing a pan-European goal.</p>
<p>Economy and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said without the previous binding targets, Europe would never have made the progress it has, and “we should continue consistently along this road.”</p>
<p>But many less economically well-off nations had pushed the commission in the other direction as they face higher energy prices, just as those are falling in competing economies like the U.S. thanks to its shale gas boom.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“When gas prices in the European Union are three or four times as high as in the United States, then this is a competitive disadvantage we can’t accept and must act,” Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said.</p>
<p>Currently, the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions are down by 18 percent compared to 1990, while the bloc’s output grew by 45 percent in the same time.</p>
<p>“We are showing to the rest of the world it is possible to have growth while reducing emissions,” Barroso said.</p>
<p>Renewable energies currently contribute 12.7 percent of the bloc’s final energy consumption. Its current 2020 target for a share of 20 percent includes binding goals for each nation, varying in ambition according to where they stand. Some countries like Germany and Spain already get more than 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources.</p>
<p>The commission’s proposal also includes facilitating shale gas exploration, or fracking. The technology is still in infancy in Europe amid fears of the environmental and drinking water pollution it might cause.</p>
<p>The EU views itself as a leader in the fight against climate change. One of its main tools to keep emissions in check is its cap-and-trade system, the world’s biggest, which forces utilities and big polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. But climate activists on Wednesday lambasted the EU for falling behind on some of its ambitious goals.</p>
<p>“The January sales are on and it looks like Europe’s dirty energy companies have bagged a bargain,” Greenpeace EU managing director Mahi Sideridou said. “The commission’s plan for 2030 is a sell-out that would knock the wind out of a booming renewables industry.”</p>
<p>The Climate Action Network, a coalition of more than 120 non-governmental organizations across Europe, also criticized the emission reduction targets as too timid. This proposal “could lock the EU into such a low level of climate action it would make keeping the EU’s international pledge to stay below 2 degrees of global warming all but unattainable,” it said.</p>
<p>“In order to keep its international climate pledges, the EU must adopt three ambitious, binding targets for greenhouse gas reductions, renewable energy and energy savings. Sadly, such ambition is lacking,” said Wendel Trio of CAN Europe.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed reporting.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz</a></p> | EU relaxes renewables target, reaps criticism | false | https://abqjournal.com/340937/eu-relaxes-renewables-target-reaps-criticism.html | 2least
| EU relaxes renewables target, reaps criticism
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>Protestors from an anti-fracking group wait for the start of a demonstration outside EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a framework for climate and energy policies beyond 2020 and up to 2030. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)</p>
<p>BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday shied away from more ambitious renewable energy goals as the bloc’s sluggish economy appeared to dent its zeal in the global fight against climate change.</p>
<p>To the dismay of Germany, environmentalists and others, the European Commission stepped back from proposing tougher binding renewable energy targets for each of the 28 member nations. Instead, it seeks the introduction of a less ambitious pan-European goal of 27 percent by 2030.</p>
<p>There are fears the EU, long a trendsetter in climate change policies, might make it easier for the U.S., China and developing economies to dodge tougher action.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The proposal by the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, will shape the EU’s energy and climate action policies over the coming years, but it still needs approval from EU governments and the European Parliament over the coming year.</p>
<p>On greenhouse gas emissions, the commission called for a reduction of 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels instead of its existing binding target that calls for a 20 percent reduction by 2020.</p>
<p>Overall though, Europe’s financial crisis and protracted recession from which it is only slowly emerging has subdued its appetite for tough climate action.</p>
<p>European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso defended the package as striking the right balance between fighting climate change and making sure Europe won’t fall behind economically, calling it “ambitious but realistic.”</p>
<p>“Climate action is central for the future of our planet, while a truly European energy policy is key for our competitiveness,” he said.</p>
<p>Germany, which is Europe’s biggest economy, has vowed to replace nuclear power with renewable energy sources by 2022. Berlin had urged the commission beforehand to stick to binding national targets for energy generated from water, biomass, solar and wind instead of watering it down by introducing a pan-European goal.</p>
<p>Economy and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said without the previous binding targets, Europe would never have made the progress it has, and “we should continue consistently along this road.”</p>
<p>But many less economically well-off nations had pushed the commission in the other direction as they face higher energy prices, just as those are falling in competing economies like the U.S. thanks to its shale gas boom.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“When gas prices in the European Union are three or four times as high as in the United States, then this is a competitive disadvantage we can’t accept and must act,” Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said.</p>
<p>Currently, the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions are down by 18 percent compared to 1990, while the bloc’s output grew by 45 percent in the same time.</p>
<p>“We are showing to the rest of the world it is possible to have growth while reducing emissions,” Barroso said.</p>
<p>Renewable energies currently contribute 12.7 percent of the bloc’s final energy consumption. Its current 2020 target for a share of 20 percent includes binding goals for each nation, varying in ambition according to where they stand. Some countries like Germany and Spain already get more than 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources.</p>
<p>The commission’s proposal also includes facilitating shale gas exploration, or fracking. The technology is still in infancy in Europe amid fears of the environmental and drinking water pollution it might cause.</p>
<p>The EU views itself as a leader in the fight against climate change. One of its main tools to keep emissions in check is its cap-and-trade system, the world’s biggest, which forces utilities and big polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. But climate activists on Wednesday lambasted the EU for falling behind on some of its ambitious goals.</p>
<p>“The January sales are on and it looks like Europe’s dirty energy companies have bagged a bargain,” Greenpeace EU managing director Mahi Sideridou said. “The commission’s plan for 2030 is a sell-out that would knock the wind out of a booming renewables industry.”</p>
<p>The Climate Action Network, a coalition of more than 120 non-governmental organizations across Europe, also criticized the emission reduction targets as too timid. This proposal “could lock the EU into such a low level of climate action it would make keeping the EU’s international pledge to stay below 2 degrees of global warming all but unattainable,” it said.</p>
<p>“In order to keep its international climate pledges, the EU must adopt three ambitious, binding targets for greenhouse gas reductions, renewable energy and energy savings. Sadly, such ambition is lacking,” said Wendel Trio of CAN Europe.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed reporting.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz</a></p> | 2,653 |
|
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<p />
<p>The hearing before the state Water Quality Control Commission marked the culmination of months of wrangling over how best to deal with potential contamination at mining sites. The commission heard days of testimony, held public meetings and reviewed volumes of information related to the so-called “copper rule” before voting 9-1 to approve modifications.</p>
<p>The state Environment Department has said the proposal would be the most stringent of any copper producing state in the West, but critics contend that it would give mining companies a license to pollute and could open the door to other industries to seek similar regulations.</p>
<p>“Although the rule has its critics, it is more protective than what is in place now,” department attorney Andrew Knight told the commission, adding that there will be room to make changes.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“We strongly oppose these copper rules as they will allow the mining industry to pollute our valuable ground-water resources rather than prevent pollution at mining operations as required under the State Water Quality Act,” Allyson Siwik, executive director of the Gila Resources Information Project environmental group, said in a statement.</p>
<p>The rule includes new requirements for installing monitoring wells, containing contamination and cleaning up when the mine closes. Knight said it provides a “prescriptive” solution to address the scale and complexity of copper mines.</p>
<p>Assistant Attorney General Tannis Fox told the commission the state Water Quality Act is clear that any ground-water sources being used now or in the future demand protection. The proposal, she said, would allow mining companies to pollute the ground water beneath their operations.</p>
<p>Fox also raised concerns about top agency officials negotiating the proposal with Freeport McMoRan, which operates mines in southern New Mexico. She said for the first time, the department failed to call its own technical staff to testify before the commission because they had concerns about the proposal.</p>
<p>“That’s highly unusual but not surprising,” she said.</p>
<p>Critics have said earlier versions of the proposal had required liners to be installed in certain areas. Under the version being considered by the commission, liners would be required at the discretion of the department.</p>
<p>Attorneys agreed that a practical and economical balance needed to be struck, allowing copper mining to continue while protecting water supplies from contamination.</p>
<p>Bill Olson, a former regulator and longtime department employee who testified in opposition of the proposal, said the issue holds even more importance as New Mexico deals with a persistent drought.</p>
<p>“New Mexico is an arid state with limited ground-water resources,” he told the commission, adding that monitoring wells some distance away from an open pit mine offer no guarantee of protection.</p>
<p>Some commissioners said the state needed to move forward with the new regulations. Others voiced concerns about the proposal opening the door for other industries to pollute.</p> | N.M. regulators OK water protection rules | false | https://abqjournal.com/260973/n-m-regulators-ok-water-protection-rules.html | 2least
| N.M. regulators OK water protection rules
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The hearing before the state Water Quality Control Commission marked the culmination of months of wrangling over how best to deal with potential contamination at mining sites. The commission heard days of testimony, held public meetings and reviewed volumes of information related to the so-called “copper rule” before voting 9-1 to approve modifications.</p>
<p>The state Environment Department has said the proposal would be the most stringent of any copper producing state in the West, but critics contend that it would give mining companies a license to pollute and could open the door to other industries to seek similar regulations.</p>
<p>“Although the rule has its critics, it is more protective than what is in place now,” department attorney Andrew Knight told the commission, adding that there will be room to make changes.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“We strongly oppose these copper rules as they will allow the mining industry to pollute our valuable ground-water resources rather than prevent pollution at mining operations as required under the State Water Quality Act,” Allyson Siwik, executive director of the Gila Resources Information Project environmental group, said in a statement.</p>
<p>The rule includes new requirements for installing monitoring wells, containing contamination and cleaning up when the mine closes. Knight said it provides a “prescriptive” solution to address the scale and complexity of copper mines.</p>
<p>Assistant Attorney General Tannis Fox told the commission the state Water Quality Act is clear that any ground-water sources being used now or in the future demand protection. The proposal, she said, would allow mining companies to pollute the ground water beneath their operations.</p>
<p>Fox also raised concerns about top agency officials negotiating the proposal with Freeport McMoRan, which operates mines in southern New Mexico. She said for the first time, the department failed to call its own technical staff to testify before the commission because they had concerns about the proposal.</p>
<p>“That’s highly unusual but not surprising,” she said.</p>
<p>Critics have said earlier versions of the proposal had required liners to be installed in certain areas. Under the version being considered by the commission, liners would be required at the discretion of the department.</p>
<p>Attorneys agreed that a practical and economical balance needed to be struck, allowing copper mining to continue while protecting water supplies from contamination.</p>
<p>Bill Olson, a former regulator and longtime department employee who testified in opposition of the proposal, said the issue holds even more importance as New Mexico deals with a persistent drought.</p>
<p>“New Mexico is an arid state with limited ground-water resources,” he told the commission, adding that monitoring wells some distance away from an open pit mine offer no guarantee of protection.</p>
<p>Some commissioners said the state needed to move forward with the new regulations. Others voiced concerns about the proposal opening the door for other industries to pollute.</p> | 2,654 |
|
<p />
<p>New investors often focus on&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/asset-allocation-calculator" type="external">picking the right mix of funds Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;to add to their portfolios based on their risk tolerance. While choosing the right investments is a big part of building wealth, it’s not the only factor that matters. There are certain costs that go along with investing that you can’t afford to overlook. Before diving in, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the fees you’ll run into.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Transaction Fees</p>
<p>Investment fees can be lumped into two main groups: transaction fees and ongoing fees. Transaction fees are the costs you’ll pay when you buy or sell assets in your portfolio. For example, if you purchase shares of a specific stock through a broker, you’ll pay them a commission to execute the trade.</p>
<p>Brokers who deal with mutual funds can earn a commission called a sales load. This charge can be a front-end load that you’ll pay when you initially buy the fund or a back-end load that you’ll pay once you sell the fund. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) caps the maximum sales load associated with a mutual fund at 8.5%.&#160;Certain mutual funds are no-load funds, meaning there’s no sales fee to trade them.</p>
<p>Back-end sales loads shouldn’t be confused with withdrawal fees, which are tacked on when you take non-qualified distributions from&#160;a tax-deferred retirement account.&#160;For example, if&#160;you were to pull money out of an&#160;IRA or 401(k) prior to age 59 1/2, you’d have to pay a 10% penalty for the early withdrawal, along with regular income tax.</p>
<p>Some funds also carry a 12b-1 fee, also known as a distribution fee. This is an annual fee that’s assessed to cover the cost of marketing and distributing the fund. Not all mutual funds have this fee and some of those that do roll it into the expense ratio. FINRA&#160;limits the 12b-1 fees to 0.75% of the fund’s average net assets.</p>
<p>Try out our&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/asset-allocation-calculator" type="external">asset allocation calculator</a>.</p>
<p>Ongoing Fees</p>
<p>Ongoing fees are costs that you pay to maintain your holding in a particular asset. Advisor fees can either be upfront charges or ongoing expenses for investors. They are the fees that advisors or brokerage firms charge for helping investors choose funds and they’re calculated as a percentage of what’s invested. For instance, if the annual fee is 2% and you have $100,000 in holdings, you’d pay $2,000 a year for your advisor’s services.</p>
<p>Advisor fees are separate from the account maintenance or custodial fees that certain brokerages charge for managing investment accounts. These charges can either be flat fees or a certain percentage. These fees goes toward things like recordkeeping and account reporting.</p>
<p>One of the most important expenses beginning investors need to consider is the expense ratio. This is a fee that&#160;covers the operating costs for a fund on a yearly basis. Looking at the expense ratio is the easiest way to determine how much a particular investment is going to cost.</p>
<p>Expense ratios are expressed as a percentage and you can use them to&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/3-ways-to-evaluate-mutual-funds" type="external">evaluate and select mutual funds Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;and exchange-traded funds. As a general rule, the lower the percentage is, the better. The expense ratio is deducted directly from any earnings on your investments. By weighing it against the fund’s annual returns, you’ll know how much you stand to profit each year.</p>
<p>Related Article:&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/investing-for-beginners" type="external">Investing for Beginners Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Deducting Investment Fees</p>
<p>While investing fees can be a downer, there is some good news. Some of them are tax-deductible.&#160;A few&#160;of the things you can write off include certain IRA custodial fees, fees for investment advice, online service fees you pay to manage your account and charges associated with automatic investment plans.</p>
<p>You’ll have to itemize to claim an investment deduction and you can only claim expenses that exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. If you’re paying a substantial amount in fees, it might be worth it to see if you qualify for the deduction. You may even be able to <a href="https://smartasset.com/personal-finance/4-ways-to-get-a-bigger-tax-refund" type="external">bump up your refund Opens a New Window.</a>, which would leave you with more money to invest.</p>
<p>This article originally appeared on&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/newbie-investors-guide-to-fees" type="external">SmartAsset.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>More From SmatAsset.com <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/how-does-the-stock-market-work" type="external">How Does the Stock Market Work? Opens a New Window.</a> <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/what-are-futures" type="external">What Are Futures? Opens a New Window.</a> <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/what-is-the-nasdaq" type="external">What Is the Nasdaq? Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | The Newbie Investor's Guide to Fees | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/02/25/newbie-investors-guide-to-fees.html | 2016-02-25 | 0right
| The Newbie Investor's Guide to Fees
<p />
<p>New investors often focus on&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/asset-allocation-calculator" type="external">picking the right mix of funds Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;to add to their portfolios based on their risk tolerance. While choosing the right investments is a big part of building wealth, it’s not the only factor that matters. There are certain costs that go along with investing that you can’t afford to overlook. Before diving in, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the fees you’ll run into.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Transaction Fees</p>
<p>Investment fees can be lumped into two main groups: transaction fees and ongoing fees. Transaction fees are the costs you’ll pay when you buy or sell assets in your portfolio. For example, if you purchase shares of a specific stock through a broker, you’ll pay them a commission to execute the trade.</p>
<p>Brokers who deal with mutual funds can earn a commission called a sales load. This charge can be a front-end load that you’ll pay when you initially buy the fund or a back-end load that you’ll pay once you sell the fund. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) caps the maximum sales load associated with a mutual fund at 8.5%.&#160;Certain mutual funds are no-load funds, meaning there’s no sales fee to trade them.</p>
<p>Back-end sales loads shouldn’t be confused with withdrawal fees, which are tacked on when you take non-qualified distributions from&#160;a tax-deferred retirement account.&#160;For example, if&#160;you were to pull money out of an&#160;IRA or 401(k) prior to age 59 1/2, you’d have to pay a 10% penalty for the early withdrawal, along with regular income tax.</p>
<p>Some funds also carry a 12b-1 fee, also known as a distribution fee. This is an annual fee that’s assessed to cover the cost of marketing and distributing the fund. Not all mutual funds have this fee and some of those that do roll it into the expense ratio. FINRA&#160;limits the 12b-1 fees to 0.75% of the fund’s average net assets.</p>
<p>Try out our&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/asset-allocation-calculator" type="external">asset allocation calculator</a>.</p>
<p>Ongoing Fees</p>
<p>Ongoing fees are costs that you pay to maintain your holding in a particular asset. Advisor fees can either be upfront charges or ongoing expenses for investors. They are the fees that advisors or brokerage firms charge for helping investors choose funds and they’re calculated as a percentage of what’s invested. For instance, if the annual fee is 2% and you have $100,000 in holdings, you’d pay $2,000 a year for your advisor’s services.</p>
<p>Advisor fees are separate from the account maintenance or custodial fees that certain brokerages charge for managing investment accounts. These charges can either be flat fees or a certain percentage. These fees goes toward things like recordkeeping and account reporting.</p>
<p>One of the most important expenses beginning investors need to consider is the expense ratio. This is a fee that&#160;covers the operating costs for a fund on a yearly basis. Looking at the expense ratio is the easiest way to determine how much a particular investment is going to cost.</p>
<p>Expense ratios are expressed as a percentage and you can use them to&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/3-ways-to-evaluate-mutual-funds" type="external">evaluate and select mutual funds Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;and exchange-traded funds. As a general rule, the lower the percentage is, the better. The expense ratio is deducted directly from any earnings on your investments. By weighing it against the fund’s annual returns, you’ll know how much you stand to profit each year.</p>
<p>Related Article:&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/investing-for-beginners" type="external">Investing for Beginners Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Deducting Investment Fees</p>
<p>While investing fees can be a downer, there is some good news. Some of them are tax-deductible.&#160;A few&#160;of the things you can write off include certain IRA custodial fees, fees for investment advice, online service fees you pay to manage your account and charges associated with automatic investment plans.</p>
<p>You’ll have to itemize to claim an investment deduction and you can only claim expenses that exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. If you’re paying a substantial amount in fees, it might be worth it to see if you qualify for the deduction. You may even be able to <a href="https://smartasset.com/personal-finance/4-ways-to-get-a-bigger-tax-refund" type="external">bump up your refund Opens a New Window.</a>, which would leave you with more money to invest.</p>
<p>This article originally appeared on&#160; <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/newbie-investors-guide-to-fees" type="external">SmartAsset.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>More From SmatAsset.com <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/how-does-the-stock-market-work" type="external">How Does the Stock Market Work? Opens a New Window.</a> <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/what-are-futures" type="external">What Are Futures? Opens a New Window.</a> <a href="https://smartasset.com/investing/what-is-the-nasdaq" type="external">What Is the Nasdaq? Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | 2,655 |
<p />
<p>If you've always dreamed of owning a second home, there are two good reasons to think the time may be right to buy now: Interest rates are still relatively low and property prices, while they have climbed, aren't in the stratosphere. In other words, the stars may be aligned for a purchase, but you'll want to do some considerable analysis before taking the plunge.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>First, the facts. According to the National Association of Realtors, the market was on fire this year, with purchases up 29.7 percent as buyers benefitted from a rising stock market. The median vacation home price was $168,700 in 2013, up 12.5 percent from the year before. Buyers who considered their purchases an investment paid $130,000, up 13 percent from the previous year.</p>
<p>So, if it's a roaring market, why should you consider buying now? Well, for one thing, the vacation home market is still well below its peak of 2006. And, the market is a tiny slice of the overall housing market. Even so, it makes sense to do the math before you shop.</p>
<p>Many second homeowners complain they didn't foresee the costs of having a second home. Sure, there's the monthly mortgage, but ongoing expenses can add up, like, upkeep, insurance and possibly hiring a management company or just a trusted caretaker to look in on the property since you won't be there every day. Flood insurance costs need to be taken into consideration for beach and lakefront buyers, and a redrawing of flood maps by the Government may mean higher costs for some.</p>
<p>Also, consider this: If you aren't paying all cash, financial requirements are higher for second homes than first homes. Typically, you'll need to put down a considerable down payment to buy. Some lenders require borrowers put down 25 percent of the purchase price before writing a mortgage for the balance and the median down payment in 2013 was 26 percent. Keep in mind that, 38 percent of second-home buyers will pay all cash. Among investors, that proportion paying all cash was 46 percent.</p>
<p>I also think it makes sense to decide why you are buying the property in the first place. Is this a vacation only getaway for friends and family? An eventual retirement location? Or, do you plan to rent it out, or even buy it, upgrade and sell? Determining your own motivation in buying will help you pick the right location, and ultimately, the right property.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Every day this week, The Willis Report will be covering some aspect of second home ownership, helping you make the right calculations about where and when to buy and how much to pay.</p> | User's Guide To Buying a Second Home: What To Know Before You Buy | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2014/09/15/user-guide-to-buying-second-home-what-to-know-before-buy.html | 2016-03-06 | 0right
| User's Guide To Buying a Second Home: What To Know Before You Buy
<p />
<p>If you've always dreamed of owning a second home, there are two good reasons to think the time may be right to buy now: Interest rates are still relatively low and property prices, while they have climbed, aren't in the stratosphere. In other words, the stars may be aligned for a purchase, but you'll want to do some considerable analysis before taking the plunge.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>First, the facts. According to the National Association of Realtors, the market was on fire this year, with purchases up 29.7 percent as buyers benefitted from a rising stock market. The median vacation home price was $168,700 in 2013, up 12.5 percent from the year before. Buyers who considered their purchases an investment paid $130,000, up 13 percent from the previous year.</p>
<p>So, if it's a roaring market, why should you consider buying now? Well, for one thing, the vacation home market is still well below its peak of 2006. And, the market is a tiny slice of the overall housing market. Even so, it makes sense to do the math before you shop.</p>
<p>Many second homeowners complain they didn't foresee the costs of having a second home. Sure, there's the monthly mortgage, but ongoing expenses can add up, like, upkeep, insurance and possibly hiring a management company or just a trusted caretaker to look in on the property since you won't be there every day. Flood insurance costs need to be taken into consideration for beach and lakefront buyers, and a redrawing of flood maps by the Government may mean higher costs for some.</p>
<p>Also, consider this: If you aren't paying all cash, financial requirements are higher for second homes than first homes. Typically, you'll need to put down a considerable down payment to buy. Some lenders require borrowers put down 25 percent of the purchase price before writing a mortgage for the balance and the median down payment in 2013 was 26 percent. Keep in mind that, 38 percent of second-home buyers will pay all cash. Among investors, that proportion paying all cash was 46 percent.</p>
<p>I also think it makes sense to decide why you are buying the property in the first place. Is this a vacation only getaway for friends and family? An eventual retirement location? Or, do you plan to rent it out, or even buy it, upgrade and sell? Determining your own motivation in buying will help you pick the right location, and ultimately, the right property.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Every day this week, The Willis Report will be covering some aspect of second home ownership, helping you make the right calculations about where and when to buy and how much to pay.</p> | 2,656 |
<p>Florida last night elected the man who will become its first openly-gay state legislator, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DavidforFlorida" type="external">David Richardson</a>&#160;(image),&#160;and three openly-gay Democrats, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/votejoesaunders" type="external">Joe Saunders</a>,&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnalvarez2012" type="external">John Alvarez</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/votewhitney" type="external">Ian Whitney</a>&#160;won their primaries and will face Republicans in November.</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://eqfl.org/node/1925" type="external">Equality Florida</a>:</p>
<p>Tonight voters elected our first out gay state legislator in Florida’s history! David Richardson was elected to the Florida House in District 113, representing Miami Beach. No Republicans entered the race so David’s victory in the Democratic primary and edged out three opponents to claim the seat.</p>
<p>When the legislature convenes in 2013, David may not be alone in making history. Orange County voters just delivered a huge primary election victory for out, gay candidate Joe Saunders in the House District 49 race. He carried his district with a 30 point margin over his Democratic challenger. Joe now faces his Republican opponent in November in an I-4 corridor battle – the most hotly contested region of the state.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Brevard County also delivered an exciting &#160;primary victory for out, gay candidate John Alvarez in the House District 53 race. &#160;Alvarez won with an exciting 15 point margin over his Deomcratic challenger. &#160;John now faces Republican incumbent John Tobia in November.</p>
<p>Florida has not only broken the lavender ceiling, we could shatter it entirely. Ian Whitney, an out gay candidate running in House District 120 out of Key West was uncontested in the primary and will advance to the general election.</p>
<p>Congratulations to all!</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">2 gay</a>, <a href="" type="internal">david parks</a>, <a href="" type="internal">david richardson</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Equality Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">florida houses</a>, <a href="" type="internal">gay democrats</a>, <a href="" type="internal">gays</a>, <a href="" type="internal">ian whitney</a>, <a href="" type="internal">joe saunders</a>, <a href="" type="internal">john alvarez</a>, <a href="" type="internal">legislators</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Politics</a>, <a href="" type="internal">primaries</a>, <a href="" type="internal">social issues</a>, <a href="" type="internal">the florida house</a>, <a href="" type="internal">wins primary</a></p>
<p>Friends:</p>
<p>We invite you to <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001whLQo73KzGhEjdskYG07rHNy_XoDDkSBBO4INZHx6oD9kfp2yeeQAJeMQUu9oTviZa0VEl5k0rNiLifxlZsOFScMz8rVGmIaN-FFOO3GTKc%3D" type="external">sign up for our new mailing list</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheNewCivilRightsMovement&amp;amp;loc=en_US" type="external">subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email</a> or <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thenewcivilrightsmovement" type="external">RSS</a>.</p>
<p>Also, please&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Civil-Rights-Movement/358168880614" type="external">like us on Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/gaycivilrights" type="external">follow us on Twitter</a>!</p> | Florida: First Openly-Gay State Legislator Elected As 3 Gay Candidates Win Primaries | true | http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/florida-first-openly-gay-state-legislator-elected-as-3-gay-candidates-win-primaries/news/2012/08/15/46604 | 2012-08-15 | 4left
| Florida: First Openly-Gay State Legislator Elected As 3 Gay Candidates Win Primaries
<p>Florida last night elected the man who will become its first openly-gay state legislator, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DavidforFlorida" type="external">David Richardson</a>&#160;(image),&#160;and three openly-gay Democrats, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/votejoesaunders" type="external">Joe Saunders</a>,&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnalvarez2012" type="external">John Alvarez</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/votewhitney" type="external">Ian Whitney</a>&#160;won their primaries and will face Republicans in November.</p>
<p>Via <a href="http://eqfl.org/node/1925" type="external">Equality Florida</a>:</p>
<p>Tonight voters elected our first out gay state legislator in Florida’s history! David Richardson was elected to the Florida House in District 113, representing Miami Beach. No Republicans entered the race so David’s victory in the Democratic primary and edged out three opponents to claim the seat.</p>
<p>When the legislature convenes in 2013, David may not be alone in making history. Orange County voters just delivered a huge primary election victory for out, gay candidate Joe Saunders in the House District 49 race. He carried his district with a 30 point margin over his Democratic challenger. Joe now faces his Republican opponent in November in an I-4 corridor battle – the most hotly contested region of the state.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Brevard County also delivered an exciting &#160;primary victory for out, gay candidate John Alvarez in the House District 53 race. &#160;Alvarez won with an exciting 15 point margin over his Deomcratic challenger. &#160;John now faces Republican incumbent John Tobia in November.</p>
<p>Florida has not only broken the lavender ceiling, we could shatter it entirely. Ian Whitney, an out gay candidate running in House District 120 out of Key West was uncontested in the primary and will advance to the general election.</p>
<p>Congratulations to all!</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">2 gay</a>, <a href="" type="internal">david parks</a>, <a href="" type="internal">david richardson</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Equality Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">florida houses</a>, <a href="" type="internal">gay democrats</a>, <a href="" type="internal">gays</a>, <a href="" type="internal">ian whitney</a>, <a href="" type="internal">joe saunders</a>, <a href="" type="internal">john alvarez</a>, <a href="" type="internal">legislators</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Politics</a>, <a href="" type="internal">primaries</a>, <a href="" type="internal">social issues</a>, <a href="" type="internal">the florida house</a>, <a href="" type="internal">wins primary</a></p>
<p>Friends:</p>
<p>We invite you to <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001whLQo73KzGhEjdskYG07rHNy_XoDDkSBBO4INZHx6oD9kfp2yeeQAJeMQUu9oTviZa0VEl5k0rNiLifxlZsOFScMz8rVGmIaN-FFOO3GTKc%3D" type="external">sign up for our new mailing list</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheNewCivilRightsMovement&amp;amp;loc=en_US" type="external">subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email</a> or <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thenewcivilrightsmovement" type="external">RSS</a>.</p>
<p>Also, please&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Civil-Rights-Movement/358168880614" type="external">like us on Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/gaycivilrights" type="external">follow us on Twitter</a>!</p> | 2,657 |
<p>By Beth Pinsker</p>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) – At a retirement community near Chicago, Jay Schachner and his friends are nervously awaiting the fate of their medical expenses amid U.S. tax overhaul.</p>
<p>“Everyone is running scared, frankly,” said Schachner, an 86-year-old retired property law attorney who lives in a planned senior-living community in Chicago.</p>
<p>The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill that would eliminate the deduction for medical expenses. The Senate version leaves it alone.</p>
<p>For most Americans, the medical deduction is currently available for expenses above 10 percent of adjusted gross income.</p>
<p>That is a pretty high bar for most people to clear, and only about 9 million claim it. Those who do are typically old, sick and not wealthy. About 75 percent of Americans who take the medical deduction are over 50, and 70 percent make $75,000 a year or less, according to AARP.</p>
<p>“It’s a very middle-income deduction,” said Cristina Martin Firvida, director of health security in AARP’s government affairs office.</p>
<p>For Schachner, the deduction for medical expenses provides a useful annual financial boost of several thousand dollars. The community where he lives is part of the Kendal system, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community. Residents pay an entry fee that averages around $250,000, along with monthly fees of about $3,000. A portion of those fees, from 20 percent to 30 percent, are counted as medical expenses that can be deducted.</p>
<p>Since the Schachners are spending down their nest egg, they are offsetting some of the tax bite from selling assets by taking a deduction for medical expenses. However, if the rules change and their calculations are off, they will have to scramble to make up the difference.</p>
<p>IMPACT ON PLANNED COMMUNITIES</p>
<p>Richard Garrison, a 71-year-old retired chemical engineer who lives in a Kendal property in Maryland, says that eliminating the medical deduction will be a killer for planned communities like his, where people sign up for a living arrangement that will carry them from independent apartments to nursing care.</p>
<p>Already more than 60 percent of Social Security beneficiaries receive at least half their income from Social Security, according to the Social Security Administration. Those that completely run out of options end up on Medicaid, the social safety net that ends up paying for a lot of end-of-life care.</p>
<p>Just 1 percent of Kendal’s 13 affiliates transition to Medicaid now, said Marvell Adams, executive director of the Collington Community, a Kendal affiliate.</p>
<p>Another snowball factor of eliminating the medical deduction starts with seniors who suddenly have to cover several thousand dollars more in medical expenses a year. They will have to draw down more of their savings to cover those costs, putting them in danger of running out of money faster.</p>
<p>And the more they withdraw from their saving in a year, the more their Social Security benefits become taxable.</p>
<p>“It’s a double hit to a lot of these folks,” said John Dundon, a tax accountant and enrolled agent from Denver.</p>
<p>Dire medical conditions also take a tax toll on pre-retirees. Jennifer MacMillan, a tax accountant in Santa Barbara, California, has a client who is in her 60s and still working, making $120,000 a year. Her husband has Alzheimer’s, and the annual cost for him to live in a facility is $60,000.</p>
<p>With big medical expenses since 2015, she ended up with very little tax and got a refund, MacMillan said.</p>
<p>“Without that deduction, for anyone with a family member with a serious illness, it will be devastating,” she added.</p> | Your Money: Uncertain future for those counting on medical deductions | false | https://newsline.com/your-money-uncertain-future-for-those-counting-on-medical-deductions/ | 2017-11-22 | 1right-center
| Your Money: Uncertain future for those counting on medical deductions
<p>By Beth Pinsker</p>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) – At a retirement community near Chicago, Jay Schachner and his friends are nervously awaiting the fate of their medical expenses amid U.S. tax overhaul.</p>
<p>“Everyone is running scared, frankly,” said Schachner, an 86-year-old retired property law attorney who lives in a planned senior-living community in Chicago.</p>
<p>The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill that would eliminate the deduction for medical expenses. The Senate version leaves it alone.</p>
<p>For most Americans, the medical deduction is currently available for expenses above 10 percent of adjusted gross income.</p>
<p>That is a pretty high bar for most people to clear, and only about 9 million claim it. Those who do are typically old, sick and not wealthy. About 75 percent of Americans who take the medical deduction are over 50, and 70 percent make $75,000 a year or less, according to AARP.</p>
<p>“It’s a very middle-income deduction,” said Cristina Martin Firvida, director of health security in AARP’s government affairs office.</p>
<p>For Schachner, the deduction for medical expenses provides a useful annual financial boost of several thousand dollars. The community where he lives is part of the Kendal system, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community. Residents pay an entry fee that averages around $250,000, along with monthly fees of about $3,000. A portion of those fees, from 20 percent to 30 percent, are counted as medical expenses that can be deducted.</p>
<p>Since the Schachners are spending down their nest egg, they are offsetting some of the tax bite from selling assets by taking a deduction for medical expenses. However, if the rules change and their calculations are off, they will have to scramble to make up the difference.</p>
<p>IMPACT ON PLANNED COMMUNITIES</p>
<p>Richard Garrison, a 71-year-old retired chemical engineer who lives in a Kendal property in Maryland, says that eliminating the medical deduction will be a killer for planned communities like his, where people sign up for a living arrangement that will carry them from independent apartments to nursing care.</p>
<p>Already more than 60 percent of Social Security beneficiaries receive at least half their income from Social Security, according to the Social Security Administration. Those that completely run out of options end up on Medicaid, the social safety net that ends up paying for a lot of end-of-life care.</p>
<p>Just 1 percent of Kendal’s 13 affiliates transition to Medicaid now, said Marvell Adams, executive director of the Collington Community, a Kendal affiliate.</p>
<p>Another snowball factor of eliminating the medical deduction starts with seniors who suddenly have to cover several thousand dollars more in medical expenses a year. They will have to draw down more of their savings to cover those costs, putting them in danger of running out of money faster.</p>
<p>And the more they withdraw from their saving in a year, the more their Social Security benefits become taxable.</p>
<p>“It’s a double hit to a lot of these folks,” said John Dundon, a tax accountant and enrolled agent from Denver.</p>
<p>Dire medical conditions also take a tax toll on pre-retirees. Jennifer MacMillan, a tax accountant in Santa Barbara, California, has a client who is in her 60s and still working, making $120,000 a year. Her husband has Alzheimer’s, and the annual cost for him to live in a facility is $60,000.</p>
<p>With big medical expenses since 2015, she ended up with very little tax and got a refund, MacMillan said.</p>
<p>“Without that deduction, for anyone with a family member with a serious illness, it will be devastating,” she added.</p> | 2,658 |
<p>It’s time for our nation’s health care leaders to stand up against those&#160;who&#160;denigrate&#160;the nation’s invaluable Medicaid program.&#160;Such talk is wrong-headed,&#160;usually untrue, and counter-productive&#160;to&#160;the provision of care.&#160;Medicaid expansion is a key component of the Affordable Care Act, and&#160;congressional&#160;efforts&#160;against the&#160;Affordable&#160;Care Act&#160;would badly undermine health care for the poor and low-income Americans. Although these efforts in Washington have failed,&#160;offensive attitudes toward Medicaid persist.</p>
<p>This persistent&#160;criticism by some&#160;is ironic,&#160;as&#160;21 states – including Massachusetts –-have or will soon implement&#160;a&#160;new&#160;health care&#160;delivery&#160;model: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). ACOs are collaboratives of health care providers and insurers who are entirely focused on&#160;improving&#160;the overall&#160;health&#160;and well-being of&#160;Medicaid&#160;patients and, as a result, by extension, reducing costs of providing their care. This mandate was written into the Affordable Care Act so that we – finally —&#160;have a&#160;health&#160;care&#160;approach&#160;that acknowledges the realities of life below the poverty&#160;line.</p>
<p>ACOs&#160;shun the costly&#160;fee-for-service system&#160;and require&#160;accountability from&#160;medical&#160;care providers, case managers&#160;and behavioral health&#160;professionals&#160;who will now&#160;work as teams to&#160;focus&#160;on&#160;all aspects of a&#160;Medicaid-enrolled patient’s&#160;well-being.&#160;ACOs&#160;networks are rewarded not for saving money in providing care, but for improving patients’ health.</p>
<p>The&#160;ACO model acknowledges&#160;that, for people with&#160;low-income, success in coping&#160;with&#160;chronic&#160;disease,&#160;acute&#160;illness or injury&#160;is only 10 percent dependent on actual&#160;medical care received.&#160;Since&#160;genetics account for&#160;about&#160;30 percent&#160;of our health,&#160;a full&#160;60 percent&#160;of our health&#160;care&#160;is linked&#160;to social, behavioral and environmental factors.</p>
<p>So now,&#160;ACO health care providers will shine a spotlight on patients in ways they may find uncomfortable at first: for instance, along with taking a patient’s blood pressure, a practitioner will ask: Do you have transportation? If you live alone, are you able to cook for yourself? Do you have friends? Have you recently experienced a loss? Are you worried about paying the rent, or heating your home? Would you like to talk about mental health services? Does your family eat healthy meals at home? Not only can ACO practitioners ask the questions, they can leverage the resources to help address the answers.</p>
<p>This&#160;year, Governor Charlie Barker announced&#160;the&#160;formation&#160;of&#160;17&#160;ACO collaboratives. These networks&#160;are scheduled to be&#160;up and running&#160;in&#160;January&#160;with&#160;more than&#160;900,000&#160;Medicaid enrollees&#160;and 4,500 primary care providers.&#160;In the Berkshires, Berkshire Health Systems, Community Health Programs and Fallon Health have formed the&#160;Berkshire Fallon&#160;Health Collaborative. Together we will&#160;care for&#160;some 20,000&#160;people in the Berkshire region.</p>
<p>Our ACO partners&#160;are&#160;heartened&#160;by&#160;this collaboration and its possibilities.&#160;Soon, when CHP&#160;patients present&#160;needs beyond a&#160;medical&#160;issue, we can offer a&#160;continuum&#160;of&#160;family support, mental health care and resources to help with housing and food insecurity.</p>
<p>It’s nearly impossible to overstate&#160;the&#160;breakthrough&#160;offered by&#160;these innovations.&#160;MassHealth&#160;is drawing on the lessons&#160;of&#160;the&#160;two-year-old Medical Home Network ACO, which serves Chicago’s&#160;poor&#160;West Side.&#160;MHN’s&#160;results&#160;demonstrates&#160;that&#160;when a&#160;comprehensive&#160;ACO&#160;offers&#160;complete and diverse care and&#160;services,&#160;health improves.&#160;Homelessness or&#160;overcrowded housing, high unemployment&#160;or low wages, poor nutrition, substance abuse,&#160;under-education,&#160;and distrust of the criminal justice system&#160;can be&#160;better&#160;addressed&#160;through this collaborative&#160;health&#160;care model.</p>
<p>Sounds expensive?&#160;In its first year, health care costs for those served by&#160;Chicago’s&#160;MHN declined&#160;by more than $17 million in its&#160;first year,&#160;an approximate 7.9 % reduction in&#160;net risk-adjusted&#160;costs,&#160;and by&#160;an additional&#160;$6 million in its&#160;second&#160;year.&#160;&#160;MHN also&#160;measured&#160;a&#160;12.9% reduction in emergency room visits and 35% reduction in&#160;hospital&#160;re-admission rates.</p>
<p>The faith that ACO providers place in this model is reflected in their willingness to assume financial risk. ACOs receive a&#160;pre-determined&#160;annual&#160;fee&#160;for&#160;each member, and at&#160;year’s end, the ACO shares&#160;data on how that patient is doing: Are members using emergency rooms less often? Have hospitalizations been reduced or avoided? Have hospital re-admissions decreased?&#160;If the cost of a member’s care exceeds&#160;the&#160;set fee,&#160;the ACO&#160;covers&#160;the difference.</p>
<p>MassHealth&#160;has been operating&#160;a&#160;pilot project&#160;with six ACOs&#160;since December&#160;2016,&#160;and the&#160;results are promising.&#160;For example, Partners HealthCare ACO, which&#160;was&#160;founded by&#160;Brigham&#160;and Women’s&#160;and Massachusetts&#160;General hospitals, reports&#160;that&#160;by connecting members with home and community based services&#160;—&#160;including&#160;providing&#160;primary care in members’ homes&#160;—&#160;preventable or unnecessary hospitalizations&#160;have&#160;declined.</p>
<p>The&#160;recent&#160;national push to cut millions from Medicaid rolls, and to reduce services available for those who remain,&#160;is&#160;heartbreaking&#160;and&#160;frustrating.&#160;But for those of us&#160;working to&#160;craft&#160;a&#160;health&#160;care system&#160;that&#160;measurably&#160;improves&#160;the lives of the families and individuals —&#160;with&#160;significant cost&#160;savings&#160;-– this&#160;is&#160;a time for hope.</p>
<p>Massachusetts has&#160;long led&#160;the nation&#160;in&#160;ensuring&#160;that all&#160;citizens&#160;have access to health care. This&#160;goal&#160;matches&#160;the&#160;mission of&#160;the&#160;community health center movement, so we are ideal ACO partners.&#160;But we&#160;all&#160;must continue to&#160;advocate and collaborate&#160;—&#160;especially&#160;now, at&#160;the cusp&#160;of&#160;positive change&#160;—&#160;to ensure&#160;that&#160;our struggling friends&#160;and&#160;neighbors benefit from&#160;a&#160;long-overdue&#160;understanding of what constitutes&#160;cost-efficient, effective,&#160;and humane&#160;health&#160;care.</p>
<p>Lia Spiliotes is chief executive officer of Community Health Programs, a federally qualified health center serving nearly 34,000 patients in the Berkshire County region of Massachusetts. She also serves on the board of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Stop the Attacks on Medicaid: It Could Hold the Key to Better Health for Those Living Life on the Financial Edge | true | https://counterpunch.org/2017/11/09/stop-the-attacks-on-medicaid-it-could-hold-the-key-to-better-health-for-those-living-life-on-the-financial-edge/ | 2017-11-09 | 4left
| Stop the Attacks on Medicaid: It Could Hold the Key to Better Health for Those Living Life on the Financial Edge
<p>It’s time for our nation’s health care leaders to stand up against those&#160;who&#160;denigrate&#160;the nation’s invaluable Medicaid program.&#160;Such talk is wrong-headed,&#160;usually untrue, and counter-productive&#160;to&#160;the provision of care.&#160;Medicaid expansion is a key component of the Affordable Care Act, and&#160;congressional&#160;efforts&#160;against the&#160;Affordable&#160;Care Act&#160;would badly undermine health care for the poor and low-income Americans. Although these efforts in Washington have failed,&#160;offensive attitudes toward Medicaid persist.</p>
<p>This persistent&#160;criticism by some&#160;is ironic,&#160;as&#160;21 states – including Massachusetts –-have or will soon implement&#160;a&#160;new&#160;health care&#160;delivery&#160;model: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). ACOs are collaboratives of health care providers and insurers who are entirely focused on&#160;improving&#160;the overall&#160;health&#160;and well-being of&#160;Medicaid&#160;patients and, as a result, by extension, reducing costs of providing their care. This mandate was written into the Affordable Care Act so that we – finally —&#160;have a&#160;health&#160;care&#160;approach&#160;that acknowledges the realities of life below the poverty&#160;line.</p>
<p>ACOs&#160;shun the costly&#160;fee-for-service system&#160;and require&#160;accountability from&#160;medical&#160;care providers, case managers&#160;and behavioral health&#160;professionals&#160;who will now&#160;work as teams to&#160;focus&#160;on&#160;all aspects of a&#160;Medicaid-enrolled patient’s&#160;well-being.&#160;ACOs&#160;networks are rewarded not for saving money in providing care, but for improving patients’ health.</p>
<p>The&#160;ACO model acknowledges&#160;that, for people with&#160;low-income, success in coping&#160;with&#160;chronic&#160;disease,&#160;acute&#160;illness or injury&#160;is only 10 percent dependent on actual&#160;medical care received.&#160;Since&#160;genetics account for&#160;about&#160;30 percent&#160;of our health,&#160;a full&#160;60 percent&#160;of our health&#160;care&#160;is linked&#160;to social, behavioral and environmental factors.</p>
<p>So now,&#160;ACO health care providers will shine a spotlight on patients in ways they may find uncomfortable at first: for instance, along with taking a patient’s blood pressure, a practitioner will ask: Do you have transportation? If you live alone, are you able to cook for yourself? Do you have friends? Have you recently experienced a loss? Are you worried about paying the rent, or heating your home? Would you like to talk about mental health services? Does your family eat healthy meals at home? Not only can ACO practitioners ask the questions, they can leverage the resources to help address the answers.</p>
<p>This&#160;year, Governor Charlie Barker announced&#160;the&#160;formation&#160;of&#160;17&#160;ACO collaboratives. These networks&#160;are scheduled to be&#160;up and running&#160;in&#160;January&#160;with&#160;more than&#160;900,000&#160;Medicaid enrollees&#160;and 4,500 primary care providers.&#160;In the Berkshires, Berkshire Health Systems, Community Health Programs and Fallon Health have formed the&#160;Berkshire Fallon&#160;Health Collaborative. Together we will&#160;care for&#160;some 20,000&#160;people in the Berkshire region.</p>
<p>Our ACO partners&#160;are&#160;heartened&#160;by&#160;this collaboration and its possibilities.&#160;Soon, when CHP&#160;patients present&#160;needs beyond a&#160;medical&#160;issue, we can offer a&#160;continuum&#160;of&#160;family support, mental health care and resources to help with housing and food insecurity.</p>
<p>It’s nearly impossible to overstate&#160;the&#160;breakthrough&#160;offered by&#160;these innovations.&#160;MassHealth&#160;is drawing on the lessons&#160;of&#160;the&#160;two-year-old Medical Home Network ACO, which serves Chicago’s&#160;poor&#160;West Side.&#160;MHN’s&#160;results&#160;demonstrates&#160;that&#160;when a&#160;comprehensive&#160;ACO&#160;offers&#160;complete and diverse care and&#160;services,&#160;health improves.&#160;Homelessness or&#160;overcrowded housing, high unemployment&#160;or low wages, poor nutrition, substance abuse,&#160;under-education,&#160;and distrust of the criminal justice system&#160;can be&#160;better&#160;addressed&#160;through this collaborative&#160;health&#160;care model.</p>
<p>Sounds expensive?&#160;In its first year, health care costs for those served by&#160;Chicago’s&#160;MHN declined&#160;by more than $17 million in its&#160;first year,&#160;an approximate 7.9 % reduction in&#160;net risk-adjusted&#160;costs,&#160;and by&#160;an additional&#160;$6 million in its&#160;second&#160;year.&#160;&#160;MHN also&#160;measured&#160;a&#160;12.9% reduction in emergency room visits and 35% reduction in&#160;hospital&#160;re-admission rates.</p>
<p>The faith that ACO providers place in this model is reflected in their willingness to assume financial risk. ACOs receive a&#160;pre-determined&#160;annual&#160;fee&#160;for&#160;each member, and at&#160;year’s end, the ACO shares&#160;data on how that patient is doing: Are members using emergency rooms less often? Have hospitalizations been reduced or avoided? Have hospital re-admissions decreased?&#160;If the cost of a member’s care exceeds&#160;the&#160;set fee,&#160;the ACO&#160;covers&#160;the difference.</p>
<p>MassHealth&#160;has been operating&#160;a&#160;pilot project&#160;with six ACOs&#160;since December&#160;2016,&#160;and the&#160;results are promising.&#160;For example, Partners HealthCare ACO, which&#160;was&#160;founded by&#160;Brigham&#160;and Women’s&#160;and Massachusetts&#160;General hospitals, reports&#160;that&#160;by connecting members with home and community based services&#160;—&#160;including&#160;providing&#160;primary care in members’ homes&#160;—&#160;preventable or unnecessary hospitalizations&#160;have&#160;declined.</p>
<p>The&#160;recent&#160;national push to cut millions from Medicaid rolls, and to reduce services available for those who remain,&#160;is&#160;heartbreaking&#160;and&#160;frustrating.&#160;But for those of us&#160;working to&#160;craft&#160;a&#160;health&#160;care system&#160;that&#160;measurably&#160;improves&#160;the lives of the families and individuals —&#160;with&#160;significant cost&#160;savings&#160;-– this&#160;is&#160;a time for hope.</p>
<p>Massachusetts has&#160;long led&#160;the nation&#160;in&#160;ensuring&#160;that all&#160;citizens&#160;have access to health care. This&#160;goal&#160;matches&#160;the&#160;mission of&#160;the&#160;community health center movement, so we are ideal ACO partners.&#160;But we&#160;all&#160;must continue to&#160;advocate and collaborate&#160;—&#160;especially&#160;now, at&#160;the cusp&#160;of&#160;positive change&#160;—&#160;to ensure&#160;that&#160;our struggling friends&#160;and&#160;neighbors benefit from&#160;a&#160;long-overdue&#160;understanding of what constitutes&#160;cost-efficient, effective,&#160;and humane&#160;health&#160;care.</p>
<p>Lia Spiliotes is chief executive officer of Community Health Programs, a federally qualified health center serving nearly 34,000 patients in the Berkshire County region of Massachusetts. She also serves on the board of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,659 |
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<p>The holiday makeover has begun.</p>
<p>Coming off a stinging, one-sided loss at Colorado, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team plans to unveil a new image in 2013. It won’t be about stylish shoes or flattering hairstyles.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“We’ve got to create a new identity, especially on defense,” Lobo coach Yvonne Sanchez said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ve got to pressure the ball more and we’ve got to play more physical. Colorado beat us up and we took it. We’ve got to have a lot more fight than that.”</p>
<p>Sanchez said a lack of aggression has been evident in several recent games, particularly in the early moments. The Lobos fell into early holes against Arizona, UTEP and Colorado and started poorly in the second halves of those defeats.</p>
<p>One adjustment is to alter the starting lineup, and Sanchez is using her team’s lengthy schedule break to tinker with different player combinations. The Lobos don’t play again until their Jan. 9 Mountain West Conference opener at UNLV.</p>
<p>“The good thing is we have time to work on things,” Sanchez said. “We need to find a spark going into conference and the players know that. We can compete in the Mountain West race, but not if we’re getting down 10-2 or 12-2 every night.”</p>
<p>Sanchez said she has not yet determined UNM’s starting lineup for the UNLV game, but at least two changes will likely be made.</p>
<p>“It’s not about punishment,” Sanchez said, “because the players who come off the bench now will still get minutes, maybe as many minutes as they got before. It’s about creating energy. We’ve got to have a starting group that battles and sets the tone.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>One starter who has shown that kind of competitive fire is senior Jourdan Erskine, Sanchez said. The forward leads UNM in rebounding (6.4 per game), holds her own defending taller players inside and has recently begun looking to score more often.</p>
<p>“Jourdan gives her all,” Sanchez said. “Energy is never an issue with her.”</p>
<p>Sanchez wants to see Erskine’s teammates amp up their defensive energy, something they did not do at Colorado.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t just that game,” Sanchez said. “We’ve been too willing to just let opponents execute their offense. I want to see us forcing the action, disrupting things. If we make some mistakes, that’s OK. We need to be aggressors.”</p>
<p>WELCOME BACK, BRONCOS: Sanchez was delighted with the recent news that Boise State will remain in the Mountain West after this season.</p>
<p>“Boise has a very good women’s basketball program,” she said, “and it’s a school that brings so much to the conference in every sport. I think it’s terrific they’re staying.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>As for rumored future additions…</p>
<p>“Everyone’s speculating,” she said, “about whether (MWC officials) want a school in the Texas market, or whether it’s BYU coming back or San Diego State. Now that Boise’s staying, I’m sure the phones are ringing. Everything looks positive right now.”</p>
<p>ROOTING INTERESTS: The NFL season got simpler this week for Lobo senior Caroline Durbin. A graduate of Texas’ Austin-Westlake High, Durbin had two fellow alums starting at quarterback for NFL teams this season: New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Philadelphia’s Nick Foles.</p>
<p>Durbin knew Foles (a 2007 grad) during her prep days. Brees (Westlake Class of 1997) was well before Durbin’s time, though she went to school with his younger sister, Audrey.</p>
<p>Does Durbin root for the former Chaparrals?</p>
<p>“Of course,” she said. “I was excited to see Nick playing for the Eagles, but I’m a Cowboy fan so it was hard to root for him.”</p>
<p>Brees, Foles and Durbin’s beloved Cowboys concluded their seasons Sunday, but she still has one playoff rooting interest.</p>
<p>“Justin Tucker, the Baltimore Ravens’ kicker,” she said, “he’s from Westlake, too.” — This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | Sanchez Wants Her Lobos To Be Physical | false | https://abqjournal.com/31456/sanche-zwants-her-lobos-to-be-physical.html | 2least
| Sanchez Wants Her Lobos To Be Physical
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<p>The holiday makeover has begun.</p>
<p>Coming off a stinging, one-sided loss at Colorado, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team plans to unveil a new image in 2013. It won’t be about stylish shoes or flattering hairstyles.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“We’ve got to create a new identity, especially on defense,” Lobo coach Yvonne Sanchez said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ve got to pressure the ball more and we’ve got to play more physical. Colorado beat us up and we took it. We’ve got to have a lot more fight than that.”</p>
<p>Sanchez said a lack of aggression has been evident in several recent games, particularly in the early moments. The Lobos fell into early holes against Arizona, UTEP and Colorado and started poorly in the second halves of those defeats.</p>
<p>One adjustment is to alter the starting lineup, and Sanchez is using her team’s lengthy schedule break to tinker with different player combinations. The Lobos don’t play again until their Jan. 9 Mountain West Conference opener at UNLV.</p>
<p>“The good thing is we have time to work on things,” Sanchez said. “We need to find a spark going into conference and the players know that. We can compete in the Mountain West race, but not if we’re getting down 10-2 or 12-2 every night.”</p>
<p>Sanchez said she has not yet determined UNM’s starting lineup for the UNLV game, but at least two changes will likely be made.</p>
<p>“It’s not about punishment,” Sanchez said, “because the players who come off the bench now will still get minutes, maybe as many minutes as they got before. It’s about creating energy. We’ve got to have a starting group that battles and sets the tone.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>One starter who has shown that kind of competitive fire is senior Jourdan Erskine, Sanchez said. The forward leads UNM in rebounding (6.4 per game), holds her own defending taller players inside and has recently begun looking to score more often.</p>
<p>“Jourdan gives her all,” Sanchez said. “Energy is never an issue with her.”</p>
<p>Sanchez wants to see Erskine’s teammates amp up their defensive energy, something they did not do at Colorado.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t just that game,” Sanchez said. “We’ve been too willing to just let opponents execute their offense. I want to see us forcing the action, disrupting things. If we make some mistakes, that’s OK. We need to be aggressors.”</p>
<p>WELCOME BACK, BRONCOS: Sanchez was delighted with the recent news that Boise State will remain in the Mountain West after this season.</p>
<p>“Boise has a very good women’s basketball program,” she said, “and it’s a school that brings so much to the conference in every sport. I think it’s terrific they’re staying.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>As for rumored future additions…</p>
<p>“Everyone’s speculating,” she said, “about whether (MWC officials) want a school in the Texas market, or whether it’s BYU coming back or San Diego State. Now that Boise’s staying, I’m sure the phones are ringing. Everything looks positive right now.”</p>
<p>ROOTING INTERESTS: The NFL season got simpler this week for Lobo senior Caroline Durbin. A graduate of Texas’ Austin-Westlake High, Durbin had two fellow alums starting at quarterback for NFL teams this season: New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Philadelphia’s Nick Foles.</p>
<p>Durbin knew Foles (a 2007 grad) during her prep days. Brees (Westlake Class of 1997) was well before Durbin’s time, though she went to school with his younger sister, Audrey.</p>
<p>Does Durbin root for the former Chaparrals?</p>
<p>“Of course,” she said. “I was excited to see Nick playing for the Eagles, but I’m a Cowboy fan so it was hard to root for him.”</p>
<p>Brees, Foles and Durbin’s beloved Cowboys concluded their seasons Sunday, but she still has one playoff rooting interest.</p>
<p>“Justin Tucker, the Baltimore Ravens’ kicker,” she said, “he’s from Westlake, too.” — This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | 2,660 |
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<p>ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. — A 73-year-old man has died after a fall while descending a peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.</p>
<p>Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says the body of Ken Teselle of Estes Park was recovered by helicopter on Thursday from the Chasm Lake area.</p>
<p>Patterson says Teselle was descending the 13,281-foot Mount Lady Washington when he fell on Wednesday. Bystanders and rangers tried cardio-pulmonary resuscitation but he was pronounced dead at the scene.</p>
<p>Bad weather kept rangers from transporting the body until Thursday.</p>
<p>Ascending Mount Lady Washington doesn’t require technical climbing skill or equipment but the south slope is a steep descent to Chasm Lake.</p>
<p>The National Park Service says Teselle was a volunteer at the park but was off-duty at the time of his fall.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 73-year-old dies after climbing fall in Rocky Mountain Park | false | https://abqjournal.com/1052970/73-year-old-dies-after-climbing-fall-in-rocky-mountain-park.html | 2least
| 73-year-old dies after climbing fall in Rocky Mountain Park
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<p>ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. — A 73-year-old man has died after a fall while descending a peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.</p>
<p>Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says the body of Ken Teselle of Estes Park was recovered by helicopter on Thursday from the Chasm Lake area.</p>
<p>Patterson says Teselle was descending the 13,281-foot Mount Lady Washington when he fell on Wednesday. Bystanders and rangers tried cardio-pulmonary resuscitation but he was pronounced dead at the scene.</p>
<p>Bad weather kept rangers from transporting the body until Thursday.</p>
<p>Ascending Mount Lady Washington doesn’t require technical climbing skill or equipment but the south slope is a steep descent to Chasm Lake.</p>
<p>The National Park Service says Teselle was a volunteer at the park but was off-duty at the time of his fall.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,661 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man is in serious condition after being stabbed at Coronado Park near Indian School and Second St. NW Monday afternoon.</p>
<p>Albuquerque police said the man, who has not been identified, was transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital with serious injuries. Police had no other information.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | BREAKING: Police Investigating Stabbing in ABQ Park | false | https://abqjournal.com/142382/breaking-police-investigating-stabbing-in-abq-park.html | 2least
| BREAKING: Police Investigating Stabbing in ABQ Park
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man is in serious condition after being stabbed at Coronado Park near Indian School and Second St. NW Monday afternoon.</p>
<p>Albuquerque police said the man, who has not been identified, was transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital with serious injuries. Police had no other information.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,662 |
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — Los Alamos National Security has received a $9.1 million bonus for reaching environmental goals in its operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory.</p>
<p>The New Mexican reports ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2igBvkk" type="external">http://bit.ly/2igBvkk</a> ) that the U.S. Energy Department says the contractor excelled in a number of projects to remediate areas of environmental concern during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. The company earned 90 percent of the maximum $10.1 million award.</p>
<p>Decades of improper waste disposal have caused toxic and radiological contamination at the lab and are expected to cost nearly $4 billion to clean up over the next 25 years. The Department of Energy says in a report that the lab has made progress addressing an underground chemical plume that is creeping toward a major aquifer and in cleanup at Technical Area 21.</p>
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<p>Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, <a href="http://www.sfnewmexican.com" type="external">http://www.sfnewmexican.com</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | LANL contractor earns DOE bonus for environmental management | false | https://abqjournal.com/926233/lanl-contractor-earns-doe-bonus-for-environmental-management.html | 2least
| LANL contractor earns DOE bonus for environmental management
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — Los Alamos National Security has received a $9.1 million bonus for reaching environmental goals in its operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory.</p>
<p>The New Mexican reports ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2igBvkk" type="external">http://bit.ly/2igBvkk</a> ) that the U.S. Energy Department says the contractor excelled in a number of projects to remediate areas of environmental concern during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. The company earned 90 percent of the maximum $10.1 million award.</p>
<p>Decades of improper waste disposal have caused toxic and radiological contamination at the lab and are expected to cost nearly $4 billion to clean up over the next 25 years. The Department of Energy says in a report that the lab has made progress addressing an underground chemical plume that is creeping toward a major aquifer and in cleanup at Technical Area 21.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, <a href="http://www.sfnewmexican.com" type="external">http://www.sfnewmexican.com</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,663 |
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<p>Mexico eliminates trachoma.</p>
<p>A disease which is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide has been eliminated in Mexico. The disease, trachoma, occurs primarily in hot, dry countries and affects people without access to clean water to wash their faces.</p>
<p>Mexico increased its actions to eliminate the disease in 2004. Efforts were focused on cleanliness, antibiotics, environmental improvement, and surgery for the advanced stage of the disease. Its slogan was “With water, soap and cleanliness you can prevent trachoma.” Teachers also met regularly with parents to promote better hygiene.</p>
<p>The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said, “This is a historic moment for public health in Mexico and the Americas. Eliminating a disease is not achieved every day.” The director also acknowledged that the achievement was the result of a decades-long effort by Mexican authorities, health workers, and communities to improve their health and quality of life.</p>
<p>Trachoma is caused by bacterial infection. It mainly affects young children, and can be spread by personal contact or by flies that have been in contact with the discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), trachoma is a public health problem in 42 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Repeated episodes of the infection over time can invert the eyelashes so that they rub over the surface of the eye, causing pain and permanent damage. Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.</p>
<p>&#160;Spokepersons from PAHO and WHO said Mexico is the first country in the Americas and the third country worldwide to eliminate trachoma. Oman was the first country to eliminate the disease followed by Morocco. Another five countries are waiting for WHO validation that they, too, have eliminated trachoma.</p> | Mexico Eliminates Disease That Causes Blindness | true | http://politicalblindspot.com/mexico-eliminates-disease-that-causes-blindness/ | 2017-05-02 | 4left
| Mexico Eliminates Disease That Causes Blindness
<p>Mexico eliminates trachoma.</p>
<p>A disease which is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide has been eliminated in Mexico. The disease, trachoma, occurs primarily in hot, dry countries and affects people without access to clean water to wash their faces.</p>
<p>Mexico increased its actions to eliminate the disease in 2004. Efforts were focused on cleanliness, antibiotics, environmental improvement, and surgery for the advanced stage of the disease. Its slogan was “With water, soap and cleanliness you can prevent trachoma.” Teachers also met regularly with parents to promote better hygiene.</p>
<p>The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said, “This is a historic moment for public health in Mexico and the Americas. Eliminating a disease is not achieved every day.” The director also acknowledged that the achievement was the result of a decades-long effort by Mexican authorities, health workers, and communities to improve their health and quality of life.</p>
<p>Trachoma is caused by bacterial infection. It mainly affects young children, and can be spread by personal contact or by flies that have been in contact with the discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), trachoma is a public health problem in 42 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Repeated episodes of the infection over time can invert the eyelashes so that they rub over the surface of the eye, causing pain and permanent damage. Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.</p>
<p>&#160;Spokepersons from PAHO and WHO said Mexico is the first country in the Americas and the third country worldwide to eliminate trachoma. Oman was the first country to eliminate the disease followed by Morocco. Another five countries are waiting for WHO validation that they, too, have eliminated trachoma.</p> | 2,664 |
<p>FBN’s Liz MacDonald reports that federal labor unions are protecting underperforming government workers from being fired.</p>
<p>First of a Three-Part Series</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you like to have a job where you get paid to slack off, and no matter what, have a powerful authority to back you up, winning battles to preserve your salary, benefits, and your every demand if your boss tries to fire you?</p>
<p>It’s a fact of life for many government workers. A dive into government labor fights at the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) reveals a nasty secret—the great lengths federal unions go to protect government slackers, at your expense.</p>
<p>Cases at the FLRA, a quasi-judicial body that oversees disputes between federal agencies and government unions, show federal labor unions are winning battles that are putting taxpayers, and the government, at risk.</p>
<p>And now one big government insider is calling foul on government union abuses of taxpayers and federal agencies. Patrick Pizzella, one of the three referees at the FLRA adjudicating these fights, is blowing the whistle on federal union abuses in case after case. “One cannot make this stuff up,” Pizzella said.</p>
<p>For example, federal labor unions are winning fights against federal agencies who try to fire their union workers for letting mentally ill military veterans walk out the door of psychiatric units in Veterans Affairs hospitals, or for not catching things like a major rat infestation in a food factory. Instead, union lawyers are getting their members’ jobs, back-pay, and benefits reinstated, all at taxpayer expense.</p>
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<p>Federal unions have also battled Defense Dept. agencies that, for example, try to suspend a daycare worker for letting a toddler wander off a military base down the sidewalk toward traffic.</p>
<p>At the same time, federal worker unions have been fighting to unionize federal inspector generals’ offices, the watchdogs who catch waste, fraud and abuse committed by federal workers at agencies like the <a href="http://www.govexec.com/oversight/2014/09/ruling-ig-investigations-victory-good-government/95336/?oref=river" type="external">IRS, the Dept. of Homeland Security, the Dept. of Transportation, or the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>In the second part of our series, we’ll show you how federal unions are fighting to let their members work full-time from home on union business, and not on their work for the government, at places like the VA.</p>
<p>We’ll show you, too, how federal teleworking is on the rise, thanks to the Obama Administration, where a growing number of government workers are working from home, even from their couches. This, as workers at the U.S. Patent Office were found to be surfing on Facebook, shopping online, running errands or doing the laundry, while ostensibly working from home.</p>
<p>And in the final part of our series, we’ll show you how, despite the fact that cyber attacks on the government are on the rise, a federal union recently won a case that stopped Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from immediately blocking workers’ personal email accounts on government computers, like Hotmail or Gmail. Such accounts are often loaded with computer viruses or malware.</p>
<p>Instead, the union is forcing these security agencies to first enter into protracted collective bargaining over the use of personal webmail accounts, putting the government at risk of cyber-attacks at a time when security experts note cyber criminals, terrorists and nation states like China are increasingly trying to break in.</p>
<p>Just last week Russian cyber thieves were blamed for the hack into the IRS, where tax return data for 104,000 individuals was stolen in order to get fraudulent tax refunds, now estimated at $50 million. Hackers broke into the IRS’s Internet service that lets taxpayers access their past tax returns.</p>
<p>Big government is becoming harder to oversee as it increases in size. However, the head of the country’s biggest federal worker union recently threatened retaliation against anyone in Congress who tried to dial back the federal workforce in order to help rein in the ballooning $18.1 trillion federal deficit.</p>
<p>“We are a force to be reckoned with and we are a force that will open up the biggest can of whoop ass on anyone” who votes against the interests of federal unions, J. David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), recently said, adding, “every time the “fools” in Congress try to hurt the federal workforce we get bigger. We get stronger and we fight harder.” AFGE did not return repeated calls for comment on this story.</p>
<p>The percentage of workers represented by unions in the private sector is now at about 6.6%, a number that has been steadily declining since the seventies, according to the <a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm" type="external">Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opens a New Window.</a> Compare that to estimates that show anywhere from 35.7% to more than half of the federal government is represented by a union.</p>
<p>About 1.2 million federal workers are members of a federal union, says the Government Accountability Office. That’s an estimated 57% membership rate; there are about 80 federal unions. At the same time, it can take anywhere from a little over five months to more than a year to fire federal workers for poor performance, and fired workers can still appeal, consuming another 200 days.</p>
<p>Meantime, the FLRA continues to hear hundreds of cases where federal unions battle attempted firings for government backsliders. Cases dense with an impenetrable fogbank of legalism, where federal unions hire attorneys who earn a bonanza of fees protecting miscreant federal workers and magick away accountability, putting taxpayers, and the government, at risk.</p>
<p>Taxpayers Must Reward Back Pay to VA Worker Who Let Psych Patient Vanish</p>
<p>Somehow, no one at the VA medical facility in Kansas City, Missouri noticed that an unnamed patient in its secure psychiatry unit for acute inpatients had vanished in the spring of 2014. VA workers had left the security door unlocked.</p>
<p>The reason the vets in the unit are kept in a secured, locked environment is due to their treatment for “drugs, [their] hostile nature, and mental problems,” notes the FLRA’s Pizzella in the case file. Pizzella, who served as assistant secretary for administration and management at the Labor Department under President George W. Bush, added: “Alfred Hitchcock would probably have referred to this case as ‘ <a href="" type="internal">The Case of the Vanishing Patients Opens a New Window.</a>.’"</p>
<p>Even though a security camera had recorded the patient walking out of the VA psych unit through an unlocked security door, at least three employees still wrote in VA reports that they were seeing the veteran in the unit.</p>
<p>For example, VA worker and AFGE union member Afolabi Olubo not only had marked the patient present, he had reported that he had physically seen the veteran four times, even though the patient had already disappeared. Hours later, that evening, the veteran was discovered at his brother’s house.</p>
<p>Other “patients had escaped” from this VA unit before, and in one case, a VA patient “was gone for two days” before it was discovered he was not in this Kansas City VA facility, the FLRA case file notes.</p>
<p>VA patients are vanishing elsewhere, including, for example, from VA medical facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A reporter for a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh noted in 2013 after a vet vanished: “Let’s be honest. The patient could only ‘go missing’ if the people who were supposed to be watching him weren’t doing their job.”</p>
<p>FLRA official Pizzella notes in the case file that “one might presume, therefore, that solving the mystery of the unlocked door would be a priority shared by the managers and union officers at AFGE Local 2663 in order to ensure that no other [VA] patients are lost in the future.”</p>
<p>But ensuring that VA workers protect the safety of mentally ill vets wasn’t the union’s priority in this case. When VA managers tried to fire Olubo, the AFGE union fought to cut his penalty to a fourteen-day suspension, then to a one-day suspension.</p>
<p>Then, in September of last year the federal arbitrator on the case, Archie Robbins, ordered the VA to reinstate Olubo and award him back pay. AFGE argued that suspension was inappropriate because Olubo “had just returned from...vacation and mistakenly thought he saw another patient who looked like [the missing] patient.”</p>
<p>Olubo’s negligence was ruled just a “shortcoming,” and the arbitrator even lectured the VA in Kansas City “that it should have used the disciplinary process ‘to inspire [Olubo] to be a better worker in the future,’” Pizzella wrote. Arbitrator Robbins also ordered the VA in Kansas City to not place any evidence of a verbal reprimand “into [Olubo’s] work record or utilize it in any future disciplinary action.”</p>
<p>Pizzella notes that the AFGE union and the arbitrator “treated this case as if losing a patient is no more serious than losing one’s office key,” adding, the VA workers’ “misconduct is inexcusable and must have violated many written and unwritten policies pertaining to the public health and welfare,” (see <a href="http://www.flra.gov/decisions/v67/67-143.html" type="external">FLRA case details Opens a New Window.</a>).</p>
<p>Taxpayers Must Reward Back Pay to USDA Food Inspector Who Didn’t Catch Rat Infestation</p>
<p>A federal food-safety inspector at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service got suspended for “negligently” failing to discover that rats had infested a pasta factory in Bridgeview, Illinois.</p>
<p>However, the AFGE won, his punishment was overturned and his back pay was reinstated. The federal labor review board may reinstate the legal costs for his union attorney as well.</p>
<p>Back in February 2010, Irvin Boesen, a 25-year USDA food inspector, supposedly inspected Vince &amp; Sons Pasta Co. in Bridgeview, Ill. But USDA officials did their own looksee, and found that “ <a href="" type="internal">the rat infestation in the pasta-production facility was extensive and widespread Opens a New Window.</a>,” the case file shows.</p>
<p>Somehow Boesen, the USDA inspector, “failed to discover” rat feces in a storage area holding bags of raw flour and rat excrement on the floor around “a bag of flour that was ripped open,” documents indicate. He also “didn’t pay sufficient attention” to reports from the pest control company hired by the plant, which noted four rats were trapped inside the factory that month</p>
<p>Because of the rat infestation, the government shut down the pasta facility “for more than a week,” due to the “serious health and safety issue” in the plant, putting employees temporarily out of work, documents show. The USDA also suspended the inspector for just five days without pay, “on the lenient side,” the USDA admitted, taking into account his long service, the case file shows.</p>
<p>But the AFGE union lawyer on the case fought back, arguing the USDA “failed to apply progressive discipline,” and that Boesen’s five-day suspension was “unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, punitive and an abuse of discretion.”</p>
<p>The AFGE won. The federal arbitrator, Robert D. Steinberg, set aside the USDA’s decision as unwarranted. He ruled the worker was merely negligent rather than willful or reckless, emphasizing Boesen was a long-term employee with a satisfactory performance record. So, the inspector got his back pay (he made more than $67,500 yearly) and lost benefits were reinstated, with just a slap on the wrist.</p>
<p>The USDA inspector “suffered no significant consequence, even though his inexcusable negligence could have affected the health of hundreds, if not thousands, of consumers,” FLRA official Pizzella wrote, all contrary to the mission of the USDA, which “is to ensure that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe.”</p>
<p>Pizzella noted “the unavoidable conclusion”: That the USDA inspector “created the potential for a serious health crisis.”</p>
<p>Union Says Suspension Excessive for Federal Daycare Worker Who Let Toddler Wander Off</p>
<p>Video footage revealed a federal daycare worker at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida was so busy talking, she let a toddler walk off a gated playground in February 2014 toward traffic. But the AFGE argued her five-day suspension for negligence was “excessive,” despite the video proof.</p>
<p>Specifically, the toddler, under the care of the federal worker (both unnamed), walked out of the playground through an unclosed gate, and proceeded down the sidewalk toward traffic while the daycare worker, an AFGE union member, talked to a parent. “Video footage of the incident indicated that the incident would not have happened if the grievant or her coworker had monitored the playground,” the case file reads.</p>
<p>Even though it admitted the video footage was “credible,” AFGE argued the Air Force “failed to prove” the daycare worker’s misconduct since “the playground gate was broken,” blaming it on the “responsibility” of the day-care center director.</p>
<p>However, the Air Force’s table of penalties “permits firing even for a first offense of this nature,” notable in this case since this lapse could have created “serious injury” to the toddler.” <a href="https://www.flra.gov/node/16354" type="external">This time, the union lost, and the worker was suspended. Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Next: Taxpayers must pay for government workers to do full time work on union issues—from home. &#160;&#160;</p> | Exclusive: Cash for Slackers | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2015/06/01/fox-business-exclusive-cash-for-slackers.html | 2016-03-09 | 0right
| Exclusive: Cash for Slackers
<p>FBN’s Liz MacDonald reports that federal labor unions are protecting underperforming government workers from being fired.</p>
<p>First of a Three-Part Series</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you like to have a job where you get paid to slack off, and no matter what, have a powerful authority to back you up, winning battles to preserve your salary, benefits, and your every demand if your boss tries to fire you?</p>
<p>It’s a fact of life for many government workers. A dive into government labor fights at the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) reveals a nasty secret—the great lengths federal unions go to protect government slackers, at your expense.</p>
<p>Cases at the FLRA, a quasi-judicial body that oversees disputes between federal agencies and government unions, show federal labor unions are winning battles that are putting taxpayers, and the government, at risk.</p>
<p>And now one big government insider is calling foul on government union abuses of taxpayers and federal agencies. Patrick Pizzella, one of the three referees at the FLRA adjudicating these fights, is blowing the whistle on federal union abuses in case after case. “One cannot make this stuff up,” Pizzella said.</p>
<p>For example, federal labor unions are winning fights against federal agencies who try to fire their union workers for letting mentally ill military veterans walk out the door of psychiatric units in Veterans Affairs hospitals, or for not catching things like a major rat infestation in a food factory. Instead, union lawyers are getting their members’ jobs, back-pay, and benefits reinstated, all at taxpayer expense.</p>
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<p>Federal unions have also battled Defense Dept. agencies that, for example, try to suspend a daycare worker for letting a toddler wander off a military base down the sidewalk toward traffic.</p>
<p>At the same time, federal worker unions have been fighting to unionize federal inspector generals’ offices, the watchdogs who catch waste, fraud and abuse committed by federal workers at agencies like the <a href="http://www.govexec.com/oversight/2014/09/ruling-ig-investigations-victory-good-government/95336/?oref=river" type="external">IRS, the Dept. of Homeland Security, the Dept. of Transportation, or the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>In the second part of our series, we’ll show you how federal unions are fighting to let their members work full-time from home on union business, and not on their work for the government, at places like the VA.</p>
<p>We’ll show you, too, how federal teleworking is on the rise, thanks to the Obama Administration, where a growing number of government workers are working from home, even from their couches. This, as workers at the U.S. Patent Office were found to be surfing on Facebook, shopping online, running errands or doing the laundry, while ostensibly working from home.</p>
<p>And in the final part of our series, we’ll show you how, despite the fact that cyber attacks on the government are on the rise, a federal union recently won a case that stopped Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from immediately blocking workers’ personal email accounts on government computers, like Hotmail or Gmail. Such accounts are often loaded with computer viruses or malware.</p>
<p>Instead, the union is forcing these security agencies to first enter into protracted collective bargaining over the use of personal webmail accounts, putting the government at risk of cyber-attacks at a time when security experts note cyber criminals, terrorists and nation states like China are increasingly trying to break in.</p>
<p>Just last week Russian cyber thieves were blamed for the hack into the IRS, where tax return data for 104,000 individuals was stolen in order to get fraudulent tax refunds, now estimated at $50 million. Hackers broke into the IRS’s Internet service that lets taxpayers access their past tax returns.</p>
<p>Big government is becoming harder to oversee as it increases in size. However, the head of the country’s biggest federal worker union recently threatened retaliation against anyone in Congress who tried to dial back the federal workforce in order to help rein in the ballooning $18.1 trillion federal deficit.</p>
<p>“We are a force to be reckoned with and we are a force that will open up the biggest can of whoop ass on anyone” who votes against the interests of federal unions, J. David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), recently said, adding, “every time the “fools” in Congress try to hurt the federal workforce we get bigger. We get stronger and we fight harder.” AFGE did not return repeated calls for comment on this story.</p>
<p>The percentage of workers represented by unions in the private sector is now at about 6.6%, a number that has been steadily declining since the seventies, according to the <a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm" type="external">Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opens a New Window.</a> Compare that to estimates that show anywhere from 35.7% to more than half of the federal government is represented by a union.</p>
<p>About 1.2 million federal workers are members of a federal union, says the Government Accountability Office. That’s an estimated 57% membership rate; there are about 80 federal unions. At the same time, it can take anywhere from a little over five months to more than a year to fire federal workers for poor performance, and fired workers can still appeal, consuming another 200 days.</p>
<p>Meantime, the FLRA continues to hear hundreds of cases where federal unions battle attempted firings for government backsliders. Cases dense with an impenetrable fogbank of legalism, where federal unions hire attorneys who earn a bonanza of fees protecting miscreant federal workers and magick away accountability, putting taxpayers, and the government, at risk.</p>
<p>Taxpayers Must Reward Back Pay to VA Worker Who Let Psych Patient Vanish</p>
<p>Somehow, no one at the VA medical facility in Kansas City, Missouri noticed that an unnamed patient in its secure psychiatry unit for acute inpatients had vanished in the spring of 2014. VA workers had left the security door unlocked.</p>
<p>The reason the vets in the unit are kept in a secured, locked environment is due to their treatment for “drugs, [their] hostile nature, and mental problems,” notes the FLRA’s Pizzella in the case file. Pizzella, who served as assistant secretary for administration and management at the Labor Department under President George W. Bush, added: “Alfred Hitchcock would probably have referred to this case as ‘ <a href="" type="internal">The Case of the Vanishing Patients Opens a New Window.</a>.’"</p>
<p>Even though a security camera had recorded the patient walking out of the VA psych unit through an unlocked security door, at least three employees still wrote in VA reports that they were seeing the veteran in the unit.</p>
<p>For example, VA worker and AFGE union member Afolabi Olubo not only had marked the patient present, he had reported that he had physically seen the veteran four times, even though the patient had already disappeared. Hours later, that evening, the veteran was discovered at his brother’s house.</p>
<p>Other “patients had escaped” from this VA unit before, and in one case, a VA patient “was gone for two days” before it was discovered he was not in this Kansas City VA facility, the FLRA case file notes.</p>
<p>VA patients are vanishing elsewhere, including, for example, from VA medical facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A reporter for a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh noted in 2013 after a vet vanished: “Let’s be honest. The patient could only ‘go missing’ if the people who were supposed to be watching him weren’t doing their job.”</p>
<p>FLRA official Pizzella notes in the case file that “one might presume, therefore, that solving the mystery of the unlocked door would be a priority shared by the managers and union officers at AFGE Local 2663 in order to ensure that no other [VA] patients are lost in the future.”</p>
<p>But ensuring that VA workers protect the safety of mentally ill vets wasn’t the union’s priority in this case. When VA managers tried to fire Olubo, the AFGE union fought to cut his penalty to a fourteen-day suspension, then to a one-day suspension.</p>
<p>Then, in September of last year the federal arbitrator on the case, Archie Robbins, ordered the VA to reinstate Olubo and award him back pay. AFGE argued that suspension was inappropriate because Olubo “had just returned from...vacation and mistakenly thought he saw another patient who looked like [the missing] patient.”</p>
<p>Olubo’s negligence was ruled just a “shortcoming,” and the arbitrator even lectured the VA in Kansas City “that it should have used the disciplinary process ‘to inspire [Olubo] to be a better worker in the future,’” Pizzella wrote. Arbitrator Robbins also ordered the VA in Kansas City to not place any evidence of a verbal reprimand “into [Olubo’s] work record or utilize it in any future disciplinary action.”</p>
<p>Pizzella notes that the AFGE union and the arbitrator “treated this case as if losing a patient is no more serious than losing one’s office key,” adding, the VA workers’ “misconduct is inexcusable and must have violated many written and unwritten policies pertaining to the public health and welfare,” (see <a href="http://www.flra.gov/decisions/v67/67-143.html" type="external">FLRA case details Opens a New Window.</a>).</p>
<p>Taxpayers Must Reward Back Pay to USDA Food Inspector Who Didn’t Catch Rat Infestation</p>
<p>A federal food-safety inspector at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service got suspended for “negligently” failing to discover that rats had infested a pasta factory in Bridgeview, Illinois.</p>
<p>However, the AFGE won, his punishment was overturned and his back pay was reinstated. The federal labor review board may reinstate the legal costs for his union attorney as well.</p>
<p>Back in February 2010, Irvin Boesen, a 25-year USDA food inspector, supposedly inspected Vince &amp; Sons Pasta Co. in Bridgeview, Ill. But USDA officials did their own looksee, and found that “ <a href="" type="internal">the rat infestation in the pasta-production facility was extensive and widespread Opens a New Window.</a>,” the case file shows.</p>
<p>Somehow Boesen, the USDA inspector, “failed to discover” rat feces in a storage area holding bags of raw flour and rat excrement on the floor around “a bag of flour that was ripped open,” documents indicate. He also “didn’t pay sufficient attention” to reports from the pest control company hired by the plant, which noted four rats were trapped inside the factory that month</p>
<p>Because of the rat infestation, the government shut down the pasta facility “for more than a week,” due to the “serious health and safety issue” in the plant, putting employees temporarily out of work, documents show. The USDA also suspended the inspector for just five days without pay, “on the lenient side,” the USDA admitted, taking into account his long service, the case file shows.</p>
<p>But the AFGE union lawyer on the case fought back, arguing the USDA “failed to apply progressive discipline,” and that Boesen’s five-day suspension was “unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, punitive and an abuse of discretion.”</p>
<p>The AFGE won. The federal arbitrator, Robert D. Steinberg, set aside the USDA’s decision as unwarranted. He ruled the worker was merely negligent rather than willful or reckless, emphasizing Boesen was a long-term employee with a satisfactory performance record. So, the inspector got his back pay (he made more than $67,500 yearly) and lost benefits were reinstated, with just a slap on the wrist.</p>
<p>The USDA inspector “suffered no significant consequence, even though his inexcusable negligence could have affected the health of hundreds, if not thousands, of consumers,” FLRA official Pizzella wrote, all contrary to the mission of the USDA, which “is to ensure that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe.”</p>
<p>Pizzella noted “the unavoidable conclusion”: That the USDA inspector “created the potential for a serious health crisis.”</p>
<p>Union Says Suspension Excessive for Federal Daycare Worker Who Let Toddler Wander Off</p>
<p>Video footage revealed a federal daycare worker at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida was so busy talking, she let a toddler walk off a gated playground in February 2014 toward traffic. But the AFGE argued her five-day suspension for negligence was “excessive,” despite the video proof.</p>
<p>Specifically, the toddler, under the care of the federal worker (both unnamed), walked out of the playground through an unclosed gate, and proceeded down the sidewalk toward traffic while the daycare worker, an AFGE union member, talked to a parent. “Video footage of the incident indicated that the incident would not have happened if the grievant or her coworker had monitored the playground,” the case file reads.</p>
<p>Even though it admitted the video footage was “credible,” AFGE argued the Air Force “failed to prove” the daycare worker’s misconduct since “the playground gate was broken,” blaming it on the “responsibility” of the day-care center director.</p>
<p>However, the Air Force’s table of penalties “permits firing even for a first offense of this nature,” notable in this case since this lapse could have created “serious injury” to the toddler.” <a href="https://www.flra.gov/node/16354" type="external">This time, the union lost, and the worker was suspended. Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Next: Taxpayers must pay for government workers to do full time work on union issues—from home. &#160;&#160;</p> | 2,665 |
<p />
<p>How can you earn extra cash-back rewards or airline miles simply for making purchases online? By using an online shopping portal, of course.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall, Discover's ShopDiscover.com and Bank of America's World Points Mall are three of the biggest players in the click-through online shopping game. By offering customers additional cash-back rebates and bonus points simply for shopping through their portals, they are able to drum up sales for affiliated businesses and help their customers earn more rewards in one fell swoop.</p>
<p>How Online Shopping Portals Work</p>
<p>If you're using a <a href="http://www.cardratings.com/rewardpoints.html?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">rewards credit card Opens a New Window.</a> for your online purchases, you're already at an advantage. Online shopping portals take your earnings a step further by offering additional rewards on top of the cash back or points you're already earning, and can boost them anywhere from 100 to 1,000%.</p>
<p>On any given day, a rewards portal like the Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall will reward an extra 1 to 10 points per dollar spent at a rotating list of online stores, including popular retailers like Macy's, J.C. Penney, Nike and Office Depot. All you need to do to earn the extra rewards is visit the credit card shopping portal of your choosing and click through to any store and make an online purchase. It's as easy as that.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Whether or not you're a fan of online shopping portals, it is hard to argue with rewards like this. And with bonus cash for the taking, shoppers planning to make an online purchase anyway might as well take advantage of these offers. After all, what could possibly go wrong?</p>
<p>What to Watch Out For</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cardratings.com/?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">Credit card Opens a New Window.</a> customers have plenty to gain from online shopping portals, but also plenty to lose, says Shawn Needham of the financial literacy organization Clarifi. For example, shoppers shouldn't let potential rewards get in the way of evaluating whether something is a good deal or not.</p>
<p>"Even if you're earning points through a portal, those points may not be worth it if you can get a lower price for an item elsewhere," says Needham.</p>
<p>Needham also suggests having a plan for the points you earn so that they don't go to waste. "You also want to make sure that you can actually use the points later," he says.</p>
<p>Another risk consumers face is something called "chasing the rewards," says John Ulzheimer, credit expert at CreditSesame.com. According to Ulzheimer, "chasing the rewards" is what happens when shoppers use rewards as an excuse to spend more money than they would otherwise.</p>
<p>"If you blow past your shopping budget because you know you're going to earn five times the points, you haven't done yourself any good," says Ulzheimer.</p>
<p>To avoid overspending, Ulzheimer and other experts suggest only using shopping portals for purchases you were going to make anyway and shopping outside of a portal if that means getting your items for a lower price.</p>
<p>Making the Most of Online Shopping Portals</p>
<p>According to the experts, shoppers who are able to earn extra rewards without blowing the family budget are in the perfect position to really take advantage.</p>
<p>"The brass ring in using these portals is clearly the large chunks of rewards points you can earn by shopping at the same stores at which you'd normally shop," said Ulzheimer. "And earning rewards points faster means you'll be able to redeem them for gift cards, and save big bucks."</p>
<p>That kind of talk is music to the ears of rewards enthusiasts, including Rick Ingersoll, credit card rewards expert and founder of FrugalTravelGuy.com. Ingersoll has been in hot pursuit of points and miles for over a decade and lists online shopping portals as a big part of his strategy. According to Ingersoll, shoppers should consider using online shopping portals "anytime there is a financial benefit to the user, which is always."</p>
<p>The perks are one big reason why Ingersoll doesn't shop online without first checking all of his favorite online shopping portals for the best deal. And over the years, he has cashed in handsomely on his efforts by using cash-back rewards, airline miles, and hotel loyalty points to travel all over the world for pennies on the dollar.</p>
<p>According to Ingersoll, online shopping portals are just another way for consumers to boost their point balances. And, if you like the rewards like he does, you might want to consider getting on board with online shopping portals too.</p>
<p>"Think of the miles and points as alternative currencies that can add up to big values," he says.</p>
<p>The original article can be found at CardRatings.com: <a href="http://www.cardratings.com/can-you-benefit-from-your-credit-cards-mall.html?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">Can you benefit from your credit card's mall? Opens a New Window.</a></p> | Can You Benefit From Your Credit Card's Mall? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2014/09/08/can-benefit-from-your-credit-card-mall.html | 2016-03-06 | 0right
| Can You Benefit From Your Credit Card's Mall?
<p />
<p>How can you earn extra cash-back rewards or airline miles simply for making purchases online? By using an online shopping portal, of course.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall, Discover's ShopDiscover.com and Bank of America's World Points Mall are three of the biggest players in the click-through online shopping game. By offering customers additional cash-back rebates and bonus points simply for shopping through their portals, they are able to drum up sales for affiliated businesses and help their customers earn more rewards in one fell swoop.</p>
<p>How Online Shopping Portals Work</p>
<p>If you're using a <a href="http://www.cardratings.com/rewardpoints.html?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">rewards credit card Opens a New Window.</a> for your online purchases, you're already at an advantage. Online shopping portals take your earnings a step further by offering additional rewards on top of the cash back or points you're already earning, and can boost them anywhere from 100 to 1,000%.</p>
<p>On any given day, a rewards portal like the Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Mall will reward an extra 1 to 10 points per dollar spent at a rotating list of online stores, including popular retailers like Macy's, J.C. Penney, Nike and Office Depot. All you need to do to earn the extra rewards is visit the credit card shopping portal of your choosing and click through to any store and make an online purchase. It's as easy as that.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Whether or not you're a fan of online shopping portals, it is hard to argue with rewards like this. And with bonus cash for the taking, shoppers planning to make an online purchase anyway might as well take advantage of these offers. After all, what could possibly go wrong?</p>
<p>What to Watch Out For</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cardratings.com/?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">Credit card Opens a New Window.</a> customers have plenty to gain from online shopping portals, but also plenty to lose, says Shawn Needham of the financial literacy organization Clarifi. For example, shoppers shouldn't let potential rewards get in the way of evaluating whether something is a good deal or not.</p>
<p>"Even if you're earning points through a portal, those points may not be worth it if you can get a lower price for an item elsewhere," says Needham.</p>
<p>Needham also suggests having a plan for the points you earn so that they don't go to waste. "You also want to make sure that you can actually use the points later," he says.</p>
<p>Another risk consumers face is something called "chasing the rewards," says John Ulzheimer, credit expert at CreditSesame.com. According to Ulzheimer, "chasing the rewards" is what happens when shoppers use rewards as an excuse to spend more money than they would otherwise.</p>
<p>"If you blow past your shopping budget because you know you're going to earn five times the points, you haven't done yourself any good," says Ulzheimer.</p>
<p>To avoid overspending, Ulzheimer and other experts suggest only using shopping portals for purchases you were going to make anyway and shopping outside of a portal if that means getting your items for a lower price.</p>
<p>Making the Most of Online Shopping Portals</p>
<p>According to the experts, shoppers who are able to earn extra rewards without blowing the family budget are in the perfect position to really take advantage.</p>
<p>"The brass ring in using these portals is clearly the large chunks of rewards points you can earn by shopping at the same stores at which you'd normally shop," said Ulzheimer. "And earning rewards points faster means you'll be able to redeem them for gift cards, and save big bucks."</p>
<p>That kind of talk is music to the ears of rewards enthusiasts, including Rick Ingersoll, credit card rewards expert and founder of FrugalTravelGuy.com. Ingersoll has been in hot pursuit of points and miles for over a decade and lists online shopping portals as a big part of his strategy. According to Ingersoll, shoppers should consider using online shopping portals "anytime there is a financial benefit to the user, which is always."</p>
<p>The perks are one big reason why Ingersoll doesn't shop online without first checking all of his favorite online shopping portals for the best deal. And over the years, he has cashed in handsomely on his efforts by using cash-back rewards, airline miles, and hotel loyalty points to travel all over the world for pennies on the dollar.</p>
<p>According to Ingersoll, online shopping portals are just another way for consumers to boost their point balances. And, if you like the rewards like he does, you might want to consider getting on board with online shopping portals too.</p>
<p>"Think of the miles and points as alternative currencies that can add up to big values," he says.</p>
<p>The original article can be found at CardRatings.com: <a href="http://www.cardratings.com/can-you-benefit-from-your-credit-cards-mall.html?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-188304910" type="external">Can you benefit from your credit card's mall? Opens a New Window.</a></p> | 2,666 |
<p>After letting himself be humiliated on the world stage by a Russian despot who was never part of the Obama fan club, the hoops player in the White House is getting set up to be rolled by Persian charm, Israel’s prime minister said Sunday.</p>
<p>And that leaves Benjamin Netanyahu with the difficult job of using his trip to address the United Nations on Monday to convince President Obama of something Obama has no interest in hearing:</p>
<p>&lt;img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-84380" alt="obamanetanyahu" src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/obamanetanyahu0930-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /&gt; That the “charm offensive” by Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani is a smokescreen to buy time to complete his country’s nuclear weapons program.</p>
<p>“I will tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk and the onslaught of smiles,” Netanyahu said, <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/netanyahu-warns-obama-iran/2013/09/29/id/528254" type="external">according to Newsmax</a>.</p>
<p>“Telling the truth today is vital for the security and peace of the world and, of course, it is vital for the security of the state of Israel.”</p>
<p>Good luck with that.</p>
<p>As former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304213904579095771799293040.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop" type="external">wrote in the Wall Street Journal Sunday,</a> an Obama White House coming off a year of foreign policy failure is not fertile ground for truth.</p>
<p>“Over the past year, Mr. Obama failed in his stated objective to oust Syria’s Assad regime from power; failed to impress Assad that his ‘red line’ against using chemical weapons was serious; failed to exact retribution when that red line was crossed; failed to rally anything but small minorities in either house of Congress to support his position; and failed to grasp that agreements with the likes of Syria and Russia prolong, rather than solve, the chemical-weapons problem.”</p>
<p>Not a very cheerful record, but it’s on its way to getting worse when it comes to Iran’s nukes. Obama’s is a paper presidency, Bolton wrote, and the mullahs know it.</p>
<p>“Given the president’s palpable unwillingness to use the military to enforce his Syria red line — let alone to answer the Sept. 11, 2012, Benghazi terrorist attack — and his paucity of domestic political support, Iran’s ayatollahs know that the president’s ‘all options on the table’ incantation regarding their nuclear program carries no weight,” Bolton wrote.</p>
<p>Netanyahu’s job will be all the harder because the Obama White House and John Kerry’s State Department have deluded themselves into thinking Rouhani&#160; “represents a new policy, a new approach,” Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, told Newsmax.</p>
<p>“There are no buyers for his message.”</p>
<p>That’s because Netanyahu’s selling the truth.</p>
<p>And after the past year, the truth is something Obama and his backers can’t afford.</p>
<p>[poll id=”113″]</p> | Bibi warns Obama: Iranian president’s sweet talk, smiles a ploy | true | http://bizpacreview.com/2013/09/30/bibi-warns-obama-iranian-presidents-sweet-talk-smiles-a-ploy-84362 | 2013-09-30 | 0right
| Bibi warns Obama: Iranian president’s sweet talk, smiles a ploy
<p>After letting himself be humiliated on the world stage by a Russian despot who was never part of the Obama fan club, the hoops player in the White House is getting set up to be rolled by Persian charm, Israel’s prime minister said Sunday.</p>
<p>And that leaves Benjamin Netanyahu with the difficult job of using his trip to address the United Nations on Monday to convince President Obama of something Obama has no interest in hearing:</p>
<p>&lt;img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-84380" alt="obamanetanyahu" src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/obamanetanyahu0930-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /&gt; That the “charm offensive” by Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani is a smokescreen to buy time to complete his country’s nuclear weapons program.</p>
<p>“I will tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk and the onslaught of smiles,” Netanyahu said, <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/netanyahu-warns-obama-iran/2013/09/29/id/528254" type="external">according to Newsmax</a>.</p>
<p>“Telling the truth today is vital for the security and peace of the world and, of course, it is vital for the security of the state of Israel.”</p>
<p>Good luck with that.</p>
<p>As former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304213904579095771799293040.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop" type="external">wrote in the Wall Street Journal Sunday,</a> an Obama White House coming off a year of foreign policy failure is not fertile ground for truth.</p>
<p>“Over the past year, Mr. Obama failed in his stated objective to oust Syria’s Assad regime from power; failed to impress Assad that his ‘red line’ against using chemical weapons was serious; failed to exact retribution when that red line was crossed; failed to rally anything but small minorities in either house of Congress to support his position; and failed to grasp that agreements with the likes of Syria and Russia prolong, rather than solve, the chemical-weapons problem.”</p>
<p>Not a very cheerful record, but it’s on its way to getting worse when it comes to Iran’s nukes. Obama’s is a paper presidency, Bolton wrote, and the mullahs know it.</p>
<p>“Given the president’s palpable unwillingness to use the military to enforce his Syria red line — let alone to answer the Sept. 11, 2012, Benghazi terrorist attack — and his paucity of domestic political support, Iran’s ayatollahs know that the president’s ‘all options on the table’ incantation regarding their nuclear program carries no weight,” Bolton wrote.</p>
<p>Netanyahu’s job will be all the harder because the Obama White House and John Kerry’s State Department have deluded themselves into thinking Rouhani&#160; “represents a new policy, a new approach,” Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, told Newsmax.</p>
<p>“There are no buyers for his message.”</p>
<p>That’s because Netanyahu’s selling the truth.</p>
<p>And after the past year, the truth is something Obama and his backers can’t afford.</p>
<p>[poll id=”113″]</p> | 2,667 |
<p>The Food and Drug Administration found recently that samples of a feed by-product from dozens of corn-ethanol plants were contaminated with antibiotics. With that news, producing vehicle fuel from grain is looking not only like a wasteful and inefficient process, but also like a danger to human health.</p>
<p>Growing corn is a leading cause of soil erosion as well as water depletion and pollution. Corn ethanol plants further stress our water supplies by consuming four gallons of water for every gallon of fuel produced.</p>
<p>Now to the list of ethanol’s environmental insults we can add pharmaceutical pollution.</p>
<p>There’s nothing inherently wrong with getting help from biological processes to meet industrial needs. But when colossal volumes of product and enormous profits are at stake, as they are in the alternative-fuel industry, biological methods can backfire disastrously.</p>
<p>To survive economically, ethanol plants depend on sales of distillers grains, solid material left over from corn fermentation. Distillers grains are a nutritious, high-protein livestock feed. But they can be laced with multiple antibiotics, the FDA and University of Minnesota scientists have found.</p>
<p>Addition of antibiotics is one of several methods ethanol manufacturers use to control bacterial contamination. Bacteria interfere with the work of yeast cultures that convert sugars to ethanol. Antibiotics can increase ethanol output by 1 to 5 percent, according to Ethanol Producer magazine.</p>
<p>That sounds small, but that extra efficiency could boost profits by many millions of dollars as national production is scaled up from its current 9 billion gallons per year.</p>
<p>The discovery of antibiotics in distillers grains has raised concern that ethanol plants could breed and disperse drug-resistant bacteria, and that those bugs could share their genes with bacterial species that cause human diseases. Sampling by university and industry researchers has turned up antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the processing streams of ethanol plants.</p>
<p>This case of pharmaceutical contamination comes on top of a half-century of over-prescribing antibiotics for medical and veterinary use, along with routine feeding of the drugs to healthy livestock to promote growth. Nature’s predictable response: bacterial populations that can no longer be killed by drugs that were once used to treat them. Now, of 90,000 Americans who die of bacterial infections each year, more than 60,000 are killed by such drug-resistant types, according to the Centers for Disease Control.</p>
<p>The ethanol industry says that one widely used drug, virginiamycin, doesn’t show up in meat produced with distillers grains, so we need not worry about the food supply. But such assurances take the narrowest possible view of the threat.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins University researchers argued in 2008 that public health officials have also taken a narrow approach to antibiotic resistance, thinking clinically “rather than ecologically in terms of reservoirs of resistance genes that may flow across the microbial ecosystem.” Use of the drugs in agriculture is more widespread than in medicine, and, they contend, creates excellent conditions for the spread of resistant organisms.</p>
<p>In fact, it’s already happening, with germs borne via manure, air, groundwater, soil, flies and irrigation water.</p>
<p>The Johns Hopkins review concluded that overuse of antibiotics in agriculture “has compromised the efficacy of most antimicrobials used in the United States and throughout the world.”</p>
<p>Distillers grains are set to move beyond the feedlot, having been tested as fertilizer on farms, lawns and gardens, and as feed in fish and shrimp farming. The pet food industry also is starting to use distillers grains, and we don’t know what evolutionary mischief might start going on in the feces of dogs, which harbor an especially rich range of bacterial species.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, methods being developed to manufacture new biofuels also depend on biological processes. If and when fuels from algae or cellulose are taken to the billions-of-gallons scale, vast new quantities of antibiotics could be deployed.</p>
<p>Ethanol can be manufactured without using antibiotics — just ask the liquor distillers — so all such drugs should be banned from biofuel production.</p>
<p>In fact, ethanol’s drug problem is just the latest of many reasons to impose a moratorium on production of fuels from grains. If industry cannot supply sufficient quantities of alternative fuels without risking an even deeper medical crisis, it might just be another sign that our thirst for vehicle fuel has outgrown all ecological limits.</p>
<p>STAN COX is lead scientist for the Land Institute in Salina, Kan., and author of <a href="" type="internal">Sick Planet: Corporate Food and Medicine</a>. He wrote this comment for the institute’s Prairie Writers Circle. Write to him at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Biofuel’s Drug Problem | true | https://counterpunch.org/2009/06/09/biofuel-s-drug-problem/ | 2009-06-09 | 4left
| Biofuel’s Drug Problem
<p>The Food and Drug Administration found recently that samples of a feed by-product from dozens of corn-ethanol plants were contaminated with antibiotics. With that news, producing vehicle fuel from grain is looking not only like a wasteful and inefficient process, but also like a danger to human health.</p>
<p>Growing corn is a leading cause of soil erosion as well as water depletion and pollution. Corn ethanol plants further stress our water supplies by consuming four gallons of water for every gallon of fuel produced.</p>
<p>Now to the list of ethanol’s environmental insults we can add pharmaceutical pollution.</p>
<p>There’s nothing inherently wrong with getting help from biological processes to meet industrial needs. But when colossal volumes of product and enormous profits are at stake, as they are in the alternative-fuel industry, biological methods can backfire disastrously.</p>
<p>To survive economically, ethanol plants depend on sales of distillers grains, solid material left over from corn fermentation. Distillers grains are a nutritious, high-protein livestock feed. But they can be laced with multiple antibiotics, the FDA and University of Minnesota scientists have found.</p>
<p>Addition of antibiotics is one of several methods ethanol manufacturers use to control bacterial contamination. Bacteria interfere with the work of yeast cultures that convert sugars to ethanol. Antibiotics can increase ethanol output by 1 to 5 percent, according to Ethanol Producer magazine.</p>
<p>That sounds small, but that extra efficiency could boost profits by many millions of dollars as national production is scaled up from its current 9 billion gallons per year.</p>
<p>The discovery of antibiotics in distillers grains has raised concern that ethanol plants could breed and disperse drug-resistant bacteria, and that those bugs could share their genes with bacterial species that cause human diseases. Sampling by university and industry researchers has turned up antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the processing streams of ethanol plants.</p>
<p>This case of pharmaceutical contamination comes on top of a half-century of over-prescribing antibiotics for medical and veterinary use, along with routine feeding of the drugs to healthy livestock to promote growth. Nature’s predictable response: bacterial populations that can no longer be killed by drugs that were once used to treat them. Now, of 90,000 Americans who die of bacterial infections each year, more than 60,000 are killed by such drug-resistant types, according to the Centers for Disease Control.</p>
<p>The ethanol industry says that one widely used drug, virginiamycin, doesn’t show up in meat produced with distillers grains, so we need not worry about the food supply. But such assurances take the narrowest possible view of the threat.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins University researchers argued in 2008 that public health officials have also taken a narrow approach to antibiotic resistance, thinking clinically “rather than ecologically in terms of reservoirs of resistance genes that may flow across the microbial ecosystem.” Use of the drugs in agriculture is more widespread than in medicine, and, they contend, creates excellent conditions for the spread of resistant organisms.</p>
<p>In fact, it’s already happening, with germs borne via manure, air, groundwater, soil, flies and irrigation water.</p>
<p>The Johns Hopkins review concluded that overuse of antibiotics in agriculture “has compromised the efficacy of most antimicrobials used in the United States and throughout the world.”</p>
<p>Distillers grains are set to move beyond the feedlot, having been tested as fertilizer on farms, lawns and gardens, and as feed in fish and shrimp farming. The pet food industry also is starting to use distillers grains, and we don’t know what evolutionary mischief might start going on in the feces of dogs, which harbor an especially rich range of bacterial species.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, methods being developed to manufacture new biofuels also depend on biological processes. If and when fuels from algae or cellulose are taken to the billions-of-gallons scale, vast new quantities of antibiotics could be deployed.</p>
<p>Ethanol can be manufactured without using antibiotics — just ask the liquor distillers — so all such drugs should be banned from biofuel production.</p>
<p>In fact, ethanol’s drug problem is just the latest of many reasons to impose a moratorium on production of fuels from grains. If industry cannot supply sufficient quantities of alternative fuels without risking an even deeper medical crisis, it might just be another sign that our thirst for vehicle fuel has outgrown all ecological limits.</p>
<p>STAN COX is lead scientist for the Land Institute in Salina, Kan., and author of <a href="" type="internal">Sick Planet: Corporate Food and Medicine</a>. He wrote this comment for the institute’s Prairie Writers Circle. Write to him at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,668 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL OFFICES: Closed.</p>
<p>CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES: Closed.</p>
<p>FEDERAL, STATE DISTRICT, METRO COURTS: Closed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>POSTAL SERVICE: No delivery. Offices closed.</p>
<p>DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS: Closed.</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE ANIMAL WELFARE:&#160; East side and West Side shelters closed, except for the intake desk and reclaims. Credit cards not accepted for reclaims on these days. Lucky Paws Adoption Center open July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m..</p>
<p>GARBAGE: Normal schedule.</p>
<p>ABQ RIDE: No service.</p>
<p>RAIL RUNNER EXPRESS: Sunday schedule.</p>
<p>NEW MEXICO VETERANS’ MEMORIAL: Open.</p>
<p>CITY/COUNTY LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS: Closed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE BIOLOGICAL PARK: Rio Grande Zoo, Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Botanic Garden: Open until 6 p.m.</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM: Open until 5 p.m.</p>
<p>ANDERSON-ABRUZZO ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON MUSEUM: Open until 5 p.m.</p>
<p>EXPLORA: Closed.</p>
<p>INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER: Closed.</p>
<p>NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER: Open.</p>
<p>NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND HISTORY: Open.</p>
<p>NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE: Closed.</p>
<p>PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT: Open.</p>
<p>RIO GRANDE NATURE CENTER: Open.</p> | Fourth of July holiday closures | false | https://abqjournal.com/1027778/fourth-of-july-holiday-closures.html | 2least
| Fourth of July holiday closures
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL OFFICES: Closed.</p>
<p>CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES: Closed.</p>
<p>FEDERAL, STATE DISTRICT, METRO COURTS: Closed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>POSTAL SERVICE: No delivery. Offices closed.</p>
<p>DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS: Closed.</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE ANIMAL WELFARE:&#160; East side and West Side shelters closed, except for the intake desk and reclaims. Credit cards not accepted for reclaims on these days. Lucky Paws Adoption Center open July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m..</p>
<p>GARBAGE: Normal schedule.</p>
<p>ABQ RIDE: No service.</p>
<p>RAIL RUNNER EXPRESS: Sunday schedule.</p>
<p>NEW MEXICO VETERANS’ MEMORIAL: Open.</p>
<p>CITY/COUNTY LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS: Closed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE BIOLOGICAL PARK: Rio Grande Zoo, Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Botanic Garden: Open until 6 p.m.</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM: Open until 5 p.m.</p>
<p>ANDERSON-ABRUZZO ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON MUSEUM: Open until 5 p.m.</p>
<p>EXPLORA: Closed.</p>
<p>INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER: Closed.</p>
<p>NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER: Open.</p>
<p>NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND HISTORY: Open.</p>
<p>NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE: Closed.</p>
<p>PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT: Open.</p>
<p>RIO GRANDE NATURE CENTER: Open.</p> | 2,669 |
|
<p>Now that Al Gore has his “green” Oscar and George W. Bush has closed a deal in Brazil by which American will burn up the cane fields in the name of environmental salvation, it is time to get serious about the realities of biofuel. Clearly research into biofuels is necessary, but few people are aware yet how this research will be carried out, how constrained ideologically it will be, how corrupting an influence it might become on American universities, and how dangerous its products might be to the ecology of the planet. Fortunately, a movement is a foot on the campus of UC Berkeley that may create a wave of resistance to and awareness about consequences of a biofuel economy, especially one governed by oil companies.</p>
<p>The still nascent Stop BP movement began as a response to British Petroleum’s offer to fund a secretive half-billion dollar bio-energy laboratory on the University of California at Berkeley campus. Ostensibly, the idea is to genetically engineer plants to yield more ethanol, but other likely projects include research into better burning ethanol. BP learned awhile back in New South Wales that high ethanol content burns out engines. They learned this from their customers who were livid to discover the damage after they had breakdowns and stopped buying BP products. But such incidents now seem to serve BP’s interests since they make the issue of biofuel research seem pressing, thus helping them push research deals through quickly and out of sight.</p>
<p>The Stop BP at Berkeley Campaign, however, worries not only about a lack of oversight, but also that there is no guarantee that BP or UC Berkeley will devote any of this research treasure to ensuring the safety of food supplies and fragile ecologies as these new organisms (or products) are grown and released.</p>
<p>So far, in pursuing this deal, UC Berkeley has tried to avoid public scrutiny, has tried to cover up the fact that BP might be able to control an enormous amount of the curriculum as well as research trajectories. It has disrupted the students right to demonstrate in front of California Hall-this at the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement. Two students were arrested for pouring what appeared to be oil on the steps of the building. The substance turned out to be organically grown molasses. Nevertheless, when the demonstrators offered to clean it up with mops and rags that they had brought, the campus police refused and physically intimidated several demonstrators. Since then a cadre of dissident professors roiled the Academy Senate at UC Berkeley demanding that the deal be properly discussed, but were largely rebuked even though the meeting occurred because of the rising outrage and opposition to British Petroleum on campus.</p>
<p>During the meeting, Associate Professor Ignacio H. Chapela clarified the issue, “What would certainly come out of the BP-Berkeley facilities would be a large number of genetically altered, reproducing, living organisms to be released in the public environment. In Berkeley, in the MidWest and around the world. Genetically-modified (or “GMO”) grasses, trees, algae, bacteria, viruses destined for intentional, large-scale release in the public environment. These organisms do not represent Science. If anything, they may represent our failure as scientists to assume the deep inadequacies of our understanding about living organisms and the ecology of our planet. Despite a third of a century and more than $350 billion dollars invested in the trinket, a hurricane remains more predictable, and a wildfire remains more controllable than GMO organisms.”</p>
<p>As a professor of biological ecology, Chapela has spoken out frequently against GMOs, but in this new campaign, he points out that biofuels are not likely to be the best solution for “the crazed consumerism binge of the short two centuries we have spent burning our fossil-fuel accounts.” He warns of recent evidence to the contrary: “Indonesia without Biofuels used to be close to 20th in the world as producer of CO2 in the atmosphere. In a few years with biofuels it is now third, only behind the US and China.” Chapela went so far as to suggest that in overlooking the potential hazards and</p>
<p>obscuring the amount of control BP will have over the research UC Berkeley has resorted to prostitution.</p>
<p>There is no question UC Berkeley Chancellor understands the conflict of interest. He came to the position in part as a result of similar deal the university had signed a with Novartis even while going on record as saying, “Few would put a great deal of confidence, I suspect, in the objectivity of lung cancer research funded by tobacco companies.” It’s just that he doesn’t think the fact corporations are using public resources to produce research exclusively to topics that may yield profits for the company necessarily compromises the objectivity of the professors. Double-speak from administrators is nothing new, but what is new is amount of money oil companies are devoting to plundering public university intellectual resources in the chase for future biofuel patents. Chevron, for instance, has already sought out UC Davis for its own bio-energy lab in much the same manner as BP at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Such deals with their lack of oversight and their analogues in the pharmaceutical industry-many of which have produced well-documented dangers and immense profits from public subsidies-have been the forefront of Stop BP campaign so far. But the campaign is beginning to address the more global concerns about pursuing biofuel research drawing attention to the need for social and ecological considerations to be placed on par with scientific research. For example, prices for corn and corn products (from which ethanol can be made) have already spiked in the US and other countries, making food all the more expensive for those who already struggle to afford it. Furthermore, as Bush’s deal with Lula in Brazil suggests, the ideology of free trade is rampant in promoting biofuel, even though the US insists on a 54-cent-a-gallon levy on fuel shipped to the U.S. Under free trade ideology, the US through the World Trade Organization has forced developing countries to devote their agricultural industries to exports rather than for producing food for the domestic market. This has lead to a new feudalism in which the people who grow the food often cannot afford to eat it.</p>
<p>There are other potential problems. In Indonesia, ancient forests are being burned up to make room for oil-palm biofuel. They’re already digging up the rainforests in Brazil to plant soybeans that will be used in NutriSystem microwavable food packages designed to help fat American’s lose weight. As demand for ethanol increases to be equal to current oil consumption, it is almost guarantees forests will be dug up in the Global South to plant more sugar cane, since after all that is where it grows best. How then can ethanol be called carbon neutral when it will increase deforestation, when its promoters such as BP are notorious human rights violators, when companies such as BP are under a grand jury investigation for spilling 267,000 gallons of oil in Prudhoe Bay?</p>
<p>But that is where most Americans become giddy. To prevent these problems, most Americans believe technology is the answer. The attitude is captured in one letter sent to Stop BP activists:</p>
<p>I believe the potential social benefits of this collaboration dwarf the potential risks. Providing inexpensive, carbon-neutral energy to the world could resolve an array of social problems. Achieving that goal will require the help of industrial partners who can help overcome global challenges to providing new energy systems to all the world’s people.</p>
<p>Not a word here about the need to decrease consumption. Not a word about the consequences on farmers or the poor.</p>
<p>As professor Iain Boal, a historian of Technics and the Commons, said at a recent teach-in, we are living in an age where constant Climate Change Emergencies maybe invoked as a blunt instrument to silence dissent. Recalling Naomi Klein’s phrase “disaster capitalism,” he described science’s long history of creating crises that then force capitulation to a neoliberal models, where the very forces that brought us global warming are offering to quell it for a price.</p>
<p>Boal said, “The capitalist ‘market’ is about monopoly and crushing competition, and it always has been. Knowledge-making, however, which is the business of the university, depends on an economy of the gift, of collegiality and cooperation…I am speaking of a critical, liberatory science rooted in an ethic of care and equity, in restorative justice and rightful reparation to the communities and natural systems worldwide which have been devastated in the deadly pursuit of private enrichment. A science, finally, that will be at home in a world no longer dominated by private tyrannies, one that partakes of an open, ample life in common.”</p>
<p>It’s toward such a vision that I suspect the Stop BP campaign is inspired. But for now it’s on the hard work of organizing and demanding a wider debate that its activists such as Kamal Kapadia, Lee Worden, Hillary Lehr, Ali Tonak and many others are focused. Along with them and their professors such as Miguel Altieri, Ignacio Chapela, Iain Boal and many more, I submit their names to go with those mentioned in Jeffrey St. Clair’s <a href="" type="internal">recent piece</a> on maverick environmentalists. And I recommend Judith Scherr’s fine Counter Punch piece <a href="" type="internal">here</a> on the situation.</p>
<p>Check out the many resources at <a href="http://www.stopbp-berkeley.org/" type="external">Stop BP Berkeley</a>.</p>
<p>STANDARD SCHAEFER is a writer and teacher in San Francisco. He can be reached <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Biofuels and the Green Resistance | true | https://counterpunch.org/2007/03/15/biofuels-and-the-green-resistance/ | 2007-03-15 | 4left
| Biofuels and the Green Resistance
<p>Now that Al Gore has his “green” Oscar and George W. Bush has closed a deal in Brazil by which American will burn up the cane fields in the name of environmental salvation, it is time to get serious about the realities of biofuel. Clearly research into biofuels is necessary, but few people are aware yet how this research will be carried out, how constrained ideologically it will be, how corrupting an influence it might become on American universities, and how dangerous its products might be to the ecology of the planet. Fortunately, a movement is a foot on the campus of UC Berkeley that may create a wave of resistance to and awareness about consequences of a biofuel economy, especially one governed by oil companies.</p>
<p>The still nascent Stop BP movement began as a response to British Petroleum’s offer to fund a secretive half-billion dollar bio-energy laboratory on the University of California at Berkeley campus. Ostensibly, the idea is to genetically engineer plants to yield more ethanol, but other likely projects include research into better burning ethanol. BP learned awhile back in New South Wales that high ethanol content burns out engines. They learned this from their customers who were livid to discover the damage after they had breakdowns and stopped buying BP products. But such incidents now seem to serve BP’s interests since they make the issue of biofuel research seem pressing, thus helping them push research deals through quickly and out of sight.</p>
<p>The Stop BP at Berkeley Campaign, however, worries not only about a lack of oversight, but also that there is no guarantee that BP or UC Berkeley will devote any of this research treasure to ensuring the safety of food supplies and fragile ecologies as these new organisms (or products) are grown and released.</p>
<p>So far, in pursuing this deal, UC Berkeley has tried to avoid public scrutiny, has tried to cover up the fact that BP might be able to control an enormous amount of the curriculum as well as research trajectories. It has disrupted the students right to demonstrate in front of California Hall-this at the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement. Two students were arrested for pouring what appeared to be oil on the steps of the building. The substance turned out to be organically grown molasses. Nevertheless, when the demonstrators offered to clean it up with mops and rags that they had brought, the campus police refused and physically intimidated several demonstrators. Since then a cadre of dissident professors roiled the Academy Senate at UC Berkeley demanding that the deal be properly discussed, but were largely rebuked even though the meeting occurred because of the rising outrage and opposition to British Petroleum on campus.</p>
<p>During the meeting, Associate Professor Ignacio H. Chapela clarified the issue, “What would certainly come out of the BP-Berkeley facilities would be a large number of genetically altered, reproducing, living organisms to be released in the public environment. In Berkeley, in the MidWest and around the world. Genetically-modified (or “GMO”) grasses, trees, algae, bacteria, viruses destined for intentional, large-scale release in the public environment. These organisms do not represent Science. If anything, they may represent our failure as scientists to assume the deep inadequacies of our understanding about living organisms and the ecology of our planet. Despite a third of a century and more than $350 billion dollars invested in the trinket, a hurricane remains more predictable, and a wildfire remains more controllable than GMO organisms.”</p>
<p>As a professor of biological ecology, Chapela has spoken out frequently against GMOs, but in this new campaign, he points out that biofuels are not likely to be the best solution for “the crazed consumerism binge of the short two centuries we have spent burning our fossil-fuel accounts.” He warns of recent evidence to the contrary: “Indonesia without Biofuels used to be close to 20th in the world as producer of CO2 in the atmosphere. In a few years with biofuels it is now third, only behind the US and China.” Chapela went so far as to suggest that in overlooking the potential hazards and</p>
<p>obscuring the amount of control BP will have over the research UC Berkeley has resorted to prostitution.</p>
<p>There is no question UC Berkeley Chancellor understands the conflict of interest. He came to the position in part as a result of similar deal the university had signed a with Novartis even while going on record as saying, “Few would put a great deal of confidence, I suspect, in the objectivity of lung cancer research funded by tobacco companies.” It’s just that he doesn’t think the fact corporations are using public resources to produce research exclusively to topics that may yield profits for the company necessarily compromises the objectivity of the professors. Double-speak from administrators is nothing new, but what is new is amount of money oil companies are devoting to plundering public university intellectual resources in the chase for future biofuel patents. Chevron, for instance, has already sought out UC Davis for its own bio-energy lab in much the same manner as BP at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Such deals with their lack of oversight and their analogues in the pharmaceutical industry-many of which have produced well-documented dangers and immense profits from public subsidies-have been the forefront of Stop BP campaign so far. But the campaign is beginning to address the more global concerns about pursuing biofuel research drawing attention to the need for social and ecological considerations to be placed on par with scientific research. For example, prices for corn and corn products (from which ethanol can be made) have already spiked in the US and other countries, making food all the more expensive for those who already struggle to afford it. Furthermore, as Bush’s deal with Lula in Brazil suggests, the ideology of free trade is rampant in promoting biofuel, even though the US insists on a 54-cent-a-gallon levy on fuel shipped to the U.S. Under free trade ideology, the US through the World Trade Organization has forced developing countries to devote their agricultural industries to exports rather than for producing food for the domestic market. This has lead to a new feudalism in which the people who grow the food often cannot afford to eat it.</p>
<p>There are other potential problems. In Indonesia, ancient forests are being burned up to make room for oil-palm biofuel. They’re already digging up the rainforests in Brazil to plant soybeans that will be used in NutriSystem microwavable food packages designed to help fat American’s lose weight. As demand for ethanol increases to be equal to current oil consumption, it is almost guarantees forests will be dug up in the Global South to plant more sugar cane, since after all that is where it grows best. How then can ethanol be called carbon neutral when it will increase deforestation, when its promoters such as BP are notorious human rights violators, when companies such as BP are under a grand jury investigation for spilling 267,000 gallons of oil in Prudhoe Bay?</p>
<p>But that is where most Americans become giddy. To prevent these problems, most Americans believe technology is the answer. The attitude is captured in one letter sent to Stop BP activists:</p>
<p>I believe the potential social benefits of this collaboration dwarf the potential risks. Providing inexpensive, carbon-neutral energy to the world could resolve an array of social problems. Achieving that goal will require the help of industrial partners who can help overcome global challenges to providing new energy systems to all the world’s people.</p>
<p>Not a word here about the need to decrease consumption. Not a word about the consequences on farmers or the poor.</p>
<p>As professor Iain Boal, a historian of Technics and the Commons, said at a recent teach-in, we are living in an age where constant Climate Change Emergencies maybe invoked as a blunt instrument to silence dissent. Recalling Naomi Klein’s phrase “disaster capitalism,” he described science’s long history of creating crises that then force capitulation to a neoliberal models, where the very forces that brought us global warming are offering to quell it for a price.</p>
<p>Boal said, “The capitalist ‘market’ is about monopoly and crushing competition, and it always has been. Knowledge-making, however, which is the business of the university, depends on an economy of the gift, of collegiality and cooperation…I am speaking of a critical, liberatory science rooted in an ethic of care and equity, in restorative justice and rightful reparation to the communities and natural systems worldwide which have been devastated in the deadly pursuit of private enrichment. A science, finally, that will be at home in a world no longer dominated by private tyrannies, one that partakes of an open, ample life in common.”</p>
<p>It’s toward such a vision that I suspect the Stop BP campaign is inspired. But for now it’s on the hard work of organizing and demanding a wider debate that its activists such as Kamal Kapadia, Lee Worden, Hillary Lehr, Ali Tonak and many others are focused. Along with them and their professors such as Miguel Altieri, Ignacio Chapela, Iain Boal and many more, I submit their names to go with those mentioned in Jeffrey St. Clair’s <a href="" type="internal">recent piece</a> on maverick environmentalists. And I recommend Judith Scherr’s fine Counter Punch piece <a href="" type="internal">here</a> on the situation.</p>
<p>Check out the many resources at <a href="http://www.stopbp-berkeley.org/" type="external">Stop BP Berkeley</a>.</p>
<p>STANDARD SCHAEFER is a writer and teacher in San Francisco. He can be reached <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,670 |
<p>President Barack Obama <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/white-house-obama-will-not-attend-justice-scalia-s-funeral-n520236" type="external">will not be attending</a> funeral services for Antonin Scalia scheduled for this Saturday. Instead, Vice President Joe Biden will be deployed to represent the White House. Obama is planning to pay his respects on Friday, with First Lady Michelle Obama.</p>
<p>Scalia’s body <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/scalia-could-lie-repose-supreme-court-building-friday-n519506" type="external">will be lying in repose</a> on Friday for others to pay their respects. A black wool crepe was draped over Scalia’s Supreme Court chair, the bench, and the court’s entrance in line with tradition.</p>
<p>As a reminder, Obama <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/26/obama-sent-three-representatives-michael-brown-fun/" type="external">sent three governmental officials</a> to the funeral of violent-criminal-turned-racial-martyr Michael Brown. He also <a href="http://fox61.com/2015/04/27/freddie-gray-funeral-draws-white-house-officials-eric-garners-family/" type="external">sent representatives</a> to the funeral of Freddie Gray, another criminal lionized by left-wing media as a victim of “systemic racism” targeting blacks.</p>
<p>Obama has promised to nominate a “qualified candidate” to the Supreme Court. It is <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/02/17/cnns-king-if-obama-doesnt-get-his-scotus-pick-through-hell-call-republicans-racist/" type="external">speculated</a> that he will nominate a minority, and blame the GOP of being racist when opposition to nominee arises.</p>
<p>Alan Dershowitz <a href="" type="internal">has recommended</a> this strategy to shame Republicans into abdication.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton essentially blamed anti-black racism towards Obama on the part of Republicans preemptively opposing any nominations to the Supreme Court while speaking before a largely black audience.</p>
<p>Obama <a href="" type="internal">has himself blamed opposition</a> to his conduct as President on anti-black racism.</p>
<p>Obama loyalists such as Oprah Winfrey <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/oprah-winfrey-says-obama-victim-of-racism-205750495.html" type="external">have for years</a> cultivated a narrative of him as a victim of anti-black racism, asserting that he is the target of an unprecedented level of acrimony due to his skin color.</p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p> | Guess Who Won't Be Attending Scalia's Funeral? | true | https://dailywire.com/news/3463/guess-who-wont-be-attending-scalias-funeral-robert-kraychik | 2016-02-17 | 0right
| Guess Who Won't Be Attending Scalia's Funeral?
<p>President Barack Obama <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/white-house-obama-will-not-attend-justice-scalia-s-funeral-n520236" type="external">will not be attending</a> funeral services for Antonin Scalia scheduled for this Saturday. Instead, Vice President Joe Biden will be deployed to represent the White House. Obama is planning to pay his respects on Friday, with First Lady Michelle Obama.</p>
<p>Scalia’s body <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/scalia-could-lie-repose-supreme-court-building-friday-n519506" type="external">will be lying in repose</a> on Friday for others to pay their respects. A black wool crepe was draped over Scalia’s Supreme Court chair, the bench, and the court’s entrance in line with tradition.</p>
<p>As a reminder, Obama <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/26/obama-sent-three-representatives-michael-brown-fun/" type="external">sent three governmental officials</a> to the funeral of violent-criminal-turned-racial-martyr Michael Brown. He also <a href="http://fox61.com/2015/04/27/freddie-gray-funeral-draws-white-house-officials-eric-garners-family/" type="external">sent representatives</a> to the funeral of Freddie Gray, another criminal lionized by left-wing media as a victim of “systemic racism” targeting blacks.</p>
<p>Obama has promised to nominate a “qualified candidate” to the Supreme Court. It is <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/02/17/cnns-king-if-obama-doesnt-get-his-scotus-pick-through-hell-call-republicans-racist/" type="external">speculated</a> that he will nominate a minority, and blame the GOP of being racist when opposition to nominee arises.</p>
<p>Alan Dershowitz <a href="" type="internal">has recommended</a> this strategy to shame Republicans into abdication.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton essentially blamed anti-black racism towards Obama on the part of Republicans preemptively opposing any nominations to the Supreme Court while speaking before a largely black audience.</p>
<p>Obama <a href="" type="internal">has himself blamed opposition</a> to his conduct as President on anti-black racism.</p>
<p>Obama loyalists such as Oprah Winfrey <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/oprah-winfrey-says-obama-victim-of-racism-205750495.html" type="external">have for years</a> cultivated a narrative of him as a victim of anti-black racism, asserting that he is the target of an unprecedented level of acrimony due to his skin color.</p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p> | 2,671 |
<p>AirAsia, a regional airline serving Malaysia and Southeast Asia, is pulling its inflight magazine after a column boasted that its well-trained pilots would never lose a plane — drawing controversy on social media.</p>
<p>The airline apologized in a statement Saturday for the April issue of Travel 3Sixty magazine, which it said was written before Malaysia Airlines Flight 360 disappeared March 8 from Kuala Lumpur.</p>
<p>“With deep regret and remorse I would like to sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the Pilot's Perspective article in the latest issue of Travel 3Sixty magazine,” said AirAsia executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun.</p>
<p>He also defended the author of the column, Capt. Lim Khoy Hing.</p>
<p>“As a monthly contributor, Capt. Lim prepared all of his articles months in advance before the magazine goes to print,” Meranun said.</p>
<p>Twitter users late Friday had condemned the airline for publishing the article, which ended saying, “Pilot training in AirAsia is continuous and very thorough. Rest assured that your captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost.”</p>
<p>AirAsia said it has “addressed the issue” and improved their editorial approval process for the future.</p>
<p>Meranun added that AirAsia would remove the April issue of the magazine from all of its planes immediately.</p>
<p>“This is a truly difficult time for the nation and words cannot describe how I personally feel of this incident,” he said. “It truly saddens me that this article was released at such an inopportune moment.”</p>
<p>The fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 remains a mystery although search teams are scouring the Indian Ocean looking for clues. No floating wreckage has been found in the water so far.</p> | AirAsia Apologizes for Article Saying They Would Never Lose a Plane | false | http://nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/airasia-apologizes-article-saying-they-would-never-lose-plane-n72726 | 2014-04-05 | 3left-center
| AirAsia Apologizes for Article Saying They Would Never Lose a Plane
<p>AirAsia, a regional airline serving Malaysia and Southeast Asia, is pulling its inflight magazine after a column boasted that its well-trained pilots would never lose a plane — drawing controversy on social media.</p>
<p>The airline apologized in a statement Saturday for the April issue of Travel 3Sixty magazine, which it said was written before Malaysia Airlines Flight 360 disappeared March 8 from Kuala Lumpur.</p>
<p>“With deep regret and remorse I would like to sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the Pilot's Perspective article in the latest issue of Travel 3Sixty magazine,” said AirAsia executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun.</p>
<p>He also defended the author of the column, Capt. Lim Khoy Hing.</p>
<p>“As a monthly contributor, Capt. Lim prepared all of his articles months in advance before the magazine goes to print,” Meranun said.</p>
<p>Twitter users late Friday had condemned the airline for publishing the article, which ended saying, “Pilot training in AirAsia is continuous and very thorough. Rest assured that your captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost.”</p>
<p>AirAsia said it has “addressed the issue” and improved their editorial approval process for the future.</p>
<p>Meranun added that AirAsia would remove the April issue of the magazine from all of its planes immediately.</p>
<p>“This is a truly difficult time for the nation and words cannot describe how I personally feel of this incident,” he said. “It truly saddens me that this article was released at such an inopportune moment.”</p>
<p>The fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 remains a mystery although search teams are scouring the Indian Ocean looking for clues. No floating wreckage has been found in the water so far.</p> | 2,672 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p> | Ancient DNA gives glimpse of ancestors of Native Americans | false | https://apnews.com/9fc92b58946f4592be6aefede9832d81 | 2018-01-03 | 2least
| Ancient DNA gives glimpse of ancestors of Native Americans
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p> | 2,673 |
<p>The number of Americans who believe that President Obama is a Muslim hovers at roughly sixty million, around twenty percent of the population. Others, who may not have signed on to that belief, are continually disturbed about the president’s infrequent church attendance. Although they themselves may not attend weekly services, they apparently expect that their leader will, that our president will wear his religion on his sleeve. For decades, one of the safety nets for presidents was the evangelist Billy Graham. When things got tough, Presidents invited Graham to the White House for a friendly photo op. Alas, Graham is old and not in good health these days and his son, Franklin, doesn’t yet have his clout. So what’s a president to do?</p>
<p>Maybe the best thing would simply be nothing—say as little as possible. Better yet, the media ought to stop hounding Obama about his religious beliefs. They are his alone—a private matter–and ought to be of no concern to anyone else. George Bush frequently mentioned talking to God, and look what that got us: endless wars.</p>
<p>The problem is that Americans get their religion from the same place they get everything else—from their ignorance and their gullibility. It doesn’t help that anyone can put up a shingle, claiming to be a pastor. Think of the three fanatical pastors most recently in the news. First there’s Fred Phelps, an “independent Baptist,” of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Phelps is a disbarred lawyer with thirteen children–proof, possibly, that he himself is not gay. But that hasn’t stopped him from spouting some of the most heinous remarks about gays in recent times. Where does he do that? At the funerals of American soldiers—to hell with the grief of the mourners. His religion does not advocate human decency.</p>
<p>Then there’s Terry Jones, a would-be Koran burner, and the “pastor” of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. Mercifully, Jones’ flock of followers is barely larger than Phelps’—a few dozen parishioners at most. But that hasn’t limited his damage internationally—including angry demonstrations in Kashmir, where thirteen people died.</p>
<p>Are the larger religious organizations any better? Consider Pastor Eddie Long, Bishop of the New Birth Missionary mega church in DeKalb County, Georgia. Long recently got caught with his pants down—not literally, but with his revealing body poses—when several young men said they have had sexual relationships with him. This from the outspoken anti-homosexuality minister, who speaks of “muscular Christianity.” There’s also the huge Winners Church in West Palm, Florida. The organization’s website refers to its faith as “The Church of Champions…Where Winning Is a Lifestyle.” It also describes the church as “a private company,” suggesting a business model rather than a religious one. At least, this is truth in advertising.</p>
<p>It’s no surprise that a recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life determined that Americans know little about religion. In that poll, according to ABC News, “More than half of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation.” It gets worse. Of the survey of 32 questions about the world’s religions, most respondents answered only half correctly—even the questions about their own faith (what is the name of the first book of the Bible, for example?) Out of the 32 questions, atheists and agnostics scored the highest (21 correct answers), followed by Jews and Mormons (20 correct). Overall, protestants got 16; Catholics, 15.</p>
<p>For me, the Pew Poll wasn’t nearly as revealing as the one taken by Public Policy Polling this past week in New York. In that poll, of the Republican voters questioned, only 4% were in favor of building an Islamic center near Ground Zero. But 21% had no trouble supporting the construction of a strip joint in the same location.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there’s good news on the religious front. Also this past week, in England, Druidry became an official religion, recognized by the British government. Soon there’ll be an invasion of Druids in the United States–competition from a legitimate faith.</p>
<p>CHARLES R. LARSON is Professor of Literature at American University, in Washington, D.C.</p> | America’s Religious Veneer | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/10/12/america-s-religious-veneer/ | 2010-10-12 | 4left
| America’s Religious Veneer
<p>The number of Americans who believe that President Obama is a Muslim hovers at roughly sixty million, around twenty percent of the population. Others, who may not have signed on to that belief, are continually disturbed about the president’s infrequent church attendance. Although they themselves may not attend weekly services, they apparently expect that their leader will, that our president will wear his religion on his sleeve. For decades, one of the safety nets for presidents was the evangelist Billy Graham. When things got tough, Presidents invited Graham to the White House for a friendly photo op. Alas, Graham is old and not in good health these days and his son, Franklin, doesn’t yet have his clout. So what’s a president to do?</p>
<p>Maybe the best thing would simply be nothing—say as little as possible. Better yet, the media ought to stop hounding Obama about his religious beliefs. They are his alone—a private matter–and ought to be of no concern to anyone else. George Bush frequently mentioned talking to God, and look what that got us: endless wars.</p>
<p>The problem is that Americans get their religion from the same place they get everything else—from their ignorance and their gullibility. It doesn’t help that anyone can put up a shingle, claiming to be a pastor. Think of the three fanatical pastors most recently in the news. First there’s Fred Phelps, an “independent Baptist,” of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Phelps is a disbarred lawyer with thirteen children–proof, possibly, that he himself is not gay. But that hasn’t stopped him from spouting some of the most heinous remarks about gays in recent times. Where does he do that? At the funerals of American soldiers—to hell with the grief of the mourners. His religion does not advocate human decency.</p>
<p>Then there’s Terry Jones, a would-be Koran burner, and the “pastor” of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. Mercifully, Jones’ flock of followers is barely larger than Phelps’—a few dozen parishioners at most. But that hasn’t limited his damage internationally—including angry demonstrations in Kashmir, where thirteen people died.</p>
<p>Are the larger religious organizations any better? Consider Pastor Eddie Long, Bishop of the New Birth Missionary mega church in DeKalb County, Georgia. Long recently got caught with his pants down—not literally, but with his revealing body poses—when several young men said they have had sexual relationships with him. This from the outspoken anti-homosexuality minister, who speaks of “muscular Christianity.” There’s also the huge Winners Church in West Palm, Florida. The organization’s website refers to its faith as “The Church of Champions…Where Winning Is a Lifestyle.” It also describes the church as “a private company,” suggesting a business model rather than a religious one. At least, this is truth in advertising.</p>
<p>It’s no surprise that a recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life determined that Americans know little about religion. In that poll, according to ABC News, “More than half of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation.” It gets worse. Of the survey of 32 questions about the world’s religions, most respondents answered only half correctly—even the questions about their own faith (what is the name of the first book of the Bible, for example?) Out of the 32 questions, atheists and agnostics scored the highest (21 correct answers), followed by Jews and Mormons (20 correct). Overall, protestants got 16; Catholics, 15.</p>
<p>For me, the Pew Poll wasn’t nearly as revealing as the one taken by Public Policy Polling this past week in New York. In that poll, of the Republican voters questioned, only 4% were in favor of building an Islamic center near Ground Zero. But 21% had no trouble supporting the construction of a strip joint in the same location.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there’s good news on the religious front. Also this past week, in England, Druidry became an official religion, recognized by the British government. Soon there’ll be an invasion of Druids in the United States–competition from a legitimate faith.</p>
<p>CHARLES R. LARSON is Professor of Literature at American University, in Washington, D.C.</p> | 2,674 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>LAS CRUCES - A New Mexico man is among the dozens of non-violent drug offenders who had their sentences commuted by President Barack Obama.</p>
<p>John M. Wyatt of Las Cruces was convicted in federal court in Illinois on a charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He was sentenced in August 2004 to nearly 22 years in prison, eight years of supervised release and a $500 fine.</p>
<p>His commuted sentence will expire Nov. 10, 2015.</p>
<p>According to court documents, police stopped an RV driven by Wyatt and discovered a large amount of marijuana. He was sentenced based on his status as a career offender.</p>
<p>In a failed appeal, Wyatt claimed - among other things - that he would not have pleaded guilty had his lawyer not assured him that he wouldn't be subject to a career offender sentence.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | New Mexico man among those to have sentence commuted | false | https://abqjournal.com/612069/new-mexico-man-among-those-to-have-sentence-commuted.html | 2least
| New Mexico man among those to have sentence commuted
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>LAS CRUCES - A New Mexico man is among the dozens of non-violent drug offenders who had their sentences commuted by President Barack Obama.</p>
<p>John M. Wyatt of Las Cruces was convicted in federal court in Illinois on a charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He was sentenced in August 2004 to nearly 22 years in prison, eight years of supervised release and a $500 fine.</p>
<p>His commuted sentence will expire Nov. 10, 2015.</p>
<p>According to court documents, police stopped an RV driven by Wyatt and discovered a large amount of marijuana. He was sentenced based on his status as a career offender.</p>
<p>In a failed appeal, Wyatt claimed - among other things - that he would not have pleaded guilty had his lawyer not assured him that he wouldn't be subject to a career offender sentence.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,675 |
|
<p>President Obama delivered&#160;the annual State of the Union address, his&#160;sixth since he took office in 2009 and the first time he has done so before a Republican-controlled Congress. Speculation before the speech centered on how the president would respond after the November mid-term elections shifted control in the senate to a 54-46 majority in favor of the Republicans and increased their control by 13 in the House. Speaking &#160;before 11 fewer Democrat senators and 69 fewer Democrat representatives than he did in his first State of the Union, the president struck a tone that seemed at once defiant and, at least nominally, reconciliatory.</p>
<p>Although an annual oral address to Congress and the American public is not specified in the Constitution’s mandate that the president, “…&#160;shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration [sic] such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient,” presidents since Woodrow Wilson have seized the opportunity to both extol their accomplishments and set out their vision to the American public.</p>
<p>The advent of radio, television and live online streaming have made the speech more of a spectacle than when George Washington presented the first such “report” in 1790, and presidents, as well as senators and representatives are not blind to the fact that they are under scrutiny &#160;during the speech. The media counts the number of times the speech is interrupted by applause and notes, possibly with relish, the more human moments, such as when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg appeared to take a “church nap” during the president’s speech.</p>
<p>President Obama was expected to counter claims that, with the election of the new, Republican Congress, he is a “lame duck,” his presidency rendered irrelevant, and his theme of “turning the page” gave the night more of a political sensibility than a sober assessment of the actual state of the union.</p>
<p>Although most of the key hot buttons received at least a brief mention with references to a “broken” immigration system, tax loopholes that favor the rich, climate change, rising oceans, and closing Gitmo because it is “not who we are,” the president introduced little in the way of new proposals.</p>
<p>The president’s foreign policy portion of the speech&#160;carefully avoided reference to Al-Queda; the terrorist group was not named in a State of the Union address by the sitting president for the first time since 2002. Obama did not name the extremist group or directly address&#160;recent terrorist attacks in Europe, Canada, Australia and at home, rising antisemitism in Europe and religious persecution in the Middle East. As has been his ongoing policy, Obama sought to distinguish “the vast majority” of Muslims from terror groups.</p>
<p>The State of the Union address provides sitting presidents the opportunity to seize the chance&#160;to introduce new domestic legislation, such as Lyndon’s Johnson’s 1964 declaration of war on poverty. President Obama used the night to suggest free tuition for community college, paid sick and maternity leave, and greater executive authority for trade promotion. He argued for&#160;“universal child care,” calling it an “economic necessity” for many families.</p>
<p>Obama’s speech had a campaign feel and he deliberately shied away from going through a “laundry list” of legislation, or setting an itemized agenda. He was, however specific in identifying four instances&#160;where he would veto any bill sent to him by the Congress. &#160;The president promised vetoes on changes to “Obamacare,” his signature health care law, limitations on his executive actions on immigration, changes to the “Dodd-Frank” Wall Street reform act, and the imposition of additional sanctions against Iran or requirement of Congressional approval of any deal with Iran.</p>
<p>The speech lasted just over an hour, interrupted 76 times, although often only from members of his party, with the new majority joining in on “can’t miss” references to honoring veterans and a NASA astronaut going on a year-long mission to Mars. One possibly unscripted moment occurred after the president noted he had no further campaigns in his future, prompting applause and laughter from the Republican members. With the timing of a stand-up comedian, the president shot back, “I know because I won both of ’em.” Although the quip was received with general laughter from the floor and the gallery, it was also an unfortunate reference to his widely reported comment after his first election in 2008 as he told his opponent, Senator John McCain, “Elections have consequences and I won.”</p>
<p /> | Obama’s State of the Union seeks to “turn the page,” issues veto threats | false | http://natmonitor.com/2015/01/21/obamas-state-of-the-union-seeks-to-turn-the-page-issues-veto-threats/ | 2015-01-21 | 3left-center
| Obama’s State of the Union seeks to “turn the page,” issues veto threats
<p>President Obama delivered&#160;the annual State of the Union address, his&#160;sixth since he took office in 2009 and the first time he has done so before a Republican-controlled Congress. Speculation before the speech centered on how the president would respond after the November mid-term elections shifted control in the senate to a 54-46 majority in favor of the Republicans and increased their control by 13 in the House. Speaking &#160;before 11 fewer Democrat senators and 69 fewer Democrat representatives than he did in his first State of the Union, the president struck a tone that seemed at once defiant and, at least nominally, reconciliatory.</p>
<p>Although an annual oral address to Congress and the American public is not specified in the Constitution’s mandate that the president, “…&#160;shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration [sic] such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient,” presidents since Woodrow Wilson have seized the opportunity to both extol their accomplishments and set out their vision to the American public.</p>
<p>The advent of radio, television and live online streaming have made the speech more of a spectacle than when George Washington presented the first such “report” in 1790, and presidents, as well as senators and representatives are not blind to the fact that they are under scrutiny &#160;during the speech. The media counts the number of times the speech is interrupted by applause and notes, possibly with relish, the more human moments, such as when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg appeared to take a “church nap” during the president’s speech.</p>
<p>President Obama was expected to counter claims that, with the election of the new, Republican Congress, he is a “lame duck,” his presidency rendered irrelevant, and his theme of “turning the page” gave the night more of a political sensibility than a sober assessment of the actual state of the union.</p>
<p>Although most of the key hot buttons received at least a brief mention with references to a “broken” immigration system, tax loopholes that favor the rich, climate change, rising oceans, and closing Gitmo because it is “not who we are,” the president introduced little in the way of new proposals.</p>
<p>The president’s foreign policy portion of the speech&#160;carefully avoided reference to Al-Queda; the terrorist group was not named in a State of the Union address by the sitting president for the first time since 2002. Obama did not name the extremist group or directly address&#160;recent terrorist attacks in Europe, Canada, Australia and at home, rising antisemitism in Europe and religious persecution in the Middle East. As has been his ongoing policy, Obama sought to distinguish “the vast majority” of Muslims from terror groups.</p>
<p>The State of the Union address provides sitting presidents the opportunity to seize the chance&#160;to introduce new domestic legislation, such as Lyndon’s Johnson’s 1964 declaration of war on poverty. President Obama used the night to suggest free tuition for community college, paid sick and maternity leave, and greater executive authority for trade promotion. He argued for&#160;“universal child care,” calling it an “economic necessity” for many families.</p>
<p>Obama’s speech had a campaign feel and he deliberately shied away from going through a “laundry list” of legislation, or setting an itemized agenda. He was, however specific in identifying four instances&#160;where he would veto any bill sent to him by the Congress. &#160;The president promised vetoes on changes to “Obamacare,” his signature health care law, limitations on his executive actions on immigration, changes to the “Dodd-Frank” Wall Street reform act, and the imposition of additional sanctions against Iran or requirement of Congressional approval of any deal with Iran.</p>
<p>The speech lasted just over an hour, interrupted 76 times, although often only from members of his party, with the new majority joining in on “can’t miss” references to honoring veterans and a NASA astronaut going on a year-long mission to Mars. One possibly unscripted moment occurred after the president noted he had no further campaigns in his future, prompting applause and laughter from the Republican members. With the timing of a stand-up comedian, the president shot back, “I know because I won both of ’em.” Although the quip was received with general laughter from the floor and the gallery, it was also an unfortunate reference to his widely reported comment after his first election in 2008 as he told his opponent, Senator John McCain, “Elections have consequences and I won.”</p>
<p /> | 2,676 |
<p />
<p>Mortgages* 4.89% (30-year fixed)* 0.36 (average points)</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of mortgage rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Mortgage rates continued to catapult upward in the latest weekly survey, with 30-year fixed home loans climbing a sharp 18 basis points to 4.89%.</p>
<p>The relatively sharp increase comes after several weeks of rising rates and, if the trend continues, would send 30-year fixed rate mortgages over the 5% threshold in the near future.The ascent was even more severe for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, which climbed 19 basis points, to 4.26% from 4.07% a week ago. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point.Other popular home loans had more modest hikes, but rose nonetheless. The 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage hit 3.85%, a gain of 11 basis points. With a 5/1 ARM, the mortgage has a fixed rate for the first five years, then is adjusted annually for the remainder of the loan's term.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, 30-year jumbo mortgages were at 5.39%, a hike of 10 basis points.</p>
<p>The latest mortgage figures come as a new survey shows that Americans continue to have grave misgivings about the direction of the housing market.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The survey, released jointly by Trulia.com and RealtyTrac, found 58 percent of American adults expect recovery in the housing market won't happen until after 2012. One in five respondents believe it will be 2015 before housing regains its economic health.</p>
<p>"Government incentives have come and gone, and historic lows in interest rates have done little to spur recovery,'' says Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia.</p>
<p>Find out monthly mortgage payments using Bankrate's mortgage calculator.-Gregg Fields</p>
<p>CDs* 0.49% (1-year CD yields)* 1.5% (5-year CD yields)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of CD rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>CD rates broke their nonlosing streak in this week's rate survey. All in the survey slipped a bit.The average one-year CD yield fell 2 basis points to 0.49%. Also down 2 basis points, the average five-year CD yield came in at 1.5%.</p>
<p>Jumbo CDs also lost some ground. The average one-year jumbo CD yield is down 2 basis points to 0.54%. The five-year yield lost 1 basis point to 1.52%.</p>
<p>For the 14th week in a row, the average money market account yield is 0.19%.</p>
<p>If low rates on savings vehicles have you despairing, there are alternatives. For instance, high-yield checking may be the answer to your rate woes. There are some high-yield checking programs with rates as high as 4%. For more alternatives to skimpy savings rates, read "5 ways to beat puny savings account rates."</p>
<p>Check Bankrate's rate tables for high-yield CDs and high-yield money market accounts.</p>
<p>All deposit products listed with Bankrate are FDIC-insured.</p>
<p>-Sheyna Steiner</p>
<p>Auto Loans* 6.19% (60-month, new car)* 7.16% (36-month, used car)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of auto loan rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Auto loan rates fell further this week into record-low territory. New-car rates were lower across the board, with the average rate for a 60-month, new-car loan falling 3 basis points to 6.19%. The rate for 48-month, new-car loans also slid, dropping 2 basis points to 6.22%.</p>
<p>Used-car loans were also lower in this week's survey. The average rate for a 36-month, used-car loan shed 5 basis points, to 7.16%.</p>
<p>This month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, proposed new requirements for rearward visibility in cars and trucks by 2014, according to a report by The Detroit News. The requirements are intended to prevent motorists from accidently backing over pedestrians, particularly children under 5 years of age, 100 of whom are killed in such accidents every year. To comply with the proposed rules, automakers would most likely have to install rear-facing cameras and screens in new autos, adding between $159 and $203 to the cost of producing a new vehicle.</p>
<p>To find updated auto rates in your area, visit Bankrate's auto rate table.</p>
<p>-Claes Bell</p>
<p>Home Equity* 5.49% (line of credit)* 7.09% (loan)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of home equity rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Loans based on home equity saw little movement in the latest Bankrate survey.Home equity loans rose 1 basis point, to 7.09%. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, loans known as a home equity loan of credit, or HELOC, were unchanged at 5.49%.</p>
<p>To find the best home equity loan rates in your area, check Bankrate's interactive tool.</p>
<p>See all home equity loan rates content.</p>
<p>-Gregg Fields</p>
<p>Credit Cards* 13.04% (all fixed)* 14.45% (all variable)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of credit card rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Changes in the Bankrate.com survey were the cause of some of the rate drops this week. A dwindling number of credit cards in the survey carry a fixed annual percentage rate, or APR. The removal of one fixed-rate card this week due to its new purchase rate of 59.9%, previously 23.9%, caused the average to plunge 72 basis points to 13.04%.</p>
<p>Several cards from a federal credit union were added this week. The average APR for variable-rate credit cards dropped 12 basis points to 14.45%.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, TransUnion released its annual forecast for national credit card delinquencies. The credit reporting agency, based in Chicago, predicts that the ratio of credit cardholders past due 90 or more days on at least one account will decline from a projected rate of 0.75% at the close of 2010 to 0.67% at the end of 2011.</p>
<p>Bankrate.com makes it easier to find cash-back credit cards and low-rate cards. You can search by issuer, card type or credit score.</p>
<p>-Leslie McFadden</p> | Interest Rate Roundup for Dec. 9, 2010 | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2010/12/09/rate-roundup-dec.html | 2016-03-17 | 0right
| Interest Rate Roundup for Dec. 9, 2010
<p />
<p>Mortgages* 4.89% (30-year fixed)* 0.36 (average points)</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of mortgage rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Mortgage rates continued to catapult upward in the latest weekly survey, with 30-year fixed home loans climbing a sharp 18 basis points to 4.89%.</p>
<p>The relatively sharp increase comes after several weeks of rising rates and, if the trend continues, would send 30-year fixed rate mortgages over the 5% threshold in the near future.The ascent was even more severe for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, which climbed 19 basis points, to 4.26% from 4.07% a week ago. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point.Other popular home loans had more modest hikes, but rose nonetheless. The 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage hit 3.85%, a gain of 11 basis points. With a 5/1 ARM, the mortgage has a fixed rate for the first five years, then is adjusted annually for the remainder of the loan's term.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, 30-year jumbo mortgages were at 5.39%, a hike of 10 basis points.</p>
<p>The latest mortgage figures come as a new survey shows that Americans continue to have grave misgivings about the direction of the housing market.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The survey, released jointly by Trulia.com and RealtyTrac, found 58 percent of American adults expect recovery in the housing market won't happen until after 2012. One in five respondents believe it will be 2015 before housing regains its economic health.</p>
<p>"Government incentives have come and gone, and historic lows in interest rates have done little to spur recovery,'' says Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia.</p>
<p>Find out monthly mortgage payments using Bankrate's mortgage calculator.-Gregg Fields</p>
<p>CDs* 0.49% (1-year CD yields)* 1.5% (5-year CD yields)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of CD rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>CD rates broke their nonlosing streak in this week's rate survey. All in the survey slipped a bit.The average one-year CD yield fell 2 basis points to 0.49%. Also down 2 basis points, the average five-year CD yield came in at 1.5%.</p>
<p>Jumbo CDs also lost some ground. The average one-year jumbo CD yield is down 2 basis points to 0.54%. The five-year yield lost 1 basis point to 1.52%.</p>
<p>For the 14th week in a row, the average money market account yield is 0.19%.</p>
<p>If low rates on savings vehicles have you despairing, there are alternatives. For instance, high-yield checking may be the answer to your rate woes. There are some high-yield checking programs with rates as high as 4%. For more alternatives to skimpy savings rates, read "5 ways to beat puny savings account rates."</p>
<p>Check Bankrate's rate tables for high-yield CDs and high-yield money market accounts.</p>
<p>All deposit products listed with Bankrate are FDIC-insured.</p>
<p>-Sheyna Steiner</p>
<p>Auto Loans* 6.19% (60-month, new car)* 7.16% (36-month, used car)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of auto loan rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Auto loan rates fell further this week into record-low territory. New-car rates were lower across the board, with the average rate for a 60-month, new-car loan falling 3 basis points to 6.19%. The rate for 48-month, new-car loans also slid, dropping 2 basis points to 6.22%.</p>
<p>Used-car loans were also lower in this week's survey. The average rate for a 36-month, used-car loan shed 5 basis points, to 7.16%.</p>
<p>This month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, proposed new requirements for rearward visibility in cars and trucks by 2014, according to a report by The Detroit News. The requirements are intended to prevent motorists from accidently backing over pedestrians, particularly children under 5 years of age, 100 of whom are killed in such accidents every year. To comply with the proposed rules, automakers would most likely have to install rear-facing cameras and screens in new autos, adding between $159 and $203 to the cost of producing a new vehicle.</p>
<p>To find updated auto rates in your area, visit Bankrate's auto rate table.</p>
<p>-Claes Bell</p>
<p>Home Equity* 5.49% (line of credit)* 7.09% (loan)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of home equity rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Loans based on home equity saw little movement in the latest Bankrate survey.Home equity loans rose 1 basis point, to 7.09%. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, loans known as a home equity loan of credit, or HELOC, were unchanged at 5.49%.</p>
<p>To find the best home equity loan rates in your area, check Bankrate's interactive tool.</p>
<p>See all home equity loan rates content.</p>
<p>-Gregg Fields</p>
<p>Credit Cards* 13.04% (all fixed)* 14.45% (all variable)</p>
<p>Here's a look at the state of credit card rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 8, 2010.</p>
<p>Changes in the Bankrate.com survey were the cause of some of the rate drops this week. A dwindling number of credit cards in the survey carry a fixed annual percentage rate, or APR. The removal of one fixed-rate card this week due to its new purchase rate of 59.9%, previously 23.9%, caused the average to plunge 72 basis points to 13.04%.</p>
<p>Several cards from a federal credit union were added this week. The average APR for variable-rate credit cards dropped 12 basis points to 14.45%.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, TransUnion released its annual forecast for national credit card delinquencies. The credit reporting agency, based in Chicago, predicts that the ratio of credit cardholders past due 90 or more days on at least one account will decline from a projected rate of 0.75% at the close of 2010 to 0.67% at the end of 2011.</p>
<p>Bankrate.com makes it easier to find cash-back credit cards and low-rate cards. You can search by issuer, card type or credit score.</p>
<p>-Leslie McFadden</p> | 2,677 |
<p>Lorrie Goldstein of the Toronto Sun joins me to provide an in-depth look at the latest plank in the Liberal Party platform:</p>
<p />
<p>This proposal would "entice" large pension funds -- and possibly even the Canada Pension Plan -- to "invest" in infrastructure projects.</p>
<p>Right now, it's illegal for the government to interfere with how the CPP invests its money.</p>
<p>That could change if Justin Trudeau gets his way.</p>
<p>Since most infrastructure projects have a poor record of being completed on time and on budget, why would any ethical, responsible fund manager want to pour money into them?</p>
<p>Who will cover the inevitable cost overruns? We all know the answer.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">JOIN TheRebel.media</a> for more fearless news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else. <a href="http://www.TheRebel.Media/TheMegaphone" type="external">VISIT our NEW group blog The Megaphone!</a>It’s your one-stop shop for rebellious commentary from independent and fearless readers and writers. <a type="external" href="">READ The Enemy Within: Terror, Lies, and the Whitewashing of Omar Khadr</a>, Ezra Levant's new book about domestic terrorism and radicalization.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Next Liberal plan? Raid pensions to fund risky infrastructure schemes | true | http://therebel.media/next_liberal_plan_raid_pensions | 2015-05-12 | 0right
| Next Liberal plan? Raid pensions to fund risky infrastructure schemes
<p>Lorrie Goldstein of the Toronto Sun joins me to provide an in-depth look at the latest plank in the Liberal Party platform:</p>
<p />
<p>This proposal would "entice" large pension funds -- and possibly even the Canada Pension Plan -- to "invest" in infrastructure projects.</p>
<p>Right now, it's illegal for the government to interfere with how the CPP invests its money.</p>
<p>That could change if Justin Trudeau gets his way.</p>
<p>Since most infrastructure projects have a poor record of being completed on time and on budget, why would any ethical, responsible fund manager want to pour money into them?</p>
<p>Who will cover the inevitable cost overruns? We all know the answer.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">JOIN TheRebel.media</a> for more fearless news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else. <a href="http://www.TheRebel.Media/TheMegaphone" type="external">VISIT our NEW group blog The Megaphone!</a>It’s your one-stop shop for rebellious commentary from independent and fearless readers and writers. <a type="external" href="">READ The Enemy Within: Terror, Lies, and the Whitewashing of Omar Khadr</a>, Ezra Levant's new book about domestic terrorism and radicalization.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 2,678 |
<p />
<p>After working hard on perfecting their resumes to display their desirable skill set and experience to potential employers, grads granted an interview are sure to be thrilled—but now comes the hard part: the interview.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>An interview shows potential employers a candidate’s personality, work ethic, experience and whether he or she would be a good fit with the company—and research shows recent grads aren’t making a good first impression.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf" type="external">2012 study conducted by York College of Pennsylvania Opens a New Window.</a> concerning professionalism in the workplace, 29% of college grads show up late for job interviews, 40% don’t dress appropriately and&#160; nearly 1 in 4 show poor verbal skills including grammatical gaffs.&#160; ( <a href="http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf" type="external">http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf</a>)</p>
<p>Although managers base some of the hiring decision on how a candidate’s resume, cover letter and work samples highlight their qualifications, grads can seal their fate by how they present their skills in person, says Kimberly Baker, career services manager at <a href="http://online.bryantstratton.edu" type="external">Bryant &amp; Stratton College Online Opens a New Window.</a> ( <a href="http://online.bryantstratton.edu/" type="external">http://online.bryantstratton.edu Opens a New Window.</a>/)</p>
<p>“In&#160;a competitive job market, it is critical that job candidates make an impression that sets them apart from the scores of other applicants that are also interviewing for the same position,” she says.</p>
<p>“Being fully prepared means not only dressing the part in professional attire, but being able to speak thoughtfully about how your background directly applies to the position and offer specific examples of how you'll be able to contribute meaningfully to the organization.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>To increase their chances of landing the position, here’s what experts say are the top four mistakes grads make in the interview process and how to avoid them.</p>
<p>Mistake No. 1: Not Knowing What They’re Talking About</p>
<p>Grads often enter interviews without researching both the background of the company and current employees, according to Paul Harty, president of <a href="http://www.sevensteprpo.com/" type="external">Seven Step RPO Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.sevensteprpo.com/" type="external">http://www.sevensteprpo.com/</a>)</p>
<p>“Do you know where the person you are interviewing with went to college? &#160;Where they worked prior? &#160;What about the president or CEO?” he says.</p>
<p>Staying current on company news and events in the industry can also demonstrate a candidate’s enthusiasm for the position, says to Kevin Murray, director of talent acquisition at <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/" type="external">Wayfair.com Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/" type="external">http://www.wayfair.com/</a>)</p>
<p>“Employers want to see that a candidate is genuinely interested in, and hopefully even passionate about, the industry, their business, and the role.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 2: Inappropriate Attire/Conduct</p>
<p>While most grads should have enough sense not to show up in jeans and flip flops for an interview, they should err on the side of caution and stay more conservative with their outfit.</p>
<p>“We need assurances that you care about your appearance, that we can trust you to wear appropriate attire to a client meeting,” says Todd Defren, CEO of <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com" type="external">SHIFT Communications Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com" type="external">www.shiftcomm.com</a>)</p>
<p>Besides a sloppy appearance, a ringing or buzzing cell phone is also disrespectful towards both the organization and the hiring manager taking time out for the interview, cautions Baker.</p>
<p>“Cell phones can be a big distraction, so it is best to leave them in the car or at least turned off--that way you aren't tempted to play Words with Friends while you wait, or call your friends or family to rant or rave following the interview until you're safely outside of earshot or eyesight of the company.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 3: Forgetting the Interview Starts in the Parking Lot</p>
<p>Grads never know who they will encounter before entering the interviewer’s office and what role others may have in the decision-making process, so they should show &#160;respect and professionalism to every person they meet.</p>
<p>Some hiring managers consult with the receptionist for feedback on applicants’ behavior while they’re waiting and illicit feedback from the entire office on any interactions, so always be on alert, recommends Baker.</p>
<p>“A good rule of thumb is to be polite, professional and courteous to absolutely everyone you encounter,” she says. “That person in the parking lot or elevator might be the CEO, and it's best to behave as though anyone you meet is involved in the hiring process, because it is possible they are.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 4: Not Being Prepared to Answer/Ask Questions</p>
<p>At the very least, job seekers should always be prepared to answer the question, "why should I hire you?" or "why are you the best person for the job?" says Baker.</p>
<p>“That's a softball question you should anticipate and be ready to knock out of the park,” she says. “If you can't even offer a confident response to why you're a good fit, then the interviewer won't think you're a serious candidate.”</p>
<p>Going through practice interview questions with a friend or family member can help grads hone communication skills and their ability to be articulate on their feet, recommends Amy Payne, Talent Acquisition Specialist at SilkRoad.</p>
<p>“Show the employer you have a plan for your career, even if it is short term” she says. “‘I don’t know’ isn’t a good answer…even if is true.&#160; Most employers want to hire people who have thought through what their short-term professional goals are, even if the long-term remains a mystery. <a type="external" href="" />”</p> | 4 Interview Mistakes Grads Should Avoid | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/05/06/4-interview-mistakes-grads-should-avoid.html | 2016-03-04 | 0right
| 4 Interview Mistakes Grads Should Avoid
<p />
<p>After working hard on perfecting their resumes to display their desirable skill set and experience to potential employers, grads granted an interview are sure to be thrilled—but now comes the hard part: the interview.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>An interview shows potential employers a candidate’s personality, work ethic, experience and whether he or she would be a good fit with the company—and research shows recent grads aren’t making a good first impression.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf" type="external">2012 study conducted by York College of Pennsylvania Opens a New Window.</a> concerning professionalism in the workplace, 29% of college grads show up late for job interviews, 40% don’t dress appropriately and&#160; nearly 1 in 4 show poor verbal skills including grammatical gaffs.&#160; ( <a href="http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf" type="external">http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/cpe/2012-Professionalism-in-the-Workplace-Study.pdf</a>)</p>
<p>Although managers base some of the hiring decision on how a candidate’s resume, cover letter and work samples highlight their qualifications, grads can seal their fate by how they present their skills in person, says Kimberly Baker, career services manager at <a href="http://online.bryantstratton.edu" type="external">Bryant &amp; Stratton College Online Opens a New Window.</a> ( <a href="http://online.bryantstratton.edu/" type="external">http://online.bryantstratton.edu Opens a New Window.</a>/)</p>
<p>“In&#160;a competitive job market, it is critical that job candidates make an impression that sets them apart from the scores of other applicants that are also interviewing for the same position,” she says.</p>
<p>“Being fully prepared means not only dressing the part in professional attire, but being able to speak thoughtfully about how your background directly applies to the position and offer specific examples of how you'll be able to contribute meaningfully to the organization.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>To increase their chances of landing the position, here’s what experts say are the top four mistakes grads make in the interview process and how to avoid them.</p>
<p>Mistake No. 1: Not Knowing What They’re Talking About</p>
<p>Grads often enter interviews without researching both the background of the company and current employees, according to Paul Harty, president of <a href="http://www.sevensteprpo.com/" type="external">Seven Step RPO Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.sevensteprpo.com/" type="external">http://www.sevensteprpo.com/</a>)</p>
<p>“Do you know where the person you are interviewing with went to college? &#160;Where they worked prior? &#160;What about the president or CEO?” he says.</p>
<p>Staying current on company news and events in the industry can also demonstrate a candidate’s enthusiasm for the position, says to Kevin Murray, director of talent acquisition at <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/" type="external">Wayfair.com Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/" type="external">http://www.wayfair.com/</a>)</p>
<p>“Employers want to see that a candidate is genuinely interested in, and hopefully even passionate about, the industry, their business, and the role.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 2: Inappropriate Attire/Conduct</p>
<p>While most grads should have enough sense not to show up in jeans and flip flops for an interview, they should err on the side of caution and stay more conservative with their outfit.</p>
<p>“We need assurances that you care about your appearance, that we can trust you to wear appropriate attire to a client meeting,” says Todd Defren, CEO of <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com" type="external">SHIFT Communications Opens a New Window.</a>. ( <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com" type="external">www.shiftcomm.com</a>)</p>
<p>Besides a sloppy appearance, a ringing or buzzing cell phone is also disrespectful towards both the organization and the hiring manager taking time out for the interview, cautions Baker.</p>
<p>“Cell phones can be a big distraction, so it is best to leave them in the car or at least turned off--that way you aren't tempted to play Words with Friends while you wait, or call your friends or family to rant or rave following the interview until you're safely outside of earshot or eyesight of the company.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 3: Forgetting the Interview Starts in the Parking Lot</p>
<p>Grads never know who they will encounter before entering the interviewer’s office and what role others may have in the decision-making process, so they should show &#160;respect and professionalism to every person they meet.</p>
<p>Some hiring managers consult with the receptionist for feedback on applicants’ behavior while they’re waiting and illicit feedback from the entire office on any interactions, so always be on alert, recommends Baker.</p>
<p>“A good rule of thumb is to be polite, professional and courteous to absolutely everyone you encounter,” she says. “That person in the parking lot or elevator might be the CEO, and it's best to behave as though anyone you meet is involved in the hiring process, because it is possible they are.”</p>
<p>Mistake No. 4: Not Being Prepared to Answer/Ask Questions</p>
<p>At the very least, job seekers should always be prepared to answer the question, "why should I hire you?" or "why are you the best person for the job?" says Baker.</p>
<p>“That's a softball question you should anticipate and be ready to knock out of the park,” she says. “If you can't even offer a confident response to why you're a good fit, then the interviewer won't think you're a serious candidate.”</p>
<p>Going through practice interview questions with a friend or family member can help grads hone communication skills and their ability to be articulate on their feet, recommends Amy Payne, Talent Acquisition Specialist at SilkRoad.</p>
<p>“Show the employer you have a plan for your career, even if it is short term” she says. “‘I don’t know’ isn’t a good answer…even if is true.&#160; Most employers want to hire people who have thought through what their short-term professional goals are, even if the long-term remains a mystery. <a type="external" href="" />”</p> | 2,679 |
<p>American intelligence officials who were once trying to figure out if the detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison&#160;were al-Qaeda and what role they played, have now a new task at hand: Trying to&#160;figure out what the detainees&#160;think&#160;about ISIS.</p>
<p>Carol Rosenberg, reporter for the Miami Herald&#160;who has reported on Guantanamo since 2001, says detainees at the prison have been learning about the group&#160;from sources like newspapers and television.</p>
<p>"Their information is from the media made available to them by the US military," she says.</p>
<p>The cultural adviser at Guantanamo&#160; <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/guantanamo/article30386181.html" type="external">told Rosenberg</a>&#160;that the detainees, just like anyone else, are interested in politics, the Middle East and what’s going on back home.&#160;But so far, it's been&#160;hard to gauge how much the detainees are supportive of ISIS.</p>
<p>“[He said] some are for it and some are against it,” adding that “they’re kicking it around inside the detention center.”</p>
<p>Lawyers for some of the detainees told Rosenberg that their clients are very much ready to go back to their normal, pre-jihad lives. Especially the ones who ended up in&#160;Guantanamo at a very young age.</p>
<p>“They want to get married, have kids, maybe even get a job. They want to go back to their families,” Rosenberg says. “I don’t think that ISIS is necessarily a family friendly organization.”</p>
<p>But she agrees that it's not surprising that lawyers would say that about their clients.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Rosenberg adds&#160;that some&#160;detainees have become more and more angry every day that they spent locked up in an American prison.</p>
<p>“I imagine that some of these guys, if they got to Gitmo not particularly liking the Americans, they might really hate us now,” she says.</p>
<p>Rosenberg says the irony of it all is that&#160;the military made the decision to give detainees&#160;access to news and&#160;English classes because they wanted to give them distractions.</p>
<p>"They wanted to give them some other pursuits," she says. "They understood that they needed to&#160;socialize them."</p>
<p>But what they have been seeing on the news is the rise of ISIS.&#160;According to Rosenberg, the rise of ISIS will not help in closing down Guantanamo, which&#160;President Barack Obama has pledged to do.</p>
<p>"I think that some members of Congress look at Guantanamo and see it as the perfect location to get and keep [...]&#160;ISIS members as well as former al-Qaeda members," she says.</p> | Could ISIS appeal to Guantanamo detainees? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2015-08-14/could-isis-appeal-guantanamo-detainees | 2015-08-14 | 3left-center
| Could ISIS appeal to Guantanamo detainees?
<p>American intelligence officials who were once trying to figure out if the detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison&#160;were al-Qaeda and what role they played, have now a new task at hand: Trying to&#160;figure out what the detainees&#160;think&#160;about ISIS.</p>
<p>Carol Rosenberg, reporter for the Miami Herald&#160;who has reported on Guantanamo since 2001, says detainees at the prison have been learning about the group&#160;from sources like newspapers and television.</p>
<p>"Their information is from the media made available to them by the US military," she says.</p>
<p>The cultural adviser at Guantanamo&#160; <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/guantanamo/article30386181.html" type="external">told Rosenberg</a>&#160;that the detainees, just like anyone else, are interested in politics, the Middle East and what’s going on back home.&#160;But so far, it's been&#160;hard to gauge how much the detainees are supportive of ISIS.</p>
<p>“[He said] some are for it and some are against it,” adding that “they’re kicking it around inside the detention center.”</p>
<p>Lawyers for some of the detainees told Rosenberg that their clients are very much ready to go back to their normal, pre-jihad lives. Especially the ones who ended up in&#160;Guantanamo at a very young age.</p>
<p>“They want to get married, have kids, maybe even get a job. They want to go back to their families,” Rosenberg says. “I don’t think that ISIS is necessarily a family friendly organization.”</p>
<p>But she agrees that it's not surprising that lawyers would say that about their clients.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Rosenberg adds&#160;that some&#160;detainees have become more and more angry every day that they spent locked up in an American prison.</p>
<p>“I imagine that some of these guys, if they got to Gitmo not particularly liking the Americans, they might really hate us now,” she says.</p>
<p>Rosenberg says the irony of it all is that&#160;the military made the decision to give detainees&#160;access to news and&#160;English classes because they wanted to give them distractions.</p>
<p>"They wanted to give them some other pursuits," she says. "They understood that they needed to&#160;socialize them."</p>
<p>But what they have been seeing on the news is the rise of ISIS.&#160;According to Rosenberg, the rise of ISIS will not help in closing down Guantanamo, which&#160;President Barack Obama has pledged to do.</p>
<p>"I think that some members of Congress look at Guantanamo and see it as the perfect location to get and keep [...]&#160;ISIS members as well as former al-Qaeda members," she says.</p> | 2,680 |
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<p>The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has forced some of the nation's largest corporations to protect farmworkers. &#160; (jankypic / <a href="" type="external">Flickr</a>)</p>
<p>This post first <a href="http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/lessons-coalition-immokalee-workers-low-wage-workers/" type="external">appeared</a> at Waging Nonviolence.</p>
<p>Having received a Presidential Medal in January for its efforts to combat modern-day slavery, the <a href="http://ciw-online.org/" type="external">Coalition of Immokalee Workers</a>, or CIW, and its <a href="http://www.fairfoodprogram.org/" type="external">Campaign For Fair Food</a>hit the road this month as part of its “Boot the Braids” campaign against Wendy’s. The tour spanned colleges and universities throughout the Northeast and Midwest to educate students, as well as create and solidify campus campaigns aimed at pressuring Wendy’s to join the CIW’s Fair Food Program, the only industry-wide social responsibility program in U.S. agriculture.</p>
<p>Wendy’s is the last holdout of the big five fast food corporations—McDonald’s, Burger King, Yum Brands! and Subway—from the program, which has extended the Fair Food Code of Conduct to more than 30,000 workers, who make up over 90 percent of the Florida tomato industry. The many improbable successes of the CIW offer important lessons for countless other campaigns, especially those by low-wage workers in other industries.</p>
<p>The strength of the CIW, and perhaps the reason why corporations are treating it differently than the fast food workers, comes down to the organization’s sophisticated organizing strategy.&#160;</p>
<p>At its heart is an equation: Consciousness + Commitment = Change. The CIW and its allies understand consciousness as education, and commitment as the desire and capacity to act. In order to implement this vision, the CIW has made two key strategic decisions: first, it identified the fast food and supermarket retail corporations as the source of market power determining their pay and working conditions; second, it sought out partners and has developed three key alliances:the Student/Farmworker Alliance, a national network of students and young people organizing to build a food system based on justice and dignity for farmworkers; Interfaith Action, a network of people of faith and religious institutions; and Just Harvest USA, a group involved in activism for sustainable food systems—who have recently consolidated into the Alliance for Fair Food.</p>
<p>Identifying the fast food and supermarket retail corporations as the source of power in the tomato industry, the CIW shifted the focus of its campaign away from the tomato growers in 2001, when it set its sights on Taco Bell. During the “Boot the Bell” campaign, the Student/Farmworker Alliance pressured 25 high schools, colleges and universities to remove existing Taco Bells or prevent the development of new restaurants and sponsorships. In 2005, after a four-year campaign that included a national farmworker boycott of Taco Bell, a 10-day hunger strike in 2003, a 44-mile march in 2004, and four national “Taco Bell Truth Tours” that culminated with protests outside Taco Bell’s national headquarters in Irvine, Calif., Yum Brands!, Taco Bell’s parent corporation, became the CIW’s first corporate partner in the Fair Food Program.</p>
<p>By 2010, the program participants had expanded beyond the fast food industry to both the supermarket and food services industries, and the program had grown to cover 90 percent of Florida’s tomato industry. In January, Walmart, which accounts for 20 percent of tomatoes sold nationally each year, agreed to join the program and to extend it beyond both Florida and the tomato industry for the first time. Walmart will apply the agreement to its tomato growers in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and other parts of the East Coast, and also plans to extend the agreement to some of its apple and strawberry suppliers. In January, the CIW came to an agreement with Fresh Market, its 13th corporate partner.</p>
<p>Isolating these corporations as the source of power within their industry allowed the workers to develop, implement and manage the Fair Food Program that now holds the corporations accountable to pay and working conditions throughout the supply chain from which they purchase tomatoes.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Program works by targeting corporate buying power to provide increased wages and humane working conditions for tomato farmworkers. Since 2011, the program has added $15 million to Florida tomato farm payrolls through a “penny per pound” premium the corporations pay to the growers that is passed on to the workers through bonuses administered by the Fair Food Standards Council, the third-party oversight entity that oversees program compliance.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Code of Conduct established the working conditions required for a grower to remain part of the program. If a grower is found to be in violation of the standards, the participating corporations must cease doing business with them. The code of conduct regulates access to shade, water, break time and training; establishes a safety and complaint reporting system; outlaws forced labor, child labor and all forms of sexual harassment; standardizes payroll methods and harvest measurements; and puts in place a worker-to-worker education program that occurs on company time at the farms and provides “know your rights” booklets and an educational video prepared by the CIW for each new hire at participating farms.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Program is founded on the principle that corporations are responsible for the impact of their purchasing power, a principle that is especially pertinent to the ongoing SEIU-backed Fast Food Forward campaign and the UFCW-backed OUR Walmart campaign. These two campaigns also happen to be directed against corporations that participate in the CIW’s Fair Food Program.</p>
<p>Just as the purchasing power of retail corporations in the agricultural industry effectively determines pay and working conditions throughout the supply chain, fast food corporations effectively determine pay and working conditions for fast food restaurant workers, whether they work at a franchised or company-owned restaurant. The fast food corporations, led by McDonald’s, continue to argue that they do not employ workers at franchised restaurants and that the workers should negotiate with the franchisors.</p>
<p>The same problem that once existed for the CIW now exists for the fast food workers: They cannot bargain with the franchise owners because the franchise owners do not have much leeway given the strict operating constraints imposed on them by corporate market power. In this case, corporate market power is manifested through franchising contracts that, by standardizing essentially all franchisee operations and establishing royalty fees based on revenue, allow for only small profit margins for franchise owners. In the case of the CIW, the fast food corporations have acknowledged their market power and have agreed that this power is accompanied by a certain social responsibility; in the case of the fast food workers, they have not.</p>
<p>By signing Fair Food Agreements, fast food corporations and Walmart also acknowledge the viability of organized workers as a negotiating partner, a principle they deny with regard to the Fast Food Forward and OUR Walmart campaigns. According to McDonald’s and Walmart workers, the two corporations systematically obstruct labor organizing and union campaigns while they argue in public that worker strike campaigns are staged demonstrations that do not represent their workforce. Again, the CIW farmworkers and the fast food workers find themselves in essentially similar situations, yet the same corporations treat them differently.</p>
<p>The CIW’s alliance with students began in 2000 at the tail end of its campaigning against the tomato growers, according to Joe Parker, a member of the Student/Farmworker Alliance’s national staff. During the CIW’s 234-mile March for Dignity, Dialogue and a Living Wage from Fort Myers, Fla., to the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla., students, largely based in Florida near Immokalee, marched with the workers and helped arrange for housing, food and other logistical planning. As CIW recognized the strategic value of student allies who could constantly spread their message and develop new leadership, the formal partnership with the Student/Farmworker Alliance was born.</p>
<p>The network expanded significantly during the “Boot the Bell” campaign, which included farmworkers traveling to campuses to share their experiences directly with students. The Student/Farmworker Alliance is now anchored by two paid national staff members, who work out of the same building as the CIW in Immokalee, and a national steering committee, which meets in Immokalee each January and typically is comprised of 15 to 18 active members within the network from around the country. The national leadership helps to facilitate work that is constantly being done in local chapters throughout the country. After an application process, the outgoing staff and steering committee choose the next year’s group, according to Parker. Terms last from January to December, and neither staff nor steering committee members participate for more than three years. During the selection process, the national staff further emphasizes developing new leadership by seeking a mix of new and experienced members.</p>
<p>The Student/Farmworker Alliance also helps to organize multiple annual events that bring farmworkers in direct contact with students and act as a natural means of recruiting new membership. Periodically farmworkers will travel the country for truth and outreach tours, while each September the students organize what they call an “encuentro” in Immokalee, which serves as a national student conference where students discuss strategy and build relationships with the workers and each other. Attendance typically varies from 60 to 120 people, and students who have expressed interest around the country are invited to attend. The CIW also typically organizes a spring mass mobilization, which unites the farmworkers with their various allies. This year, the CIW will host a Fair Food Parade and Concert on March 21 in St. Petersburg, Fla.</p>
<p>As for mobilizing the farmworkers themselves, the worker-to-worker education program, a key provision in the Fair Food Code of Conduct, is essential to the CIW’s ability to both mobilize the tomato farmworkers in protest and to self-enforce the rights they have earned. Since the program’s inception, the CIW has educated over 22,000 workers face-to-face on company time and property, where they discuss their rights as workers as well as safety standards. They have also distributed “know your rights” materials to over 100,000 workers, which, along with the complaint resolution system codified in the Code of Conduct, empowers workers to act as the first line of defense against employer violation of the program.</p>
<p>“This is how the program survives,” said Sylvia Perez, a CIW staff member. “Workers are empowered to complain and to act as a first round of detection.”</p>
<p>The creation of an educated, cohesive workforce also enhances the CIW’s campaigning capabilities. The CIW continues to wage protest campaigns that, in addition to tours of college campuses and marches, have included worker boycotts, hunger strikes and picketing of restaurants and stores to educate consumers. They also frequently participate in other worker and activist campaigns, offering support that is often reciprocated. In 2013, the CIW joined fast food workers picketing Wendy’s restaurants. And more recently, the organization has visited Migrant Justice, an organization of migrant dairy farm workers in Vermont, and collaborated with the Dream Defenders, a racial justice youth activist group, by visiting a multicultural festival they organized in Miami in June and their statewide congress in December.</p>
<p>Through their strong grassroots organizing the CIW has demonstrated to themselves, the public and the corporations determining their working conditions that they are powerful. In the words of former President Bill Clinton, whose Clinton Foundation honored the CIW last year with its Clinton Global Citizen Award: “[The CIW is] the most astonishing thing politically in the world we’re living in today.”</p> | The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Takes Aim at Wendy’s | true | http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17701/coalition_of_immokalee_workers_wendys | 2015-03-02 | 4left
| The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Takes Aim at Wendy’s
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<p>The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has forced some of the nation's largest corporations to protect farmworkers. &#160; (jankypic / <a href="" type="external">Flickr</a>)</p>
<p>This post first <a href="http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/lessons-coalition-immokalee-workers-low-wage-workers/" type="external">appeared</a> at Waging Nonviolence.</p>
<p>Having received a Presidential Medal in January for its efforts to combat modern-day slavery, the <a href="http://ciw-online.org/" type="external">Coalition of Immokalee Workers</a>, or CIW, and its <a href="http://www.fairfoodprogram.org/" type="external">Campaign For Fair Food</a>hit the road this month as part of its “Boot the Braids” campaign against Wendy’s. The tour spanned colleges and universities throughout the Northeast and Midwest to educate students, as well as create and solidify campus campaigns aimed at pressuring Wendy’s to join the CIW’s Fair Food Program, the only industry-wide social responsibility program in U.S. agriculture.</p>
<p>Wendy’s is the last holdout of the big five fast food corporations—McDonald’s, Burger King, Yum Brands! and Subway—from the program, which has extended the Fair Food Code of Conduct to more than 30,000 workers, who make up over 90 percent of the Florida tomato industry. The many improbable successes of the CIW offer important lessons for countless other campaigns, especially those by low-wage workers in other industries.</p>
<p>The strength of the CIW, and perhaps the reason why corporations are treating it differently than the fast food workers, comes down to the organization’s sophisticated organizing strategy.&#160;</p>
<p>At its heart is an equation: Consciousness + Commitment = Change. The CIW and its allies understand consciousness as education, and commitment as the desire and capacity to act. In order to implement this vision, the CIW has made two key strategic decisions: first, it identified the fast food and supermarket retail corporations as the source of market power determining their pay and working conditions; second, it sought out partners and has developed three key alliances:the Student/Farmworker Alliance, a national network of students and young people organizing to build a food system based on justice and dignity for farmworkers; Interfaith Action, a network of people of faith and religious institutions; and Just Harvest USA, a group involved in activism for sustainable food systems—who have recently consolidated into the Alliance for Fair Food.</p>
<p>Identifying the fast food and supermarket retail corporations as the source of power in the tomato industry, the CIW shifted the focus of its campaign away from the tomato growers in 2001, when it set its sights on Taco Bell. During the “Boot the Bell” campaign, the Student/Farmworker Alliance pressured 25 high schools, colleges and universities to remove existing Taco Bells or prevent the development of new restaurants and sponsorships. In 2005, after a four-year campaign that included a national farmworker boycott of Taco Bell, a 10-day hunger strike in 2003, a 44-mile march in 2004, and four national “Taco Bell Truth Tours” that culminated with protests outside Taco Bell’s national headquarters in Irvine, Calif., Yum Brands!, Taco Bell’s parent corporation, became the CIW’s first corporate partner in the Fair Food Program.</p>
<p>By 2010, the program participants had expanded beyond the fast food industry to both the supermarket and food services industries, and the program had grown to cover 90 percent of Florida’s tomato industry. In January, Walmart, which accounts for 20 percent of tomatoes sold nationally each year, agreed to join the program and to extend it beyond both Florida and the tomato industry for the first time. Walmart will apply the agreement to its tomato growers in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and other parts of the East Coast, and also plans to extend the agreement to some of its apple and strawberry suppliers. In January, the CIW came to an agreement with Fresh Market, its 13th corporate partner.</p>
<p>Isolating these corporations as the source of power within their industry allowed the workers to develop, implement and manage the Fair Food Program that now holds the corporations accountable to pay and working conditions throughout the supply chain from which they purchase tomatoes.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Program works by targeting corporate buying power to provide increased wages and humane working conditions for tomato farmworkers. Since 2011, the program has added $15 million to Florida tomato farm payrolls through a “penny per pound” premium the corporations pay to the growers that is passed on to the workers through bonuses administered by the Fair Food Standards Council, the third-party oversight entity that oversees program compliance.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Code of Conduct established the working conditions required for a grower to remain part of the program. If a grower is found to be in violation of the standards, the participating corporations must cease doing business with them. The code of conduct regulates access to shade, water, break time and training; establishes a safety and complaint reporting system; outlaws forced labor, child labor and all forms of sexual harassment; standardizes payroll methods and harvest measurements; and puts in place a worker-to-worker education program that occurs on company time at the farms and provides “know your rights” booklets and an educational video prepared by the CIW for each new hire at participating farms.</p>
<p>The Fair Food Program is founded on the principle that corporations are responsible for the impact of their purchasing power, a principle that is especially pertinent to the ongoing SEIU-backed Fast Food Forward campaign and the UFCW-backed OUR Walmart campaign. These two campaigns also happen to be directed against corporations that participate in the CIW’s Fair Food Program.</p>
<p>Just as the purchasing power of retail corporations in the agricultural industry effectively determines pay and working conditions throughout the supply chain, fast food corporations effectively determine pay and working conditions for fast food restaurant workers, whether they work at a franchised or company-owned restaurant. The fast food corporations, led by McDonald’s, continue to argue that they do not employ workers at franchised restaurants and that the workers should negotiate with the franchisors.</p>
<p>The same problem that once existed for the CIW now exists for the fast food workers: They cannot bargain with the franchise owners because the franchise owners do not have much leeway given the strict operating constraints imposed on them by corporate market power. In this case, corporate market power is manifested through franchising contracts that, by standardizing essentially all franchisee operations and establishing royalty fees based on revenue, allow for only small profit margins for franchise owners. In the case of the CIW, the fast food corporations have acknowledged their market power and have agreed that this power is accompanied by a certain social responsibility; in the case of the fast food workers, they have not.</p>
<p>By signing Fair Food Agreements, fast food corporations and Walmart also acknowledge the viability of organized workers as a negotiating partner, a principle they deny with regard to the Fast Food Forward and OUR Walmart campaigns. According to McDonald’s and Walmart workers, the two corporations systematically obstruct labor organizing and union campaigns while they argue in public that worker strike campaigns are staged demonstrations that do not represent their workforce. Again, the CIW farmworkers and the fast food workers find themselves in essentially similar situations, yet the same corporations treat them differently.</p>
<p>The CIW’s alliance with students began in 2000 at the tail end of its campaigning against the tomato growers, according to Joe Parker, a member of the Student/Farmworker Alliance’s national staff. During the CIW’s 234-mile March for Dignity, Dialogue and a Living Wage from Fort Myers, Fla., to the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla., students, largely based in Florida near Immokalee, marched with the workers and helped arrange for housing, food and other logistical planning. As CIW recognized the strategic value of student allies who could constantly spread their message and develop new leadership, the formal partnership with the Student/Farmworker Alliance was born.</p>
<p>The network expanded significantly during the “Boot the Bell” campaign, which included farmworkers traveling to campuses to share their experiences directly with students. The Student/Farmworker Alliance is now anchored by two paid national staff members, who work out of the same building as the CIW in Immokalee, and a national steering committee, which meets in Immokalee each January and typically is comprised of 15 to 18 active members within the network from around the country. The national leadership helps to facilitate work that is constantly being done in local chapters throughout the country. After an application process, the outgoing staff and steering committee choose the next year’s group, according to Parker. Terms last from January to December, and neither staff nor steering committee members participate for more than three years. During the selection process, the national staff further emphasizes developing new leadership by seeking a mix of new and experienced members.</p>
<p>The Student/Farmworker Alliance also helps to organize multiple annual events that bring farmworkers in direct contact with students and act as a natural means of recruiting new membership. Periodically farmworkers will travel the country for truth and outreach tours, while each September the students organize what they call an “encuentro” in Immokalee, which serves as a national student conference where students discuss strategy and build relationships with the workers and each other. Attendance typically varies from 60 to 120 people, and students who have expressed interest around the country are invited to attend. The CIW also typically organizes a spring mass mobilization, which unites the farmworkers with their various allies. This year, the CIW will host a Fair Food Parade and Concert on March 21 in St. Petersburg, Fla.</p>
<p>As for mobilizing the farmworkers themselves, the worker-to-worker education program, a key provision in the Fair Food Code of Conduct, is essential to the CIW’s ability to both mobilize the tomato farmworkers in protest and to self-enforce the rights they have earned. Since the program’s inception, the CIW has educated over 22,000 workers face-to-face on company time and property, where they discuss their rights as workers as well as safety standards. They have also distributed “know your rights” materials to over 100,000 workers, which, along with the complaint resolution system codified in the Code of Conduct, empowers workers to act as the first line of defense against employer violation of the program.</p>
<p>“This is how the program survives,” said Sylvia Perez, a CIW staff member. “Workers are empowered to complain and to act as a first round of detection.”</p>
<p>The creation of an educated, cohesive workforce also enhances the CIW’s campaigning capabilities. The CIW continues to wage protest campaigns that, in addition to tours of college campuses and marches, have included worker boycotts, hunger strikes and picketing of restaurants and stores to educate consumers. They also frequently participate in other worker and activist campaigns, offering support that is often reciprocated. In 2013, the CIW joined fast food workers picketing Wendy’s restaurants. And more recently, the organization has visited Migrant Justice, an organization of migrant dairy farm workers in Vermont, and collaborated with the Dream Defenders, a racial justice youth activist group, by visiting a multicultural festival they organized in Miami in June and their statewide congress in December.</p>
<p>Through their strong grassroots organizing the CIW has demonstrated to themselves, the public and the corporations determining their working conditions that they are powerful. In the words of former President Bill Clinton, whose Clinton Foundation honored the CIW last year with its Clinton Global Citizen Award: “[The CIW is] the most astonishing thing politically in the world we’re living in today.”</p> | 2,681 |
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<p>Jerrica, the zoo’s 10-month-old giraffe was moved into the same pen as her mother, Jael, after months of separation following an incident in which Jael kicked her baby, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>“She’s real rambunctious, ” zoo director Vince Romero said of Jerrica. “She’ll get tired sometimes and bed down, giving her mom a chance to nudge her, smell her.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Romero told the News Journal that Jerrica is used to visitors, but is still getting to know Jael.</p>
<p>The giraffes have a new enclosure at the Hillcrest Zoo that has been expanded and renovated and now has central air and heat, the paper reported.</p>
<p>9:53am 3/27/12 — Rock-Throwing May Have Spooked Clovis Giraffe</p>
<p>By ABQnews Staff</p>
<p>(Courtesy of Hillcrest Park Zoo)</p>
<p>Officials at Hillcrest Park Zoo in Clovis said the zoo’s baby giraffe Jerrica may have been spooked recently by someone throwing rocks at her, the <a href="http://www.cnjonline.com/cms/news/story-578665.html" type="external">Clovis News Journal</a> reported.</p>
<p>Zoo Director Vince Romero said rocks were found March 17 in the pens of 7-week-old Jerrica and her mother, Jael, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Assistant Zoo Director Mark Yannotti told the News Journal that when staff approached the baby giraffe on March 17 for her noon feeding, “She was going crazy.”</p>
<p>According to Yannotti, when staff tried to calm her down she broke through a PVC pipe barrier but was uninjured, the paper reported.</p>
<p>“She was so freaked out it was hard to feed her,” Yannotti told the News Journal. “She wasn’t hurt; she was scared.”</p>
<p>Yannotti said zoo staff made the decision to keep Jerrica on static display, meaning she can leave the public viewing area any time she feels threatened, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>5:57am 3/8/12 — Baby Giraffe in Clovis Gets a Name</p>
<p>Rebecca Holt, a frequent visitor to Hillcrest Park Zoo with her two children, jumped at the chance to enter the city of Clovis’ contest to name a baby giraffe born in January, the Clovis News Journal reported.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The name “Jerrica” came to Holt while she was resting, then was confirmed when she did a Google search to find the name meant “strong” and “beautiful,” the News Journal said.</p>
<p>The winning name was announced on Wednesday by zoo director Vince Romero, the paper reported.</p>
<p>Holt’s entry was chosen from 147 entries that included many “J” names, zoo clerk Laura Shepler told the News Journal.</p>
<p>“We were kind of leaning toward a ‘J’ name anyway,” Shepler told the paper. “Since her mom’s name is Jael and her dad’s is Jay, it just seemed natural.”</p>
<p>Jerrica’s father Jay died from a fall before the baby was born, and her mother sent the newborn flying across the pen with a kick, so Jerrica has been in protective custody and bottle-fed ever since, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>“She had to be strong after being rejected by her mother and surviving being bottle fed,” Holt told the News Journal.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>7:37am 2/15/12 — Name That Baby Giraffe</p>
<p>The 3-week-old baby giraffe, born Jan. 25 at Hillcrest Park Zoo in Clovis, has grown about 2 inches and is doing fine, assistant zoo director Mark Yannotti told the <a href="http://www.cnjonline.com/news/baby-46745-zoo-giraffe.html" type="external">Clovis News Journal</a>. The not-so-little girl was 6 feet tall at birth.</p>
<p>Now all the baby — the zoo’s first exotic animal born in captivity — needs is a name, and city Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bizzell said he has received hundreds of entries from contestants seeking to name the new giraffe, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>The winner of the contest, which ends Feb. 29, will receive a one-year family pass to the zoo and a commemorative plaque, the paper reported. <a href="http://hillcrestparkzoo.com/default.aspx" type="external">Visit the zoo’s website to enter a name</a>.</p>
<p>The baby also needs to be reunited with its mother, Jael, and she will be introduced to the public once the weather is warmer, Yannotti told the News Journal. The baby was removed to protective custody shortly after birth when her mother kicked the infant.</p>
<p>The baby’s father was the popular giraffe named Jay, who died on Feb. 3, 2011, as the result of a fall on an icy sidewalk, according to earlier reports.</p>
<p>The zoo is using feeding protocols from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo., and nutritional supplements from the Los Angeles Zoo, Yannotti told the paper.</p>
<p>“We’re doing all the right things,” said Yannotti, who just returned from a five-day giraffe symposium in San Francisco.</p>
<p>A baby giraffe was born at ABQ BioPark’s zoo last September to the zoo’s 17-year-old mother June, according to earlier reports.</p> | UPDATED: Giraffe Reunion at Clovis Zoo | false | https://abqjournal.com/144916/updates-giraffes-reunite-at-clovis-zoo.html | 2012-11-08 | 2least
| UPDATED: Giraffe Reunion at Clovis Zoo
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<p />
<p>Jerrica, the zoo’s 10-month-old giraffe was moved into the same pen as her mother, Jael, after months of separation following an incident in which Jael kicked her baby, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>“She’s real rambunctious, ” zoo director Vince Romero said of Jerrica. “She’ll get tired sometimes and bed down, giving her mom a chance to nudge her, smell her.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Romero told the News Journal that Jerrica is used to visitors, but is still getting to know Jael.</p>
<p>The giraffes have a new enclosure at the Hillcrest Zoo that has been expanded and renovated and now has central air and heat, the paper reported.</p>
<p>9:53am 3/27/12 — Rock-Throwing May Have Spooked Clovis Giraffe</p>
<p>By ABQnews Staff</p>
<p>(Courtesy of Hillcrest Park Zoo)</p>
<p>Officials at Hillcrest Park Zoo in Clovis said the zoo’s baby giraffe Jerrica may have been spooked recently by someone throwing rocks at her, the <a href="http://www.cnjonline.com/cms/news/story-578665.html" type="external">Clovis News Journal</a> reported.</p>
<p>Zoo Director Vince Romero said rocks were found March 17 in the pens of 7-week-old Jerrica and her mother, Jael, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Assistant Zoo Director Mark Yannotti told the News Journal that when staff approached the baby giraffe on March 17 for her noon feeding, “She was going crazy.”</p>
<p>According to Yannotti, when staff tried to calm her down she broke through a PVC pipe barrier but was uninjured, the paper reported.</p>
<p>“She was so freaked out it was hard to feed her,” Yannotti told the News Journal. “She wasn’t hurt; she was scared.”</p>
<p>Yannotti said zoo staff made the decision to keep Jerrica on static display, meaning she can leave the public viewing area any time she feels threatened, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>5:57am 3/8/12 — Baby Giraffe in Clovis Gets a Name</p>
<p>Rebecca Holt, a frequent visitor to Hillcrest Park Zoo with her two children, jumped at the chance to enter the city of Clovis’ contest to name a baby giraffe born in January, the Clovis News Journal reported.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The name “Jerrica” came to Holt while she was resting, then was confirmed when she did a Google search to find the name meant “strong” and “beautiful,” the News Journal said.</p>
<p>The winning name was announced on Wednesday by zoo director Vince Romero, the paper reported.</p>
<p>Holt’s entry was chosen from 147 entries that included many “J” names, zoo clerk Laura Shepler told the News Journal.</p>
<p>“We were kind of leaning toward a ‘J’ name anyway,” Shepler told the paper. “Since her mom’s name is Jael and her dad’s is Jay, it just seemed natural.”</p>
<p>Jerrica’s father Jay died from a fall before the baby was born, and her mother sent the newborn flying across the pen with a kick, so Jerrica has been in protective custody and bottle-fed ever since, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>“She had to be strong after being rejected by her mother and surviving being bottle fed,” Holt told the News Journal.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>7:37am 2/15/12 — Name That Baby Giraffe</p>
<p>The 3-week-old baby giraffe, born Jan. 25 at Hillcrest Park Zoo in Clovis, has grown about 2 inches and is doing fine, assistant zoo director Mark Yannotti told the <a href="http://www.cnjonline.com/news/baby-46745-zoo-giraffe.html" type="external">Clovis News Journal</a>. The not-so-little girl was 6 feet tall at birth.</p>
<p>Now all the baby — the zoo’s first exotic animal born in captivity — needs is a name, and city Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bizzell said he has received hundreds of entries from contestants seeking to name the new giraffe, the News Journal said.</p>
<p>The winner of the contest, which ends Feb. 29, will receive a one-year family pass to the zoo and a commemorative plaque, the paper reported. <a href="http://hillcrestparkzoo.com/default.aspx" type="external">Visit the zoo’s website to enter a name</a>.</p>
<p>The baby also needs to be reunited with its mother, Jael, and she will be introduced to the public once the weather is warmer, Yannotti told the News Journal. The baby was removed to protective custody shortly after birth when her mother kicked the infant.</p>
<p>The baby’s father was the popular giraffe named Jay, who died on Feb. 3, 2011, as the result of a fall on an icy sidewalk, according to earlier reports.</p>
<p>The zoo is using feeding protocols from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo., and nutritional supplements from the Los Angeles Zoo, Yannotti told the paper.</p>
<p>“We’re doing all the right things,” said Yannotti, who just returned from a five-day giraffe symposium in San Francisco.</p>
<p>A baby giraffe was born at ABQ BioPark’s zoo last September to the zoo’s 17-year-old mother June, according to earlier reports.</p> | 2,682 |
<p>While speculation has been rampant on when the Fed’s easy money policies start to dry up, one Federal Reserve official — Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren — told&#160; <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/10/us-usa-fed-rosengren-idUSKCN0PK2LM20150710" type="external">Reuters</a>&#160;tightening could come at any time, including the next meeting in mid September.</p>
<p>“If we do continue to get improvement in labor markets, if we do become reasonably confident that we’re moving back to 2-percent inflation, it may be appropriate as early as September”, the report indicates. &#160;Rosengren is known as a “dove”, meaning he favors easier money (more favorable credit terms) over tighter policy (less favorable credit terms).</p>
<p>Rosengren only indicated he’d back off that analysis if employment trends worsened (either in jobs or in wage data), or inflationary readings started easing. While the US has generally showed some improvement recently, with the core unemployment rate down to 5.3 percent, international weakness has led to a great deal of speculation as to when the Fed would manage their exit from the easy-money policies it has kept in place since the aftermath of the 2008 meltdown.</p>
<p>In an interview with&#160; <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/04/22/rosengren-says-fed-could-delay-rate-increases-if-weakness-continues/" type="external">The Wall Street Journal</a>&#160;in April of this year, Rosengren was more cautious due to impacts in Europe and China, which have turned worse in the past week. &#160;But he told Reuters yesterday that if “international shocks turn out to not to be negative at all that would be very good news”.</p>
<p>Rosengren does not have a vote on policy under current Fed design. &#160;He is predicting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to reach 2.75 percent in the back half of the year. &#160;</p>
<p>Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, in a speech in Cleveland on Friday, <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/yellen20150710a.htm" type="external">indicated</a>&#160; “I expect that it will be appropriate at some point later this year to take the first step to raise the federal funds rate and thus begin normalizing monetary policy”, but also added “I currently anticipate that the appropriate pace of normalization will be gradual, and that monetary policy will need to be highly supportive of economic activity for quite some time”.</p>
<p /> | Rosengren, Yellen: Federal Reserve may increase rates in next two months | false | http://natmonitor.com/2015/07/11/fed-may-increase-rates-in-next-two-months/ | 2015-07-11 | 3left-center
| Rosengren, Yellen: Federal Reserve may increase rates in next two months
<p>While speculation has been rampant on when the Fed’s easy money policies start to dry up, one Federal Reserve official — Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren — told&#160; <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/10/us-usa-fed-rosengren-idUSKCN0PK2LM20150710" type="external">Reuters</a>&#160;tightening could come at any time, including the next meeting in mid September.</p>
<p>“If we do continue to get improvement in labor markets, if we do become reasonably confident that we’re moving back to 2-percent inflation, it may be appropriate as early as September”, the report indicates. &#160;Rosengren is known as a “dove”, meaning he favors easier money (more favorable credit terms) over tighter policy (less favorable credit terms).</p>
<p>Rosengren only indicated he’d back off that analysis if employment trends worsened (either in jobs or in wage data), or inflationary readings started easing. While the US has generally showed some improvement recently, with the core unemployment rate down to 5.3 percent, international weakness has led to a great deal of speculation as to when the Fed would manage their exit from the easy-money policies it has kept in place since the aftermath of the 2008 meltdown.</p>
<p>In an interview with&#160; <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/04/22/rosengren-says-fed-could-delay-rate-increases-if-weakness-continues/" type="external">The Wall Street Journal</a>&#160;in April of this year, Rosengren was more cautious due to impacts in Europe and China, which have turned worse in the past week. &#160;But he told Reuters yesterday that if “international shocks turn out to not to be negative at all that would be very good news”.</p>
<p>Rosengren does not have a vote on policy under current Fed design. &#160;He is predicting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to reach 2.75 percent in the back half of the year. &#160;</p>
<p>Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, in a speech in Cleveland on Friday, <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/yellen20150710a.htm" type="external">indicated</a>&#160; “I expect that it will be appropriate at some point later this year to take the first step to raise the federal funds rate and thus begin normalizing monetary policy”, but also added “I currently anticipate that the appropriate pace of normalization will be gradual, and that monetary policy will need to be highly supportive of economic activity for quite some time”.</p>
<p /> | 2,683 |
<p><a href="https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/futures-fall-on-weaker-oil-prices-inflation-data-eyed-863536" type="external">Wall Street falls as energy tracks oil lower; tech weighs</a>Reuters <a href="https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news" type="external">Stock Markets</a></p>
<p>By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday as energy sector shares dropped for a fourth straight session, tracking crude prices, while tech, the best performing sector this year, weighed the most on the S&amp;P 500. Oil prices fell for a fourth session after data showed an unexpected increase in crude and gasoline stockpiles. The S&amp;P …</p> | Seema Bansal And The Flowers That Last An Entire Year | Forbes | false | https://newsline.com/seema-bansal-and-the-flowers-that-last-an-entire-year-forbes/ | 2017-11-15 | 1right-center
| Seema Bansal And The Flowers That Last An Entire Year | Forbes
<p><a href="https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/futures-fall-on-weaker-oil-prices-inflation-data-eyed-863536" type="external">Wall Street falls as energy tracks oil lower; tech weighs</a>Reuters <a href="https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news" type="external">Stock Markets</a></p>
<p>By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday as energy sector shares dropped for a fourth straight session, tracking crude prices, while tech, the best performing sector this year, weighed the most on the S&amp;P 500. Oil prices fell for a fourth session after data showed an unexpected increase in crude and gasoline stockpiles. The S&amp;P …</p> | 2,684 |
<p>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mark Few isn't surprised one bit by how well his Gonzaga Bulldogs have played after losses this season.</p>
<p>It hasn't happened often — just four times in 21 games. But each time, they have followed up with convincing, if not lopsided, wins.</p>
<p>Zach Norvell Jr. scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and No. 13 Gonzaga bounced back from its first conference loss of the season to beat Santa Clara 75-60 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>"That sting that they feel after a loss is a legitimate feeling and it serves as a pretty good motivator," Few said. "We talk a lot about that stuff. We talk about what our response is going to be and how it needs to show in a game like this.</p>
<p>"It might not seem like a big thing to somebody on the East Coast or whatever, but this was a good response."</p>
<p>Josh Perkins added 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Rui Hachimura scored 16 points and Killian Tillie had 12. Johnathan Williams had nine points and eight boards for Gonzaga (17-4, 7-1 West Coast Conference), including his 400th career rebound.</p>
<p>Two days after a 74-71 home loss to Saint Mary's that ended Gonzaga's six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs had trouble shaking the pesky Broncos (7-13, 4-4) until Norvell found his stroke after halftime.</p>
<p>Norvell made pair of 3s, a short jumper and a layup in the first 7 ½ minutes of the second half, scored on an offensive rebound as part of a 12-0 run, and then made a fast-break one-handed dunk to put the Bulldogs up 75-41.</p>
<p>That improved Gonzaga to 4-0 after losses this season. In those four games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents by an average of 20 points.</p>
<p>"I hope it doesn't happen again, but it's a good feeling that we can respond when we hit adversity or when we lose a tough one like we did on Thursday," Perkins said. "We went out there today and we played team basketball."</p>
<p>It was as much a bounce-back game for Perkins as it was the Bulldogs. Gonzaga's second-leading scorer was held to six points in the loss to Saint Mary's but was almost perfect against the Broncos, his lone miss coming from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>"Part of how we played is his response," Few said. "He took care of the ball, stepped up and made shots and played pretty good (defense)."</p>
<p>It was Gonzaga's 17th consecutive win over the Broncos and improved Few's record to 40-4 against Santa Clara.</p>
<p>KJ Feagin scored 21 points for the Broncos.</p>
<p>"For most of the game we played well," Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said. "(The Bulldogs) don't have any weak links on the floor. There's nobody that you can cheat off of to help on another guy easily."</p>
<p>Unlike the first game between the teams this season, when Gonzaga built 27-point lead by halftime on the way to a win in Spokane, Santa Clara kept it close early despite struggling from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>The Broncos missed eight of their first nine 3-point attempts but were tied with 8 ½ minutes left in the first half following Josip Vrankic's driving layup that had the crowd at Leavey Center roaring.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for Gonzaga was the Bulldogs' inability to keep Feagin from getting to the basket. He had 12 points in the first 20 minutes, made three layups and tipped in his own miss to help Santa Clara close within seven at halftime.</p>
<p>MOMENTUM SWING</p>
<p>After Perkins drove in from the base line to put Gonzaga back up following Vrankic's tying shot, Hachimura scored on back-to-back dunks, a one-handed power dunk inside and a more traditional two-handed jam coming down the lane.</p>
<p>SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING</p>
<p>Gonzaga's win came on the seventh anniversary of Santa Clara's last win in the series. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 85-71 on Jan. 20, 2011 at the Leavey Center.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games this season and looked good after a somewhat slow start. Norvell provided a huge boost, but the Zags also got another big game from Hachimura, who has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: Coming off a win at San Francisco, the Broncos made a splash in the first half at home to keep things interesting. They never had the Bulldogs on their heels, but it was a much better effort than their first meeting.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Gonzaga: At Portland on Thursday.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: At San Diego on Thursday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college basketball: <a href="https://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">https://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
<p>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mark Few isn't surprised one bit by how well his Gonzaga Bulldogs have played after losses this season.</p>
<p>It hasn't happened often — just four times in 21 games. But each time, they have followed up with convincing, if not lopsided, wins.</p>
<p>Zach Norvell Jr. scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and No. 13 Gonzaga bounced back from its first conference loss of the season to beat Santa Clara 75-60 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>"That sting that they feel after a loss is a legitimate feeling and it serves as a pretty good motivator," Few said. "We talk a lot about that stuff. We talk about what our response is going to be and how it needs to show in a game like this.</p>
<p>"It might not seem like a big thing to somebody on the East Coast or whatever, but this was a good response."</p>
<p>Josh Perkins added 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Rui Hachimura scored 16 points and Killian Tillie had 12. Johnathan Williams had nine points and eight boards for Gonzaga (17-4, 7-1 West Coast Conference), including his 400th career rebound.</p>
<p>Two days after a 74-71 home loss to Saint Mary's that ended Gonzaga's six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs had trouble shaking the pesky Broncos (7-13, 4-4) until Norvell found his stroke after halftime.</p>
<p>Norvell made pair of 3s, a short jumper and a layup in the first 7 ½ minutes of the second half, scored on an offensive rebound as part of a 12-0 run, and then made a fast-break one-handed dunk to put the Bulldogs up 75-41.</p>
<p>That improved Gonzaga to 4-0 after losses this season. In those four games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents by an average of 20 points.</p>
<p>"I hope it doesn't happen again, but it's a good feeling that we can respond when we hit adversity or when we lose a tough one like we did on Thursday," Perkins said. "We went out there today and we played team basketball."</p>
<p>It was as much a bounce-back game for Perkins as it was the Bulldogs. Gonzaga's second-leading scorer was held to six points in the loss to Saint Mary's but was almost perfect against the Broncos, his lone miss coming from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>"Part of how we played is his response," Few said. "He took care of the ball, stepped up and made shots and played pretty good (defense)."</p>
<p>It was Gonzaga's 17th consecutive win over the Broncos and improved Few's record to 40-4 against Santa Clara.</p>
<p>KJ Feagin scored 21 points for the Broncos.</p>
<p>"For most of the game we played well," Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said. "(The Bulldogs) don't have any weak links on the floor. There's nobody that you can cheat off of to help on another guy easily."</p>
<p>Unlike the first game between the teams this season, when Gonzaga built 27-point lead by halftime on the way to a win in Spokane, Santa Clara kept it close early despite struggling from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>The Broncos missed eight of their first nine 3-point attempts but were tied with 8 ½ minutes left in the first half following Josip Vrankic's driving layup that had the crowd at Leavey Center roaring.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for Gonzaga was the Bulldogs' inability to keep Feagin from getting to the basket. He had 12 points in the first 20 minutes, made three layups and tipped in his own miss to help Santa Clara close within seven at halftime.</p>
<p>MOMENTUM SWING</p>
<p>After Perkins drove in from the base line to put Gonzaga back up following Vrankic's tying shot, Hachimura scored on back-to-back dunks, a one-handed power dunk inside and a more traditional two-handed jam coming down the lane.</p>
<p>SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING</p>
<p>Gonzaga's win came on the seventh anniversary of Santa Clara's last win in the series. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 85-71 on Jan. 20, 2011 at the Leavey Center.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games this season and looked good after a somewhat slow start. Norvell provided a huge boost, but the Zags also got another big game from Hachimura, who has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: Coming off a win at San Francisco, the Broncos made a splash in the first half at home to keep things interesting. They never had the Bulldogs on their heels, but it was a much better effort than their first meeting.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Gonzaga: At Portland on Thursday.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: At San Diego on Thursday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college basketball: <a href="https://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">https://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p> | Norvell helps No. 13 Gonzaga bounce back to beat Santa Clara | false | https://apnews.com/amp/bea8a66f41c24f0e9d21e021a8e0373d | 2018-01-21 | 2least
| Norvell helps No. 13 Gonzaga bounce back to beat Santa Clara
<p>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mark Few isn't surprised one bit by how well his Gonzaga Bulldogs have played after losses this season.</p>
<p>It hasn't happened often — just four times in 21 games. But each time, they have followed up with convincing, if not lopsided, wins.</p>
<p>Zach Norvell Jr. scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and No. 13 Gonzaga bounced back from its first conference loss of the season to beat Santa Clara 75-60 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>"That sting that they feel after a loss is a legitimate feeling and it serves as a pretty good motivator," Few said. "We talk a lot about that stuff. We talk about what our response is going to be and how it needs to show in a game like this.</p>
<p>"It might not seem like a big thing to somebody on the East Coast or whatever, but this was a good response."</p>
<p>Josh Perkins added 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Rui Hachimura scored 16 points and Killian Tillie had 12. Johnathan Williams had nine points and eight boards for Gonzaga (17-4, 7-1 West Coast Conference), including his 400th career rebound.</p>
<p>Two days after a 74-71 home loss to Saint Mary's that ended Gonzaga's six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs had trouble shaking the pesky Broncos (7-13, 4-4) until Norvell found his stroke after halftime.</p>
<p>Norvell made pair of 3s, a short jumper and a layup in the first 7 ½ minutes of the second half, scored on an offensive rebound as part of a 12-0 run, and then made a fast-break one-handed dunk to put the Bulldogs up 75-41.</p>
<p>That improved Gonzaga to 4-0 after losses this season. In those four games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents by an average of 20 points.</p>
<p>"I hope it doesn't happen again, but it's a good feeling that we can respond when we hit adversity or when we lose a tough one like we did on Thursday," Perkins said. "We went out there today and we played team basketball."</p>
<p>It was as much a bounce-back game for Perkins as it was the Bulldogs. Gonzaga's second-leading scorer was held to six points in the loss to Saint Mary's but was almost perfect against the Broncos, his lone miss coming from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>"Part of how we played is his response," Few said. "He took care of the ball, stepped up and made shots and played pretty good (defense)."</p>
<p>It was Gonzaga's 17th consecutive win over the Broncos and improved Few's record to 40-4 against Santa Clara.</p>
<p>KJ Feagin scored 21 points for the Broncos.</p>
<p>"For most of the game we played well," Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said. "(The Bulldogs) don't have any weak links on the floor. There's nobody that you can cheat off of to help on another guy easily."</p>
<p>Unlike the first game between the teams this season, when Gonzaga built 27-point lead by halftime on the way to a win in Spokane, Santa Clara kept it close early despite struggling from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>The Broncos missed eight of their first nine 3-point attempts but were tied with 8 ½ minutes left in the first half following Josip Vrankic's driving layup that had the crowd at Leavey Center roaring.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for Gonzaga was the Bulldogs' inability to keep Feagin from getting to the basket. He had 12 points in the first 20 minutes, made three layups and tipped in his own miss to help Santa Clara close within seven at halftime.</p>
<p>MOMENTUM SWING</p>
<p>After Perkins drove in from the base line to put Gonzaga back up following Vrankic's tying shot, Hachimura scored on back-to-back dunks, a one-handed power dunk inside and a more traditional two-handed jam coming down the lane.</p>
<p>SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING</p>
<p>Gonzaga's win came on the seventh anniversary of Santa Clara's last win in the series. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 85-71 on Jan. 20, 2011 at the Leavey Center.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games this season and looked good after a somewhat slow start. Norvell provided a huge boost, but the Zags also got another big game from Hachimura, who has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: Coming off a win at San Francisco, the Broncos made a splash in the first half at home to keep things interesting. They never had the Bulldogs on their heels, but it was a much better effort than their first meeting.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Gonzaga: At Portland on Thursday.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: At San Diego on Thursday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college basketball: <a href="https://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">https://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
<p>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mark Few isn't surprised one bit by how well his Gonzaga Bulldogs have played after losses this season.</p>
<p>It hasn't happened often — just four times in 21 games. But each time, they have followed up with convincing, if not lopsided, wins.</p>
<p>Zach Norvell Jr. scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and No. 13 Gonzaga bounced back from its first conference loss of the season to beat Santa Clara 75-60 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>"That sting that they feel after a loss is a legitimate feeling and it serves as a pretty good motivator," Few said. "We talk a lot about that stuff. We talk about what our response is going to be and how it needs to show in a game like this.</p>
<p>"It might not seem like a big thing to somebody on the East Coast or whatever, but this was a good response."</p>
<p>Josh Perkins added 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Rui Hachimura scored 16 points and Killian Tillie had 12. Johnathan Williams had nine points and eight boards for Gonzaga (17-4, 7-1 West Coast Conference), including his 400th career rebound.</p>
<p>Two days after a 74-71 home loss to Saint Mary's that ended Gonzaga's six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs had trouble shaking the pesky Broncos (7-13, 4-4) until Norvell found his stroke after halftime.</p>
<p>Norvell made pair of 3s, a short jumper and a layup in the first 7 ½ minutes of the second half, scored on an offensive rebound as part of a 12-0 run, and then made a fast-break one-handed dunk to put the Bulldogs up 75-41.</p>
<p>That improved Gonzaga to 4-0 after losses this season. In those four games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents by an average of 20 points.</p>
<p>"I hope it doesn't happen again, but it's a good feeling that we can respond when we hit adversity or when we lose a tough one like we did on Thursday," Perkins said. "We went out there today and we played team basketball."</p>
<p>It was as much a bounce-back game for Perkins as it was the Bulldogs. Gonzaga's second-leading scorer was held to six points in the loss to Saint Mary's but was almost perfect against the Broncos, his lone miss coming from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>"Part of how we played is his response," Few said. "He took care of the ball, stepped up and made shots and played pretty good (defense)."</p>
<p>It was Gonzaga's 17th consecutive win over the Broncos and improved Few's record to 40-4 against Santa Clara.</p>
<p>KJ Feagin scored 21 points for the Broncos.</p>
<p>"For most of the game we played well," Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said. "(The Bulldogs) don't have any weak links on the floor. There's nobody that you can cheat off of to help on another guy easily."</p>
<p>Unlike the first game between the teams this season, when Gonzaga built 27-point lead by halftime on the way to a win in Spokane, Santa Clara kept it close early despite struggling from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>The Broncos missed eight of their first nine 3-point attempts but were tied with 8 ½ minutes left in the first half following Josip Vrankic's driving layup that had the crowd at Leavey Center roaring.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for Gonzaga was the Bulldogs' inability to keep Feagin from getting to the basket. He had 12 points in the first 20 minutes, made three layups and tipped in his own miss to help Santa Clara close within seven at halftime.</p>
<p>MOMENTUM SWING</p>
<p>After Perkins drove in from the base line to put Gonzaga back up following Vrankic's tying shot, Hachimura scored on back-to-back dunks, a one-handed power dunk inside and a more traditional two-handed jam coming down the lane.</p>
<p>SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING</p>
<p>Gonzaga's win came on the seventh anniversary of Santa Clara's last win in the series. The Broncos beat the Bulldogs 85-71 on Jan. 20, 2011 at the Leavey Center.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games this season and looked good after a somewhat slow start. Norvell provided a huge boost, but the Zags also got another big game from Hachimura, who has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: Coming off a win at San Francisco, the Broncos made a splash in the first half at home to keep things interesting. They never had the Bulldogs on their heels, but it was a much better effort than their first meeting.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Gonzaga: At Portland on Thursday.</p>
<p>Santa Clara: At San Diego on Thursday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college basketball: <a href="https://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">https://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p> | 2,685 |
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA head coach Chip Kelly finalized his staff with the addition of three more assistants Tuesday, including quarterbacks coach Dana Bible.</p>
<p>Kelly also retained four assistants from Jim Mora's 2017 coaching staff in Westwood.</p>
<p>Kelly won't have an official offensive coordinator for the first time in his head coaching career.</p>
<p>The 64-year-old Bible is a longtime friend of Kelly, who brought him out of a three-year absence from coaching to help on his staff with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Among numerous stops in a coaching career that began in 1976, Bible most recently coached at Boston College and at North Carolina State, where he briefly served as interim head coach in 2012.</p>
<p>UCLA also hired Roy Manning to coach special teams and outside linebackers. Vince Oghobaase is the Bruins' new defensive line coach.</p>
<p>Kelly retained receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty, running backs coach DeShaun Foster, offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Angus McClure, who will become UCLA's tight ends coach. Bible is UCLA's only major addition to the offensive coaching staff led by departed coordinator Jedd Fisch last season.</p>
<p>Manning was an assistant at Washington State for the past three seasons. Oghobaase spent the past two seasons on the 49ers' coaching staff.</p>
<p>Last month, Kelly hired defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.</p>
<p>Kelly is well known as one of the most innovative offensive coaches in football, but he had the help of two top offensive coordinators during his prior stints at Oregon and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mark Helfrich was Kelly's offensive coordinator with the Ducks, and Pat Shurmur was his offensive coordinator with the Eagles.</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA head coach Chip Kelly finalized his staff with the addition of three more assistants Tuesday, including quarterbacks coach Dana Bible.</p>
<p>Kelly also retained four assistants from Jim Mora's 2017 coaching staff in Westwood.</p>
<p>Kelly won't have an official offensive coordinator for the first time in his head coaching career.</p>
<p>The 64-year-old Bible is a longtime friend of Kelly, who brought him out of a three-year absence from coaching to help on his staff with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Among numerous stops in a coaching career that began in 1976, Bible most recently coached at Boston College and at North Carolina State, where he briefly served as interim head coach in 2012.</p>
<p>UCLA also hired Roy Manning to coach special teams and outside linebackers. Vince Oghobaase is the Bruins' new defensive line coach.</p>
<p>Kelly retained receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty, running backs coach DeShaun Foster, offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Angus McClure, who will become UCLA's tight ends coach. Bible is UCLA's only major addition to the offensive coaching staff led by departed coordinator Jedd Fisch last season.</p>
<p>Manning was an assistant at Washington State for the past three seasons. Oghobaase spent the past two seasons on the 49ers' coaching staff.</p>
<p>Last month, Kelly hired defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.</p>
<p>Kelly is well known as one of the most innovative offensive coaches in football, but he had the help of two top offensive coordinators during his prior stints at Oregon and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mark Helfrich was Kelly's offensive coordinator with the Ducks, and Pat Shurmur was his offensive coordinator with the Eagles.</p> | Kelly adds 3 assistants, retains 4 on UCLA coaching staff | false | https://apnews.com/amp/6705ac69d9814573a5e4e539cac98354 | 2018-01-23 | 2least
| Kelly adds 3 assistants, retains 4 on UCLA coaching staff
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA head coach Chip Kelly finalized his staff with the addition of three more assistants Tuesday, including quarterbacks coach Dana Bible.</p>
<p>Kelly also retained four assistants from Jim Mora's 2017 coaching staff in Westwood.</p>
<p>Kelly won't have an official offensive coordinator for the first time in his head coaching career.</p>
<p>The 64-year-old Bible is a longtime friend of Kelly, who brought him out of a three-year absence from coaching to help on his staff with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Among numerous stops in a coaching career that began in 1976, Bible most recently coached at Boston College and at North Carolina State, where he briefly served as interim head coach in 2012.</p>
<p>UCLA also hired Roy Manning to coach special teams and outside linebackers. Vince Oghobaase is the Bruins' new defensive line coach.</p>
<p>Kelly retained receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty, running backs coach DeShaun Foster, offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Angus McClure, who will become UCLA's tight ends coach. Bible is UCLA's only major addition to the offensive coaching staff led by departed coordinator Jedd Fisch last season.</p>
<p>Manning was an assistant at Washington State for the past three seasons. Oghobaase spent the past two seasons on the 49ers' coaching staff.</p>
<p>Last month, Kelly hired defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.</p>
<p>Kelly is well known as one of the most innovative offensive coaches in football, but he had the help of two top offensive coordinators during his prior stints at Oregon and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mark Helfrich was Kelly's offensive coordinator with the Ducks, and Pat Shurmur was his offensive coordinator with the Eagles.</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA head coach Chip Kelly finalized his staff with the addition of three more assistants Tuesday, including quarterbacks coach Dana Bible.</p>
<p>Kelly also retained four assistants from Jim Mora's 2017 coaching staff in Westwood.</p>
<p>Kelly won't have an official offensive coordinator for the first time in his head coaching career.</p>
<p>The 64-year-old Bible is a longtime friend of Kelly, who brought him out of a three-year absence from coaching to help on his staff with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Among numerous stops in a coaching career that began in 1976, Bible most recently coached at Boston College and at North Carolina State, where he briefly served as interim head coach in 2012.</p>
<p>UCLA also hired Roy Manning to coach special teams and outside linebackers. Vince Oghobaase is the Bruins' new defensive line coach.</p>
<p>Kelly retained receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty, running backs coach DeShaun Foster, offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Angus McClure, who will become UCLA's tight ends coach. Bible is UCLA's only major addition to the offensive coaching staff led by departed coordinator Jedd Fisch last season.</p>
<p>Manning was an assistant at Washington State for the past three seasons. Oghobaase spent the past two seasons on the 49ers' coaching staff.</p>
<p>Last month, Kelly hired defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.</p>
<p>Kelly is well known as one of the most innovative offensive coaches in football, but he had the help of two top offensive coordinators during his prior stints at Oregon and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mark Helfrich was Kelly's offensive coordinator with the Ducks, and Pat Shurmur was his offensive coordinator with the Eagles.</p> | 2,686 |
<p>CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts - A nuclear-armed Iran would present a dire threat to&#160;Israel.</p>
<p>Those of us who are committed to defending Israel must consider the strategies for preventing Iran from developing&#160;a nuclear weapon and support the strategy that is most likely to&#160;achieve that goal and to maximize Israel's power and security. There&#160;are three elements of a strategy to achieve this objective.</p>
<p>Strategy 1: Sanctions, pressure, threats</p>
<p>A policy of sanctions, pressure, and threats has dominated Israel's&#160;and the United States' approaches to Iran for many years. However, if&#160;threats and coercion are intended to force Iran to abandon its nuclear&#160;program, they are not likely to produce the desired result.</p>
<p>Much of Iran's motivation to develop an ambiguous nuclear program&#160;stems from the belief that Iran faces threats from other countries,&#160;particularly from the United States. The escalation of threats,&#160;therefore, will only further convince Iran that it needs a nuclear&#160;program, either as a symbol of strength, as a deterrent, or as a&#160;bargaining chip to gain concessions from its adversaries.</p>
<p>Further, sanctions and threats are strengthening the power of Iranian&#160;hardliners and the Revolutionary Guards, the forces that present the&#160;gravest danger to Israel. A policy that is centered on pressure will&#160;increase the likelihood that Iran will decide it needs a nuclear&#160;weapon and that it cannot reduce its enmity toward Israel and the&#160;United States. Such a policy will likely make Israel less secure.</p>
<p>Strategy 2: An attack on Iran's nuclear facilities</p>
<p>An Israeli or American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities may delay&#160;Iran's nuclear progress. While it is difficult to predict precisely&#160;what the outcome of an attack would be, and how much damage it would&#160;cause to Iran's nuclear program, a strike will not prevent Iran from&#160;obtaining a nuclear weapon.</p>
<p>Instead, it is more likely to convince&#160;Iran to pursue a nuclear weapon as a deterrent against a future&#160;attack. A strike is also likely to provoke retaliation, putting the&#160;lives of many Israelis at risk. Therefore, an attack on Iran's&#160;nuclear facilities will make Israel less secure in both the short and&#160;long term.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120227/israel-and-us-meet-amid-rising-tension" type="external">Israel &amp; US meet amid rising tension with Iran</a></p>
<p>Strategy 3: Negotiations and engagement</p>
<p>The idea of negotiating with a regime that champions hate towards&#160;Israel and Jews, denies the Holocaust, and represses its own people is&#160;difficult to consider. However, doing so becomes easier if we&#160;recognize that negotiating with Iran is the surest way to maximize&#160;Israel's security, because it has the highest chance of producing an&#160;Iran that is less threatening and that does not develop a nuclear&#160;weapon.</p>
<p>Most importantly, a negotiated agreement can be based on pro-Israel&#160;solutions that maintain Israeli supremacy in the region. This&#160;involves demands that Iran cap its enrichment to 5 percent, cease&#160;activities at the Fordow enrichment plant, deposit its 20 percent&#160;enriched uranium with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and institute comprehensive IAEA inspections through ratification of the&#160;Additional Protocol that addresses protection civilians are entitled&#160;to in wartime.</p>
<p>To secure these things from Iran, Israel and the United&#160;States can accept a uranium enrichment capability in Iran, enact&#160;Article IV of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by agreeing to&#160;technological and nuclear cooperation between Iran and the&#160;international community, and provide some form of security guarantee&#160;including the disavowal of regime change.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120323/israel-iran-facebook-friends-no-war-protest" type="external">Israelis &amp; Iranians seek to make friends, not war</a></p>
<p>These measures maximize Israel's security. An indigenous enrichment&#160;capability brings Iran under the continued auspices of the NPT and the&#160;continued oversight of IAEA inspectors. It decreases the likelihood&#160;that Iran will develop a clandestine program and makes it much harder&#160;for Iran to develop a military nuclear capability. Technological and&#160;nuclear cooperation between Iran and the international community has&#160;the same effect. Both measures, therefore, increase Israel's security.</p>
<p>A security guarantee, reduction in threatening rhetoric, and disavowal&#160;of regime change will minimize Iran's conviction that it faces&#160;international threats, and will reduce its incentive to&#160;develop a nuclear weapon as a deterrent. Further, in gaining a&#160;perceived win in negotiations, Iran will have less need for an advanced nuclear capability as a bargaining chip.</p>
<p>Of these three strategies, only the third - negotiating with Iran - can&#160;lead to an Iran without nuclear weapons; consequently, it is the best&#160;strategy for maximizing Israel's security.</p>
<p>Annie Tracy Samuel is a member of a family that was instrumental in&#160;the creation of Israel and in assuring it has maximum U.S. support.&#160;She is the great grandniece of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, leader of&#160;American Zionism, and the granddaughter of Philip Bernstein, former&#160;chief executive of the Council of Jewish Federations (now the Jewish&#160;Federations of North America). She is writing a doctoral dissertation&#160;on the Islamic Republic at Tel Aviv and Harvard Universities. &#160;</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120305/US-election-rick-santorum-foreign-policy-iran" type="external">Santorum's foreign policy: Iran Iran Iran</a></p> | Why negotiating with Iran is Israel's best strategy | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-03-28/why-negotiating-iran-israels-best-strategy | 2012-03-28 | 3left-center
| Why negotiating with Iran is Israel's best strategy
<p>CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts - A nuclear-armed Iran would present a dire threat to&#160;Israel.</p>
<p>Those of us who are committed to defending Israel must consider the strategies for preventing Iran from developing&#160;a nuclear weapon and support the strategy that is most likely to&#160;achieve that goal and to maximize Israel's power and security. There&#160;are three elements of a strategy to achieve this objective.</p>
<p>Strategy 1: Sanctions, pressure, threats</p>
<p>A policy of sanctions, pressure, and threats has dominated Israel's&#160;and the United States' approaches to Iran for many years. However, if&#160;threats and coercion are intended to force Iran to abandon its nuclear&#160;program, they are not likely to produce the desired result.</p>
<p>Much of Iran's motivation to develop an ambiguous nuclear program&#160;stems from the belief that Iran faces threats from other countries,&#160;particularly from the United States. The escalation of threats,&#160;therefore, will only further convince Iran that it needs a nuclear&#160;program, either as a symbol of strength, as a deterrent, or as a&#160;bargaining chip to gain concessions from its adversaries.</p>
<p>Further, sanctions and threats are strengthening the power of Iranian&#160;hardliners and the Revolutionary Guards, the forces that present the&#160;gravest danger to Israel. A policy that is centered on pressure will&#160;increase the likelihood that Iran will decide it needs a nuclear&#160;weapon and that it cannot reduce its enmity toward Israel and the&#160;United States. Such a policy will likely make Israel less secure.</p>
<p>Strategy 2: An attack on Iran's nuclear facilities</p>
<p>An Israeli or American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities may delay&#160;Iran's nuclear progress. While it is difficult to predict precisely&#160;what the outcome of an attack would be, and how much damage it would&#160;cause to Iran's nuclear program, a strike will not prevent Iran from&#160;obtaining a nuclear weapon.</p>
<p>Instead, it is more likely to convince&#160;Iran to pursue a nuclear weapon as a deterrent against a future&#160;attack. A strike is also likely to provoke retaliation, putting the&#160;lives of many Israelis at risk. Therefore, an attack on Iran's&#160;nuclear facilities will make Israel less secure in both the short and&#160;long term.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120227/israel-and-us-meet-amid-rising-tension" type="external">Israel &amp; US meet amid rising tension with Iran</a></p>
<p>Strategy 3: Negotiations and engagement</p>
<p>The idea of negotiating with a regime that champions hate towards&#160;Israel and Jews, denies the Holocaust, and represses its own people is&#160;difficult to consider. However, doing so becomes easier if we&#160;recognize that negotiating with Iran is the surest way to maximize&#160;Israel's security, because it has the highest chance of producing an&#160;Iran that is less threatening and that does not develop a nuclear&#160;weapon.</p>
<p>Most importantly, a negotiated agreement can be based on pro-Israel&#160;solutions that maintain Israeli supremacy in the region. This&#160;involves demands that Iran cap its enrichment to 5 percent, cease&#160;activities at the Fordow enrichment plant, deposit its 20 percent&#160;enriched uranium with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and institute comprehensive IAEA inspections through ratification of the&#160;Additional Protocol that addresses protection civilians are entitled&#160;to in wartime.</p>
<p>To secure these things from Iran, Israel and the United&#160;States can accept a uranium enrichment capability in Iran, enact&#160;Article IV of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by agreeing to&#160;technological and nuclear cooperation between Iran and the&#160;international community, and provide some form of security guarantee&#160;including the disavowal of regime change.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120323/israel-iran-facebook-friends-no-war-protest" type="external">Israelis &amp; Iranians seek to make friends, not war</a></p>
<p>These measures maximize Israel's security. An indigenous enrichment&#160;capability brings Iran under the continued auspices of the NPT and the&#160;continued oversight of IAEA inspectors. It decreases the likelihood&#160;that Iran will develop a clandestine program and makes it much harder&#160;for Iran to develop a military nuclear capability. Technological and&#160;nuclear cooperation between Iran and the international community has&#160;the same effect. Both measures, therefore, increase Israel's security.</p>
<p>A security guarantee, reduction in threatening rhetoric, and disavowal&#160;of regime change will minimize Iran's conviction that it faces&#160;international threats, and will reduce its incentive to&#160;develop a nuclear weapon as a deterrent. Further, in gaining a&#160;perceived win in negotiations, Iran will have less need for an advanced nuclear capability as a bargaining chip.</p>
<p>Of these three strategies, only the third - negotiating with Iran - can&#160;lead to an Iran without nuclear weapons; consequently, it is the best&#160;strategy for maximizing Israel's security.</p>
<p>Annie Tracy Samuel is a member of a family that was instrumental in&#160;the creation of Israel and in assuring it has maximum U.S. support.&#160;She is the great grandniece of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, leader of&#160;American Zionism, and the granddaughter of Philip Bernstein, former&#160;chief executive of the Council of Jewish Federations (now the Jewish&#160;Federations of North America). She is writing a doctoral dissertation&#160;on the Islamic Republic at Tel Aviv and Harvard Universities. &#160;</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120305/US-election-rick-santorum-foreign-policy-iran" type="external">Santorum's foreign policy: Iran Iran Iran</a></p> | 2,687 |
<p />
<p>Employers need to be keeping a closer eye on their confidential data when employees leave for new jobs, a new study finds.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Research from <a href="http://www.symantec.com" type="external">Symantec Opens a New Window.</a> revealed that half of employees worldwide who left or lost their jobs in the last 12 months kept confidential corporate data, with 40 percent of those planning to use it with their new employer.</p>
<p>The study discovered employees not only think it is acceptable to take and use confidential data when they leave a company, but also believe their employers do not care if they do so. Despite putting their new employer at risk, 56 percent of employees do not think it is a crime to use a competitor's trade secret information.</p>
<p>The research shows part of the problem lies with employers, who are failing to create an environment and culture that promote employees' responsibility and accountability in protecting intellectual property. Only 47 percent of those surveyed said their organization takes action when employees take sensitive information contrary to company policy, with 68 percent saying their organization fails to take steps to ensure employees do not use <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2206-work-files-home.html" type="external">confidential competitive information Opens a New Window.</a> from third parties.</p>
<p>Lawrence Bruhmuller, vice president of engineering and product management for Symantec, said companies cannot focus their defenses solely on external attackers and malicious insiders who plan to sell stolen <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1342-defending-intellectual-property.html" type="external">intellectual property Opens a New Window.</a> for monetary gain.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"The everyday employee, who takes confidential corporate data without a second thought because he doesn't understand it's wrong, can be just as damaging to an organization," Bruhmuller said. "The time to protect your (intellectual property) is before it walks out the door."</p>
<p>Some steps Symentec advises companies to take to ensure their confidential data is kept safe include:</p>
<p>"When it comes to trade secret theft by mobile employees, an ounce of prevention is usually worth 10 pounds of cure," said Dave Burtt, founder of Mobility Legal P.C. "We consistently see departing employees who don't understand their obligation to keep trade secrets secret, but are just as often faced with companies whose own procedures are sorely lacking when it comes to protecting valuable (intellectual property)."</p>
<p>The study was based on surveys of 3,317 employees in six countries: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, China and South Korea.</p>
<p>Follow Chad Brooks on Twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cbrooks76" type="external">cbrooks76 Opens a New Window.</a> or BusinessNewsDaily @ <a href="http://twitter.com/BNDarticles" type="external">BNDarticles Opens a New Window.</a>. We're also on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessNewsDaily" type="external">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://plus.google.com/113390396142026041164/posts" type="external">Google+ Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Company Secrets Often Depart With Employees | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/02/07/company-secrets-often-depart-with-employees.html | 2016-03-23 | 0right
| Company Secrets Often Depart With Employees
<p />
<p>Employers need to be keeping a closer eye on their confidential data when employees leave for new jobs, a new study finds.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Research from <a href="http://www.symantec.com" type="external">Symantec Opens a New Window.</a> revealed that half of employees worldwide who left or lost their jobs in the last 12 months kept confidential corporate data, with 40 percent of those planning to use it with their new employer.</p>
<p>The study discovered employees not only think it is acceptable to take and use confidential data when they leave a company, but also believe their employers do not care if they do so. Despite putting their new employer at risk, 56 percent of employees do not think it is a crime to use a competitor's trade secret information.</p>
<p>The research shows part of the problem lies with employers, who are failing to create an environment and culture that promote employees' responsibility and accountability in protecting intellectual property. Only 47 percent of those surveyed said their organization takes action when employees take sensitive information contrary to company policy, with 68 percent saying their organization fails to take steps to ensure employees do not use <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2206-work-files-home.html" type="external">confidential competitive information Opens a New Window.</a> from third parties.</p>
<p>Lawrence Bruhmuller, vice president of engineering and product management for Symantec, said companies cannot focus their defenses solely on external attackers and malicious insiders who plan to sell stolen <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1342-defending-intellectual-property.html" type="external">intellectual property Opens a New Window.</a> for monetary gain.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"The everyday employee, who takes confidential corporate data without a second thought because he doesn't understand it's wrong, can be just as damaging to an organization," Bruhmuller said. "The time to protect your (intellectual property) is before it walks out the door."</p>
<p>Some steps Symentec advises companies to take to ensure their confidential data is kept safe include:</p>
<p>"When it comes to trade secret theft by mobile employees, an ounce of prevention is usually worth 10 pounds of cure," said Dave Burtt, founder of Mobility Legal P.C. "We consistently see departing employees who don't understand their obligation to keep trade secrets secret, but are just as often faced with companies whose own procedures are sorely lacking when it comes to protecting valuable (intellectual property)."</p>
<p>The study was based on surveys of 3,317 employees in six countries: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, China and South Korea.</p>
<p>Follow Chad Brooks on Twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cbrooks76" type="external">cbrooks76 Opens a New Window.</a> or BusinessNewsDaily @ <a href="http://twitter.com/BNDarticles" type="external">BNDarticles Opens a New Window.</a>. We're also on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessNewsDaily" type="external">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://plus.google.com/113390396142026041164/posts" type="external">Google+ Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 2,688 |
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<p>Over the years Bernalillo County’s Community Custody Program has experienced a few bumps in the road, but it offers a much needed alternative to incarceration at the perpetually overcrowded Metropilitan Detention Center.</p>
<p />
<p>Journal reporter Dan McKay recently wore the electronic bracelet that permits low-risk inmates and some defendants awaiting trial to be monitored while they are home or at work, instead of at MDC. The latest technology incorporates GPS to identify location and voice recognition to help monitor alcohol abuse.</p>
<p />
<p>Started in 1995 as a house-arrest program, about 270 inmates are now in Community Custody. Metropolitan Court requires a judge’s OK to enter the program, but District Court does not. Last year 17 inmates escaped the program, but all but one was recaptured.</p>
<p />
<p>While McKay found the equipment and routine to be inconvenient and sleep depriving, it has to be better than the alternative – how well can one sleep in a cellblock crammed with dozens of inmates?</p>
<p />
<p>But those in the program do require close supervision. A serious crime by just one participant would set it way back, and McKay found he was able to go to a prohibited area – his “victim’s” residence – without an immediate response. Perhaps there are still glitches to work out, and any system is only as good as those monitoring it.</p>
<p />
<p>Still, community custody is a superior, less-costly way of dealing with low-risk inmates than incarceration. The trick is to have it work at such a level that it earns and maintains the confidence of the public and judges.</p>
<p />
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p>
<p />
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Editorial: Community Custody a necessary jail option | false | https://abqjournal.com/224957/community-custody-a-necessary-jail-option.html | 2least
| Editorial: Community Custody a necessary jail option
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<p>Over the years Bernalillo County’s Community Custody Program has experienced a few bumps in the road, but it offers a much needed alternative to incarceration at the perpetually overcrowded Metropilitan Detention Center.</p>
<p />
<p>Journal reporter Dan McKay recently wore the electronic bracelet that permits low-risk inmates and some defendants awaiting trial to be monitored while they are home or at work, instead of at MDC. The latest technology incorporates GPS to identify location and voice recognition to help monitor alcohol abuse.</p>
<p />
<p>Started in 1995 as a house-arrest program, about 270 inmates are now in Community Custody. Metropolitan Court requires a judge’s OK to enter the program, but District Court does not. Last year 17 inmates escaped the program, but all but one was recaptured.</p>
<p />
<p>While McKay found the equipment and routine to be inconvenient and sleep depriving, it has to be better than the alternative – how well can one sleep in a cellblock crammed with dozens of inmates?</p>
<p />
<p>But those in the program do require close supervision. A serious crime by just one participant would set it way back, and McKay found he was able to go to a prohibited area – his “victim’s” residence – without an immediate response. Perhaps there are still glitches to work out, and any system is only as good as those monitoring it.</p>
<p />
<p>Still, community custody is a superior, less-costly way of dealing with low-risk inmates than incarceration. The trick is to have it work at such a level that it earns and maintains the confidence of the public and judges.</p>
<p />
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p>
<p />
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,689 |
|
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/declanjewell/3009680156/sizes/z/in/photostream/" target="_blank"&gt;DeclanTM&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr</p>
<p>We all know we’re supposed to unplug our technological gadgets when we’re not using them, and back in the days when we only had a few home electronics—a TV here, a stereo there—that wasn’t so hard to do. But as our devices proliferate (see chart below), this formerly simple task has become increasingly annoying. Who wants to spend an extra 10 minutes every morning stalking around the house and finding phone chargers and cable boxes to unplug like we’re on some kind of weird easter egg hunt? And furthermore, would the energy savings from unplugging really be enough to make it worth the effort?&#160;I asked a few experts to weigh in.</p>
<p>According to Bruce Nordman, an energy efficiency researcher at the <a href="http://www.lbl.gov/" type="external">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>, as a general rule of thumb, the bigger—and older—the device, the more power it sucks up while it’s off. So it’s much more effective to unplug the decade-old TV in your guest bedroom than the phone charger that you bought last year. Another tip: “When you put your hand on the adaptor, if it’s hot, it’s using energy. If it’s not hot, it’s probably not using very much energy.”</p>
<p>In general, though, Nordman doesn’t believe that unplugging modern appliances is really worthwhile, and he looks forward to the day when “smart” <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/sandia-labs-smart-outlet/" type="external">outlets</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Protector-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK" type="external">power strips</a> (which are becoming more widely available) will do the thinking for us. In the meantime, “there’s probably better things to do with your time than unplugging things,” he said. “You could be changing out your lightbulbs or putting in insulation. That has a much higher return on investment.”</p>
<p>But an EPA spokeswoman I&#160;spoke to disagreed. She told me that the average household spends $100 a year on plugged-in devices even when they’re not being used directly. Nationwide, our idle gadgets and appliances suck up 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity—enough to power <a href="http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=97&amp;t=3" type="external">nearly 8.7 million homes</a>—at a cost to consumers of about $11 billion. In addition to reminding me to choose only Energy Star-approved products, she singled out a few of the most power-hungry devices:</p> | Unplugging These 6 Gadgets Will Cut Your Electricity Bill | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2012/05/unplug-6-gadgets-lower-electricity-bill/ | 2012-05-21 | 4left
| Unplugging These 6 Gadgets Will Cut Your Electricity Bill
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/declanjewell/3009680156/sizes/z/in/photostream/" target="_blank"&gt;DeclanTM&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr</p>
<p>We all know we’re supposed to unplug our technological gadgets when we’re not using them, and back in the days when we only had a few home electronics—a TV here, a stereo there—that wasn’t so hard to do. But as our devices proliferate (see chart below), this formerly simple task has become increasingly annoying. Who wants to spend an extra 10 minutes every morning stalking around the house and finding phone chargers and cable boxes to unplug like we’re on some kind of weird easter egg hunt? And furthermore, would the energy savings from unplugging really be enough to make it worth the effort?&#160;I asked a few experts to weigh in.</p>
<p>According to Bruce Nordman, an energy efficiency researcher at the <a href="http://www.lbl.gov/" type="external">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>, as a general rule of thumb, the bigger—and older—the device, the more power it sucks up while it’s off. So it’s much more effective to unplug the decade-old TV in your guest bedroom than the phone charger that you bought last year. Another tip: “When you put your hand on the adaptor, if it’s hot, it’s using energy. If it’s not hot, it’s probably not using very much energy.”</p>
<p>In general, though, Nordman doesn’t believe that unplugging modern appliances is really worthwhile, and he looks forward to the day when “smart” <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/sandia-labs-smart-outlet/" type="external">outlets</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Protector-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK" type="external">power strips</a> (which are becoming more widely available) will do the thinking for us. In the meantime, “there’s probably better things to do with your time than unplugging things,” he said. “You could be changing out your lightbulbs or putting in insulation. That has a much higher return on investment.”</p>
<p>But an EPA spokeswoman I&#160;spoke to disagreed. She told me that the average household spends $100 a year on plugged-in devices even when they’re not being used directly. Nationwide, our idle gadgets and appliances suck up 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity—enough to power <a href="http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=97&amp;t=3" type="external">nearly 8.7 million homes</a>—at a cost to consumers of about $11 billion. In addition to reminding me to choose only Energy Star-approved products, she singled out a few of the most power-hungry devices:</p> | 2,690 |
<p>‘If this judge has done this, who will be next?’</p>
<p>(WJLA) – Under D.C.’s new law, anyone can smoke pot in their home. But a temporary decision by a Superior Court judge means one man in the District can’t light up anything at his home—including pot and cigarettes. The 7 On Your Side I-Team found the decision could also impact you.</p>
<p>Edwin Gray loves a cigarette to relax, but now he’s got to smoke them outside.</p>
<p>“You want me to stop what I’ve been doing in my house, all my life,” he said.</p>
<p>Gray is not quitting cold turkey by choice. Instead, it’s by a temporary order of the court that Gray can no longer light up in the Northeast D.C. home that’s been owned by his family for 50 years.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">SPECIAL: Join the Tea Party REVOLUTION! The Obama Regime must be dismantled!</a></p>
<p>“We were floored,” said Gray’s sister, Mozella Johnson.</p>
<p>Johnson says she was shocked a lawsuit filed by neighbors who moved in last year could now dictate what the family can do inside its home.</p>
<p>D.C. real estate attorney and Washington Post columnist Benny Kass was also surprised to learn a judge recently issued a temporary injunction in the civil lawsuit filed by Gray and Johnson’s neighbors. Court filings show the couple that moved in next door has one child and another on the way. They claim they’re being harmed by smoke they say sneaks into their home through a hole in the basement.</p>
<p>“I think it’s an excellent precedent to start, so people can realize you can’t just ignore your neighbor,” Kass said. “Your home is no longer your castle.”</p>
<p>But with no moat and only shared walls in many D.C. homes, the habits of your neighbor can rise to what Kass calls a private nuisance. A judge agreed in a decision last week, saying in the injunction that Johnson, Gray and any guests or family cannot smoke cigarettes, cigars or marijuana in their home—even if it’s legal in the city where they live.</p>
<p>“If this judge has done this, who will be next? What other neighbor will be next?” Johnson asked.</p>
<p>She and her brother are vowing to continue fighting. Kass believes others may fight as well, with this decision setting precedent for public nuisances in the District.</p>
<p>“I think this is going to open the door to a lot of thinking, a lot of cases,” Kass said. “I gotta believe once this comes out there’s going to be 100 cases filed in Superior Court tomorrow.”</p>
<p>The couple suing Johnson and Gray declined 7 On Your Side’s request for an interview. Court filings and a statement they supplied to ABC7 say they tried to work with Johnson and Gray, but had to file suit when mediation attempts failed. In addition to the injunction, their lawsuit asks for $500,000 in damages. The case is ongoing.</p>
<p>http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/03/temporary-precedent-setting-court-order-means-d-c-man-can-t-smoke-in-own-home-112130.html</p> | Court Orders Man Not to Smoke in Own Home | true | http://teaparty.org/court-orders-man-smoke-home-88283/?utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dcourt-orders-man-smoke-home | 0right
| Court Orders Man Not to Smoke in Own Home
<p>‘If this judge has done this, who will be next?’</p>
<p>(WJLA) – Under D.C.’s new law, anyone can smoke pot in their home. But a temporary decision by a Superior Court judge means one man in the District can’t light up anything at his home—including pot and cigarettes. The 7 On Your Side I-Team found the decision could also impact you.</p>
<p>Edwin Gray loves a cigarette to relax, but now he’s got to smoke them outside.</p>
<p>“You want me to stop what I’ve been doing in my house, all my life,” he said.</p>
<p>Gray is not quitting cold turkey by choice. Instead, it’s by a temporary order of the court that Gray can no longer light up in the Northeast D.C. home that’s been owned by his family for 50 years.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">SPECIAL: Join the Tea Party REVOLUTION! The Obama Regime must be dismantled!</a></p>
<p>“We were floored,” said Gray’s sister, Mozella Johnson.</p>
<p>Johnson says she was shocked a lawsuit filed by neighbors who moved in last year could now dictate what the family can do inside its home.</p>
<p>D.C. real estate attorney and Washington Post columnist Benny Kass was also surprised to learn a judge recently issued a temporary injunction in the civil lawsuit filed by Gray and Johnson’s neighbors. Court filings show the couple that moved in next door has one child and another on the way. They claim they’re being harmed by smoke they say sneaks into their home through a hole in the basement.</p>
<p>“I think it’s an excellent precedent to start, so people can realize you can’t just ignore your neighbor,” Kass said. “Your home is no longer your castle.”</p>
<p>But with no moat and only shared walls in many D.C. homes, the habits of your neighbor can rise to what Kass calls a private nuisance. A judge agreed in a decision last week, saying in the injunction that Johnson, Gray and any guests or family cannot smoke cigarettes, cigars or marijuana in their home—even if it’s legal in the city where they live.</p>
<p>“If this judge has done this, who will be next? What other neighbor will be next?” Johnson asked.</p>
<p>She and her brother are vowing to continue fighting. Kass believes others may fight as well, with this decision setting precedent for public nuisances in the District.</p>
<p>“I think this is going to open the door to a lot of thinking, a lot of cases,” Kass said. “I gotta believe once this comes out there’s going to be 100 cases filed in Superior Court tomorrow.”</p>
<p>The couple suing Johnson and Gray declined 7 On Your Side’s request for an interview. Court filings and a statement they supplied to ABC7 say they tried to work with Johnson and Gray, but had to file suit when mediation attempts failed. In addition to the injunction, their lawsuit asks for $500,000 in damages. The case is ongoing.</p>
<p>http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/03/temporary-precedent-setting-court-order-means-d-c-man-can-t-smoke-in-own-home-112130.html</p> | 2,691 |
|
<p>On Tuesday, three staunch supporters of Israel in the United States Senate <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2017/01/cruz-rubio-heller-join-forces-to-recognize-jerusalem-as-israels-capital" type="external">introduced legislation</a> to formally recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the state of Israel.</p>
<p>Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Dean Heller introduced <a href="http://www.heller.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e6f046db-fd29-462e-86fe-3433921c44b0/Heller%20Cruz%20Rubio%20Jerusalem%20Bill.pdf" type="external">the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act</a>, which would also entail moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It would cut State Department funding until the embassy is relocated in the ancient Jewish capital.</p>
<p>Cruz <a href="http://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=pressreleases&amp;id=15329846-E3DD-46F0-A16E-784700B8358B" type="external">stated</a>:</p>
<p>Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's vendetta against the Jewish state has been so vicious that to even utter this simple truth - let alone the reality that Jerusalem is the appropriate venue for the American embassy in Israel - is shocking in some circles. But it is finally time to cut through the double-speak and broken promises and do what Congress said we should do in 1995: formally move our embassy to the capital of our great ally Israel. I am pleased to co-sponsor this legislation with Senator Heller and Senator Rubio, and I look forward to working with the Trump administration to make this happen.</p>
<p>Rubio’s statement read: “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel, and that's where America's embassy belongs. It's time for Congress and the president-elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore U.S. law and delay our embassy's rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades.”</p>
<p>The loophole comes from the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which allows the president of the United States to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/world/middleeast/jerusalem-us-embassy-trump.html?_r=1" type="external">defer moving the embassy</a> for six months for reasons of national security. That loophole has been used by past presidents.</p>
<p>Heller asserted:</p>
<p>My support for Israel is unwavering. From my very first days as a United States Senator, I have prioritized the strengthening of the important relationship shared between Israel and the United States. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act. For years, I’ve advocated for America’s need to reaffirm its support for one of our nation’s strongest allies by recognizing Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. It honors an important promise America made more than two decades ago but has yet to fulfill. While Administrations come and go, the lasting strength of our partnership with one of our strongest allies in the Middle East continues to endure. My legislation is a testament to that. I’d like to thank Senators Rubio and Cruz for their support for this legislation and look forward to working with the new Administration to turn this bill into law.</p>
<p>The first time Congress seriously discussed the issue of moving the embassy to Jerusalem came in 1995, when the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 passed on October 23, 1995. It would have withheld 50 percent of the funds appropriated to the State Department specifically for "Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad" as allocated in fiscal year 1999 until the United States Embassy in Jerusalem had officially opened.</p>
<p>But Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all protested that Congressional resolutions attempting to legislate foreign policy infringed upon the Executive's authority and responsibility to carry out sound and effective U.S. foreign relations.</p>
<p>In March 2011, the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2011 was introduced, but died in the House Foreign Affairs Committee.</p>
<p>"It is finally time to cut through the double-speak and broken promises and do what Congress said we should do in 1995."</p>
<p>Ted Cruz</p>
<p>Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to president-elect Donald Trump, <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/us-embassy-to-jerusalem-big-priority-for-trump-232505" type="external">told</a> radio host Hugh Hewitt it is a “very big priority for this president-elect … He made it very clear during the campaign, Hugh, and as president-elect I've heard him repeat it several times privately, if not publicly.”</p>
<p>David Friedman, President-elect Trump’s appointee for ambassador to Israel, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-us-embassy-jerusalem-232724" type="external">said</a>, “I intend to work tirelessly to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem,”</p> | Cruz, Rubio, And Heller Introduce Bill To Declare Jerusalem Undivided Capital of Israel | true | https://dailywire.com/news/12119/cruz-rubio-and-heller-introduce-bill-declare-hank-berrien | 2017-01-03 | 0right
| Cruz, Rubio, And Heller Introduce Bill To Declare Jerusalem Undivided Capital of Israel
<p>On Tuesday, three staunch supporters of Israel in the United States Senate <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2017/01/cruz-rubio-heller-join-forces-to-recognize-jerusalem-as-israels-capital" type="external">introduced legislation</a> to formally recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the state of Israel.</p>
<p>Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Dean Heller introduced <a href="http://www.heller.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e6f046db-fd29-462e-86fe-3433921c44b0/Heller%20Cruz%20Rubio%20Jerusalem%20Bill.pdf" type="external">the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act</a>, which would also entail moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It would cut State Department funding until the embassy is relocated in the ancient Jewish capital.</p>
<p>Cruz <a href="http://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=pressreleases&amp;id=15329846-E3DD-46F0-A16E-784700B8358B" type="external">stated</a>:</p>
<p>Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's vendetta against the Jewish state has been so vicious that to even utter this simple truth - let alone the reality that Jerusalem is the appropriate venue for the American embassy in Israel - is shocking in some circles. But it is finally time to cut through the double-speak and broken promises and do what Congress said we should do in 1995: formally move our embassy to the capital of our great ally Israel. I am pleased to co-sponsor this legislation with Senator Heller and Senator Rubio, and I look forward to working with the Trump administration to make this happen.</p>
<p>Rubio’s statement read: “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel, and that's where America's embassy belongs. It's time for Congress and the president-elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore U.S. law and delay our embassy's rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades.”</p>
<p>The loophole comes from the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which allows the president of the United States to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/world/middleeast/jerusalem-us-embassy-trump.html?_r=1" type="external">defer moving the embassy</a> for six months for reasons of national security. That loophole has been used by past presidents.</p>
<p>Heller asserted:</p>
<p>My support for Israel is unwavering. From my very first days as a United States Senator, I have prioritized the strengthening of the important relationship shared between Israel and the United States. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act. For years, I’ve advocated for America’s need to reaffirm its support for one of our nation’s strongest allies by recognizing Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. It honors an important promise America made more than two decades ago but has yet to fulfill. While Administrations come and go, the lasting strength of our partnership with one of our strongest allies in the Middle East continues to endure. My legislation is a testament to that. I’d like to thank Senators Rubio and Cruz for their support for this legislation and look forward to working with the new Administration to turn this bill into law.</p>
<p>The first time Congress seriously discussed the issue of moving the embassy to Jerusalem came in 1995, when the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 passed on October 23, 1995. It would have withheld 50 percent of the funds appropriated to the State Department specifically for "Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad" as allocated in fiscal year 1999 until the United States Embassy in Jerusalem had officially opened.</p>
<p>But Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all protested that Congressional resolutions attempting to legislate foreign policy infringed upon the Executive's authority and responsibility to carry out sound and effective U.S. foreign relations.</p>
<p>In March 2011, the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2011 was introduced, but died in the House Foreign Affairs Committee.</p>
<p>"It is finally time to cut through the double-speak and broken promises and do what Congress said we should do in 1995."</p>
<p>Ted Cruz</p>
<p>Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to president-elect Donald Trump, <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/us-embassy-to-jerusalem-big-priority-for-trump-232505" type="external">told</a> radio host Hugh Hewitt it is a “very big priority for this president-elect … He made it very clear during the campaign, Hugh, and as president-elect I've heard him repeat it several times privately, if not publicly.”</p>
<p>David Friedman, President-elect Trump’s appointee for ambassador to Israel, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-us-embassy-jerusalem-232724" type="external">said</a>, “I intend to work tirelessly to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem,”</p> | 2,692 |
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<p>SANTA FE (AP) — A Republican state senator has introduced legislation to let school employees carry guns.</p>
<p>The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the bill by Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort of Sandia Park would allow each school in the state to designate one employee to carry a concealed weapon.</p>
<p>In light of the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Beffort says she is concerned about copycat shootings. The issue, she says, is to stop a tragedy before it happens.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, says Beffort’s motion doesn’t address school safety at all. She says teacher want to teach, not be designated shooters.</p>
<p>Several other state legislatures, including Texas, are considering similar options.</p> | GOP Sen. Proposes Arming Teachers | false | https://abqjournal.com/164998/gop-sen-proposes-arming-teachers.html | 2013-01-31 | 2least
| GOP Sen. Proposes Arming Teachers
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>SANTA FE (AP) — A Republican state senator has introduced legislation to let school employees carry guns.</p>
<p>The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the bill by Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort of Sandia Park would allow each school in the state to designate one employee to carry a concealed weapon.</p>
<p>In light of the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Beffort says she is concerned about copycat shootings. The issue, she says, is to stop a tragedy before it happens.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, says Beffort’s motion doesn’t address school safety at all. She says teacher want to teach, not be designated shooters.</p>
<p>Several other state legislatures, including Texas, are considering similar options.</p> | 2,693 |
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<p>The village of Corrales Annual Coyote Review showed the number of coyote incidents reported to law enforcement dropped 24 percent in the 12-month periods between mid-2011 to mid-2012 and mid-2012 and 2013, from 78 to 59.</p>
<p>Village councilors heard the report at their meeting on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The report also shows the number of such as cats, dogs, chickens and goats dropped from 18 to 6 in the same periods.</p>
<p>Numbers are based on citizen complaints and investigation by an animal control officer.</p>
<p>The report doesn’t take into account domestic animals killed by other predators such as skunks, raccoons, hawks and other birds of prey, according to the village animal control department.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Steep drop in Corrales coyote incidents | false | https://abqjournal.com/269023/steep-drop-in-corrales-coyote-incidents.html | 2least
| Steep drop in Corrales coyote incidents
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>The village of Corrales Annual Coyote Review showed the number of coyote incidents reported to law enforcement dropped 24 percent in the 12-month periods between mid-2011 to mid-2012 and mid-2012 and 2013, from 78 to 59.</p>
<p>Village councilors heard the report at their meeting on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The report also shows the number of such as cats, dogs, chickens and goats dropped from 18 to 6 in the same periods.</p>
<p>Numbers are based on citizen complaints and investigation by an animal control officer.</p>
<p>The report doesn’t take into account domestic animals killed by other predators such as skunks, raccoons, hawks and other birds of prey, according to the village animal control department.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,694 |
|
<p>Should Christians Be Celebrating Halloween? Looking At Halloween From The Bible's Perspective</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." <a href="javascript:;" type="external">Ephesians 5: 11,12</a> <a href="https://withoneaccord.3dcartstores.com/" type="external">Click here</a> to visit William Schnoebelen's website...</p>
<p>Ancient Druids. Many Christians celebrate holidays, such as Halloween, without thinking about their origins or true meaning. It is impossible to separate Halloween from the Druids because they originated the "holiday." For several hundred years before Christ, the Celts inhabited what is now France, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. Celtic priests were called Druids. These people were eventually conquered by the Romans. Information about the Celts and Druids comes from Caesar and the Roman historians, Greek writings from about 200 B.C., and very early records found in Ireland. Greek and Roman writings about the Druids dwell heavily on their frequent and barbaric human sacrifices. The ancient Irish texts say little about human sacrifices, but detail the Druids' use of magic to raise storms, lay curses on places, kill by the use of spells, and create magical obstacles. Druids worshipping the Devil at Stonehenge Human Sacrifices. Davies, however, a 16th century writer who traced his family lineage directly back to Druid priests who fought against Caesar, clearly describes the human sacrifices of his ancestors and the secret sacrifices still performed regularly by the Druids of his time. By 47 A.D., Rome finally defeated the Druids in Britain and outlawed human sacrifices. The few remaining Druids went underground. Today a growing group of people claiming to be of direct Druid descent, still practice their religion, including human sacrifice. Those in England still perform ceremonies at Stonehenge. Druids starting bonfires to give homage and worship to their pagan gods. This included the burning of animals and crops to appease thier deities. November 1st was the Celtic new year. October 31st was celebrated by the Druids with many human sacrifices and a festival honoring their sun god and Samhain, the lord of the dead. They believed that the sinful souls of those who died during the year were in a place of torment, and would be released only if Samhain was pleased with their sacrifices.</p>
<p>Monks Fascinated By Druids. rish records tell of the fascination the Catholic monks had with the powerful Druids, and Druids soon became important members of their monasteries. Pope Gregory the Great decided to incorporate the Druids' holiday into the church. He made the proclamation, "They are no longer to sacrifice beasts to the devil, but they may kill them for food to the praise of God, and give thanks to the giver of all gifts for His bounty." Pope Gregory III moved the church festival of October 31st to November 1st and called it All Hallows or All Saints' Day. Pope Gregory IV decreed that the day was to be a universal church observance. The term Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve.</p>
<p>The founding fathers of America refused to permit the holiday to be observed because they knew it was a pagan holiday. Halloween was not widely celebrated in the U.S. until about 1900. In the 1840's there was a terrible potato famine in Ireland which sent thousands of Catholic Irish to America. They brought Halloween with them. The modern custom of going from door to door asking for food and candy goes back to the time of the Druids. They believed that sinful, lost souls were released upon the earth by Samhain for one night on October 31st while they awaited their judgment. They were thought to throng about the houses of the living and were greeted with banquet-laden tables. People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them if the sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins or large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from their homes. The modern custom of going from door to door asking for food and candy goes back to the time of the Druids. They believed that sinful, lost souls were released upon the earth by Samhain for one night on October 31st while they awaited their judgment. They were thought to throng about the houses of the living and were greeted with banquet-laden tables. People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them if the sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins or large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from their homes. The tradition of bobbing for apples and giving out nuts came from a Roman addition to the Druidic New Year's eve. The Romans worshiped Pomona who was the goddess of the harvest. They combined their harvest festival to Pomona with Halloween. Very little archeological evidence of the Druids has been found, but there is excellent agreement between the Roman and Irish documents. Both clearly state that the knowledge of the Druids was never committed to writing but passed from generation to generation by oral teaching. This was to protect their secrets. In his writings, Davies indicates that he came under much persecution by his family for putting in writing his information about Druids. The same is true today. Nothing is put into writing. The Druids continue on secretly with much the same traditions. The widespread problem of harmful substances such as razor blades, drugs, poisons, needles, etc. being placed in the Halloween treats here in America is no accident. Testimonies of several ex-Satanists show that these children killed and injured by the "treats" are sacrifices to Satan (or Samhain). Satanists throughout the world continue to perform human sacrifices on Halloween. Is this something you want YOUR child to participate in?" <a href="javascript:;" type="external">source - Chick Publications</a></p> Ancient Druids. November 1st was the Celtic new year. Monks Fascinated By Druids. | Should Christians Be Celebrating Halloween? Looking At Halloween From The Bible's Perspective | true | http://nowtheendbegins.com/pages/holidays/should-christians-celebrate-halloween.htm | 0right
| Should Christians Be Celebrating Halloween? Looking At Halloween From The Bible's Perspective
<p>Should Christians Be Celebrating Halloween? Looking At Halloween From The Bible's Perspective</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." <a href="javascript:;" type="external">Ephesians 5: 11,12</a> <a href="https://withoneaccord.3dcartstores.com/" type="external">Click here</a> to visit William Schnoebelen's website...</p>
<p>Ancient Druids. Many Christians celebrate holidays, such as Halloween, without thinking about their origins or true meaning. It is impossible to separate Halloween from the Druids because they originated the "holiday." For several hundred years before Christ, the Celts inhabited what is now France, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. Celtic priests were called Druids. These people were eventually conquered by the Romans. Information about the Celts and Druids comes from Caesar and the Roman historians, Greek writings from about 200 B.C., and very early records found in Ireland. Greek and Roman writings about the Druids dwell heavily on their frequent and barbaric human sacrifices. The ancient Irish texts say little about human sacrifices, but detail the Druids' use of magic to raise storms, lay curses on places, kill by the use of spells, and create magical obstacles. Druids worshipping the Devil at Stonehenge Human Sacrifices. Davies, however, a 16th century writer who traced his family lineage directly back to Druid priests who fought against Caesar, clearly describes the human sacrifices of his ancestors and the secret sacrifices still performed regularly by the Druids of his time. By 47 A.D., Rome finally defeated the Druids in Britain and outlawed human sacrifices. The few remaining Druids went underground. Today a growing group of people claiming to be of direct Druid descent, still practice their religion, including human sacrifice. Those in England still perform ceremonies at Stonehenge. Druids starting bonfires to give homage and worship to their pagan gods. This included the burning of animals and crops to appease thier deities. November 1st was the Celtic new year. October 31st was celebrated by the Druids with many human sacrifices and a festival honoring their sun god and Samhain, the lord of the dead. They believed that the sinful souls of those who died during the year were in a place of torment, and would be released only if Samhain was pleased with their sacrifices.</p>
<p>Monks Fascinated By Druids. rish records tell of the fascination the Catholic monks had with the powerful Druids, and Druids soon became important members of their monasteries. Pope Gregory the Great decided to incorporate the Druids' holiday into the church. He made the proclamation, "They are no longer to sacrifice beasts to the devil, but they may kill them for food to the praise of God, and give thanks to the giver of all gifts for His bounty." Pope Gregory III moved the church festival of October 31st to November 1st and called it All Hallows or All Saints' Day. Pope Gregory IV decreed that the day was to be a universal church observance. The term Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve.</p>
<p>The founding fathers of America refused to permit the holiday to be observed because they knew it was a pagan holiday. Halloween was not widely celebrated in the U.S. until about 1900. In the 1840's there was a terrible potato famine in Ireland which sent thousands of Catholic Irish to America. They brought Halloween with them. The modern custom of going from door to door asking for food and candy goes back to the time of the Druids. They believed that sinful, lost souls were released upon the earth by Samhain for one night on October 31st while they awaited their judgment. They were thought to throng about the houses of the living and were greeted with banquet-laden tables. People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them if the sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins or large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from their homes. The modern custom of going from door to door asking for food and candy goes back to the time of the Druids. They believed that sinful, lost souls were released upon the earth by Samhain for one night on October 31st while they awaited their judgment. They were thought to throng about the houses of the living and were greeted with banquet-laden tables. People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them if the sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins or large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from their homes. The tradition of bobbing for apples and giving out nuts came from a Roman addition to the Druidic New Year's eve. The Romans worshiped Pomona who was the goddess of the harvest. They combined their harvest festival to Pomona with Halloween. Very little archeological evidence of the Druids has been found, but there is excellent agreement between the Roman and Irish documents. Both clearly state that the knowledge of the Druids was never committed to writing but passed from generation to generation by oral teaching. This was to protect their secrets. In his writings, Davies indicates that he came under much persecution by his family for putting in writing his information about Druids. The same is true today. Nothing is put into writing. The Druids continue on secretly with much the same traditions. The widespread problem of harmful substances such as razor blades, drugs, poisons, needles, etc. being placed in the Halloween treats here in America is no accident. Testimonies of several ex-Satanists show that these children killed and injured by the "treats" are sacrifices to Satan (or Samhain). Satanists throughout the world continue to perform human sacrifices on Halloween. Is this something you want YOUR child to participate in?" <a href="javascript:;" type="external">source - Chick Publications</a></p> Ancient Druids. November 1st was the Celtic new year. Monks Fascinated By Druids. | 2,695 |
|
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Dist. of Columbia Lottery's "DC 5 Midday" game were:</p>
<p>7-5-4-5-8</p>
<p>(seven, five, four, five, eight)</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Dist. of Columbia Lottery's "DC 5 Midday" game were:</p>
<p>7-5-4-5-8</p>
<p>(seven, five, four, five, eight)</p> | Winning numbers drawn in 'DC 5 Midday' game | false | https://apnews.com/amp/1cfeedfcf8474e8c925e401ec7b89ce6 | 2018-01-25 | 2least
| Winning numbers drawn in 'DC 5 Midday' game
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Dist. of Columbia Lottery's "DC 5 Midday" game were:</p>
<p>7-5-4-5-8</p>
<p>(seven, five, four, five, eight)</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Dist. of Columbia Lottery's "DC 5 Midday" game were:</p>
<p>7-5-4-5-8</p>
<p>(seven, five, four, five, eight)</p> | 2,696 |
<p>Politics is full of surprises of late, as both a resurgent left and an atavistic right win one surprising victory after another.</p>
<p>One peculiarity of the conjuncture is that the rising social-democratic left in the English-speaking world has produced two oddly similar, and similarly odd, figureheads: Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn.</p>
<p>Both, of course, fit a similar style profile, as old and somewhat disheveled white men, seemingly a bit out of touch with the contemporary culture that has propelled them to unprecedented levels of political success. Hence the inherent humor of something like Corbyn’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3pacMThWVE" type="external">arrival</a> on the talk show The Last Leg, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/berniesandersmemes/" type="external">Bernie Sanders’ Dank Meme Stash</a>. Each exploits the incongruity of these men’s nebbishy affect when contrasted with their youthful supporters.</p>
<p>But I don’t think it’s quite an accident that it was men like these who ended up in this position, in this particular moment.</p>
<p>Our political period is characterized by a rising, but still largely disorganized left, arrayed against a moribund but still institutionally powerful neoliberal order that uses its accumulated power to compensate for its complete lack of compelling answers to contemporary political questions. In order to contest state politics at the highest level —&#160;the presidency of the United States, the prime minister of the UK —&#160;someone had to be found, within the higher echelons of power, who could serve as a figurehead.</p>
<p>After decades of reaction, few such people were available. But what we found was people like Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn.</p>
<p>And so the interesting question is, how do we characterize politicians like them? I’d suggest that they are best summarized as survivors.</p>
<p>They are people who lived through a period of reaction, during which their leftist peers generally burned out, faded away, or reinvented themselves as neoliberal hacks. Whereas people like Sanders and Corbyn managed to hold on to something resembling traditional social-democratic politics, while remaining in proximity to the highest reaches of power within the capitalist state. They managed to survive a period of reaction without either being driven out of politics or becoming reactionaries themselves.</p>
<p>Although Sanders and Corbyn were immersed in the Left during its high points in the 1960s and 1970s, nobody would have considered them great figures for the history books until recently. Sanders participated in the Civil Rights Movement as a student, and in left-wing electoral projects in Vermont, but was essentially a minor figure. Corbyn <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/15/jeremy-corbyn-world-supporters-mentors-influences" type="external">attended</a>&#160;discussion groups with luminaries of the British left like <a href="" type="internal">Ralph Miliband</a> and <a href="" type="internal">Tony Benn</a>, but was mostly remembered as a quiet and unremarkable figure, peripheral to the movers and shakers on the Left of that era.</p>
<p>So what distinguishes people like Sanders and Corbyn is that they survived. Not just in the literal sense that they’re still alive, but in the sense that they were in a position to contest the Democratic presidential nomination or the leadership of the Labour Party from the left, when nobody else was.</p>
<p>People like that have, I would say, three important characteristics.</p>
<p>First, and most obviously, some level of idealistic and ideological commitment to social democracy or left-liberalism. This is the aspect that the lazy press tends to harp on —&#160;look at these doddering hippies, with their “values” and their “ideals”! See how out of touch they are with the cynical compromises with capitalism that, as all savvy observers know, are the essence of politics.</p>
<p>And of course it’s true that Sanders and Corbyn had to have some kind of principled commitment in order to avoid giving up their ideals in favor of what would surely have been a better dispensation, had they conceded to Clintonism and Blairism.</p>
<p>But to portray them as merely hippy-dippy idealists is to leave out two other, and equally important, parts of their political persona.</p>
<p>The first is that they are, in fact, extremely pragmatic, strategic, and at times ruthless politicians. How else, after all, could they have survived for so long in an environment where even their own ostensible party-mates and allies rejected their positions?</p>
<p>At the apex of the Sanders campaign, the New York Times ran an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/us/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-history.html" type="external">article</a> entitled “Bernie Sanders’s Campaign Past Reveals Willingness to Play Hardball.” It detailed some of the tactics that Sanders used to win and maintain power in Vermont, sometimes with harsh attacks on his opponents.</p>
<p>The subtext of the coverage seemed to be that such tactics were at odds with Sanders’s program or his image. But all the article really demonstrated was that the media’s portrayal of Sanders as a genial hippie grandpa was at odds with his real nature as a political survivor, someone who was always interested in merging principle with power.</p>
<p>The final distinguishing characteristic of these left-wing survivor politicians, who have been thrust into leadership, is that they tend towards an individualistic, lone-wolf approach to politics. Bernie Sanders has spent decades as the only party-independent member of Congress (despite caucusing with Democrats). Corbyn was content to tend his London district until he reluctantly agreed to pursue what he <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/15/jeremy-corbyn-world-supporters-mentors-influences" type="external">thought</a> would be a doomed protest candidacy for Labour leader.</p>
<p>And what other course would have been available, during a period when New Labour and the Democratic Leadership Council were loudly and fiercely denouncing the politics of a Corbyn or Sanders as out of date, out of style, and beyond the boundaries of respectable politics? (This is, perhaps, a neglected interpretation of Sanders’s initial difficulties when confronted by Black Lives Matter activists: it wasn’t just that he had some blind spot about racism, but that he was generally not used to being held accountable by a mass movement.)</p>
<p>And so it is that we enter a period of renewed left organizing with men like these&#160;as our figureheads. Their particular combination of idealism, ruthlessness, and iconoclasm made them well-suited to the dark years of “lifeboat socialism” that they survived. These traits do not, however, make them particularly well-matched to the period we are now entering. And so we will need to find new leaders from the ranks of organizers who have been radicalized over the past decade.</p>
<p>In the meantime, however, to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you go to the war with the social-democratic politicians you have. Which means Bernie Sanders, who took his campaign <a href="" type="internal">farther</a> than anyone could have reasonably expected, and Jeremy Corbyn, who will hopefully hold on against the <a href="" type="internal">inept and despicable attempts</a> of his parliamentary peers to depose him.</p>
<p>And hopefully we will all look back at their improbable moments in the spotlight, and see them as the early days of a better world.</p> | The Survivors | true | https://jacobinmag.com/2016/07/bernie-sanders-jeremy-corbyn-socialist/ | 2018-10-03 | 4left
| The Survivors
<p>Politics is full of surprises of late, as both a resurgent left and an atavistic right win one surprising victory after another.</p>
<p>One peculiarity of the conjuncture is that the rising social-democratic left in the English-speaking world has produced two oddly similar, and similarly odd, figureheads: Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn.</p>
<p>Both, of course, fit a similar style profile, as old and somewhat disheveled white men, seemingly a bit out of touch with the contemporary culture that has propelled them to unprecedented levels of political success. Hence the inherent humor of something like Corbyn’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3pacMThWVE" type="external">arrival</a> on the talk show The Last Leg, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/berniesandersmemes/" type="external">Bernie Sanders’ Dank Meme Stash</a>. Each exploits the incongruity of these men’s nebbishy affect when contrasted with their youthful supporters.</p>
<p>But I don’t think it’s quite an accident that it was men like these who ended up in this position, in this particular moment.</p>
<p>Our political period is characterized by a rising, but still largely disorganized left, arrayed against a moribund but still institutionally powerful neoliberal order that uses its accumulated power to compensate for its complete lack of compelling answers to contemporary political questions. In order to contest state politics at the highest level —&#160;the presidency of the United States, the prime minister of the UK —&#160;someone had to be found, within the higher echelons of power, who could serve as a figurehead.</p>
<p>After decades of reaction, few such people were available. But what we found was people like Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn.</p>
<p>And so the interesting question is, how do we characterize politicians like them? I’d suggest that they are best summarized as survivors.</p>
<p>They are people who lived through a period of reaction, during which their leftist peers generally burned out, faded away, or reinvented themselves as neoliberal hacks. Whereas people like Sanders and Corbyn managed to hold on to something resembling traditional social-democratic politics, while remaining in proximity to the highest reaches of power within the capitalist state. They managed to survive a period of reaction without either being driven out of politics or becoming reactionaries themselves.</p>
<p>Although Sanders and Corbyn were immersed in the Left during its high points in the 1960s and 1970s, nobody would have considered them great figures for the history books until recently. Sanders participated in the Civil Rights Movement as a student, and in left-wing electoral projects in Vermont, but was essentially a minor figure. Corbyn <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/15/jeremy-corbyn-world-supporters-mentors-influences" type="external">attended</a>&#160;discussion groups with luminaries of the British left like <a href="" type="internal">Ralph Miliband</a> and <a href="" type="internal">Tony Benn</a>, but was mostly remembered as a quiet and unremarkable figure, peripheral to the movers and shakers on the Left of that era.</p>
<p>So what distinguishes people like Sanders and Corbyn is that they survived. Not just in the literal sense that they’re still alive, but in the sense that they were in a position to contest the Democratic presidential nomination or the leadership of the Labour Party from the left, when nobody else was.</p>
<p>People like that have, I would say, three important characteristics.</p>
<p>First, and most obviously, some level of idealistic and ideological commitment to social democracy or left-liberalism. This is the aspect that the lazy press tends to harp on —&#160;look at these doddering hippies, with their “values” and their “ideals”! See how out of touch they are with the cynical compromises with capitalism that, as all savvy observers know, are the essence of politics.</p>
<p>And of course it’s true that Sanders and Corbyn had to have some kind of principled commitment in order to avoid giving up their ideals in favor of what would surely have been a better dispensation, had they conceded to Clintonism and Blairism.</p>
<p>But to portray them as merely hippy-dippy idealists is to leave out two other, and equally important, parts of their political persona.</p>
<p>The first is that they are, in fact, extremely pragmatic, strategic, and at times ruthless politicians. How else, after all, could they have survived for so long in an environment where even their own ostensible party-mates and allies rejected their positions?</p>
<p>At the apex of the Sanders campaign, the New York Times ran an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/us/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-history.html" type="external">article</a> entitled “Bernie Sanders’s Campaign Past Reveals Willingness to Play Hardball.” It detailed some of the tactics that Sanders used to win and maintain power in Vermont, sometimes with harsh attacks on his opponents.</p>
<p>The subtext of the coverage seemed to be that such tactics were at odds with Sanders’s program or his image. But all the article really demonstrated was that the media’s portrayal of Sanders as a genial hippie grandpa was at odds with his real nature as a political survivor, someone who was always interested in merging principle with power.</p>
<p>The final distinguishing characteristic of these left-wing survivor politicians, who have been thrust into leadership, is that they tend towards an individualistic, lone-wolf approach to politics. Bernie Sanders has spent decades as the only party-independent member of Congress (despite caucusing with Democrats). Corbyn was content to tend his London district until he reluctantly agreed to pursue what he <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/15/jeremy-corbyn-world-supporters-mentors-influences" type="external">thought</a> would be a doomed protest candidacy for Labour leader.</p>
<p>And what other course would have been available, during a period when New Labour and the Democratic Leadership Council were loudly and fiercely denouncing the politics of a Corbyn or Sanders as out of date, out of style, and beyond the boundaries of respectable politics? (This is, perhaps, a neglected interpretation of Sanders’s initial difficulties when confronted by Black Lives Matter activists: it wasn’t just that he had some blind spot about racism, but that he was generally not used to being held accountable by a mass movement.)</p>
<p>And so it is that we enter a period of renewed left organizing with men like these&#160;as our figureheads. Their particular combination of idealism, ruthlessness, and iconoclasm made them well-suited to the dark years of “lifeboat socialism” that they survived. These traits do not, however, make them particularly well-matched to the period we are now entering. And so we will need to find new leaders from the ranks of organizers who have been radicalized over the past decade.</p>
<p>In the meantime, however, to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you go to the war with the social-democratic politicians you have. Which means Bernie Sanders, who took his campaign <a href="" type="internal">farther</a> than anyone could have reasonably expected, and Jeremy Corbyn, who will hopefully hold on against the <a href="" type="internal">inept and despicable attempts</a> of his parliamentary peers to depose him.</p>
<p>And hopefully we will all look back at their improbable moments in the spotlight, and see them as the early days of a better world.</p> | 2,697 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The public can get its first look at the new ReStore during the shop’s grand opening celebration from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.</p>
<p>ReStore – which sells donated new and used building materials and household goods to raise money for the Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity – recently moved to a new location at 4900 Menaul NE.</p>
<p>Beth Goldman, director of resource development, said the move enhances the store’s visibility and improves the overall feel.</p>
<p>“It’s just a much nicer facility,” Goldman said of the 25,000-square-foot space. “It’s a dramatic improvement.”</p>
<p>Saturday’s festivities include door prizes, live music, photos with Santa and more.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | ReStore reopens Sat. at new site | false | https://abqjournal.com/319202/restore-reopens-sat-at-new-site.html | 2least
| ReStore reopens Sat. at new site
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The public can get its first look at the new ReStore during the shop’s grand opening celebration from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.</p>
<p>ReStore – which sells donated new and used building materials and household goods to raise money for the Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity – recently moved to a new location at 4900 Menaul NE.</p>
<p>Beth Goldman, director of resource development, said the move enhances the store’s visibility and improves the overall feel.</p>
<p>“It’s just a much nicer facility,” Goldman said of the 25,000-square-foot space. “It’s a dramatic improvement.”</p>
<p>Saturday’s festivities include door prizes, live music, photos with Santa and more.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 2,698 |
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<p>U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission member Bart Chilton said on Tuesday that he has told President Barack Obama that he plans to leave the futures regulator soon.</p>
<p>"Early this morning, I sent a letter to the president expressing my intent to leave the agency in the near future," Chilton, a Democratic member of the commission, said in a statement prepared for a hearing on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The commission is currently down one member after Republican Jill Sommers left earlier this year. CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler, a Democrat, also is expected to leave by the end of the year.</p> | CFTC's Chilton to Step Down | true | http://foxbusiness.com/2013/11/05/cftc-chilton-says-plans-to-leave-agency-in-near-future.html | 2016-03-04 | 0right
| CFTC's Chilton to Step Down
<p>U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission member Bart Chilton said on Tuesday that he has told President Barack Obama that he plans to leave the futures regulator soon.</p>
<p>"Early this morning, I sent a letter to the president expressing my intent to leave the agency in the near future," Chilton, a Democratic member of the commission, said in a statement prepared for a hearing on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The commission is currently down one member after Republican Jill Sommers left earlier this year. CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler, a Democrat, also is expected to leave by the end of the year.</p> | 2,699 |
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