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<p>The Baptist General Association of Virginia’s precedent in response to Ginter Park Baptist Church’s ordination creates a brand-new challenge for Virginia Baptists.</p>
<p>In acting to “disfellowship” from Ginter Park over its decision to ordain a particular member, the BGAV has chosen a step the Virginia association has never exercised before, because of the Baptist principle of local autonomy in our fellowship of churches. It would seem that a word of disapproval, if desired, short of an action to discontinue a relationship with a church, would far better keep faith with our historic Baptist principles, than does the exception created in the fall of 2012 state association meeting in Roanoke where we voted to “disfellowship” with that church over its ordination action.</p>
<p>Why? Because if Virginia Baptists are going to take action to “disconnect” churches on the basis of disapproval of an ordained person’s behavior or morality, we will need to be consistent, and begin “disfellowshipping” congregations who have ordained other persons whose actions or behaviors we consider unbiblical: Are divorced ministers in our congregations to be evaluated on the same grounds by the BGAV? Are ministers with addictions, such as pornography, gambling, alcohol (about one in five in our churches) to have their congregations disconnected from the BGAV? And, if we follow Scripture, do not churches with ministers who suffer from covetousness (greed), idolatry (worshiping&#160; power?) or revilers&#160; (verbally abusive), also need to be disenfranchised? (Did we ever take such an action against our churches when their pastors supported slavery, or segregation, or embezzled funds?).</p>
<p>It appears that if the BGAV is going to begin such pronouncements and take such actions, that we will need to appoint a “Morality Committee” to pass judgment on all ordinations approved by Virginia Baptist churches each year.</p>
<p>Daniel G. Bagby, Richmond</p> | LETTER: BGAV’s action creates new Baptist challenge | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/letterbgavsactioncreatesnewbaptistchallenge/ | 3left-center
| LETTER: BGAV’s action creates new Baptist challenge
<p>The Baptist General Association of Virginia’s precedent in response to Ginter Park Baptist Church’s ordination creates a brand-new challenge for Virginia Baptists.</p>
<p>In acting to “disfellowship” from Ginter Park over its decision to ordain a particular member, the BGAV has chosen a step the Virginia association has never exercised before, because of the Baptist principle of local autonomy in our fellowship of churches. It would seem that a word of disapproval, if desired, short of an action to discontinue a relationship with a church, would far better keep faith with our historic Baptist principles, than does the exception created in the fall of 2012 state association meeting in Roanoke where we voted to “disfellowship” with that church over its ordination action.</p>
<p>Why? Because if Virginia Baptists are going to take action to “disconnect” churches on the basis of disapproval of an ordained person’s behavior or morality, we will need to be consistent, and begin “disfellowshipping” congregations who have ordained other persons whose actions or behaviors we consider unbiblical: Are divorced ministers in our congregations to be evaluated on the same grounds by the BGAV? Are ministers with addictions, such as pornography, gambling, alcohol (about one in five in our churches) to have their congregations disconnected from the BGAV? And, if we follow Scripture, do not churches with ministers who suffer from covetousness (greed), idolatry (worshiping&#160; power?) or revilers&#160; (verbally abusive), also need to be disenfranchised? (Did we ever take such an action against our churches when their pastors supported slavery, or segregation, or embezzled funds?).</p>
<p>It appears that if the BGAV is going to begin such pronouncements and take such actions, that we will need to appoint a “Morality Committee” to pass judgment on all ordinations approved by Virginia Baptist churches each year.</p>
<p>Daniel G. Bagby, Richmond</p> | 3,700 |
|
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/87225/55/434206" type="external">Kos</a> is advocating a little election mischief in Michigan. The Democratic side of the January 15 Michigan primary is meaningless because the DNC stripped Michigan of all its delegates to the national convention when it moved its primary ahead of Feb. 5 without permission. Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich are on the ballot there, but no one else is.</p>
<p>Happily, Democrats have lots of other options, because under Michigan state law, they can vote in the Republican race. So what is a good Michigan Democrat to do?</p>
<p>Kos says vote for Romney because a Romney victory would mean that Huckabee, McCain, and Romney will all have won one primary—no frontrunner means more turmoil, more negative ads, and more in-party fighting for the GOP. Keeping Romney, in particular, in the race makes sense because Romney goes negative the most often and has no qualms about tearing up his competitors.</p>
<p>Except there’s a problem: if no frontrunner emerges from the GOP’s early primary calendar, Rudy Giuliani has a much stronger chance in Florida and the February 5 super primary. And do Democrats want to accidentally help elect Rudy Giuliani? When Giuliani puts everybody in camps and bombs the entire Middle East, they’re going to feel terrible.</p>
<p>So what else can they do? Vote for Huckabee, a not-ready-for-primetime evolution-denier that holds fewer foreign policy credentials than the greenest Democrat? That’s an okay idea. Vote for Fred Thompson, just so the old man can make a decent showing before he drops out? Or vote for Ron Paul, who is right roughly half the time and is a delightful player on the national stage?</p>
<p>Before considering McCain, recognize that independents who don’t have the Democratic field available to them will probably flock to the Arizona Senator. He likely won’t need any help.</p>
<p>So the choice is yours, Michigan Democrats. If you actually want to take the time to go to the polls to vote in a meaningless election, you have a number of awful but bizarrely wonderful options available to you.</p>
<p /> | Election Mischief: Democrats for Romney in Michigan | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2008/01/election-mischief-democrats-romney-michigan/ | 2008-01-11 | 4left
| Election Mischief: Democrats for Romney in Michigan
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/87225/55/434206" type="external">Kos</a> is advocating a little election mischief in Michigan. The Democratic side of the January 15 Michigan primary is meaningless because the DNC stripped Michigan of all its delegates to the national convention when it moved its primary ahead of Feb. 5 without permission. Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich are on the ballot there, but no one else is.</p>
<p>Happily, Democrats have lots of other options, because under Michigan state law, they can vote in the Republican race. So what is a good Michigan Democrat to do?</p>
<p>Kos says vote for Romney because a Romney victory would mean that Huckabee, McCain, and Romney will all have won one primary—no frontrunner means more turmoil, more negative ads, and more in-party fighting for the GOP. Keeping Romney, in particular, in the race makes sense because Romney goes negative the most often and has no qualms about tearing up his competitors.</p>
<p>Except there’s a problem: if no frontrunner emerges from the GOP’s early primary calendar, Rudy Giuliani has a much stronger chance in Florida and the February 5 super primary. And do Democrats want to accidentally help elect Rudy Giuliani? When Giuliani puts everybody in camps and bombs the entire Middle East, they’re going to feel terrible.</p>
<p>So what else can they do? Vote for Huckabee, a not-ready-for-primetime evolution-denier that holds fewer foreign policy credentials than the greenest Democrat? That’s an okay idea. Vote for Fred Thompson, just so the old man can make a decent showing before he drops out? Or vote for Ron Paul, who is right roughly half the time and is a delightful player on the national stage?</p>
<p>Before considering McCain, recognize that independents who don’t have the Democratic field available to them will probably flock to the Arizona Senator. He likely won’t need any help.</p>
<p>So the choice is yours, Michigan Democrats. If you actually want to take the time to go to the polls to vote in a meaningless election, you have a number of awful but bizarrely wonderful options available to you.</p>
<p /> | 3,701 |
<p>Published time: 19 Sep, 2017 16:23</p>
<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to Washington’s decision to pull out of a $1.2 million arms deal for his security guards, accusing the White House of instead choosing to supply weapons to terrorists in Syria.</p>
<p>In an interview with PBS on Monday, Erdogan <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/erdogan-raises-questions-u-s-partnership-weapons-deal/" type="external">referred</a> to Syrian Kurds as “terrorists,” saying “we need to fight these terrorists with the United States.”&#160;</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/403751-erdogan-gun-deal-withdraw/" type="external" /></p>
<p>“And when we are not able to acquire those weapons from the United States, why are you giving those weapons to terrorists? It’s a question that we ask our friends in the United States. And when these questions are not answered, we’re feeling sorry, as the strategic partners to the US,” he continued.</p>
<p>Erdogan was referring to Washington’s decision to arm Syrian Kurds fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), a step which the White House believes is key to seizing the last major IS stronghold of Raqqa.</p>
<p>The announcement to arm Syrian Kurds <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/387770-us-weapons-kurds-support/" type="external">came</a> in May, when the US Department of Defense said it would be providing them with small arms, machine guns, armored vehicles and other military hardware.</p>
<p>The US reportedly told Ankara that it expects the return of weapons given to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) after IS is destroyed, and Defense Secretary James Mattis also promised to give Turkey a list of weapons supplied to the militia.</p>
<p>However, investigative journalist Rick Sterling <a href="https://www.rt.com/op-edge/393754-kurds-weapons-syria-turkey-us/" type="external">told</a> RT in June that such a result is highly unlikely, given failed attempts to take back arms in Afghanistan and Libya.&#160;</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/403115-turkey-s400-russia-nato/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Erdogan’s Monday statement came just one day after AP reported that the US was pulling out of a major deal which would have seen the Turkish government purchase $1.2 million in arms, including hundreds of semi-automatic handguns and ammunition.The decision to pull out of the deal came after Erdogan’s bodyguards violently <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/401397-erdogan-bodyguards-attack-protesters/" type="external">attacked</a> pro-Kurdish protesters during the Turkish president’s visit to Washington in May.&#160;</p>
<p>The incident, which took place outside the home of the Turkish ambassador to Washington as Erdogan was visiting, resulted in 19 people being indicted by a grand jury for attacking peaceful protesters. Of those, 15 were identified as Turkish security officials.</p>
<p>The official confirmation of the canceled deal came as both US President Donald Trump and Erdogan arrived in New York for the annual UN General Assembly gathering on Monday. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have asked for extra precautions to ensure there is not another violent incident by Turkish personnel during the event.</p> | Erdogan slams US for ‘arming terrorists’ after Washington cancels $1.2mn Turkey weapons deal | false | https://newsline.com/erdogan-slams-us-for-arming-terrorists-after-washington-cancels-1-2mn-turkey-weapons-deal/ | 2017-09-19 | 1right-center
| Erdogan slams US for ‘arming terrorists’ after Washington cancels $1.2mn Turkey weapons deal
<p>Published time: 19 Sep, 2017 16:23</p>
<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to Washington’s decision to pull out of a $1.2 million arms deal for his security guards, accusing the White House of instead choosing to supply weapons to terrorists in Syria.</p>
<p>In an interview with PBS on Monday, Erdogan <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/erdogan-raises-questions-u-s-partnership-weapons-deal/" type="external">referred</a> to Syrian Kurds as “terrorists,” saying “we need to fight these terrorists with the United States.”&#160;</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/403751-erdogan-gun-deal-withdraw/" type="external" /></p>
<p>“And when we are not able to acquire those weapons from the United States, why are you giving those weapons to terrorists? It’s a question that we ask our friends in the United States. And when these questions are not answered, we’re feeling sorry, as the strategic partners to the US,” he continued.</p>
<p>Erdogan was referring to Washington’s decision to arm Syrian Kurds fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), a step which the White House believes is key to seizing the last major IS stronghold of Raqqa.</p>
<p>The announcement to arm Syrian Kurds <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/387770-us-weapons-kurds-support/" type="external">came</a> in May, when the US Department of Defense said it would be providing them with small arms, machine guns, armored vehicles and other military hardware.</p>
<p>The US reportedly told Ankara that it expects the return of weapons given to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) after IS is destroyed, and Defense Secretary James Mattis also promised to give Turkey a list of weapons supplied to the militia.</p>
<p>However, investigative journalist Rick Sterling <a href="https://www.rt.com/op-edge/393754-kurds-weapons-syria-turkey-us/" type="external">told</a> RT in June that such a result is highly unlikely, given failed attempts to take back arms in Afghanistan and Libya.&#160;</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/403115-turkey-s400-russia-nato/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Erdogan’s Monday statement came just one day after AP reported that the US was pulling out of a major deal which would have seen the Turkish government purchase $1.2 million in arms, including hundreds of semi-automatic handguns and ammunition.The decision to pull out of the deal came after Erdogan’s bodyguards violently <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/401397-erdogan-bodyguards-attack-protesters/" type="external">attacked</a> pro-Kurdish protesters during the Turkish president’s visit to Washington in May.&#160;</p>
<p>The incident, which took place outside the home of the Turkish ambassador to Washington as Erdogan was visiting, resulted in 19 people being indicted by a grand jury for attacking peaceful protesters. Of those, 15 were identified as Turkish security officials.</p>
<p>The official confirmation of the canceled deal came as both US President Donald Trump and Erdogan arrived in New York for the annual UN General Assembly gathering on Monday. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have asked for extra precautions to ensure there is not another violent incident by Turkish personnel during the event.</p> | 3,702 |
<p />
<p>Major League Baseball has reached terms with Blast Motion on a deal that names the “Blast Baseball” swing analyzer as the league’s “official bat sensor technology,” the California-based tech company announced Thursday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Blast Motion sensor, which attaches to the end of a traditional bat, tracks various metrics related to the baseball swing, including swing speed, efficiency and point of impact. Under the deal’s terms, “Blast Baseball” technology available to MLB teams for organizational development and to USA Baseball for use by youth players, the company said in a press release. Swing metrics will be displayed on the scoreboards at the 2016 MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 10 at Petco Park in San Diego and integrated into select MLB television broadcasts.</p>
<p>The “Blast Baseball” bat sensor, which currently sells for $149.99 on the company's website and at select retail stores, will eventually be sold through Major League Baseball’s online store. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed, but Blast Motion CEO Michael Fitzpatrick said the deal will have a major impact on the company’s business efforts.</p>
<p>“Becoming the official bat sensor of MLB, that’s an exclusive relationship. That gives us the ability to use the MLB logo,” Blast Motion CEO Michael Fitzpatrick told FOXBusiness.com. “You know how valuable that’s going to be for marketing and sales activities. We’re going to be able to put that logo on the packaging of our sensor.”</p>
<p>Major League Baseball has placed an increased emphasis on the integration of technology and wearables in the sport, both on the field and during broadcasts, as part of a broader push to attract younger fans. Last March, the league <a href="" type="internal">announced plans</a> to partner with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:APPL) to place iPad Pro tablets in every MLB dugout, granting players and coaches real-time access to advanced analytics and scouting data.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Partnering with Blast Motion will bring another integrated&#160;technology and developmental tool to young players of all levels and ages, such&#160;as those who compete in the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, as they grow&#160;their skills in the game," an MLB spokesperson told FOXBusiness.com.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred told the FOX Business Network that the league is looking to utilize <a href="" type="internal">virtual reality technology</a> to target new fans.</p>
<p>Blast Motion’s bat sensor was one of four tech devices that Major League Baseball officials approved for use in August. Two wearable devices – the <a href="" type="internal">Motus Baseball Sleeve</a>, which tracks throwing metrics, and the Zephyr Bioharness, which measures heart and breathing rates – were granted approval for in-game use.</p>
<p>The other two products – bat sensors developed by Blast Motion and Diamond Kinetics, respectively – were approved for on-field use during pre-game workouts, but not for in-game use, purportedly because the devices can’t yet be fully integrated into the bat.</p>
<p>Fitzpatrick said “quite a few” MLB teams have made use of the Blast Motion sensor for pre-draft analysis and coaching purposes, but declined to provide specifics. The Houston Astros named Blast Motion their “official swing sensor” last May.</p>
<p>The removable “Blast Baseball” sensor records up to eight hours of swing data. When paired with a companion app, the device can provide a slow-motion breakdown of the swing, helping coaches to scout prospects, identify potential flaws and assist players mired in hitting slumps.</p>
<p>“This technology is growing very rapidly. I don’t think there’s going to be any team without this kid of technology within a year,” Fitzpatrick said.</p>
<p>It’s unclear when – or if – MLB officials will approve the Blast Motion sensor or similar wearable technology for in-game use. But Fitzpatrick is optimistic that additional testing of the device will eliminate any lingering safety concerns.</p>
<p>“It’s our hope, down the road, that we will be allowed to be in things like the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game,” Fitzpatrick said. “Eventually, it’s my hope that, after more testing, that MLB may allow the sensor to be installed directly into the bat in the future, in which case it could be used in every game.”</p> | MLB Names Blast Motion Official Bat Sensor Amid Tech Push | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/06/30/mlb-names-blast-motion-official-bat-sensor-amid-tech-push.html | 2016-06-30 | 0right
| MLB Names Blast Motion Official Bat Sensor Amid Tech Push
<p />
<p>Major League Baseball has reached terms with Blast Motion on a deal that names the “Blast Baseball” swing analyzer as the league’s “official bat sensor technology,” the California-based tech company announced Thursday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Blast Motion sensor, which attaches to the end of a traditional bat, tracks various metrics related to the baseball swing, including swing speed, efficiency and point of impact. Under the deal’s terms, “Blast Baseball” technology available to MLB teams for organizational development and to USA Baseball for use by youth players, the company said in a press release. Swing metrics will be displayed on the scoreboards at the 2016 MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 10 at Petco Park in San Diego and integrated into select MLB television broadcasts.</p>
<p>The “Blast Baseball” bat sensor, which currently sells for $149.99 on the company's website and at select retail stores, will eventually be sold through Major League Baseball’s online store. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed, but Blast Motion CEO Michael Fitzpatrick said the deal will have a major impact on the company’s business efforts.</p>
<p>“Becoming the official bat sensor of MLB, that’s an exclusive relationship. That gives us the ability to use the MLB logo,” Blast Motion CEO Michael Fitzpatrick told FOXBusiness.com. “You know how valuable that’s going to be for marketing and sales activities. We’re going to be able to put that logo on the packaging of our sensor.”</p>
<p>Major League Baseball has placed an increased emphasis on the integration of technology and wearables in the sport, both on the field and during broadcasts, as part of a broader push to attract younger fans. Last March, the league <a href="" type="internal">announced plans</a> to partner with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:APPL) to place iPad Pro tablets in every MLB dugout, granting players and coaches real-time access to advanced analytics and scouting data.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Partnering with Blast Motion will bring another integrated&#160;technology and developmental tool to young players of all levels and ages, such&#160;as those who compete in the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, as they grow&#160;their skills in the game," an MLB spokesperson told FOXBusiness.com.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred told the FOX Business Network that the league is looking to utilize <a href="" type="internal">virtual reality technology</a> to target new fans.</p>
<p>Blast Motion’s bat sensor was one of four tech devices that Major League Baseball officials approved for use in August. Two wearable devices – the <a href="" type="internal">Motus Baseball Sleeve</a>, which tracks throwing metrics, and the Zephyr Bioharness, which measures heart and breathing rates – were granted approval for in-game use.</p>
<p>The other two products – bat sensors developed by Blast Motion and Diamond Kinetics, respectively – were approved for on-field use during pre-game workouts, but not for in-game use, purportedly because the devices can’t yet be fully integrated into the bat.</p>
<p>Fitzpatrick said “quite a few” MLB teams have made use of the Blast Motion sensor for pre-draft analysis and coaching purposes, but declined to provide specifics. The Houston Astros named Blast Motion their “official swing sensor” last May.</p>
<p>The removable “Blast Baseball” sensor records up to eight hours of swing data. When paired with a companion app, the device can provide a slow-motion breakdown of the swing, helping coaches to scout prospects, identify potential flaws and assist players mired in hitting slumps.</p>
<p>“This technology is growing very rapidly. I don’t think there’s going to be any team without this kid of technology within a year,” Fitzpatrick said.</p>
<p>It’s unclear when – or if – MLB officials will approve the Blast Motion sensor or similar wearable technology for in-game use. But Fitzpatrick is optimistic that additional testing of the device will eliminate any lingering safety concerns.</p>
<p>“It’s our hope, down the road, that we will be allowed to be in things like the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game,” Fitzpatrick said. “Eventually, it’s my hope that, after more testing, that MLB may allow the sensor to be installed directly into the bat in the future, in which case it could be used in every game.”</p> | 3,703 |
<p>Hartford CourantDenis Horgan says the New York Times must be a great place to work. "No rules. No editors. No standards. You can do whatever you want," he writes. "[Judith Miller's] 'boss' says to stop 'working' on national security matters. She does so anyway. What's the boss do? Nothing. She gets to have long windy breakfasts collecting handouts and smear job material from the administration. And then she doesn't even use them! Who paid for the breakfast? Someone got jobbed on that." &gt; <a href="http://reason.com/links/links101705.shtml" type="external">Welch: Miller sells journalism down the river -- again (Reason.com)</a> &gt; <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4751084" type="external">Folkenflik offers background, answers questions about Miller case (NPR)</a></p> | Horgan dreams of being the next "Jayson Miller" at NYT | false | https://poynter.org/news/horgan-dreams-being-next-jayson-miller-nyt | 2005-10-17 | 2least
| Horgan dreams of being the next "Jayson Miller" at NYT
<p>Hartford CourantDenis Horgan says the New York Times must be a great place to work. "No rules. No editors. No standards. You can do whatever you want," he writes. "[Judith Miller's] 'boss' says to stop 'working' on national security matters. She does so anyway. What's the boss do? Nothing. She gets to have long windy breakfasts collecting handouts and smear job material from the administration. And then she doesn't even use them! Who paid for the breakfast? Someone got jobbed on that." &gt; <a href="http://reason.com/links/links101705.shtml" type="external">Welch: Miller sells journalism down the river -- again (Reason.com)</a> &gt; <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4751084" type="external">Folkenflik offers background, answers questions about Miller case (NPR)</a></p> | 3,704 |
<p>Ghoulishness envelops Arkansas’ decision to pump deadly drugs into eight men over the next fortnight. Although two of the eight scheduled executions have definitively been stayed and a temporary restraining order has been issued as to the remaining six, the state plans an emergency appeal.</p>
<p>Articles about “midazolam,” the drug whose expiration date prompted Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to schedule this unprecedented mass execution are abuzz on the internet and social media. By this point many Americans have heard or are generally aware that while midazolam is supposed to render the condemned unconscious and insensate, it has been linked to a number of gruesome and botched executions in the United States. These are lethal injections where instead of drifting into a sterile, serene, slumber-like death, the condemned have for minutes and even hours, convulsed, coughed, clenched their fists, writhed and thrashed their bodies, murmured, spoken, or cried out in obvious distress; some have gasped for interminably long periods of time mimicking the discomfiting death-throes of still-live fish thrown flat on a sunbaked pier, to suffocate and to burn.</p>
<p>Importantly, torturous executions linked to midazolam have occurred when just one or at most two executions have been scheduled at one time. This is why a chorus of lawyers, law professors, medical experts, ethicists, and former correctional officials, have all raised their voices in the last few days against Hutchinson’s mass-killing decree. “Multiple executions create rushed circumstances. Rushed circumstances risk error,” said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. In other words, the assembly-line nature of Hutchinson’s expediency-centric execution schedule exacerbates the risk that one or more of the men to be executed next week will suffer an excruciatingly painful execution; an execution plainly violative of the Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.</p>
<p>In January 2016, I wrote about the then-impending execution of Christopher Brooks in Alabama – <a href="" type="internal">an execution likely botched by the controversial use of midazolam</a> – a drug that according to competent medical experts, is inappropriate for use in executions.</p>
<p>Specifically, I wrote: “In the United States, we rightly condemn barbaric executions in other countries, like in North Korea, where, in front of an audience, Kim Jon-Un executed his defense minister with an anti-aircraft gun, or, in Saudi Arabia, where beheading remains a common practice. We have especially condemned ISIS executions, executions that have included burning and burying people alive.”</p>
<p>Highlighting Brooks’ federal defenders’ arguments that, because of the documented problems with midazolam, Brooks would feel like “he is [both] being buried alive” and “burn[ed] alive from the inside”, I plaintively demanded: “How can we countenance the fact that we, as Americans, may also be subjecting human beings – irrespective of their crimes, even heinous ones – to that same end? Can the fact that US executions are not broadcast to the masses from some windswept desert in the Middle East, and occur, instead, in sterile prisons, under the color of law, really make such a difference? Isn’t it morally wrong to execute someone by reproducing the sensation of being buried alive followed by burning them from the inside out?” I lamented, “Aren’t we, as a nation, and as people, better than that?”</p>
<p>Next week, if Arkansas’ state-sanctioned killing spree goes forward, the answer to that question will resoundingly be “no.” It’ll be no, no, no, no, no, no.</p>
<p>And as far as the title of my one-year-old Huffington Post blog, “ <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-a-cooper/does-the-united-states-re_1_b_8987554.html" type="external">When Will The United States Stop ‘Tinkering With The Machinery of Death?</a>’”, based on the monumentally-high level of depravity promising to be on display next week in Arkansas, not soon enough.</p>
<p>Stephen Cooper is a former D.C. public defender who worked as an assistant federal public defender in Alabama between 2012 and 2015. He has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers in the United States and overseas. He writes full-time and lives in Woodland Hills, California. Follow him on Twitter @SteveCooperEsq</p> | Ghoulishness Envelops Arkansas’ Mass Execution Schedule | true | https://counterpunch.org/2017/04/14/ghoulishness-envelops-arkansas-mass-execution-schedule/ | 2017-04-14 | 4left
| Ghoulishness Envelops Arkansas’ Mass Execution Schedule
<p>Ghoulishness envelops Arkansas’ decision to pump deadly drugs into eight men over the next fortnight. Although two of the eight scheduled executions have definitively been stayed and a temporary restraining order has been issued as to the remaining six, the state plans an emergency appeal.</p>
<p>Articles about “midazolam,” the drug whose expiration date prompted Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to schedule this unprecedented mass execution are abuzz on the internet and social media. By this point many Americans have heard or are generally aware that while midazolam is supposed to render the condemned unconscious and insensate, it has been linked to a number of gruesome and botched executions in the United States. These are lethal injections where instead of drifting into a sterile, serene, slumber-like death, the condemned have for minutes and even hours, convulsed, coughed, clenched their fists, writhed and thrashed their bodies, murmured, spoken, or cried out in obvious distress; some have gasped for interminably long periods of time mimicking the discomfiting death-throes of still-live fish thrown flat on a sunbaked pier, to suffocate and to burn.</p>
<p>Importantly, torturous executions linked to midazolam have occurred when just one or at most two executions have been scheduled at one time. This is why a chorus of lawyers, law professors, medical experts, ethicists, and former correctional officials, have all raised their voices in the last few days against Hutchinson’s mass-killing decree. “Multiple executions create rushed circumstances. Rushed circumstances risk error,” said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. In other words, the assembly-line nature of Hutchinson’s expediency-centric execution schedule exacerbates the risk that one or more of the men to be executed next week will suffer an excruciatingly painful execution; an execution plainly violative of the Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.</p>
<p>In January 2016, I wrote about the then-impending execution of Christopher Brooks in Alabama – <a href="" type="internal">an execution likely botched by the controversial use of midazolam</a> – a drug that according to competent medical experts, is inappropriate for use in executions.</p>
<p>Specifically, I wrote: “In the United States, we rightly condemn barbaric executions in other countries, like in North Korea, where, in front of an audience, Kim Jon-Un executed his defense minister with an anti-aircraft gun, or, in Saudi Arabia, where beheading remains a common practice. We have especially condemned ISIS executions, executions that have included burning and burying people alive.”</p>
<p>Highlighting Brooks’ federal defenders’ arguments that, because of the documented problems with midazolam, Brooks would feel like “he is [both] being buried alive” and “burn[ed] alive from the inside”, I plaintively demanded: “How can we countenance the fact that we, as Americans, may also be subjecting human beings – irrespective of their crimes, even heinous ones – to that same end? Can the fact that US executions are not broadcast to the masses from some windswept desert in the Middle East, and occur, instead, in sterile prisons, under the color of law, really make such a difference? Isn’t it morally wrong to execute someone by reproducing the sensation of being buried alive followed by burning them from the inside out?” I lamented, “Aren’t we, as a nation, and as people, better than that?”</p>
<p>Next week, if Arkansas’ state-sanctioned killing spree goes forward, the answer to that question will resoundingly be “no.” It’ll be no, no, no, no, no, no.</p>
<p>And as far as the title of my one-year-old Huffington Post blog, “ <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-a-cooper/does-the-united-states-re_1_b_8987554.html" type="external">When Will The United States Stop ‘Tinkering With The Machinery of Death?</a>’”, based on the monumentally-high level of depravity promising to be on display next week in Arkansas, not soon enough.</p>
<p>Stephen Cooper is a former D.C. public defender who worked as an assistant federal public defender in Alabama between 2012 and 2015. He has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers in the United States and overseas. He writes full-time and lives in Woodland Hills, California. Follow him on Twitter @SteveCooperEsq</p> | 3,705 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Journal photographer Roberto Rosales and I were down in Bernalillo County’s south valley this afternoon working on a story (about the sewage treatment plant, if you must know) when <a href="" type="internal">we saw smoke from a just-started bosque fire</a>.</p>
<p>We were just around the corner, and arrived moments before the firefighters. (I actually called 911 once we figured out where it was, but they were well on their way by the time my call came in.) The wind and geography were right, with a road behind the fire and the wind blowing it toward and alfalfa field. That stuff won’t burn. The Bernalillo County Fire Department brush crew got a line around the south end of the fire, where we were standing, and it was clear within half an hour that it was not going to be a problem fire. But I stuck around anyway, watching the crew work, and watching and listening to the fire.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the best I had was my cell phone camera, but if you listen through the wind on the camera body, you can here the remarkable crackling sound in this video. The fire guy said it’s like that in a dry bosque, the dry, low-density cottonwood popping as it goes up:</p>
<p />
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Crackling dry: the sounds of a bosque fire in a drought | false | https://abqjournal.com/191641/crackling-dry-the-sounds-of-a-bosque-fire-in-a-drought.html | 2013-04-22 | 2least
| Crackling dry: the sounds of a bosque fire in a drought
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Journal photographer Roberto Rosales and I were down in Bernalillo County’s south valley this afternoon working on a story (about the sewage treatment plant, if you must know) when <a href="" type="internal">we saw smoke from a just-started bosque fire</a>.</p>
<p>We were just around the corner, and arrived moments before the firefighters. (I actually called 911 once we figured out where it was, but they were well on their way by the time my call came in.) The wind and geography were right, with a road behind the fire and the wind blowing it toward and alfalfa field. That stuff won’t burn. The Bernalillo County Fire Department brush crew got a line around the south end of the fire, where we were standing, and it was clear within half an hour that it was not going to be a problem fire. But I stuck around anyway, watching the crew work, and watching and listening to the fire.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the best I had was my cell phone camera, but if you listen through the wind on the camera body, you can here the remarkable crackling sound in this video. The fire guy said it’s like that in a dry bosque, the dry, low-density cottonwood popping as it goes up:</p>
<p />
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 3,706 |
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<p />
<p>Among the first-term Republican governor’s upcoming travels is an Oct. 24 trip to Wisconsin, where Martinez will attend campaign fundraisers for Gov. Scott Walker in Madison and Milwaukee.</p>
<p>Walker’s campaign will cover Martinez’s travel costs, the governor’s political adviser Jay McCleskey said.</p>
<p>Martinez, who reported earlier this week having nearly $3.3 million in her re-election account, will start the busy travel schedule tonight when she leaves for San Antonio. In that city, she will give the keynote address tomorrow for the Texas Federation of Republican Women’s biennial convention.</p>
<p>Martinez will return to New Mexico tomorrow evening and the group is paying for her travel expenses, McCleskey said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Next week, Martinez will make a quick, single-day trip to Oklahoma on Oct. 21 to raise money for her re-election campaign.</p>
<p>Before heading to Wisconsin, she will then go to Denver on Oct. 23, where she will hold talks with local business leaders. Costs for that trip will be paid by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, McCleskey said.</p>
<p>Martinez is scheduled to return to New Mexico on the evening of Oct. 24, he said.</p> | Gov. Martinez traveling to San Antonio tonight; busy travel schedule on tap | false | https://abqjournal.com/282981/gov-martinez-traveling-to-san-antonio-tonight-busy-travel-schedule-on-tap.html | 2least
| Gov. Martinez traveling to San Antonio tonight; busy travel schedule on tap
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<p />
<p>Among the first-term Republican governor’s upcoming travels is an Oct. 24 trip to Wisconsin, where Martinez will attend campaign fundraisers for Gov. Scott Walker in Madison and Milwaukee.</p>
<p>Walker’s campaign will cover Martinez’s travel costs, the governor’s political adviser Jay McCleskey said.</p>
<p>Martinez, who reported earlier this week having nearly $3.3 million in her re-election account, will start the busy travel schedule tonight when she leaves for San Antonio. In that city, she will give the keynote address tomorrow for the Texas Federation of Republican Women’s biennial convention.</p>
<p>Martinez will return to New Mexico tomorrow evening and the group is paying for her travel expenses, McCleskey said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Next week, Martinez will make a quick, single-day trip to Oklahoma on Oct. 21 to raise money for her re-election campaign.</p>
<p>Before heading to Wisconsin, she will then go to Denver on Oct. 23, where she will hold talks with local business leaders. Costs for that trip will be paid by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, McCleskey said.</p>
<p>Martinez is scheduled to return to New Mexico on the evening of Oct. 24, he said.</p> | 3,707 |
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<p>Watch out Apple, here comes <a href="" type="internal">Nexus One</a>, the <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/182469/googlebranded_super_phone_expected_in_2010_report_says.html" type="external">Google phone Opens a New Window.</a> the tech world has been salivating for. Over the weekend <a href="" type="internal">Google</a> set off a fury of speculation when employees tweeted they were testing a new Android-based mobile device. Google later ratcheted up the Google phone buzz when in a blog post it confirmed it was testing a handset with " <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2009/12/android-dogfood-diet-for-holidays.html" type="external">innovative hardware Opens a New Window.</a>" from one of its partners. Said to be named Nexus One, many critics believe this device will give the <a href="" type="internal">iPhone</a> a run for its money.</p>
<p>Following that revealing Google blog post about the Nexus One, it didn't take long for photos and <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/184545/picture_of_googles_experimental_handset_appears_on_twitter.html" type="external">details about the device Opens a New Window.</a> to leak. Many of those who claim to be familiar with Google's plans say the <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/184540/google_phone_see_for_yourself.html" type="external">Google phone Opens a New Window.</a> would be an unlocked GSM device running the Android 2.1 mobile operating system. Google, they claim, would sell directly to customers with no wireless carrier subsidy. The device could go an sale as early as this January.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That's the basic information, most of which has been reported before. Google has officially confirmed little beyond the devices existence. We are still waiting for Google to officially share more about its phone. In the interim, here is the latest speculation about <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/173998/watch_out_verizon_google_may_have_its_own_android_phone.html" type="external">Google's purported device Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>T-Mobile</p>
<p>The Google phone is believed to be an unlocked device that Google would sell directly to customers. Nevertheless, Google still wants to work with the big mobile carriers, and T-Mobile may have some kind of role in the launch, according to <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091213/google-pals-up-with-t-mobile-to-push-its-nexus-one-phone/" type="external">AllThingsD Opens a New Window.</a>'s Peter Kafka.</p>
<p>Google may also be considering some unconventional ideas for selling the phone. One possible scenario, according to Kafka, would have you select your carrier from a menu when purchasing the phone from Google's dedicated site.</p>
<p>If Google does offer a menu of phone providers at purchase time, then perhaps T-Mobile will the recommended carrier for U.S. and European customers. This may also suggest that, even though the phone is unlocked, you will still be able to get a subsidized phone with a two-year contract. Unless Google becomes really unconventional and tries to subsidize the phone with advertising.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The Passion of Nexus One</p>
<p>There is still some debate over the name of the supposed Google phone, such as Passion, but all signs are starting to point to Nexus One as the official moniker. Early Monday, <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/htc-nexus-one-blessed-by-the-fcc-with-t-mobile-and-att-huspa/" type="external">Engadget Opens a New Window.</a> uncovered a compliance report created by HTC for the FCC. The report reveals some details about a quad-band GSM smartphone called the NexusOne. Numerous reports based on unnamed sources have also said that Nexus One will be the name.</p>
<p>For all you tech die hards out there, you can read all 90 pages of <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1208732&amp;native_or_pdf=pdf" type="external">HTC's NexusOne report Opens a New Window.</a> to the FCC for yourself. (PDF download).</p>
<p>Specs</p>
<p>Specs are hard to come by, but based on reports by <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/exclusive-first-google-phone-nexus-one-photos-android-2-1-on/" type="external">Engadget Opens a New Window.</a> and others, this device will probably have a screen slightly longer than the iPhone's (just under 5 inches), OLED display, trackball, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, and a microSD expansion slot. The device is also believed to be thinner than the iPhone.</p>
<p>Just testing or pre-launch?</p>
<p>Rumors are suggesting the device would be launched by Google in early January, but there's also speculation the Nexus One/Google phone could just be a test device for trying out the latest Android platform. It's also possible that Google could be developing the hardware and software, but wouldn't produce or brand the device. Instead, the company could license its design out to other manufacturers, a very Microsoft-like move.</p>
<p>Website support</p>
<p>The Google phone's help pages supposedly points to a dead link at Google.com/phone/support. Keep your eye on that Web page as January approaches.</p>
<p>So will Google be launching a phone next month? The strongest rumors sure seem to be pointing that way, but as always there's no guarantee.</p>
<p>Firm details confirming that Google would launch the Nexus One/Google phone on its own are still pretty scarce . There are also a lot of arguments against Google coming up with its own device. The primary one being that if Google produced its own device, it could scare off or <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/173998/watch_out_verizon_google_may_have_its_own_android_phone.html" type="external">upset Google's Android converts</a> such as <a href="" type="internal">Motorola</a> and HTC. Nevertheless, a Google-developed phone could be an interesting addition to the continuing smartphone battle.</p>
<p>What do you think, is the Google phone the real deal? If so, will you be buying one?</p>
<p>More from IDG:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/184555" type="external">Original story Opens a New Window.</a></p> | Google's 'Nexus One' Test Phone: Details Emerge | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2009/12/14/googles-nexus-test-phone-details-emerge.html | 2016-03-18 | 0right
| Google's 'Nexus One' Test Phone: Details Emerge
<p>Watch out Apple, here comes <a href="" type="internal">Nexus One</a>, the <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/182469/googlebranded_super_phone_expected_in_2010_report_says.html" type="external">Google phone Opens a New Window.</a> the tech world has been salivating for. Over the weekend <a href="" type="internal">Google</a> set off a fury of speculation when employees tweeted they were testing a new Android-based mobile device. Google later ratcheted up the Google phone buzz when in a blog post it confirmed it was testing a handset with " <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2009/12/android-dogfood-diet-for-holidays.html" type="external">innovative hardware Opens a New Window.</a>" from one of its partners. Said to be named Nexus One, many critics believe this device will give the <a href="" type="internal">iPhone</a> a run for its money.</p>
<p>Following that revealing Google blog post about the Nexus One, it didn't take long for photos and <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/184545/picture_of_googles_experimental_handset_appears_on_twitter.html" type="external">details about the device Opens a New Window.</a> to leak. Many of those who claim to be familiar with Google's plans say the <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/184540/google_phone_see_for_yourself.html" type="external">Google phone Opens a New Window.</a> would be an unlocked GSM device running the Android 2.1 mobile operating system. Google, they claim, would sell directly to customers with no wireless carrier subsidy. The device could go an sale as early as this January.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That's the basic information, most of which has been reported before. Google has officially confirmed little beyond the devices existence. We are still waiting for Google to officially share more about its phone. In the interim, here is the latest speculation about <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/173998/watch_out_verizon_google_may_have_its_own_android_phone.html" type="external">Google's purported device Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>T-Mobile</p>
<p>The Google phone is believed to be an unlocked device that Google would sell directly to customers. Nevertheless, Google still wants to work with the big mobile carriers, and T-Mobile may have some kind of role in the launch, according to <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091213/google-pals-up-with-t-mobile-to-push-its-nexus-one-phone/" type="external">AllThingsD Opens a New Window.</a>'s Peter Kafka.</p>
<p>Google may also be considering some unconventional ideas for selling the phone. One possible scenario, according to Kafka, would have you select your carrier from a menu when purchasing the phone from Google's dedicated site.</p>
<p>If Google does offer a menu of phone providers at purchase time, then perhaps T-Mobile will the recommended carrier for U.S. and European customers. This may also suggest that, even though the phone is unlocked, you will still be able to get a subsidized phone with a two-year contract. Unless Google becomes really unconventional and tries to subsidize the phone with advertising.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The Passion of Nexus One</p>
<p>There is still some debate over the name of the supposed Google phone, such as Passion, but all signs are starting to point to Nexus One as the official moniker. Early Monday, <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/htc-nexus-one-blessed-by-the-fcc-with-t-mobile-and-att-huspa/" type="external">Engadget Opens a New Window.</a> uncovered a compliance report created by HTC for the FCC. The report reveals some details about a quad-band GSM smartphone called the NexusOne. Numerous reports based on unnamed sources have also said that Nexus One will be the name.</p>
<p>For all you tech die hards out there, you can read all 90 pages of <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1208732&amp;native_or_pdf=pdf" type="external">HTC's NexusOne report Opens a New Window.</a> to the FCC for yourself. (PDF download).</p>
<p>Specs</p>
<p>Specs are hard to come by, but based on reports by <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/exclusive-first-google-phone-nexus-one-photos-android-2-1-on/" type="external">Engadget Opens a New Window.</a> and others, this device will probably have a screen slightly longer than the iPhone's (just under 5 inches), OLED display, trackball, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, and a microSD expansion slot. The device is also believed to be thinner than the iPhone.</p>
<p>Just testing or pre-launch?</p>
<p>Rumors are suggesting the device would be launched by Google in early January, but there's also speculation the Nexus One/Google phone could just be a test device for trying out the latest Android platform. It's also possible that Google could be developing the hardware and software, but wouldn't produce or brand the device. Instead, the company could license its design out to other manufacturers, a very Microsoft-like move.</p>
<p>Website support</p>
<p>The Google phone's help pages supposedly points to a dead link at Google.com/phone/support. Keep your eye on that Web page as January approaches.</p>
<p>So will Google be launching a phone next month? The strongest rumors sure seem to be pointing that way, but as always there's no guarantee.</p>
<p>Firm details confirming that Google would launch the Nexus One/Google phone on its own are still pretty scarce . There are also a lot of arguments against Google coming up with its own device. The primary one being that if Google produced its own device, it could scare off or <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/173998/watch_out_verizon_google_may_have_its_own_android_phone.html" type="external">upset Google's Android converts</a> such as <a href="" type="internal">Motorola</a> and HTC. Nevertheless, a Google-developed phone could be an interesting addition to the continuing smartphone battle.</p>
<p>What do you think, is the Google phone the real deal? If so, will you be buying one?</p>
<p>More from IDG:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/184555" type="external">Original story Opens a New Window.</a></p> | 3,708 |
<p>A number of years ago, when I was writing a public television series for the Smithsonian Institution, I watched a woman in one of the museum’s conservation labs, restoring what appeared to be an old top hat.</p>
<p>What’s its story, I asked her? Oh, she replied nonchalantly, this is the hat Lincoln wore to Ford’s Theater the night he was assassinated.</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Actor Sam Waterston, aka District Attorney Jack McCoy on Law &amp; Order, had an even more visceral experience when he was preparing to play Abraham Lincoln and went to the Library of Congress to research the part.</p>
<p>“This guy took me down and down and down into the bowels of the library, down a long hall… all the way to what felt like the back of the building,” Waterston told my colleague Bill Moyers on a special edition of Bill Moyers Journal. There he met a curator who said, “Hold out your hands. These are the contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night he was shot.”</p>
<p>Two pairs of glasses, a watch fob, a pocketknife, a handkerchief, monogrammed, “A. Lincoln” by his wife, Mary Todd. A wallet, inside of which were newspaper clippings and a Confederate five-dollar bill – a souvenir, perhaps, of the visit Lincoln had made to the conquered city of Richmond, Virginia, just a few days earlier.</p>
<p>“It was a galvanizing and very thrilling thing,” Waterston said. Proximity to such telling totems of America’s story, as sacred in their own way as the remains of a saint in a cathedral reliquary, make Lincoln human – as have Waterston’s various portrayals of the our greatest President on stage and television.</p>
<p>So, too, the words of writers who have made Lincoln an enduring literary subject from his own lifetime right up to today, written about, it’s said, more than any other historic personage with the exception of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>Lincoln was assassinated 144 years ago on Good Friday, and so Waterston is appearing on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/about/airdates.html" type="external">Bill Moyers Journal</a> this week (premiering on PBS on Friday, April 10 at 9 pm ET – check local listings) to read excerpts reflecting the ways in which Lincoln’s image has evolved and has been interpreted by great American writers – from Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walt Whitman to Delmore Schwartz and Allen Ginsberg.</p>
<p>Featured with Waterston is historian Harold Holzer, who has written, co-written or edited 22 books about Lincoln, including “The Lincoln Anthology,” published by the Library of America, from which Waterston’s readings were chosen. “Lincoln did nothing less than revolutionize the American political vocabulary,” Holzer said. “But no political leader, no political writer, not even Lincoln, can define his own place in the landscape of memory.&#160; That judgment belongs to those who portray the man in life, massage his biography into metaphor, and refine its meaning over what Lincoln called ‘all distances of time and space.'”</p>
<p>Lincoln himself said,”Writing – the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye – is the great invention of the world… Great, very great in enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and of space.” Some of the authors represented actually met him – Hawthorne, for example, a Democrat who nonetheless was won over by Lincoln’s “native sense” despite a “physiognomy as coarse a one as you would meet anywhere in the length and breadth of the States.”</p>
<p>“I liked this sallow, queer, sagacious visage,” he wrote, “… and, for my small share in the matter, would as lief have Uncle Abe for a ruler as any man whom it would have been practicable to put in his place.”</p>
<p>Whitman, Whittier and Melville worshipped him in death; African-American leader Frederick Douglass met and admired him, but kept a slight, although respectful distance, one generated by centuries of enslavement and doubt. “Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr. Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull and indifferent,” he declared 11 years after Lincoln’s passing. “Only by measuring him by the sentiment of his country, a sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous, radical and determined.”</p>
<p>Forty-six years later, in 1922, civil rights activist W.E.B. Dubois said, “Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the greatest figure of the nineteenth century… the most human and loveable. And I love him not because he was perfect but because he was not and yet, triumphed. The world is full of illegitimate children. The world is full of folk whose taste was educated in the gutter. The world is full of people born hating and despising their fellows. To these I love to say: See this man. He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln.”</p>
<p>Twentieth century poet Allen Ginsberg saw Lincoln through a “radical lens,” Holzer said. “A rallying cry for, not an impediment to, revolutionary change… an urgently needed inspiration.”</p>
<p>“Let the Railsplitter Awake!” Ginsberg cried, in his “Homage to Neruda:”</p>
<p>“Let Abraham come back, let his old yeast rise in green and gold earth of Illinois, and lift the axe in his city against the new slave makers against their slave whips against the venom of the print houses against all the bloodsoaked merchandise they wanna sell.”</p>
<p>And so it goes, right up through Barack Obama’s evocation of Lincoln’s memory in speeches and at his own inauguration. “Lincoln is an inspiration to Barack Obama,” Harold Holzer told Bill Moyers. “[He] brings us nearer to the completion of the unfinished work that Lincoln spoke about at Gettysburg. His election is a validation of that dream, even if it took 150 years to get to this point…</p>
<p>“Two little girls, Sasha and Malia Obama, who are the descendents, through their mother’s side, of enslaved people, might this very evening be playing in the Lincoln bedroom, which was Lincoln’s office, and the room where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation.&#160; That is the apex of the arc of history since the Civil War.”</p>
<p>MICHAEL WINSHIP is senior writer of the weekly public affairs program Bill Moyers Journal, which airs Friday night on PBS.</p> | Let the Railsplitter Awake! | true | https://counterpunch.org/2009/04/10/let-the-railsplitter-awake/ | 2009-04-10 | 4left
| Let the Railsplitter Awake!
<p>A number of years ago, when I was writing a public television series for the Smithsonian Institution, I watched a woman in one of the museum’s conservation labs, restoring what appeared to be an old top hat.</p>
<p>What’s its story, I asked her? Oh, she replied nonchalantly, this is the hat Lincoln wore to Ford’s Theater the night he was assassinated.</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Actor Sam Waterston, aka District Attorney Jack McCoy on Law &amp; Order, had an even more visceral experience when he was preparing to play Abraham Lincoln and went to the Library of Congress to research the part.</p>
<p>“This guy took me down and down and down into the bowels of the library, down a long hall… all the way to what felt like the back of the building,” Waterston told my colleague Bill Moyers on a special edition of Bill Moyers Journal. There he met a curator who said, “Hold out your hands. These are the contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night he was shot.”</p>
<p>Two pairs of glasses, a watch fob, a pocketknife, a handkerchief, monogrammed, “A. Lincoln” by his wife, Mary Todd. A wallet, inside of which were newspaper clippings and a Confederate five-dollar bill – a souvenir, perhaps, of the visit Lincoln had made to the conquered city of Richmond, Virginia, just a few days earlier.</p>
<p>“It was a galvanizing and very thrilling thing,” Waterston said. Proximity to such telling totems of America’s story, as sacred in their own way as the remains of a saint in a cathedral reliquary, make Lincoln human – as have Waterston’s various portrayals of the our greatest President on stage and television.</p>
<p>So, too, the words of writers who have made Lincoln an enduring literary subject from his own lifetime right up to today, written about, it’s said, more than any other historic personage with the exception of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>Lincoln was assassinated 144 years ago on Good Friday, and so Waterston is appearing on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/about/airdates.html" type="external">Bill Moyers Journal</a> this week (premiering on PBS on Friday, April 10 at 9 pm ET – check local listings) to read excerpts reflecting the ways in which Lincoln’s image has evolved and has been interpreted by great American writers – from Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walt Whitman to Delmore Schwartz and Allen Ginsberg.</p>
<p>Featured with Waterston is historian Harold Holzer, who has written, co-written or edited 22 books about Lincoln, including “The Lincoln Anthology,” published by the Library of America, from which Waterston’s readings were chosen. “Lincoln did nothing less than revolutionize the American political vocabulary,” Holzer said. “But no political leader, no political writer, not even Lincoln, can define his own place in the landscape of memory.&#160; That judgment belongs to those who portray the man in life, massage his biography into metaphor, and refine its meaning over what Lincoln called ‘all distances of time and space.'”</p>
<p>Lincoln himself said,”Writing – the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye – is the great invention of the world… Great, very great in enabling us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn, at all distances of time and of space.” Some of the authors represented actually met him – Hawthorne, for example, a Democrat who nonetheless was won over by Lincoln’s “native sense” despite a “physiognomy as coarse a one as you would meet anywhere in the length and breadth of the States.”</p>
<p>“I liked this sallow, queer, sagacious visage,” he wrote, “… and, for my small share in the matter, would as lief have Uncle Abe for a ruler as any man whom it would have been practicable to put in his place.”</p>
<p>Whitman, Whittier and Melville worshipped him in death; African-American leader Frederick Douglass met and admired him, but kept a slight, although respectful distance, one generated by centuries of enslavement and doubt. “Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr. Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull and indifferent,” he declared 11 years after Lincoln’s passing. “Only by measuring him by the sentiment of his country, a sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous, radical and determined.”</p>
<p>Forty-six years later, in 1922, civil rights activist W.E.B. Dubois said, “Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the greatest figure of the nineteenth century… the most human and loveable. And I love him not because he was perfect but because he was not and yet, triumphed. The world is full of illegitimate children. The world is full of folk whose taste was educated in the gutter. The world is full of people born hating and despising their fellows. To these I love to say: See this man. He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln.”</p>
<p>Twentieth century poet Allen Ginsberg saw Lincoln through a “radical lens,” Holzer said. “A rallying cry for, not an impediment to, revolutionary change… an urgently needed inspiration.”</p>
<p>“Let the Railsplitter Awake!” Ginsberg cried, in his “Homage to Neruda:”</p>
<p>“Let Abraham come back, let his old yeast rise in green and gold earth of Illinois, and lift the axe in his city against the new slave makers against their slave whips against the venom of the print houses against all the bloodsoaked merchandise they wanna sell.”</p>
<p>And so it goes, right up through Barack Obama’s evocation of Lincoln’s memory in speeches and at his own inauguration. “Lincoln is an inspiration to Barack Obama,” Harold Holzer told Bill Moyers. “[He] brings us nearer to the completion of the unfinished work that Lincoln spoke about at Gettysburg. His election is a validation of that dream, even if it took 150 years to get to this point…</p>
<p>“Two little girls, Sasha and Malia Obama, who are the descendents, through their mother’s side, of enslaved people, might this very evening be playing in the Lincoln bedroom, which was Lincoln’s office, and the room where he signed the Emancipation Proclamation.&#160; That is the apex of the arc of history since the Civil War.”</p>
<p>MICHAEL WINSHIP is senior writer of the weekly public affairs program Bill Moyers Journal, which airs Friday night on PBS.</p> | 3,709 |
<p>ELMHURST, Ill. (AP) — Volunteers are coordinating a statewide effort to track down photos of Illinois natives killed during the Vietnam War as part of a national project by a veterans group.</p>
<p>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund started the "Wall of Faces" project about a decade ago to find photos for the more than 58,300 names listed on the monument in Washington, D.C. The group is working to create a digital database of the photos, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171http:/www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam" type="external">the Daily Herald reported</a> .</p>
<p>Andrew Johnson is an Elmhurst native and a volunteer working to find soldiers' photos through the project. As the incoming president of the National Newspaper Association, Johnson is raising awareness about the task through his connections in the industry, and has been collaborating with the Illinois Press Association for the past two years to put faces to the state's service members who died in the war.</p>
<p>Organizers are still missing photos for more than 330 Illinois service members killed in Vietnam. Nationwide there are almost 4,000 missing photos.</p>
<p>"A lot of these Gold Star brothers and families are dying," Johnson said. "A lot of these Vietnam guys are getting old. I believe we have a short window of time to really get this done. I think we need to move on it quickly now."</p>
<p>The fund prefers informal pictures of the soldiers, such as family photos and photos at social events.</p>
<p>"Those are fantastic photos that help tell the story because when we think that the 58,318 Americans who died were nothing but names or numbers, then we forget their sacrifices and what they gave us," said Tim Tetz, the fund's outreach director.</p>
<p>The group's goal is to display the photos in the Education Center at The Wall, a $130 million underground structure that would be built near the Washington memorial.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Daily Herald, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com" type="external">http://www.dailyherald.com</a></p>
<p>ELMHURST, Ill. (AP) — Volunteers are coordinating a statewide effort to track down photos of Illinois natives killed during the Vietnam War as part of a national project by a veterans group.</p>
<p>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund started the "Wall of Faces" project about a decade ago to find photos for the more than 58,300 names listed on the monument in Washington, D.C. The group is working to create a digital database of the photos, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171http:/www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam" type="external">the Daily Herald reported</a> .</p>
<p>Andrew Johnson is an Elmhurst native and a volunteer working to find soldiers' photos through the project. As the incoming president of the National Newspaper Association, Johnson is raising awareness about the task through his connections in the industry, and has been collaborating with the Illinois Press Association for the past two years to put faces to the state's service members who died in the war.</p>
<p>Organizers are still missing photos for more than 330 Illinois service members killed in Vietnam. Nationwide there are almost 4,000 missing photos.</p>
<p>"A lot of these Gold Star brothers and families are dying," Johnson said. "A lot of these Vietnam guys are getting old. I believe we have a short window of time to really get this done. I think we need to move on it quickly now."</p>
<p>The fund prefers informal pictures of the soldiers, such as family photos and photos at social events.</p>
<p>"Those are fantastic photos that help tell the story because when we think that the 58,318 Americans who died were nothing but names or numbers, then we forget their sacrifices and what they gave us," said Tim Tetz, the fund's outreach director.</p>
<p>The group's goal is to display the photos in the Education Center at The Wall, a $130 million underground structure that would be built near the Washington memorial.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Daily Herald, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com" type="external">http://www.dailyherald.com</a></p> | Veterans group wants photos of soldiers killed in Vietnam | false | https://apnews.com/amp/4096f298faf04baeacaeeeedf058c7b5 | 2018-01-01 | 2least
| Veterans group wants photos of soldiers killed in Vietnam
<p>ELMHURST, Ill. (AP) — Volunteers are coordinating a statewide effort to track down photos of Illinois natives killed during the Vietnam War as part of a national project by a veterans group.</p>
<p>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund started the "Wall of Faces" project about a decade ago to find photos for the more than 58,300 names listed on the monument in Washington, D.C. The group is working to create a digital database of the photos, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171http:/www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam" type="external">the Daily Herald reported</a> .</p>
<p>Andrew Johnson is an Elmhurst native and a volunteer working to find soldiers' photos through the project. As the incoming president of the National Newspaper Association, Johnson is raising awareness about the task through his connections in the industry, and has been collaborating with the Illinois Press Association for the past two years to put faces to the state's service members who died in the war.</p>
<p>Organizers are still missing photos for more than 330 Illinois service members killed in Vietnam. Nationwide there are almost 4,000 missing photos.</p>
<p>"A lot of these Gold Star brothers and families are dying," Johnson said. "A lot of these Vietnam guys are getting old. I believe we have a short window of time to really get this done. I think we need to move on it quickly now."</p>
<p>The fund prefers informal pictures of the soldiers, such as family photos and photos at social events.</p>
<p>"Those are fantastic photos that help tell the story because when we think that the 58,318 Americans who died were nothing but names or numbers, then we forget their sacrifices and what they gave us," said Tim Tetz, the fund's outreach director.</p>
<p>The group's goal is to display the photos in the Education Center at The Wall, a $130 million underground structure that would be built near the Washington memorial.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Daily Herald, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com" type="external">http://www.dailyherald.com</a></p>
<p>ELMHURST, Ill. (AP) — Volunteers are coordinating a statewide effort to track down photos of Illinois natives killed during the Vietnam War as part of a national project by a veterans group.</p>
<p>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund started the "Wall of Faces" project about a decade ago to find photos for the more than 58,300 names listed on the monument in Washington, D.C. The group is working to create a digital database of the photos, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171http:/www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam228/why-group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam" type="external">the Daily Herald reported</a> .</p>
<p>Andrew Johnson is an Elmhurst native and a volunteer working to find soldiers' photos through the project. As the incoming president of the National Newspaper Association, Johnson is raising awareness about the task through his connections in the industry, and has been collaborating with the Illinois Press Association for the past two years to put faces to the state's service members who died in the war.</p>
<p>Organizers are still missing photos for more than 330 Illinois service members killed in Vietnam. Nationwide there are almost 4,000 missing photos.</p>
<p>"A lot of these Gold Star brothers and families are dying," Johnson said. "A lot of these Vietnam guys are getting old. I believe we have a short window of time to really get this done. I think we need to move on it quickly now."</p>
<p>The fund prefers informal pictures of the soldiers, such as family photos and photos at social events.</p>
<p>"Those are fantastic photos that help tell the story because when we think that the 58,318 Americans who died were nothing but names or numbers, then we forget their sacrifices and what they gave us," said Tim Tetz, the fund's outreach director.</p>
<p>The group's goal is to display the photos in the Education Center at The Wall, a $130 million underground structure that would be built near the Washington memorial.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Daily Herald, <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com" type="external">http://www.dailyherald.com</a></p> | 3,710 |
<p>Real estate brokerage Redfin Corporation set a price range of $12 to $14 a share Monday to raise up to $129 million in its initial public offering. Redfin has an online-offline model in which it lists homes online and also employs real estate agents to bring the customers to the properties. At the high end of its price range, the company would have a public market capitalization of $1.1 billion. The company applied to list its stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "RDFN." Goldman Sachs &amp; Co. LLC and Allen &amp; Company LLC are the lead underwriters on the offering.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | Redfin Sets IPO Terms For Up To $1.1 Billion Valuation | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/07/17/redfin-sets-ipo-terms-for-up-to-11-billion-valuation.html | 2017-07-17 | 0right
| Redfin Sets IPO Terms For Up To $1.1 Billion Valuation
<p>Real estate brokerage Redfin Corporation set a price range of $12 to $14 a share Monday to raise up to $129 million in its initial public offering. Redfin has an online-offline model in which it lists homes online and also employs real estate agents to bring the customers to the properties. At the high end of its price range, the company would have a public market capitalization of $1.1 billion. The company applied to list its stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "RDFN." Goldman Sachs &amp; Co. LLC and Allen &amp; Company LLC are the lead underwriters on the offering.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | 3,711 |
<p />
<p>While the sleekly stylish sedan may not have hit a bull's-eye, it's mostly on target in a crowded field populated by some truly excellent competitors.</p>
<p>What the Dart delivers, particularly in the 2016 SXT version like our test vehicle, is a fairly middle-of-the-road sedan with solid performance - thanks in part to the standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine - and some positive attributes and attractive amenities.</p>
<p>The SXT - one model up from the base version - is targeted at buyers who put a premium on a comfortable and quiet highway ride, a roomy back seat, decent fuel economy, secure handling dynamics, and sleek styling.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A large part of the car's basic chassis and suspension structure is borrowed from the popular-in-Europe Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback.</p>
<p>Fiat's purchase of Chrysler a few years back opened a new avenue for borrowing bits and pieces from the Italian automaker's stable, one member of which is Alfa, renown for its sporty vehicles.</p>
<p>So while not overtly sporty, the Dart does acquit itself well on curvy secondary roads as well as long interstate runs, which is where the car excels.</p>
<p>The 2.4's 184 horsepower is more than adequate for everyday driving conditions such as accelerating up freeway ramps and passing maneuvers. The U.S.-made motor can be paired with an optional ($1,250) six-speed automatic transmission. In addition to smooth shifts, it always seems to know which gear is appropriate for any given condition.</p>
<p>The SXT's interior features cloth seating surfaces, thankfully in a contrasting beige to brighten up the otherwise largely dark-trimmed cabin. Adding a dash of flair at night is a softly glowing red instrument panel surround that mimics the design of the car's taillights.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" />It's part of $595 package that includes Chrysler's excellent Uconnect system that contains controls for climate, audio, communications and optional nav in an easy-to-operate, 8.4-inch touch screen. The screen doubles as a backup-camera display.</p>
<p>Even with all its borrowed Italian engineering, the Dart still comes across as an all-American sedan, perfect for driving vacations as well as comfortable, safe day-to-day commuting chores.</p>
<p>The Dart's snappy styling is just icing on the cake.</p>
<p /> | ON TARGET: 2016 Dodge Dart SXT melds adept ride, handling with slick style | false | https://abqjournal.com/693347/on-target-2016-dodge-dart-sxt-melds-adept-ride-handling-with-slick-style.html | 2least
| ON TARGET: 2016 Dodge Dart SXT melds adept ride, handling with slick style
<p />
<p>While the sleekly stylish sedan may not have hit a bull's-eye, it's mostly on target in a crowded field populated by some truly excellent competitors.</p>
<p>What the Dart delivers, particularly in the 2016 SXT version like our test vehicle, is a fairly middle-of-the-road sedan with solid performance - thanks in part to the standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine - and some positive attributes and attractive amenities.</p>
<p>The SXT - one model up from the base version - is targeted at buyers who put a premium on a comfortable and quiet highway ride, a roomy back seat, decent fuel economy, secure handling dynamics, and sleek styling.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A large part of the car's basic chassis and suspension structure is borrowed from the popular-in-Europe Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback.</p>
<p>Fiat's purchase of Chrysler a few years back opened a new avenue for borrowing bits and pieces from the Italian automaker's stable, one member of which is Alfa, renown for its sporty vehicles.</p>
<p>So while not overtly sporty, the Dart does acquit itself well on curvy secondary roads as well as long interstate runs, which is where the car excels.</p>
<p>The 2.4's 184 horsepower is more than adequate for everyday driving conditions such as accelerating up freeway ramps and passing maneuvers. The U.S.-made motor can be paired with an optional ($1,250) six-speed automatic transmission. In addition to smooth shifts, it always seems to know which gear is appropriate for any given condition.</p>
<p>The SXT's interior features cloth seating surfaces, thankfully in a contrasting beige to brighten up the otherwise largely dark-trimmed cabin. Adding a dash of flair at night is a softly glowing red instrument panel surround that mimics the design of the car's taillights.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" />It's part of $595 package that includes Chrysler's excellent Uconnect system that contains controls for climate, audio, communications and optional nav in an easy-to-operate, 8.4-inch touch screen. The screen doubles as a backup-camera display.</p>
<p>Even with all its borrowed Italian engineering, the Dart still comes across as an all-American sedan, perfect for driving vacations as well as comfortable, safe day-to-day commuting chores.</p>
<p>The Dart's snappy styling is just icing on the cake.</p>
<p /> | 3,712 |
|
<p>This story is adapted from a broadcast audio segment; use audio player to listen to story in its entirety.</p>
<p>Story by Laura Lynch, PRI's "The World"</p>
<p>Iran is veering toward a military dictatorship -- that’s the word from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.&#160; Speaking in Qatar on Monday, Clinton said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is increasingly dominating the government in Tehran. She made the comments as she seeks support for tougher sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program.</p>
<p>"Iranian officials have refused every offer to meet on its nuclear program," said Clinton. "So these actions, understandably, have caused us to wonder, what does Iran have to hide?"</p>
<p>Clinton’s words were among the strongest she’s used since President Obama offered to engage with Iran.</p>
<p>Clinton’s trip to Qatar is part of an effort to gather support for tough, new sanctions against Iran, and she made her case by warning that the country is becoming a military dictatorship.</p>
<p>"We are planning to try to bring the world community together in applying pressure to Iran through sanctions adopted by the United Nations that will be particularly aimed at those enterprises controlled by the Revolutionary Guard which we believe is, in effect, supplanting the government of Iran," she said. "That is how we see it."</p>
<p>In Tehran, the state-owned Arabic language TV channel, Al-Alam, which broadcasts to Arab nations, accused Clinton of trying to turn the world against Iran.</p>
<p>"A coordinated campaign intensifies day by day, after every announcement made by Iran on its nuclear, space or defense developments," said a Al-Alam announcer. "The US Shuttle diplomacy is aimed at incitement against Tehran."</p>
<p>But for others, Clinton’s assessment wasn’t news at all.&#160;</p>
<p>"I think what Secretary Clinton was saying was essentially catching up to the reality of Iran," said Afshin Molavi, an Iranian analyst with the New America Foundation. "I also think it reflects the frustration that the Obama administration is feeling about Iran because they do feel that they went out on a diplomatic ledge and Iran did not meet them halfway."</p>
<p>Observers say the Revolutionary Guard has been extending its control in Iran for years with the blessing of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini.&#160;</p>
<p>Rasool Nafisi of the Rand Corporation, who has written a book about the Revolutionary Guard, says the process started with the revolution.</p>
<p>"Because the Revolution Guards are a new phenomenon in Iran, combining political and military and security functions together," said Nafisi. "What happened under Ayatollah Khomeini, the process accelerated to the point that, in the 2005 election, the takeover of the state was relatively completed."</p>
<p>He says that means the Guard has former members in the judiciary, the legislature, and of course, at the top of government including President Mahmoud Ahmedinajad.&#160;</p>
<p>And, Afshin Molavi says, even though the Ayatollah is the nation’s spiritual and constitutional leader, he’s cultivated close ties to the military. "In securing his legitimacy he increasingly looks to the barracks rather than the seminary. And over the past 20 years or so he has increasingly allied himself with elements of the Revolutionary Guard and the question becomes, is the tail wagging the dog? They do need each other."</p>
<p>Hillary Clinton said on Monday that the United States isn’t seeking to take military action against Iran, but she does want help in hitting the Revolutionary Guard where it hurts. In the past few years the Guard has built up a lucrative and influential business portfolio controlling hundreds of key companies. So it’s no surprise Clinton is urging others on the UN Security Council to support additional sanctions targeted at the economic interests controlled by the Guard.</p>
<p>PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. "The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston. <a href="http://www.theworld.org/" type="external">More "The World."</a></p> | Clinton: Iran is becoming ‘military dictatorship’ | false | https://pri.org/stories/2010-02-18/clinton-iran-becoming-military-dictatorship | 2010-02-18 | 3left-center
| Clinton: Iran is becoming ‘military dictatorship’
<p>This story is adapted from a broadcast audio segment; use audio player to listen to story in its entirety.</p>
<p>Story by Laura Lynch, PRI's "The World"</p>
<p>Iran is veering toward a military dictatorship -- that’s the word from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.&#160; Speaking in Qatar on Monday, Clinton said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is increasingly dominating the government in Tehran. She made the comments as she seeks support for tougher sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program.</p>
<p>"Iranian officials have refused every offer to meet on its nuclear program," said Clinton. "So these actions, understandably, have caused us to wonder, what does Iran have to hide?"</p>
<p>Clinton’s words were among the strongest she’s used since President Obama offered to engage with Iran.</p>
<p>Clinton’s trip to Qatar is part of an effort to gather support for tough, new sanctions against Iran, and she made her case by warning that the country is becoming a military dictatorship.</p>
<p>"We are planning to try to bring the world community together in applying pressure to Iran through sanctions adopted by the United Nations that will be particularly aimed at those enterprises controlled by the Revolutionary Guard which we believe is, in effect, supplanting the government of Iran," she said. "That is how we see it."</p>
<p>In Tehran, the state-owned Arabic language TV channel, Al-Alam, which broadcasts to Arab nations, accused Clinton of trying to turn the world against Iran.</p>
<p>"A coordinated campaign intensifies day by day, after every announcement made by Iran on its nuclear, space or defense developments," said a Al-Alam announcer. "The US Shuttle diplomacy is aimed at incitement against Tehran."</p>
<p>But for others, Clinton’s assessment wasn’t news at all.&#160;</p>
<p>"I think what Secretary Clinton was saying was essentially catching up to the reality of Iran," said Afshin Molavi, an Iranian analyst with the New America Foundation. "I also think it reflects the frustration that the Obama administration is feeling about Iran because they do feel that they went out on a diplomatic ledge and Iran did not meet them halfway."</p>
<p>Observers say the Revolutionary Guard has been extending its control in Iran for years with the blessing of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini.&#160;</p>
<p>Rasool Nafisi of the Rand Corporation, who has written a book about the Revolutionary Guard, says the process started with the revolution.</p>
<p>"Because the Revolution Guards are a new phenomenon in Iran, combining political and military and security functions together," said Nafisi. "What happened under Ayatollah Khomeini, the process accelerated to the point that, in the 2005 election, the takeover of the state was relatively completed."</p>
<p>He says that means the Guard has former members in the judiciary, the legislature, and of course, at the top of government including President Mahmoud Ahmedinajad.&#160;</p>
<p>And, Afshin Molavi says, even though the Ayatollah is the nation’s spiritual and constitutional leader, he’s cultivated close ties to the military. "In securing his legitimacy he increasingly looks to the barracks rather than the seminary. And over the past 20 years or so he has increasingly allied himself with elements of the Revolutionary Guard and the question becomes, is the tail wagging the dog? They do need each other."</p>
<p>Hillary Clinton said on Monday that the United States isn’t seeking to take military action against Iran, but she does want help in hitting the Revolutionary Guard where it hurts. In the past few years the Guard has built up a lucrative and influential business portfolio controlling hundreds of key companies. So it’s no surprise Clinton is urging others on the UN Security Council to support additional sanctions targeted at the economic interests controlled by the Guard.</p>
<p>PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. "The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston. <a href="http://www.theworld.org/" type="external">More "The World."</a></p> | 3,713 |
<p />
<p>LA-based singer Beck has posted a stream of the first song from his upcoming album Modern Guilt on <a href="http://www.beck.com" type="external">his website</a>, and while the album’s being produced by Danger Mouse, there’s little mashuppery or Gnarls Barkley-style soulfulness afoot. “Chemtrails” sounds, for all intents and purposes, like <a href="http://www.dungen-music.com/" type="external">Dungen</a>, or more accurately, like the psychedelic rock of the 1960s that inspired them. A rolling beat is way up in the mix, combined with a funky bassline, while way off in the background Beck himself croons in a reverb-drenched falsetto about how there’s “too many people, watching the chemtrails.” Oh, chemtrails. Somebody I know got taken in by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemtrail_conspiracy_theory" type="external">this conspiracy theory</a> and would get wild-eyed as they’d launch into wandering explanations of how we’re being secretly sprayed with unknown chemicals for unknown reasons. (Yes, I know I’m inviting some awesome comments. Have at it, shut-ins.) So, is Beck, like myself, concerned and saddened by a populace so consumed by fear that it’s willing to believe (and obsess about) anything, or is he issuing us a warning about the secret government cabal drenching us in brain-controlling dust? Buy my chemtrail psychic cleanser and be free from the unknown effects! Better yet, buy Beck’s Modern Guilt when it comes out next month, because if this song is any indication, it’ll sound like nothing he’s ever done.</p>
<p /> | New Beck Song Sees Trouble In the Skies | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2008/05/new-beck-song-sees-trouble-skies/ | 2008-05-20 | 4left
| New Beck Song Sees Trouble In the Skies
<p />
<p>LA-based singer Beck has posted a stream of the first song from his upcoming album Modern Guilt on <a href="http://www.beck.com" type="external">his website</a>, and while the album’s being produced by Danger Mouse, there’s little mashuppery or Gnarls Barkley-style soulfulness afoot. “Chemtrails” sounds, for all intents and purposes, like <a href="http://www.dungen-music.com/" type="external">Dungen</a>, or more accurately, like the psychedelic rock of the 1960s that inspired them. A rolling beat is way up in the mix, combined with a funky bassline, while way off in the background Beck himself croons in a reverb-drenched falsetto about how there’s “too many people, watching the chemtrails.” Oh, chemtrails. Somebody I know got taken in by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemtrail_conspiracy_theory" type="external">this conspiracy theory</a> and would get wild-eyed as they’d launch into wandering explanations of how we’re being secretly sprayed with unknown chemicals for unknown reasons. (Yes, I know I’m inviting some awesome comments. Have at it, shut-ins.) So, is Beck, like myself, concerned and saddened by a populace so consumed by fear that it’s willing to believe (and obsess about) anything, or is he issuing us a warning about the secret government cabal drenching us in brain-controlling dust? Buy my chemtrail psychic cleanser and be free from the unknown effects! Better yet, buy Beck’s Modern Guilt when it comes out next month, because if this song is any indication, it’ll sound like nothing he’s ever done.</p>
<p /> | 3,714 |
<p>Via press release from the Human Rights Campaign:</p>
<p>Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 217 into law, making Illinois the fifth jurisdiction—behind California, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Oregon—to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangers of conversion therapy. House Bill 217, which protects LGBTQ youth from mental health providers attempting to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through these practices, which are linked to substance abuse, extreme depression, and suicide, was overwhelmingly approved by the Illinois House of Representatives and General Assembly. The law will go into effect January 1, 2016. “We are thrilled that Illinois has joined the rapidly growing number of states leading the way to protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy,” said the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) #BornPerfect Campaign Coordinator and Staff Attorney Samantha Ames. “Illinois families can now have confidence that the mental health professional they turn to in times of uncertainty may not use their state license to profit from their children’s pain. Most importantly, Illinois kids can now rest easy in the knowledge that they cannot be forced or coerced to undergo dangerous and discredited treatments to fix who they are. Today brings us one step closer to the day when all LGBTQ youth know they were born perfect.”</p>
<p>Similar bills are in the works in several other states. Rep. Ted Lieu <a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2015/05/us-rep-ted-lieu-to-introduce-bill-to.html" type="external">introduced</a> a federal ban in May 2015 but that bill has gotten little traction.</p> | ILLINOIS: Gov Signs Bill Banning Ex-Gay Torture | true | http://joemygod.com/2015/08/20/illinois-gov-signs-bill-banning-ex-gay-torture/ | 2015-08-20 | 4left
| ILLINOIS: Gov Signs Bill Banning Ex-Gay Torture
<p>Via press release from the Human Rights Campaign:</p>
<p>Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 217 into law, making Illinois the fifth jurisdiction—behind California, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Oregon—to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangers of conversion therapy. House Bill 217, which protects LGBTQ youth from mental health providers attempting to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through these practices, which are linked to substance abuse, extreme depression, and suicide, was overwhelmingly approved by the Illinois House of Representatives and General Assembly. The law will go into effect January 1, 2016. “We are thrilled that Illinois has joined the rapidly growing number of states leading the way to protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy,” said the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) #BornPerfect Campaign Coordinator and Staff Attorney Samantha Ames. “Illinois families can now have confidence that the mental health professional they turn to in times of uncertainty may not use their state license to profit from their children’s pain. Most importantly, Illinois kids can now rest easy in the knowledge that they cannot be forced or coerced to undergo dangerous and discredited treatments to fix who they are. Today brings us one step closer to the day when all LGBTQ youth know they were born perfect.”</p>
<p>Similar bills are in the works in several other states. Rep. Ted Lieu <a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2015/05/us-rep-ted-lieu-to-introduce-bill-to.html" type="external">introduced</a> a federal ban in May 2015 but that bill has gotten little traction.</p> | 3,715 |
<p>Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first state visit to Lebanon elicited a schizophrenic reaction among Lebanese.</p>
<p>An ecstatic reception awaited him along Beirut’s airport highway Wednesday as his motorcade drove toward Baabda presidential palace to meet President Michel Suleiman.</p>
<p>With great fanfare, Iranian flags, balloons sporting its green, white and red colors, thrown flower petals, and greetings shouted in Farsi by mostly Shia Lebanese welcomed him to the city—a remarkable sight in an Arab capital. It likely left allies of Lebanon’s ruling, Western-backed March 14 Coalition in Amman, Cairo and Riyadh bewildered.</p>
<p>Although most analysts couched the three-day visit in terms of Iran versus the United States, Iran versus Israel, or pondered the implications of Iran’s influence over Hezbollah, few appreciated these frameworks exist only because of the polarized, sectarian nature of the Lebanese state.</p>
<p>Whereas Ahmadinejad’s smiling picture was hoisted with joy in the dahiyeh—Beirut’s Shia-dominated southern suburb—as well as in numerous Shia villages in its southern heartland, in the northern, Sunni-majority city of Tripoli it was a scowling picture of the Iranian leader’s face with a red X painted through it that was displayed. Written underneath was the phrase, “No welcome to the rule of waliyatul-faqih” [the rule of the jurisprudent, established by Iran’s 1979 Revolution].</p>
<p>A group of 250 Lebanese politicians, former MPs and activists penned an open letter to Ahmadinejad, blasting him and his support for Hezbollah:</p>
<p>“Your talk of ‘changing the face of the region starting with Lebanon’ and ‘wiping Israel off the map through the force of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon’ … makes it seem like your visit is that of a high commander to his front line.”</p>
<p>Other Lebanese voiced opposition to the alleged establishment of an “Iranian base on the Mediterranean” (a claim normally made by the Israelis).</p>
<p>Indeed, Ahmadinejad was the catalyst who brought out rhetoric highlighting the deep political divisions in Lebanon today. The country remains on edge as the upcoming Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s report on the 2005 assassination of the late premier Rafiq al-Hariri is expected to indict Hezbollah members.</p>
<p>One Lebanese aptly stated the reasons behind the hero’s welcome accorded to Ahmadinejad:</p>
<p>“We love Ahmadinejad because he helps the poor and he helped us rebuild after the 2006 war with Israel … Iran helped us more than Arab states did.”</p>
<p>Israel’s July 2006 war against Lebanon killed 1,200 Lebanese (mostly civilians), and decimated homes and infrastructure in southern Lebanon and the dahiyeh. During the Israeli assault, Saudi clerics of the Wahabi school said Muslims should not support Hezbollah because they are Shia (and issued fatwas to that end) while regional powerbrokers like Egypt and Jordan remained conspicuously silent throughout the 34-day offensive.</p>
<p>In “Spider Webs – The Story of the Second Lebanon War” (2008, published in English as “34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah, and the War in Lebanon”) Haaretz correspondents Amos Haren and Avi Issacharoff write:</p>
<p>“For the first time, we reveal … that moderate Arab states and the people close to the Lebanese government have conveyed messages to the Israeli government via different sides demanding Israel continue the war until Hezbollah was completely crushed.”</p>
<p>Iran helped rebuild homes devastated by Israel in 2006, as did Qatar. When the (Sunni) emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani recently visited the south, he too was given an enthusiastic welcome.</p>
<p>Although the Shia form a plurality in Lebanon, power has historically been in the hands of Christian and Sunni elites. Many of them, now in the March 14 Coalition, still blame the victims for the Israeli attack instead of the perpetrators. According to Haron and Issacharoff, they hoped Israel would achieve its military objectives even while their country burned.</p>
<p>The manner in which Ahmadinejad was warmly received should be seen in the above light. It was not about him, but rather about the Lebanese thanking those who had extended a helping hand when no other one was forthcoming. To those in March 14 and other Arab governments, it was a small shove back.</p>
<p>RANNIE AMIRI is an independent Middle East commentator.</p> | A Small Shove Back | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/10/15/a-small-shove-back/ | 2010-10-15 | 4left
| A Small Shove Back
<p>Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first state visit to Lebanon elicited a schizophrenic reaction among Lebanese.</p>
<p>An ecstatic reception awaited him along Beirut’s airport highway Wednesday as his motorcade drove toward Baabda presidential palace to meet President Michel Suleiman.</p>
<p>With great fanfare, Iranian flags, balloons sporting its green, white and red colors, thrown flower petals, and greetings shouted in Farsi by mostly Shia Lebanese welcomed him to the city—a remarkable sight in an Arab capital. It likely left allies of Lebanon’s ruling, Western-backed March 14 Coalition in Amman, Cairo and Riyadh bewildered.</p>
<p>Although most analysts couched the three-day visit in terms of Iran versus the United States, Iran versus Israel, or pondered the implications of Iran’s influence over Hezbollah, few appreciated these frameworks exist only because of the polarized, sectarian nature of the Lebanese state.</p>
<p>Whereas Ahmadinejad’s smiling picture was hoisted with joy in the dahiyeh—Beirut’s Shia-dominated southern suburb—as well as in numerous Shia villages in its southern heartland, in the northern, Sunni-majority city of Tripoli it was a scowling picture of the Iranian leader’s face with a red X painted through it that was displayed. Written underneath was the phrase, “No welcome to the rule of waliyatul-faqih” [the rule of the jurisprudent, established by Iran’s 1979 Revolution].</p>
<p>A group of 250 Lebanese politicians, former MPs and activists penned an open letter to Ahmadinejad, blasting him and his support for Hezbollah:</p>
<p>“Your talk of ‘changing the face of the region starting with Lebanon’ and ‘wiping Israel off the map through the force of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon’ … makes it seem like your visit is that of a high commander to his front line.”</p>
<p>Other Lebanese voiced opposition to the alleged establishment of an “Iranian base on the Mediterranean” (a claim normally made by the Israelis).</p>
<p>Indeed, Ahmadinejad was the catalyst who brought out rhetoric highlighting the deep political divisions in Lebanon today. The country remains on edge as the upcoming Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s report on the 2005 assassination of the late premier Rafiq al-Hariri is expected to indict Hezbollah members.</p>
<p>One Lebanese aptly stated the reasons behind the hero’s welcome accorded to Ahmadinejad:</p>
<p>“We love Ahmadinejad because he helps the poor and he helped us rebuild after the 2006 war with Israel … Iran helped us more than Arab states did.”</p>
<p>Israel’s July 2006 war against Lebanon killed 1,200 Lebanese (mostly civilians), and decimated homes and infrastructure in southern Lebanon and the dahiyeh. During the Israeli assault, Saudi clerics of the Wahabi school said Muslims should not support Hezbollah because they are Shia (and issued fatwas to that end) while regional powerbrokers like Egypt and Jordan remained conspicuously silent throughout the 34-day offensive.</p>
<p>In “Spider Webs – The Story of the Second Lebanon War” (2008, published in English as “34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah, and the War in Lebanon”) Haaretz correspondents Amos Haren and Avi Issacharoff write:</p>
<p>“For the first time, we reveal … that moderate Arab states and the people close to the Lebanese government have conveyed messages to the Israeli government via different sides demanding Israel continue the war until Hezbollah was completely crushed.”</p>
<p>Iran helped rebuild homes devastated by Israel in 2006, as did Qatar. When the (Sunni) emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani recently visited the south, he too was given an enthusiastic welcome.</p>
<p>Although the Shia form a plurality in Lebanon, power has historically been in the hands of Christian and Sunni elites. Many of them, now in the March 14 Coalition, still blame the victims for the Israeli attack instead of the perpetrators. According to Haron and Issacharoff, they hoped Israel would achieve its military objectives even while their country burned.</p>
<p>The manner in which Ahmadinejad was warmly received should be seen in the above light. It was not about him, but rather about the Lebanese thanking those who had extended a helping hand when no other one was forthcoming. To those in March 14 and other Arab governments, it was a small shove back.</p>
<p>RANNIE AMIRI is an independent Middle East commentator.</p> | 3,716 |
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sue Grafton, author of the best-selling “alphabet series” of mystery novels, has died in Santa Barbara. She was 77.</p>
<p>Grafton was surrounded by family, including husband Steven Humphrey, when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, her daughter, Jamie Clark, posted on the author’s website.</p>
<p>“Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly,” the posting said.</p>
<p>Grafton began her “alphabet series” in 1982 with “A is for Alibi.” Her most recent book, “Y is for Yesterday,” was published in August.</p>
<p>“Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name,” her daughter wrote. “Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.”</p>
<p>Humphrey said Grafton had been struggling to find an idea for “Z″ while undergoing treatment for rare and usually fatal cancer of the appendix, which was discovered in a routine colonoscopy.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s been written,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There is no Z.”</p>
<p>He added with a laugh, “Nobody in this family will ever use the letter Z again.”</p>
<p>The fictional heroine of the series, Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone, was Grafton’s alter ego, she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.</p>
<p>“I’m an introvert, so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities,” Grafton said. “But it’s fun to get to live her life without penalty.”</p>
<p>Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.</p>
<p>“Yes, as Sue said, ‘We’re one spirit in two bodies, and she got the good one,’” Humphrey said.</p>
<p>While Grafton aged, her heroine didn’t quite as much.</p>
<p>“So when I started, she was 32, and I was 42. Now, she is 39, and I am 77. So there’s a little bit of injustice there, but she is single,” she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. “She’s been married twice. She has no kids, no pets, no house plants.”</p>
<p>She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with “Z is for Zero.”</p>
<p>Lisa Scottoline, author of legal thrillers, tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton’s passing.</p>
<p>“She forged a path for women in crime fiction, and all of us followed and adored her,” she said.</p>
<p>Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer “graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit.”</p>
<p>“That never-to-be-written Z book is the least of what we’ve just lost,” Block tweeted.</p>
<p>Grafton began writing at 18, and completed her first novel at 22. “A is for Alibi” was the eighth novel she wrote, and the third she had published.</p>
<p>On her blog, she said her ideas come from everywhere.</p>
<p>“I read newspapers, textbooks on crime. I talk to private investigators, police officers, jail administrators, doctors, lawyers, career criminals. Ideas are everywhere,” she said.</p>
<p>Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Grafton stayed tied to her roots, dividing her time between a home there and in California.</p>
<p>“The world has lost a great talent and prolific author in Sue Grafton — and in Louisville we have lost a citizen, friend, neighbor, a master gardener and hometown hero,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted. “Her legacy will live on through her words, which will entertain and thrill readers for generations to come.”</p>
<p>In addition to her husband and daughter Jamie Clark, she is survived by another daughter, Leslie Twine, and her son, Jay Schmidt.</p>
<p>Grafton’s remains will be cremated and the family will hold a private memorial Sunday. Memorials also will be held in Louisville and New York City.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report from New York.</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sue Grafton, author of the best-selling “alphabet series” of mystery novels, has died in Santa Barbara. She was 77.</p>
<p>Grafton was surrounded by family, including husband Steven Humphrey, when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, her daughter, Jamie Clark, posted on the author’s website.</p>
<p>“Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly,” the posting said.</p>
<p>Grafton began her “alphabet series” in 1982 with “A is for Alibi.” Her most recent book, “Y is for Yesterday,” was published in August.</p>
<p>“Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name,” her daughter wrote. “Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.”</p>
<p>Humphrey said Grafton had been struggling to find an idea for “Z″ while undergoing treatment for rare and usually fatal cancer of the appendix, which was discovered in a routine colonoscopy.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s been written,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There is no Z.”</p>
<p>He added with a laugh, “Nobody in this family will ever use the letter Z again.”</p>
<p>The fictional heroine of the series, Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone, was Grafton’s alter ego, she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.</p>
<p>“I’m an introvert, so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities,” Grafton said. “But it’s fun to get to live her life without penalty.”</p>
<p>Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.</p>
<p>“Yes, as Sue said, ‘We’re one spirit in two bodies, and she got the good one,’” Humphrey said.</p>
<p>While Grafton aged, her heroine didn’t quite as much.</p>
<p>“So when I started, she was 32, and I was 42. Now, she is 39, and I am 77. So there’s a little bit of injustice there, but she is single,” she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. “She’s been married twice. She has no kids, no pets, no house plants.”</p>
<p>She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with “Z is for Zero.”</p>
<p>Lisa Scottoline, author of legal thrillers, tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton’s passing.</p>
<p>“She forged a path for women in crime fiction, and all of us followed and adored her,” she said.</p>
<p>Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer “graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit.”</p>
<p>“That never-to-be-written Z book is the least of what we’ve just lost,” Block tweeted.</p>
<p>Grafton began writing at 18, and completed her first novel at 22. “A is for Alibi” was the eighth novel she wrote, and the third she had published.</p>
<p>On her blog, she said her ideas come from everywhere.</p>
<p>“I read newspapers, textbooks on crime. I talk to private investigators, police officers, jail administrators, doctors, lawyers, career criminals. Ideas are everywhere,” she said.</p>
<p>Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Grafton stayed tied to her roots, dividing her time between a home there and in California.</p>
<p>“The world has lost a great talent and prolific author in Sue Grafton — and in Louisville we have lost a citizen, friend, neighbor, a master gardener and hometown hero,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted. “Her legacy will live on through her words, which will entertain and thrill readers for generations to come.”</p>
<p>In addition to her husband and daughter Jamie Clark, she is survived by another daughter, Leslie Twine, and her son, Jay Schmidt.</p>
<p>Grafton’s remains will be cremated and the family will hold a private memorial Sunday. Memorials also will be held in Louisville and New York City.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report from New York.</p> | Sue Grafton, writer of popular ‘alphabet’ mysteries, dies | false | https://apnews.com/da95e9f22674419a8ee2fbe21736164d | 2017-12-29 | 2least
| Sue Grafton, writer of popular ‘alphabet’ mysteries, dies
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sue Grafton, author of the best-selling “alphabet series” of mystery novels, has died in Santa Barbara. She was 77.</p>
<p>Grafton was surrounded by family, including husband Steven Humphrey, when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, her daughter, Jamie Clark, posted on the author’s website.</p>
<p>“Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly,” the posting said.</p>
<p>Grafton began her “alphabet series” in 1982 with “A is for Alibi.” Her most recent book, “Y is for Yesterday,” was published in August.</p>
<p>“Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name,” her daughter wrote. “Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.”</p>
<p>Humphrey said Grafton had been struggling to find an idea for “Z″ while undergoing treatment for rare and usually fatal cancer of the appendix, which was discovered in a routine colonoscopy.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s been written,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There is no Z.”</p>
<p>He added with a laugh, “Nobody in this family will ever use the letter Z again.”</p>
<p>The fictional heroine of the series, Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone, was Grafton’s alter ego, she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.</p>
<p>“I’m an introvert, so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities,” Grafton said. “But it’s fun to get to live her life without penalty.”</p>
<p>Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.</p>
<p>“Yes, as Sue said, ‘We’re one spirit in two bodies, and she got the good one,’” Humphrey said.</p>
<p>While Grafton aged, her heroine didn’t quite as much.</p>
<p>“So when I started, she was 32, and I was 42. Now, she is 39, and I am 77. So there’s a little bit of injustice there, but she is single,” she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. “She’s been married twice. She has no kids, no pets, no house plants.”</p>
<p>She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with “Z is for Zero.”</p>
<p>Lisa Scottoline, author of legal thrillers, tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton’s passing.</p>
<p>“She forged a path for women in crime fiction, and all of us followed and adored her,” she said.</p>
<p>Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer “graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit.”</p>
<p>“That never-to-be-written Z book is the least of what we’ve just lost,” Block tweeted.</p>
<p>Grafton began writing at 18, and completed her first novel at 22. “A is for Alibi” was the eighth novel she wrote, and the third she had published.</p>
<p>On her blog, she said her ideas come from everywhere.</p>
<p>“I read newspapers, textbooks on crime. I talk to private investigators, police officers, jail administrators, doctors, lawyers, career criminals. Ideas are everywhere,” she said.</p>
<p>Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Grafton stayed tied to her roots, dividing her time between a home there and in California.</p>
<p>“The world has lost a great talent and prolific author in Sue Grafton — and in Louisville we have lost a citizen, friend, neighbor, a master gardener and hometown hero,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted. “Her legacy will live on through her words, which will entertain and thrill readers for generations to come.”</p>
<p>In addition to her husband and daughter Jamie Clark, she is survived by another daughter, Leslie Twine, and her son, Jay Schmidt.</p>
<p>Grafton’s remains will be cremated and the family will hold a private memorial Sunday. Memorials also will be held in Louisville and New York City.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report from New York.</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sue Grafton, author of the best-selling “alphabet series” of mystery novels, has died in Santa Barbara. She was 77.</p>
<p>Grafton was surrounded by family, including husband Steven Humphrey, when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, her daughter, Jamie Clark, posted on the author’s website.</p>
<p>“Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly,” the posting said.</p>
<p>Grafton began her “alphabet series” in 1982 with “A is for Alibi.” Her most recent book, “Y is for Yesterday,” was published in August.</p>
<p>“Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name,” her daughter wrote. “Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.”</p>
<p>Humphrey said Grafton had been struggling to find an idea for “Z″ while undergoing treatment for rare and usually fatal cancer of the appendix, which was discovered in a routine colonoscopy.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s been written,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There is no Z.”</p>
<p>He added with a laugh, “Nobody in this family will ever use the letter Z again.”</p>
<p>The fictional heroine of the series, Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone, was Grafton’s alter ego, she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.</p>
<p>“I’m an introvert, so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities,” Grafton said. “But it’s fun to get to live her life without penalty.”</p>
<p>Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.</p>
<p>“Yes, as Sue said, ‘We’re one spirit in two bodies, and she got the good one,’” Humphrey said.</p>
<p>While Grafton aged, her heroine didn’t quite as much.</p>
<p>“So when I started, she was 32, and I was 42. Now, she is 39, and I am 77. So there’s a little bit of injustice there, but she is single,” she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. “She’s been married twice. She has no kids, no pets, no house plants.”</p>
<p>She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with “Z is for Zero.”</p>
<p>Lisa Scottoline, author of legal thrillers, tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton’s passing.</p>
<p>“She forged a path for women in crime fiction, and all of us followed and adored her,” she said.</p>
<p>Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer “graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit.”</p>
<p>“That never-to-be-written Z book is the least of what we’ve just lost,” Block tweeted.</p>
<p>Grafton began writing at 18, and completed her first novel at 22. “A is for Alibi” was the eighth novel she wrote, and the third she had published.</p>
<p>On her blog, she said her ideas come from everywhere.</p>
<p>“I read newspapers, textbooks on crime. I talk to private investigators, police officers, jail administrators, doctors, lawyers, career criminals. Ideas are everywhere,” she said.</p>
<p>Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Grafton stayed tied to her roots, dividing her time between a home there and in California.</p>
<p>“The world has lost a great talent and prolific author in Sue Grafton — and in Louisville we have lost a citizen, friend, neighbor, a master gardener and hometown hero,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted. “Her legacy will live on through her words, which will entertain and thrill readers for generations to come.”</p>
<p>In addition to her husband and daughter Jamie Clark, she is survived by another daughter, Leslie Twine, and her son, Jay Schmidt.</p>
<p>Grafton’s remains will be cremated and the family will hold a private memorial Sunday. Memorials also will be held in Louisville and New York City.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report from New York.</p> | 3,717 |
<p>URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Before the sun fully set, Michael Schneider had harvested two deer and was still going to make it home for dinner.</p>
<p>An avid hunter, the 36-year-old Grimes native has taken part in the urban bow hunting season since 2008. He has a farm in Lucas County, but the hour-long commute means he has to plan on a whole day of hunting.</p>
<p>"This is five minutes from home," he said while sitting in a tree stand overlooking an Urbandale neighborhood. "It's a great opportunity if you like to be out in the wild and like to hunt five minutes from your house."</p>
<p>Officer Andrew Dobbins with the Urbandale Police Department oversees the program, which began in 1998 because of an overpopulation of deer in the city.</p>
<p>Despite initial public hesitation, the department said there hasn't been any safety incidents related to the program since it began. Hunters must apply for the urban bow hunt and pass a safety and a bow hunter safety course to be eligible.</p>
<p>Twelve hunters are working with the city this year, according to Dobbins, and each is responsible to find the land that they are going to hunt.</p>
<p>Most hunters like Schneider hunt multiple properties and rely mostly on word of mouth to find new ones, the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/12/21/urbandeerhunting/973986001/" type="external">Des Moines Register reported</a> .</p>
<p>"Once one person has a positive experience, it's easier to get their neighbors on board," Schneider said.</p>
<p>Mark Tuttle has lived in his home on the west side of Urbandale for 33 years and has been trying to cultivate a garden there for just about as long.</p>
<p>"Deer just decimate that stuff," Tuttle said of the deer eating his plants. "They will eat anything."</p>
<p>He tried fences, which worked all right, but when Michael Schneider knocked on his door a year ago and asked to hunt his property, he said yes.</p>
<p>Working as a pair, Schneider often hunts with Jasen Hammer, 27, of Grimes. The two share properties — as well as who gets the first shot on the next deer.</p>
<p>This was Jasen's day.</p>
<p>An hour passed as the hunters sat camouflaged in a tree overlooking the backyard landmarks of a suburban neighborhood.</p>
<p>"A lot of times when you hear a car honk and you're urban hunting, it means that a deer is trying to cross the road," Schneider said, "So it's kind of a warning for us to turn and look toward the road. There could be deer coming that way."</p>
<p>A flash of white in an adjacent field and both hunters grabbed their rangefinders to see how many deer there were.</p>
<p>"Five, and they are coming this way," whispered Schneider excitedly.</p>
<p>The quiet banter and phones were quickly tucked away as the five deer grazed their way toward Schneider and Hammer.</p>
<p>Urban hunt rules stipulate shots must be taken from no more than 25 yards away and from an elevation of at least six feet.</p>
<p>Hammer nocked an arrow and drew back with the deer now well within the 25-yard zone. A deep breath and a moment later, the arrow landed on its target, as Hammer traced its retreat with his eyes.</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Schneider landed a shot on another doe just seconds later.</p>
<p>High-fives and fist bumps mirrored the adrenaline levels as they watched the deer fall for easy retrieval later on.</p>
<p>Last season, the urban hunt in Urbandale resulted in 30 deer harvested, down from more than 90 in 2010-11.</p>
<p>Although many factors could be the cause of that decline, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has contracted for an aerial deer population survey to be done this year after seeing a decline in years past.</p>
<p>"One thing which has hurt the program harvests over the past couple of years is the lack of local HUSH lockers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>The HUSH, or Help Us Stop Hunger program, allows hunters to donate harvested deer to lockers which then in turn process the meat and give it to food pantries.</p>
<p>"We do have hunters who have provided deer to church groups and families who have requested one, but the lack of local HUSH lockers have definitely made an impact on harvest numbers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>Sixty six deceased deer were picked up along the roadside by Urbandale Public Works in 2016, most of which they attribute to deer/vehicle encounters.</p>
<p>Twenty years ago, Mark Tuttle hit a deer and believes hunting will help reduce the chance of that happening again.</p>
<p>"We need to control the population," Schneider said. "If we can lower the car/deer accidents or lower the interactions people have, it's a win-win."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Des Moines Register, <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com" type="external">http://www.desmoinesregister.com</a></p>
<p>URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Before the sun fully set, Michael Schneider had harvested two deer and was still going to make it home for dinner.</p>
<p>An avid hunter, the 36-year-old Grimes native has taken part in the urban bow hunting season since 2008. He has a farm in Lucas County, but the hour-long commute means he has to plan on a whole day of hunting.</p>
<p>"This is five minutes from home," he said while sitting in a tree stand overlooking an Urbandale neighborhood. "It's a great opportunity if you like to be out in the wild and like to hunt five minutes from your house."</p>
<p>Officer Andrew Dobbins with the Urbandale Police Department oversees the program, which began in 1998 because of an overpopulation of deer in the city.</p>
<p>Despite initial public hesitation, the department said there hasn't been any safety incidents related to the program since it began. Hunters must apply for the urban bow hunt and pass a safety and a bow hunter safety course to be eligible.</p>
<p>Twelve hunters are working with the city this year, according to Dobbins, and each is responsible to find the land that they are going to hunt.</p>
<p>Most hunters like Schneider hunt multiple properties and rely mostly on word of mouth to find new ones, the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/12/21/urbandeerhunting/973986001/" type="external">Des Moines Register reported</a> .</p>
<p>"Once one person has a positive experience, it's easier to get their neighbors on board," Schneider said.</p>
<p>Mark Tuttle has lived in his home on the west side of Urbandale for 33 years and has been trying to cultivate a garden there for just about as long.</p>
<p>"Deer just decimate that stuff," Tuttle said of the deer eating his plants. "They will eat anything."</p>
<p>He tried fences, which worked all right, but when Michael Schneider knocked on his door a year ago and asked to hunt his property, he said yes.</p>
<p>Working as a pair, Schneider often hunts with Jasen Hammer, 27, of Grimes. The two share properties — as well as who gets the first shot on the next deer.</p>
<p>This was Jasen's day.</p>
<p>An hour passed as the hunters sat camouflaged in a tree overlooking the backyard landmarks of a suburban neighborhood.</p>
<p>"A lot of times when you hear a car honk and you're urban hunting, it means that a deer is trying to cross the road," Schneider said, "So it's kind of a warning for us to turn and look toward the road. There could be deer coming that way."</p>
<p>A flash of white in an adjacent field and both hunters grabbed their rangefinders to see how many deer there were.</p>
<p>"Five, and they are coming this way," whispered Schneider excitedly.</p>
<p>The quiet banter and phones were quickly tucked away as the five deer grazed their way toward Schneider and Hammer.</p>
<p>Urban hunt rules stipulate shots must be taken from no more than 25 yards away and from an elevation of at least six feet.</p>
<p>Hammer nocked an arrow and drew back with the deer now well within the 25-yard zone. A deep breath and a moment later, the arrow landed on its target, as Hammer traced its retreat with his eyes.</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Schneider landed a shot on another doe just seconds later.</p>
<p>High-fives and fist bumps mirrored the adrenaline levels as they watched the deer fall for easy retrieval later on.</p>
<p>Last season, the urban hunt in Urbandale resulted in 30 deer harvested, down from more than 90 in 2010-11.</p>
<p>Although many factors could be the cause of that decline, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has contracted for an aerial deer population survey to be done this year after seeing a decline in years past.</p>
<p>"One thing which has hurt the program harvests over the past couple of years is the lack of local HUSH lockers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>The HUSH, or Help Us Stop Hunger program, allows hunters to donate harvested deer to lockers which then in turn process the meat and give it to food pantries.</p>
<p>"We do have hunters who have provided deer to church groups and families who have requested one, but the lack of local HUSH lockers have definitely made an impact on harvest numbers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>Sixty six deceased deer were picked up along the roadside by Urbandale Public Works in 2016, most of which they attribute to deer/vehicle encounters.</p>
<p>Twenty years ago, Mark Tuttle hit a deer and believes hunting will help reduce the chance of that happening again.</p>
<p>"We need to control the population," Schneider said. "If we can lower the car/deer accidents or lower the interactions people have, it's a win-win."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Des Moines Register, <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com" type="external">http://www.desmoinesregister.com</a></p> | Iowa hunters, landowners benefit from urban bow hunting | false | https://apnews.com/amp/16ed6064845942faa692ee0ac3c32e06 | 2017-12-30 | 2least
| Iowa hunters, landowners benefit from urban bow hunting
<p>URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Before the sun fully set, Michael Schneider had harvested two deer and was still going to make it home for dinner.</p>
<p>An avid hunter, the 36-year-old Grimes native has taken part in the urban bow hunting season since 2008. He has a farm in Lucas County, but the hour-long commute means he has to plan on a whole day of hunting.</p>
<p>"This is five minutes from home," he said while sitting in a tree stand overlooking an Urbandale neighborhood. "It's a great opportunity if you like to be out in the wild and like to hunt five minutes from your house."</p>
<p>Officer Andrew Dobbins with the Urbandale Police Department oversees the program, which began in 1998 because of an overpopulation of deer in the city.</p>
<p>Despite initial public hesitation, the department said there hasn't been any safety incidents related to the program since it began. Hunters must apply for the urban bow hunt and pass a safety and a bow hunter safety course to be eligible.</p>
<p>Twelve hunters are working with the city this year, according to Dobbins, and each is responsible to find the land that they are going to hunt.</p>
<p>Most hunters like Schneider hunt multiple properties and rely mostly on word of mouth to find new ones, the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/12/21/urbandeerhunting/973986001/" type="external">Des Moines Register reported</a> .</p>
<p>"Once one person has a positive experience, it's easier to get their neighbors on board," Schneider said.</p>
<p>Mark Tuttle has lived in his home on the west side of Urbandale for 33 years and has been trying to cultivate a garden there for just about as long.</p>
<p>"Deer just decimate that stuff," Tuttle said of the deer eating his plants. "They will eat anything."</p>
<p>He tried fences, which worked all right, but when Michael Schneider knocked on his door a year ago and asked to hunt his property, he said yes.</p>
<p>Working as a pair, Schneider often hunts with Jasen Hammer, 27, of Grimes. The two share properties — as well as who gets the first shot on the next deer.</p>
<p>This was Jasen's day.</p>
<p>An hour passed as the hunters sat camouflaged in a tree overlooking the backyard landmarks of a suburban neighborhood.</p>
<p>"A lot of times when you hear a car honk and you're urban hunting, it means that a deer is trying to cross the road," Schneider said, "So it's kind of a warning for us to turn and look toward the road. There could be deer coming that way."</p>
<p>A flash of white in an adjacent field and both hunters grabbed their rangefinders to see how many deer there were.</p>
<p>"Five, and they are coming this way," whispered Schneider excitedly.</p>
<p>The quiet banter and phones were quickly tucked away as the five deer grazed their way toward Schneider and Hammer.</p>
<p>Urban hunt rules stipulate shots must be taken from no more than 25 yards away and from an elevation of at least six feet.</p>
<p>Hammer nocked an arrow and drew back with the deer now well within the 25-yard zone. A deep breath and a moment later, the arrow landed on its target, as Hammer traced its retreat with his eyes.</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Schneider landed a shot on another doe just seconds later.</p>
<p>High-fives and fist bumps mirrored the adrenaline levels as they watched the deer fall for easy retrieval later on.</p>
<p>Last season, the urban hunt in Urbandale resulted in 30 deer harvested, down from more than 90 in 2010-11.</p>
<p>Although many factors could be the cause of that decline, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has contracted for an aerial deer population survey to be done this year after seeing a decline in years past.</p>
<p>"One thing which has hurt the program harvests over the past couple of years is the lack of local HUSH lockers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>The HUSH, or Help Us Stop Hunger program, allows hunters to donate harvested deer to lockers which then in turn process the meat and give it to food pantries.</p>
<p>"We do have hunters who have provided deer to church groups and families who have requested one, but the lack of local HUSH lockers have definitely made an impact on harvest numbers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>Sixty six deceased deer were picked up along the roadside by Urbandale Public Works in 2016, most of which they attribute to deer/vehicle encounters.</p>
<p>Twenty years ago, Mark Tuttle hit a deer and believes hunting will help reduce the chance of that happening again.</p>
<p>"We need to control the population," Schneider said. "If we can lower the car/deer accidents or lower the interactions people have, it's a win-win."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Des Moines Register, <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com" type="external">http://www.desmoinesregister.com</a></p>
<p>URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Before the sun fully set, Michael Schneider had harvested two deer and was still going to make it home for dinner.</p>
<p>An avid hunter, the 36-year-old Grimes native has taken part in the urban bow hunting season since 2008. He has a farm in Lucas County, but the hour-long commute means he has to plan on a whole day of hunting.</p>
<p>"This is five minutes from home," he said while sitting in a tree stand overlooking an Urbandale neighborhood. "It's a great opportunity if you like to be out in the wild and like to hunt five minutes from your house."</p>
<p>Officer Andrew Dobbins with the Urbandale Police Department oversees the program, which began in 1998 because of an overpopulation of deer in the city.</p>
<p>Despite initial public hesitation, the department said there hasn't been any safety incidents related to the program since it began. Hunters must apply for the urban bow hunt and pass a safety and a bow hunter safety course to be eligible.</p>
<p>Twelve hunters are working with the city this year, according to Dobbins, and each is responsible to find the land that they are going to hunt.</p>
<p>Most hunters like Schneider hunt multiple properties and rely mostly on word of mouth to find new ones, the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/12/21/urbandeerhunting/973986001/" type="external">Des Moines Register reported</a> .</p>
<p>"Once one person has a positive experience, it's easier to get their neighbors on board," Schneider said.</p>
<p>Mark Tuttle has lived in his home on the west side of Urbandale for 33 years and has been trying to cultivate a garden there for just about as long.</p>
<p>"Deer just decimate that stuff," Tuttle said of the deer eating his plants. "They will eat anything."</p>
<p>He tried fences, which worked all right, but when Michael Schneider knocked on his door a year ago and asked to hunt his property, he said yes.</p>
<p>Working as a pair, Schneider often hunts with Jasen Hammer, 27, of Grimes. The two share properties — as well as who gets the first shot on the next deer.</p>
<p>This was Jasen's day.</p>
<p>An hour passed as the hunters sat camouflaged in a tree overlooking the backyard landmarks of a suburban neighborhood.</p>
<p>"A lot of times when you hear a car honk and you're urban hunting, it means that a deer is trying to cross the road," Schneider said, "So it's kind of a warning for us to turn and look toward the road. There could be deer coming that way."</p>
<p>A flash of white in an adjacent field and both hunters grabbed their rangefinders to see how many deer there were.</p>
<p>"Five, and they are coming this way," whispered Schneider excitedly.</p>
<p>The quiet banter and phones were quickly tucked away as the five deer grazed their way toward Schneider and Hammer.</p>
<p>Urban hunt rules stipulate shots must be taken from no more than 25 yards away and from an elevation of at least six feet.</p>
<p>Hammer nocked an arrow and drew back with the deer now well within the 25-yard zone. A deep breath and a moment later, the arrow landed on its target, as Hammer traced its retreat with his eyes.</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Schneider landed a shot on another doe just seconds later.</p>
<p>High-fives and fist bumps mirrored the adrenaline levels as they watched the deer fall for easy retrieval later on.</p>
<p>Last season, the urban hunt in Urbandale resulted in 30 deer harvested, down from more than 90 in 2010-11.</p>
<p>Although many factors could be the cause of that decline, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has contracted for an aerial deer population survey to be done this year after seeing a decline in years past.</p>
<p>"One thing which has hurt the program harvests over the past couple of years is the lack of local HUSH lockers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>The HUSH, or Help Us Stop Hunger program, allows hunters to donate harvested deer to lockers which then in turn process the meat and give it to food pantries.</p>
<p>"We do have hunters who have provided deer to church groups and families who have requested one, but the lack of local HUSH lockers have definitely made an impact on harvest numbers," Dobbins said.</p>
<p>Sixty six deceased deer were picked up along the roadside by Urbandale Public Works in 2016, most of which they attribute to deer/vehicle encounters.</p>
<p>Twenty years ago, Mark Tuttle hit a deer and believes hunting will help reduce the chance of that happening again.</p>
<p>"We need to control the population," Schneider said. "If we can lower the car/deer accidents or lower the interactions people have, it's a win-win."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Des Moines Register, <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com" type="external">http://www.desmoinesregister.com</a></p> | 3,718 |
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<p>MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s new top diplomat says the country will not promote conflict or confrontation with the United States but also won’t be submissive.</p>
<p>Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray didn’t mention the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump in a speech Monday. But he did mention the “considerable challenge of U.S. political dynamics.” Trump has said he will build a wall along the two countries’ border and renegotiate the NAFTA trade agreement. He’s recently threated heavy tariffs on Mexican cars exported to the U.S.</p>
<p>Videgaray said “there are voices that are already promoting a strategy of conflict, confrontations and even insult. Others predict a shameful submission.”</p>
<p>Videgaray added “Mexico will not choose either of these false solutions,” instead opting for “intelligence and dignity, opening the doors to dialogue.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Mexico: neither submission nor confrontation with US | false | https://abqjournal.com/923755/mexico-neither-submission-nor-confrontation-with-us.html | 2017-01-09 | 2least
| Mexico: neither submission nor confrontation with US
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s new top diplomat says the country will not promote conflict or confrontation with the United States but also won’t be submissive.</p>
<p>Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray didn’t mention the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump in a speech Monday. But he did mention the “considerable challenge of U.S. political dynamics.” Trump has said he will build a wall along the two countries’ border and renegotiate the NAFTA trade agreement. He’s recently threated heavy tariffs on Mexican cars exported to the U.S.</p>
<p>Videgaray said “there are voices that are already promoting a strategy of conflict, confrontations and even insult. Others predict a shameful submission.”</p>
<p>Videgaray added “Mexico will not choose either of these false solutions,” instead opting for “intelligence and dignity, opening the doors to dialogue.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 3,719 |
<p>Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren has launched an exploratory committee to challenge Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/sizes/z/in/photostream/"&gt;David Shankbone&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr; &lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scott_P._Brown.jpg"&gt;Dexta32084&lt;/a&gt;/Wikimedia Commons</p>
<p />
<p>Speculation has been mounting for a while now, but on Thursday Elizabeth Warren appears to have made it official:&#160;She intends to challenge Sen.&#160;Scott Brown (R-Mass.) in 2012. The Harvard professor and architect of the new Consumer Financial Protection&#160;Bureau has <a href="http://elizabethforma.com/splash/" type="external">launched a website</a> for her exploratory committee, the likely prelude to a full-scale campaign.</p>
<p>Warren rose to national prominence when President Obama tapped her to run the Congressional&#160;Oversight Panel monitoring the TARP bailout in 2009. When the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform bill created a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—an idea that Warren first developed—she was considered the obvious choice to head the agency. Obama tasked Warren with implementing the new agency, but she quickly became a <a href="" type="internal">right-wing target</a> and Obama ultimately <a href="" type="internal">nominated</a> former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray for the post.</p>
<p>Brown, who pulled off a stunning upset of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley in 2010 to replace the late Sen.&#160;Ted Kennedy, is one of the Democrats’ biggest 2012 targets. And Warren, with her reputation as an anti-Wall&#160;Street crusader, has been floated as a dream candidate <a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/01/24/the_woman_democrats_need/" type="external">since the day</a> Brown was sworn in. As <a href="http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2011/08/group-raises-money-enlists-volunteers-help-elizabeth-warren-possible-senate-bid/V59y2n650ORxNeYp9QyRFJ/index.html" type="external">Glen Johnson noted</a>, Warren has already staffed up in advance of a run, and picked up the support of a third-party fundraising outfit based out of Washington.</p>
<p>So can she win? Well, she’ll first have to navigate a crowded Democratic primary which includes Newton mayor <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/setti-warren-to-challenge-scott-brown-in-2012/" type="external">Setti&#160;Warren</a> (no relation),&#160;City Year founder Alan&#160;Khazei, and (possibly)&#160;Rep.&#160;Michael&#160;Capuano. Brown, for his part, remains quite popular in Massachusetts, although with&#160;Obama on the ballot and an opponent who’s willing to <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1225633" type="external">shake hands outside Fenway Park</a>, that could change.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Brown previewed his likely line of attack against Warren, noting <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2011_0817warren_brushes_up_on_politics_for_bid/" type="external">in a fundraising email</a> this week that “They are so obsessed with winning this seat back that Washington elitists are trying to push aside local Democrat candidates in favor of Professor Warren from Oklahoma.” (Warren has lived in&#160;Massachusetts for two decades.)</p>
<p /> | Elizabeth Warren vs. Scott Brown: It’s On | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/08/elizabeth-warren-vs-scott-brown-massachusetts-senate/ | 2011-08-18 | 4left
| Elizabeth Warren vs. Scott Brown: It’s On
<p>Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren has launched an exploratory committee to challenge Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4596338617/sizes/z/in/photostream/"&gt;David Shankbone&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr; &lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scott_P._Brown.jpg"&gt;Dexta32084&lt;/a&gt;/Wikimedia Commons</p>
<p />
<p>Speculation has been mounting for a while now, but on Thursday Elizabeth Warren appears to have made it official:&#160;She intends to challenge Sen.&#160;Scott Brown (R-Mass.) in 2012. The Harvard professor and architect of the new Consumer Financial Protection&#160;Bureau has <a href="http://elizabethforma.com/splash/" type="external">launched a website</a> for her exploratory committee, the likely prelude to a full-scale campaign.</p>
<p>Warren rose to national prominence when President Obama tapped her to run the Congressional&#160;Oversight Panel monitoring the TARP bailout in 2009. When the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform bill created a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—an idea that Warren first developed—she was considered the obvious choice to head the agency. Obama tasked Warren with implementing the new agency, but she quickly became a <a href="" type="internal">right-wing target</a> and Obama ultimately <a href="" type="internal">nominated</a> former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray for the post.</p>
<p>Brown, who pulled off a stunning upset of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley in 2010 to replace the late Sen.&#160;Ted Kennedy, is one of the Democrats’ biggest 2012 targets. And Warren, with her reputation as an anti-Wall&#160;Street crusader, has been floated as a dream candidate <a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/01/24/the_woman_democrats_need/" type="external">since the day</a> Brown was sworn in. As <a href="http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2011/08/group-raises-money-enlists-volunteers-help-elizabeth-warren-possible-senate-bid/V59y2n650ORxNeYp9QyRFJ/index.html" type="external">Glen Johnson noted</a>, Warren has already staffed up in advance of a run, and picked up the support of a third-party fundraising outfit based out of Washington.</p>
<p>So can she win? Well, she’ll first have to navigate a crowded Democratic primary which includes Newton mayor <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/setti-warren-to-challenge-scott-brown-in-2012/" type="external">Setti&#160;Warren</a> (no relation),&#160;City Year founder Alan&#160;Khazei, and (possibly)&#160;Rep.&#160;Michael&#160;Capuano. Brown, for his part, remains quite popular in Massachusetts, although with&#160;Obama on the ballot and an opponent who’s willing to <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1225633" type="external">shake hands outside Fenway Park</a>, that could change.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Brown previewed his likely line of attack against Warren, noting <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2011_0817warren_brushes_up_on_politics_for_bid/" type="external">in a fundraising email</a> this week that “They are so obsessed with winning this seat back that Washington elitists are trying to push aside local Democrat candidates in favor of Professor Warren from Oklahoma.” (Warren has lived in&#160;Massachusetts for two decades.)</p>
<p /> | 3,720 |
<p>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles was steady, Jake Elliott had a big leg and the defense made one final stop.</p>
<p>The underdog Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the NFC championship game following a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. They’ll host the Saints-Vikings winner next Sunday.</p>
<p>Despite going 13-3 to earn the No. 1 seed, the Eagles entered the game as 3-point underdogs against the sixth-seeded Falcons (11-7). They used it as motivation and now it’s onto the next one as they continue pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.</p>
<p>“If we believe the outsiders, we will be all messed up,” Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “We went out and proved we can be the real winning team.”</p>
<p>Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed through Julio Jones’ arms in the corner of the end zone as Jalen Mills had tight coverage on fourth down from the 2 to secure Philadelphia’s win. It was another disappointing finish for the Falcons, who blew a 25-point lead against the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl.</p>
<p>“The reason I play this game is to win a championship,” Ryan said. “That’s why we put all of the hard work we put in. When you don’t get that result, it’s difficult.”</p>
<p>Foles outplayed Ryan, bouncing back from a pair of subpar games with an efficient performance. He completed 77 percent of his passes (23 of 30) for 246 yards, no touchdowns and no turnovers.</p>
<p>“The biggest thing in our locker room is that we believe in one another and that showed,” Foles said. “We kept working, kept grinding, had faith in one another. In any sport there’s going to be criticism. You’re aware of it because you’re human but we blocked it out.”</p>
<p>Here’s some things we learned following Philadelphia’s first playoff win in nine years:</p>
<p>OVERCOMING TURNOVERS: The Eagles committed the only two turnovers and won anyway. Jay Ajayi fumbled on the second play from scrimmage inside Falcons territory and a short punt bounced off an Eagles player setting up Atlanta’s 18-yard touchdown drive.</p>
<p>INCONSISTENT OFFENSE: These weren’t the Falcons who lit up the scoreboard on their way to winning the NFC championship last year. Under first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the Falcons weren’t quite as sharp throughout the season and their inconsistency showed up at the wrong time. They were shut out in the second half and held to just 118 yards in the final two quarters.</p>
<p>“I think that’s something we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Ryan said. “There were too many times we were a little bit inconsistent.”</p>
<p>JAY TRAIN: Ajayi shook off the fumble and ran well until he inexplicably went to the bench for a long stretch. Ajayi had 50 yards rushing on eight carries through Philadelphia’s first drive of the second quarter, but didn’t get the ball again until the second half. He finished with 54 yards on 15 carries and also dropped a third down pass. He did have 44 yards receiving on three catches.</p>
<p>“I feel like I played poorly,” Ajayi said. “The fumble, can’t do that in a big game. I feel like I could have executed a lot better. A lot of the teammates picked up the slack. The defense played lights out.”</p>
<p>CALL OF THE GAME: Eagles coach Doug Pederson ran an inside counter to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that went for 21 yards to the Falcons 3 on third-and-3 on Philadelphia’s touchdown drive. It was the first time he called that play this season.</p>
<p>“It’s a play we’ve had in our arsenal, but never got to it,” Pederson said. “This was just an opportunity to put it in Nelson’s hands with Lane Johnson as a puller and just executed extremely well.”</p>
<p>JAKE’S LEG: Elliott, who joined the Eagles after Caleb Sturgis was injured in Week 1, bounced back after missing his fourth extra point of the season by connecting on all three of his field goals. His 53-yarder at the end of the first half was his sixth in seven tries from beyond 50. That includes a game-winning 61-yarder against the Giants in Week 3.</p>
<p>“It was definitely tricky out there, just really gusty (wind),” Elliott said. “You don’t know what it’s really going to do out there so you just have to hit the best ball you can and take care of what you can control.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP NFL website: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi</a></p>
<p>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles was steady, Jake Elliott had a big leg and the defense made one final stop.</p>
<p>The underdog Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the NFC championship game following a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. They’ll host the Saints-Vikings winner next Sunday.</p>
<p>Despite going 13-3 to earn the No. 1 seed, the Eagles entered the game as 3-point underdogs against the sixth-seeded Falcons (11-7). They used it as motivation and now it’s onto the next one as they continue pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.</p>
<p>“If we believe the outsiders, we will be all messed up,” Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “We went out and proved we can be the real winning team.”</p>
<p>Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed through Julio Jones’ arms in the corner of the end zone as Jalen Mills had tight coverage on fourth down from the 2 to secure Philadelphia’s win. It was another disappointing finish for the Falcons, who blew a 25-point lead against the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl.</p>
<p>“The reason I play this game is to win a championship,” Ryan said. “That’s why we put all of the hard work we put in. When you don’t get that result, it’s difficult.”</p>
<p>Foles outplayed Ryan, bouncing back from a pair of subpar games with an efficient performance. He completed 77 percent of his passes (23 of 30) for 246 yards, no touchdowns and no turnovers.</p>
<p>“The biggest thing in our locker room is that we believe in one another and that showed,” Foles said. “We kept working, kept grinding, had faith in one another. In any sport there’s going to be criticism. You’re aware of it because you’re human but we blocked it out.”</p>
<p>Here’s some things we learned following Philadelphia’s first playoff win in nine years:</p>
<p>OVERCOMING TURNOVERS: The Eagles committed the only two turnovers and won anyway. Jay Ajayi fumbled on the second play from scrimmage inside Falcons territory and a short punt bounced off an Eagles player setting up Atlanta’s 18-yard touchdown drive.</p>
<p>INCONSISTENT OFFENSE: These weren’t the Falcons who lit up the scoreboard on their way to winning the NFC championship last year. Under first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the Falcons weren’t quite as sharp throughout the season and their inconsistency showed up at the wrong time. They were shut out in the second half and held to just 118 yards in the final two quarters.</p>
<p>“I think that’s something we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Ryan said. “There were too many times we were a little bit inconsistent.”</p>
<p>JAY TRAIN: Ajayi shook off the fumble and ran well until he inexplicably went to the bench for a long stretch. Ajayi had 50 yards rushing on eight carries through Philadelphia’s first drive of the second quarter, but didn’t get the ball again until the second half. He finished with 54 yards on 15 carries and also dropped a third down pass. He did have 44 yards receiving on three catches.</p>
<p>“I feel like I played poorly,” Ajayi said. “The fumble, can’t do that in a big game. I feel like I could have executed a lot better. A lot of the teammates picked up the slack. The defense played lights out.”</p>
<p>CALL OF THE GAME: Eagles coach Doug Pederson ran an inside counter to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that went for 21 yards to the Falcons 3 on third-and-3 on Philadelphia’s touchdown drive. It was the first time he called that play this season.</p>
<p>“It’s a play we’ve had in our arsenal, but never got to it,” Pederson said. “This was just an opportunity to put it in Nelson’s hands with Lane Johnson as a puller and just executed extremely well.”</p>
<p>JAKE’S LEG: Elliott, who joined the Eagles after Caleb Sturgis was injured in Week 1, bounced back after missing his fourth extra point of the season by connecting on all three of his field goals. His 53-yarder at the end of the first half was his sixth in seven tries from beyond 50. That includes a game-winning 61-yarder against the Giants in Week 3.</p>
<p>“It was definitely tricky out there, just really gusty (wind),” Elliott said. “You don’t know what it’s really going to do out there so you just have to hit the best ball you can and take care of what you can control.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP NFL website: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi</a></p> | Eagles use goal-line stand, Elliott FGs to beat Falcons | false | https://apnews.com/e605666686c54a60808b76eb3bd36249 | 2018-01-14 | 2least
| Eagles use goal-line stand, Elliott FGs to beat Falcons
<p>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles was steady, Jake Elliott had a big leg and the defense made one final stop.</p>
<p>The underdog Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the NFC championship game following a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. They’ll host the Saints-Vikings winner next Sunday.</p>
<p>Despite going 13-3 to earn the No. 1 seed, the Eagles entered the game as 3-point underdogs against the sixth-seeded Falcons (11-7). They used it as motivation and now it’s onto the next one as they continue pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.</p>
<p>“If we believe the outsiders, we will be all messed up,” Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “We went out and proved we can be the real winning team.”</p>
<p>Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed through Julio Jones’ arms in the corner of the end zone as Jalen Mills had tight coverage on fourth down from the 2 to secure Philadelphia’s win. It was another disappointing finish for the Falcons, who blew a 25-point lead against the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl.</p>
<p>“The reason I play this game is to win a championship,” Ryan said. “That’s why we put all of the hard work we put in. When you don’t get that result, it’s difficult.”</p>
<p>Foles outplayed Ryan, bouncing back from a pair of subpar games with an efficient performance. He completed 77 percent of his passes (23 of 30) for 246 yards, no touchdowns and no turnovers.</p>
<p>“The biggest thing in our locker room is that we believe in one another and that showed,” Foles said. “We kept working, kept grinding, had faith in one another. In any sport there’s going to be criticism. You’re aware of it because you’re human but we blocked it out.”</p>
<p>Here’s some things we learned following Philadelphia’s first playoff win in nine years:</p>
<p>OVERCOMING TURNOVERS: The Eagles committed the only two turnovers and won anyway. Jay Ajayi fumbled on the second play from scrimmage inside Falcons territory and a short punt bounced off an Eagles player setting up Atlanta’s 18-yard touchdown drive.</p>
<p>INCONSISTENT OFFENSE: These weren’t the Falcons who lit up the scoreboard on their way to winning the NFC championship last year. Under first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the Falcons weren’t quite as sharp throughout the season and their inconsistency showed up at the wrong time. They were shut out in the second half and held to just 118 yards in the final two quarters.</p>
<p>“I think that’s something we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Ryan said. “There were too many times we were a little bit inconsistent.”</p>
<p>JAY TRAIN: Ajayi shook off the fumble and ran well until he inexplicably went to the bench for a long stretch. Ajayi had 50 yards rushing on eight carries through Philadelphia’s first drive of the second quarter, but didn’t get the ball again until the second half. He finished with 54 yards on 15 carries and also dropped a third down pass. He did have 44 yards receiving on three catches.</p>
<p>“I feel like I played poorly,” Ajayi said. “The fumble, can’t do that in a big game. I feel like I could have executed a lot better. A lot of the teammates picked up the slack. The defense played lights out.”</p>
<p>CALL OF THE GAME: Eagles coach Doug Pederson ran an inside counter to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that went for 21 yards to the Falcons 3 on third-and-3 on Philadelphia’s touchdown drive. It was the first time he called that play this season.</p>
<p>“It’s a play we’ve had in our arsenal, but never got to it,” Pederson said. “This was just an opportunity to put it in Nelson’s hands with Lane Johnson as a puller and just executed extremely well.”</p>
<p>JAKE’S LEG: Elliott, who joined the Eagles after Caleb Sturgis was injured in Week 1, bounced back after missing his fourth extra point of the season by connecting on all three of his field goals. His 53-yarder at the end of the first half was his sixth in seven tries from beyond 50. That includes a game-winning 61-yarder against the Giants in Week 3.</p>
<p>“It was definitely tricky out there, just really gusty (wind),” Elliott said. “You don’t know what it’s really going to do out there so you just have to hit the best ball you can and take care of what you can control.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP NFL website: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi</a></p>
<p>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles was steady, Jake Elliott had a big leg and the defense made one final stop.</p>
<p>The underdog Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the NFC championship game following a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. They’ll host the Saints-Vikings winner next Sunday.</p>
<p>Despite going 13-3 to earn the No. 1 seed, the Eagles entered the game as 3-point underdogs against the sixth-seeded Falcons (11-7). They used it as motivation and now it’s onto the next one as they continue pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.</p>
<p>“If we believe the outsiders, we will be all messed up,” Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “We went out and proved we can be the real winning team.”</p>
<p>Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed through Julio Jones’ arms in the corner of the end zone as Jalen Mills had tight coverage on fourth down from the 2 to secure Philadelphia’s win. It was another disappointing finish for the Falcons, who blew a 25-point lead against the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl.</p>
<p>“The reason I play this game is to win a championship,” Ryan said. “That’s why we put all of the hard work we put in. When you don’t get that result, it’s difficult.”</p>
<p>Foles outplayed Ryan, bouncing back from a pair of subpar games with an efficient performance. He completed 77 percent of his passes (23 of 30) for 246 yards, no touchdowns and no turnovers.</p>
<p>“The biggest thing in our locker room is that we believe in one another and that showed,” Foles said. “We kept working, kept grinding, had faith in one another. In any sport there’s going to be criticism. You’re aware of it because you’re human but we blocked it out.”</p>
<p>Here’s some things we learned following Philadelphia’s first playoff win in nine years:</p>
<p>OVERCOMING TURNOVERS: The Eagles committed the only two turnovers and won anyway. Jay Ajayi fumbled on the second play from scrimmage inside Falcons territory and a short punt bounced off an Eagles player setting up Atlanta’s 18-yard touchdown drive.</p>
<p>INCONSISTENT OFFENSE: These weren’t the Falcons who lit up the scoreboard on their way to winning the NFC championship last year. Under first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the Falcons weren’t quite as sharp throughout the season and their inconsistency showed up at the wrong time. They were shut out in the second half and held to just 118 yards in the final two quarters.</p>
<p>“I think that’s something we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Ryan said. “There were too many times we were a little bit inconsistent.”</p>
<p>JAY TRAIN: Ajayi shook off the fumble and ran well until he inexplicably went to the bench for a long stretch. Ajayi had 50 yards rushing on eight carries through Philadelphia’s first drive of the second quarter, but didn’t get the ball again until the second half. He finished with 54 yards on 15 carries and also dropped a third down pass. He did have 44 yards receiving on three catches.</p>
<p>“I feel like I played poorly,” Ajayi said. “The fumble, can’t do that in a big game. I feel like I could have executed a lot better. A lot of the teammates picked up the slack. The defense played lights out.”</p>
<p>CALL OF THE GAME: Eagles coach Doug Pederson ran an inside counter to wide receiver Nelson Agholor that went for 21 yards to the Falcons 3 on third-and-3 on Philadelphia’s touchdown drive. It was the first time he called that play this season.</p>
<p>“It’s a play we’ve had in our arsenal, but never got to it,” Pederson said. “This was just an opportunity to put it in Nelson’s hands with Lane Johnson as a puller and just executed extremely well.”</p>
<p>JAKE’S LEG: Elliott, who joined the Eagles after Caleb Sturgis was injured in Week 1, bounced back after missing his fourth extra point of the season by connecting on all three of his field goals. His 53-yarder at the end of the first half was his sixth in seven tries from beyond 50. That includes a game-winning 61-yarder against the Giants in Week 3.</p>
<p>“It was definitely tricky out there, just really gusty (wind),” Elliott said. “You don’t know what it’s really going to do out there so you just have to hit the best ball you can and take care of what you can control.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP NFL website: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi</a></p> | 3,721 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES — Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has informed the mixed martial arts promotion that he is retired from competition.</p>
<p>The UFC confirmed Lesnar’s decision Wednesday.</p>
<p>The decision doesn’t affect Lesnar’s professional wrestling career, where he has spent most of the past five years.</p>
<p>He returned from a 4 1/2-year MMA absence last July to beat Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the result was overturned after Lesnar failed two doping tests. He was subsequently suspended from competition for a year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which administers the UFC’s doping policy.</p>
<p>Lesnar’s decision to retire means he has been removed from USADA’s drug-testing pool, which monitors the fighters year-round.</p>
<p>If Lesnar decides to return to competition, he would have to serve the remaining five months of his suspension.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Brock Lesnar tells UFC he is retired from competition | false | https://abqjournal.com/950421/brock-lesnar-tells-ufc-he-is-retired-from-competition.html | 2017-02-15 | 2least
| Brock Lesnar tells UFC he is retired from competition
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES — Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has informed the mixed martial arts promotion that he is retired from competition.</p>
<p>The UFC confirmed Lesnar’s decision Wednesday.</p>
<p>The decision doesn’t affect Lesnar’s professional wrestling career, where he has spent most of the past five years.</p>
<p>He returned from a 4 1/2-year MMA absence last July to beat Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the result was overturned after Lesnar failed two doping tests. He was subsequently suspended from competition for a year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which administers the UFC’s doping policy.</p>
<p>Lesnar’s decision to retire means he has been removed from USADA’s drug-testing pool, which monitors the fighters year-round.</p>
<p>If Lesnar decides to return to competition, he would have to serve the remaining five months of his suspension.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 3,722 |
<p />
<p>Small businesses have finally cut the cord and are going mobile with the use of emerging wireless solutions such as tablet computers, 4G devices and GPS navigation mobile devices, a new national survey shows. Nearly all of the more than 2,500 small businesses (96 percent) surveyed in an AT&amp;T poll said they use wireless <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">technologies Opens a New Window.</a> in their operations, with almost two-thirds (63 percent) saying that they could not survive—or it would be a major challenge to survive—without wireless technologies.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>More than four in ten (43 percent) small businesses reported that all their employees use wireless devices or technologies to work away from the office, a nearly 80 percent jump from three years ago.&#160; And in spite of being a relatively <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">new technology</a>, <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/136-small-business-ipad-computer-systems.html" type="external">tablet computers Opens a New Window.</a> are now being used by two-thirds (67 percent) of small businesses surveyed, up from 57 percent a year ago.</p>
<p>By the end of the year, about 50 percent of small businesses reported that they expect to have all their employees using wireless technologies to work away from the office.</p>
<p>Almost all (85 percent) of small businesses reported using <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1709-mobile-workforce-productivity.html" type="external">smartphones Opens a New Window.</a> for their operations, more than double the usage of five years ago. Nearly one-third of <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">smartphones</a> used by small businesses are 4G.</p>
<p>Almost a third (30 percent) of small businesses surveyed reported that they use mobile apps for their business to save time, increase productivity and reduce costs. Those mobile apps are also becoming as <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/389-social-media-twitter-strategy-tips.html" type="external">mission critical Opens a New Window.</a> as wireless technologies overall: half of the small businesses that use them say they could not survive—or it would be a major challenge to survive—without mobile apps, a 31 percent jump over last year.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Copyright 2012 BusinessNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p>
<p>Read more from BusinessNewsDaily:</p> | Cutting the Cord: How Small Businesses are Going Wireless | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/02/17/cutting-cord-how-small-businesses-are-going-wireless.html | 2016-03-22 | 0right
| Cutting the Cord: How Small Businesses are Going Wireless
<p />
<p>Small businesses have finally cut the cord and are going mobile with the use of emerging wireless solutions such as tablet computers, 4G devices and GPS navigation mobile devices, a new national survey shows. Nearly all of the more than 2,500 small businesses (96 percent) surveyed in an AT&amp;T poll said they use wireless <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">technologies Opens a New Window.</a> in their operations, with almost two-thirds (63 percent) saying that they could not survive—or it would be a major challenge to survive—without wireless technologies.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>More than four in ten (43 percent) small businesses reported that all their employees use wireless devices or technologies to work away from the office, a nearly 80 percent jump from three years ago.&#160; And in spite of being a relatively <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">new technology</a>, <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/136-small-business-ipad-computer-systems.html" type="external">tablet computers Opens a New Window.</a> are now being used by two-thirds (67 percent) of small businesses surveyed, up from 57 percent a year ago.</p>
<p>By the end of the year, about 50 percent of small businesses reported that they expect to have all their employees using wireless technologies to work away from the office.</p>
<p>Almost all (85 percent) of small businesses reported using <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1709-mobile-workforce-productivity.html" type="external">smartphones Opens a New Window.</a> for their operations, more than double the usage of five years ago. Nearly one-third of <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2039-small-businesses-universally-adopt-wireless-technology.html#" type="external">smartphones</a> used by small businesses are 4G.</p>
<p>Almost a third (30 percent) of small businesses surveyed reported that they use mobile apps for their business to save time, increase productivity and reduce costs. Those mobile apps are also becoming as <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/389-social-media-twitter-strategy-tips.html" type="external">mission critical Opens a New Window.</a> as wireless technologies overall: half of the small businesses that use them say they could not survive—or it would be a major challenge to survive—without mobile apps, a 31 percent jump over last year.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Copyright 2012 BusinessNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p>
<p>Read more from BusinessNewsDaily:</p> | 3,723 |
<p>Given the Catholic Church's record of dealing (or not) with homosexuality, especially within its upper ranks, it's not particularly shocking that the Vatican suspended Monsignor Tomasso Stenico after he said he was gay on an Italian television show.</p>
<p>BBC:</p>
<p>The prelate had been suspended pending further investigation, said Vatican spokesman Father Frederico Lombari.</p>
<p>He says he was interviewed "fraudulently" with a hidden camera and now denies his earlier statement.</p>
<p />
<p>In a letter published in an Italian online newspaper, Petrus, he writes: "I said I was homosexual in order to unmask those who really are."</p>
<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7043056.stm" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Being Gay Still Not OK at Vatican | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/being-gay-still-not-ok-at-vatican/ | 2007-10-13 | 4left
| Being Gay Still Not OK at Vatican
<p>Given the Catholic Church's record of dealing (or not) with homosexuality, especially within its upper ranks, it's not particularly shocking that the Vatican suspended Monsignor Tomasso Stenico after he said he was gay on an Italian television show.</p>
<p>BBC:</p>
<p>The prelate had been suspended pending further investigation, said Vatican spokesman Father Frederico Lombari.</p>
<p>He says he was interviewed "fraudulently" with a hidden camera and now denies his earlier statement.</p>
<p />
<p>In a letter published in an Italian online newspaper, Petrus, he writes: "I said I was homosexual in order to unmask those who really are."</p>
<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7043056.stm" type="external">Read more</a></p> | 3,724 |
<p />
<p>Image Source: Getty</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>If you want to get the most out of that new tablet or smartphone you bought on Black Friday, you're going to have to download some third-party apps. The same is true of businesses using Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) cloud computing platform, AWS. The tens of thousands of businesses using Amazon's cloud are also paying for various other cloud services like analytics and monitoring or data transfer services.</p>
<p>Last month, Amazon announced the addition of software-as-a-service subscription products to its AWS Marketplace. There are already 3,500 services in the Marketplace, and Amazon says over 100,000 customers already use it to find cloud services that meet their needs and work directly with AWS.</p>
<p>With the launch of SaaS subscription products in Marketplace, Amazon is moving toward some of the most valuable cloud purchases -- recurring subscription revenue.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The AWS Marketplace works the same angles as Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) App Store. They each make it easier for customers to find third-party apps. They make billing easy by using the payment information customers already have on file. They make it easy to use the app by ensuring an easy installation process. These are benefits cloud software companies will pay for.</p>
<p>Apple generated <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/11/how-much-did-apple-make-selling-apps-in-2015.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">over $6 billion Opens a New Window.</a> from app developers last year, thanks in part to its de facto monopoly over iOS app downloads. While Amazon doesn't benefit from being the only place to buy other cloud services, it can make a nice commission for other developers' work. And subscriptions open the door for those commissions to come in every month.</p>
<p>As Amazon adds more and more services to its Marketplace, it could become the first place businesses look when they need to add something to their current setup. It's done the same thing with its regular retail marketplace. It's added more and more products thanks to a growing number of third-party sellers, and now 55% of online shoppers begin their product search on Amazon.com.</p>
<p>Importantly, any revenue Amazon makes from the AWS Marketplace will be relatively high-margin. Amazon already has billing in place for its regular customers. Customers will just see additional charges for whatever services they bought or subscribed to in the previous month on their regular AWS bill. Unlike its retail business, third-party sellers don't require nearly as much overhead (like warehouse storage, shipping, etc.).</p>
<p>Amazon's management has mentioned several times that AWS could grow to be a bigger part of its business than retail. In a press conference three years ago, Andy Jassy -- the head of AWS -- told reporters "[CEO Jeff Bezos] is very excited about the AWS business and he believes -- like the rest of the leadership team does that in the fullness of time --it is very possible that AWS could be the biggest business at Amazon." He repeated that message in an interview with the Seattle Times last month. That despite the fact that Amazon's retail business has nearly doubled since 2012.</p>
<p>Jassy mentioned the "capability to build further up stack" as another potential avenue to grow AWS and take on a market "that's trillions of dollars worldwide" in his interview with the Seattle Times. Moving up the stack means offering more sophisticated applications.</p>
<p>Things like offering SaaS subscriptions in its Marketplace will help it do just that. Not only could Amazon grab a commission off of sales, it could get more data on what enterprises are using its platform for. It could then use that data to develop new products or cater its existing products to fulfill customer needs better. Amazon already does that on the retail side of its business.</p>
<p>AWS accounted for over 60% of Amazon's operating income over the last four quarters. With its continued revenue growth above 50% and the addition of high-margin revenue from AWS Marketplace, it should continue to drive Amazon's profit growth for some time.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Amazon.com When 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7591737f-6678-4f87-bed2-d6879cebd5c1&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Amazon.com 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7591737f-6678-4f87-bed2-d6879cebd5c1&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&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 November 7, 2016</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/adamlevy/info.aspx" type="external">Adam Levy Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Amazon Is Supercharging Its Cloud Computing Revenue | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/12/05/amazon-is-supercharging-its-cloud-computing-revenue.html | 2016-12-05 | 0right
| Amazon Is Supercharging Its Cloud Computing Revenue
<p />
<p>Image Source: Getty</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>If you want to get the most out of that new tablet or smartphone you bought on Black Friday, you're going to have to download some third-party apps. The same is true of businesses using Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) cloud computing platform, AWS. The tens of thousands of businesses using Amazon's cloud are also paying for various other cloud services like analytics and monitoring or data transfer services.</p>
<p>Last month, Amazon announced the addition of software-as-a-service subscription products to its AWS Marketplace. There are already 3,500 services in the Marketplace, and Amazon says over 100,000 customers already use it to find cloud services that meet their needs and work directly with AWS.</p>
<p>With the launch of SaaS subscription products in Marketplace, Amazon is moving toward some of the most valuable cloud purchases -- recurring subscription revenue.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The AWS Marketplace works the same angles as Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) App Store. They each make it easier for customers to find third-party apps. They make billing easy by using the payment information customers already have on file. They make it easy to use the app by ensuring an easy installation process. These are benefits cloud software companies will pay for.</p>
<p>Apple generated <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/11/how-much-did-apple-make-selling-apps-in-2015.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">over $6 billion Opens a New Window.</a> from app developers last year, thanks in part to its de facto monopoly over iOS app downloads. While Amazon doesn't benefit from being the only place to buy other cloud services, it can make a nice commission for other developers' work. And subscriptions open the door for those commissions to come in every month.</p>
<p>As Amazon adds more and more services to its Marketplace, it could become the first place businesses look when they need to add something to their current setup. It's done the same thing with its regular retail marketplace. It's added more and more products thanks to a growing number of third-party sellers, and now 55% of online shoppers begin their product search on Amazon.com.</p>
<p>Importantly, any revenue Amazon makes from the AWS Marketplace will be relatively high-margin. Amazon already has billing in place for its regular customers. Customers will just see additional charges for whatever services they bought or subscribed to in the previous month on their regular AWS bill. Unlike its retail business, third-party sellers don't require nearly as much overhead (like warehouse storage, shipping, etc.).</p>
<p>Amazon's management has mentioned several times that AWS could grow to be a bigger part of its business than retail. In a press conference three years ago, Andy Jassy -- the head of AWS -- told reporters "[CEO Jeff Bezos] is very excited about the AWS business and he believes -- like the rest of the leadership team does that in the fullness of time --it is very possible that AWS could be the biggest business at Amazon." He repeated that message in an interview with the Seattle Times last month. That despite the fact that Amazon's retail business has nearly doubled since 2012.</p>
<p>Jassy mentioned the "capability to build further up stack" as another potential avenue to grow AWS and take on a market "that's trillions of dollars worldwide" in his interview with the Seattle Times. Moving up the stack means offering more sophisticated applications.</p>
<p>Things like offering SaaS subscriptions in its Marketplace will help it do just that. Not only could Amazon grab a commission off of sales, it could get more data on what enterprises are using its platform for. It could then use that data to develop new products or cater its existing products to fulfill customer needs better. Amazon already does that on the retail side of its business.</p>
<p>AWS accounted for over 60% of Amazon's operating income over the last four quarters. With its continued revenue growth above 50% and the addition of high-margin revenue from AWS Marketplace, it should continue to drive Amazon's profit growth for some time.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Amazon.com When 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7591737f-6678-4f87-bed2-d6879cebd5c1&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Amazon.com 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7591737f-6678-4f87-bed2-d6879cebd5c1&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&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 November 7, 2016</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/adamlevy/info.aspx" type="external">Adam Levy Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 3,725 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Swedish Ambassador Torkel Stiernlof says he met Hyeon Soo Lim for 40 minutes last week. He said they discussed Lim’s health and other matters, but refused to comment further.</p>
<p>The ambassador said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he and Lim “weren’t rushed.”</p>
<p>He said there were two North Korean officials in civilian clothes and an official photographer present throughout the meeting, which was held in a conference room at a Pyongyang hotel.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“He was escorted in and out of the room without handcuffs by uniformed guards,” Stiernlof said. “We discussed his health and other things, of course, but I refrain from commenting on these matters.”</p>
<p>He added that Lim spoke over the phone with his family last Friday.</p>
<p>It was unclear why the meeting was arranged at this time.</p>
<p>North Korea claims such meetings are granted for humanitarian reasons, but Pyongyang has been accused of using foreign detainees as a way to win political concessions or high-level visits from other countries.</p>
<p>Lim, a South Korean-born Canadian citizen in his 60s, was convicted and sentenced in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.</p>
<p>At least two other foreigners are currently detained in North Korea.</p>
<p>Last year, American Otto Warmbier, then a 21-year-old University of Virginia student from suburban Cincinnati, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison after he confessed to trying to steal a propaganda banner. Kim Dong Chul, who was born in South Korea but is also believed to have U.S. citizenship, is serving a sentence of 10 years for espionage.</p>
<p>It is not clear under what conditions Lim and the others are being held.</p>
<p>Foreign prisoners are usually held in special detention centers that are separate from North Korean prisons.</p>
<p>The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang looks after consular affairs for Canada in North Korea because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.</p> | Canadian imprisoned in North Korea meets Swedish ambassador | false | https://abqjournal.com/959642/canadian-imprisoned-in-north-korea-meets-swedish-ambassador.html | 2017-03-01 | 2least
| Canadian imprisoned in North Korea meets Swedish ambassador
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Swedish Ambassador Torkel Stiernlof says he met Hyeon Soo Lim for 40 minutes last week. He said they discussed Lim’s health and other matters, but refused to comment further.</p>
<p>The ambassador said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he and Lim “weren’t rushed.”</p>
<p>He said there were two North Korean officials in civilian clothes and an official photographer present throughout the meeting, which was held in a conference room at a Pyongyang hotel.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“He was escorted in and out of the room without handcuffs by uniformed guards,” Stiernlof said. “We discussed his health and other things, of course, but I refrain from commenting on these matters.”</p>
<p>He added that Lim spoke over the phone with his family last Friday.</p>
<p>It was unclear why the meeting was arranged at this time.</p>
<p>North Korea claims such meetings are granted for humanitarian reasons, but Pyongyang has been accused of using foreign detainees as a way to win political concessions or high-level visits from other countries.</p>
<p>Lim, a South Korean-born Canadian citizen in his 60s, was convicted and sentenced in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.</p>
<p>At least two other foreigners are currently detained in North Korea.</p>
<p>Last year, American Otto Warmbier, then a 21-year-old University of Virginia student from suburban Cincinnati, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison after he confessed to trying to steal a propaganda banner. Kim Dong Chul, who was born in South Korea but is also believed to have U.S. citizenship, is serving a sentence of 10 years for espionage.</p>
<p>It is not clear under what conditions Lim and the others are being held.</p>
<p>Foreign prisoners are usually held in special detention centers that are separate from North Korean prisons.</p>
<p>The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang looks after consular affairs for Canada in North Korea because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.</p> | 3,726 |
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump will next week embark on a major push to reform tax policy, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0169006e-8946-11e7-bf50-e1c239b45787" type="external">The Financial Times reported Friday Opens a New Window.</a>, citing an interview with Gary Cohn, Trump's chief economic advisor. "He will start being on the road making major addresses justifying the reasoning for tax reform and why we need it in the U.S.," Cohn was quoted as telling the newspaper. The president will begin a series of tax-focused speeches on Wednesday in Missouri.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | Trump To Start Push For Tax Reform In Speech Next Week: FT | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/08/25/trump-to-start-push-for-tax-reform-in-speech-next-week-ft.html | 2017-08-25 | 0right
| Trump To Start Push For Tax Reform In Speech Next Week: FT
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump will next week embark on a major push to reform tax policy, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0169006e-8946-11e7-bf50-e1c239b45787" type="external">The Financial Times reported Friday Opens a New Window.</a>, citing an interview with Gary Cohn, Trump's chief economic advisor. "He will start being on the road making major addresses justifying the reasoning for tax reform and why we need it in the U.S.," Cohn was quoted as telling the newspaper. The president will begin a series of tax-focused speeches on Wednesday in Missouri.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | 3,727 |
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<p />
<p>Albuquerque's water utility says it would cost at least $4.2 million - and maybe up to $30 million - to replace or upgrade water and sewer lines to accommodate the city's proposed rapid transit bus system.</p>
<p>David Morris, water utility public affairs manager, said that if the utility did not get state funding to help cover those costs, it would have to increase rates by up to as much as 20 percent over two years to finance the work. A 20 percent rate increase, he said, would mean about $11 more per month for the average residential customer.</p>
<p>At a meeting Wednesday, the governing board of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority will consider a recommendation to request $30 million in state money to pay for pipeline replacement required by the rapid transit program.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But Dayna Crawford, manager of the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project, said the $30 million cost is news to her.</p>
<p>"In our project coordination meetings with the water utility authority, estimates have been as low as $5 million for the utility improvements," Crawford said.</p>
<p>The rapid transit program, which is dependent upon the city securing $100 million in mostly federal funding, consists of an express system of buses running in special lanes along Central Avenue. The initial route would be a 10-mile stretch between Louisiana and Coors. If funding comes through, work could start in 2016.</p>
<p>According to the franchise agreement between the city and the water utility, the utility is required to modify the placement of its utilities for city projects.</p>
<p>Morris said the engineering firm hired by the utility to analyze costs associated with the rapid transit system studied a stretch between Louisiana and Unser. The analysis identified high- and extreme-risk pipe segments and analyzed design conflicts for the proposed bus stations, streetlights and traffic signal foundations.</p>
<p>"We look to see, for example, if putting a traffic light foundation in would conflict with sewer or water lines," Morris said. "In terms of addressing conflicts with the planned rapid transit structure, we know that $4.2 million in work will be required. We expect that number will go up as plans for additional rapid transit segments are completed. If we were to rehabilitate all of what we have identified as high or extreme risks along that corridor, we estimate that would cost another $26 million."</p>
<p>Morris said there is no way to be sure at this point whether all, part of or none of the estimated $26 million would be needed. He said the recommendation to seek $30 million from the state is based on the high-end estimate.</p>
<p>Morris said that the utility typically spends no more than $2 million a year on city franchise work and that most of the utility's annual rehabilitation budget of $30 million goes toward an aging infrastructure in critical need of repair. The utility raised rates in 2013 and this year, and will raise rates again in 2017 to help pay for those repairs. Those rate hikes mean an increase of $4 to $5 a month for the typical homeowner.</p>
<p>Crawford said the rapid transit project is an opportunity to replace the crumbling water and sewer infrastructure.</p>
<p>"We are glad that the water utility authority is planning on not just replacing old water lines, but has included a number of enhancements to improve reliability for businesses along the route," she said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Rapid transit system may add $11 to consumers' water bills | false | https://abqjournal.com/683700/rapid-transit-system-could-add-11-to-water-bills.html | 2015-11-30 | 2least
| Rapid transit system may add $11 to consumers' water bills
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Albuquerque's water utility says it would cost at least $4.2 million - and maybe up to $30 million - to replace or upgrade water and sewer lines to accommodate the city's proposed rapid transit bus system.</p>
<p>David Morris, water utility public affairs manager, said that if the utility did not get state funding to help cover those costs, it would have to increase rates by up to as much as 20 percent over two years to finance the work. A 20 percent rate increase, he said, would mean about $11 more per month for the average residential customer.</p>
<p>At a meeting Wednesday, the governing board of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority will consider a recommendation to request $30 million in state money to pay for pipeline replacement required by the rapid transit program.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But Dayna Crawford, manager of the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project, said the $30 million cost is news to her.</p>
<p>"In our project coordination meetings with the water utility authority, estimates have been as low as $5 million for the utility improvements," Crawford said.</p>
<p>The rapid transit program, which is dependent upon the city securing $100 million in mostly federal funding, consists of an express system of buses running in special lanes along Central Avenue. The initial route would be a 10-mile stretch between Louisiana and Coors. If funding comes through, work could start in 2016.</p>
<p>According to the franchise agreement between the city and the water utility, the utility is required to modify the placement of its utilities for city projects.</p>
<p>Morris said the engineering firm hired by the utility to analyze costs associated with the rapid transit system studied a stretch between Louisiana and Unser. The analysis identified high- and extreme-risk pipe segments and analyzed design conflicts for the proposed bus stations, streetlights and traffic signal foundations.</p>
<p>"We look to see, for example, if putting a traffic light foundation in would conflict with sewer or water lines," Morris said. "In terms of addressing conflicts with the planned rapid transit structure, we know that $4.2 million in work will be required. We expect that number will go up as plans for additional rapid transit segments are completed. If we were to rehabilitate all of what we have identified as high or extreme risks along that corridor, we estimate that would cost another $26 million."</p>
<p>Morris said there is no way to be sure at this point whether all, part of or none of the estimated $26 million would be needed. He said the recommendation to seek $30 million from the state is based on the high-end estimate.</p>
<p>Morris said that the utility typically spends no more than $2 million a year on city franchise work and that most of the utility's annual rehabilitation budget of $30 million goes toward an aging infrastructure in critical need of repair. The utility raised rates in 2013 and this year, and will raise rates again in 2017 to help pay for those repairs. Those rate hikes mean an increase of $4 to $5 a month for the typical homeowner.</p>
<p>Crawford said the rapid transit project is an opportunity to replace the crumbling water and sewer infrastructure.</p>
<p>"We are glad that the water utility authority is planning on not just replacing old water lines, but has included a number of enhancements to improve reliability for businesses along the route," she said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,728 |
<p>Investing.com – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission released its weekly Commitments of Traders report for the week ending September 19 on Friday.</p>
<p>Speculative positioning in the CME and ICE currency, commodity, energy and index futures:</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> | CFTC: Speculators Significantly Less Bearish on Sterling; Less Bullish on Euro, S&P 500, Gold | false | https://newsline.com/cftc-speculators-significantly-less-bearish-on-sterling-less-bullish-on-euro-sp-500-gold/ | 2017-09-22 | 1right-center
| CFTC: Speculators Significantly Less Bearish on Sterling; Less Bullish on Euro, S&P 500, Gold
<p>Investing.com – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission released its weekly Commitments of Traders report for the week ending September 19 on Friday.</p>
<p>Speculative positioning in the CME and ICE currency, commodity, energy and index futures:</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> | 3,729 |
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<p>The city’s contract with the operators of the Santa Fe Airport Grill has become a point of controversy at City Hall. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — After years of struggling to make a go of it with a restaurant at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport, proprietor Lisa Van Allen says she is not pleased that issues have arisen over the lease and other issues with her business.</p>
<p>“It is ironic that I was promised for years that the airport would become the budding enterprise it is today if I just hung in there,” Van Allen wrote in a letter to the city regarding the lease of the Santa Fe Airport Grill. “Now that I may have the opportunity to mitigate some of my substantial losses on that facility … somehow the deal is more beneficial to me than the city.”</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Santa Fe City Councilor Patti Bushee, who is running for mayor in the March 4 election, called for an audit of the situation, which includes a federal lien of $108,078 for the restaurant’s failure to pay withholding taxes.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Under the city audit plan that the council approved in November, the airport and its concessionaires are scheduled to be audited in fiscal year 2015/16. The city underwent an external audit that it felt would cover the issue until then.</p>
<p>Van Allen, in an email to the Journal, said: “I do want to be clear that I have paid the IRS original taxes.” The lien remained in effect as of Thursday, however.</p>
<p>Bushee said it appears the restaurant operators are in violation of their lease because they haven’t kept tax payments up to date; that the restaurant may be paying rent that is below market value; and that the federal tax lien may jeopardize federal funding for the airport.</p>
<p>But city spokeswoman Jodi McGinnis Porter, in an email response to questions from the Journal, said that any concerns about Federal Aviation Administration funding aren’t valid.</p>
<p>“The city is in compliance with the (Federal Aviation Authority),” she wrote.</p>
<p>“The lien is a tax lien on the business and does not attach to real property or any of the premises that they lease, therefore it does not violate the lease with the city,” Porter wrote. “It also does not affect their obligations to (the) city under the lease.”</p>
<p>Last year, airport manager Francey Jesson discovered discrepancies in rental payments that the restaurant was making and that the quarterly payments were habitually late, according to city documents.</p>
<p>In July, as Jesson was going into a meeting with the city manager about the situation, Mayor David Coss told Jesson to “be nice to them,” Jesson wrote in an email.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In one of several aspects that lend a political tinge to the controversy, Coss is friends with Van Allen and local union leader Jon Hendry, listed on corporate records from the 1990s as an organizer of Duke City Gourmet, which operates as the Airport Grill.</p>
<p>Both Van Allen, who also as a contractor serves as the city’s liaison with the film industry, and Hendry have also been political supporters of the mayor. But Hendry said this week that he is no longer connected with the airport restaurant operation, which pays the city a percentage of sales for various kinds of food services.</p>
<p>Coss recently endorsed one of Bushee’s opponents, former state Democratic Party chair Javier Gonzales, for mayor. Hendry was originally chairman of a PAC formed earlier this year to support Gonzales for mayor, but later said he was leaving the PAC and would merely support Gonzales’ campaign.</p>
<p>City Councilor Patti Bushee has called for an audit of financial issues at the Santa Fe Airport Grill at the city airport. A city spokeswoman says a federal tax lien on the diner has not jeopardized Federal Aviation Administration funding. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>‘Be nice?’</p>
<p>Coss did not return phone calls about his alleged “be nice to them” remark about the airport diner operators, but Porter provided this comment: “The mayor routinely instructs staff to be courteous in dealing with members of the public, contractors and partners.”</p>
<p>While it is true that Coss is friends with Van Allen and Hendry, the restaurant did not receive special treatment, Porter wrote.</p>
<p>“The airport restaurant, AKA Duke City Gourmet, has a long standing relationship with the city (since 1996) that began years ago when market profitability for a restaurant was meager due to no commercial flights,” she wrote.</p>
<p>“The City of Santa Fe often works with existing tenants according to the terms of their lease and believes it is better to keep an existing business open and maintain continuity of service while working with them to renegotiate terms of the lease to reflect current market conditions,” Porter added.</p>
<p>In an email to the Journal on Thursday, Van Allen said that what appears to be at issue is the contract’s definition of gross receipts and “an issue of non-exclusive dining room space, which also serves as an extension of the airport’s waiting room.”</p>
<p>“I was under the impression up until now that we were amicably negotiating to clean up any language concerning those two issues in a reworded lease agreement,” she wrote.</p>
<p>In her letter to the city, Van Allen noted that she offers discounted prices to airport employees and that, for many years, the facility did not offer enough passenger traffic to be profitable.</p>
<p>“I took a loss on every meal I served for a number of years,” she wrote. “This was with the expectation that eventually there would be more of a balance between full paying and discounted clients. … For many years, my daily gross was $200ish, while my payroll was $300.”</p>
<p>Craft service</p>
<p>To offset her losses, Van Allen has been providing food – in a role called craft service – at film sites.</p>
<p>“I keep my main business in motion picture rentals and craft service (not catering – there’s a big difference) as low key as possible,” Van Allen wrote. “However, I should point out that this facet of my business has subsidized the airport for as many years as I have been there for at least ($20,000) to ($30,000) per year on average.”</p>
<p>Here is how Wikipedia distinguishes craft service from catering in the film business: “Catering handles the regular hot sit down meals that occur every six hours and usually last between thirty minutes and an hour. Catering is brought in from an outside company hired by the production, but craft service is a crew position and craft service people are sometimes represented by the union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).”</p>
<p>Hendry is the business agent for Local 480 of IATSE, according to the local’s website.</p>
<p>Porter, on Thursday night, couldn’t address whether city officials see any conflict between Van Allen’s job as the city’s hired film liaison and her craft service work.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Operator calls criticism “ironic” | false | https://abqjournal.com/334302/operator-calls-criticism-ironic.html | 2least
| Operator calls criticism “ironic”
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>The city’s contract with the operators of the Santa Fe Airport Grill has become a point of controversy at City Hall. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — After years of struggling to make a go of it with a restaurant at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport, proprietor Lisa Van Allen says she is not pleased that issues have arisen over the lease and other issues with her business.</p>
<p>“It is ironic that I was promised for years that the airport would become the budding enterprise it is today if I just hung in there,” Van Allen wrote in a letter to the city regarding the lease of the Santa Fe Airport Grill. “Now that I may have the opportunity to mitigate some of my substantial losses on that facility … somehow the deal is more beneficial to me than the city.”</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Santa Fe City Councilor Patti Bushee, who is running for mayor in the March 4 election, called for an audit of the situation, which includes a federal lien of $108,078 for the restaurant’s failure to pay withholding taxes.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Under the city audit plan that the council approved in November, the airport and its concessionaires are scheduled to be audited in fiscal year 2015/16. The city underwent an external audit that it felt would cover the issue until then.</p>
<p>Van Allen, in an email to the Journal, said: “I do want to be clear that I have paid the IRS original taxes.” The lien remained in effect as of Thursday, however.</p>
<p>Bushee said it appears the restaurant operators are in violation of their lease because they haven’t kept tax payments up to date; that the restaurant may be paying rent that is below market value; and that the federal tax lien may jeopardize federal funding for the airport.</p>
<p>But city spokeswoman Jodi McGinnis Porter, in an email response to questions from the Journal, said that any concerns about Federal Aviation Administration funding aren’t valid.</p>
<p>“The city is in compliance with the (Federal Aviation Authority),” she wrote.</p>
<p>“The lien is a tax lien on the business and does not attach to real property or any of the premises that they lease, therefore it does not violate the lease with the city,” Porter wrote. “It also does not affect their obligations to (the) city under the lease.”</p>
<p>Last year, airport manager Francey Jesson discovered discrepancies in rental payments that the restaurant was making and that the quarterly payments were habitually late, according to city documents.</p>
<p>In July, as Jesson was going into a meeting with the city manager about the situation, Mayor David Coss told Jesson to “be nice to them,” Jesson wrote in an email.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In one of several aspects that lend a political tinge to the controversy, Coss is friends with Van Allen and local union leader Jon Hendry, listed on corporate records from the 1990s as an organizer of Duke City Gourmet, which operates as the Airport Grill.</p>
<p>Both Van Allen, who also as a contractor serves as the city’s liaison with the film industry, and Hendry have also been political supporters of the mayor. But Hendry said this week that he is no longer connected with the airport restaurant operation, which pays the city a percentage of sales for various kinds of food services.</p>
<p>Coss recently endorsed one of Bushee’s opponents, former state Democratic Party chair Javier Gonzales, for mayor. Hendry was originally chairman of a PAC formed earlier this year to support Gonzales for mayor, but later said he was leaving the PAC and would merely support Gonzales’ campaign.</p>
<p>City Councilor Patti Bushee has called for an audit of financial issues at the Santa Fe Airport Grill at the city airport. A city spokeswoman says a federal tax lien on the diner has not jeopardized Federal Aviation Administration funding. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>‘Be nice?’</p>
<p>Coss did not return phone calls about his alleged “be nice to them” remark about the airport diner operators, but Porter provided this comment: “The mayor routinely instructs staff to be courteous in dealing with members of the public, contractors and partners.”</p>
<p>While it is true that Coss is friends with Van Allen and Hendry, the restaurant did not receive special treatment, Porter wrote.</p>
<p>“The airport restaurant, AKA Duke City Gourmet, has a long standing relationship with the city (since 1996) that began years ago when market profitability for a restaurant was meager due to no commercial flights,” she wrote.</p>
<p>“The City of Santa Fe often works with existing tenants according to the terms of their lease and believes it is better to keep an existing business open and maintain continuity of service while working with them to renegotiate terms of the lease to reflect current market conditions,” Porter added.</p>
<p>In an email to the Journal on Thursday, Van Allen said that what appears to be at issue is the contract’s definition of gross receipts and “an issue of non-exclusive dining room space, which also serves as an extension of the airport’s waiting room.”</p>
<p>“I was under the impression up until now that we were amicably negotiating to clean up any language concerning those two issues in a reworded lease agreement,” she wrote.</p>
<p>In her letter to the city, Van Allen noted that she offers discounted prices to airport employees and that, for many years, the facility did not offer enough passenger traffic to be profitable.</p>
<p>“I took a loss on every meal I served for a number of years,” she wrote. “This was with the expectation that eventually there would be more of a balance between full paying and discounted clients. … For many years, my daily gross was $200ish, while my payroll was $300.”</p>
<p>Craft service</p>
<p>To offset her losses, Van Allen has been providing food – in a role called craft service – at film sites.</p>
<p>“I keep my main business in motion picture rentals and craft service (not catering – there’s a big difference) as low key as possible,” Van Allen wrote. “However, I should point out that this facet of my business has subsidized the airport for as many years as I have been there for at least ($20,000) to ($30,000) per year on average.”</p>
<p>Here is how Wikipedia distinguishes craft service from catering in the film business: “Catering handles the regular hot sit down meals that occur every six hours and usually last between thirty minutes and an hour. Catering is brought in from an outside company hired by the production, but craft service is a crew position and craft service people are sometimes represented by the union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).”</p>
<p>Hendry is the business agent for Local 480 of IATSE, according to the local’s website.</p>
<p>Porter, on Thursday night, couldn’t address whether city officials see any conflict between Van Allen’s job as the city’s hired film liaison and her craft service work.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,730 |
|
<p>The general belief is there are four contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC, two in the AFC.</p>
<p>Let’s see if Tennessee or Jacksonville can prove that theory wrong this weekend.</p>
<p>Both AFC South representatives are significant underdogs, the Titans at New England on Saturday night, the Jaguars at Pittsburgh on Sunday. For weeks, it’s been presumed Steelers vs. Patriots will decide who goes to the Super Bowl from the conference.</p>
<p>The Titans and Jaguars want to have their say.</p>
<p>“They’re the champs and these are the types of teams you’ve got to beat if you want to be the champs,” says Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey, who is 0-5 against the Patriots. “You’ve got to beat these teams at their place.”</p>
<p>Jacksonville already has done that, routing the Steelers at Heinz Field 30-9 in Week 5.</p>
<p>“We did beat them the first time, so to have all the confidence coming out of there is interesting,” Jaguars DT Malik Jackson says. “They got a bye week, so they’re probably feeling really confident. We’ll see Sunday.”</p>
<p>Tennessee (10-7) at New England (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>All the numbers favor the Patriots extending their record of consecutive title games reached to seven. They are, by far, the more experienced side: 14 Patriots players have played at least 10 playoff games. That’s more such players than the 11 other 2017 playoff teams combined (13). Tom Brady has a 6-1 career record against the Titans, throwing for 13 TDs and one interception. He’s 11-2 in 13 divisional-round games since 2002 and has completed 316 of 509 passes for 3,700 yards and 28 TDs in those games.</p>
<p>And amid reported turmoil involving Brady, owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the quarterback isn’t likely to lose focus.</p>
<p>“We do what we always do. We show up to work and try to do the best we can do,” the All-Pro quarterback says. “We know there’s a lot at stake and I think everyone’s put a lot into it. It doesn’t really matter what happened outside of this facility.”</p>
<p>Tennessee has lost six in a row to New England, but comes off a stirring second-half rally at Kansas City from 18 points down, the largest postseason comeback on the road in the Super Bowl era.</p>
<p>Jacksonville (11-6) at Pittsburgh (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Ben Roethlisberger had the worst game of his career in that October loss to the Jags. Pittsburgh lost only once after that, at home to the Patriots in a game that decided the AFC’s top seed.</p>
<p>While Roethlisberger probably will play far better than that, the biggest challenge for Jacksonville could be stopping Le’Veon Bell in the running game. The Jaguars ranked first stopping the pass, but 21st against the run.</p>
<p>“I feel great, especially not playing these last two weeks, not going to (training) camp earlier in the year,” Bell says. “I can’t complain. I like where I am. This is the freshest I’ve ever been going into the playoffs so we’ll see how it goes.”</p>
<p>Pittsburgh also gets back receiver Antonio Brown, like Bell an All-Pro this season.</p>
<p>Jacksonville needs far better passing from Blake Bortles. He gained more yards running than throwing vs. Buffalo in the wild-card round.</p>
<p>Atlanta (11-6) at Philadelphia (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>Although Philly is the No. 1 NFC seed, the Falcons are favored. Part of that owes to Atlanta’s impressive work in winning at the Los Angeles Rams last week. Part has to do with the Falcons nearly winning the Super Bowl last February.</p>
<p>And part has to do with Nick Foles being the Eagles’ quarterback instead of the injured Carson Wentz.</p>
<p>Foles, though, has had some success in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>“It’s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,” Foles says. “I’ve played this game a long time. There’s a reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do. When I play my best and I’m most comfortable, I just go out there and play.”</p>
<p>By contrast, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan has a passer rating of at least 100 in five straight postseason games, tied for the second-longest streak in league history. Only Joe Montana had a longer string with eight.</p>
<p>New Orleans (12-5) at Minnesota (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Minnesota easily handled New Orleans in the season opener, eons ago in NFL terms. The Vikings had a different quarterback then in Sam Bradford. Case Keenum has put together a superb stretch of games since replacing the injured Bradford.</p>
<p>The Saints’ RB tandem of Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara wasn’t quite in place yet, either. And the New Orleans defense didn’t come to fruition until Week 3.</p>
<p>Minnesota’s D is balanced from front to back, so how Drew Brees deals with it could be the decider here.</p>
<p>“There’s no doubt about it,” Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards says, “you have a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback that does an excellent job of going out and executing their game from week to week. Our work will be cut out for us keeping them contained and hopefully giving them some things that can cause them some problems.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">http://www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>The general belief is there are four contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC, two in the AFC.</p>
<p>Let’s see if Tennessee or Jacksonville can prove that theory wrong this weekend.</p>
<p>Both AFC South representatives are significant underdogs, the Titans at New England on Saturday night, the Jaguars at Pittsburgh on Sunday. For weeks, it’s been presumed Steelers vs. Patriots will decide who goes to the Super Bowl from the conference.</p>
<p>The Titans and Jaguars want to have their say.</p>
<p>“They’re the champs and these are the types of teams you’ve got to beat if you want to be the champs,” says Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey, who is 0-5 against the Patriots. “You’ve got to beat these teams at their place.”</p>
<p>Jacksonville already has done that, routing the Steelers at Heinz Field 30-9 in Week 5.</p>
<p>“We did beat them the first time, so to have all the confidence coming out of there is interesting,” Jaguars DT Malik Jackson says. “They got a bye week, so they’re probably feeling really confident. We’ll see Sunday.”</p>
<p>Tennessee (10-7) at New England (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>All the numbers favor the Patriots extending their record of consecutive title games reached to seven. They are, by far, the more experienced side: 14 Patriots players have played at least 10 playoff games. That’s more such players than the 11 other 2017 playoff teams combined (13). Tom Brady has a 6-1 career record against the Titans, throwing for 13 TDs and one interception. He’s 11-2 in 13 divisional-round games since 2002 and has completed 316 of 509 passes for 3,700 yards and 28 TDs in those games.</p>
<p>And amid reported turmoil involving Brady, owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the quarterback isn’t likely to lose focus.</p>
<p>“We do what we always do. We show up to work and try to do the best we can do,” the All-Pro quarterback says. “We know there’s a lot at stake and I think everyone’s put a lot into it. It doesn’t really matter what happened outside of this facility.”</p>
<p>Tennessee has lost six in a row to New England, but comes off a stirring second-half rally at Kansas City from 18 points down, the largest postseason comeback on the road in the Super Bowl era.</p>
<p>Jacksonville (11-6) at Pittsburgh (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Ben Roethlisberger had the worst game of his career in that October loss to the Jags. Pittsburgh lost only once after that, at home to the Patriots in a game that decided the AFC’s top seed.</p>
<p>While Roethlisberger probably will play far better than that, the biggest challenge for Jacksonville could be stopping Le’Veon Bell in the running game. The Jaguars ranked first stopping the pass, but 21st against the run.</p>
<p>“I feel great, especially not playing these last two weeks, not going to (training) camp earlier in the year,” Bell says. “I can’t complain. I like where I am. This is the freshest I’ve ever been going into the playoffs so we’ll see how it goes.”</p>
<p>Pittsburgh also gets back receiver Antonio Brown, like Bell an All-Pro this season.</p>
<p>Jacksonville needs far better passing from Blake Bortles. He gained more yards running than throwing vs. Buffalo in the wild-card round.</p>
<p>Atlanta (11-6) at Philadelphia (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>Although Philly is the No. 1 NFC seed, the Falcons are favored. Part of that owes to Atlanta’s impressive work in winning at the Los Angeles Rams last week. Part has to do with the Falcons nearly winning the Super Bowl last February.</p>
<p>And part has to do with Nick Foles being the Eagles’ quarterback instead of the injured Carson Wentz.</p>
<p>Foles, though, has had some success in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>“It’s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,” Foles says. “I’ve played this game a long time. There’s a reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do. When I play my best and I’m most comfortable, I just go out there and play.”</p>
<p>By contrast, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan has a passer rating of at least 100 in five straight postseason games, tied for the second-longest streak in league history. Only Joe Montana had a longer string with eight.</p>
<p>New Orleans (12-5) at Minnesota (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Minnesota easily handled New Orleans in the season opener, eons ago in NFL terms. The Vikings had a different quarterback then in Sam Bradford. Case Keenum has put together a superb stretch of games since replacing the injured Bradford.</p>
<p>The Saints’ RB tandem of Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara wasn’t quite in place yet, either. And the New Orleans defense didn’t come to fruition until Week 3.</p>
<p>Minnesota’s D is balanced from front to back, so how Drew Brees deals with it could be the decider here.</p>
<p>“There’s no doubt about it,” Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards says, “you have a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback that does an excellent job of going out and executing their game from week to week. Our work will be cut out for us keeping them contained and hopefully giving them some things that can cause them some problems.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">http://www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p> | Titans, Jaguars aim to show they’re the real deal in AFC | false | https://apnews.com/1de6abab079f44b49aca8aaec20b9d9e | 2018-01-12 | 2least
| Titans, Jaguars aim to show they’re the real deal in AFC
<p>The general belief is there are four contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC, two in the AFC.</p>
<p>Let’s see if Tennessee or Jacksonville can prove that theory wrong this weekend.</p>
<p>Both AFC South representatives are significant underdogs, the Titans at New England on Saturday night, the Jaguars at Pittsburgh on Sunday. For weeks, it’s been presumed Steelers vs. Patriots will decide who goes to the Super Bowl from the conference.</p>
<p>The Titans and Jaguars want to have their say.</p>
<p>“They’re the champs and these are the types of teams you’ve got to beat if you want to be the champs,” says Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey, who is 0-5 against the Patriots. “You’ve got to beat these teams at their place.”</p>
<p>Jacksonville already has done that, routing the Steelers at Heinz Field 30-9 in Week 5.</p>
<p>“We did beat them the first time, so to have all the confidence coming out of there is interesting,” Jaguars DT Malik Jackson says. “They got a bye week, so they’re probably feeling really confident. We’ll see Sunday.”</p>
<p>Tennessee (10-7) at New England (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>All the numbers favor the Patriots extending their record of consecutive title games reached to seven. They are, by far, the more experienced side: 14 Patriots players have played at least 10 playoff games. That’s more such players than the 11 other 2017 playoff teams combined (13). Tom Brady has a 6-1 career record against the Titans, throwing for 13 TDs and one interception. He’s 11-2 in 13 divisional-round games since 2002 and has completed 316 of 509 passes for 3,700 yards and 28 TDs in those games.</p>
<p>And amid reported turmoil involving Brady, owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the quarterback isn’t likely to lose focus.</p>
<p>“We do what we always do. We show up to work and try to do the best we can do,” the All-Pro quarterback says. “We know there’s a lot at stake and I think everyone’s put a lot into it. It doesn’t really matter what happened outside of this facility.”</p>
<p>Tennessee has lost six in a row to New England, but comes off a stirring second-half rally at Kansas City from 18 points down, the largest postseason comeback on the road in the Super Bowl era.</p>
<p>Jacksonville (11-6) at Pittsburgh (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Ben Roethlisberger had the worst game of his career in that October loss to the Jags. Pittsburgh lost only once after that, at home to the Patriots in a game that decided the AFC’s top seed.</p>
<p>While Roethlisberger probably will play far better than that, the biggest challenge for Jacksonville could be stopping Le’Veon Bell in the running game. The Jaguars ranked first stopping the pass, but 21st against the run.</p>
<p>“I feel great, especially not playing these last two weeks, not going to (training) camp earlier in the year,” Bell says. “I can’t complain. I like where I am. This is the freshest I’ve ever been going into the playoffs so we’ll see how it goes.”</p>
<p>Pittsburgh also gets back receiver Antonio Brown, like Bell an All-Pro this season.</p>
<p>Jacksonville needs far better passing from Blake Bortles. He gained more yards running than throwing vs. Buffalo in the wild-card round.</p>
<p>Atlanta (11-6) at Philadelphia (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>Although Philly is the No. 1 NFC seed, the Falcons are favored. Part of that owes to Atlanta’s impressive work in winning at the Los Angeles Rams last week. Part has to do with the Falcons nearly winning the Super Bowl last February.</p>
<p>And part has to do with Nick Foles being the Eagles’ quarterback instead of the injured Carson Wentz.</p>
<p>Foles, though, has had some success in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>“It’s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,” Foles says. “I’ve played this game a long time. There’s a reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do. When I play my best and I’m most comfortable, I just go out there and play.”</p>
<p>By contrast, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan has a passer rating of at least 100 in five straight postseason games, tied for the second-longest streak in league history. Only Joe Montana had a longer string with eight.</p>
<p>New Orleans (12-5) at Minnesota (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Minnesota easily handled New Orleans in the season opener, eons ago in NFL terms. The Vikings had a different quarterback then in Sam Bradford. Case Keenum has put together a superb stretch of games since replacing the injured Bradford.</p>
<p>The Saints’ RB tandem of Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara wasn’t quite in place yet, either. And the New Orleans defense didn’t come to fruition until Week 3.</p>
<p>Minnesota’s D is balanced from front to back, so how Drew Brees deals with it could be the decider here.</p>
<p>“There’s no doubt about it,” Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards says, “you have a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback that does an excellent job of going out and executing their game from week to week. Our work will be cut out for us keeping them contained and hopefully giving them some things that can cause them some problems.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">http://www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>The general belief is there are four contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC, two in the AFC.</p>
<p>Let’s see if Tennessee or Jacksonville can prove that theory wrong this weekend.</p>
<p>Both AFC South representatives are significant underdogs, the Titans at New England on Saturday night, the Jaguars at Pittsburgh on Sunday. For weeks, it’s been presumed Steelers vs. Patriots will decide who goes to the Super Bowl from the conference.</p>
<p>The Titans and Jaguars want to have their say.</p>
<p>“They’re the champs and these are the types of teams you’ve got to beat if you want to be the champs,” says Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey, who is 0-5 against the Patriots. “You’ve got to beat these teams at their place.”</p>
<p>Jacksonville already has done that, routing the Steelers at Heinz Field 30-9 in Week 5.</p>
<p>“We did beat them the first time, so to have all the confidence coming out of there is interesting,” Jaguars DT Malik Jackson says. “They got a bye week, so they’re probably feeling really confident. We’ll see Sunday.”</p>
<p>Tennessee (10-7) at New England (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>All the numbers favor the Patriots extending their record of consecutive title games reached to seven. They are, by far, the more experienced side: 14 Patriots players have played at least 10 playoff games. That’s more such players than the 11 other 2017 playoff teams combined (13). Tom Brady has a 6-1 career record against the Titans, throwing for 13 TDs and one interception. He’s 11-2 in 13 divisional-round games since 2002 and has completed 316 of 509 passes for 3,700 yards and 28 TDs in those games.</p>
<p>And amid reported turmoil involving Brady, owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the quarterback isn’t likely to lose focus.</p>
<p>“We do what we always do. We show up to work and try to do the best we can do,” the All-Pro quarterback says. “We know there’s a lot at stake and I think everyone’s put a lot into it. It doesn’t really matter what happened outside of this facility.”</p>
<p>Tennessee has lost six in a row to New England, but comes off a stirring second-half rally at Kansas City from 18 points down, the largest postseason comeback on the road in the Super Bowl era.</p>
<p>Jacksonville (11-6) at Pittsburgh (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Ben Roethlisberger had the worst game of his career in that October loss to the Jags. Pittsburgh lost only once after that, at home to the Patriots in a game that decided the AFC’s top seed.</p>
<p>While Roethlisberger probably will play far better than that, the biggest challenge for Jacksonville could be stopping Le’Veon Bell in the running game. The Jaguars ranked first stopping the pass, but 21st against the run.</p>
<p>“I feel great, especially not playing these last two weeks, not going to (training) camp earlier in the year,” Bell says. “I can’t complain. I like where I am. This is the freshest I’ve ever been going into the playoffs so we’ll see how it goes.”</p>
<p>Pittsburgh also gets back receiver Antonio Brown, like Bell an All-Pro this season.</p>
<p>Jacksonville needs far better passing from Blake Bortles. He gained more yards running than throwing vs. Buffalo in the wild-card round.</p>
<p>Atlanta (11-6) at Philadelphia (13-3), Saturday</p>
<p>Although Philly is the No. 1 NFC seed, the Falcons are favored. Part of that owes to Atlanta’s impressive work in winning at the Los Angeles Rams last week. Part has to do with the Falcons nearly winning the Super Bowl last February.</p>
<p>And part has to do with Nick Foles being the Eagles’ quarterback instead of the injured Carson Wentz.</p>
<p>Foles, though, has had some success in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>“It’s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,” Foles says. “I’ve played this game a long time. There’s a reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do. When I play my best and I’m most comfortable, I just go out there and play.”</p>
<p>By contrast, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan has a passer rating of at least 100 in five straight postseason games, tied for the second-longest streak in league history. Only Joe Montana had a longer string with eight.</p>
<p>New Orleans (12-5) at Minnesota (13-3), Sunday</p>
<p>Minnesota easily handled New Orleans in the season opener, eons ago in NFL terms. The Vikings had a different quarterback then in Sam Bradford. Case Keenum has put together a superb stretch of games since replacing the injured Bradford.</p>
<p>The Saints’ RB tandem of Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara wasn’t quite in place yet, either. And the New Orleans defense didn’t come to fruition until Week 3.</p>
<p>Minnesota’s D is balanced from front to back, so how Drew Brees deals with it could be the decider here.</p>
<p>“There’s no doubt about it,” Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards says, “you have a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback that does an excellent job of going out and executing their game from week to week. Our work will be cut out for us keeping them contained and hopefully giving them some things that can cause them some problems.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">http://www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p> | 3,731 |
<p>LEONIA, N.J. (AP) — A small town near the world's busiest bridge is putting up the "keep out" sign for motorists seeking a shortcut to it, the latest example of the effects navigation apps are having on communities located near major chokepoints.</p>
<p>As a response to apps like Waze and Apple Maps that reroute some of the tens of thousands of vehicles headed to the George Washington Bridge each morning, Leonia on Monday started barring the use of side streets to non-residents during the morning and evening commutes. Violators could face $200 fines.</p>
<p>Local officials and police have said the decision isn't a hasty one and they've done extensive studies of traffic patterns.</p>
<p>Police Chief Thomas Rowe said studies have shown more than 2,000 vehicles often pass through town from just one of the three exits off Interstate 95. The town has about 9,200 residents and a police force of 18.</p>
<p>The three exits off a major highway and the proximity to the bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, and New York City, put the town "in a unique situation here," Rowe said. "We are a small town in a very busy area with a very small police force."</p>
<p>Other towns have taken similar steps. Fremont, California, north of San Jose, implemented turn restrictions during commuting hours, and several towns in the Boston area have redirected traffic or are seeking permission to do so.</p>
<p>Maria Favale, who has lived in Leonia for nearly 30 years, said she tried to get to her church one morning through the congested downtown and nearly gave up.</p>
<p>Standing outside the borough hall Monday, she noticed a marked difference: fewer cars.</p>
<p>"I don't know if it's because it's the first day and people are worried about tickets, but it's been great," Favale said.</p>
<p>More than 140,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, most during commuting hours, and when there is an accident, lane closure or other problem, it has a ripple effect. On one such day in 2014, a woman in Leonia was struck and dragged by a school bus and later died.</p>
<p>Leonia is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the George Washington Bridge, where aides to Republican then-Gov. Chris Christie were accused of deliberately closing access lanes and causing traffic jams in 2013 to spite the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing him. Christie denied any knowledge of the scheme, but three people close to him either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.</p>
<p>Leonia's traffic problems have been exacerbated in the last several years as navigation apps have exploded in popularity. The apps are programmed to send motorists to faster routes, not necessarily with regard for where those routes go, Rowe said.</p>
<p>"Sometimes I think they need to do a better job of seeing whether a road is suitable for cut-through traffic," he said.</p>
<p>That said, Rowe said Waze has been "extremely helpful and extremely cooperative" and has changed its app to reflect the road closures.</p>
<p>A Waze spokeswoman didn't return a message seeking comment Monday.</p>
<p>Rowe said his officers initially will give motorists warnings but eventually will begin writing tickets.</p>
<p>Some critics have questioned the legality of the street restrictions but are waiting to see how the plan shakes out. Rowe said the town has done its homework and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Virginia case involving parking restrictions appears to support Leonia's stance.</p>
<p>Steve Carrellas, New Jersey representative of the National Motorists Association, an advocacy group, disagreed.</p>
<p>"They may be able to do something, but not as extreme as they're doing," he said.</p>
<p>Leonia's plan has struck a chord around the world: Rowe and Mayor Judah Zeigler have fielded interview requests from France and Canada and from the major television networks.</p>
<p>Road crews have been putting "Do Not Enter" signs on about 60 side streets in town. Residents are exempted from the restrictions if they display yellow tags hanging from their rearview mirrors.</p>
<p>Rowe said if his officers never write one ticket, he'd be happy.</p>
<p>"Hopefully it will change people's driving behavior," he said. "That's the goal here."</p>
<p>LEONIA, N.J. (AP) — A small town near the world's busiest bridge is putting up the "keep out" sign for motorists seeking a shortcut to it, the latest example of the effects navigation apps are having on communities located near major chokepoints.</p>
<p>As a response to apps like Waze and Apple Maps that reroute some of the tens of thousands of vehicles headed to the George Washington Bridge each morning, Leonia on Monday started barring the use of side streets to non-residents during the morning and evening commutes. Violators could face $200 fines.</p>
<p>Local officials and police have said the decision isn't a hasty one and they've done extensive studies of traffic patterns.</p>
<p>Police Chief Thomas Rowe said studies have shown more than 2,000 vehicles often pass through town from just one of the three exits off Interstate 95. The town has about 9,200 residents and a police force of 18.</p>
<p>The three exits off a major highway and the proximity to the bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, and New York City, put the town "in a unique situation here," Rowe said. "We are a small town in a very busy area with a very small police force."</p>
<p>Other towns have taken similar steps. Fremont, California, north of San Jose, implemented turn restrictions during commuting hours, and several towns in the Boston area have redirected traffic or are seeking permission to do so.</p>
<p>Maria Favale, who has lived in Leonia for nearly 30 years, said she tried to get to her church one morning through the congested downtown and nearly gave up.</p>
<p>Standing outside the borough hall Monday, she noticed a marked difference: fewer cars.</p>
<p>"I don't know if it's because it's the first day and people are worried about tickets, but it's been great," Favale said.</p>
<p>More than 140,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, most during commuting hours, and when there is an accident, lane closure or other problem, it has a ripple effect. On one such day in 2014, a woman in Leonia was struck and dragged by a school bus and later died.</p>
<p>Leonia is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the George Washington Bridge, where aides to Republican then-Gov. Chris Christie were accused of deliberately closing access lanes and causing traffic jams in 2013 to spite the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing him. Christie denied any knowledge of the scheme, but three people close to him either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.</p>
<p>Leonia's traffic problems have been exacerbated in the last several years as navigation apps have exploded in popularity. The apps are programmed to send motorists to faster routes, not necessarily with regard for where those routes go, Rowe said.</p>
<p>"Sometimes I think they need to do a better job of seeing whether a road is suitable for cut-through traffic," he said.</p>
<p>That said, Rowe said Waze has been "extremely helpful and extremely cooperative" and has changed its app to reflect the road closures.</p>
<p>A Waze spokeswoman didn't return a message seeking comment Monday.</p>
<p>Rowe said his officers initially will give motorists warnings but eventually will begin writing tickets.</p>
<p>Some critics have questioned the legality of the street restrictions but are waiting to see how the plan shakes out. Rowe said the town has done its homework and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Virginia case involving parking restrictions appears to support Leonia's stance.</p>
<p>Steve Carrellas, New Jersey representative of the National Motorists Association, an advocacy group, disagreed.</p>
<p>"They may be able to do something, but not as extreme as they're doing," he said.</p>
<p>Leonia's plan has struck a chord around the world: Rowe and Mayor Judah Zeigler have fielded interview requests from France and Canada and from the major television networks.</p>
<p>Road crews have been putting "Do Not Enter" signs on about 60 side streets in town. Residents are exempted from the restrictions if they display yellow tags hanging from their rearview mirrors.</p>
<p>Rowe said if his officers never write one ticket, he'd be happy.</p>
<p>"Hopefully it will change people's driving behavior," he said. "That's the goal here."</p> | Town beset by traffic via navigation apps closes off streets | false | https://apnews.com/amp/a942fbbe49de44ed945c0fba4517b8ab | 2018-01-22 | 2least
| Town beset by traffic via navigation apps closes off streets
<p>LEONIA, N.J. (AP) — A small town near the world's busiest bridge is putting up the "keep out" sign for motorists seeking a shortcut to it, the latest example of the effects navigation apps are having on communities located near major chokepoints.</p>
<p>As a response to apps like Waze and Apple Maps that reroute some of the tens of thousands of vehicles headed to the George Washington Bridge each morning, Leonia on Monday started barring the use of side streets to non-residents during the morning and evening commutes. Violators could face $200 fines.</p>
<p>Local officials and police have said the decision isn't a hasty one and they've done extensive studies of traffic patterns.</p>
<p>Police Chief Thomas Rowe said studies have shown more than 2,000 vehicles often pass through town from just one of the three exits off Interstate 95. The town has about 9,200 residents and a police force of 18.</p>
<p>The three exits off a major highway and the proximity to the bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, and New York City, put the town "in a unique situation here," Rowe said. "We are a small town in a very busy area with a very small police force."</p>
<p>Other towns have taken similar steps. Fremont, California, north of San Jose, implemented turn restrictions during commuting hours, and several towns in the Boston area have redirected traffic or are seeking permission to do so.</p>
<p>Maria Favale, who has lived in Leonia for nearly 30 years, said she tried to get to her church one morning through the congested downtown and nearly gave up.</p>
<p>Standing outside the borough hall Monday, she noticed a marked difference: fewer cars.</p>
<p>"I don't know if it's because it's the first day and people are worried about tickets, but it's been great," Favale said.</p>
<p>More than 140,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, most during commuting hours, and when there is an accident, lane closure or other problem, it has a ripple effect. On one such day in 2014, a woman in Leonia was struck and dragged by a school bus and later died.</p>
<p>Leonia is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the George Washington Bridge, where aides to Republican then-Gov. Chris Christie were accused of deliberately closing access lanes and causing traffic jams in 2013 to spite the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing him. Christie denied any knowledge of the scheme, but three people close to him either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.</p>
<p>Leonia's traffic problems have been exacerbated in the last several years as navigation apps have exploded in popularity. The apps are programmed to send motorists to faster routes, not necessarily with regard for where those routes go, Rowe said.</p>
<p>"Sometimes I think they need to do a better job of seeing whether a road is suitable for cut-through traffic," he said.</p>
<p>That said, Rowe said Waze has been "extremely helpful and extremely cooperative" and has changed its app to reflect the road closures.</p>
<p>A Waze spokeswoman didn't return a message seeking comment Monday.</p>
<p>Rowe said his officers initially will give motorists warnings but eventually will begin writing tickets.</p>
<p>Some critics have questioned the legality of the street restrictions but are waiting to see how the plan shakes out. Rowe said the town has done its homework and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Virginia case involving parking restrictions appears to support Leonia's stance.</p>
<p>Steve Carrellas, New Jersey representative of the National Motorists Association, an advocacy group, disagreed.</p>
<p>"They may be able to do something, but not as extreme as they're doing," he said.</p>
<p>Leonia's plan has struck a chord around the world: Rowe and Mayor Judah Zeigler have fielded interview requests from France and Canada and from the major television networks.</p>
<p>Road crews have been putting "Do Not Enter" signs on about 60 side streets in town. Residents are exempted from the restrictions if they display yellow tags hanging from their rearview mirrors.</p>
<p>Rowe said if his officers never write one ticket, he'd be happy.</p>
<p>"Hopefully it will change people's driving behavior," he said. "That's the goal here."</p>
<p>LEONIA, N.J. (AP) — A small town near the world's busiest bridge is putting up the "keep out" sign for motorists seeking a shortcut to it, the latest example of the effects navigation apps are having on communities located near major chokepoints.</p>
<p>As a response to apps like Waze and Apple Maps that reroute some of the tens of thousands of vehicles headed to the George Washington Bridge each morning, Leonia on Monday started barring the use of side streets to non-residents during the morning and evening commutes. Violators could face $200 fines.</p>
<p>Local officials and police have said the decision isn't a hasty one and they've done extensive studies of traffic patterns.</p>
<p>Police Chief Thomas Rowe said studies have shown more than 2,000 vehicles often pass through town from just one of the three exits off Interstate 95. The town has about 9,200 residents and a police force of 18.</p>
<p>The three exits off a major highway and the proximity to the bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, and New York City, put the town "in a unique situation here," Rowe said. "We are a small town in a very busy area with a very small police force."</p>
<p>Other towns have taken similar steps. Fremont, California, north of San Jose, implemented turn restrictions during commuting hours, and several towns in the Boston area have redirected traffic or are seeking permission to do so.</p>
<p>Maria Favale, who has lived in Leonia for nearly 30 years, said she tried to get to her church one morning through the congested downtown and nearly gave up.</p>
<p>Standing outside the borough hall Monday, she noticed a marked difference: fewer cars.</p>
<p>"I don't know if it's because it's the first day and people are worried about tickets, but it's been great," Favale said.</p>
<p>More than 140,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, most during commuting hours, and when there is an accident, lane closure or other problem, it has a ripple effect. On one such day in 2014, a woman in Leonia was struck and dragged by a school bus and later died.</p>
<p>Leonia is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the George Washington Bridge, where aides to Republican then-Gov. Chris Christie were accused of deliberately closing access lanes and causing traffic jams in 2013 to spite the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing him. Christie denied any knowledge of the scheme, but three people close to him either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.</p>
<p>Leonia's traffic problems have been exacerbated in the last several years as navigation apps have exploded in popularity. The apps are programmed to send motorists to faster routes, not necessarily with regard for where those routes go, Rowe said.</p>
<p>"Sometimes I think they need to do a better job of seeing whether a road is suitable for cut-through traffic," he said.</p>
<p>That said, Rowe said Waze has been "extremely helpful and extremely cooperative" and has changed its app to reflect the road closures.</p>
<p>A Waze spokeswoman didn't return a message seeking comment Monday.</p>
<p>Rowe said his officers initially will give motorists warnings but eventually will begin writing tickets.</p>
<p>Some critics have questioned the legality of the street restrictions but are waiting to see how the plan shakes out. Rowe said the town has done its homework and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Virginia case involving parking restrictions appears to support Leonia's stance.</p>
<p>Steve Carrellas, New Jersey representative of the National Motorists Association, an advocacy group, disagreed.</p>
<p>"They may be able to do something, but not as extreme as they're doing," he said.</p>
<p>Leonia's plan has struck a chord around the world: Rowe and Mayor Judah Zeigler have fielded interview requests from France and Canada and from the major television networks.</p>
<p>Road crews have been putting "Do Not Enter" signs on about 60 side streets in town. Residents are exempted from the restrictions if they display yellow tags hanging from their rearview mirrors.</p>
<p>Rowe said if his officers never write one ticket, he'd be happy.</p>
<p>"Hopefully it will change people's driving behavior," he said. "That's the goal here."</p> | 3,732 |
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<p>LAS CRUCES (AP) — A drug smuggler left more than a load of marijuana when he abandoned his vehicle in the desert near Las Cruces.</p>
<p>U.S. Border Patrol agents say he also left a woman and a small child.</p>
<p>Agents at a traffic checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces stopped a vehicle for inspection early Tuesday.</p>
<p>The driver refused to follow agents’ instructions and fled the checkpoint at a high rate of speed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Agents attempted to pursue the vehicle, but lost sight of the tail lights as the vehicle headed off road.</p>
<p>They later found the vehicle perched on the ledge of an arroyo.</p>
<p>The driver had left behind the woman and child along with 215 pounds of marijuana in several bundles in the vehicle’s luggage area.</p>
<p>Authorities say the marijuana has an estimated value of $172,000.</p> | Smuggler leaves drugs, woman, child at NM checkpoint | false | https://abqjournal.com/296014/smuggler-leaves-drugs-woman-child-at-nm-checkpoint.html | 2013-11-07 | 2least
| Smuggler leaves drugs, woman, child at NM checkpoint
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>LAS CRUCES (AP) — A drug smuggler left more than a load of marijuana when he abandoned his vehicle in the desert near Las Cruces.</p>
<p>U.S. Border Patrol agents say he also left a woman and a small child.</p>
<p>Agents at a traffic checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces stopped a vehicle for inspection early Tuesday.</p>
<p>The driver refused to follow agents’ instructions and fled the checkpoint at a high rate of speed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Agents attempted to pursue the vehicle, but lost sight of the tail lights as the vehicle headed off road.</p>
<p>They later found the vehicle perched on the ledge of an arroyo.</p>
<p>The driver had left behind the woman and child along with 215 pounds of marijuana in several bundles in the vehicle’s luggage area.</p>
<p>Authorities say the marijuana has an estimated value of $172,000.</p> | 3,733 |
<p>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s parliament failed on Saturday to approve May 12 as the election date, as suggested by the government, as Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers demanded a delay to allow hundreds of thousands of war-displaced people to return home.</p> FILE PHOTO - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi speaks during a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ludovic Marin/Pool/File Photo
<p>Shi’ite politicians, including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, insist on holding the election as planned on May 12, saying a delay would be against the constitution.</p>
<p>Speaking after Saturday’s session in Baghdad, Parliamentary Speaker Salim al-Jabouri, a Sunni, expressed hope that parliament would be able to vote on an election date by Monday, state TV reported.</p>
<p>Abadi is seeking re-election, building on a surge in his popularity among Iraq’s majority Shi’ite Arab community after leading the three-year fight against Islamic State militants, supported by a U.S.-led coalition.</p>
<p>“Postponing the elections would set a dangerous precedent, undermining the constitution and damaging Iraq’s long-term democratic development,” the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement on Thursday.</p>
<p>Washington had shown understanding for Abadi’s move in October to dislodge Kurdish fighters from the oil rich northern region of Kirkuk, even though the Kurds are traditional allies of the United States.</p>
<p>Tens of thousands of Kurds were displaced as a result of the takeover of the ethnically mixed areas of Kirkuk and its surroundings by Iraqi forces supported by Iranian-backed paramilitary groups.</p>
<p>The United Nations estimates the total number of people who remain displaced in Iraq at 2.6 million, mostly Sunni Arabs from areas previously controlled by Islamic State.</p>
<p>The role of prime minister is reserved for the Shi’ite Arabs under a power-sharing system set up after the 2003 U.S-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Arab.</p>
<p>The largely ceremonial office of president is reserved for a Kurdish member of parliament, while the speaker of parliament is drawn from among Sunni Arab MPs.</p>
<p>Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Janet Lawrence</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. intelligence chief said on Wednesday that a decision had been made on the future of American troops in war-torn Syria and the White House would make it public soon.</p> Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 13, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
<p>Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the decision was reached at an “all hands on deck” National Security Council meeting on Tuesday.</p>
<p>President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wanted to “get out” of Syria but offered no timetable. [nL2N1RG1HN]</p>
<p>At the same time, Trump’s advisers warned of the hard work left to defeat Islamic State and stabilize areas recaptured from the hardline militant group.</p>
<p>Trump said at a news conference the United States would “not rest until ISIS is gone,” using an acronym for the militant group. But he also suggested that victory was imminent.</p>
<p>“It’s time,” Trump told reporters, when asked if he was inclined to withdraw American forces.</p>
<p>The Pentagon and State Department have said a longer term U.S. effort would be needed to ensure that Islamic State’s defeat is a lasting one.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Gregorio</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he was cancelling an agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, bowing to right-wing pressure to scrap the deal.</p>
<p>The agency, the UNHCR, said it hoped Israel would reconsider the decision soon and offered to work with it to identify and “respond to the protection needs” of asylum seekers in the country.</p>
<p>Netanyahu’s critics seized on his backtracking on the arrangement - under which thousands of other migrants would have won the right to remain in Israel - as a sign of political weakness. The prime minister is the subject of police investigations into suspected corruption, which he denies.</p>
<p>For the estimated 37,000 African migrants in Israel, most of them from Eritrea and Sudan, a whirlwind of announcements about their future has swept their status even deeper into limbo.</p>
<p>Outside a government complex in Tel Aviv where Netanyahu said he was scrapping the deal, several African men wrapped themselves in chains in a protest that put their sense of powerlessness on display.</p>
<p>On Monday Netanyahu announced an arrangement with the UNHCR that would have relocated about 16,250 migrants to Western countries.</p>
<p>But the fact that thousands more would be allowed to stay raised an outcry from right-wing politicians and on social media from Netanyahu’s nationalist voter base, which wants the migrants expelled. He then posted on Facebook he was putting the agreement’s implementation on hold.</p>
<p>By Tuesday, the deal was dead.</p>
<p>“I have listened carefully to the many comments on the agreement. As a result, and after I again weighed the advantages and disadvantages, I decided to cancel the deal,” a statement from the prime minister’s office quoted Netanyahu as saying.</p>
<p>He made the remarks at a meeting with representatives of residents of south Tel Aviv, a poor area that has attracted the largest migrant community and where many of its inhabitants want the Africans out.</p>
<p>The fate of migrants who entered Israel illegally by trekking across a desert border with Egypt, has posed a moral dilemma for a state founded as a haven for Jews from persecution and a national home.</p>
<p>In a statement, Israeli human rights groups condemned the decision to cancel the agreement, accusing Netanyahu of playing “political games”. The groups said Israel is capable of absorbing all of the migrants, describing them as “asylum-seekers who came knocking on its door”.</p>
<p>Before announcing the deal, Israel had been moving ahead with plans to deport many of the Africans to Rwanda. But the Supreme Court intervened, freezing such deportations in March, and Netanyahu said Rwanda had buckled to international pressure and reneged on the deal.</p> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem April 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
<p>“Despite legal restraints and international difficulties that are piling up, we will continue to act with determination to explore all of the options at our disposal to remove the infiltrators,” Netanyahu said in his statement on Tuesday.</p> NETANYAHU BLAMES NGO
<p>Netanyahu blamed the New Israel Fund (NIF), a U.S.-based non-governmental organization, for causing the deal with Rwanda to be scuppered, saying that through European states, it had persuaded the African nation to refuse to take in the migrants.</p>
<p>In a Facebook post in Hebrew, he added that “for decades, the Fund contributes to anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian organizations” and called for a parliamentary committee to investigate it.</p>
<p>The NIF denied Netanyahu’s allegation and said on its Facebook page that it had not influenced Rwanda’s decision and that he had “once again resorted to lies about the New Israel Fund in order to score cheap political points.”</p> African migrants and Israeli activists demonstrate in support of the new agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, outside Israeli Prime Minister office in Jerusalem April 3, 2018. The placard in Hebrew reads "Not Playing with Human Life, Yes to the deal". REUTERS/Ammar Awad
<p>“The New Israel Fund had nothing to do with Rwanda’s decision to refuse to participate in the Prime Minister’s cruel mass deportation plan.”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Ori Lewis and by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; editing by David Stamp and Richard Balmforth</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump agreed in a National Security Council meeting this week to keep U.S. troops in Syria a little longer to defeat Islamic State but wants them out relatively soon, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Trump did not approve a specific withdrawal timetable at Tuesday’s meeting, the official said. He wants to ensure Islamic State militants are defeated but wants other countries in the region and the United Nations to step up and help provide stability in Syria, the official said.</p>
<p>“We’re not going to immediately withdraw but neither is the president willing to back a long-term commitment,” the official said.</p>
<p>Trump had signaled his desire to get U.S. forces out of Syria in a speech last Thursday in Ohio, and officials said he had privately been pressing for an early withdrawal in talks with his national security aides.</p>
<p>Trump told a news conference on Tuesday with Baltic leaders that the United States was very successful against Islamic State but that “sometimes it’s time to come back home.”</p>
<p>His advisers have been urging him to maintain at least a small force in Syria to ensure the militants are defeated and to prevent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ally Iran from gaining an important foothold.</p>
<p>The United States is waging air strikes in Syria and has deployed about 2,000 troops on the ground, including special operations forces whose advice has helped Kurdish militia and other U.S.-backed fighters capture territory from Islamic State, also known as ISIS.</p>
<p>The White House said in a statement on Wednesday that the U.S. military mission to eradicate Islamic State “is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed.”</p>
<p>“The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated,” it said, urging countries in the region and the United Nations to help ensure that “ISIS never re-emerges.”</p>
<p>U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East as the head of Central Command, estimated on Tuesday that more than 90 percent of the group’s territory in Syria had been taken back since 2014.</p>
<p>In the National Security Council meeting, Trump made clear that he did not want to stay in Syria for a lengthy period. The senior official said the impression Trump left was that he would like to withdraw in a year or less.</p>
<p>“He’s not going to tolerate several years to a half decade,” the official said.</p>
<p>Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy for the global coalition against Islamic State, on Tuesday said the U.S. fight against Islamic State was not over.</p> A U.S. fighter stands near a military vehicle, north of Raqqa city, Syria November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said
<p>“We are in Syria to fight ISIS. That is our mission and our mission isn’t over and we are going to complete that mission,” McGurk said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu and Phil Stewart; Editing by Alistair Bell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wanted to “get out” of Syria but offered no timetable, as his advisers warned of the hard work left to defeat Islamic State and stabilize areas recaptured from the hardline militant group.</p>
<p>Trump told a news conference the United States would “not rest until ISIS is gone,” using an acronym for the militant group. But he also suggested that victory was imminent.</p>
<p>The Pentagon and State Department have held that a longer term U.S. effort would be needed to ensure that Islamic State’s defeat is a lasting one.</p>
<p>“It’s time,” Trump told reporters, when asked if he was inclined to withdraw U.S. forces.</p>
<p>“We were very successful against (Islamic State). We’ll be successful against anybody militarily. But sometimes it’s time to come back home, and we’re thinking about that very seriously.”</p>
<p>The United States is waging near-daily air strikes in Syria and has deployed about 2,000 troops on the ground, including U.S. special operations forces whose advising has helped Kurdish militia and other U.S.-backed fighters capture territory from Islamic State.</p>
<p>U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East as the head of Central Command, estimated on Tuesday that more than 90 percent of the group’s territory in Syria had been taken back from the militants since 2014.</p>
<p>Trump estimated the percentage of territory recaptured in Iraq and Syria at “almost 100 percent,” a figure that U.S. officials say is correct - it is about 98 percent - but does not highlight the work left in Syria.</p>
<p>The big hurdle, in the U.S. military’s view, is seizing Islamic State-held territory around the Syrian town of Abu Kamal.</p>
<p>That effort that has been slowed as U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters shift their focus away from Islamic State toward a Turkish offensive against Kurdish allies elsewhere in Syria’s complex, multi-pronged civil war, now in its eighth year.</p>
<p>Brett McGurk, the special U.S. envoy for the global coalition against Islamic State, speaking alongside Votel at an event in Washington on Tuesday, said the U.S. fight against Islamic State was not over.</p>
<p>“We are in Syria to fight ISIS. That is our mission and our mission isn’t over and we are going to complete that mission,” McGurk said.</p>
<p>OBAMA DO-OVER</p>
<p>Experts were divided about the significance of Trump’s simultaneous musings about withdrawal and his assurance that the United States will not depart until Islamic State is defeated.</p>
<p>The militant group is widely expected to revert to guerilla tactics once the last remnants of its once self-styled “caliphate” are captured by U.S.-backed forces.</p>
<p>Jon Alterman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank, said a precipitous U.S. withdrawal would undermine U.S. leverage in talks to end Syria’s civil war.</p> A U.S. fighter stands near a military vehicle, north of Raqqa city, Syria November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said
<p>“The principal consequence is the United States surrenders the little influence it has over the future of Syria,” he said.</p>
<p>Experts warn an abrupt U.S. withdrawal could benefit Russia and Iran, U.S. rivals who could extend their influence in Syria.</p>
<p>Trump noted that U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, Iran’s arch-rival, was interested in his decision, adding: “Well, you know, you want us to stay, maybe you’re going to have to pay.”</p>
<p>Trump has previously lambasted his predecessor, Barack Obama, for his withdrawal from Iraq that preceded an unraveling of the Iraqi armed forces, which eventually collapsed in the face of Islamic State’s advance into the country in 2014.</p>
<p>It was unclear what Trump’s vision of a post-war U.S. role in Syria would look like. But his recent decision to freeze more than $200 million in funds for recovery efforts in Syria suggests resistance to a broad U.S. ground effort.</p>
<p>McGurk acknowledged a review was underway to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars were well spent.</p> U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Latvia's President Raimonds Vejonis, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid and Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 3, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
<p>Votel said he saw a U.S. military role in stabilization efforts in Syria.</p>
<p>“The hard part, I think, is in front of us, and that is stabilizing these areas, consolidating our gains, getting people back into their homes,” Votel said, adding “there is a military role in this.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Arshad Mohammed, David Brunnstrom, Lesley Wroughton, and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Mary Milliken, James Dalgleish and Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | Iraqi parliament postpones vote on election date U.S. makes decision on troops in Syria: intelligence chief Israel's Netanyahu scraps African migrant relocation deal with U.N. Trump agrees to keep U.S. troops in Syria a 'little longer,' but wants out Trump seeks Syria pullout as advisers warn of hard work ahead | false | https://reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-politics/iraqi-parliament-postpones-vote-on-election-date-idUSKBN1F90JA | 2018-01-20 | 2least
| Iraqi parliament postpones vote on election date U.S. makes decision on troops in Syria: intelligence chief Israel's Netanyahu scraps African migrant relocation deal with U.N. Trump agrees to keep U.S. troops in Syria a 'little longer,' but wants out Trump seeks Syria pullout as advisers warn of hard work ahead
<p>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s parliament failed on Saturday to approve May 12 as the election date, as suggested by the government, as Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers demanded a delay to allow hundreds of thousands of war-displaced people to return home.</p> FILE PHOTO - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi speaks during a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ludovic Marin/Pool/File Photo
<p>Shi’ite politicians, including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, insist on holding the election as planned on May 12, saying a delay would be against the constitution.</p>
<p>Speaking after Saturday’s session in Baghdad, Parliamentary Speaker Salim al-Jabouri, a Sunni, expressed hope that parliament would be able to vote on an election date by Monday, state TV reported.</p>
<p>Abadi is seeking re-election, building on a surge in his popularity among Iraq’s majority Shi’ite Arab community after leading the three-year fight against Islamic State militants, supported by a U.S.-led coalition.</p>
<p>“Postponing the elections would set a dangerous precedent, undermining the constitution and damaging Iraq’s long-term democratic development,” the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement on Thursday.</p>
<p>Washington had shown understanding for Abadi’s move in October to dislodge Kurdish fighters from the oil rich northern region of Kirkuk, even though the Kurds are traditional allies of the United States.</p>
<p>Tens of thousands of Kurds were displaced as a result of the takeover of the ethnically mixed areas of Kirkuk and its surroundings by Iraqi forces supported by Iranian-backed paramilitary groups.</p>
<p>The United Nations estimates the total number of people who remain displaced in Iraq at 2.6 million, mostly Sunni Arabs from areas previously controlled by Islamic State.</p>
<p>The role of prime minister is reserved for the Shi’ite Arabs under a power-sharing system set up after the 2003 U.S-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Arab.</p>
<p>The largely ceremonial office of president is reserved for a Kurdish member of parliament, while the speaker of parliament is drawn from among Sunni Arab MPs.</p>
<p>Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Janet Lawrence</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. intelligence chief said on Wednesday that a decision had been made on the future of American troops in war-torn Syria and the White House would make it public soon.</p> Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 13, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
<p>Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the decision was reached at an “all hands on deck” National Security Council meeting on Tuesday.</p>
<p>President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wanted to “get out” of Syria but offered no timetable. [nL2N1RG1HN]</p>
<p>At the same time, Trump’s advisers warned of the hard work left to defeat Islamic State and stabilize areas recaptured from the hardline militant group.</p>
<p>Trump said at a news conference the United States would “not rest until ISIS is gone,” using an acronym for the militant group. But he also suggested that victory was imminent.</p>
<p>“It’s time,” Trump told reporters, when asked if he was inclined to withdraw American forces.</p>
<p>The Pentagon and State Department have said a longer term U.S. effort would be needed to ensure that Islamic State’s defeat is a lasting one.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Gregorio</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he was cancelling an agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, bowing to right-wing pressure to scrap the deal.</p>
<p>The agency, the UNHCR, said it hoped Israel would reconsider the decision soon and offered to work with it to identify and “respond to the protection needs” of asylum seekers in the country.</p>
<p>Netanyahu’s critics seized on his backtracking on the arrangement - under which thousands of other migrants would have won the right to remain in Israel - as a sign of political weakness. The prime minister is the subject of police investigations into suspected corruption, which he denies.</p>
<p>For the estimated 37,000 African migrants in Israel, most of them from Eritrea and Sudan, a whirlwind of announcements about their future has swept their status even deeper into limbo.</p>
<p>Outside a government complex in Tel Aviv where Netanyahu said he was scrapping the deal, several African men wrapped themselves in chains in a protest that put their sense of powerlessness on display.</p>
<p>On Monday Netanyahu announced an arrangement with the UNHCR that would have relocated about 16,250 migrants to Western countries.</p>
<p>But the fact that thousands more would be allowed to stay raised an outcry from right-wing politicians and on social media from Netanyahu’s nationalist voter base, which wants the migrants expelled. He then posted on Facebook he was putting the agreement’s implementation on hold.</p>
<p>By Tuesday, the deal was dead.</p>
<p>“I have listened carefully to the many comments on the agreement. As a result, and after I again weighed the advantages and disadvantages, I decided to cancel the deal,” a statement from the prime minister’s office quoted Netanyahu as saying.</p>
<p>He made the remarks at a meeting with representatives of residents of south Tel Aviv, a poor area that has attracted the largest migrant community and where many of its inhabitants want the Africans out.</p>
<p>The fate of migrants who entered Israel illegally by trekking across a desert border with Egypt, has posed a moral dilemma for a state founded as a haven for Jews from persecution and a national home.</p>
<p>In a statement, Israeli human rights groups condemned the decision to cancel the agreement, accusing Netanyahu of playing “political games”. The groups said Israel is capable of absorbing all of the migrants, describing them as “asylum-seekers who came knocking on its door”.</p>
<p>Before announcing the deal, Israel had been moving ahead with plans to deport many of the Africans to Rwanda. But the Supreme Court intervened, freezing such deportations in March, and Netanyahu said Rwanda had buckled to international pressure and reneged on the deal.</p> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem April 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
<p>“Despite legal restraints and international difficulties that are piling up, we will continue to act with determination to explore all of the options at our disposal to remove the infiltrators,” Netanyahu said in his statement on Tuesday.</p> NETANYAHU BLAMES NGO
<p>Netanyahu blamed the New Israel Fund (NIF), a U.S.-based non-governmental organization, for causing the deal with Rwanda to be scuppered, saying that through European states, it had persuaded the African nation to refuse to take in the migrants.</p>
<p>In a Facebook post in Hebrew, he added that “for decades, the Fund contributes to anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian organizations” and called for a parliamentary committee to investigate it.</p>
<p>The NIF denied Netanyahu’s allegation and said on its Facebook page that it had not influenced Rwanda’s decision and that he had “once again resorted to lies about the New Israel Fund in order to score cheap political points.”</p> African migrants and Israeli activists demonstrate in support of the new agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, outside Israeli Prime Minister office in Jerusalem April 3, 2018. The placard in Hebrew reads "Not Playing with Human Life, Yes to the deal". REUTERS/Ammar Awad
<p>“The New Israel Fund had nothing to do with Rwanda’s decision to refuse to participate in the Prime Minister’s cruel mass deportation plan.”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Ori Lewis and by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; editing by David Stamp and Richard Balmforth</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump agreed in a National Security Council meeting this week to keep U.S. troops in Syria a little longer to defeat Islamic State but wants them out relatively soon, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Trump did not approve a specific withdrawal timetable at Tuesday’s meeting, the official said. He wants to ensure Islamic State militants are defeated but wants other countries in the region and the United Nations to step up and help provide stability in Syria, the official said.</p>
<p>“We’re not going to immediately withdraw but neither is the president willing to back a long-term commitment,” the official said.</p>
<p>Trump had signaled his desire to get U.S. forces out of Syria in a speech last Thursday in Ohio, and officials said he had privately been pressing for an early withdrawal in talks with his national security aides.</p>
<p>Trump told a news conference on Tuesday with Baltic leaders that the United States was very successful against Islamic State but that “sometimes it’s time to come back home.”</p>
<p>His advisers have been urging him to maintain at least a small force in Syria to ensure the militants are defeated and to prevent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ally Iran from gaining an important foothold.</p>
<p>The United States is waging air strikes in Syria and has deployed about 2,000 troops on the ground, including special operations forces whose advice has helped Kurdish militia and other U.S.-backed fighters capture territory from Islamic State, also known as ISIS.</p>
<p>The White House said in a statement on Wednesday that the U.S. military mission to eradicate Islamic State “is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed.”</p>
<p>“The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated,” it said, urging countries in the region and the United Nations to help ensure that “ISIS never re-emerges.”</p>
<p>U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East as the head of Central Command, estimated on Tuesday that more than 90 percent of the group’s territory in Syria had been taken back since 2014.</p>
<p>In the National Security Council meeting, Trump made clear that he did not want to stay in Syria for a lengthy period. The senior official said the impression Trump left was that he would like to withdraw in a year or less.</p>
<p>“He’s not going to tolerate several years to a half decade,” the official said.</p>
<p>Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy for the global coalition against Islamic State, on Tuesday said the U.S. fight against Islamic State was not over.</p> A U.S. fighter stands near a military vehicle, north of Raqqa city, Syria November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said
<p>“We are in Syria to fight ISIS. That is our mission and our mission isn’t over and we are going to complete that mission,” McGurk said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu and Phil Stewart; Editing by Alistair Bell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wanted to “get out” of Syria but offered no timetable, as his advisers warned of the hard work left to defeat Islamic State and stabilize areas recaptured from the hardline militant group.</p>
<p>Trump told a news conference the United States would “not rest until ISIS is gone,” using an acronym for the militant group. But he also suggested that victory was imminent.</p>
<p>The Pentagon and State Department have held that a longer term U.S. effort would be needed to ensure that Islamic State’s defeat is a lasting one.</p>
<p>“It’s time,” Trump told reporters, when asked if he was inclined to withdraw U.S. forces.</p>
<p>“We were very successful against (Islamic State). We’ll be successful against anybody militarily. But sometimes it’s time to come back home, and we’re thinking about that very seriously.”</p>
<p>The United States is waging near-daily air strikes in Syria and has deployed about 2,000 troops on the ground, including U.S. special operations forces whose advising has helped Kurdish militia and other U.S.-backed fighters capture territory from Islamic State.</p>
<p>U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. troops in the Middle East as the head of Central Command, estimated on Tuesday that more than 90 percent of the group’s territory in Syria had been taken back from the militants since 2014.</p>
<p>Trump estimated the percentage of territory recaptured in Iraq and Syria at “almost 100 percent,” a figure that U.S. officials say is correct - it is about 98 percent - but does not highlight the work left in Syria.</p>
<p>The big hurdle, in the U.S. military’s view, is seizing Islamic State-held territory around the Syrian town of Abu Kamal.</p>
<p>That effort that has been slowed as U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters shift their focus away from Islamic State toward a Turkish offensive against Kurdish allies elsewhere in Syria’s complex, multi-pronged civil war, now in its eighth year.</p>
<p>Brett McGurk, the special U.S. envoy for the global coalition against Islamic State, speaking alongside Votel at an event in Washington on Tuesday, said the U.S. fight against Islamic State was not over.</p>
<p>“We are in Syria to fight ISIS. That is our mission and our mission isn’t over and we are going to complete that mission,” McGurk said.</p>
<p>OBAMA DO-OVER</p>
<p>Experts were divided about the significance of Trump’s simultaneous musings about withdrawal and his assurance that the United States will not depart until Islamic State is defeated.</p>
<p>The militant group is widely expected to revert to guerilla tactics once the last remnants of its once self-styled “caliphate” are captured by U.S.-backed forces.</p>
<p>Jon Alterman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank, said a precipitous U.S. withdrawal would undermine U.S. leverage in talks to end Syria’s civil war.</p> A U.S. fighter stands near a military vehicle, north of Raqqa city, Syria November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said
<p>“The principal consequence is the United States surrenders the little influence it has over the future of Syria,” he said.</p>
<p>Experts warn an abrupt U.S. withdrawal could benefit Russia and Iran, U.S. rivals who could extend their influence in Syria.</p>
<p>Trump noted that U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, Iran’s arch-rival, was interested in his decision, adding: “Well, you know, you want us to stay, maybe you’re going to have to pay.”</p>
<p>Trump has previously lambasted his predecessor, Barack Obama, for his withdrawal from Iraq that preceded an unraveling of the Iraqi armed forces, which eventually collapsed in the face of Islamic State’s advance into the country in 2014.</p>
<p>It was unclear what Trump’s vision of a post-war U.S. role in Syria would look like. But his recent decision to freeze more than $200 million in funds for recovery efforts in Syria suggests resistance to a broad U.S. ground effort.</p>
<p>McGurk acknowledged a review was underway to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars were well spent.</p> U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Latvia's President Raimonds Vejonis, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid and Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 3, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
<p>Votel said he saw a U.S. military role in stabilization efforts in Syria.</p>
<p>“The hard part, I think, is in front of us, and that is stabilizing these areas, consolidating our gains, getting people back into their homes,” Votel said, adding “there is a military role in this.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Arshad Mohammed, David Brunnstrom, Lesley Wroughton, and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Mary Milliken, James Dalgleish and Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | 3,734 |
<p />
<p>North Korea and trade were expected to be the two main topics President Donald Trump would address during his five-country Asia tour, however, he may have to put the latter aside during his visit to South Korea on Tuesday, where the pair of political allies have dominant differences.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out!</p>
<p>The U.S.’s trade deficit with South Korea is more than $17 billion so far this year, and totaled more than $27.5 billion in 2016, according to government statistics. South Korea is the nation’s sixth-largest goods trading partner and seventh-largest export market.</p>
<p>Despite rising tensions with Pyongyang over its nuclear program, President Trump, who has been cracking down on unfair trade relationships, proposed ending the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement, known as KORUS, as recently as September. The two countries have since agreed on renegotiation.</p>
<p>U.S. companies have also aired their fair share of complaints about Seoul. Chip maker Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) is entangled in an expensive legal dispute with the country’s trade court after the Korea Fair Trade Commission found that it was breaching antitrust laws by practicing what the court deemed to be unfair business practices in patent licensing and chip sales. Qualcomm has challenged the decisions and resulting penalties, which some have said go against the terms laid out in KORUS.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, home appliance maker Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) recently won a vote before the U.S. International Trade Commission after bringing forth a complaint that its South Korean rivals, LG Electronics and Samsung, were dumping washing machines into the U.S. market. The court voted unanimously in favor of Whirlpool and is expected to recommend suggested remedies later this month, which could include tariffs on imported washers. As previously reported by FOX Business, President Trump is in a peculiar position in this circumstance because both LG and Samsung have plans to open U.S. factories in the coming years.</p>
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<p><a href="" type="internal">Experts speculate</a> that in order for Trump to get South Korea’s full cooperation on a cohesive North Korea deterrence strategy, he may have to put trade issues on the back burner, at least in Seoul.</p>
<p>Trump began his trip in Hawaii on Friday, from where he is scheduled to visit five Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.</p>
<p>Trade is expected to be a prominent issue during Trump’s visit to China, where the countries are working toward fostering a healthier economic relationship.</p> | Trump in South Korea: Whirlpool, Qualcomm & the bitter trade battle | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/11/07/trump-in-south-korea-whirlpool-qualcomm-bitter-trade-battle.html | 2017-11-07 | 0right
| Trump in South Korea: Whirlpool, Qualcomm & the bitter trade battle
<p />
<p>North Korea and trade were expected to be the two main topics President Donald Trump would address during his five-country Asia tour, however, he may have to put the latter aside during his visit to South Korea on Tuesday, where the pair of political allies have dominant differences.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out!</p>
<p>The U.S.’s trade deficit with South Korea is more than $17 billion so far this year, and totaled more than $27.5 billion in 2016, according to government statistics. South Korea is the nation’s sixth-largest goods trading partner and seventh-largest export market.</p>
<p>Despite rising tensions with Pyongyang over its nuclear program, President Trump, who has been cracking down on unfair trade relationships, proposed ending the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement, known as KORUS, as recently as September. The two countries have since agreed on renegotiation.</p>
<p>U.S. companies have also aired their fair share of complaints about Seoul. Chip maker Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) is entangled in an expensive legal dispute with the country’s trade court after the Korea Fair Trade Commission found that it was breaching antitrust laws by practicing what the court deemed to be unfair business practices in patent licensing and chip sales. Qualcomm has challenged the decisions and resulting penalties, which some have said go against the terms laid out in KORUS.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, home appliance maker Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) recently won a vote before the U.S. International Trade Commission after bringing forth a complaint that its South Korean rivals, LG Electronics and Samsung, were dumping washing machines into the U.S. market. The court voted unanimously in favor of Whirlpool and is expected to recommend suggested remedies later this month, which could include tariffs on imported washers. As previously reported by FOX Business, President Trump is in a peculiar position in this circumstance because both LG and Samsung have plans to open U.S. factories in the coming years.</p>
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<p><a href="" type="internal">Experts speculate</a> that in order for Trump to get South Korea’s full cooperation on a cohesive North Korea deterrence strategy, he may have to put trade issues on the back burner, at least in Seoul.</p>
<p>Trump began his trip in Hawaii on Friday, from where he is scheduled to visit five Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.</p>
<p>Trade is expected to be a prominent issue during Trump’s visit to China, where the countries are working toward fostering a healthier economic relationship.</p> | 3,735 |
<p>By Patturaja Murugaboopathy</p>
<p>(Reuters) – Dividend payouts by Asia’s biggest companies are poised for their biggest increase in six years as profits surge and pressure grows on firms to be more generous with their shareholders.</p>
<p>Across Asia, dividend payouts in 2017 are expected to grow by 12 percent year-on-year, a Reuters analysis showed, marking the largest increase in payouts since 2011.</p>
<p>That corporate generosity, driven to some extent by improving economic growth, is only partly reflected in the share price, analysts say. If, as consensus forecasts show, earnings growth stays strong into next year and 2019, there is plenty of room for Asian stock markets to rally beyond current multi-year highs.</p>
<p>“2017 is the year when earnings finally recover after five years of disappointing growth in Asia,” said Frank Benzimra, head of Asia equity strategy at Societe Generale (PA:) in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>“Accordingly, we see dividends rising, in line with earnings growth.”</p>
<p>The numbers, compiled from Thomson Reuters earnings data, show technology companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Corp (TWO:), Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KS:) and Sony Corp (T:) are expecting record profits and higher dividends this year as the launch of new smartphones drives up demand of memory chips and image sensors.</p>
<p>Malaysia’s CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:), which announced its second best quarterly earnings in four years in the June quarter, issued an interim dividend of 1.18 billion ringgit ($281.96 million), translating to a dividend payout ratio of 51.6 percent of first-half profits.</p>
<p>The analysis covered 1,571 Asian companies each with a market capitalization of at least $1 billion across 12 markets for which Thomson Reuters has available data on dividend estimates. Dividends grew between 0.5 percent and 9 percent between 2012 and 2016.</p>
<p>Across the region, corporate profits are climbing owing to higher commodity prices, a revival in global demand for consumer products and an improvement in bank profits as loan growth soars even as funding costs stay low.</p>
<p>The markets have priced in some expectations of these bumper returns but analysts expect earnings and therefore dividends growth to stay strong even in 2018 and 2019, said Benzimra.</p>
<p>“I don’t think this is really priced into the market,” he said. “If we indeed have this kind of earnings growth, that could lift the market.”</p>
<p>MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan index () has risen about 30 percent this year and is at its highest since 2007.</p>
<p>Grace Tam, a senior market strategist at HSBC Global Asset Management based in Hong Kong, said free cash flows are higher among Asian companies and investors might find themselves surprised by future payouts.</p>
<p>Thomson Reuters data on the same set of companies showed their total free cash flows for 2017 are estimated at $374 billion- the highest in at least a decade.</p>
<p>NOT FULLY IN THE PRICE</p>
<p>Asian shares arguably have more room to grow than developed markets such as the United States, based on forward dividend yields, the ratio of estimated dividend payments over the next 12 months to share price.</p>
<p>Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have forward dividend yields in excess of 3 percent, much higher than United States’ 1.9 percent. Asia’s average yield stood at 2.4 percent.</p>
<p>Yet, Asia’s price-to-earnings ratios are lower, ranging from South Korea’s 9.6 to China’s 13.5, against the global average of 15.4.</p>
<p>The ability of Asian companies to pay dividends has never been in doubt, but their desire to sit on large cash piles has traditionally affected shareholder returns.</p>
<p>Asia’s dividend payout ratio stood at 34 percent over the last 12 months, less than Europe’s 45 percent and North America’s 43 percent, despite Asian profit growth exceeding the other two regions.</p>
<p>Analysts said Asia’s dividend culture is likely to change, as government pressure on companies grows.</p>
<p>China, where the securities regulator has vowed to penalize companies that do not pay cash dividends, is seeing rising payouts. Coal miner Shenhua Energy Co (SS:) proposed a special dividend worth 50 billion yuan ($7.53 billion) earlier this year.</p>
<p>Japan introduced the corporate governance act in 2015, aimed at protecting shareholder rights and enriching their returns. Since its inception, more companies have started to comply with it.</p>
<p>Japan, as well as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, have introduced stewardship codes aimed at institutional investors agitating for better governance and returns on their investment.</p>
<p>South Korea is expected to adopt the stewardship code this year and has strong backing from new President Moon Jae-in.</p>
<p>Samsung last month said it would double dividends next year to 9.6 trillion won and keep them at that level until 2020, as it responds to investor pressure to share its vast cash reserves.</p> | Bumper profits, government pressure to drive Asia's dividend bonanza | false | https://newsline.com/bumper-profits-government-pressure-to-drive-asia039s-dividend-bonanza/ | 2017-11-19 | 1right-center
| Bumper profits, government pressure to drive Asia's dividend bonanza
<p>By Patturaja Murugaboopathy</p>
<p>(Reuters) – Dividend payouts by Asia’s biggest companies are poised for their biggest increase in six years as profits surge and pressure grows on firms to be more generous with their shareholders.</p>
<p>Across Asia, dividend payouts in 2017 are expected to grow by 12 percent year-on-year, a Reuters analysis showed, marking the largest increase in payouts since 2011.</p>
<p>That corporate generosity, driven to some extent by improving economic growth, is only partly reflected in the share price, analysts say. If, as consensus forecasts show, earnings growth stays strong into next year and 2019, there is plenty of room for Asian stock markets to rally beyond current multi-year highs.</p>
<p>“2017 is the year when earnings finally recover after five years of disappointing growth in Asia,” said Frank Benzimra, head of Asia equity strategy at Societe Generale (PA:) in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>“Accordingly, we see dividends rising, in line with earnings growth.”</p>
<p>The numbers, compiled from Thomson Reuters earnings data, show technology companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Corp (TWO:), Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KS:) and Sony Corp (T:) are expecting record profits and higher dividends this year as the launch of new smartphones drives up demand of memory chips and image sensors.</p>
<p>Malaysia’s CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:), which announced its second best quarterly earnings in four years in the June quarter, issued an interim dividend of 1.18 billion ringgit ($281.96 million), translating to a dividend payout ratio of 51.6 percent of first-half profits.</p>
<p>The analysis covered 1,571 Asian companies each with a market capitalization of at least $1 billion across 12 markets for which Thomson Reuters has available data on dividend estimates. Dividends grew between 0.5 percent and 9 percent between 2012 and 2016.</p>
<p>Across the region, corporate profits are climbing owing to higher commodity prices, a revival in global demand for consumer products and an improvement in bank profits as loan growth soars even as funding costs stay low.</p>
<p>The markets have priced in some expectations of these bumper returns but analysts expect earnings and therefore dividends growth to stay strong even in 2018 and 2019, said Benzimra.</p>
<p>“I don’t think this is really priced into the market,” he said. “If we indeed have this kind of earnings growth, that could lift the market.”</p>
<p>MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan index () has risen about 30 percent this year and is at its highest since 2007.</p>
<p>Grace Tam, a senior market strategist at HSBC Global Asset Management based in Hong Kong, said free cash flows are higher among Asian companies and investors might find themselves surprised by future payouts.</p>
<p>Thomson Reuters data on the same set of companies showed their total free cash flows for 2017 are estimated at $374 billion- the highest in at least a decade.</p>
<p>NOT FULLY IN THE PRICE</p>
<p>Asian shares arguably have more room to grow than developed markets such as the United States, based on forward dividend yields, the ratio of estimated dividend payments over the next 12 months to share price.</p>
<p>Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have forward dividend yields in excess of 3 percent, much higher than United States’ 1.9 percent. Asia’s average yield stood at 2.4 percent.</p>
<p>Yet, Asia’s price-to-earnings ratios are lower, ranging from South Korea’s 9.6 to China’s 13.5, against the global average of 15.4.</p>
<p>The ability of Asian companies to pay dividends has never been in doubt, but their desire to sit on large cash piles has traditionally affected shareholder returns.</p>
<p>Asia’s dividend payout ratio stood at 34 percent over the last 12 months, less than Europe’s 45 percent and North America’s 43 percent, despite Asian profit growth exceeding the other two regions.</p>
<p>Analysts said Asia’s dividend culture is likely to change, as government pressure on companies grows.</p>
<p>China, where the securities regulator has vowed to penalize companies that do not pay cash dividends, is seeing rising payouts. Coal miner Shenhua Energy Co (SS:) proposed a special dividend worth 50 billion yuan ($7.53 billion) earlier this year.</p>
<p>Japan introduced the corporate governance act in 2015, aimed at protecting shareholder rights and enriching their returns. Since its inception, more companies have started to comply with it.</p>
<p>Japan, as well as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, have introduced stewardship codes aimed at institutional investors agitating for better governance and returns on their investment.</p>
<p>South Korea is expected to adopt the stewardship code this year and has strong backing from new President Moon Jae-in.</p>
<p>Samsung last month said it would double dividends next year to 9.6 trillion won and keep them at that level until 2020, as it responds to investor pressure to share its vast cash reserves.</p> | 3,736 |
<p>Judge Andrew Napolitano on former Attorney General Loretta Lynch using an email alias to write about the tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton.</p>
<p>Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch used an alias name for her official Justice Department email account, according to newly released documents.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The <a href="https://aclj.org/government-corruption/aclj-foia-unmasks-former-obama-attorney-general-loretta-lynchs-alias-email-account-elizabeth-carlisle" type="external">American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)</a>, a group led by one of President Trump’s attorneys, Jay Sekulow, released&#160;documents Monday, revealing Lynch’s alias name of “Elizabeth Carlisle.”</p>
<p>“There is nothing illegal or unethical about using the alias but it is odd and it does raise the antenna,” Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney.</p>
<p>The ACLJ unmasked the emails of the former Obama Attorney General through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request concerning Lynch’s meeting with former President Bill Clinton on a tarmac in Arizona during the 2016 presidential campaign.</p>
<p>The content of the emails were found blacked out, a request Napolitano said was made by the Justice Department under Attorney General Jeff Sessions.</p>
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<p>“I would have expected the Obama Justice Department trying to protect its attorney general. But if she [Lynch] did something untoward with Bill Clinton and she apparently did, we have the right to know about it.”</p>
<p>Napolitano warned the Justice Department is hiding a “dirty little secret” that the American people have the right to know to prosecute anyone who breaks the law.</p>
<p>“Why is it that the present administration wants to protect its predecessor? So its successor, the Justice Department of president who ever, fill in the blank, won’t come after it. That’s the dirty little secret of the Justice Department and it’s condemnable,” he said.</p> | Lynch documents reveal DOJ is keeping a 'dirty little secret,' says Judge Napolitano | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/08/08/lynch-documents-reveal-doj-is-keeping-dirty-little-secret-says-judge-napolitano.html | 2017-08-08 | 0right
| Lynch documents reveal DOJ is keeping a 'dirty little secret,' says Judge Napolitano
<p>Judge Andrew Napolitano on former Attorney General Loretta Lynch using an email alias to write about the tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton.</p>
<p>Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch used an alias name for her official Justice Department email account, according to newly released documents.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The <a href="https://aclj.org/government-corruption/aclj-foia-unmasks-former-obama-attorney-general-loretta-lynchs-alias-email-account-elizabeth-carlisle" type="external">American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)</a>, a group led by one of President Trump’s attorneys, Jay Sekulow, released&#160;documents Monday, revealing Lynch’s alias name of “Elizabeth Carlisle.”</p>
<p>“There is nothing illegal or unethical about using the alias but it is odd and it does raise the antenna,” Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney.</p>
<p>The ACLJ unmasked the emails of the former Obama Attorney General through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request concerning Lynch’s meeting with former President Bill Clinton on a tarmac in Arizona during the 2016 presidential campaign.</p>
<p>The content of the emails were found blacked out, a request Napolitano said was made by the Justice Department under Attorney General Jeff Sessions.</p>
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<p>“I would have expected the Obama Justice Department trying to protect its attorney general. But if she [Lynch] did something untoward with Bill Clinton and she apparently did, we have the right to know about it.”</p>
<p>Napolitano warned the Justice Department is hiding a “dirty little secret” that the American people have the right to know to prosecute anyone who breaks the law.</p>
<p>“Why is it that the present administration wants to protect its predecessor? So its successor, the Justice Department of president who ever, fill in the blank, won’t come after it. That’s the dirty little secret of the Justice Department and it’s condemnable,” he said.</p> | 3,737 |
<p>Female soldiers marching in Cuba, May 1960 ( <a href="http://artblart.com/tag/cuban-revolution/" type="external">Alberto Korda</a>)</p>
<p>They never retreated or even hesitated. They always rushed toward the enemy.</p>
<p>That’s what has been said of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marianas-Combat-Mariana-Grajales-Revolutionary/dp/0873489578/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1443912080&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=marianas+cuba" type="external">Las Marianas</a>, the all-female platoon of guerrillas who helped secure the liberation of Cuba from the U.S.-backed dictatorship. Celia Sánchez, one of the early organizers of the revolution before the Granma even landed and the first female combatant, had been urging her close friend Fidel for months to organize the female fighters under their own platoon. Finally, on September 4, 1958, Fidel brought his commanders together to discuss the issue. In a debate lasting over seven hours, many&#160;of the revolutionaries expressed their&#160;beliefs that women weren’t physically or emotionally strong enough for combat, while others argued that the women would&#160;best serve the revolution as nurses and cooks. Insisting that the ladies were braver and more disciplined than the men, Fidel decided to train the new platoon himself. He named it after Mariana Grajales, the 19th-century heroine of Cuban independence.</p>
<p>Consisting of only 13 women,&#160;and led by Isabel Rielo Rodríguez and&#160;Teté Puebla,&#160;the&#160;Marianas would show their mettle in less than a month, holding the line against heavy enemy fire in a battle in the Sierra Maestra. This led to their participating in an attack on a Bautista garrison near Holguín alongside&#160;a larger unit commanded by&#160;Eddy Suñol, who at&#160;first had refused to coordinate with the Marianas until Fidel told him&#160;that he&#160;could either fight with the women or not fight at all. He would later <a href="http://www.themilitant.com/2011/7529/752949.html" type="external">write to Fidel</a> of the Marianas’ bravery on the battlefield:</p>
<p>I have to tell you that after having been one of the main opponents of women’s integration, I’m now completely satisfied. I congratulate you once again because you are never wrong. Beforehand I believed that this time you were mistaken. I wish you could see — even if it were a movie, so you could smile with joy — the actions of Teté in particular, as well as the other compañeras. When the order was given to advance, some of the men stayed behind, but the women went ahead in the vanguard. Their courage and calmness merits the respect and admiration of all the rebels and everyone else.</p>
<p>In a display of supreme confidence in the women, Fidel made the platoon his personal security detail. Whenever&#160;townspeople saw the Marianas approaching, they knew the comandante&#160;wasn’t far behind. The women would take part in a 10-day battle at the end of November and then stay with Fidel as&#160;he took control of Santiago,&#160;while Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos defeated the last of General Bautista’s forces at Santa Clara, clinching&#160;the ultimate triumph of the revolution.</p>
<p>On January 3, 1959, in his <a href="http://lanic.utexas.edu/project/castro/db/1959/19590103.html" type="external">first address</a> as the leader of Cuba, Fidel&#160;told the people of Santiago of&#160;the courageous acts committed by the female guerrillas:</p>
<p>It has been proven that it is not only the men who&#160;fight but that in Cuba the women also fight. The best evidence of this is&#160;the Mariana Grajales platoon, which made such an outstanding showing in&#160;numerous encounters. The women are as good soldiers as our best military&#160;men and I wanted to prove that women can be good soldiers. … Women must be rescued because they are still the victims of&#160;discrimination insofar as labor is concerned and in other aspects of their&#160;lives. So we organized the women’s units and these proved that women could&#160;fight, and when the men fight in a village and the women can fight&#160;alongside them, such villages are impregnable.</p>
<p>Remembering the Marianas is how we celebrate our heritage.</p>
<p />
<p>More than 50 years after the Cuban Revolution first promised to eliminate racial inequality, will Afro-Cubans finally experience social mobility once U.S. sanctions are lifted?</p>
<p>March 10, 2016</p>
<p>History vs. pain</p>
<p>November 27, 2016</p>
<p>“The Obama Administration has an unprecedented opportunity to usher in significant progress using its executive authority at a time when public opinion on Cuba policy has shifted toward greater engagement with the Cuban people while continuing to pressure the Cuban government on human rights.” So states an open letter to…</p>
<p>May 23, 2014</p> | Las Marianas: The Revolution Within the Revolution | true | http://latinorebels.com/2015/10/03/las-marianas-the-revolution-within-the-revolution/ | 2015-10-03 | 4left
| Las Marianas: The Revolution Within the Revolution
<p>Female soldiers marching in Cuba, May 1960 ( <a href="http://artblart.com/tag/cuban-revolution/" type="external">Alberto Korda</a>)</p>
<p>They never retreated or even hesitated. They always rushed toward the enemy.</p>
<p>That’s what has been said of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marianas-Combat-Mariana-Grajales-Revolutionary/dp/0873489578/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1443912080&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=marianas+cuba" type="external">Las Marianas</a>, the all-female platoon of guerrillas who helped secure the liberation of Cuba from the U.S.-backed dictatorship. Celia Sánchez, one of the early organizers of the revolution before the Granma even landed and the first female combatant, had been urging her close friend Fidel for months to organize the female fighters under their own platoon. Finally, on September 4, 1958, Fidel brought his commanders together to discuss the issue. In a debate lasting over seven hours, many&#160;of the revolutionaries expressed their&#160;beliefs that women weren’t physically or emotionally strong enough for combat, while others argued that the women would&#160;best serve the revolution as nurses and cooks. Insisting that the ladies were braver and more disciplined than the men, Fidel decided to train the new platoon himself. He named it after Mariana Grajales, the 19th-century heroine of Cuban independence.</p>
<p>Consisting of only 13 women,&#160;and led by Isabel Rielo Rodríguez and&#160;Teté Puebla,&#160;the&#160;Marianas would show their mettle in less than a month, holding the line against heavy enemy fire in a battle in the Sierra Maestra. This led to their participating in an attack on a Bautista garrison near Holguín alongside&#160;a larger unit commanded by&#160;Eddy Suñol, who at&#160;first had refused to coordinate with the Marianas until Fidel told him&#160;that he&#160;could either fight with the women or not fight at all. He would later <a href="http://www.themilitant.com/2011/7529/752949.html" type="external">write to Fidel</a> of the Marianas’ bravery on the battlefield:</p>
<p>I have to tell you that after having been one of the main opponents of women’s integration, I’m now completely satisfied. I congratulate you once again because you are never wrong. Beforehand I believed that this time you were mistaken. I wish you could see — even if it were a movie, so you could smile with joy — the actions of Teté in particular, as well as the other compañeras. When the order was given to advance, some of the men stayed behind, but the women went ahead in the vanguard. Their courage and calmness merits the respect and admiration of all the rebels and everyone else.</p>
<p>In a display of supreme confidence in the women, Fidel made the platoon his personal security detail. Whenever&#160;townspeople saw the Marianas approaching, they knew the comandante&#160;wasn’t far behind. The women would take part in a 10-day battle at the end of November and then stay with Fidel as&#160;he took control of Santiago,&#160;while Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos defeated the last of General Bautista’s forces at Santa Clara, clinching&#160;the ultimate triumph of the revolution.</p>
<p>On January 3, 1959, in his <a href="http://lanic.utexas.edu/project/castro/db/1959/19590103.html" type="external">first address</a> as the leader of Cuba, Fidel&#160;told the people of Santiago of&#160;the courageous acts committed by the female guerrillas:</p>
<p>It has been proven that it is not only the men who&#160;fight but that in Cuba the women also fight. The best evidence of this is&#160;the Mariana Grajales platoon, which made such an outstanding showing in&#160;numerous encounters. The women are as good soldiers as our best military&#160;men and I wanted to prove that women can be good soldiers. … Women must be rescued because they are still the victims of&#160;discrimination insofar as labor is concerned and in other aspects of their&#160;lives. So we organized the women’s units and these proved that women could&#160;fight, and when the men fight in a village and the women can fight&#160;alongside them, such villages are impregnable.</p>
<p>Remembering the Marianas is how we celebrate our heritage.</p>
<p />
<p>More than 50 years after the Cuban Revolution first promised to eliminate racial inequality, will Afro-Cubans finally experience social mobility once U.S. sanctions are lifted?</p>
<p>March 10, 2016</p>
<p>History vs. pain</p>
<p>November 27, 2016</p>
<p>“The Obama Administration has an unprecedented opportunity to usher in significant progress using its executive authority at a time when public opinion on Cuba policy has shifted toward greater engagement with the Cuban people while continuing to pressure the Cuban government on human rights.” So states an open letter to…</p>
<p>May 23, 2014</p> | 3,738 |
<p>I pick up the phone at my office at the University of Arizona and learn that I have three recorded messages waiting for me. The first one begins with the caller claiming to be half White and half Native American, addressing me as an “(expletive) Mexican” and a “Raza (expletive).” This while injecting a .357 Magnum into his rant.</p>
<p>The second and third calls are similar. The vitriol is inexplicable and virtually incomprehensible, except for the threats of extreme violence.</p>
<p>As a lifelong writer, receiving vicious hate mail is not new to me, including receiving a registered letter to my house from the Ku Klux Klan. But receiving death threats as a professor — this is new.</p>
<p>Just the week before those calls, a video was placed on YouTube by right-wing elements, accusing me of being the ringleader of the movement to defend Mexican-American Studies (MAS) from being eliminated by the state, via House Bill 2281. In reality, that six-year effort has primarily been a student-led movement.</p>
<p>The funny thing is they invented the things that I supposedly did: standing on top of a table while directing the students to chain themselves to the school boardroom chairs and screaming at my students if they didn’t read precisely what I wrote for them to read at the board meetings.</p>
<p>Complete fabrications are indeed funny to me, but I can’t say the same thing about death threats.</p>
<p>In April 2011, when high-school students took over the Tucson Unified School District boardroom, within a few days, a YouTube video was posted of the students chaining themselves, with music in the background, referring to them as zombies and imploring viewers to “shoot them in the head.”</p>
<p>Just a few months before the threats, 19 people were shot in Tucson by a mentally deranged loner, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Six died. Just recently, a renowned anti-immigrant neo-Nazi, J.T. Ready, killed four people, plus himself, in Gilbert.</p>
<p>This is the poisoned environment we were/are living in. In Arizona, the land of political extremism, racial profiling and political vigilantism, death threats and political violence are no laughing matter, but when the Tucson Police Department investigated the “shoot them in the head” video, the lead investigator concluded that the incitement to violence against the students was but a “joke.”</p>
<p>When I received the death threats in May 2011, I decided that I would press charges against the perpetrator, to send the message that death threats have no place in civil discourse.</p>
<p>In early June, the person who issued the threats against me will be standing trial, facing misdemeanors. I would like to believe that my life is worth at least a felony.</p>
<p>The threats, innuendo and slander against MAS educators, students and me are ugly, but that’s actually the smaller story here.</p>
<p>What precipitated the six-year battle is the state’s insistence that the MAS curriculum is outside of Western civilization, and that the teaching of the maize or indigenous-based curriculum, with an emphasis on social justice, had to be shut down.</p>
<p>The attempt to demonize a discipline, claiming it promotes hate and the overthrow of the U.S. government, and the subsequent dismantling of MAS-TUSD this January, is a threat not to individuals, but a metaphorical attempted assassination against an entire culture, a culture that has been here for many thousands of years. That said, anyone issuing death threats should always be held accountable.</p>
<p>Roberto Rodriguez, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, and a member of the MAS-TUSD community advisory board, can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>. The column is also posted at:&#160; <a href="http://drcintli.blogspot.com/" type="external">http://drcintli.blogspot.com/</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Demonizing Mexican-American Studies | true | https://counterpunch.org/2012/05/30/demonizing-mexican-american-studies/ | 2012-05-30 | 4left
| Demonizing Mexican-American Studies
<p>I pick up the phone at my office at the University of Arizona and learn that I have three recorded messages waiting for me. The first one begins with the caller claiming to be half White and half Native American, addressing me as an “(expletive) Mexican” and a “Raza (expletive).” This while injecting a .357 Magnum into his rant.</p>
<p>The second and third calls are similar. The vitriol is inexplicable and virtually incomprehensible, except for the threats of extreme violence.</p>
<p>As a lifelong writer, receiving vicious hate mail is not new to me, including receiving a registered letter to my house from the Ku Klux Klan. But receiving death threats as a professor — this is new.</p>
<p>Just the week before those calls, a video was placed on YouTube by right-wing elements, accusing me of being the ringleader of the movement to defend Mexican-American Studies (MAS) from being eliminated by the state, via House Bill 2281. In reality, that six-year effort has primarily been a student-led movement.</p>
<p>The funny thing is they invented the things that I supposedly did: standing on top of a table while directing the students to chain themselves to the school boardroom chairs and screaming at my students if they didn’t read precisely what I wrote for them to read at the board meetings.</p>
<p>Complete fabrications are indeed funny to me, but I can’t say the same thing about death threats.</p>
<p>In April 2011, when high-school students took over the Tucson Unified School District boardroom, within a few days, a YouTube video was posted of the students chaining themselves, with music in the background, referring to them as zombies and imploring viewers to “shoot them in the head.”</p>
<p>Just a few months before the threats, 19 people were shot in Tucson by a mentally deranged loner, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Six died. Just recently, a renowned anti-immigrant neo-Nazi, J.T. Ready, killed four people, plus himself, in Gilbert.</p>
<p>This is the poisoned environment we were/are living in. In Arizona, the land of political extremism, racial profiling and political vigilantism, death threats and political violence are no laughing matter, but when the Tucson Police Department investigated the “shoot them in the head” video, the lead investigator concluded that the incitement to violence against the students was but a “joke.”</p>
<p>When I received the death threats in May 2011, I decided that I would press charges against the perpetrator, to send the message that death threats have no place in civil discourse.</p>
<p>In early June, the person who issued the threats against me will be standing trial, facing misdemeanors. I would like to believe that my life is worth at least a felony.</p>
<p>The threats, innuendo and slander against MAS educators, students and me are ugly, but that’s actually the smaller story here.</p>
<p>What precipitated the six-year battle is the state’s insistence that the MAS curriculum is outside of Western civilization, and that the teaching of the maize or indigenous-based curriculum, with an emphasis on social justice, had to be shut down.</p>
<p>The attempt to demonize a discipline, claiming it promotes hate and the overthrow of the U.S. government, and the subsequent dismantling of MAS-TUSD this January, is a threat not to individuals, but a metaphorical attempted assassination against an entire culture, a culture that has been here for many thousands of years. That said, anyone issuing death threats should always be held accountable.</p>
<p>Roberto Rodriguez, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, and a member of the MAS-TUSD community advisory board, can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>. The column is also posted at:&#160; <a href="http://drcintli.blogspot.com/" type="external">http://drcintli.blogspot.com/</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,739 |
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>One of the more amazing things to contemplate in this bizarre polity called the United States is that George Bush, probably the least engaged, most willfully ignorant, and most bungling and disastrously inept president the country has ever had, is still viewed by many Americans as a “strong leader.”</p>
<p>Yet how’s this for leadership?</p>
<p>In the midst of a conflict that has so far killed almost 400 Americans and maimed several thousand, more than half of them since May 1 when he prematurely declared “major conflict over” and “mission accomplished,” Bush has had to order his man in Iraq, Paul Bremer, to rush back to Washington, D.C., canceling a meeting Bremer had scheduled with the prime minister of Poland, to participate in yet another panicky executive session on how to fix the mess in Iraq.</p>
<p>At the same time, Bush’s CIA has had to leak to the press its latest secret report on the deteriorating situation in the war in Iraq because the Agency was reportedly worried that its highly critical report wouldn’t reach the attention of the president if they went through normal channels. (Of course, given this remarkably incurious president’s admission that he doesn’t read the papers, and gets his news entirely through his staff, he may not even know about the CIA leak.)</p>
<p>Similarly, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, head of ground operations in Iraq, recently began blatantly and pointedly referring to the worsening conflict in Iraq as a “war,” reportedly to counter the false and fraudulent optimism being expressed about the Iraq crisis by key Bush advisers like Secretary of Defense Donald “We-have-a-Plan” Rumsfeld, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and Vice President-in-hiding Dick Cheney. Sanchez, who is confronting a mounting guerrilla insurgency that is now hitting his troops with increasingly deadly attacks at a rate of 35 times a day, is reportedly afraid that the president may not know how bad things are getting.</p>
<p>Leadership?</p>
<p>Everyone outside of the White House knows that the war on the cheap that Bush began with the unprovoked invasion of Iraq last March is failing and that the American and “coalition” troops in Iraq are far too few to control the increasingly restive occupied population. Yet faced with the reality that Americans don’t want more troops sent into this mess, Bush has put his re-election before the safety of those troops already over there. Astonishingly, he is actually planning to reduce the number of troops in Iraq, making up for their diminished ranks by increasing the use of bombs and heavy artillery.</p>
<p>As the CIA, in its leaked report, makes clear, this is clearly a recipe for higher casualties among the remaining troops, both from “friendly” fire and from guerrillas, who will face fewer U.S. soldiers. As the CIA also says, it’s a recipe for higher casualties among Iraqi civilians, who will inevitably be hit by the indiscriminate bombs and artillery, and who will just as inevitably, join the guerrillas in increasing numbers. It’s also a recipe for a quagmire.</p>
<p>By putting his re-election ahead of solving the Iraq mess he has created, Bush, if returned to the White House in November 2004, will face the choice of dramatically escalating the U.S. war in Iraq with far more troops and almost certainly a national draft, or of withdrawing, leaving Iraq to collapse into the same kind of civil strife and chaos that has overtaken Afghanistan–his other war disaster. (One report coming out of the Bremer meeting suggested that the White House, despite the obvious failure of its efforts in Afghanistan, is considering going with the Afghan model for Iraq, appointing a U.S.-backed leader to run the country, instead of trying to develop a constitutional government.)</p>
<p>If this is strong leadership, you have to wonder what a weak leader would do.</p>
<p>Domestically, meanwhile, this “strong leader” has basically handed the country over to the nation’s CEOs and major investors, turning the US economy into a get-rich-quick Ponzi scheme. Those with enormous wealth will be able to reap tremendous profits in the short run and hang on to them because of massively skewed tax cuts and loopholes for upper bracket taxpayers and investors, and then cash out before the economy collapses under the weight of the almost unimaginably huge deficits caused by those tax cuts.</p>
<p>Of course, one might imagine that President Bush is simply doing what comes naturally in shifting all this wealth to the ruling elite, but it’s actually hard to imagine that this scion of a multi-generational blue-blood clan of Republican political leaders really wants to go down in history as a nation wrecker. Far more likely is that Bush Jr. has been such a weak, ignorant and manipulated leader that he has allowed himself to be lured into this disastrous economic policy.</p>
<p>It should not be terribly surprising that such a weak and inept president has been able to be portrayed as a strong, incisive leader. Since the 9/11 attacks, the corporate media has been, at least until recently, little more than a White House propaganda machine. This might have continued on through next November, but the war in Iraq has refused to play along. As America’s fortunes there go demonstrably south, the compliant media has been compelled, slowly and painfully, to begin honestly portraying how badly things are going. This has led to the first doubts among the electorate about the president’s real leadership qualities.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen whether this new skepticism will spill over into domestic policy. If it does, it won’t be thanks to the journalistic sheep grazing in the mass media, but in spite of them.</p>
<p>DAVE LINDORFF is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567512283/counterpunchmaga" type="external">Killing Time: an Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal</a>. A collection of Lindorff’s stories can be found here: <a href="http://www.nwuphilly.org/dave.html" type="external">http://www.nwuphilly.org/dave.html</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Bush’s Brand of Leadership | true | https://counterpunch.org/2003/11/13/bush-s-brand-of-leadership/ | 2003-11-13 | 4left
| Bush’s Brand of Leadership
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>One of the more amazing things to contemplate in this bizarre polity called the United States is that George Bush, probably the least engaged, most willfully ignorant, and most bungling and disastrously inept president the country has ever had, is still viewed by many Americans as a “strong leader.”</p>
<p>Yet how’s this for leadership?</p>
<p>In the midst of a conflict that has so far killed almost 400 Americans and maimed several thousand, more than half of them since May 1 when he prematurely declared “major conflict over” and “mission accomplished,” Bush has had to order his man in Iraq, Paul Bremer, to rush back to Washington, D.C., canceling a meeting Bremer had scheduled with the prime minister of Poland, to participate in yet another panicky executive session on how to fix the mess in Iraq.</p>
<p>At the same time, Bush’s CIA has had to leak to the press its latest secret report on the deteriorating situation in the war in Iraq because the Agency was reportedly worried that its highly critical report wouldn’t reach the attention of the president if they went through normal channels. (Of course, given this remarkably incurious president’s admission that he doesn’t read the papers, and gets his news entirely through his staff, he may not even know about the CIA leak.)</p>
<p>Similarly, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, head of ground operations in Iraq, recently began blatantly and pointedly referring to the worsening conflict in Iraq as a “war,” reportedly to counter the false and fraudulent optimism being expressed about the Iraq crisis by key Bush advisers like Secretary of Defense Donald “We-have-a-Plan” Rumsfeld, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and Vice President-in-hiding Dick Cheney. Sanchez, who is confronting a mounting guerrilla insurgency that is now hitting his troops with increasingly deadly attacks at a rate of 35 times a day, is reportedly afraid that the president may not know how bad things are getting.</p>
<p>Leadership?</p>
<p>Everyone outside of the White House knows that the war on the cheap that Bush began with the unprovoked invasion of Iraq last March is failing and that the American and “coalition” troops in Iraq are far too few to control the increasingly restive occupied population. Yet faced with the reality that Americans don’t want more troops sent into this mess, Bush has put his re-election before the safety of those troops already over there. Astonishingly, he is actually planning to reduce the number of troops in Iraq, making up for their diminished ranks by increasing the use of bombs and heavy artillery.</p>
<p>As the CIA, in its leaked report, makes clear, this is clearly a recipe for higher casualties among the remaining troops, both from “friendly” fire and from guerrillas, who will face fewer U.S. soldiers. As the CIA also says, it’s a recipe for higher casualties among Iraqi civilians, who will inevitably be hit by the indiscriminate bombs and artillery, and who will just as inevitably, join the guerrillas in increasing numbers. It’s also a recipe for a quagmire.</p>
<p>By putting his re-election ahead of solving the Iraq mess he has created, Bush, if returned to the White House in November 2004, will face the choice of dramatically escalating the U.S. war in Iraq with far more troops and almost certainly a national draft, or of withdrawing, leaving Iraq to collapse into the same kind of civil strife and chaos that has overtaken Afghanistan–his other war disaster. (One report coming out of the Bremer meeting suggested that the White House, despite the obvious failure of its efforts in Afghanistan, is considering going with the Afghan model for Iraq, appointing a U.S.-backed leader to run the country, instead of trying to develop a constitutional government.)</p>
<p>If this is strong leadership, you have to wonder what a weak leader would do.</p>
<p>Domestically, meanwhile, this “strong leader” has basically handed the country over to the nation’s CEOs and major investors, turning the US economy into a get-rich-quick Ponzi scheme. Those with enormous wealth will be able to reap tremendous profits in the short run and hang on to them because of massively skewed tax cuts and loopholes for upper bracket taxpayers and investors, and then cash out before the economy collapses under the weight of the almost unimaginably huge deficits caused by those tax cuts.</p>
<p>Of course, one might imagine that President Bush is simply doing what comes naturally in shifting all this wealth to the ruling elite, but it’s actually hard to imagine that this scion of a multi-generational blue-blood clan of Republican political leaders really wants to go down in history as a nation wrecker. Far more likely is that Bush Jr. has been such a weak, ignorant and manipulated leader that he has allowed himself to be lured into this disastrous economic policy.</p>
<p>It should not be terribly surprising that such a weak and inept president has been able to be portrayed as a strong, incisive leader. Since the 9/11 attacks, the corporate media has been, at least until recently, little more than a White House propaganda machine. This might have continued on through next November, but the war in Iraq has refused to play along. As America’s fortunes there go demonstrably south, the compliant media has been compelled, slowly and painfully, to begin honestly portraying how badly things are going. This has led to the first doubts among the electorate about the president’s real leadership qualities.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen whether this new skepticism will spill over into domestic policy. If it does, it won’t be thanks to the journalistic sheep grazing in the mass media, but in spite of them.</p>
<p>DAVE LINDORFF is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567512283/counterpunchmaga" type="external">Killing Time: an Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal</a>. A collection of Lindorff’s stories can be found here: <a href="http://www.nwuphilly.org/dave.html" type="external">http://www.nwuphilly.org/dave.html</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,740 |
<p>Asian stock markets were uneven Monday as investors weighed stronger growth in Japan against more evidence of economic weakness in China.</p>
<p>KEEPING SCORE: Japan's Nikkei 225 closed less than 0.1 percent lower at 20,457.19 and South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.1 percent to 2,065.19. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.5 percent to 27,404.10. The Shanghai Composite Index in China jumped 2.3 percent to 5,141.05, boosted by hopes for more economic stimulus. Southeast Asian benchmarks were lower. Australia's stock market was closed for a holiday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>JAPAN ECONOMY: The Cabinet Office said the economy grew 3.9 percent in the January-March quarter, faster than the 2.4 percent initially estimated. However, the picture may not be as rosy as the headline number suggests, as analysts expect growth in the second quarter to slow sharply as consumer spending slows and industrial output wanes.</p>
<p>ANALYST VIEW: Rising inventories contributed to the Japan data's upward revision the first quarter and "this implies that the underlying pace of demand was not nearly as strong as the headline suggests," said Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics. Core consumer spending fell in April to the lowest level since last summer and industrial output may well contract this quarter, and "we therefore expect a sharp slowdown in GDP growth in the second quarter."</p>
<p>CHINA TRADE: Chinese exports contracted 2.8 percent from a year earlier in May while imports shrank 18.1 percent, the latest sign of a sputtering growth in the world's No. 2 economy. For the first five months of the year, total imports and exports fell 7.8 percent, customs data showed. China's economy expanded 7 percent in the first quarter, the slowest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis in 2008.</p>
<p>WALL STREET: Major U.S. benchmarks drifted to a loss on Friday despite a burst of hiring in the U.S. job market in May. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.3 percent to 17,849.46 while the Standard &amp; Poor's 500 lost 0.1 percent to 2,092.83. The Nasdaq edged up 0.2 percent, to 5,068.46.</p>
<p>ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil dropped 45 cents to $58.68 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange following the OPEC's decision to keep its oil output target on hold. The contract rose $1.13 to close at $59.13 a barrel on Friday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil used by many U.S. refineries, fell 5 cents to $63.24 per barrel in London.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 125.17 yen from 125.61 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1146 from $1.1113.</p> | Asian stock markets uneven as investors weigh weak China trade, rebound in Japan GDP growth | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/06/08/asian-stock-markets-uneven-as-investors-weigh-weak-china-trade-rebound-in-japan.html | 2016-03-06 | 0right
| Asian stock markets uneven as investors weigh weak China trade, rebound in Japan GDP growth
<p>Asian stock markets were uneven Monday as investors weighed stronger growth in Japan against more evidence of economic weakness in China.</p>
<p>KEEPING SCORE: Japan's Nikkei 225 closed less than 0.1 percent lower at 20,457.19 and South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.1 percent to 2,065.19. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.5 percent to 27,404.10. The Shanghai Composite Index in China jumped 2.3 percent to 5,141.05, boosted by hopes for more economic stimulus. Southeast Asian benchmarks were lower. Australia's stock market was closed for a holiday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>JAPAN ECONOMY: The Cabinet Office said the economy grew 3.9 percent in the January-March quarter, faster than the 2.4 percent initially estimated. However, the picture may not be as rosy as the headline number suggests, as analysts expect growth in the second quarter to slow sharply as consumer spending slows and industrial output wanes.</p>
<p>ANALYST VIEW: Rising inventories contributed to the Japan data's upward revision the first quarter and "this implies that the underlying pace of demand was not nearly as strong as the headline suggests," said Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics. Core consumer spending fell in April to the lowest level since last summer and industrial output may well contract this quarter, and "we therefore expect a sharp slowdown in GDP growth in the second quarter."</p>
<p>CHINA TRADE: Chinese exports contracted 2.8 percent from a year earlier in May while imports shrank 18.1 percent, the latest sign of a sputtering growth in the world's No. 2 economy. For the first five months of the year, total imports and exports fell 7.8 percent, customs data showed. China's economy expanded 7 percent in the first quarter, the slowest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis in 2008.</p>
<p>WALL STREET: Major U.S. benchmarks drifted to a loss on Friday despite a burst of hiring in the U.S. job market in May. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.3 percent to 17,849.46 while the Standard &amp; Poor's 500 lost 0.1 percent to 2,092.83. The Nasdaq edged up 0.2 percent, to 5,068.46.</p>
<p>ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil dropped 45 cents to $58.68 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange following the OPEC's decision to keep its oil output target on hold. The contract rose $1.13 to close at $59.13 a barrel on Friday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil used by many U.S. refineries, fell 5 cents to $63.24 per barrel in London.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 125.17 yen from 125.61 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1146 from $1.1113.</p> | 3,741 |
<p>Despite the chances of winning being 1 in 292 million, Cinnamon Nicole from Cordova, Tennessee, decided a good investment of her life savings would be in lottery tickets.</p>
<p>Though one of the three winning tickets did come from her home state, she was not the possessor of it and now claims to be destitute.</p>
<p>Nicole set up a GoFundMe page where she asked the public for donations to help her recover from her idiotic loss; within seven hours she had amassed $800 in free money.</p>
<p>Her message on her aptly-titled "Powerball Reimbursement Fund by Cinnamon Nicole" page read as follows:</p>
<p>Please help me and my family as we have exhausted all of our funds. We spent all of our money on lottery tickets (expecting to win the 1.5 billion) and are now in dire need of cash. With your small donation of at least $1.00, a like and one share, I’m certain that we will be able to pick ourselves up from the trenches of this lost and spend another fortune trying to hit it big again! PLEASE, won’t you help a family in need. DONATE NOW.</p>
<p>GoFundMe eventually shut her page down but not before some users had a chance to comment.</p>
<p>User Kenyatta Gibson wrote: “Guuuuuuuuuuurl…….I ‘SWEATERGAAAAAWD’ if I see one person give you one rusty copper penny I will spend ten times what you spent on lottery tickets on PLANE tickets to fly to their humble abode so spoiled in riches that they can afford to make it rain on Sweet Brown like ratchet humans such as you who choose to spend their cash on Remy, Flaming Hot Cheetos, VOSS Water and Powerball , and commence to kicking every single one of their asses!!!”</p>
<p>Exit thought by Tyrone Biggums...</p>
<p />
<p># <a href="http://i.onionstatic.com/avclub/4325/95/16x9/960.jpg" type="external">SoYou'reTellingMeThere'sAChance</a></p>
<p>( <a href="http://www.vibe.com/2016/01/powerball-go-fund-me-page/" type="external">h/t Vibe</a>)</p> | She Spent Her Life Savings On Powerball Tickets, Now She's Asking For Your Charity | true | https://dailywire.com/news/2658/she-spent-her-life-savings-powerball-tickets-now-chase-stephens | 2016-01-15 | 0right
| She Spent Her Life Savings On Powerball Tickets, Now She's Asking For Your Charity
<p>Despite the chances of winning being 1 in 292 million, Cinnamon Nicole from Cordova, Tennessee, decided a good investment of her life savings would be in lottery tickets.</p>
<p>Though one of the three winning tickets did come from her home state, she was not the possessor of it and now claims to be destitute.</p>
<p>Nicole set up a GoFundMe page where she asked the public for donations to help her recover from her idiotic loss; within seven hours she had amassed $800 in free money.</p>
<p>Her message on her aptly-titled "Powerball Reimbursement Fund by Cinnamon Nicole" page read as follows:</p>
<p>Please help me and my family as we have exhausted all of our funds. We spent all of our money on lottery tickets (expecting to win the 1.5 billion) and are now in dire need of cash. With your small donation of at least $1.00, a like and one share, I’m certain that we will be able to pick ourselves up from the trenches of this lost and spend another fortune trying to hit it big again! PLEASE, won’t you help a family in need. DONATE NOW.</p>
<p>GoFundMe eventually shut her page down but not before some users had a chance to comment.</p>
<p>User Kenyatta Gibson wrote: “Guuuuuuuuuuurl…….I ‘SWEATERGAAAAAWD’ if I see one person give you one rusty copper penny I will spend ten times what you spent on lottery tickets on PLANE tickets to fly to their humble abode so spoiled in riches that they can afford to make it rain on Sweet Brown like ratchet humans such as you who choose to spend their cash on Remy, Flaming Hot Cheetos, VOSS Water and Powerball , and commence to kicking every single one of their asses!!!”</p>
<p>Exit thought by Tyrone Biggums...</p>
<p />
<p># <a href="http://i.onionstatic.com/avclub/4325/95/16x9/960.jpg" type="external">SoYou'reTellingMeThere'sAChance</a></p>
<p>( <a href="http://www.vibe.com/2016/01/powerball-go-fund-me-page/" type="external">h/t Vibe</a>)</p> | 3,742 |
<p>General Electric Co. will cut 12,000 jobs in its power division as alternative energy supplants demand for coal and other fossil fuels, and energy demand declines overall.</p>
<p>The company said Thursday that the cuts to both office and production jobs, will help "right-size" GE Power in a traditional power markets that is being upended globally.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The cuts, representing 18 percent of all jobs at GE Power, will take place largely outside of the U.S. Many will be in Europe, where other energy companies have already announced reductions.</p>
<p>GE plans to cut 1,400 of its 4,200 positions in Switzerland over the next two years. While no facilities are expected to close in Switzerland, the company said the GE Power Conversion unit in Berlin and GE Grid Solutions in Moenchengladbach, Germany, would be closed. GE plans to trim its German workforce by 1,600 positions.</p>
<p>Other German facilities that may be impacted are in Mannheim, Stuttgart and Kassel, the company said.</p>
<p>Last month, citing "disruption of unprecedented scope and speed," in power distribution markets, Siemens announced plans to cut about 6,900 jobs worldwide, half of them in Germany.</p>
<p>While President Donald Trump has pledged to revive the country's beleaguered coal industry, similar disruptions to the power grid are taking place everywhere.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Power companies are moving away from coal due to environmental regulations that are in place or anticipated, and for economic reasons as well. The cost of cleaner burning natural gas, solar and other alternative energies continues to fall.</p>
<p>That has had an enormous impact on workers in the power generation industry.</p>
<p>Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in October suggests that the top-growing job classification over the next nine years will be solar photovoltaic installers. Wind turbine service technicians came in at No. 2.</p>
<p>Most power generation in the U.S. is still derived from fossil fuels, but the balance is shifting.</p>
<p>The Trump administration has promised to bolster nuclear and coal-fired power plants, even though those facilities are being retired at a steady pace.</p>
<p>A number of former federal energy regulators have come out against the administration's plans, calling it a step backward.</p>
<p>Changing habits have reduced the power that is consumed in most households, as has more efficient technology.</p>
<p>GE said that reducing the number of positions, along with actions previously taken this year, will help GE Power, based in Atlanta, trim costs by $1 billion in 2018. GE is looking to reduce overall structural costs by $3.5 billion in 2017 and 2018.</p>
<p>"This decision was painful but necessary for GE Power to respond to the disruption in the power market, which is driving significantly lower volumes in products and services," Russell Stokes, CEO of GE Power, said in a prepared statement.</p>
<p>GE, based in Boston, announced in November that it was slashing its dividend in half and that the conglomerate would narrow its focus to three key sectors — aviation, health care and energy. The company has said it will shed assets worth more than $20 billion in the next couple of years. It's been paring businesses for over a decade now.</p>
<p>GE's stock declined slightly in early trading Thursday.</p>
<p>___________________________________</p>
<p>David Rising in Berlin contributed to this story.</p> | GE cuts 12K power jobs as demand, renewables, skew market | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/12/07/ges-power-division-plans-to-cut-about-12000-jobs-globally.html | 2017-12-07 | 0right
| GE cuts 12K power jobs as demand, renewables, skew market
<p>General Electric Co. will cut 12,000 jobs in its power division as alternative energy supplants demand for coal and other fossil fuels, and energy demand declines overall.</p>
<p>The company said Thursday that the cuts to both office and production jobs, will help "right-size" GE Power in a traditional power markets that is being upended globally.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The cuts, representing 18 percent of all jobs at GE Power, will take place largely outside of the U.S. Many will be in Europe, where other energy companies have already announced reductions.</p>
<p>GE plans to cut 1,400 of its 4,200 positions in Switzerland over the next two years. While no facilities are expected to close in Switzerland, the company said the GE Power Conversion unit in Berlin and GE Grid Solutions in Moenchengladbach, Germany, would be closed. GE plans to trim its German workforce by 1,600 positions.</p>
<p>Other German facilities that may be impacted are in Mannheim, Stuttgart and Kassel, the company said.</p>
<p>Last month, citing "disruption of unprecedented scope and speed," in power distribution markets, Siemens announced plans to cut about 6,900 jobs worldwide, half of them in Germany.</p>
<p>While President Donald Trump has pledged to revive the country's beleaguered coal industry, similar disruptions to the power grid are taking place everywhere.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Power companies are moving away from coal due to environmental regulations that are in place or anticipated, and for economic reasons as well. The cost of cleaner burning natural gas, solar and other alternative energies continues to fall.</p>
<p>That has had an enormous impact on workers in the power generation industry.</p>
<p>Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in October suggests that the top-growing job classification over the next nine years will be solar photovoltaic installers. Wind turbine service technicians came in at No. 2.</p>
<p>Most power generation in the U.S. is still derived from fossil fuels, but the balance is shifting.</p>
<p>The Trump administration has promised to bolster nuclear and coal-fired power plants, even though those facilities are being retired at a steady pace.</p>
<p>A number of former federal energy regulators have come out against the administration's plans, calling it a step backward.</p>
<p>Changing habits have reduced the power that is consumed in most households, as has more efficient technology.</p>
<p>GE said that reducing the number of positions, along with actions previously taken this year, will help GE Power, based in Atlanta, trim costs by $1 billion in 2018. GE is looking to reduce overall structural costs by $3.5 billion in 2017 and 2018.</p>
<p>"This decision was painful but necessary for GE Power to respond to the disruption in the power market, which is driving significantly lower volumes in products and services," Russell Stokes, CEO of GE Power, said in a prepared statement.</p>
<p>GE, based in Boston, announced in November that it was slashing its dividend in half and that the conglomerate would narrow its focus to three key sectors — aviation, health care and energy. The company has said it will shed assets worth more than $20 billion in the next couple of years. It's been paring businesses for over a decade now.</p>
<p>GE's stock declined slightly in early trading Thursday.</p>
<p>___________________________________</p>
<p>David Rising in Berlin contributed to this story.</p> | 3,743 |
<p>Washington Post A panel at the National Press Club discussed ways to deal with White House demands that background briefers not be identified by name. Should reporters walk out? Leak the administration rep's name to bloggers? "If you push back you get results, and we need to push back collectively," said Knight Ridder's Ron Hutcheson. But Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie says his paper won't play along. "We just don't believe in unified action," he said in a letter. "We can't participate in the kind of discussion you are proposing."</p> | Downie: WP won't participate in any WH briefings protest | false | https://poynter.org/news/downie-wp-wont-participate-any-wh-briefings-protest | 2005-03-18 | 2least
| Downie: WP won't participate in any WH briefings protest
<p>Washington Post A panel at the National Press Club discussed ways to deal with White House demands that background briefers not be identified by name. Should reporters walk out? Leak the administration rep's name to bloggers? "If you push back you get results, and we need to push back collectively," said Knight Ridder's Ron Hutcheson. But Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie says his paper won't play along. "We just don't believe in unified action," he said in a letter. "We can't participate in the kind of discussion you are proposing."</p> | 3,744 |
<p>At about 5pm on Saturday, two US F-16 fighter bombers and two A-10 specialised ground attack aircraft bombed what they believed was a concentration of Isis fighters besieging pro-government forces in the city of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria.</p>
<p>Whoever it was in the US Air Force who had misidentified the target as Isis made a disastrous error; the US planes were attacking Syrian Army soldiers fighting Isis at a position called Jebel Tharda close to Deir Ezzor airport. The city has been besieged by Isis for over a year and 110,000 civilians are trapped inside. By the time the US bombing raid was over it had killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers and injured another 100, enabling Isis to overrun the survivors before being forced to retreat by a counter-attack backed by Russian airstrikes.</p>
<p>The mistake and heavy Syrian Army casualty list symbolises the continuing failure to implement the agreement reached between the US and Russia on 10 September. Its main points are a ceasefire in Syria, the unimpeded entry of UN aid convoys into besieged areas, and a joint US-Russian air campaign against Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra, the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria relabelled as the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Of these requirements only an increasingly shaky ceasefire is in place so far.</p>
<p>Worse, the US and Russia are belabouring each other at the UN Security Council in New York, with the Russians accusing the US of complicity with Isis and the US claiming that Russia is opportunistically taking advantage of a targeting error for which the US has apologised. The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that the whole ceasefire accord, agreed after 10 months of negotiations between the two biggest players in the Syrian conflict, is close to unravelling.</p>
<p>The strength of the agreement should be that it was put together by the US, as the world’s sole superpower, and Russia, which aspires to that status. Each should be able to influence allies and proxies into implementing the ceasefire, but so far this is not happening. There are many armed clashes and 40 trucks filled with supplies for the 250,000 to 275,000 people trapped in rebel-held East Aleppo are still stuck on the Turkish border. Supposedly moderate US-backed rebel groups are meant to be separating themselves geographically from al-Nusra, but they remain intermingled with it.</p>
<p>A weakness of the agreement is that it lacks any mechanism for its implementation other than the enforced assent or goodwill of the multitude of parties involved in the Syrian conflict. Goodwill has always been in notably short supply in Syria since many of the players, both regional and local, have an interest in the war continuing, even though they may hypocritically pretend otherwise. It is still unclear how far the US and Russia are able to force their allies into line and how far they are pulling their punches in doing so.</p>
<p>The US can put pressure on the Syrian rebels to abide by a ceasefire by leaning on their outside backers in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but will this pressure be enough? In less than two months the US presidential election will produce a different occupant of the White House, who may have a new Syria policy. Not only is the present administration the lamest of ducks during this period, but it is more or less openly divided on the merits of a deal with Russia.</p>
<p>It is much in the interests of Russia to make this deal work, but it has difficulty in getting President Bashar al-Assad to do what it wants, even if he is militarily reliant on it. In the longer term, nobody quite knows in the present day Middle East the real political and military strength of rival powers. Before the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, there was excessive idea in the region of American omnipotence. Failure of the US to get its way in either war despite prolonged military engagement led to excessive idea of US weakness. Russia was likewise written off by the rulers of Gulf States up to the time it became the main foreign support of Assad and started behaving like a superpower again.</p>
<p>It is too early to write off the present ceasefire, if only because the conflict in Syria is so long-standing and intractable that it was always going to be extraordinarily difficult to de-escalate. A price has to be paid for the way in which it was misunderstood and mishandled in the years after 2011 so it will take time to put out the fires allowed to blaze out of control for five years. The US-Russian agreement is the first truly serious attempt to reduce the violence and, crucially, it is between the heaviest hitters in the crisis and the only ones capable of bringing it to an end.</p>
<p>Other peculiarities dog the present agreement. It is directed against al-Nusra and asks for the “moderate” armed opposition to separate themselves from the jihadis. It has always been centrepiece of Western policy in Syria that there is such a powerful group of armed moderates – despite much evidence to the contrary. If they did exist in any force then this agreement would be much in their interests and they – like the Syrian Kurds, Iraqi Kurds and Iraqi Army – would find their firepower vastly increased by the help of the US Air Force. But if the moderates so-called are largely a myth, and the armed opposition is overwhelmingly dominated by Isis and al-Nusra, then the latter have every incentive to make sure that this ceasefire fails.</p>
<p>The outside world has a picture of developments in Syria much distorted by wishful and partisan sources of information. This masks the point forcibly and un-answerably made by US Secretary of State John Kerry that, if this agreement with Russia does not work, the only alternative is more death and destruction engulfing Syria and its neighbours.</p> | A Disastrous Error in Syria | true | https://counterpunch.org/2016/09/20/a-disastrous-error-in-syria/ | 2016-09-20 | 4left
| A Disastrous Error in Syria
<p>At about 5pm on Saturday, two US F-16 fighter bombers and two A-10 specialised ground attack aircraft bombed what they believed was a concentration of Isis fighters besieging pro-government forces in the city of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria.</p>
<p>Whoever it was in the US Air Force who had misidentified the target as Isis made a disastrous error; the US planes were attacking Syrian Army soldiers fighting Isis at a position called Jebel Tharda close to Deir Ezzor airport. The city has been besieged by Isis for over a year and 110,000 civilians are trapped inside. By the time the US bombing raid was over it had killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers and injured another 100, enabling Isis to overrun the survivors before being forced to retreat by a counter-attack backed by Russian airstrikes.</p>
<p>The mistake and heavy Syrian Army casualty list symbolises the continuing failure to implement the agreement reached between the US and Russia on 10 September. Its main points are a ceasefire in Syria, the unimpeded entry of UN aid convoys into besieged areas, and a joint US-Russian air campaign against Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra, the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria relabelled as the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Of these requirements only an increasingly shaky ceasefire is in place so far.</p>
<p>Worse, the US and Russia are belabouring each other at the UN Security Council in New York, with the Russians accusing the US of complicity with Isis and the US claiming that Russia is opportunistically taking advantage of a targeting error for which the US has apologised. The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that the whole ceasefire accord, agreed after 10 months of negotiations between the two biggest players in the Syrian conflict, is close to unravelling.</p>
<p>The strength of the agreement should be that it was put together by the US, as the world’s sole superpower, and Russia, which aspires to that status. Each should be able to influence allies and proxies into implementing the ceasefire, but so far this is not happening. There are many armed clashes and 40 trucks filled with supplies for the 250,000 to 275,000 people trapped in rebel-held East Aleppo are still stuck on the Turkish border. Supposedly moderate US-backed rebel groups are meant to be separating themselves geographically from al-Nusra, but they remain intermingled with it.</p>
<p>A weakness of the agreement is that it lacks any mechanism for its implementation other than the enforced assent or goodwill of the multitude of parties involved in the Syrian conflict. Goodwill has always been in notably short supply in Syria since many of the players, both regional and local, have an interest in the war continuing, even though they may hypocritically pretend otherwise. It is still unclear how far the US and Russia are able to force their allies into line and how far they are pulling their punches in doing so.</p>
<p>The US can put pressure on the Syrian rebels to abide by a ceasefire by leaning on their outside backers in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but will this pressure be enough? In less than two months the US presidential election will produce a different occupant of the White House, who may have a new Syria policy. Not only is the present administration the lamest of ducks during this period, but it is more or less openly divided on the merits of a deal with Russia.</p>
<p>It is much in the interests of Russia to make this deal work, but it has difficulty in getting President Bashar al-Assad to do what it wants, even if he is militarily reliant on it. In the longer term, nobody quite knows in the present day Middle East the real political and military strength of rival powers. Before the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, there was excessive idea in the region of American omnipotence. Failure of the US to get its way in either war despite prolonged military engagement led to excessive idea of US weakness. Russia was likewise written off by the rulers of Gulf States up to the time it became the main foreign support of Assad and started behaving like a superpower again.</p>
<p>It is too early to write off the present ceasefire, if only because the conflict in Syria is so long-standing and intractable that it was always going to be extraordinarily difficult to de-escalate. A price has to be paid for the way in which it was misunderstood and mishandled in the years after 2011 so it will take time to put out the fires allowed to blaze out of control for five years. The US-Russian agreement is the first truly serious attempt to reduce the violence and, crucially, it is between the heaviest hitters in the crisis and the only ones capable of bringing it to an end.</p>
<p>Other peculiarities dog the present agreement. It is directed against al-Nusra and asks for the “moderate” armed opposition to separate themselves from the jihadis. It has always been centrepiece of Western policy in Syria that there is such a powerful group of armed moderates – despite much evidence to the contrary. If they did exist in any force then this agreement would be much in their interests and they – like the Syrian Kurds, Iraqi Kurds and Iraqi Army – would find their firepower vastly increased by the help of the US Air Force. But if the moderates so-called are largely a myth, and the armed opposition is overwhelmingly dominated by Isis and al-Nusra, then the latter have every incentive to make sure that this ceasefire fails.</p>
<p>The outside world has a picture of developments in Syria much distorted by wishful and partisan sources of information. This masks the point forcibly and un-answerably made by US Secretary of State John Kerry that, if this agreement with Russia does not work, the only alternative is more death and destruction engulfing Syria and its neighbours.</p> | 3,745 |
<p>DETROIT (AP) — An indoor cycling track in Detroit is expected to draw bike riders from other cold-weather states and across the U.S. while giving inner-city youth the opportunity to participate for free in the fast-moving and growing sport.</p>
<p>The Lexus Velodrome, which will have its grand opening Monday, is in an inflatable, climate-controlled dome a few miles north of a new professional hockey and basketball arena and close to a site proposed for a professional soccer stadium.</p>
<p>It joins a training facility in Colorado Springs and a venue in Los Angeles as the only indoor velodromes in the U.S.</p>
<p>"It is great to have an indoor training resource in the winter time," said Joan Hanscom, 50, a competitive cyclist from Colorado Springs. "Otherwise, if you're looking to be fit and ready for your spring racing season you're really limited to riding a trainer in your house or in a gym and that's not as much fun."</p>
<p>The velodrome diversifies Detroit's sports offerings and continues to push the story of the city's turnaround, said Kris Smith, Detroit Sports Commission director.</p>
<p>Bicycling is gaining popularity in the Motor City. A $21 million project linking 20 miles of walking, running and biking paths was completed in 2016. The city also is looking to add protected bike lanes along some of its busier streets.</p>
<p>An organization that rents out bikes surpassed 100,000 rides in about five months last year.</p>
<p>"It's very important to understand who is riding the bikes now ... millennials who are looking to be more active, do more things, get out of their cars and go for a bike ride," Smith said.</p>
<p>A weekly ride called Slow Roll Detroit often attracts 3,000 or more cyclists on Monday evenings during the summer. Another annual event draws even more riders on tours of the city, while a cyclocross race and the inaugural Detroit Cycling Championship also were held last year.</p>
<p>Those and other events "could potentially put Detroit on the international map for cycling events," Smith added.</p>
<p>An anonymous donor with a penchant for cycling put up $5 million for Detroit's velodrome project, said Dale Hughes, who designed and built it. He also runs the nonprofit Detroit Fitness Foundation which operates the velodrome.</p>
<p>Hughes, 68, declined to name the donor who contacted him about 2½ years ago.</p>
<p>"I said 'where do you want to build this' and he said 'Detroit,'" Hughes said. "He grew up in Metro Detroit and wanted to give back to the city by doing something special for the kids of Detroit."</p>
<p>The velodrome offers "a lot of potential for kids in Detroit who don't have as many opportunities," Hughes said. "If they are willing to sweat a little bit, I think we can turn out some champions."</p>
<p>The city owns the land, but the foundation has a 12-year concessions license and operating agreement.</p>
<p>No taxpayer money was used in the building or for its operations, Hughes said. Operations will be paid through user fees, donations, events and corporate sponsorships, like the one with Lexus. Programs will be free for children and teens.</p>
<p>Only specially designed direct-drive bikes can be used on the wooden, tenth-of-a-mile oval track, which has steep banks that allow riders to maintain speeds that can top 40 mph during competitions.</p>
<p>Hughes has designed and built about two dozen velodromes around the globe. Locally, he's also built an outdoor track in Rochester Hills, north of Detroit.</p>
<p>T.J. Hill first cycled on a velodrome in 1952. On Thursday, he pedaled around the Lexus Velodrome track.</p>
<p>"My fingers don't like the cold weather," said Hill, 85, who lives in suburban Detroit. "I've cycled quite a bit in the cold weather and just suffered. I'm going to cycle more now (in the winter) that I can come here."</p>
<p>Other cities, like Minneapolis, also are considering indoor velodromes, said Bob Williams, velodrome director at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.</p>
<p>"Anywhere in the United States it's a big deal," Williams added. "Indoors is really the way things have to go for speed events. Even in good climates it's too windy or too hot to establish high speed and make it convenient for training."</p>
<p>DETROIT (AP) — An indoor cycling track in Detroit is expected to draw bike riders from other cold-weather states and across the U.S. while giving inner-city youth the opportunity to participate for free in the fast-moving and growing sport.</p>
<p>The Lexus Velodrome, which will have its grand opening Monday, is in an inflatable, climate-controlled dome a few miles north of a new professional hockey and basketball arena and close to a site proposed for a professional soccer stadium.</p>
<p>It joins a training facility in Colorado Springs and a venue in Los Angeles as the only indoor velodromes in the U.S.</p>
<p>"It is great to have an indoor training resource in the winter time," said Joan Hanscom, 50, a competitive cyclist from Colorado Springs. "Otherwise, if you're looking to be fit and ready for your spring racing season you're really limited to riding a trainer in your house or in a gym and that's not as much fun."</p>
<p>The velodrome diversifies Detroit's sports offerings and continues to push the story of the city's turnaround, said Kris Smith, Detroit Sports Commission director.</p>
<p>Bicycling is gaining popularity in the Motor City. A $21 million project linking 20 miles of walking, running and biking paths was completed in 2016. The city also is looking to add protected bike lanes along some of its busier streets.</p>
<p>An organization that rents out bikes surpassed 100,000 rides in about five months last year.</p>
<p>"It's very important to understand who is riding the bikes now ... millennials who are looking to be more active, do more things, get out of their cars and go for a bike ride," Smith said.</p>
<p>A weekly ride called Slow Roll Detroit often attracts 3,000 or more cyclists on Monday evenings during the summer. Another annual event draws even more riders on tours of the city, while a cyclocross race and the inaugural Detroit Cycling Championship also were held last year.</p>
<p>Those and other events "could potentially put Detroit on the international map for cycling events," Smith added.</p>
<p>An anonymous donor with a penchant for cycling put up $5 million for Detroit's velodrome project, said Dale Hughes, who designed and built it. He also runs the nonprofit Detroit Fitness Foundation which operates the velodrome.</p>
<p>Hughes, 68, declined to name the donor who contacted him about 2½ years ago.</p>
<p>"I said 'where do you want to build this' and he said 'Detroit,'" Hughes said. "He grew up in Metro Detroit and wanted to give back to the city by doing something special for the kids of Detroit."</p>
<p>The velodrome offers "a lot of potential for kids in Detroit who don't have as many opportunities," Hughes said. "If they are willing to sweat a little bit, I think we can turn out some champions."</p>
<p>The city owns the land, but the foundation has a 12-year concessions license and operating agreement.</p>
<p>No taxpayer money was used in the building or for its operations, Hughes said. Operations will be paid through user fees, donations, events and corporate sponsorships, like the one with Lexus. Programs will be free for children and teens.</p>
<p>Only specially designed direct-drive bikes can be used on the wooden, tenth-of-a-mile oval track, which has steep banks that allow riders to maintain speeds that can top 40 mph during competitions.</p>
<p>Hughes has designed and built about two dozen velodromes around the globe. Locally, he's also built an outdoor track in Rochester Hills, north of Detroit.</p>
<p>T.J. Hill first cycled on a velodrome in 1952. On Thursday, he pedaled around the Lexus Velodrome track.</p>
<p>"My fingers don't like the cold weather," said Hill, 85, who lives in suburban Detroit. "I've cycled quite a bit in the cold weather and just suffered. I'm going to cycle more now (in the winter) that I can come here."</p>
<p>Other cities, like Minneapolis, also are considering indoor velodromes, said Bob Williams, velodrome director at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.</p>
<p>"Anywhere in the United States it's a big deal," Williams added. "Indoors is really the way things have to go for speed events. Even in good climates it's too windy or too hot to establish high speed and make it convenient for training."</p> | Indoor velodrome expected to draw cyclists to Detroit | false | https://apnews.com/amp/e49382d9e01e4ab08efcd3f5c26e411b | 2018-01-22 | 2least
| Indoor velodrome expected to draw cyclists to Detroit
<p>DETROIT (AP) — An indoor cycling track in Detroit is expected to draw bike riders from other cold-weather states and across the U.S. while giving inner-city youth the opportunity to participate for free in the fast-moving and growing sport.</p>
<p>The Lexus Velodrome, which will have its grand opening Monday, is in an inflatable, climate-controlled dome a few miles north of a new professional hockey and basketball arena and close to a site proposed for a professional soccer stadium.</p>
<p>It joins a training facility in Colorado Springs and a venue in Los Angeles as the only indoor velodromes in the U.S.</p>
<p>"It is great to have an indoor training resource in the winter time," said Joan Hanscom, 50, a competitive cyclist from Colorado Springs. "Otherwise, if you're looking to be fit and ready for your spring racing season you're really limited to riding a trainer in your house or in a gym and that's not as much fun."</p>
<p>The velodrome diversifies Detroit's sports offerings and continues to push the story of the city's turnaround, said Kris Smith, Detroit Sports Commission director.</p>
<p>Bicycling is gaining popularity in the Motor City. A $21 million project linking 20 miles of walking, running and biking paths was completed in 2016. The city also is looking to add protected bike lanes along some of its busier streets.</p>
<p>An organization that rents out bikes surpassed 100,000 rides in about five months last year.</p>
<p>"It's very important to understand who is riding the bikes now ... millennials who are looking to be more active, do more things, get out of their cars and go for a bike ride," Smith said.</p>
<p>A weekly ride called Slow Roll Detroit often attracts 3,000 or more cyclists on Monday evenings during the summer. Another annual event draws even more riders on tours of the city, while a cyclocross race and the inaugural Detroit Cycling Championship also were held last year.</p>
<p>Those and other events "could potentially put Detroit on the international map for cycling events," Smith added.</p>
<p>An anonymous donor with a penchant for cycling put up $5 million for Detroit's velodrome project, said Dale Hughes, who designed and built it. He also runs the nonprofit Detroit Fitness Foundation which operates the velodrome.</p>
<p>Hughes, 68, declined to name the donor who contacted him about 2½ years ago.</p>
<p>"I said 'where do you want to build this' and he said 'Detroit,'" Hughes said. "He grew up in Metro Detroit and wanted to give back to the city by doing something special for the kids of Detroit."</p>
<p>The velodrome offers "a lot of potential for kids in Detroit who don't have as many opportunities," Hughes said. "If they are willing to sweat a little bit, I think we can turn out some champions."</p>
<p>The city owns the land, but the foundation has a 12-year concessions license and operating agreement.</p>
<p>No taxpayer money was used in the building or for its operations, Hughes said. Operations will be paid through user fees, donations, events and corporate sponsorships, like the one with Lexus. Programs will be free for children and teens.</p>
<p>Only specially designed direct-drive bikes can be used on the wooden, tenth-of-a-mile oval track, which has steep banks that allow riders to maintain speeds that can top 40 mph during competitions.</p>
<p>Hughes has designed and built about two dozen velodromes around the globe. Locally, he's also built an outdoor track in Rochester Hills, north of Detroit.</p>
<p>T.J. Hill first cycled on a velodrome in 1952. On Thursday, he pedaled around the Lexus Velodrome track.</p>
<p>"My fingers don't like the cold weather," said Hill, 85, who lives in suburban Detroit. "I've cycled quite a bit in the cold weather and just suffered. I'm going to cycle more now (in the winter) that I can come here."</p>
<p>Other cities, like Minneapolis, also are considering indoor velodromes, said Bob Williams, velodrome director at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.</p>
<p>"Anywhere in the United States it's a big deal," Williams added. "Indoors is really the way things have to go for speed events. Even in good climates it's too windy or too hot to establish high speed and make it convenient for training."</p>
<p>DETROIT (AP) — An indoor cycling track in Detroit is expected to draw bike riders from other cold-weather states and across the U.S. while giving inner-city youth the opportunity to participate for free in the fast-moving and growing sport.</p>
<p>The Lexus Velodrome, which will have its grand opening Monday, is in an inflatable, climate-controlled dome a few miles north of a new professional hockey and basketball arena and close to a site proposed for a professional soccer stadium.</p>
<p>It joins a training facility in Colorado Springs and a venue in Los Angeles as the only indoor velodromes in the U.S.</p>
<p>"It is great to have an indoor training resource in the winter time," said Joan Hanscom, 50, a competitive cyclist from Colorado Springs. "Otherwise, if you're looking to be fit and ready for your spring racing season you're really limited to riding a trainer in your house or in a gym and that's not as much fun."</p>
<p>The velodrome diversifies Detroit's sports offerings and continues to push the story of the city's turnaround, said Kris Smith, Detroit Sports Commission director.</p>
<p>Bicycling is gaining popularity in the Motor City. A $21 million project linking 20 miles of walking, running and biking paths was completed in 2016. The city also is looking to add protected bike lanes along some of its busier streets.</p>
<p>An organization that rents out bikes surpassed 100,000 rides in about five months last year.</p>
<p>"It's very important to understand who is riding the bikes now ... millennials who are looking to be more active, do more things, get out of their cars and go for a bike ride," Smith said.</p>
<p>A weekly ride called Slow Roll Detroit often attracts 3,000 or more cyclists on Monday evenings during the summer. Another annual event draws even more riders on tours of the city, while a cyclocross race and the inaugural Detroit Cycling Championship also were held last year.</p>
<p>Those and other events "could potentially put Detroit on the international map for cycling events," Smith added.</p>
<p>An anonymous donor with a penchant for cycling put up $5 million for Detroit's velodrome project, said Dale Hughes, who designed and built it. He also runs the nonprofit Detroit Fitness Foundation which operates the velodrome.</p>
<p>Hughes, 68, declined to name the donor who contacted him about 2½ years ago.</p>
<p>"I said 'where do you want to build this' and he said 'Detroit,'" Hughes said. "He grew up in Metro Detroit and wanted to give back to the city by doing something special for the kids of Detroit."</p>
<p>The velodrome offers "a lot of potential for kids in Detroit who don't have as many opportunities," Hughes said. "If they are willing to sweat a little bit, I think we can turn out some champions."</p>
<p>The city owns the land, but the foundation has a 12-year concessions license and operating agreement.</p>
<p>No taxpayer money was used in the building or for its operations, Hughes said. Operations will be paid through user fees, donations, events and corporate sponsorships, like the one with Lexus. Programs will be free for children and teens.</p>
<p>Only specially designed direct-drive bikes can be used on the wooden, tenth-of-a-mile oval track, which has steep banks that allow riders to maintain speeds that can top 40 mph during competitions.</p>
<p>Hughes has designed and built about two dozen velodromes around the globe. Locally, he's also built an outdoor track in Rochester Hills, north of Detroit.</p>
<p>T.J. Hill first cycled on a velodrome in 1952. On Thursday, he pedaled around the Lexus Velodrome track.</p>
<p>"My fingers don't like the cold weather," said Hill, 85, who lives in suburban Detroit. "I've cycled quite a bit in the cold weather and just suffered. I'm going to cycle more now (in the winter) that I can come here."</p>
<p>Other cities, like Minneapolis, also are considering indoor velodromes, said Bob Williams, velodrome director at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.</p>
<p>"Anywhere in the United States it's a big deal," Williams added. "Indoors is really the way things have to go for speed events. Even in good climates it's too windy or too hot to establish high speed and make it convenient for training."</p> | 3,746 |
<p>San Jose, Calif. saw the country’s largest minimum wage increase by percentage go into effect on March 11, growing from $8 to $10 per hour.</p>
<p>The idea came in large part from Marisela Castro, who thought about the topic and helping at-risk youth during a class project at San Jose State University.</p>
<p>Supporters say tens of thousands of workers in California’s third most populous city — with more than&#160; <a href="http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0668000.html" type="external">967,400 residents and an 11-percent poverty rate</a>&#160;— will see the benefits.</p>
<p>The grassroots mobilization effort grew to involve a host of students, community members and organizations, including Working Partnerships USA.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">A quarter million voters approved the increase</a>, known as Measure D, in November. Supporters needed 19,200 signatures to the put the measure on the ballot but they delivered nearly 35,000 signatures, Working Partnerships USA said.</p>
<p>The $2 -per-hour rise is equal to a $4,000 yearly increase for people who previously earned $8 per hour in the city. That means someone who works a 40-hour per week job for 50 weeks would see yearly earnings go from $16,000 to $20,000.</p>
<p>Equal Voice News talked with Castro about her role in the increased minimum wage campaign, how she thought of the idea and what she learned about organizing and working with students, community members and organizations.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Name: Marisela Castro</p>
<p>Age: 28</p>
<p>Hometown: Gilroy, Calif.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Could you talk about your background?</p>
<p>I was born in Gilroy. Both my parents were born in Mexico. All of my brothers and sisters were born here. I am the oldest. I am the first one who graduated from college (She graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She is hoping to secure a full-time job). (My parents) are not doing farm work anymore. That was when I was growing up. They worked in Gilroy and San Martin. They just did whatever was in season. I know they did garlic, especially in Gilroy. They worked in a cannery for a while. I know they did strawberries.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: When was the first time you thought about raising the minimum wage?</p>
<p>It was in class. At that time, I was working with at-risk youth in Gilroy. That is a passion of mine. I was seeing what was going on at home. Their parents were working two jobs. They weren’t home. They were trying to provide necessities. Going through that with them and being in class and how low the minimum wage has been, it kind of all clicked. At that time, I was close to my kids. Seeing them go through this struggle at home – how can I say this – it was really, I wish I could do something. I had to do something. I couldn’t let them keep going through this. I had to do something.</p>
<p>It was in 2010, early in my semester at San Jose State. I want to say sometime in October. We were reading about this. We went through a whole section in our class about the minimum wage. And I was thinking about my kids and their hardships that their younger brothers and sisters would go through as well. That sparked the whole thing.</p>
<p>I believe right after class, I went to my professor’s office hours. I said, ‘I think this is a real issue. I think we should try to establish a policy for a higher minimum wage.’ My professor said, ‘Research it.’</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Who will benefit from this?</p>
<p>All kinds of people will benefit from this, a lot of families.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: How did you organize to implement your idea?</p>
<p>It was a long process. When I started organizing, I didn’t know anyone from San Jose State. It was my first semester. I would go to classrooms and say, ‘Hey, I’m trying to get some help raising the minimum wage. If you’re interested, give me a call.’ At the end of the semester, I only had one person to go out and do it. But the professor, toward the end of the semester, said he was going to teach a social action class. I took that class and I was able to give a mini presentation. During that time (some classmates) formed a group.</p>
<p>The first organization that joined was a homeless organization. And then, after that, we had charities. We had different organizations. That’s when I thought it was moving forward.</p>
<p>Yes, we organized by word of mouth. We walked around. We handed out flyers. We went to bus stations. Anywhere that we knew there would be people, that’s where we went. It was all in San Jose.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: What did you learn from all of this?</p>
<p>I think that if we can actually join together, we can change the way the whole system is working. Because I feel that there is democracy left. I feel that if you just pay more attention and unite and get out there, we can actually see what we want out of this world.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Why do you think this effort was successful?</p>
<p>I don’t know. I think it was the right time for it. I think people know it’s not OK to pay that low. It’s not OK to have poverty wages.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: When you met minimum wage opponents, what did you say to them?</p>
<p>I would say, ‘Try living on $8 an hour for a month.’</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?</p>
<p>Change is possible.</p>
<p>— Interview conducted by&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Brad Wong</a>, assistant news editor for Equal Voice News&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;___________</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wpusa.org/" type="external">Working Partnerships USA</a> estimates that 76,300 people will be affected by the increase. Of that number, 40,300 workers will be directly affected and 36,000 will see indirect benefits. An indirect benefit might be when a worker who earns more than $8 per hour receives a pay increase because he or she is at a higher wage scale, the group said.</p>
<p>In November, Cindy Chavez, executive director of Working Partnerships USA, <a href="" type="internal">wrote an op-ed for Equal Voice News</a> about how “people power” paid off with the wage increase campaign.</p>
<p>The Silicon Valley Business Journal <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/03/07/san-jose-spending-consumer-debt.html" type="external">reports</a> the wage increase could generate $190 million in new regional spending. Direct and indirect wage beneficiaries might be more than 69,200 people and some businesses have reduced hours because of the new pay rate, the media company said.</p>
<p>2013 © Equal Voice for America’s Families Newspaper</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">living wage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Minimum wage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Poverty</a>, <a href="" type="internal">San Jose</a></p> | Raising San Jose’s Minimum Wage: A Q&A With Marisela Castro | true | http://equalvoiceforfamilies.org/raising-san-joses-minimum-wage-a-qa-with-marisela-castro/ | 4left
| Raising San Jose’s Minimum Wage: A Q&A With Marisela Castro
<p>San Jose, Calif. saw the country’s largest minimum wage increase by percentage go into effect on March 11, growing from $8 to $10 per hour.</p>
<p>The idea came in large part from Marisela Castro, who thought about the topic and helping at-risk youth during a class project at San Jose State University.</p>
<p>Supporters say tens of thousands of workers in California’s third most populous city — with more than&#160; <a href="http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0668000.html" type="external">967,400 residents and an 11-percent poverty rate</a>&#160;— will see the benefits.</p>
<p>The grassroots mobilization effort grew to involve a host of students, community members and organizations, including Working Partnerships USA.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">A quarter million voters approved the increase</a>, known as Measure D, in November. Supporters needed 19,200 signatures to the put the measure on the ballot but they delivered nearly 35,000 signatures, Working Partnerships USA said.</p>
<p>The $2 -per-hour rise is equal to a $4,000 yearly increase for people who previously earned $8 per hour in the city. That means someone who works a 40-hour per week job for 50 weeks would see yearly earnings go from $16,000 to $20,000.</p>
<p>Equal Voice News talked with Castro about her role in the increased minimum wage campaign, how she thought of the idea and what she learned about organizing and working with students, community members and organizations.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Name: Marisela Castro</p>
<p>Age: 28</p>
<p>Hometown: Gilroy, Calif.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Could you talk about your background?</p>
<p>I was born in Gilroy. Both my parents were born in Mexico. All of my brothers and sisters were born here. I am the oldest. I am the first one who graduated from college (She graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She is hoping to secure a full-time job). (My parents) are not doing farm work anymore. That was when I was growing up. They worked in Gilroy and San Martin. They just did whatever was in season. I know they did garlic, especially in Gilroy. They worked in a cannery for a while. I know they did strawberries.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: When was the first time you thought about raising the minimum wage?</p>
<p>It was in class. At that time, I was working with at-risk youth in Gilroy. That is a passion of mine. I was seeing what was going on at home. Their parents were working two jobs. They weren’t home. They were trying to provide necessities. Going through that with them and being in class and how low the minimum wage has been, it kind of all clicked. At that time, I was close to my kids. Seeing them go through this struggle at home – how can I say this – it was really, I wish I could do something. I had to do something. I couldn’t let them keep going through this. I had to do something.</p>
<p>It was in 2010, early in my semester at San Jose State. I want to say sometime in October. We were reading about this. We went through a whole section in our class about the minimum wage. And I was thinking about my kids and their hardships that their younger brothers and sisters would go through as well. That sparked the whole thing.</p>
<p>I believe right after class, I went to my professor’s office hours. I said, ‘I think this is a real issue. I think we should try to establish a policy for a higher minimum wage.’ My professor said, ‘Research it.’</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Who will benefit from this?</p>
<p>All kinds of people will benefit from this, a lot of families.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: How did you organize to implement your idea?</p>
<p>It was a long process. When I started organizing, I didn’t know anyone from San Jose State. It was my first semester. I would go to classrooms and say, ‘Hey, I’m trying to get some help raising the minimum wage. If you’re interested, give me a call.’ At the end of the semester, I only had one person to go out and do it. But the professor, toward the end of the semester, said he was going to teach a social action class. I took that class and I was able to give a mini presentation. During that time (some classmates) formed a group.</p>
<p>The first organization that joined was a homeless organization. And then, after that, we had charities. We had different organizations. That’s when I thought it was moving forward.</p>
<p>Yes, we organized by word of mouth. We walked around. We handed out flyers. We went to bus stations. Anywhere that we knew there would be people, that’s where we went. It was all in San Jose.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: What did you learn from all of this?</p>
<p>I think that if we can actually join together, we can change the way the whole system is working. Because I feel that there is democracy left. I feel that if you just pay more attention and unite and get out there, we can actually see what we want out of this world.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Why do you think this effort was successful?</p>
<p>I don’t know. I think it was the right time for it. I think people know it’s not OK to pay that low. It’s not OK to have poverty wages.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: When you met minimum wage opponents, what did you say to them?</p>
<p>I would say, ‘Try living on $8 an hour for a month.’</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?</p>
<p>Change is possible.</p>
<p>— Interview conducted by&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Brad Wong</a>, assistant news editor for Equal Voice News&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;___________</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wpusa.org/" type="external">Working Partnerships USA</a> estimates that 76,300 people will be affected by the increase. Of that number, 40,300 workers will be directly affected and 36,000 will see indirect benefits. An indirect benefit might be when a worker who earns more than $8 per hour receives a pay increase because he or she is at a higher wage scale, the group said.</p>
<p>In November, Cindy Chavez, executive director of Working Partnerships USA, <a href="" type="internal">wrote an op-ed for Equal Voice News</a> about how “people power” paid off with the wage increase campaign.</p>
<p>The Silicon Valley Business Journal <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/03/07/san-jose-spending-consumer-debt.html" type="external">reports</a> the wage increase could generate $190 million in new regional spending. Direct and indirect wage beneficiaries might be more than 69,200 people and some businesses have reduced hours because of the new pay rate, the media company said.</p>
<p>2013 © Equal Voice for America’s Families Newspaper</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">living wage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Minimum wage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Poverty</a>, <a href="" type="internal">San Jose</a></p> | 3,747 |
|
<p>DENVER (AP) _ These Colorado lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>11-14-18-23-29</p>
<p>(eleven, fourteen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-nine)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $20,000</p>
<p>Lucky For Life</p>
<p>05-15-21-28-36, Lucky Ball: 14</p>
<p>(five, fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-six; Lucky Ball: fourteen)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-3-4</p>
<p>(two, three, four)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-1-6</p>
<p>(nine, one, six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>DENVER (AP) _ These Colorado lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>11-14-18-23-29</p>
<p>(eleven, fourteen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-nine)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $20,000</p>
<p>Lucky For Life</p>
<p>05-15-21-28-36, Lucky Ball: 14</p>
<p>(five, fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-six; Lucky Ball: fourteen)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-3-4</p>
<p>(two, three, four)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-1-6</p>
<p>(nine, one, six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p> | CO Lottery | false | https://apnews.com/673fb6a637b54d29beca88c21bfdf40e | 2018-01-19 | 2least
| CO Lottery
<p>DENVER (AP) _ These Colorado lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>11-14-18-23-29</p>
<p>(eleven, fourteen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-nine)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $20,000</p>
<p>Lucky For Life</p>
<p>05-15-21-28-36, Lucky Ball: 14</p>
<p>(five, fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-six; Lucky Ball: fourteen)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-3-4</p>
<p>(two, three, four)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-1-6</p>
<p>(nine, one, six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>DENVER (AP) _ These Colorado lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>11-14-18-23-29</p>
<p>(eleven, fourteen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-nine)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $20,000</p>
<p>Lucky For Life</p>
<p>05-15-21-28-36, Lucky Ball: 14</p>
<p>(five, fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-six; Lucky Ball: fourteen)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-3-4</p>
<p>(two, three, four)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-1-6</p>
<p>(nine, one, six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p> | 3,748 |
<p>RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The head of Brazil’s Olympics committee announced his resignation on Wednesday following his arrest last week for arranging alleged bribes to win Rio de Janeiro’s selection as host of the 2016 Summer Games.</p>
<p>Carlos Arthur Nuzman, 75, had said last weekend that he was temporarily stepping down. But in a letter to the committee Wednesday he said he needed to devote himself to his legal defense and would not be returning.</p>
<p>In the letter, seen by Reuters, he denied any wrongdoing.</p>
<p>Brazilian federal prosecutors have said Nuzman paid roughly $2.5 million in bribes to gain support for Rio de Janeiro’s candidacy to host the Games. The city was named as host in 2009.</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> | Brazil Olympic committee chief resigns amid bribe scandal | false | https://newsline.com/brazil-olympic-committee-chief-resigns-amid-bribe-scandal/ | 2017-10-11 | 1right-center
| Brazil Olympic committee chief resigns amid bribe scandal
<p>RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The head of Brazil’s Olympics committee announced his resignation on Wednesday following his arrest last week for arranging alleged bribes to win Rio de Janeiro’s selection as host of the 2016 Summer Games.</p>
<p>Carlos Arthur Nuzman, 75, had said last weekend that he was temporarily stepping down. But in a letter to the committee Wednesday he said he needed to devote himself to his legal defense and would not be returning.</p>
<p>In the letter, seen by Reuters, he denied any wrongdoing.</p>
<p>Brazilian federal prosecutors have said Nuzman paid roughly $2.5 million in bribes to gain support for Rio de Janeiro’s candidacy to host the Games. The city was named as host in 2009.</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> | 3,749 |
<p>The NSA scandal and the increasing use of technology to police and monitor all Americans, not just suspected terrorists around the world and in our midst, is a growing worry in Silicon Valley. <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-silicon-valley-backlash-against-the-nsa" type="external">CEOs fret</a> that U.S. tech firms will suffer fallout overseas because of the vast extent of our government’s spying. Meanwhile, tech intellectuals see scary new precedents casually being set all time — many in California.</p>
<p>The TechCrunch web site regularly cites examples of how <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/18/the-techno-militarization-of-america/" type="external">“techno-militarization”</a> has come to the Golden State, including this December story from Oakland:</p>
<p>“Oakland’s City Council voted to move ahead with controversial city surveillance center during a raucous council meeting Tuesday morning that only ended when the police cleared out the&#160;chambers.</p>
<p>“The council voted 6-1 to approve an incremental resolution allowing the city to hire a new contractor to assemble the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&amp;action=search&amp;channel=bayarea&amp;search=1&amp;inlineLink=1&amp;query=%22Domain+Awareness+Center%22" type="external">Domain Awareness Center</a>, a surveillance hub that would allow police and city officials to continuously monitor video cameras, gunshot detectors and license-plate readers across the&#160;city.</p>
<p>“Dozens of Oakland residents, deeply worried the center would allow the city to spy on people’s everyday lives, tried to turn the resolution into a referendum on surveillance and persuade council members to stall, or scrap, the&#160;process.”</p>
<p>The East Bay Express thinks it’s <a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-real-purpose-of-oaklands-surveillance-center/Content?oid=3789230" type="external">already turned up evidence</a> that Oakland authorities plan to use the Domain Awareness Center to suppress dissent:</p>
<p>“So what is the real purpose of the massive $10.9 million surveillance system? The records we examined show that the DAC is an open-ended project that would create a surveillance system that could watch the entire city and is designed to easily incorporate new high-tech features in the future. And one of the uses that has piqued the interest of city staffers is the deployment of the DAC to track political protesters and monitor large demonstrations.</p>
<p>“Linda Lye, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, was alarmed when we showed her emails that revealed that the Oakland Police Department has already started using the DAC to keep tabs on people engaged in First Amendment activity. ‘The fact that the focus so far has been on political protests, rather than the violent crime that’s impacting Oakland residents, is troubling, and telling about how the city plans to use the DAC,’ she said.”</p>
<p>Here’s <a href="http://cironline.org/reports/license-plate-readers-let-police-collect-millions-records-drivers-4883" type="external">another Northern California example</a> from the Center for Investigative Reporting:</p>
<p>“A year ago, the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center – one of dozens of law enforcement intelligence-sharing centers set up after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – signed a $340,000 agreement with the Silicon Valley firm Palantir to construct a database of license-plate records flowing in from police using the devices across 14 counties, documents and interviews show.</p>
<p>“The extent of the center’s data collection has never been revealed. Neither has the involvement of Palantir, a&#160;Silicon Valley firm with extensive ties to the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. The CIA’s venture capital fund, In-Q-Tel, has invested $2 million in the firm.</p>
<p>“The jurisdictions supplying license-plate data to the intelligence center&#160;stretch from&#160;Monterey&#160;County&#160;to the&#160;Oregon border. According to contract documents, the database will be capable of handling at least 100 million records and be accessible to local and state law enforcement across the region.</p>
<p>“Law enforcement agencies throughout&#160;Northern California&#160;will be able to access the data, as will state and federal authorities.”</p>
<p>Per reports, at least 32 government agencies in the Bay Area are now using license-plate readers.</p>
<p>Here’s an <a href="http://www.cbs8.com/story/24004308/license-plate-readers-creating-countywide-driver-database" type="external">example from Southern California</a>, from a CBS 8/San Diego report:</p>
<p>“A massive data collection operation is underway in San Diego county to store and search millions of photographs. The photos are being taken by license plate reading cameras mounted on law enforcement vehicles all across the county.”</p>
<p>There are many more such examples. Collectively, they make a key premise of gloomy tech intellectuals impossible to dispute: We’re seeing a sea change in technology and policing, with huge long-term implications for privacy and the relationship between the individual and the state — and there hasn’t even been a real discussion about it.</p>
<p>Even though we’ve seen it <a href="http://harvardmagazine.com/2009/09/privacy-erosion-in-internet-era" type="external">coming for years</a>.</p>
<p>Of course, authorities go in the opposite direction when technology has the potential to <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/after-airliner-crash-sf-chief-bans-helmet-cams" type="external">embarrass them</a>:</p>
<p>“SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco Fire Department ban on video cameras now explicitly includes helmet-mounted devices that film emergency scenes, according to Chief Joanne Hayes-White.</p>
<p>“The edict comes after images taken in the aftermath of the July 6 Asiana Airlines crash at the San Francisco airport led to questions about first responders’ actions, which resulted in a survivor being run over by a fire truck.”</p>
<p>If things like this don’t make you cynical, you’re well-medicated.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | ‘Techno-militarization’ seen in CA alarms tech intellectuals | false | https://calwatchdog.com/2014/01/21/techno-militarization-seen-in-ca-scares-alarms-tech-intellectuals/ | 2018-01-20 | 3left-center
| ‘Techno-militarization’ seen in CA alarms tech intellectuals
<p>The NSA scandal and the increasing use of technology to police and monitor all Americans, not just suspected terrorists around the world and in our midst, is a growing worry in Silicon Valley. <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-silicon-valley-backlash-against-the-nsa" type="external">CEOs fret</a> that U.S. tech firms will suffer fallout overseas because of the vast extent of our government’s spying. Meanwhile, tech intellectuals see scary new precedents casually being set all time — many in California.</p>
<p>The TechCrunch web site regularly cites examples of how <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/18/the-techno-militarization-of-america/" type="external">“techno-militarization”</a> has come to the Golden State, including this December story from Oakland:</p>
<p>“Oakland’s City Council voted to move ahead with controversial city surveillance center during a raucous council meeting Tuesday morning that only ended when the police cleared out the&#160;chambers.</p>
<p>“The council voted 6-1 to approve an incremental resolution allowing the city to hire a new contractor to assemble the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&amp;action=search&amp;channel=bayarea&amp;search=1&amp;inlineLink=1&amp;query=%22Domain+Awareness+Center%22" type="external">Domain Awareness Center</a>, a surveillance hub that would allow police and city officials to continuously monitor video cameras, gunshot detectors and license-plate readers across the&#160;city.</p>
<p>“Dozens of Oakland residents, deeply worried the center would allow the city to spy on people’s everyday lives, tried to turn the resolution into a referendum on surveillance and persuade council members to stall, or scrap, the&#160;process.”</p>
<p>The East Bay Express thinks it’s <a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-real-purpose-of-oaklands-surveillance-center/Content?oid=3789230" type="external">already turned up evidence</a> that Oakland authorities plan to use the Domain Awareness Center to suppress dissent:</p>
<p>“So what is the real purpose of the massive $10.9 million surveillance system? The records we examined show that the DAC is an open-ended project that would create a surveillance system that could watch the entire city and is designed to easily incorporate new high-tech features in the future. And one of the uses that has piqued the interest of city staffers is the deployment of the DAC to track political protesters and monitor large demonstrations.</p>
<p>“Linda Lye, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, was alarmed when we showed her emails that revealed that the Oakland Police Department has already started using the DAC to keep tabs on people engaged in First Amendment activity. ‘The fact that the focus so far has been on political protests, rather than the violent crime that’s impacting Oakland residents, is troubling, and telling about how the city plans to use the DAC,’ she said.”</p>
<p>Here’s <a href="http://cironline.org/reports/license-plate-readers-let-police-collect-millions-records-drivers-4883" type="external">another Northern California example</a> from the Center for Investigative Reporting:</p>
<p>“A year ago, the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center – one of dozens of law enforcement intelligence-sharing centers set up after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – signed a $340,000 agreement with the Silicon Valley firm Palantir to construct a database of license-plate records flowing in from police using the devices across 14 counties, documents and interviews show.</p>
<p>“The extent of the center’s data collection has never been revealed. Neither has the involvement of Palantir, a&#160;Silicon Valley firm with extensive ties to the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. The CIA’s venture capital fund, In-Q-Tel, has invested $2 million in the firm.</p>
<p>“The jurisdictions supplying license-plate data to the intelligence center&#160;stretch from&#160;Monterey&#160;County&#160;to the&#160;Oregon border. According to contract documents, the database will be capable of handling at least 100 million records and be accessible to local and state law enforcement across the region.</p>
<p>“Law enforcement agencies throughout&#160;Northern California&#160;will be able to access the data, as will state and federal authorities.”</p>
<p>Per reports, at least 32 government agencies in the Bay Area are now using license-plate readers.</p>
<p>Here’s an <a href="http://www.cbs8.com/story/24004308/license-plate-readers-creating-countywide-driver-database" type="external">example from Southern California</a>, from a CBS 8/San Diego report:</p>
<p>“A massive data collection operation is underway in San Diego county to store and search millions of photographs. The photos are being taken by license plate reading cameras mounted on law enforcement vehicles all across the county.”</p>
<p>There are many more such examples. Collectively, they make a key premise of gloomy tech intellectuals impossible to dispute: We’re seeing a sea change in technology and policing, with huge long-term implications for privacy and the relationship between the individual and the state — and there hasn’t even been a real discussion about it.</p>
<p>Even though we’ve seen it <a href="http://harvardmagazine.com/2009/09/privacy-erosion-in-internet-era" type="external">coming for years</a>.</p>
<p>Of course, authorities go in the opposite direction when technology has the potential to <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/after-airliner-crash-sf-chief-bans-helmet-cams" type="external">embarrass them</a>:</p>
<p>“SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco Fire Department ban on video cameras now explicitly includes helmet-mounted devices that film emergency scenes, according to Chief Joanne Hayes-White.</p>
<p>“The edict comes after images taken in the aftermath of the July 6 Asiana Airlines crash at the San Francisco airport led to questions about first responders’ actions, which resulted in a survivor being run over by a fire truck.”</p>
<p>If things like this don’t make you cynical, you’re well-medicated.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,750 |
<p>LIMA, Peru — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange might regard Ecuador as a bastion of free speech, but try telling that to censored cartoonist Xavier Bonilla.</p>
<p>Bonil, as the Ecuadorean humorist is known, has become the first media worker to be sanctioned under his country’s controversial — critics say repressive — new communications law.</p>
<p>The Orwellian-sounding Superintendency of Information and Communication has fined his newspaper, El Universo, $93,000 and ordered it to run a correction over this political cartoon:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2013/12/28/caricatura/1963211/bonil" type="external" /> "KNOCK KNOCK. Christmas gifts!" Caption: "Police and chief prosecutor raid home of Fernando Villavicencio and take documentation of corruption claims." (Courtesy of El Universo)</p>
<p>That’s not exactly what you’d expect from a government famous for offering refuge to freedom-of-information campaigner Assange and, at least initially, inviting US intelligence uber-leaker Edward Snowden to also apply for asylum.</p>
<p>The cartoon satirizes a police raid on the home of Ecuadorean political activist Fernando Villavicencio, with the caption suggesting investigators seized documents proving government corruption.</p>
<p>The raid took place Dec. 27 after Villavicencio, who is an adviser to an opposition congressman, was charged with spying for allegedly accessing official emails without authorization.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/120820/ecuador-quiet-war-whistleblowers" type="external">In Ecuador, a quiet war on whistleblowers</a></p>
<p>Bonil had claimed the cartoon was based on public information, after Villavicencio’s account of the incident was widely covered in Ecuador. He also insisted that his work is artistic satire and should not be judged by the same standards as factual reporting.</p>
<p>But according to the Superintendency — whose rulings are final and cannot be appealed — the cartoon was culpable of “twisting the truth” and encouraging “social unrest.”</p>
<p>It “promotes the belief that the actions of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office [in ordering the raid on Villavicencio’s home] with the support of the police were carried out with deception … and using violence … and this effectively delegitimizes the authority’s actions,” the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q0c65gp1svq0jnx/Informe%20Interno%20Secom.pdf" type="external">indictment</a> noted.</p>
<p>But the government’s censors might do well to develop a sense of humor. So too might President Rafael Correa, who has made it a personal crusade to take on his country’s “ink assassins,” as he routinely labels critical journalists.</p>
<p>They would certainly have needed it when reading Bonil’s "correction" earlier this month.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2014/02/05/caricatura/2139051/bonil" type="external">the Feb. 5 cartoon</a>, dripping with sarcasm even heavier than usual, Bonil showed a delighted Villavicencio waving police into his home as though he were actually enjoying the raid.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2014/02/05/caricatura/2139051/bonil" type="external" /> Caption: "Police and chief prosecutor raid home of Villavicencio and seize his tablets, computers, cellphones." Complete translation below. (Courtesy of El Universo)</p>
<p>Police and prosecutor's office, good evening. Oh, come in!</p>
<p>How nice … I was expecting you.</p>
<p>Our pleasure, Mr. Villavicencio… We're here to seize your computer, tablets, etc.</p>
<p>Call your lawyer. No, don't worry, I trust you.</p>
<p>You're the legitimate authority … take all the equipment you need.</p>
<p>But we'll make a list of what we take for you to sign. No need.</p>
<p>We'll leave a sealed envelope so as not to break the chain of custody. Just handle the details!</p>
<p>Just saying that in case you think we're going to show someone this information soon.</p>
<p>Not to worry. I know that in your hands there will be total independence.</p>
<p>Great, goodbye!</p>
<p>At one point in the sketch, Villavicencio even refuses the officers’ suggestion that he call his lawyer as they confiscate his computer and hard drives, replying: “No, don’t worry. I trust you. You are the legitimate authority. Just take them. Take everything you need.”</p>
<p>Whether Villavicencio is guilty or not, in most democracies no one would bat an eyelid at a cartoonist poking fun at such a high-profile political scandal.</p>
<p>The same cannot be said of Bonil’s persecution, which appears to be precisely the kind of Big Brother-style censorship that Assange would normally have jumped on.</p>
<p>Except that the WikiLeaks guru owes a serious favor to the Correa administration for approving his asylum request and sheltering him in its London embassy since June 2012.</p>
<p>Assange says he sought refuge there to avoid a possible extradition to the United States on sealed charges of leaking official secrets. But he’s also fighting being sent to Sweden for questioning over two alleged sexual assaults.</p>
<p>He has praised Ecuador as “courageous” and “independent” for standing up to Washington and London over his case, which he regards as a crucial test of freedom in the UK and the US.</p>
<p>Assange and WikiLeaks did not respond to GlobalPost’s requests for comment.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/120224/ecuador-libel-case-rafael-correa" type="external">Ecuador libel case pits Correa against the press</a></p>
<p>Bonil’s case is just the latest example of what many see as Correa’s bullying and harassing of the media.</p>
<p>According to Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in the Western Hemisphere only Cuba has a worse record on press freedom than Correa's Ecuador.</p>
<p>A left-wing populist, the president has frequently clashed with El Universo, including in 2012 winning a criminal libel lawsuit against an op-ed writer and the editors. The sentence would have seen them jailed and fined $42 million, and it would have shuttered the newspaper. But following an international outcry, Correa pardoned the journalists at the last minute.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Communications Law passed last June has a clause that prohibits media from criticizing or championing electoral candidates, a ban viewed as undemocratic by many media experts.</p>
<p>The law also set up the Superintendency and defined <a href="http://www.cpccs.gob.ec/?mod=superI&amp;path=docs/Superintendecia%20de%20la%20informacion%20y%20comunicacion.docx" type="external">its role</a> of “monitoring, auditing, intervention and control” of media content, as well as sanctioning transgressors.</p>
<p>“It has been apparent for some time that Ecuador's new communications law was designed to muzzle journalists critical of the administration,” Carlos Lauria, the CPJ’s Americas head, said in a <a href="http://www.cpj.org/2014/02/cartoonist-sanctioned-under-ecuadors-communication.php" type="external">statement</a>.</p>
<p>“That this has been extended to cartoonists is ridiculous.”</p> | Ecuador says this seemingly innocuous cartoon is against the law | false | https://pri.org/stories/2014-02-11/ecuador-says-seemingly-innocuous-cartoon-against-law | 2014-02-11 | 3left-center
| Ecuador says this seemingly innocuous cartoon is against the law
<p>LIMA, Peru — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange might regard Ecuador as a bastion of free speech, but try telling that to censored cartoonist Xavier Bonilla.</p>
<p>Bonil, as the Ecuadorean humorist is known, has become the first media worker to be sanctioned under his country’s controversial — critics say repressive — new communications law.</p>
<p>The Orwellian-sounding Superintendency of Information and Communication has fined his newspaper, El Universo, $93,000 and ordered it to run a correction over this political cartoon:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2013/12/28/caricatura/1963211/bonil" type="external" /> "KNOCK KNOCK. Christmas gifts!" Caption: "Police and chief prosecutor raid home of Fernando Villavicencio and take documentation of corruption claims." (Courtesy of El Universo)</p>
<p>That’s not exactly what you’d expect from a government famous for offering refuge to freedom-of-information campaigner Assange and, at least initially, inviting US intelligence uber-leaker Edward Snowden to also apply for asylum.</p>
<p>The cartoon satirizes a police raid on the home of Ecuadorean political activist Fernando Villavicencio, with the caption suggesting investigators seized documents proving government corruption.</p>
<p>The raid took place Dec. 27 after Villavicencio, who is an adviser to an opposition congressman, was charged with spying for allegedly accessing official emails without authorization.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/120820/ecuador-quiet-war-whistleblowers" type="external">In Ecuador, a quiet war on whistleblowers</a></p>
<p>Bonil had claimed the cartoon was based on public information, after Villavicencio’s account of the incident was widely covered in Ecuador. He also insisted that his work is artistic satire and should not be judged by the same standards as factual reporting.</p>
<p>But according to the Superintendency — whose rulings are final and cannot be appealed — the cartoon was culpable of “twisting the truth” and encouraging “social unrest.”</p>
<p>It “promotes the belief that the actions of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office [in ordering the raid on Villavicencio’s home] with the support of the police were carried out with deception … and using violence … and this effectively delegitimizes the authority’s actions,” the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q0c65gp1svq0jnx/Informe%20Interno%20Secom.pdf" type="external">indictment</a> noted.</p>
<p>But the government’s censors might do well to develop a sense of humor. So too might President Rafael Correa, who has made it a personal crusade to take on his country’s “ink assassins,” as he routinely labels critical journalists.</p>
<p>They would certainly have needed it when reading Bonil’s "correction" earlier this month.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2014/02/05/caricatura/2139051/bonil" type="external">the Feb. 5 cartoon</a>, dripping with sarcasm even heavier than usual, Bonil showed a delighted Villavicencio waving police into his home as though he were actually enjoying the raid.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eluniverso.com/2014/02/05/caricatura/2139051/bonil" type="external" /> Caption: "Police and chief prosecutor raid home of Villavicencio and seize his tablets, computers, cellphones." Complete translation below. (Courtesy of El Universo)</p>
<p>Police and prosecutor's office, good evening. Oh, come in!</p>
<p>How nice … I was expecting you.</p>
<p>Our pleasure, Mr. Villavicencio… We're here to seize your computer, tablets, etc.</p>
<p>Call your lawyer. No, don't worry, I trust you.</p>
<p>You're the legitimate authority … take all the equipment you need.</p>
<p>But we'll make a list of what we take for you to sign. No need.</p>
<p>We'll leave a sealed envelope so as not to break the chain of custody. Just handle the details!</p>
<p>Just saying that in case you think we're going to show someone this information soon.</p>
<p>Not to worry. I know that in your hands there will be total independence.</p>
<p>Great, goodbye!</p>
<p>At one point in the sketch, Villavicencio even refuses the officers’ suggestion that he call his lawyer as they confiscate his computer and hard drives, replying: “No, don’t worry. I trust you. You are the legitimate authority. Just take them. Take everything you need.”</p>
<p>Whether Villavicencio is guilty or not, in most democracies no one would bat an eyelid at a cartoonist poking fun at such a high-profile political scandal.</p>
<p>The same cannot be said of Bonil’s persecution, which appears to be precisely the kind of Big Brother-style censorship that Assange would normally have jumped on.</p>
<p>Except that the WikiLeaks guru owes a serious favor to the Correa administration for approving his asylum request and sheltering him in its London embassy since June 2012.</p>
<p>Assange says he sought refuge there to avoid a possible extradition to the United States on sealed charges of leaking official secrets. But he’s also fighting being sent to Sweden for questioning over two alleged sexual assaults.</p>
<p>He has praised Ecuador as “courageous” and “independent” for standing up to Washington and London over his case, which he regards as a crucial test of freedom in the UK and the US.</p>
<p>Assange and WikiLeaks did not respond to GlobalPost’s requests for comment.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/120224/ecuador-libel-case-rafael-correa" type="external">Ecuador libel case pits Correa against the press</a></p>
<p>Bonil’s case is just the latest example of what many see as Correa’s bullying and harassing of the media.</p>
<p>According to Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in the Western Hemisphere only Cuba has a worse record on press freedom than Correa's Ecuador.</p>
<p>A left-wing populist, the president has frequently clashed with El Universo, including in 2012 winning a criminal libel lawsuit against an op-ed writer and the editors. The sentence would have seen them jailed and fined $42 million, and it would have shuttered the newspaper. But following an international outcry, Correa pardoned the journalists at the last minute.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Communications Law passed last June has a clause that prohibits media from criticizing or championing electoral candidates, a ban viewed as undemocratic by many media experts.</p>
<p>The law also set up the Superintendency and defined <a href="http://www.cpccs.gob.ec/?mod=superI&amp;path=docs/Superintendecia%20de%20la%20informacion%20y%20comunicacion.docx" type="external">its role</a> of “monitoring, auditing, intervention and control” of media content, as well as sanctioning transgressors.</p>
<p>“It has been apparent for some time that Ecuador's new communications law was designed to muzzle journalists critical of the administration,” Carlos Lauria, the CPJ’s Americas head, said in a <a href="http://www.cpj.org/2014/02/cartoonist-sanctioned-under-ecuadors-communication.php" type="external">statement</a>.</p>
<p>“That this has been extended to cartoonists is ridiculous.”</p> | 3,751 |
<p />
<p>In a clear attempt to head off attacks on the administration’s regulatory agenda, President Obama today issued a new <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/18/improving-regulation-and-regulatory-review-executive-order" type="external">executive order</a> and several supporting memorandums outlining the administration’s plans to review and streamline regulations from all federal agencies. Obama also <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703396604576088272112103698.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop" type="external">took to the pages</a> of today’s Wall Street Journal to discuss his administration’s plans for a “government-wide review of the rules already on the books to remove out-dated regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.”</p>
<p>The executive order, Obama writes, will “ensure that regulations protect our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth,” and will seek to “root out regulations that conflict, that are not worth the cost, or that are just plain dumb.”</p>
<p>In a call with reporters, a senior administration official says that the order had been in the works for “months, if not over a year.” But the pressure on the administration on regulations has certainly increased in the past few months. The new Republican leadership in the House has <a href="" type="internal">asked business interests to hand over</a> a wish-list for regulatory cutbacks. The Business Roundtable also <a href="http://businessroundtable.org/studies-and-reports/roadmap-for-growth/" type="external">released its priorities</a> on the matter last month, a lengthy list of regulations its members would like to see overhauled.</p>
<p>The order directs agencies “consider costs and ways to reduce burdens for American businesses when they develop rules,” said the administration official. It also directs them to revisit the thousands of rules already on the books to evaluate which need to be eliminated, streamlined, or expanded. Agencies are expected submit a preliminary plan to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for responding to this directive within 120 days.</p>
<p>While there is a clear appeal to business interests in the move, the administration was also sure to outline one key example of success it has already had in making regulations less complicated—but one that actually had the impact of drastically improving health and environmental standards. The administration’s rule for automobiles, announced in 2009, was the first to <a href="" type="internal">combine</a> fuel economy standards from the Department of Transportation, greenhouse gas emission standards from the Environmental Protection Agency, and a patchwork of state regulations into a single federal standard—adopting the highest of the standards at the federal level with the endorsement of all key stakeholders.</p>
<p /> | Obama’s Regulatory Overhaul | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/obamas-regulatory-overhaul/ | 2011-01-18 | 4left
| Obama’s Regulatory Overhaul
<p />
<p>In a clear attempt to head off attacks on the administration’s regulatory agenda, President Obama today issued a new <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/18/improving-regulation-and-regulatory-review-executive-order" type="external">executive order</a> and several supporting memorandums outlining the administration’s plans to review and streamline regulations from all federal agencies. Obama also <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703396604576088272112103698.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop" type="external">took to the pages</a> of today’s Wall Street Journal to discuss his administration’s plans for a “government-wide review of the rules already on the books to remove out-dated regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.”</p>
<p>The executive order, Obama writes, will “ensure that regulations protect our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth,” and will seek to “root out regulations that conflict, that are not worth the cost, or that are just plain dumb.”</p>
<p>In a call with reporters, a senior administration official says that the order had been in the works for “months, if not over a year.” But the pressure on the administration on regulations has certainly increased in the past few months. The new Republican leadership in the House has <a href="" type="internal">asked business interests to hand over</a> a wish-list for regulatory cutbacks. The Business Roundtable also <a href="http://businessroundtable.org/studies-and-reports/roadmap-for-growth/" type="external">released its priorities</a> on the matter last month, a lengthy list of regulations its members would like to see overhauled.</p>
<p>The order directs agencies “consider costs and ways to reduce burdens for American businesses when they develop rules,” said the administration official. It also directs them to revisit the thousands of rules already on the books to evaluate which need to be eliminated, streamlined, or expanded. Agencies are expected submit a preliminary plan to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for responding to this directive within 120 days.</p>
<p>While there is a clear appeal to business interests in the move, the administration was also sure to outline one key example of success it has already had in making regulations less complicated—but one that actually had the impact of drastically improving health and environmental standards. The administration’s rule for automobiles, announced in 2009, was the first to <a href="" type="internal">combine</a> fuel economy standards from the Department of Transportation, greenhouse gas emission standards from the Environmental Protection Agency, and a patchwork of state regulations into a single federal standard—adopting the highest of the standards at the federal level with the endorsement of all key stakeholders.</p>
<p /> | 3,752 |
<p>The tiny Indian Ocean country of the Maldives is working on a very big experiment: It's aiming to be carbon neutral by the year 2020.</p>
<p>The Maldives is ground zero when it comes to climate change.&#160;It's the lowest lying country in the world with an average elevation of just 1.5 meters above sea level. And if global carbon emissions continue unchecked, much of the 1,200 island archipelago could be underwater by the end of this century.</p>
<p>So the Maldives wants to lead by example in hopes that others will follow suit.</p>
<p>Diesel engines drive almost everything in the Maldives, from the ferries that run between the country's islands to the electric generators that provide power to its 350,000 citizens. This island nation spends fifteen percent of its GDP on diesel.</p>
<p>But the government of the Maldives is hoping to change that.&#160;On an island at the southern tip of the Maldives, a metal tower equipped with small wind turbines rises hundreds of feet above the sand .</p>
<p>"This is called a wind resource assessment tower. And it will constantly monitor the direction of the wind, the speed, and all sorts of information is collected," said Ahmed Zareer, the chairman of the local power company that is trying to determine whether a wind farm makes sense here.</p>
<p>Until now, data on renewable energy resources here has been slim. But research and investment into renewables has been growing since the country's president declared two years ago that the Maldives would go carbon neutral by the year 2020.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>"We're really really confident. It's really quite possible," said President Mohamed Nasheed.</p>
<p>He said it's possible for the Maldives to quickly squeeze carbon-based fuels out of its economy.&#160;The challenge has special resonance here, with the possibility of the country being lost by the end of the century.</p>
<p>Nasheed said it's important for the Maldives to set an example for the rest of the world.&#160;But the effort isn't just about the environment.</p>
<p>"For us this is an economics issue. it's a financial issue. We are becoming carbon neutral because it is cheaper than fossil fuels," said Nasheed.</p>
<p>Or, at least Nasheed hopes it will be in the long run. For now, the transition to cleaner energy means investing between roughly $3 billion and $5 billion.&#160;Zareer said one of the big challenges is dealing with the high upfront cost of switching to renewables.</p>
<p>"When cities, people and countries develop, you have to pay a little bit of a higher price. We're trying to adjust these prices to be very minimal," Zareer said.</p>
<p>The effort includes researching which technologies are best for different parts of the country and then deploying them as cheaply as possible. The government is also offering incentives to citizens willing to invest in renewables.</p>
<p>And they're turning to innovative techniques like crowdsourcing for ideas on how best to deal with some of the country's energy challenges. They've been spurred to do that in part because, cost aside, the switch to renewables here will be complicated.</p>
<p>Solar panels can corrode in salty marine environments like this. Space is at a premium on many of the country's tiny islands. And in most of the country, the wind only blows a few months a year. But the biggest challenge could be domestic politics.</p>
<p>President Nasheed is the Maldives' first ever democratically elected leader. But much of the country is unhappy with his record so far and anti-government demonstrations are increasingly common.&#160;Many who support the president's energy goals say his clean energy plan won't succeed without strong domestic political support. Sonnu Srivdasani's Six Senses resort company is also aiming to make its properties carbon neutral.</p>
<p>"I think initially his promotion has been very global," said Srivdasani of President Nasheed. ""underwater cabinet meeting that's shown around the world, and quoted on CNN. So that's really what he's been doing so far. But he'll need the support of every individual Maldivian if we're going to meet the target.</p>
<p>But shoring up Nasheed's political support has sometimes meant making decisions that undercut his energy agenda. Among other things, he's maintained an energy subsidy that keeps prices down but also reduces the incentive to use less.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>And to keep up with current demand for electricity, the president is sticking with a plan inherited from the previous president to build a new diesel-fired power plant.&#160;It's a difficult balance in a place that's already on the edge.</p>
<p>The threat from rising sea levels is clear on the island of Guraidhoo, where environment official Mohamed Zahir pointed a group of international visitors towards a patch of eroded shoreline.</p>
<p>"99 percent of the Maldives is reporting to the environment ministry they are having erosion problems," Zahir said.</p>
<p>Erosion - always a problem - has gotten much worse in recent years. Residents say water laps closer and closer to their homes each year.</p>
<p>Of course, what happens here in the Maldives will make only a tiny difference in global carbon emissions. Changes in say China or the United States - the world's two biggest emitters - would matter a whole lot more.</p>
<p>But President Nasheed said that where he intends to lead the Maldives ... the rest of the world will follow.</p>
<p>"We are 99 percent sure that we will be carbon neutral by 2020. And I believe that it's not just going to be us. The economics will drive other countries also to do the same," said Nasheed.</p>
<p>In fact, since Nasheed announced his goal two years ago, other countries - including Norway, Ethiopia and Costa Rica - have set similar goals.</p>
<p>They're small fish in the climate change picture, but President Nasheed said it's a start.</p> | Maldives working to be carbon-neutral by 2020 | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-01-28/maldives-working-be-carbon-neutral-2020 | 2012-01-28 | 3left-center
| Maldives working to be carbon-neutral by 2020
<p>The tiny Indian Ocean country of the Maldives is working on a very big experiment: It's aiming to be carbon neutral by the year 2020.</p>
<p>The Maldives is ground zero when it comes to climate change.&#160;It's the lowest lying country in the world with an average elevation of just 1.5 meters above sea level. And if global carbon emissions continue unchecked, much of the 1,200 island archipelago could be underwater by the end of this century.</p>
<p>So the Maldives wants to lead by example in hopes that others will follow suit.</p>
<p>Diesel engines drive almost everything in the Maldives, from the ferries that run between the country's islands to the electric generators that provide power to its 350,000 citizens. This island nation spends fifteen percent of its GDP on diesel.</p>
<p>But the government of the Maldives is hoping to change that.&#160;On an island at the southern tip of the Maldives, a metal tower equipped with small wind turbines rises hundreds of feet above the sand .</p>
<p>"This is called a wind resource assessment tower. And it will constantly monitor the direction of the wind, the speed, and all sorts of information is collected," said Ahmed Zareer, the chairman of the local power company that is trying to determine whether a wind farm makes sense here.</p>
<p>Until now, data on renewable energy resources here has been slim. But research and investment into renewables has been growing since the country's president declared two years ago that the Maldives would go carbon neutral by the year 2020.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>"We're really really confident. It's really quite possible," said President Mohamed Nasheed.</p>
<p>He said it's possible for the Maldives to quickly squeeze carbon-based fuels out of its economy.&#160;The challenge has special resonance here, with the possibility of the country being lost by the end of the century.</p>
<p>Nasheed said it's important for the Maldives to set an example for the rest of the world.&#160;But the effort isn't just about the environment.</p>
<p>"For us this is an economics issue. it's a financial issue. We are becoming carbon neutral because it is cheaper than fossil fuels," said Nasheed.</p>
<p>Or, at least Nasheed hopes it will be in the long run. For now, the transition to cleaner energy means investing between roughly $3 billion and $5 billion.&#160;Zareer said one of the big challenges is dealing with the high upfront cost of switching to renewables.</p>
<p>"When cities, people and countries develop, you have to pay a little bit of a higher price. We're trying to adjust these prices to be very minimal," Zareer said.</p>
<p>The effort includes researching which technologies are best for different parts of the country and then deploying them as cheaply as possible. The government is also offering incentives to citizens willing to invest in renewables.</p>
<p>And they're turning to innovative techniques like crowdsourcing for ideas on how best to deal with some of the country's energy challenges. They've been spurred to do that in part because, cost aside, the switch to renewables here will be complicated.</p>
<p>Solar panels can corrode in salty marine environments like this. Space is at a premium on many of the country's tiny islands. And in most of the country, the wind only blows a few months a year. But the biggest challenge could be domestic politics.</p>
<p>President Nasheed is the Maldives' first ever democratically elected leader. But much of the country is unhappy with his record so far and anti-government demonstrations are increasingly common.&#160;Many who support the president's energy goals say his clean energy plan won't succeed without strong domestic political support. Sonnu Srivdasani's Six Senses resort company is also aiming to make its properties carbon neutral.</p>
<p>"I think initially his promotion has been very global," said Srivdasani of President Nasheed. ""underwater cabinet meeting that's shown around the world, and quoted on CNN. So that's really what he's been doing so far. But he'll need the support of every individual Maldivian if we're going to meet the target.</p>
<p>But shoring up Nasheed's political support has sometimes meant making decisions that undercut his energy agenda. Among other things, he's maintained an energy subsidy that keeps prices down but also reduces the incentive to use less.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>And to keep up with current demand for electricity, the president is sticking with a plan inherited from the previous president to build a new diesel-fired power plant.&#160;It's a difficult balance in a place that's already on the edge.</p>
<p>The threat from rising sea levels is clear on the island of Guraidhoo, where environment official Mohamed Zahir pointed a group of international visitors towards a patch of eroded shoreline.</p>
<p>"99 percent of the Maldives is reporting to the environment ministry they are having erosion problems," Zahir said.</p>
<p>Erosion - always a problem - has gotten much worse in recent years. Residents say water laps closer and closer to their homes each year.</p>
<p>Of course, what happens here in the Maldives will make only a tiny difference in global carbon emissions. Changes in say China or the United States - the world's two biggest emitters - would matter a whole lot more.</p>
<p>But President Nasheed said that where he intends to lead the Maldives ... the rest of the world will follow.</p>
<p>"We are 99 percent sure that we will be carbon neutral by 2020. And I believe that it's not just going to be us. The economics will drive other countries also to do the same," said Nasheed.</p>
<p>In fact, since Nasheed announced his goal two years ago, other countries - including Norway, Ethiopia and Costa Rica - have set similar goals.</p>
<p>They're small fish in the climate change picture, but President Nasheed said it's a start.</p> | 3,753 |
<p>HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared the escalating opioid crisis a public health emergency.</p>
<p>The move will allow his administration to use the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate effort between agencies to respond to the crisis for at least three months, he said.</p>
<p>“I don’t take this action lightly,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Preliminary figures show 5,260 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2017. In 2016, heroin and opioid drug overdoses claimed 4,642 lives in the state.</p>
<p>Despite all the attention given to the issue by the administration and lawmakers, the death toll from the drug crisis increased by 13 percent over a year.</p>
<p>Wolf said that the Centers for Disease Control has Pennsylvania ranked fourth worst in the country for the overdose death rate of its citizens.</p>
<p>“It’s imperative that we use every tool to contain and eradicate this public health crisis,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s physician general and acting secretary of health, called Wolf’s move unprecedented, as officials have found no previous cases in which a Pennsylvania governor made a statewide emergency declaration over a public health threat.</p>
<p>The move is appropriate, though, considering the seriousness of the problem, “the worst public health crisis we’ve faced” in a generation, she said.</p>
<p>Jennifer Smith, the acting secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, said the governor’s order will allow the state to temporarily freeze regulations to allow people to get into treatment more quickly.</p>
<p>For instance, the state now requires that a person seeking addiction treatment first have a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. With the governor’s order, the state will waive that requirement so that other health care professionals can give the go-ahead to get people into drug treatment as soon as possible.</p>
<p>The governor’s order will also allow wider use of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program — which lets state officials know when doctors prescribe opioids and which patients are getting the drugs.</p>
<p>In addition, the state is moving to get hospitals to report when people are brought in with drug overdoses or babies are born with drugs in their systems, Levine said.</p>
<p>Under current law, coroners are required to notify the state when people die from overdoses, but the state hasn’t been getting reports for people who have overdoses but survive, she said.</p>
<p>Treatment professionals welcomed the governor’s proclamation and the steps the administration plans to take on account of it.</p>
<p>The move to better coordinate the state’s response between agencies should be helpful, said Dr. Joseph Garbely, the medical director of Caron Treatment Centers, based in Wernersville.</p>
<p>The drug monitoring program helps identify doctors who are over-prescribing and patients who are doctor-shopping to get drugs they may not need, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the best tools we have,” Garbely said.</p>
<p>The state’s delay in rolling out a drug monitoring program may be part of the reason why Pennsylvania is still seeing deaths increase, he said. Pennsylvania was the 49th state in the country to get a drug monitoring program in place, he said.</p>
<p>“We welcome the focus” that Wolf has put on the problem, said Deb Beck, president of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>The move to make it easier to get people into treatment “is probably a good thing. Anything that simplifies that process is a good thing,” Beck said.</p>
<p>“I think the pieces are in place” for the state to begin better-managing the crisis, with these new moves on top of earlier efforts to address the crisis, Beck said.</p>
<p>But even so, it will take years for the state to recover from the crisis that has claimed so many lives and left so many people addicted to drugs, she said.</p>
<p>Wolf acknowledged that the move “isn’t a silver bullet” to solve the crisis.</p>
<p>The emergency proclamation covers 90 days because that’s the maximum allowed by law. After that, if needed he could seek to extend it with another proclamation, Wolf said.</p>
<p>Political reaction</p>
<p>The move by Wolf, a Democrat, prompted reaction by state and federal officials across the political spectrum.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office put out a statement stressing efforts taken by Congress and the president to tackle the problem.</p>
<p>“The opioid and heroin crisis has rightfully drawn bipartisan attention in Congress and all levels of government,” Toomey, a Republican, said in the statement, noting that President Donald Trump had described the problems as “public health emergency” in October.</p>
<p>“As the devastating effects of this epidemic continue to ravage communities in Pennsylvania, today’s declaration sends a clear message that more work remains to be done,” he said.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, in a statement, commended Wolf’s move.</p>
<p>“This declaration will bring additional resources to bear on this horrific public health emergency that has ripped apart far too many families,” Casey said.</p>
<p>He added that the federal government could do more to help.</p>
<p>“I have introduced legislation that would invest $45 billion in programs that combat opioid addiction and provide treatment for those who need it. Congressional Republicans should give sustained focus to this problem and take up my legislation,” Casey said.</p>
<p>State Attorney General Josh Shapiro called Wolf’s announcement “an important step.”</p>
<p>The attorney general said he’s made fighting the opioid crisis his top priority and that’s resulted in arrests of, on average, more than four drug dealers a day.</p>
<p>“Our arrests of medical personnel and others for illegally diverting prescription drugs are up 72 percent,” he said. “Our national investigation with 41 Attorneys General of the pharmaceutical industry and the opioid painkillers fueling this epidemic is ongoing and active.”</p>
<p>Those law enforcement efforts alone won’t solve the problem, he said.</p>
<p>“But as we continue losing more Pennsylvanians to overdoses, it’s clear we must do more,” Shapiro said. “I thank Governor Wolf for his leadership and partnership as we work together every day to save Pennsylvanians’ lives.”</p>
<p>The House Republican chairs of the human services and health committee said Wolf’s announcement spelled out “positive steps.”</p>
<p>Lawmakers intend to chime in with their own ideas about how to continue fighting the crisis, said state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County, and state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford County, in a joint statement.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the governor and the Senate to help those in the Commonwealth struggling with addiction,” they said.</p>
<p>John Finnerty reports from the CNHI Harrisburg Bureau for The Meadville Tribune and other Pennsylvania newspapers owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @cnhipa.</p>
<p>HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared the escalating opioid crisis a public health emergency.</p>
<p>The move will allow his administration to use the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate effort between agencies to respond to the crisis for at least three months, he said.</p>
<p>“I don’t take this action lightly,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Preliminary figures show 5,260 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2017. In 2016, heroin and opioid drug overdoses claimed 4,642 lives in the state.</p>
<p>Despite all the attention given to the issue by the administration and lawmakers, the death toll from the drug crisis increased by 13 percent over a year.</p>
<p>Wolf said that the Centers for Disease Control has Pennsylvania ranked fourth worst in the country for the overdose death rate of its citizens.</p>
<p>“It’s imperative that we use every tool to contain and eradicate this public health crisis,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s physician general and acting secretary of health, called Wolf’s move unprecedented, as officials have found no previous cases in which a Pennsylvania governor made a statewide emergency declaration over a public health threat.</p>
<p>The move is appropriate, though, considering the seriousness of the problem, “the worst public health crisis we’ve faced” in a generation, she said.</p>
<p>Jennifer Smith, the acting secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, said the governor’s order will allow the state to temporarily freeze regulations to allow people to get into treatment more quickly.</p>
<p>For instance, the state now requires that a person seeking addiction treatment first have a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. With the governor’s order, the state will waive that requirement so that other health care professionals can give the go-ahead to get people into drug treatment as soon as possible.</p>
<p>The governor’s order will also allow wider use of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program — which lets state officials know when doctors prescribe opioids and which patients are getting the drugs.</p>
<p>In addition, the state is moving to get hospitals to report when people are brought in with drug overdoses or babies are born with drugs in their systems, Levine said.</p>
<p>Under current law, coroners are required to notify the state when people die from overdoses, but the state hasn’t been getting reports for people who have overdoses but survive, she said.</p>
<p>Treatment professionals welcomed the governor’s proclamation and the steps the administration plans to take on account of it.</p>
<p>The move to better coordinate the state’s response between agencies should be helpful, said Dr. Joseph Garbely, the medical director of Caron Treatment Centers, based in Wernersville.</p>
<p>The drug monitoring program helps identify doctors who are over-prescribing and patients who are doctor-shopping to get drugs they may not need, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the best tools we have,” Garbely said.</p>
<p>The state’s delay in rolling out a drug monitoring program may be part of the reason why Pennsylvania is still seeing deaths increase, he said. Pennsylvania was the 49th state in the country to get a drug monitoring program in place, he said.</p>
<p>“We welcome the focus” that Wolf has put on the problem, said Deb Beck, president of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>The move to make it easier to get people into treatment “is probably a good thing. Anything that simplifies that process is a good thing,” Beck said.</p>
<p>“I think the pieces are in place” for the state to begin better-managing the crisis, with these new moves on top of earlier efforts to address the crisis, Beck said.</p>
<p>But even so, it will take years for the state to recover from the crisis that has claimed so many lives and left so many people addicted to drugs, she said.</p>
<p>Wolf acknowledged that the move “isn’t a silver bullet” to solve the crisis.</p>
<p>The emergency proclamation covers 90 days because that’s the maximum allowed by law. After that, if needed he could seek to extend it with another proclamation, Wolf said.</p>
<p>Political reaction</p>
<p>The move by Wolf, a Democrat, prompted reaction by state and federal officials across the political spectrum.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office put out a statement stressing efforts taken by Congress and the president to tackle the problem.</p>
<p>“The opioid and heroin crisis has rightfully drawn bipartisan attention in Congress and all levels of government,” Toomey, a Republican, said in the statement, noting that President Donald Trump had described the problems as “public health emergency” in October.</p>
<p>“As the devastating effects of this epidemic continue to ravage communities in Pennsylvania, today’s declaration sends a clear message that more work remains to be done,” he said.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, in a statement, commended Wolf’s move.</p>
<p>“This declaration will bring additional resources to bear on this horrific public health emergency that has ripped apart far too many families,” Casey said.</p>
<p>He added that the federal government could do more to help.</p>
<p>“I have introduced legislation that would invest $45 billion in programs that combat opioid addiction and provide treatment for those who need it. Congressional Republicans should give sustained focus to this problem and take up my legislation,” Casey said.</p>
<p>State Attorney General Josh Shapiro called Wolf’s announcement “an important step.”</p>
<p>The attorney general said he’s made fighting the opioid crisis his top priority and that’s resulted in arrests of, on average, more than four drug dealers a day.</p>
<p>“Our arrests of medical personnel and others for illegally diverting prescription drugs are up 72 percent,” he said. “Our national investigation with 41 Attorneys General of the pharmaceutical industry and the opioid painkillers fueling this epidemic is ongoing and active.”</p>
<p>Those law enforcement efforts alone won’t solve the problem, he said.</p>
<p>“But as we continue losing more Pennsylvanians to overdoses, it’s clear we must do more,” Shapiro said. “I thank Governor Wolf for his leadership and partnership as we work together every day to save Pennsylvanians’ lives.”</p>
<p>The House Republican chairs of the human services and health committee said Wolf’s announcement spelled out “positive steps.”</p>
<p>Lawmakers intend to chime in with their own ideas about how to continue fighting the crisis, said state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County, and state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford County, in a joint statement.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the governor and the Senate to help those in the Commonwealth struggling with addiction,” they said.</p>
<p>John Finnerty reports from the CNHI Harrisburg Bureau for The Meadville Tribune and other Pennsylvania newspapers owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @cnhipa.</p> | Gov. Wolf declares opioid epidemic a public health emergency | false | https://apnews.com/09bb54e42d7944559c57eaa301a50546 | 2018-01-11 | 2least
| Gov. Wolf declares opioid epidemic a public health emergency
<p>HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared the escalating opioid crisis a public health emergency.</p>
<p>The move will allow his administration to use the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate effort between agencies to respond to the crisis for at least three months, he said.</p>
<p>“I don’t take this action lightly,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Preliminary figures show 5,260 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2017. In 2016, heroin and opioid drug overdoses claimed 4,642 lives in the state.</p>
<p>Despite all the attention given to the issue by the administration and lawmakers, the death toll from the drug crisis increased by 13 percent over a year.</p>
<p>Wolf said that the Centers for Disease Control has Pennsylvania ranked fourth worst in the country for the overdose death rate of its citizens.</p>
<p>“It’s imperative that we use every tool to contain and eradicate this public health crisis,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s physician general and acting secretary of health, called Wolf’s move unprecedented, as officials have found no previous cases in which a Pennsylvania governor made a statewide emergency declaration over a public health threat.</p>
<p>The move is appropriate, though, considering the seriousness of the problem, “the worst public health crisis we’ve faced” in a generation, she said.</p>
<p>Jennifer Smith, the acting secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, said the governor’s order will allow the state to temporarily freeze regulations to allow people to get into treatment more quickly.</p>
<p>For instance, the state now requires that a person seeking addiction treatment first have a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. With the governor’s order, the state will waive that requirement so that other health care professionals can give the go-ahead to get people into drug treatment as soon as possible.</p>
<p>The governor’s order will also allow wider use of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program — which lets state officials know when doctors prescribe opioids and which patients are getting the drugs.</p>
<p>In addition, the state is moving to get hospitals to report when people are brought in with drug overdoses or babies are born with drugs in their systems, Levine said.</p>
<p>Under current law, coroners are required to notify the state when people die from overdoses, but the state hasn’t been getting reports for people who have overdoses but survive, she said.</p>
<p>Treatment professionals welcomed the governor’s proclamation and the steps the administration plans to take on account of it.</p>
<p>The move to better coordinate the state’s response between agencies should be helpful, said Dr. Joseph Garbely, the medical director of Caron Treatment Centers, based in Wernersville.</p>
<p>The drug monitoring program helps identify doctors who are over-prescribing and patients who are doctor-shopping to get drugs they may not need, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the best tools we have,” Garbely said.</p>
<p>The state’s delay in rolling out a drug monitoring program may be part of the reason why Pennsylvania is still seeing deaths increase, he said. Pennsylvania was the 49th state in the country to get a drug monitoring program in place, he said.</p>
<p>“We welcome the focus” that Wolf has put on the problem, said Deb Beck, president of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>The move to make it easier to get people into treatment “is probably a good thing. Anything that simplifies that process is a good thing,” Beck said.</p>
<p>“I think the pieces are in place” for the state to begin better-managing the crisis, with these new moves on top of earlier efforts to address the crisis, Beck said.</p>
<p>But even so, it will take years for the state to recover from the crisis that has claimed so many lives and left so many people addicted to drugs, she said.</p>
<p>Wolf acknowledged that the move “isn’t a silver bullet” to solve the crisis.</p>
<p>The emergency proclamation covers 90 days because that’s the maximum allowed by law. After that, if needed he could seek to extend it with another proclamation, Wolf said.</p>
<p>Political reaction</p>
<p>The move by Wolf, a Democrat, prompted reaction by state and federal officials across the political spectrum.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office put out a statement stressing efforts taken by Congress and the president to tackle the problem.</p>
<p>“The opioid and heroin crisis has rightfully drawn bipartisan attention in Congress and all levels of government,” Toomey, a Republican, said in the statement, noting that President Donald Trump had described the problems as “public health emergency” in October.</p>
<p>“As the devastating effects of this epidemic continue to ravage communities in Pennsylvania, today’s declaration sends a clear message that more work remains to be done,” he said.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, in a statement, commended Wolf’s move.</p>
<p>“This declaration will bring additional resources to bear on this horrific public health emergency that has ripped apart far too many families,” Casey said.</p>
<p>He added that the federal government could do more to help.</p>
<p>“I have introduced legislation that would invest $45 billion in programs that combat opioid addiction and provide treatment for those who need it. Congressional Republicans should give sustained focus to this problem and take up my legislation,” Casey said.</p>
<p>State Attorney General Josh Shapiro called Wolf’s announcement “an important step.”</p>
<p>The attorney general said he’s made fighting the opioid crisis his top priority and that’s resulted in arrests of, on average, more than four drug dealers a day.</p>
<p>“Our arrests of medical personnel and others for illegally diverting prescription drugs are up 72 percent,” he said. “Our national investigation with 41 Attorneys General of the pharmaceutical industry and the opioid painkillers fueling this epidemic is ongoing and active.”</p>
<p>Those law enforcement efforts alone won’t solve the problem, he said.</p>
<p>“But as we continue losing more Pennsylvanians to overdoses, it’s clear we must do more,” Shapiro said. “I thank Governor Wolf for his leadership and partnership as we work together every day to save Pennsylvanians’ lives.”</p>
<p>The House Republican chairs of the human services and health committee said Wolf’s announcement spelled out “positive steps.”</p>
<p>Lawmakers intend to chime in with their own ideas about how to continue fighting the crisis, said state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County, and state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford County, in a joint statement.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the governor and the Senate to help those in the Commonwealth struggling with addiction,” they said.</p>
<p>John Finnerty reports from the CNHI Harrisburg Bureau for The Meadville Tribune and other Pennsylvania newspapers owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @cnhipa.</p>
<p>HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared the escalating opioid crisis a public health emergency.</p>
<p>The move will allow his administration to use the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate effort between agencies to respond to the crisis for at least three months, he said.</p>
<p>“I don’t take this action lightly,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Preliminary figures show 5,260 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2017. In 2016, heroin and opioid drug overdoses claimed 4,642 lives in the state.</p>
<p>Despite all the attention given to the issue by the administration and lawmakers, the death toll from the drug crisis increased by 13 percent over a year.</p>
<p>Wolf said that the Centers for Disease Control has Pennsylvania ranked fourth worst in the country for the overdose death rate of its citizens.</p>
<p>“It’s imperative that we use every tool to contain and eradicate this public health crisis,” Wolf said.</p>
<p>Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s physician general and acting secretary of health, called Wolf’s move unprecedented, as officials have found no previous cases in which a Pennsylvania governor made a statewide emergency declaration over a public health threat.</p>
<p>The move is appropriate, though, considering the seriousness of the problem, “the worst public health crisis we’ve faced” in a generation, she said.</p>
<p>Jennifer Smith, the acting secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, said the governor’s order will allow the state to temporarily freeze regulations to allow people to get into treatment more quickly.</p>
<p>For instance, the state now requires that a person seeking addiction treatment first have a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. With the governor’s order, the state will waive that requirement so that other health care professionals can give the go-ahead to get people into drug treatment as soon as possible.</p>
<p>The governor’s order will also allow wider use of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program — which lets state officials know when doctors prescribe opioids and which patients are getting the drugs.</p>
<p>In addition, the state is moving to get hospitals to report when people are brought in with drug overdoses or babies are born with drugs in their systems, Levine said.</p>
<p>Under current law, coroners are required to notify the state when people die from overdoses, but the state hasn’t been getting reports for people who have overdoses but survive, she said.</p>
<p>Treatment professionals welcomed the governor’s proclamation and the steps the administration plans to take on account of it.</p>
<p>The move to better coordinate the state’s response between agencies should be helpful, said Dr. Joseph Garbely, the medical director of Caron Treatment Centers, based in Wernersville.</p>
<p>The drug monitoring program helps identify doctors who are over-prescribing and patients who are doctor-shopping to get drugs they may not need, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s one of the best tools we have,” Garbely said.</p>
<p>The state’s delay in rolling out a drug monitoring program may be part of the reason why Pennsylvania is still seeing deaths increase, he said. Pennsylvania was the 49th state in the country to get a drug monitoring program in place, he said.</p>
<p>“We welcome the focus” that Wolf has put on the problem, said Deb Beck, president of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>The move to make it easier to get people into treatment “is probably a good thing. Anything that simplifies that process is a good thing,” Beck said.</p>
<p>“I think the pieces are in place” for the state to begin better-managing the crisis, with these new moves on top of earlier efforts to address the crisis, Beck said.</p>
<p>But even so, it will take years for the state to recover from the crisis that has claimed so many lives and left so many people addicted to drugs, she said.</p>
<p>Wolf acknowledged that the move “isn’t a silver bullet” to solve the crisis.</p>
<p>The emergency proclamation covers 90 days because that’s the maximum allowed by law. After that, if needed he could seek to extend it with another proclamation, Wolf said.</p>
<p>Political reaction</p>
<p>The move by Wolf, a Democrat, prompted reaction by state and federal officials across the political spectrum.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office put out a statement stressing efforts taken by Congress and the president to tackle the problem.</p>
<p>“The opioid and heroin crisis has rightfully drawn bipartisan attention in Congress and all levels of government,” Toomey, a Republican, said in the statement, noting that President Donald Trump had described the problems as “public health emergency” in October.</p>
<p>“As the devastating effects of this epidemic continue to ravage communities in Pennsylvania, today’s declaration sends a clear message that more work remains to be done,” he said.</p>
<p>U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, in a statement, commended Wolf’s move.</p>
<p>“This declaration will bring additional resources to bear on this horrific public health emergency that has ripped apart far too many families,” Casey said.</p>
<p>He added that the federal government could do more to help.</p>
<p>“I have introduced legislation that would invest $45 billion in programs that combat opioid addiction and provide treatment for those who need it. Congressional Republicans should give sustained focus to this problem and take up my legislation,” Casey said.</p>
<p>State Attorney General Josh Shapiro called Wolf’s announcement “an important step.”</p>
<p>The attorney general said he’s made fighting the opioid crisis his top priority and that’s resulted in arrests of, on average, more than four drug dealers a day.</p>
<p>“Our arrests of medical personnel and others for illegally diverting prescription drugs are up 72 percent,” he said. “Our national investigation with 41 Attorneys General of the pharmaceutical industry and the opioid painkillers fueling this epidemic is ongoing and active.”</p>
<p>Those law enforcement efforts alone won’t solve the problem, he said.</p>
<p>“But as we continue losing more Pennsylvanians to overdoses, it’s clear we must do more,” Shapiro said. “I thank Governor Wolf for his leadership and partnership as we work together every day to save Pennsylvanians’ lives.”</p>
<p>The House Republican chairs of the human services and health committee said Wolf’s announcement spelled out “positive steps.”</p>
<p>Lawmakers intend to chime in with their own ideas about how to continue fighting the crisis, said state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County, and state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford County, in a joint statement.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the governor and the Senate to help those in the Commonwealth struggling with addiction,” they said.</p>
<p>John Finnerty reports from the CNHI Harrisburg Bureau for The Meadville Tribune and other Pennsylvania newspapers owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @cnhipa.</p> | 3,754 |
<p>A Montana Gulf War veteran who was investigated three years ago for threatening President Barack Obama was back in federal custody Monday on new charges of threatening the president and his family, court documents showed Monday.</p>
<p>Daniel Rachell, 43, of Darby, about 50 miles south of Missoula, was arrested Thursday and appointed a public defender at his initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Missoula, according to records made public Monday.</p>
<p>He was charged with threatening the life of the president and with threatening the lives of former presidents and other persons — the former president or presidents weren't identified, but in a 12-page affidavit, the Secret Service said Rachell had drawn up detailed plans to blow up the presidential motorcade, killing the first family and any Secret Service and other security agents protecting them.</p>
<p><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_U.S.%20news/US-news-PDFs/140407-obama-threat-affidavit.pdf" type="external">In the affidavit, which was filed March 28 (PDF)</a>, a Secret Service investigator said the agency began looking into Rachell late last month when a veteran who patronizes the Valley Veterans Service Center in Hamilton reported that Rachell had made racist slurs about Obama and had said someone needed to "kill Michelle and the kids to save the taxpayers money because they fly around on Air Force One all the time."</p>
<p>The veteran told the Secret Service that Rachell boasted of having trained his current wife to be a "spotter" to assist him in an assassination attempt and that he had enough ammunition to kill everyone in Hamilton, population 4,300.</p>
<p>It's not the first time the Secret Service has investigated Rachel. In April 2011, Rachell's ex-wife filed a complaint alleging that he'd stockpiled weapons and was on his way to Illinois kill her and to St. Louis to kill another ex-wife — details outlined in the new affidavit.</p>
<p>As part of that complaint, the ex-wife told police that Rachell suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had made anti-government statements and specific threats against Obama.</p>
<p>When Rachell was located in Schertz, Texas, northeast of San Antonio, he was involuntarily admitted for psychiatric evaluation, which concluded that he did show symptoms of depression and PTSD.</p>
<p>The new affidavit says Rachell denied making any threats, and it couldn't immediately be determined Monday how the 2011 investigation ended.</p> | Montana Man Charged With Threatening Obama and Family | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/montana-man-charged-threatening-obama-family-n74306 | 2014-04-08 | 3left-center
| Montana Man Charged With Threatening Obama and Family
<p>A Montana Gulf War veteran who was investigated three years ago for threatening President Barack Obama was back in federal custody Monday on new charges of threatening the president and his family, court documents showed Monday.</p>
<p>Daniel Rachell, 43, of Darby, about 50 miles south of Missoula, was arrested Thursday and appointed a public defender at his initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Missoula, according to records made public Monday.</p>
<p>He was charged with threatening the life of the president and with threatening the lives of former presidents and other persons — the former president or presidents weren't identified, but in a 12-page affidavit, the Secret Service said Rachell had drawn up detailed plans to blow up the presidential motorcade, killing the first family and any Secret Service and other security agents protecting them.</p>
<p><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_U.S.%20news/US-news-PDFs/140407-obama-threat-affidavit.pdf" type="external">In the affidavit, which was filed March 28 (PDF)</a>, a Secret Service investigator said the agency began looking into Rachell late last month when a veteran who patronizes the Valley Veterans Service Center in Hamilton reported that Rachell had made racist slurs about Obama and had said someone needed to "kill Michelle and the kids to save the taxpayers money because they fly around on Air Force One all the time."</p>
<p>The veteran told the Secret Service that Rachell boasted of having trained his current wife to be a "spotter" to assist him in an assassination attempt and that he had enough ammunition to kill everyone in Hamilton, population 4,300.</p>
<p>It's not the first time the Secret Service has investigated Rachel. In April 2011, Rachell's ex-wife filed a complaint alleging that he'd stockpiled weapons and was on his way to Illinois kill her and to St. Louis to kill another ex-wife — details outlined in the new affidavit.</p>
<p>As part of that complaint, the ex-wife told police that Rachell suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had made anti-government statements and specific threats against Obama.</p>
<p>When Rachell was located in Schertz, Texas, northeast of San Antonio, he was involuntarily admitted for psychiatric evaluation, which concluded that he did show symptoms of depression and PTSD.</p>
<p>The new affidavit says Rachell denied making any threats, and it couldn't immediately be determined Monday how the 2011 investigation ended.</p> | 3,755 |
<p>I was in the police station in the town of Fallujah when I realised the extent of the schizophrenia. Captain Christopher Cirino of the 82nd Airborne was trying to explain to me the nature of the attacks so regularly carried out against American forces in the Sunni Muslim Iraqi town. His men were billeted in a former presidential rest home down the road–“Dreamland”, the Americans call it–but this was not the extent of his soldiers’ disorientation. “The men we are being attacked by,” he said, “are Syrian-trained terrorists and local freedom fighters.” Come again? “Freedom fighters.” But that’s what Captain Cirino called them–and rightly so.</p>
<p>Here’s the reason. All American soldiers are supposed to believe–indeed have to believe, along with their President and his Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld–that Osama bin Laden’s “al-Qa’ida” guerrillas, pouring over Iraq’s borders from Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia (note how those close allies and neighbours of Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey are always left out of the equation), are assaulting United States forces as part of the “war on terror”. Special forces soldiers are now being told by their officers that the “war on terror” has been transferred from America to Iraq, as if in some miraculous way, 11 September 2001 is now Iraq 2003. Note too how the Americans always leave the Iraqis out of the culpability bracket–unless they can be described as “Baath party remnants”, “diehards” or “deadenders” by the US proconsul, Paul Bremer.</p>
<p>Captain Cirino’s problem, of course, is that he knows part of the truth. Ordinary Iraqis–many of them long-term enemies of Saddam Hussein–are attacking the American occupation army 35 times a day in the Baghdad area alone. And Captain Cirino works in Fallujah’s local police station, where America’s newly hired Iraqi policemen are the brothers and uncles and–no doubt–fathers of some of those now waging guerrilla war against American soldiers in Fallujah. Some of them, I suspect, are indeed themselves the “terrorists”. So if he calls the bad guys “terrorists”, the local cops–his first line of defence–would be very angry indeed.</p>
<p>No wonder morale is low. No wonder the American soldiers I meet on the streets of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities don’t mince their words about their own government. US troops have been given orders not to bad-mouth their President or Secretary of Defence in front of Iraqis or reporters (who have about the same status in the eyes of the occupation authorities). But when I suggested to a group of US military police near Abu Ghurayb they would be voting Republican at the next election, they fell about laughing. “We shouldn’t be here and we should never have been sent here,” one of them told me with astonishing candour. “And maybe you can tell me: why were we sent here?”</p>
<p>Little wonder, then, that Stars and Stripes, the American military’s own newspaper, reported this month that one third of the soldiers in Iraq suffered from low morale. And is it any wonder, that being the case, that US forces in Iraq are shooting down the innocent, kicking and brutalising prisoners, trashing homes and–eyewitness testimony is coming from hundreds of Iraqis–stealing money from houses they are raiding? No, this is not Vietnam–where the Americans sometimes lost 3,000 men in a month–nor is the US army in Iraq turning into a rabble. Not yet. And they remain light years away from the butchery of Saddam’s henchmen. But human-rights monitors, civilian occupation officials and journalists–not to mention Iraqis themselves–are increasingly appalled at the behaviour of the American military occupiers.</p>
<p>Iraqis who fail to see US military checkpoints, who overtake convoys under attack–or who merely pass the scene of an American raid–are being gunned down with abandon. US official “inquiries” into these killings routinely result in either silence or claims that the soldiers “obeyed their rules of engagement”–rules that the Americans will not disclose to the public.</p>
<p>The rot comes from the top. Even during the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq, US forces declined to take responsibility for the innocents they killed. “We do not do body counts,” General Tommy Franks announced. So there was no apology for the 16 civilians killed at Mansur when the “Allies”–note how we Brits get caught up in this misleading title–bombed a residential suburb in the vain hope of killing Saddam. When US special forces raided a house in the very same area four months later–hunting for the very same Iraqi leader–they killed six civilians, including a 14-year-old boy and a middle-aged woman, and only announced, four days later, that they would hold an “inquiry”. Not an investigation, you understand, nothing that would suggest there was anything wrong in gunning down six Iraqi civilians; and in due course the “inquiry” was forgotten–as it was no doubt meant to be–and nothing has been heard of it again.</p>
<p>Again, during the invasion, the Americans dropped hundreds of cluster bombs on villages outside the town of Hillah. They left behind a butcher’s shop of chopped-up corpses. Film of babies cut in half during the raid was not even transmitted by the Reuters crew in Baghdad. The Pentagon then said there were “no indications” cluster bombs had been dropped at Hillah–even though Sky TV found some unexploded and brought them back to Baghdad.</p>
<p>I first came across this absence of remorse–or rather absence of responsibility–in a slum suburb of Baghdad called Hayy al-Gailani. Two men had run a new American checkpoint–a roll of barbed wire tossed across a road before dawn one morning in July–and US troops had opened fire at the car. Indeed, they fired so many bullets that the vehicle burst into flames. And while the dead or dying men were burned inside, the Americans who had set up the checkpoint simply boarded their armoured vehicles and left the scene. They never even bothered to visit the hospital mortuary to find out the identities of the men they killed–an obvious step if they believed they had killed “terrorists”–and inform their relatives. Scenes like this are being repeated across Iraq daily.</p>
<p>Which is why Human Rights Watch and Amnesty and other humanitarian organisations are protesting ever more vigorously about the failure of the US army even to count the numbers of Iraqi dead, let alone account for their own role in killing civilians. “It is a tragedy that US soldiers have killed so many civilians in Baghdad,” Human Rights Watch’s Joe Stork said. “But it is really incredible that the US military does not even count these deaths.” Human Rights Watch has counted 94 Iraqi civilians killed by Americans in the capital. The organisation also criticised American forces for humiliating prisoners, not least by their habit of placing their feet on the heads of prisoners. Some American soldiers are now being trained in Jordan–by Jordanians–in the “respect” that should be accorded to Iraqi civilians and about the culture of Islam. About time.</p>
<p>But on the ground in Iraq, Americans have a licence to kill. Not a single soldier has been disciplined for shooting civilians–even when the fatality involves an Iraqi working for the occupation authorities. No action has been taken, for instance, over the soldier who fired a single shot through the window of an Italian diplomat’s car, killing his translator, in northern Iraq. Nor against the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne who gunned down 14 Sunni Muslim protesters in Fallujah in April. (Captain Cirino was not involved.) Nor against the troops who shot dead 11 more protesters in Mosul. Sometimes, the evidence of low morale mounts over a long period. In one Iraqi city, for example, the “Coalition Provisional Authority”–which is what the occupation authorities call themselves–have instructed local money changers not to give dollars for Iraqi dinars to occupation soldiers: too many Iraqi dinars had been stolen by troops during house raids. Repeatedly, in Baghdad, Hillah, Tikrit, Mosul and Fallujah Iraqis have told me that they were robbed by American troops during raids and at checkpoints. Unless there is a monumental conspiracy on a nationwide scale by Iraqis, some of these reports must bear the stamp of truth.</p>
<p>Then there was the case of the Bengal tiger. A group of US troops entered the Baghdad zoo one evening for a party of sandwiches and beer. During the party, one of the soldiers decided to pet the tiger who–being a Bengal tiger–sank his teeth into the soldier. The Americans then shot the tiger dead. The Americans promised an “inquiry”–of which nothing has been heard since. Ironically, the one incident where US forces faced disciplinary action followed an incident in which a US helicopter crew took a black religious flag from a communications tower in Sadr City in Baghdad. The violence that followed cost the life of an Iraqi civilian.</p>
<p>Suicides among US troops in Iraq have risen in recent months–up to three times the usual rate among American servicemen. At least 23 soldiers are believed to have taken their lives since the Anglo-American invasion and others have been wounded in attempting suicide. As usual, the US army only revealed this statistic following constant questioning. The daily attacks on Americans outside Baghdad–up to 50 in a night–go, like the civilian Iraqi dead, unrecorded. Travelling back from Fallujah to Baghdad after dark last month, I saw mortar explosions and tracer fire around 13 American bases–not a word of which was later revealed by the occupation authorities. At Baghdad airport last month, five mortar shells fell near the runway as a Jordanian airliner was boarding passengers for Amman. I saw this attack with my own eyes. That same afternoon, General Ricardo Sanchez, the senior US officer in Iraq, claimed he knew nothing about the attack, which–unless his junior officers are slovenly–he must have been well aware of.</p>
<p>But can we expect anything else of an army that can wilfully mislead soldiers into writing “letters” to their home town papers in the US about improvements in Iraqi daily life.</p>
<p>“The quality of life and security for the citizens has been largely restored, and we are a large part of why it has happened,” Sergeant Christopher Shelton of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment bragged in a letter from Kirkuk to the Snohomish County Tribune. “The majority of the city has welcomed our presence with open arms.” Only it hasn’t. And Sergeant Shelton didn’t write the letter. Nor did Sergeant Shawn Grueser of West Virginia. Nor did Private Nick Deaconson. Nor eight other soldiers who supposedly wrote identical letters to their local papers. The “letters” were distributed among soldiers, who were asked to sign if they agreed with its contents.</p>
<p>But is this, perhaps, not part of the fantasy world inspired by the right-wing ideologues in Washington who sought this war–even though most of them have never served their country in uniform. They dreamed up the “weapons of mass destruction” and the adulation of American troops who would “liberate” the Iraqi people. Unable to provide fact to fiction, they now merely acknowledge that the soldiers they have sent into the biggest rat’s nest in the Middle East have “a lot of work to do”, that they are–this was not revealed before or during the invasion–“fighting the front line in the war on terror”.</p>
<p>What influence, one might ask, have the Christian fundamentalists had on the American army in Iraq? For even if we ignore the Rev Franklin Graham, who has described Islam as “a very evil and wicked religion” before he went to lecture Pentagon officials–what is one to make of the officer responsible for tracking down Osama bin Laden, Lieutenant-General William “Jerry” Boykin, who told an audience in Oregon that Islamists hate the US “because we’re a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy called Satan”. Recently promoted to deputy under-secretary of defence for intelligence, Boykin went on to say of the war against Mohammed Farrah Aidid in Somalia–in which he participated–that “I knew my God was bigger than his–I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol”.</p>
<p>Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld said of these extraordinary remarks that “it doesn’t look like any rules were broken”. We are now told that an “inquiry” into Boykin’s comments is underway–an “inquiry” about as thorough, no doubt, as those held into the killing of civilians in Baghdad.</p>
<p>Weaned on this kind of nonsense, however, is it any surprise that American troops in Iraq understand neither their war nor the people whose country they are occupying? Terrorists or freedom fighters? What’s the difference?</p>
<p>Robert Fisk is a reporter for The Independent and author of <a href="" type="internal">Pity the Nation</a>. He is also a contributor to CounterPunch’s hot new book, <a href="http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/CounterPunch/CounterPunch_Bookshop.html" type="external">The Politics of Anti-Semitism</a>.</p> | Occupational Schizophrenia | true | https://counterpunch.org/2003/10/27/occupational-schizophrenia/ | 2003-10-27 | 4left
| Occupational Schizophrenia
<p>I was in the police station in the town of Fallujah when I realised the extent of the schizophrenia. Captain Christopher Cirino of the 82nd Airborne was trying to explain to me the nature of the attacks so regularly carried out against American forces in the Sunni Muslim Iraqi town. His men were billeted in a former presidential rest home down the road–“Dreamland”, the Americans call it–but this was not the extent of his soldiers’ disorientation. “The men we are being attacked by,” he said, “are Syrian-trained terrorists and local freedom fighters.” Come again? “Freedom fighters.” But that’s what Captain Cirino called them–and rightly so.</p>
<p>Here’s the reason. All American soldiers are supposed to believe–indeed have to believe, along with their President and his Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld–that Osama bin Laden’s “al-Qa’ida” guerrillas, pouring over Iraq’s borders from Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia (note how those close allies and neighbours of Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey are always left out of the equation), are assaulting United States forces as part of the “war on terror”. Special forces soldiers are now being told by their officers that the “war on terror” has been transferred from America to Iraq, as if in some miraculous way, 11 September 2001 is now Iraq 2003. Note too how the Americans always leave the Iraqis out of the culpability bracket–unless they can be described as “Baath party remnants”, “diehards” or “deadenders” by the US proconsul, Paul Bremer.</p>
<p>Captain Cirino’s problem, of course, is that he knows part of the truth. Ordinary Iraqis–many of them long-term enemies of Saddam Hussein–are attacking the American occupation army 35 times a day in the Baghdad area alone. And Captain Cirino works in Fallujah’s local police station, where America’s newly hired Iraqi policemen are the brothers and uncles and–no doubt–fathers of some of those now waging guerrilla war against American soldiers in Fallujah. Some of them, I suspect, are indeed themselves the “terrorists”. So if he calls the bad guys “terrorists”, the local cops–his first line of defence–would be very angry indeed.</p>
<p>No wonder morale is low. No wonder the American soldiers I meet on the streets of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities don’t mince their words about their own government. US troops have been given orders not to bad-mouth their President or Secretary of Defence in front of Iraqis or reporters (who have about the same status in the eyes of the occupation authorities). But when I suggested to a group of US military police near Abu Ghurayb they would be voting Republican at the next election, they fell about laughing. “We shouldn’t be here and we should never have been sent here,” one of them told me with astonishing candour. “And maybe you can tell me: why were we sent here?”</p>
<p>Little wonder, then, that Stars and Stripes, the American military’s own newspaper, reported this month that one third of the soldiers in Iraq suffered from low morale. And is it any wonder, that being the case, that US forces in Iraq are shooting down the innocent, kicking and brutalising prisoners, trashing homes and–eyewitness testimony is coming from hundreds of Iraqis–stealing money from houses they are raiding? No, this is not Vietnam–where the Americans sometimes lost 3,000 men in a month–nor is the US army in Iraq turning into a rabble. Not yet. And they remain light years away from the butchery of Saddam’s henchmen. But human-rights monitors, civilian occupation officials and journalists–not to mention Iraqis themselves–are increasingly appalled at the behaviour of the American military occupiers.</p>
<p>Iraqis who fail to see US military checkpoints, who overtake convoys under attack–or who merely pass the scene of an American raid–are being gunned down with abandon. US official “inquiries” into these killings routinely result in either silence or claims that the soldiers “obeyed their rules of engagement”–rules that the Americans will not disclose to the public.</p>
<p>The rot comes from the top. Even during the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq, US forces declined to take responsibility for the innocents they killed. “We do not do body counts,” General Tommy Franks announced. So there was no apology for the 16 civilians killed at Mansur when the “Allies”–note how we Brits get caught up in this misleading title–bombed a residential suburb in the vain hope of killing Saddam. When US special forces raided a house in the very same area four months later–hunting for the very same Iraqi leader–they killed six civilians, including a 14-year-old boy and a middle-aged woman, and only announced, four days later, that they would hold an “inquiry”. Not an investigation, you understand, nothing that would suggest there was anything wrong in gunning down six Iraqi civilians; and in due course the “inquiry” was forgotten–as it was no doubt meant to be–and nothing has been heard of it again.</p>
<p>Again, during the invasion, the Americans dropped hundreds of cluster bombs on villages outside the town of Hillah. They left behind a butcher’s shop of chopped-up corpses. Film of babies cut in half during the raid was not even transmitted by the Reuters crew in Baghdad. The Pentagon then said there were “no indications” cluster bombs had been dropped at Hillah–even though Sky TV found some unexploded and brought them back to Baghdad.</p>
<p>I first came across this absence of remorse–or rather absence of responsibility–in a slum suburb of Baghdad called Hayy al-Gailani. Two men had run a new American checkpoint–a roll of barbed wire tossed across a road before dawn one morning in July–and US troops had opened fire at the car. Indeed, they fired so many bullets that the vehicle burst into flames. And while the dead or dying men were burned inside, the Americans who had set up the checkpoint simply boarded their armoured vehicles and left the scene. They never even bothered to visit the hospital mortuary to find out the identities of the men they killed–an obvious step if they believed they had killed “terrorists”–and inform their relatives. Scenes like this are being repeated across Iraq daily.</p>
<p>Which is why Human Rights Watch and Amnesty and other humanitarian organisations are protesting ever more vigorously about the failure of the US army even to count the numbers of Iraqi dead, let alone account for their own role in killing civilians. “It is a tragedy that US soldiers have killed so many civilians in Baghdad,” Human Rights Watch’s Joe Stork said. “But it is really incredible that the US military does not even count these deaths.” Human Rights Watch has counted 94 Iraqi civilians killed by Americans in the capital. The organisation also criticised American forces for humiliating prisoners, not least by their habit of placing their feet on the heads of prisoners. Some American soldiers are now being trained in Jordan–by Jordanians–in the “respect” that should be accorded to Iraqi civilians and about the culture of Islam. About time.</p>
<p>But on the ground in Iraq, Americans have a licence to kill. Not a single soldier has been disciplined for shooting civilians–even when the fatality involves an Iraqi working for the occupation authorities. No action has been taken, for instance, over the soldier who fired a single shot through the window of an Italian diplomat’s car, killing his translator, in northern Iraq. Nor against the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne who gunned down 14 Sunni Muslim protesters in Fallujah in April. (Captain Cirino was not involved.) Nor against the troops who shot dead 11 more protesters in Mosul. Sometimes, the evidence of low morale mounts over a long period. In one Iraqi city, for example, the “Coalition Provisional Authority”–which is what the occupation authorities call themselves–have instructed local money changers not to give dollars for Iraqi dinars to occupation soldiers: too many Iraqi dinars had been stolen by troops during house raids. Repeatedly, in Baghdad, Hillah, Tikrit, Mosul and Fallujah Iraqis have told me that they were robbed by American troops during raids and at checkpoints. Unless there is a monumental conspiracy on a nationwide scale by Iraqis, some of these reports must bear the stamp of truth.</p>
<p>Then there was the case of the Bengal tiger. A group of US troops entered the Baghdad zoo one evening for a party of sandwiches and beer. During the party, one of the soldiers decided to pet the tiger who–being a Bengal tiger–sank his teeth into the soldier. The Americans then shot the tiger dead. The Americans promised an “inquiry”–of which nothing has been heard since. Ironically, the one incident where US forces faced disciplinary action followed an incident in which a US helicopter crew took a black religious flag from a communications tower in Sadr City in Baghdad. The violence that followed cost the life of an Iraqi civilian.</p>
<p>Suicides among US troops in Iraq have risen in recent months–up to three times the usual rate among American servicemen. At least 23 soldiers are believed to have taken their lives since the Anglo-American invasion and others have been wounded in attempting suicide. As usual, the US army only revealed this statistic following constant questioning. The daily attacks on Americans outside Baghdad–up to 50 in a night–go, like the civilian Iraqi dead, unrecorded. Travelling back from Fallujah to Baghdad after dark last month, I saw mortar explosions and tracer fire around 13 American bases–not a word of which was later revealed by the occupation authorities. At Baghdad airport last month, five mortar shells fell near the runway as a Jordanian airliner was boarding passengers for Amman. I saw this attack with my own eyes. That same afternoon, General Ricardo Sanchez, the senior US officer in Iraq, claimed he knew nothing about the attack, which–unless his junior officers are slovenly–he must have been well aware of.</p>
<p>But can we expect anything else of an army that can wilfully mislead soldiers into writing “letters” to their home town papers in the US about improvements in Iraqi daily life.</p>
<p>“The quality of life and security for the citizens has been largely restored, and we are a large part of why it has happened,” Sergeant Christopher Shelton of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment bragged in a letter from Kirkuk to the Snohomish County Tribune. “The majority of the city has welcomed our presence with open arms.” Only it hasn’t. And Sergeant Shelton didn’t write the letter. Nor did Sergeant Shawn Grueser of West Virginia. Nor did Private Nick Deaconson. Nor eight other soldiers who supposedly wrote identical letters to their local papers. The “letters” were distributed among soldiers, who were asked to sign if they agreed with its contents.</p>
<p>But is this, perhaps, not part of the fantasy world inspired by the right-wing ideologues in Washington who sought this war–even though most of them have never served their country in uniform. They dreamed up the “weapons of mass destruction” and the adulation of American troops who would “liberate” the Iraqi people. Unable to provide fact to fiction, they now merely acknowledge that the soldiers they have sent into the biggest rat’s nest in the Middle East have “a lot of work to do”, that they are–this was not revealed before or during the invasion–“fighting the front line in the war on terror”.</p>
<p>What influence, one might ask, have the Christian fundamentalists had on the American army in Iraq? For even if we ignore the Rev Franklin Graham, who has described Islam as “a very evil and wicked religion” before he went to lecture Pentagon officials–what is one to make of the officer responsible for tracking down Osama bin Laden, Lieutenant-General William “Jerry” Boykin, who told an audience in Oregon that Islamists hate the US “because we’re a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy called Satan”. Recently promoted to deputy under-secretary of defence for intelligence, Boykin went on to say of the war against Mohammed Farrah Aidid in Somalia–in which he participated–that “I knew my God was bigger than his–I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol”.</p>
<p>Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld said of these extraordinary remarks that “it doesn’t look like any rules were broken”. We are now told that an “inquiry” into Boykin’s comments is underway–an “inquiry” about as thorough, no doubt, as those held into the killing of civilians in Baghdad.</p>
<p>Weaned on this kind of nonsense, however, is it any surprise that American troops in Iraq understand neither their war nor the people whose country they are occupying? Terrorists or freedom fighters? What’s the difference?</p>
<p>Robert Fisk is a reporter for The Independent and author of <a href="" type="internal">Pity the Nation</a>. He is also a contributor to CounterPunch’s hot new book, <a href="http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/CounterPunch/CounterPunch_Bookshop.html" type="external">The Politics of Anti-Semitism</a>.</p> | 3,756 |
<p />
<p>Frontier (NASDAQ: FTR) has struggled mightily in its attempts to become a bigger player in the cable and internet space. But even as it has bled some of the subscribers it paid Verizon (NYSE: VZ) $10.54 billion for, it has had one major thing going for it -- its dividend.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Now, as the company considers a reverse split to keep its stock above NASDAQ's $1 per share threshold, the value of that dividend, and whether it will continue to exist at all has become highly questionable. Frontier has already <a href="http://investor.frontier.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1012041" type="external">declared Opens a New Window.</a> it will pay a dividend of $0.105 per common share in Q1 payable on March 31 to people who owned shares at the close of business on March 15. That's good short-term news for embattled investors, and in-line with what it has paid for the past two years, but the long-term prospects look bleak.</p>
<p>Image source: <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a>.</p>
<p>The company has seen its stock price steadily fall as it has struggled to hold onto the 3.3 million voice connections, 2.1 million broadband customers, and 1.2 million FiOS video subscribers in California, Texas, and Florida (CTF) it purchased from Verizon. Frontier's losses in Q2, the first quarter after the deal closed, were expected, but the drop in Q3 was harder to explain. When the company lost another 144,000 residential subscribers and 14,000 more business customers in Q4, questions as to whether the company could turn things around became legitimate.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>As you can see on the chart above, the company's stock price has been falling fairly steadily all year. Frontier's failure to at least stabilize its subscriber loss in Q4, after suggesting it would happen during the Q2 and Q3 earnings calls, sent its stock price plummeting, something the company likely expected as it floated the idea of a reverse split in its <a href="http://investor.frontier.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1014724" type="external">Q4 earnings release Opens a New Window.</a>:</p>
<p>It's easy to see why Frontier pays a dividend. The payments keep shareholders on board while the company tries to transform itself. The problem is that Frontier lost $80 million in Q4 and $373 million for the year, before paying the dividend. After the payments are factored in the full-year loss jumps to $587 million.</p>
<p>Frontier has been losing video subscribers. Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>The company, it's important to note, has not suggested it will eliminate its dividend. In fact, CEO Daniel McCarthy implied that Frontier planned to keep it during the Q4 earnings call, which was transcribed by <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4050229-frontier-communications-ftr-ceo-dan-mccarthy-q4-2016-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=single" type="external">Seeking Alpha Opens a New Window.</a> (registration required), saying that the board had considered the issue two weeks before the call.</p>
<p>"They obviously look at the allocation of capital and resources for us," he said. "They reviewed the complete plan that we presented on 2017, as well as the cash flows and all the initiatives that we're undertaking right now and they were comfortable declaring the dividend. So there has been no change in our policy on that perspective and they will just continue to evaluate that going forward."</p>
<p>The problem is that continuing to borrow money in order to fund a dividend has its obvious drawbacks. In the long-term it's not sustainable, but if the company eliminates the dividend after its reverse split, it runs the risk of seeing its newly propped-up stock sink further. That leaves it with three options:</p>
<p>Frontier has said it plans to go forward as it has, but has left itself wiggle room to make a change. McCarthy's statement was qualified by the words "right now" and it's very likely that if results -- specifically subscriber counts -- do not turn around in Q1, then the dividend will be very much in jeopardy. Were that to happen, it would make an already struggling stock even less attractive, and perhaps force the company to consider a sale or pursue other strategic options.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Frontier CommunicationsWhen 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7a92c3e0-1524-4321-b0fd-ed08fb97f437&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Frontier Communications 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7a92c3e0-1524-4321-b0fd-ed08fb97f437&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&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 February 6, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Dankline/info.aspx" type="external">Daniel Kline Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool recommends Nasdaq. 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;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | The Biggest Risk Facing Frontier Communications | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/04/01/biggest-risk-facing-frontier-communications.html | 2017-04-01 | 0right
| The Biggest Risk Facing Frontier Communications
<p />
<p>Frontier (NASDAQ: FTR) has struggled mightily in its attempts to become a bigger player in the cable and internet space. But even as it has bled some of the subscribers it paid Verizon (NYSE: VZ) $10.54 billion for, it has had one major thing going for it -- its dividend.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Now, as the company considers a reverse split to keep its stock above NASDAQ's $1 per share threshold, the value of that dividend, and whether it will continue to exist at all has become highly questionable. Frontier has already <a href="http://investor.frontier.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1012041" type="external">declared Opens a New Window.</a> it will pay a dividend of $0.105 per common share in Q1 payable on March 31 to people who owned shares at the close of business on March 15. That's good short-term news for embattled investors, and in-line with what it has paid for the past two years, but the long-term prospects look bleak.</p>
<p>Image source: <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a>.</p>
<p>The company has seen its stock price steadily fall as it has struggled to hold onto the 3.3 million voice connections, 2.1 million broadband customers, and 1.2 million FiOS video subscribers in California, Texas, and Florida (CTF) it purchased from Verizon. Frontier's losses in Q2, the first quarter after the deal closed, were expected, but the drop in Q3 was harder to explain. When the company lost another 144,000 residential subscribers and 14,000 more business customers in Q4, questions as to whether the company could turn things around became legitimate.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>As you can see on the chart above, the company's stock price has been falling fairly steadily all year. Frontier's failure to at least stabilize its subscriber loss in Q4, after suggesting it would happen during the Q2 and Q3 earnings calls, sent its stock price plummeting, something the company likely expected as it floated the idea of a reverse split in its <a href="http://investor.frontier.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1014724" type="external">Q4 earnings release Opens a New Window.</a>:</p>
<p>It's easy to see why Frontier pays a dividend. The payments keep shareholders on board while the company tries to transform itself. The problem is that Frontier lost $80 million in Q4 and $373 million for the year, before paying the dividend. After the payments are factored in the full-year loss jumps to $587 million.</p>
<p>Frontier has been losing video subscribers. Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>The company, it's important to note, has not suggested it will eliminate its dividend. In fact, CEO Daniel McCarthy implied that Frontier planned to keep it during the Q4 earnings call, which was transcribed by <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4050229-frontier-communications-ftr-ceo-dan-mccarthy-q4-2016-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=single" type="external">Seeking Alpha Opens a New Window.</a> (registration required), saying that the board had considered the issue two weeks before the call.</p>
<p>"They obviously look at the allocation of capital and resources for us," he said. "They reviewed the complete plan that we presented on 2017, as well as the cash flows and all the initiatives that we're undertaking right now and they were comfortable declaring the dividend. So there has been no change in our policy on that perspective and they will just continue to evaluate that going forward."</p>
<p>The problem is that continuing to borrow money in order to fund a dividend has its obvious drawbacks. In the long-term it's not sustainable, but if the company eliminates the dividend after its reverse split, it runs the risk of seeing its newly propped-up stock sink further. That leaves it with three options:</p>
<p>Frontier has said it plans to go forward as it has, but has left itself wiggle room to make a change. McCarthy's statement was qualified by the words "right now" and it's very likely that if results -- specifically subscriber counts -- do not turn around in Q1, then the dividend will be very much in jeopardy. Were that to happen, it would make an already struggling stock even less attractive, and perhaps force the company to consider a sale or pursue other strategic options.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Frontier CommunicationsWhen 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7a92c3e0-1524-4321-b0fd-ed08fb97f437&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Frontier Communications 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=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=7a92c3e0-1524-4321-b0fd-ed08fb97f437&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&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 February 6, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Dankline/info.aspx" type="external">Daniel Kline Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool recommends Nasdaq. 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;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 3,757 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - Mondelez, the company behind the Oreo and Cadbury brands, says that it plans to have 50 percent of its portfolio contain healthy snacks within the next five years.</p>
<p>Healthy snacks currently comprise more than a third of its total revenue, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Mark Clouse.</p>
<p>Major food companies, such as Kellogg, General Mills and others, are shifting from foods that are perceived by some consumers as too processed to options that are considered healthier.</p>
<p>Clouse said Thursday that Mondelez International Inc. is looking to simplify ingredients and nutritional information for its products as it develops new goods to meet consumer demand for healthier items. The executive said that the company expects to focus 70 percent of new product development efforts on healthy goods over the next five years.</p>
<p>Mondelez maintained its forecast for 2015 organic net revenue to climb at least 3 percent.</p>
<p>The company, which also makes products like Ritz crackers and Trident gum, has been slashing costs to offset weak growth. Cost-cutting has become common for major packaged food companies, which are up against volatile economic conditions overseas and shifting tastes that favor foods marketed as fresher or more natural.</p>
<p>Mondelez said Thursday that it would reinvest some of its cost savings into additional advertising and consumer support.</p>
<p>Mondelez split from Kraft Foods in late 2012, a move that was intended to allow each company to work with a more focused portfolio of brands. Mondelez took the snacks like Oreo and Chips Ahoy, while Kraft Foods held onto North America grocery brands like Jell-O and Oscar Mayer. Kraft was purchased by H.J. Heinz Co. this year, creating Kraft Heinz - one of the world's biggest food and beverage companies.</p>
<p>Last month activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed that it took a 7.5 percent stake in Mondelez that was worth about $5.5 billion.</p>
<p>Mondelez Class A shares rose 39 cents to close at $42.38. Its shares are up more than 19 percent over the past year.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - Mondelez, the company behind the Oreo and Cadbury brands, says that it plans to have 50 percent of its portfolio contain healthy snacks within the next five years.</p>
<p>Healthy snacks currently comprise more than a third of its total revenue, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Mark Clouse.</p>
<p>Major food companies, such as Kellogg, General Mills and others, are shifting from foods that are perceived by some consumers as too processed to options that are considered healthier.</p>
<p>Clouse said Thursday that Mondelez International Inc. is looking to simplify ingredients and nutritional information for its products as it develops new goods to meet consumer demand for healthier items. The executive said that the company expects to focus 70 percent of new product development efforts on healthy goods over the next five years.</p>
<p>Mondelez maintained its forecast for 2015 organic net revenue to climb at least 3 percent.</p>
<p>The company, which also makes products like Ritz crackers and Trident gum, has been slashing costs to offset weak growth. Cost-cutting has become common for major packaged food companies, which are up against volatile economic conditions overseas and shifting tastes that favor foods marketed as fresher or more natural.</p>
<p>Mondelez said Thursday that it would reinvest some of its cost savings into additional advertising and consumer support.</p>
<p>Mondelez split from Kraft Foods in late 2012, a move that was intended to allow each company to work with a more focused portfolio of brands. Mondelez took the snacks like Oreo and Chips Ahoy, while Kraft Foods held onto North America grocery brands like Jell-O and Oscar Mayer. Kraft was purchased by H.J. Heinz Co. this year, creating Kraft Heinz - one of the world's biggest food and beverage companies.</p>
<p>Last month activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed that it took a 7.5 percent stake in Mondelez that was worth about $5.5 billion.</p>
<p>Mondelez Class A shares rose 39 cents to close at $42.38. Its shares are up more than 19 percent over the past year.</p> | Mondelez plans to concentrate more on healthy snacks | false | https://apnews.com/7639475ef43349cb98d2ff523f27e22f | 2015-09-10 | 2least
| Mondelez plans to concentrate more on healthy snacks
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - Mondelez, the company behind the Oreo and Cadbury brands, says that it plans to have 50 percent of its portfolio contain healthy snacks within the next five years.</p>
<p>Healthy snacks currently comprise more than a third of its total revenue, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Mark Clouse.</p>
<p>Major food companies, such as Kellogg, General Mills and others, are shifting from foods that are perceived by some consumers as too processed to options that are considered healthier.</p>
<p>Clouse said Thursday that Mondelez International Inc. is looking to simplify ingredients and nutritional information for its products as it develops new goods to meet consumer demand for healthier items. The executive said that the company expects to focus 70 percent of new product development efforts on healthy goods over the next five years.</p>
<p>Mondelez maintained its forecast for 2015 organic net revenue to climb at least 3 percent.</p>
<p>The company, which also makes products like Ritz crackers and Trident gum, has been slashing costs to offset weak growth. Cost-cutting has become common for major packaged food companies, which are up against volatile economic conditions overseas and shifting tastes that favor foods marketed as fresher or more natural.</p>
<p>Mondelez said Thursday that it would reinvest some of its cost savings into additional advertising and consumer support.</p>
<p>Mondelez split from Kraft Foods in late 2012, a move that was intended to allow each company to work with a more focused portfolio of brands. Mondelez took the snacks like Oreo and Chips Ahoy, while Kraft Foods held onto North America grocery brands like Jell-O and Oscar Mayer. Kraft was purchased by H.J. Heinz Co. this year, creating Kraft Heinz - one of the world's biggest food and beverage companies.</p>
<p>Last month activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed that it took a 7.5 percent stake in Mondelez that was worth about $5.5 billion.</p>
<p>Mondelez Class A shares rose 39 cents to close at $42.38. Its shares are up more than 19 percent over the past year.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - Mondelez, the company behind the Oreo and Cadbury brands, says that it plans to have 50 percent of its portfolio contain healthy snacks within the next five years.</p>
<p>Healthy snacks currently comprise more than a third of its total revenue, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Mark Clouse.</p>
<p>Major food companies, such as Kellogg, General Mills and others, are shifting from foods that are perceived by some consumers as too processed to options that are considered healthier.</p>
<p>Clouse said Thursday that Mondelez International Inc. is looking to simplify ingredients and nutritional information for its products as it develops new goods to meet consumer demand for healthier items. The executive said that the company expects to focus 70 percent of new product development efforts on healthy goods over the next five years.</p>
<p>Mondelez maintained its forecast for 2015 organic net revenue to climb at least 3 percent.</p>
<p>The company, which also makes products like Ritz crackers and Trident gum, has been slashing costs to offset weak growth. Cost-cutting has become common for major packaged food companies, which are up against volatile economic conditions overseas and shifting tastes that favor foods marketed as fresher or more natural.</p>
<p>Mondelez said Thursday that it would reinvest some of its cost savings into additional advertising and consumer support.</p>
<p>Mondelez split from Kraft Foods in late 2012, a move that was intended to allow each company to work with a more focused portfolio of brands. Mondelez took the snacks like Oreo and Chips Ahoy, while Kraft Foods held onto North America grocery brands like Jell-O and Oscar Mayer. Kraft was purchased by H.J. Heinz Co. this year, creating Kraft Heinz - one of the world's biggest food and beverage companies.</p>
<p>Last month activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed that it took a 7.5 percent stake in Mondelez that was worth about $5.5 billion.</p>
<p>Mondelez Class A shares rose 39 cents to close at $42.38. Its shares are up more than 19 percent over the past year.</p> | 3,758 |
<p>If you're considering refinancing your mortgage, you are likely eager to find the lowest possible mortgage <a href="http://www.hsh.com/refinance" type="external">refinance Opens a New Window.</a> rates.</p>
<p>But before you start shopping around for the lowest rates, experts say you should establish your objectives and prepare your finances to improve your chances of qualifying for the lowest interest rate.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>"First, figure out the best loan product to meet your financial goals, and then you can start looking for the most competitive mortgage rates," says Michael Jablonski, executive vice president and retail production manager for BB&amp;T Mortgage in Wilson, N.C.</p>
<p>Here are 12 steps that will help lock in the lowest refinance rate possible.</p>
<p>No. 1: Raise your credit score"Typically, a credit score of 740 or higher puts borrowers in the best tier for a conventional loan program," says Michael Smith, first vice president business development manager for mortgage lending for California Bank and Trust in San Diego.</p>
<p>Most lenders require a minimum credit score of 620 to 640, but you'll pay a higher mortgage rate for conventional loans unless your score is 740 or above. However, some portfolio lenders set their own guidelines.</p>
<p>No. 2: Lower your debtPaying bills on time and paying down your credit card balance can reduce your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, which improves your chances of qualifying for a low mortgage rate, says Jablonski.</p>
<p>A good rule of thumb is to make sure your debt-to-income ratio is no more than 36%, and even lower is better.</p>
<p>"Don't buy a new car, make other major purchases or fill out multiple credit applications before you refinance, because all of those actions can hurt your credit profile," says Smith.</p>
<p>Even if you have a high credit score, you may be denied a refinance altogether or subjected to higher interest rates if your DTI ratio is too high, says Jablonski.</p>
<p>No. 3: Increase your home equityRemember that your credit scores and the loan-to-value ratio of your property could have a much bigger impact on your refinance rate than a slight shift in average mortgage rates, says Malcolm Hollensteiner, director of retail lending sales for TD Bank in Vienna, Virginia.</p>
<p>"Both a lower-than-average credit score and a high loan-to-value can lead to a more expensive interest rate," he says.</p>
<p>If you are underwater on your mortgage, a Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) loan may be your best option. (See more: <a href="http://www.hsh.com/finance/refinance/what-is-harp-do-i-qualify-for-a-harp-loan.html" type="external">What is HARP and do I qualify for a HARP loan? Opens a New Window.</a>)</p>
<p>No. 4: Organize your financial documentationYou should get your credit reports from all three bureaus to make sure there are no mistakes that need correcting before you apply for a refinance, says Smith.</p>
<p>A refinance application typically requires two years of tax returns with W2s, two recent pay stubs, and your two most recent bank and investment statements.</p>
<p>"Gathering these materials ahead of time can expedite the loan process and prevent you from paying extra for an extension of your rate lock," says Smith.</p>
<p>No. 5: Save cash for closing costsClosing costs average about 2% of the loan amount.</p>
<p>"You can pay cash for the closing costs or, if you have enough equity, you can roll these costs into your new loan," says Hollensteiner. "Another option that some lenders offer is to pay a higher interest rate for a lender credit to cover those costs."</p>
<p>Shop smart for your refinanceOnce your preparations are complete, you can begin to shop around for the refinance that works best for you.</p>
<p>No. 6: Start onlineDeborah Ames Naylor, executive vice president of Pentagon Federal Credit Union in Alexandria, Va., recommends starting online with a refinance calculator that estimates your monthly payments at various loan terms.</p>
<p>"A shorter term loan will have a lower interest rate than a 30-year fixed-rate loan, but the payment will be higher because you're paying it off faster," says Naylor. "It's important to decide what payment you're comfortable making before you see a lender, because that payment could be much less than the payment you qualify for."</p>
<p>No. 7: Decide on a loan termBarry Habib, founder and CEO of MBS Highway in New York City, says the loan term you choose needs to be made in the context of your other financial obligations and plans.</p>
<p>"If you have $30,000 in credit card debt and no savings for college, you may want to go for a 30-year loan to keep the payments as low as possible," says Habib. "Someone else may want a shorter term to build equity faster while another borrower might want a longer loan so they can keep their tax deduction as long as possible."</p>
<p>No. 8: Talk to multiple lendersOnce you've decided on your loan term ,it's time to research loan products available from a credit union, a regional or community bank, a direct lender and a national bank to find out what special programs they offer, says Naylor.</p>
<p>"Many lenders offer 'portfolio loans,' ones they keep in-house instead of selling on the secondary market," she says. "They can be more flexible with those loans and offer special promotions."</p>
<p>Instead of choosing a lender solely based on current mortgage rates, Russ Anderson, senior vice president and a centralized sales executive with Bank of America in Los Angeles, says you need to find a lender you can trust. "People get too wrapped up in the rate rather than finding someone who will communicate with them," he says. "You need to find someone you trust, who will be engaged in your family's financial situation."</p>
<p>No. 9: Review all your loan optionsLenders can discuss various loan products when you interview them.</p>
<p>"There's a broad product mix of conventional financing, government-backed programs like FHA loans and special refinancing programs through the Making Home Affordable program," says Anderson. "A good lender can present the pros and cons of each of these programs in the context of your individual finances."</p>
<p>No. 10: Decide how you will finance your refinanceYou'll also need to decide how to pay for your refinance. Closing costs and lender fees can be paid at closing, wrapped into your loan balance or you can opt for a "no-cost" refinance.</p>
<p>"A no-cost refinance means that your lender will pay the fees and you'll pay a slightly higher interest rate of one-eighth to one-fourth percent," says Habib.</p>
<p>HSH.com's "Tri-Refi" <a href="http://www.hsh.com/refinance-calculator/" type="external">refinance calculator Opens a New Window.</a> can help you decide the best way to finance your refinance.</p>
<p>No. 11: Compare mortgage rates and feesAdvertised mortgage rates are sometimes based on paying points, so you need to make sure you compare loans with zero points or the same number of points.</p>
<p>"It's important to shop for the same loan on the same day to get a true comparison of mortgage rates, because mortgage rates change every day," says Smith. "You need to explain to each loan officer all the criteria for your refinance, not just ask 'what's today's rate on a $200,000 loan?' You should also ask about loan processing times."</p>
<p>Shopping by APR can be confusing, since different lender fees and policies can affect the outcome. It is possible for two loans to have identical rates and fees and different APRs. Conversely, two loans could have the same APR but different interest rates. Because of this, it is usually better for you to focus instead on the two most important components of APR: interest rate and fees.</p>
<p>The most important component of your refinance will generally be the interest rate, so you'll of course want to pay attention to that. Fees and closing costs matter, but whether you want or need to pay them will depend upon your situation. There are times when paying costs to obtain the lowest possible rate can make sense and times when it does not.</p>
<p>No. 12: Know when to lock in your rateOnce you've finalized your loan decision you should consult your lender about when to lock in your rate.</p>
<p>"Processing times for different lenders can range from 30 to 45 days to more than 90 days," says Smith. "Typically, lenders will do a 30- or 45-day rate lock, so you should be consulting with your lender to determine the appropriate day to lock your loan. If you have to extend the lock or relock your loan, that will likely cost you more money."</p>
<p>While shopping around for a refinance may take a little longer than refinancing with your current lender, the rewards can last as long as your loan.</p>
<p>Related articles:</p>
<p>This article originally appeared at <a href="http://www.hsh.com/finance/refinance/lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates.html?WT.qs_osrc=MTF" type="external">HSH.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/23/12-ways-to-get-the-lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates.aspx" type="external">12 Ways to Get the Lowest Mortgage Refinance Rates Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p>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>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>
<p>Advertisement</p> | 12 Ways to Get the Lowest Mortgage Refinance Rates | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/02/23/12-ways-to-get-lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates.html | 2016-02-23 | 0right
| 12 Ways to Get the Lowest Mortgage Refinance Rates
<p>If you're considering refinancing your mortgage, you are likely eager to find the lowest possible mortgage <a href="http://www.hsh.com/refinance" type="external">refinance Opens a New Window.</a> rates.</p>
<p>But before you start shopping around for the lowest rates, experts say you should establish your objectives and prepare your finances to improve your chances of qualifying for the lowest interest rate.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>"First, figure out the best loan product to meet your financial goals, and then you can start looking for the most competitive mortgage rates," says Michael Jablonski, executive vice president and retail production manager for BB&amp;T Mortgage in Wilson, N.C.</p>
<p>Here are 12 steps that will help lock in the lowest refinance rate possible.</p>
<p>No. 1: Raise your credit score"Typically, a credit score of 740 or higher puts borrowers in the best tier for a conventional loan program," says Michael Smith, first vice president business development manager for mortgage lending for California Bank and Trust in San Diego.</p>
<p>Most lenders require a minimum credit score of 620 to 640, but you'll pay a higher mortgage rate for conventional loans unless your score is 740 or above. However, some portfolio lenders set their own guidelines.</p>
<p>No. 2: Lower your debtPaying bills on time and paying down your credit card balance can reduce your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, which improves your chances of qualifying for a low mortgage rate, says Jablonski.</p>
<p>A good rule of thumb is to make sure your debt-to-income ratio is no more than 36%, and even lower is better.</p>
<p>"Don't buy a new car, make other major purchases or fill out multiple credit applications before you refinance, because all of those actions can hurt your credit profile," says Smith.</p>
<p>Even if you have a high credit score, you may be denied a refinance altogether or subjected to higher interest rates if your DTI ratio is too high, says Jablonski.</p>
<p>No. 3: Increase your home equityRemember that your credit scores and the loan-to-value ratio of your property could have a much bigger impact on your refinance rate than a slight shift in average mortgage rates, says Malcolm Hollensteiner, director of retail lending sales for TD Bank in Vienna, Virginia.</p>
<p>"Both a lower-than-average credit score and a high loan-to-value can lead to a more expensive interest rate," he says.</p>
<p>If you are underwater on your mortgage, a Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) loan may be your best option. (See more: <a href="http://www.hsh.com/finance/refinance/what-is-harp-do-i-qualify-for-a-harp-loan.html" type="external">What is HARP and do I qualify for a HARP loan? Opens a New Window.</a>)</p>
<p>No. 4: Organize your financial documentationYou should get your credit reports from all three bureaus to make sure there are no mistakes that need correcting before you apply for a refinance, says Smith.</p>
<p>A refinance application typically requires two years of tax returns with W2s, two recent pay stubs, and your two most recent bank and investment statements.</p>
<p>"Gathering these materials ahead of time can expedite the loan process and prevent you from paying extra for an extension of your rate lock," says Smith.</p>
<p>No. 5: Save cash for closing costsClosing costs average about 2% of the loan amount.</p>
<p>"You can pay cash for the closing costs or, if you have enough equity, you can roll these costs into your new loan," says Hollensteiner. "Another option that some lenders offer is to pay a higher interest rate for a lender credit to cover those costs."</p>
<p>Shop smart for your refinanceOnce your preparations are complete, you can begin to shop around for the refinance that works best for you.</p>
<p>No. 6: Start onlineDeborah Ames Naylor, executive vice president of Pentagon Federal Credit Union in Alexandria, Va., recommends starting online with a refinance calculator that estimates your monthly payments at various loan terms.</p>
<p>"A shorter term loan will have a lower interest rate than a 30-year fixed-rate loan, but the payment will be higher because you're paying it off faster," says Naylor. "It's important to decide what payment you're comfortable making before you see a lender, because that payment could be much less than the payment you qualify for."</p>
<p>No. 7: Decide on a loan termBarry Habib, founder and CEO of MBS Highway in New York City, says the loan term you choose needs to be made in the context of your other financial obligations and plans.</p>
<p>"If you have $30,000 in credit card debt and no savings for college, you may want to go for a 30-year loan to keep the payments as low as possible," says Habib. "Someone else may want a shorter term to build equity faster while another borrower might want a longer loan so they can keep their tax deduction as long as possible."</p>
<p>No. 8: Talk to multiple lendersOnce you've decided on your loan term ,it's time to research loan products available from a credit union, a regional or community bank, a direct lender and a national bank to find out what special programs they offer, says Naylor.</p>
<p>"Many lenders offer 'portfolio loans,' ones they keep in-house instead of selling on the secondary market," she says. "They can be more flexible with those loans and offer special promotions."</p>
<p>Instead of choosing a lender solely based on current mortgage rates, Russ Anderson, senior vice president and a centralized sales executive with Bank of America in Los Angeles, says you need to find a lender you can trust. "People get too wrapped up in the rate rather than finding someone who will communicate with them," he says. "You need to find someone you trust, who will be engaged in your family's financial situation."</p>
<p>No. 9: Review all your loan optionsLenders can discuss various loan products when you interview them.</p>
<p>"There's a broad product mix of conventional financing, government-backed programs like FHA loans and special refinancing programs through the Making Home Affordable program," says Anderson. "A good lender can present the pros and cons of each of these programs in the context of your individual finances."</p>
<p>No. 10: Decide how you will finance your refinanceYou'll also need to decide how to pay for your refinance. Closing costs and lender fees can be paid at closing, wrapped into your loan balance or you can opt for a "no-cost" refinance.</p>
<p>"A no-cost refinance means that your lender will pay the fees and you'll pay a slightly higher interest rate of one-eighth to one-fourth percent," says Habib.</p>
<p>HSH.com's "Tri-Refi" <a href="http://www.hsh.com/refinance-calculator/" type="external">refinance calculator Opens a New Window.</a> can help you decide the best way to finance your refinance.</p>
<p>No. 11: Compare mortgage rates and feesAdvertised mortgage rates are sometimes based on paying points, so you need to make sure you compare loans with zero points or the same number of points.</p>
<p>"It's important to shop for the same loan on the same day to get a true comparison of mortgage rates, because mortgage rates change every day," says Smith. "You need to explain to each loan officer all the criteria for your refinance, not just ask 'what's today's rate on a $200,000 loan?' You should also ask about loan processing times."</p>
<p>Shopping by APR can be confusing, since different lender fees and policies can affect the outcome. It is possible for two loans to have identical rates and fees and different APRs. Conversely, two loans could have the same APR but different interest rates. Because of this, it is usually better for you to focus instead on the two most important components of APR: interest rate and fees.</p>
<p>The most important component of your refinance will generally be the interest rate, so you'll of course want to pay attention to that. Fees and closing costs matter, but whether you want or need to pay them will depend upon your situation. There are times when paying costs to obtain the lowest possible rate can make sense and times when it does not.</p>
<p>No. 12: Know when to lock in your rateOnce you've finalized your loan decision you should consult your lender about when to lock in your rate.</p>
<p>"Processing times for different lenders can range from 30 to 45 days to more than 90 days," says Smith. "Typically, lenders will do a 30- or 45-day rate lock, so you should be consulting with your lender to determine the appropriate day to lock your loan. If you have to extend the lock or relock your loan, that will likely cost you more money."</p>
<p>While shopping around for a refinance may take a little longer than refinancing with your current lender, the rewards can last as long as your loan.</p>
<p>Related articles:</p>
<p>This article originally appeared at <a href="http://www.hsh.com/finance/refinance/lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates.html?WT.qs_osrc=MTF" type="external">HSH.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/23/12-ways-to-get-the-lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates.aspx" type="external">12 Ways to Get the Lowest Mortgage Refinance Rates Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p>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>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>
<p>Advertisement</p> | 3,759 |
<p>CLEVELAND (AP) — The son of a Cleveland police officer says he was being robbed by a drug dealer on Christmas when he stabbed the man in the neck as his father looked on.</p>
<p>The officer’s 24-year-old son told investigators he had planned to buy marijuana from the other man, who instead attacked him and demanded that he repay a $500 debt.</p>
<p>Cleveland.com <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_police_officers_son.html" type="external">reports</a> that the man followed the officer’s son into his house Monday night to retrieve the money. When the officer arrived, the son told him that he was being robbed.</p>
<p>A police report says the officer was ordering the man to leave when his son grabbed a steak knife and stabbed the man. The man fled and was driven to a hospital for treatment.</p>
<p>No charges have been filed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: cleveland.com, <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external">http://www.cleveland.com</a></p>
<p>CLEVELAND (AP) — The son of a Cleveland police officer says he was being robbed by a drug dealer on Christmas when he stabbed the man in the neck as his father looked on.</p>
<p>The officer’s 24-year-old son told investigators he had planned to buy marijuana from the other man, who instead attacked him and demanded that he repay a $500 debt.</p>
<p>Cleveland.com <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_police_officers_son.html" type="external">reports</a> that the man followed the officer’s son into his house Monday night to retrieve the money. When the officer arrived, the son told him that he was being robbed.</p>
<p>A police report says the officer was ordering the man to leave when his son grabbed a steak knife and stabbed the man. The man fled and was driven to a hospital for treatment.</p>
<p>No charges have been filed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: cleveland.com, <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external">http://www.cleveland.com</a></p> | Police: Officer’s son stabbed drug dealer in front of father | false | https://apnews.com/d6c4f9fee72a40c0a98520aea902dfed | 2017-12-27 | 2least
| Police: Officer’s son stabbed drug dealer in front of father
<p>CLEVELAND (AP) — The son of a Cleveland police officer says he was being robbed by a drug dealer on Christmas when he stabbed the man in the neck as his father looked on.</p>
<p>The officer’s 24-year-old son told investigators he had planned to buy marijuana from the other man, who instead attacked him and demanded that he repay a $500 debt.</p>
<p>Cleveland.com <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_police_officers_son.html" type="external">reports</a> that the man followed the officer’s son into his house Monday night to retrieve the money. When the officer arrived, the son told him that he was being robbed.</p>
<p>A police report says the officer was ordering the man to leave when his son grabbed a steak knife and stabbed the man. The man fled and was driven to a hospital for treatment.</p>
<p>No charges have been filed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: cleveland.com, <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external">http://www.cleveland.com</a></p>
<p>CLEVELAND (AP) — The son of a Cleveland police officer says he was being robbed by a drug dealer on Christmas when he stabbed the man in the neck as his father looked on.</p>
<p>The officer’s 24-year-old son told investigators he had planned to buy marijuana from the other man, who instead attacked him and demanded that he repay a $500 debt.</p>
<p>Cleveland.com <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_police_officers_son.html" type="external">reports</a> that the man followed the officer’s son into his house Monday night to retrieve the money. When the officer arrived, the son told him that he was being robbed.</p>
<p>A police report says the officer was ordering the man to leave when his son grabbed a steak knife and stabbed the man. The man fled and was driven to a hospital for treatment.</p>
<p>No charges have been filed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: cleveland.com, <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.cleveland.com" type="external">http://www.cleveland.com</a></p> | 3,760 |
<p>Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke submitted his resignation, without warning or explanation, to the Milwaukee County Clerk late Thursday.</p>
<p>The outspoken conservative — and often controversial public figure — proffered a bare-bones resignation letter to the Clerk's office at 3:15 Thursday afternoon. The note, on Clarke's personal stationery, simply read: "Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §17.01, this communication is submitted as the notice of my resignation as Sheriff of Milwaukee County commencing August 31, 2017, at 11:59 p.m."</p>
<p>Even local media were shocked.</p>
<p>Clarke, a longtime Trump supporter, was among experts' top picks for a White House job. But after just a few days as a nominee for the Department of Homeland Security, Clarke withdrew his name from consideration.</p>
<p>He may be quitting to devote himself to being a pundit and law enforcement expert full time. He rose to prominence as a trusted commentator during the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement, frequently taking a hard line in support of police — to the dismay of many left-leaners in the news media. He's also known for some of his more controversial ideas — on race, on Black Lives Matter (which he refers to as a "hate group"), and the Constitution (back in 2015, he called for a suspension of habeus corpus in order to weed out potential ISIS supporters among the population).</p>
<p>Clark also just released a book about the ongoing battle America's law enforcement community faces against accusations of racial bias, Cop Under Fire: Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race, Crime and Politics for a Better America. President Trump tweeted out a plug for the book earlier this week.</p>
<p>The Milwaukee Sheriff could also be considering a move into statewide office. Sources close to the Wisconsin GOP have often surfaced Clarke's name as a potential challenger to leftist Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, but Clarke has previously said he has no interest in serving in Congress. With Trump in the White House, that may have changed.</p>
<p>Clarke is not in Wisconsin at the moment; he is attending the National Fraternal Order of Police convention in Nashville, Tennessee, but he will no doubt have much more to say on the issue.</p> | Controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Resigns | true | https://dailywire.com/news/20507/controversial-milwaukee-county-sheriff-david-emily-zanotti | 2017-08-31 | 0right
| Controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Resigns
<p>Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke submitted his resignation, without warning or explanation, to the Milwaukee County Clerk late Thursday.</p>
<p>The outspoken conservative — and often controversial public figure — proffered a bare-bones resignation letter to the Clerk's office at 3:15 Thursday afternoon. The note, on Clarke's personal stationery, simply read: "Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §17.01, this communication is submitted as the notice of my resignation as Sheriff of Milwaukee County commencing August 31, 2017, at 11:59 p.m."</p>
<p>Even local media were shocked.</p>
<p>Clarke, a longtime Trump supporter, was among experts' top picks for a White House job. But after just a few days as a nominee for the Department of Homeland Security, Clarke withdrew his name from consideration.</p>
<p>He may be quitting to devote himself to being a pundit and law enforcement expert full time. He rose to prominence as a trusted commentator during the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement, frequently taking a hard line in support of police — to the dismay of many left-leaners in the news media. He's also known for some of his more controversial ideas — on race, on Black Lives Matter (which he refers to as a "hate group"), and the Constitution (back in 2015, he called for a suspension of habeus corpus in order to weed out potential ISIS supporters among the population).</p>
<p>Clark also just released a book about the ongoing battle America's law enforcement community faces against accusations of racial bias, Cop Under Fire: Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race, Crime and Politics for a Better America. President Trump tweeted out a plug for the book earlier this week.</p>
<p>The Milwaukee Sheriff could also be considering a move into statewide office. Sources close to the Wisconsin GOP have often surfaced Clarke's name as a potential challenger to leftist Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, but Clarke has previously said he has no interest in serving in Congress. With Trump in the White House, that may have changed.</p>
<p>Clarke is not in Wisconsin at the moment; he is attending the National Fraternal Order of Police convention in Nashville, Tennessee, but he will no doubt have much more to say on the issue.</p> | 3,761 |
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<p />
<p>The forecasters can't help you. At this point, the odds for a wet or dry summer are even, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center.</p>
<p>With low reservoir storage and a lousy snowpack, it's not clear how long past July 1 the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's water supply will hold out. "At that point, we've just got to hope it rains," said Chris Sichler, a conservancy district board member and Socorro County farmer. Farmers with established alfalfa fields can tough it out. The deep-rooted plants hunker down in a drought. Yield drops, but they can survive, Sichler said. Farmers with supplemental wells can pump to make up for shortfalls.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Farmers thinking about planting new alfalfa, or a crop like chile that can't go dry, are taking a rain-based risk. The soft-spoken Sichler didn't sound particularly sentimental when he explained the decision-making process. "For the most part, farming's a big gamble anyway," he told me last week.</p>
<p>To understand the implication of the fourth year of deep drought in central New Mexico, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is the best place to start. City water agencies have groundwater to fall back on in dry years. Farmers depend on snowmelt from the mountains, diverted from the river to water their crops. From Cochiti to Socorro County, the Conservancy District delivers that water to about 60,000 acres.</p>
<p>El Vado Reservoir on the Chama River in Rio Arriba County, where carryover water from previous years provides water for the conservancy district in dry years, is mostly empty. Water managers hope to stash some of the spring runoff in El Vado for use this summer, but it's not likely there will be much to work with. Other than that, the district will have to depend on the natural flow of the Rio Grande.</p>
<p>Water imported across the Continental Divide through the San Juan-Chama Project may help, though for the second year in a row the federal government has warned the project's users that they cannot count on a full supply.</p>
<p>The March 1 forecast called for just 38 percent of the 1981-2010 average flow on the Rio Grande, the sort of terrible number everyone was expecting. "It should have been no surprise to anybody," conservancy district water manager David Gensler told Sichler and the other board members at a meeting last week.</p>
<p>A storm just after the forecast came out bumped the numbers up a bit, and more rain and snow over the weekend helped a little, but the mostly dry winter means the Rio Grande through central New Mexico is headed for its fourth straight extremely dry year, with flows just half of the long-term average over that time.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In water management terms, 2014 is shaping up to be almost a carbon copy of 2013, with only minor differences. Elephant Butte reservoir has a little more water than last year at this time, but still far less than needed for a full irrigation season for farmers from the Hatch Valley to the Texas state line. The threat of litigation over water for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow still looms over the middle valley.</p>
<p>In the era of modern large-scale irrigation farming in the Rio Grande Valley, the last stretch this bad was 1953 to 1956, according to New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission Rio Grande records. Scientists say the underlying causes are similar - large-scale patterns in the Pacific Ocean that reduce the strength and number of our winter storms. But there is a key difference - New Mexico is warmer now, about 1 degree Fahrenheit on average, according to the National Climatic Data Center. We've actually gotten more rain and snow during the past 15 years than in the comparable period during the drought of the 1950s, according to federal records. But there is less water in the Rio Grande now.</p>
<p>The higher temperatures likely explain some of the drop in stream flow, though exactly how much is uncertain, said Ben Cook, a climate researcher at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. New research by Cook and his colleagues projects more evaporation during the 21st century as greenhouse gases drive up temperatures. Plants consume more water when it's warmer, and more rain and snow simply evaporate. But without more study, there's no way to tell how much of that effect we're already seeing, Cook said in a telephone interview last week.</p>
<p>"I expect in the Southwest that, in fact, it's been so much warmer that it's having an effect," Cook said. "I just don't know what that is."</p>
<p>UpFront is a daily front-page opinion column. Comment directly to John Fleck at 823-3916 or <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>. Go to <a href="" type="internal">abqjournal.com/letters/new</a> to submit a letter to the editor.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Rainy or dry summer? Flip a coin | false | https://abqjournal.com/370422/will-summer-be-rainy-or-dry-flip-a-coin.html | 2least
| Rainy or dry summer? Flip a coin
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The forecasters can't help you. At this point, the odds for a wet or dry summer are even, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center.</p>
<p>With low reservoir storage and a lousy snowpack, it's not clear how long past July 1 the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's water supply will hold out. "At that point, we've just got to hope it rains," said Chris Sichler, a conservancy district board member and Socorro County farmer. Farmers with established alfalfa fields can tough it out. The deep-rooted plants hunker down in a drought. Yield drops, but they can survive, Sichler said. Farmers with supplemental wells can pump to make up for shortfalls.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Farmers thinking about planting new alfalfa, or a crop like chile that can't go dry, are taking a rain-based risk. The soft-spoken Sichler didn't sound particularly sentimental when he explained the decision-making process. "For the most part, farming's a big gamble anyway," he told me last week.</p>
<p>To understand the implication of the fourth year of deep drought in central New Mexico, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is the best place to start. City water agencies have groundwater to fall back on in dry years. Farmers depend on snowmelt from the mountains, diverted from the river to water their crops. From Cochiti to Socorro County, the Conservancy District delivers that water to about 60,000 acres.</p>
<p>El Vado Reservoir on the Chama River in Rio Arriba County, where carryover water from previous years provides water for the conservancy district in dry years, is mostly empty. Water managers hope to stash some of the spring runoff in El Vado for use this summer, but it's not likely there will be much to work with. Other than that, the district will have to depend on the natural flow of the Rio Grande.</p>
<p>Water imported across the Continental Divide through the San Juan-Chama Project may help, though for the second year in a row the federal government has warned the project's users that they cannot count on a full supply.</p>
<p>The March 1 forecast called for just 38 percent of the 1981-2010 average flow on the Rio Grande, the sort of terrible number everyone was expecting. "It should have been no surprise to anybody," conservancy district water manager David Gensler told Sichler and the other board members at a meeting last week.</p>
<p>A storm just after the forecast came out bumped the numbers up a bit, and more rain and snow over the weekend helped a little, but the mostly dry winter means the Rio Grande through central New Mexico is headed for its fourth straight extremely dry year, with flows just half of the long-term average over that time.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In water management terms, 2014 is shaping up to be almost a carbon copy of 2013, with only minor differences. Elephant Butte reservoir has a little more water than last year at this time, but still far less than needed for a full irrigation season for farmers from the Hatch Valley to the Texas state line. The threat of litigation over water for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow still looms over the middle valley.</p>
<p>In the era of modern large-scale irrigation farming in the Rio Grande Valley, the last stretch this bad was 1953 to 1956, according to New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission Rio Grande records. Scientists say the underlying causes are similar - large-scale patterns in the Pacific Ocean that reduce the strength and number of our winter storms. But there is a key difference - New Mexico is warmer now, about 1 degree Fahrenheit on average, according to the National Climatic Data Center. We've actually gotten more rain and snow during the past 15 years than in the comparable period during the drought of the 1950s, according to federal records. But there is less water in the Rio Grande now.</p>
<p>The higher temperatures likely explain some of the drop in stream flow, though exactly how much is uncertain, said Ben Cook, a climate researcher at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. New research by Cook and his colleagues projects more evaporation during the 21st century as greenhouse gases drive up temperatures. Plants consume more water when it's warmer, and more rain and snow simply evaporate. But without more study, there's no way to tell how much of that effect we're already seeing, Cook said in a telephone interview last week.</p>
<p>"I expect in the Southwest that, in fact, it's been so much warmer that it's having an effect," Cook said. "I just don't know what that is."</p>
<p>UpFront is a daily front-page opinion column. Comment directly to John Fleck at 823-3916 or <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>. Go to <a href="" type="internal">abqjournal.com/letters/new</a> to submit a letter to the editor.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,762 |
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<p />
<p>The Farmington Daily Times reports that several companies during the past year have addressed the tribe, requesting permission to once again mine the uranium-rich land that the tribe sits upon.</p>
<p>The history of uranium in the area, however, is proving an obstacle.</p>
<p>“As you can guess, there is opposition. There is a legacy issue. There’s no doubt about that,” said Albuquerque’s Mat Leuras, vice president of corporate development for Uranium Resources Inc.</p>
<p>In addition, several environmental studies have suggested that elevated levels of uranium in and around the mines caused health problems for the people working in and living around them.</p>
<p>The Navajo Nation sits on more than 70 million tons of naturally occurring uranium, a radioactive ore.</p>
<p>Uranium mining companies maintain that history will not repeat itself, especially since they are using advanced technologies and take more precautions.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The tribe still is reeling from the nearly 30 years that the federal government allowed uranium mining on and around the Navajo Nation. Between the late 1940s and the mid-1980s, about four million tons of uranium were extracted from the Navajo Nation.</p>
<p>At the time, uranium was mined to produce nuclear weapons for the Cold War.</p>
<p>While the companies will not be able to extract the uranium within tribal boundaries, they might be able to get at the uranium deposits near them.</p>
<p>The tribe banned uranium mining on its land in 2005, though the federal government has jurisdiction on Navajo Trust Land and in the “checkerboard” of Indian and non-Indian land. The trust land is land generally saved for the tribe, and the checkerboard is intermixed federal, state and tribal ownership.</p>
<p>Many of the companies already have secured mineral rights in the checkerboard area. — This article appeared on page 11 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | Mining companies focus anew on Navajo uranium | false | https://abqjournal.com/176876/mining-companies-focus-anew-on-navajo-uranium.html | 2013-03-11 | 2least
| Mining companies focus anew on Navajo uranium
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The Farmington Daily Times reports that several companies during the past year have addressed the tribe, requesting permission to once again mine the uranium-rich land that the tribe sits upon.</p>
<p>The history of uranium in the area, however, is proving an obstacle.</p>
<p>“As you can guess, there is opposition. There is a legacy issue. There’s no doubt about that,” said Albuquerque’s Mat Leuras, vice president of corporate development for Uranium Resources Inc.</p>
<p>In addition, several environmental studies have suggested that elevated levels of uranium in and around the mines caused health problems for the people working in and living around them.</p>
<p>The Navajo Nation sits on more than 70 million tons of naturally occurring uranium, a radioactive ore.</p>
<p>Uranium mining companies maintain that history will not repeat itself, especially since they are using advanced technologies and take more precautions.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The tribe still is reeling from the nearly 30 years that the federal government allowed uranium mining on and around the Navajo Nation. Between the late 1940s and the mid-1980s, about four million tons of uranium were extracted from the Navajo Nation.</p>
<p>At the time, uranium was mined to produce nuclear weapons for the Cold War.</p>
<p>While the companies will not be able to extract the uranium within tribal boundaries, they might be able to get at the uranium deposits near them.</p>
<p>The tribe banned uranium mining on its land in 2005, though the federal government has jurisdiction on Navajo Trust Land and in the “checkerboard” of Indian and non-Indian land. The trust land is land generally saved for the tribe, and the checkerboard is intermixed federal, state and tribal ownership.</p>
<p>Many of the companies already have secured mineral rights in the checkerboard area. — This article appeared on page 11 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | 3,763 |
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<p />
<p>Penny Padilla was found dead in her apartment on La Fonda Drive on the evening of Jan. 3, the release said.</p>
<p>Police and fire investigators located a toaster and pans inside the kitchen’s oven, and plastic handles from the pans and parts of the toaster were found melted inside the electric oven, according to the release.</p>
<p>Evidence from the scene seems to indicate that Padilla had turned on the stove to prepare a meal but failed to remove the plastic items from the oven, and there was evidence of smoke around the electric oven’s door but no signs there ever was a fire, police said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The state Office of the Medical Investigator determined that Padilla died of smoke inhalation.</p>
<p>Police remind people to refrain from storing items inside stoves and to remove unused and combustible items from the oven prior to baking or broiling.</p> | Toxic Fumes Kill Las Cruces Woman | false | https://abqjournal.com/158469/toxic-fumes-kill-las-cruces-woman.html | 2least
| Toxic Fumes Kill Las Cruces Woman
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<p />
<p>Penny Padilla was found dead in her apartment on La Fonda Drive on the evening of Jan. 3, the release said.</p>
<p>Police and fire investigators located a toaster and pans inside the kitchen’s oven, and plastic handles from the pans and parts of the toaster were found melted inside the electric oven, according to the release.</p>
<p>Evidence from the scene seems to indicate that Padilla had turned on the stove to prepare a meal but failed to remove the plastic items from the oven, and there was evidence of smoke around the electric oven’s door but no signs there ever was a fire, police said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The state Office of the Medical Investigator determined that Padilla died of smoke inhalation.</p>
<p>Police remind people to refrain from storing items inside stoves and to remove unused and combustible items from the oven prior to baking or broiling.</p> | 3,764 |
|
<p />
<p>Here is a an in-the-trenches entrepreneur’s diary from Diane Piper, president and designer for <a href="http://www.borsabag.com/" type="external">BORSAbag LLC,</a> a company that makes a unique bag-in-a-bag design to keep valuables clean and dry. Here is her story about the day a video shoot went bad. Don't make the same mistakes.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>My mornings usually begin by filling orders, checking inventory, and following up with customers.&#160;There are networking events to attend, retailers to visit, social media updates and many emails to be written.&#160;And on this morning I had to prepare for an upcoming family wedding in Dallas! All of this on the same day I had scheduled a videographer to make a new video for my website. I didn’t have time to practice my script.&#160;I didn’t even have a script.&#160; I thought I was ready. I thought it was OK. I thought wrong.</p>
<p>I never saw a preview of how I appeared or sounded.&#160;My video was sent as an attachment to me in an email about a week later.&#160;I hit play, and I immediately froze.&#160;All that stress I hid was screaming from a haggard, unenthusiastic clone of myself.&#160;It was awful. It will be tucked away, and hopefully laughed at, sometime in the future. Unfortunately I’m back to square one. A day of time and money lost.</p>
<p>So what did I learn? ALWAYS CHECK to see how you’re coming across.&#160;Will everyone see what you want them to see?</p>
<p>Take time to refocus, reprioritize.&#160;Put the video on hold.&#160;Skip the wedding.&#160;Take a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Good things take time." Learn from my failure.</p> | A Business Owner’s Video Shoot Nightmare | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2014/03/19/business-owners-video-nightmare.html | 2016-04-07 | 0right
| A Business Owner’s Video Shoot Nightmare
<p />
<p>Here is a an in-the-trenches entrepreneur’s diary from Diane Piper, president and designer for <a href="http://www.borsabag.com/" type="external">BORSAbag LLC,</a> a company that makes a unique bag-in-a-bag design to keep valuables clean and dry. Here is her story about the day a video shoot went bad. Don't make the same mistakes.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>My mornings usually begin by filling orders, checking inventory, and following up with customers.&#160;There are networking events to attend, retailers to visit, social media updates and many emails to be written.&#160;And on this morning I had to prepare for an upcoming family wedding in Dallas! All of this on the same day I had scheduled a videographer to make a new video for my website. I didn’t have time to practice my script.&#160;I didn’t even have a script.&#160; I thought I was ready. I thought it was OK. I thought wrong.</p>
<p>I never saw a preview of how I appeared or sounded.&#160;My video was sent as an attachment to me in an email about a week later.&#160;I hit play, and I immediately froze.&#160;All that stress I hid was screaming from a haggard, unenthusiastic clone of myself.&#160;It was awful. It will be tucked away, and hopefully laughed at, sometime in the future. Unfortunately I’m back to square one. A day of time and money lost.</p>
<p>So what did I learn? ALWAYS CHECK to see how you’re coming across.&#160;Will everyone see what you want them to see?</p>
<p>Take time to refocus, reprioritize.&#160;Put the video on hold.&#160;Skip the wedding.&#160;Take a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Good things take time." Learn from my failure.</p> | 3,765 |
<p>The National Museum, Damascus</p>
<p>It’s a god-awful situation today in Palmyra. How much of our priceless cultural heritage will be destroyed during the expanding re-occupation by Islamic State (IS)?</p>
<p>This observer has received more than two dozen emails in the past 72 hours asking for details of what is happening in Palmyra. Many scholars and citizens interested in Palmyra and our cultural heritage here is Syria, who I have had the honor to communicate with these past three years while doing research for the volume, Syria’s Endangered Heritage: An International Responsibly to Preserve and Protect are, like most of us, abjectly horrified by Palmyra’s recapture by IS last weekend.</p>
<p>I spoke this morning with my friend W.N. who works with Syria’s Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) in Homs and who accompanied me during my last visit to Palmyra when we were given detailed briefings from Syrian Military Intelligence. W was last working in the Palmyra National Museum on Thursday 12/8/2016 two days before the first units of what soon became approximately 4000-5000 IS fighters started invading. He reports that none of his colleagues had any idea that ISIS was in the area and apparently neither did the Syrian and Russian army who were caught by surprise, abandoned their base and heavy weapons stores and moved to the West toward Homs. Like all of us, officials and citizens here hope that ISIS will be expelled before they can do serious damage.</p>
<p>The fears of this observer and many archeologists globally, are many and distressing. One is that we will once again see televised executions in the ancient city to strengthen IS positions and create more publicity. Russian, Syrian and Iranian soldiers, taken prisoners, may become the first victims.&#160;&#160;On 12/15.2016 the government of Iran reported that two of its IRGC officers were killed a couple of days earlier fighting IS near the key Syrian military base, T4. The IRGC armed and funded Afghan Fatemiyoun Division was rushed back to Palmyra once IS re-entered the area on Saturday, 12/10/2016.</p>
<p>The retaking of Palmyra by IS has strategic implications. Palmyra was a much-touted political asset for Moscow. Russia is worried that the international community will see the Kremlin as a loser in Palmyra rather than as a “great power” that Vladimir Putin has been trying to achieve via Crimea, Ukraine as well as Syria and elsewhere. Previously, many ordinary Syrians welcomed Russian troops with admiration and enthusiasm, hoping that Russia’s participation in the Syrian conflict would end the war. Yet today many of them are disappointed. Some are inclined to believe that Russia is just another stakeholder in the conflict with its own interests – just like the Americans, Turks, Kurds, Hezbollah, ISIS and other military forces.</p>
<p>But a more major immediate concern of officials here relates to information this observer was given last May in Palmyra concerning details of what Daesh had planned to do using the nearly 3,500 explosives they had planted among the ruins. The plan was to completely obliterate Palmyra’s ancient sites. (link) but Russian and Syrian forces, with a little bit of luck and technology, plus Russian explosive sniffing dogs, were able to block them at the last minute as Daesh forces fled into the surrounding desert and mountains.</p>
<p>It is widely feared that IS will now decide to carry out its earlier plan which they dubbed “Erase” and substantially pulverize Palmyra’s antiquities. Unless they can be stopped.</p>
<p>As much of the world will recall, the last time IS controlled Palmyra it blew up several ruins, including historic treasures such as the temples of Bel and Baalshamin and the Arch of Victory among others.</p>
<p>The group also staged several mass public executions in the ancient Roman amphitheater.</p>
<p>Two days ago, Tuesday, 12/13/2013 mass executions were reported in Palmyra of more the 200 residents including a school principal and his family. One of the people in Palmyra who was providing information about recent developments was among those reported executed. Most were shot but a least two were beheaded with IS fighters showing residents photos of what happens to “regime agents.” It is predictable that supporters of the Islamic State will again broadcast televised executions in the ancient city in order strengthen their positions and create more publicity. Russian and Syrian soldiers, taken prisoners, will become the first victims.</p>
<p>“The catastrophe has happened, I am in absolute shock!, ” My much valued friend Dr.Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria’s Director of Antiquities,&#160;told the UK Guardian on Sunday 12/11/2016 in a phone interview. “I am losing hope; it looks like we have lost the city.”</p>
<p>During my meeting with Dr. Maamoun this afternoon in his DGAM office at the National Museum in Damascus, where he offered the most recent, yet sketchy, information from Palmyra, the International Patriot revered for his indefatigable work protecting our global cultural heritage, lamented that he will soon be 50 years of age but in reality he feels more than 80, given unfolding events in his cherished Palmyra.</p>
<p>It was reported here today that IS has again taken over the National Museum of Palmyra, re-established its Sharia Court in the basement, and is expected to construct another “Justice Cage” outside the Museum similar to the one shown below when this observer spent three days last May with the Syrian army who briefed him extensively on how Palmyra was liberated on March 28, 2016 by 64 Russian bombing sorties over 45 days along with 2000 Russian, Syrian army and Shia militia fighters.</p>
<p>The “Islamic State” is expected to once again set up, just 30 yards to the left as one exits the main entrance to Palmyra’s museum, a new execution and slave women auction chamber to decapitate nonbelievers and other miscreants as well as sell women for as little as $ 100—the former price as of February 2015 according to IS documents found in its abandoned Sharia Court. The price for virgins less than 16 years of age was at the time set at $ 150.</p>
<p>Last May the army officers, mentioned above, offered assurances to this observer that “Daesh will never come to Tadmor (Palmyra) again!” I believed them given all the details they presented about defenses being set up by Russian and Syrian forces.</p>
<p>So what happened to these defenses and what went so very wrong? This observer has heard speculation that the Syrian military simply didn’t have the manpower to defend Palmyra while it was closing in on eastern Aleppo so the loss of Palmyra for the second time is really nobody’s fault.&#160;A spurious argument in my view.</p>
<p>The ISIS re-occupation of Palmyra&#160;</p>
<p>Pulling together information from a variety of sources including Palmyra Museum employees who normally work five days a week in Palmyra as well as two ‘citizen journalists’ still living in Palmyra and other sources, the following events appear to have occurred to date.</p>
<p>Three weeks ago foreign Shia militia and Russian forces left Palmyra and were deployed elsewhere, mainly in Aleppo. At about the same time witnesses in Palmyra said 500 fighters reached Syria and were sent to different front lines, the bulk joining ISIS forces near Palmyra. Shortly they were joined by as many as 4,500 more.</p>
<p>On 10/8/2016 ISIS had begun an assault on government positions in Homs province, where Palmyra is located. It quickly overran government army checkpoints and seized oil and gas fields until it reached the city’s edge.&#160;The jihadists briefly entered the Palmyra on Saturday 10/10/2016 before appearing to partially withdraw after Russia launched intense air strikes during Saturday afternoon on the advancing units of the IS, According to some reports, the air power forced the IS units to suspend the offensive but despite the raids and the arrival of Syrian army reinforcements, IS seized control of the city hours later. The activist-run Palmyra Co-ordination Collective said IS militants then seized the city’s military warehouse and its northern and western districts after taking government positions, oilfields wheat silos, the city’s hospital and strategic heights in the surrounding countryside over a period of 72 hours. ISIS also attacked two gas fields, al-Mahr and Jazal, which are important for Syria’s electricity generation and some residents in Damascus are reporting that they have been suffering increased electricity shortages since IS took Palmyra for the second time.</p>
<p>Video released by Isis showed abandoned tanks and other vehicles and empty streets, with buildings still emblazoned with paintings of the Syrian flag and Mr Assad.</p>
<p>The T4 military airport, located 50km west of Palmyra in the east Homs countryside, which is a main strategic goal of IS is one of the Syrian regime’s largest and most important airbases, being near&#160;a strategic crossroad that lead to Deir Ezzour, Raqqa, Damascus, and other key cities,.&#160;On 12/12/2016 the day after they captured Palmyra, IS fighters declared their intent to capture T4 and reportedly battled to within two kilometers of it amidst their ongoing ground offensive in eastern Homs.</p>
<p>One Palmyra resident reported yesterday that days before the surprise attack government forces and their allies redeployed to Aleppo to join the fighting there. Another resident who was able to escape shortly after IS invaded, reported that “Days before the battle began, we noticed regime forces move a large number of fighters and military equipment towards Aleppo city,” as he added on 12/12/2016 that just before the Islamic State attacked, the number of Syrian, Russian and militia personnel had decreased “from around 40,000 to 10,000.” This observer does not particularly credit these large numbers having been given information that there were never that many government fighters still based in Palmyra since its liberation this past May.</p>
<p>What appears to have aided the ISIS recapture of the city is Palmyra’s isolated location in the eastern desert of Homs province, where the group was able to overrun territory quickly and the geography of the city, being surrounded by mountains, makes it very difficult to defend.</p>
<p>On Monday, 12/12/2016, after four days of fighting, IS took control of the eastern part of Palmyra. On Tuesday, 12/13/2013 mass executions were reported in Palmyra of more the 200 residents including a school principal and his family. One of the people near Palmyra who was providing information about recent developments was among those reported executed. Most were shot but a least two were beheaded with IS fighters showing residents photos of what happens to “regime agents.”</p>
<p>As of today IS controls the whole area and its loss is raising questions and much second-guessing from Monday morning armchair Generals. And some real Generals from countries now fighting here. Most agree that the quick retaking of Palmyra was possible because was not properly defended militarily; and, thus, it was very vulnerable so IS focused their forces in this direction. The breakthrough and rapid advancement of IS was possible due to fundamental mistakes of commanders of units of the Russian and Syrian Armies, deployed in the Palmyra area, who let their guard down and apparently ignored local reports by remaining townspeople that “Daseh” was returning. The Russians did not pay due attention to fortification activities, processes of equipping positions with engineering and combat hardware, and there was carelessness during tactical reconnaissance and assessment of the forces and means of attackers. As a result, commanders did not report the all necessary information to the higher command in Damascus on time, thereby, deluding it.</p>
<p>There are several reasons offered by Syrian military analysts to explain why Russian and Syrian commanders are being accused of making so many mistakes simultaneously.</p>
<p>On 10/8/2016 ISIS began an assault on government positions in Homs province, where Palmyra is located, It quickly overran army checkpoints and seized oil and gas fields until it reached the city’s edge.&#160;The jihadists briefly entered the city on Saturday 10/10/2016 before partially seeming to withdraw after Russia launched intense air strikes. Despite the Russian bombing and the arrival of Syrian army reinforcements, IS seized controlled of the city hours later. The activist-run Palmyra Co-ordination Collective said IS militants quickly seized the city’s military warehouse and its northern and western districts after taking government positions, oilfields wheat silos, the city’s hospital and strategic heights in the surrounding countryside over a period of 72 hours.</p>
<p>Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, who commands the US-led coalition bombing IS in Syria, said jihadists seized a large trove of gear including air-defense weapons when they retook the desert city from Russia and Syrian regime troops on Sunday, 12/10/2016.&#160;“We believe that includes some armored vehicles and various guns and other heavy weapons, possibly some air-defense equipment,” Townsend said in a video briefing from Baghdad. Townsend said the coalition would, at least initially, defer to the Russians to try to retake Palmyra but his lack of confidence in Russian ground forces was plain. Another U.S. defense official told Fox News IS was in control of an SA-3 missile system taken from the Syrian regime outside Palmyra, a development first reported by&#160;the Washington Post.</p>
<p>LT. Townsend and members of the US led Coalition is said to blame the Russians for the debacle and that the breakthrough and rapid advancement of the IS took was due to fundamental mistakes of commanders of units of the Russian and Syrian Armies, deployed in the Palmyra area, who he claims let their guard down and ignored local reports from remaining citizens that Daseh was returning. They did not pay due attention to fortification activities, ISIS processes of equipping positions with engineering and combat hardware, and they were careless during tactical reconnaissance. Russian commanders failed to anticipate a surprise ISIS attack which is one of their well-known tactics over the past two years. Russian commanders are also being accused of misjudging the availability of rebel forces and the capabilities of likely attackers.</p>
<p>As a result, commanders responsible for safeguarding our globally shared cultural heritage in Palmyra did not report the necessary information to the higher command in Damascus thereby deluding it with respect to clear evidence over the past few weeks that IS was nearby.</p>
<p>Russia is also being accused by the US led Coalition of making many mistakes simultaneously. Specifically not having intelligence sources in Palmyra city, adjacent to the acres of ruins now once again in grave danger, gross negligence in reconnaissance, being preoccupied with their bombing campaign in Aleppo, not observing or ignoring the redeployment of new units of the IS group from Iraq to Syria, as well as involvement of the most experienced IS commanders of the senior and middle levels in the offensive and failure to anticipate the likelihood of large numbers of suicide bombers, involved in the operation. A common IS tactic.</p>
<p>In Russia’s defense, what also appears to have aided the IS recapture of Palmyra is its isolated location in the eastern desert of Homs province, where the group was able to overrun territory quickly and the geography of the city, being surrounded by mountains, rendering it difficult to defend. A source in Homs, 200 km west of Palmyra commented to this observer, “We know that Russia can bomb our hospitals, schools, public gathering and markets. But we have no confidence that their ground forces can defeat Daesh and save Palmyra.”</p>
<p>Adding to doubts about Russia’s performance in Palmyra are reports citing local sources near the site of the attack in eastern Homs province, northwest of Palmyra, reported that there were cases of the use of Sarin gas and suffocation and that dozens had been wounded during heavy rocket fire on 12/12/2016 of the area. Local sources had reported seeing dead bodies with no visible injuries, claims the UK Observatory. The reported gas attack came from the air and took place near the town of Uqairabat, which lies on a main road leading south into Palmyra from government-held territory. Amaq, a news service linked to ISIS, said in an online statement that 20 people had died and around 200 were injured from breathing problems “as a result of a Russian air attack with sarin gas.” These allegations have not been proven.</p>
<p>The Syrian and Russian commands are well aware that IS cannot be defeated this time in Palmyra by just airstrikes. For this reason, combat-ready units of the Syrian Armed Forces-rumored to be from the reputedly competent ‘Tiger Force” is urgently being dispatched to Palmyra on orders of President Assad. As of 12/15/2016 there is no reported sign of their arrival as IS forces work to secure their new supply of weapons and set up positions among the ruins of Palmyra and nearby locations.</p>
<p>A government Minister I met with this morning (12/16/2016) was with President Assad last night when he met with his cabinet and discussed Syria’s plans to retake Palmyra. This afternoon there are reports that he has commanded the elite “Tiger Force” to lead the attack to re-take Palmyra. Russia’s air force and some of its elite fighters are reported, according to the same source, to be at this hour preparing to invade Palmyra. Perhaps as early at the next 48 hours since time is of the essence. On orders from President Putin currently in Japan.</p>
<p>The Syrian people’s past and are globally shared endangered heritage in this cradle of civilization may hang in the balance.</p> | Assad and Putin Order Their Forces to Again Liberate “The Jewel of the Desert” | true | https://counterpunch.org/2016/12/16/assad-and-putin-order-their-forces-to-again-liberate-the-jewel-of-the-desert/ | 2016-12-16 | 4left
| Assad and Putin Order Their Forces to Again Liberate “The Jewel of the Desert”
<p>The National Museum, Damascus</p>
<p>It’s a god-awful situation today in Palmyra. How much of our priceless cultural heritage will be destroyed during the expanding re-occupation by Islamic State (IS)?</p>
<p>This observer has received more than two dozen emails in the past 72 hours asking for details of what is happening in Palmyra. Many scholars and citizens interested in Palmyra and our cultural heritage here is Syria, who I have had the honor to communicate with these past three years while doing research for the volume, Syria’s Endangered Heritage: An International Responsibly to Preserve and Protect are, like most of us, abjectly horrified by Palmyra’s recapture by IS last weekend.</p>
<p>I spoke this morning with my friend W.N. who works with Syria’s Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) in Homs and who accompanied me during my last visit to Palmyra when we were given detailed briefings from Syrian Military Intelligence. W was last working in the Palmyra National Museum on Thursday 12/8/2016 two days before the first units of what soon became approximately 4000-5000 IS fighters started invading. He reports that none of his colleagues had any idea that ISIS was in the area and apparently neither did the Syrian and Russian army who were caught by surprise, abandoned their base and heavy weapons stores and moved to the West toward Homs. Like all of us, officials and citizens here hope that ISIS will be expelled before they can do serious damage.</p>
<p>The fears of this observer and many archeologists globally, are many and distressing. One is that we will once again see televised executions in the ancient city to strengthen IS positions and create more publicity. Russian, Syrian and Iranian soldiers, taken prisoners, may become the first victims.&#160;&#160;On 12/15.2016 the government of Iran reported that two of its IRGC officers were killed a couple of days earlier fighting IS near the key Syrian military base, T4. The IRGC armed and funded Afghan Fatemiyoun Division was rushed back to Palmyra once IS re-entered the area on Saturday, 12/10/2016.</p>
<p>The retaking of Palmyra by IS has strategic implications. Palmyra was a much-touted political asset for Moscow. Russia is worried that the international community will see the Kremlin as a loser in Palmyra rather than as a “great power” that Vladimir Putin has been trying to achieve via Crimea, Ukraine as well as Syria and elsewhere. Previously, many ordinary Syrians welcomed Russian troops with admiration and enthusiasm, hoping that Russia’s participation in the Syrian conflict would end the war. Yet today many of them are disappointed. Some are inclined to believe that Russia is just another stakeholder in the conflict with its own interests – just like the Americans, Turks, Kurds, Hezbollah, ISIS and other military forces.</p>
<p>But a more major immediate concern of officials here relates to information this observer was given last May in Palmyra concerning details of what Daesh had planned to do using the nearly 3,500 explosives they had planted among the ruins. The plan was to completely obliterate Palmyra’s ancient sites. (link) but Russian and Syrian forces, with a little bit of luck and technology, plus Russian explosive sniffing dogs, were able to block them at the last minute as Daesh forces fled into the surrounding desert and mountains.</p>
<p>It is widely feared that IS will now decide to carry out its earlier plan which they dubbed “Erase” and substantially pulverize Palmyra’s antiquities. Unless they can be stopped.</p>
<p>As much of the world will recall, the last time IS controlled Palmyra it blew up several ruins, including historic treasures such as the temples of Bel and Baalshamin and the Arch of Victory among others.</p>
<p>The group also staged several mass public executions in the ancient Roman amphitheater.</p>
<p>Two days ago, Tuesday, 12/13/2013 mass executions were reported in Palmyra of more the 200 residents including a school principal and his family. One of the people in Palmyra who was providing information about recent developments was among those reported executed. Most were shot but a least two were beheaded with IS fighters showing residents photos of what happens to “regime agents.” It is predictable that supporters of the Islamic State will again broadcast televised executions in the ancient city in order strengthen their positions and create more publicity. Russian and Syrian soldiers, taken prisoners, will become the first victims.</p>
<p>“The catastrophe has happened, I am in absolute shock!, ” My much valued friend Dr.Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria’s Director of Antiquities,&#160;told the UK Guardian on Sunday 12/11/2016 in a phone interview. “I am losing hope; it looks like we have lost the city.”</p>
<p>During my meeting with Dr. Maamoun this afternoon in his DGAM office at the National Museum in Damascus, where he offered the most recent, yet sketchy, information from Palmyra, the International Patriot revered for his indefatigable work protecting our global cultural heritage, lamented that he will soon be 50 years of age but in reality he feels more than 80, given unfolding events in his cherished Palmyra.</p>
<p>It was reported here today that IS has again taken over the National Museum of Palmyra, re-established its Sharia Court in the basement, and is expected to construct another “Justice Cage” outside the Museum similar to the one shown below when this observer spent three days last May with the Syrian army who briefed him extensively on how Palmyra was liberated on March 28, 2016 by 64 Russian bombing sorties over 45 days along with 2000 Russian, Syrian army and Shia militia fighters.</p>
<p>The “Islamic State” is expected to once again set up, just 30 yards to the left as one exits the main entrance to Palmyra’s museum, a new execution and slave women auction chamber to decapitate nonbelievers and other miscreants as well as sell women for as little as $ 100—the former price as of February 2015 according to IS documents found in its abandoned Sharia Court. The price for virgins less than 16 years of age was at the time set at $ 150.</p>
<p>Last May the army officers, mentioned above, offered assurances to this observer that “Daesh will never come to Tadmor (Palmyra) again!” I believed them given all the details they presented about defenses being set up by Russian and Syrian forces.</p>
<p>So what happened to these defenses and what went so very wrong? This observer has heard speculation that the Syrian military simply didn’t have the manpower to defend Palmyra while it was closing in on eastern Aleppo so the loss of Palmyra for the second time is really nobody’s fault.&#160;A spurious argument in my view.</p>
<p>The ISIS re-occupation of Palmyra&#160;</p>
<p>Pulling together information from a variety of sources including Palmyra Museum employees who normally work five days a week in Palmyra as well as two ‘citizen journalists’ still living in Palmyra and other sources, the following events appear to have occurred to date.</p>
<p>Three weeks ago foreign Shia militia and Russian forces left Palmyra and were deployed elsewhere, mainly in Aleppo. At about the same time witnesses in Palmyra said 500 fighters reached Syria and were sent to different front lines, the bulk joining ISIS forces near Palmyra. Shortly they were joined by as many as 4,500 more.</p>
<p>On 10/8/2016 ISIS had begun an assault on government positions in Homs province, where Palmyra is located. It quickly overran government army checkpoints and seized oil and gas fields until it reached the city’s edge.&#160;The jihadists briefly entered the Palmyra on Saturday 10/10/2016 before appearing to partially withdraw after Russia launched intense air strikes during Saturday afternoon on the advancing units of the IS, According to some reports, the air power forced the IS units to suspend the offensive but despite the raids and the arrival of Syrian army reinforcements, IS seized control of the city hours later. The activist-run Palmyra Co-ordination Collective said IS militants then seized the city’s military warehouse and its northern and western districts after taking government positions, oilfields wheat silos, the city’s hospital and strategic heights in the surrounding countryside over a period of 72 hours. ISIS also attacked two gas fields, al-Mahr and Jazal, which are important for Syria’s electricity generation and some residents in Damascus are reporting that they have been suffering increased electricity shortages since IS took Palmyra for the second time.</p>
<p>Video released by Isis showed abandoned tanks and other vehicles and empty streets, with buildings still emblazoned with paintings of the Syrian flag and Mr Assad.</p>
<p>The T4 military airport, located 50km west of Palmyra in the east Homs countryside, which is a main strategic goal of IS is one of the Syrian regime’s largest and most important airbases, being near&#160;a strategic crossroad that lead to Deir Ezzour, Raqqa, Damascus, and other key cities,.&#160;On 12/12/2016 the day after they captured Palmyra, IS fighters declared their intent to capture T4 and reportedly battled to within two kilometers of it amidst their ongoing ground offensive in eastern Homs.</p>
<p>One Palmyra resident reported yesterday that days before the surprise attack government forces and their allies redeployed to Aleppo to join the fighting there. Another resident who was able to escape shortly after IS invaded, reported that “Days before the battle began, we noticed regime forces move a large number of fighters and military equipment towards Aleppo city,” as he added on 12/12/2016 that just before the Islamic State attacked, the number of Syrian, Russian and militia personnel had decreased “from around 40,000 to 10,000.” This observer does not particularly credit these large numbers having been given information that there were never that many government fighters still based in Palmyra since its liberation this past May.</p>
<p>What appears to have aided the ISIS recapture of the city is Palmyra’s isolated location in the eastern desert of Homs province, where the group was able to overrun territory quickly and the geography of the city, being surrounded by mountains, makes it very difficult to defend.</p>
<p>On Monday, 12/12/2016, after four days of fighting, IS took control of the eastern part of Palmyra. On Tuesday, 12/13/2013 mass executions were reported in Palmyra of more the 200 residents including a school principal and his family. One of the people near Palmyra who was providing information about recent developments was among those reported executed. Most were shot but a least two were beheaded with IS fighters showing residents photos of what happens to “regime agents.”</p>
<p>As of today IS controls the whole area and its loss is raising questions and much second-guessing from Monday morning armchair Generals. And some real Generals from countries now fighting here. Most agree that the quick retaking of Palmyra was possible because was not properly defended militarily; and, thus, it was very vulnerable so IS focused their forces in this direction. The breakthrough and rapid advancement of IS was possible due to fundamental mistakes of commanders of units of the Russian and Syrian Armies, deployed in the Palmyra area, who let their guard down and apparently ignored local reports by remaining townspeople that “Daseh” was returning. The Russians did not pay due attention to fortification activities, processes of equipping positions with engineering and combat hardware, and there was carelessness during tactical reconnaissance and assessment of the forces and means of attackers. As a result, commanders did not report the all necessary information to the higher command in Damascus on time, thereby, deluding it.</p>
<p>There are several reasons offered by Syrian military analysts to explain why Russian and Syrian commanders are being accused of making so many mistakes simultaneously.</p>
<p>On 10/8/2016 ISIS began an assault on government positions in Homs province, where Palmyra is located, It quickly overran army checkpoints and seized oil and gas fields until it reached the city’s edge.&#160;The jihadists briefly entered the city on Saturday 10/10/2016 before partially seeming to withdraw after Russia launched intense air strikes. Despite the Russian bombing and the arrival of Syrian army reinforcements, IS seized controlled of the city hours later. The activist-run Palmyra Co-ordination Collective said IS militants quickly seized the city’s military warehouse and its northern and western districts after taking government positions, oilfields wheat silos, the city’s hospital and strategic heights in the surrounding countryside over a period of 72 hours.</p>
<p>Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, who commands the US-led coalition bombing IS in Syria, said jihadists seized a large trove of gear including air-defense weapons when they retook the desert city from Russia and Syrian regime troops on Sunday, 12/10/2016.&#160;“We believe that includes some armored vehicles and various guns and other heavy weapons, possibly some air-defense equipment,” Townsend said in a video briefing from Baghdad. Townsend said the coalition would, at least initially, defer to the Russians to try to retake Palmyra but his lack of confidence in Russian ground forces was plain. Another U.S. defense official told Fox News IS was in control of an SA-3 missile system taken from the Syrian regime outside Palmyra, a development first reported by&#160;the Washington Post.</p>
<p>LT. Townsend and members of the US led Coalition is said to blame the Russians for the debacle and that the breakthrough and rapid advancement of the IS took was due to fundamental mistakes of commanders of units of the Russian and Syrian Armies, deployed in the Palmyra area, who he claims let their guard down and ignored local reports from remaining citizens that Daseh was returning. They did not pay due attention to fortification activities, ISIS processes of equipping positions with engineering and combat hardware, and they were careless during tactical reconnaissance. Russian commanders failed to anticipate a surprise ISIS attack which is one of their well-known tactics over the past two years. Russian commanders are also being accused of misjudging the availability of rebel forces and the capabilities of likely attackers.</p>
<p>As a result, commanders responsible for safeguarding our globally shared cultural heritage in Palmyra did not report the necessary information to the higher command in Damascus thereby deluding it with respect to clear evidence over the past few weeks that IS was nearby.</p>
<p>Russia is also being accused by the US led Coalition of making many mistakes simultaneously. Specifically not having intelligence sources in Palmyra city, adjacent to the acres of ruins now once again in grave danger, gross negligence in reconnaissance, being preoccupied with their bombing campaign in Aleppo, not observing or ignoring the redeployment of new units of the IS group from Iraq to Syria, as well as involvement of the most experienced IS commanders of the senior and middle levels in the offensive and failure to anticipate the likelihood of large numbers of suicide bombers, involved in the operation. A common IS tactic.</p>
<p>In Russia’s defense, what also appears to have aided the IS recapture of Palmyra is its isolated location in the eastern desert of Homs province, where the group was able to overrun territory quickly and the geography of the city, being surrounded by mountains, rendering it difficult to defend. A source in Homs, 200 km west of Palmyra commented to this observer, “We know that Russia can bomb our hospitals, schools, public gathering and markets. But we have no confidence that their ground forces can defeat Daesh and save Palmyra.”</p>
<p>Adding to doubts about Russia’s performance in Palmyra are reports citing local sources near the site of the attack in eastern Homs province, northwest of Palmyra, reported that there were cases of the use of Sarin gas and suffocation and that dozens had been wounded during heavy rocket fire on 12/12/2016 of the area. Local sources had reported seeing dead bodies with no visible injuries, claims the UK Observatory. The reported gas attack came from the air and took place near the town of Uqairabat, which lies on a main road leading south into Palmyra from government-held territory. Amaq, a news service linked to ISIS, said in an online statement that 20 people had died and around 200 were injured from breathing problems “as a result of a Russian air attack with sarin gas.” These allegations have not been proven.</p>
<p>The Syrian and Russian commands are well aware that IS cannot be defeated this time in Palmyra by just airstrikes. For this reason, combat-ready units of the Syrian Armed Forces-rumored to be from the reputedly competent ‘Tiger Force” is urgently being dispatched to Palmyra on orders of President Assad. As of 12/15/2016 there is no reported sign of their arrival as IS forces work to secure their new supply of weapons and set up positions among the ruins of Palmyra and nearby locations.</p>
<p>A government Minister I met with this morning (12/16/2016) was with President Assad last night when he met with his cabinet and discussed Syria’s plans to retake Palmyra. This afternoon there are reports that he has commanded the elite “Tiger Force” to lead the attack to re-take Palmyra. Russia’s air force and some of its elite fighters are reported, according to the same source, to be at this hour preparing to invade Palmyra. Perhaps as early at the next 48 hours since time is of the essence. On orders from President Putin currently in Japan.</p>
<p>The Syrian people’s past and are globally shared endangered heritage in this cradle of civilization may hang in the balance.</p> | 3,766 |
<p>Tragedies on the scale of the shootings in Newton, Connecticut are covered in very distinct ways by media in societies around the world.</p>
<p>Zeynep Tufekci of Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy joins us from Istanbul, Turkey to talk about what steps journalists and others might take to ensure that coverage of Newtown does not inspire similar killings.</p> | Newtown: What's Gone Wrong with Media Coverage? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-12-20/newtown-whats-gone-wrong-media-coverage | 2012-12-20 | 3left-center
| Newtown: What's Gone Wrong with Media Coverage?
<p>Tragedies on the scale of the shootings in Newton, Connecticut are covered in very distinct ways by media in societies around the world.</p>
<p>Zeynep Tufekci of Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy joins us from Istanbul, Turkey to talk about what steps journalists and others might take to ensure that coverage of Newtown does not inspire similar killings.</p> | 3,767 |
<p>In the climactic sequence of "Wonder Woman" where a confrontation with the villain is all but a certainty, our hero mustn't just punch her way out and throw in a witty quip, but instead defend humanity as a whole, the good and the bad. It’s belief vs belief, a battle of wills that plays out beyond the physical. It’s best to be this way, as superhero tales and classic fables of Greek mythology are more substantial in what is represented – and less about the fights themselves. Comics are the modern legends of the immortals, and thus ought to teach morals rather than serve merely as clusters of escapades (which they can be as well, with levity). In this fourth installment of the newly minted DC extended cinematic universe (starting with "Man of Steel"), existentialism and doubt are finally replaced with tried and true confidence and unwavering strength of character.</p>
<p>I hope by now that we’ve all seen the internet memes of Wonder Woman punching out Trump (a new take on Captain America punching out Hitler), because by itself the image says so much about where we’re at as a country, and where we could be if we work hard enough. "Wonder Woman" takes place towards the end of WWI, as the peace armistice is being prepared. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) leaves her homeland to end the war by defeating the one whom she believes to be behind it all: the God of War, Ares. On her way across Europe, she rescues villagers and overpowers the forces that control men’s hearts – yes, through awesome action, but more importantly, by lead example. She is passionate, she is proud, she is righteous and she has no time for grand questions on purpose and place; there is simply too much the world needs at the moment. Roll up the sleeves and get to it already.</p>
<p>It’s fun to tear apart and piece back together the hero definition, as "Watchmen" and "Batman v Superman" do, but at what point does a comic turned graphic novel become overkill? At what point does challenge to story become a dreary trial for the audience? It seems that DC and Warner Bros as of late have been testing our patience with grit after grit, trying to mold "Superman" into "Saving Private Ryan" and "Batman" into "Death Wish". Not that adult orientation isn’t interesting or appreciated, but why are good ol' fashioned heroics considered immature or too childish? Adults have much to learn and can use role models too, you know.</p>
<p>Director Patty Jenkins (of the Oscar-winning "Monster") understands this, and through the fog of war, through the gunsmoke and bomb blasts, is able to maintain – and build upon – a shocking development in cinematic superhero genre: the resonance of compassion. It’s a movie that molds the character of Wonder Woman into something like an Abe Lincoln, but with more fighting, of course.</p>
<p>Throughout the movie, Diana hunts for Ares, even though his existence is doubted by her male counterparts. They tell her that in war, things like good and evil are often blurry, and maybe, just maybe, people aren’t perfect. Diana struggles with this, having been brought up on crystal clear stories with no gray areas, but she is so steadfast in her beliefs that she stands her ground, even after the atrocities she witnesses. The way she argues to help others, and the way she looks at the wounded and the dead, is pure of spirit and filled with unconditional love. She experiences waves of emotion, but not necessarily rage; it’s not vengeance she seeks, but a stop to the slaughter. Where some see this as fool hearted, I see Wonder Woman as full hearted.</p>
<p>Far be it for me to suggest that "Wonder Woman" is a tool in the recent movement of feminine empowerment being experienced in our culture – including the massive Women’s March. But if this is the case, why is that bad? Isn’t it about time? If anything, Wonder Woman is an invitation for all to join The Resistance. To grow, to relate and to live. In this way, it is similar to Richard Donner’s original "Superman" with Christopher Reeves. In a few years we’ll know how accurate the comparison is in terms of iconography, but for now we already know that they share achingly romantic humanist ideals. Which, is to say, it matches hand in hand.</p>
<p>“I can save today, you can save the world!” is a line spoken to Diana at a most profound moment. I’ll leave it to other moviegoers to decipher its meaning. The most our new Superman ever got was, “This man is not our enemy.” It’s a nice gratitude, but comes with the knowledge of suspicion and pre-emptive defense. Leave it to a woman to break these walls down.</p>
<p>Bill Arceneaux is an independent film critic and member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association. Follow him @billreviews.</p>
<p /> | Occupy the Cinema: Is Wonder Woman the Hero of Our Time? | true | http://occupy.com/article/occupy-cinema-wonder-woman-hero-our-time?utm_source%3DWebsite%2B%2527Join%2BUs%2527%26utm_campaign%3D6bea1382c3-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_term%3D0_77fe4a462d-6bea1382c3-73715817%23sthash.JXgcRSmm.dpbs | 4left
| Occupy the Cinema: Is Wonder Woman the Hero of Our Time?
<p>In the climactic sequence of "Wonder Woman" where a confrontation with the villain is all but a certainty, our hero mustn't just punch her way out and throw in a witty quip, but instead defend humanity as a whole, the good and the bad. It’s belief vs belief, a battle of wills that plays out beyond the physical. It’s best to be this way, as superhero tales and classic fables of Greek mythology are more substantial in what is represented – and less about the fights themselves. Comics are the modern legends of the immortals, and thus ought to teach morals rather than serve merely as clusters of escapades (which they can be as well, with levity). In this fourth installment of the newly minted DC extended cinematic universe (starting with "Man of Steel"), existentialism and doubt are finally replaced with tried and true confidence and unwavering strength of character.</p>
<p>I hope by now that we’ve all seen the internet memes of Wonder Woman punching out Trump (a new take on Captain America punching out Hitler), because by itself the image says so much about where we’re at as a country, and where we could be if we work hard enough. "Wonder Woman" takes place towards the end of WWI, as the peace armistice is being prepared. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) leaves her homeland to end the war by defeating the one whom she believes to be behind it all: the God of War, Ares. On her way across Europe, she rescues villagers and overpowers the forces that control men’s hearts – yes, through awesome action, but more importantly, by lead example. She is passionate, she is proud, she is righteous and she has no time for grand questions on purpose and place; there is simply too much the world needs at the moment. Roll up the sleeves and get to it already.</p>
<p>It’s fun to tear apart and piece back together the hero definition, as "Watchmen" and "Batman v Superman" do, but at what point does a comic turned graphic novel become overkill? At what point does challenge to story become a dreary trial for the audience? It seems that DC and Warner Bros as of late have been testing our patience with grit after grit, trying to mold "Superman" into "Saving Private Ryan" and "Batman" into "Death Wish". Not that adult orientation isn’t interesting or appreciated, but why are good ol' fashioned heroics considered immature or too childish? Adults have much to learn and can use role models too, you know.</p>
<p>Director Patty Jenkins (of the Oscar-winning "Monster") understands this, and through the fog of war, through the gunsmoke and bomb blasts, is able to maintain – and build upon – a shocking development in cinematic superhero genre: the resonance of compassion. It’s a movie that molds the character of Wonder Woman into something like an Abe Lincoln, but with more fighting, of course.</p>
<p>Throughout the movie, Diana hunts for Ares, even though his existence is doubted by her male counterparts. They tell her that in war, things like good and evil are often blurry, and maybe, just maybe, people aren’t perfect. Diana struggles with this, having been brought up on crystal clear stories with no gray areas, but she is so steadfast in her beliefs that she stands her ground, even after the atrocities she witnesses. The way she argues to help others, and the way she looks at the wounded and the dead, is pure of spirit and filled with unconditional love. She experiences waves of emotion, but not necessarily rage; it’s not vengeance she seeks, but a stop to the slaughter. Where some see this as fool hearted, I see Wonder Woman as full hearted.</p>
<p>Far be it for me to suggest that "Wonder Woman" is a tool in the recent movement of feminine empowerment being experienced in our culture – including the massive Women’s March. But if this is the case, why is that bad? Isn’t it about time? If anything, Wonder Woman is an invitation for all to join The Resistance. To grow, to relate and to live. In this way, it is similar to Richard Donner’s original "Superman" with Christopher Reeves. In a few years we’ll know how accurate the comparison is in terms of iconography, but for now we already know that they share achingly romantic humanist ideals. Which, is to say, it matches hand in hand.</p>
<p>“I can save today, you can save the world!” is a line spoken to Diana at a most profound moment. I’ll leave it to other moviegoers to decipher its meaning. The most our new Superman ever got was, “This man is not our enemy.” It’s a nice gratitude, but comes with the knowledge of suspicion and pre-emptive defense. Leave it to a woman to break these walls down.</p>
<p>Bill Arceneaux is an independent film critic and member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association. Follow him @billreviews.</p>
<p /> | 3,768 |
|
<p>Herman Cain.&lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOFB-2yJzCY&amp;feature=relmfu"&gt;The Herman Cain&lt;/a&gt;/YouTube</p>
<p>On&#160;Thursday, <a href="" type="internal">I defended Herman&#160;Cain</a> from the trumped-up charges that he is actually, secretly, pro-choice. Cain had answered a question, from CNN’s Piers Morgan, about whether he supported exceptions for rape and the life of the mother, and said that while he opposed abortion even in those circumstances, it wasn’t the government’s job to tell women what to do. That’s not the kind of thing that would endear Cain to NARAL; it’s the same position taken by noted reproductive rights icon George&#160;W.&#160;Bush, among others. Even the activists behind <a href="" type="internal">the Mississippi&#160;Personhood amendment</a> say that a pregnant woman should be allowed to get an abortion if her life is at risk—even if the actual language of the amendment wouldn’t allow for it.</p>
<p>Besides, Cain has a pretty consistent track record of condemning abortion. In March, he called Planned Parethood “ <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/herman-cain-planned-parenthood-should-be-called-planned-genocide.php" type="external">Planned Genocide</a>,”&#160;alleging that the nation’s largest abortion provider was deliberately targeting blacks for extermination. In 2006, he <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/herman-cain-right-wing-sleeper-candidate-2012" type="external">ran a radio ad campaign</a> targeting Democrats for their support for abortion rights, and proudly noting that the Republican Party calls for the repeal of Roe v. Wade in its official platform.&#160;And in 2004, when he was running for Senate in Georgia, he put out <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040217203332/http://www.cainforussenate.org/News-StatementRoevWadeJan22.asp" type="external">the following statement</a>, on the anniversary of Roe, which should eliminate any remaining confusion on where he stands:</p>
<p>Today we mourn the murder of millions of innocent lives because of the decision made 31 years ago by the United States Supreme Court to give doctors the right to end the life of an unborn child. Unbelievably, the decision of Roe v. Wade shows that our Nation still chooses to place human convenience over the sanctity of human life.</p>
<p>No great nation can prosper when life is not valued. Once the Supreme Court decided that the right to life was obsolete, the very basis of our country was lost. A civilized society is marked by its treatment of the defenseless. When the most innocent of human life, the life of an unborn child, can be ended for the sake of convenience, the moral fabric of our society is destroyed…</p>
<p>Infanticide will continue as long as our society accepts the lie that a mother has the right to terminate a child’s life. These women are sadly comforted by the blanket of Roe v. Wade. But there is still hope. If people today will continue to unite together to fight against legalized abortion and make their voices heard, we can make a difference. Life needs to be respected and celebrated, not terminated.</p>
<p>“Infanticide” is really not a word that gets thrown around a lot by actual pro-choicers.</p>
<p>What’s really happening here is that conservatives are starting to discover what everyone else has realized for a while now:&#160;Herman&#160;Cain is really bad at answering very simple questions.&#160;Partly, that’s because Cain has a poor grasp of public policy and tends to rely on <a href="" type="internal">pretty dubious sources</a> for information. But it’s also a consequence of his inexperience—he lacks the encylcopedic arsenal of canned responses that are required of every successful candidate.&#160;And so he ends up stammering through incredibly awkward segments like this one, with Fox News’ John&#160;Stossel in July, in which he simultaneously conveys his key point—”Abortion should not be legal! I believe in the sanctity of life!”—while literally leaving the other panelist speechless, about 55 seconds in:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>In case you missed that, this was Newsday‘s Ellis Henican’s reaction to Cain’s discussion of abortion. His mouth is open, but no words are coming out:</p>
<p>Herman Cain has the rare ability to render a cable news pundit speechless.: Fox News/YouTubeh/t <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/10/does_herman_cain_know_where_he.html" type="external">Daily Intel</a>.</p> | Herman Cain: Still Definitely Not Pro-Choice—Just Bad At Answering Questions | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/10/herman-cain-still-definitely-not-pro-choice/ | 2011-10-21 | 4left
| Herman Cain: Still Definitely Not Pro-Choice—Just Bad At Answering Questions
<p>Herman Cain.&lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOFB-2yJzCY&amp;feature=relmfu"&gt;The Herman Cain&lt;/a&gt;/YouTube</p>
<p>On&#160;Thursday, <a href="" type="internal">I defended Herman&#160;Cain</a> from the trumped-up charges that he is actually, secretly, pro-choice. Cain had answered a question, from CNN’s Piers Morgan, about whether he supported exceptions for rape and the life of the mother, and said that while he opposed abortion even in those circumstances, it wasn’t the government’s job to tell women what to do. That’s not the kind of thing that would endear Cain to NARAL; it’s the same position taken by noted reproductive rights icon George&#160;W.&#160;Bush, among others. Even the activists behind <a href="" type="internal">the Mississippi&#160;Personhood amendment</a> say that a pregnant woman should be allowed to get an abortion if her life is at risk—even if the actual language of the amendment wouldn’t allow for it.</p>
<p>Besides, Cain has a pretty consistent track record of condemning abortion. In March, he called Planned Parethood “ <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/herman-cain-planned-parenthood-should-be-called-planned-genocide.php" type="external">Planned Genocide</a>,”&#160;alleging that the nation’s largest abortion provider was deliberately targeting blacks for extermination. In 2006, he <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/herman-cain-right-wing-sleeper-candidate-2012" type="external">ran a radio ad campaign</a> targeting Democrats for their support for abortion rights, and proudly noting that the Republican Party calls for the repeal of Roe v. Wade in its official platform.&#160;And in 2004, when he was running for Senate in Georgia, he put out <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040217203332/http://www.cainforussenate.org/News-StatementRoevWadeJan22.asp" type="external">the following statement</a>, on the anniversary of Roe, which should eliminate any remaining confusion on where he stands:</p>
<p>Today we mourn the murder of millions of innocent lives because of the decision made 31 years ago by the United States Supreme Court to give doctors the right to end the life of an unborn child. Unbelievably, the decision of Roe v. Wade shows that our Nation still chooses to place human convenience over the sanctity of human life.</p>
<p>No great nation can prosper when life is not valued. Once the Supreme Court decided that the right to life was obsolete, the very basis of our country was lost. A civilized society is marked by its treatment of the defenseless. When the most innocent of human life, the life of an unborn child, can be ended for the sake of convenience, the moral fabric of our society is destroyed…</p>
<p>Infanticide will continue as long as our society accepts the lie that a mother has the right to terminate a child’s life. These women are sadly comforted by the blanket of Roe v. Wade. But there is still hope. If people today will continue to unite together to fight against legalized abortion and make their voices heard, we can make a difference. Life needs to be respected and celebrated, not terminated.</p>
<p>“Infanticide” is really not a word that gets thrown around a lot by actual pro-choicers.</p>
<p>What’s really happening here is that conservatives are starting to discover what everyone else has realized for a while now:&#160;Herman&#160;Cain is really bad at answering very simple questions.&#160;Partly, that’s because Cain has a poor grasp of public policy and tends to rely on <a href="" type="internal">pretty dubious sources</a> for information. But it’s also a consequence of his inexperience—he lacks the encylcopedic arsenal of canned responses that are required of every successful candidate.&#160;And so he ends up stammering through incredibly awkward segments like this one, with Fox News’ John&#160;Stossel in July, in which he simultaneously conveys his key point—”Abortion should not be legal! I believe in the sanctity of life!”—while literally leaving the other panelist speechless, about 55 seconds in:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>In case you missed that, this was Newsday‘s Ellis Henican’s reaction to Cain’s discussion of abortion. His mouth is open, but no words are coming out:</p>
<p>Herman Cain has the rare ability to render a cable news pundit speechless.: Fox News/YouTubeh/t <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/10/does_herman_cain_know_where_he.html" type="external">Daily Intel</a>.</p> | 3,769 |
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<p />
<p>If this shot by Atrisco Heritage’s Juan Mauricio does not go in to the Valley net at the end of the second overtime, the center official blows his whistle and the Jaguars and Valley finish their District 4-6A opener in a draw.</p>
<p>But Mauricio did get a clean look at a shot at the top of the 6-yard box — quite literally in the final second of the 100th minute of this game — and he finished, giving Atrisco Heritage a thrilling 2-1 win at the APS Complex on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>“Anything can happen anytime,” said Mauricio, a diminutive sophomore who was mobbed by teammates after this unexpected finish. “Five seconds is all it takes to win the game.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Atrisco Heritage (4-3-2) found the victory doubly satisfying. Not just because it was a district-opening win over a solid Valley team, but because last fall, the Vikings won a tiebreaker for second place in this district — behind Albuquerque High — and that led to the Jags going on the road for the first round, where they lost at Gadsden.</p>
<p>“It’s a big win,” said Atrisco Heritage coach Micah Newman. “It’s a strong win for us going forward.”</p>
<p>Valley’s bench was hoping the center official would blow his whistle before the Jaguars could manufacture a final scoring chance.</p>
<p>“It was an unlucky loss,” Valley coach Orlando Ramirez said. The Vikings are 4-5 overall and have lost five out of six.</p>
<p>Javier Rubio, in the 37th minute for Atrisco, and Johnny Baros, on a fantastic shot from a bad angle into the near-post corner in the 70th minute for Valley, had the regulation goals.</p>
<p>MILESTONE WIN: During Albuquerque Academy’s recent boys tournament, Laney Kolek reached the 100-victory plateau with the Chargers.</p>
<p>This is her seventh season coaching Academy. She got No. 100 in the semifinals of the event against Hope Christian.</p>
<p>RESUMPTION: Last Thursday, the La Cueva and Cibola girls were scoreless with about 13 minutes left in the first half when lightning forced the two teams to delay their game at the APS Complex.</p>
<p>The teams will pick up where they left off at 4:15 p.m. on Oct. 4. It is the first game between the two since the Cougars beat the Bears in the Class 6A final last November.</p>
<p>… St. Pius’ boys and La Cueva were playing that same night, and were tied 1-1 with 4 seconds left before halftime. That game will not be resumed.</p> | Prep soccer: Atrisco boys beat Valley in 100th minute | false | https://abqjournal.com/1066870/prep-soccer-atrisco-boys-beat-valley-in-100th-minute.html | 2least
| Prep soccer: Atrisco boys beat Valley in 100th minute
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>If this shot by Atrisco Heritage’s Juan Mauricio does not go in to the Valley net at the end of the second overtime, the center official blows his whistle and the Jaguars and Valley finish their District 4-6A opener in a draw.</p>
<p>But Mauricio did get a clean look at a shot at the top of the 6-yard box — quite literally in the final second of the 100th minute of this game — and he finished, giving Atrisco Heritage a thrilling 2-1 win at the APS Complex on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>“Anything can happen anytime,” said Mauricio, a diminutive sophomore who was mobbed by teammates after this unexpected finish. “Five seconds is all it takes to win the game.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Atrisco Heritage (4-3-2) found the victory doubly satisfying. Not just because it was a district-opening win over a solid Valley team, but because last fall, the Vikings won a tiebreaker for second place in this district — behind Albuquerque High — and that led to the Jags going on the road for the first round, where they lost at Gadsden.</p>
<p>“It’s a big win,” said Atrisco Heritage coach Micah Newman. “It’s a strong win for us going forward.”</p>
<p>Valley’s bench was hoping the center official would blow his whistle before the Jaguars could manufacture a final scoring chance.</p>
<p>“It was an unlucky loss,” Valley coach Orlando Ramirez said. The Vikings are 4-5 overall and have lost five out of six.</p>
<p>Javier Rubio, in the 37th minute for Atrisco, and Johnny Baros, on a fantastic shot from a bad angle into the near-post corner in the 70th minute for Valley, had the regulation goals.</p>
<p>MILESTONE WIN: During Albuquerque Academy’s recent boys tournament, Laney Kolek reached the 100-victory plateau with the Chargers.</p>
<p>This is her seventh season coaching Academy. She got No. 100 in the semifinals of the event against Hope Christian.</p>
<p>RESUMPTION: Last Thursday, the La Cueva and Cibola girls were scoreless with about 13 minutes left in the first half when lightning forced the two teams to delay their game at the APS Complex.</p>
<p>The teams will pick up where they left off at 4:15 p.m. on Oct. 4. It is the first game between the two since the Cougars beat the Bears in the Class 6A final last November.</p>
<p>… St. Pius’ boys and La Cueva were playing that same night, and were tied 1-1 with 4 seconds left before halftime. That game will not be resumed.</p> | 3,770 |
|
<p>It has been 441 days since Donald Trump was inaugurated. Less than one month later he held his first news conference. And despite innumerable scandals, outrages, embarrassments, and crimes, he hasn’t held another one since. That’s right, the President of the United States has only had one solo news conference during his entire term in office to date. What’s more, he hasn’t sat for an interview with a major news network other than Fox News for more than a year.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2100957359919048" type="external" /></p>
<p>For most that time, Trump has been a vocal opponent of the free press and the First Amendment. He has called the media “ <a href="" type="internal">the enemy of the American people</a>.” He banned certain news organizations from his rallies. He proposed licensing of journalists and/or revoking licenses of broadcasters he regarded as too critical. The Committee to Protect Journalists <a href="" type="internal">declared</a> that Trump is “undermining global press freedom.” And his relentless (and tedious) repetition of “fake news” whenever someone in the press tells the truth about him has become the hallmark of his presidency.</p>
<p>For all his tough talk it is apparent that Donald Trump is a coward. He is a whining baby whose impotent rants only illustrate how scared he is of the media he tries to bully. And now he has informed the White House Correspondents Association that <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/06/media/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump/index.html" type="external">he will not be attending</a> their annual dinner for the second year in a row. And why should he? He has called the other attendees sleazy, dishonest, corrupt, and horrible people. So he’s sending his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, to fill in for him as the designated liar for the administration. She should be a suitable substitute for the Liar-in-Chief. It’s just like her day job.</p>
<p>Trump’s failure to hold a news conference breaks decades old practices of presidents answering to the American people through their media surrogates. His single appearance contrasts with the far more accessible policies of his predecessors. Barack Obama, in his first year in office, held seven news conferences. George W. Bush did four. Bill Clinton did eleven. George H. W. Bush did twenty-seven. Ronald Reagan did six. Jimmy Carter did twenty-two. Gerald Ford did four. And Richard Nixon did six.</p>
<p>And it’s not as if Trump doesn’t recognize the importance of news conferences. During the campaign he criticized Hillary Clinton for what he regarded as a wholly improper avoidance of the media:</p>
<p />
<p>If Clinton’s alleged media shyness for seven months was an indication that she had a terrible record that could not be defended, then what does that say about Trump’s fourteen months of cowering in the safety of the White House and his private resorts? It is unmistakable that his outbursts are the result of an inner terror of being held accountable. In the past year there have been dozens of incidents that the American people want and deserve to hear the President explain. From Russia to porn stars to racism to economic crises, this president refuses to answer questions in a setting where reporters can challenge his authoritarian tactics.</p>
<p>How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QSSMOES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00QSSMOES&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=newscorpsecom-20&amp;linkId=TLI6JC2OYE22MUTS" type="external">Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.</a> Available now at Amazon.</p>
<p>At some point the media needs to make this an issue. If Trump will not hold a news conference, or venture out of his Fox News cocoon, they should stop covering his rallies and propaganda photo ops. He can communicate via Twitter and call-ins to Fox and Friends. But the press has stop tolerating his delegitimization of the media. There are plenty of other ways to inform the public about his activities. Including gavel-to-gavel coverage of his impeachment.</p> | Tough Guy Trump is a Trembling Coward – Too Scared to Face the Media He Says is Fake | true | http://newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p%3D35868 | 4left
| Tough Guy Trump is a Trembling Coward – Too Scared to Face the Media He Says is Fake
<p>It has been 441 days since Donald Trump was inaugurated. Less than one month later he held his first news conference. And despite innumerable scandals, outrages, embarrassments, and crimes, he hasn’t held another one since. That’s right, the President of the United States has only had one solo news conference during his entire term in office to date. What’s more, he hasn’t sat for an interview with a major news network other than Fox News for more than a year.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2100957359919048" type="external" /></p>
<p>For most that time, Trump has been a vocal opponent of the free press and the First Amendment. He has called the media “ <a href="" type="internal">the enemy of the American people</a>.” He banned certain news organizations from his rallies. He proposed licensing of journalists and/or revoking licenses of broadcasters he regarded as too critical. The Committee to Protect Journalists <a href="" type="internal">declared</a> that Trump is “undermining global press freedom.” And his relentless (and tedious) repetition of “fake news” whenever someone in the press tells the truth about him has become the hallmark of his presidency.</p>
<p>For all his tough talk it is apparent that Donald Trump is a coward. He is a whining baby whose impotent rants only illustrate how scared he is of the media he tries to bully. And now he has informed the White House Correspondents Association that <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/06/media/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump/index.html" type="external">he will not be attending</a> their annual dinner for the second year in a row. And why should he? He has called the other attendees sleazy, dishonest, corrupt, and horrible people. So he’s sending his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, to fill in for him as the designated liar for the administration. She should be a suitable substitute for the Liar-in-Chief. It’s just like her day job.</p>
<p>Trump’s failure to hold a news conference breaks decades old practices of presidents answering to the American people through their media surrogates. His single appearance contrasts with the far more accessible policies of his predecessors. Barack Obama, in his first year in office, held seven news conferences. George W. Bush did four. Bill Clinton did eleven. George H. W. Bush did twenty-seven. Ronald Reagan did six. Jimmy Carter did twenty-two. Gerald Ford did four. And Richard Nixon did six.</p>
<p>And it’s not as if Trump doesn’t recognize the importance of news conferences. During the campaign he criticized Hillary Clinton for what he regarded as a wholly improper avoidance of the media:</p>
<p />
<p>If Clinton’s alleged media shyness for seven months was an indication that she had a terrible record that could not be defended, then what does that say about Trump’s fourteen months of cowering in the safety of the White House and his private resorts? It is unmistakable that his outbursts are the result of an inner terror of being held accountable. In the past year there have been dozens of incidents that the American people want and deserve to hear the President explain. From Russia to porn stars to racism to economic crises, this president refuses to answer questions in a setting where reporters can challenge his authoritarian tactics.</p>
<p>How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QSSMOES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00QSSMOES&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=newscorpsecom-20&amp;linkId=TLI6JC2OYE22MUTS" type="external">Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.</a> Available now at Amazon.</p>
<p>At some point the media needs to make this an issue. If Trump will not hold a news conference, or venture out of his Fox News cocoon, they should stop covering his rallies and propaganda photo ops. He can communicate via Twitter and call-ins to Fox and Friends. But the press has stop tolerating his delegitimization of the media. There are plenty of other ways to inform the public about his activities. Including gavel-to-gavel coverage of his impeachment.</p> | 3,771 |
|
<p><a href="" type="internal" />In the weeks leading up to the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Western Media has released a dribble of “trustworthy reports” examining “the likelihood” of a terrorist attack at the height of the Olympic games.</p>
<p>In late January, the British government warned “that more terrorist attacks in Russia (following the <a href="" type="internal">Volgograd</a> attack in December) are “very likely to occur before or during the Winter Olympics in Sochi”. (BBC, January 27, 2014).</p>
<p>As the Olympic torch reaches Sochi, CNN released, in a timely fashion, the results of an “authoritative” opinion poll (based on a meager sample of 1000 individuals):&#160;“57% of Americans think terror attack likely at Sochi Games”</p>
<p>Earlier news reports focussed on the mysterious menace of a so-called <a href="" type="internal">“Black Widow” terrorist attack</a> emanating from Chechnya, Russia’s hotspot of Islamic terrorism. According to a so-called “catastrophe expert”&#160; Dr Gordon Woo, a Black Widow attack “is almost certain to happen”:</p>
<p>“Because of the history between the Russians and the Chechen people who splintered to form the Caucasus Emirate, Sochi is a prime target for terrorism,” said Woo, who has advanced insurance modelling of catastrophes, including designing a model for terrorism risk. ( <a href="http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/sochi-winter-olympics-terrorist-attack-very-likely-happen-1435265" type="external">Business Times, UK</a>)</p>
<p>The Sochi Games are occurring at the height of a Worldwide crisis marked by the confrontation between <a href="" type="internal">the US</a> and Russia on the geopolitical chessboard. In turn, the ongoing protest movement in <a href="" type="internal">Ukraine</a> has a bearing on Russia’s geopolitical control of the Black Sea.</p>
<p>What would be the underlying political objective of a terrorist attack?</p>
<p>Are these slanted media reports solely intended to create an aura of fear and uncertainty which causes political embarrassment to the Russian authorities?</p>
<p>While network TV and the tabloids have their eyes riveted on the Black Widow, the more fundamental question as to&#160;Who is behind the Caucasus terrorists&#160;goes unmentioned.</p>
<p>None of the news reports has focused on the fundamental question which is required in assessing the terror threat.</p>
<p>Both the history of Al Qaeda as well as recent developments in Syria and Libya confirm unequivocally that the Al Qaeda network is covertly supported by Western intelligence.</p>
<p>History: Who is Behind the Chechen Terrorists?</p>
<p>What are the historical origins of the <a href="" type="internal">Chechen jihadists</a>, which are now allegedly threatening the Sochi Games? Who is behind them?</p>
<p>In the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US waged a covert war against Russia. The objective was to promote the secession of Chechnya, a “renegade autonomous region” of the Russian Federation, at the crossroads of strategic oil and gas pipeline routes.</p>
<p />
<p>This was a covert intelligence operation. The main Chechen rebel leaders, Shamil Basayev and Al Khattab, were trained and indoctrinated in CIA-sponsored camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan.</p>
<p>The two main Chechen jihadist formations, affiliated to Al Qaeda were estimated at 35,000 strong. They were supported by Pakistan’s Military intelligence (ISI) on behalf of the CIA; funding was also channeled to Chechnya through the Wahabbi missions from Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p>The ISI played a key role in organizing and training the Chechnya rebel army:</p>
<p>“[In 1994] the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence arranged for Basayev and his trusted lieutenants to undergo intensive Islamic indoctrination and training in guerrilla warfare in the Khost province of Afghanistan at Amir Muawia camp, set up in the early 1980s by the CIA and ISI and run by famous Afghani warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. In July 1994, upon graduating from Amir Muawia, Basayev was transferred to Markaz-i-Dawar camp in Pakistan to undergo training in advanced guerrilla tactics. In Pakistan, Basayev met the highest ranking Pakistani military and intelligence officers (Levon Sevunts, “Who’s Calling The Shots? Chechen conflict finds Islamic roots in Afghanistan and Pakistan”, The Gazette, Montreal, 26 October 1999.)</p>
<p>Following his training and indoctrination stint, Basayev was assigned to lead the assault against Russian federal troops in the first Chechen war in 1995. (Vitaly Romanov and Viktor Yadukha, “Chechen Front Moves To Kosovo”, Segodnia, Moscow, 23 Feb 2000)</p>
<p>The Geopolitics of the Sochi Winter Olympics</p>
<p>The Sochi Olympics are at a strategic location on the Black Sea at the crossroads of Russia’s oil and gas pipelines.</p>
<p>The forbidden question (both by the West as well as by the Russian government) in addressing the possibility of a terror attack is: Who is behind the Terrorists?</p>
<p>While the US sponsored Chechen rebels were defeated in the 1990s by Russian forces, various Al Qaeda affiliated formations –including the “Caucasus Emirate militant group, Imarat Kavkaz (IK) — remain active in the Southern Caucasus region of the Russian Federation (e.g. Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia) and Abkhazia.</p>
<p>Both the Russian based Al Qaeda groups as well as the broader network of jihadist formations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Balkans constitute CIA “intelligence assets” which could potentially be used to trigger a terrorist event at the height of the Sochi Olympics.</p>
<p>Needless to say, Moscow is fully aware that Al Qaeda is an instrument of Western intelligence. And Moscow is also aware that the US is covertly supporting terror groups which threaten the security of the Olympic Games.</p>
<p>Within the Russian military and intelligence establishment, this is known, documented and discussed behind closed doors. Yet at the same time, it is a “forbidden truth”. It is taboo to talk about it in public or to raise it at the diplomatic level. Washington knows that Moscow knows: “I know you know I know”.</p>
<p>The more fundamental questions which both the Russian and Western media are not addressing for obvious reasons:</p>
<p>Michel Chossudovsky is an award-winning author, Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the University of Ottawa, Founder and Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montreal and Editor of the <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-sochi-olympic-games-and-the-threat-of-a-terrorist-attack-who-is-behind-the-caucasus-terrorists/5367601" type="external">globalresearch.ca</a> website. He is the author of The Globalization of Poverty and The New World Order (2003) and America’s “War on Terrorism”(2005). His most recent book is entitled Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War (2011). He is also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His writings have been published in more than twenty languages. He can be reached [email protected]</p>
<p />
<p /> | The Sochi Olympic Games and the Threat of a Terrorist Attack. Who is Behind the Caucasus Terrorists? | true | http://dcclothesline.com/2014/02/07/sochi-olympic-games-threat-terrorist-attack-behind-caucasus-terrorists/ | 2014-02-07 | 0right
| The Sochi Olympic Games and the Threat of a Terrorist Attack. Who is Behind the Caucasus Terrorists?
<p><a href="" type="internal" />In the weeks leading up to the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Western Media has released a dribble of “trustworthy reports” examining “the likelihood” of a terrorist attack at the height of the Olympic games.</p>
<p>In late January, the British government warned “that more terrorist attacks in Russia (following the <a href="" type="internal">Volgograd</a> attack in December) are “very likely to occur before or during the Winter Olympics in Sochi”. (BBC, January 27, 2014).</p>
<p>As the Olympic torch reaches Sochi, CNN released, in a timely fashion, the results of an “authoritative” opinion poll (based on a meager sample of 1000 individuals):&#160;“57% of Americans think terror attack likely at Sochi Games”</p>
<p>Earlier news reports focussed on the mysterious menace of a so-called <a href="" type="internal">“Black Widow” terrorist attack</a> emanating from Chechnya, Russia’s hotspot of Islamic terrorism. According to a so-called “catastrophe expert”&#160; Dr Gordon Woo, a Black Widow attack “is almost certain to happen”:</p>
<p>“Because of the history between the Russians and the Chechen people who splintered to form the Caucasus Emirate, Sochi is a prime target for terrorism,” said Woo, who has advanced insurance modelling of catastrophes, including designing a model for terrorism risk. ( <a href="http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/sochi-winter-olympics-terrorist-attack-very-likely-happen-1435265" type="external">Business Times, UK</a>)</p>
<p>The Sochi Games are occurring at the height of a Worldwide crisis marked by the confrontation between <a href="" type="internal">the US</a> and Russia on the geopolitical chessboard. In turn, the ongoing protest movement in <a href="" type="internal">Ukraine</a> has a bearing on Russia’s geopolitical control of the Black Sea.</p>
<p>What would be the underlying political objective of a terrorist attack?</p>
<p>Are these slanted media reports solely intended to create an aura of fear and uncertainty which causes political embarrassment to the Russian authorities?</p>
<p>While network TV and the tabloids have their eyes riveted on the Black Widow, the more fundamental question as to&#160;Who is behind the Caucasus terrorists&#160;goes unmentioned.</p>
<p>None of the news reports has focused on the fundamental question which is required in assessing the terror threat.</p>
<p>Both the history of Al Qaeda as well as recent developments in Syria and Libya confirm unequivocally that the Al Qaeda network is covertly supported by Western intelligence.</p>
<p>History: Who is Behind the Chechen Terrorists?</p>
<p>What are the historical origins of the <a href="" type="internal">Chechen jihadists</a>, which are now allegedly threatening the Sochi Games? Who is behind them?</p>
<p>In the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US waged a covert war against Russia. The objective was to promote the secession of Chechnya, a “renegade autonomous region” of the Russian Federation, at the crossroads of strategic oil and gas pipeline routes.</p>
<p />
<p>This was a covert intelligence operation. The main Chechen rebel leaders, Shamil Basayev and Al Khattab, were trained and indoctrinated in CIA-sponsored camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan.</p>
<p>The two main Chechen jihadist formations, affiliated to Al Qaeda were estimated at 35,000 strong. They were supported by Pakistan’s Military intelligence (ISI) on behalf of the CIA; funding was also channeled to Chechnya through the Wahabbi missions from Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p>The ISI played a key role in organizing and training the Chechnya rebel army:</p>
<p>“[In 1994] the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence arranged for Basayev and his trusted lieutenants to undergo intensive Islamic indoctrination and training in guerrilla warfare in the Khost province of Afghanistan at Amir Muawia camp, set up in the early 1980s by the CIA and ISI and run by famous Afghani warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. In July 1994, upon graduating from Amir Muawia, Basayev was transferred to Markaz-i-Dawar camp in Pakistan to undergo training in advanced guerrilla tactics. In Pakistan, Basayev met the highest ranking Pakistani military and intelligence officers (Levon Sevunts, “Who’s Calling The Shots? Chechen conflict finds Islamic roots in Afghanistan and Pakistan”, The Gazette, Montreal, 26 October 1999.)</p>
<p>Following his training and indoctrination stint, Basayev was assigned to lead the assault against Russian federal troops in the first Chechen war in 1995. (Vitaly Romanov and Viktor Yadukha, “Chechen Front Moves To Kosovo”, Segodnia, Moscow, 23 Feb 2000)</p>
<p>The Geopolitics of the Sochi Winter Olympics</p>
<p>The Sochi Olympics are at a strategic location on the Black Sea at the crossroads of Russia’s oil and gas pipelines.</p>
<p>The forbidden question (both by the West as well as by the Russian government) in addressing the possibility of a terror attack is: Who is behind the Terrorists?</p>
<p>While the US sponsored Chechen rebels were defeated in the 1990s by Russian forces, various Al Qaeda affiliated formations –including the “Caucasus Emirate militant group, Imarat Kavkaz (IK) — remain active in the Southern Caucasus region of the Russian Federation (e.g. Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia) and Abkhazia.</p>
<p>Both the Russian based Al Qaeda groups as well as the broader network of jihadist formations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Balkans constitute CIA “intelligence assets” which could potentially be used to trigger a terrorist event at the height of the Sochi Olympics.</p>
<p>Needless to say, Moscow is fully aware that Al Qaeda is an instrument of Western intelligence. And Moscow is also aware that the US is covertly supporting terror groups which threaten the security of the Olympic Games.</p>
<p>Within the Russian military and intelligence establishment, this is known, documented and discussed behind closed doors. Yet at the same time, it is a “forbidden truth”. It is taboo to talk about it in public or to raise it at the diplomatic level. Washington knows that Moscow knows: “I know you know I know”.</p>
<p>The more fundamental questions which both the Russian and Western media are not addressing for obvious reasons:</p>
<p>Michel Chossudovsky is an award-winning author, Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the University of Ottawa, Founder and Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montreal and Editor of the <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-sochi-olympic-games-and-the-threat-of-a-terrorist-attack-who-is-behind-the-caucasus-terrorists/5367601" type="external">globalresearch.ca</a> website. He is the author of The Globalization of Poverty and The New World Order (2003) and America’s “War on Terrorism”(2005). His most recent book is entitled Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War (2011). He is also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His writings have been published in more than twenty languages. He can be reached [email protected]</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,772 |
<p />
<p>Shares of Twilio (NYSE: TWLO) have more than quadrupled from its IPO price of $15. That enthusiasm was driven by the popularity of its cloud platform, which connects popular apps like Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) Messenger, WhatsApp, Uber, and Airbnb to users' phone numbers.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>While Twilio's sales are impressive, its stock looks very pricey relative to its growth potential. Moreover, 36% of shares werebeing sold short as of Sep. 26 -- indicating that investors are betting on a big pullback. Is it time to take profits in Twilio, or does the stock still have room to run?</p>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Twilio's revenue rose 70% annually to$64.5 million last quarter, and its active customer accounts grew 45% to 30,780. It expects its full year revenue to rise 52% to 54%, compared to 88% growth in 2015. That growth is impressive, but it doesn't justify the stock's whopping P/S ratio of 25, which is much higher than the industry average of 5 forapplication software companies.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Several tech companies with comparable sales growth also have much lower P/S ratios than Twilio. Optical fiber equipment vendor Acacia Communications' (NASDAQ: ACIA) revenue nearly doubled annually during the first six months of 2016, yet the stock only trades at 11 times sales. Momo (NASDAQ: MOMO), also known as "China's Tinder," posted 199% sales growth last year but trades at 19 times sales.</p>
<p>Twilio isn't profitable. Its non-GAAP net loss narrowed from $7.5 million to $5.9 million between the second quarters of 2015 and 2016, but its GAAP loss widened from $9.5 million to $11 million. That disparity was mainly caused by stock-based compensation expenses more than doubling year-over-year to $8 million. Twilio expects to remain unprofitable by both metrics through the end of the year.</p>
<p>Twilio's valuations look steep, but the company hasn't been sitting still. Last quarter, it integrated its platform into Facebook Messenger, expanded a partnership with Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services (AWS), and launched four new features -- Add-ons, Notify, Programmable Wireless, and Sync.</p>
<p>Add-ons makes it easier for developers and businesses to access partner technologies which integrated with Twilio's API (application programming interface). Notify is an API for delivering notifications via SMS, push notifications, and messaging applications. Programmable Wireless helps developers and businesses program cellular connectivity, and Sync is a real-time synchronization API.</p>
<p>These new partnerships and features should allay some concerns about Twilio's dependence on Facebook's WhatsApp, which generated nearlya fifth of its revenue last year. The integration with Messenger also indicates that its relationship with Facebook remains solid. Its partnership with Amazon, which delivers messages for AWS' Simple Notification service, means that AWS probably won't launch its own Twilio rival anytime soon.</p>
<p>WhatsApp. Image source: Google Play.</p>
<p>Twilio also recently acquired Kurento's WebRTC (web real-time communication) media server technology. That acquisition complements its 2015 acquisition of secure authentication start-up Authy, which specializes in two-factor authentication. Both purchases, along with the new partnerships and features, will help Twilio expand an ecosystem around its core mobile number-based services.</p>
<p>However, Twilio's huge post-IPO pop can also be attributed to a perfect storm of hype and a low float. The company only sold about 10% of its shares during its IPO, which inflated demand and squeezed the price higher. After that happened, automated algorithms and high-frequency traders propelled the stock higher, causing mainstream traders and investors to chase the momentum. Once that momentum runs out, the short sellers will likely swarm in and the stock will drop.</p>
<p>Twilio's lockup period will expire in late November, allowing insiders and institutional investors to sell their shares. I believe that if Twilio is still trading in the $60s by then, many of those shareholders will likely sell, and the stock's valuations will drop to more reasonable levels.</p>
<p>I personally like Twilio's "best in breed" reputation, its new partnerships, and its expanding ecosystem. But I believe that the stock is grossly overvalued, and that its price was inflated by the IPO's low float and media hype.</p>
<p>Therefore, I believe that Twilio could be a great long-term investment, but not at current prices. Investors should wait for the lockup expiration to pass, let short sellers drive the stock down, and buy the stock at much lower prices.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2668&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon.com. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Will Twilio Inc's 300% Post-IPO Rally Burn Out? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/10/04/will-twilio-inc-300-post-ipo-rally-burn-out.html | 2016-10-04 | 0right
| Will Twilio Inc's 300% Post-IPO Rally Burn Out?
<p />
<p>Shares of Twilio (NYSE: TWLO) have more than quadrupled from its IPO price of $15. That enthusiasm was driven by the popularity of its cloud platform, which connects popular apps like Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) Messenger, WhatsApp, Uber, and Airbnb to users' phone numbers.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>While Twilio's sales are impressive, its stock looks very pricey relative to its growth potential. Moreover, 36% of shares werebeing sold short as of Sep. 26 -- indicating that investors are betting on a big pullback. Is it time to take profits in Twilio, or does the stock still have room to run?</p>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Twilio's revenue rose 70% annually to$64.5 million last quarter, and its active customer accounts grew 45% to 30,780. It expects its full year revenue to rise 52% to 54%, compared to 88% growth in 2015. That growth is impressive, but it doesn't justify the stock's whopping P/S ratio of 25, which is much higher than the industry average of 5 forapplication software companies.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Several tech companies with comparable sales growth also have much lower P/S ratios than Twilio. Optical fiber equipment vendor Acacia Communications' (NASDAQ: ACIA) revenue nearly doubled annually during the first six months of 2016, yet the stock only trades at 11 times sales. Momo (NASDAQ: MOMO), also known as "China's Tinder," posted 199% sales growth last year but trades at 19 times sales.</p>
<p>Twilio isn't profitable. Its non-GAAP net loss narrowed from $7.5 million to $5.9 million between the second quarters of 2015 and 2016, but its GAAP loss widened from $9.5 million to $11 million. That disparity was mainly caused by stock-based compensation expenses more than doubling year-over-year to $8 million. Twilio expects to remain unprofitable by both metrics through the end of the year.</p>
<p>Twilio's valuations look steep, but the company hasn't been sitting still. Last quarter, it integrated its platform into Facebook Messenger, expanded a partnership with Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services (AWS), and launched four new features -- Add-ons, Notify, Programmable Wireless, and Sync.</p>
<p>Add-ons makes it easier for developers and businesses to access partner technologies which integrated with Twilio's API (application programming interface). Notify is an API for delivering notifications via SMS, push notifications, and messaging applications. Programmable Wireless helps developers and businesses program cellular connectivity, and Sync is a real-time synchronization API.</p>
<p>These new partnerships and features should allay some concerns about Twilio's dependence on Facebook's WhatsApp, which generated nearlya fifth of its revenue last year. The integration with Messenger also indicates that its relationship with Facebook remains solid. Its partnership with Amazon, which delivers messages for AWS' Simple Notification service, means that AWS probably won't launch its own Twilio rival anytime soon.</p>
<p>WhatsApp. Image source: Google Play.</p>
<p>Twilio also recently acquired Kurento's WebRTC (web real-time communication) media server technology. That acquisition complements its 2015 acquisition of secure authentication start-up Authy, which specializes in two-factor authentication. Both purchases, along with the new partnerships and features, will help Twilio expand an ecosystem around its core mobile number-based services.</p>
<p>However, Twilio's huge post-IPO pop can also be attributed to a perfect storm of hype and a low float. The company only sold about 10% of its shares during its IPO, which inflated demand and squeezed the price higher. After that happened, automated algorithms and high-frequency traders propelled the stock higher, causing mainstream traders and investors to chase the momentum. Once that momentum runs out, the short sellers will likely swarm in and the stock will drop.</p>
<p>Twilio's lockup period will expire in late November, allowing insiders and institutional investors to sell their shares. I believe that if Twilio is still trading in the $60s by then, many of those shareholders will likely sell, and the stock's valuations will drop to more reasonable levels.</p>
<p>I personally like Twilio's "best in breed" reputation, its new partnerships, and its expanding ecosystem. But I believe that the stock is grossly overvalued, and that its price was inflated by the IPO's low float and media hype.</p>
<p>Therefore, I believe that Twilio could be a great long-term investment, but not at current prices. Investors should wait for the lockup expiration to pass, let short sellers drive the stock down, and buy the stock at much lower prices.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2668&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon.com. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" 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?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 3,773 |
<p />
<p>It <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/31/world/middleeast/31cnd-iran.html?hp&amp;ex=1149134400&amp;en=0de1407f10c4ed5b&amp;ei=5094&amp;partner=homepage" type="external">sure seems like</a> Condoleezza Rice is finally ready to do the right thing about Iran:</p>
<p>Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today that the United States would be willing to change course and join multinational talks with Iran over its nuclear program if it suspends all nuclear activities.</p>
<p>Ms. Rice said that the move was meant to “give new energy” to a European effort to develop a package of incentives or potential punishments to convince Iran to rein in its nuclear program, and to give Iran a “clear choice.”</p>
<p>Sounds like what we’ve been calling for all along, right? Direct negotiations? Well, maybe. But before getting too effusive, this is the Bush administration we’re dealing with—a pack of lying war-mongers and all—so maybe a bit of skepticism is in order. It’s not clear that Iran should be required to “suspend all nuclear activities” before talks can even begin. Isn’t that something that the talks should work toward? Isn’t that the whole point? Isn’t Rice setting the bar too high?</p>
<p>So yes, it certainly seems like the Bush administration has decided to make unreasonable demands on Iran—only if you give us everything we demand will we sit down to talk—in order to sabotage negotiations before they even begin. <a href="http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/004298.html" type="external">Via</a> Laura Rozen, Chris Nelson says that the Bush administration’s main goal is to ensure that, if talks falter, Iran is seen as the “stumbling block,” rather than the U.S. Rice’s offer might be more for appearances sake than for any meaningful attempt to avoid war.</p>
<p>On the other hand, who knows, maybe good sense really has broken out unexpectedly in the White House and the administration wants to resolve this peacefully. We’ll see. I should note that if the U.S. reached a détente with Iran before November, gas prices would probably go down and the Republican Party’s midterm electoral prospects would probably brighten a bit. So maybe Karl Rove and friends should think about it…</p>
<p /> | Is Rice Extending an Olive Branch? | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2006/05/rice-extending-olive-branch/ | 2006-05-31 | 4left
| Is Rice Extending an Olive Branch?
<p />
<p>It <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/31/world/middleeast/31cnd-iran.html?hp&amp;ex=1149134400&amp;en=0de1407f10c4ed5b&amp;ei=5094&amp;partner=homepage" type="external">sure seems like</a> Condoleezza Rice is finally ready to do the right thing about Iran:</p>
<p>Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today that the United States would be willing to change course and join multinational talks with Iran over its nuclear program if it suspends all nuclear activities.</p>
<p>Ms. Rice said that the move was meant to “give new energy” to a European effort to develop a package of incentives or potential punishments to convince Iran to rein in its nuclear program, and to give Iran a “clear choice.”</p>
<p>Sounds like what we’ve been calling for all along, right? Direct negotiations? Well, maybe. But before getting too effusive, this is the Bush administration we’re dealing with—a pack of lying war-mongers and all—so maybe a bit of skepticism is in order. It’s not clear that Iran should be required to “suspend all nuclear activities” before talks can even begin. Isn’t that something that the talks should work toward? Isn’t that the whole point? Isn’t Rice setting the bar too high?</p>
<p>So yes, it certainly seems like the Bush administration has decided to make unreasonable demands on Iran—only if you give us everything we demand will we sit down to talk—in order to sabotage negotiations before they even begin. <a href="http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/004298.html" type="external">Via</a> Laura Rozen, Chris Nelson says that the Bush administration’s main goal is to ensure that, if talks falter, Iran is seen as the “stumbling block,” rather than the U.S. Rice’s offer might be more for appearances sake than for any meaningful attempt to avoid war.</p>
<p>On the other hand, who knows, maybe good sense really has broken out unexpectedly in the White House and the administration wants to resolve this peacefully. We’ll see. I should note that if the U.S. reached a détente with Iran before November, gas prices would probably go down and the Republican Party’s midterm electoral prospects would probably brighten a bit. So maybe Karl Rove and friends should think about it…</p>
<p /> | 3,774 |
<p>Over the weekend the National Rifle Association held their annual convention. The event did not dissapoint, <a href="" type="internal">offering such gems</a> as a zombie shooting target that resembled President Obama and comparisons of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to a Nazi. But it wasn't all about guns! As Jon Stewart pointed out on last night's Daily Show, the gun lobby group also went after Obama on health care reform and Benghazi, of all things. It was a lineup remarkably close to that of CPAC, the conservative political action conference, Stewart pointed out.&#160;</p>
<p>When the conservative all stars like Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Rick Perry got to guns, they resorted to predictable fearmongering. Glenn Beck, for one, virtually accused non-gun owners of allowing their loved ones to be raped. &#160;Watch Jon Stewart slam NRA fearmongerng in the two Daily Show segments below:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-6-2013/nra-convention-2013" type="external">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a>Get More: <a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/" type="external">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>, <a href="//www.comedycentral.com/indecision" type="external">Indecision Political Humor</a>, <a href="//www.facebook.com/thedailyshow" type="external">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-6-2013/the-good--the-bad-and-the-crazy" type="external">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a>Get More: <a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/" type="external">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>, <a href="//www.comedycentral.com/indecision" type="external">Indecision Political Humor</a>, <a href="//www.facebook.com/thedailyshow" type="external">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Jon Stewart Slams NRA Fearmongering at Gun-apalooza | true | http://alternet.org/jon-stewart-slams-nra-fearmongering-gun-apalooza | 2013-05-07 | 4left
| Jon Stewart Slams NRA Fearmongering at Gun-apalooza
<p>Over the weekend the National Rifle Association held their annual convention. The event did not dissapoint, <a href="" type="internal">offering such gems</a> as a zombie shooting target that resembled President Obama and comparisons of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to a Nazi. But it wasn't all about guns! As Jon Stewart pointed out on last night's Daily Show, the gun lobby group also went after Obama on health care reform and Benghazi, of all things. It was a lineup remarkably close to that of CPAC, the conservative political action conference, Stewart pointed out.&#160;</p>
<p>When the conservative all stars like Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Rick Perry got to guns, they resorted to predictable fearmongering. Glenn Beck, for one, virtually accused non-gun owners of allowing their loved ones to be raped. &#160;Watch Jon Stewart slam NRA fearmongerng in the two Daily Show segments below:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-6-2013/nra-convention-2013" type="external">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a>Get More: <a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/" type="external">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>, <a href="//www.comedycentral.com/indecision" type="external">Indecision Political Humor</a>, <a href="//www.facebook.com/thedailyshow" type="external">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-6-2013/the-good--the-bad-and-the-crazy" type="external">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a>Get More: <a href="//www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/" type="external">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>, <a href="//www.comedycentral.com/indecision" type="external">Indecision Political Humor</a>, <a href="//www.facebook.com/thedailyshow" type="external">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,775 |
<p>Many journalists have died covering the Arab uprisings.</p>
<p>One of them was award-winning French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik.</p>
<p>He was only 28-years-old.</p>
<p>Ochlik documented the revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.</p>
<p>Then last year, he headed out to Syria.</p>
<p>He made it to Homs late one night, as the city was under heavy shelling.</p>
<p>The very next day, on February 22, Ochlik was killed when a rocket hit the house he was holed up in with several other journalists.</p>
<p>American reporter Marie Colvin also died in the attack.</p>
<p>Ochlik is remembered by his colleagues as someone who felt invested in his mission: to tell the stories of the people at the heart of the conflicts.</p>
<p>One of his friends and colleagues is Belgo-Tunisian photojournalist Karim Ben Khelifa.</p>
<p>He runs a crowd-funding platform for visual journalism called Emphasis and has just published a book of photographs by Rémi Ochlik.</p>
<p>It's called "Révolutions" and features Ochlik's images of the Arab Spring.</p>
<p>Karim Ben Khelifa says it's difficult to explain the urge many photojournalists like him have to risk their lives in war zones.</p>
<p>And in spite of the hardship of losing such a young and talented friend, Ben Khelifa says Ochlik's decision to go to Syria was not a mistake.</p>
<p>"It is sad, but this how he decided to live and this is how he decided to die. And I think we can only be inspired by the commitment he had to the people."</p>
<p>Rémi Ochlik's photos of the Arab Spring are on exhibit at the Art Institute of Boston until February 22nd.</p> | Remembering Arab Spring Photographer Rémi Ochlik | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-02-01/remembering-arab-spring-photographer-r-mi-ochlik | 2013-02-01 | 3left-center
| Remembering Arab Spring Photographer Rémi Ochlik
<p>Many journalists have died covering the Arab uprisings.</p>
<p>One of them was award-winning French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik.</p>
<p>He was only 28-years-old.</p>
<p>Ochlik documented the revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.</p>
<p>Then last year, he headed out to Syria.</p>
<p>He made it to Homs late one night, as the city was under heavy shelling.</p>
<p>The very next day, on February 22, Ochlik was killed when a rocket hit the house he was holed up in with several other journalists.</p>
<p>American reporter Marie Colvin also died in the attack.</p>
<p>Ochlik is remembered by his colleagues as someone who felt invested in his mission: to tell the stories of the people at the heart of the conflicts.</p>
<p>One of his friends and colleagues is Belgo-Tunisian photojournalist Karim Ben Khelifa.</p>
<p>He runs a crowd-funding platform for visual journalism called Emphasis and has just published a book of photographs by Rémi Ochlik.</p>
<p>It's called "Révolutions" and features Ochlik's images of the Arab Spring.</p>
<p>Karim Ben Khelifa says it's difficult to explain the urge many photojournalists like him have to risk their lives in war zones.</p>
<p>And in spite of the hardship of losing such a young and talented friend, Ben Khelifa says Ochlik's decision to go to Syria was not a mistake.</p>
<p>"It is sad, but this how he decided to live and this is how he decided to die. And I think we can only be inspired by the commitment he had to the people."</p>
<p>Rémi Ochlik's photos of the Arab Spring are on exhibit at the Art Institute of Boston until February 22nd.</p> | 3,776 |
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<p />
<p>From the beginning, the firm that is now Modrall Sperling earned the trust of fellow lawyers and clients alike.</p>
<p>The original partners’ focus on business and property broadened in the 1950s to incorporate oil and gas, a practice that is now a leader in water, natural resources, public lands and renewable-energy law throughout the western U.S.</p>
<p>Today, that group has expanded to include a much-needed practice advising businesses in Native American law. These nationally prominent lawyers have represented clients in matters involving more than 40 tribes in 20-plus states.</p>
<p>Acquiring a tax firm generated significant growth in business law. Today’s practice heralds nationally ranked lawyers in taxation, employment and ERISA/health-care transactions and litigation.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Modrall Sperling has parlayed its decadeslong experience of providing counsel to a leading New Mexico bank to become the go-to firm for banking, lending, real estate and public finance.</p>
<p>By working to understand clients’ businesses and legal challenges, the lawyers of Modrall Sperling continue this tradition of growing to meet client needs. As one Executive Committee member, Jennifer Anderson, said in an Albuquerque Journal article highlighting the firm’s 75th anniversary: “The phrase that comes to mind is ‘built to last’…The founders certainly knew what they were doing.”</p>
<p />
<p /> | The Private 100: Modrall Sperling | false | https://abqjournal.com/298728/built-on-trust-built-to-last.html | 2013-11-10 | 2least
| The Private 100: Modrall Sperling
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<p />
<p>From the beginning, the firm that is now Modrall Sperling earned the trust of fellow lawyers and clients alike.</p>
<p>The original partners’ focus on business and property broadened in the 1950s to incorporate oil and gas, a practice that is now a leader in water, natural resources, public lands and renewable-energy law throughout the western U.S.</p>
<p>Today, that group has expanded to include a much-needed practice advising businesses in Native American law. These nationally prominent lawyers have represented clients in matters involving more than 40 tribes in 20-plus states.</p>
<p>Acquiring a tax firm generated significant growth in business law. Today’s practice heralds nationally ranked lawyers in taxation, employment and ERISA/health-care transactions and litigation.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Modrall Sperling has parlayed its decadeslong experience of providing counsel to a leading New Mexico bank to become the go-to firm for banking, lending, real estate and public finance.</p>
<p>By working to understand clients’ businesses and legal challenges, the lawyers of Modrall Sperling continue this tradition of growing to meet client needs. As one Executive Committee member, Jennifer Anderson, said in an Albuquerque Journal article highlighting the firm’s 75th anniversary: “The phrase that comes to mind is ‘built to last’…The founders certainly knew what they were doing.”</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,777 |
<p />
<p>Ernie Nardi from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, did us all a service. The question on sanctuary cities that Nardi asked at last night’s Republican YouTube debate—the first question of the night—set the stage for an epic confrontation between the candidates that included some of the sharpest attacks of the campaign season. The fight over immigration, quickly becoming the most contentious issue of the race, lasted for almost twenty minutes, long enough that each candidate got to say his piece. That meant something insightful could be learned about the entire field.</p>
<p>Giuliani began by insisting that “New York City was not a sanctuary city.” Giuliani then went on to detail and defend three ways in which New York City was in fact a sanctuary city: the Big Apple opened education and health services up to illegal immigrants, and allowed them to report crimes without fear of deportation. Giuliani stuck up for these three policy moves, while repeatedly insisting that they didn’t make New York a sanctuary city (a term, by the way, that is <a href="http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/the_sanctuary_city_scam.php" type="external">largely meaningless</a>). He didn’t help his case by saying “we reported thousands and thousands and thousands of names of illegal immigrants who committed crimes to the immigration service.”</p>
<p>Mitt Romney fired right back, saying, “How about the fact that the people who are here illegally have violated the law?” He went on to say that as Mayor, Giuliani welcomed and protected illegal immigrants.</p>
<p>Throughout the night, host Anderson Cooper gave anyone who was attacked 30 additional seconds to respond. This meant that anyone who got into a tit-for-tat got the lion’s share of the airtime. And it meant that fights got extended, as this one did.</p>
<p>Giuliani shot back at Romney, saying, “Mitt generally criticizes people in a situation in which he’s had the worst record.” Giuliani claimed that there were multiple sanctuary cities in Massachusetts when Romney was Governor. Then it got personal. “There was even a sanctuary mansion,” Giuliani said. “At his own home, illegal immigrants were being employed.”</p>
<p>Romney, drawing himself up to full height, said, “Mayor, you know better than that… I think it is really kind of offensive actually to suggest, to say look, you know what, if you are a homeowner and you hire a company to come provide a service at your home—paint the home, put on the roof—if you hear someone… with a funny accent, you, as a homeowner, are supposed to go out there and say, “I want to see your papers.””</p>
<p>Romney’s position is a reasonable one, though he was lying when he claimed illegal immigrants did not work on the Governor’s mansion. They did. Illegal Guatemalans <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/01/illegal_immigrants_toiled_for_governor" type="external">tended the lawn there</a>.</p>
<p>The fight between Romney and Giuliani went on. At some point one of the other candidates, off camera, said “Let us jump in here.” Romney accused Giuliani of “pursuing a sanctuary nation,” which is clearly false in light of Giuliani’s newly invigorated hatred of illegal immigration. Giuliani tried to defend himself but the spat had gone on too long. The crowd began to boo.</p>
<p>Fred Thompson was given a chance to speak and looked excellent merely by looking calm and parroting Republican talking points. He called legal immigrants “some of our better citizens.” He said, “We’ve got to strengthen the border. We’ve got to enforce the border. We’ve got to punish employers who will not obey the law. And we’ve got to eliminate sanctuary cities.” It came as a relief at the Giuliani-Romney slugfest.</p>
<p>John McCain followed Thompson, looking disgusted with his rivals. “You know, this whole debate saddens me a little bit,” he said. McCain doesn’t do well in the debate format—he acts frequently as though the sniping and the soundbite messaging is below him. His frustration shows in his body language. It did here. But perhaps that was only because immigration is an issue on which McCain has taken a beating recently. He looked chastened for his previous support of bipartisan immigration reform bill and acknowledged at the debate that you’ve got to “secure the borders first.”</p>
<p>But the side of McCain that urged him to take the lead in a compromise plan that offered a pathway to citizenship to illegal immigrants eventually came out. McCain closed his comments by saying, “We need to sit down as Americans and recognize these are God’s children as well. And they need some protection under the law. And they need some of our love and compassion.”</p>
<p>McCain was followed by Tom Tancredo, who is running a campaign almost exclusively on his hardline opposition to illegal immigration. Asked about Romney and Giuliani fighting over who has the stronger anti-illegal credentials, the Colorado congressman was gleeful. “All I’ve heard is people trying to out-Tancredo Tancredo,” he said. “It is great.”</p>
<p>Asked a question about small businesses who want the sort of low-wage immigrant workers that would be available as guest workers under the McCain Senate bill, Tancredo was dismissive, saying, “I’m not going to aid any more immigration into this country.”</p>
<p>Duncan Hunter, a congressman from the San Diego area, spoke next. As someone who has taken the lead on Congress’ efforts to stop illegal immigration, Hunter could speak on substance. The double border fence he built south of his district “reduced the smuggling of people and drugs by more than 90 percent and the crime rate in the city of San Diego went down by 53 percent,” he said. Rudy Giuliani’s empty attacks on “sanctuary mansions” weren’t necessary.</p>
<p>The newly ascendant Mike Huckabee spoke last. He repeatedly defended his decision as governor of Arkansas to give college scholarship opportunities to the children of illegal immigrants. He took a compassionate tack. “We’re not going to punish a child because the parent committed a crime. That’s not what we typically do in this country.” Later he said, “We’re a better country than that.”</p>
<p>When Romney oversimplified Huckabee’s scholarship program—which demands that a student meet certain academic standards, be drug free, stay out of trouble, and be applying for citizenship—Huckabee said, “I know how hard it was to get that degree. I am standing here tonight on this stage because I got an education. If I hadn’t had the education, I wouldn’t be standing on this stage. I might be picking lettuce.”</p>
<p>As a Governor, Huckabee didn’t need to take a position on the now-defeated comprehensive immigration reform bill pushed by McCain, Ted Kennedy, and George W. Bush. Aside from the scholarships and a couple of occasions in which Huckabee was literally nice to immigrants, little is known of his position on the issue. But one line from the debate might offer a clue. His scholarship plan “accomplished two things that we knew we wanted to do,” Huckabee said. The first: “Bring people from illegal status to legal status.”</p>
<p>Update: Romney and Giuliani have a <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2007/11/6078_romney_and_guil.html" type="external">history of fighting over this stuff</a>.</p>
<p /> | Republicans Feud Over Immigration at the Debate: What It Says About the GOP Field | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2007/11/republicans-feud-over-immigration-debate-what-it-says-about-gop-field/ | 2007-11-29 | 4left
| Republicans Feud Over Immigration at the Debate: What It Says About the GOP Field
<p />
<p>Ernie Nardi from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, did us all a service. The question on sanctuary cities that Nardi asked at last night’s Republican YouTube debate—the first question of the night—set the stage for an epic confrontation between the candidates that included some of the sharpest attacks of the campaign season. The fight over immigration, quickly becoming the most contentious issue of the race, lasted for almost twenty minutes, long enough that each candidate got to say his piece. That meant something insightful could be learned about the entire field.</p>
<p>Giuliani began by insisting that “New York City was not a sanctuary city.” Giuliani then went on to detail and defend three ways in which New York City was in fact a sanctuary city: the Big Apple opened education and health services up to illegal immigrants, and allowed them to report crimes without fear of deportation. Giuliani stuck up for these three policy moves, while repeatedly insisting that they didn’t make New York a sanctuary city (a term, by the way, that is <a href="http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/the_sanctuary_city_scam.php" type="external">largely meaningless</a>). He didn’t help his case by saying “we reported thousands and thousands and thousands of names of illegal immigrants who committed crimes to the immigration service.”</p>
<p>Mitt Romney fired right back, saying, “How about the fact that the people who are here illegally have violated the law?” He went on to say that as Mayor, Giuliani welcomed and protected illegal immigrants.</p>
<p>Throughout the night, host Anderson Cooper gave anyone who was attacked 30 additional seconds to respond. This meant that anyone who got into a tit-for-tat got the lion’s share of the airtime. And it meant that fights got extended, as this one did.</p>
<p>Giuliani shot back at Romney, saying, “Mitt generally criticizes people in a situation in which he’s had the worst record.” Giuliani claimed that there were multiple sanctuary cities in Massachusetts when Romney was Governor. Then it got personal. “There was even a sanctuary mansion,” Giuliani said. “At his own home, illegal immigrants were being employed.”</p>
<p>Romney, drawing himself up to full height, said, “Mayor, you know better than that… I think it is really kind of offensive actually to suggest, to say look, you know what, if you are a homeowner and you hire a company to come provide a service at your home—paint the home, put on the roof—if you hear someone… with a funny accent, you, as a homeowner, are supposed to go out there and say, “I want to see your papers.””</p>
<p>Romney’s position is a reasonable one, though he was lying when he claimed illegal immigrants did not work on the Governor’s mansion. They did. Illegal Guatemalans <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/01/illegal_immigrants_toiled_for_governor" type="external">tended the lawn there</a>.</p>
<p>The fight between Romney and Giuliani went on. At some point one of the other candidates, off camera, said “Let us jump in here.” Romney accused Giuliani of “pursuing a sanctuary nation,” which is clearly false in light of Giuliani’s newly invigorated hatred of illegal immigration. Giuliani tried to defend himself but the spat had gone on too long. The crowd began to boo.</p>
<p>Fred Thompson was given a chance to speak and looked excellent merely by looking calm and parroting Republican talking points. He called legal immigrants “some of our better citizens.” He said, “We’ve got to strengthen the border. We’ve got to enforce the border. We’ve got to punish employers who will not obey the law. And we’ve got to eliminate sanctuary cities.” It came as a relief at the Giuliani-Romney slugfest.</p>
<p>John McCain followed Thompson, looking disgusted with his rivals. “You know, this whole debate saddens me a little bit,” he said. McCain doesn’t do well in the debate format—he acts frequently as though the sniping and the soundbite messaging is below him. His frustration shows in his body language. It did here. But perhaps that was only because immigration is an issue on which McCain has taken a beating recently. He looked chastened for his previous support of bipartisan immigration reform bill and acknowledged at the debate that you’ve got to “secure the borders first.”</p>
<p>But the side of McCain that urged him to take the lead in a compromise plan that offered a pathway to citizenship to illegal immigrants eventually came out. McCain closed his comments by saying, “We need to sit down as Americans and recognize these are God’s children as well. And they need some protection under the law. And they need some of our love and compassion.”</p>
<p>McCain was followed by Tom Tancredo, who is running a campaign almost exclusively on his hardline opposition to illegal immigration. Asked about Romney and Giuliani fighting over who has the stronger anti-illegal credentials, the Colorado congressman was gleeful. “All I’ve heard is people trying to out-Tancredo Tancredo,” he said. “It is great.”</p>
<p>Asked a question about small businesses who want the sort of low-wage immigrant workers that would be available as guest workers under the McCain Senate bill, Tancredo was dismissive, saying, “I’m not going to aid any more immigration into this country.”</p>
<p>Duncan Hunter, a congressman from the San Diego area, spoke next. As someone who has taken the lead on Congress’ efforts to stop illegal immigration, Hunter could speak on substance. The double border fence he built south of his district “reduced the smuggling of people and drugs by more than 90 percent and the crime rate in the city of San Diego went down by 53 percent,” he said. Rudy Giuliani’s empty attacks on “sanctuary mansions” weren’t necessary.</p>
<p>The newly ascendant Mike Huckabee spoke last. He repeatedly defended his decision as governor of Arkansas to give college scholarship opportunities to the children of illegal immigrants. He took a compassionate tack. “We’re not going to punish a child because the parent committed a crime. That’s not what we typically do in this country.” Later he said, “We’re a better country than that.”</p>
<p>When Romney oversimplified Huckabee’s scholarship program—which demands that a student meet certain academic standards, be drug free, stay out of trouble, and be applying for citizenship—Huckabee said, “I know how hard it was to get that degree. I am standing here tonight on this stage because I got an education. If I hadn’t had the education, I wouldn’t be standing on this stage. I might be picking lettuce.”</p>
<p>As a Governor, Huckabee didn’t need to take a position on the now-defeated comprehensive immigration reform bill pushed by McCain, Ted Kennedy, and George W. Bush. Aside from the scholarships and a couple of occasions in which Huckabee was literally nice to immigrants, little is known of his position on the issue. But one line from the debate might offer a clue. His scholarship plan “accomplished two things that we knew we wanted to do,” Huckabee said. The first: “Bring people from illegal status to legal status.”</p>
<p>Update: Romney and Giuliani have a <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2007/11/6078_romney_and_guil.html" type="external">history of fighting over this stuff</a>.</p>
<p /> | 3,778 |
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<p>Dominique Dulski and Diana Wong kept on rolling, and the women’s tennis team went rolling right along with them, as their wins in singles and doubles helped propel the Lobos to a 5-2 victory over Utah State on Thursday and give UNM its third straight win.</p>
<p>UNM got off on the right foot with a doubles-point win, giving the Lobos a quick 1-0 lead.&#160; Ludivine Burguiere, who hadn’t played in a doubles match in over five weeks (February 25), teamed with Cassie Chung to nab a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles.&#160; UNM then clinched the doubles point when Dulski and Rachana Bhat won at No. 1 doubles.&#160; Up 6-5, Bhat’s at-the-net drop volley caught Utah Stat looking and UNM went up 1-0.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="https://d3el53au0d7w62.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/07/Box-Score-15-New-Mexico-5-Utah-State-2.pdf" type="external">Box score: New Mexico 5, Utah State 2</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Women’s tennis: Lobos win third straight | false | https://abqjournal.com/984729/womens-tennis-lobos-win-third-straight.html | 2least
| Women’s tennis: Lobos win third straight
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>Dominique Dulski and Diana Wong kept on rolling, and the women’s tennis team went rolling right along with them, as their wins in singles and doubles helped propel the Lobos to a 5-2 victory over Utah State on Thursday and give UNM its third straight win.</p>
<p>UNM got off on the right foot with a doubles-point win, giving the Lobos a quick 1-0 lead.&#160; Ludivine Burguiere, who hadn’t played in a doubles match in over five weeks (February 25), teamed with Cassie Chung to nab a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles.&#160; UNM then clinched the doubles point when Dulski and Rachana Bhat won at No. 1 doubles.&#160; Up 6-5, Bhat’s at-the-net drop volley caught Utah Stat looking and UNM went up 1-0.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="https://d3el53au0d7w62.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/07/Box-Score-15-New-Mexico-5-Utah-State-2.pdf" type="external">Box score: New Mexico 5, Utah State 2</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | 3,779 |
|
<p>A look at the 10 biggest volume decliners on Nasdaq at the close of trading:</p>
<p>ASB Bancorp Inc. : Approximately 100 shares changed hands, a 96.8 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $20.97.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Collabrium Japan Acquisition Corp. : Approximately 200 shares changed hands, a 98.7 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.01 or .1 percent to $10.50.</p>
<p>Gbl Def &amp; Nat Sec : Approximately 1,300 shares changed hands, a 97.4 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.02 or .2 percent to $10.25.</p>
<p>Greene County Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.1 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $26.55.</p>
<p>IF Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.0 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $16.49.</p>
<p>Liberty Interactive Corp. B : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.4 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $29.11.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Pathfinder BanCorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.0 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $14.51.</p>
<p>Peoples Financial Corp. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 97.5 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $13.66.</p>
<p>Sound Financial Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 98.9 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $17.49.</p>
<p>Westbury Bancorp Inc. : Approximately 300 shares changed hands, a 97.7 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.02 or .1 percent to $15.13.</p> | Top 10 Nasdaq-traded stocks posting largest volume decreases | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/12/17/top-10-nasdaq-traded-stocks-posting-largest-volume-decreases.html | 2016-03-05 | 0right
| Top 10 Nasdaq-traded stocks posting largest volume decreases
<p>A look at the 10 biggest volume decliners on Nasdaq at the close of trading:</p>
<p>ASB Bancorp Inc. : Approximately 100 shares changed hands, a 96.8 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $20.97.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Collabrium Japan Acquisition Corp. : Approximately 200 shares changed hands, a 98.7 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.01 or .1 percent to $10.50.</p>
<p>Gbl Def &amp; Nat Sec : Approximately 1,300 shares changed hands, a 97.4 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.02 or .2 percent to $10.25.</p>
<p>Greene County Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.1 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $26.55.</p>
<p>IF Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.0 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $16.49.</p>
<p>Liberty Interactive Corp. B : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.4 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $29.11.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Pathfinder BanCorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 99.0 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $14.51.</p>
<p>Peoples Financial Corp. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 97.5 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $13.66.</p>
<p>Sound Financial Bancorp Inc. : Approximately shares changed hands, a 98.9 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares remained unchanged at $17.49.</p>
<p>Westbury Bancorp Inc. : Approximately 300 shares changed hands, a 97.7 decrease from its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.02 or .1 percent to $15.13.</p> | 3,780 |
<p>Q: When is the first real debate between John McCain and Barack Obama? I’m really looking forward to it.</p>
<p>A: Not until Sept. 26, as things stand. But McCain wants more debates starting sooner and Obama has said he’s open to the idea. So far the two haven’t agreed on any dates, though.</p>
<p>FULL&#160;QUESTION</p>
<p>When is the first real debate between John McCain and Barack Obama? I’m really looking forward to it.</p>
<p>FULL&#160;ANSWER</p>
<p />
<p>In addition, on June 4 McCain <a href="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/4d0ed5e7-c9f9-43d9-99c9-b28274567e48.htm" type="external">called for</a> 10 additional debates in the form of freewheeling, joint "town hall meetings" to be held once a week starting June 11 or 12. Obama said on June 10 that his aides were in negotiations with the McCain camp and that "what we’ve said is we are happy to do more than the three typical presidential debates in the fall," with additional debates in what he called "a mix of formats." But after more than a month, there’s no sign of an agreement.</p>
<p>We asked both the McCain and Obama campaigns what is happening. Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said his side had offered a total of five debates, two in addition to the three commission-sanctioned events. He said the McCain side rejected that idea. "Given what we have in the weeks down the road, we’ll see what the schedule dictates," Vietor said. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said he could offer "no comment on debates," but added, "We are still hoping Obama [will] agree to appear at some town hall meetings with Sen. McCain."</p>
<p>As things stand, then, the three Obama-McCain debates are scheduled as follows:</p>
<p>In addition, the commission has scheduled a debate between the Democratic and Republican vice presidential candidates for Thursday, Oct. 2 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.</p>
<p>–Brooks Jackson</p>
<p>Sources</p>
<p>" <a href="http://www.debates.org/pages/news_111907.html" type="external">Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election</a>," news release. Commission on Presidential Debates, 19 Nov 2007.</p> | Presidential Debate Dates | false | https://factcheck.org/2008/07/presidential-debate-dates/ | 2008-07-20 | 2least
| Presidential Debate Dates
<p>Q: When is the first real debate between John McCain and Barack Obama? I’m really looking forward to it.</p>
<p>A: Not until Sept. 26, as things stand. But McCain wants more debates starting sooner and Obama has said he’s open to the idea. So far the two haven’t agreed on any dates, though.</p>
<p>FULL&#160;QUESTION</p>
<p>When is the first real debate between John McCain and Barack Obama? I’m really looking forward to it.</p>
<p>FULL&#160;ANSWER</p>
<p />
<p>In addition, on June 4 McCain <a href="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/4d0ed5e7-c9f9-43d9-99c9-b28274567e48.htm" type="external">called for</a> 10 additional debates in the form of freewheeling, joint "town hall meetings" to be held once a week starting June 11 or 12. Obama said on June 10 that his aides were in negotiations with the McCain camp and that "what we’ve said is we are happy to do more than the three typical presidential debates in the fall," with additional debates in what he called "a mix of formats." But after more than a month, there’s no sign of an agreement.</p>
<p>We asked both the McCain and Obama campaigns what is happening. Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said his side had offered a total of five debates, two in addition to the three commission-sanctioned events. He said the McCain side rejected that idea. "Given what we have in the weeks down the road, we’ll see what the schedule dictates," Vietor said. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said he could offer "no comment on debates," but added, "We are still hoping Obama [will] agree to appear at some town hall meetings with Sen. McCain."</p>
<p>As things stand, then, the three Obama-McCain debates are scheduled as follows:</p>
<p>In addition, the commission has scheduled a debate between the Democratic and Republican vice presidential candidates for Thursday, Oct. 2 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.</p>
<p>–Brooks Jackson</p>
<p>Sources</p>
<p>" <a href="http://www.debates.org/pages/news_111907.html" type="external">Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election</a>," news release. Commission on Presidential Debates, 19 Nov 2007.</p> | 3,781 |
<p>KIEV — Vitaly Klitschko, a senior Ukrainian politician and likely presidential candidate, called on Saturday for a "general mobilization" following Russian parliament's decision to approve deploying troops in Ukraine's Crimea region.</p>
<p>"Klitschko calls for a declaration on a general mobilization," the retired boxing champion's political party UDAR (Punch) said, making clear he favored a military mobilization.</p> | Ukraine’s Klitschko Calls for ‘General Mobilization’ | false | http://nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/ukraines-klitschko-calls-general-mobilization-n41936 | 2014-03-01 | 3left-center
| Ukraine’s Klitschko Calls for ‘General Mobilization’
<p>KIEV — Vitaly Klitschko, a senior Ukrainian politician and likely presidential candidate, called on Saturday for a "general mobilization" following Russian parliament's decision to approve deploying troops in Ukraine's Crimea region.</p>
<p>"Klitschko calls for a declaration on a general mobilization," the retired boxing champion's political party UDAR (Punch) said, making clear he favored a military mobilization.</p> | 3,782 |
<p>According to the evidence, the man who walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church during a children’s show and fired three rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the congregation, killing two people and wounding six others before he was wrestled to the ground by church members, “hated liberals and gays.”</p>
<p>Knoxville Police Department Officer Steve Still wrote in his police report that the shooter, Jim David Adkisson, targeted the UU Church “because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country’s hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of media outlets.” Adkisson’s message has been broadcast on countless media outlets over the past few days, just going to show that in the 21st century, committing a sensational multiple murder is a very viable way to get your political “point” across to millions.</p>
<p>Adkisson, an unemployed truck driver and former member of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne who recently ran out of food stamps, said that since “he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement, that he would then target those that had voted them into office.”</p>
<p>The UU’s are nothing if not liberal, especially as churches go. Their website states that it has worked for “desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights” since the 1950s. Current ministries involve emergency aid for the needy, school tutoring and support for the homeless, as well as a cafe that provides a gathering place for gay and lesbian teens.&#160; Sounds like an oasis of sanity in a sea of intolerant religiosity. Apparently, Adkisson targeted his victims for this precise reason.&#160; That and the fact that his estranged ex-wife used to be a UU member.</p>
<p>Inside Adkisson’s house, officers found the books “Let Freedom Ring” by right-wing TV talk show host Sean Hannity, “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder” by far right-wing radio talk show host Michael Savage, and “The O’Reilly Factor,” by right-wing loofa lover Bill O’Reilly. There’s a great temptation to blame right-wing blowhards like Savage, Hannity and O’Reilly for Adkisson’s hate-fueled shooting spree, and many of my fellow lefty bloggamists are doing just that.&#160; But considering the evidence thus far, I’m going to pass on accusing the O’Reilly Gang of being “accomplices” to Adkisson’s murders.&#160; Maybe it’s because the right-wing blogosphere, most prominently Wall Street Journalist columnist James Taranto, melodramatically blamed me (me!) for the horrific suicide-bombing of Istanbul’s HSBC bank in the Summer of 2003 and accused me (me!) of being “Saddam’s Sex Therapist,” all because I had written an anti-war essay called “ <a href="" type="internal">Rape of Iraq</a>” that Spring just after the Anglo-American invasion.&#160; You can read all about how several rabid right-wingers held me “morally responsible” for that terrible tragedy and called for me to be “hanged for sedition” in “ <a href="" type="internal">Saddam’s Sex Therapist and the Rape of Free Speech</a>.”</p>
<p>Speaking of Free Speech, O’Reilly, Savage and Hannity are *just* exercising theirs. Along with their feminine counterparts, Dr. Laura and Ann Coulter, they cheer on what is meanest in America: war, intolerance, ignorance, bigotry, backwardness.&#160; But no, they are not guilty of “aiding and abetting” this trigger-happy hater in his cold-blooded murder of two innocent people. At least, they are no guiltier than they are of aiding and abetting the Bush Administration in the conduct of an illegal, mass-murderous invasion and occupation of a once-sovereign country which, by the way, is filled with millions of innocent people, many of whom have been killed by trigger-happy haters of gays and liberals. Yes, the O’Reilly Gang is among the lowest of the low. &#160;But, even though their minions have called for my execution, I won’t give them the satisfaction of calling for theirs. The Freedom of Speech we receive from our First Amendment gives us the right to be right-wing, war-mongering loudmouths like O’Reilly and friends, or liberal, peace-through-pleasure-loving loudmouths like me and my friends.</p>
<p>So I’m not calling for their hanging, but I am calling for these overexposed corporate hacks (hooker is too good a word for them) to be vilified in the village square, throughout cyberspace and, hopefully, at a dinner table near you. Because their self-serving, mean-spirited philosophy of aggression and intolerance is, indeed – sometimes quite literally – killing all that is good, gay and liberal in us.</p>
<p>But enough about those right-wing cretins, corporate shills and loser shooters. I’m going to end on a note of hopeand praise for Linda Kreager and Greg McKendry, the two people who were killed in the blasts delivered by this crusader-maniac egged on by media bullies. If the UUs had a sainthood, they should be canonized. McKendry, a UU usher and much loved foster dad, died while shielding the children from shotgun fire as fellow church members wrestled the gunman to the ground. Both Kreager and McKendry are heroes for “taking the bullet” for the rest of us liberals. They give us hope for humanity. We will not forget their sacrifice.</p>
<p>Dr. SUSAN BLOCK is a sex educator, cable TV personality, author of The 10 Commandments of Pleasure and hostess of Dr. Suzy’s Speakeasy. Commit Bloggamy with her at <a href="http://www.drsusanblock.com/blog/" type="external">http://www.drsusanblock.com/blog/</a> &#160;Email her at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>© August 5, 2008.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | The Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church Killings | true | https://counterpunch.org/2008/08/06/the-knoxville-unitarian-universalist-church-killings/ | 2008-08-06 | 4left
| The Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church Killings
<p>According to the evidence, the man who walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church during a children’s show and fired three rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the congregation, killing two people and wounding six others before he was wrestled to the ground by church members, “hated liberals and gays.”</p>
<p>Knoxville Police Department Officer Steve Still wrote in his police report that the shooter, Jim David Adkisson, targeted the UU Church “because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country’s hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of media outlets.” Adkisson’s message has been broadcast on countless media outlets over the past few days, just going to show that in the 21st century, committing a sensational multiple murder is a very viable way to get your political “point” across to millions.</p>
<p>Adkisson, an unemployed truck driver and former member of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne who recently ran out of food stamps, said that since “he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement, that he would then target those that had voted them into office.”</p>
<p>The UU’s are nothing if not liberal, especially as churches go. Their website states that it has worked for “desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights” since the 1950s. Current ministries involve emergency aid for the needy, school tutoring and support for the homeless, as well as a cafe that provides a gathering place for gay and lesbian teens.&#160; Sounds like an oasis of sanity in a sea of intolerant religiosity. Apparently, Adkisson targeted his victims for this precise reason.&#160; That and the fact that his estranged ex-wife used to be a UU member.</p>
<p>Inside Adkisson’s house, officers found the books “Let Freedom Ring” by right-wing TV talk show host Sean Hannity, “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder” by far right-wing radio talk show host Michael Savage, and “The O’Reilly Factor,” by right-wing loofa lover Bill O’Reilly. There’s a great temptation to blame right-wing blowhards like Savage, Hannity and O’Reilly for Adkisson’s hate-fueled shooting spree, and many of my fellow lefty bloggamists are doing just that.&#160; But considering the evidence thus far, I’m going to pass on accusing the O’Reilly Gang of being “accomplices” to Adkisson’s murders.&#160; Maybe it’s because the right-wing blogosphere, most prominently Wall Street Journalist columnist James Taranto, melodramatically blamed me (me!) for the horrific suicide-bombing of Istanbul’s HSBC bank in the Summer of 2003 and accused me (me!) of being “Saddam’s Sex Therapist,” all because I had written an anti-war essay called “ <a href="" type="internal">Rape of Iraq</a>” that Spring just after the Anglo-American invasion.&#160; You can read all about how several rabid right-wingers held me “morally responsible” for that terrible tragedy and called for me to be “hanged for sedition” in “ <a href="" type="internal">Saddam’s Sex Therapist and the Rape of Free Speech</a>.”</p>
<p>Speaking of Free Speech, O’Reilly, Savage and Hannity are *just* exercising theirs. Along with their feminine counterparts, Dr. Laura and Ann Coulter, they cheer on what is meanest in America: war, intolerance, ignorance, bigotry, backwardness.&#160; But no, they are not guilty of “aiding and abetting” this trigger-happy hater in his cold-blooded murder of two innocent people. At least, they are no guiltier than they are of aiding and abetting the Bush Administration in the conduct of an illegal, mass-murderous invasion and occupation of a once-sovereign country which, by the way, is filled with millions of innocent people, many of whom have been killed by trigger-happy haters of gays and liberals. Yes, the O’Reilly Gang is among the lowest of the low. &#160;But, even though their minions have called for my execution, I won’t give them the satisfaction of calling for theirs. The Freedom of Speech we receive from our First Amendment gives us the right to be right-wing, war-mongering loudmouths like O’Reilly and friends, or liberal, peace-through-pleasure-loving loudmouths like me and my friends.</p>
<p>So I’m not calling for their hanging, but I am calling for these overexposed corporate hacks (hooker is too good a word for them) to be vilified in the village square, throughout cyberspace and, hopefully, at a dinner table near you. Because their self-serving, mean-spirited philosophy of aggression and intolerance is, indeed – sometimes quite literally – killing all that is good, gay and liberal in us.</p>
<p>But enough about those right-wing cretins, corporate shills and loser shooters. I’m going to end on a note of hopeand praise for Linda Kreager and Greg McKendry, the two people who were killed in the blasts delivered by this crusader-maniac egged on by media bullies. If the UUs had a sainthood, they should be canonized. McKendry, a UU usher and much loved foster dad, died while shielding the children from shotgun fire as fellow church members wrestled the gunman to the ground. Both Kreager and McKendry are heroes for “taking the bullet” for the rest of us liberals. They give us hope for humanity. We will not forget their sacrifice.</p>
<p>Dr. SUSAN BLOCK is a sex educator, cable TV personality, author of The 10 Commandments of Pleasure and hostess of Dr. Suzy’s Speakeasy. Commit Bloggamy with her at <a href="http://www.drsusanblock.com/blog/" type="external">http://www.drsusanblock.com/blog/</a> &#160;Email her at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>© August 5, 2008.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,783 |
<p>Syrian rebels and government forces are both preventing civilians fleeing the bombardment of Eastern Ghouta, according to a teacher who has been&#160;trying to get his family out.</p>
<p>In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Ghafour, 43, a teacher of Arabic,&#160;spoke of their abortive attempt to escape.</p>
<p>“I live in Douma [in the north of Eastern Ghouta] and have three children who are all under 15,” he says. “I tried to send my family out, but the opposition militants prevent all families leaving.” He adds that even the extensive networks of independent smugglers, who used to bring goods secretly into Eastern Ghouta and sometimes smuggle people out, would not help him because they work with the rebel movements in control of Eastern Ghouta.</p>
<p>“I tried but in vain,” he recalls, describing how one of the rebel local commanders, probably from the Army of Islam that controls this part of the besieged enclave, caught Ghafour and his family last Thursday when they were trying to move from Douma to another opposition held-district further west called Harasta. “He shouted at me and said, ‘You should stay here and support our fight against the regime, and you should not even send your wife and children away. If we send our families out, our morale will go down and we will lose.”’</p>
<p>Ghafour returned home with his family and says that they expect to be killed at any moment. Even so, he is sympathetic to the rebels who are stopping him and his family escaping. “I am not fighting myself, but I go and see the fighters nearby and offer help in case it is needed,” he says. He is fearful of government reprisals, saying that it is dangerous even to use the Syriatel mobile network because “calls are recorded by the regime”. “A friend of mine was arrested last month because of some calls he made in Douma before moving from there to regime-held areas,” he adds.</p>
<p>He says that it has now become impossible to cross from Harasta or Douma to government-held territory, as had previously been possible, because “the regime will not let them go to its areas”. As a result, he and his family remain in their house, terrified and confused about what will happen next after a week of continual shelling and bombing. “I lost two friends of mine in Shafouniya yesterday in an air strike,” he says.</p>
<p>Ghafour was speaking just as the UN Security Council passed its resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, which has led to some easing of the bombing and shelling that has already killed 500 people in Eastern Ghouta over the last week. This was also before allegations that Syrian government forces had been using chlorine gas.</p>
<p>What does emerge is that the armed opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta as well as the government have been stopping people leaving. This is confirmed by a UN-backed report called Reach, which says:&#160;“Women of all ages, and children, reportedly continued to be forbidden by local armed groups from leaving the area for security reasons.”&#160;This has been the pattern in all the many sieges in Syria conducted by all sides who do not want their own enclaves depopulated and wish to retain as much of the civilian population as possible as human shields.</p>
<p>But Ghafour is right in thinking that he and his family would have a great deal to be frightened of even if&#160;they did manage to make their way to government lines. Men of military age, in particular, are likely to be detained because they are suspected of being rebel fighters or because they are liable to be conscripted into the Syrian army. Detention might be immediate or happen later at any one of the thousands of government checkpoints. These often act like border crossings and ill-paid soldiers and police will look for a bribe, especially from those who come originally from rebel-held areas.</p>
<p>But there is another reason why people fleeing Eastern Ghouta might be in danger in government held-Damascus. Seven years of civil war has ensured that Syrians on different sides, many of whom will have lost relatives in the violence, regard each other with undiluted hatred. In Damascus, the shellfire and bombing are largely by the government into rebel areas, but there is also outgoing fire from Eastern Ghouta, mostly from mortars, into government-controlled districts.</p>
<p>Rania, 22, a fourth-year student of English literature at Damascus University, explained to The Independent what had happened in her area and what was the local reaction to it. She lives in the Dwel’a neighbourhood, which is a government-held area but located between two opposition-controlled zones, Ayn Tarma to the north and Mukhayyam Al Yarmouk&#160;to the south.</p>
<p>“Our neighbourhood has been shelled once or twice a week by opposition militants since last year, but since last week the shelling has intensified and is happening every day,” she says.&#160;She and her friends have been stranded in their houses for a week and cannot even go out to buy food. The army, and local young men willing to take the risk, have been supplying them.</p>
<p>“People are being killed every day in our neighbourhood,” Rania says.&#160;“Yesterday, a shell hit the balcony of our neighbour’s house and killed his daughter who was a university student.”</p>
<p>There are similar incidents every day. One house near to Rania’s was hit by a rocket and a mother and her three-year-old child were killed.</p>
<p>As a result of this, Rania says that people in her district speak about “what is happening in Ghouta in a very negative way”. This means they are all in favour of the use of maximum force against it. She says that “a shopkeeper in our locality lost his son in Ghouta. He was serving in the Syrian army and, while he and his unit were trying to break into Eastern Ghouta, he was killed along with several others soldiers. The shopkeeper and many who lost their sons say that even the children of Ghouta should be killed because ‘if they grow up, they will be terrorists as well’.”</p> | Trapped in Eastern Ghouta | true | https://counterpunch.org/2018/03/02/trapped-in-eastern-ghouta/ | 2018-03-02 | 4left
| Trapped in Eastern Ghouta
<p>Syrian rebels and government forces are both preventing civilians fleeing the bombardment of Eastern Ghouta, according to a teacher who has been&#160;trying to get his family out.</p>
<p>In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Ghafour, 43, a teacher of Arabic,&#160;spoke of their abortive attempt to escape.</p>
<p>“I live in Douma [in the north of Eastern Ghouta] and have three children who are all under 15,” he says. “I tried to send my family out, but the opposition militants prevent all families leaving.” He adds that even the extensive networks of independent smugglers, who used to bring goods secretly into Eastern Ghouta and sometimes smuggle people out, would not help him because they work with the rebel movements in control of Eastern Ghouta.</p>
<p>“I tried but in vain,” he recalls, describing how one of the rebel local commanders, probably from the Army of Islam that controls this part of the besieged enclave, caught Ghafour and his family last Thursday when they were trying to move from Douma to another opposition held-district further west called Harasta. “He shouted at me and said, ‘You should stay here and support our fight against the regime, and you should not even send your wife and children away. If we send our families out, our morale will go down and we will lose.”’</p>
<p>Ghafour returned home with his family and says that they expect to be killed at any moment. Even so, he is sympathetic to the rebels who are stopping him and his family escaping. “I am not fighting myself, but I go and see the fighters nearby and offer help in case it is needed,” he says. He is fearful of government reprisals, saying that it is dangerous even to use the Syriatel mobile network because “calls are recorded by the regime”. “A friend of mine was arrested last month because of some calls he made in Douma before moving from there to regime-held areas,” he adds.</p>
<p>He says that it has now become impossible to cross from Harasta or Douma to government-held territory, as had previously been possible, because “the regime will not let them go to its areas”. As a result, he and his family remain in their house, terrified and confused about what will happen next after a week of continual shelling and bombing. “I lost two friends of mine in Shafouniya yesterday in an air strike,” he says.</p>
<p>Ghafour was speaking just as the UN Security Council passed its resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, which has led to some easing of the bombing and shelling that has already killed 500 people in Eastern Ghouta over the last week. This was also before allegations that Syrian government forces had been using chlorine gas.</p>
<p>What does emerge is that the armed opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta as well as the government have been stopping people leaving. This is confirmed by a UN-backed report called Reach, which says:&#160;“Women of all ages, and children, reportedly continued to be forbidden by local armed groups from leaving the area for security reasons.”&#160;This has been the pattern in all the many sieges in Syria conducted by all sides who do not want their own enclaves depopulated and wish to retain as much of the civilian population as possible as human shields.</p>
<p>But Ghafour is right in thinking that he and his family would have a great deal to be frightened of even if&#160;they did manage to make their way to government lines. Men of military age, in particular, are likely to be detained because they are suspected of being rebel fighters or because they are liable to be conscripted into the Syrian army. Detention might be immediate or happen later at any one of the thousands of government checkpoints. These often act like border crossings and ill-paid soldiers and police will look for a bribe, especially from those who come originally from rebel-held areas.</p>
<p>But there is another reason why people fleeing Eastern Ghouta might be in danger in government held-Damascus. Seven years of civil war has ensured that Syrians on different sides, many of whom will have lost relatives in the violence, regard each other with undiluted hatred. In Damascus, the shellfire and bombing are largely by the government into rebel areas, but there is also outgoing fire from Eastern Ghouta, mostly from mortars, into government-controlled districts.</p>
<p>Rania, 22, a fourth-year student of English literature at Damascus University, explained to The Independent what had happened in her area and what was the local reaction to it. She lives in the Dwel’a neighbourhood, which is a government-held area but located between two opposition-controlled zones, Ayn Tarma to the north and Mukhayyam Al Yarmouk&#160;to the south.</p>
<p>“Our neighbourhood has been shelled once or twice a week by opposition militants since last year, but since last week the shelling has intensified and is happening every day,” she says.&#160;She and her friends have been stranded in their houses for a week and cannot even go out to buy food. The army, and local young men willing to take the risk, have been supplying them.</p>
<p>“People are being killed every day in our neighbourhood,” Rania says.&#160;“Yesterday, a shell hit the balcony of our neighbour’s house and killed his daughter who was a university student.”</p>
<p>There are similar incidents every day. One house near to Rania’s was hit by a rocket and a mother and her three-year-old child were killed.</p>
<p>As a result of this, Rania says that people in her district speak about “what is happening in Ghouta in a very negative way”. This means they are all in favour of the use of maximum force against it. She says that “a shopkeeper in our locality lost his son in Ghouta. He was serving in the Syrian army and, while he and his unit were trying to break into Eastern Ghouta, he was killed along with several others soldiers. The shopkeeper and many who lost their sons say that even the children of Ghouta should be killed because ‘if they grow up, they will be terrorists as well’.”</p> | 3,784 |
<p>In the name of Human Rights; all religious doctrines of Peace, Love and Forgiveness; and in the vision of reform and atonement, on the above said date myself (Kenneth E. Foster Jr.) and John Joe Amador have committed to a protest of passive non-participation in our executions. Together we have decided to go on a spiritual missin to oppose our systematic executions in the hopes to open the eyes of people that think this horrific process is ok.</p>
<p>Starting on the 22nd we will engage in passive non-participation in this process in the same fashion that civil rights fighters stood down the cruel and inhumane treatments of their time. We are here to say that we do not condone violence and will not promote it. We recognize that violence will not solve our problems, just like executions do not help our society. We are committed to peace and grassroots activism. We are not doing this for ourselves, but for YOU, the people, to demonstrate to you that we do not agree with this process. We do this for YOU, the people, to show that we are new men today and that we must stand down the death penalty. We seek to harm no person and we will not. We pray to compel this society to look at the death penalty in a new light.</p>
<p>Starting on the 23rd we will begin refusing all food. We will not eat any more meals served to us. Our only nourishment will be liquids.</p>
<p>Bexar County had lined up two San Antonio executions in a row – John Amador’s for the 29th and mine for the 30th. While my case is known, Mr. Amador’s is not. I will give Mr. Amador the opportunity to write his own words regarding the injustices that he has faced at the hands of Bexar County. Since I have a visual plight I am here to say that the State is wrong in its desire to kill me. If I was as equally guilty as the 2 other men in the car, and these 2 men are not on death row, then I should not be either. This is an obvious injustice and railroad.</p>
<p>As we enter into being 7 days away from our execution we will be placed in cells that have video cameras where we can be observed 24-7. We cannot condone this invasion. We cannot participate in the way our humanity is being stripped. While we are NOT indifferent to the victims, we are also not indifferent to the fact that we are still human beings. But for a country that professes it wants a good society it’s hard to acknowledge that when the prison population is 2 million and rising and the conditions are left horrific. So what is really the purpose of the Penal system? We also ask you to think about this – in any other country when people are lined up and slaughtered it’s called genocide. They said Sadaam Hussein committed mass Genocide. It has happened in Darfur and Rwanda and Presidents of Cuba and North Korea have been accused of it. But when America does it it is called justice? Texas will surpass 400 murders this year. It we are to be unjustly taken then we do not want to go silently. We will not walk to our executions and we will not eat last meals. We will not give this process a humane face.</p>
<p>We ask all of you to stand for human rights. We are men that are dedicated to change and betterment. We are dedicated to give atonement to the system and society. Who of us will be left to guide the lost? We sacrifice this for society, not for us, because death row is a cancer in the body of this country. Our actions are antibodies to oppose this atrocious disease.</p>
<p>I, as a <a href="http://www.drivemovement.org/" type="external">DRIVE</a>representer, stand in the name of a better day. We will be on a DRIVE and we do it with prayers, love and understand – even for those that hate us. We don’t have them and we don’t hate the TDC officers that will usher us to our murders. Reports have said that Governor Perry is doing the will of the people. So, we come to you, the people, to relook at this process.</p>
<p>For those that have read about my case you now see how arbitrary capital punishment can be. AS long as it exists these things WILL continue to happen. Why? Because human beings are fallible. Many people want us to be the men we was 10 years ago. But we’re not. We could point fingers and talk about scams and corruption going on. We can talk about the ENRON’s and the Scooter Libby’s, the Guantanamo Bay’s and Abu Ghraib’s. But we won’t because we know you know that these things exist. We will only point our fingers up…..up…..and say that WE MUST GET UP. We must get up the way the CEDP has gotten up and made a movement. We must get up like these medias, politicians and even friends to the victims have gotten up. Some of us see a new way. It is possible.</p>
<p>And so, on August 22nd we commit ourselves to something that is beyond us. Perhaps we are just tools for a greater purpose.</p>
<p>We will not lift a finger to another person. We will only lift our voices and spirits. We will allow YOU, the people, to be the force that must be reckoned with.</p>
<p>We close this Directive in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:</p>
<p>“Civilization and violence are antithetical concepts. Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate. Darkness cannot put out darkness, only light can do that.”</p>
<p>Let’s shine to the world.</p>
<p>In struggle,</p>
<p>Kenneth E. Foster Jr. &amp; John Joe Amador</p> | How We Will Protest Our Executions | true | https://counterpunch.org/2007/08/22/how-we-will-protest-our-executions/ | 2007-08-22 | 4left
| How We Will Protest Our Executions
<p>In the name of Human Rights; all religious doctrines of Peace, Love and Forgiveness; and in the vision of reform and atonement, on the above said date myself (Kenneth E. Foster Jr.) and John Joe Amador have committed to a protest of passive non-participation in our executions. Together we have decided to go on a spiritual missin to oppose our systematic executions in the hopes to open the eyes of people that think this horrific process is ok.</p>
<p>Starting on the 22nd we will engage in passive non-participation in this process in the same fashion that civil rights fighters stood down the cruel and inhumane treatments of their time. We are here to say that we do not condone violence and will not promote it. We recognize that violence will not solve our problems, just like executions do not help our society. We are committed to peace and grassroots activism. We are not doing this for ourselves, but for YOU, the people, to demonstrate to you that we do not agree with this process. We do this for YOU, the people, to show that we are new men today and that we must stand down the death penalty. We seek to harm no person and we will not. We pray to compel this society to look at the death penalty in a new light.</p>
<p>Starting on the 23rd we will begin refusing all food. We will not eat any more meals served to us. Our only nourishment will be liquids.</p>
<p>Bexar County had lined up two San Antonio executions in a row – John Amador’s for the 29th and mine for the 30th. While my case is known, Mr. Amador’s is not. I will give Mr. Amador the opportunity to write his own words regarding the injustices that he has faced at the hands of Bexar County. Since I have a visual plight I am here to say that the State is wrong in its desire to kill me. If I was as equally guilty as the 2 other men in the car, and these 2 men are not on death row, then I should not be either. This is an obvious injustice and railroad.</p>
<p>As we enter into being 7 days away from our execution we will be placed in cells that have video cameras where we can be observed 24-7. We cannot condone this invasion. We cannot participate in the way our humanity is being stripped. While we are NOT indifferent to the victims, we are also not indifferent to the fact that we are still human beings. But for a country that professes it wants a good society it’s hard to acknowledge that when the prison population is 2 million and rising and the conditions are left horrific. So what is really the purpose of the Penal system? We also ask you to think about this – in any other country when people are lined up and slaughtered it’s called genocide. They said Sadaam Hussein committed mass Genocide. It has happened in Darfur and Rwanda and Presidents of Cuba and North Korea have been accused of it. But when America does it it is called justice? Texas will surpass 400 murders this year. It we are to be unjustly taken then we do not want to go silently. We will not walk to our executions and we will not eat last meals. We will not give this process a humane face.</p>
<p>We ask all of you to stand for human rights. We are men that are dedicated to change and betterment. We are dedicated to give atonement to the system and society. Who of us will be left to guide the lost? We sacrifice this for society, not for us, because death row is a cancer in the body of this country. Our actions are antibodies to oppose this atrocious disease.</p>
<p>I, as a <a href="http://www.drivemovement.org/" type="external">DRIVE</a>representer, stand in the name of a better day. We will be on a DRIVE and we do it with prayers, love and understand – even for those that hate us. We don’t have them and we don’t hate the TDC officers that will usher us to our murders. Reports have said that Governor Perry is doing the will of the people. So, we come to you, the people, to relook at this process.</p>
<p>For those that have read about my case you now see how arbitrary capital punishment can be. AS long as it exists these things WILL continue to happen. Why? Because human beings are fallible. Many people want us to be the men we was 10 years ago. But we’re not. We could point fingers and talk about scams and corruption going on. We can talk about the ENRON’s and the Scooter Libby’s, the Guantanamo Bay’s and Abu Ghraib’s. But we won’t because we know you know that these things exist. We will only point our fingers up…..up…..and say that WE MUST GET UP. We must get up the way the CEDP has gotten up and made a movement. We must get up like these medias, politicians and even friends to the victims have gotten up. Some of us see a new way. It is possible.</p>
<p>And so, on August 22nd we commit ourselves to something that is beyond us. Perhaps we are just tools for a greater purpose.</p>
<p>We will not lift a finger to another person. We will only lift our voices and spirits. We will allow YOU, the people, to be the force that must be reckoned with.</p>
<p>We close this Directive in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:</p>
<p>“Civilization and violence are antithetical concepts. Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate. Darkness cannot put out darkness, only light can do that.”</p>
<p>Let’s shine to the world.</p>
<p>In struggle,</p>
<p>Kenneth E. Foster Jr. &amp; John Joe Amador</p> | 3,785 |
<p>Italy is being overwhelmed by migrants from northern Africa due to its geographic location.</p>
<p>As we previously reported, the situation has become so bad that Italy has <a href="" type="internal">threatened to close its ports</a>.</p>
<p>In order to get the rest of the EU to help, Italy is now threatening to just give these migrants, mostly from Libya, visas which would allow them to live anywhere in Europe. This is threat to flood the rest of Europe with hundreds of thousands of Libyan migrants is being termed the “nuclear option.”</p>
<p />
<p>The Sun UK <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4026112/italy-nuclear-option-libyan-migrants-eu-visas/" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>LA DOLCE VISA ‘Abandoned’ Italy threatens ‘nuclear option’ of granting 200,000 Libyan migrants visas that allow them to live ANYWHERE in Europe… including Britain</p>
<p>Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni is furious that European neighbours have reneged on their commitment to take in a quota of migrants fleeing war-torn countries in North Africa.</p>
<p>The Italians are not plotting to use a little known Brussel’s directive, drafted after the Balkans conflict, which gives displaced people temporary entry to Europe, reports The Times.</p>
<p>And Gentiloni is threatening to use the loophole to allow 200,000 migrants to leave Italy as the country struggles to cope with its high numbers of refugees particularly from Libya.</p>
<p>Both deputy foreign minister Mario Giro and Luigi Manconi, a senator with the ruling Democratic Party, confirmed to The Times that the controversial move was being considered.</p>
<p>Mattia Toaldo, a senior analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, branded the idea a “nuclear option.”</p>
<p>He said: “If migrants continue to arrive and Italy decides to give them papers to cross borders and leave Italy it would be a nuclear option.</p>
<p>“Italians have lost any hope of getting help from the EU and may say, ‘If you won’t make it a common challenge, we will.”</p>
<p>Italian villages on the coast are so flooded with migrants that the facilities used to house them are being described as human warehouses.</p>
<p>The Local IT <a href="https://www.thelocal.it/20170715/quiet-italy-hamlets-struggle-with-migrant-human-warehouses" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>Quiet Italy hamlets struggle with migrant ‘human warehouses’</p>
<p>They used to be sleepy hamlets on Italy’s sun-baked Padan Plain. But two years with hundreds of asylum seekers packed into overcrowded centres dubbed “human warehouse” are taking their toll — on both migrants and villagers.</p>
<p>Inside vast white tents erected in a former military zone on the outskirts of the tiny village of Conetta, some 1,400 men from across Africa while away their days, packed onto endless rows of bunks as the temperatures rise.</p>
<p>Many escape for a few hours to cycle around the area: they are met with hostile banners calling for them to leave.</p>
<p>“I used to call this place a modern lager,” Cona mayor Albero Panfilio told AFP, referring to concentration camps. The commune of Cona includes the little village of Conetta.</p>
<p>“After two years this is (still) a place where human beings are squashed in together, with no hope for the future. Now I call it a human warehouse. The migrants arrive, they don’t know where to put them, they have a warehouse, they dump them here.”</p>
<p>One has to wonder of this would be happening if EU headquarters were located on the Italian coast.</p> | Italy threatens to flood Europe with Libyan migrants if other countries don’t help with problem | true | http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/07/italy-threatens-to-flood-europe-with-libyan-migrants-if-other-countries-dont-help-with-problem/ | 2017-07-16 | 0right
| Italy threatens to flood Europe with Libyan migrants if other countries don’t help with problem
<p>Italy is being overwhelmed by migrants from northern Africa due to its geographic location.</p>
<p>As we previously reported, the situation has become so bad that Italy has <a href="" type="internal">threatened to close its ports</a>.</p>
<p>In order to get the rest of the EU to help, Italy is now threatening to just give these migrants, mostly from Libya, visas which would allow them to live anywhere in Europe. This is threat to flood the rest of Europe with hundreds of thousands of Libyan migrants is being termed the “nuclear option.”</p>
<p />
<p>The Sun UK <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4026112/italy-nuclear-option-libyan-migrants-eu-visas/" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>LA DOLCE VISA ‘Abandoned’ Italy threatens ‘nuclear option’ of granting 200,000 Libyan migrants visas that allow them to live ANYWHERE in Europe… including Britain</p>
<p>Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni is furious that European neighbours have reneged on their commitment to take in a quota of migrants fleeing war-torn countries in North Africa.</p>
<p>The Italians are not plotting to use a little known Brussel’s directive, drafted after the Balkans conflict, which gives displaced people temporary entry to Europe, reports The Times.</p>
<p>And Gentiloni is threatening to use the loophole to allow 200,000 migrants to leave Italy as the country struggles to cope with its high numbers of refugees particularly from Libya.</p>
<p>Both deputy foreign minister Mario Giro and Luigi Manconi, a senator with the ruling Democratic Party, confirmed to The Times that the controversial move was being considered.</p>
<p>Mattia Toaldo, a senior analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, branded the idea a “nuclear option.”</p>
<p>He said: “If migrants continue to arrive and Italy decides to give them papers to cross borders and leave Italy it would be a nuclear option.</p>
<p>“Italians have lost any hope of getting help from the EU and may say, ‘If you won’t make it a common challenge, we will.”</p>
<p>Italian villages on the coast are so flooded with migrants that the facilities used to house them are being described as human warehouses.</p>
<p>The Local IT <a href="https://www.thelocal.it/20170715/quiet-italy-hamlets-struggle-with-migrant-human-warehouses" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>Quiet Italy hamlets struggle with migrant ‘human warehouses’</p>
<p>They used to be sleepy hamlets on Italy’s sun-baked Padan Plain. But two years with hundreds of asylum seekers packed into overcrowded centres dubbed “human warehouse” are taking their toll — on both migrants and villagers.</p>
<p>Inside vast white tents erected in a former military zone on the outskirts of the tiny village of Conetta, some 1,400 men from across Africa while away their days, packed onto endless rows of bunks as the temperatures rise.</p>
<p>Many escape for a few hours to cycle around the area: they are met with hostile banners calling for them to leave.</p>
<p>“I used to call this place a modern lager,” Cona mayor Albero Panfilio told AFP, referring to concentration camps. The commune of Cona includes the little village of Conetta.</p>
<p>“After two years this is (still) a place where human beings are squashed in together, with no hope for the future. Now I call it a human warehouse. The migrants arrive, they don’t know where to put them, they have a warehouse, they dump them here.”</p>
<p>One has to wonder of this would be happening if EU headquarters were located on the Italian coast.</p> | 3,786 |
<p>American Realty Capital Properties said it would buy Cole Real Estate Investments for $11.2 billion to create the largest net-lease real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States.</p>
<p>Net-lease REITs have been attracting investors as tenants pick up most of the operating costs and the properties are leased for long periods, performing like a high-dividend bond.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>ARCP, which has been making deals to expand in the net lease sector, said the Cole acquisition would increase the size of its portfolio to 3,732 properties.</p>
<p>Realty Income Corp , the current market leader, had a portfolio of 3,013 properties as of December, according to regulatory filings.</p>
<p>American Realty said it would offer 1.0929 of its shares or $13.82 in cash for each Cole share.</p>
<p>The stock offer is valued at $14.59 per Cole share, representing a premium of 14 percent to Cole's Tuesday close.</p>
<p>Shares of both Cole and American Capital were unchanged before the bell.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>ARCP said it had secured $2.75 billion in financing from Barclays for the deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2014.</p>
<p>Barclays and RCS Capital, the investment banking division of Realty Capital Securities LLC, were financial advisers to ARCP. Goldman Sachs was the exclusive financial adviser to Cole.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Mridhula Raghavan in Bangalore)</p> | American Realty buys Cole to become top US net-lease REIT | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/10/23/american-realty-buys-cole-to-become-top-us-net-lease-reit.html | 2016-01-26 | 0right
| American Realty buys Cole to become top US net-lease REIT
<p>American Realty Capital Properties said it would buy Cole Real Estate Investments for $11.2 billion to create the largest net-lease real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States.</p>
<p>Net-lease REITs have been attracting investors as tenants pick up most of the operating costs and the properties are leased for long periods, performing like a high-dividend bond.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>ARCP, which has been making deals to expand in the net lease sector, said the Cole acquisition would increase the size of its portfolio to 3,732 properties.</p>
<p>Realty Income Corp , the current market leader, had a portfolio of 3,013 properties as of December, according to regulatory filings.</p>
<p>American Realty said it would offer 1.0929 of its shares or $13.82 in cash for each Cole share.</p>
<p>The stock offer is valued at $14.59 per Cole share, representing a premium of 14 percent to Cole's Tuesday close.</p>
<p>Shares of both Cole and American Capital were unchanged before the bell.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>ARCP said it had secured $2.75 billion in financing from Barclays for the deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2014.</p>
<p>Barclays and RCS Capital, the investment banking division of Realty Capital Securities LLC, were financial advisers to ARCP. Goldman Sachs was the exclusive financial adviser to Cole.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Mridhula Raghavan in Bangalore)</p> | 3,787 |
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<p />
<p>SANTA FE – A plan to increase New Mexico campaign spending disclosure requirements has come under fire from at least one national group, while also raising concern among local nonprofit groups who engage in “voter education” efforts but don’t directly advocate for candidates or ballot measures.</p>
<p>However, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office insists the proposed rules would not encroach on free speech rights and are crafted narrowly enough to apply only in specific circumstances.</p>
<p>The rules, unveiled earlier this month, would require groups active in New Mexico campaigns to disclose their donors if they spend more than $1,000 on political advertising during an election cycle.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Deputy Secretary of State John Blair said Toulouse Oliver is trying to draw a “clearly defined line” as to which types of political spending would trigger the disclosure requirements.</p>
<p>She worked with numerous attorneys and experts in crafting the proposed rules to ensure they don’t violate constitutional rights, he added.</p>
<p>“As far as concerns related to free speech, disclosure and free speech are not mutually exclusive; one doesn’t prevent the other,” Blair said. “The draft rule in no way restricts free speech.”</p>
<p>However, some groups have voiced concern about the proposed rules, saying they could, in fact, infringe on their legal rights.</p>
<p>Oriana Sandoval, the chief executive officer of the Center for Civic Policy, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit, said she supports the intent of Toulouse Oliver’s proposal but is concerned about certain language in the rules.</p>
<p>“We’re concerned the rules may treat civic engagement efforts … as electioneering,” Sandoval said. “Just the fact we mention (a candidate) shouldn’t trigger a reporting requirement.”</p>
<p>Specifically, the rules would require donor disclosure if a political advertisement meeting the spending threshold had “no other reasonable interpretation” than as an appeal to vote for or against a candidate or ballot measure.</p>
<p>They could also trigger disclosure if any political ad launched within 60 days of a general election specifically mentioned a ballot measure or candidate.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Billboards, radio ads and automated telephone calls targeting legislators and other state officials have been among the various “voter education” efforts launched by Center for Civic Policy and other similar groups in recent years. The nonprofit groups behind the efforts have in the past successfully fought attempts to make them file with the state as political committees.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, national groups are also weighing in on the issue.</p>
<p>Concerned Veterans for America, a Virginia-based group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, said it would try to prevent the proposed rules from being implemented.</p>
<p>“The new measure Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver has proposed would have a troubling impact on freedom of speech,” said Dan Caldwell, the group’s policy director. “Citizens should not be subject to harassment and intimidation by their own government based on the causes they support.”</p>
<p>Concerned Veterans for America also lobbied this year against legislation that would have required more disclosure – including donor names – for spending by political committees, nonprofits and independent expenditure groups on most types of political advertising in excess of $1,000.</p>
<p>The bill was passed by both the New Mexico House and Senate but was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Susana Martinez. Much of its contents were then included in the proposed rules the secretary of state rolled out earlier this month.</p>
<p>Three public hearings on the rules – in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces – will be held next month, and top Secretary of State’s Office officials have said they’ll listen closely to concerns.</p>
<p>But they’ve also defended the basic intent behind the new rules.</p>
<p>“No one is banned from participating in politics, but you have to disclose where your money is coming from and how you’re spending it,” Blair said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Campaign spending disclosure proposal raising concerns | false | https://abqjournal.com/1023589/spending-disclosure-proposal-raising-concerns.html | 2least
| Campaign spending disclosure proposal raising concerns
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>SANTA FE – A plan to increase New Mexico campaign spending disclosure requirements has come under fire from at least one national group, while also raising concern among local nonprofit groups who engage in “voter education” efforts but don’t directly advocate for candidates or ballot measures.</p>
<p>However, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office insists the proposed rules would not encroach on free speech rights and are crafted narrowly enough to apply only in specific circumstances.</p>
<p>The rules, unveiled earlier this month, would require groups active in New Mexico campaigns to disclose their donors if they spend more than $1,000 on political advertising during an election cycle.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Deputy Secretary of State John Blair said Toulouse Oliver is trying to draw a “clearly defined line” as to which types of political spending would trigger the disclosure requirements.</p>
<p>She worked with numerous attorneys and experts in crafting the proposed rules to ensure they don’t violate constitutional rights, he added.</p>
<p>“As far as concerns related to free speech, disclosure and free speech are not mutually exclusive; one doesn’t prevent the other,” Blair said. “The draft rule in no way restricts free speech.”</p>
<p>However, some groups have voiced concern about the proposed rules, saying they could, in fact, infringe on their legal rights.</p>
<p>Oriana Sandoval, the chief executive officer of the Center for Civic Policy, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit, said she supports the intent of Toulouse Oliver’s proposal but is concerned about certain language in the rules.</p>
<p>“We’re concerned the rules may treat civic engagement efforts … as electioneering,” Sandoval said. “Just the fact we mention (a candidate) shouldn’t trigger a reporting requirement.”</p>
<p>Specifically, the rules would require donor disclosure if a political advertisement meeting the spending threshold had “no other reasonable interpretation” than as an appeal to vote for or against a candidate or ballot measure.</p>
<p>They could also trigger disclosure if any political ad launched within 60 days of a general election specifically mentioned a ballot measure or candidate.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Billboards, radio ads and automated telephone calls targeting legislators and other state officials have been among the various “voter education” efforts launched by Center for Civic Policy and other similar groups in recent years. The nonprofit groups behind the efforts have in the past successfully fought attempts to make them file with the state as political committees.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, national groups are also weighing in on the issue.</p>
<p>Concerned Veterans for America, a Virginia-based group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, said it would try to prevent the proposed rules from being implemented.</p>
<p>“The new measure Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver has proposed would have a troubling impact on freedom of speech,” said Dan Caldwell, the group’s policy director. “Citizens should not be subject to harassment and intimidation by their own government based on the causes they support.”</p>
<p>Concerned Veterans for America also lobbied this year against legislation that would have required more disclosure – including donor names – for spending by political committees, nonprofits and independent expenditure groups on most types of political advertising in excess of $1,000.</p>
<p>The bill was passed by both the New Mexico House and Senate but was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Susana Martinez. Much of its contents were then included in the proposed rules the secretary of state rolled out earlier this month.</p>
<p>Three public hearings on the rules – in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces – will be held next month, and top Secretary of State’s Office officials have said they’ll listen closely to concerns.</p>
<p>But they’ve also defended the basic intent behind the new rules.</p>
<p>“No one is banned from participating in politics, but you have to disclose where your money is coming from and how you’re spending it,” Blair said.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,788 |
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<p />
<p>But Lenny Fresquez, Holm's manager, told the Journal on Tuesday that the sponsorship signed prior to her bout with Ronda Rousey was a "one-fight deal, and to me it's not a big deal."</p>
<p>Photos of Albuquerque's Holm adorn the website of Intel Pharma, which Business Insider reports has a history of selling performance-enhancing drugs banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). "Congratulations, we always believed!" read a tribute to Holm, who scored a stunning second-round knockout of Rousey on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia (Saturday in Albuquerque) for the women's bantamweight title at UFC 193.</p>
<p>Don Catlin, regarded as one of the fathers of modern drug testing for sports, is the one who called Holm's relationship with Intel Pharma a bad idea. He previously found banned substances in products endorsed by Rousey.</p>
<p>Fresquez said his team "tried to sell sponsorships to people everywhere." He added that Intel Pharma representatives revealed the company had sold products with banned substances previously, but not at the time they signed with Holm or now. "They were up front with us," Fresquez said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>UFC told USA Today that Holm has provided five separate samples that have returned clean since July 1, and that Rousey since had tested clean nine times.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Expert: Holm's sponsorship deal 'a bad idea' | false | https://abqjournal.com/677738/expert-holms-sponsorship-deal-a-bad-idea.html | 2015-11-18 | 2least
| Expert: Holm's sponsorship deal 'a bad idea'
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<p />
<p>But Lenny Fresquez, Holm's manager, told the Journal on Tuesday that the sponsorship signed prior to her bout with Ronda Rousey was a "one-fight deal, and to me it's not a big deal."</p>
<p>Photos of Albuquerque's Holm adorn the website of Intel Pharma, which Business Insider reports has a history of selling performance-enhancing drugs banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). "Congratulations, we always believed!" read a tribute to Holm, who scored a stunning second-round knockout of Rousey on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia (Saturday in Albuquerque) for the women's bantamweight title at UFC 193.</p>
<p>Don Catlin, regarded as one of the fathers of modern drug testing for sports, is the one who called Holm's relationship with Intel Pharma a bad idea. He previously found banned substances in products endorsed by Rousey.</p>
<p>Fresquez said his team "tried to sell sponsorships to people everywhere." He added that Intel Pharma representatives revealed the company had sold products with banned substances previously, but not at the time they signed with Holm or now. "They were up front with us," Fresquez said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>UFC told USA Today that Holm has provided five separate samples that have returned clean since July 1, and that Rousey since had tested clean nine times.</p>
<p />
<p /> | 3,789 |
<p />
<p>Just maybe it’s starting to dawn the police officers of Chicago that the mayor of their fine city; the US Attorney General; even the Chief Executive of the United States, Democrats all, really could give a damn about them.</p>
<p>That may be why the Chicagoland area Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has just sent out word that could allow all the previously mentioned officials the chance to simmer in their own juices. Especially with an extra-bloody holiday weekend expected for the already blood-soaked streets of Chicago.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/09/01/chicago-police-union-tells-offices-refuse-overtime-expected-labor-day-violence-spree/" type="external">Breitbart.com</a>, the police union has issued a memo admonishing members to take a pass on drawing any overtime this upcoming weekend.&#160;But with Labor Day almost upon us, Mayor Rahm Emanuel just may be sweating more than a few bullets of his own.</p>
<p>To protest the&#160;“disrespect” the FOP claims the Chicago PD has had to endure as of late, the official memo states;</p>
<p>“In order to show unity and to protest the continued disrespect of Chicago Police Officers and the killings of Law Enforcement Officers across our Country, we are requesting FOP Members to refrain from volunteering to work … for the entire Labor Day Weekend.”</p>
<p>While Labor Day is usually considered the last weekend of the summer, this particular holiday has been embraced by Chicago’s drug pushers, pimps, and other assorted lowlifes as their last big blowout before Old Man Winter comes to town.</p>
<p>Breitbart.com also noted;</p>
<p>Morale among the CPD has been <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-cops-mood-frustration-met-20160225-story.html" type="external">cratering</a> with one disastrous report after another and rising gang violence bringing the Windy City its <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/08/30/august-rings-out-as-chicagos-most-violent-month-in-two-decades/" type="external">most dangerous month</a> in what promises to be its most dangerous year in decades.</p>
<p>Thus far this year, the Windy City has suffered 2,903 total shootings, including 448 shot and killed. This year’s death rate has already surpassed last year’s numbers which ended with 447 shot and killed.</p>
<p>Shockingly, Chicago has seen more homicides this year than both New York City and Los Angeles combined, according to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/01/chicago-has-seen-more-homicides-this-year-than-new-york-and-los-angeles-combined/?utm_term=.3829255b0bfb" type="external">Washington Post</a>.</p>
<p>The city is poised to exceed 600 homicides this year, a number it hasn’t seen since 2003.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p> | Let ’em all kill each other off: Chicago FOP urges cops to refuse overtime over Labor Day weekend | true | http://conservativefiringline.com/let-em-kill-chicago-fop-urges-cops-refuse-overtime-labor-day-weekend/ | 2016-09-01 | 0right
| Let ’em all kill each other off: Chicago FOP urges cops to refuse overtime over Labor Day weekend
<p />
<p>Just maybe it’s starting to dawn the police officers of Chicago that the mayor of their fine city; the US Attorney General; even the Chief Executive of the United States, Democrats all, really could give a damn about them.</p>
<p>That may be why the Chicagoland area Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has just sent out word that could allow all the previously mentioned officials the chance to simmer in their own juices. Especially with an extra-bloody holiday weekend expected for the already blood-soaked streets of Chicago.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/09/01/chicago-police-union-tells-offices-refuse-overtime-expected-labor-day-violence-spree/" type="external">Breitbart.com</a>, the police union has issued a memo admonishing members to take a pass on drawing any overtime this upcoming weekend.&#160;But with Labor Day almost upon us, Mayor Rahm Emanuel just may be sweating more than a few bullets of his own.</p>
<p>To protest the&#160;“disrespect” the FOP claims the Chicago PD has had to endure as of late, the official memo states;</p>
<p>“In order to show unity and to protest the continued disrespect of Chicago Police Officers and the killings of Law Enforcement Officers across our Country, we are requesting FOP Members to refrain from volunteering to work … for the entire Labor Day Weekend.”</p>
<p>While Labor Day is usually considered the last weekend of the summer, this particular holiday has been embraced by Chicago’s drug pushers, pimps, and other assorted lowlifes as their last big blowout before Old Man Winter comes to town.</p>
<p>Breitbart.com also noted;</p>
<p>Morale among the CPD has been <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-cops-mood-frustration-met-20160225-story.html" type="external">cratering</a> with one disastrous report after another and rising gang violence bringing the Windy City its <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/08/30/august-rings-out-as-chicagos-most-violent-month-in-two-decades/" type="external">most dangerous month</a> in what promises to be its most dangerous year in decades.</p>
<p>Thus far this year, the Windy City has suffered 2,903 total shootings, including 448 shot and killed. This year’s death rate has already surpassed last year’s numbers which ended with 447 shot and killed.</p>
<p>Shockingly, Chicago has seen more homicides this year than both New York City and Los Angeles combined, according to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/01/chicago-has-seen-more-homicides-this-year-than-new-york-and-los-angeles-combined/?utm_term=.3829255b0bfb" type="external">Washington Post</a>.</p>
<p>The city is poised to exceed 600 homicides this year, a number it hasn’t seen since 2003.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p> | 3,790 |
<p>There must be some kind of way out of here Said the joker to the thief…</p>
<p>— Bob Dylan</p>
<p>Christmas 1970: a hot meal in a muddy fox hole, a Red Cross gift of WD 40. Excellent for cleaning my M16. Thank you, Jesus.</p>
<p>After nine months as an infantry medic, three on fire bases burning human waste, an R&amp;R with a Japanese whore who crushed my virginity to rice paper pulp, it was time to head home.</p>
<p>At Bien Hoi, wearing fresh khakis, spit shined shoes, polished brass, I met men not seen in a year, some with a far-away look in their eyes, combat ribbons on their chests.&#160; We made small talk, waited, finally boarded a large commercial jet.&#160; The long flight so different from the first, when scores of men drank and flirted with slim-hipped stewardesses, sunk into oblivion, woke to Vietnam.&#160; This time, we landed at Oakland Air Force Base, silently walked past recruits headed the other way.&#160; I bought a cheap plane ticket to Jersey. A high-heeled flight attendant winked at me but I was too shocked out to flirt.</p>
<p>The cab home took twenty-five minutes and cost six dollars.&#160; I never liked my folks.&#160; But we said our hello’s and my dog jumped for joy which made me happy.</p>
<p>“This is our son,” the folks would say to friends and strangers, “He’s been to Vietnam.&#160; He was a medic.”&#160; But they never asked about the startle reflex, the sudden rage, the vivid nightmares, the jungle rot swirling inside my head.</p>
<p>A month later I reported to Fort Devens to complete my enlistment. No chip on the shoulder, no Travis Bickle “Are you talking to me?” psycho-bravura.&#160; I just couldn’t hack it.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” I said to the first sergeant.&#160; “I don’t pull guard duty.”</p>
<p>“You what?” he asked, stupefied. “Nothing personal. I just don’t.”</p>
<p>“You got thirty minutes,” he scowled, “You’d best be ready.” And he stormed out the barrack.</p>
<p>I packed an AWOL bag, put on jeans, sneakers, a sweatshirt, my army field jacket. Lay back in bed.</p>
<p>“What the…Where the hell do you think you’re going?” the first sergeant asked as I got up.</p>
<p>“AWOL, Sarge.&#160; I don’t pull guard.”</p>
<p>He looked at me strange.&#160; “You can’t do that. Are you out of your mind?”</p>
<p>“Watch me,” I said.&#160; “Going to Boston.&#160; Back in a few days.”</p>
<p>I walked out, caught a bus, two hours later had a ten dollar hotel room, went to a porn theater, jerked off, the next&#160; day ate good, slept good, walked the town, returned to base that night.</p>
<p>“Greetings,” I said to the company clerk.</p>
<p>“You’re up for an Article 15,” he snarled.</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me,” I said. Non judicial punishment meant nothing to this GI.</p>
<p>For the next six months I refused guard duty, KP, haircuts, did not salute officers. Deliberately failed a driving test.</p>
<p>“Stop sign! Stop sign! Step on the brakes!” a lieutenant shouted.</p>
<p>I stepped on the gas.</p>
<p>“Green means go!&#160; GO, you moron!”</p>
<p>I stepped on the brakes.</p>
<p>Over time I racked up five Article 15s and one Summary Court Martial. The company commander assigned me to burly Sgt. K, who had three Silver Stars and hounded me on clean up details.</p>
<p>“Are you gonna work or do you want a knuckle sandwich?” he asked.</p>
<p>I ignored the good sergeant, left the sweltering warehouse, sat down in a field, and sang “The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind.”</p>
<p>Sgt. K called the battalion commander, the company commander, the first sergeant.</p>
<p>“What the fuck is he doing?” they asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t eat knuckle sandwiches,” I said.</p>
<p>“Now hold on a minute, son. What’s the problem?” asked the battalion commander, a friendly alcoholic.</p>
<p>“Sir, I just want out of the Army.”</p>
<p>“I can’t help you there, boy. Just do your duty. Otherwise I’ll have to…”</p>
<p>Thank god for the Common Sense Book Store, an off base GI coffee house. With other soldiers I wrote bad poetry in a workshop lead by an anti-war English professor. We spoke to newspaper reporters.&#160; Organized Radio Free Devens, broadcast weekly by WAAF in Worcester, Mass.&#160; Shook hands with Dan Ellsberg on TV.</p>
<p>Restricted to base, I filed for Conscientious Objector status. Denied, I wrote to my congressman but nothing happened.&#160; Time to go up the Army chain of command.&#160; After two hard months I reached the top.</p>
<p>“Sir, Private Levy reporting to see the General,” I said to a clean cut captain seated behind a metal desk.</p>
<p>By now my hair was shoulder length; my garrison cap slipped off my head. The captain phoned the commander of Fort Devens, who sat in the room next door.</p>
<p>A moment later he slammed down the phone. “The General can’t see you today.” “But&#160; I have an appointment. I’m Private Levy,” I said, garrison cap in hand. “I’m trying to get out of the Army.”</p>
<p>The captain’s face brightened.&#160; He pounded the desk with his fist.&#160; “I don’t think you get it, bud.&#160; The General will not see you.&#160; Now get the fuck out.”</p>
<p>He really said that.&#160; “Get the fuck out.”</p>
<p>Three weeks later an officer approached as I headed for chow.</p>
<p>“Sign here, we’ll give you a Bad Conduct Discharge. You’ll be out in a week,” he smiled.</p>
<p>“No thanks,” I said.&#160; “I’m better off being court-martialed.”</p>
<p>He was stunned. I was hungry. The food was great.</p>
<p>A week later a full colonel threw me out of JAG.</p>
<p>“You can’t do that, sir. The battalion commander put me up for a Special court martial. I’m here to see my lawyer.”</p>
<p>“You’re a fucking disgrace,” he said, and grabbed my shoulders and hustled me out.&#160; He really said that, “A fucking disgrace.”</p>
<p>I went to the IG’s office down the block.</p>
<p>“What can I do for you, soldier?”&#160; the Inspector General asked. A&#160; heavy set man, he sat with his legs propped on his desk.</p>
<p>“Sir, the colonel just threw me out of JAG,” I said, and told him my plight.</p>
<p>In my dress uniform and an Army baseball cap I’d decorated with an officer’s rank and gold trim, the IG looked me over, lit a cigar, took a long drag, exhaled a noxious plume. “I’ll look into it,” he said.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Sir,” I replied.</p>
<p>Back at company HQ the commanding officer screamed, “The IG just chewed my ass out! Did you complain about the colonel?”</p>
<p>“Sir, I’m Private Levy.&#160; I have a right to legal counsel.”</p>
<p>“Get the fuck out of here,” he said.&#160; “You heard me.&#160; Get the fuck out!”</p>
<p>Friends at the Common Sense Book Store contacted a civilian lawyer. I celebrated by going AWOL.</p>
<p>“Where are you, Doc?”</p>
<p>“AWOL, Stan.”</p>
<p>“Why?” he asked.</p>
<p>“It’s my birthday. I’m twenty-one.”</p>
<p>“Look,” said Stan. “They want to give you three months hard labor and a Dishonorable Discharge. I pulled some strings. Plead guilty, you’ll do five days in jail and get a General Discharge.”</p>
<p>I looked at my dog. My dog looked at me.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, Stan. What do you think?”</p>
<p>“If I were you, Doc, I’d take it,” he said.</p>
<p>“OK. See you soon.”</p>
<p>We met in an empty JAG office. Two stacks of paper lay on a wood desk.&#160; One pile had copies of my case.&#160; The other, a General court martial for statutory rape. The accused was Sergeant K.</p>
<p>After two hours in court, five officers found me guilty on all charges and pronounced sentence as Stan predicted.&#160; Before two MPs grabbed my arms and lead me away, the court secretary, a good looking brunette, slipped me a hit of Speed.</p>
<p>In the stockade barbershop, an MP asked, “Gotta hold you down or you gonna co-operate?”</p>
<p>“I’ll co-operate,” I said.</p>
<p>He knocked my baseball cap off my head.&#160; A barber cut my hair. When the MP left a photographer took my picture with a Polaroid.&#160; When he and the barber stepped out, I pocketed the photos and gave the Speed to another prisoner.</p>
<p>“Here,” I said.&#160; “I don’t want this. It’ll drive me crazy.”</p>
<p>After five days I was let out of jail.&#160; It took two weeks to process my paperwork.&#160; Stan forgot to tell me I’d be busted to buck private and lose a month’s pay. Nearly broke,&#160; I packed my duffel bag, said good bye to Devens, started hitching to Boston.&#160; A car pulled over.</p>
<p>“Need a lift?”&#160; asked the court secretary.</p>
<p>The next morning, after one last fondle and a fond farewell, I began the long trip home.</p>
<p>MARC LEVY served with Delta Company 1/7 First Cavalry as an infantry medic in Vietnam and Cambodia in 1970. His decorations include the Combat Medic Badge, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars for Valor, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal. He was courtmartialed twice and received a General Discharge. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p> | How I Nearly Won the War | true | https://counterpunch.org/2009/06/16/how-i-nearly-won-the-war/ | 2009-06-16 | 4left
| How I Nearly Won the War
<p>There must be some kind of way out of here Said the joker to the thief…</p>
<p>— Bob Dylan</p>
<p>Christmas 1970: a hot meal in a muddy fox hole, a Red Cross gift of WD 40. Excellent for cleaning my M16. Thank you, Jesus.</p>
<p>After nine months as an infantry medic, three on fire bases burning human waste, an R&amp;R with a Japanese whore who crushed my virginity to rice paper pulp, it was time to head home.</p>
<p>At Bien Hoi, wearing fresh khakis, spit shined shoes, polished brass, I met men not seen in a year, some with a far-away look in their eyes, combat ribbons on their chests.&#160; We made small talk, waited, finally boarded a large commercial jet.&#160; The long flight so different from the first, when scores of men drank and flirted with slim-hipped stewardesses, sunk into oblivion, woke to Vietnam.&#160; This time, we landed at Oakland Air Force Base, silently walked past recruits headed the other way.&#160; I bought a cheap plane ticket to Jersey. A high-heeled flight attendant winked at me but I was too shocked out to flirt.</p>
<p>The cab home took twenty-five minutes and cost six dollars.&#160; I never liked my folks.&#160; But we said our hello’s and my dog jumped for joy which made me happy.</p>
<p>“This is our son,” the folks would say to friends and strangers, “He’s been to Vietnam.&#160; He was a medic.”&#160; But they never asked about the startle reflex, the sudden rage, the vivid nightmares, the jungle rot swirling inside my head.</p>
<p>A month later I reported to Fort Devens to complete my enlistment. No chip on the shoulder, no Travis Bickle “Are you talking to me?” psycho-bravura.&#160; I just couldn’t hack it.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” I said to the first sergeant.&#160; “I don’t pull guard duty.”</p>
<p>“You what?” he asked, stupefied. “Nothing personal. I just don’t.”</p>
<p>“You got thirty minutes,” he scowled, “You’d best be ready.” And he stormed out the barrack.</p>
<p>I packed an AWOL bag, put on jeans, sneakers, a sweatshirt, my army field jacket. Lay back in bed.</p>
<p>“What the…Where the hell do you think you’re going?” the first sergeant asked as I got up.</p>
<p>“AWOL, Sarge.&#160; I don’t pull guard.”</p>
<p>He looked at me strange.&#160; “You can’t do that. Are you out of your mind?”</p>
<p>“Watch me,” I said.&#160; “Going to Boston.&#160; Back in a few days.”</p>
<p>I walked out, caught a bus, two hours later had a ten dollar hotel room, went to a porn theater, jerked off, the next&#160; day ate good, slept good, walked the town, returned to base that night.</p>
<p>“Greetings,” I said to the company clerk.</p>
<p>“You’re up for an Article 15,” he snarled.</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me,” I said. Non judicial punishment meant nothing to this GI.</p>
<p>For the next six months I refused guard duty, KP, haircuts, did not salute officers. Deliberately failed a driving test.</p>
<p>“Stop sign! Stop sign! Step on the brakes!” a lieutenant shouted.</p>
<p>I stepped on the gas.</p>
<p>“Green means go!&#160; GO, you moron!”</p>
<p>I stepped on the brakes.</p>
<p>Over time I racked up five Article 15s and one Summary Court Martial. The company commander assigned me to burly Sgt. K, who had three Silver Stars and hounded me on clean up details.</p>
<p>“Are you gonna work or do you want a knuckle sandwich?” he asked.</p>
<p>I ignored the good sergeant, left the sweltering warehouse, sat down in a field, and sang “The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind.”</p>
<p>Sgt. K called the battalion commander, the company commander, the first sergeant.</p>
<p>“What the fuck is he doing?” they asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t eat knuckle sandwiches,” I said.</p>
<p>“Now hold on a minute, son. What’s the problem?” asked the battalion commander, a friendly alcoholic.</p>
<p>“Sir, I just want out of the Army.”</p>
<p>“I can’t help you there, boy. Just do your duty. Otherwise I’ll have to…”</p>
<p>Thank god for the Common Sense Book Store, an off base GI coffee house. With other soldiers I wrote bad poetry in a workshop lead by an anti-war English professor. We spoke to newspaper reporters.&#160; Organized Radio Free Devens, broadcast weekly by WAAF in Worcester, Mass.&#160; Shook hands with Dan Ellsberg on TV.</p>
<p>Restricted to base, I filed for Conscientious Objector status. Denied, I wrote to my congressman but nothing happened.&#160; Time to go up the Army chain of command.&#160; After two hard months I reached the top.</p>
<p>“Sir, Private Levy reporting to see the General,” I said to a clean cut captain seated behind a metal desk.</p>
<p>By now my hair was shoulder length; my garrison cap slipped off my head. The captain phoned the commander of Fort Devens, who sat in the room next door.</p>
<p>A moment later he slammed down the phone. “The General can’t see you today.” “But&#160; I have an appointment. I’m Private Levy,” I said, garrison cap in hand. “I’m trying to get out of the Army.”</p>
<p>The captain’s face brightened.&#160; He pounded the desk with his fist.&#160; “I don’t think you get it, bud.&#160; The General will not see you.&#160; Now get the fuck out.”</p>
<p>He really said that.&#160; “Get the fuck out.”</p>
<p>Three weeks later an officer approached as I headed for chow.</p>
<p>“Sign here, we’ll give you a Bad Conduct Discharge. You’ll be out in a week,” he smiled.</p>
<p>“No thanks,” I said.&#160; “I’m better off being court-martialed.”</p>
<p>He was stunned. I was hungry. The food was great.</p>
<p>A week later a full colonel threw me out of JAG.</p>
<p>“You can’t do that, sir. The battalion commander put me up for a Special court martial. I’m here to see my lawyer.”</p>
<p>“You’re a fucking disgrace,” he said, and grabbed my shoulders and hustled me out.&#160; He really said that, “A fucking disgrace.”</p>
<p>I went to the IG’s office down the block.</p>
<p>“What can I do for you, soldier?”&#160; the Inspector General asked. A&#160; heavy set man, he sat with his legs propped on his desk.</p>
<p>“Sir, the colonel just threw me out of JAG,” I said, and told him my plight.</p>
<p>In my dress uniform and an Army baseball cap I’d decorated with an officer’s rank and gold trim, the IG looked me over, lit a cigar, took a long drag, exhaled a noxious plume. “I’ll look into it,” he said.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Sir,” I replied.</p>
<p>Back at company HQ the commanding officer screamed, “The IG just chewed my ass out! Did you complain about the colonel?”</p>
<p>“Sir, I’m Private Levy.&#160; I have a right to legal counsel.”</p>
<p>“Get the fuck out of here,” he said.&#160; “You heard me.&#160; Get the fuck out!”</p>
<p>Friends at the Common Sense Book Store contacted a civilian lawyer. I celebrated by going AWOL.</p>
<p>“Where are you, Doc?”</p>
<p>“AWOL, Stan.”</p>
<p>“Why?” he asked.</p>
<p>“It’s my birthday. I’m twenty-one.”</p>
<p>“Look,” said Stan. “They want to give you three months hard labor and a Dishonorable Discharge. I pulled some strings. Plead guilty, you’ll do five days in jail and get a General Discharge.”</p>
<p>I looked at my dog. My dog looked at me.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, Stan. What do you think?”</p>
<p>“If I were you, Doc, I’d take it,” he said.</p>
<p>“OK. See you soon.”</p>
<p>We met in an empty JAG office. Two stacks of paper lay on a wood desk.&#160; One pile had copies of my case.&#160; The other, a General court martial for statutory rape. The accused was Sergeant K.</p>
<p>After two hours in court, five officers found me guilty on all charges and pronounced sentence as Stan predicted.&#160; Before two MPs grabbed my arms and lead me away, the court secretary, a good looking brunette, slipped me a hit of Speed.</p>
<p>In the stockade barbershop, an MP asked, “Gotta hold you down or you gonna co-operate?”</p>
<p>“I’ll co-operate,” I said.</p>
<p>He knocked my baseball cap off my head.&#160; A barber cut my hair. When the MP left a photographer took my picture with a Polaroid.&#160; When he and the barber stepped out, I pocketed the photos and gave the Speed to another prisoner.</p>
<p>“Here,” I said.&#160; “I don’t want this. It’ll drive me crazy.”</p>
<p>After five days I was let out of jail.&#160; It took two weeks to process my paperwork.&#160; Stan forgot to tell me I’d be busted to buck private and lose a month’s pay. Nearly broke,&#160; I packed my duffel bag, said good bye to Devens, started hitching to Boston.&#160; A car pulled over.</p>
<p>“Need a lift?”&#160; asked the court secretary.</p>
<p>The next morning, after one last fondle and a fond farewell, I began the long trip home.</p>
<p>MARC LEVY served with Delta Company 1/7 First Cavalry as an infantry medic in Vietnam and Cambodia in 1970. His decorations include the Combat Medic Badge, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars for Valor, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal. He was courtmartialed twice and received a General Discharge. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p> | 3,791 |
<p>Dallas police are investigating a physical fight that broke out between candidates for Dallas County commissioner at a Gospel radio station Monday.</p>
<p>Police spent several hours at Dallas’ KHVN after a heated argument between longtime Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and former city council member Dwaine Caraway that centered on an alleged relationship between Price and Caraway’s wife, the <a href="http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2016/02/dwaine-caraway-john-wiley-price-reportedly-get-into-fight-at-gospel-station.html/" type="external">Dallas Morning News</a> reports.</p>
<p>Two other candidates were also at the station to discuss the race and debate issues – Micah B. Phillips and Balch Springs Mayor Cedric Davis – and Phillips recorded the altercation and provided video to police and media.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>WFAA <a href="http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas-county/fight-breaks-out-between-price-caraway/50839865" type="external">reports</a> the fight broke out during a commercial break in the radio program, and the video shows several staffers working to hold back Caraway as he pushes to get to Price while hurling profane threats and allegations.</p>
<p>“I’m tired of you … You (expletive) my house,” Caraway said as he was ushered from the room. “I’m gonna get you.”</p>
<p>A woman in the room is heard yelling “What is wrong with y’all … this is a gospel radio station.</p>
<p>“You get out of my office,” she said.</p>
<p>Caraway is eventually hauled to a nearby office.</p>
<p>Of course, opinions vary on what sparked the dispute.</p>
<p>Caraway told the Dallas Morning News Price started the altercation when a Caraway political ad came on during a commercial in the program.</p>
<p>“Well, (Price) was cursing at me when the mics were off,” Caraway told WFAA.</p>
<p>He alleged Price grabbed Caraway campaign worker George Nash – “the smallest person in the room” – by the neck.</p>
<p>“He grabbed him by the throat, choking him, scratching him on the throat and his arm,” Caraway said. “A deranged, indicted person put his hands on a 115-pound young man.”</p>
<p>Price is currently under federal indictment on corruption charges. Caraway didn’t want to discuss the personal matter between his “wife” and Price.</p>
<p>“It’s unclear what Caraway was referring to. Caraway has been married twice. His first marriage ended in 1994. He is currently married to former State Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway, who is running to unseat U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson,” according to the Morning News.</p>
<p>Nash said he tried to hold back Price as others restrained Caraway.</p>
<p>“As I was doing that, John reaches around and grabs my neck,” Nash told KXAS. “I knock his hand down. That’s where these scars came from. And then he grabs my arm and pulls me and scratches my arm and tries to throw me up against the wall out of the way.”</p>
<p>Phillips told WFAA Price put his hands on Nash to keep him away, and did not assault him.</p>
<p>“He got into Commissioner Price’s comfort zone,” he said. “It was an embarrassment to our community.”</p>
<p>Phillips also alleged Caraway threatened to kill Price.</p>
<p>Caraway alleges Price threatened to kill him.</p>
<p>KHVN News Director Robert Ashley told the Morning News he was in the sound booth when the altercation first broke out, but it appeared Price was defending himself when he rushed in.</p>
<p>“We’re kind of embarrassed to see something like this,” he said.</p>
<p>Someone called police shortly before 1 p.m. and they spent most of the day at the radio station sorting out the details of the fight. They’re now interviewing everyone involved and reviewing video.</p>
<p>Phillips said Balch Springs may Cedric Davis also injured his finger in the scuffle.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | VIDEO: Expletives fly as rival politicians fight during gospel radio station debate | true | http://theamericanmirror.com/video-expletives-fly-as-rival-politicians-fight-during-gospel-radio-station-debate/ | 2016-02-23 | 0right
| VIDEO: Expletives fly as rival politicians fight during gospel radio station debate
<p>Dallas police are investigating a physical fight that broke out between candidates for Dallas County commissioner at a Gospel radio station Monday.</p>
<p>Police spent several hours at Dallas’ KHVN after a heated argument between longtime Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and former city council member Dwaine Caraway that centered on an alleged relationship between Price and Caraway’s wife, the <a href="http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2016/02/dwaine-caraway-john-wiley-price-reportedly-get-into-fight-at-gospel-station.html/" type="external">Dallas Morning News</a> reports.</p>
<p>Two other candidates were also at the station to discuss the race and debate issues – Micah B. Phillips and Balch Springs Mayor Cedric Davis – and Phillips recorded the altercation and provided video to police and media.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>WFAA <a href="http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas-county/fight-breaks-out-between-price-caraway/50839865" type="external">reports</a> the fight broke out during a commercial break in the radio program, and the video shows several staffers working to hold back Caraway as he pushes to get to Price while hurling profane threats and allegations.</p>
<p>“I’m tired of you … You (expletive) my house,” Caraway said as he was ushered from the room. “I’m gonna get you.”</p>
<p>A woman in the room is heard yelling “What is wrong with y’all … this is a gospel radio station.</p>
<p>“You get out of my office,” she said.</p>
<p>Caraway is eventually hauled to a nearby office.</p>
<p>Of course, opinions vary on what sparked the dispute.</p>
<p>Caraway told the Dallas Morning News Price started the altercation when a Caraway political ad came on during a commercial in the program.</p>
<p>“Well, (Price) was cursing at me when the mics were off,” Caraway told WFAA.</p>
<p>He alleged Price grabbed Caraway campaign worker George Nash – “the smallest person in the room” – by the neck.</p>
<p>“He grabbed him by the throat, choking him, scratching him on the throat and his arm,” Caraway said. “A deranged, indicted person put his hands on a 115-pound young man.”</p>
<p>Price is currently under federal indictment on corruption charges. Caraway didn’t want to discuss the personal matter between his “wife” and Price.</p>
<p>“It’s unclear what Caraway was referring to. Caraway has been married twice. His first marriage ended in 1994. He is currently married to former State Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway, who is running to unseat U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson,” according to the Morning News.</p>
<p>Nash said he tried to hold back Price as others restrained Caraway.</p>
<p>“As I was doing that, John reaches around and grabs my neck,” Nash told KXAS. “I knock his hand down. That’s where these scars came from. And then he grabs my arm and pulls me and scratches my arm and tries to throw me up against the wall out of the way.”</p>
<p>Phillips told WFAA Price put his hands on Nash to keep him away, and did not assault him.</p>
<p>“He got into Commissioner Price’s comfort zone,” he said. “It was an embarrassment to our community.”</p>
<p>Phillips also alleged Caraway threatened to kill Price.</p>
<p>Caraway alleges Price threatened to kill him.</p>
<p>KHVN News Director Robert Ashley told the Morning News he was in the sound booth when the altercation first broke out, but it appeared Price was defending himself when he rushed in.</p>
<p>“We’re kind of embarrassed to see something like this,” he said.</p>
<p>Someone called police shortly before 1 p.m. and they spent most of the day at the radio station sorting out the details of the fight. They’re now interviewing everyone involved and reviewing video.</p>
<p>Phillips said Balch Springs may Cedric Davis also injured his finger in the scuffle.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,792 |
<p />
<p>Technology trends come and go but some are here to stay. Small business owners should expect to further embrace mobility, social media and cloud computing in the New Year, according to technology experts.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“We expect to see significant growth in cloud servers and cloud storage,” says Nick Pegley, vice president of All Covered IT Services from Konica Minolta. “The use of mobile devices is also growing significantly and helps in disasters too. If your desktop is in a damaged building, you can still use your smartphone or tablet to access data.”</p>
<p>In the wake of superstorm Sandy business owners are placing a greater emphasis on business continuity planning and Pegley expects more of that in 2013.</p>
<p>“More companies, even ones outside of the North East, are getting serious about protecting their company data from major external impacts,” says Pegley. “That includes backup strategies, procedures for dealing with office closures and communications plans for employees.”</p>
<p>Smartphone Popularity Continues</p>
<p>In the last couple of years smartphone sales have started to exceed PC sales, which demonstrates that people are using their mobile phones for more than making phone calls.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>“Smartphones and tablets will be leveraged more heavily as businesses move beyond using them just for simple communications,” says Mike Pugh, vice president of marketing for j2 Global, a cloud services provider for small businesses. “Business systems, such as CRM, will go mobile enabling teams to input and access sales information on-the-go, driving higher levels of communication and productivity.”</p>
<p>Mobile apps will also become more prevalent for small businesses in the New Year, enabling them to be more connected, productive and use those moments of time that would be wasted if it weren’t for mobility, says Pugh.</p>
<p>Because the popularity of mobile devices and apps will continue to grow, small businesses will see more of a need to have a mobile-friendly Website. “Having a web presence is no longer enough,” says Jerry Nettuno, founder and CEO of Schedulicity, the online appointment scheduling service for small businesses. “Mobile users are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to research local businesses.”</p>
<p>Social Media ROI Will Be Examined</p>
<p>If 2012 was the year small businesses came to realization they had to embrace social media, 2013 will be the year they start focusing on a return on investment for their efforts, predicts Nettuno.</p>
<p>According to Nettuno, this year the small business conversation focused on getting the most for your investment will heat up. “Small business owners will increasingly evaluate questions such as: Should I track website visitors or blog readers? Monitor analytics on Twitter or Facebook? Track comments, re-tweets or followers?,” said Nettuno. “Small businesses will focus on leveraging new tools, such as the new social media reports introduced by Google Analytics in 2012, to measure the value of their social media efforts.”</p>
<p>Cloud Adoption Explodes</p>
<p>For some time now small businesses have been hearing about all the virtues of taking their business into the cloud. In 2013 they will finally start listening. According to j2, in 2013 small businesses faced with increased competition and less than stellar economy will look to the cloud to save them money and boost their sales. Because of that experts predict there will be an explosion of cloud usage by small businesses.</p>
<p>“Cloud computing is coming of age,” says Pegley. “One of the advantages of cloud based storage is the ability to access company data even if the usual office environment is not available. It can be the difference between being able to carry on business and being closed for business.”</p> | Tech Trends Expected in 2013 | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/01/04/tech-trends-expected-in-2013.html | 2016-03-22 | 0right
| Tech Trends Expected in 2013
<p />
<p>Technology trends come and go but some are here to stay. Small business owners should expect to further embrace mobility, social media and cloud computing in the New Year, according to technology experts.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“We expect to see significant growth in cloud servers and cloud storage,” says Nick Pegley, vice president of All Covered IT Services from Konica Minolta. “The use of mobile devices is also growing significantly and helps in disasters too. If your desktop is in a damaged building, you can still use your smartphone or tablet to access data.”</p>
<p>In the wake of superstorm Sandy business owners are placing a greater emphasis on business continuity planning and Pegley expects more of that in 2013.</p>
<p>“More companies, even ones outside of the North East, are getting serious about protecting their company data from major external impacts,” says Pegley. “That includes backup strategies, procedures for dealing with office closures and communications plans for employees.”</p>
<p>Smartphone Popularity Continues</p>
<p>In the last couple of years smartphone sales have started to exceed PC sales, which demonstrates that people are using their mobile phones for more than making phone calls.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>“Smartphones and tablets will be leveraged more heavily as businesses move beyond using them just for simple communications,” says Mike Pugh, vice president of marketing for j2 Global, a cloud services provider for small businesses. “Business systems, such as CRM, will go mobile enabling teams to input and access sales information on-the-go, driving higher levels of communication and productivity.”</p>
<p>Mobile apps will also become more prevalent for small businesses in the New Year, enabling them to be more connected, productive and use those moments of time that would be wasted if it weren’t for mobility, says Pugh.</p>
<p>Because the popularity of mobile devices and apps will continue to grow, small businesses will see more of a need to have a mobile-friendly Website. “Having a web presence is no longer enough,” says Jerry Nettuno, founder and CEO of Schedulicity, the online appointment scheduling service for small businesses. “Mobile users are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to research local businesses.”</p>
<p>Social Media ROI Will Be Examined</p>
<p>If 2012 was the year small businesses came to realization they had to embrace social media, 2013 will be the year they start focusing on a return on investment for their efforts, predicts Nettuno.</p>
<p>According to Nettuno, this year the small business conversation focused on getting the most for your investment will heat up. “Small business owners will increasingly evaluate questions such as: Should I track website visitors or blog readers? Monitor analytics on Twitter or Facebook? Track comments, re-tweets or followers?,” said Nettuno. “Small businesses will focus on leveraging new tools, such as the new social media reports introduced by Google Analytics in 2012, to measure the value of their social media efforts.”</p>
<p>Cloud Adoption Explodes</p>
<p>For some time now small businesses have been hearing about all the virtues of taking their business into the cloud. In 2013 they will finally start listening. According to j2, in 2013 small businesses faced with increased competition and less than stellar economy will look to the cloud to save them money and boost their sales. Because of that experts predict there will be an explosion of cloud usage by small businesses.</p>
<p>“Cloud computing is coming of age,” says Pegley. “One of the advantages of cloud based storage is the ability to access company data even if the usual office environment is not available. It can be the difference between being able to carry on business and being closed for business.”</p> | 3,793 |
<p>DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche looked unstoppable early and shaky down the stretch in nearly blowing a big lead.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The streak goes on.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/mackinnons-wrister-opens-scoring/t-293640276/c-56802203" type="external">Nathan MacKinnon</a> scored twice during a 58-second span in the first period, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/nieto-finds-twine-on-tip-in/t-293640276/c-56814403" type="external">Matt Nieto</a> added a late insurance goal and the Avalanche won their eighth straight by holding off the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Carl Soderberg also scored, while <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/rantanens-tip-in-tally/t-293640276/c-56807003" type="external">Mikko Rantanen</a> had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who've won eight in a row for the first time since the 2005-06 season. It's tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.</p>
<p>Even more, Colorado has never trailed during the stretch and has outscored teams by a 34-13 margin.</p>
<p>"We are earning what we get right now," MacKinnon said. "We are playing some good hockey and we are a good team.</p>
<p>"We know we aren't going to win every game — we could lose two or three in a row. But this is a good foundation for us to realize how we are going to win. We're not just lucky, winning eight straight. There is a reason why. So when some adversity comes in, we can look back on this."</p>
<p>What looked like a cakewalk turned into anything but with Colorado nearly squandering a 4-0 advantage. The Sharks sliced the deficit to a goal when Joe Thornton scored early in the third period. Nieto sealed the win with a goal against his former team with 3:14 remaining. The Sharks pulled goaltender Martin Jones for around 3 minutes, but couldn't score.</p>
<p>Timo Meier and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also had goals for San Jose.</p>
<p>Jonathan Bernier stopped 45 shots to run his winning streak to a career-best seven games. He's filling in with starter Semyon Varlamov sidelined by a lower-body injury.</p>
<p>Bernier made a big save on a power play in the third period, when he just stuck out his left pad to thwart <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/berniers-clutch-series-of-saves/t-293640276/c-56813603" type="external">Tomas Hertl</a> , who had several opportunities to tie up the game.</p>
<p>"I should score like five goals. The goalie owned me today," Hertl said. "It's a little bit on me, because the chances were there. I should put it in. They should be goals."</p>
<p>Still, the Sharks showed some late spunk, which pleased their coach.</p>
<p>"You don't get points in the standings for that, but we've got a group that doesn't lay down in those situations," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We take a lot of pride in that."</p>
<p>Colorado weathered seven penalties and was outshot by San Jose 48-22.</p>
<p>"You can't play a perfect game, you have to learn from it," Bernier said. "We're happy to get this thing rolling."</p>
<p>Speaking of rolling, the line of Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon combined for three goals and four assists.</p>
<p>There's no place quite like Pepsi Center for MacKinnon, who leads the league in scoring at home with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 25 games. He put the Avalanche up early in the first period when he sent a wrist shot through the legs of Vlasic and through the pads of Jones.</p>
<p>He added another on a slap shot that ticked off Jones' glove and went in. MacKinnon also was credited with an assist on a goal in the second period that hit Rantanen off and bounced in. It gave Colorado a 4-0 lead.</p>
<p>There was a scary moment in the second when Soderberg took a skate to the neck when he fell to the ice. He headed to the bench and into the dressing room to get about five stitches. He returned later in the second.</p>
<p>"I'm OK," Soderberg said.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Sharks are in a stretch during which they play 14 of 18 games on the road. ... This was the first of three meetings between San Jose and Colorado. ... Avalanche C Tyson Jost (lower body) was out of the lineup, while LW J.T. Compher (upper body) returned after missing six games. "They're kind of trading off injuries," coach Jared Bednar said. ... F Sven Andrighetto (lower body) was placed on injured reserve. ... Varlamov has resumed skating, Bednar said. ... Colorado has scored 92 goals on home ice, the most in the league.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Sharks: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.</p>
<p>Avalanche: Wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday against the New York Rangers.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP NHL coverage: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p>
<p>DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche looked unstoppable early and shaky down the stretch in nearly blowing a big lead.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The streak goes on.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/mackinnons-wrister-opens-scoring/t-293640276/c-56802203" type="external">Nathan MacKinnon</a> scored twice during a 58-second span in the first period, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/nieto-finds-twine-on-tip-in/t-293640276/c-56814403" type="external">Matt Nieto</a> added a late insurance goal and the Avalanche won their eighth straight by holding off the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Carl Soderberg also scored, while <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/rantanens-tip-in-tally/t-293640276/c-56807003" type="external">Mikko Rantanen</a> had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who've won eight in a row for the first time since the 2005-06 season. It's tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.</p>
<p>Even more, Colorado has never trailed during the stretch and has outscored teams by a 34-13 margin.</p>
<p>"We are earning what we get right now," MacKinnon said. "We are playing some good hockey and we are a good team.</p>
<p>"We know we aren't going to win every game — we could lose two or three in a row. But this is a good foundation for us to realize how we are going to win. We're not just lucky, winning eight straight. There is a reason why. So when some adversity comes in, we can look back on this."</p>
<p>What looked like a cakewalk turned into anything but with Colorado nearly squandering a 4-0 advantage. The Sharks sliced the deficit to a goal when Joe Thornton scored early in the third period. Nieto sealed the win with a goal against his former team with 3:14 remaining. The Sharks pulled goaltender Martin Jones for around 3 minutes, but couldn't score.</p>
<p>Timo Meier and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also had goals for San Jose.</p>
<p>Jonathan Bernier stopped 45 shots to run his winning streak to a career-best seven games. He's filling in with starter Semyon Varlamov sidelined by a lower-body injury.</p>
<p>Bernier made a big save on a power play in the third period, when he just stuck out his left pad to thwart <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/berniers-clutch-series-of-saves/t-293640276/c-56813603" type="external">Tomas Hertl</a> , who had several opportunities to tie up the game.</p>
<p>"I should score like five goals. The goalie owned me today," Hertl said. "It's a little bit on me, because the chances were there. I should put it in. They should be goals."</p>
<p>Still, the Sharks showed some late spunk, which pleased their coach.</p>
<p>"You don't get points in the standings for that, but we've got a group that doesn't lay down in those situations," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We take a lot of pride in that."</p>
<p>Colorado weathered seven penalties and was outshot by San Jose 48-22.</p>
<p>"You can't play a perfect game, you have to learn from it," Bernier said. "We're happy to get this thing rolling."</p>
<p>Speaking of rolling, the line of Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon combined for three goals and four assists.</p>
<p>There's no place quite like Pepsi Center for MacKinnon, who leads the league in scoring at home with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 25 games. He put the Avalanche up early in the first period when he sent a wrist shot through the legs of Vlasic and through the pads of Jones.</p>
<p>He added another on a slap shot that ticked off Jones' glove and went in. MacKinnon also was credited with an assist on a goal in the second period that hit Rantanen off and bounced in. It gave Colorado a 4-0 lead.</p>
<p>There was a scary moment in the second when Soderberg took a skate to the neck when he fell to the ice. He headed to the bench and into the dressing room to get about five stitches. He returned later in the second.</p>
<p>"I'm OK," Soderberg said.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Sharks are in a stretch during which they play 14 of 18 games on the road. ... This was the first of three meetings between San Jose and Colorado. ... Avalanche C Tyson Jost (lower body) was out of the lineup, while LW J.T. Compher (upper body) returned after missing six games. "They're kind of trading off injuries," coach Jared Bednar said. ... F Sven Andrighetto (lower body) was placed on injured reserve. ... Varlamov has resumed skating, Bednar said. ... Colorado has scored 92 goals on home ice, the most in the league.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Sharks: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.</p>
<p>Avalanche: Wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday against the New York Rangers.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP NHL coverage: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p> | Sizzling Avs win 8th straight by holding off Sharks 5-3 | false | https://apnews.com/amp/75c2911d13c14f9d9fdf7c19510616ee | 2018-01-19 | 2least
| Sizzling Avs win 8th straight by holding off Sharks 5-3
<p>DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche looked unstoppable early and shaky down the stretch in nearly blowing a big lead.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The streak goes on.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/mackinnons-wrister-opens-scoring/t-293640276/c-56802203" type="external">Nathan MacKinnon</a> scored twice during a 58-second span in the first period, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/nieto-finds-twine-on-tip-in/t-293640276/c-56814403" type="external">Matt Nieto</a> added a late insurance goal and the Avalanche won their eighth straight by holding off the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Carl Soderberg also scored, while <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/rantanens-tip-in-tally/t-293640276/c-56807003" type="external">Mikko Rantanen</a> had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who've won eight in a row for the first time since the 2005-06 season. It's tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.</p>
<p>Even more, Colorado has never trailed during the stretch and has outscored teams by a 34-13 margin.</p>
<p>"We are earning what we get right now," MacKinnon said. "We are playing some good hockey and we are a good team.</p>
<p>"We know we aren't going to win every game — we could lose two or three in a row. But this is a good foundation for us to realize how we are going to win. We're not just lucky, winning eight straight. There is a reason why. So when some adversity comes in, we can look back on this."</p>
<p>What looked like a cakewalk turned into anything but with Colorado nearly squandering a 4-0 advantage. The Sharks sliced the deficit to a goal when Joe Thornton scored early in the third period. Nieto sealed the win with a goal against his former team with 3:14 remaining. The Sharks pulled goaltender Martin Jones for around 3 minutes, but couldn't score.</p>
<p>Timo Meier and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also had goals for San Jose.</p>
<p>Jonathan Bernier stopped 45 shots to run his winning streak to a career-best seven games. He's filling in with starter Semyon Varlamov sidelined by a lower-body injury.</p>
<p>Bernier made a big save on a power play in the third period, when he just stuck out his left pad to thwart <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/berniers-clutch-series-of-saves/t-293640276/c-56813603" type="external">Tomas Hertl</a> , who had several opportunities to tie up the game.</p>
<p>"I should score like five goals. The goalie owned me today," Hertl said. "It's a little bit on me, because the chances were there. I should put it in. They should be goals."</p>
<p>Still, the Sharks showed some late spunk, which pleased their coach.</p>
<p>"You don't get points in the standings for that, but we've got a group that doesn't lay down in those situations," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We take a lot of pride in that."</p>
<p>Colorado weathered seven penalties and was outshot by San Jose 48-22.</p>
<p>"You can't play a perfect game, you have to learn from it," Bernier said. "We're happy to get this thing rolling."</p>
<p>Speaking of rolling, the line of Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon combined for three goals and four assists.</p>
<p>There's no place quite like Pepsi Center for MacKinnon, who leads the league in scoring at home with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 25 games. He put the Avalanche up early in the first period when he sent a wrist shot through the legs of Vlasic and through the pads of Jones.</p>
<p>He added another on a slap shot that ticked off Jones' glove and went in. MacKinnon also was credited with an assist on a goal in the second period that hit Rantanen off and bounced in. It gave Colorado a 4-0 lead.</p>
<p>There was a scary moment in the second when Soderberg took a skate to the neck when he fell to the ice. He headed to the bench and into the dressing room to get about five stitches. He returned later in the second.</p>
<p>"I'm OK," Soderberg said.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Sharks are in a stretch during which they play 14 of 18 games on the road. ... This was the first of three meetings between San Jose and Colorado. ... Avalanche C Tyson Jost (lower body) was out of the lineup, while LW J.T. Compher (upper body) returned after missing six games. "They're kind of trading off injuries," coach Jared Bednar said. ... F Sven Andrighetto (lower body) was placed on injured reserve. ... Varlamov has resumed skating, Bednar said. ... Colorado has scored 92 goals on home ice, the most in the league.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Sharks: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.</p>
<p>Avalanche: Wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday against the New York Rangers.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP NHL coverage: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p>
<p>DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche looked unstoppable early and shaky down the stretch in nearly blowing a big lead.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The streak goes on.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/mackinnons-wrister-opens-scoring/t-293640276/c-56802203" type="external">Nathan MacKinnon</a> scored twice during a 58-second span in the first period, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/nieto-finds-twine-on-tip-in/t-293640276/c-56814403" type="external">Matt Nieto</a> added a late insurance goal and the Avalanche won their eighth straight by holding off the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Carl Soderberg also scored, while <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/rantanens-tip-in-tally/t-293640276/c-56807003" type="external">Mikko Rantanen</a> had a goal and two assists for the Avs, who've won eight in a row for the first time since the 2005-06 season. It's tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.</p>
<p>Even more, Colorado has never trailed during the stretch and has outscored teams by a 34-13 margin.</p>
<p>"We are earning what we get right now," MacKinnon said. "We are playing some good hockey and we are a good team.</p>
<p>"We know we aren't going to win every game — we could lose two or three in a row. But this is a good foundation for us to realize how we are going to win. We're not just lucky, winning eight straight. There is a reason why. So when some adversity comes in, we can look back on this."</p>
<p>What looked like a cakewalk turned into anything but with Colorado nearly squandering a 4-0 advantage. The Sharks sliced the deficit to a goal when Joe Thornton scored early in the third period. Nieto sealed the win with a goal against his former team with 3:14 remaining. The Sharks pulled goaltender Martin Jones for around 3 minutes, but couldn't score.</p>
<p>Timo Meier and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also had goals for San Jose.</p>
<p>Jonathan Bernier stopped 45 shots to run his winning streak to a career-best seven games. He's filling in with starter Semyon Varlamov sidelined by a lower-body injury.</p>
<p>Bernier made a big save on a power play in the third period, when he just stuck out his left pad to thwart <a href="https://www.nhl.com/video/berniers-clutch-series-of-saves/t-293640276/c-56813603" type="external">Tomas Hertl</a> , who had several opportunities to tie up the game.</p>
<p>"I should score like five goals. The goalie owned me today," Hertl said. "It's a little bit on me, because the chances were there. I should put it in. They should be goals."</p>
<p>Still, the Sharks showed some late spunk, which pleased their coach.</p>
<p>"You don't get points in the standings for that, but we've got a group that doesn't lay down in those situations," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We take a lot of pride in that."</p>
<p>Colorado weathered seven penalties and was outshot by San Jose 48-22.</p>
<p>"You can't play a perfect game, you have to learn from it," Bernier said. "We're happy to get this thing rolling."</p>
<p>Speaking of rolling, the line of Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon combined for three goals and four assists.</p>
<p>There's no place quite like Pepsi Center for MacKinnon, who leads the league in scoring at home with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 25 games. He put the Avalanche up early in the first period when he sent a wrist shot through the legs of Vlasic and through the pads of Jones.</p>
<p>He added another on a slap shot that ticked off Jones' glove and went in. MacKinnon also was credited with an assist on a goal in the second period that hit Rantanen off and bounced in. It gave Colorado a 4-0 lead.</p>
<p>There was a scary moment in the second when Soderberg took a skate to the neck when he fell to the ice. He headed to the bench and into the dressing room to get about five stitches. He returned later in the second.</p>
<p>"I'm OK," Soderberg said.</p>
<p>NOTES: The Sharks are in a stretch during which they play 14 of 18 games on the road. ... This was the first of three meetings between San Jose and Colorado. ... Avalanche C Tyson Jost (lower body) was out of the lineup, while LW J.T. Compher (upper body) returned after missing six games. "They're kind of trading off injuries," coach Jared Bednar said. ... F Sven Andrighetto (lower body) was placed on injured reserve. ... Varlamov has resumed skating, Bednar said. ... Colorado has scored 92 goals on home ice, the most in the league.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Sharks: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.</p>
<p>Avalanche: Wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday against the New York Rangers.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP NHL coverage: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p> | 3,794 |
<p>Jan. 26 (UPI) — An OPEC effort to balance the market, which includes support from producers like Russia, has added about $25 per barrel to oil, the Saudi oil minister said.</p>
<p>The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is now in its second year of an effort to drain the surplus on the five-year average for global crude oil inventories with coordinated production cuts. The gap between global supply and demand since implementation last year is shrinking and holding oil prices near four-year highs.</p>
<p>Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told Russian news agency Tass the deal set a floor under the price of oil and put more revenue in government coffers. By his read, at least $25 on the price of oil is a result of the deal.</p>
<p>“And most of that amount goes to the governments, not to the companies,” he <a href="http://tass.com/economy/987058" type="external">was quoted</a> as saying Friday.</p>
<p>The price for Brent crude oil on this date last year was $54.34 per barrel and it’s now trading near the $70 mark. Crude oil prices shot up more than 4 percent in the first few days of January, a rally supported by an extension of the OPEC agreement and geopolitical risk.</p>
<p>Falih earlier this week suggested the deal could be extended well beyond this year. If supported, it would come up against suggestions that, if prices rallied too high, members could start looking for an exit by the summer.</p>
<p>The surge in crude oil prices, now up more than 5 percent in January, or about $3.60 per barrel, comes as Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is planning its initial public offering this year. Joe McMonigle, a senior energy analyst at Hedgeye Risk Management, said Saudi Arabia is <a href="https://www.upi.com/Oil-prices-flat-at-market-open-even-after-talk-of-extended-OPEC-action/2891516631114/" type="external">now acting</a> like “an activist investor” and working to keep oil prices elevated to get the best out of the IPO.</p>
<p>Saudi Arabia in December announced this year would have the largest ever annual budget with spending on pace to increase 5.6 percent year-on-year. The country’s central bank, meanwhile, said gross domestic product <a href="http://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/Indices/Pages/GrossDomesticIncome.aspx" type="external">slipped 0.74 percent</a> last year, compared with a growth rate of 4.1 percent two years before the implementation of the OPEC agreement.</p> | OPEC balancing act added $25 per barrel to oil, Saudi minister says | false | https://newsline.com/opec-balancing-act-added-25-per-barrel-to-oil-saudi-minister-says/ | 2018-01-26 | 1right-center
| OPEC balancing act added $25 per barrel to oil, Saudi minister says
<p>Jan. 26 (UPI) — An OPEC effort to balance the market, which includes support from producers like Russia, has added about $25 per barrel to oil, the Saudi oil minister said.</p>
<p>The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is now in its second year of an effort to drain the surplus on the five-year average for global crude oil inventories with coordinated production cuts. The gap between global supply and demand since implementation last year is shrinking and holding oil prices near four-year highs.</p>
<p>Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told Russian news agency Tass the deal set a floor under the price of oil and put more revenue in government coffers. By his read, at least $25 on the price of oil is a result of the deal.</p>
<p>“And most of that amount goes to the governments, not to the companies,” he <a href="http://tass.com/economy/987058" type="external">was quoted</a> as saying Friday.</p>
<p>The price for Brent crude oil on this date last year was $54.34 per barrel and it’s now trading near the $70 mark. Crude oil prices shot up more than 4 percent in the first few days of January, a rally supported by an extension of the OPEC agreement and geopolitical risk.</p>
<p>Falih earlier this week suggested the deal could be extended well beyond this year. If supported, it would come up against suggestions that, if prices rallied too high, members could start looking for an exit by the summer.</p>
<p>The surge in crude oil prices, now up more than 5 percent in January, or about $3.60 per barrel, comes as Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is planning its initial public offering this year. Joe McMonigle, a senior energy analyst at Hedgeye Risk Management, said Saudi Arabia is <a href="https://www.upi.com/Oil-prices-flat-at-market-open-even-after-talk-of-extended-OPEC-action/2891516631114/" type="external">now acting</a> like “an activist investor” and working to keep oil prices elevated to get the best out of the IPO.</p>
<p>Saudi Arabia in December announced this year would have the largest ever annual budget with spending on pace to increase 5.6 percent year-on-year. The country’s central bank, meanwhile, said gross domestic product <a href="http://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/Indices/Pages/GrossDomesticIncome.aspx" type="external">slipped 0.74 percent</a> last year, compared with a growth rate of 4.1 percent two years before the implementation of the OPEC agreement.</p> | 3,795 |
<p>Comedian Stephen Colbert had an awkward moment Tuesday night when his audience cheered the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey.</p>
<p>President Trump stunned the political world this week by dismissing Mr. Comey and citing a Department of Justice recommendation that he was unable “to effectively lead the bureau.” The CBS “Late Show” audience — no doubt familiar with Mr. Comey’s handling the agency’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s secret email server — cheered, but then quickly changed their tune with a scolding by Mr Colbert.</p>
<p>“Oh. Wow. Huge, huge Donald Trump fans here tonight!” Mr. Colbert said. “That shows no gratitude at all. I mean, did Trump forget about the Hillary emails that Comey talked about? I mean, ‘Thanks for the presidency, Jimmy. Now don’t let the door hit you where the electoral college split ya.’”</p>
<p>The audience picked up on the comedian’s desired response and then booed at the first opportunity.</p>
<p>“I’m shocked. My heart is thumping. My pulse is racing,” Mr. Colbert said. “He fired the FBI director, who has said under oath that he’s investigating the Trump campaign’s ties with Russia. No rationale has been given yet as to why, but it came on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.”</p>
<p>The sudden attitude shift was noticed by <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/05/10/stephen-colbert-corrects-his-audiences-confused-reaction-to-comey-firing/" type="external">websites</a> like the Blaze and users on social media platforms like Twitter.</p>
<p>“If you want to know why the Democrats must control the narrative, look no further than Colbert’s unpreparedness w/ audience Comey firing,” responded a Twitter user named Ali.</p>
<p>“I like how the sheep in Colbert’s audience cheered at Comey’s firing. They’re playing catch up to the narrative,” <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/862146950996480000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theblaze.com%2Fnews%2F2017%2F05%2F10%2Fstephen-colbert-corrects-his-audiences-confused-reaction-to-comey-firing%2F" type="external">added</a> Heat Streets’s Ian Miles Cheong.</p>
<p>Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer told reporters on Tuesday that he spoke to the president and said firing Mr. Comey was a “very big mistake.”</p>
<p>Mr. Trump’s decision came one day after a Senate panel discussed the vetting process of former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.</p>
<p>Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-comey-idUSKBN1852MV" type="external">told</a> the lawmakers that White House officials knew on Jan. 26 that Mr. Flynn had not been forthcoming regarding his discussions with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.</p>
<p />
<p>Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. <a href="http://license.icopyright.net/3.7280?icx_id=/news/2017/may/10/stephen-colberts-audience-cheers-james-comey-firin/" type="external">Click here for reprint permission</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Colbert’s audience cheers Comey firing, changes tune after host’s correction | true | http://washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/10/stephen-colberts-audience-cheers-james-comey-firin/ | 2017-05-10 | 0right
| Colbert’s audience cheers Comey firing, changes tune after host’s correction
<p>Comedian Stephen Colbert had an awkward moment Tuesday night when his audience cheered the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey.</p>
<p>President Trump stunned the political world this week by dismissing Mr. Comey and citing a Department of Justice recommendation that he was unable “to effectively lead the bureau.” The CBS “Late Show” audience — no doubt familiar with Mr. Comey’s handling the agency’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s secret email server — cheered, but then quickly changed their tune with a scolding by Mr Colbert.</p>
<p>“Oh. Wow. Huge, huge Donald Trump fans here tonight!” Mr. Colbert said. “That shows no gratitude at all. I mean, did Trump forget about the Hillary emails that Comey talked about? I mean, ‘Thanks for the presidency, Jimmy. Now don’t let the door hit you where the electoral college split ya.’”</p>
<p>The audience picked up on the comedian’s desired response and then booed at the first opportunity.</p>
<p>“I’m shocked. My heart is thumping. My pulse is racing,” Mr. Colbert said. “He fired the FBI director, who has said under oath that he’s investigating the Trump campaign’s ties with Russia. No rationale has been given yet as to why, but it came on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.”</p>
<p>The sudden attitude shift was noticed by <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/05/10/stephen-colbert-corrects-his-audiences-confused-reaction-to-comey-firing/" type="external">websites</a> like the Blaze and users on social media platforms like Twitter.</p>
<p>“If you want to know why the Democrats must control the narrative, look no further than Colbert’s unpreparedness w/ audience Comey firing,” responded a Twitter user named Ali.</p>
<p>“I like how the sheep in Colbert’s audience cheered at Comey’s firing. They’re playing catch up to the narrative,” <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/862146950996480000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theblaze.com%2Fnews%2F2017%2F05%2F10%2Fstephen-colbert-corrects-his-audiences-confused-reaction-to-comey-firing%2F" type="external">added</a> Heat Streets’s Ian Miles Cheong.</p>
<p>Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer told reporters on Tuesday that he spoke to the president and said firing Mr. Comey was a “very big mistake.”</p>
<p>Mr. Trump’s decision came one day after a Senate panel discussed the vetting process of former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.</p>
<p>Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-comey-idUSKBN1852MV" type="external">told</a> the lawmakers that White House officials knew on Jan. 26 that Mr. Flynn had not been forthcoming regarding his discussions with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.</p>
<p />
<p>Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. <a href="http://license.icopyright.net/3.7280?icx_id=/news/2017/may/10/stephen-colberts-audience-cheers-james-comey-firin/" type="external">Click here for reprint permission</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 3,796 |
<p>History <a href="http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/06/03/god-guns-automobiles-premieres-on-history-monday-july-8-at-10pm/185497/" type="external">announced</a> the premiere of a new series, God, Guns &amp; Automobiles, that will feature Erich "Mancow" Muller, a far-right radio host who has engaged in a plethora of conspiracy theories -- including the claim that President Obama was born outside the United States -- and has suggested that an armed revolution will occur in America.</p>
<p>God, Guns &amp; Automobiles will document Mancow and his brother Mark Muller's operation of Max Motors, a car dealership located in rural Missouri that "embodies the values and the spirit of the heartland of America." The series is slated to premiere on History, formerly called The History Channel, on Monday, July 8 at 10 p.m. EST. Mark Muller, the founder of Max Motors, has frequently incorporated firearms into his car business. Since at least 2008, Max Motors has given away firearms -- often AK-47 assault weapons -- with the purchase of certain vehicles. A typical <a href="http://www.maxmotors.com/4th-annual-guns-and-gas-giveaway/1880" type="external">newspaper clipping</a> appearing on the Max Motors website states that "The Nation's Outlaw Car Dealer Is Doing It Again!" and offers a "free AK-47" with the purchase of any truck.</p>
<p />
<p>According to Mark Muller, his promotions have engendered controversy. In comments <a href="http://www.humanevents.com/2011/09/27/max-motors-targeted-by-atf-banks-and-general-motors/" type="external">published</a> at Human Events in 2011, Muller said that a past AK-47 giveaway had drawn scrutiny from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as a bank that provided Max Motors with financing. Muller also said that General Motors threatened to rescind his dealership agreement because of the promotion. In 2008, Mancow highlighted his brother's promotion with a <a href="http://www.mancow.com/b/Guns--Guts!/445353524013451041.html" type="external">post on his website</a> that warned "you'll need a gun to protect yourself from the violent masses during the coming depression." In his posting, Mancow also <a href="/blog/2013/05/20/daily-caller-affixes-image-of-marching-nazis-to/194147" type="external">repeated the falsehood</a> that Germany's gun laws were responsible for the Holocaust.</p>
<p>On April 13, Max Motors hosted its "1st Annual Great Gun Buyback," offering $50 to $10,000 to purchase firearms from the public. According to <a href="http://www.maxmotors.com/max-motors-1st-annual-great-gun-buyback/11218" type="external">an ad</a> on the Max Motors website, "We'll take any and all guns with no limit to the number you can bring in!" A contemporaneous <a href="/static/images/item/maxmotorsgunbuyback.JPG" type="external">Facebook posting</a> added, "There will also be a camera crew here that day. Come in for a chance to be on TV!!"</p> | Meet "Mancow" Muller, The Conspiracy Theorist Star Of History Channel's New Gun Show | true | http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/06/10/meet-mancow-muller-the-conspiracy-theorist-star/194391 | 2013-06-10 | 4left
| Meet "Mancow" Muller, The Conspiracy Theorist Star Of History Channel's New Gun Show
<p>History <a href="http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/06/03/god-guns-automobiles-premieres-on-history-monday-july-8-at-10pm/185497/" type="external">announced</a> the premiere of a new series, God, Guns &amp; Automobiles, that will feature Erich "Mancow" Muller, a far-right radio host who has engaged in a plethora of conspiracy theories -- including the claim that President Obama was born outside the United States -- and has suggested that an armed revolution will occur in America.</p>
<p>God, Guns &amp; Automobiles will document Mancow and his brother Mark Muller's operation of Max Motors, a car dealership located in rural Missouri that "embodies the values and the spirit of the heartland of America." The series is slated to premiere on History, formerly called The History Channel, on Monday, July 8 at 10 p.m. EST. Mark Muller, the founder of Max Motors, has frequently incorporated firearms into his car business. Since at least 2008, Max Motors has given away firearms -- often AK-47 assault weapons -- with the purchase of certain vehicles. A typical <a href="http://www.maxmotors.com/4th-annual-guns-and-gas-giveaway/1880" type="external">newspaper clipping</a> appearing on the Max Motors website states that "The Nation's Outlaw Car Dealer Is Doing It Again!" and offers a "free AK-47" with the purchase of any truck.</p>
<p />
<p>According to Mark Muller, his promotions have engendered controversy. In comments <a href="http://www.humanevents.com/2011/09/27/max-motors-targeted-by-atf-banks-and-general-motors/" type="external">published</a> at Human Events in 2011, Muller said that a past AK-47 giveaway had drawn scrutiny from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as a bank that provided Max Motors with financing. Muller also said that General Motors threatened to rescind his dealership agreement because of the promotion. In 2008, Mancow highlighted his brother's promotion with a <a href="http://www.mancow.com/b/Guns--Guts!/445353524013451041.html" type="external">post on his website</a> that warned "you'll need a gun to protect yourself from the violent masses during the coming depression." In his posting, Mancow also <a href="/blog/2013/05/20/daily-caller-affixes-image-of-marching-nazis-to/194147" type="external">repeated the falsehood</a> that Germany's gun laws were responsible for the Holocaust.</p>
<p>On April 13, Max Motors hosted its "1st Annual Great Gun Buyback," offering $50 to $10,000 to purchase firearms from the public. According to <a href="http://www.maxmotors.com/max-motors-1st-annual-great-gun-buyback/11218" type="external">an ad</a> on the Max Motors website, "We'll take any and all guns with no limit to the number you can bring in!" A contemporaneous <a href="/static/images/item/maxmotorsgunbuyback.JPG" type="external">Facebook posting</a> added, "There will also be a camera crew here that day. Come in for a chance to be on TV!!"</p> | 3,797 |
<p>Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell (Photo courtesy of Equator Coffees &amp; Teas)</p>
<p>The U.S. Small Business Administration this week named two lesbians as its Small Business Person(s) of the Year.</p>
<p>Brooke McDonnell and Helen Russell own and operate Equator Coffees &amp; Teas, which is based in San Rafael, Calif. The company — which began in McDonnell’s garage in 1995 — now has 90 employees and counts the French Laundry restaurant as among its 350 wholesale customers.</p>
<p>SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet noted in a press release that Equator Coffees &amp; Teas plans to open two additional stores in Northern California.</p>
<p>“It all started in 1995 when they started to roast coffee in Brooke’s garage,” she said.</p>
<p>McDonnell and Russell are the first LGBT business owners the SBA has honored as the Small Business Person(s) of the Year.</p>
<p>Equator Coffee &amp; Teas became certified as a National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce LGBT Business Enterprise in 2015.</p>
<p>“The entire LGBT business community and NGLCC family is celebrating this win for Equator Coffees &amp; Teas,” said NGLCC President Justin Nelson in a press release.</p>
<p>The SBA honored McDonnell and Russell on May 2 during a ceremony in D.C. Contreras-Sweet is scheduled to visit Equator Coffee &amp; Tea’s store in San Francisco this week.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Brooke McDonnell</a> <a href="" type="internal">California</a> <a href="" type="internal">Equator Coffees &amp; Teas</a> <a href="" type="internal">French Laundry</a> <a href="" type="internal">Helen Russell</a> <a href="" type="internal">Justin Nelson</a> <a href="" type="internal">LGBT</a> <a href="" type="internal">Maria Contreras-Sweet</a> <a href="" type="internal">National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce</a> <a href="" type="internal">NGLCC</a> <a href="" type="internal">San Rafael</a> <a href="" type="internal">SBA</a> <a href="" type="internal">U.S. Small Business Administration</a></p> | SBA honors lesbian business owners | false | http://washingtonblade.com/2016/05/04/sba-honors-lesbian-business-owners/ | 3left-center
| SBA honors lesbian business owners
<p>Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell (Photo courtesy of Equator Coffees &amp; Teas)</p>
<p>The U.S. Small Business Administration this week named two lesbians as its Small Business Person(s) of the Year.</p>
<p>Brooke McDonnell and Helen Russell own and operate Equator Coffees &amp; Teas, which is based in San Rafael, Calif. The company — which began in McDonnell’s garage in 1995 — now has 90 employees and counts the French Laundry restaurant as among its 350 wholesale customers.</p>
<p>SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet noted in a press release that Equator Coffees &amp; Teas plans to open two additional stores in Northern California.</p>
<p>“It all started in 1995 when they started to roast coffee in Brooke’s garage,” she said.</p>
<p>McDonnell and Russell are the first LGBT business owners the SBA has honored as the Small Business Person(s) of the Year.</p>
<p>Equator Coffee &amp; Teas became certified as a National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce LGBT Business Enterprise in 2015.</p>
<p>“The entire LGBT business community and NGLCC family is celebrating this win for Equator Coffees &amp; Teas,” said NGLCC President Justin Nelson in a press release.</p>
<p>The SBA honored McDonnell and Russell on May 2 during a ceremony in D.C. Contreras-Sweet is scheduled to visit Equator Coffee &amp; Tea’s store in San Francisco this week.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Brooke McDonnell</a> <a href="" type="internal">California</a> <a href="" type="internal">Equator Coffees &amp; Teas</a> <a href="" type="internal">French Laundry</a> <a href="" type="internal">Helen Russell</a> <a href="" type="internal">Justin Nelson</a> <a href="" type="internal">LGBT</a> <a href="" type="internal">Maria Contreras-Sweet</a> <a href="" type="internal">National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce</a> <a href="" type="internal">NGLCC</a> <a href="" type="internal">San Rafael</a> <a href="" type="internal">SBA</a> <a href="" type="internal">U.S. Small Business Administration</a></p> | 3,798 |
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<p>A look at the 10 biggest volume gainers on New York Stock Exchange at the close of trading:</p>
<p>AZZ Inc. : Approximately 677,700 shares changed hands, a 496.4 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.19 or .5 percent to $41.96.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Briggs &amp; Stratton Corp. : Approximately 1,730,900 shares changed hands, a 390.0 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.75 or 4.2 percent to $17.27.</p>
<p>China Green Agriculture Inc. : Approximately 4,159,000 shares changed hands, a 642.1 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.27 or 13.6 percent to $2.25.</p>
<p>Civeo Corp. : Approximately 7,779,000 shares changed hands, a 435.4 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.91 or 7.8 percent to $12.52.</p>
<p>Clean Harbors Inc. : Approximately 2,747,700 shares changed hands, a 547.0 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $1.66 or 3.1 percent to $52.26.</p>
<p>National Presto Industries Inc. : Approximately 214,300 shares changed hands, a 944.8 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $4.02 or 6.6 percent to $56.69.</p>
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<p>Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC : Approximately 430,800 shares changed hands, a 390.5 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.44 or 3.5 percent to $12.04.</p>
<p>Opower Inc. : Approximately 1,172,700 shares changed hands, a 1,138.8 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.98 or 5.2 percent to $17.88.</p>
<p>Phillips 66 LP : Approximately 1,127,400 shares changed hands, a 881.1 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.65 or 1.0 percent to $66.10.</p>
<p>SPX Corp. : Approximately 1,835,900 shares changed hands, a 469.2 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $3.98 or 4.2 percent to $89.95.</p> | Top 10 New York Stock Exchange-traded stocks posting largest volume increases | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/10/08/top-10-new-york-stock-exchange-traded-stocks-posting-largest-volume-increases.html | 2016-03-06 | 0right
| Top 10 New York Stock Exchange-traded stocks posting largest volume increases
<p>A look at the 10 biggest volume gainers on New York Stock Exchange at the close of trading:</p>
<p>AZZ Inc. : Approximately 677,700 shares changed hands, a 496.4 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.19 or .5 percent to $41.96.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Briggs &amp; Stratton Corp. : Approximately 1,730,900 shares changed hands, a 390.0 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.75 or 4.2 percent to $17.27.</p>
<p>China Green Agriculture Inc. : Approximately 4,159,000 shares changed hands, a 642.1 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.27 or 13.6 percent to $2.25.</p>
<p>Civeo Corp. : Approximately 7,779,000 shares changed hands, a 435.4 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.91 or 7.8 percent to $12.52.</p>
<p>Clean Harbors Inc. : Approximately 2,747,700 shares changed hands, a 547.0 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $1.66 or 3.1 percent to $52.26.</p>
<p>National Presto Industries Inc. : Approximately 214,300 shares changed hands, a 944.8 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $4.02 or 6.6 percent to $56.69.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC : Approximately 430,800 shares changed hands, a 390.5 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.44 or 3.5 percent to $12.04.</p>
<p>Opower Inc. : Approximately 1,172,700 shares changed hands, a 1,138.8 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.98 or 5.2 percent to $17.88.</p>
<p>Phillips 66 LP : Approximately 1,127,400 shares changed hands, a 881.1 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.65 or 1.0 percent to $66.10.</p>
<p>SPX Corp. : Approximately 1,835,900 shares changed hands, a 469.2 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $3.98 or 4.2 percent to $89.95.</p> | 3,799 |
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