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<p>SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 39-year-old former football coach and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in northwest Iowa has been convicted of a similar crime in Nebraska.</p>
<p>Court records say Kyle Ewinger was found guilty Tuesday of sexual assault in Omaha. Prosecutors say that in 2012 and 2013, he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating. Ewinger’s sentencing is scheduled for March 28.</p>
<p>Iowa records say the Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found Ewinger sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in October 2015.</p>
<p>Ewinger has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His trial in Osceola County is set to begin April 10.</p>
<p>SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 39-year-old former football coach and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in northwest Iowa has been convicted of a similar crime in Nebraska.</p>
<p>Court records say Kyle Ewinger was found guilty Tuesday of sexual assault in Omaha. Prosecutors say that in 2012 and 2013, he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating. Ewinger’s sentencing is scheduled for March 28.</p>
<p>Iowa records say the Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found Ewinger sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in October 2015.</p>
<p>Ewinger has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His trial in Osceola County is set to begin April 10.</p>
|
Ex-Iowa football coach guilty of boy’s assault in Nebraska
| false |
https://apnews.com/4b47f08919124d46b9af3ede2176a26c
|
2018-01-18
| 2least
|
Ex-Iowa football coach guilty of boy’s assault in Nebraska
<p>SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 39-year-old former football coach and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in northwest Iowa has been convicted of a similar crime in Nebraska.</p>
<p>Court records say Kyle Ewinger was found guilty Tuesday of sexual assault in Omaha. Prosecutors say that in 2012 and 2013, he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating. Ewinger’s sentencing is scheduled for March 28.</p>
<p>Iowa records say the Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found Ewinger sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in October 2015.</p>
<p>Ewinger has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His trial in Osceola County is set to begin April 10.</p>
<p>SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 39-year-old former football coach and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in northwest Iowa has been convicted of a similar crime in Nebraska.</p>
<p>Court records say Kyle Ewinger was found guilty Tuesday of sexual assault in Omaha. Prosecutors say that in 2012 and 2013, he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating. Ewinger’s sentencing is scheduled for March 28.</p>
<p>Iowa records say the Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found Ewinger sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in October 2015.</p>
<p>Ewinger has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His trial in Osceola County is set to begin April 10.</p>
| 598,700 |
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doubts that Donald Trump can save his presidency. If the top Republican&#160;is making this revelation means he may know a lot more than he is willing to talk about now.</p>
<p>Donald Trump's presidency&#160;may be going in the same direction of another Republican president, Richard&#160;Nixon.&#160;New York Times reporters Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin dropped an article that should make every Trump supporter cringe and the president fearful.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-trump.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=first-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news" type="external">article</a> titled "McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency" starts with the bombshell.</p>
<p>The relationship between President Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has disintegrated to the point that they have not spoken to each other in weeks, and Mr. McConnell has privately expressed uncertainty that Mr. Trump will be able to salvage his administration after a series of summer crises.</p>
<p>It turns out that McConnell and Trump were recently in a shouting match.</p>
<p>During the call, which Mr. Trump initiated on Aug. 9 from his New Jersey golf club, the president accused Mr. McConnell of bungling the health care issue. He was even more animated about what he intimated was the Senate leader’s refusal to protect him from investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to Republicans briefed on the conversation. ...</p>
<p>In offhand remarks, Mr. McConnell has expressed a sense of bewilderment about where Mr. Trump’s presidency may be headed, and has mused about whether Mr. Trump will be in a position to lead the Republican Party into next year’s elections and beyond, according to people who have spoken to him directly.</p>
<p>Mr. Trump has been actively targeting individual Republican senators. It is clear that McConnell must know the president has committed impeachable offenses based on the statement from his former chief of staff.</p>
<p>“The quickest way for him to get impeached is for Trump to knock off Jeff Flake and Dean Heller and be faced with a Democrat-led Senate,” said Billy Piper, a lobbyist and former McConnell chief of staff.</p>
<p>The New York Times article is worth a read. It clearly illustrates the level of dysfunction between this Republican President, Congress, and the governance&#160;of this great country.</p>
|
Top Republican believes Trump’s presidency unsalvageable
| true |
https://egbertowillies.com/2017/08/22/trumps-presidency-unsalvageable/
|
2017-08-22
| 4left
|
Top Republican believes Trump’s presidency unsalvageable
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doubts that Donald Trump can save his presidency. If the top Republican&#160;is making this revelation means he may know a lot more than he is willing to talk about now.</p>
<p>Donald Trump's presidency&#160;may be going in the same direction of another Republican president, Richard&#160;Nixon.&#160;New York Times reporters Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin dropped an article that should make every Trump supporter cringe and the president fearful.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-trump.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=first-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news" type="external">article</a> titled "McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency" starts with the bombshell.</p>
<p>The relationship between President Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has disintegrated to the point that they have not spoken to each other in weeks, and Mr. McConnell has privately expressed uncertainty that Mr. Trump will be able to salvage his administration after a series of summer crises.</p>
<p>It turns out that McConnell and Trump were recently in a shouting match.</p>
<p>During the call, which Mr. Trump initiated on Aug. 9 from his New Jersey golf club, the president accused Mr. McConnell of bungling the health care issue. He was even more animated about what he intimated was the Senate leader’s refusal to protect him from investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to Republicans briefed on the conversation. ...</p>
<p>In offhand remarks, Mr. McConnell has expressed a sense of bewilderment about where Mr. Trump’s presidency may be headed, and has mused about whether Mr. Trump will be in a position to lead the Republican Party into next year’s elections and beyond, according to people who have spoken to him directly.</p>
<p>Mr. Trump has been actively targeting individual Republican senators. It is clear that McConnell must know the president has committed impeachable offenses based on the statement from his former chief of staff.</p>
<p>“The quickest way for him to get impeached is for Trump to knock off Jeff Flake and Dean Heller and be faced with a Democrat-led Senate,” said Billy Piper, a lobbyist and former McConnell chief of staff.</p>
<p>The New York Times article is worth a read. It clearly illustrates the level of dysfunction between this Republican President, Congress, and the governance&#160;of this great country.</p>
| 598,701 |
<p>Donald Trump and his wife Ivana in 1988Mario Ruiz/ZUMA</p>
<p />
<p>In order to avoid admitting to cheating on his wife, Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 97 times during his divorce proceedings with Ivana Trump in 1990, the Huffington Post <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-pleading-the-fifth_us_57ed79dee4b024a52d2de46d?" type="external">reported</a> Friday. So it should come as little surprise that Trump had kind words for a system that allows men to divorce their wives without going to court: Saudi Arabia’s Shariah law.</p>
<p>The Republican presidential candidate praised the Islamic law, or Shariah, system during a 60-second syndicated daily radio commentary called “Trumped!” that he recorded from 2004 to 2008. In a <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/07/11/radio-archive-what-donald-trump-said-about-hillary-clinton-tattoos-guns-more/" type="external">January 2008 segment</a>, Trump discussed a news story of a Saudi man who had divorced his wife for watching a television show while alone at home because, in Trump’s telling, the husband considered it tantamount to being alone with a strange man.</p>
<p>“Men in Saudi Arabia have the authority to divorce their wives without going to the courts,” Trump said. “I guess that would also mean they don’t need prenuptial agreements. The fact is, no courts, no judges—Saudi Arabia sounds like a very good place to get a divorce.”</p>
<p>BuzzFeed first <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/christophermassie/theres-hours-of-audio-of-donald-trumps-nationally-syndicated?utm_term=.bdXrNl574#.unvWOj1l9" type="external">uncovered</a> the show and its website in March, and the Wall Street Journal <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/07/11/radio-archive-what-donald-trump-said-about-hillary-clinton-tattoos-guns-more/" type="external">published</a> some audio and transcripts in July. According to BuzzFeed, stations that still have an archive of the shows cannot release the audio without Trump’s permission.</p>
<p>When it comes to Trump’s beliefs about women, Trump’s radio vignettes often mirror his own life and his past treatment of and attitudes toward women that are now haunting his campaign.</p>
<p>In recent days, Trump has threatened to begin attacking Hillary Clinton for her husband’s infidelities. But it’s Trump who has extensive experience with divorce—and it’s no wonder he would have preferred the Saudi system. Before finalizing his divorce from his first wife, Ivana, Trump began seeing Marla Maples, who would become his second wife. The divorce required five depositions, during which he repeatedly took the Fifth.</p>
<p>Trump’s remarks about Saudi Arabia were not the only commentary from his radio show with relevance to Trump’s own marriages. Trump often used the show to discuss the appearance of female celebrities. In one segment from 2005, Trump noted that pop star Britney Spears had disappeared from a list of the sexiest women alive compiled by FHM, a men’s magazine. “Angelina [Jolie] took over the crown from Britney Spears, who didn’t even make the sexy list this year,” Trump said. “She has gone down, there’s no question about it. That’s what a marriage can do for you.”</p>
<p>His belief that marriage hurts a woman’s appearance wasn’t great news for his own marriage to Ivana. As that union unraveled, he made it clear to her that her looks had deteriorated—and Ivana seemed to internalize that critique and blame herself. “She threw herself into my arms sobbing and crying and saying, ‘Donald doesn’t want me anymore,'” former New York Daily News columnist Liz Smith recently <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/proud-adulterer-blames-woman-for-not-stopping-husbands-adultery" type="external">recalled</a>. “‘He has told me, he can’t be sexually attracted to a woman who has had children.'” In order to entice her husband, Ivana got a face lift and a breast augmentation, Smith said.</p>
<p>It didn’t work. Trump was seeing a new woman and setting the stage for his future radio commentary about Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p />
|
Trump Praised Saudi Arabia’s Shariah Law for Making It Easy for Men to Get Divorced
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2016/09/time-donald-trump-called-saudi-arabia-good-place-get-divorce/
|
2016-09-30
| 4left
|
Trump Praised Saudi Arabia’s Shariah Law for Making It Easy for Men to Get Divorced
<p>Donald Trump and his wife Ivana in 1988Mario Ruiz/ZUMA</p>
<p />
<p>In order to avoid admitting to cheating on his wife, Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 97 times during his divorce proceedings with Ivana Trump in 1990, the Huffington Post <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-pleading-the-fifth_us_57ed79dee4b024a52d2de46d?" type="external">reported</a> Friday. So it should come as little surprise that Trump had kind words for a system that allows men to divorce their wives without going to court: Saudi Arabia’s Shariah law.</p>
<p>The Republican presidential candidate praised the Islamic law, or Shariah, system during a 60-second syndicated daily radio commentary called “Trumped!” that he recorded from 2004 to 2008. In a <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/07/11/radio-archive-what-donald-trump-said-about-hillary-clinton-tattoos-guns-more/" type="external">January 2008 segment</a>, Trump discussed a news story of a Saudi man who had divorced his wife for watching a television show while alone at home because, in Trump’s telling, the husband considered it tantamount to being alone with a strange man.</p>
<p>“Men in Saudi Arabia have the authority to divorce their wives without going to the courts,” Trump said. “I guess that would also mean they don’t need prenuptial agreements. The fact is, no courts, no judges—Saudi Arabia sounds like a very good place to get a divorce.”</p>
<p>BuzzFeed first <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/christophermassie/theres-hours-of-audio-of-donald-trumps-nationally-syndicated?utm_term=.bdXrNl574#.unvWOj1l9" type="external">uncovered</a> the show and its website in March, and the Wall Street Journal <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/07/11/radio-archive-what-donald-trump-said-about-hillary-clinton-tattoos-guns-more/" type="external">published</a> some audio and transcripts in July. According to BuzzFeed, stations that still have an archive of the shows cannot release the audio without Trump’s permission.</p>
<p>When it comes to Trump’s beliefs about women, Trump’s radio vignettes often mirror his own life and his past treatment of and attitudes toward women that are now haunting his campaign.</p>
<p>In recent days, Trump has threatened to begin attacking Hillary Clinton for her husband’s infidelities. But it’s Trump who has extensive experience with divorce—and it’s no wonder he would have preferred the Saudi system. Before finalizing his divorce from his first wife, Ivana, Trump began seeing Marla Maples, who would become his second wife. The divorce required five depositions, during which he repeatedly took the Fifth.</p>
<p>Trump’s remarks about Saudi Arabia were not the only commentary from his radio show with relevance to Trump’s own marriages. Trump often used the show to discuss the appearance of female celebrities. In one segment from 2005, Trump noted that pop star Britney Spears had disappeared from a list of the sexiest women alive compiled by FHM, a men’s magazine. “Angelina [Jolie] took over the crown from Britney Spears, who didn’t even make the sexy list this year,” Trump said. “She has gone down, there’s no question about it. That’s what a marriage can do for you.”</p>
<p>His belief that marriage hurts a woman’s appearance wasn’t great news for his own marriage to Ivana. As that union unraveled, he made it clear to her that her looks had deteriorated—and Ivana seemed to internalize that critique and blame herself. “She threw herself into my arms sobbing and crying and saying, ‘Donald doesn’t want me anymore,'” former New York Daily News columnist Liz Smith recently <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/proud-adulterer-blames-woman-for-not-stopping-husbands-adultery" type="external">recalled</a>. “‘He has told me, he can’t be sexually attracted to a woman who has had children.'” In order to entice her husband, Ivana got a face lift and a breast augmentation, Smith said.</p>
<p>It didn’t work. Trump was seeing a new woman and setting the stage for his future radio commentary about Saudi Arabia.</p>
<p />
| 598,702 |
<p />
<p>What goes up must come down. But what about the other way around?</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That could be the case for three beaten-down biotech stocks: Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX), Geron (NASDAQ: GERN), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX). Here's why buying these biotech stocks could pay off big in 2017.</p>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Celldex Therapeutics was once a high-flying stock. But that was before the company's lead candidate, Rintega, flopped in a late-stage study for treating a type of brain tumor. Over the past 12 months, Celldex's shares have plunged close to 70%.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>I suspect there's a decent chance, though, that Celldex could rebound in 2017. The biotech should announce results from a phase 2 clinical study of glembatumumabvedotin ("glemba" for short) in treating uveal melanoma early this year. More importantly, a pivotal study of glembain treating triple-negative breast cancer is scheduled to wrap up in December.</p>
<p>Those aren't the only potential catalysts for Celldex in 2017, though. A phase 2 clinical trial featuring glemba in combination with another of the biotech's pipeline candidates,varlilumab, in treating advanced melanoma should complete in November.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be surprised if the biotech's stock climbs throughout 2017 assuming Celldex reports positive results early this year from the uveal melanoma study. Good news from this study would likely renew investor interest in Celldex and heighten expectations for the later clinical trials.</p>
<p>Geron didn't tank quite as much as Celldex, but shares of the clinical-stage biotech still fell 40% over the past 12 months. In September, Geron announced that its partner, Johnson &amp; Johnson, was discontinuing investigation of a lower-dosage of telomerase inhibitor imetelstat in treatingmyelofibrosis.</p>
<p>Although that announcement was disappointing, Geron could still have a big opportunity with imetelstat. There were enough "encouraging trends" with the higher-dose arm in the phase 2 study to keep going. In addition, an interim review of another clinical study of imetelstat in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) gave a green light for the study to continue with no changes.</p>
<p>Geron hopes to receive better news from the myelobrosis study this summer.If the results are positive, it will bode well for imetelstat's prospects in the nearly wide-open myelofibrosis market. There is only one drug currently approved for the indication -- Incyte's Jakafi.</p>
<p>Vertex Pharmaceuticals was the smallest loser of these three biotech stocks. The company's shares dropped around 15% over the last 12 months. Vertex's woes stemmed from three factors: failing to meet Wall Street earnings expectations, a negative FDA approval decision, and a canceled late-stage clinical study.</p>
<p>There's definitely an opportunity for Vertex to regain investors' confidence in 2017. The company hopes to make significant progress in finalizing reimbursement forcystic fibrosis (CF) drug Orkambi in European countries. That's not an easy task, though, since deals must be negotiated separately with each nation.</p>
<p>Vertex could also get a boost from its pipeline candidate tezacaftor. Results from several late-stage studies of the drug in combination with Kalydeco in treating CF are expected in the first half of this year. If all goes well, Vertex should submit the combo for regulatory approval in the U.S. in the second half of 2017.</p>
<p>Of these three beaten-down biotech stocks, I'd say that Vertex has the highest chances of rebounding. It should just be a matter of time before European countries agree to reimburse Orkambi. Finalizing those arrangements appears to be the company's main hurdle to jump right now.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I suspect that Geron might be the biggest winner in 2017 among these three stocks. It all depends on themyelofibrosis study results for imetelstat. If those results are positive, Geron's shares will undoubtedly skyrocket.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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=7e0a0577-805d-4c43-bf7d-c0ef3739d850&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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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=7e0a0577-805d-4c43-bf7d-c0ef3739d850&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 January 4, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celldex Therapeutics, Johnson and Johnson, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. 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 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks You Can Buy Right Now
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/01/19/3-beaten-down-biotech-stocks-can-buy-right-now.html
|
2017-01-19
| 0right
|
3 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks You Can Buy Right Now
<p />
<p>What goes up must come down. But what about the other way around?</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That could be the case for three beaten-down biotech stocks: Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX), Geron (NASDAQ: GERN), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX). Here's why buying these biotech stocks could pay off big in 2017.</p>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Celldex Therapeutics was once a high-flying stock. But that was before the company's lead candidate, Rintega, flopped in a late-stage study for treating a type of brain tumor. Over the past 12 months, Celldex's shares have plunged close to 70%.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>I suspect there's a decent chance, though, that Celldex could rebound in 2017. The biotech should announce results from a phase 2 clinical study of glembatumumabvedotin ("glemba" for short) in treating uveal melanoma early this year. More importantly, a pivotal study of glembain treating triple-negative breast cancer is scheduled to wrap up in December.</p>
<p>Those aren't the only potential catalysts for Celldex in 2017, though. A phase 2 clinical trial featuring glemba in combination with another of the biotech's pipeline candidates,varlilumab, in treating advanced melanoma should complete in November.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be surprised if the biotech's stock climbs throughout 2017 assuming Celldex reports positive results early this year from the uveal melanoma study. Good news from this study would likely renew investor interest in Celldex and heighten expectations for the later clinical trials.</p>
<p>Geron didn't tank quite as much as Celldex, but shares of the clinical-stage biotech still fell 40% over the past 12 months. In September, Geron announced that its partner, Johnson &amp; Johnson, was discontinuing investigation of a lower-dosage of telomerase inhibitor imetelstat in treatingmyelofibrosis.</p>
<p>Although that announcement was disappointing, Geron could still have a big opportunity with imetelstat. There were enough "encouraging trends" with the higher-dose arm in the phase 2 study to keep going. In addition, an interim review of another clinical study of imetelstat in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) gave a green light for the study to continue with no changes.</p>
<p>Geron hopes to receive better news from the myelobrosis study this summer.If the results are positive, it will bode well for imetelstat's prospects in the nearly wide-open myelofibrosis market. There is only one drug currently approved for the indication -- Incyte's Jakafi.</p>
<p>Vertex Pharmaceuticals was the smallest loser of these three biotech stocks. The company's shares dropped around 15% over the last 12 months. Vertex's woes stemmed from three factors: failing to meet Wall Street earnings expectations, a negative FDA approval decision, and a canceled late-stage clinical study.</p>
<p>There's definitely an opportunity for Vertex to regain investors' confidence in 2017. The company hopes to make significant progress in finalizing reimbursement forcystic fibrosis (CF) drug Orkambi in European countries. That's not an easy task, though, since deals must be negotiated separately with each nation.</p>
<p>Vertex could also get a boost from its pipeline candidate tezacaftor. Results from several late-stage studies of the drug in combination with Kalydeco in treating CF are expected in the first half of this year. If all goes well, Vertex should submit the combo for regulatory approval in the U.S. in the second half of 2017.</p>
<p>Of these three beaten-down biotech stocks, I'd say that Vertex has the highest chances of rebounding. It should just be a matter of time before European countries agree to reimburse Orkambi. Finalizing those arrangements appears to be the company's main hurdle to jump right now.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I suspect that Geron might be the biggest winner in 2017 among these three stocks. It all depends on themyelofibrosis study results for imetelstat. If those results are positive, Geron's shares will undoubtedly skyrocket.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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=7e0a0577-805d-4c43-bf7d-c0ef3739d850&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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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=7e0a0577-805d-4c43-bf7d-c0ef3739d850&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 January 4, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celldex Therapeutics, Johnson and Johnson, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. 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>
| 598,703 |
<p />
<p>Image source: Intel.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Microprocessor giant Intel is planning to host an in-depth presentation about its chip manufacturing technology at its developer forum, known as the Intel Developer Forum, in August. In particular, the company will be hosting what it calls a "Technology Insight" session titled "Building Winning Products with Intel Advanced Technologies and Custom Foundry Platforms."</p>
<p>The presentation will be hosted by Intel Senior Fellow Mark Bohr and Intel Vice President Zane Ball. The company apparently plans to cover a pretty broad range of topics, many of which should be of interest to some investors.</p>
<p>Let's take a closer look at what Intel plans to cover.</p>
<p>Intel says that during this presentation, it will provide "key innovations and Intel's 10nm highlights." The company has been rather mum about its 10-nanometer technology aside from claims around density and relative cost-per-transistor in fairly vague terms.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>It would seem that Intel is finally ready to spill the beans here. Not only should we learn about the sort of density/area scaling this technology is expected to provide, but the company may even reveal some of the key structural and materials enhancements made to the transistor itself.</p>
<p>At various investor events, Intel has tried to make the point to investors that technology names (i.e., "14nm" and "10nm") aren't always useful in trying to gauge the competitiveness of technologies from different manufacturers.</p>
<p>During this presentation, Intel apparently intends to provide an analysis of the technology-naming schemes from its competition. Remember that Intel's biggest competitor, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., plans to go into production on its "10-nanometer" technology early next year and its "7-nanometer" technology the year after that.</p>
<p>Intel, in contrast, isn't expected to go into production on its own 10-nanometer technology until next year. Its 7-nanometer technology is likely to go into production approximately three years after its 10 nanometer goes into production. From a naming perspective, Intel will clearly be "behind," but the company is almost certainly going to try to show why this won't be the case when it comes to the underlying technology.</p>
<p>Intel signaled some time ago that it would like to start manufacturing chips for third-party customers. There have been a few small customers that have signed on to use the company's manufacturing technology, but aside from Altera -- which Intel actually went out and bought -- Intel has yet to announce any really high profile contract chip manufacturing wins.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the description of this session on Intel's site indicates that a good amount of time will be dedicated to talking about Intel Custom Foundry. Intel even claims that it will talk about "customer success stories."</p>
<p>It would be nice if Intel were to follow this presentation up with a discussion of Intel Custom Foundry at its investor meeting later this year. It's clear that the company has been investing significantly in Intel Custom Foundry, but there are a lot of aspects that remain a mystery to shareholders.</p>
<p>For example, when should investors expect to see a material revenue contribution from foundry customers? What types of customers is Intel trying to attract? How large of a revenue opportunity does Intel see from its foundry efforts over the long term? How about potential operating margin targets?</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/02/intel-corporation-to-talk-10-nanometer-tech-in-aug.aspx" type="external">Intel Corporation to Talk 10-Nanometer Tech in August Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/aeassa/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Ashraf Eassa Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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>
|
Intel Corporation to Talk 10-Nanometer Tech in August
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/07/02/intel-corporation-to-talk-10-nanometer-tech-in-august.html
|
2016-07-02
| 0right
|
Intel Corporation to Talk 10-Nanometer Tech in August
<p />
<p>Image source: Intel.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Microprocessor giant Intel is planning to host an in-depth presentation about its chip manufacturing technology at its developer forum, known as the Intel Developer Forum, in August. In particular, the company will be hosting what it calls a "Technology Insight" session titled "Building Winning Products with Intel Advanced Technologies and Custom Foundry Platforms."</p>
<p>The presentation will be hosted by Intel Senior Fellow Mark Bohr and Intel Vice President Zane Ball. The company apparently plans to cover a pretty broad range of topics, many of which should be of interest to some investors.</p>
<p>Let's take a closer look at what Intel plans to cover.</p>
<p>Intel says that during this presentation, it will provide "key innovations and Intel's 10nm highlights." The company has been rather mum about its 10-nanometer technology aside from claims around density and relative cost-per-transistor in fairly vague terms.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>It would seem that Intel is finally ready to spill the beans here. Not only should we learn about the sort of density/area scaling this technology is expected to provide, but the company may even reveal some of the key structural and materials enhancements made to the transistor itself.</p>
<p>At various investor events, Intel has tried to make the point to investors that technology names (i.e., "14nm" and "10nm") aren't always useful in trying to gauge the competitiveness of technologies from different manufacturers.</p>
<p>During this presentation, Intel apparently intends to provide an analysis of the technology-naming schemes from its competition. Remember that Intel's biggest competitor, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., plans to go into production on its "10-nanometer" technology early next year and its "7-nanometer" technology the year after that.</p>
<p>Intel, in contrast, isn't expected to go into production on its own 10-nanometer technology until next year. Its 7-nanometer technology is likely to go into production approximately three years after its 10 nanometer goes into production. From a naming perspective, Intel will clearly be "behind," but the company is almost certainly going to try to show why this won't be the case when it comes to the underlying technology.</p>
<p>Intel signaled some time ago that it would like to start manufacturing chips for third-party customers. There have been a few small customers that have signed on to use the company's manufacturing technology, but aside from Altera -- which Intel actually went out and bought -- Intel has yet to announce any really high profile contract chip manufacturing wins.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the description of this session on Intel's site indicates that a good amount of time will be dedicated to talking about Intel Custom Foundry. Intel even claims that it will talk about "customer success stories."</p>
<p>It would be nice if Intel were to follow this presentation up with a discussion of Intel Custom Foundry at its investor meeting later this year. It's clear that the company has been investing significantly in Intel Custom Foundry, but there are a lot of aspects that remain a mystery to shareholders.</p>
<p>For example, when should investors expect to see a material revenue contribution from foundry customers? What types of customers is Intel trying to attract? How large of a revenue opportunity does Intel see from its foundry efforts over the long term? How about potential operating margin targets?</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/02/intel-corporation-to-talk-10-nanometer-tech-in-aug.aspx" type="external">Intel Corporation to Talk 10-Nanometer Tech in August Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/aeassa/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Ashraf Eassa Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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>
| 598,704 |
<p>There's been quite a few online memes comparing Donald Trump's proposed wall to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico out of the United States to China's Great Wall.</p>
<p>Yesterday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted photos of his recent trip to the communist country, which included a trip to the Great Wall. The wall had many purposes in China's history, which included controlling immigration. Zuckerberg is a <a href="" type="internal">big advocate for amnesty for illegal immigrants and constantly talks about tearing down walls as opposed to building them</a>. In addition, he <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-immigration-reform-donald-trump-targeted-mark-zuckerberg-backed-group-2207836" type="external">helped fund a group that is spending millions to target Republican views on illegal immigration</a>. He's also a <a href="" type="internal">supporter of internet censorship, as I've documented time after time</a>. Primarily, and most controversially, posts criticizing Germany's refugee policies are taken down from the social media giant. Amusingly, China too is a world leader in online censorship.</p>
|
Mark Zuckerberg admires Great Wall of China after attacking conservative views on illegal immigration
| true |
http://therebel.media/mark_zuckerberg_admires_great_wall_of_china_after_attacking_trump_s_views_on_illegal_immigration
|
2016-03-22
| 0right
|
Mark Zuckerberg admires Great Wall of China after attacking conservative views on illegal immigration
<p>There's been quite a few online memes comparing Donald Trump's proposed wall to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico out of the United States to China's Great Wall.</p>
<p>Yesterday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted photos of his recent trip to the communist country, which included a trip to the Great Wall. The wall had many purposes in China's history, which included controlling immigration. Zuckerberg is a <a href="" type="internal">big advocate for amnesty for illegal immigrants and constantly talks about tearing down walls as opposed to building them</a>. In addition, he <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-immigration-reform-donald-trump-targeted-mark-zuckerberg-backed-group-2207836" type="external">helped fund a group that is spending millions to target Republican views on illegal immigration</a>. He's also a <a href="" type="internal">supporter of internet censorship, as I've documented time after time</a>. Primarily, and most controversially, posts criticizing Germany's refugee policies are taken down from the social media giant. Amusingly, China too is a world leader in online censorship.</p>
| 598,705 |
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>This was the first democratic election in Honduras since Zelaya was elected in 2005. In 2009, then president was kidnapped in a coup d’état that has lead to four and a half years of setbacks for human and particularly women’s rights in Honduras. This has included protest suppression, police intimidation, and increased sexual violence and&#160;aggression. The National Institute of Women (INAM) has faced&#160; <a href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2082/" type="external">militarization and intimidation</a>&#160;at the hands of the coup government. The same year the coup took place, Honduras saw a&#160; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">62% increase in femicide,</a>&#160;which&#160; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">Jody Williams argues</a>&#160;is in part because women played a key role in vocally&#160;opposing the coup.</p>
<p>In addition to attacks on women, small farmers and indigenous people have faced more land grabs, and the country as a whole has experienced a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">26% increase in extreme poverty.&#160;</a></p>
<p>This election could have redirected these patterns. According to Laura Carlsen&#160; <a href="http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/11226" type="external">at the CIP Americas Program,</a></p>
<p>The two contending candidates personify the political poles of the country. Hernandez was president of the Congress that opened the door wide to transnational corporations, ceding lands long held by indigenous and&#160;campesino&#160;inhabitants, consolidated the power of the official party over political institutions, and reversed historic—although modest—advances in women’s rights and wealth distribution. He calls himself the candidate of militarization, promising a “soldier on every street corner” and has said repeatedly that he will do “anything necessary” to bring security to the nation, despite that in many cases security forces themselves—under the command of his party—have been identified as the perpetrators of violent acts and rights violations against the population. Hernandez was the driving force behind the creation of a new and largely unsupervised&#160; <a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/the-americas-blog/honduras-military-police-as-a-major-electoral-issue" type="external">Military Police</a>.</p>
<p>Xiomara Castro became a prominent public figure in the resistance when her husband, Manuel Zelaya, was kidnapped and then trapped in the Brazilian Embassy during the coup regime. She supports a constitutional assembly, the popular demand that detonated the coup, and demilitarization of civil life. Many members of the resistance to the coup joined the new party and supported her candidacy, following a major debate within their ranks. For most feminists, the fact that Xiomara is a woman was less important than her political platform and commitment to women’s issues. There, they generally found more room to advance their causes than with a conservative National Party candidate.</p>
<p>Though many international monitors are not reporting any fraud on election day,&#160; <a href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/honduras-archives-46/4601-international-election-monitors-in-honduras-do-they-ensure-clean-elections-or-whitewash-fraud" type="external">members of the Honduras Solidarity Network</a>&#160;contend that&#160;most election fraud occurs before the actual voting day, and is harder for international monitors to notice:</p>
<p>Boiled down, our observations amount to a conclusion that conditions did not exist for democratic elections in the first place and that election day was invalidated by massive fraud. Violence, land grabs, assassinations, judicial impunity, and lack of institutionality since the June 2009 coup doomed the election from the start. The conditions for outright fraud on election day were created by: threats that poor people who survive on the small World Bank-funded welfare payment would lose that income if the National Party didn’t win; removal from the voting lists due to criminal charges against peasant and indigenous dissenters to dams, mines and land grabs; outright vote buying; and the murders of three Libre party activists on election weekend.</p>
<p>This election is not just about a potential female president being cheated of her chance at the office. It is about one of the most violent countries in Central America finally getting a chance at peace and stability.&#160;</p>
<p>Though militarization is often portrayed&#160;with the faces of boys and men, women make up the larger collateral damage of regimes like Honduras’.&#160;&#160;Xiomara Castro offered the best possibility at demilitarizing Honduras and challenging instances of abuse at the hands of military forces. In contrast to Hernández’s platform of ever&#160;increasing military presence, Castro looks like a savior.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>To read more about&#160;where grassroots feminists in Honduras are going from here, and U.S. involvement in the coup, check out CIP’s&#160; <a href="http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/11226" type="external">full article.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55472" type="external">Image credit</a></p>
|
What does Honduras’ election mean for women?
| true |
http://feministing.com/2013/12/13/what-does-honduras-election-mean-for-women/
| 4left
|
What does Honduras’ election mean for women?
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>This was the first democratic election in Honduras since Zelaya was elected in 2005. In 2009, then president was kidnapped in a coup d’état that has lead to four and a half years of setbacks for human and particularly women’s rights in Honduras. This has included protest suppression, police intimidation, and increased sexual violence and&#160;aggression. The National Institute of Women (INAM) has faced&#160; <a href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2082/" type="external">militarization and intimidation</a>&#160;at the hands of the coup government. The same year the coup took place, Honduras saw a&#160; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">62% increase in femicide,</a>&#160;which&#160; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">Jody Williams argues</a>&#160;is in part because women played a key role in vocally&#160;opposing the coup.</p>
<p>In addition to attacks on women, small farmers and indigenous people have faced more land grabs, and the country as a whole has experienced a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jody-williams/end-to-violence-rides-on-honduran-elections_b_4323859.html" type="external">26% increase in extreme poverty.&#160;</a></p>
<p>This election could have redirected these patterns. According to Laura Carlsen&#160; <a href="http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/11226" type="external">at the CIP Americas Program,</a></p>
<p>The two contending candidates personify the political poles of the country. Hernandez was president of the Congress that opened the door wide to transnational corporations, ceding lands long held by indigenous and&#160;campesino&#160;inhabitants, consolidated the power of the official party over political institutions, and reversed historic—although modest—advances in women’s rights and wealth distribution. He calls himself the candidate of militarization, promising a “soldier on every street corner” and has said repeatedly that he will do “anything necessary” to bring security to the nation, despite that in many cases security forces themselves—under the command of his party—have been identified as the perpetrators of violent acts and rights violations against the population. Hernandez was the driving force behind the creation of a new and largely unsupervised&#160; <a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/the-americas-blog/honduras-military-police-as-a-major-electoral-issue" type="external">Military Police</a>.</p>
<p>Xiomara Castro became a prominent public figure in the resistance when her husband, Manuel Zelaya, was kidnapped and then trapped in the Brazilian Embassy during the coup regime. She supports a constitutional assembly, the popular demand that detonated the coup, and demilitarization of civil life. Many members of the resistance to the coup joined the new party and supported her candidacy, following a major debate within their ranks. For most feminists, the fact that Xiomara is a woman was less important than her political platform and commitment to women’s issues. There, they generally found more room to advance their causes than with a conservative National Party candidate.</p>
<p>Though many international monitors are not reporting any fraud on election day,&#160; <a href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/honduras-archives-46/4601-international-election-monitors-in-honduras-do-they-ensure-clean-elections-or-whitewash-fraud" type="external">members of the Honduras Solidarity Network</a>&#160;contend that&#160;most election fraud occurs before the actual voting day, and is harder for international monitors to notice:</p>
<p>Boiled down, our observations amount to a conclusion that conditions did not exist for democratic elections in the first place and that election day was invalidated by massive fraud. Violence, land grabs, assassinations, judicial impunity, and lack of institutionality since the June 2009 coup doomed the election from the start. The conditions for outright fraud on election day were created by: threats that poor people who survive on the small World Bank-funded welfare payment would lose that income if the National Party didn’t win; removal from the voting lists due to criminal charges against peasant and indigenous dissenters to dams, mines and land grabs; outright vote buying; and the murders of three Libre party activists on election weekend.</p>
<p>This election is not just about a potential female president being cheated of her chance at the office. It is about one of the most violent countries in Central America finally getting a chance at peace and stability.&#160;</p>
<p>Though militarization is often portrayed&#160;with the faces of boys and men, women make up the larger collateral damage of regimes like Honduras’.&#160;&#160;Xiomara Castro offered the best possibility at demilitarizing Honduras and challenging instances of abuse at the hands of military forces. In contrast to Hernández’s platform of ever&#160;increasing military presence, Castro looks like a savior.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>To read more about&#160;where grassroots feminists in Honduras are going from here, and U.S. involvement in the coup, check out CIP’s&#160; <a href="http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/11226" type="external">full article.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55472" type="external">Image credit</a></p>
| 598,706 |
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<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Dear Corey: You complained to your home inspector one month after buying the property. That was well within the one-year limit. The fact that the inspector did not acknowledge the problem at that time is irrelevant. Your claim was made within the first year, so the inspector is not relieved of liability.</p>
<p>If the inspector is unwilling to admit his mistake, you can file a complaint in small claims court. When the judge sees the second home inspector’s report, your position will be strong. But before taking that step, get some advice from an attorney regarding the best way to approach this. A letter from the attorney to the inspector may be sufficient to resolve the entire matter. You should also find out if the home inspector has insurance for errors and omissions.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dear Barry: Our home inspector reported a leaking seal at the base of the toilet. After moving in, we hired a plumber to fix the leak. When he lifted the toilet, the wood beneath it was wet and rotted. Shouldn’t our inspector have disclosed this damage, as well as the leak? And is he liable for the cost of the additional repairs? – Maggie</p>
<p>Dear Maggie: If a home inspector discovers a leaking toilet seal, the repair should be done before you close escrow. That way, moisture damage under the toilet can be discovered before you take possession of the property. Waiting to do the repair at a later date was not a good idea.</p>
<p>If your home inspector was on the ball, he would have recommended that the repair be done prior to close of escrow. However, he cannot be held liable for a defect that was in a concealed location.</p>
<p>Dear Barry: Do double-pane windows have to be inspected for broken seals when you sell a home? – Debbie</p>
<p>Dear Debbie: Sellers should disclose all defects of which they are aware, including evidence of leaking dual-pane windows. However, sellers are not obligated to perform an inspection for this type of defect.</p>
<p>Home inspectors, if they are good at what they do, typically check for fogging or dry stains between dual-pane windows. In many cases, this evidence is very faint and difficult to see. It takes a well-trained eye to spot the telltale traces of leaking dual pane windows.</p>
<p>Distributed by Action Coast Publishing. To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the Web at <a href="http://www.housedetective.com" type="external">www.housedetective.com</a></p>
|
Complaint made prior to end of warranty
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/153667/complaint-made-prior-to-end-of-warranty.html
|
2012-12-16
| 2least
|
Complaint made prior to end of warranty
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Dear Corey: You complained to your home inspector one month after buying the property. That was well within the one-year limit. The fact that the inspector did not acknowledge the problem at that time is irrelevant. Your claim was made within the first year, so the inspector is not relieved of liability.</p>
<p>If the inspector is unwilling to admit his mistake, you can file a complaint in small claims court. When the judge sees the second home inspector’s report, your position will be strong. But before taking that step, get some advice from an attorney regarding the best way to approach this. A letter from the attorney to the inspector may be sufficient to resolve the entire matter. You should also find out if the home inspector has insurance for errors and omissions.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dear Barry: Our home inspector reported a leaking seal at the base of the toilet. After moving in, we hired a plumber to fix the leak. When he lifted the toilet, the wood beneath it was wet and rotted. Shouldn’t our inspector have disclosed this damage, as well as the leak? And is he liable for the cost of the additional repairs? – Maggie</p>
<p>Dear Maggie: If a home inspector discovers a leaking toilet seal, the repair should be done before you close escrow. That way, moisture damage under the toilet can be discovered before you take possession of the property. Waiting to do the repair at a later date was not a good idea.</p>
<p>If your home inspector was on the ball, he would have recommended that the repair be done prior to close of escrow. However, he cannot be held liable for a defect that was in a concealed location.</p>
<p>Dear Barry: Do double-pane windows have to be inspected for broken seals when you sell a home? – Debbie</p>
<p>Dear Debbie: Sellers should disclose all defects of which they are aware, including evidence of leaking dual-pane windows. However, sellers are not obligated to perform an inspection for this type of defect.</p>
<p>Home inspectors, if they are good at what they do, typically check for fogging or dry stains between dual-pane windows. In many cases, this evidence is very faint and difficult to see. It takes a well-trained eye to spot the telltale traces of leaking dual pane windows.</p>
<p>Distributed by Action Coast Publishing. To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the Web at <a href="http://www.housedetective.com" type="external">www.housedetective.com</a></p>
| 598,707 |
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, asking a federal court to overturn a December decision by Sessions to revoke legal guidance that was designed to protect minorities, the indigent and the disabled.</p> United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions visits families of opioid overdose victims at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. March 15, 2018. REUTERS/John Sommers II
<p>City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement that his lawsuit focuses on six of the 25 different legal memos that Sessions rescinded, and accused the Trump administration of “trying to gut protections for the poor, people of color and people with disabilities under the guise of regulatory reform.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Dan Levine; Editing by Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military policy toward fighting Islamic State militants in Syria remains the same following discussions with President Donald Trump this week and the military has not been given a timeline for withdrawing troops, the Pentagon said on Thursday.</p> A flag of Islamic State militants is pictured above a destroyed house near the Clock Square in Raqqa, Syria October 18, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
<p>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 had signaled his desire to get U.S. forces out of Syria in a speech last week, and officials said he had privately been pressing for an early withdrawal in talks with his national security aides.</p>
<p>“We’ve always thought that as we reach finality against ISIS in Syria we’re going to adjust the level of our presence there, so in that sense nothing actually has changed,” Marine Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie told a Pentagon briefing.</p>
<p>McKenzie said Trump has not given the U.S. military any timeline.</p>
<p>“We think as we go forward one of the things that we haven’t been given is a timeline and that is actually very effective... (The) President has actually been very good in not giving us a specific timeline, so that is a tool that we will use to our affect as we move forward,” McKenzie said.</p>
<p>The United States is conducting 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 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>The militant group is widely expected to revert to guerrilla tactics once the last remnants of its once self-styled “caliphate” are captured by U.S.-backed forces.</p>
<p>Reporting by Idrees Ali and David Alexander; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Alistair Bell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Yulia Skripal made her first public comments on Thursday since being poisoned in Britain last month with her father, a Russian former double-agent, saying she was getting stronger by the day but shedding no new light on the incident.</p>
<p>Yulia and Sergei Skripal, 66, were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. Britain said they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent, the first known use of such a toxin on European soil since World War Two.</p>
<p>London has blamed Russia for the attempted murder while Moscow denies any involvement. The incident has had major diplomatic ramifications, with mass expulsions of Russian and Western diplomats.</p>
<p>The attack left the Skripals in a critical condition and doctors had initially feared that even if they did survive, they might have suffered permanent brain damage.</p>
<p>But while her father remains stable in intensive care, Yulia’s health has improved rapidly. On Thursday she issued a statement through British police to thank hospital staff and people who came to her help when “when my father and I were incapacitated”.</p>
<p>Her recovery means she can help British counter-terrorism police with their investigation although she did not give any details about what had happened in her brief remarks.</p>
<p>Britain’s Foreign Office said she had been offered assistance by Russia’s embassy but had so far declined.</p>
<p>“I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received,” said Yulia, 33.</p>
<p>“I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you’ll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence.”</p>
<p>Hours before the statement issued by British police, Russian state TV and Interfax reported that Yulia had phoned her cousin Viktoria Skripal in Russia, saying she and her father were both recovering and that she expected to leave hospital soon.</p>
<p>“Everything is fine, everything is fixable, everyone is getting better, everyone is alive,” they quoted her as saying in the call.</p>
<p>Asked about her father’s health, Yulia was cited as saying: “Everything is fine, he is resting right now, sleeping ... nobody has any problems that can’t be put right.”</p>
<p>Russian state TV said it could not vouch for the authenticity of the quotes. Viktoria Skripal has said she plans to travel to England if she can get a visa.</p> DIPLOMATIC LOW
<p>Police believe the nerve agent was left on the front door of the home in Salisbury where Skripal, a military intelligence colonel who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain’s MI6 spy service, lived after he was freed in a spy swap.</p>
<p>The attack has driven Moscow’s relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low, with Britain and its allies, including the United States, expelling about 130 diplomats and the Kremlin responding in kind.</p>
<p>The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Thursday to discuss the British accusations at Moscow’s request.</p>
<p>Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said on Twitter it was “highly likely there will be a moment of truth” during the meeting.</p>
<p>“Those who spread lies about alleged Russian involvement in #SalisburyPoisoning must understand that such irresponsible behavior has its price,” he added. “We on the contrary have nothing to hide.”</p>
<p>British U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce responded: “There’s a part of me that’s tempted to say ‘bring it on’. We are confident of our position, we have set it out very clearly.”</p>
<p>On Wednesday, Russia lost its call for a joint inquiry to be held into the poisoning at a meeting of global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.</p>
<p>Moscow’s ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko said on Thursday Russia had never made Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent which British experts say was the toxin used.</p>
<p>He said the Kremlin would accept the results of OPCW tests but only if there was transparency and they were confirmed by experts from outside Europe and NATO.</p>
<p>While scientists at the Porton Down biological and chemical weapons laboratory near Salisbury have concluded the toxin was Novichok, its chief executive said on Tuesday they had not yet determined whether it was made in Russia.</p>
<p>That prompted even some allies to say London needs to provide more evidence of Russian culpability.</p> Police officers stand outside a pub near to where former Russian inteligence officer Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious after they had been exposed to an unknown substance, in Salisbury, Britain, March 7, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville
<p>Britain says there is no plausible explanation other than that Russia was behind the attack and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has accused Russia of running a disinformation campaign.</p>
<p>A number of Russians have died in mysterious circumstances in Britain in recent years including dissident Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in 2006. A British inquiry concluded his murder had probably been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p>
<p>“We have a lot of suspicions about Britain,” said Russian UK ambassador Yakovenko. “If you take the last 10 years, so many Russian citizens died here in the UK, under very strange circumstances ... My question is why is it happening here?”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon and William James in London, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Catherine Evans</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Janet Yellen cashed in with her first paid visit to Wall Street since stepping down as Federal Reserve chair, discussing rate hikes and U.S. President Donald Trump at events on Monday that included a dinner for 40 at a CEO’s Manhattan penthouse.</p> FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen poses for IMF Governors family photo during the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, DC, U.S., October 14, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
<p>Two people familiar with the events hosted by investment bank Jefferies, including the evening gathering with its chief executive Richard Handler and billionaire investors Carl Icahn and Daniel Loeb, said it was billed as Yellen’s first such engagement since leaving the Fed two months ago.</p>
<p>In a brief telephone interview, Yellen, who ran the U.S. central bank the last four years, confirmed she was paid and said she revealed no confidential information.”I talked about the economy and general perspectives on monetary policy,” she told Reuters late on Wednesday, declining to say how much she earned or to provide more details.</p>
<p>The program included a question-and-answer session with more than 100 Jefferies clients, where according to a third source she stuck close to the message of three or four interest rate hikes this year that her successor, Jerome Powell, has delivered since taking charge in early February.</p>
<p>Later, over the penthouse dinner of lobster, beef short ribs and matzo in the trendy Tribeca neighborhood, Yellen held court with executives from hedge funds, private equity firms and companies, according to two people briefed on the gathering.</p>
<p>She spoke about her meetings with Trump including last year’s job interview about staying on for another term as Fed chair, and expressed some concern that the stimulus from tax cuts and government spending could overheat the economy, one of the sources said.</p>
<p>The second source said she considered inflation to be in check and unlikely to spike, so rates would stay relatively low.</p>
<p>The open bar and discussions with big investors ran past sunset, until the college basketball final between Villanova and Michigan tipped off on television.</p>
<p>Rob Citrone, head of the multi billion-dollar hedge fund firm Discovery Capital Management, was among those at the large rectangular dining table, according to the second source. Representatives for Discovery, Icahn Enterprises and for Loeb, who runs Third Point, did not comment or respond to a request.</p>
<p>Cashing in after years in public service is a well-trodden path for U.S. policymakers and regulators, highlighting the demand among investors for any exclusive insights they can offer.</p>
<p>In the case of former Fed chiefs, who can earn an annual salary in one night and have no constraints on expressing their views provided they do not broach confidential matters, those insights could potentially move markets.</p>
<p>Yellen’s predecessor Ben Bernanke waited just over a month after leaving the Fed in 2014 before earning some $250,000 for a private talk in Abu Dhabi. He followed that up with similarly priced private dinners with investors in New York, at which he predicted rates would remain low for a long time.</p>
<p>Former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan waited only a week after stepping down before addressing a private dinner in 2006 hosted by Lehman Brothers, the investment bank whose collapse two years later sent the global financial crisis into high gear.</p> ‘AN AMAZING EVENING’
<p>Under Yellen, who earned just more than $200,000 per year as chair, the Fed finally turned the corner from its crisis-era policies of near-zero interest rates and trillions of dollars of bond-buying.</p>
<p>At the Monday dinner, investors asked her repeatedly about the Fed’s more than $4 trillion in bond holdings and the pace of coming rate hikes, though Yellen was careful not to appear to speak for Powell, according to one of the people who spoke to Reuters. When asked about Trump, she said there was no pressure or interference on monetary policy from the White House.</p> FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen speaks during a news conference after a two-day Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) policy meeting in Washington, DC, U.S., September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo
<p>In tapping Powell, a Republican, Trump broke with a non-partisan precedent last year in denying Yellen, a Democrat, a second four-year term as Fed chief.</p>
<p>Larry Hatheway, who as a former UBS official helped host Greenspan at a paid event last decade, said attendees “hope to hear an unconstrained view on things that matter related to the former job, (and) that matter for market participants.”</p>
<p>“The biggest beneficiary is probably the speaker ... who is obviously rewarded fairly handsomely, and to some extent the organizers who are then seen in a better light by their clients,” added Hatheway, who is now group head of investment solutions at GAM Investment Management, in Zurich.</p>
<p>Reuters was not able to reach David Zervos, the Jefferies Group LLC [JGLL.UL] chief strategist who conducted the larger forum for investors and who later tweeted a link to a photograph of himself with a smiling Yellen on Instagram. “An amazing evening last night hosting Janet Yellen for our clients in NY,” read the tweet, posted Tuesday.</p>
<p>The third meeting on Monday was with a group of women at Jefferies at which Yellen discussed being a female leader, said one of the people familiar with the program.</p>
<p>All three sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity.</p>
<p>The Fed raised rates last month at its first meeting under Powell, and forecasts showed policymakers were split between three or four total hikes this year as economic growth and inflation were seen rising.</p>
<p>Yellen joined the Brookings Institution think tank immediately after stepping down and spoke publicly there in February about the economy. Last month she discussed her Fed tenure at the University of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>In recent months she was listed as a speaker-for-hire by the Washington Speakers Bureau, which did not respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>Her profile page, alongside that of Bernanke and Greenspan, says she travels from Washington and fees vary based on event location.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Suzanne Barlyn, Lawrence Delevingne and Sinead Carew in New York; editing by David Gregorio and Chizu Nomiyama</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
|
Speculative U.S. 10-year T-note net shorts fall -CFTC San Francisco sues U.S. attorney general over repeal of civil rights memos U.S. policy toward fighting Islamic State in Syria unchanged: Pentagon Recovering daughter of ex-spy poisoned in UK makes first comment after attack Exclusive: Yellen gets post-Fed payday in private meetings with Wall St. elite
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https://reuters.com/article/usa-bonds-cftc/speculative-us-10-year-t-note-net-shorts-fall-cftc-idUSEMNI1F0U9
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2018-01-19
| 2least
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Speculative U.S. 10-year T-note net shorts fall -CFTC San Francisco sues U.S. attorney general over repeal of civil rights memos U.S. policy toward fighting Islamic State in Syria unchanged: Pentagon Recovering daughter of ex-spy poisoned in UK makes first comment after attack Exclusive: Yellen gets post-Fed payday in private meetings with Wall St. elite
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, asking a federal court to overturn a December decision by Sessions to revoke legal guidance that was designed to protect minorities, the indigent and the disabled.</p> United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions visits families of opioid overdose victims at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. March 15, 2018. REUTERS/John Sommers II
<p>City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement that his lawsuit focuses on six of the 25 different legal memos that Sessions rescinded, and accused the Trump administration of “trying to gut protections for the poor, people of color and people with disabilities under the guise of regulatory reform.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Dan Levine; Editing by Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military policy toward fighting Islamic State militants in Syria remains the same following discussions with President Donald Trump this week and the military has not been given a timeline for withdrawing troops, the Pentagon said on Thursday.</p> A flag of Islamic State militants is pictured above a destroyed house near the Clock Square in Raqqa, Syria October 18, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
<p>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 had signaled his desire to get U.S. forces out of Syria in a speech last week, and officials said he had privately been pressing for an early withdrawal in talks with his national security aides.</p>
<p>“We’ve always thought that as we reach finality against ISIS in Syria we’re going to adjust the level of our presence there, so in that sense nothing actually has changed,” Marine Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie told a Pentagon briefing.</p>
<p>McKenzie said Trump has not given the U.S. military any timeline.</p>
<p>“We think as we go forward one of the things that we haven’t been given is a timeline and that is actually very effective... (The) President has actually been very good in not giving us a specific timeline, so that is a tool that we will use to our affect as we move forward,” McKenzie said.</p>
<p>The United States is conducting 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 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>The militant group is widely expected to revert to guerrilla tactics once the last remnants of its once self-styled “caliphate” are captured by U.S.-backed forces.</p>
<p>Reporting by Idrees Ali and David Alexander; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Alistair Bell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Yulia Skripal made her first public comments on Thursday since being poisoned in Britain last month with her father, a Russian former double-agent, saying she was getting stronger by the day but shedding no new light on the incident.</p>
<p>Yulia and Sergei Skripal, 66, were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. Britain said they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent, the first known use of such a toxin on European soil since World War Two.</p>
<p>London has blamed Russia for the attempted murder while Moscow denies any involvement. The incident has had major diplomatic ramifications, with mass expulsions of Russian and Western diplomats.</p>
<p>The attack left the Skripals in a critical condition and doctors had initially feared that even if they did survive, they might have suffered permanent brain damage.</p>
<p>But while her father remains stable in intensive care, Yulia’s health has improved rapidly. On Thursday she issued a statement through British police to thank hospital staff and people who came to her help when “when my father and I were incapacitated”.</p>
<p>Her recovery means she can help British counter-terrorism police with their investigation although she did not give any details about what had happened in her brief remarks.</p>
<p>Britain’s Foreign Office said she had been offered assistance by Russia’s embassy but had so far declined.</p>
<p>“I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received,” said Yulia, 33.</p>
<p>“I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you’ll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence.”</p>
<p>Hours before the statement issued by British police, Russian state TV and Interfax reported that Yulia had phoned her cousin Viktoria Skripal in Russia, saying she and her father were both recovering and that she expected to leave hospital soon.</p>
<p>“Everything is fine, everything is fixable, everyone is getting better, everyone is alive,” they quoted her as saying in the call.</p>
<p>Asked about her father’s health, Yulia was cited as saying: “Everything is fine, he is resting right now, sleeping ... nobody has any problems that can’t be put right.”</p>
<p>Russian state TV said it could not vouch for the authenticity of the quotes. Viktoria Skripal has said she plans to travel to England if she can get a visa.</p> DIPLOMATIC LOW
<p>Police believe the nerve agent was left on the front door of the home in Salisbury where Skripal, a military intelligence colonel who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain’s MI6 spy service, lived after he was freed in a spy swap.</p>
<p>The attack has driven Moscow’s relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low, with Britain and its allies, including the United States, expelling about 130 diplomats and the Kremlin responding in kind.</p>
<p>The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Thursday to discuss the British accusations at Moscow’s request.</p>
<p>Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said on Twitter it was “highly likely there will be a moment of truth” during the meeting.</p>
<p>“Those who spread lies about alleged Russian involvement in #SalisburyPoisoning must understand that such irresponsible behavior has its price,” he added. “We on the contrary have nothing to hide.”</p>
<p>British U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce responded: “There’s a part of me that’s tempted to say ‘bring it on’. We are confident of our position, we have set it out very clearly.”</p>
<p>On Wednesday, Russia lost its call for a joint inquiry to be held into the poisoning at a meeting of global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.</p>
<p>Moscow’s ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko said on Thursday Russia had never made Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent which British experts say was the toxin used.</p>
<p>He said the Kremlin would accept the results of OPCW tests but only if there was transparency and they were confirmed by experts from outside Europe and NATO.</p>
<p>While scientists at the Porton Down biological and chemical weapons laboratory near Salisbury have concluded the toxin was Novichok, its chief executive said on Tuesday they had not yet determined whether it was made in Russia.</p>
<p>That prompted even some allies to say London needs to provide more evidence of Russian culpability.</p> Police officers stand outside a pub near to where former Russian inteligence officer Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious after they had been exposed to an unknown substance, in Salisbury, Britain, March 7, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville
<p>Britain says there is no plausible explanation other than that Russia was behind the attack and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has accused Russia of running a disinformation campaign.</p>
<p>A number of Russians have died in mysterious circumstances in Britain in recent years including dissident Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in 2006. A British inquiry concluded his murder had probably been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p>
<p>“We have a lot of suspicions about Britain,” said Russian UK ambassador Yakovenko. “If you take the last 10 years, so many Russian citizens died here in the UK, under very strange circumstances ... My question is why is it happening here?”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon and William James in London, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Catherine Evans</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Janet Yellen cashed in with her first paid visit to Wall Street since stepping down as Federal Reserve chair, discussing rate hikes and U.S. President Donald Trump at events on Monday that included a dinner for 40 at a CEO’s Manhattan penthouse.</p> FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen poses for IMF Governors family photo during the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, DC, U.S., October 14, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
<p>Two people familiar with the events hosted by investment bank Jefferies, including the evening gathering with its chief executive Richard Handler and billionaire investors Carl Icahn and Daniel Loeb, said it was billed as Yellen’s first such engagement since leaving the Fed two months ago.</p>
<p>In a brief telephone interview, Yellen, who ran the U.S. central bank the last four years, confirmed she was paid and said she revealed no confidential information.”I talked about the economy and general perspectives on monetary policy,” she told Reuters late on Wednesday, declining to say how much she earned or to provide more details.</p>
<p>The program included a question-and-answer session with more than 100 Jefferies clients, where according to a third source she stuck close to the message of three or four interest rate hikes this year that her successor, Jerome Powell, has delivered since taking charge in early February.</p>
<p>Later, over the penthouse dinner of lobster, beef short ribs and matzo in the trendy Tribeca neighborhood, Yellen held court with executives from hedge funds, private equity firms and companies, according to two people briefed on the gathering.</p>
<p>She spoke about her meetings with Trump including last year’s job interview about staying on for another term as Fed chair, and expressed some concern that the stimulus from tax cuts and government spending could overheat the economy, one of the sources said.</p>
<p>The second source said she considered inflation to be in check and unlikely to spike, so rates would stay relatively low.</p>
<p>The open bar and discussions with big investors ran past sunset, until the college basketball final between Villanova and Michigan tipped off on television.</p>
<p>Rob Citrone, head of the multi billion-dollar hedge fund firm Discovery Capital Management, was among those at the large rectangular dining table, according to the second source. Representatives for Discovery, Icahn Enterprises and for Loeb, who runs Third Point, did not comment or respond to a request.</p>
<p>Cashing in after years in public service is a well-trodden path for U.S. policymakers and regulators, highlighting the demand among investors for any exclusive insights they can offer.</p>
<p>In the case of former Fed chiefs, who can earn an annual salary in one night and have no constraints on expressing their views provided they do not broach confidential matters, those insights could potentially move markets.</p>
<p>Yellen’s predecessor Ben Bernanke waited just over a month after leaving the Fed in 2014 before earning some $250,000 for a private talk in Abu Dhabi. He followed that up with similarly priced private dinners with investors in New York, at which he predicted rates would remain low for a long time.</p>
<p>Former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan waited only a week after stepping down before addressing a private dinner in 2006 hosted by Lehman Brothers, the investment bank whose collapse two years later sent the global financial crisis into high gear.</p> ‘AN AMAZING EVENING’
<p>Under Yellen, who earned just more than $200,000 per year as chair, the Fed finally turned the corner from its crisis-era policies of near-zero interest rates and trillions of dollars of bond-buying.</p>
<p>At the Monday dinner, investors asked her repeatedly about the Fed’s more than $4 trillion in bond holdings and the pace of coming rate hikes, though Yellen was careful not to appear to speak for Powell, according to one of the people who spoke to Reuters. When asked about Trump, she said there was no pressure or interference on monetary policy from the White House.</p> FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen speaks during a news conference after a two-day Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) policy meeting in Washington, DC, U.S., September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo
<p>In tapping Powell, a Republican, Trump broke with a non-partisan precedent last year in denying Yellen, a Democrat, a second four-year term as Fed chief.</p>
<p>Larry Hatheway, who as a former UBS official helped host Greenspan at a paid event last decade, said attendees “hope to hear an unconstrained view on things that matter related to the former job, (and) that matter for market participants.”</p>
<p>“The biggest beneficiary is probably the speaker ... who is obviously rewarded fairly handsomely, and to some extent the organizers who are then seen in a better light by their clients,” added Hatheway, who is now group head of investment solutions at GAM Investment Management, in Zurich.</p>
<p>Reuters was not able to reach David Zervos, the Jefferies Group LLC [JGLL.UL] chief strategist who conducted the larger forum for investors and who later tweeted a link to a photograph of himself with a smiling Yellen on Instagram. “An amazing evening last night hosting Janet Yellen for our clients in NY,” read the tweet, posted Tuesday.</p>
<p>The third meeting on Monday was with a group of women at Jefferies at which Yellen discussed being a female leader, said one of the people familiar with the program.</p>
<p>All three sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity.</p>
<p>The Fed raised rates last month at its first meeting under Powell, and forecasts showed policymakers were split between three or four total hikes this year as economic growth and inflation were seen rising.</p>
<p>Yellen joined the Brookings Institution think tank immediately after stepping down and spoke publicly there in February about the economy. Last month she discussed her Fed tenure at the University of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>In recent months she was listed as a speaker-for-hire by the Washington Speakers Bureau, which did not respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>Her profile page, alongside that of Bernanke and Greenspan, says she travels from Washington and fees vary based on event location.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Suzanne Barlyn, Lawrence Delevingne and Sinead Carew in New York; editing by David Gregorio and Chizu Nomiyama</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| 598,708 |
<p>PHASE ONE: STANDS UP TO ‘DARTH VADER’ JIBE</p>
<p>September 25, 2007: Appearing on MSNBC, Cheney is forced to watch Hillary Clinton liken her father to one of the great villains in film history. Cheney keeps her cool, and, hinting at what will follow 19 months later, details how those who oppose her father and the GOP have been weak on the war against terrorism.</p>
<p>PHASE TWO: LIZ SHOWS SHE WILL PULL NO PUNCHES, EVEN ON A FELLOW REPUBLICAN</p>
<p>February 5, 2008: Again on MSNBC, Liz—now working for the Romney campaign—says that while she would support any Republican, if John McCain wins the nomination “it will be a sad day for the Republican Party.” Ouch.</p>
<p>PHASE THREE: BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>April 23, 2009: As the debate about Bush-era interrogation techniques becomes a major international story, Cheney returns to television to make the case that not only were detainees never tortured, but that the release of memos about what was done to them has compromised national security.</p>
<p>PHASE FOUR: LIZ BATTLES EVERYONE ON MORNING JOE</p>
<p>May 12, 2009: On a combative segment on Morning Joe, Cheney takes on basically the entire panel: Mike Barnicle, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Mika Brzezinski and The Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson. A certain talk-show host is listening.</p>
<p>PHASE FIVE: THE LIMBAUGH SEAL OF APPROVAL</p>
<p>May 12, 2009: Cheney becomes furthered endeared to the GOP base after Rush Limbaugh says she “wiped the floor with the guest list” of Morning Joe.</p>
<p>PHASE SIX: BEGINS CALLING OBAMA ADMINISTRATION “UN-AMERICAN”</p>
<p>May 15, 2009: The label “un-American” has a long and sordid history in American politics, but Cheney has no problem using it to describe the Obama administration. (Though to be fair, it’s no worse than some of the adjectives that have been used to describe her father and his former boss.)</p>
<p>Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.</p>
<p>A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).</p>
<p>PHASE SEVEN: GRADUATION TO SUNDAY MORNING TALK</p>
<p>May 17, 2009: In a sign that we will probably be seeing much more of her in the weeks ahead, Liz Cheney joins the pundit roundtable on This Week. In a fiery exchange with the group’s designated liberal, Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation, Cheney agrees that she and her opponent, when it comes to Cheneyesque issues like waterboarding and other interrogation techniques, are living on “opposite planets.”</p>
<p>The Daily Beast Video curates the most essential and entertaining video, and brings you original and exclusive productions from our talented contributors.</p>
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Cheney, the Sequel
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2018-10-05
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Cheney, the Sequel
<p>PHASE ONE: STANDS UP TO ‘DARTH VADER’ JIBE</p>
<p>September 25, 2007: Appearing on MSNBC, Cheney is forced to watch Hillary Clinton liken her father to one of the great villains in film history. Cheney keeps her cool, and, hinting at what will follow 19 months later, details how those who oppose her father and the GOP have been weak on the war against terrorism.</p>
<p>PHASE TWO: LIZ SHOWS SHE WILL PULL NO PUNCHES, EVEN ON A FELLOW REPUBLICAN</p>
<p>February 5, 2008: Again on MSNBC, Liz—now working for the Romney campaign—says that while she would support any Republican, if John McCain wins the nomination “it will be a sad day for the Republican Party.” Ouch.</p>
<p>PHASE THREE: BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>April 23, 2009: As the debate about Bush-era interrogation techniques becomes a major international story, Cheney returns to television to make the case that not only were detainees never tortured, but that the release of memos about what was done to them has compromised national security.</p>
<p>PHASE FOUR: LIZ BATTLES EVERYONE ON MORNING JOE</p>
<p>May 12, 2009: On a combative segment on Morning Joe, Cheney takes on basically the entire panel: Mike Barnicle, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Mika Brzezinski and The Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson. A certain talk-show host is listening.</p>
<p>PHASE FIVE: THE LIMBAUGH SEAL OF APPROVAL</p>
<p>May 12, 2009: Cheney becomes furthered endeared to the GOP base after Rush Limbaugh says she “wiped the floor with the guest list” of Morning Joe.</p>
<p>PHASE SIX: BEGINS CALLING OBAMA ADMINISTRATION “UN-AMERICAN”</p>
<p>May 15, 2009: The label “un-American” has a long and sordid history in American politics, but Cheney has no problem using it to describe the Obama administration. (Though to be fair, it’s no worse than some of the adjectives that have been used to describe her father and his former boss.)</p>
<p>Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.</p>
<p>A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).</p>
<p>PHASE SEVEN: GRADUATION TO SUNDAY MORNING TALK</p>
<p>May 17, 2009: In a sign that we will probably be seeing much more of her in the weeks ahead, Liz Cheney joins the pundit roundtable on This Week. In a fiery exchange with the group’s designated liberal, Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation, Cheney agrees that she and her opponent, when it comes to Cheneyesque issues like waterboarding and other interrogation techniques, are living on “opposite planets.”</p>
<p>The Daily Beast Video curates the most essential and entertaining video, and brings you original and exclusive productions from our talented contributors.</p>
| 598,709 |
<p>It's your civic duty not just to vote — but to eat, drink, and be merry on Election Day. And America is here for you: Coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and other businesses across the country are slashing their prices on Election Day for those who flash their patriotic "I Voted" sticker.</p>
<p>Nationwide</p>
<p>Krispy Kreme will be doling out free donuts and 7-Eleven will be giving free iced coffees.</p>
<p>Wear an I VOTED sticker on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionDay?src=hash" type="external">#ElectionDay</a> 11/8 and get any doughnut FREE. <a href="https://t.co/vlgu5PubNW" type="external">https://t.co/vlgu5PubNW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverybodyWins?src=hash" type="external">#EverybodyWins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoVote?src=hash" type="external">#GoVote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ivoted?src=hash" type="external">#Ivoted</a> <a href="https://t.co/eZFWyG9Wca" type="external">pic.twitter.com/eZFWyG9Wca</a></p>
<p>For Americans who prefer comfort food, Burger Fi is offering voters $5 "Conflicted Burgers" to represent the anyone still left in the middle on Election Day.</p>
<p>But, if you want to have a little more fun with your vote, stop at California Tortilla and either say, "I'm with Queso", "Make Queso Great Again" or "I Vote For Queso" to enjoy free chips and queso.</p>
<p>Chicken lovers should run to Nando's Peri-Peri with their stickers and pick a side dish of their choice to get it free.</p>
<p>And voters can also reserve a complimentary Zipcar to ride between these restaurants.</p>
<p>Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>The nation's capital is set to become a major cocktail hub as voters sit back to watch the counts trickling in from different states.</p>
<p>Capitol Hill restaurant Art and Soul will get the ball rolling with $10 'Swing State' cocktails representing their contested countrymen. The George Washington (representing Virginia) features Catoctin Creek Rye, Fernet Angelico, sugar, bitters and ginger; and the It's Legal cocktail (representing Nevada) is a mix of Suerte Anejo, Cointreau Noir, fresh lime, guava &amp; sugar.</p>
<p>If the swing state theme doesn't take your fancy, head over to ENO Wine Bar for free bruschetta with your voting sticker and, if you mention the password POTUS, you can get 30 percent off any bottle of American wine.</p>
<p>For those with a sweet tooth, Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern is offering special limited edition ice cream flavors to top its famous apple pie for two: Pick from Republican flavor (cranberry), Democratic (blueberry lemon). or Undecided (vanilla).</p>
<p>New York City</p>
<p>The Big Apple's busy food and drinks scene will see New Yorkers counting votes to cupcakes, martinis, and pinatas.</p>
<p>Harding's is offering free political-themed snacks from 9-10 p.m. and $5 beer to voters who wear their 'I Voted' stickers. Mexican restaurant Campeon will be doling out $3 brews, and free "We're Screwed" t-shirts to the first 200 customers.</p>
<p>For those who crave a bit more Election Night fun, the Village Pourhouse will have Trump and Clinton pinatas that voters can beat to unlock political prizes. Professor Thom's sports bar will spin its signature prize wheel as each state's votes get tallied.</p>
<p>Popcorn lovers should head to brewpub Paulaner for free red and blue popcorn, and carnivores can make a pitstop at The Meatball Shop to get free mini buffalo chicken meatballs.</p>
<p>If you are a cupcake fan, don't forget to visit Magnolia Bakery for a $5.25 Hillary, Trump, or I Voted cupcake.</p>
<p>The Slovenian owner of Sojourn Restaurant in Manhattan, who heads up a group called "Let's Move Melania into the White House," is offering drinks on the house Tuesday night if Donald Trump wins.</p>
<p>Chicago</p>
<p>In Chicago, Lyfe Kitchen is giving out free coffee for voters with 'I Voted' wristbands.</p>
<p>Kids will also have the chance to cast a ballot at sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt, where they can taste yogurts of different colors and decide which flavor they want to vote for.</p>
<p>Japanese restaurant Kizuki will continue the food fiesta by handing out free Chicken Karaage entrees to the first 50 people with voting wristbands.</p>
<p>Belly Up Smokehouse is offering $5 fireball shots every time Donald Trump wins a state — or customers can sip on a $12 Clinton dirty martini.</p>
<p>Taco Joint is inviting its diners to enjoy two margaritas, guacamole, chips, and salsa for $20.16.</p>
<p>Los Angeles</p>
<p>Californians can expect to sip wine and chew on delicious fries and tacos as rewards for their votes.</p>
<p>Haché LA is offering free triple cooked fries to voters who turn up with their "I Voted" sticker by 11 p.m., and Messhall Kitchen is rewarding voters with free sides of their choice.</p>
<p>Taco prices are red hot in L.A. on Election Day: $3 at Red O, $2 for fish tacos at Rubio's diners, and $6 at Hyperion.</p>
<p>For wine lovers, Taste on Melrose is offering free sparkling wine with any purchase.</p>
<p>America will thank you for your endeavors.</p>
|
Where to Get Free Coffee, Food, Booze on Election Day
| false |
http://nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-election-day/where-get-free-coffee-food-booze-election-day-n678731
|
2016-11-08
| 3left-center
|
Where to Get Free Coffee, Food, Booze on Election Day
<p>It's your civic duty not just to vote — but to eat, drink, and be merry on Election Day. And America is here for you: Coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and other businesses across the country are slashing their prices on Election Day for those who flash their patriotic "I Voted" sticker.</p>
<p>Nationwide</p>
<p>Krispy Kreme will be doling out free donuts and 7-Eleven will be giving free iced coffees.</p>
<p>Wear an I VOTED sticker on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionDay?src=hash" type="external">#ElectionDay</a> 11/8 and get any doughnut FREE. <a href="https://t.co/vlgu5PubNW" type="external">https://t.co/vlgu5PubNW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverybodyWins?src=hash" type="external">#EverybodyWins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoVote?src=hash" type="external">#GoVote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ivoted?src=hash" type="external">#Ivoted</a> <a href="https://t.co/eZFWyG9Wca" type="external">pic.twitter.com/eZFWyG9Wca</a></p>
<p>For Americans who prefer comfort food, Burger Fi is offering voters $5 "Conflicted Burgers" to represent the anyone still left in the middle on Election Day.</p>
<p>But, if you want to have a little more fun with your vote, stop at California Tortilla and either say, "I'm with Queso", "Make Queso Great Again" or "I Vote For Queso" to enjoy free chips and queso.</p>
<p>Chicken lovers should run to Nando's Peri-Peri with their stickers and pick a side dish of their choice to get it free.</p>
<p>And voters can also reserve a complimentary Zipcar to ride between these restaurants.</p>
<p>Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>The nation's capital is set to become a major cocktail hub as voters sit back to watch the counts trickling in from different states.</p>
<p>Capitol Hill restaurant Art and Soul will get the ball rolling with $10 'Swing State' cocktails representing their contested countrymen. The George Washington (representing Virginia) features Catoctin Creek Rye, Fernet Angelico, sugar, bitters and ginger; and the It's Legal cocktail (representing Nevada) is a mix of Suerte Anejo, Cointreau Noir, fresh lime, guava &amp; sugar.</p>
<p>If the swing state theme doesn't take your fancy, head over to ENO Wine Bar for free bruschetta with your voting sticker and, if you mention the password POTUS, you can get 30 percent off any bottle of American wine.</p>
<p>For those with a sweet tooth, Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern is offering special limited edition ice cream flavors to top its famous apple pie for two: Pick from Republican flavor (cranberry), Democratic (blueberry lemon). or Undecided (vanilla).</p>
<p>New York City</p>
<p>The Big Apple's busy food and drinks scene will see New Yorkers counting votes to cupcakes, martinis, and pinatas.</p>
<p>Harding's is offering free political-themed snacks from 9-10 p.m. and $5 beer to voters who wear their 'I Voted' stickers. Mexican restaurant Campeon will be doling out $3 brews, and free "We're Screwed" t-shirts to the first 200 customers.</p>
<p>For those who crave a bit more Election Night fun, the Village Pourhouse will have Trump and Clinton pinatas that voters can beat to unlock political prizes. Professor Thom's sports bar will spin its signature prize wheel as each state's votes get tallied.</p>
<p>Popcorn lovers should head to brewpub Paulaner for free red and blue popcorn, and carnivores can make a pitstop at The Meatball Shop to get free mini buffalo chicken meatballs.</p>
<p>If you are a cupcake fan, don't forget to visit Magnolia Bakery for a $5.25 Hillary, Trump, or I Voted cupcake.</p>
<p>The Slovenian owner of Sojourn Restaurant in Manhattan, who heads up a group called "Let's Move Melania into the White House," is offering drinks on the house Tuesday night if Donald Trump wins.</p>
<p>Chicago</p>
<p>In Chicago, Lyfe Kitchen is giving out free coffee for voters with 'I Voted' wristbands.</p>
<p>Kids will also have the chance to cast a ballot at sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt, where they can taste yogurts of different colors and decide which flavor they want to vote for.</p>
<p>Japanese restaurant Kizuki will continue the food fiesta by handing out free Chicken Karaage entrees to the first 50 people with voting wristbands.</p>
<p>Belly Up Smokehouse is offering $5 fireball shots every time Donald Trump wins a state — or customers can sip on a $12 Clinton dirty martini.</p>
<p>Taco Joint is inviting its diners to enjoy two margaritas, guacamole, chips, and salsa for $20.16.</p>
<p>Los Angeles</p>
<p>Californians can expect to sip wine and chew on delicious fries and tacos as rewards for their votes.</p>
<p>Haché LA is offering free triple cooked fries to voters who turn up with their "I Voted" sticker by 11 p.m., and Messhall Kitchen is rewarding voters with free sides of their choice.</p>
<p>Taco prices are red hot in L.A. on Election Day: $3 at Red O, $2 for fish tacos at Rubio's diners, and $6 at Hyperion.</p>
<p>For wine lovers, Taste on Melrose is offering free sparkling wine with any purchase.</p>
<p>America will thank you for your endeavors.</p>
| 598,710 |
<p>GAZA CITY — Before he found rap, Ibrahim Ghunaim’s favorite thing in the world to do was shooting.</p>
<p>“I was on my way to jihadism,” he says. If it hadn’t been for rap, he might have joined “the resistance” and taken up arms against Israel.</p>
<p>But it wasn’t to be. He discovered his passion at 13&#160;years&#160;old, after attending a rap concert. After that he took to the internet to learn everything about it. He found Eminem and went from there.</p>
<p>“At first I started doing it as a kind of challenge, and then I found I couldn’t stop,” says Ghunaim, who goes by the stage name MC Gaza.</p>
<p>It’s not easy being a rapper in Gaza. In such a socially conservative society, there is little understanding of, or appreciation for, the art form.</p>
<p>“People here think that rap is haram&#160;[un-Islamic],” he says. “They think that we are acting like the West.”</p>
<p>“There are only two stages in Gaza and I’m not allowed to perform at either because the organizers don’t like rap. They say rap is not allowed. That it’s not art.”</p>
<p>Like many artists in Gaza, he faces the prospect of censorship from the de facto authorities, the Islamist group Hamas, if he crosses certain lines.</p>
<p>“I can’t say my feelings about them,” he says.</p>
<p>Artists are regularly the subject of censorship in Gaza,&#160;where the de facto government frequently cracks down on material that does not conform to its conservative norms.&#160;</p>
<p>Even when people do come to his shows —&#160;usually performed at schools or universities — he says he gets a mixed response.</p>
<p>“It feels good when people come specifically to see me, but when I do concerts with other groups, I feel that people don’t understand anything.”</p>
<p>As well as struggling to find the right audience and worrying about what he can and can’t say, Ghuneim has to deal with the fact that his passion may even pose a problem in his personal life.</p>
<p>“If I want to get married, nobody will respect that I am a rapper. They won’t accept me. They think it’s shame[ful]&#160;to be a rapper.”</p>
<p>Yet despite a lukewarm reception among Gazans, Ghuneim continues to tackle what he sees as the pressing issues he sees all around him.</p>
<p>“I don’t consider myself political,” says Ghuneim, “but it’s my duty to communicate what’s happening here to the outside world.”</p>
<p>At 23, he has witnessed the second Intifada, three wars in Gaza and the Egyptian revolution and his experiences have made their way into his lyrics.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njYI-4Vl5Y8" type="external">song</a> entitled “My Extraordinary Homeland,” he says, “one martyr gives way to another, a crying widow stands next to a prisoner’s wife whose injured daughter is trying to put on her holiday clothes but she can’t.”&#160;The video of the song features Gaza’s <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">local</a> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">parkour</a> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">team</a> vaulting over rubble in the aftermath of the 51-day Israeli military campaign entitled Operation Protective Edge that left over 2000 Gazans and 73 Israelis dead.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>He raps about peace, the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral homes, street children and “emotional things.”</p>
<p>“Rap talks about anything you see that is wrong and explains why that is wrong,” he says, “I want to break the whole country that broke me.”</p>
<p>A lot of Ghoneim’s work focuses on the problems Palestinians face more broadly. His song “Law Ba3raf” ("If I knew”), is an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNptfUIiSHo" type="external">indictment</a> of the failure of the Palestinian leadership in Gaza — Hamas, and the West Bank —&#160;the more secular Fatah, to resolve their political differences.</p>
<p>Though he’s one of very few where he is, Ghuneim says he is like any other rapper, doing what&#160;other rappers do.</p>
<p>One of his&#160; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRsE22uhhbk" type="external">songs</a>&#160;is a “diss” track geared toward a number of other Arab rappers and artists who have criticized him in the past. There is a flip-flop in the shot to show his disrespect.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>But because of his rejection in his home country, Ghuneim now yearns to go abroad to continue his career.</p>
<p>“The only people interested really in my work are foreign reporters who write things like 'Oh my goodness, there's rap in Gaza,'&#160;and I'm like, guys, there has been for 10 years. Stop being shocked,” he says. To date Ibrahim has recorded 45 songs and 18 videos. In addition to&#160;Eminem, he likes&#160;Julia Boutros and Lebanese singer Fairuz.</p>
<p>“I’m going to start rapping in English since only the West seems to be interested,” he says.</p>
<p>But it’s not so easy. Gaza has been under siege by Israel for the last eight years and it is very difficult to leave.</p>
<p>Even going to other parts of Palestine is prohibitively difficult. "I am supposed to be in the West Bank right now performing, but until now they [the Israeli authorities] haven’t responded to my request.”</p>
<p>Like <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/141006/young-people-gaza-get-out" type="external">many young people in Gaza</a>, at times he feels hopeless because of the lack of opportunity.</p>
<p>“I want a lot of things, but what I will be able to do, that is a better question in Gaza, what will I be able to do tomorrow?”</p>
<p>Despite his work’s focus on problems in Gaza, he desperately wants to get out.</p>
<p>“If at this moment they said I could leave I would leave my laptop right here and go.”</p>
|
Meet the Gaza rapper trying to break out and make it big
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/meet-gaza-rapper-trying-break-out-and-make-it-big
| 3left-center
|
Meet the Gaza rapper trying to break out and make it big
<p>GAZA CITY — Before he found rap, Ibrahim Ghunaim’s favorite thing in the world to do was shooting.</p>
<p>“I was on my way to jihadism,” he says. If it hadn’t been for rap, he might have joined “the resistance” and taken up arms against Israel.</p>
<p>But it wasn’t to be. He discovered his passion at 13&#160;years&#160;old, after attending a rap concert. After that he took to the internet to learn everything about it. He found Eminem and went from there.</p>
<p>“At first I started doing it as a kind of challenge, and then I found I couldn’t stop,” says Ghunaim, who goes by the stage name MC Gaza.</p>
<p>It’s not easy being a rapper in Gaza. In such a socially conservative society, there is little understanding of, or appreciation for, the art form.</p>
<p>“People here think that rap is haram&#160;[un-Islamic],” he says. “They think that we are acting like the West.”</p>
<p>“There are only two stages in Gaza and I’m not allowed to perform at either because the organizers don’t like rap. They say rap is not allowed. That it’s not art.”</p>
<p>Like many artists in Gaza, he faces the prospect of censorship from the de facto authorities, the Islamist group Hamas, if he crosses certain lines.</p>
<p>“I can’t say my feelings about them,” he says.</p>
<p>Artists are regularly the subject of censorship in Gaza,&#160;where the de facto government frequently cracks down on material that does not conform to its conservative norms.&#160;</p>
<p>Even when people do come to his shows —&#160;usually performed at schools or universities — he says he gets a mixed response.</p>
<p>“It feels good when people come specifically to see me, but when I do concerts with other groups, I feel that people don’t understand anything.”</p>
<p>As well as struggling to find the right audience and worrying about what he can and can’t say, Ghuneim has to deal with the fact that his passion may even pose a problem in his personal life.</p>
<p>“If I want to get married, nobody will respect that I am a rapper. They won’t accept me. They think it’s shame[ful]&#160;to be a rapper.”</p>
<p>Yet despite a lukewarm reception among Gazans, Ghuneim continues to tackle what he sees as the pressing issues he sees all around him.</p>
<p>“I don’t consider myself political,” says Ghuneim, “but it’s my duty to communicate what’s happening here to the outside world.”</p>
<p>At 23, he has witnessed the second Intifada, three wars in Gaza and the Egyptian revolution and his experiences have made their way into his lyrics.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njYI-4Vl5Y8" type="external">song</a> entitled “My Extraordinary Homeland,” he says, “one martyr gives way to another, a crying widow stands next to a prisoner’s wife whose injured daughter is trying to put on her holiday clothes but she can’t.”&#160;The video of the song features Gaza’s <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">local</a> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">parkour</a> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/gaza/11249789/Watch-Teenagers-practice-parkour-as-bombs-hit-Gaza-strip.html" type="external">team</a> vaulting over rubble in the aftermath of the 51-day Israeli military campaign entitled Operation Protective Edge that left over 2000 Gazans and 73 Israelis dead.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>He raps about peace, the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral homes, street children and “emotional things.”</p>
<p>“Rap talks about anything you see that is wrong and explains why that is wrong,” he says, “I want to break the whole country that broke me.”</p>
<p>A lot of Ghoneim’s work focuses on the problems Palestinians face more broadly. His song “Law Ba3raf” ("If I knew”), is an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNptfUIiSHo" type="external">indictment</a> of the failure of the Palestinian leadership in Gaza — Hamas, and the West Bank —&#160;the more secular Fatah, to resolve their political differences.</p>
<p>Though he’s one of very few where he is, Ghuneim says he is like any other rapper, doing what&#160;other rappers do.</p>
<p>One of his&#160; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRsE22uhhbk" type="external">songs</a>&#160;is a “diss” track geared toward a number of other Arab rappers and artists who have criticized him in the past. There is a flip-flop in the shot to show his disrespect.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>But because of his rejection in his home country, Ghuneim now yearns to go abroad to continue his career.</p>
<p>“The only people interested really in my work are foreign reporters who write things like 'Oh my goodness, there's rap in Gaza,'&#160;and I'm like, guys, there has been for 10 years. Stop being shocked,” he says. To date Ibrahim has recorded 45 songs and 18 videos. In addition to&#160;Eminem, he likes&#160;Julia Boutros and Lebanese singer Fairuz.</p>
<p>“I’m going to start rapping in English since only the West seems to be interested,” he says.</p>
<p>But it’s not so easy. Gaza has been under siege by Israel for the last eight years and it is very difficult to leave.</p>
<p>Even going to other parts of Palestine is prohibitively difficult. "I am supposed to be in the West Bank right now performing, but until now they [the Israeli authorities] haven’t responded to my request.”</p>
<p>Like <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/141006/young-people-gaza-get-out" type="external">many young people in Gaza</a>, at times he feels hopeless because of the lack of opportunity.</p>
<p>“I want a lot of things, but what I will be able to do, that is a better question in Gaza, what will I be able to do tomorrow?”</p>
<p>Despite his work’s focus on problems in Gaza, he desperately wants to get out.</p>
<p>“If at this moment they said I could leave I would leave my laptop right here and go.”</p>
| 598,711 |
|
<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/lundyd/</p>
<p>Say the name “Norman Rockwell,” and immediately iconic images of vintage Americana spring to mind. His paintings for Boy Scouts of America and for the covers of the Saturday Evening Post all portray a vision of American life that we have come to believe is real—or at least should be real.</p>
<p>The problem is that Rockwell did not paint the reality of his own life: Married twice, not especially religious, a workaholic, a deeply conflicted individual who was lonely and depressed. He moved to Stockbridge, Mass., in 1953 so his second wife could be treated at the well-known Austin Riggs psychiatric hospital.</p>
<p>A New England newspaper a few years ago reported on Rockwell’s life, quoting one of his sons as saying his father painted his happiness but didn’t live it. “That was his life,” Jarvis Rockwell told the Berkshire Eagle. “He worked everything out in his painting.”</p>
<p>We applaud and revere the artist for his portrayal of life as we would like it to have been, and yet another character who suffers the same disconnect with reality does not garner our sympathy. Consider Blanche Dubois in the Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire.”</p>
<p>Blanche also lives a tragic life but wants to present reality as something other than it is. Says she in the play: “I don’t want realism. I want magic. I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell truth; I tell what ought to be truth.”</p>
<p>Blanche’s solution is to cover a bare light bulb with a cheap pastel shade, so that things look better than they are.</p>
<p>In Blanche Dubois, we most often see a tragic and misguided figure. In Norman Rockwell, we most often see a heroic and patriotic figure. I puzzle over why this is so. Is it ingrained gender discrimination? Is it that one character brings us hope and the other shines the light a little too close to home?</p>
<p>True confession: I worry today about an American culture and specifically a Christian culture that papers over Rockwell’s departure from reality but demonizes Blanche’s similar flaw. Too often, we bind ourselves to an idealistic view of life that never really was and never actually could be. That’s largely what politicians have to sell us in their campaigns. And it’s the stock in trade of many an evangelical preacher.</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to the problem, but it’s one I wish we could have a healthy discussion about. Surely, we all need to envision life more idealistically than it may actually be. I get that. But if we have any hope of making life—for us and for others—the way we most want it to be, we’ve got to acknowledge the starting point first. When we see the world as rose-colored because we choose only to look through the dimmed light of a colored shade, we lose motivation to advocate for meaningful change.</p>
<p>I’m struck by that line from Norman Rockwell’s son: He painted his happiness but didn’t live it. And lay that beside the words of Blanche Dubois: “I don’t tell truth; I tell what ought to be truth.”</p>
<p>What kind of life are you painting?</p>
|
Norman Rockwell and Blanche Dubois
| false |
https://baptistnews.com/article/norman-rockwell-and-blanche-dubois/
| 3left-center
|
Norman Rockwell and Blanche Dubois
<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/lundyd/</p>
<p>Say the name “Norman Rockwell,” and immediately iconic images of vintage Americana spring to mind. His paintings for Boy Scouts of America and for the covers of the Saturday Evening Post all portray a vision of American life that we have come to believe is real—or at least should be real.</p>
<p>The problem is that Rockwell did not paint the reality of his own life: Married twice, not especially religious, a workaholic, a deeply conflicted individual who was lonely and depressed. He moved to Stockbridge, Mass., in 1953 so his second wife could be treated at the well-known Austin Riggs psychiatric hospital.</p>
<p>A New England newspaper a few years ago reported on Rockwell’s life, quoting one of his sons as saying his father painted his happiness but didn’t live it. “That was his life,” Jarvis Rockwell told the Berkshire Eagle. “He worked everything out in his painting.”</p>
<p>We applaud and revere the artist for his portrayal of life as we would like it to have been, and yet another character who suffers the same disconnect with reality does not garner our sympathy. Consider Blanche Dubois in the Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire.”</p>
<p>Blanche also lives a tragic life but wants to present reality as something other than it is. Says she in the play: “I don’t want realism. I want magic. I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell truth; I tell what ought to be truth.”</p>
<p>Blanche’s solution is to cover a bare light bulb with a cheap pastel shade, so that things look better than they are.</p>
<p>In Blanche Dubois, we most often see a tragic and misguided figure. In Norman Rockwell, we most often see a heroic and patriotic figure. I puzzle over why this is so. Is it ingrained gender discrimination? Is it that one character brings us hope and the other shines the light a little too close to home?</p>
<p>True confession: I worry today about an American culture and specifically a Christian culture that papers over Rockwell’s departure from reality but demonizes Blanche’s similar flaw. Too often, we bind ourselves to an idealistic view of life that never really was and never actually could be. That’s largely what politicians have to sell us in their campaigns. And it’s the stock in trade of many an evangelical preacher.</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to the problem, but it’s one I wish we could have a healthy discussion about. Surely, we all need to envision life more idealistically than it may actually be. I get that. But if we have any hope of making life—for us and for others—the way we most want it to be, we’ve got to acknowledge the starting point first. When we see the world as rose-colored because we choose only to look through the dimmed light of a colored shade, we lose motivation to advocate for meaningful change.</p>
<p>I’m struck by that line from Norman Rockwell’s son: He painted his happiness but didn’t live it. And lay that beside the words of Blanche Dubois: “I don’t tell truth; I tell what ought to be truth.”</p>
<p>What kind of life are you painting?</p>
| 598,712 |
|
<p>The <a href="http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/" type="external">precipitous demise&#160;</a>of China’s prototype space station, Tiangong-1, was the sort of event that took earthbound discussions to more heavenly matters.&#160; Human beings, as is their wont, tend to follow the rules of colonisation with a certain automatism.&#160; In doing so, they have a distinct habit of leaving debris, a junking phenomenon that has seen space become a celestial dump.&#160; In the earthly heavens lie a plenitude of detritus and artefacts that, should they continue to multiply, will result in regular crashes and mayhem.&#160;But beyond the debris lie new worlds upon which to plant flags and forge troubled civilisations.</p>
<p>The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has been keeping watch of the increasing number of objects that have found their way into space.&#160; Just under 5,000 orbit the earth, while <a href="http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/osoindex/search-ng.jspx" type="external">the number</a>that have been launched into space stands at 8050.&#160; That number, at least, has fallen by one.</p>
<p>Tiangong-1 was meant to be a signal that, what other sates can do, China can do just as well.&#160; “To use a Chinese phrase,” suggested space boffin <a href="" type="internal">Brian Harvey</a>in 2016, “I think they are wanting to bring their own mat to the table.”</p>
<p>The initial effort was experimentally modest relative to the International Space Station, but that hardly mattered. When it launched on September 29, 2011, the very statement of that fact was enough to pique broader space interest. In time, China’s astronauts, or taikonauts, would visit, but prior to that were successful orbital dockings and a visit from the Shenzhou-9 vehicle by three space flyers.</p>
<p>Where space stations are discussed, politics is bound to be an additive.&#160; In March 2016, data transmission between the Tiangong-1 and its communicators ceased.&#160; A fiery fate awaited the vehicle, though disputes invariably arose as to whether control was still maintained over the craft.&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Dean Cheng</a>, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, asserted that this loss of control, as with much else, is more than an irritant.&#160; “The Chinese insist that it is controlled.&#160; They’re very, very unhappy when you this term ‘uncontrolled’.”</p>
<p>Cheng, presumably showing his standing at a conservative US think-tank, pressed the view that control here was everything.&#160; Terms needed to be clarified; positions sorted with definitive purpose.&#160; “We should be diplomatically, and in the space-policy world, pushing China to accept a definition of ‘control’ that is comparable to the rest of the rules-based world. You don’t get your own definition”.</p>
<p>The issue about China’s handlers failing to assert sovereignty over Tiangong-1 in what would have otherwise been a controlled re-entry induced a good deal of speculative panic.&#160; The Aerospace Corporation made a lukewarm effort to defuse fears.&#160; “In the case of most re-entering objects, the uncertainty associated with predicting re-entry location is extremely large and precludes an accurate location prediction until shortly before the re-entry has occurred.”</p>
<p>The Aerospace Corporation added a <a href="http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/" type="external">tantalising touch</a>.&#160; “In general, it is much easier to predict an accurate re-entry time rather than an accurate re-entry location.”&#160; Cue the suspense, though the analysts did note that the only known instance of a person being struck by space debris remains the unfortunate Ms. Lottie Williams of Tulsa, Oklahoma “who was struck by a small piece of space debris in 1996 but was not harmed in any significant way.” The odds then?&#160;Less than <a href="" type="internal">1-in-1 trillion</a>.</p>
<p>Other concerns were also added to what had become something of an ensemble of worry.&#160; “By the way,” sparkled <a href="" type="internal">Mike Wall of Space.com</a>, “if you do manage to find a chunk of Tiangong-1, don’t pick it up or breathe in any fumes emanating from it.&#160; The space junk may be contaminated with hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel”.</p>
<p>The notification that hydrazine was present on the craft sent certain members of the press into a flutter.&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Sebastian Kettley&#160;</a>of The Expresscalled the claim shocking, with the suitably hyperbolic statement that the “rogue Chinese space station” had a “toxic hazard aboard”.</p>
<p>Kettley placed reliance upon the announcement from the Aerospace Corporation, claiming that “there may be a highly toxic and corrosive substance called hydrazine on board the spacecraft that could survive re-entry.”&#160; The consequences of short-term exposure could be dire: “seizures, coma, pulmonary edema as well as itchy airways, eyes and nose.&#160; Long-term exposures have been linked to the development of cancer in humans.”</p>
<p>The disintegration of Tiangong-1 proved suitably anti-climactic, burning up in the atmosphere over the southern Pacific Ocean.&#160; There were no casualties for the bloodthirsty, nor poisonings for the morbid.&#160;But the incident had brought the Chinese space program a certain prominence.&#160; Despite a space budget dwarfing that of China (coming in at $6 billion) and Russia (even less than China) the United States, with its $40 billion, managed a mere 19 successful space launches <a href="" type="internal">in 2013&#160;</a>compared with Russia’s 31 and China’s 14.</p>
<p>The deceptive impression left by the words of <a href="" type="internal">Maj. General Stephen Whiting</a>, commander of the 14thUS Air Force and deputy commander of the Joint Force Space Component Command, is of a space environment of convivial efforts and undertakings.&#160; “One of our missions, which we remain focused on, is to monitor space and the tens of thousands of pieces of debris that congest it, while at the same time working with allies and partners to enhance spaceflight safely and increase transparency in the space domain.”&#160; Transparency, however, remains elusive in a celestial sense, as it always has in any colonial enterprise, however incipient.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
|
Atmospheric Burnings: The Re-entry of China’s Tiangong-1
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2018/04/04/atmospheric-burnings-the-re-entry-of-chinas-tiangong-1/
|
2018-04-04
| 4left
|
Atmospheric Burnings: The Re-entry of China’s Tiangong-1
<p>The <a href="http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/" type="external">precipitous demise&#160;</a>of China’s prototype space station, Tiangong-1, was the sort of event that took earthbound discussions to more heavenly matters.&#160; Human beings, as is their wont, tend to follow the rules of colonisation with a certain automatism.&#160; In doing so, they have a distinct habit of leaving debris, a junking phenomenon that has seen space become a celestial dump.&#160; In the earthly heavens lie a plenitude of detritus and artefacts that, should they continue to multiply, will result in regular crashes and mayhem.&#160;But beyond the debris lie new worlds upon which to plant flags and forge troubled civilisations.</p>
<p>The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has been keeping watch of the increasing number of objects that have found their way into space.&#160; Just under 5,000 orbit the earth, while <a href="http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/osoindex/search-ng.jspx" type="external">the number</a>that have been launched into space stands at 8050.&#160; That number, at least, has fallen by one.</p>
<p>Tiangong-1 was meant to be a signal that, what other sates can do, China can do just as well.&#160; “To use a Chinese phrase,” suggested space boffin <a href="" type="internal">Brian Harvey</a>in 2016, “I think they are wanting to bring their own mat to the table.”</p>
<p>The initial effort was experimentally modest relative to the International Space Station, but that hardly mattered. When it launched on September 29, 2011, the very statement of that fact was enough to pique broader space interest. In time, China’s astronauts, or taikonauts, would visit, but prior to that were successful orbital dockings and a visit from the Shenzhou-9 vehicle by three space flyers.</p>
<p>Where space stations are discussed, politics is bound to be an additive.&#160; In March 2016, data transmission between the Tiangong-1 and its communicators ceased.&#160; A fiery fate awaited the vehicle, though disputes invariably arose as to whether control was still maintained over the craft.&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Dean Cheng</a>, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, asserted that this loss of control, as with much else, is more than an irritant.&#160; “The Chinese insist that it is controlled.&#160; They’re very, very unhappy when you this term ‘uncontrolled’.”</p>
<p>Cheng, presumably showing his standing at a conservative US think-tank, pressed the view that control here was everything.&#160; Terms needed to be clarified; positions sorted with definitive purpose.&#160; “We should be diplomatically, and in the space-policy world, pushing China to accept a definition of ‘control’ that is comparable to the rest of the rules-based world. You don’t get your own definition”.</p>
<p>The issue about China’s handlers failing to assert sovereignty over Tiangong-1 in what would have otherwise been a controlled re-entry induced a good deal of speculative panic.&#160; The Aerospace Corporation made a lukewarm effort to defuse fears.&#160; “In the case of most re-entering objects, the uncertainty associated with predicting re-entry location is extremely large and precludes an accurate location prediction until shortly before the re-entry has occurred.”</p>
<p>The Aerospace Corporation added a <a href="http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/" type="external">tantalising touch</a>.&#160; “In general, it is much easier to predict an accurate re-entry time rather than an accurate re-entry location.”&#160; Cue the suspense, though the analysts did note that the only known instance of a person being struck by space debris remains the unfortunate Ms. Lottie Williams of Tulsa, Oklahoma “who was struck by a small piece of space debris in 1996 but was not harmed in any significant way.” The odds then?&#160;Less than <a href="" type="internal">1-in-1 trillion</a>.</p>
<p>Other concerns were also added to what had become something of an ensemble of worry.&#160; “By the way,” sparkled <a href="" type="internal">Mike Wall of Space.com</a>, “if you do manage to find a chunk of Tiangong-1, don’t pick it up or breathe in any fumes emanating from it.&#160; The space junk may be contaminated with hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel”.</p>
<p>The notification that hydrazine was present on the craft sent certain members of the press into a flutter.&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Sebastian Kettley&#160;</a>of The Expresscalled the claim shocking, with the suitably hyperbolic statement that the “rogue Chinese space station” had a “toxic hazard aboard”.</p>
<p>Kettley placed reliance upon the announcement from the Aerospace Corporation, claiming that “there may be a highly toxic and corrosive substance called hydrazine on board the spacecraft that could survive re-entry.”&#160; The consequences of short-term exposure could be dire: “seizures, coma, pulmonary edema as well as itchy airways, eyes and nose.&#160; Long-term exposures have been linked to the development of cancer in humans.”</p>
<p>The disintegration of Tiangong-1 proved suitably anti-climactic, burning up in the atmosphere over the southern Pacific Ocean.&#160; There were no casualties for the bloodthirsty, nor poisonings for the morbid.&#160;But the incident had brought the Chinese space program a certain prominence.&#160; Despite a space budget dwarfing that of China (coming in at $6 billion) and Russia (even less than China) the United States, with its $40 billion, managed a mere 19 successful space launches <a href="" type="internal">in 2013&#160;</a>compared with Russia’s 31 and China’s 14.</p>
<p>The deceptive impression left by the words of <a href="" type="internal">Maj. General Stephen Whiting</a>, commander of the 14thUS Air Force and deputy commander of the Joint Force Space Component Command, is of a space environment of convivial efforts and undertakings.&#160; “One of our missions, which we remain focused on, is to monitor space and the tens of thousands of pieces of debris that congest it, while at the same time working with allies and partners to enhance spaceflight safely and increase transparency in the space domain.”&#160; Transparency, however, remains elusive in a celestial sense, as it always has in any colonial enterprise, however incipient.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 598,713 |
<p>PHILIPPINESINQ7.netPRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday admonished Filipinos to stop feasting on a sex scandal involving well-known church leader Bishop Teodoro Bacani. The Vatican is investigating allegations that Bishop Teodoro Bacani had made sexual advances on a woman employed by his northern Manila diocese. The Church has said he could be defrocked if found guilty. In her second statement on the matter in as many days, the President urged Filipinos Tuesday to stop feasting on the sex scandal. "The best we can do now is to wait for the result of the Vatican's investigation rather than feasting maliciously on this issue," she said in a statement. She urged Filipinos to give the bishop, on an extended vacation in the United States, "a time for peace" with his relatives there. "This is no time for speculations," she added. The President had issued a similar statement Monday, saying: "This is a time for sobriety, fairness and prayer. Let us not dwell on speculations or rumors. Let us avoid prejudgment."</p>
|
Macapagal on sex scandal: Wait for result of probe
| false |
https://poynter.org/news/macapagal-sex-scandal-wait-result-probe
|
2003-06-10
| 2least
|
Macapagal on sex scandal: Wait for result of probe
<p>PHILIPPINESINQ7.netPRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday admonished Filipinos to stop feasting on a sex scandal involving well-known church leader Bishop Teodoro Bacani. The Vatican is investigating allegations that Bishop Teodoro Bacani had made sexual advances on a woman employed by his northern Manila diocese. The Church has said he could be defrocked if found guilty. In her second statement on the matter in as many days, the President urged Filipinos Tuesday to stop feasting on the sex scandal. "The best we can do now is to wait for the result of the Vatican's investigation rather than feasting maliciously on this issue," she said in a statement. She urged Filipinos to give the bishop, on an extended vacation in the United States, "a time for peace" with his relatives there. "This is no time for speculations," she added. The President had issued a similar statement Monday, saying: "This is a time for sobriety, fairness and prayer. Let us not dwell on speculations or rumors. Let us avoid prejudgment."</p>
| 598,714 |
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - A British lawmaker on Thursday put the boss of Santander UK ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SAN.MC" type="external">SAN.MC</a>) at the center of a growing political storm over the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=RBS.L" type="external">RBS.L</a>) treatment of small businesses during and after the financial crisis.</p> Royal Bank of Scotland signs are seen at a branch of the bank, in London, Britain December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
<p>Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said in a parliamentary debate that Nathan Bostock, who held a number of senior roles at RBS including that of head of restructuring and risk, bore some responsibility for the conduct of the bank’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG).</p>
<p>The unit handled some 12,000 struggling firms between 2007 and 2012, and accusations that it pushed some into bankruptcy to pick up their assets on the cheap have dogged the bank’s efforts to reform its image a decade on from the financial crisis.</p>
<p>The Financial Conduct Authority has pointed to numerous failings at RBS but stopped short of upholding the most serious allegations. A report by the regulator into the matter has never been published in full.</p>
<p>Cable said the full report concluded that RBS management “knew, or should have known”, that GRG’s mistreatment of customers was an “intended, co-ordinated strategy”.</p>
<p>“The head of GRG responsible for that policy, Mr Nathan Bostock, is now chief executive of Santander,” Cable said, dragging Bostock into a scandal that has weighed on RBS’s reputation for years.</p>
<p>A group of 500 small businesses affected by GRG called on the FCA and Bostock to clarify his involvement with the problems at the unit, its spokesman said in a statement.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SAN.MC" type="external">Banco Santander SA</a> 5.384 SAN.MC Madrid SE C.A.T.S. +0.04 (+0.77%) SAN.MC RBS.L CLLN.L
<p>Santander UK declined to comment.</p>
<p>The debate follows the publication on Wednesday of a 2008 internal RBS memo written by a junior manager at the bank, which showed staff within GRG were given a list of ways to squeeze more money from the unit’s troubled clients.</p>
<p>RBS has set aside 400 million pounds ($555 million) to cover the bill for claims against it over the actions of GRG, and it has acknowledged some bad practice at the unit.</p>
<p>“We recognise how traumatic this period was for many customers and have acknowledged for some time that mistakes were made,” an RBS spokeswoman said.</p>
<p>“The regulator has confirmed that the steps we have taken to address concerns were appropriate,” she said.</p>
<p>Thursday’s parliamentary debate topped off a difficult week for RBS, which also drew criticism for demanding tougher terms on its lending to British construction outsourcing company Carillion ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CLLN.L" type="external">CLLN.L</a>) in the run up to the firm’s collapse.</p>
<p>The bank was one of a number of major British lenders to announce measures on Thursday to support small firms hit by the company’s demise.</p>
<p>Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Hugh Lawson</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twelve U.S. senators on Thursday asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate Sinclair Broadcasting Group ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBGI.O" type="external">SBGI.O</a>) for “deliberately distorting news” and asked the commission to pause its ongoing review of the company’s proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TRCO.N" type="external">TRCO.N</a>).</p> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) logo is seen before the FCC Net Neutrality hearing in Washington February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
<p>Sinclair, which is already the largest U.S. broadcaststation owner, announced plans in May 2017 to acquire Tribune’s 42 TV stations in 33 markets, extending its reach to 72 percent of American households.</p>
<p>In a letter, the senators, 11 Democrats and independent Bernie Sanders, expressed concern about local news anchors at Sinclair-owned stations around the country being forced to read company-mandated scripts. The scripts criticized “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country” and have drawn fire.</p>
<p>“We are concerned that Sinclair is engaged in a systematic news distortion operation that seeks to undermine freedom of the press and the robust localism and diversity of viewpoint that is the foundation of our national broadcasting laws,” the senators wrote. They added that it “may have violated the FCC’s longstanding policy against broadcast licensees deliberately distorting news by staging, slanting, or falsifying information.”</p>
<p>In a letter to senators on Thursday reviewed by Reuters, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai rejected their request, saying the agency does not have authority to revoke a license based on the content of a particular newscast. Pai made similar comments last year when President Donald Trump suggested NBC’s licenses could be challenged over its news reporting.</p>
<p>“I can hardly think of an action more chilling of free speech than the federal government investigating a broadcast station because of disagreement with its news coverage or promotion of that coverage,” Pai wrote.</p>
<p>After the scripts drew significant public attention, Trump tweeted on April 2 in defense of Sinclair: “Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC.”</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBGI.O" type="external">Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc</a> 29.5 SBGI.O Nasdaq -- (--%) SBGI.O TRCO.N
<p>In February, Representative Frank Pallone, a Democrat, said the FCC’s inspector general was investigating whether Pai was biased in Sinclair’s favor.</p>
<p>Pallone in November asked the inspector general to investigate, citing a string of FCC decisions he said benefited Sinclair and a media report that Trump’s election campaign struck a deal with Sinclair for favorable coverage.</p>
<p>Pai has repeatedly denied he has taken actions aimed at benefiting a single company and Sinclair has denied improper conduct.</p>
<p>Sinclair declined to comment on the senators’ letter, signed by the 11 Democrats, including Senators Maria Cantwell, Tom Udall, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal, as well as Sanders.</p>
<p>Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Dan Grebler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s commerce ministry said on Thursday trade negotiations with the United States would be impossible as Washington’s attempts at dialogue were not sincere, and vowed to retaliate if U.S. President Donald Trump escalates current tensions.</p>
<p>China President Xi Jinping on Tuesday vowed to open China’s economy further and lower import duties on goods such as cars, boosting hopes for an easing of tensions between both nations. Trump responded via Twitter he was “thankful” for Xi’s remarks on tariffs and access for U.S. automakers, and said both countries would “make great progress together.”</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-usa-trade-china-beef/trump-touts-effect-of-his-call-with-chinas-xi-on-u-s-beef-exports-idUSKBN1HJ383" type="external">Trump touts effect of his call with China's Xi on U.S. beef exports</a>
<p>Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng told reporters during a regular briefing, however, that Xi’s remarks had nothing to do with the trade row and should not be mischaracterized as a concession to Washington.</p>
<p>“I hope some people in the U.S do not misjudge the situation,” he said. “If the United States takes any action to escalate the situation, China will not hesitate to fight back.”</p>
<p>The world’s two largest economies have threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs in recent weeks, spurring worries of a full-scale trade war that could damage global growth and roil markets.</p>
<p>Some U.S. officials and analysts have said they believe the dispute could eventually be resolved via dialogue, but Beijing reiterated on Thursday that no formal talks have taken place.</p> Shipping containers are seen at the port in Shanghai, China April 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song
<p>“It is not a matter of whether China is willing to participate in the negotiations. It is about the U.S. not showing sincerity at all,” Gao said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that talks between Beijing and Washington had been positive: “We’re doing really well with China. I think we’re having some great discussions, we’ll see what happens.”</p> Shipping containers are seen at the port in Shanghai, China April 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song
<p>Later, Trump said at a White House event on taxes that China was negotiating “very hard, very long” but he was optimistic about the outcome. “I think it will end up the tariffs off and the barriers down.”</p>
<p>China’s Global Times tabloid wrote in a commentary that Washington could either respond sincerely to China’s determination to conduct interactions showing good will with the U.S. or keep pressuring China with unreasonable demands and escalate trade frictions.</p>
<p>Washington accuses Chinese firms of stealing the trade secrets of U.S. companies and forcing them into joint ventures to acquire their technology - the crux of Trump’s current tariff threats against China. Beijing denies this charge.</p>
<p>Trump on Monday criticized China for maintaining 25 percent import tariffs on autos compared to the 2.5 percent duties of the U.S., calling the relationship “stupid trade.” But Gao said WTO rules do not require equal tariffs and demand for such parity is unreasonable.</p>
<p>He said China would continue to open its markets and implement lower tariffs pledged by Xi as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Reporting by Se Young Lee and Yawen Chen; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Sam Holmes and Bernadette Baum</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s takeover regulator said Walt Disney ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DIS.N" type="external">DIS.N</a>) must offer to buy all of Sky if it acquires Twenty-First Century Fox’s 39 percent stake and if Rupert Murdoch’s Fox is prevented from purchasing all of the European pay-TV company itself.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Sky logo is seen on outside of an entrance to offices and studios in west London, Britain June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
<p>Fox ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FOXA.O" type="external">FOXA.O</a>) agreed an offer to buy all of Sky ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SKYB.L" type="external">SKYB.L</a>) 17 months ago but is still waiting regulatory approval, while Disney has agreed to buy Fox assets, including its stake in Sky, in a separate deal subject to its own regulatory clearance.</p>
<p>The ruling means that if Fox’s bid to buy Sky is blocked by the government in June because of Murdoch’s media influence, Disney will have to step in to make the same offer to shareholders if and when it becomes the owner of Fox’s assets.</p>
<p>Disney had said it should not be required to make a bid for the whole of Sky in line with Fox’s existing offer if it bought the Fox assets, but Britain’s Takeover Panel ruled on Thursday that it must match Fox’s 10.75 pounds-a-share price.</p> A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RC1277BFE810
<p>Analysts had said Disney wanted a special dispensation to give it more flexibility on whether or when it would bid for the rest of Sky if it only bought the 39 percent stake from Fox.</p>
<p>The Takeover Panel, however, said it considered that securing control of Sky might reasonably be considered to be a significant purpose of Disney’s acquiring control of Fox, and it must make an offer within 28 days of buying the Fox assets.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DIS.N" type="external">Walt Disney Co</a> 100.39 DIS.N New York Stock Exchange -0.41 (-0.41%) DIS.N FOXA.O SKYB.L CMCSA.O FOX COMMITTED
<p>The Panel’s ruling will not stand if Fox has acquired 100 percent of Sky by the time Disney buys the Fox assets, or if Comcast Corp or any other third party has acquired a stake of more than 50 percent in Sky.</p>
<p>U.S. cable company Comcast ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CMCSA.O" type="external">CMCSA.O</a>) said on Feb. 27 that it was considering making an offer for Sky.</p>
<p>Sky said it noted the Takeover Panel’s ruling, and it advised shareholders to take no further action at this time.</p>
<p>Twenty-First Century Fox said that under the ruling, any mandatory offer by Disney would only be required after Disney’s acquisition of Fox is completed, which Fox currently expects to occur after completion of Fox’s offer for Sky.</p>
<p>“21CF (Fox) remains committed to its recommended cash offer for Sky announced on 15th December 2016,” it said.</p>
<p>The offer was supported by revised remedies it had offered to Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority, it added.</p>
<p>Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton and Alexander Smith</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian stocks were cautiously higher on Friday ahead of the U.S. earnings season and as investors pondered the implications of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the prospect of a global trade war.</p> FILE PHOTO: A pedestrian casts a shadow in front of an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump’s tendency to change his mind over key policy and political issues has fuelled wild market gyrations in recent weeks.</p>
<p>Spreadbetters pointed to a largely muted start for Europe, with FTSE futures a shade higher FFIc1 and DAX futures FDXc1 up 0.2 percent. E-Mini futures for the S&amp;P500 ESc1 were unchanged as were Dow futures 1YMc1.</p>
<p>Investors were also reviewing mixed data from China which showed March exports unexpectedly fell 2.7 percent from a year earlier while imports jumped more than forecast.</p>
<p>While the figures pointed to robust demand from the world’s top consumer of crude, copper and iron ore, they left the country with a rare trade deficit of $4.98 billion for the month, the first since last February.</p>
<p>MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was up a slim 0.1 percent, having risen as much as 0.5 percent in morning trading.</p>
<p>It is still up about 2 percent on the week.</p>
<p>Chinese shares took a knock, with both the blue-chip CSI300 index <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.CSI300" type="external">.CSI300</a> and Shanghai's SSE Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SSEC" type="external">.SSEC</a> falling 0.8 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.HSI" type="external">.HSI</a> inched lower too while Japan's Nikkei <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.N225" type="external">.N225</a> gained 0.55 percent.</p>
<p>The earnings season begins in earnest on Friday with reports from JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=JPM.N" type="external">JPM.N</a>), Citigroup Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=C.N" type="external">C.N</a>) and Wells Fargo &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WFC.N" type="external">WFC.N</a>).</p>
<p>Analysts expect quarterly profit for S&amp;P 500 companies to rise 18.4 percent from a year ago, in what would be the biggest gain in seven years, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.</p>
<p>Still, investors also had reason to fret.</p>
<p>“The worry-list for investors remains long with another military strike on Syria after yet another chemical attack looming large and the Mueller inquiry getting even closer to Trump,” said Shane Oliver, Sydney-based chief economist at AMP Capital.</p>
<p>Markets heaved a sigh of relief over suggestions from Trump that a military strike on Syria may not be imminent. However, the threat of a strike remained after Washington’s earlier warnings against the Syrian government for what is said was a suspected poison gas attack on its civilians.</p> TRADE WAR?
<p>Trade tensions also wasn’t far off the surface, with analysts at Citi noting prolonged uncertainty will likely hurt open Asian economies such as Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.</p>
<p>In the most recent change of tack, Trump Thursday asked his advisers to look at re-joining the Trans Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade pact he withdrew the United States from early last year.</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.CSI300" type="external">China Securities Index Co Ltd</a> 3871.464 .CSI300 China Securities Index Co Ltd -27.17 (-0.70%) .CSI300 .SSEC .HSI .N225 JPM.N
<p>But he later tweeted that the United States would only join the TPP if the deal were substantially better than the one offered to former President Barack Obama.</p>
<p>“Markets have been pushed around by Trump,” said Hiroshi Watanabe, economist at Sony Financial Holdings.</p>
<p>“His modus operandi seems to do anything that seems to be good for his re-election. If protectionism doesn’t work, he may switch to international trade,” he added.</p>
<p>“Markets are still not yet convinced yet if the U.S. is really re-joining the TPP. But if it does, it’s very positive for the global economy and stock markets will like it.”</p>
<p>In the currency market, the dollar gained to at 107.57 yen <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=JPY&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">JPY=</a>, a level not seen since Feb.22.</p>
<p>The euro <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=EUR&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">EUR=</a> was flat at $1.2326, though on the week it has kept gains of 0.4 percent.</p>
<p>Oil prices edged lower but are still set for their biggest weekly gains since last July. [O/R]</p>
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 were off 17 cents at $71.85 a barrel, not far from Wednesday’s high of $73.09. U.S. WTI crude futures CLc1 slipped 17 cents to $66.9.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Jacqueline Wong</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
|
British lawmaker points to Santander UK chief in scandal over RBS restructuring unit Twelve senators seek FCC probe of Sinclair news scripts, pause in Tribune review China vows to fight back if U.S. escalates trade spat Disney must offer to buy all of Sky, Britain's takeover regulator rules Stocks cautious on trade, Syria anxiety; dollar near six-week highs
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https://reuters.com/article/santander-grg/british-lawmaker-points-to-santander-uk-chief-in-scandal-over-rbs-restructuring-unit-idUSL8N1PD6KM
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2018-01-18
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British lawmaker points to Santander UK chief in scandal over RBS restructuring unit Twelve senators seek FCC probe of Sinclair news scripts, pause in Tribune review China vows to fight back if U.S. escalates trade spat Disney must offer to buy all of Sky, Britain's takeover regulator rules Stocks cautious on trade, Syria anxiety; dollar near six-week highs
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - A British lawmaker on Thursday put the boss of Santander UK ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SAN.MC" type="external">SAN.MC</a>) at the center of a growing political storm over the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=RBS.L" type="external">RBS.L</a>) treatment of small businesses during and after the financial crisis.</p> Royal Bank of Scotland signs are seen at a branch of the bank, in London, Britain December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
<p>Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said in a parliamentary debate that Nathan Bostock, who held a number of senior roles at RBS including that of head of restructuring and risk, bore some responsibility for the conduct of the bank’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG).</p>
<p>The unit handled some 12,000 struggling firms between 2007 and 2012, and accusations that it pushed some into bankruptcy to pick up their assets on the cheap have dogged the bank’s efforts to reform its image a decade on from the financial crisis.</p>
<p>The Financial Conduct Authority has pointed to numerous failings at RBS but stopped short of upholding the most serious allegations. A report by the regulator into the matter has never been published in full.</p>
<p>Cable said the full report concluded that RBS management “knew, or should have known”, that GRG’s mistreatment of customers was an “intended, co-ordinated strategy”.</p>
<p>“The head of GRG responsible for that policy, Mr Nathan Bostock, is now chief executive of Santander,” Cable said, dragging Bostock into a scandal that has weighed on RBS’s reputation for years.</p>
<p>A group of 500 small businesses affected by GRG called on the FCA and Bostock to clarify his involvement with the problems at the unit, its spokesman said in a statement.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SAN.MC" type="external">Banco Santander SA</a> 5.384 SAN.MC Madrid SE C.A.T.S. +0.04 (+0.77%) SAN.MC RBS.L CLLN.L
<p>Santander UK declined to comment.</p>
<p>The debate follows the publication on Wednesday of a 2008 internal RBS memo written by a junior manager at the bank, which showed staff within GRG were given a list of ways to squeeze more money from the unit’s troubled clients.</p>
<p>RBS has set aside 400 million pounds ($555 million) to cover the bill for claims against it over the actions of GRG, and it has acknowledged some bad practice at the unit.</p>
<p>“We recognise how traumatic this period was for many customers and have acknowledged for some time that mistakes were made,” an RBS spokeswoman said.</p>
<p>“The regulator has confirmed that the steps we have taken to address concerns were appropriate,” she said.</p>
<p>Thursday’s parliamentary debate topped off a difficult week for RBS, which also drew criticism for demanding tougher terms on its lending to British construction outsourcing company Carillion ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CLLN.L" type="external">CLLN.L</a>) in the run up to the firm’s collapse.</p>
<p>The bank was one of a number of major British lenders to announce measures on Thursday to support small firms hit by the company’s demise.</p>
<p>Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Hugh Lawson</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twelve U.S. senators on Thursday asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate Sinclair Broadcasting Group ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBGI.O" type="external">SBGI.O</a>) for “deliberately distorting news” and asked the commission to pause its ongoing review of the company’s proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TRCO.N" type="external">TRCO.N</a>).</p> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) logo is seen before the FCC Net Neutrality hearing in Washington February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
<p>Sinclair, which is already the largest U.S. broadcaststation owner, announced plans in May 2017 to acquire Tribune’s 42 TV stations in 33 markets, extending its reach to 72 percent of American households.</p>
<p>In a letter, the senators, 11 Democrats and independent Bernie Sanders, expressed concern about local news anchors at Sinclair-owned stations around the country being forced to read company-mandated scripts. The scripts criticized “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country” and have drawn fire.</p>
<p>“We are concerned that Sinclair is engaged in a systematic news distortion operation that seeks to undermine freedom of the press and the robust localism and diversity of viewpoint that is the foundation of our national broadcasting laws,” the senators wrote. They added that it “may have violated the FCC’s longstanding policy against broadcast licensees deliberately distorting news by staging, slanting, or falsifying information.”</p>
<p>In a letter to senators on Thursday reviewed by Reuters, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai rejected their request, saying the agency does not have authority to revoke a license based on the content of a particular newscast. Pai made similar comments last year when President Donald Trump suggested NBC’s licenses could be challenged over its news reporting.</p>
<p>“I can hardly think of an action more chilling of free speech than the federal government investigating a broadcast station because of disagreement with its news coverage or promotion of that coverage,” Pai wrote.</p>
<p>After the scripts drew significant public attention, Trump tweeted on April 2 in defense of Sinclair: “Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC.”</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBGI.O" type="external">Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc</a> 29.5 SBGI.O Nasdaq -- (--%) SBGI.O TRCO.N
<p>In February, Representative Frank Pallone, a Democrat, said the FCC’s inspector general was investigating whether Pai was biased in Sinclair’s favor.</p>
<p>Pallone in November asked the inspector general to investigate, citing a string of FCC decisions he said benefited Sinclair and a media report that Trump’s election campaign struck a deal with Sinclair for favorable coverage.</p>
<p>Pai has repeatedly denied he has taken actions aimed at benefiting a single company and Sinclair has denied improper conduct.</p>
<p>Sinclair declined to comment on the senators’ letter, signed by the 11 Democrats, including Senators Maria Cantwell, Tom Udall, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal, as well as Sanders.</p>
<p>Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Dan Grebler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s commerce ministry said on Thursday trade negotiations with the United States would be impossible as Washington’s attempts at dialogue were not sincere, and vowed to retaliate if U.S. President Donald Trump escalates current tensions.</p>
<p>China President Xi Jinping on Tuesday vowed to open China’s economy further and lower import duties on goods such as cars, boosting hopes for an easing of tensions between both nations. Trump responded via Twitter he was “thankful” for Xi’s remarks on tariffs and access for U.S. automakers, and said both countries would “make great progress together.”</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-usa-trade-china-beef/trump-touts-effect-of-his-call-with-chinas-xi-on-u-s-beef-exports-idUSKBN1HJ383" type="external">Trump touts effect of his call with China's Xi on U.S. beef exports</a>
<p>Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng told reporters during a regular briefing, however, that Xi’s remarks had nothing to do with the trade row and should not be mischaracterized as a concession to Washington.</p>
<p>“I hope some people in the U.S do not misjudge the situation,” he said. “If the United States takes any action to escalate the situation, China will not hesitate to fight back.”</p>
<p>The world’s two largest economies have threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs in recent weeks, spurring worries of a full-scale trade war that could damage global growth and roil markets.</p>
<p>Some U.S. officials and analysts have said they believe the dispute could eventually be resolved via dialogue, but Beijing reiterated on Thursday that no formal talks have taken place.</p> Shipping containers are seen at the port in Shanghai, China April 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song
<p>“It is not a matter of whether China is willing to participate in the negotiations. It is about the U.S. not showing sincerity at all,” Gao said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that talks between Beijing and Washington had been positive: “We’re doing really well with China. I think we’re having some great discussions, we’ll see what happens.”</p> Shipping containers are seen at the port in Shanghai, China April 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song
<p>Later, Trump said at a White House event on taxes that China was negotiating “very hard, very long” but he was optimistic about the outcome. “I think it will end up the tariffs off and the barriers down.”</p>
<p>China’s Global Times tabloid wrote in a commentary that Washington could either respond sincerely to China’s determination to conduct interactions showing good will with the U.S. or keep pressuring China with unreasonable demands and escalate trade frictions.</p>
<p>Washington accuses Chinese firms of stealing the trade secrets of U.S. companies and forcing them into joint ventures to acquire their technology - the crux of Trump’s current tariff threats against China. Beijing denies this charge.</p>
<p>Trump on Monday criticized China for maintaining 25 percent import tariffs on autos compared to the 2.5 percent duties of the U.S., calling the relationship “stupid trade.” But Gao said WTO rules do not require equal tariffs and demand for such parity is unreasonable.</p>
<p>He said China would continue to open its markets and implement lower tariffs pledged by Xi as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Reporting by Se Young Lee and Yawen Chen; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Sam Holmes and Bernadette Baum</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s takeover regulator said Walt Disney ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DIS.N" type="external">DIS.N</a>) must offer to buy all of Sky if it acquires Twenty-First Century Fox’s 39 percent stake and if Rupert Murdoch’s Fox is prevented from purchasing all of the European pay-TV company itself.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Sky logo is seen on outside of an entrance to offices and studios in west London, Britain June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
<p>Fox ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FOXA.O" type="external">FOXA.O</a>) agreed an offer to buy all of Sky ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SKYB.L" type="external">SKYB.L</a>) 17 months ago but is still waiting regulatory approval, while Disney has agreed to buy Fox assets, including its stake in Sky, in a separate deal subject to its own regulatory clearance.</p>
<p>The ruling means that if Fox’s bid to buy Sky is blocked by the government in June because of Murdoch’s media influence, Disney will have to step in to make the same offer to shareholders if and when it becomes the owner of Fox’s assets.</p>
<p>Disney had said it should not be required to make a bid for the whole of Sky in line with Fox’s existing offer if it bought the Fox assets, but Britain’s Takeover Panel ruled on Thursday that it must match Fox’s 10.75 pounds-a-share price.</p> A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RC1277BFE810
<p>Analysts had said Disney wanted a special dispensation to give it more flexibility on whether or when it would bid for the rest of Sky if it only bought the 39 percent stake from Fox.</p>
<p>The Takeover Panel, however, said it considered that securing control of Sky might reasonably be considered to be a significant purpose of Disney’s acquiring control of Fox, and it must make an offer within 28 days of buying the Fox assets.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DIS.N" type="external">Walt Disney Co</a> 100.39 DIS.N New York Stock Exchange -0.41 (-0.41%) DIS.N FOXA.O SKYB.L CMCSA.O FOX COMMITTED
<p>The Panel’s ruling will not stand if Fox has acquired 100 percent of Sky by the time Disney buys the Fox assets, or if Comcast Corp or any other third party has acquired a stake of more than 50 percent in Sky.</p>
<p>U.S. cable company Comcast ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CMCSA.O" type="external">CMCSA.O</a>) said on Feb. 27 that it was considering making an offer for Sky.</p>
<p>Sky said it noted the Takeover Panel’s ruling, and it advised shareholders to take no further action at this time.</p>
<p>Twenty-First Century Fox said that under the ruling, any mandatory offer by Disney would only be required after Disney’s acquisition of Fox is completed, which Fox currently expects to occur after completion of Fox’s offer for Sky.</p>
<p>“21CF (Fox) remains committed to its recommended cash offer for Sky announced on 15th December 2016,” it said.</p>
<p>The offer was supported by revised remedies it had offered to Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority, it added.</p>
<p>Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton and Alexander Smith</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian stocks were cautiously higher on Friday ahead of the U.S. earnings season and as investors pondered the implications of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the prospect of a global trade war.</p> FILE PHOTO: A pedestrian casts a shadow in front of an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump’s tendency to change his mind over key policy and political issues has fuelled wild market gyrations in recent weeks.</p>
<p>Spreadbetters pointed to a largely muted start for Europe, with FTSE futures a shade higher FFIc1 and DAX futures FDXc1 up 0.2 percent. E-Mini futures for the S&amp;P500 ESc1 were unchanged as were Dow futures 1YMc1.</p>
<p>Investors were also reviewing mixed data from China which showed March exports unexpectedly fell 2.7 percent from a year earlier while imports jumped more than forecast.</p>
<p>While the figures pointed to robust demand from the world’s top consumer of crude, copper and iron ore, they left the country with a rare trade deficit of $4.98 billion for the month, the first since last February.</p>
<p>MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was up a slim 0.1 percent, having risen as much as 0.5 percent in morning trading.</p>
<p>It is still up about 2 percent on the week.</p>
<p>Chinese shares took a knock, with both the blue-chip CSI300 index <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.CSI300" type="external">.CSI300</a> and Shanghai's SSE Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SSEC" type="external">.SSEC</a> falling 0.8 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.HSI" type="external">.HSI</a> inched lower too while Japan's Nikkei <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.N225" type="external">.N225</a> gained 0.55 percent.</p>
<p>The earnings season begins in earnest on Friday with reports from JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=JPM.N" type="external">JPM.N</a>), Citigroup Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=C.N" type="external">C.N</a>) and Wells Fargo &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WFC.N" type="external">WFC.N</a>).</p>
<p>Analysts expect quarterly profit for S&amp;P 500 companies to rise 18.4 percent from a year ago, in what would be the biggest gain in seven years, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.</p>
<p>Still, investors also had reason to fret.</p>
<p>“The worry-list for investors remains long with another military strike on Syria after yet another chemical attack looming large and the Mueller inquiry getting even closer to Trump,” said Shane Oliver, Sydney-based chief economist at AMP Capital.</p>
<p>Markets heaved a sigh of relief over suggestions from Trump that a military strike on Syria may not be imminent. However, the threat of a strike remained after Washington’s earlier warnings against the Syrian government for what is said was a suspected poison gas attack on its civilians.</p> TRADE WAR?
<p>Trade tensions also wasn’t far off the surface, with analysts at Citi noting prolonged uncertainty will likely hurt open Asian economies such as Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.</p>
<p>In the most recent change of tack, Trump Thursday asked his advisers to look at re-joining the Trans Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade pact he withdrew the United States from early last year.</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.CSI300" type="external">China Securities Index Co Ltd</a> 3871.464 .CSI300 China Securities Index Co Ltd -27.17 (-0.70%) .CSI300 .SSEC .HSI .N225 JPM.N
<p>But he later tweeted that the United States would only join the TPP if the deal were substantially better than the one offered to former President Barack Obama.</p>
<p>“Markets have been pushed around by Trump,” said Hiroshi Watanabe, economist at Sony Financial Holdings.</p>
<p>“His modus operandi seems to do anything that seems to be good for his re-election. If protectionism doesn’t work, he may switch to international trade,” he added.</p>
<p>“Markets are still not yet convinced yet if the U.S. is really re-joining the TPP. But if it does, it’s very positive for the global economy and stock markets will like it.”</p>
<p>In the currency market, the dollar gained to at 107.57 yen <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=JPY&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">JPY=</a>, a level not seen since Feb.22.</p>
<p>The euro <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=EUR&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">EUR=</a> was flat at $1.2326, though on the week it has kept gains of 0.4 percent.</p>
<p>Oil prices edged lower but are still set for their biggest weekly gains since last July. [O/R]</p>
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 were off 17 cents at $71.85 a barrel, not far from Wednesday’s high of $73.09. U.S. WTI crude futures CLc1 slipped 17 cents to $66.9.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Jacqueline Wong</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| 598,715 |
<p>When Ben Haggerty (aka Macklemore) initially played me an earlier draft of “White Privilege II” and asked me a couple of questions about race, it started out as just a conversation.</p>
<p>He and I hopped in his Cadillac; he played a draft of the song through his bass-heavy speakers, and we sat in silence. The weight of his attempt to directly address his white privilege — arguably his Achilles heel — was profound during that listening session. When the song finished, he put a recorder in my face and asked me some questions I can’t entirely remember.</p>
<p>I offered a quote (featured at the 6:35 mark of the song) to put in perspective the silliness of the All Lives Matter response to Black Lives Matter:</p>
<p>“Black Lives Matter, to use an analogy, is like if there was a subdivision and a house was on fire, the fire department wouldn’t show up and start putting water on all the houses because All Houses Matter. They would show up, and they would turn their water on the house that was burning because that’s the house that needs help the most.”</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>In debuting “White Privilege II,” Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis, along with a host of contributors, kicked a larger hornet’s nest than anyone could have fully anticipated. Within hours of its release, blogs, websites, and social media platforms exploded with either harsh critiques or sincere praise for the song.</p>
<p>Washington-based poet, activist, and attorney Gyasi Ross tweeted two days after the release:</p>
<p>Outspoken Harlem rapper Azealia Banks wasted no time tweeting this after hearing the song:</p>
<p>just know that Macklemore "admitting" his white privilege is about to eclipse the REAL conversation about Blacks &amp; Entertainment.</p>
<p>— azealiabanks (@AZEALIABANKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/690654557593063426" type="external">January 22, 2016</a></p>
<p>Meanwhile, Jamil Smith, senior editor for the New Republic, was more understanding of the song’s intention:</p>
<p>Given that Macklemore is a polarizing pop figure, the love/hate, pass/fail reaction to “White Privilege II” isn’t entirely surprising. Still, “White Privilege II” has touched a nerve. If releasing this track could be compared to the board game Operation, Haggerty reached for the patient’s “wish bone,” “funny bone,” and “broken heart” and, according to his detractors, mostly triggered the buzzer with each verse.</p>
<p>That is not to say this song fails. A huge swath of Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis’ audience is young white kids who often like to “dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like” black folks while having no interest in showing up for black lives. This song is written for that young white audience, and that audience has the most to gain by listening to a white rapper as he breaks down, stanza by stanza, the reasons why they can no longer ignore white privilege. In that regard, “White Privilege II” is successful. The song does not purport to teach black listeners anything we don’t already know.</p>
<p>“White Privilege II” did, however, miss an opportunity with the Asian American, Native American, and Latino perspectives entirely absent from the song. Its lyrics keep the conversation historically rooted in a white versus black dynamic. Nonblack people of color who drop the n-bomb in their everyday speech but won’t stand in solidarity with black lives have much to glean from this song as well.</p>
<p>Some critics argue that communities of color have spoken out against white privilege for centuries, and it typically falls on deaf ears. Now, all of a sudden, white people are listening when the messenger is a cis-gendered white male. Well, that’s the epitome of the way white privilege works.</p>
<p>Is there danger in giving Macklemore too much credit for artfully regurgitating what black and brown folks have said seemingly forever? Absolutely. Should I as not only a vocal contributor to the song, but a black male who has spent the past year launching a <a href="http://empmuseum.org/programs-plus-education/programs/hip-hop-artist-residency.aspx" type="external">Hip-Hop Artist Residency</a> exclusively for low-income youth in partnership with Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis’ team still question my own willingness to be featured on “White Privilege II?”&#160;Abso-damn-lutely.</p>
<p>I didn’t work on the song at the same level as poet, organizer&#160;and attorney Nikkita Oliver or Dustin Washington, who helped Haggerty work through all of the necessary deep racial processing ahead of time.</p>
<p>I wasn’t behind the scenes setting up meetings like Hollis Wong-Wear or crooning like Jamila Woods. I just sat shotgun in a Cadillac and offered a quote that I partially borrowed from a shy, brilliant teenager I know.</p>
<p />
<p>Macklemore&#160;posing with youth participants of the EMP’s Hip Hop Artist Residency.&#160;</p>
<p>Zoe Rain</p>
<p>But unlike those brilliant organizers and artists, I’ve spent a solid year developing pathways for Haggerty and his team to participate in educational opportunities for teens at Seattle’s EMP Museum, where I manage our youth programs and community outreach.</p>
<p>There are times that Haggerty, Lewis, and their Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement Ben Secord are at the museum working exclusively with youth of color in the Hip-Hop Artist Residency program — and the general public doesn't know.</p>
<p>There, they discuss race, privilege, sobriety, songwriting,&#160;and, during the summer months, all the youth get paid. Macklemore’s team worked to secure fully loaded Microsoft Surface Pros for all the teens in the&#160;program. I told his team that day: This is what he needs to be doing more of with his white privilege.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>“White Privilege II” isn’t just a song. It’s Haggerty constantly being coached to step aside so people of color, who are equally — if not more — talented as he is, have space to thrive and speak for themselves. Stepping aside so other voices can speak is a huge challenge for most heteronormative men regardless of race. White privilege is prevalent in Haggerty’s life but so are male privilege, class privilege, and sexual orientation privilege.&#160;Until a&#160;song released on a major platform tackles those issues as a whole,&#160;attempts to address “privilege” will be incomplete.</p>
<p>Still, “White Privilege II” does not speak enough regarding long-term economic empowerment. Until the Macklemore LLC team actually employs black and brown folks on a full-time basis within their inner circle (currently they do not), it is still passively perpetuating a system that, similar to the NFL, has a lot of black players but no black owners. Many of the artists on the song or who tour with Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis are talented people of color getting paid.</p>
<p>This is important. This is also not enough.</p>
<p>Jonathan Cunningham is&#160;the Manager of Youth Programs + Community Outreach for Seattle's EMP Museum. In a former life, he was (and still is) an award-winning music journalist and editor with content published in major outlets such as FADER, VIBE, Spin, Rollingstone.com, and Village Voice Media.&#160;</p>
<p>This&#160; <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/white-privilege-II-showed-me-what-an-unruly-mess-were-in-20160201" type="external">story</a>&#160;was originally published by&#160; <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/" type="external">YES! Magazine</a>, a nonprofit publication that supports people’s active engagement in solving today’s social, political, and environmental challenges.&#160;</p>
|
Macklemore quoted me on 'White Privilege II.' That song showed me what an unruly mess we’re in.
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2016-02-03/macklemore-quoted-me-white-privilege-ii-song-showed-me-what-unruly-mess-we-re
|
2016-02-03
| 3left-center
|
Macklemore quoted me on 'White Privilege II.' That song showed me what an unruly mess we’re in.
<p>When Ben Haggerty (aka Macklemore) initially played me an earlier draft of “White Privilege II” and asked me a couple of questions about race, it started out as just a conversation.</p>
<p>He and I hopped in his Cadillac; he played a draft of the song through his bass-heavy speakers, and we sat in silence. The weight of his attempt to directly address his white privilege — arguably his Achilles heel — was profound during that listening session. When the song finished, he put a recorder in my face and asked me some questions I can’t entirely remember.</p>
<p>I offered a quote (featured at the 6:35 mark of the song) to put in perspective the silliness of the All Lives Matter response to Black Lives Matter:</p>
<p>“Black Lives Matter, to use an analogy, is like if there was a subdivision and a house was on fire, the fire department wouldn’t show up and start putting water on all the houses because All Houses Matter. They would show up, and they would turn their water on the house that was burning because that’s the house that needs help the most.”</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>In debuting “White Privilege II,” Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis, along with a host of contributors, kicked a larger hornet’s nest than anyone could have fully anticipated. Within hours of its release, blogs, websites, and social media platforms exploded with either harsh critiques or sincere praise for the song.</p>
<p>Washington-based poet, activist, and attorney Gyasi Ross tweeted two days after the release:</p>
<p>Outspoken Harlem rapper Azealia Banks wasted no time tweeting this after hearing the song:</p>
<p>just know that Macklemore "admitting" his white privilege is about to eclipse the REAL conversation about Blacks &amp; Entertainment.</p>
<p>— azealiabanks (@AZEALIABANKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/690654557593063426" type="external">January 22, 2016</a></p>
<p>Meanwhile, Jamil Smith, senior editor for the New Republic, was more understanding of the song’s intention:</p>
<p>Given that Macklemore is a polarizing pop figure, the love/hate, pass/fail reaction to “White Privilege II” isn’t entirely surprising. Still, “White Privilege II” has touched a nerve. If releasing this track could be compared to the board game Operation, Haggerty reached for the patient’s “wish bone,” “funny bone,” and “broken heart” and, according to his detractors, mostly triggered the buzzer with each verse.</p>
<p>That is not to say this song fails. A huge swath of Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis’ audience is young white kids who often like to “dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like” black folks while having no interest in showing up for black lives. This song is written for that young white audience, and that audience has the most to gain by listening to a white rapper as he breaks down, stanza by stanza, the reasons why they can no longer ignore white privilege. In that regard, “White Privilege II” is successful. The song does not purport to teach black listeners anything we don’t already know.</p>
<p>“White Privilege II” did, however, miss an opportunity with the Asian American, Native American, and Latino perspectives entirely absent from the song. Its lyrics keep the conversation historically rooted in a white versus black dynamic. Nonblack people of color who drop the n-bomb in their everyday speech but won’t stand in solidarity with black lives have much to glean from this song as well.</p>
<p>Some critics argue that communities of color have spoken out against white privilege for centuries, and it typically falls on deaf ears. Now, all of a sudden, white people are listening when the messenger is a cis-gendered white male. Well, that’s the epitome of the way white privilege works.</p>
<p>Is there danger in giving Macklemore too much credit for artfully regurgitating what black and brown folks have said seemingly forever? Absolutely. Should I as not only a vocal contributor to the song, but a black male who has spent the past year launching a <a href="http://empmuseum.org/programs-plus-education/programs/hip-hop-artist-residency.aspx" type="external">Hip-Hop Artist Residency</a> exclusively for low-income youth in partnership with Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis’ team still question my own willingness to be featured on “White Privilege II?”&#160;Abso-damn-lutely.</p>
<p>I didn’t work on the song at the same level as poet, organizer&#160;and attorney Nikkita Oliver or Dustin Washington, who helped Haggerty work through all of the necessary deep racial processing ahead of time.</p>
<p>I wasn’t behind the scenes setting up meetings like Hollis Wong-Wear or crooning like Jamila Woods. I just sat shotgun in a Cadillac and offered a quote that I partially borrowed from a shy, brilliant teenager I know.</p>
<p />
<p>Macklemore&#160;posing with youth participants of the EMP’s Hip Hop Artist Residency.&#160;</p>
<p>Zoe Rain</p>
<p>But unlike those brilliant organizers and artists, I’ve spent a solid year developing pathways for Haggerty and his team to participate in educational opportunities for teens at Seattle’s EMP Museum, where I manage our youth programs and community outreach.</p>
<p>There are times that Haggerty, Lewis, and their Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement Ben Secord are at the museum working exclusively with youth of color in the Hip-Hop Artist Residency program — and the general public doesn't know.</p>
<p>There, they discuss race, privilege, sobriety, songwriting,&#160;and, during the summer months, all the youth get paid. Macklemore’s team worked to secure fully loaded Microsoft Surface Pros for all the teens in the&#160;program. I told his team that day: This is what he needs to be doing more of with his white privilege.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>“White Privilege II” isn’t just a song. It’s Haggerty constantly being coached to step aside so people of color, who are equally — if not more — talented as he is, have space to thrive and speak for themselves. Stepping aside so other voices can speak is a huge challenge for most heteronormative men regardless of race. White privilege is prevalent in Haggerty’s life but so are male privilege, class privilege, and sexual orientation privilege.&#160;Until a&#160;song released on a major platform tackles those issues as a whole,&#160;attempts to address “privilege” will be incomplete.</p>
<p>Still, “White Privilege II” does not speak enough regarding long-term economic empowerment. Until the Macklemore LLC team actually employs black and brown folks on a full-time basis within their inner circle (currently they do not), it is still passively perpetuating a system that, similar to the NFL, has a lot of black players but no black owners. Many of the artists on the song or who tour with Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis are talented people of color getting paid.</p>
<p>This is important. This is also not enough.</p>
<p>Jonathan Cunningham is&#160;the Manager of Youth Programs + Community Outreach for Seattle's EMP Museum. In a former life, he was (and still is) an award-winning music journalist and editor with content published in major outlets such as FADER, VIBE, Spin, Rollingstone.com, and Village Voice Media.&#160;</p>
<p>This&#160; <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/white-privilege-II-showed-me-what-an-unruly-mess-were-in-20160201" type="external">story</a>&#160;was originally published by&#160; <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/" type="external">YES! Magazine</a>, a nonprofit publication that supports people’s active engagement in solving today’s social, political, and environmental challenges.&#160;</p>
| 598,716 |
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<p />
<p>“People would look at me and say, ‘How’s your husband doing?’ and I’d become a big crybaby.”</p>
<p>But instead of prescribing medication to alleviate her anxiety, her doctor directed her to a program that is seeking to improve people’s health by connecting them with community. LinkAges, a pilot program launched three years ago by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, is an intergenerational network of people helping each other. It works as a time-bank system: if you spend an hour helping someone, you get an hour of help.</p>
<p>Seniors are often on the receiving end of care. But the new program’s reciprocity, which discourages a sense of obligation or helplessness, further encourages seniors to take advantage. And those who do may reap the rewards of better health.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>That’s because social isolation and loneliness have increasingly been recognized as detrimental to health, leading to higher incidences of depression, dementia, and loss of daily living skills.</p>
<p>The idea of linkAges arose after a medical ethnographer spent a year at PAMF talking to seniors and family caregivers. The program took shape “at a key time when studies were coming out linking loneliness as a very key indicator of potential outcomes,” said Vandana Pant, its senior director of strategic initiatives. “How can a health system take a different approach and look at the prevention end of care rather than the traditional investments” associated with treatment?</p>
<p>The types of services range widely, from helping with household tasks and driving to playing board games or doing Tai chi to teaching someone how to make a corsage. Forty-two percent of members are people 60 and over, and 19 percent are family caregivers. Many are on fixed incomes. More than 1,000 people in 10 nearby cities have joined the program, and over 3,800 hours have been exchanged.</p>
<p>Pant said her 86-year-old mother, an immigrant from India who lives with her, loves being able to both give and receive through the program.</p>
<p>“Her biggest issue in this country is a lack of vibrant community,” Pant said. “She loves to play Scrabble, and somebody comes over and plays Scrabble with her for an hour (and) this Scrabble thing becomes an excuse to make connections and have other conversations outside the family.”</p>
<p>At first her mother was worried about feeling obligated, she said. But then she found a way to contribute – by knitting a scarf for a family with a 2-year-old son and presenting it to them.</p>
<p>“The fascinating thing for me was to see how much that lightened my mother’s spirit – the 15 days or so of preparation and the 10 days of the afterglow,” Pant said.</p>
<p>Formal results for the three-year pilot will be published in November, but members are reporting a sense of increased community connection, and Pant said she is talking with health systems in other states that are interested in replicating the program.</p>
<p>For Thomas, the benefits are clear. She has used the service to get rides and to connect with others who like to walk. And she has offered to build floral centerpieces and teach the art of corsage-making.</p>
<p>“It’s so nice to talk about what’s happening with you, knowing that someone’s there if you need something,” she said. “It releases a world of stress knowing that someone else cares.”</p>
<p>seniors-link-repeat</p>
|
Pilot program seeks to improve seniors’ health by connecting them with community
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/869722/pilot-program-seeks-to-improve-seniors-health-by-connecting-them-with-community.html
|
2016-10-18
| 2least
|
Pilot program seeks to improve seniors’ health by connecting them with community
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>“People would look at me and say, ‘How’s your husband doing?’ and I’d become a big crybaby.”</p>
<p>But instead of prescribing medication to alleviate her anxiety, her doctor directed her to a program that is seeking to improve people’s health by connecting them with community. LinkAges, a pilot program launched three years ago by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, is an intergenerational network of people helping each other. It works as a time-bank system: if you spend an hour helping someone, you get an hour of help.</p>
<p>Seniors are often on the receiving end of care. But the new program’s reciprocity, which discourages a sense of obligation or helplessness, further encourages seniors to take advantage. And those who do may reap the rewards of better health.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>That’s because social isolation and loneliness have increasingly been recognized as detrimental to health, leading to higher incidences of depression, dementia, and loss of daily living skills.</p>
<p>The idea of linkAges arose after a medical ethnographer spent a year at PAMF talking to seniors and family caregivers. The program took shape “at a key time when studies were coming out linking loneliness as a very key indicator of potential outcomes,” said Vandana Pant, its senior director of strategic initiatives. “How can a health system take a different approach and look at the prevention end of care rather than the traditional investments” associated with treatment?</p>
<p>The types of services range widely, from helping with household tasks and driving to playing board games or doing Tai chi to teaching someone how to make a corsage. Forty-two percent of members are people 60 and over, and 19 percent are family caregivers. Many are on fixed incomes. More than 1,000 people in 10 nearby cities have joined the program, and over 3,800 hours have been exchanged.</p>
<p>Pant said her 86-year-old mother, an immigrant from India who lives with her, loves being able to both give and receive through the program.</p>
<p>“Her biggest issue in this country is a lack of vibrant community,” Pant said. “She loves to play Scrabble, and somebody comes over and plays Scrabble with her for an hour (and) this Scrabble thing becomes an excuse to make connections and have other conversations outside the family.”</p>
<p>At first her mother was worried about feeling obligated, she said. But then she found a way to contribute – by knitting a scarf for a family with a 2-year-old son and presenting it to them.</p>
<p>“The fascinating thing for me was to see how much that lightened my mother’s spirit – the 15 days or so of preparation and the 10 days of the afterglow,” Pant said.</p>
<p>Formal results for the three-year pilot will be published in November, but members are reporting a sense of increased community connection, and Pant said she is talking with health systems in other states that are interested in replicating the program.</p>
<p>For Thomas, the benefits are clear. She has used the service to get rides and to connect with others who like to walk. And she has offered to build floral centerpieces and teach the art of corsage-making.</p>
<p>“It’s so nice to talk about what’s happening with you, knowing that someone’s there if you need something,” she said. “It releases a world of stress knowing that someone else cares.”</p>
<p>seniors-link-repeat</p>
| 598,717 |
<p>The war in Afghanistan poses two important questions: What should be done and who should be “the deciders”?</p>
<p>Congressional Republicans say the answer to the first query is military escalation. But according to polls, most Americans disagree. At the same time, many experts wonder “whether or not we know what we’re doing,” as President George W. Bush’s former deputy national security adviser said last week.</p>
<p>One thing’s sure: The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, says he wants more troops. His new memo calling for a bigger Afghanistan deployment prompted President Barack Obama to begin carefully considering different ways forward — and Washington to hammer the White House for entertaining any alternative to McChrystal’s request.</p>
<p>Republicans lambasted Obama for letting “political motivations … override the needs of our commanders,” as Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said. Likewise, The Washington Post insisted that Obama’s failure to promptly back McChrystal’s surge proposal could “dishonor” America, while The New York Times said no matter what the president wants, “It will be very hard to say no to General McChrystal.”</p>
<p />
<p>The coordinated assault sharpens that question about who “the deciders” should be — elected officials or the military?</p>
<p>The Washington Establishment clearly believes the latter, and that’s no surprise. The war-mongering political class has called for presidential and congressional deference to military demands since Hollywood movies and anti-communist ideologues began countering the public’s “Vietnam syndrome” by blaming that quagmire in Southeast Asia on elected officials. In the purest articulation of the argument, Ronald Reagan asserted in 1980 that Vietnam was lost not because of flaws in mission or strategy, but because politicians allegedly forced soldiers to fight “a war our government [was] afraid to let them win.”</p>
<p>Avoiding another Vietnam, says this school of thought, requires a figurehead government — one that delegates all military decision-making power to generals and effectively strips it from elected civilians who will supposedly be too “politically motivated” (read: influenced by voters). This authoritarian ideology explains not only today’s vitriolic reaction to the president’s Afghanistan deliberations (including the conservative magazine Newsmax fantasizing about a military coup to “resolve the Obama problem”) but also some of the most anti-democratic statements ever uttered by American leaders. It explains, for instance, Vice President Dick Cheney’s assertion that public opinion “doesn’t matter” when it comes to military policy, and President George W. Bush saying Iraq “troop levels will be decided by our commanders on the ground, not by political figures in Washington.”</p>
<p>Of course, the Constitution deliberately gives “political figures in Washington” final say: Article I empowers Congress to declare and finance wars, and Article II states that while the White House “may require the opinion” of military officers, ultimately “the President shall be Commander in Chief.”</p>
<p>Those provisions were no accident. By separating political from military power, and vesting our elected representatives with ultimate authority, the Founders purposely constructed a democracy that seeks to prevent the dictatorial juntas that often arise when no such separation exists.</p>
<p>In that way, the Constitution doesn’t worry about elected officials’ “political motivations” as Sen. Bond does, nor does it fret about “a disconnect … between the military leadership and the White House,” as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., lamented. It views “political motivations” and a “disconnect” as democratic forces guaranteeing that public opinion, via elected “deciders,” is somewhat involved in military policy.</p>
<p>Certainly, Obama and Democratic congressional leaders may still end up defying public will by making the lamentable choice to escalate the Afghanistan war. But after recent quagmires justified by knee-jerk subservience to military prerogative, America should at least applaud these lawmakers for refusing to immediately rubber-stamp that course of action. In exploring all options, they are honoring the Constitution’s separation of powers — and our nation’s most democratic principles.</p>
<p>David Sirota is the author of the best-selling books “Hostile Takeover” and “The Uprising.” He hosts the morning show on AM 760 in Colorado and blogs at OpenLeft.com. E-mail him at [email protected].</p>
<p>© 2009 Creators.com</p>
|
Who's in Charge: Obama, Congress or the Military?
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/whos-in-charge-obama-congress-or-the-military/
|
2009-10-02
| 4left
|
Who's in Charge: Obama, Congress or the Military?
<p>The war in Afghanistan poses two important questions: What should be done and who should be “the deciders”?</p>
<p>Congressional Republicans say the answer to the first query is military escalation. But according to polls, most Americans disagree. At the same time, many experts wonder “whether or not we know what we’re doing,” as President George W. Bush’s former deputy national security adviser said last week.</p>
<p>One thing’s sure: The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, says he wants more troops. His new memo calling for a bigger Afghanistan deployment prompted President Barack Obama to begin carefully considering different ways forward — and Washington to hammer the White House for entertaining any alternative to McChrystal’s request.</p>
<p>Republicans lambasted Obama for letting “political motivations … override the needs of our commanders,” as Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said. Likewise, The Washington Post insisted that Obama’s failure to promptly back McChrystal’s surge proposal could “dishonor” America, while The New York Times said no matter what the president wants, “It will be very hard to say no to General McChrystal.”</p>
<p />
<p>The coordinated assault sharpens that question about who “the deciders” should be — elected officials or the military?</p>
<p>The Washington Establishment clearly believes the latter, and that’s no surprise. The war-mongering political class has called for presidential and congressional deference to military demands since Hollywood movies and anti-communist ideologues began countering the public’s “Vietnam syndrome” by blaming that quagmire in Southeast Asia on elected officials. In the purest articulation of the argument, Ronald Reagan asserted in 1980 that Vietnam was lost not because of flaws in mission or strategy, but because politicians allegedly forced soldiers to fight “a war our government [was] afraid to let them win.”</p>
<p>Avoiding another Vietnam, says this school of thought, requires a figurehead government — one that delegates all military decision-making power to generals and effectively strips it from elected civilians who will supposedly be too “politically motivated” (read: influenced by voters). This authoritarian ideology explains not only today’s vitriolic reaction to the president’s Afghanistan deliberations (including the conservative magazine Newsmax fantasizing about a military coup to “resolve the Obama problem”) but also some of the most anti-democratic statements ever uttered by American leaders. It explains, for instance, Vice President Dick Cheney’s assertion that public opinion “doesn’t matter” when it comes to military policy, and President George W. Bush saying Iraq “troop levels will be decided by our commanders on the ground, not by political figures in Washington.”</p>
<p>Of course, the Constitution deliberately gives “political figures in Washington” final say: Article I empowers Congress to declare and finance wars, and Article II states that while the White House “may require the opinion” of military officers, ultimately “the President shall be Commander in Chief.”</p>
<p>Those provisions were no accident. By separating political from military power, and vesting our elected representatives with ultimate authority, the Founders purposely constructed a democracy that seeks to prevent the dictatorial juntas that often arise when no such separation exists.</p>
<p>In that way, the Constitution doesn’t worry about elected officials’ “political motivations” as Sen. Bond does, nor does it fret about “a disconnect … between the military leadership and the White House,” as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., lamented. It views “political motivations” and a “disconnect” as democratic forces guaranteeing that public opinion, via elected “deciders,” is somewhat involved in military policy.</p>
<p>Certainly, Obama and Democratic congressional leaders may still end up defying public will by making the lamentable choice to escalate the Afghanistan war. But after recent quagmires justified by knee-jerk subservience to military prerogative, America should at least applaud these lawmakers for refusing to immediately rubber-stamp that course of action. In exploring all options, they are honoring the Constitution’s separation of powers — and our nation’s most democratic principles.</p>
<p>David Sirota is the author of the best-selling books “Hostile Takeover” and “The Uprising.” He hosts the morning show on AM 760 in Colorado and blogs at OpenLeft.com. E-mail him at [email protected].</p>
<p>© 2009 Creators.com</p>
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<p>Lieutenant governor; Senate president pro tem; Mr. Speaker; Democratic and Republican leaders; esteemed members of the New Mexico Legislature, especially the new faces; honorable members of the judiciary; former New Mexico governors; tribal governors; Sen. Udall; Sen. Heinrich; distinguished guests; the state’s first gentleman, my husband, Chuck Franco; and my fellow New Mexicans.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>It is an honor to join you for the annual State of the State address. And while today’s mood is one filled with optimism and hope, it is also bittersweet. There is one very noticeable absence from this chamber — a man whose legacy in this body endures — former Speaker of the House Ben Lujan. The thoughts and prayers of New Mexico continue to be with the Lujan family.</p>
<p>It is a privilege to stand with you as we mark the opening of New Mexico’s 51st State Legislature and chart the course for this New Year — a year in which we must focus on making New Mexico more competitive.</p>
<p>At a time of intense gridlock in Washington, D.C., it is encouraging to reflect on the progress we have made together here in New Mexico.</p>
<p>Two years ago, we faced the largest structural budget deficit in state history. Skeptics said we could not balance the budget without either a massive tax increase or making deep cuts to classroom spending and Medicaid. But we came together, in a bipartisan manner, and together, we proved the skeptics wrong.</p>
<p>For two years in a row, we compromised and passed good, balanced budgets. We protected critical priorities like classroom spending and basic health care for the most vulnerable. We protected child care for working moms and school clothes for kids in need. And let’s remember that we accomplished all of this without raising taxes. Not only did we eliminate the deficit, we created a surplus. This wasn’t a Republican accomplishment or a Democratic accomplishment. It was an accomplishment we achieved together.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The next year, we used those surplus tax dollars wisely. We put some in our state’s savings account, increasing our reserve levels. We used some to increase funding for education, targeting reading and early childhood initiatives. We used a portion of the surplus to cut taxes, to create more jobs by curbing the double and triple taxation in construction and manufacturing. And we provided a tax credit to help small businesses hire those who deserve jobs the most — our veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.</p>
<p>We have seen some encouraging signs in our economy. Tourism is on the rise, with more growth in visitors to New Mexico than was experienced in Arizona or Colorado. We are building our state’s strongest-ever relationship with Mexico’s border governors, focusing on creating jobs by developing a border region near Santa Teresa. Major companies are once again looking at New Mexico, including two companies in the aviation industry that are relocating their headquarters to Albuquerque. The manufacturing sector is growing once again. In the last two years, New Mexico exports have doubled, amounting to more than 2 billion dollars, meaning that in one year, our export growth jumped from 38th to 3rd in the nation. While we still have much work to do, the state of our state is getting stronger.</p>
<p>But I’ve always promised to be straight with you. It’s my job to say when trouble is on the horizon. Allow me to take a moment to describe the challenge before us. The national economy is stagnant. It’s hardly growing. And the federal government — on which our state has become so dependent over the years — is faltering, weighed down by $16 trillion in debt.</p>
<p>While New Mexico has seen some job gains in certain private sector industries, there is no question that the number of government jobs is on the decline. Last year, New Mexico lost more than 4,800 government jobs, including 400 federal jobs in a single month. On top of that, many private sector companies that contract with the federal government have seen those contracts cut, costing us more jobs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Washington, DC is going to solve the budget mess anytime soon. It’s the fault of both parties and it’s hurting New Mexicans. I am committed to working with our delegation to protect our labs and military bases and fighting to avoid further cuts. Our labs and bases are not only important to New Mexico, but they are critical to the security of America.</p>
<p>However, with a federal government that is so far in debt, so dysfunctional, we’d be foolish to leave our state’s economy at the mercy of the next fiscal cliff in Washington. The opportunity to forge a new path and shape our own destiny is before us. It’s an opportunity defined not by decisions made in Washington, but by the hard work and ingenuity of New Mexicans. That means diversifying our economy and growing the private sector.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>New Mexico has a lot to offer, but what we lack is a level playing field with surrounding states. We are simply not competitive. I have always said that government doesn’t create jobs — businesses do. But I do believe government has an important role in ensuring a level playing field so that New Mexicans can compete fairly.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, right now the playing field is tilted against New Mexico and it’s pushing jobs to other states. We are in a global economy. Businesses will locate and grow where they have the best opportunity to succeed, get a fair shake, and find the best-trained workers without being overtaxed.</p>
<p>Our goal this session should be to make New Mexico more competitive, to level the playing field so that our small businesses can grow and put more New Mexicans back to work. There are essentially two areas on which we should concentrate — instituting a fair tax and regulatory structure and creating a world class workforce through common-sense education reform.</p>
<p>One way to make New Mexico more competitive is to lower the business tax rate from 7.6% to 4.9%, just as Arizona has done. Right now, we have the highest in the southwest. I’m not asking to take the rate to zero, as other states have done. I’m proposing a reasonable, balanced approach, and 4.9 percent puts New Mexico in the game.</p>
<p>If a New Mexico company wants to make and sell goods to every corner of the world, we shouldn’t punish them with our tax structure, like we do now. We should adopt a single sales factor, just as 25 other states have done.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>To ensure our veterans stay in New Mexico when they retire, to start a second career or maybe open a small business, I am proposing we exempt their retirement pension income from state taxes. They fought for us and we should fight to ensure they make New Mexico their home.</p>
<p>And while the large employers always dominate the news, we must never forget about our New Mexico small businesses. Last Christmas, I received a letter from Misty Castro. Misty owns a small business — Castro’s Barber Shop — and was facing some really difficult choices. She could stay open and hope things turn around or close her doors after 11 years in business. She puts her heart and soul into that business, and she was at her wit’s end.</p>
<p>I wrote her back to encourage her. This Christmas, I received another letter from Misty that I’d like to read to you. She says, “I was planning to close the doors and move on. You took the time to write back with such kind words, and you placed a small card that simply said, ‘I believe in you.’ When I start to feel overwhelmed and down, I look at my little ‘I believe in you’ note, pick my head up and keep going. Knowing someone believes in me makes it much easier.”</p>
<p>We need to make sure all small business owners know we believe in them. That’s why I’m proposing that we give every New Mexico small business a $1,000 tax credit for every job created and retained over the next two years. In these uncertain times, if a small business owner is willing to take the risk to invest in a new job, then we should stand with them.</p>
<p>But competing for jobs goes further than just common-sense tax policy. We need to partner with our small business owners to help them hire and train new workers now. That is why I am also requesting a $4.75 million investment to further the success of our Job Training Incentive Program, or JTIP. This is a partnership with small businesses to help them train new employees and encouraging more hiring.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>I’m also asking the Legislature to pass job-creating infrastructure projects, projects like the Paseo del Norte expansion we passed last session, or for water systems, roads, and dam repair. These types of projects create immediate jobs to kick-start our economy, while also building the infrastructure necessary for long-term economic development. And when we invest in local projects, let’s make sure they’re vetted, prioritized, and fully-funded.</p>
<p>We must also protect the public investments we’ve made, such as Spaceport New Mexico. Taxpayers have already spent more than $209 million on this venture. But now, we risk losing this investment. The states competing with us for Spaceport business have passed a bill protecting companies from lawsuit abuse. Because we didn’t pass this last year, a company called XCOR Aerospace chose to locate in Texas, over New Mexico. Again, it’s about competition. Let’s protect our investment in Spaceport and pass lawsuit abuse reform this session.</p>
<p>I am particularly hopeful we can pass these reforms to help our businesses compete because many of them face the daunting challenges imposed by the new federal health care law.</p>
<p>I didn’t support Obamacare. But it’s the law of the land. The election is over and the Supreme Court has ruled. My job is not to play party politics, but to implement this law in a way that best serves New Mexico.</p>
<p>That’s why, last week, I announced we will expand Medicaid to cover up to 170,000 more low-income New Mexicans. It was the right thing to do. It means expanding the health care safety net to more of those in need and moving care from costly emergency rooms into primary care offices. And, it does not jeopardize the state’s long-term budget outlook. In fact, given our unique population and programs, we can expect revenue increases that offset the cost of providing these services.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But I’ve been clear: Medicaid expansion is a federal government commitment and if they should ever break their funding promise, New Mexico will not pick up the burden of adults most recently added to the program at the expense of cutting health care for New Mexico kids. I will not let those kids pay the price.</p>
<p>Another way New Mexico can level the playing field and become more competitive is to place a high emphasis on developing our workforce. We know that only 63 percent of our students are graduating within four years. Sixty-seven children drop out each and every school day. Those dropping out are not statistics — they are our children. They were once little boys and little girls who believed they could one day fly a spaceship to the moon, who once saw themselves becoming a doctor, or firefighter, or scientist, or whatever they dreamt they could be.</p>
<p>But somewhere along the line, the system failed them. They lost hope and they dropped out, dashing those dreams. We have an obligation to focus on raising our graduation rate and better prepare our high school students for New Mexico’s workforce or for college.</p>
<p>Let me tell you about a program called the Bridge. The Bridge program was created in response to the gaps that existed between the needs of a 21st century economy and the preparedness of high school graduates in Dona Ana County. It’s a partnership between the local business community, their community college and state university, and their public schools. Together, they established the state’s first early college high school. The school is located on land donated by New Mexico State University, and it offers dual credits that are accepted by Dona Ana Community College.</p>
<p>Every student who will graduate from this school not only earns a high school diploma, but they also earn an associate’s degree and, in some cases, a work-ready certificate. That student is ready to be hired.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Today, we are issuing an achievement award for one of the Bridge students, Maria Guadalupe Carillo. Maria is the first person in her family to attend college. As a high school junior, Maria has already earned 48 college hours. And when she finishes this high school program, she will enter NMSU as a college senior. Congratulations, Maria. New Mexico is proud of you.</p>
<p>Since the Bridge Program has been operating, not one student has dropped out. And let’s remember, 78 percent of the students are Hispanic, an incredible 63 percent are first-generation college students, and 43 percent come from low-income families. This is one tool helping the Las Cruces graduation rate rise from 51 percent to 72 percent in just the last four years.</p>
<p>This session, I’m pursuing a plan to take what the Bridge has accomplished in Dona Ana County and bring it to other areas of New Mexico.</p>
<p>For students looking to attend college, I’m asking the Legislature to embrace several other reform opportunities for our high school students, including $2.5 million to expand Advanced Placement courses to provide AP test waivers for low-income minority students, and to train more AP teachers so that every child in New Mexico has the opportunity to get a jump-start on college.</p>
<p>I’m also proposing a new, statewide dropout warning system to help parents and teachers identify students who are at-risk of dropping out long before they reach high school. When we talk about reducing our dropout rate, we need to tackle the root causes head-on.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A recent study found that 88 percent of high school students who drop out were not proficient readers in the 3rd grade.</p>
<p>I have had the privilege of visiting thousands of New Mexico kids in classrooms. It’s wonderful because those children are so full of hope. I ask them, what do you want to be, what do you want to do? And their eyes light up when they tell me, when they share with me their dreams. That’s why I think of those kids when I think of our dropout rate — Because those dreams get dashed if a child drops out.</p>
<p>We all know there are a lot of factors that determine one’s path in life, but it’s difficult to overstate the importance of reading by third grade. Again, a child is four times more likely to drop out if they can’t read by the end of 3rd grade. That’s why I believe so strongly in early childhood literacy and why I believe we must do all we can to ensure New Mexico’s children can read by the 3rd grade.</p>
<p>Last year I was pleased to make permanent the K3 Plus program, a program that helps struggling students with additional instruction and more help. We doubled the funding for pre-K.</p>
<p>Our reforms are being recognized nationally. New Mexico has competed for the federal Race to the Top funding, seeking money that will be specifically targeted to help our youngest students master the basics.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>This year, I am proud to say we were one of only 14 states to be awarded this funding — $25 million to help more children in New Mexico get the help they need in early education. And while we’re making progress, we are still a long way from the finish line. You see, I agree with President Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who said “If your students keep being allowed to leave third and fourth grade without being able to read, you’re not doing them any favors.”</p>
<p>Reading enables a child to chase his or her dreams. I want to introduce you to a young boy named Jamal Witter. Jamal is a first-grader who wrote a book for a special project through the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s reading program. The reason I invited him is because of one key passage that Jamal wrote in that book. Jamal, will you please read it?</p>
<p>(Jamal will read the passage from his book)</p>
<p>Thank you, Jamal. And he’s right. Reading paves the way for success.</p>
<p>We must intervene early and do all we can to help struggling students. But I believe if a child is still unable to read by the third grade, after all those interventions, then it’s far more compassionate to have that child repeat that level — to get them up to speed — than to simply pass them onto the next grade and make them four times more likely to become a dropout.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>There have been many compromises made to this bill, including more funding for intervention and increasing parental involvement. It’s been sponsored by Democrats and passed by both chambers. And you heard what the Obama administration said. So let’s stand together and pass this bill.</p>
<p>With last year’s “New Mexico Reads to Lead” investment, we hired reading coaches and were able to train nearly 2 thousand educators in methods proven to produce better readers. This year I propose we expand the “New Mexico Reads to Lead” program from $8.5 million to $13.5 million.</p>
<p>Our focus is on struggling schools — on offering a hand-up to those who need help. That’s why I’m proposing $4.7 million in school turnaround programs to close the gap between high-performing schools and schools that are struggling.</p>
<p>As we improve academic performance in New Mexico, we cannot overlook the crucial role that New Mexico’s teachers and other school leaders play in this effort. One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give a child is hope, a belief that the child can do anything and be anyone.</p>
<p>I want to hold up some powerful examples of the very best our state has to offer — educators like those at Anthony Elementary School, a school where nearly all of the students come from low-income families and speak English as a second language. These kids face many challenges. Some don’t expect them to succeed, because of these challenges. But the teachers at this school sent them a very different message. They raised expectations and said no more excuses. They believe in these kids. They help these kids believe in themselves.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Because of the dedication of the teachers, principal, and other staff at Anthony Elementary, this school — a school with 100% on free and reduced lunch — is not in the top half of our schools. It’s not in the top third. Instead, out of 831 schools, this elementary school is ranked 5th in the entire state. And we have with us today several teachers, school leaders, and kids from Anthony. Let’s welcome Principal Linda Perez, second grade teacher Orlanda Palomares, sixth-grade teacher Leticia Gonzales, and students Clarissa, Bryan, Kayla, Diego, and Alex. Thank you for all that you are achieving.</p>
<p>We need to replicate success like this. That is why I am requesting we dedicate $11.3 million to recruit, retain, and reward our best educators.</p>
<p>I want school districts to know and I want parents to know that I have heard their calls for more math and science teachers in New Mexico schools, particularly in low-income areas. We have an exciting initiative to dedicate $2 million to recruit more math and science teachers, to move scientists and engineers to the classroom and to entice college graduates through loan forgiveness programs. Let’s make sure every child in New Mexico has the benefit of great math and science teachers.</p>
<p>Reform in education should have no political party label. It’s not about party or politics. It’s about having the courage to challenge the status quo, to put student achievement and nothing else at the very top of our list of concerns.</p>
<p>In addition to moving our economy forward and better educating our kids, we must also ensure the safety of our communities.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>We need to improve our Amber Alert system so that we can issue an alert whenever a New Mexico child is abducted and police believe the child is in danger, even when the suspect is a family member.</p>
<p>And we must improve our ability to protect children from abusive homes by allowing case workers to conduct emergency background checks through NCIC.</p>
<p>We need to increase penalties for child abuse and expand Brianna’s law to cover all children, not just those under the age of 12.</p>
<p>And, of course, I am hopeful that the Legislature will enact the recommendation of the 9/11 commission, the position of nearly every other state in America, and the opinion of a vast majority of New Mexicans that we stop being a magnet for human trafficking, fraud and crime rings. I’m asking the Legislature to finally repeal the law that gives driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.</p>
<p>And I know, when it comes to public safety, New Mexicans are as fed up as I am about our problem with repeat drunk drivers. Every time there is another fatal accident caused by someone who has racked up multiple DWIs, New Mexicans ask themselves, why are they still on the road?</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>I’m asking the legislature to stiffen the penalties for repeat drunk drivers, making DWIs count when sentencing habitual offenders of other crimes. And if a drunk driver doesn’t get the message after a first conviction, we should seize their vehicle — their deadly weapon — the second time around. This year, we need to close the loopholes that allow so many DWI offenders to keep their licenses after an arrest. New Mexico’s problem with repeat drunk drivers is serious and it’s time we take a stand.</p>
<p>When we talk about leveling the playing field, one of the best ways to ensure the playing field is not unfairly tilted toward the connected and the powerful is to continue rooting out corruption.</p>
<p>We’ve already made strong progress. State government is now barred from contracting with companies involved in corruption. My appointees are barred from lobbying state government for two years after serving in my administration. And last year, in a bipartisan manner, we passed a law that allows judges to take the pensions away from convicted corrupt officials.</p>
<p>This year I propose that we continue bolstering New Mexico’s anti-corruption laws. If a public official is convicted of corruption, they should be forced to resign immediately. If they have money in their campaign war chests, those funds should not be used as their own personal slush fund. They should be returned to the taxpayer’s general fund. And when the state goes to court to recover our taxpayer money from a corrupt public official, taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for the corrupt official’s defense.</p>
<p>We are certainly confronted by serious challenges.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Yes, we face a stagnant national economy, an economy in which too many New Mexico families are struggling. To help those families, we must level the playing field with states around us, to bring more businesses to our state, to create more jobs for New Mexicans.</p>
<p>Yes, changes at the federal level have led to large government job losses here, and more could be on the way. While we fight to protect those jobs, we must also grow the private sector and diversify our economy in response.</p>
<p>And yes, competing for jobs means competing for a highly skilled workforce. That requires us to compete for the future of our children — fight tooth and nail to ensure they can read and never allow them to be set up for failure.</p>
<p>I believe that a call to compete should be the charge of New Mexico’s next century. And I am convinced we can do this together.</p>
<p>While we won’t agree on every issue, and while we will have spirited debates, I know we can come together and find common ground. Let’s answer that call to compete. Our children depend on it. And we have it in us.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>God bless you all, and God bless the State of New Mexico.</p>
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Text of Governor’s State of the State Address
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2013-01-15
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Text of Governor’s State of the State Address
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<p>Lieutenant governor; Senate president pro tem; Mr. Speaker; Democratic and Republican leaders; esteemed members of the New Mexico Legislature, especially the new faces; honorable members of the judiciary; former New Mexico governors; tribal governors; Sen. Udall; Sen. Heinrich; distinguished guests; the state’s first gentleman, my husband, Chuck Franco; and my fellow New Mexicans.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>It is an honor to join you for the annual State of the State address. And while today’s mood is one filled with optimism and hope, it is also bittersweet. There is one very noticeable absence from this chamber — a man whose legacy in this body endures — former Speaker of the House Ben Lujan. The thoughts and prayers of New Mexico continue to be with the Lujan family.</p>
<p>It is a privilege to stand with you as we mark the opening of New Mexico’s 51st State Legislature and chart the course for this New Year — a year in which we must focus on making New Mexico more competitive.</p>
<p>At a time of intense gridlock in Washington, D.C., it is encouraging to reflect on the progress we have made together here in New Mexico.</p>
<p>Two years ago, we faced the largest structural budget deficit in state history. Skeptics said we could not balance the budget without either a massive tax increase or making deep cuts to classroom spending and Medicaid. But we came together, in a bipartisan manner, and together, we proved the skeptics wrong.</p>
<p>For two years in a row, we compromised and passed good, balanced budgets. We protected critical priorities like classroom spending and basic health care for the most vulnerable. We protected child care for working moms and school clothes for kids in need. And let’s remember that we accomplished all of this without raising taxes. Not only did we eliminate the deficit, we created a surplus. This wasn’t a Republican accomplishment or a Democratic accomplishment. It was an accomplishment we achieved together.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The next year, we used those surplus tax dollars wisely. We put some in our state’s savings account, increasing our reserve levels. We used some to increase funding for education, targeting reading and early childhood initiatives. We used a portion of the surplus to cut taxes, to create more jobs by curbing the double and triple taxation in construction and manufacturing. And we provided a tax credit to help small businesses hire those who deserve jobs the most — our veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.</p>
<p>We have seen some encouraging signs in our economy. Tourism is on the rise, with more growth in visitors to New Mexico than was experienced in Arizona or Colorado. We are building our state’s strongest-ever relationship with Mexico’s border governors, focusing on creating jobs by developing a border region near Santa Teresa. Major companies are once again looking at New Mexico, including two companies in the aviation industry that are relocating their headquarters to Albuquerque. The manufacturing sector is growing once again. In the last two years, New Mexico exports have doubled, amounting to more than 2 billion dollars, meaning that in one year, our export growth jumped from 38th to 3rd in the nation. While we still have much work to do, the state of our state is getting stronger.</p>
<p>But I’ve always promised to be straight with you. It’s my job to say when trouble is on the horizon. Allow me to take a moment to describe the challenge before us. The national economy is stagnant. It’s hardly growing. And the federal government — on which our state has become so dependent over the years — is faltering, weighed down by $16 trillion in debt.</p>
<p>While New Mexico has seen some job gains in certain private sector industries, there is no question that the number of government jobs is on the decline. Last year, New Mexico lost more than 4,800 government jobs, including 400 federal jobs in a single month. On top of that, many private sector companies that contract with the federal government have seen those contracts cut, costing us more jobs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Washington, DC is going to solve the budget mess anytime soon. It’s the fault of both parties and it’s hurting New Mexicans. I am committed to working with our delegation to protect our labs and military bases and fighting to avoid further cuts. Our labs and bases are not only important to New Mexico, but they are critical to the security of America.</p>
<p>However, with a federal government that is so far in debt, so dysfunctional, we’d be foolish to leave our state’s economy at the mercy of the next fiscal cliff in Washington. The opportunity to forge a new path and shape our own destiny is before us. It’s an opportunity defined not by decisions made in Washington, but by the hard work and ingenuity of New Mexicans. That means diversifying our economy and growing the private sector.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>New Mexico has a lot to offer, but what we lack is a level playing field with surrounding states. We are simply not competitive. I have always said that government doesn’t create jobs — businesses do. But I do believe government has an important role in ensuring a level playing field so that New Mexicans can compete fairly.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, right now the playing field is tilted against New Mexico and it’s pushing jobs to other states. We are in a global economy. Businesses will locate and grow where they have the best opportunity to succeed, get a fair shake, and find the best-trained workers without being overtaxed.</p>
<p>Our goal this session should be to make New Mexico more competitive, to level the playing field so that our small businesses can grow and put more New Mexicans back to work. There are essentially two areas on which we should concentrate — instituting a fair tax and regulatory structure and creating a world class workforce through common-sense education reform.</p>
<p>One way to make New Mexico more competitive is to lower the business tax rate from 7.6% to 4.9%, just as Arizona has done. Right now, we have the highest in the southwest. I’m not asking to take the rate to zero, as other states have done. I’m proposing a reasonable, balanced approach, and 4.9 percent puts New Mexico in the game.</p>
<p>If a New Mexico company wants to make and sell goods to every corner of the world, we shouldn’t punish them with our tax structure, like we do now. We should adopt a single sales factor, just as 25 other states have done.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>To ensure our veterans stay in New Mexico when they retire, to start a second career or maybe open a small business, I am proposing we exempt their retirement pension income from state taxes. They fought for us and we should fight to ensure they make New Mexico their home.</p>
<p>And while the large employers always dominate the news, we must never forget about our New Mexico small businesses. Last Christmas, I received a letter from Misty Castro. Misty owns a small business — Castro’s Barber Shop — and was facing some really difficult choices. She could stay open and hope things turn around or close her doors after 11 years in business. She puts her heart and soul into that business, and she was at her wit’s end.</p>
<p>I wrote her back to encourage her. This Christmas, I received another letter from Misty that I’d like to read to you. She says, “I was planning to close the doors and move on. You took the time to write back with such kind words, and you placed a small card that simply said, ‘I believe in you.’ When I start to feel overwhelmed and down, I look at my little ‘I believe in you’ note, pick my head up and keep going. Knowing someone believes in me makes it much easier.”</p>
<p>We need to make sure all small business owners know we believe in them. That’s why I’m proposing that we give every New Mexico small business a $1,000 tax credit for every job created and retained over the next two years. In these uncertain times, if a small business owner is willing to take the risk to invest in a new job, then we should stand with them.</p>
<p>But competing for jobs goes further than just common-sense tax policy. We need to partner with our small business owners to help them hire and train new workers now. That is why I am also requesting a $4.75 million investment to further the success of our Job Training Incentive Program, or JTIP. This is a partnership with small businesses to help them train new employees and encouraging more hiring.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>I’m also asking the Legislature to pass job-creating infrastructure projects, projects like the Paseo del Norte expansion we passed last session, or for water systems, roads, and dam repair. These types of projects create immediate jobs to kick-start our economy, while also building the infrastructure necessary for long-term economic development. And when we invest in local projects, let’s make sure they’re vetted, prioritized, and fully-funded.</p>
<p>We must also protect the public investments we’ve made, such as Spaceport New Mexico. Taxpayers have already spent more than $209 million on this venture. But now, we risk losing this investment. The states competing with us for Spaceport business have passed a bill protecting companies from lawsuit abuse. Because we didn’t pass this last year, a company called XCOR Aerospace chose to locate in Texas, over New Mexico. Again, it’s about competition. Let’s protect our investment in Spaceport and pass lawsuit abuse reform this session.</p>
<p>I am particularly hopeful we can pass these reforms to help our businesses compete because many of them face the daunting challenges imposed by the new federal health care law.</p>
<p>I didn’t support Obamacare. But it’s the law of the land. The election is over and the Supreme Court has ruled. My job is not to play party politics, but to implement this law in a way that best serves New Mexico.</p>
<p>That’s why, last week, I announced we will expand Medicaid to cover up to 170,000 more low-income New Mexicans. It was the right thing to do. It means expanding the health care safety net to more of those in need and moving care from costly emergency rooms into primary care offices. And, it does not jeopardize the state’s long-term budget outlook. In fact, given our unique population and programs, we can expect revenue increases that offset the cost of providing these services.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But I’ve been clear: Medicaid expansion is a federal government commitment and if they should ever break their funding promise, New Mexico will not pick up the burden of adults most recently added to the program at the expense of cutting health care for New Mexico kids. I will not let those kids pay the price.</p>
<p>Another way New Mexico can level the playing field and become more competitive is to place a high emphasis on developing our workforce. We know that only 63 percent of our students are graduating within four years. Sixty-seven children drop out each and every school day. Those dropping out are not statistics — they are our children. They were once little boys and little girls who believed they could one day fly a spaceship to the moon, who once saw themselves becoming a doctor, or firefighter, or scientist, or whatever they dreamt they could be.</p>
<p>But somewhere along the line, the system failed them. They lost hope and they dropped out, dashing those dreams. We have an obligation to focus on raising our graduation rate and better prepare our high school students for New Mexico’s workforce or for college.</p>
<p>Let me tell you about a program called the Bridge. The Bridge program was created in response to the gaps that existed between the needs of a 21st century economy and the preparedness of high school graduates in Dona Ana County. It’s a partnership between the local business community, their community college and state university, and their public schools. Together, they established the state’s first early college high school. The school is located on land donated by New Mexico State University, and it offers dual credits that are accepted by Dona Ana Community College.</p>
<p>Every student who will graduate from this school not only earns a high school diploma, but they also earn an associate’s degree and, in some cases, a work-ready certificate. That student is ready to be hired.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Today, we are issuing an achievement award for one of the Bridge students, Maria Guadalupe Carillo. Maria is the first person in her family to attend college. As a high school junior, Maria has already earned 48 college hours. And when she finishes this high school program, she will enter NMSU as a college senior. Congratulations, Maria. New Mexico is proud of you.</p>
<p>Since the Bridge Program has been operating, not one student has dropped out. And let’s remember, 78 percent of the students are Hispanic, an incredible 63 percent are first-generation college students, and 43 percent come from low-income families. This is one tool helping the Las Cruces graduation rate rise from 51 percent to 72 percent in just the last four years.</p>
<p>This session, I’m pursuing a plan to take what the Bridge has accomplished in Dona Ana County and bring it to other areas of New Mexico.</p>
<p>For students looking to attend college, I’m asking the Legislature to embrace several other reform opportunities for our high school students, including $2.5 million to expand Advanced Placement courses to provide AP test waivers for low-income minority students, and to train more AP teachers so that every child in New Mexico has the opportunity to get a jump-start on college.</p>
<p>I’m also proposing a new, statewide dropout warning system to help parents and teachers identify students who are at-risk of dropping out long before they reach high school. When we talk about reducing our dropout rate, we need to tackle the root causes head-on.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A recent study found that 88 percent of high school students who drop out were not proficient readers in the 3rd grade.</p>
<p>I have had the privilege of visiting thousands of New Mexico kids in classrooms. It’s wonderful because those children are so full of hope. I ask them, what do you want to be, what do you want to do? And their eyes light up when they tell me, when they share with me their dreams. That’s why I think of those kids when I think of our dropout rate — Because those dreams get dashed if a child drops out.</p>
<p>We all know there are a lot of factors that determine one’s path in life, but it’s difficult to overstate the importance of reading by third grade. Again, a child is four times more likely to drop out if they can’t read by the end of 3rd grade. That’s why I believe so strongly in early childhood literacy and why I believe we must do all we can to ensure New Mexico’s children can read by the 3rd grade.</p>
<p>Last year I was pleased to make permanent the K3 Plus program, a program that helps struggling students with additional instruction and more help. We doubled the funding for pre-K.</p>
<p>Our reforms are being recognized nationally. New Mexico has competed for the federal Race to the Top funding, seeking money that will be specifically targeted to help our youngest students master the basics.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>This year, I am proud to say we were one of only 14 states to be awarded this funding — $25 million to help more children in New Mexico get the help they need in early education. And while we’re making progress, we are still a long way from the finish line. You see, I agree with President Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who said “If your students keep being allowed to leave third and fourth grade without being able to read, you’re not doing them any favors.”</p>
<p>Reading enables a child to chase his or her dreams. I want to introduce you to a young boy named Jamal Witter. Jamal is a first-grader who wrote a book for a special project through the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s reading program. The reason I invited him is because of one key passage that Jamal wrote in that book. Jamal, will you please read it?</p>
<p>(Jamal will read the passage from his book)</p>
<p>Thank you, Jamal. And he’s right. Reading paves the way for success.</p>
<p>We must intervene early and do all we can to help struggling students. But I believe if a child is still unable to read by the third grade, after all those interventions, then it’s far more compassionate to have that child repeat that level — to get them up to speed — than to simply pass them onto the next grade and make them four times more likely to become a dropout.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>There have been many compromises made to this bill, including more funding for intervention and increasing parental involvement. It’s been sponsored by Democrats and passed by both chambers. And you heard what the Obama administration said. So let’s stand together and pass this bill.</p>
<p>With last year’s “New Mexico Reads to Lead” investment, we hired reading coaches and were able to train nearly 2 thousand educators in methods proven to produce better readers. This year I propose we expand the “New Mexico Reads to Lead” program from $8.5 million to $13.5 million.</p>
<p>Our focus is on struggling schools — on offering a hand-up to those who need help. That’s why I’m proposing $4.7 million in school turnaround programs to close the gap between high-performing schools and schools that are struggling.</p>
<p>As we improve academic performance in New Mexico, we cannot overlook the crucial role that New Mexico’s teachers and other school leaders play in this effort. One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give a child is hope, a belief that the child can do anything and be anyone.</p>
<p>I want to hold up some powerful examples of the very best our state has to offer — educators like those at Anthony Elementary School, a school where nearly all of the students come from low-income families and speak English as a second language. These kids face many challenges. Some don’t expect them to succeed, because of these challenges. But the teachers at this school sent them a very different message. They raised expectations and said no more excuses. They believe in these kids. They help these kids believe in themselves.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Because of the dedication of the teachers, principal, and other staff at Anthony Elementary, this school — a school with 100% on free and reduced lunch — is not in the top half of our schools. It’s not in the top third. Instead, out of 831 schools, this elementary school is ranked 5th in the entire state. And we have with us today several teachers, school leaders, and kids from Anthony. Let’s welcome Principal Linda Perez, second grade teacher Orlanda Palomares, sixth-grade teacher Leticia Gonzales, and students Clarissa, Bryan, Kayla, Diego, and Alex. Thank you for all that you are achieving.</p>
<p>We need to replicate success like this. That is why I am requesting we dedicate $11.3 million to recruit, retain, and reward our best educators.</p>
<p>I want school districts to know and I want parents to know that I have heard their calls for more math and science teachers in New Mexico schools, particularly in low-income areas. We have an exciting initiative to dedicate $2 million to recruit more math and science teachers, to move scientists and engineers to the classroom and to entice college graduates through loan forgiveness programs. Let’s make sure every child in New Mexico has the benefit of great math and science teachers.</p>
<p>Reform in education should have no political party label. It’s not about party or politics. It’s about having the courage to challenge the status quo, to put student achievement and nothing else at the very top of our list of concerns.</p>
<p>In addition to moving our economy forward and better educating our kids, we must also ensure the safety of our communities.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>We need to improve our Amber Alert system so that we can issue an alert whenever a New Mexico child is abducted and police believe the child is in danger, even when the suspect is a family member.</p>
<p>And we must improve our ability to protect children from abusive homes by allowing case workers to conduct emergency background checks through NCIC.</p>
<p>We need to increase penalties for child abuse and expand Brianna’s law to cover all children, not just those under the age of 12.</p>
<p>And, of course, I am hopeful that the Legislature will enact the recommendation of the 9/11 commission, the position of nearly every other state in America, and the opinion of a vast majority of New Mexicans that we stop being a magnet for human trafficking, fraud and crime rings. I’m asking the Legislature to finally repeal the law that gives driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.</p>
<p>And I know, when it comes to public safety, New Mexicans are as fed up as I am about our problem with repeat drunk drivers. Every time there is another fatal accident caused by someone who has racked up multiple DWIs, New Mexicans ask themselves, why are they still on the road?</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>I’m asking the legislature to stiffen the penalties for repeat drunk drivers, making DWIs count when sentencing habitual offenders of other crimes. And if a drunk driver doesn’t get the message after a first conviction, we should seize their vehicle — their deadly weapon — the second time around. This year, we need to close the loopholes that allow so many DWI offenders to keep their licenses after an arrest. New Mexico’s problem with repeat drunk drivers is serious and it’s time we take a stand.</p>
<p>When we talk about leveling the playing field, one of the best ways to ensure the playing field is not unfairly tilted toward the connected and the powerful is to continue rooting out corruption.</p>
<p>We’ve already made strong progress. State government is now barred from contracting with companies involved in corruption. My appointees are barred from lobbying state government for two years after serving in my administration. And last year, in a bipartisan manner, we passed a law that allows judges to take the pensions away from convicted corrupt officials.</p>
<p>This year I propose that we continue bolstering New Mexico’s anti-corruption laws. If a public official is convicted of corruption, they should be forced to resign immediately. If they have money in their campaign war chests, those funds should not be used as their own personal slush fund. They should be returned to the taxpayer’s general fund. And when the state goes to court to recover our taxpayer money from a corrupt public official, taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for the corrupt official’s defense.</p>
<p>We are certainly confronted by serious challenges.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Yes, we face a stagnant national economy, an economy in which too many New Mexico families are struggling. To help those families, we must level the playing field with states around us, to bring more businesses to our state, to create more jobs for New Mexicans.</p>
<p>Yes, changes at the federal level have led to large government job losses here, and more could be on the way. While we fight to protect those jobs, we must also grow the private sector and diversify our economy in response.</p>
<p>And yes, competing for jobs means competing for a highly skilled workforce. That requires us to compete for the future of our children — fight tooth and nail to ensure they can read and never allow them to be set up for failure.</p>
<p>I believe that a call to compete should be the charge of New Mexico’s next century. And I am convinced we can do this together.</p>
<p>While we won’t agree on every issue, and while we will have spirited debates, I know we can come together and find common ground. Let’s answer that call to compete. Our children depend on it. And we have it in us.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>God bless you all, and God bless the State of New Mexico.</p>
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<p>A large crowd gathered at Downpatrick, co. Down, Ireland, for the hanging of Thomas Russell on the morning of 21 October 1803 two hundred years ago. A makeshift scaffold of planks over a couple of barrels and a cross beam above them to attach the rope served the purpose. Axe, knife, sawdust, and a block lay nearby, for the traitor’s death included the severing of the head, following the hanging. He was the quintessential United Irishman, from its foundation in 1791 to its last stand in 1803. He possessed powers of extraordinary mobility: between Belfast and Dublin: between Protestant and Catholic: between urban proletarians and country peasants: between town and country: between England and Ireland: between bourgeois and plebeian. “Few, few have I known like him,” said his friend, Martha McTier.</p>
<p>As he stepped out onto the scaffold, according to his nephew, he said, “Is this the place?” They are the words of a man whose life has been passed imagining some other place than the one he’s at, and this sense of uncertain geographical coordinates is conveyed in the ballad about him, “The Man from God Knows Where.” They are they words of a sworn revolutionary (in May 1795 he swore on Cave Hill oath with Tone, Neilson, McCracken “never to desist in our efforts until we had subverted the authority of England over our country and asserted our independence”) and a religious millenarian (at the end he begged for three days to finish his studies of Revelation, which were not granted).</p>
<p>He probably swore the Dublin oath, too, of the United Irish: “I shall do whatever lies in my power to forward a brotherhood of affection, an identity of interests, a communion of rights, and a union of power among Irishmen of all religious persuasions, without which every reform must be partial, not national, inadequate to the wants, delusive to the wishes and insufficient for the freedom and happiness of this country,” so striking if its phrases are taken politically, to die for. A communion of rights, for instance.</p>
<p>The revolutionist believes history is on the side of the revolution. Millenarianism helps. Russell read Isaac Newton’s Observations upon the prophecies of Daniel and the apocalypse of St John (1733). He corresponded with Francis Dobbs, Irish MP, who opposed the Act of Union as anti-scriptural because the army of the messiah is described in Revelations as “harping on harps” and “clothed in fine linen.” Armageddon he construed as Hebrew for Armagh. Thus the Apocalypse anticipated the Irish Republic. Amid the Rebellion papers of the National Archives of Ireland are two millenarian prophecies which appear to have Russell’s signature on them. One is written in Irish with English translation; the other foretells eight eras of Ireland–defeat, conquest, resistance, loss by sea, loss by land, “But last of all, the Erins win the day.” It foretold crop failures, factory destruction, &amp;c., &amp;c. “Gog and Magog who will make war against the inhabitants of the earth.”</p>
<p>Such scholarship contrasts with the economic determinism favored by the ruling class when gog and magog were feudalism and capitalism, but listen to Russell on Jesus in the social war: “When I read those daily accounts in the papers which advertise the cruelties committed by and upon this wretched race of people I feel all that is Irish within me melt with compassion. When will this social war cease? How my heart beats Jesus wept–O! were He to revisit this earth, where would He be found? Would it be at the Episcopal tables or with stall-fed theologians? He would be found in the cottier’s cabin His hand would pour balm on the mangled body of the expiring husband; and His eyes would spread the consolation of heaven upon the wretchedness of the Irish peasantry.” The intention of William Wickham, Secretary of State for Ireland, was “to make the leaders contemptible and to represent them to the people as traitors to the cause and sacrificing the lower orders by their own falsehood.” In response, the United Irish politicized the gallows. By late September Robert Emmet and sixteen of his followers had been hanged for treason. In Russell’s address to the court which sentenced him to hang, he referred to Emmet, the “youthful hero, a martyr in the cause of liberty, who had just died for his country. To his death I look back, even in this state, with rapture.” Wolfe Tone cut his own throat rather than submit to hanging by an authority he did not recognize. 7 June 1798 Coigly peeled an orange on the Guildford gallows while waiting for the executioner to get on with his work. (The terrorist Orange order was formed three years earlier.)</p>
<p>“Is this the place?” Some were ready to say he was demented, like William Sampson (the government turned Russell’s “once gentle heart to desperate madness”) or William Drennan (“long imprisonment and perpetual recurrence to the same ideas makes enthusiasm turn into a partial insanity”) but they did not participate in the attempt. Besides, in that year the forces of repression were so prevailing that any opposition seemed insane. This was Coleridge’s view.</p>
<p>Of course it was the place! These are the granite stones which composed Downpatrick jail. He would know whence they were quarried. The jail was part of a prison building program. The gray architecture of the Protestant Ascendancy–those blocks of granite at the Customs House, Four Courts, the court on Henrietta Street – convey the impression of permanence, power, stability. What doubts about location could be expressed in the face of such monuments? He was a geologist, tapping with his hammer, for fossils, the Giant’s Causeway.</p>
<p>True, he had been moved from Newgate jail in Dublin but that was on 12 October when he was transferred to Downpatrick where 600 yeomanry and a troop of cavalry stood guard. He was to be tried in the north and to die in the north, the place where he had plotted, and hiked, and drunk, conspired, whored, sinned, redeemed himself with the United Irish. Was this the place, indeed!</p>
<p>Was he distracted by his Greek and Hebrew studies as a scholar can be? “He pointed out a mistranslation in Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews [9:26] objecting to the ‘end of the world’ and showing from the Greek testament it should be to the ‘end of the age.'” Little words, like “world” and “age” upon which the salvation of his soul might depend, or the metaphysics of science be made, or the course of human history known. Did revolution depend on space or time?</p>
<p>It is true that he had been to a great many places. “I have traveled much and seen various parts of the world,”–India, Africa, Scotland, England, Germany, Holland, France were places he had actually been, and south America and north American Indians were places he studied in imagination–“and I think the Irish the most virtuous nation on the face of the earth–they are a good and brave people, and had I a thousand lives, I would yield them in their service.” In this sentence the virtue of Ireland comes after a multicontinental experience. We call this ‘the Casement effect,’ named after the consular official for the English Foreign Office, Roger Casement, actually an Ulster man who did not recognize the colonized state of his native land until he served the Empire in Congo and Amazonas. Then he joined the Irish armed struggle.</p>
<p>Thomas Russell was one of the great walkers of the decade. He was a roving emissary, covering immense distances, spreading the gospel of republicanism by peregrination of propaganda–newspapers, pamphlets broadsheets, handbills. He relied on the hospitality of the road. He met story tellers. In Antrim we see him poking about with his hammer exploring geological formations; working with disaffected militia; stock-piling arms. Walking had its risks. Later, in 1803, while crossing Westminster bridge he was recognized by John Beresford, an Orangeman. He hurried to his brother’s, cut his hair, and left that night for Liverpool.</p>
<p>Generally, however, for Russell, like Engels later, walking immersed him in the life of the people. It deepened his contribution to cultural nationalism which flourished at the Belfast Library and in his studies of Irish language. He promoted the collection of ballads from Irish speaking areas. He wrote a poem “The fatal battle of Aughrim” published in 1797 about the defeat of the Gael (see also James Joyce, “The Dead” and Ford’s film). Even from prison he sent Edward Bunting (the collector of ancient Irish music) songs he heard in prison. In 1795 the Belfast United Irish published Paddy’s Resource containing Russell’s composition, “Man is Free by Nature.” Let’s listen to him singing in the glens,</p>
<p>Why vainly do we waste our time Repeating our oppressions Come haste to arms, for now’s the time To punish past transgressions They say that kings can do no wrong Their murderous deeds deny it And since from us their power has sprung We have a right to try it.</p>
<p>The Rights of Man, Tom Paine’s manifesto defending the revolutionary republic of France, appeared in Dublin in March 1791, and in eight months it sold 40,000, twice the sales in England. Russell sang out:</p>
<p>The starving wretch who steals for bread But seldom meets compassion Then shall a crown preserve the head Of one that robs a nation.</p>
<p>Beggars in Dublin had become numerous, insistent. Flogging was frequent in the House of Industry. Multitudes of children were admitted to the Foundling Hospital, and multitudes died. Women who were committed for petty offences had their heads shaved. “The laws do not afford their protection to the lower orders,” Russell wrote, and then sang:</p>
<p>Such partial laws we all despise See Gallia’s bright example The glorious scene before our eyes Let’s every tyrant trample.</p>
<p>Proud lordlings now we must translate From senate, see and pensions Virtue alone must teach the state In spite of kings’ intentions. These despots long have trod us down And judges are their engines Such wretches–minions of the crown Demand a people’s vengeance.</p>
<p>The despots are trodden, the tyrants are trampled. Was Russell thinking again of his army years in India where thousands of yoked bullocks hauled cannon and the hundreds of elephants could extinguish life under foot?</p>
<p>The golden age will yet revive Each man will be a brother In harmony we all shall live And share the earth together</p>
<p>In September 1796 he published his great pamphlet, A Letter to the People of Ireland on the Present Situation of the Country, the fruit of his years tramping the countryside. He writes that the earth was given to all for our subsistence not for the oligarchical few. He was certainly ready to challenge privatization of land. He pays a beautiful tribute to the hospitality and rundale of the Irish peasantry, and then concludes,</p>
<p>In virtue’s school enlightened youth Will love his fellow creature And further ages prove the truth THAT MAN IS FREE BY NATURE.</p>
<p>He was arrested 16 September 1796 and his restless spirit held in Newgate prison for two and a half years.</p>
<p>Russell was born in Mallow, co. Cork, in 1767. His father was an Anglican from Kilkenny and a veteran of wars against France, his mother was a Catholic from Tipperary. The arrest notice described Russell as a “tall, handsome man, about 5 ft. 11in. high, dark complexion, aquiline nose, large black eyes, with heavy eyebrows full-chested, walks generally fast and has a military appearance speaks fluently, with a clear distinct voice, and has a good address.” He followed his brother into the army, and was commissioned an ensign in the 52th regiment of foot, July 1783. His regiment was sent to relieve Mangalore on the Malabar coast, a royal port that was seized, raped and plundered, then lost to Tipu Sultan who punished the town’s Christian population with imprisonment. The Second Mysore war was conducted against this Moslem modernizer who was the last stand-out in southern India against British rule (admired later by Nehru). When he was killed at the Battle of Seringapatnam in 1799 ending the Third Mysore War, it was in parallel to the defeat of the Irish the year before, leaving 30,000 dead.</p>
<p>In 1797 a Jacobin club was established in Seringapatnam, a tree of liberty was planted, and liberté, égalité, and fraternité declared for the first time on Indian soil. By this time Russell was imprisoned in Dublin, then on March 1799 he was transferred with the other state prisoners to Fort George in the Highlands of Scotland. He wrote his brother of the war, “Which embraces every quarter of the globe [and] the fate of the human race. [It] is not a contest for relative power or riches, whatever momentary hues it may assume, but is a contest between the two principles of despotism and liberty and can only terminate in the extinction of one or the other.”</p>
<p>Imperialists conquer under the guise of liberation, and thus it was with Russell. One of Tipu’s allies, the Bibi of Cannanore, imprisoned two hundred shipwrecked sepoys in the English service. The 52nd seized Cannanore in three days fighting. Russell would have heard of the Massacre of Anantpur when “four hundred women” were raped, bayoneted, and drowned, and the Sack of Bednur in which the army by failing to give a moiety violated the East India Company’s “plunder and booty” regulation. Many of his comrades became prisoners of war undergoing circumcision and conversion to Islam before being enrolled in the European chela companies of Tipu. In this context prison narratives began to be published in England, and the demonization of Tipu into the archetype of the Oriental despot commenced.</p>
<p>What was it like for the Irish teenager? He doesn’t say much, in fact, he was tongu-tied: “when in India I could not find either words or ideas to write a letter home to my father and was in great distress at my want of capacity.” Another soldier of the time does say something. Bristow, the son of a Norwich blacksmith, arrived in India at the age of fourteen. A year later he was imprisoned, and stripped by a species of soldier called the lootie-wallah, the guy who takes the loot. For the next ten years he suffered as a circumcised Mohammedan under Tipu Sultan’s rule in Mysore. Bristow of the Bengal Artillery tells us of poor O’Bryan, “compelled to perform the office of common coolie and to carry dirt in the streets of Seringapatnam.”</p>
<p>Three years later at the age of nineteen Russell resigned his commission, quit. “Remember the Mangalore gibbets!” still in his ears. Not only did he learn about the political uses of imprisonment, he also saw first-hand how British propaganda instilled bigotry between Moslem, Christian, and Hindu. He recalled walking from “the camp at Cannanore down to Tillicherry, 15 miles in that burning climate and for what? To get a wench!” It is remorse that is conveyed, as well as a repressed memory (“want of capacity”) that suggests violence. Some words come later in his life, but then they will be displaced to Ireland.</p>
<p>Bristow is grateful to the Hindus who had compassion for him after escaping. “[They] are a very quiet, inoffensive, and humane race of men, many of whom do not even know the name of their ruler, or have the least idea of the despotism they live under, being too remote from the immediate object of tyranny, and too much attached to peace and indolence, to be inquisitive about who receives the revenues of the country, or who dissipates them; conceiving the whole duty of their lives comprised in tilling their grounds, paying their taxes, and adoring their cows.” What else had Russell seen in his walks?</p>
<p>The voyage out to India required stop for wood and water along the African coast. Russell quoted the French botanist, Michel Adanson’s, description of Goree in Senegal, “Which way so ever I turned my eyes on this pleasant spot I behold a perfect image of human nature the ease and indolence of the negroes reclined under the shade of their spreading foliage; the simplicity of their dress and manners, the whole revived in my mind the idea of our first parents, and I seemed to contemplate the world in its primitive state; they are generally speaking very good-natured, sociable and obliging, honest in their dealings, friendly to strangers, of a mild disposition, conversible, affable, easy to overcome with reason.”</p>
<p>The anti-slavery petitions of spring 1792 preceded the fateful ‘spot in time’ which divided the struggle for the abolition of slavery from the working-class struggle for the reform of Parliament. After that time they went their separate ways, the slave story and the working class story. Russell, however, saw them neither separately nor racially. Among the songs he sang in the cabins of Antrim, Armagh, Down were “The Negro’s Lament,” “The Captive Negro, (tune, ‘Farewell Killeavy’), and “The Dying Negro” (tune, ‘Laughaber’). He wrote, “how much selfishness and ostentation must we suspect in the boasts of the English, that their laws are thus free, and declarative of the natural rights of mankind, while the same laws hold thousands of our fellow creatures in a bondage worse than that of Pharaoh There is perhaps no part of the earth where beasts of burden are so much oppressed as the negroes are in the sugar plantations. They are sixteen hours in the service of cruel masters; and the shouts of their drivers, and the cracks of the whip on their naked bodies, which cuts out small pieces of flesh at almost every stroke are heard all day in the fields.”</p>
<p>He had high degree of class consciousness. “Those gentlemen who have all the wealth and power of the country in their hands, I strongly and earnestly exhort, to pay attention to the poor–by the poor I mean the labouring class of the community I advise them, for their good, to look to their grievances. It is possible that they may not hold their power long.” He praised combinations of workmen. He inveighed against the unwholesome conditions of the factories or cotton mills. “Poverty is a sort of crime,” “property must be alter’d in some measure,” he wrote. “I believe that the swinish multitude are born only to labour and be governed” he mocked Edmund Burke in The Lion of Old England or Democracy Confounded (1793). Under questioning in Kilmainham jail he challenged the view that the poor were devoid of politics. “It is not true that they require the instigation of leaders–they are as ardent as any leaders. The miscarriage of different attempts does not extinguish either the principle or the intention–it serves only to make them more cautious.”</p>
<p>Russell was released from prison after the Peace of Amiens was concluded in June 1802. His revolutionary ardor was not weakened. He wrote a Dublin friend, “Who indeed, that entertained our opinions could live to insult the memory of the heroes who fell for Ireland, by trampling on their unhonoured graves? Who that knew the colossal power was shaken from its summit to its base, by the gallant peasantry of a few counties, ill-armed, and ill-led, could ever cease to promote a general and effectual movement? Who could walk the streets of your city and see the great houses where free legislators of a great and good people should now be sitting, abandoned by its mock parliament, and converted into a temple of mammon, and not wish the earth to gape and swallow him up, to save him from witnessing such unparalleled infamy and disgrace?”</p>
<p>The old Irish Parliament building had become the new Bank. Russell took ship to Hamburg, then Amsterdam, and Paris. Bonaparte who re-introduced slavery in the Caribbean and authoritarian government in France, he regarded as a traitor. He met the Jacobin general Humbert who was planning an expedition to the West Indies, and the creation of a federal republic of the Caribbean islands. When a French force sailed in November 1802 it contained no significant Irish participation. It was not to be the place.</p>
<p>The key to Emmet’s plan was the capture of Dublin. Russell arrived in Dublin in April 1803. He repaired to Dublin as soon as he learned that Emmet was arrested, to rescue him. With £1,500 on his head, it was dangerous. He was taken only a stone’s throw from the Castle. Looking back on it James Hope thought that the rebellion of ’98 failed because the United Irish failed to engage sufficiently with the problems of the poor which alone would motivate the rank-and-file. James Hope, the Ulster weaver, suggested a sweeping reform of the system of land-holding. Thomas Russell helped transform the United Irishmen into a revolutionary, clandestine organization, with multifaceted links among the artisans, carmen, workers, cottiers, and peasantry. James Connolly praised the ‘proletarian character’ of Emmet’s revolt and said it was the first real effort of the Irish working class to secure ‘political and social emancipation.” To this we would add that Russell’s internationalism was essential to that emancipation. Hence the peculiar question, “is this the place?”</p>
<p>The rising in the north met draconian response, arrest, transportation, and five hangings. A Downpatrick shoemaker, James Corry, was to act as a junior officer. He led fourteen men with pitchforks on a hill at Ballyvange, just outside Downpatrick, but the signal fire was never lit to march on Downpatrick. They were not to be prevailed upon “to catch cannon balls on the points of pikes and pitchforks.” Disenchantment with France, Bonaparte’s concordat with the Pope, the destruction of Irish parliament, the provision of a secure market for the linen industry as a result of the Union. Six of the members of the jury that convicted him had once been members of the United Irish.</p>
<p>His presence as a wandering stranger is evoked in Florence Wilson’s well-known ballad about Russell called “The Man from God Knows Where.” The hospitality of the townland characteristic of ‘below’ can be compared to the values noted by Bristow among the Hindus or observed by Adanson in Senegal.</p>
<p>Into our townlan’ on a night of snow Rode a man from God knows where; None of us bade him stay or go, Nor deemed him friend, nor damned him foe, But we stabled his big roan mare; For in our townlan’ we’re decent folk, And if he didn’t speak, why none of us spoke, And we sat till the fire burned low.</p>
<p>The coach taking him from Dublin to Downpatrick passed through the remains of five thousand years of human habitation: the standing stones, ringforts, and passage tombs of prehistoric Ireland and its Bronze Age people. “I acted for the good of the country and of the world,” he had told the court and continued, “In ancient times we read of great empires having their rise and their fall, and yet do the old governments proceed as if they were immortal.” The Lecale peninsula, co. Down, is an ecological unit whose creeks and many natural harbors form a welcoming landfall in the northwest of Irish sea. The dominant settlement pattern, the clachans of open-field farming by groups of related families holding and working land in common, survived into the 20th century.</p>
<p>The United Irishmen provide such florid, beautiful, noble examples of gallows eloquence which can be so distant from our own experience that when we catch them with such simple expression as Emmet saying to the hangman “not yet!” or Russell asking “is this the place?” we hear the economy of language of Beckett’s tramps not the grandiloquence of republican rhetoric from the Age of Enlightenment. “If you really get down to the disaster, the slightest eloquence becomes unbearable,” wrote Beckett. What place was he thinking of? The no-place of utopia? Was it as simple as stepping into the sunlight from the dungeon to the last place on earth?</p>
<p>Seven years earlier to the day Russell suffered (exactly 207 years ago), fifteen hundred people dug Sam Neilson’s potatoes in seven minutes; three thousand dug the potatoes of Rev. Cleverty. “Numbers of the fair sex assisted on these occasions, unwilling that the men should exceed them in promoting union, or in assisting the oppressed.” Three thousand dug up two acres near Banbridge and sowed and trenched the field with wheat. Several hundred meanwhile built a barn, timbered and thatched it. “On Tuesday the potatoes of David Lang, of Drumbo, now in Down jail, on a serious charge, was dug by about 1000 people, in the space of ten minutes and a half, after which they carried in his hay on their backs; and when all were done, a wooden bowl was placed in the middle of the field, each person contributed his mite for his support in jail, to a large amount, which was immediately sent to him.” These were called “hasty diggings” and were organized by the United Irishmen. That was the place where subsistence solidarity was exercised, with its alternative values to those of Bank, palanquin, and scaffold.</p>
<p>The Insurrection Bill was passed against the collective “raising of potatoes and shearing of corn.” A whiskey hawker with two casks of spirits could find no market among them.</p>
<p>PETER LINEBAUGH teaches history at the University of Toledo. He is the author of two of CounterPunch’s favorite books, <a href="" type="internal">The London Hanged</a> and (with Marcus Rediker) <a href="" type="internal">The Many-Headed Hydra: the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic</a>. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
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<p>FURTHER READING</p>
<p>F.H.A. Aalen, Kevin Whelan, and Matthew Stout (eds.), Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (Cork University Press: Cork, Ireland, 1997)</p>
<p>James Bristow, Narrative of the Sufferings of James Bristow of the Bengal Artillery (London, 1794)</p>
<p>Denis Carroll, The Man from God Knows Where: Thomas Russell, 1767-1803 (Tartan: Dublin, 1995)</p>
<p>James Connolly, Labor in Irish History (1910 and frequently republished)</p>
<p>Irfan Habib (ed.), Confronting Colonialism: Resistance and Modernization under Haidar Ali &amp; Tipu Sultan. Indian History Congress: Commemorating Srigangapatnam 1799. (Tulika: New Delhi,1999)</p>
<p>Dáire Keogh (ed.), A Patriot Priest: The Life of Father James Coigly, 1761-1798 (Cork University Press: Cork, 1998)</p>
<p>James Quinn, Soul on Fire: A Life of Thomas Russell (Irish Academic Press: Dublin, 2002)</p>
<p>Kevin Whelan, The Tree of Liberty: Radicalism, Catholicism and the Construction of irish identity 1760-1830 (Cork University Press: Cork, 1996)</p>
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On the Bicentennial of the Hanging of Thomas Russell
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https://counterpunch.org/2003/10/21/on-the-bicentennial-of-the-hanging-of-thomas-russell/
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2003-10-21
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On the Bicentennial of the Hanging of Thomas Russell
<p>A large crowd gathered at Downpatrick, co. Down, Ireland, for the hanging of Thomas Russell on the morning of 21 October 1803 two hundred years ago. A makeshift scaffold of planks over a couple of barrels and a cross beam above them to attach the rope served the purpose. Axe, knife, sawdust, and a block lay nearby, for the traitor’s death included the severing of the head, following the hanging. He was the quintessential United Irishman, from its foundation in 1791 to its last stand in 1803. He possessed powers of extraordinary mobility: between Belfast and Dublin: between Protestant and Catholic: between urban proletarians and country peasants: between town and country: between England and Ireland: between bourgeois and plebeian. “Few, few have I known like him,” said his friend, Martha McTier.</p>
<p>As he stepped out onto the scaffold, according to his nephew, he said, “Is this the place?” They are the words of a man whose life has been passed imagining some other place than the one he’s at, and this sense of uncertain geographical coordinates is conveyed in the ballad about him, “The Man from God Knows Where.” They are they words of a sworn revolutionary (in May 1795 he swore on Cave Hill oath with Tone, Neilson, McCracken “never to desist in our efforts until we had subverted the authority of England over our country and asserted our independence”) and a religious millenarian (at the end he begged for three days to finish his studies of Revelation, which were not granted).</p>
<p>He probably swore the Dublin oath, too, of the United Irish: “I shall do whatever lies in my power to forward a brotherhood of affection, an identity of interests, a communion of rights, and a union of power among Irishmen of all religious persuasions, without which every reform must be partial, not national, inadequate to the wants, delusive to the wishes and insufficient for the freedom and happiness of this country,” so striking if its phrases are taken politically, to die for. A communion of rights, for instance.</p>
<p>The revolutionist believes history is on the side of the revolution. Millenarianism helps. Russell read Isaac Newton’s Observations upon the prophecies of Daniel and the apocalypse of St John (1733). He corresponded with Francis Dobbs, Irish MP, who opposed the Act of Union as anti-scriptural because the army of the messiah is described in Revelations as “harping on harps” and “clothed in fine linen.” Armageddon he construed as Hebrew for Armagh. Thus the Apocalypse anticipated the Irish Republic. Amid the Rebellion papers of the National Archives of Ireland are two millenarian prophecies which appear to have Russell’s signature on them. One is written in Irish with English translation; the other foretells eight eras of Ireland–defeat, conquest, resistance, loss by sea, loss by land, “But last of all, the Erins win the day.” It foretold crop failures, factory destruction, &amp;c., &amp;c. “Gog and Magog who will make war against the inhabitants of the earth.”</p>
<p>Such scholarship contrasts with the economic determinism favored by the ruling class when gog and magog were feudalism and capitalism, but listen to Russell on Jesus in the social war: “When I read those daily accounts in the papers which advertise the cruelties committed by and upon this wretched race of people I feel all that is Irish within me melt with compassion. When will this social war cease? How my heart beats Jesus wept–O! were He to revisit this earth, where would He be found? Would it be at the Episcopal tables or with stall-fed theologians? He would be found in the cottier’s cabin His hand would pour balm on the mangled body of the expiring husband; and His eyes would spread the consolation of heaven upon the wretchedness of the Irish peasantry.” The intention of William Wickham, Secretary of State for Ireland, was “to make the leaders contemptible and to represent them to the people as traitors to the cause and sacrificing the lower orders by their own falsehood.” In response, the United Irish politicized the gallows. By late September Robert Emmet and sixteen of his followers had been hanged for treason. In Russell’s address to the court which sentenced him to hang, he referred to Emmet, the “youthful hero, a martyr in the cause of liberty, who had just died for his country. To his death I look back, even in this state, with rapture.” Wolfe Tone cut his own throat rather than submit to hanging by an authority he did not recognize. 7 June 1798 Coigly peeled an orange on the Guildford gallows while waiting for the executioner to get on with his work. (The terrorist Orange order was formed three years earlier.)</p>
<p>“Is this the place?” Some were ready to say he was demented, like William Sampson (the government turned Russell’s “once gentle heart to desperate madness”) or William Drennan (“long imprisonment and perpetual recurrence to the same ideas makes enthusiasm turn into a partial insanity”) but they did not participate in the attempt. Besides, in that year the forces of repression were so prevailing that any opposition seemed insane. This was Coleridge’s view.</p>
<p>Of course it was the place! These are the granite stones which composed Downpatrick jail. He would know whence they were quarried. The jail was part of a prison building program. The gray architecture of the Protestant Ascendancy–those blocks of granite at the Customs House, Four Courts, the court on Henrietta Street – convey the impression of permanence, power, stability. What doubts about location could be expressed in the face of such monuments? He was a geologist, tapping with his hammer, for fossils, the Giant’s Causeway.</p>
<p>True, he had been moved from Newgate jail in Dublin but that was on 12 October when he was transferred to Downpatrick where 600 yeomanry and a troop of cavalry stood guard. He was to be tried in the north and to die in the north, the place where he had plotted, and hiked, and drunk, conspired, whored, sinned, redeemed himself with the United Irish. Was this the place, indeed!</p>
<p>Was he distracted by his Greek and Hebrew studies as a scholar can be? “He pointed out a mistranslation in Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews [9:26] objecting to the ‘end of the world’ and showing from the Greek testament it should be to the ‘end of the age.'” Little words, like “world” and “age” upon which the salvation of his soul might depend, or the metaphysics of science be made, or the course of human history known. Did revolution depend on space or time?</p>
<p>It is true that he had been to a great many places. “I have traveled much and seen various parts of the world,”–India, Africa, Scotland, England, Germany, Holland, France were places he had actually been, and south America and north American Indians were places he studied in imagination–“and I think the Irish the most virtuous nation on the face of the earth–they are a good and brave people, and had I a thousand lives, I would yield them in their service.” In this sentence the virtue of Ireland comes after a multicontinental experience. We call this ‘the Casement effect,’ named after the consular official for the English Foreign Office, Roger Casement, actually an Ulster man who did not recognize the colonized state of his native land until he served the Empire in Congo and Amazonas. Then he joined the Irish armed struggle.</p>
<p>Thomas Russell was one of the great walkers of the decade. He was a roving emissary, covering immense distances, spreading the gospel of republicanism by peregrination of propaganda–newspapers, pamphlets broadsheets, handbills. He relied on the hospitality of the road. He met story tellers. In Antrim we see him poking about with his hammer exploring geological formations; working with disaffected militia; stock-piling arms. Walking had its risks. Later, in 1803, while crossing Westminster bridge he was recognized by John Beresford, an Orangeman. He hurried to his brother’s, cut his hair, and left that night for Liverpool.</p>
<p>Generally, however, for Russell, like Engels later, walking immersed him in the life of the people. It deepened his contribution to cultural nationalism which flourished at the Belfast Library and in his studies of Irish language. He promoted the collection of ballads from Irish speaking areas. He wrote a poem “The fatal battle of Aughrim” published in 1797 about the defeat of the Gael (see also James Joyce, “The Dead” and Ford’s film). Even from prison he sent Edward Bunting (the collector of ancient Irish music) songs he heard in prison. In 1795 the Belfast United Irish published Paddy’s Resource containing Russell’s composition, “Man is Free by Nature.” Let’s listen to him singing in the glens,</p>
<p>Why vainly do we waste our time Repeating our oppressions Come haste to arms, for now’s the time To punish past transgressions They say that kings can do no wrong Their murderous deeds deny it And since from us their power has sprung We have a right to try it.</p>
<p>The Rights of Man, Tom Paine’s manifesto defending the revolutionary republic of France, appeared in Dublin in March 1791, and in eight months it sold 40,000, twice the sales in England. Russell sang out:</p>
<p>The starving wretch who steals for bread But seldom meets compassion Then shall a crown preserve the head Of one that robs a nation.</p>
<p>Beggars in Dublin had become numerous, insistent. Flogging was frequent in the House of Industry. Multitudes of children were admitted to the Foundling Hospital, and multitudes died. Women who were committed for petty offences had their heads shaved. “The laws do not afford their protection to the lower orders,” Russell wrote, and then sang:</p>
<p>Such partial laws we all despise See Gallia’s bright example The glorious scene before our eyes Let’s every tyrant trample.</p>
<p>Proud lordlings now we must translate From senate, see and pensions Virtue alone must teach the state In spite of kings’ intentions. These despots long have trod us down And judges are their engines Such wretches–minions of the crown Demand a people’s vengeance.</p>
<p>The despots are trodden, the tyrants are trampled. Was Russell thinking again of his army years in India where thousands of yoked bullocks hauled cannon and the hundreds of elephants could extinguish life under foot?</p>
<p>The golden age will yet revive Each man will be a brother In harmony we all shall live And share the earth together</p>
<p>In September 1796 he published his great pamphlet, A Letter to the People of Ireland on the Present Situation of the Country, the fruit of his years tramping the countryside. He writes that the earth was given to all for our subsistence not for the oligarchical few. He was certainly ready to challenge privatization of land. He pays a beautiful tribute to the hospitality and rundale of the Irish peasantry, and then concludes,</p>
<p>In virtue’s school enlightened youth Will love his fellow creature And further ages prove the truth THAT MAN IS FREE BY NATURE.</p>
<p>He was arrested 16 September 1796 and his restless spirit held in Newgate prison for two and a half years.</p>
<p>Russell was born in Mallow, co. Cork, in 1767. His father was an Anglican from Kilkenny and a veteran of wars against France, his mother was a Catholic from Tipperary. The arrest notice described Russell as a “tall, handsome man, about 5 ft. 11in. high, dark complexion, aquiline nose, large black eyes, with heavy eyebrows full-chested, walks generally fast and has a military appearance speaks fluently, with a clear distinct voice, and has a good address.” He followed his brother into the army, and was commissioned an ensign in the 52th regiment of foot, July 1783. His regiment was sent to relieve Mangalore on the Malabar coast, a royal port that was seized, raped and plundered, then lost to Tipu Sultan who punished the town’s Christian population with imprisonment. The Second Mysore war was conducted against this Moslem modernizer who was the last stand-out in southern India against British rule (admired later by Nehru). When he was killed at the Battle of Seringapatnam in 1799 ending the Third Mysore War, it was in parallel to the defeat of the Irish the year before, leaving 30,000 dead.</p>
<p>In 1797 a Jacobin club was established in Seringapatnam, a tree of liberty was planted, and liberté, égalité, and fraternité declared for the first time on Indian soil. By this time Russell was imprisoned in Dublin, then on March 1799 he was transferred with the other state prisoners to Fort George in the Highlands of Scotland. He wrote his brother of the war, “Which embraces every quarter of the globe [and] the fate of the human race. [It] is not a contest for relative power or riches, whatever momentary hues it may assume, but is a contest between the two principles of despotism and liberty and can only terminate in the extinction of one or the other.”</p>
<p>Imperialists conquer under the guise of liberation, and thus it was with Russell. One of Tipu’s allies, the Bibi of Cannanore, imprisoned two hundred shipwrecked sepoys in the English service. The 52nd seized Cannanore in three days fighting. Russell would have heard of the Massacre of Anantpur when “four hundred women” were raped, bayoneted, and drowned, and the Sack of Bednur in which the army by failing to give a moiety violated the East India Company’s “plunder and booty” regulation. Many of his comrades became prisoners of war undergoing circumcision and conversion to Islam before being enrolled in the European chela companies of Tipu. In this context prison narratives began to be published in England, and the demonization of Tipu into the archetype of the Oriental despot commenced.</p>
<p>What was it like for the Irish teenager? He doesn’t say much, in fact, he was tongu-tied: “when in India I could not find either words or ideas to write a letter home to my father and was in great distress at my want of capacity.” Another soldier of the time does say something. Bristow, the son of a Norwich blacksmith, arrived in India at the age of fourteen. A year later he was imprisoned, and stripped by a species of soldier called the lootie-wallah, the guy who takes the loot. For the next ten years he suffered as a circumcised Mohammedan under Tipu Sultan’s rule in Mysore. Bristow of the Bengal Artillery tells us of poor O’Bryan, “compelled to perform the office of common coolie and to carry dirt in the streets of Seringapatnam.”</p>
<p>Three years later at the age of nineteen Russell resigned his commission, quit. “Remember the Mangalore gibbets!” still in his ears. Not only did he learn about the political uses of imprisonment, he also saw first-hand how British propaganda instilled bigotry between Moslem, Christian, and Hindu. He recalled walking from “the camp at Cannanore down to Tillicherry, 15 miles in that burning climate and for what? To get a wench!” It is remorse that is conveyed, as well as a repressed memory (“want of capacity”) that suggests violence. Some words come later in his life, but then they will be displaced to Ireland.</p>
<p>Bristow is grateful to the Hindus who had compassion for him after escaping. “[They] are a very quiet, inoffensive, and humane race of men, many of whom do not even know the name of their ruler, or have the least idea of the despotism they live under, being too remote from the immediate object of tyranny, and too much attached to peace and indolence, to be inquisitive about who receives the revenues of the country, or who dissipates them; conceiving the whole duty of their lives comprised in tilling their grounds, paying their taxes, and adoring their cows.” What else had Russell seen in his walks?</p>
<p>The voyage out to India required stop for wood and water along the African coast. Russell quoted the French botanist, Michel Adanson’s, description of Goree in Senegal, “Which way so ever I turned my eyes on this pleasant spot I behold a perfect image of human nature the ease and indolence of the negroes reclined under the shade of their spreading foliage; the simplicity of their dress and manners, the whole revived in my mind the idea of our first parents, and I seemed to contemplate the world in its primitive state; they are generally speaking very good-natured, sociable and obliging, honest in their dealings, friendly to strangers, of a mild disposition, conversible, affable, easy to overcome with reason.”</p>
<p>The anti-slavery petitions of spring 1792 preceded the fateful ‘spot in time’ which divided the struggle for the abolition of slavery from the working-class struggle for the reform of Parliament. After that time they went their separate ways, the slave story and the working class story. Russell, however, saw them neither separately nor racially. Among the songs he sang in the cabins of Antrim, Armagh, Down were “The Negro’s Lament,” “The Captive Negro, (tune, ‘Farewell Killeavy’), and “The Dying Negro” (tune, ‘Laughaber’). He wrote, “how much selfishness and ostentation must we suspect in the boasts of the English, that their laws are thus free, and declarative of the natural rights of mankind, while the same laws hold thousands of our fellow creatures in a bondage worse than that of Pharaoh There is perhaps no part of the earth where beasts of burden are so much oppressed as the negroes are in the sugar plantations. They are sixteen hours in the service of cruel masters; and the shouts of their drivers, and the cracks of the whip on their naked bodies, which cuts out small pieces of flesh at almost every stroke are heard all day in the fields.”</p>
<p>He had high degree of class consciousness. “Those gentlemen who have all the wealth and power of the country in their hands, I strongly and earnestly exhort, to pay attention to the poor–by the poor I mean the labouring class of the community I advise them, for their good, to look to their grievances. It is possible that they may not hold their power long.” He praised combinations of workmen. He inveighed against the unwholesome conditions of the factories or cotton mills. “Poverty is a sort of crime,” “property must be alter’d in some measure,” he wrote. “I believe that the swinish multitude are born only to labour and be governed” he mocked Edmund Burke in The Lion of Old England or Democracy Confounded (1793). Under questioning in Kilmainham jail he challenged the view that the poor were devoid of politics. “It is not true that they require the instigation of leaders–they are as ardent as any leaders. The miscarriage of different attempts does not extinguish either the principle or the intention–it serves only to make them more cautious.”</p>
<p>Russell was released from prison after the Peace of Amiens was concluded in June 1802. His revolutionary ardor was not weakened. He wrote a Dublin friend, “Who indeed, that entertained our opinions could live to insult the memory of the heroes who fell for Ireland, by trampling on their unhonoured graves? Who that knew the colossal power was shaken from its summit to its base, by the gallant peasantry of a few counties, ill-armed, and ill-led, could ever cease to promote a general and effectual movement? Who could walk the streets of your city and see the great houses where free legislators of a great and good people should now be sitting, abandoned by its mock parliament, and converted into a temple of mammon, and not wish the earth to gape and swallow him up, to save him from witnessing such unparalleled infamy and disgrace?”</p>
<p>The old Irish Parliament building had become the new Bank. Russell took ship to Hamburg, then Amsterdam, and Paris. Bonaparte who re-introduced slavery in the Caribbean and authoritarian government in France, he regarded as a traitor. He met the Jacobin general Humbert who was planning an expedition to the West Indies, and the creation of a federal republic of the Caribbean islands. When a French force sailed in November 1802 it contained no significant Irish participation. It was not to be the place.</p>
<p>The key to Emmet’s plan was the capture of Dublin. Russell arrived in Dublin in April 1803. He repaired to Dublin as soon as he learned that Emmet was arrested, to rescue him. With £1,500 on his head, it was dangerous. He was taken only a stone’s throw from the Castle. Looking back on it James Hope thought that the rebellion of ’98 failed because the United Irish failed to engage sufficiently with the problems of the poor which alone would motivate the rank-and-file. James Hope, the Ulster weaver, suggested a sweeping reform of the system of land-holding. Thomas Russell helped transform the United Irishmen into a revolutionary, clandestine organization, with multifaceted links among the artisans, carmen, workers, cottiers, and peasantry. James Connolly praised the ‘proletarian character’ of Emmet’s revolt and said it was the first real effort of the Irish working class to secure ‘political and social emancipation.” To this we would add that Russell’s internationalism was essential to that emancipation. Hence the peculiar question, “is this the place?”</p>
<p>The rising in the north met draconian response, arrest, transportation, and five hangings. A Downpatrick shoemaker, James Corry, was to act as a junior officer. He led fourteen men with pitchforks on a hill at Ballyvange, just outside Downpatrick, but the signal fire was never lit to march on Downpatrick. They were not to be prevailed upon “to catch cannon balls on the points of pikes and pitchforks.” Disenchantment with France, Bonaparte’s concordat with the Pope, the destruction of Irish parliament, the provision of a secure market for the linen industry as a result of the Union. Six of the members of the jury that convicted him had once been members of the United Irish.</p>
<p>His presence as a wandering stranger is evoked in Florence Wilson’s well-known ballad about Russell called “The Man from God Knows Where.” The hospitality of the townland characteristic of ‘below’ can be compared to the values noted by Bristow among the Hindus or observed by Adanson in Senegal.</p>
<p>Into our townlan’ on a night of snow Rode a man from God knows where; None of us bade him stay or go, Nor deemed him friend, nor damned him foe, But we stabled his big roan mare; For in our townlan’ we’re decent folk, And if he didn’t speak, why none of us spoke, And we sat till the fire burned low.</p>
<p>The coach taking him from Dublin to Downpatrick passed through the remains of five thousand years of human habitation: the standing stones, ringforts, and passage tombs of prehistoric Ireland and its Bronze Age people. “I acted for the good of the country and of the world,” he had told the court and continued, “In ancient times we read of great empires having their rise and their fall, and yet do the old governments proceed as if they were immortal.” The Lecale peninsula, co. Down, is an ecological unit whose creeks and many natural harbors form a welcoming landfall in the northwest of Irish sea. The dominant settlement pattern, the clachans of open-field farming by groups of related families holding and working land in common, survived into the 20th century.</p>
<p>The United Irishmen provide such florid, beautiful, noble examples of gallows eloquence which can be so distant from our own experience that when we catch them with such simple expression as Emmet saying to the hangman “not yet!” or Russell asking “is this the place?” we hear the economy of language of Beckett’s tramps not the grandiloquence of republican rhetoric from the Age of Enlightenment. “If you really get down to the disaster, the slightest eloquence becomes unbearable,” wrote Beckett. What place was he thinking of? The no-place of utopia? Was it as simple as stepping into the sunlight from the dungeon to the last place on earth?</p>
<p>Seven years earlier to the day Russell suffered (exactly 207 years ago), fifteen hundred people dug Sam Neilson’s potatoes in seven minutes; three thousand dug the potatoes of Rev. Cleverty. “Numbers of the fair sex assisted on these occasions, unwilling that the men should exceed them in promoting union, or in assisting the oppressed.” Three thousand dug up two acres near Banbridge and sowed and trenched the field with wheat. Several hundred meanwhile built a barn, timbered and thatched it. “On Tuesday the potatoes of David Lang, of Drumbo, now in Down jail, on a serious charge, was dug by about 1000 people, in the space of ten minutes and a half, after which they carried in his hay on their backs; and when all were done, a wooden bowl was placed in the middle of the field, each person contributed his mite for his support in jail, to a large amount, which was immediately sent to him.” These were called “hasty diggings” and were organized by the United Irishmen. That was the place where subsistence solidarity was exercised, with its alternative values to those of Bank, palanquin, and scaffold.</p>
<p>The Insurrection Bill was passed against the collective “raising of potatoes and shearing of corn.” A whiskey hawker with two casks of spirits could find no market among them.</p>
<p>PETER LINEBAUGH teaches history at the University of Toledo. He is the author of two of CounterPunch’s favorite books, <a href="" type="internal">The London Hanged</a> and (with Marcus Rediker) <a href="" type="internal">The Many-Headed Hydra: the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic</a>. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
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<p>FURTHER READING</p>
<p>F.H.A. Aalen, Kevin Whelan, and Matthew Stout (eds.), Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (Cork University Press: Cork, Ireland, 1997)</p>
<p>James Bristow, Narrative of the Sufferings of James Bristow of the Bengal Artillery (London, 1794)</p>
<p>Denis Carroll, The Man from God Knows Where: Thomas Russell, 1767-1803 (Tartan: Dublin, 1995)</p>
<p>James Connolly, Labor in Irish History (1910 and frequently republished)</p>
<p>Irfan Habib (ed.), Confronting Colonialism: Resistance and Modernization under Haidar Ali &amp; Tipu Sultan. Indian History Congress: Commemorating Srigangapatnam 1799. (Tulika: New Delhi,1999)</p>
<p>Dáire Keogh (ed.), A Patriot Priest: The Life of Father James Coigly, 1761-1798 (Cork University Press: Cork, 1998)</p>
<p>James Quinn, Soul on Fire: A Life of Thomas Russell (Irish Academic Press: Dublin, 2002)</p>
<p>Kevin Whelan, The Tree of Liberty: Radicalism, Catholicism and the Construction of irish identity 1760-1830 (Cork University Press: Cork, 1996)</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 598,720 |
<p />
<p>Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE Corp has agreed to plead guilty and pay $892 million to settle with U.S. authorities over allegations it violated U.S. laws restricting the sale of American-made technology to Iran, the company said on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>ZTE will plead guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, among other charges, in the agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury and Department of Justice.</p>
<p>The agencies all declined comment on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The Commerce Department investigation followed reports by Reuters in 2012 that ZTE had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars worth of hardware and software from some of the best-known U.S. technology companies to Iran's largest telecoms carrier.</p>
<p>The original report can be read here: goo.gl/rvNwr6.</p>
<p>"ZTE acknowledges the mistakes it made, takes responsibility for them, and remains committed to positive change in the company," ZTE Chairman and Chief Executive Zhao Xianming said on Tuesday in a statement.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>An agreement caps a year of uncertainty for the Shenzhen-based company, which in March 2016 was placed on a list of entities that U.S. suppliers could not work with without a license. ZTE acted contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, the Commerce Department said at the time.</p>
<p>Commerce will recommend that ZTE be removed from that list if the company lives up to its deal and a court approves its agreement with the Justice Department.</p>
<p>ZTE said it has agreed to an additional penalty of $300 million to a division of the Commerce Department that will be suspended during a seven-year term on the condition that the company complies with requirements in the agreement.</p>
<p>The Treasury Department said the settlement includes $101 million to settle potential civil liability for Iran sanction violations. The action marks the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control's largest settlement to date with a non-financial entity.</p>
<p>One of the world’s biggest telecommunications gear makers and the No. 4 smartphone vendor in the United States, ZTE sells handset devices to U.S. mobile carriers AT&amp;T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. It relies on U.S. companies including Qualcomm, Microsoft and Intel for components.</p>
<p>(Reporting By Karen Freifeld; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Meredith Mazzilli)</p>
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China's ZTE Pleads Guilty, Settles with U.S. Over Iran Sales
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http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/03/07/chinas-zte-pleads-guilty-settles-with-u-s-over-iran-sales.html
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2017-03-07
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China's ZTE Pleads Guilty, Settles with U.S. Over Iran Sales
<p />
<p>Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE Corp has agreed to plead guilty and pay $892 million to settle with U.S. authorities over allegations it violated U.S. laws restricting the sale of American-made technology to Iran, the company said on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>ZTE will plead guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, among other charges, in the agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury and Department of Justice.</p>
<p>The agencies all declined comment on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The Commerce Department investigation followed reports by Reuters in 2012 that ZTE had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars worth of hardware and software from some of the best-known U.S. technology companies to Iran's largest telecoms carrier.</p>
<p>The original report can be read here: goo.gl/rvNwr6.</p>
<p>"ZTE acknowledges the mistakes it made, takes responsibility for them, and remains committed to positive change in the company," ZTE Chairman and Chief Executive Zhao Xianming said on Tuesday in a statement.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>An agreement caps a year of uncertainty for the Shenzhen-based company, which in March 2016 was placed on a list of entities that U.S. suppliers could not work with without a license. ZTE acted contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, the Commerce Department said at the time.</p>
<p>Commerce will recommend that ZTE be removed from that list if the company lives up to its deal and a court approves its agreement with the Justice Department.</p>
<p>ZTE said it has agreed to an additional penalty of $300 million to a division of the Commerce Department that will be suspended during a seven-year term on the condition that the company complies with requirements in the agreement.</p>
<p>The Treasury Department said the settlement includes $101 million to settle potential civil liability for Iran sanction violations. The action marks the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control's largest settlement to date with a non-financial entity.</p>
<p>One of the world’s biggest telecommunications gear makers and the No. 4 smartphone vendor in the United States, ZTE sells handset devices to U.S. mobile carriers AT&amp;T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. It relies on U.S. companies including Qualcomm, Microsoft and Intel for components.</p>
<p>(Reporting By Karen Freifeld; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Meredith Mazzilli)</p>
| 598,721 |
<p>Filipinos in Germany may be far from home, but their loved ones are near to their hearts on Valentine's Day.</p>
<p>Money transfer company WorldRemit analyzed internal data of who sends money to its top 10 recipient countries. It said Monday that Filipinos in Germany were the most generous, sending home on average $32.5 more than usual before or after Valentine's Day week last year.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Following closely were Filipinos in Norway who sent $24 more, and New Zealand, who remitted $12.5 more.</p>
<p>Comparative government data isn't available. Central bank statistics show Filipinos in the U.S. send the most home, followed by those in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.</p>
<p>According to World Bank, migrants' remittances to the Philippines in 2015 reached $28.48 billion, the third highest next to India and China.</p>
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Filipinos in Germany are most generous long-distance lovers
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http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/13/filipinos-in-germany-are-most-generous-long-distance-lovers.html
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2017-02-13
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Filipinos in Germany are most generous long-distance lovers
<p>Filipinos in Germany may be far from home, but their loved ones are near to their hearts on Valentine's Day.</p>
<p>Money transfer company WorldRemit analyzed internal data of who sends money to its top 10 recipient countries. It said Monday that Filipinos in Germany were the most generous, sending home on average $32.5 more than usual before or after Valentine's Day week last year.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Following closely were Filipinos in Norway who sent $24 more, and New Zealand, who remitted $12.5 more.</p>
<p>Comparative government data isn't available. Central bank statistics show Filipinos in the U.S. send the most home, followed by those in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.</p>
<p>According to World Bank, migrants' remittances to the Philippines in 2015 reached $28.48 billion, the third highest next to India and China.</p>
| 598,722 |
<p>TAMPA, Fla. (ABP) — Women are making slow but steady progress into ministry positions in Baptist churches, according to a report released June 22 by Baptist Women in Ministry.</p>
<p>The fourth State of Women in Baptist Life report by the 28-year-old advocacy and support organization said the ranks of ordained Baptist women have grown by an average of 64 each year so far in the 21st century. Based on that pace and previous reports, the report estimates conservatively that 2,200 Baptist women have been ordained to the gospel ministry since 1964.</p>
<p>In 2010, 53 ordinations of women ministers were reported by Baptist churches, mostly in a constellation of progressive Baptist organizations including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Alliance of Baptists and state Baptist organizations like the Baptist General Association of Virginia and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The largest Baptist body in the United States, the Southern Baptist Convention, officially discourages women’s ordination.</p>
<p>Baptist Women in Ministry released its first State of Women in Baptist Life report in 2005 to provide a measurable means to analyze trends within Baptist life with regard to women ministers. Baptist churches are autonomous, making it hard to collect accurate statistics, so the report relies on self-reported information gathered through e-mails, phone calls, Facebook, Baptist newspapers and websites to compare data from year to year.</p>
<p>In the six years since the first report, the number of ordinations of women per year has been constant, a higher percentage of women are serving as pastors and co-pastors, the percentages of women missionaries has held steady, the numbers of women chaplains and pastoral counselors has increased and the enrollment of women in Baptist theological institutions has shown a slight increase.</p>
<p>“While Baptist women often feel that little has changed, the reality as evidenced by the statistics is that progress, albeit slow progress, is being made,” noted Pam Durso, a Baptist historian and executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry, who compiled the statistical portion of the report released June 23 at the group’s annual meeting in Tampa, Fla.</p>
<p>Most churches that have ordained women employ them in staff positions like ministers of children, youth, education, missions and spiritual formation. Church positions most closed to women are those of pastor and co-pastor. Durso found 135 Baptist women pastors or co-pastors in 2010, up from 102 in 2005.</p>
<p>The CBF, a moderate organization that supports women’s ordination, reported about 1,800 contributing churches in 2010, Durso said. Since not all churches with women pastors are CBF-related, she said at best the percentage of CBF churches led by women was 7.5 percent. In the Alliance of Baptists, a smaller and more liberal group, the average was more than one in four, 28 percent.</p>
<p>“While women still face challenges in finding pastoral roles, the increases in both the numbers and the percentages indicate that incremental change is taking place,” the report said.</p>
<p>Nearly 40 percent of ministerial students enrolled at 14 theological schools identified as ministry partners with CBF were women, higher than the national average of members of the Association of Theological Schools.</p>
<p>Previous State of Women in Baptist Life reports were released for 2005, 2006 and 2007. In recent years the organization has branched out into programs like the Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching, an annual emphasis that urges Baptist churches to invite a woman into their pulpit during the month of February, and publication of a book of sermons written by women preachers.</p>
<p>While those new ventures have kept the organization’s leadership busy, Durso said, the leadership team determined to continue in commitment to gathering, analyzing and reporting information about Baptist clergywomen and commissioned a new report to be distributed in June 2011.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Bob Allen</a> is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press.</p>
|
Women ministers gaining ground in Baptist life, report indicates
| false |
https://baptistnews.com/article/womenministersgaininggroundinbaptistlifereportindicates/
| 3left-center
|
Women ministers gaining ground in Baptist life, report indicates
<p>TAMPA, Fla. (ABP) — Women are making slow but steady progress into ministry positions in Baptist churches, according to a report released June 22 by Baptist Women in Ministry.</p>
<p>The fourth State of Women in Baptist Life report by the 28-year-old advocacy and support organization said the ranks of ordained Baptist women have grown by an average of 64 each year so far in the 21st century. Based on that pace and previous reports, the report estimates conservatively that 2,200 Baptist women have been ordained to the gospel ministry since 1964.</p>
<p>In 2010, 53 ordinations of women ministers were reported by Baptist churches, mostly in a constellation of progressive Baptist organizations including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Alliance of Baptists and state Baptist organizations like the Baptist General Association of Virginia and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The largest Baptist body in the United States, the Southern Baptist Convention, officially discourages women’s ordination.</p>
<p>Baptist Women in Ministry released its first State of Women in Baptist Life report in 2005 to provide a measurable means to analyze trends within Baptist life with regard to women ministers. Baptist churches are autonomous, making it hard to collect accurate statistics, so the report relies on self-reported information gathered through e-mails, phone calls, Facebook, Baptist newspapers and websites to compare data from year to year.</p>
<p>In the six years since the first report, the number of ordinations of women per year has been constant, a higher percentage of women are serving as pastors and co-pastors, the percentages of women missionaries has held steady, the numbers of women chaplains and pastoral counselors has increased and the enrollment of women in Baptist theological institutions has shown a slight increase.</p>
<p>“While Baptist women often feel that little has changed, the reality as evidenced by the statistics is that progress, albeit slow progress, is being made,” noted Pam Durso, a Baptist historian and executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry, who compiled the statistical portion of the report released June 23 at the group’s annual meeting in Tampa, Fla.</p>
<p>Most churches that have ordained women employ them in staff positions like ministers of children, youth, education, missions and spiritual formation. Church positions most closed to women are those of pastor and co-pastor. Durso found 135 Baptist women pastors or co-pastors in 2010, up from 102 in 2005.</p>
<p>The CBF, a moderate organization that supports women’s ordination, reported about 1,800 contributing churches in 2010, Durso said. Since not all churches with women pastors are CBF-related, she said at best the percentage of CBF churches led by women was 7.5 percent. In the Alliance of Baptists, a smaller and more liberal group, the average was more than one in four, 28 percent.</p>
<p>“While women still face challenges in finding pastoral roles, the increases in both the numbers and the percentages indicate that incremental change is taking place,” the report said.</p>
<p>Nearly 40 percent of ministerial students enrolled at 14 theological schools identified as ministry partners with CBF were women, higher than the national average of members of the Association of Theological Schools.</p>
<p>Previous State of Women in Baptist Life reports were released for 2005, 2006 and 2007. In recent years the organization has branched out into programs like the Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching, an annual emphasis that urges Baptist churches to invite a woman into their pulpit during the month of February, and publication of a book of sermons written by women preachers.</p>
<p>While those new ventures have kept the organization’s leadership busy, Durso said, the leadership team determined to continue in commitment to gathering, analyzing and reporting information about Baptist clergywomen and commissioned a new report to be distributed in June 2011.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Bob Allen</a> is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press.</p>
| 598,723 |
|
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ These Florida lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Fantasy 5</p>
<p>01-03-09-31-35</p>
<p>(one, three, nine, thirty-one, thirty-five)</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>11-28-30-33-36-49</p>
<p>(eleven, twenty-eight, thirty, thirty-three, thirty-six, forty-nine)</p>
<p>Lotto XTRA</p>
<p>02</p>
<p>(two)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>9-7</p>
<p>(nine, seven)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Midday</p>
<p>6-0</p>
<p>(six, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>4-6-1</p>
<p>(four, six, one)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>4-5-8</p>
<p>(four, five, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>9-1-7-3</p>
<p>(nine, one, seven, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>3-3-8-8</p>
<p>(three, three, eight, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-9-5-0</p>
<p>(one, eight, nine, five, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Midday</p>
<p>7-7-6-7-3</p>
<p>(seven, seven, six, seven, three)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>12-29-30-33-61, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3</p>
<p>(twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-three, sixty-one; Powerball: twenty-six; Power Play: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $570 million</p>
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ These Florida lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Fantasy 5</p>
<p>01-03-09-31-35</p>
<p>(one, three, nine, thirty-one, thirty-five)</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>11-28-30-33-36-49</p>
<p>(eleven, twenty-eight, thirty, thirty-three, thirty-six, forty-nine)</p>
<p>Lotto XTRA</p>
<p>02</p>
<p>(two)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>9-7</p>
<p>(nine, seven)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Midday</p>
<p>6-0</p>
<p>(six, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>4-6-1</p>
<p>(four, six, one)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>4-5-8</p>
<p>(four, five, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>9-1-7-3</p>
<p>(nine, one, seven, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>3-3-8-8</p>
<p>(three, three, eight, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-9-5-0</p>
<p>(one, eight, nine, five, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Midday</p>
<p>7-7-6-7-3</p>
<p>(seven, seven, six, seven, three)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>12-29-30-33-61, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3</p>
<p>(twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-three, sixty-one; Powerball: twenty-six; Power Play: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $570 million</p>
|
FL Lottery
| false |
https://apnews.com/4db9b48aeb4743568b04b2d16a31a629
|
2018-01-07
| 2least
|
FL Lottery
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ These Florida lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Fantasy 5</p>
<p>01-03-09-31-35</p>
<p>(one, three, nine, thirty-one, thirty-five)</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>11-28-30-33-36-49</p>
<p>(eleven, twenty-eight, thirty, thirty-three, thirty-six, forty-nine)</p>
<p>Lotto XTRA</p>
<p>02</p>
<p>(two)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>9-7</p>
<p>(nine, seven)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Midday</p>
<p>6-0</p>
<p>(six, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>4-6-1</p>
<p>(four, six, one)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>4-5-8</p>
<p>(four, five, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>9-1-7-3</p>
<p>(nine, one, seven, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>3-3-8-8</p>
<p>(three, three, eight, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-9-5-0</p>
<p>(one, eight, nine, five, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Midday</p>
<p>7-7-6-7-3</p>
<p>(seven, seven, six, seven, three)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>12-29-30-33-61, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3</p>
<p>(twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-three, sixty-one; Powerball: twenty-six; Power Play: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $570 million</p>
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ These Florida lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Fantasy 5</p>
<p>01-03-09-31-35</p>
<p>(one, three, nine, thirty-one, thirty-five)</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>11-28-30-33-36-49</p>
<p>(eleven, twenty-eight, thirty, thirty-three, thirty-six, forty-nine)</p>
<p>Lotto XTRA</p>
<p>02</p>
<p>(two)</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>9-7</p>
<p>(nine, seven)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Midday</p>
<p>6-0</p>
<p>(six, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>4-6-1</p>
<p>(four, six, one)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>4-5-8</p>
<p>(four, five, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>9-1-7-3</p>
<p>(nine, one, seven, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>3-3-8-8</p>
<p>(three, three, eight, eight)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-9-5-0</p>
<p>(one, eight, nine, five, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Midday</p>
<p>7-7-6-7-3</p>
<p>(seven, seven, six, seven, three)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>12-29-30-33-61, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3</p>
<p>(twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-three, sixty-one; Powerball: twenty-six; Power Play: three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $570 million</p>
| 598,724 |
<p>Kevin Jackson is now putting his support behind a video which, in the tradition of Teddy Roosevelt, speaks softly but carries a big stick. The “big stick” in this case is the message itself — to vote on November 6. The message, however, is conveyed very softly — so softly, in fact, that not a single word is spoken.</p>
<p>Jackson is a black conservative who wrote “Sexy Brilliance” and “The Big Black Lie: How I Learned The Truth About The Democrat Party.” He also hosts a dynamic website called “The Black Sphere” which can be visited&#160; <a href="http://theblacksphere.net" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p />
|
Kevin Jackson’s tea party video: Get Out The Vote 2012
| true |
http://bizpacreview.com/kevin-jacksons-tea-party-video-get-out-the-vote-2012/
|
2012-10-28
| 0right
|
Kevin Jackson’s tea party video: Get Out The Vote 2012
<p>Kevin Jackson is now putting his support behind a video which, in the tradition of Teddy Roosevelt, speaks softly but carries a big stick. The “big stick” in this case is the message itself — to vote on November 6. The message, however, is conveyed very softly — so softly, in fact, that not a single word is spoken.</p>
<p>Jackson is a black conservative who wrote “Sexy Brilliance” and “The Big Black Lie: How I Learned The Truth About The Democrat Party.” He also hosts a dynamic website called “The Black Sphere” which can be visited&#160; <a href="http://theblacksphere.net" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p />
| 598,725 |
<p>President Obama is scheduled to begin speaking any minute:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">live</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Obamacare</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Video</a></p>
<p>Friends:</p>
<p>We invite you to <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001whLQo73KzGhEjdskYG07rHNy_XoDDkSBBO4INZHx6oD9kfp2yeeQAJeMQUu9oTviZa0VEl5k0rNiLifxlZsOFScMz8rVGmIaN-FFOO3GTKc%3D" type="external">sign up for our new mailing list</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheNewCivilRightsMovement&amp;amp;loc=en_US" type="external">subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email</a> or <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thenewcivilrightsmovement" type="external">RSS</a>.</p>
<p>Also, please&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Civil-Rights-Movement/358168880614" type="external">like us on Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/gaycivilrights" type="external">follow us on Twitter</a>!</p>
|
Watch Live Now: Obama Speaks On Health Care
| true |
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/watch-live-now-obama-speaks-on-health-care/politics/2013/10/30/77708
|
2013-10-30
| 4left
|
Watch Live Now: Obama Speaks On Health Care
<p>President Obama is scheduled to begin speaking any minute:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">live</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Obamacare</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Video</a></p>
<p>Friends:</p>
<p>We invite you to <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001whLQo73KzGhEjdskYG07rHNy_XoDDkSBBO4INZHx6oD9kfp2yeeQAJeMQUu9oTviZa0VEl5k0rNiLifxlZsOFScMz8rVGmIaN-FFOO3GTKc%3D" type="external">sign up for our new mailing list</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheNewCivilRightsMovement&amp;amp;loc=en_US" type="external">subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email</a> or <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thenewcivilrightsmovement" type="external">RSS</a>.</p>
<p>Also, please&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Civil-Rights-Movement/358168880614" type="external">like us on Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/gaycivilrights" type="external">follow us on Twitter</a>!</p>
| 598,726 |
<p>The conventional wisdom that rising oil prices often pinch refining equities is holding true this year as the VanEck Vectors Oil Refiners ETF (NYSE:CRAK) is off nearly 5.6 percent. That compares with a year-to-date gain of 11.4 percent for the Energy Select Sector SPDR (ETF) (NYSE:XLE), the largest equity-based energy exchange-traded fund.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>For a good part of the energy sector's downturn, refiners were widely heralded as the sector's lone bright spot. As major integrated oil names, exploration and production equities and oil services stocks plunged, refiners looked good by comparison.</p>
<p>With crack spreads a refiner's profit from turning crude into a finished, usable product coming under pressure, CRAK and its constituents are finally being pinched more so than some other energy industries.</p>
<p>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8104120/bmo-calls-devon-energy-top-tier-in-oil-gas" type="external">BMO Calls Devon Energy "Top-Tier" In Oil And Gas Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Rising oil prices are stoking short interest in some of CRAK's holdings while bearish traders depart other segments of the energy patch.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Average short interest across global oil and gas stocks has continued to decline, with short sellers covering a fifth of positions on average. While shorting levels are relatively lower at refiners, a marked increase in levels has been seen as the benefit of declining prices reverse, said Markit <a href="http://www.markit.com/Commentary/Get/13062016-Equities-Oil-s-resurgence-sees-shorts-refine-their-bets" type="external">in a new research note Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Markit data indicate that over the past year, the percentage of shares of Western Refining, Inc. (NYSE:WNR) on loan to short sellers has doubled to 49 percent. Western Refining is CRAK's third-smallest holding at a weight of less than 1.5 percent.</p>
<p>Alright, so elevated short interest in a stock not a major factor in CRAK is not a big deal. Applying that logic, it is notable that short interest in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX), CRAK's largest holding at a weight of nearly 7.7 percent, remains elevated.</p>
<p>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8109021/this-is-why-we-are-in-the-final-phase-of-the-oil-cycle" type="external">This Is Why We Are In The Final Phase Of The Oil Cycle Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Absolute short interest is relatively low at the Phillips 66 at 2.3 percent however; this represents $835 million in aggregate short positions, twice the level seen six months ago, said Markit. While refiners may be struggling as their margins suffer, the most shorted companies remain the drillers.</p>
<p>Year-to-date, the amount of refining shares on loan to short sellers is up 14 percent, the second-largest increase among six energy sub-groups, according to Markit data. Only integrated oil producers have a larger percentage of shares on loan to shorts at 42 percent.</p>
<p>2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.</p>
|
Short Sellers Lay Into Some Of This ETF's Holdings
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/06/14/short-sellers-lay-into-some-this-etf-holdings.html
|
2016-06-14
| 0right
|
Short Sellers Lay Into Some Of This ETF's Holdings
<p>The conventional wisdom that rising oil prices often pinch refining equities is holding true this year as the VanEck Vectors Oil Refiners ETF (NYSE:CRAK) is off nearly 5.6 percent. That compares with a year-to-date gain of 11.4 percent for the Energy Select Sector SPDR (ETF) (NYSE:XLE), the largest equity-based energy exchange-traded fund.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>For a good part of the energy sector's downturn, refiners were widely heralded as the sector's lone bright spot. As major integrated oil names, exploration and production equities and oil services stocks plunged, refiners looked good by comparison.</p>
<p>With crack spreads a refiner's profit from turning crude into a finished, usable product coming under pressure, CRAK and its constituents are finally being pinched more so than some other energy industries.</p>
<p>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8104120/bmo-calls-devon-energy-top-tier-in-oil-gas" type="external">BMO Calls Devon Energy "Top-Tier" In Oil And Gas Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Rising oil prices are stoking short interest in some of CRAK's holdings while bearish traders depart other segments of the energy patch.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Average short interest across global oil and gas stocks has continued to decline, with short sellers covering a fifth of positions on average. While shorting levels are relatively lower at refiners, a marked increase in levels has been seen as the benefit of declining prices reverse, said Markit <a href="http://www.markit.com/Commentary/Get/13062016-Equities-Oil-s-resurgence-sees-shorts-refine-their-bets" type="external">in a new research note Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Markit data indicate that over the past year, the percentage of shares of Western Refining, Inc. (NYSE:WNR) on loan to short sellers has doubled to 49 percent. Western Refining is CRAK's third-smallest holding at a weight of less than 1.5 percent.</p>
<p>Alright, so elevated short interest in a stock not a major factor in CRAK is not a big deal. Applying that logic, it is notable that short interest in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX), CRAK's largest holding at a weight of nearly 7.7 percent, remains elevated.</p>
<p>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8109021/this-is-why-we-are-in-the-final-phase-of-the-oil-cycle" type="external">This Is Why We Are In The Final Phase Of The Oil Cycle Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Absolute short interest is relatively low at the Phillips 66 at 2.3 percent however; this represents $835 million in aggregate short positions, twice the level seen six months ago, said Markit. While refiners may be struggling as their margins suffer, the most shorted companies remain the drillers.</p>
<p>Year-to-date, the amount of refining shares on loan to short sellers is up 14 percent, the second-largest increase among six energy sub-groups, according to Markit data. Only integrated oil producers have a larger percentage of shares on loan to shorts at 42 percent.</p>
<p>2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.</p>
| 598,727 |
<p>It’s spring in Japan’s ocean waters, the time of highest primary productivity, when lengthening days reawaken the hibernating marine foodweb.</p>
<p>The satellite image above is from the area about 160 kilometers/100 miles north of the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. It was shot on 21 May 2009 and shows where Japan’s two mighty ocean currents—the Kuroshio and the Oyashio—collide.</p>
<p>The convergence zone is awesomely rich. The Oyashio flows down form the Arctic, the Kuroshio up from the subtropics. Where they meet you get all kinds of fascinating expressions of fluid dynamics—highlighted in the image above by eddies colored aquamarine by the presence of intensely blooming phytoplankton.</p>
<p>(Japan’s ocean currents: 1. Kuroshio, 7. Oyashio. Credit: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Tosaka&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" type="external">Tosaka</a>, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japan%27s_ocean_currents.PNG" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>Fluid dynamics drive biological dynamics too, and the phytoplankton are busting their tiny chlorophyll guts, so to speak, feasting in the collision zone—where nutrients are getting churned up from the seafloor to deliver nature’s own signature blend of Miracle-Gro.</p>
<p>According to the engineering specs for Earth, without phytoplankton making life from nonlife, there would be little life in the ocean, perhaps none in Japan or just about anywhere else.</p>
<p>But this year the phytoplankton that feed everything else in the sea, one or four trophic levels removed, are likely to be sporting a couple of far-out new ingredients: iodine-131 and cesium-137.</p>
<p>(The coccolithophore Gephyrocapsa oceanica, a type of phytoplankton. Credit: ja:User:NEON / commons:User:NEON_ja, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gephyrocapsa_oceanica_color.jpg" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>So what might hefty doses of ionizing radiation mean for phytoplankton, Japanese waters, and the world ocean?</p>
<p>Well, the French group SIROCCO is using its <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Accueil/SymphoAccueil.htm" type="external">3D SIROCCO ocean circulation model</a> to investigate the seawater dispersion of Fukushima’s radionuclides. You can read about their modeling system <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapanDescript.htm" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>Basically, they’re looking at:</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation suggesting possible pathways for radionuclides in Japanese water. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>The SIROCCO group stress their disclaimers and I will too: These models are based on mathematical equations too simple to capture the dynamism and complexity of the physical and biological systems at play in the real world.</p>
<p>Still, the models are a great starting point and are sure to get better fast.</p>
<p>So far they suggests that the radionuclides falling from air to sea have spread ~600 kilometers/372 north-south miles along the shore, and ~150 kilometers/93 miles offshore. Dilution goes hand-in-hand with dispersion, though, and these air-deposited radionuclides are 20 to 100 times less concentrated in ocean water the farther you move from the Fukushima plant.</p>
<p>However the radionuclides being released directly into the ocean—from TEPCO’s purposeful release of 10,000 tons of water, and from as-yet unknown leaking pathways—are acting differently.</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation showing ocean currents off Japan. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>The model suggests these ocean-released radionuclides are being naturally sequestered within 50 kilometers/31 miles of the plant. But they’re also more intense—1000 times more so around Fukushima than in the air-to-sea deposits further out.</p>
<p>The good news is that the powerhouse of the Kuroshio Current—a humongous western boundary current like the Gulf Stream—appears to be forming a kind of firewall keeping the contamination away from Tokyo’s coast and funneling it east.</p>
<p>You can see that dynamic in the image above. Again, animations <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation suggesting possible vertical dispersion&#160; for radionuclides in Japanese waters. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan_Section.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>(Diatoms, types of phytoplankton, as seen through the microscope. Credit: Prof. Gordon T. Taylor, Stony Brook University, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diatoms_through_the_microscope.jpg" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Front page image credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hiroshige_Bowl_of_Sushi.jpg" type="external">Hiroshige/Wikimedia</a></p>
|
Japan’s Radioactive Ocean
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/japans-radioactive-ocean/
|
2011-04-05
| 4left
|
Japan’s Radioactive Ocean
<p>It’s spring in Japan’s ocean waters, the time of highest primary productivity, when lengthening days reawaken the hibernating marine foodweb.</p>
<p>The satellite image above is from the area about 160 kilometers/100 miles north of the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. It was shot on 21 May 2009 and shows where Japan’s two mighty ocean currents—the Kuroshio and the Oyashio—collide.</p>
<p>The convergence zone is awesomely rich. The Oyashio flows down form the Arctic, the Kuroshio up from the subtropics. Where they meet you get all kinds of fascinating expressions of fluid dynamics—highlighted in the image above by eddies colored aquamarine by the presence of intensely blooming phytoplankton.</p>
<p>(Japan’s ocean currents: 1. Kuroshio, 7. Oyashio. Credit: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Tosaka&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" type="external">Tosaka</a>, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japan%27s_ocean_currents.PNG" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>Fluid dynamics drive biological dynamics too, and the phytoplankton are busting their tiny chlorophyll guts, so to speak, feasting in the collision zone—where nutrients are getting churned up from the seafloor to deliver nature’s own signature blend of Miracle-Gro.</p>
<p>According to the engineering specs for Earth, without phytoplankton making life from nonlife, there would be little life in the ocean, perhaps none in Japan or just about anywhere else.</p>
<p>But this year the phytoplankton that feed everything else in the sea, one or four trophic levels removed, are likely to be sporting a couple of far-out new ingredients: iodine-131 and cesium-137.</p>
<p>(The coccolithophore Gephyrocapsa oceanica, a type of phytoplankton. Credit: ja:User:NEON / commons:User:NEON_ja, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gephyrocapsa_oceanica_color.jpg" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>So what might hefty doses of ionizing radiation mean for phytoplankton, Japanese waters, and the world ocean?</p>
<p>Well, the French group SIROCCO is using its <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Accueil/SymphoAccueil.htm" type="external">3D SIROCCO ocean circulation model</a> to investigate the seawater dispersion of Fukushima’s radionuclides. You can read about their modeling system <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapanDescript.htm" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>Basically, they’re looking at:</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation suggesting possible pathways for radionuclides in Japanese water. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>The SIROCCO group stress their disclaimers and I will too: These models are based on mathematical equations too simple to capture the dynamism and complexity of the physical and biological systems at play in the real world.</p>
<p>Still, the models are a great starting point and are sure to get better fast.</p>
<p>So far they suggests that the radionuclides falling from air to sea have spread ~600 kilometers/372 north-south miles along the shore, and ~150 kilometers/93 miles offshore. Dilution goes hand-in-hand with dispersion, though, and these air-deposited radionuclides are 20 to 100 times less concentrated in ocean water the farther you move from the Fukushima plant.</p>
<p>However the radionuclides being released directly into the ocean—from TEPCO’s purposeful release of 10,000 tons of water, and from as-yet unknown leaking pathways—are acting differently.</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation showing ocean currents off Japan. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>The model suggests these ocean-released radionuclides are being naturally sequestered within 50 kilometers/31 miles of the plant. But they’re also more intense—1000 times more so around Fukushima than in the air-to-sea deposits further out.</p>
<p>The good news is that the powerhouse of the Kuroshio Current—a humongous western boundary current like the Gulf Stream—appears to be forming a kind of firewall keeping the contamination away from Tokyo’s coast and funneling it east.</p>
<p>You can see that dynamic in the image above. Again, animations <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan.htm" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>(A single frame from an animation suggesting possible vertical dispersion&#160; for radionuclides in Japanese waters. Full animation <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/outils/Symphonie/Produits/Japan/SymphoniePreviJapan_Section.htm" type="external">here</a>. Credit: <a href="http://sirocco.omp.obs-mip.fr/accueil/Accueil.htm" type="external">SIROCCO</a>.)</p>
<p>(Diatoms, types of phytoplankton, as seen through the microscope. Credit: Prof. Gordon T. Taylor, Stony Brook University, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diatoms_through_the_microscope.jpg" type="external">Wikimedia Commons</a>.)</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Front page image credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hiroshige_Bowl_of_Sushi.jpg" type="external">Hiroshige/Wikimedia</a></p>
| 598,728 |
<p>LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT DENVER BRONCOS</p>
<p>KICKOFF: Monday, 10:20 p.m. ET, Sports Authority Field at Mile High. TV: ESPN, Beth Mowins, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Rex_Ryan/" type="external">Rex Ryan</a>, Sergio Dipp.</p>
<p>SERIES HISTORY: 115th regular-season meeting. Broncos lead series, 63-50-1. The Chargers will play at Denver again representing Los Angeles for the first time since 1960. Few games between these teams will match the season opener in 1994, the season the Chargers went to their lone Super Bowl. That game set the tone of the year when the Chargers rallied from a 24-6 deficit, thanks in part to Stanley Richard returning an interception 99 yards for a score just before halftime. The Chargers sealed the unlikely win when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Junior_Seau/" type="external">Junior Seau</a> recovered <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/John_Elway/" type="external">John Elway</a>‘s fumble in the closing seconds.</p>
<p>KEYS TO THE GAME: In a game that features two new coaches, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Vance-Joseph/" type="external">Vance Joseph</a> for the Broncos and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Anthony-Lynn/" type="external">Anthony Lynn</a> for the Chargers, an old storyline could help determine the winner: Which team wins at the line of scrimmage? The Broncos feature four new starters on the offensive line, including rookie left tackle Garrett Bolles and right tackle <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Menelik-Watson/" type="external">Menelik Watson</a>, and the unit could have its hands full against Chargers dynamic pass rushers <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Joey-Bosa/" type="external">Joey Bosa</a> and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Melvin-Ingram/" type="external">Melvin Ingram</a>. Bolles earned rave reviews during the preseason, but he will have to prove he can stay composed and avoid penalties under the bright lights of Monday night.</p>
<p>When the Chargers have the ball, all eyes will be on running back <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Melvin-Gordon/" type="external">Melvin Gordon</a>. Last season, Gordon tallied 205 rushing yards in two games against the Broncos, and he will need to maintain that triple-digit average for the Chargers to have a chance. Denver features one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL (see <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Von-Miller/" type="external">Von Miller</a>), and if they are able to establish an early lead, they could control the rest of the game.</p>
<p>MATCHUPS TO WATCH:</p>
<p>–Chargers WR <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Keenan-Allen/" type="external">Keenan Allen</a> vs. Broncos CB Aqib Talib. Allen tore his ACL during the season opener one year ago, and Monday night will mark his return. The California alum notched 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2013, but he has not broached that milestone since. Does he still have the same explosion he had before the ACL injury? Can he post 1,000 yards again? Monday should offer a hint.</p>
<p>–Broncos RBs <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/C.J._Anderson/" type="external">C.J. Anderson</a> and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jamaal_Charles/" type="external">Jamaal Charles</a> vs. Chargers LBs Korey Toomer and Nick Dzubnar. Anderson and Charles, once rivals, now team up to form a dynamic 1-2 punch, if both players can stay healthy. But the Chargers will not concede an effective running game to the Broncos, particularly with new defensive coordinator <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Gus-Bradley/" type="external">Gus Bradley</a> scheming the defense.</p>
<p>CHARGERS NOTABLE ROOKIE: Defensive back Desmond King. Only a fifth-round pick from Iowa, most thought he would need a good camp just to make the team. He did that and more, being around the ball for most of the preseason games. A safety and cornerback, King finished preseason with two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble, all the while showing his versatility. He’ll likely start the season as the team’s nickel back.</p>
<p>BRONCOS NOTABLE ROOKIE: Left tackle <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Garett-Bolles/" type="external">Garett Bolles</a>. The first-round pick worked his way into the starting lineup by the end of training camp and will be a work in progress as he settles in on a revamped offensive line that will include at least three new starters. The Broncos are counting on his tenacity and energy being positives while Bolles learns how to avoid penalties — something that was a problem in their second preseason game when he was whistled for holding three times in the first half.</p>
<p>FAST FACTS: Chargers TE <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Antonio_Gates/" type="external">Antonio Gates</a>, who is tied with <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Tony_Gonzalez/" type="external">Tony Gonzalez</a> with 111 touchdown receptions, needs one more catch in the end zone to break the all-time record for most touchdowns by a tight end. … Broncos offensive coordinator <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mike-McCoy/" type="external">Mike McCoy</a> will game plan against the team he used to coach, the Chargers, who replaced him with first-year coach Anthony Lynn. … San Diego QB <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Philip_Rivers/" type="external">Philip Rivers</a> needs 401 passing yards to move ahead of <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Vinny_Testaverde/" type="external">Vinny Testaverde</a> for 11th place on the NFL all-time list. … Broncos WR <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Demaryius_Thomas/" type="external">Demaryius Thomas</a> has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past five seasons.</p>
<p>PREDICTION: In a tight game, the Broncos’ defense proves to be the difference. Look for Von Miller &amp; Co. to be disruptive, as usual, and the Broncos to hold on for a narrow win against a division opponent.</p>
<p>OUR PICK: Broncos, 20-16.</p>
<p>–Tom Musick</p>
|
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos: Keys to the game, matchups to watch and prediction
| false |
https://newsline.com/los-angeles-chargers-at-denver-broncos-keys-to-the-game-matchups-to-watch-and-prediction/
|
2017-09-08
| 1right-center
|
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos: Keys to the game, matchups to watch and prediction
<p>LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT DENVER BRONCOS</p>
<p>KICKOFF: Monday, 10:20 p.m. ET, Sports Authority Field at Mile High. TV: ESPN, Beth Mowins, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Rex_Ryan/" type="external">Rex Ryan</a>, Sergio Dipp.</p>
<p>SERIES HISTORY: 115th regular-season meeting. Broncos lead series, 63-50-1. The Chargers will play at Denver again representing Los Angeles for the first time since 1960. Few games between these teams will match the season opener in 1994, the season the Chargers went to their lone Super Bowl. That game set the tone of the year when the Chargers rallied from a 24-6 deficit, thanks in part to Stanley Richard returning an interception 99 yards for a score just before halftime. The Chargers sealed the unlikely win when <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Junior_Seau/" type="external">Junior Seau</a> recovered <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/John_Elway/" type="external">John Elway</a>‘s fumble in the closing seconds.</p>
<p>KEYS TO THE GAME: In a game that features two new coaches, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Vance-Joseph/" type="external">Vance Joseph</a> for the Broncos and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Anthony-Lynn/" type="external">Anthony Lynn</a> for the Chargers, an old storyline could help determine the winner: Which team wins at the line of scrimmage? The Broncos feature four new starters on the offensive line, including rookie left tackle Garrett Bolles and right tackle <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Menelik-Watson/" type="external">Menelik Watson</a>, and the unit could have its hands full against Chargers dynamic pass rushers <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Joey-Bosa/" type="external">Joey Bosa</a> and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Melvin-Ingram/" type="external">Melvin Ingram</a>. Bolles earned rave reviews during the preseason, but he will have to prove he can stay composed and avoid penalties under the bright lights of Monday night.</p>
<p>When the Chargers have the ball, all eyes will be on running back <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Melvin-Gordon/" type="external">Melvin Gordon</a>. Last season, Gordon tallied 205 rushing yards in two games against the Broncos, and he will need to maintain that triple-digit average for the Chargers to have a chance. Denver features one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL (see <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Von-Miller/" type="external">Von Miller</a>), and if they are able to establish an early lead, they could control the rest of the game.</p>
<p>MATCHUPS TO WATCH:</p>
<p>–Chargers WR <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Keenan-Allen/" type="external">Keenan Allen</a> vs. Broncos CB Aqib Talib. Allen tore his ACL during the season opener one year ago, and Monday night will mark his return. The California alum notched 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2013, but he has not broached that milestone since. Does he still have the same explosion he had before the ACL injury? Can he post 1,000 yards again? Monday should offer a hint.</p>
<p>–Broncos RBs <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/C.J._Anderson/" type="external">C.J. Anderson</a> and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jamaal_Charles/" type="external">Jamaal Charles</a> vs. Chargers LBs Korey Toomer and Nick Dzubnar. Anderson and Charles, once rivals, now team up to form a dynamic 1-2 punch, if both players can stay healthy. But the Chargers will not concede an effective running game to the Broncos, particularly with new defensive coordinator <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Gus-Bradley/" type="external">Gus Bradley</a> scheming the defense.</p>
<p>CHARGERS NOTABLE ROOKIE: Defensive back Desmond King. Only a fifth-round pick from Iowa, most thought he would need a good camp just to make the team. He did that and more, being around the ball for most of the preseason games. A safety and cornerback, King finished preseason with two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble, all the while showing his versatility. He’ll likely start the season as the team’s nickel back.</p>
<p>BRONCOS NOTABLE ROOKIE: Left tackle <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Garett-Bolles/" type="external">Garett Bolles</a>. The first-round pick worked his way into the starting lineup by the end of training camp and will be a work in progress as he settles in on a revamped offensive line that will include at least three new starters. The Broncos are counting on his tenacity and energy being positives while Bolles learns how to avoid penalties — something that was a problem in their second preseason game when he was whistled for holding three times in the first half.</p>
<p>FAST FACTS: Chargers TE <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Antonio_Gates/" type="external">Antonio Gates</a>, who is tied with <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Tony_Gonzalez/" type="external">Tony Gonzalez</a> with 111 touchdown receptions, needs one more catch in the end zone to break the all-time record for most touchdowns by a tight end. … Broncos offensive coordinator <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mike-McCoy/" type="external">Mike McCoy</a> will game plan against the team he used to coach, the Chargers, who replaced him with first-year coach Anthony Lynn. … San Diego QB <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Philip_Rivers/" type="external">Philip Rivers</a> needs 401 passing yards to move ahead of <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Vinny_Testaverde/" type="external">Vinny Testaverde</a> for 11th place on the NFL all-time list. … Broncos WR <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Demaryius_Thomas/" type="external">Demaryius Thomas</a> has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past five seasons.</p>
<p>PREDICTION: In a tight game, the Broncos’ defense proves to be the difference. Look for Von Miller &amp; Co. to be disruptive, as usual, and the Broncos to hold on for a narrow win against a division opponent.</p>
<p>OUR PICK: Broncos, 20-16.</p>
<p>–Tom Musick</p>
| 598,729 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
|
Ancient DNA gives glimpse of ancestors of Native Americans
| false |
https://apnews.com/9fc92b58946f4592be6aefede9832d81
|
2018-01-03
| 2least
|
Ancient DNA gives glimpse of ancestors of Native Americans
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — DNA from an infant who died in Alaska some 11,500 years ago is giving scientists the best look yet at the genetics of the ancestors of today’s native peoples of the Americas.</p>
<p>Decoding the infant’s complete set of DNA let researchers estimate the timing of key events in the ancestral history of today’s Native Americans and indigenous peoples of Canada and Central and South America.</p>
<p>Expert said that while the new work doesn’t radically change the outlines of what scientists have thought, it provides more detail and better evidence than what was available before.</p>
<p>The infant girl was buried about 50 miles southeast of Fairbanks, and her remains are the earliest known in the far north of North America, said anthropologist Ben Potter of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He reports the analysis along with others in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.</p>
<p>The first Americans were descended from Asians, and they reached the New World by way of Beringia, a now-submerged land bridge that used to connect Asia to Alaska. Recent research suggests they followed the shorelines of Beringia and the Pacific Coast as they spread into the Americas by at least 15,000 years ago.</p>
<p>The new paper supports a theory that the migrants from Asia spent thousands of years in isolation, either in Beringea or Asia, before entering the Americas. During that time they developed unique genetic signatures that are now found in natives of the Americas.</p>
<p>The DNA analyzed by Potter and his colleagues came from a skull bone. The infant’s remains, along with remains of a fetus, had been uncovered in 2013 in a circular pit that showed signs of ritual burial. The fetus was related to the infant, perhaps a cousin, but contained too little DNA for a full analysis of it.</p>
<p>By comparing the genetic details of the infant to those of genomes from other populations, the researchers were able to estimate the times of key events in the ancestral story of today’s indigenous Americans. For example, they calculated that the ancestors completed their split from Asians by about 25,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Ancestors of the Alaskan girl split away from this group about 20,000 years ago. So her DNA allows a direct glimpse of the ancient population that led to today’s native peoples, said Jennifer Raff of the University of Kansas, who didn’t participate in the study</p>
<p>Much of the research in this area has been based on DNA that tells only about a person’s maternal ancestors, she said. A complete genome is more informative and allows scientists to have more confidence in their time estimates, she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external" /> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP" type="external">http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP</a></p>
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<p>Shares of Shake Shack Inc. slid in Thursday's extended session after the casual restaurant chain issued a weak outlook for 2017. Shake Shack reported its second-quarter earnings rose to $4.9 million, or 19 cents a share, from $3.3 million, or 14 cents a share, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, it would have earned 20 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had forecast earnings of 16 cents a share. Revenue grew 37% to $91.3 million, topping the $89 million projected by analysts. Same-store sales fell 1.8%. The burger chain sees 2017 revenue in a range of $351 million to $355 million, falling short of Wall Street's $356.7 million estimate while same-store sales are seen to decline 2% to 3%, worse than the analysts' expectation for 0.3% growth. Shake Shack shares edged down 0.2% after hours.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
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Shake Shack Shares Slip On Weak 2017 Outlook
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2017-08-03
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Shake Shack Shares Slip On Weak 2017 Outlook
<p>Shares of Shake Shack Inc. slid in Thursday's extended session after the casual restaurant chain issued a weak outlook for 2017. Shake Shack reported its second-quarter earnings rose to $4.9 million, or 19 cents a share, from $3.3 million, or 14 cents a share, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, it would have earned 20 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had forecast earnings of 16 cents a share. Revenue grew 37% to $91.3 million, topping the $89 million projected by analysts. Same-store sales fell 1.8%. The burger chain sees 2017 revenue in a range of $351 million to $355 million, falling short of Wall Street's $356.7 million estimate while same-store sales are seen to decline 2% to 3%, worse than the analysts' expectation for 0.3% growth. Shake Shack shares edged down 0.2% after hours.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
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<p>RIO RANCHO – Rio Rancho police have arrested three people in connection with the shooting death of homicide victim whose body was found on a busy highway.</p>
<p>Rio Rancho police said 23-year-old Andrew Anderson died Saturday as a result of injuries suffered during a roadside altercation. The discovery of his body on N.M. 528 resulted in an hours-long closure of a portion of the roadway.</p>
<p>Police say 23-year-old Amanda Jo Lucero is charged with murder, 23-year-old Emily Lucero with aggravated assault and accessory to commit murder and 31-year-old John Serna with aiding a felon and tampering with evidence.</p>
<p>According to police, Anderson was shot during a confrontation over items missing from a residence that he had just left.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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3 arrested after body found
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3 arrested after body found
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<p>RIO RANCHO – Rio Rancho police have arrested three people in connection with the shooting death of homicide victim whose body was found on a busy highway.</p>
<p>Rio Rancho police said 23-year-old Andrew Anderson died Saturday as a result of injuries suffered during a roadside altercation. The discovery of his body on N.M. 528 resulted in an hours-long closure of a portion of the roadway.</p>
<p>Police say 23-year-old Amanda Jo Lucero is charged with murder, 23-year-old Emily Lucero with aggravated assault and accessory to commit murder and 31-year-old John Serna with aiding a felon and tampering with evidence.</p>
<p>According to police, Anderson was shot during a confrontation over items missing from a residence that he had just left.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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<p>BILLINGS, Mont. — A deluge of opposition from dozens of American Indian tribes, conservation groups and some scientists is tying up a decision on lifting protections for more than 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National park.</p>
<p>Officials had planned to finalize by the end of 2016 a proposal to turn management of grizzlies over to state officials and allow limited hunting.</p>
<p>But U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Regional Director Michael Thabault said it could take the agency another six months to finish reviewing 650,000 public comments that have poured in on the proposal.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Researchers tallied 106 Yellowstone-area grizzlies killed in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming during the past two years, often by wildlife managers following attacks on livestock and occasionally during run-ins with hunters.</p>
<p>That’s the highest number of deaths in such a short time since the animal was listed as a threatened species in 1975. But Thabault said the death rate was sustainable given that the overall population has greatly expanded from 136 bears when protections were first imposed.</p>
<p>“The bear population has been increasing over time and those mortalities are within the bounds of what we’ve been considering,” he said. “We expect the population to go up and down, but basically revolve around this (current) level.”</p>
<p>Officials in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have been lobbying heavily to take grizzlies off the threatened species list. They say the animals have recovered from near-extermination last century and limited trophy hunting should be allowed.</p>
<p>Critics argue that hunts sponsored by state wildlife agencies could reverse the grizzly’s four-decade recovery. Representatives of dozens of Indian tribes have signed onto a treaty urging the Fish and Wildlife Service not to lift protections for an animal that’s regarded as sacred within many native cultures.</p>
<p>Federal officials have held talks with some tribal officials to address their objections. However, the government is not bound to make any changes based on the tribal consultations.</p>
<p>Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk raised concerns in November about the way scientists count bears, which could impact how many are made available to hunters.</p>
<p>But in December, Wenk’s superior, National Park Service Associate Regional Director Patrick Walsh, signed off on a Yellowstone grizzly conservation plan that’s required in order for protections to be lifted. The reversal came after the states agreed to use a conservative bear counting method going forward, in part to help prevent excessive hunting.</p>
<p>An estimated 50,000 Grizzlies once roamed much of North America. Most were killed off by hunters in the 19th and early 20th centuries and they now occupy only about 2 percent of their original range across the Lower 48 states.</p>
<p>Through an intensive recovery effort, two large populations have been re-established around Yellowstone and in northwest Montana around Glacier National Park, which has roughly 1,000 bears.</p>
<p>Montana officials say the Glacier-area population is also recovered and should lose its federal protections, but no formal proposal has been offered.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>Follow Matthew Brown at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap . More of his work can be found at <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/content/matthew-brown." type="external">http://bigstory.ap.org/content/matthew-brown.</a></p>
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Opposition stalls end of Yellowstone grizzly protections
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2017-01-11
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Opposition stalls end of Yellowstone grizzly protections
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<p>BILLINGS, Mont. — A deluge of opposition from dozens of American Indian tribes, conservation groups and some scientists is tying up a decision on lifting protections for more than 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National park.</p>
<p>Officials had planned to finalize by the end of 2016 a proposal to turn management of grizzlies over to state officials and allow limited hunting.</p>
<p>But U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Regional Director Michael Thabault said it could take the agency another six months to finish reviewing 650,000 public comments that have poured in on the proposal.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Researchers tallied 106 Yellowstone-area grizzlies killed in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming during the past two years, often by wildlife managers following attacks on livestock and occasionally during run-ins with hunters.</p>
<p>That’s the highest number of deaths in such a short time since the animal was listed as a threatened species in 1975. But Thabault said the death rate was sustainable given that the overall population has greatly expanded from 136 bears when protections were first imposed.</p>
<p>“The bear population has been increasing over time and those mortalities are within the bounds of what we’ve been considering,” he said. “We expect the population to go up and down, but basically revolve around this (current) level.”</p>
<p>Officials in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have been lobbying heavily to take grizzlies off the threatened species list. They say the animals have recovered from near-extermination last century and limited trophy hunting should be allowed.</p>
<p>Critics argue that hunts sponsored by state wildlife agencies could reverse the grizzly’s four-decade recovery. Representatives of dozens of Indian tribes have signed onto a treaty urging the Fish and Wildlife Service not to lift protections for an animal that’s regarded as sacred within many native cultures.</p>
<p>Federal officials have held talks with some tribal officials to address their objections. However, the government is not bound to make any changes based on the tribal consultations.</p>
<p>Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk raised concerns in November about the way scientists count bears, which could impact how many are made available to hunters.</p>
<p>But in December, Wenk’s superior, National Park Service Associate Regional Director Patrick Walsh, signed off on a Yellowstone grizzly conservation plan that’s required in order for protections to be lifted. The reversal came after the states agreed to use a conservative bear counting method going forward, in part to help prevent excessive hunting.</p>
<p>An estimated 50,000 Grizzlies once roamed much of North America. Most were killed off by hunters in the 19th and early 20th centuries and they now occupy only about 2 percent of their original range across the Lower 48 states.</p>
<p>Through an intensive recovery effort, two large populations have been re-established around Yellowstone and in northwest Montana around Glacier National Park, which has roughly 1,000 bears.</p>
<p>Montana officials say the Glacier-area population is also recovered and should lose its federal protections, but no formal proposal has been offered.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>Follow Matthew Brown at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap . More of his work can be found at <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/content/matthew-brown." type="external">http://bigstory.ap.org/content/matthew-brown.</a></p>
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<p>FILE – In this Aug. 1, 2013, file photo, Debra Jean Milke listens to a judge during a hearing at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. A judge on Monday, March 23, 2015, dismissed the murder case against Milke, who spent more than 20 years on death row in the 1989 killing of her 4-year-old son. Judge Rosa Mroz ended the case after prosecutors lost their last appeal last week. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, Pool, File)</p>
<p>PHOENIX — An Arizona woman who spent more than two decades on death row in her 4-year-old son’s killing was exonerated Monday, bringing an end to a controversial case that relied almost entirely on the work of a detective with a long history of misconduct.</p>
<p>Debra Milke hugged her supporters and sobbed as she left the courtroom, where a judge formally dismissed the case less than a week after prosecutors lost their final appeal. In a brief hearing, Judge Rosa Mroz also allowed Milke, who has been free on bond since 2013, to have her electronic-monitoring ankle bracelet removed.</p>
<p>Milke emerged from a conference room a short time later without the device.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It feels good,” Milke said, pulling up one pant leg to show her unencumbered ankle.</p>
<p>Milke was convicted of murder in 1990 in the death of her son, Christopher. Authorities say Milke dressed him in his favorite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a mall in December 1989. He was then taken into the desert near Phoenix by two men and shot in the back of the head.</p>
<p>Authorities say Milke’s motive was that she didn’t want the child anymore and didn’t want him to live with his father. Milke has maintained her innocence and denied that she confessed to the killing. The two men who led her child to his death were convicted of murder but refused to testify against Milke.</p>
<p>An appeals court overturned Milke’s conviction in 2013, ruling that prosecutors failed to disclose a detective’s history of misconduct. Her conviction was based entirely on a confession Milke gave to the now-discredited detective, Armando Saldate.</p>
<p>Multiple court rulings in other cases said the now-retired officer either lied under oath or violated suspects’ rights during interrogations.</p>
<p>In a scathing 2013 opinion, a federal appeals court leveled harsh criticism over the case.</p>
<p>“No civilized system of justice should have to depend on such flimsy evidence,” the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.</p>
<p>Michael Kimerer, one of Milke’s attorneys, said Monday that he was still in disbelief that “a long, long journey with so many ups and downs” ended with his client’s freedom.</p>
<p>“She was innocent. It was all based upon a police officer that just totally lied,” Kimerer said outside court. “To see her free today and totally free and exonerated, it’s an unbelievable feeling — just unbelievable.”</p>
<p>Saldate has said he would not testify at any retrial, citing fears of potential federal charges based on the 9th Circuit’s accusations of misconduct. Both county and federal authorities have said they don’t intend to seek charges against the detective based on any accusations leveled by the federal appeals court.</p>
<p>Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery last week called the decision not to let the case be retried “a dark day for Arizona’s criminal justice system.”</p>
<p>Milke filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County and numerous individuals. She alleges authorities violated her civil rights. She also contends she was denied a fair trial and was a victim of malicious prosecution.</p>
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Woman who spent 22 years on death row has murder case tossed
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Woman who spent 22 years on death row has murder case tossed
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<p>FILE – In this Aug. 1, 2013, file photo, Debra Jean Milke listens to a judge during a hearing at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. A judge on Monday, March 23, 2015, dismissed the murder case against Milke, who spent more than 20 years on death row in the 1989 killing of her 4-year-old son. Judge Rosa Mroz ended the case after prosecutors lost their last appeal last week. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, Pool, File)</p>
<p>PHOENIX — An Arizona woman who spent more than two decades on death row in her 4-year-old son’s killing was exonerated Monday, bringing an end to a controversial case that relied almost entirely on the work of a detective with a long history of misconduct.</p>
<p>Debra Milke hugged her supporters and sobbed as she left the courtroom, where a judge formally dismissed the case less than a week after prosecutors lost their final appeal. In a brief hearing, Judge Rosa Mroz also allowed Milke, who has been free on bond since 2013, to have her electronic-monitoring ankle bracelet removed.</p>
<p>Milke emerged from a conference room a short time later without the device.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It feels good,” Milke said, pulling up one pant leg to show her unencumbered ankle.</p>
<p>Milke was convicted of murder in 1990 in the death of her son, Christopher. Authorities say Milke dressed him in his favorite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a mall in December 1989. He was then taken into the desert near Phoenix by two men and shot in the back of the head.</p>
<p>Authorities say Milke’s motive was that she didn’t want the child anymore and didn’t want him to live with his father. Milke has maintained her innocence and denied that she confessed to the killing. The two men who led her child to his death were convicted of murder but refused to testify against Milke.</p>
<p>An appeals court overturned Milke’s conviction in 2013, ruling that prosecutors failed to disclose a detective’s history of misconduct. Her conviction was based entirely on a confession Milke gave to the now-discredited detective, Armando Saldate.</p>
<p>Multiple court rulings in other cases said the now-retired officer either lied under oath or violated suspects’ rights during interrogations.</p>
<p>In a scathing 2013 opinion, a federal appeals court leveled harsh criticism over the case.</p>
<p>“No civilized system of justice should have to depend on such flimsy evidence,” the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.</p>
<p>Michael Kimerer, one of Milke’s attorneys, said Monday that he was still in disbelief that “a long, long journey with so many ups and downs” ended with his client’s freedom.</p>
<p>“She was innocent. It was all based upon a police officer that just totally lied,” Kimerer said outside court. “To see her free today and totally free and exonerated, it’s an unbelievable feeling — just unbelievable.”</p>
<p>Saldate has said he would not testify at any retrial, citing fears of potential federal charges based on the 9th Circuit’s accusations of misconduct. Both county and federal authorities have said they don’t intend to seek charges against the detective based on any accusations leveled by the federal appeals court.</p>
<p>Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery last week called the decision not to let the case be retried “a dark day for Arizona’s criminal justice system.”</p>
<p>Milke filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County and numerous individuals. She alleges authorities violated her civil rights. She also contends she was denied a fair trial and was a victim of malicious prosecution.</p>
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<p>Journal Article - University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law Heightened Scrutiny</p>
<p />
<p>In "Decrypting the Fifth Amendment: The Limits of Self-Incrimination in the Digital Era," Vivek Mohan and John Villasenor examine the scope of information protected from compelled self-incriminating disclosure by exploring the boundaries of the contents of the mind. They propose a framework for bringing the foregone conclusion doctrine, which was articulated in 1976, into the digital era, and conclude that the question of what constitutes a "testimonial act" must be revisited to proactively ensure that emerging technologies do not eviscerate the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.</p>
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Decrypting the Fifth Amendment: The Limits of Self-Incrimination
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http://belfercenter.org/publication/decrypting-fifth-amendment-limits-self-incrimination
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2012-10-01
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Decrypting the Fifth Amendment: The Limits of Self-Incrimination
<p>Journal Article - University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law Heightened Scrutiny</p>
<p />
<p>In "Decrypting the Fifth Amendment: The Limits of Self-Incrimination in the Digital Era," Vivek Mohan and John Villasenor examine the scope of information protected from compelled self-incriminating disclosure by exploring the boundaries of the contents of the mind. They propose a framework for bringing the foregone conclusion doctrine, which was articulated in 1976, into the digital era, and conclude that the question of what constitutes a "testimonial act" must be revisited to proactively ensure that emerging technologies do not eviscerate the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.</p>
<p />
| 598,735 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — We have a smiling pile of poop. What about one that’s sad?</p>
<p>There’s loaf of bread and a croissant. But where’s the sliced bagel?</p>
<p>How can our emotional vocabulary be complete without a teddy bear, a lobster, a petri dish or a tooth?</p>
<p>These are the kind of questions that trigger heated debates and verbal bomb tossing — or at least memos with bursts of capital letters — among members of the group burdened with deciding which new emojis make it onto our phones and computer screens each year.</p>
<p>And now more people are getting in on the act.</p>
<p>The Unicode Consortium is tasked with setting the global standard for the icons. It’s a heady responsibility and it can take years from inspiration — Hey, why isn’t there a dumpling? — to a new symbol being added to our phones.</p>
<p />
<p>That’s because deciding whether a googly-eyed turd should express a wider range of emotions is not the frivolous undertaking it might appear to be. Picking the newest additions to our roster of cartoonish glyphs, from deciding on their appearance to negotiating rules that allow vampires but bar Robert Pattinson’s or Dracula’s likeness, actually has consequences for modern communication.</p>
<p>Not since the printing press has something changed written language as much as emojis have, says Lauren Collister, a scholarly communications librarian at the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>“Emoji is one way language is growing,” she says. “When it stops growing and adapting, that’s when a language dies.”</p>
<p>Growing and adapting doesn’t seem like an issue for emojis. The additions for 2017 included gender-neutral characters, a breastfeeding woman and a woman in a hijab.</p>
<p>For better or worse, the expanding vocabulary has given us an emoji movie, emoji short story contests and books written in emoji — someone translated “Moby Dick” into “Emoji Dick.” In 2015, Oxford Dictionaries declared the “face with tears of joy” emoji its word of the year. New York’s Museum of Modern art has added the original emoji set to its permanent collection. Apple’s pricey iPhone X lets you send animojis, animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions and speak in your voice.</p>
<p>HOW DID WE GET HERE?</p>
<p>These tiny pictographs became a part of our online language with the ascent of cellphones, getting their start in Japan in 1999 — “emoji” combines the Japanese words for “picture,” or “e″ (pronounced “eh”), and “letters,” or “moji” (moh-jee). At first, there were just 176: simplistic, highly pixelated icons such as a heart, a soccer ball and a rocking horse. Today there are more than a thousand. Because none are taken away, their number only keeps growing.</p>
<p>“Long after you and I are dust in the wind there will be a red wine emoji,” said Mark Davis, the co-founder and president of Unicode Consortium who also works at Google.</p>
<p>Anyone can propose an emoji. But for it to make it to phones and computers, it has to be approved by Unicode. The nonprofit group, mostly made up of people from large tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook, translates emoji into one standard, so that a person in France, for example, can send an emoji or a text message to a person in the U.S. and it will look the same, no matter what brand of phone or operating system they use.</p>
<p>From the proposals to the design, a bevy of rules govern emojis. To submit a proposal to Unicode, you must follow a strict format, in writing, that includes your emoji’s expected usage level, whether it can be used as an archetype, a metaphor for a symbol (a pig face, for example, can mean more than the face of a pig and represent gluttony).</p>
<p>There are many reasons for exclusion, too. Emojis can’t be overly specific, logos or brands, specific people (living or dead) or deities. A swastika wouldn’t be approved either.</p>
<p>Each year, a new version of the Unicode Standard is released. This year we got Unicode 10.0, which adds 8,518 characters, for a total of 136,690. It added the bitcoin symbol, a set of 285 Hentaigana characters used in Japan and support for languages such as Masaram Gondi, used to write Gondi in Central and Southeast India.</p>
<p>And then there’s the dumpling.</p>
<p />
<p>AN EMOJI TAKES SHAPE</p>
<p>Back in August 2015, journalist and author Jennifer 8. Lee was texting with her friend Yiying Lu, the graphic designer behind the iconic “fail whale” illustration that used to pop up when Twitter’s network was down. It dawned on Lee that there was no dumpling emoji.</p>
<p>“There are so many weird Japanese food emoji,” she said, but she didn’t understand how there could be no dumpling. After all, dumplings are almost universal. Think about it — ravioli, empanada, pierogi, potsticker — all dumplings.</p>
<p>The process took almost two years, including research, many meetings and a written, illustrated proposal that reads a bit like an academic paper, complete with research on dumpling history and popularity.</p>
<p>But thanks largely to her efforts, the dumpling emoji was added to the Unicode Standard this year. And as part of her dumpling emoji lobbying, Lee decided to join the Unicode Consortium.</p>
<p>It was an eye-opener.</p>
<p>When she showed up at her first quarterly meeting of the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, she expected a big auditorium. Instead, it was just a conference room. Most people there, she said, were “older, white male engineers,” from the big tech companies.</p>
<p>The debates are as esoteric as they are quirky. Should “milk” be in a glass or a carton or a bottle? Pancake or pancakes? Many of the emoji decision-makers are engineers or have linguistic backgrounds, she said, but very few are designers, which can mean limitations on how they think about the images.</p>
<p>As part of their efforts to diversify emojis, Lee and Lu founded Emojination, a group promoting “emoji by the people, for the people.” While it all started with a dumpling, the group also helped other food, clothing, science and animal emoji, including the woman in the hijab, the sandwich and the fortune cookie. Emojination has worked with companies like China’s Baidu, GE and the Finnish government to help them submit emoji proposals.</p>
<p />
<p>WHAT MAKES THE CUT</p>
<p>But when they proposed the frowning poop, they met with some resistance.</p>
<p>“Will we have a CRYING PILE OF POO next? PILE OF POO WITH TONGUE STICKING OUT? PILE OF POO WITH QUESTION MARKS FOR EYES? PILE OF POO WITH KARAOKE MIC? Will we have to encode a neutral FACELESS PILE OF POO? As an ordinary user, I don’t want this kind of crap on my phone,” <a href="http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17393-wg2-emoji-feedback.pdf" type="external">wrote</a> Michael Everson, a linguist, typographer, in a memo to the Unicode Technical Committee.</p>
<p>Another member, typographer Andrew West, wasn’t happy with a proposal for a sliced bagel emoji.</p>
<p>“Why are we prioritizing bagel over other bread products?” he wrote. Clearly he is not a New Yorker.</p>
<p>Got an idea for an emoji and are willing to fight for it? It’s not too late to submit one for the class of 2019. As for 2018, stay tuned. We’ll know in a few months which ones made the cut. And while there’s a desire to be funny and quirky, the diversity of emojis is a real issue.</p>
<p>Amy Butcher, whose 2015 essay prompted Google to propose emojis to represent women as professionals— and not just brides and polished nails — thinks there’s more work to do. The Ohio Wesleyan University professor would like to see interracial couples and human in a wheelchair to represent a disabled person, rather than the wheelchair icon one might see on a bathroom door.</p>
<p>“These tiny, insignificant images begin to create an everyday narrative, and it’s deeply problematic that one might consistently find their identity or demographic lacking, or pigeonholed, or altogether absent,” she said.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — We have a smiling pile of poop. What about one that’s sad?</p>
<p>There’s loaf of bread and a croissant. But where’s the sliced bagel?</p>
<p>How can our emotional vocabulary be complete without a teddy bear, a lobster, a petri dish or a tooth?</p>
<p>These are the kind of questions that trigger heated debates and verbal bomb tossing — or at least memos with bursts of capital letters — among members of the group burdened with deciding which new emojis make it onto our phones and computer screens each year.</p>
<p>And now more people are getting in on the act.</p>
<p>The Unicode Consortium is tasked with setting the global standard for the icons. It’s a heady responsibility and it can take years from inspiration — Hey, why isn’t there a dumpling? — to a new symbol being added to our phones.</p>
<p />
<p>That’s because deciding whether a googly-eyed turd should express a wider range of emotions is not the frivolous undertaking it might appear to be. Picking the newest additions to our roster of cartoonish glyphs, from deciding on their appearance to negotiating rules that allow vampires but bar Robert Pattinson’s or Dracula’s likeness, actually has consequences for modern communication.</p>
<p>Not since the printing press has something changed written language as much as emojis have, says Lauren Collister, a scholarly communications librarian at the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>“Emoji is one way language is growing,” she says. “When it stops growing and adapting, that’s when a language dies.”</p>
<p>Growing and adapting doesn’t seem like an issue for emojis. The additions for 2017 included gender-neutral characters, a breastfeeding woman and a woman in a hijab.</p>
<p>For better or worse, the expanding vocabulary has given us an emoji movie, emoji short story contests and books written in emoji — someone translated “Moby Dick” into “Emoji Dick.” In 2015, Oxford Dictionaries declared the “face with tears of joy” emoji its word of the year. New York’s Museum of Modern art has added the original emoji set to its permanent collection. Apple’s pricey iPhone X lets you send animojis, animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions and speak in your voice.</p>
<p>HOW DID WE GET HERE?</p>
<p>These tiny pictographs became a part of our online language with the ascent of cellphones, getting their start in Japan in 1999 — “emoji” combines the Japanese words for “picture,” or “e″ (pronounced “eh”), and “letters,” or “moji” (moh-jee). At first, there were just 176: simplistic, highly pixelated icons such as a heart, a soccer ball and a rocking horse. Today there are more than a thousand. Because none are taken away, their number only keeps growing.</p>
<p>“Long after you and I are dust in the wind there will be a red wine emoji,” said Mark Davis, the co-founder and president of Unicode Consortium who also works at Google.</p>
<p>Anyone can propose an emoji. But for it to make it to phones and computers, it has to be approved by Unicode. The nonprofit group, mostly made up of people from large tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook, translates emoji into one standard, so that a person in France, for example, can send an emoji or a text message to a person in the U.S. and it will look the same, no matter what brand of phone or operating system they use.</p>
<p>From the proposals to the design, a bevy of rules govern emojis. To submit a proposal to Unicode, you must follow a strict format, in writing, that includes your emoji’s expected usage level, whether it can be used as an archetype, a metaphor for a symbol (a pig face, for example, can mean more than the face of a pig and represent gluttony).</p>
<p>There are many reasons for exclusion, too. Emojis can’t be overly specific, logos or brands, specific people (living or dead) or deities. A swastika wouldn’t be approved either.</p>
<p>Each year, a new version of the Unicode Standard is released. This year we got Unicode 10.0, which adds 8,518 characters, for a total of 136,690. It added the bitcoin symbol, a set of 285 Hentaigana characters used in Japan and support for languages such as Masaram Gondi, used to write Gondi in Central and Southeast India.</p>
<p>And then there’s the dumpling.</p>
<p />
<p>AN EMOJI TAKES SHAPE</p>
<p>Back in August 2015, journalist and author Jennifer 8. Lee was texting with her friend Yiying Lu, the graphic designer behind the iconic “fail whale” illustration that used to pop up when Twitter’s network was down. It dawned on Lee that there was no dumpling emoji.</p>
<p>“There are so many weird Japanese food emoji,” she said, but she didn’t understand how there could be no dumpling. After all, dumplings are almost universal. Think about it — ravioli, empanada, pierogi, potsticker — all dumplings.</p>
<p>The process took almost two years, including research, many meetings and a written, illustrated proposal that reads a bit like an academic paper, complete with research on dumpling history and popularity.</p>
<p>But thanks largely to her efforts, the dumpling emoji was added to the Unicode Standard this year. And as part of her dumpling emoji lobbying, Lee decided to join the Unicode Consortium.</p>
<p>It was an eye-opener.</p>
<p>When she showed up at her first quarterly meeting of the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, she expected a big auditorium. Instead, it was just a conference room. Most people there, she said, were “older, white male engineers,” from the big tech companies.</p>
<p>The debates are as esoteric as they are quirky. Should “milk” be in a glass or a carton or a bottle? Pancake or pancakes? Many of the emoji decision-makers are engineers or have linguistic backgrounds, she said, but very few are designers, which can mean limitations on how they think about the images.</p>
<p>As part of their efforts to diversify emojis, Lee and Lu founded Emojination, a group promoting “emoji by the people, for the people.” While it all started with a dumpling, the group also helped other food, clothing, science and animal emoji, including the woman in the hijab, the sandwich and the fortune cookie. Emojination has worked with companies like China’s Baidu, GE and the Finnish government to help them submit emoji proposals.</p>
<p />
<p>WHAT MAKES THE CUT</p>
<p>But when they proposed the frowning poop, they met with some resistance.</p>
<p>“Will we have a CRYING PILE OF POO next? PILE OF POO WITH TONGUE STICKING OUT? PILE OF POO WITH QUESTION MARKS FOR EYES? PILE OF POO WITH KARAOKE MIC? Will we have to encode a neutral FACELESS PILE OF POO? As an ordinary user, I don’t want this kind of crap on my phone,” <a href="http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17393-wg2-emoji-feedback.pdf" type="external">wrote</a> Michael Everson, a linguist, typographer, in a memo to the Unicode Technical Committee.</p>
<p>Another member, typographer Andrew West, wasn’t happy with a proposal for a sliced bagel emoji.</p>
<p>“Why are we prioritizing bagel over other bread products?” he wrote. Clearly he is not a New Yorker.</p>
<p>Got an idea for an emoji and are willing to fight for it? It’s not too late to submit one for the class of 2019. As for 2018, stay tuned. We’ll know in a few months which ones made the cut. And while there’s a desire to be funny and quirky, the diversity of emojis is a real issue.</p>
<p>Amy Butcher, whose 2015 essay prompted Google to propose emojis to represent women as professionals— and not just brides and polished nails — thinks there’s more work to do. The Ohio Wesleyan University professor would like to see interracial couples and human in a wheelchair to represent a disabled person, rather than the wheelchair icon one might see on a bathroom door.</p>
<p>“These tiny, insignificant images begin to create an everyday narrative, and it’s deeply problematic that one might consistently find their identity or demographic lacking, or pigeonholed, or altogether absent,” she said.</p>
|
Will we get a sad poop emoji? Well, there’s a process
| false |
https://apnews.com/21483993462746d0857ba1d6edcd61e6
|
2017-12-29
| 2least
|
Will we get a sad poop emoji? Well, there’s a process
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — We have a smiling pile of poop. What about one that’s sad?</p>
<p>There’s loaf of bread and a croissant. But where’s the sliced bagel?</p>
<p>How can our emotional vocabulary be complete without a teddy bear, a lobster, a petri dish or a tooth?</p>
<p>These are the kind of questions that trigger heated debates and verbal bomb tossing — or at least memos with bursts of capital letters — among members of the group burdened with deciding which new emojis make it onto our phones and computer screens each year.</p>
<p>And now more people are getting in on the act.</p>
<p>The Unicode Consortium is tasked with setting the global standard for the icons. It’s a heady responsibility and it can take years from inspiration — Hey, why isn’t there a dumpling? — to a new symbol being added to our phones.</p>
<p />
<p>That’s because deciding whether a googly-eyed turd should express a wider range of emotions is not the frivolous undertaking it might appear to be. Picking the newest additions to our roster of cartoonish glyphs, from deciding on their appearance to negotiating rules that allow vampires but bar Robert Pattinson’s or Dracula’s likeness, actually has consequences for modern communication.</p>
<p>Not since the printing press has something changed written language as much as emojis have, says Lauren Collister, a scholarly communications librarian at the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>“Emoji is one way language is growing,” she says. “When it stops growing and adapting, that’s when a language dies.”</p>
<p>Growing and adapting doesn’t seem like an issue for emojis. The additions for 2017 included gender-neutral characters, a breastfeeding woman and a woman in a hijab.</p>
<p>For better or worse, the expanding vocabulary has given us an emoji movie, emoji short story contests and books written in emoji — someone translated “Moby Dick” into “Emoji Dick.” In 2015, Oxford Dictionaries declared the “face with tears of joy” emoji its word of the year. New York’s Museum of Modern art has added the original emoji set to its permanent collection. Apple’s pricey iPhone X lets you send animojis, animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions and speak in your voice.</p>
<p>HOW DID WE GET HERE?</p>
<p>These tiny pictographs became a part of our online language with the ascent of cellphones, getting their start in Japan in 1999 — “emoji” combines the Japanese words for “picture,” or “e″ (pronounced “eh”), and “letters,” or “moji” (moh-jee). At first, there were just 176: simplistic, highly pixelated icons such as a heart, a soccer ball and a rocking horse. Today there are more than a thousand. Because none are taken away, their number only keeps growing.</p>
<p>“Long after you and I are dust in the wind there will be a red wine emoji,” said Mark Davis, the co-founder and president of Unicode Consortium who also works at Google.</p>
<p>Anyone can propose an emoji. But for it to make it to phones and computers, it has to be approved by Unicode. The nonprofit group, mostly made up of people from large tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook, translates emoji into one standard, so that a person in France, for example, can send an emoji or a text message to a person in the U.S. and it will look the same, no matter what brand of phone or operating system they use.</p>
<p>From the proposals to the design, a bevy of rules govern emojis. To submit a proposal to Unicode, you must follow a strict format, in writing, that includes your emoji’s expected usage level, whether it can be used as an archetype, a metaphor for a symbol (a pig face, for example, can mean more than the face of a pig and represent gluttony).</p>
<p>There are many reasons for exclusion, too. Emojis can’t be overly specific, logos or brands, specific people (living or dead) or deities. A swastika wouldn’t be approved either.</p>
<p>Each year, a new version of the Unicode Standard is released. This year we got Unicode 10.0, which adds 8,518 characters, for a total of 136,690. It added the bitcoin symbol, a set of 285 Hentaigana characters used in Japan and support for languages such as Masaram Gondi, used to write Gondi in Central and Southeast India.</p>
<p>And then there’s the dumpling.</p>
<p />
<p>AN EMOJI TAKES SHAPE</p>
<p>Back in August 2015, journalist and author Jennifer 8. Lee was texting with her friend Yiying Lu, the graphic designer behind the iconic “fail whale” illustration that used to pop up when Twitter’s network was down. It dawned on Lee that there was no dumpling emoji.</p>
<p>“There are so many weird Japanese food emoji,” she said, but she didn’t understand how there could be no dumpling. After all, dumplings are almost universal. Think about it — ravioli, empanada, pierogi, potsticker — all dumplings.</p>
<p>The process took almost two years, including research, many meetings and a written, illustrated proposal that reads a bit like an academic paper, complete with research on dumpling history and popularity.</p>
<p>But thanks largely to her efforts, the dumpling emoji was added to the Unicode Standard this year. And as part of her dumpling emoji lobbying, Lee decided to join the Unicode Consortium.</p>
<p>It was an eye-opener.</p>
<p>When she showed up at her first quarterly meeting of the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, she expected a big auditorium. Instead, it was just a conference room. Most people there, she said, were “older, white male engineers,” from the big tech companies.</p>
<p>The debates are as esoteric as they are quirky. Should “milk” be in a glass or a carton or a bottle? Pancake or pancakes? Many of the emoji decision-makers are engineers or have linguistic backgrounds, she said, but very few are designers, which can mean limitations on how they think about the images.</p>
<p>As part of their efforts to diversify emojis, Lee and Lu founded Emojination, a group promoting “emoji by the people, for the people.” While it all started with a dumpling, the group also helped other food, clothing, science and animal emoji, including the woman in the hijab, the sandwich and the fortune cookie. Emojination has worked with companies like China’s Baidu, GE and the Finnish government to help them submit emoji proposals.</p>
<p />
<p>WHAT MAKES THE CUT</p>
<p>But when they proposed the frowning poop, they met with some resistance.</p>
<p>“Will we have a CRYING PILE OF POO next? PILE OF POO WITH TONGUE STICKING OUT? PILE OF POO WITH QUESTION MARKS FOR EYES? PILE OF POO WITH KARAOKE MIC? Will we have to encode a neutral FACELESS PILE OF POO? As an ordinary user, I don’t want this kind of crap on my phone,” <a href="http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17393-wg2-emoji-feedback.pdf" type="external">wrote</a> Michael Everson, a linguist, typographer, in a memo to the Unicode Technical Committee.</p>
<p>Another member, typographer Andrew West, wasn’t happy with a proposal for a sliced bagel emoji.</p>
<p>“Why are we prioritizing bagel over other bread products?” he wrote. Clearly he is not a New Yorker.</p>
<p>Got an idea for an emoji and are willing to fight for it? It’s not too late to submit one for the class of 2019. As for 2018, stay tuned. We’ll know in a few months which ones made the cut. And while there’s a desire to be funny and quirky, the diversity of emojis is a real issue.</p>
<p>Amy Butcher, whose 2015 essay prompted Google to propose emojis to represent women as professionals— and not just brides and polished nails — thinks there’s more work to do. The Ohio Wesleyan University professor would like to see interracial couples and human in a wheelchair to represent a disabled person, rather than the wheelchair icon one might see on a bathroom door.</p>
<p>“These tiny, insignificant images begin to create an everyday narrative, and it’s deeply problematic that one might consistently find their identity or demographic lacking, or pigeonholed, or altogether absent,” she said.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — We have a smiling pile of poop. What about one that’s sad?</p>
<p>There’s loaf of bread and a croissant. But where’s the sliced bagel?</p>
<p>How can our emotional vocabulary be complete without a teddy bear, a lobster, a petri dish or a tooth?</p>
<p>These are the kind of questions that trigger heated debates and verbal bomb tossing — or at least memos with bursts of capital letters — among members of the group burdened with deciding which new emojis make it onto our phones and computer screens each year.</p>
<p>And now more people are getting in on the act.</p>
<p>The Unicode Consortium is tasked with setting the global standard for the icons. It’s a heady responsibility and it can take years from inspiration — Hey, why isn’t there a dumpling? — to a new symbol being added to our phones.</p>
<p />
<p>That’s because deciding whether a googly-eyed turd should express a wider range of emotions is not the frivolous undertaking it might appear to be. Picking the newest additions to our roster of cartoonish glyphs, from deciding on their appearance to negotiating rules that allow vampires but bar Robert Pattinson’s or Dracula’s likeness, actually has consequences for modern communication.</p>
<p>Not since the printing press has something changed written language as much as emojis have, says Lauren Collister, a scholarly communications librarian at the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>“Emoji is one way language is growing,” she says. “When it stops growing and adapting, that’s when a language dies.”</p>
<p>Growing and adapting doesn’t seem like an issue for emojis. The additions for 2017 included gender-neutral characters, a breastfeeding woman and a woman in a hijab.</p>
<p>For better or worse, the expanding vocabulary has given us an emoji movie, emoji short story contests and books written in emoji — someone translated “Moby Dick” into “Emoji Dick.” In 2015, Oxford Dictionaries declared the “face with tears of joy” emoji its word of the year. New York’s Museum of Modern art has added the original emoji set to its permanent collection. Apple’s pricey iPhone X lets you send animojis, animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions and speak in your voice.</p>
<p>HOW DID WE GET HERE?</p>
<p>These tiny pictographs became a part of our online language with the ascent of cellphones, getting their start in Japan in 1999 — “emoji” combines the Japanese words for “picture,” or “e″ (pronounced “eh”), and “letters,” or “moji” (moh-jee). At first, there were just 176: simplistic, highly pixelated icons such as a heart, a soccer ball and a rocking horse. Today there are more than a thousand. Because none are taken away, their number only keeps growing.</p>
<p>“Long after you and I are dust in the wind there will be a red wine emoji,” said Mark Davis, the co-founder and president of Unicode Consortium who also works at Google.</p>
<p>Anyone can propose an emoji. But for it to make it to phones and computers, it has to be approved by Unicode. The nonprofit group, mostly made up of people from large tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook, translates emoji into one standard, so that a person in France, for example, can send an emoji or a text message to a person in the U.S. and it will look the same, no matter what brand of phone or operating system they use.</p>
<p>From the proposals to the design, a bevy of rules govern emojis. To submit a proposal to Unicode, you must follow a strict format, in writing, that includes your emoji’s expected usage level, whether it can be used as an archetype, a metaphor for a symbol (a pig face, for example, can mean more than the face of a pig and represent gluttony).</p>
<p>There are many reasons for exclusion, too. Emojis can’t be overly specific, logos or brands, specific people (living or dead) or deities. A swastika wouldn’t be approved either.</p>
<p>Each year, a new version of the Unicode Standard is released. This year we got Unicode 10.0, which adds 8,518 characters, for a total of 136,690. It added the bitcoin symbol, a set of 285 Hentaigana characters used in Japan and support for languages such as Masaram Gondi, used to write Gondi in Central and Southeast India.</p>
<p>And then there’s the dumpling.</p>
<p />
<p>AN EMOJI TAKES SHAPE</p>
<p>Back in August 2015, journalist and author Jennifer 8. Lee was texting with her friend Yiying Lu, the graphic designer behind the iconic “fail whale” illustration that used to pop up when Twitter’s network was down. It dawned on Lee that there was no dumpling emoji.</p>
<p>“There are so many weird Japanese food emoji,” she said, but she didn’t understand how there could be no dumpling. After all, dumplings are almost universal. Think about it — ravioli, empanada, pierogi, potsticker — all dumplings.</p>
<p>The process took almost two years, including research, many meetings and a written, illustrated proposal that reads a bit like an academic paper, complete with research on dumpling history and popularity.</p>
<p>But thanks largely to her efforts, the dumpling emoji was added to the Unicode Standard this year. And as part of her dumpling emoji lobbying, Lee decided to join the Unicode Consortium.</p>
<p>It was an eye-opener.</p>
<p>When she showed up at her first quarterly meeting of the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, she expected a big auditorium. Instead, it was just a conference room. Most people there, she said, were “older, white male engineers,” from the big tech companies.</p>
<p>The debates are as esoteric as they are quirky. Should “milk” be in a glass or a carton or a bottle? Pancake or pancakes? Many of the emoji decision-makers are engineers or have linguistic backgrounds, she said, but very few are designers, which can mean limitations on how they think about the images.</p>
<p>As part of their efforts to diversify emojis, Lee and Lu founded Emojination, a group promoting “emoji by the people, for the people.” While it all started with a dumpling, the group also helped other food, clothing, science and animal emoji, including the woman in the hijab, the sandwich and the fortune cookie. Emojination has worked with companies like China’s Baidu, GE and the Finnish government to help them submit emoji proposals.</p>
<p />
<p>WHAT MAKES THE CUT</p>
<p>But when they proposed the frowning poop, they met with some resistance.</p>
<p>“Will we have a CRYING PILE OF POO next? PILE OF POO WITH TONGUE STICKING OUT? PILE OF POO WITH QUESTION MARKS FOR EYES? PILE OF POO WITH KARAOKE MIC? Will we have to encode a neutral FACELESS PILE OF POO? As an ordinary user, I don’t want this kind of crap on my phone,” <a href="http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2017/17393-wg2-emoji-feedback.pdf" type="external">wrote</a> Michael Everson, a linguist, typographer, in a memo to the Unicode Technical Committee.</p>
<p>Another member, typographer Andrew West, wasn’t happy with a proposal for a sliced bagel emoji.</p>
<p>“Why are we prioritizing bagel over other bread products?” he wrote. Clearly he is not a New Yorker.</p>
<p>Got an idea for an emoji and are willing to fight for it? It’s not too late to submit one for the class of 2019. As for 2018, stay tuned. We’ll know in a few months which ones made the cut. And while there’s a desire to be funny and quirky, the diversity of emojis is a real issue.</p>
<p>Amy Butcher, whose 2015 essay prompted Google to propose emojis to represent women as professionals— and not just brides and polished nails — thinks there’s more work to do. The Ohio Wesleyan University professor would like to see interracial couples and human in a wheelchair to represent a disabled person, rather than the wheelchair icon one might see on a bathroom door.</p>
<p>“These tiny, insignificant images begin to create an everyday narrative, and it’s deeply problematic that one might consistently find their identity or demographic lacking, or pigeonholed, or altogether absent,” she said.</p>
| 598,736 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Telehealth, telemedicine, cybermedicine.</p>
<p>Whichever name it goes by, in a large, mostly rural state like New Mexico online health care makes sense. If you’re having a stroke, every minute is critical to minimizing the damage. And if you are in a small community hospital, it’s unlikely a neurologist will be on staff.</p>
<p>New technologies can take the doctor “virtually” to the patient, instead of the patient having to be transported to a metropolitan medical center for treatment by doctors with special skills or knowledge.</p>
<p>Implementation of the Affordable Care Act is expected to put increased pressure on the health system as millions of newly insured people — more than 300,000 in New Mexico alone — are given access to the system that delivers routine medical care. Having enough medical personnel to treat them is a concern. Online health care is one way to maximize the expertise of physicians and other medical experts.</p>
<p>With face-to-face online communication through programs like Skype and technologies that transmit three-dimensional images, doctors in one location can consult with and share diagnostic tests with medical personnel in another location. Cameras with 360-degree views can allow a doctor to examine patients from afar. And the patient is spared being transported, gets a quicker assessment and can stay close to home.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Generally, online health care has been managed by large medical centers, like the University of New Mexico Health Services’s Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research which works with doctors, hospitals and clinics around the state.</p>
<p>Until recently, most insurance plans would not cover its costs. However, Gov. Susana Martinez’ recent signing of a bill into law to require insurance companies to do so is likely to spark an expansion of its use.</p>
<p>In another recent development, the New Mexico Health Information Collaborative’s computerized, Web-based health information exchange is making it possible for medical records held in one member’s system to be accessed by other member systems through portals and databases. That means quicker and more thorough assessments of a patient’s health history, the elimination of duplicative tests and services and reduction in costs to the insurer, the patient and the government if the patient is on Medicare or Medicaid.</p>
<p>Online health care is offering a prescription for better health in New Mexico.</p>
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p>
|
Editorial: Tech advances set state up for better health care
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/194896/tech-advances-set-state-up-for-better-health-care.html
|
2013-05-02
| 2least
|
Editorial: Tech advances set state up for better health care
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Telehealth, telemedicine, cybermedicine.</p>
<p>Whichever name it goes by, in a large, mostly rural state like New Mexico online health care makes sense. If you’re having a stroke, every minute is critical to minimizing the damage. And if you are in a small community hospital, it’s unlikely a neurologist will be on staff.</p>
<p>New technologies can take the doctor “virtually” to the patient, instead of the patient having to be transported to a metropolitan medical center for treatment by doctors with special skills or knowledge.</p>
<p>Implementation of the Affordable Care Act is expected to put increased pressure on the health system as millions of newly insured people — more than 300,000 in New Mexico alone — are given access to the system that delivers routine medical care. Having enough medical personnel to treat them is a concern. Online health care is one way to maximize the expertise of physicians and other medical experts.</p>
<p>With face-to-face online communication through programs like Skype and technologies that transmit three-dimensional images, doctors in one location can consult with and share diagnostic tests with medical personnel in another location. Cameras with 360-degree views can allow a doctor to examine patients from afar. And the patient is spared being transported, gets a quicker assessment and can stay close to home.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Generally, online health care has been managed by large medical centers, like the University of New Mexico Health Services’s Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research which works with doctors, hospitals and clinics around the state.</p>
<p>Until recently, most insurance plans would not cover its costs. However, Gov. Susana Martinez’ recent signing of a bill into law to require insurance companies to do so is likely to spark an expansion of its use.</p>
<p>In another recent development, the New Mexico Health Information Collaborative’s computerized, Web-based health information exchange is making it possible for medical records held in one member’s system to be accessed by other member systems through portals and databases. That means quicker and more thorough assessments of a patient’s health history, the elimination of duplicative tests and services and reduction in costs to the insurer, the patient and the government if the patient is on Medicare or Medicaid.</p>
<p>Online health care is offering a prescription for better health in New Mexico.</p>
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p>
| 598,737 |
<p>The director of the Office of Management and Budget said Wednesday that Republicans wouldn’t use insurance coverage numbers as the ultimate metric for the success of the <a href="" type="internal">proposal</a> to replace Obamacare.</p>
<p />
<p>On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mark Halperin asked Mick Mulvaney, President Donald Trump’s OMB director, for a “range of estimate of how many fewer people will have health insurance” under House Republicans’ proposed Replacement for Obamacare.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at it in a different way, Mark, because insurance is not really the end goal here, is it?” Mulvaney responded. “It’s one of the conservatives’ – one of the Republicans’ complaints about the Affordable Care Act from the very beginning: It was a great way to get insurance and a lousy way to actually be able to go to the doctor.”</p>
<p>“So we’re choosing instead to look at what we think is more important to ordinary people: Can they afford to go to the doctor? And we are convinced it will be possible for more people to get better care at the doctor under this this plan than it was under Obamacare.”</p>
<p>That is a slightly different metric than the one set out by President Donald Trump to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-vows-insurance-for-everybody-in-obamacare-replacement-plan/2017/01/15/5f2b1e18-db5d-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html" type="external">Washington Post</a> in January: “Insurance for everybody … Much less expensive and much better.”</p>
<p>Asked about that specific pledge Wednesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, the White House’s point person for the health care overhaul, said “that’s certainly <a href="" type="internal">the goal</a>.”</p>
<p>But Price specified, when asked about patients who stood to pay more out-of-pocket without Obamacare’s subsidies, that lowering the cost of coverage itself was a higher priority than the amount of assistance the government provided people to pay for it.</p>
<p>Watch the exchange below via MSNBC:</p>
|
White House Budget Director: ‘Insurance Is Not Really The End Goal Here’ (VIDEO)
| true |
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/omb-director-mulvaney-insurance-isnt-the-goal
| 4left
|
White House Budget Director: ‘Insurance Is Not Really The End Goal Here’ (VIDEO)
<p>The director of the Office of Management and Budget said Wednesday that Republicans wouldn’t use insurance coverage numbers as the ultimate metric for the success of the <a href="" type="internal">proposal</a> to replace Obamacare.</p>
<p />
<p>On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mark Halperin asked Mick Mulvaney, President Donald Trump’s OMB director, for a “range of estimate of how many fewer people will have health insurance” under House Republicans’ proposed Replacement for Obamacare.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at it in a different way, Mark, because insurance is not really the end goal here, is it?” Mulvaney responded. “It’s one of the conservatives’ – one of the Republicans’ complaints about the Affordable Care Act from the very beginning: It was a great way to get insurance and a lousy way to actually be able to go to the doctor.”</p>
<p>“So we’re choosing instead to look at what we think is more important to ordinary people: Can they afford to go to the doctor? And we are convinced it will be possible for more people to get better care at the doctor under this this plan than it was under Obamacare.”</p>
<p>That is a slightly different metric than the one set out by President Donald Trump to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-vows-insurance-for-everybody-in-obamacare-replacement-plan/2017/01/15/5f2b1e18-db5d-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html" type="external">Washington Post</a> in January: “Insurance for everybody … Much less expensive and much better.”</p>
<p>Asked about that specific pledge Wednesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, the White House’s point person for the health care overhaul, said “that’s certainly <a href="" type="internal">the goal</a>.”</p>
<p>But Price specified, when asked about patients who stood to pay more out-of-pocket without Obamacare’s subsidies, that lowering the cost of coverage itself was a higher priority than the amount of assistance the government provided people to pay for it.</p>
<p>Watch the exchange below via MSNBC:</p>
| 598,738 |
|
<p>Women in Saudi Arabia <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/21/world/saudi-arabia-women-voting/" type="external">began registering</a> to vote over the weekend — for the first time in that country’s history. They will allowed to sign up to contest elections next weekend.</p>
<p>“The participation of the Saudi women in the municipal elections as voters and candidates was a dream for us,” Jamal Al-Saadi, the first women to register to vote in the city of Madinah <a href="http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/mobile/index.cfm?method=sphome.spcon&amp;contentid=20150818253755" type="external">told</a> the Saudi Gazette. “The move will enable Saudi women to have a say in the process of the decision-making.”</p>
<p>While it’s a significant step, many advocates have noted that the limited freedom of women in Saudi Arabia and a largely closed political system render the reform virtually meaningless.</p>
<p>Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch noted that many Saudi women do not have the ID cards that will be required of them in order to vote.</p>
<p>“In principle, all Saudi women can obtain ID cards without asking anyone else’s permission,” he <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/08/20/dispatches-saudi-women-registering-vote-start" type="external">wrote</a>. “But bars on women’s freedom of movement and opposition from male family members can make it difficult for some women to obtain ID card.”</p>
<p>That’s largely because of the guardianship system which gives male relatives legal control over many aspects of women’s lives. Through it, women are <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/saudi-women-register-vote-150621081535058.html" type="external">barred</a> from attending school, working, traveling abroad, filing a lawsuit, or, in some cases, even receiving medical treatment, without the permission of their fathers, brothers, or husbands.</p>
<p>Additionally, a woman’s testimony in court is often <a href="http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27937.htm" type="external">worth</a> half that of a man, and daughters receive half of the inheritance that sons are given. Women are also <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-saudi-women-rideshare-apps-20150507-story.html" type="external">forbidden</a> from driving cars.</p>
<p>Some notable reforms have allowed women increased opportunities in the <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/23/shopgirls" type="external">workforce&#160;</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=5&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CDwQFjAEahUKEwirwo_7wsLHAhXBGB4KHbY4A1w&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alarabiya.net%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F22%2F85724.html&amp;ei=znnbVaujMcGxeLbxjOAF&amp;usg=AFQjCNHujpl1sEI2W1l8p9rkLvYW7UOWsg&amp;sig2=HDUnOw46rz8rgJxvZFLwWw" type="external">education</a>, and even the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=6&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CD0QFjAFahUKEwi2iouKw8LHAhVE9x4KHcV2CN4&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2Fmiddleeast%2F2013%2F02%2F2013219201637132278.html&amp;ei=7nnbVbbbC8Tue8XtofAN&amp;usg=AFQjCNFetT7ogwW86MmrhdvBnb2wvVRDUg&amp;sig2=uyYxk0EUMcTjnobB6mhCzA" type="external">government</a>.</p>
<p>Still, some advocates note that it will be difficult for women to fully exercise their newfound democratic rights ahead of the elections that are <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/748561" type="external">slated</a> for December.</p>
<p>Vanessa Tucker of Freedom House <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/22/opinions/tucker-saudi-arabia-womens-rights/" type="external">called</a> women’s new electoral rights “an advance on paper only” for very different reasons.</p>
<p>“[E]lections have little impact,” she wrote in an op-ed for CNN. Tucker continued:</p>
<p>Political decision-making revolves around the King, who appoints his own cabinet and then ratifies the legislation that the body passes. Decision-making bodies like the Majlis al-Shura, the king-appointed 150-member consultative council, <a href="https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/government/Majlis_al_shura.aspx" type="external">act in a consultative capacity</a>. Local municipal elections were introduced in 2005. Half of the seats on these councils are determined by vote, and the other half by royal appointment. The votes that women will now have, then, are good for half of the seats for a largely advisory group in a system <a href="http://www.lse.ac.uk/government/research/resgroups/LSEPublicPolicy/Docs/Saudi_Arabia_Democratic_Elections_Kraetzschmar.pdf" type="external">completely dominated by the palace</a>.</p>
<p>She argued that the “closed nature of the Saudi system” means that women’s inclusion at the polls won’t really affect change in the country.</p>
<p>But some are more optimistic.</p>
<p>“It is a great step forward and we encourage every single move towards empowering women and girls in Saudi Arabia and ending discrimination against them,” Suad Abu-Dayyeh, a consultant with the women’s rights organization Equality Now, told ThinkProgress in an email.</p>
<p>Muna Abusulayman, a Saudi woman who has worked in media, education, and philanthropy said that things might change once women are elected to office. “[They] will bring a female point of view, demanding certain amendments to laws that are unfavorable towards women,” she <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/saudi-women-register-vote-150621081535058.html" type="external">told</a> Al Jazeera.</p>
<p>The right to vote might eventually herald additional rights for Saudi Arabia’s women.</p>
|
Saudi Arabian Women Finally Get A Vote. But Will They Have A Voice?
| true |
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/08/24/3694719/saudi-women-vote/
|
2015-08-24
| 4left
|
Saudi Arabian Women Finally Get A Vote. But Will They Have A Voice?
<p>Women in Saudi Arabia <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/21/world/saudi-arabia-women-voting/" type="external">began registering</a> to vote over the weekend — for the first time in that country’s history. They will allowed to sign up to contest elections next weekend.</p>
<p>“The participation of the Saudi women in the municipal elections as voters and candidates was a dream for us,” Jamal Al-Saadi, the first women to register to vote in the city of Madinah <a href="http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/mobile/index.cfm?method=sphome.spcon&amp;contentid=20150818253755" type="external">told</a> the Saudi Gazette. “The move will enable Saudi women to have a say in the process of the decision-making.”</p>
<p>While it’s a significant step, many advocates have noted that the limited freedom of women in Saudi Arabia and a largely closed political system render the reform virtually meaningless.</p>
<p>Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch noted that many Saudi women do not have the ID cards that will be required of them in order to vote.</p>
<p>“In principle, all Saudi women can obtain ID cards without asking anyone else’s permission,” he <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/08/20/dispatches-saudi-women-registering-vote-start" type="external">wrote</a>. “But bars on women’s freedom of movement and opposition from male family members can make it difficult for some women to obtain ID card.”</p>
<p>That’s largely because of the guardianship system which gives male relatives legal control over many aspects of women’s lives. Through it, women are <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/saudi-women-register-vote-150621081535058.html" type="external">barred</a> from attending school, working, traveling abroad, filing a lawsuit, or, in some cases, even receiving medical treatment, without the permission of their fathers, brothers, or husbands.</p>
<p>Additionally, a woman’s testimony in court is often <a href="http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27937.htm" type="external">worth</a> half that of a man, and daughters receive half of the inheritance that sons are given. Women are also <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-saudi-women-rideshare-apps-20150507-story.html" type="external">forbidden</a> from driving cars.</p>
<p>Some notable reforms have allowed women increased opportunities in the <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/23/shopgirls" type="external">workforce&#160;</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=5&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CDwQFjAEahUKEwirwo_7wsLHAhXBGB4KHbY4A1w&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alarabiya.net%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F22%2F85724.html&amp;ei=znnbVaujMcGxeLbxjOAF&amp;usg=AFQjCNHujpl1sEI2W1l8p9rkLvYW7UOWsg&amp;sig2=HDUnOw46rz8rgJxvZFLwWw" type="external">education</a>, and even the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=6&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CD0QFjAFahUKEwi2iouKw8LHAhVE9x4KHcV2CN4&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2Fmiddleeast%2F2013%2F02%2F2013219201637132278.html&amp;ei=7nnbVbbbC8Tue8XtofAN&amp;usg=AFQjCNFetT7ogwW86MmrhdvBnb2wvVRDUg&amp;sig2=uyYxk0EUMcTjnobB6mhCzA" type="external">government</a>.</p>
<p>Still, some advocates note that it will be difficult for women to fully exercise their newfound democratic rights ahead of the elections that are <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/748561" type="external">slated</a> for December.</p>
<p>Vanessa Tucker of Freedom House <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/22/opinions/tucker-saudi-arabia-womens-rights/" type="external">called</a> women’s new electoral rights “an advance on paper only” for very different reasons.</p>
<p>“[E]lections have little impact,” she wrote in an op-ed for CNN. Tucker continued:</p>
<p>Political decision-making revolves around the King, who appoints his own cabinet and then ratifies the legislation that the body passes. Decision-making bodies like the Majlis al-Shura, the king-appointed 150-member consultative council, <a href="https://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/government/Majlis_al_shura.aspx" type="external">act in a consultative capacity</a>. Local municipal elections were introduced in 2005. Half of the seats on these councils are determined by vote, and the other half by royal appointment. The votes that women will now have, then, are good for half of the seats for a largely advisory group in a system <a href="http://www.lse.ac.uk/government/research/resgroups/LSEPublicPolicy/Docs/Saudi_Arabia_Democratic_Elections_Kraetzschmar.pdf" type="external">completely dominated by the palace</a>.</p>
<p>She argued that the “closed nature of the Saudi system” means that women’s inclusion at the polls won’t really affect change in the country.</p>
<p>But some are more optimistic.</p>
<p>“It is a great step forward and we encourage every single move towards empowering women and girls in Saudi Arabia and ending discrimination against them,” Suad Abu-Dayyeh, a consultant with the women’s rights organization Equality Now, told ThinkProgress in an email.</p>
<p>Muna Abusulayman, a Saudi woman who has worked in media, education, and philanthropy said that things might change once women are elected to office. “[They] will bring a female point of view, demanding certain amendments to laws that are unfavorable towards women,” she <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/saudi-women-register-vote-150621081535058.html" type="external">told</a> Al Jazeera.</p>
<p>The right to vote might eventually herald additional rights for Saudi Arabia’s women.</p>
| 598,739 |
<p>The US-educated Honduran president, Juan Hernandez, who supported a Washington-backed coup eight years ago, has been leading his country to bloodshed by cracking down on protests against the election fraud he allegedly staged, experts say.</p>
<p>Hernandez, who has been Honduras’ president since 2014, was one of the lawmakers in 2009 to support the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya over his seeking a referendum on re-election. Ironically, now he himself faces accusations of trying to hold on to power.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/411755-honduras-election-protests-army/" type="external" /></p>
<p>An alumni of the State University of New York, Hernandez is said to have established close relations with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, from the time Kelly was the head of US Southern Command and the Department of Homeland Security.</p>
<p>Now his government struggles to contain large-scale protests, akin to those that rocked the country after Zelaya’s ouster, after the opposition alleged fraud in the election vote count.The incumbent president was trailing opposition candidate, Salvador Nasralla, by a large margin in a preliminary count of the 26 November elections, when the country’s electoral commission said that Hernandez was closing in on his rival.</p>
<p>Shortly afterwards, an alleged technical glitch caused the commission to stop publishing the results. When it announced on Friday that Hernandez was leading by 46,000 votes after some 95 percent of ballots counted, mass protest erupted. The count has been delayed since with Nasralla demanding a recount of more ballot boxes than the commission had offered.</p>
<p>Hernandez’ government has imposed a nationwide curfew amid civil unrest following the election.</p>
<p>At least one protester has been killed, and 20 have been injured in the clashes. Tensions spilled over after both main candidates claimed victory in Sunday’s vote.</p>
<p>“Honduran people have taken the streets very courageously, just as they did in 2009, when Manuel Zelaya, the democratically elected President, was overthrown in a coup,” Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the City University of New York, Daniel Shaw, told RT.</p>
<p>The coup “was backed by Washington DC, when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, and Barack Obama was the President, the Honduran people were in the streets for months and months to denounce this coup,” he said. Shaw added that the Honduran people will “continue to be in the streets to denounce this electoral fraud.”</p>
<p>The government has given the army and police more powers to contain the unrest – something Professor Shaw calls a “cruel military and police rule,” in violation of “international law [and] of the human rights law.</p>
<p>“We have to see the bigger picture here, the role that Honduras has always played in Central America, as the backyard of the US,” he continued. Shaw noted that the US has military bases there, which they are using “to do as they will.”</p>
<p>The professor told RT that in Central and Latin America, “the US Embassy has been a hotbed of activity for the past few nights, where CIA officials and US intelligence officials have been exchanging plans with their top lieutenants.”People are protesting what they call suspicious delays in the vote counting, and political activist and lawyer Cristhian Mancera Mejia agrees that fraud, indeed, is possible.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at a president in the case of Hernandez, who is trying to prolong his time in power now. If it is true that he did win the elections, I would hope for the sake of democracy and for Honduras that he comes with results soon enough so that people can understand and know who their president is, and who the new president will be,” he said.</p>
<p>Turmoil will only grow if the uncertainty in results continues, he warned. “Hopefully it doesn’t lead to more bloodshed we have learned that there are some protesters have been killed in the streets,” Mejia told RT. “I think we have to calm down and offer the people of Honduras a result that satisfies not only the people, but also the region, as well.</p>
<p>“It seems like these leaders have not learned the lesson,” Mejia said. “By not excepting the results or by telling people that they have won, when in fact they have not, or probably even by manipulating the information, they lead the population to think that there is some kind of manipulation going on, that the truth has not been told.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there’s no way to make everyone happy, Meija believes: “If the results are given – whether it is in favor of Salvador, or in favor of Hernandez, nobody is going to be satisfied.”</p>
<p>The unrest is destined to repeat again and again, even should it calm down soon, says William Robinson, professor of Sociology, Global and Latin American Studies.</p>
<p>“This is a country in which a democratically-elected government was overthrown in 2009. There was a mass movement and opposition to that. It eventually calms down: 2010, 2011, 2012. Then there were elections in 2013. Again the opposition won those elections, according to the leading international observers, but again there was electoral fraud.”</p>
|
Honduras election turmoil: 'People are in the streets like they were after US-backed coup in 2009'
| false |
https://newsline.com/honduras-election-turmoil-039people-are-in-the-streets-like-they-were-after-us-backed-coup-in-2009039/
|
2017-12-03
| 1right-center
|
Honduras election turmoil: 'People are in the streets like they were after US-backed coup in 2009'
<p>The US-educated Honduran president, Juan Hernandez, who supported a Washington-backed coup eight years ago, has been leading his country to bloodshed by cracking down on protests against the election fraud he allegedly staged, experts say.</p>
<p>Hernandez, who has been Honduras’ president since 2014, was one of the lawmakers in 2009 to support the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya over his seeking a referendum on re-election. Ironically, now he himself faces accusations of trying to hold on to power.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/news/411755-honduras-election-protests-army/" type="external" /></p>
<p>An alumni of the State University of New York, Hernandez is said to have established close relations with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, from the time Kelly was the head of US Southern Command and the Department of Homeland Security.</p>
<p>Now his government struggles to contain large-scale protests, akin to those that rocked the country after Zelaya’s ouster, after the opposition alleged fraud in the election vote count.The incumbent president was trailing opposition candidate, Salvador Nasralla, by a large margin in a preliminary count of the 26 November elections, when the country’s electoral commission said that Hernandez was closing in on his rival.</p>
<p>Shortly afterwards, an alleged technical glitch caused the commission to stop publishing the results. When it announced on Friday that Hernandez was leading by 46,000 votes after some 95 percent of ballots counted, mass protest erupted. The count has been delayed since with Nasralla demanding a recount of more ballot boxes than the commission had offered.</p>
<p>Hernandez’ government has imposed a nationwide curfew amid civil unrest following the election.</p>
<p>At least one protester has been killed, and 20 have been injured in the clashes. Tensions spilled over after both main candidates claimed victory in Sunday’s vote.</p>
<p>“Honduran people have taken the streets very courageously, just as they did in 2009, when Manuel Zelaya, the democratically elected President, was overthrown in a coup,” Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the City University of New York, Daniel Shaw, told RT.</p>
<p>The coup “was backed by Washington DC, when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, and Barack Obama was the President, the Honduran people were in the streets for months and months to denounce this coup,” he said. Shaw added that the Honduran people will “continue to be in the streets to denounce this electoral fraud.”</p>
<p>The government has given the army and police more powers to contain the unrest – something Professor Shaw calls a “cruel military and police rule,” in violation of “international law [and] of the human rights law.</p>
<p>“We have to see the bigger picture here, the role that Honduras has always played in Central America, as the backyard of the US,” he continued. Shaw noted that the US has military bases there, which they are using “to do as they will.”</p>
<p>The professor told RT that in Central and Latin America, “the US Embassy has been a hotbed of activity for the past few nights, where CIA officials and US intelligence officials have been exchanging plans with their top lieutenants.”People are protesting what they call suspicious delays in the vote counting, and political activist and lawyer Cristhian Mancera Mejia agrees that fraud, indeed, is possible.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at a president in the case of Hernandez, who is trying to prolong his time in power now. If it is true that he did win the elections, I would hope for the sake of democracy and for Honduras that he comes with results soon enough so that people can understand and know who their president is, and who the new president will be,” he said.</p>
<p>Turmoil will only grow if the uncertainty in results continues, he warned. “Hopefully it doesn’t lead to more bloodshed we have learned that there are some protesters have been killed in the streets,” Mejia told RT. “I think we have to calm down and offer the people of Honduras a result that satisfies not only the people, but also the region, as well.</p>
<p>“It seems like these leaders have not learned the lesson,” Mejia said. “By not excepting the results or by telling people that they have won, when in fact they have not, or probably even by manipulating the information, they lead the population to think that there is some kind of manipulation going on, that the truth has not been told.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there’s no way to make everyone happy, Meija believes: “If the results are given – whether it is in favor of Salvador, or in favor of Hernandez, nobody is going to be satisfied.”</p>
<p>The unrest is destined to repeat again and again, even should it calm down soon, says William Robinson, professor of Sociology, Global and Latin American Studies.</p>
<p>“This is a country in which a democratically-elected government was overthrown in 2009. There was a mass movement and opposition to that. It eventually calms down: 2010, 2011, 2012. Then there were elections in 2013. Again the opposition won those elections, according to the leading international observers, but again there was electoral fraud.”</p>
| 598,740 |
<p>Written by Rosalie Fox, contributor for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NoLabelsVT/" type="external">No Labels Vermont</a>.</p>
<p>We’re lucky in Vermont. Our sole Congressman, Peter Welch, is an active member of the bipartisan&#160;Problem Solvers Caucus, and he continues to work across the aisle to find common ground. Senator Leahy has a long history of bipartisan efforts. And Bernie — well, Bernie is Bernie, pushing a progressive agenda to change our national priorities. So, what can we do, as Vermont supporters of No Labels, when our members of Congress either seek or would welcome working with the other political party?</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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OPINION | Our Congressman is a Problem Solver. What's a Vermonter to do?
| false |
https://nolabels.org/blog/no-labels-vermont-problem-solver/
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2017-07-07
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OPINION | Our Congressman is a Problem Solver. What's a Vermonter to do?
<p>Written by Rosalie Fox, contributor for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NoLabelsVT/" type="external">No Labels Vermont</a>.</p>
<p>We’re lucky in Vermont. Our sole Congressman, Peter Welch, is an active member of the bipartisan&#160;Problem Solvers Caucus, and he continues to work across the aisle to find common ground. Senator Leahy has a long history of bipartisan efforts. And Bernie — well, Bernie is Bernie, pushing a progressive agenda to change our national priorities. So, what can we do, as Vermont supporters of No Labels, when our members of Congress either seek or would welcome working with the other political party?</p>
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<p>&#160;</p>
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<p>The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday wrapped up a two-day meeting to hear from supporters and critics of products like Zicam Allergy Relief and Cold-Eeze, alternative remedies that are protected by federal law, but not accepted by mainstream medicine.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Similar to dietary supplements, the FDA does not review the safety or effectiveness of homeopathic remedies before they are sold. But unlike supplements, homeopathic medicines can state that they are intended for specific medical symptoms and conditions.</p>
<p>The FDA's Cynthia Schnedar, a director of drug compliance, said the agency has issued 40 warning letters to homeopathic product makers since 2009 amid increasing U.S. sales.</p>
<p>The nasal version of homeopathic cold treatment Zicam was pulled from the market in 2009 after it was linked to 130 people losing their sense of smell. (AP Photo/Eric Shelton)</p>
<p>In perhaps the most serious case, in 2009 the FDA ordered the maker of Zicam to stop marketing three products that contained zinc gluconate. The agency linked those products to 130 reports from consumers who said they lost their sense of smell.</p>
<p>In 2010, the FDA warned about reports of toxicity in children taking Hyland Homeopathic's teething tablets, which contained irregular levels of an ingredient called belladonna.</p>
<p>And last month the agency warned U.S. patients with asthma not to rely on homeopathic products claiming to treat the respiratory condition, which can cause fatal complications if not properly managed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Despite such problems, Schnedar stressed that this week's FDA meeting was a "listening session," and that the agency has not reached any decision about whether to alter its regulations.</p>
<p>"We're gathering information to allow us to consider whether to adjust the current enforcement policies we have in place," Schnedar said in an interview.</p>
<p>The FDA hasn't revisited its oversight of homeopathic products since 1988, when it essentially exempted the industry from basic production and quality control requirements, like listing ingredients and dosing levels on product labels.</p>
<p>Zicam and hundreds of other homeopathic remedies are often sold alongside over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and aspirin at pharmacies across the U.S. But homeopathic medicine is based on a 200-year old theory unsupported by modern science: that ingredients that create certain symptoms in healthy people are effective in treating the disease that causes the same symptoms.</p>
<p>A key principle of traditional homeopathy holds that the more diluted a remedy is, the better it works. Today, many remedies marketed as homeopathic contain heavily diluted drugs, vitamins and minerals. For instance, Zicam contains a heavily diluted dose of zinc as its "active ingredient."</p>
<p>On Monday, industry executives and lobbyists argued that the current FDA framework works well for homeopathy. Representatives from the Consumer HealthCare Products Association, with represents homeopathic manufacturers, emphasized that consumers like having easy access to alternative treatments.</p>
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Safety problems prompt review of homeopathic remedies
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https://abqjournal.com/573217/safety-problems-prompt-review-of-homeopathic-remedies.html
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Safety problems prompt review of homeopathic remedies
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<p />
<p>The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday wrapped up a two-day meeting to hear from supporters and critics of products like Zicam Allergy Relief and Cold-Eeze, alternative remedies that are protected by federal law, but not accepted by mainstream medicine.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Similar to dietary supplements, the FDA does not review the safety or effectiveness of homeopathic remedies before they are sold. But unlike supplements, homeopathic medicines can state that they are intended for specific medical symptoms and conditions.</p>
<p>The FDA's Cynthia Schnedar, a director of drug compliance, said the agency has issued 40 warning letters to homeopathic product makers since 2009 amid increasing U.S. sales.</p>
<p>The nasal version of homeopathic cold treatment Zicam was pulled from the market in 2009 after it was linked to 130 people losing their sense of smell. (AP Photo/Eric Shelton)</p>
<p>In perhaps the most serious case, in 2009 the FDA ordered the maker of Zicam to stop marketing three products that contained zinc gluconate. The agency linked those products to 130 reports from consumers who said they lost their sense of smell.</p>
<p>In 2010, the FDA warned about reports of toxicity in children taking Hyland Homeopathic's teething tablets, which contained irregular levels of an ingredient called belladonna.</p>
<p>And last month the agency warned U.S. patients with asthma not to rely on homeopathic products claiming to treat the respiratory condition, which can cause fatal complications if not properly managed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Despite such problems, Schnedar stressed that this week's FDA meeting was a "listening session," and that the agency has not reached any decision about whether to alter its regulations.</p>
<p>"We're gathering information to allow us to consider whether to adjust the current enforcement policies we have in place," Schnedar said in an interview.</p>
<p>The FDA hasn't revisited its oversight of homeopathic products since 1988, when it essentially exempted the industry from basic production and quality control requirements, like listing ingredients and dosing levels on product labels.</p>
<p>Zicam and hundreds of other homeopathic remedies are often sold alongside over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and aspirin at pharmacies across the U.S. But homeopathic medicine is based on a 200-year old theory unsupported by modern science: that ingredients that create certain symptoms in healthy people are effective in treating the disease that causes the same symptoms.</p>
<p>A key principle of traditional homeopathy holds that the more diluted a remedy is, the better it works. Today, many remedies marketed as homeopathic contain heavily diluted drugs, vitamins and minerals. For instance, Zicam contains a heavily diluted dose of zinc as its "active ingredient."</p>
<p>On Monday, industry executives and lobbyists argued that the current FDA framework works well for homeopathy. Representatives from the Consumer HealthCare Products Association, with represents homeopathic manufacturers, emphasized that consumers like having easy access to alternative treatments.</p>
<p />
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<p>&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainforestactionnetwork/4819228421/sizes/l/in/photostream/"&gt;Rainforest Action Network&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr.</p>
<p />
<p>Since two of the biggest US coal companies Massey Energy and Alpha Natural Resources announced their merger on January 29, some reports have speculated that Massey’s directors and officers may be using the merger to overcome legal troubles spurred by the <a href="" type="internal">Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine disaster</a> on April 5, 2010, in which 29 miners died and two were injured.</p>
<p>Last week, the <a href="http://www.wvrecord.com/news/233269-massey-merging-to-escape-lawsuits-shareholder-claims" type="external">West Virginia Record</a> reported that one shareholder filed a complaint with the Eastern District Court of Virginia, claiming that Massey directors agreed to merge with Alpha in order to “escape lawsuits over the Upper Big Branch mine explosion.” An earlier <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/massey-energy-is-to-be-sold-to-alpha-natural-resources/" type="external">New York Times DealBook</a> report on the merger stated that “the combination is also likely to help Massey move past its legal woes arising from safety violations” like the explosion last April, without detailing how. Are Massey’s directors up to fishy business?</p>
<p>Not exactly. Despite the coal giant’s <a href="" type="internal">abysmal safety and health record</a>, the deal “looks pretty Kosher,” says <a href="http://lawweb.usc.edu/contact/contactInfo.cfm?detailID=225" type="external">Ehud Kamar</a>, a law professor at the University of Southern California. When a company with liabilities like Massey enters a merger, two types of lawsuits are bound to happen, explains <a href="http://www.wsgr.com/wsgr/DBIndex.aspx?SectionName=attorneys/BIOS/855.htm" type="external">David Berger</a>, a partner specializing in merger litigation&#160;at the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati. The first kind is the wrongful death case, or the lawsuits brought against Massey by families of miners who died in the UBB incident. These lawsuits will proceed uninterrupted by a merger, lawyers say. In this case, Massey exec will remain a defendant in these cases, which, depending on the verdicts, will cost the company between <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704493004576001641486980746.html" type="external">$100 million and $350 million</a>.</p>
<p>The deal <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/37748/000095015711000073/ex2-1.htm" type="external">between Alpha and Massey</a> appears to be structured as a “ standard statutory <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=pAaOysAmCFoC&amp;pg=PA53&amp;lpg=PA53&amp;dq=standard+statutory+merger+reverse+triangular+merger&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=sDsgEUW4h8&amp;sig=2gXTQ2BHmnolbj6m4n6amPkqNj0&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=hjlcTarvI5PksQPnyPWTAg&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;q=standard%20statutory%20merger%20reverse%20triangular%20merger&amp;f=false" type="external">reverse triangular merger</a>,” meaning that if the deal gets the green light from shareholders and regulators, Massey will become a wholly owned Alpha subsidiary, and Alpha will assume not only Massey’s assets but also its liabilities, wrongful death suits included. Presumably, when Alpha agreed to pay $7.1 billion to buy out Massey, it had already sized up the potential damages that will result from these claims. “The liabilities are sticky,” says <a href="http://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/faculty/facultyProfile.php?facID=13338" type="external">Robert Bartlett</a>, assistant professor of law at UC Berkeley. “Someone’s going to have to pay for them.” In other words, there’s no way Massey or Alpha could escape the UBB lawsuits filed by victims’ families, even if they wanted to.</p>
<p>Then why are some Massey shareholders up in arms about the merger? In addition to wrongful death cases, almost immediately following the Upper Big Branch incident several of <a href="http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201004281050" type="external">Massey’s investors filed suit</a> against company executives, the <a href="http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x743761953/Investors-say-company-exaggerated-safety-claims" type="external">Register-Herald reports</a>, for falsely claiming safety as its top concern “even as it maintained a profits-at-any-cost approach.” These “derivative lawsuits” require that the plaintiffs be shareholders of the company in question both at the time of the damage and during the litigation, Berger says. If and when Massey and Alpha seal the deal, which is expected to happen in the middle of this year, Massey’s shareholders will shed their ownership of Massey and become new Alpha shareholders, rendering them unable to move forward with the lawsuits. Case dismissed. Or, as two Massey shareholders argue in <a href="" type="internal">their</a> <a href="" type="internal">complaints</a> (PDFs) filed separately (and by the same law firm) in early February, at least eight such cases will be dismissed. A <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9L8JK680.htm" type="external">third lawsuit filed</a> against Massey directors after the merger announcement claims that Alpha’s price is unfairly low (one unit of Massey stock for 1.025 shares of Alpha stock plus $10 in cash).</p>
<p>But in the eyes of the courts, Massey’s shareholders aren’t necessarily getting the short end of the stick, lawyers say. In theory there are two ways in which shareholders could be seen as losing out, according to Kamar of USC: either they are getting less than a fair amount of money for their shares because part of the money goes to insure Massey’s directors against lawsuits; or, the directors didn’t negotiate the merger price to the last penny because the deal protects them. In reality, lawyers say neither seems to be the case. The Massey-Alpha agreement allows for a “fiduciary out,” meaning if a better offer comes along, Massey is entitled to at least consider it. Because Massey’s liabilities from the Upper Big Branch disaster is yet undetermined, however, other companies are not likely to make a better counter offer, Jeff Mindlin, manager of the Mindlin Fund, told the <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11030/1121722-455.stm" type="external">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</a>.</p>
<p>And in eyes of the stock market, Alpha’s offer is fair, given that it represents a 21 percent premium over Massey’s stock value the day before the deal went public. Besides, “if the shareholders don’t think it’s a fair price, they can vote down the deal,” says Berger of Wilson Sonsini, adding that the majority of Massey shareholders appear likely to approve it. Lawyers suspect that the suits opposing the merger may be the result of law firms trying to win money for shareholders who have nothing to lose, rather than the result of a faulty merger.</p>
<p>For Alpha, the liabilities are “ <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704653204576112941714152296.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection" type="external">well worth it</a>.” After the merge, the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/11/01/817852/alpha-natural-resources-inc-buys-massey-energy-company-for-8-5-billion" type="external">company will have</a> a total of 5 billion tons in coal reserves and nearly unrivaled <a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/greatspeculations/2011/02/07/digging-into-masseys-value-after-alpha-takeover/" type="external">access to Appalachian coal</a>.&#160; Alpha’s chief executive <a href="http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2011/feb/01/tdbiz01-massey-office-stays-for-now-ar-811743/" type="external">Kevin Crutchfield</a>, meanwhile, has said he hopes to resolve the fallout from Upper Big Branch quickly and that discussions with regulators started as soon as the deal was announced.</p>
<p />
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As Massey Goes, Will Its Lawsuits Vanish?
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/massey-miners-lawsuit-vanish/
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2011-02-16
| 4left
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As Massey Goes, Will Its Lawsuits Vanish?
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainforestactionnetwork/4819228421/sizes/l/in/photostream/"&gt;Rainforest Action Network&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr.</p>
<p />
<p>Since two of the biggest US coal companies Massey Energy and Alpha Natural Resources announced their merger on January 29, some reports have speculated that Massey’s directors and officers may be using the merger to overcome legal troubles spurred by the <a href="" type="internal">Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine disaster</a> on April 5, 2010, in which 29 miners died and two were injured.</p>
<p>Last week, the <a href="http://www.wvrecord.com/news/233269-massey-merging-to-escape-lawsuits-shareholder-claims" type="external">West Virginia Record</a> reported that one shareholder filed a complaint with the Eastern District Court of Virginia, claiming that Massey directors agreed to merge with Alpha in order to “escape lawsuits over the Upper Big Branch mine explosion.” An earlier <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/massey-energy-is-to-be-sold-to-alpha-natural-resources/" type="external">New York Times DealBook</a> report on the merger stated that “the combination is also likely to help Massey move past its legal woes arising from safety violations” like the explosion last April, without detailing how. Are Massey’s directors up to fishy business?</p>
<p>Not exactly. Despite the coal giant’s <a href="" type="internal">abysmal safety and health record</a>, the deal “looks pretty Kosher,” says <a href="http://lawweb.usc.edu/contact/contactInfo.cfm?detailID=225" type="external">Ehud Kamar</a>, a law professor at the University of Southern California. When a company with liabilities like Massey enters a merger, two types of lawsuits are bound to happen, explains <a href="http://www.wsgr.com/wsgr/DBIndex.aspx?SectionName=attorneys/BIOS/855.htm" type="external">David Berger</a>, a partner specializing in merger litigation&#160;at the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati. The first kind is the wrongful death case, or the lawsuits brought against Massey by families of miners who died in the UBB incident. These lawsuits will proceed uninterrupted by a merger, lawyers say. In this case, Massey exec will remain a defendant in these cases, which, depending on the verdicts, will cost the company between <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704493004576001641486980746.html" type="external">$100 million and $350 million</a>.</p>
<p>The deal <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/37748/000095015711000073/ex2-1.htm" type="external">between Alpha and Massey</a> appears to be structured as a “ standard statutory <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=pAaOysAmCFoC&amp;pg=PA53&amp;lpg=PA53&amp;dq=standard+statutory+merger+reverse+triangular+merger&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=sDsgEUW4h8&amp;sig=2gXTQ2BHmnolbj6m4n6amPkqNj0&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=hjlcTarvI5PksQPnyPWTAg&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;q=standard%20statutory%20merger%20reverse%20triangular%20merger&amp;f=false" type="external">reverse triangular merger</a>,” meaning that if the deal gets the green light from shareholders and regulators, Massey will become a wholly owned Alpha subsidiary, and Alpha will assume not only Massey’s assets but also its liabilities, wrongful death suits included. Presumably, when Alpha agreed to pay $7.1 billion to buy out Massey, it had already sized up the potential damages that will result from these claims. “The liabilities are sticky,” says <a href="http://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/faculty/facultyProfile.php?facID=13338" type="external">Robert Bartlett</a>, assistant professor of law at UC Berkeley. “Someone’s going to have to pay for them.” In other words, there’s no way Massey or Alpha could escape the UBB lawsuits filed by victims’ families, even if they wanted to.</p>
<p>Then why are some Massey shareholders up in arms about the merger? In addition to wrongful death cases, almost immediately following the Upper Big Branch incident several of <a href="http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201004281050" type="external">Massey’s investors filed suit</a> against company executives, the <a href="http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x743761953/Investors-say-company-exaggerated-safety-claims" type="external">Register-Herald reports</a>, for falsely claiming safety as its top concern “even as it maintained a profits-at-any-cost approach.” These “derivative lawsuits” require that the plaintiffs be shareholders of the company in question both at the time of the damage and during the litigation, Berger says. If and when Massey and Alpha seal the deal, which is expected to happen in the middle of this year, Massey’s shareholders will shed their ownership of Massey and become new Alpha shareholders, rendering them unable to move forward with the lawsuits. Case dismissed. Or, as two Massey shareholders argue in <a href="" type="internal">their</a> <a href="" type="internal">complaints</a> (PDFs) filed separately (and by the same law firm) in early February, at least eight such cases will be dismissed. A <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9L8JK680.htm" type="external">third lawsuit filed</a> against Massey directors after the merger announcement claims that Alpha’s price is unfairly low (one unit of Massey stock for 1.025 shares of Alpha stock plus $10 in cash).</p>
<p>But in the eyes of the courts, Massey’s shareholders aren’t necessarily getting the short end of the stick, lawyers say. In theory there are two ways in which shareholders could be seen as losing out, according to Kamar of USC: either they are getting less than a fair amount of money for their shares because part of the money goes to insure Massey’s directors against lawsuits; or, the directors didn’t negotiate the merger price to the last penny because the deal protects them. In reality, lawyers say neither seems to be the case. The Massey-Alpha agreement allows for a “fiduciary out,” meaning if a better offer comes along, Massey is entitled to at least consider it. Because Massey’s liabilities from the Upper Big Branch disaster is yet undetermined, however, other companies are not likely to make a better counter offer, Jeff Mindlin, manager of the Mindlin Fund, told the <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11030/1121722-455.stm" type="external">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</a>.</p>
<p>And in eyes of the stock market, Alpha’s offer is fair, given that it represents a 21 percent premium over Massey’s stock value the day before the deal went public. Besides, “if the shareholders don’t think it’s a fair price, they can vote down the deal,” says Berger of Wilson Sonsini, adding that the majority of Massey shareholders appear likely to approve it. Lawyers suspect that the suits opposing the merger may be the result of law firms trying to win money for shareholders who have nothing to lose, rather than the result of a faulty merger.</p>
<p>For Alpha, the liabilities are “ <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704653204576112941714152296.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection" type="external">well worth it</a>.” After the merge, the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/11/01/817852/alpha-natural-resources-inc-buys-massey-energy-company-for-8-5-billion" type="external">company will have</a> a total of 5 billion tons in coal reserves and nearly unrivaled <a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/greatspeculations/2011/02/07/digging-into-masseys-value-after-alpha-takeover/" type="external">access to Appalachian coal</a>.&#160; Alpha’s chief executive <a href="http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2011/feb/01/tdbiz01-massey-office-stays-for-now-ar-811743/" type="external">Kevin Crutchfield</a>, meanwhile, has said he hopes to resolve the fallout from Upper Big Branch quickly and that discussions with regulators started as soon as the deal was announced.</p>
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<p>ABC News has <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/military-convoy-flying-trump-flag-belonged-seal-unit/story?id=45207477" type="external">confirmed</a> that the <a href="" type="internal">military vehicles seen flying Trump flags</a> in Kentucky earlier this week belong to an active Navy SEAL unit.</p>
<p>A spokesperson for Naval Speial Warfare Group 2, Lieutenant Jacqui Maxwell told ABC News, "The convoy were service members assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit driving vehicles while transiting between two training locations,"</p>
<p>"Defense Department and Navy regulations prescribe flags and pennants that may be displayed as well as the manner of display," Maxwell added. "The flag shown in the video was unauthorized."</p>
<p>This is really quite disturbing. Our military is supposed to serve the people, not the fascist in the White House. I have my doubts that any investigation will result in discipline, given the current climate in this country right now.</p>
<p>At least some of our military elites have forgotten whom they serve.</p>
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Confirmed: Military Vehicle Flying Trump Flag Belongs To SEAL Unit
| true |
http://crooksandliars.com/2017/02/confirmed-military-vehicle-flying-trump
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2017-02-01
| 4left
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Confirmed: Military Vehicle Flying Trump Flag Belongs To SEAL Unit
<p>ABC News has <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/military-convoy-flying-trump-flag-belonged-seal-unit/story?id=45207477" type="external">confirmed</a> that the <a href="" type="internal">military vehicles seen flying Trump flags</a> in Kentucky earlier this week belong to an active Navy SEAL unit.</p>
<p>A spokesperson for Naval Speial Warfare Group 2, Lieutenant Jacqui Maxwell told ABC News, "The convoy were service members assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit driving vehicles while transiting between two training locations,"</p>
<p>"Defense Department and Navy regulations prescribe flags and pennants that may be displayed as well as the manner of display," Maxwell added. "The flag shown in the video was unauthorized."</p>
<p>This is really quite disturbing. Our military is supposed to serve the people, not the fascist in the White House. I have my doubts that any investigation will result in discipline, given the current climate in this country right now.</p>
<p>At least some of our military elites have forgotten whom they serve.</p>
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<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RNC.jpg" type="external" />All signs point to an excellent year for Republicans in 2014, but still we hear disquieting rumblings about immigration. Some Republicans, for reasons it is hard to understand, are convinced that it will somehow benefit the party to create millions of new voters, most of whom vote for Democrats. [?]</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/05/gop-dont-blow-it-on-immigration.php" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.powerlineblog.com</a></p>
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GOP: Don't Blow It On Immigration!
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http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/gop-dont-blow-it-on-immigration/
| 0right
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GOP: Don't Blow It On Immigration!
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RNC.jpg" type="external" />All signs point to an excellent year for Republicans in 2014, but still we hear disquieting rumblings about immigration. Some Republicans, for reasons it is hard to understand, are convinced that it will somehow benefit the party to create millions of new voters, most of whom vote for Democrats. [?]</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/05/gop-dont-blow-it-on-immigration.php" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.powerlineblog.com</a></p>
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<p>Roger Larsen has been named the new chief financial officer and senior vice president of Presbyterian Healthcare Services. (COURTESY OF PRESBYTERIAN HEALTHCARE SERVICES)</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Presbyterian Healthcare Services has hired a new chief financial officer and senior vice president, five months after the former CFO, Dale Maxwell, assumed the job of president and chief executive officer at the healthcare system.</p>
<p>Roger Larsen, CFO for Sutter Health Northern California’s Bay Area Foundation and East Bay Hospitals, will begin the new job on Sept. 11, Presbyterian announced Friday.</p>
<p>With more than 23 years of healthcare experience, Larsen will oversee financial management and performance for PHS’ eight hospitals, statewide health plan and its multi-specialty medical group.</p>
<p>Larsen was chosen after an extensive national search, Maxwell said in a statement.</p>
<p>“The expertise he brings to New Mexico will further strengthen our leadership team as we address the needs of our communities while ensuring financial sustainability,” said Maxwell, who also is chairman of the Presbyterian Health Plan board of directors.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Before Sutter Health, Larsen spent more than 10 years with Sharp Healthcare in San Diego where he served as the CFO for the Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group.</p>
<p>Larsen holds a master of science degree in accounting and a bachelor of science degree in international business, both from California State University in Sacramento.</p>
<p>He takes over in the midst of Presbyterian’s legal fight with the state. The Attorney General’s Office recently filed a lawsuit against Presbyterian alleging the system dodged tens of millions of dollars in insurance premium taxes.&#160; Maxwell said the legal action has no basis in fact and is damaging to the company’s employees and operations.</p>
<p>Founded in 1908, the nonprofit PHS is the state’s largest private employer with 11,000 employees. With eight hospitals and dozens of clinics in New Mexico, it reported $3.1 billion in revenue in 2016.</p>
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Presbyterian Healthcare has new CFO
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/1040114/presbyterian-healthcare-has-new-cfo.html
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Presbyterian Healthcare has new CFO
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<p>Roger Larsen has been named the new chief financial officer and senior vice president of Presbyterian Healthcare Services. (COURTESY OF PRESBYTERIAN HEALTHCARE SERVICES)</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Presbyterian Healthcare Services has hired a new chief financial officer and senior vice president, five months after the former CFO, Dale Maxwell, assumed the job of president and chief executive officer at the healthcare system.</p>
<p>Roger Larsen, CFO for Sutter Health Northern California’s Bay Area Foundation and East Bay Hospitals, will begin the new job on Sept. 11, Presbyterian announced Friday.</p>
<p>With more than 23 years of healthcare experience, Larsen will oversee financial management and performance for PHS’ eight hospitals, statewide health plan and its multi-specialty medical group.</p>
<p>Larsen was chosen after an extensive national search, Maxwell said in a statement.</p>
<p>“The expertise he brings to New Mexico will further strengthen our leadership team as we address the needs of our communities while ensuring financial sustainability,” said Maxwell, who also is chairman of the Presbyterian Health Plan board of directors.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Before Sutter Health, Larsen spent more than 10 years with Sharp Healthcare in San Diego where he served as the CFO for the Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group.</p>
<p>Larsen holds a master of science degree in accounting and a bachelor of science degree in international business, both from California State University in Sacramento.</p>
<p>He takes over in the midst of Presbyterian’s legal fight with the state. The Attorney General’s Office recently filed a lawsuit against Presbyterian alleging the system dodged tens of millions of dollars in insurance premium taxes.&#160; Maxwell said the legal action has no basis in fact and is damaging to the company’s employees and operations.</p>
<p>Founded in 1908, the nonprofit PHS is the state’s largest private employer with 11,000 employees. With eight hospitals and dozens of clinics in New Mexico, it reported $3.1 billion in revenue in 2016.</p>
| 598,746 |
|
<p>Published time: 28 Sep, 2017 15:43</p>
<p>Technical difficulties with a check-in system used by airlines caused major delays at airports around the globe.</p>
<p>Spanish company Amadeus, which provides check-in software to airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Qatar Airways, reportedly experienced issues with its Altea reservation system on Thursday morning.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/uk/403594-paris-airport-plane-evacuated-ba/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;British Airways plane evacuated at Paris CDG ‘for security reason’ – airport (VIDEO, PHOTO)</a></p>
<p>According to Qatar Airways, flights were affected by an outage of the “Amadeus IT network.”</p>
<p>Earlier, British Airways and Lufthansa also told customers that they were experiencing a similar problem.</p>
<p>Amadeus confirmed the disruption but said the <a href="http://www.amadeus.com/blog/28/09/amadeus-systems-recovered/" type="external">systems</a> were “recovered and are now functioning normally.”</p>
<p>“Our technical teams took immediate action to identify the cause of the issue and mitigate against the impact on customers,” it added.</p>
<p />
<p>This is a system outage for many airlines using the Amadeus IT network. The Amadeus technical teams are working ..1/2</p>
<p>— QatarAirways Support (@qrsupport) <a href="https://twitter.com/qrsupport/status/913367445724901377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p />
<p>We are aiming to have all parts of our website and reservations systems available as soon as possible. 2/2 ^JR</p>
<p>— British Airways (@British_Airways) <a href="https://twitter.com/British_Airways/status/913384402683604992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p />
<p>It is a general outage, not only LH is affected. We have no info when the systems will be up &amp; running again. /Ella</p>
<p>— Lufthansa (@lufthansa) <a href="https://twitter.com/lufthansa/status/913384972853145602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>The outage was reported at airports from London to Melbourne.</p>
<p>Passengers at London Heathrow are likely to face delays because of the issue, the UK airport warned.</p>
<p>“A small number of airlines are currently experiencing intermittent issues with their check-in systems around the world – including Heathrow,” an airport spokesperson told RT.com.</p>
<p>“Passengers will still be able to check-in for their flight, although the process may take slightly longer than usual. We are working closely with our airlines to help resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”</p>
<p>A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said a “small handful of airlines” experienced check-in problems on Thursday morning, adding that the difficulties lasted a “matter of minutes” and that the airport was now operating as normal.</p>
|
Airports from Melbourne to London hit by check-in software glitch
| false |
https://newsline.com/airports-from-melbourne-to-london-hit-by-check-in-software-glitch/
|
2017-09-28
| 1right-center
|
Airports from Melbourne to London hit by check-in software glitch
<p>Published time: 28 Sep, 2017 15:43</p>
<p>Technical difficulties with a check-in system used by airlines caused major delays at airports around the globe.</p>
<p>Spanish company Amadeus, which provides check-in software to airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Qatar Airways, reportedly experienced issues with its Altea reservation system on Thursday morning.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/uk/403594-paris-airport-plane-evacuated-ba/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;British Airways plane evacuated at Paris CDG ‘for security reason’ – airport (VIDEO, PHOTO)</a></p>
<p>According to Qatar Airways, flights were affected by an outage of the “Amadeus IT network.”</p>
<p>Earlier, British Airways and Lufthansa also told customers that they were experiencing a similar problem.</p>
<p>Amadeus confirmed the disruption but said the <a href="http://www.amadeus.com/blog/28/09/amadeus-systems-recovered/" type="external">systems</a> were “recovered and are now functioning normally.”</p>
<p>“Our technical teams took immediate action to identify the cause of the issue and mitigate against the impact on customers,” it added.</p>
<p />
<p>This is a system outage for many airlines using the Amadeus IT network. The Amadeus technical teams are working ..1/2</p>
<p>— QatarAirways Support (@qrsupport) <a href="https://twitter.com/qrsupport/status/913367445724901377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p />
<p>We are aiming to have all parts of our website and reservations systems available as soon as possible. 2/2 ^JR</p>
<p>— British Airways (@British_Airways) <a href="https://twitter.com/British_Airways/status/913384402683604992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p />
<p>It is a general outage, not only LH is affected. We have no info when the systems will be up &amp; running again. /Ella</p>
<p>— Lufthansa (@lufthansa) <a href="https://twitter.com/lufthansa/status/913384972853145602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">September 28, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>The outage was reported at airports from London to Melbourne.</p>
<p>Passengers at London Heathrow are likely to face delays because of the issue, the UK airport warned.</p>
<p>“A small number of airlines are currently experiencing intermittent issues with their check-in systems around the world – including Heathrow,” an airport spokesperson told RT.com.</p>
<p>“Passengers will still be able to check-in for their flight, although the process may take slightly longer than usual. We are working closely with our airlines to help resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”</p>
<p>A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said a “small handful of airlines” experienced check-in problems on Thursday morning, adding that the difficulties lasted a “matter of minutes” and that the airport was now operating as normal.</p>
| 598,747 |
<p>General Electric Co. said three top executives are leaving, as new CEO John Flannery moves abruptly to clean out the leadership ranks of the struggling industrial conglomerate.</p>
<p>Jeff Bornstein, GE's chief financial officer, will depart at year's end as will veterans Beth Comstock, the head of marketing efforts, and John Rice, the company's top international executive.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>All three were top lieutenants to former CEO Jeff Immelt, who stepped aside on Aug. 1 and announced earlier this week that he had resigned as chairman, three months ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein was considered a potential successor to Mr. Immelt and when Mr. Flannery was selected for the top spot, GE said the two would work closely together.</p>
<p>The company said Jamie Miller, the head of the company's transportation business, will take over as its chief financial officer starting Nov. 1. Ms. Miller joined GE in 2008 from WellPoint Inc. and later served as GE's chief information officer. Mr. Bornstein has spent 28 years at GE and took over as CFO in 2013. In recent years, he helped oversee the unwinding of its massive finance business.</p>
<p>"As John evaluates the strategy for GE and puts his leadership team in place, he and I have concluded that this is the right time to bring in a new CFO with a fresh perspective," Mr. Bornstein said in a release.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein was named a vice chair in June and granted a special retention package. He will forfeit 80% of the award and his decision to leave was described as mutual by one person familiar with the matter.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Ms. Comstock is the company's top female executive. She has spent 27 years at the GE, serving as its chief marketing officer and recently heading its business innovations unit. Mr. Rice has spent 39 years at GE, where he lead several of the business units, and was recently tasked with expanding GE's overseas business.</p>
<p>GE declined to make the departing executives available for comment.</p>
<p>The management changes come as Mr. Flannery is trying to turnaround the struggling company and is under pressure from activist investor Trian Fund Management, which has taken a large stake and calling for additional cost-cutting.</p>
<p>Since taking over, Mr. Flannery has been reviewing the entire GE portfolio and cutting costs, including cutting corporate staff, delaying part of its new Boston headquarters and moving to sell its fleet of corporate jets.</p>
<p>The company is widely expected to cut its financial projections at a planned meeting in November, when Mr. Flannery will lay out his long-term plans for the turnaround. GE shares, which have slumped 23% this year, fell 15 cents to $24.39 on Friday.</p>
<p>GE said Pascal Schweitzer, who joined the company in 2015 from Alstom, will serve as interim head of the transportation business.</p>
<p>GE is coming off a 16-year run under Mr. Immelt, who moved the company away from struggling and lower-margin businesses like appliances toward industrial machinery and energy. But the stock lagged behind during his tenure, which included the financial crisis.</p>
<p>Mr. Immelt and Mr. Bornstein wound down GE's massive financial business, but struggled to meet profit targets and boost growth. They also struck a big bet on the oil business last year, agreeing to combine its oil-and-gas business with Baker Hughes, an oilfield services provider. But the prolonged slump in the energy markets have weighed on GE's results.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein's no-nonsense approach endeared him to investors, including activist Nelson Peltz, who took a $2.5 billion stake in GE in 2015 and was said to be unhappy with the company's performance under Mr. Immelt. But Mr. Bornstein largely avoided blame for the company's troubles and has been active in helping cut costs.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, GE pledged to cut $1 billion in annual costs from its industrial operations this year and next. Since being named to his new role, Mr. Flannery has moved with a sense of urgency in reviewing the company's operations, along with meeting with investors and customers. Despite the company's struggles, he has pledged to maintain the company's dividend.</p>
<p>Write to Thomas Gryta at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>October 06, 2017 19:06 ET (23:06 GMT)</p>
|
GE Finance Chief Jeff Bornstein to Leave Company in High-Profile Shake-Up -- 3rd Update
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/10/06/ge-finance-chief-jeff-bornstein-to-leave-company-in-high-profile-shake-up-3rd-update.html
|
2017-10-06
| 0right
|
GE Finance Chief Jeff Bornstein to Leave Company in High-Profile Shake-Up -- 3rd Update
<p>General Electric Co. said three top executives are leaving, as new CEO John Flannery moves abruptly to clean out the leadership ranks of the struggling industrial conglomerate.</p>
<p>Jeff Bornstein, GE's chief financial officer, will depart at year's end as will veterans Beth Comstock, the head of marketing efforts, and John Rice, the company's top international executive.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>All three were top lieutenants to former CEO Jeff Immelt, who stepped aside on Aug. 1 and announced earlier this week that he had resigned as chairman, three months ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein was considered a potential successor to Mr. Immelt and when Mr. Flannery was selected for the top spot, GE said the two would work closely together.</p>
<p>The company said Jamie Miller, the head of the company's transportation business, will take over as its chief financial officer starting Nov. 1. Ms. Miller joined GE in 2008 from WellPoint Inc. and later served as GE's chief information officer. Mr. Bornstein has spent 28 years at GE and took over as CFO in 2013. In recent years, he helped oversee the unwinding of its massive finance business.</p>
<p>"As John evaluates the strategy for GE and puts his leadership team in place, he and I have concluded that this is the right time to bring in a new CFO with a fresh perspective," Mr. Bornstein said in a release.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein was named a vice chair in June and granted a special retention package. He will forfeit 80% of the award and his decision to leave was described as mutual by one person familiar with the matter.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Ms. Comstock is the company's top female executive. She has spent 27 years at the GE, serving as its chief marketing officer and recently heading its business innovations unit. Mr. Rice has spent 39 years at GE, where he lead several of the business units, and was recently tasked with expanding GE's overseas business.</p>
<p>GE declined to make the departing executives available for comment.</p>
<p>The management changes come as Mr. Flannery is trying to turnaround the struggling company and is under pressure from activist investor Trian Fund Management, which has taken a large stake and calling for additional cost-cutting.</p>
<p>Since taking over, Mr. Flannery has been reviewing the entire GE portfolio and cutting costs, including cutting corporate staff, delaying part of its new Boston headquarters and moving to sell its fleet of corporate jets.</p>
<p>The company is widely expected to cut its financial projections at a planned meeting in November, when Mr. Flannery will lay out his long-term plans for the turnaround. GE shares, which have slumped 23% this year, fell 15 cents to $24.39 on Friday.</p>
<p>GE said Pascal Schweitzer, who joined the company in 2015 from Alstom, will serve as interim head of the transportation business.</p>
<p>GE is coming off a 16-year run under Mr. Immelt, who moved the company away from struggling and lower-margin businesses like appliances toward industrial machinery and energy. But the stock lagged behind during his tenure, which included the financial crisis.</p>
<p>Mr. Immelt and Mr. Bornstein wound down GE's massive financial business, but struggled to meet profit targets and boost growth. They also struck a big bet on the oil business last year, agreeing to combine its oil-and-gas business with Baker Hughes, an oilfield services provider. But the prolonged slump in the energy markets have weighed on GE's results.</p>
<p>Mr. Bornstein's no-nonsense approach endeared him to investors, including activist Nelson Peltz, who took a $2.5 billion stake in GE in 2015 and was said to be unhappy with the company's performance under Mr. Immelt. But Mr. Bornstein largely avoided blame for the company's troubles and has been active in helping cut costs.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, GE pledged to cut $1 billion in annual costs from its industrial operations this year and next. Since being named to his new role, Mr. Flannery has moved with a sense of urgency in reviewing the company's operations, along with meeting with investors and customers. Despite the company's struggles, he has pledged to maintain the company's dividend.</p>
<p>Write to Thomas Gryta at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>October 06, 2017 19:06 ET (23:06 GMT)</p>
| 598,748 |
<p>A bomb blast struck a passenger van in Peshawar, Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least 9 civilians and wounding over two dozen.</p>
<p>Police officials said they suspected it was meant to target a vehicle carrying Pakistani air force officials, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/world/asia/pakistan-blast/index.html" type="external">according to CNN</a>.</p>
<p>Khan said the bomb was detonated via remote control, while the passenger van and air force vehicle were driving through the area, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFfGHI2Jl-ijCDDyhIA0MFO2L7Pw?docId=baab98f8f8cd4c9caa8f599c3db85919" type="external">according to the Associated Press</a>.</p>
<p>Government official Javid Marwat and Peshawar Police Chief Tahir Ayub Khan said pedestrians and shoppers died, while three officers were among the more than 20 people injured in the blast, CNN reported.</p>
<p>No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities were still investigating the motive behind the attack, Khan said.</p>
<p>More on GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/france/120919/french-foreign-ministry-closes-embassies-following-muhamm" type="external">French Foreign Ministry closes embassies following Muhammad cartoon</a></p>
<p>An official said the bomb on Wednesday was planted in a parked car, containing 66-88 pounds of explosives, ball bearings and artillery shells, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19651679#TWEET233046" type="external">according to the BBC</a>.</p>
<p>BBC noted that Peshawar is close to Pakistan's tribal belt, the stronghold of the Taliban and Al Qaeda militants. Hundreds of people have died in attacks in the area in recent years.</p>
<p>An attack earlier this month killed two and injured 19 when a suicide bomber drove his car into a US consulate vehicle in Peshawar, noted the BBC.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the AP reported that security officials found the bodies of 29 militants in an area of northwest Pakistan which recently saw a two-week battle between security forces and Taliban fighters.</p>
<p>More on GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/pakistan/120918/pakistani-protester-dies-smoke-inhalation-after-b" type="external">Pakistani protester dies from smoke inhalation after burning US flag</a></p>
|
Pakistan: Peshawar bomb blast kills 9
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2012-09-19/pakistan-peshawar-bomb-blast-kills-9
|
2012-09-19
| 3left-center
|
Pakistan: Peshawar bomb blast kills 9
<p>A bomb blast struck a passenger van in Peshawar, Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least 9 civilians and wounding over two dozen.</p>
<p>Police officials said they suspected it was meant to target a vehicle carrying Pakistani air force officials, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/world/asia/pakistan-blast/index.html" type="external">according to CNN</a>.</p>
<p>Khan said the bomb was detonated via remote control, while the passenger van and air force vehicle were driving through the area, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFfGHI2Jl-ijCDDyhIA0MFO2L7Pw?docId=baab98f8f8cd4c9caa8f599c3db85919" type="external">according to the Associated Press</a>.</p>
<p>Government official Javid Marwat and Peshawar Police Chief Tahir Ayub Khan said pedestrians and shoppers died, while three officers were among the more than 20 people injured in the blast, CNN reported.</p>
<p>No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities were still investigating the motive behind the attack, Khan said.</p>
<p>More on GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/france/120919/french-foreign-ministry-closes-embassies-following-muhamm" type="external">French Foreign Ministry closes embassies following Muhammad cartoon</a></p>
<p>An official said the bomb on Wednesday was planted in a parked car, containing 66-88 pounds of explosives, ball bearings and artillery shells, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19651679#TWEET233046" type="external">according to the BBC</a>.</p>
<p>BBC noted that Peshawar is close to Pakistan's tribal belt, the stronghold of the Taliban and Al Qaeda militants. Hundreds of people have died in attacks in the area in recent years.</p>
<p>An attack earlier this month killed two and injured 19 when a suicide bomber drove his car into a US consulate vehicle in Peshawar, noted the BBC.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the AP reported that security officials found the bodies of 29 militants in an area of northwest Pakistan which recently saw a two-week battle between security forces and Taliban fighters.</p>
<p>More on GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/pakistan/120918/pakistani-protester-dies-smoke-inhalation-after-b" type="external">Pakistani protester dies from smoke inhalation after burning US flag</a></p>
| 598,749 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>What is the point of such linguistic appeasement?</p>
<p>The word "appeasement" long ago became pejorative for giving in to bullies. One side was aggressive and undemocratic; the other consensual and eager to avoid trouble through supposedly reasonable concessions. But appeasement usually weakened the democratic side and empowered the extremist one.</p>
<p>The architect of appeasement - for example, Neville Chamberlain, former prime minister of Great Britain - was predictably a narcissist. Chamberlain believed that his own powers of oratory, his insights into reason and his undeniably superior morality would sway even a thug like Adolf Hitler.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>President Obama currently is convinced that his singular charisma and rare insight into human nature will convince the Taliban to peacefully participate in Afghan politics. Obama will supposedly also win over the Iranian theocracy and show it how nonproliferation is really to everyone's advantage.</p>
<p>"Reset" diplomacy with Putin was supposed to lessen tensions - if, after the 2012 election, Putin just had more exposure to a flexible statesman of Obama's wisdom.</p>
<p>Throughout history, without the vanity of the conceder, there would never have been appeasement.</p>
<p>Appeasement also always subordinates the interests of vulnerable third parties to the appeaser's own inflated sense of self. When Chamberlain and the French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier signed the 1938 Munich Pact, they worried little about the fate of millions of Czechs who lost their country - and less about millions of Poles who were next in line for Hitler's Blitzkrieg.</p>
<p>Reset diplomacy with Russia in 2009 was not much concerned about the ensuing danger to Crimeans or Ukrainians. When the Taliban takes over, hundreds of thousands of reformist Afghans will die.</p>
<p>Obama sees a deal with Iran as a way to cement his legacy as a breakthrough statesman. In comparison, the long-term consequences of a nuclear Iran on the security of tiny Israel or on the stability of the largely Sunni Arab Middle East are future and more abstract concerns for others.</p>
<p>Even major concessions never satisfy aggressive powers. It is a traditional Western liberal delusion that autocrats appreciate magnanimity rather than see it as timidity to be exploited.</p>
<p>Hitler fumed that the compliant Chamberlain at Munich was a "worm" for making such concessions to him.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Releasing Guantanamo prisoners, or ignoring red lines to Syria, deadlines to Iran and step-over lines to Russia, did not win over aggressors. Gestures of appeasement and empty threats only emboldened terrorists and green-lighted dictators to ratchet up nuclear enrichment, or violence against their own people - or to go into Ukraine.</p>
<p>When a top Russian general brags that its nuclear force is now more powerful than America's, or when Raul Castro warns that Cuba now expects an early return of the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay as the price of normalization, past American concessions seem to have whetted their appetites for more confrontations.</p>
<p>The euphemisms for radical Islamic terrorism have not curbed it. They have not improved U.S. popularity in the Middle East.</p>
<p>The appeasing party is not always the weaker one. In 1938, Combined British and French military power was greater than that of the Third Reich. President Jimmy Carter had far more military options than did the Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis.</p>
<p>Instead, stronger democratic nations feel that they can continue to enjoy short-term calm and peace of mind - and let others worry about any long-term likelihood of aggression. Maybe by treating jihad, terrorism and radical Islam as taboo words, radical Muslim terrorists will respond and become less threatening.</p>
<p>In truth, appeasement, not deterrence, is the more reckless path. With serial concessions, democratic leaders convince aggressors that they must be stronger than they actually are. Those fantasies increase the likelihood that weaker dictators and terrorists will miscalculate and set off a deadly confrontation down the road.</p>
<p>Yet the public often prefers appeasement. Military preparedness and investment are too costly. Backing up threats seems too scary.</p>
<p>Appeasement continues not because it works, but because it serves the pretensions of narcissists.</p>
<p>Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University; email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p />
|
Appeasement only encourages aggression
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/539724/appeasement-only-encourages-aggression.html
| 2least
|
Appeasement only encourages aggression
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>What is the point of such linguistic appeasement?</p>
<p>The word "appeasement" long ago became pejorative for giving in to bullies. One side was aggressive and undemocratic; the other consensual and eager to avoid trouble through supposedly reasonable concessions. But appeasement usually weakened the democratic side and empowered the extremist one.</p>
<p>The architect of appeasement - for example, Neville Chamberlain, former prime minister of Great Britain - was predictably a narcissist. Chamberlain believed that his own powers of oratory, his insights into reason and his undeniably superior morality would sway even a thug like Adolf Hitler.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>President Obama currently is convinced that his singular charisma and rare insight into human nature will convince the Taliban to peacefully participate in Afghan politics. Obama will supposedly also win over the Iranian theocracy and show it how nonproliferation is really to everyone's advantage.</p>
<p>"Reset" diplomacy with Putin was supposed to lessen tensions - if, after the 2012 election, Putin just had more exposure to a flexible statesman of Obama's wisdom.</p>
<p>Throughout history, without the vanity of the conceder, there would never have been appeasement.</p>
<p>Appeasement also always subordinates the interests of vulnerable third parties to the appeaser's own inflated sense of self. When Chamberlain and the French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier signed the 1938 Munich Pact, they worried little about the fate of millions of Czechs who lost their country - and less about millions of Poles who were next in line for Hitler's Blitzkrieg.</p>
<p>Reset diplomacy with Russia in 2009 was not much concerned about the ensuing danger to Crimeans or Ukrainians. When the Taliban takes over, hundreds of thousands of reformist Afghans will die.</p>
<p>Obama sees a deal with Iran as a way to cement his legacy as a breakthrough statesman. In comparison, the long-term consequences of a nuclear Iran on the security of tiny Israel or on the stability of the largely Sunni Arab Middle East are future and more abstract concerns for others.</p>
<p>Even major concessions never satisfy aggressive powers. It is a traditional Western liberal delusion that autocrats appreciate magnanimity rather than see it as timidity to be exploited.</p>
<p>Hitler fumed that the compliant Chamberlain at Munich was a "worm" for making such concessions to him.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Releasing Guantanamo prisoners, or ignoring red lines to Syria, deadlines to Iran and step-over lines to Russia, did not win over aggressors. Gestures of appeasement and empty threats only emboldened terrorists and green-lighted dictators to ratchet up nuclear enrichment, or violence against their own people - or to go into Ukraine.</p>
<p>When a top Russian general brags that its nuclear force is now more powerful than America's, or when Raul Castro warns that Cuba now expects an early return of the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay as the price of normalization, past American concessions seem to have whetted their appetites for more confrontations.</p>
<p>The euphemisms for radical Islamic terrorism have not curbed it. They have not improved U.S. popularity in the Middle East.</p>
<p>The appeasing party is not always the weaker one. In 1938, Combined British and French military power was greater than that of the Third Reich. President Jimmy Carter had far more military options than did the Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis.</p>
<p>Instead, stronger democratic nations feel that they can continue to enjoy short-term calm and peace of mind - and let others worry about any long-term likelihood of aggression. Maybe by treating jihad, terrorism and radical Islam as taboo words, radical Muslim terrorists will respond and become less threatening.</p>
<p>In truth, appeasement, not deterrence, is the more reckless path. With serial concessions, democratic leaders convince aggressors that they must be stronger than they actually are. Those fantasies increase the likelihood that weaker dictators and terrorists will miscalculate and set off a deadly confrontation down the road.</p>
<p>Yet the public often prefers appeasement. Military preparedness and investment are too costly. Backing up threats seems too scary.</p>
<p>Appeasement continues not because it works, but because it serves the pretensions of narcissists.</p>
<p>Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University; email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p />
| 598,750 |
|
<p />
<p>Dropbox indulging in coffee with a side of marketing at this year's Sundance Film Festival.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Facing persistent competition from Alphabet , Amazon.com , and pure-play alternatives from Box, Dropbox this week showed attendees of its Open conference in London a new version of its technology that would allow users to access an unlimited number of cloud-hosted files straight from a computer file system such as Windows' Explorer or Mac OS X's Finder.</p>
<p>Called Project Infinite, the idea is to provide one interface for accessing every file while eliminating the need for users to pay up for hard drive space. That's a departure from how Dropbox and others like it have operated in the past, downloading and syncing data from the cloud in order to make it quickly accessible on a local machine.</p>
<p>Does it matter? Dropbox isn't a public company, so we can't call this thesis-altering news. And yet the technology could alter how competitors address cloud storage. The bigger guys aren't keen to offer much without extracting a premium.</p>
<p>Take Microsoft , which recently announced plans to drop the storage limit for users of the free version of OneDrive from 15GB to just 5GB. Project Infinite could give users a reason to buy cloud storage as a stand-alone service rather than as part of Microsoft's Office 365 suite or comparable offerings from Alphabet or Amazon. Box may not see any impact at all, if only because the company positions itself to serve large accounts with built-in collaboration and security. The amount of storage Box offers doesn't matter nearly as much as those other features.</p>
<p>Regardless, the cloud storage business appears to be changing for the better, and that's good news for those of us who've come to depend on it.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/28/instant-analysis-will-dropboxs-project-infinite-fi.aspx" type="external">Instant Analysis: Will Dropbox's Project Infinite Finally Set It Apart? Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p>Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFMileHigh/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Tim Beyers Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Alphabet (A and C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A and C shares), and Amazon.com. The Motley Fool also owns shares of Microsoft. 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>
|
Instant Analysis: Will Dropbox's Project Infinite Finally Set It Apart?
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/04/28/instant-analysis-will-dropbox-project-infinite-finally-set-it-apart.html
|
2016-04-28
| 0right
|
Instant Analysis: Will Dropbox's Project Infinite Finally Set It Apart?
<p />
<p>Dropbox indulging in coffee with a side of marketing at this year's Sundance Film Festival.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Facing persistent competition from Alphabet , Amazon.com , and pure-play alternatives from Box, Dropbox this week showed attendees of its Open conference in London a new version of its technology that would allow users to access an unlimited number of cloud-hosted files straight from a computer file system such as Windows' Explorer or Mac OS X's Finder.</p>
<p>Called Project Infinite, the idea is to provide one interface for accessing every file while eliminating the need for users to pay up for hard drive space. That's a departure from how Dropbox and others like it have operated in the past, downloading and syncing data from the cloud in order to make it quickly accessible on a local machine.</p>
<p>Does it matter? Dropbox isn't a public company, so we can't call this thesis-altering news. And yet the technology could alter how competitors address cloud storage. The bigger guys aren't keen to offer much without extracting a premium.</p>
<p>Take Microsoft , which recently announced plans to drop the storage limit for users of the free version of OneDrive from 15GB to just 5GB. Project Infinite could give users a reason to buy cloud storage as a stand-alone service rather than as part of Microsoft's Office 365 suite or comparable offerings from Alphabet or Amazon. Box may not see any impact at all, if only because the company positions itself to serve large accounts with built-in collaboration and security. The amount of storage Box offers doesn't matter nearly as much as those other features.</p>
<p>Regardless, the cloud storage business appears to be changing for the better, and that's good news for those of us who've come to depend on it.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/28/instant-analysis-will-dropboxs-project-infinite-fi.aspx" type="external">Instant Analysis: Will Dropbox's Project Infinite Finally Set It Apart? Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p>Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFMileHigh/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Tim Beyers Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Alphabet (A and C shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A and C shares), and Amazon.com. The Motley Fool also owns shares of Microsoft. 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>
| 598,751 |
<p>The legal swamp that Donald Trump finds himself in continues to get deeper and muddier. The news that his personal attorney, Michael Cohen had his home and office raided can only be regarded as a bad omen. And while Trump is flailing in a legal morass, his legal representation is falling apart. Along with Cohen’s troubles, Trump lost his lead attorney, John Dowd, last week. And Dowd’s replacement, Joseph DiGenova, was <a href="" type="internal">hired and fired</a> within the space of a couple of days.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2105885379426246" type="external" /></p>
<p>This leaves a legal team that consists of Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow, neither of whom have any expertise in the sort of political intrigue that is engulfing Trump. Consequently, he needs to expand his legal roster with someone who has the appropriate skills and competence. Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t know anyone with those qualities. Plus, many of those people have already turned the President’s offer of employment down. The only people Trump knows are the ones he sees on television. That’s why he is now meeting with Alan Dershowitz, O.J. Simpson’s attorney and frequent Fox News guest.</p>
<p />
<p>Dershowitz has been spending a lot of time lately on Fox defending Trump and criticizing anyone who has an opinion that doesn’t advance Trump’s interests. Dershowitz insists that the special counsel, Robert Mueller, is running an illegal shop that should never have opened up in the first place. He believes that obstruction of justice cannot be alleged absent an underlying crime. Regarding pardons, he takes the absurd position that “engaging in a constitutionally authorized act cannot be the basis of a criminal charge.” Were that true, a president could solicit a hit man to murder an opponent with the promise that he’ll get pardoned.</p>
<p>Dershowitz has been actively arguing Trump’s case before the court of public opinion. And coincidentally, every opinion he expresses is one that’s pro-Trump. His prominence and obvious biases as aired on Fox News is certainly what brought him to Trump’s attention. So now he’s dining at the White House as the legal clouds surrounding Trump get more Stormy. That’s curious considering that just yesterday he told Sean Hannity that “I don’t give advice to the president except on television. If he wants to listen, he can listen.”</p>
<p>Well, now that may all be changing and Dershowitz will become Trump’s advisor. If not, there are still a bunch of wingnut, Trump-fluffing, Fox News “lawyers” up for grabs. “Judge” Jeanine Pirro, Gregg Jarrett, and Kimberly Guilfoyle are all prospects that Trump might consider. Although none of them would actually serve the purpose of advancing his legal interests, they sure could get booked on Fox News to spread his lies and propaganda.</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>
|
With Mueller Looming, Trump Auditions Alan Dershowitz to Be His Newest Fox News Spawned Lawyer
| true |
http://newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p%3D31257
| 4left
|
With Mueller Looming, Trump Auditions Alan Dershowitz to Be His Newest Fox News Spawned Lawyer
<p>The legal swamp that Donald Trump finds himself in continues to get deeper and muddier. The news that his personal attorney, Michael Cohen had his home and office raided can only be regarded as a bad omen. And while Trump is flailing in a legal morass, his legal representation is falling apart. Along with Cohen’s troubles, Trump lost his lead attorney, John Dowd, last week. And Dowd’s replacement, Joseph DiGenova, was <a href="" type="internal">hired and fired</a> within the space of a couple of days.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2105885379426246" type="external" /></p>
<p>This leaves a legal team that consists of Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow, neither of whom have any expertise in the sort of political intrigue that is engulfing Trump. Consequently, he needs to expand his legal roster with someone who has the appropriate skills and competence. Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t know anyone with those qualities. Plus, many of those people have already turned the President’s offer of employment down. The only people Trump knows are the ones he sees on television. That’s why he is now meeting with Alan Dershowitz, O.J. Simpson’s attorney and frequent Fox News guest.</p>
<p />
<p>Dershowitz has been spending a lot of time lately on Fox defending Trump and criticizing anyone who has an opinion that doesn’t advance Trump’s interests. Dershowitz insists that the special counsel, Robert Mueller, is running an illegal shop that should never have opened up in the first place. He believes that obstruction of justice cannot be alleged absent an underlying crime. Regarding pardons, he takes the absurd position that “engaging in a constitutionally authorized act cannot be the basis of a criminal charge.” Were that true, a president could solicit a hit man to murder an opponent with the promise that he’ll get pardoned.</p>
<p>Dershowitz has been actively arguing Trump’s case before the court of public opinion. And coincidentally, every opinion he expresses is one that’s pro-Trump. His prominence and obvious biases as aired on Fox News is certainly what brought him to Trump’s attention. So now he’s dining at the White House as the legal clouds surrounding Trump get more Stormy. That’s curious considering that just yesterday he told Sean Hannity that “I don’t give advice to the president except on television. If he wants to listen, he can listen.”</p>
<p>Well, now that may all be changing and Dershowitz will become Trump’s advisor. If not, there are still a bunch of wingnut, Trump-fluffing, Fox News “lawyers” up for grabs. “Judge” Jeanine Pirro, Gregg Jarrett, and Kimberly Guilfoyle are all prospects that Trump might consider. Although none of them would actually serve the purpose of advancing his legal interests, they sure could get booked on Fox News to spread his lies and propaganda.</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>
| 598,752 |
|
<p>BREWSTER, Mass. (AP) — Police Chief Richard Koch Jr. jokes that if he had a retirement party, it would fit in a phone booth.</p>
<p>Koch, who will retire Feb. 1, is not sure many people would want to celebrate his tenure because he has not always been Mr. Nice Guy.</p>
<p>This is the chief, for example, who shut down Sparky’s Hayrides, a nightly sunset ride drawn by an antique John Deere tractor that has been beloved by kids of all ages for 30 years. This past summer Koch was researching the concept of satellite parking with use of Sparky’s hay wagon when he came up a law clearly stating it is illegal to pull people in trailers - except in parades, because the roads on the parade routes are temporarily closed.</p>
<p>“I still feel bad,” said Koch, shaking his head sadly at his Sparky crackdown, which caused a public outcry and led to a bill to change the state law regarding trailer rides. But Koch stuck to his decision.</p>
<p>“Chief Koch is always going to do the right thing, regardless of who is involved, regardless of who is watching and regardless of what is politically correct or not,” said Rodney Collins, former Mashpee police chief turned town manager. “When you’re in that position, you have to have mental toughness to consistently do the right thing. I know I always respected that in him.”</p>
<p>Or, as Koch’s sister Linda Bowes, of Quincy, said: “He has the most integrity of anyone I know.”</p>
<p>The chief does not tolerate bad behavior among police officers. In 2009, a Brewster officer allegedly urinated on a fellow concertgoer during a Metallica concert in Boston. Koch made it clear as soon as he heard about the incident that, if it was true, he wanted the man off the force, said Charles Sumner, recently retired Brewster town administrator.</p>
<p>The Brewster selectmen fired the officer, and he admitted to sufficient facts to charges of assault and indecent exposure. The charges were continued without a finding, according to court documents.</p>
<p>“Dick is crazily focused on the responsibility that comes with the police’s power to restrict civil liberties,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch was hired 30 years ago as a police officer and became chief in 2006. He immediately put the department through the accreditation process, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Recently, Koch persuaded town meeting voters to buy dashboard cameras for the department’s police cruisers before any other department on the Cape except the Cape Cod National Seashore. He said at the time he wanted the behavior of his officers to be transparent.</p>
<p>There is such a spotlight on police, Koch said, it sometimes prompts officers to become a clique, to hang out only with other cops. Rates of alcoholism, divorce and suicide tend to be higher among police than in other professions, he added. The willingness of police to police themselves is critical, Collins said. When a police officer does something criminal, that behavior starts somewhere, but it would never flourish in a department run by Koch, Collins said.</p>
<p>Koch has always seen his duties as chief as beyond law enforcement itself. He has been involved in other town affairs, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch came up with the idea of adding nearly 100 parking spaces at Crosby Lane to answer the public desire for more beach parking in a town made up of small landings with painfully few parking spots, Sumner said. He was part of every level of discussion and planning about the town’s infrastructure repair, a process that involved surveying more than 100 roads and getting a $10 million override passed, Sumner said.</p>
<p>“He lives in Brewster, he loves Brewster and he’s a son of Brewster,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>That may be a stretch for the people of Quincy, where Koch was raised the second of seven children in a renowned family. His younger brother, Thomas, is now the city’s mayor. His father, Richard Koch, worked as a milkman until he became the longtime head of the city’s Parks Department. Their father was a “go-to guy,” said Thomas Koch.</p>
<p>In the 1950s, the elder Koch founded the Koch Club, a sports program for children who did not make school athletic teams. He started the Quincy Flag Day Parade, which today is the largest Flag Day parade in New England, Bowes said.</p>
<p>The future Brewster chief served from 1981 to 1987 on the Quincy City Council. He was a top vote-getter twice, said his brother. Many urged him to run for mayor, Bowes said.</p>
<p>“He quite possibly could have been mayor, and I never would have been,” Thomas Koch said. “His move (to Brewster) changed both of our lives.”</p>
<p>Koch always wanted to be a police officer because the police have the ability to quickly right a wrong.</p>
<p>“When you know something is going on that is negatively affecting people in your community and you can fix that, it’s gratifying as hell,” Koch said.</p>
<p>Off duty, Koch is just as active helping people, according to family and friends.</p>
<p>When Bowes’ husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Koch helped her more than anyone else, even though most of their siblings live nearby, she said.</p>
<p>When their mother, who has since died, moved into a sister’s home, Koch drove up to Quincy and reorganized the house. By the time other family members arrived to help, it was all done.</p>
<p>“That’s the way he is to everybody,” Bowes said. “He is strong for everybody.”</p>
<p>Koch is private and not prone to showy displays of affection. He has insisted he wants no retirement party. Sumner, who enjoyed several parties for his own retirement, planned nothing out of respect for Koch’s wishes.</p>
<p>But others were not easy to sway. Koch said his wife, Nancy, to whom he has been married for 39 years, was on the phone with family members the other night, and the upshot was there would be a party. No details yet, Koch said Thursday.</p>
<p>But it probably won’t be in a phone booth.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external" /> <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external">http://bit.ly/2DF58FA</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external">http://www.capecodtimes.com</a></p>
<p>BREWSTER, Mass. (AP) — Police Chief Richard Koch Jr. jokes that if he had a retirement party, it would fit in a phone booth.</p>
<p>Koch, who will retire Feb. 1, is not sure many people would want to celebrate his tenure because he has not always been Mr. Nice Guy.</p>
<p>This is the chief, for example, who shut down Sparky’s Hayrides, a nightly sunset ride drawn by an antique John Deere tractor that has been beloved by kids of all ages for 30 years. This past summer Koch was researching the concept of satellite parking with use of Sparky’s hay wagon when he came up a law clearly stating it is illegal to pull people in trailers - except in parades, because the roads on the parade routes are temporarily closed.</p>
<p>“I still feel bad,” said Koch, shaking his head sadly at his Sparky crackdown, which caused a public outcry and led to a bill to change the state law regarding trailer rides. But Koch stuck to his decision.</p>
<p>“Chief Koch is always going to do the right thing, regardless of who is involved, regardless of who is watching and regardless of what is politically correct or not,” said Rodney Collins, former Mashpee police chief turned town manager. “When you’re in that position, you have to have mental toughness to consistently do the right thing. I know I always respected that in him.”</p>
<p>Or, as Koch’s sister Linda Bowes, of Quincy, said: “He has the most integrity of anyone I know.”</p>
<p>The chief does not tolerate bad behavior among police officers. In 2009, a Brewster officer allegedly urinated on a fellow concertgoer during a Metallica concert in Boston. Koch made it clear as soon as he heard about the incident that, if it was true, he wanted the man off the force, said Charles Sumner, recently retired Brewster town administrator.</p>
<p>The Brewster selectmen fired the officer, and he admitted to sufficient facts to charges of assault and indecent exposure. The charges were continued without a finding, according to court documents.</p>
<p>“Dick is crazily focused on the responsibility that comes with the police’s power to restrict civil liberties,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch was hired 30 years ago as a police officer and became chief in 2006. He immediately put the department through the accreditation process, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Recently, Koch persuaded town meeting voters to buy dashboard cameras for the department’s police cruisers before any other department on the Cape except the Cape Cod National Seashore. He said at the time he wanted the behavior of his officers to be transparent.</p>
<p>There is such a spotlight on police, Koch said, it sometimes prompts officers to become a clique, to hang out only with other cops. Rates of alcoholism, divorce and suicide tend to be higher among police than in other professions, he added. The willingness of police to police themselves is critical, Collins said. When a police officer does something criminal, that behavior starts somewhere, but it would never flourish in a department run by Koch, Collins said.</p>
<p>Koch has always seen his duties as chief as beyond law enforcement itself. He has been involved in other town affairs, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch came up with the idea of adding nearly 100 parking spaces at Crosby Lane to answer the public desire for more beach parking in a town made up of small landings with painfully few parking spots, Sumner said. He was part of every level of discussion and planning about the town’s infrastructure repair, a process that involved surveying more than 100 roads and getting a $10 million override passed, Sumner said.</p>
<p>“He lives in Brewster, he loves Brewster and he’s a son of Brewster,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>That may be a stretch for the people of Quincy, where Koch was raised the second of seven children in a renowned family. His younger brother, Thomas, is now the city’s mayor. His father, Richard Koch, worked as a milkman until he became the longtime head of the city’s Parks Department. Their father was a “go-to guy,” said Thomas Koch.</p>
<p>In the 1950s, the elder Koch founded the Koch Club, a sports program for children who did not make school athletic teams. He started the Quincy Flag Day Parade, which today is the largest Flag Day parade in New England, Bowes said.</p>
<p>The future Brewster chief served from 1981 to 1987 on the Quincy City Council. He was a top vote-getter twice, said his brother. Many urged him to run for mayor, Bowes said.</p>
<p>“He quite possibly could have been mayor, and I never would have been,” Thomas Koch said. “His move (to Brewster) changed both of our lives.”</p>
<p>Koch always wanted to be a police officer because the police have the ability to quickly right a wrong.</p>
<p>“When you know something is going on that is negatively affecting people in your community and you can fix that, it’s gratifying as hell,” Koch said.</p>
<p>Off duty, Koch is just as active helping people, according to family and friends.</p>
<p>When Bowes’ husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Koch helped her more than anyone else, even though most of their siblings live nearby, she said.</p>
<p>When their mother, who has since died, moved into a sister’s home, Koch drove up to Quincy and reorganized the house. By the time other family members arrived to help, it was all done.</p>
<p>“That’s the way he is to everybody,” Bowes said. “He is strong for everybody.”</p>
<p>Koch is private and not prone to showy displays of affection. He has insisted he wants no retirement party. Sumner, who enjoyed several parties for his own retirement, planned nothing out of respect for Koch’s wishes.</p>
<p>But others were not easy to sway. Koch said his wife, Nancy, to whom he has been married for 39 years, was on the phone with family members the other night, and the upshot was there would be a party. No details yet, Koch said Thursday.</p>
<p>But it probably won’t be in a phone booth.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external" /> <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external">http://bit.ly/2DF58FA</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external">http://www.capecodtimes.com</a></p>
|
Police chief reflects on force’s transformation
| false |
https://apnews.com/79e5020f2eb0418ab996f305930d422f
|
2018-01-23
| 2least
|
Police chief reflects on force’s transformation
<p>BREWSTER, Mass. (AP) — Police Chief Richard Koch Jr. jokes that if he had a retirement party, it would fit in a phone booth.</p>
<p>Koch, who will retire Feb. 1, is not sure many people would want to celebrate his tenure because he has not always been Mr. Nice Guy.</p>
<p>This is the chief, for example, who shut down Sparky’s Hayrides, a nightly sunset ride drawn by an antique John Deere tractor that has been beloved by kids of all ages for 30 years. This past summer Koch was researching the concept of satellite parking with use of Sparky’s hay wagon when he came up a law clearly stating it is illegal to pull people in trailers - except in parades, because the roads on the parade routes are temporarily closed.</p>
<p>“I still feel bad,” said Koch, shaking his head sadly at his Sparky crackdown, which caused a public outcry and led to a bill to change the state law regarding trailer rides. But Koch stuck to his decision.</p>
<p>“Chief Koch is always going to do the right thing, regardless of who is involved, regardless of who is watching and regardless of what is politically correct or not,” said Rodney Collins, former Mashpee police chief turned town manager. “When you’re in that position, you have to have mental toughness to consistently do the right thing. I know I always respected that in him.”</p>
<p>Or, as Koch’s sister Linda Bowes, of Quincy, said: “He has the most integrity of anyone I know.”</p>
<p>The chief does not tolerate bad behavior among police officers. In 2009, a Brewster officer allegedly urinated on a fellow concertgoer during a Metallica concert in Boston. Koch made it clear as soon as he heard about the incident that, if it was true, he wanted the man off the force, said Charles Sumner, recently retired Brewster town administrator.</p>
<p>The Brewster selectmen fired the officer, and he admitted to sufficient facts to charges of assault and indecent exposure. The charges were continued without a finding, according to court documents.</p>
<p>“Dick is crazily focused on the responsibility that comes with the police’s power to restrict civil liberties,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch was hired 30 years ago as a police officer and became chief in 2006. He immediately put the department through the accreditation process, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Recently, Koch persuaded town meeting voters to buy dashboard cameras for the department’s police cruisers before any other department on the Cape except the Cape Cod National Seashore. He said at the time he wanted the behavior of his officers to be transparent.</p>
<p>There is such a spotlight on police, Koch said, it sometimes prompts officers to become a clique, to hang out only with other cops. Rates of alcoholism, divorce and suicide tend to be higher among police than in other professions, he added. The willingness of police to police themselves is critical, Collins said. When a police officer does something criminal, that behavior starts somewhere, but it would never flourish in a department run by Koch, Collins said.</p>
<p>Koch has always seen his duties as chief as beyond law enforcement itself. He has been involved in other town affairs, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch came up with the idea of adding nearly 100 parking spaces at Crosby Lane to answer the public desire for more beach parking in a town made up of small landings with painfully few parking spots, Sumner said. He was part of every level of discussion and planning about the town’s infrastructure repair, a process that involved surveying more than 100 roads and getting a $10 million override passed, Sumner said.</p>
<p>“He lives in Brewster, he loves Brewster and he’s a son of Brewster,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>That may be a stretch for the people of Quincy, where Koch was raised the second of seven children in a renowned family. His younger brother, Thomas, is now the city’s mayor. His father, Richard Koch, worked as a milkman until he became the longtime head of the city’s Parks Department. Their father was a “go-to guy,” said Thomas Koch.</p>
<p>In the 1950s, the elder Koch founded the Koch Club, a sports program for children who did not make school athletic teams. He started the Quincy Flag Day Parade, which today is the largest Flag Day parade in New England, Bowes said.</p>
<p>The future Brewster chief served from 1981 to 1987 on the Quincy City Council. He was a top vote-getter twice, said his brother. Many urged him to run for mayor, Bowes said.</p>
<p>“He quite possibly could have been mayor, and I never would have been,” Thomas Koch said. “His move (to Brewster) changed both of our lives.”</p>
<p>Koch always wanted to be a police officer because the police have the ability to quickly right a wrong.</p>
<p>“When you know something is going on that is negatively affecting people in your community and you can fix that, it’s gratifying as hell,” Koch said.</p>
<p>Off duty, Koch is just as active helping people, according to family and friends.</p>
<p>When Bowes’ husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Koch helped her more than anyone else, even though most of their siblings live nearby, she said.</p>
<p>When their mother, who has since died, moved into a sister’s home, Koch drove up to Quincy and reorganized the house. By the time other family members arrived to help, it was all done.</p>
<p>“That’s the way he is to everybody,” Bowes said. “He is strong for everybody.”</p>
<p>Koch is private and not prone to showy displays of affection. He has insisted he wants no retirement party. Sumner, who enjoyed several parties for his own retirement, planned nothing out of respect for Koch’s wishes.</p>
<p>But others were not easy to sway. Koch said his wife, Nancy, to whom he has been married for 39 years, was on the phone with family members the other night, and the upshot was there would be a party. No details yet, Koch said Thursday.</p>
<p>But it probably won’t be in a phone booth.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external" /> <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external">http://bit.ly/2DF58FA</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external">http://www.capecodtimes.com</a></p>
<p>BREWSTER, Mass. (AP) — Police Chief Richard Koch Jr. jokes that if he had a retirement party, it would fit in a phone booth.</p>
<p>Koch, who will retire Feb. 1, is not sure many people would want to celebrate his tenure because he has not always been Mr. Nice Guy.</p>
<p>This is the chief, for example, who shut down Sparky’s Hayrides, a nightly sunset ride drawn by an antique John Deere tractor that has been beloved by kids of all ages for 30 years. This past summer Koch was researching the concept of satellite parking with use of Sparky’s hay wagon when he came up a law clearly stating it is illegal to pull people in trailers - except in parades, because the roads on the parade routes are temporarily closed.</p>
<p>“I still feel bad,” said Koch, shaking his head sadly at his Sparky crackdown, which caused a public outcry and led to a bill to change the state law regarding trailer rides. But Koch stuck to his decision.</p>
<p>“Chief Koch is always going to do the right thing, regardless of who is involved, regardless of who is watching and regardless of what is politically correct or not,” said Rodney Collins, former Mashpee police chief turned town manager. “When you’re in that position, you have to have mental toughness to consistently do the right thing. I know I always respected that in him.”</p>
<p>Or, as Koch’s sister Linda Bowes, of Quincy, said: “He has the most integrity of anyone I know.”</p>
<p>The chief does not tolerate bad behavior among police officers. In 2009, a Brewster officer allegedly urinated on a fellow concertgoer during a Metallica concert in Boston. Koch made it clear as soon as he heard about the incident that, if it was true, he wanted the man off the force, said Charles Sumner, recently retired Brewster town administrator.</p>
<p>The Brewster selectmen fired the officer, and he admitted to sufficient facts to charges of assault and indecent exposure. The charges were continued without a finding, according to court documents.</p>
<p>“Dick is crazily focused on the responsibility that comes with the police’s power to restrict civil liberties,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch was hired 30 years ago as a police officer and became chief in 2006. He immediately put the department through the accreditation process, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Recently, Koch persuaded town meeting voters to buy dashboard cameras for the department’s police cruisers before any other department on the Cape except the Cape Cod National Seashore. He said at the time he wanted the behavior of his officers to be transparent.</p>
<p>There is such a spotlight on police, Koch said, it sometimes prompts officers to become a clique, to hang out only with other cops. Rates of alcoholism, divorce and suicide tend to be higher among police than in other professions, he added. The willingness of police to police themselves is critical, Collins said. When a police officer does something criminal, that behavior starts somewhere, but it would never flourish in a department run by Koch, Collins said.</p>
<p>Koch has always seen his duties as chief as beyond law enforcement itself. He has been involved in other town affairs, Sumner said.</p>
<p>Koch came up with the idea of adding nearly 100 parking spaces at Crosby Lane to answer the public desire for more beach parking in a town made up of small landings with painfully few parking spots, Sumner said. He was part of every level of discussion and planning about the town’s infrastructure repair, a process that involved surveying more than 100 roads and getting a $10 million override passed, Sumner said.</p>
<p>“He lives in Brewster, he loves Brewster and he’s a son of Brewster,” Sumner said.</p>
<p>That may be a stretch for the people of Quincy, where Koch was raised the second of seven children in a renowned family. His younger brother, Thomas, is now the city’s mayor. His father, Richard Koch, worked as a milkman until he became the longtime head of the city’s Parks Department. Their father was a “go-to guy,” said Thomas Koch.</p>
<p>In the 1950s, the elder Koch founded the Koch Club, a sports program for children who did not make school athletic teams. He started the Quincy Flag Day Parade, which today is the largest Flag Day parade in New England, Bowes said.</p>
<p>The future Brewster chief served from 1981 to 1987 on the Quincy City Council. He was a top vote-getter twice, said his brother. Many urged him to run for mayor, Bowes said.</p>
<p>“He quite possibly could have been mayor, and I never would have been,” Thomas Koch said. “His move (to Brewster) changed both of our lives.”</p>
<p>Koch always wanted to be a police officer because the police have the ability to quickly right a wrong.</p>
<p>“When you know something is going on that is negatively affecting people in your community and you can fix that, it’s gratifying as hell,” Koch said.</p>
<p>Off duty, Koch is just as active helping people, according to family and friends.</p>
<p>When Bowes’ husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Koch helped her more than anyone else, even though most of their siblings live nearby, she said.</p>
<p>When their mother, who has since died, moved into a sister’s home, Koch drove up to Quincy and reorganized the house. By the time other family members arrived to help, it was all done.</p>
<p>“That’s the way he is to everybody,” Bowes said. “He is strong for everybody.”</p>
<p>Koch is private and not prone to showy displays of affection. He has insisted he wants no retirement party. Sumner, who enjoyed several parties for his own retirement, planned nothing out of respect for Koch’s wishes.</p>
<p>But others were not easy to sway. Koch said his wife, Nancy, to whom he has been married for 39 years, was on the phone with family members the other night, and the upshot was there would be a party. No details yet, Koch said Thursday.</p>
<p>But it probably won’t be in a phone booth.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external" /> <a href="http://bit.ly/2DF58FA" type="external">http://bit.ly/2DF58FA</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.capecodtimes.com" type="external">http://www.capecodtimes.com</a></p>
| 598,753 |
<p />
<p>Intel recently unveiled its first 10-core desktop CPU, the Intel Core i7-6950X Extreme Edition. The new processor runs at 3GHz (with boost speeds of up to 3.5GHz), has 25MB of cache, 40 PCI Express 3.0 lanes, and features Intel's new Turbo Boost 3.0 technology.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Intel claims those specs make it twice as fast as its top-tier quad-core i7 6700K for 3D rendering and 65% faster at editing 4K video. But customers will pay a lot for that performance boost -- the 10-core i7-6950X will cost a whopping $1,723, roughly five times the price of the i7 6700K. So who is Intel actually targeting with such a pricey processor?</p>
<p>Image source: Intel.</p>
<p>In its press release, Intel declares that the "growing community of more than 1.3 billion" gamers "are continually raising the bar" by "driving their systems to its limits." The company also says that the 10-core CPU delivers "a fantastic experience" with virtual reality headsets like Facebook's Oculus Rift and HTC's Vive.</p>
<p>But for most gamers, buying a $1,700 processor is complete overkill. Simply take a look at the recommended specs for two graphically demanding current-gen games -- Square Enix's Rise of the Tomb Raider and Electronic Arts' Star Wars Battlefront.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Rise of the Tomb Raider's recommended requirements include a Core i5-750 2.4GHz CPU ($150), Nvidia's GeForce GTX 970($300), and 16GB of RAM. Battlefront's recommended requirements includea Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz ($230), a GeForce GTX 970, and 16GB of RAM. Most modern games rely more on the GPU and the amount of available RAM instead of the processor, so spending $1,700 on a 10-core CPU for gaming seems pretty wasteful.</p>
<p>Rise of the Tomb Raider. Image source: Square Enix.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, prices for high-end graphics boards are rapidly dropping. Nvidia's <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/01/nvidia-corporation-vs-amd-battle-of-the-next-gen-g.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">new GTX 1070 Opens a New Window.</a>, for example, costs $380 andoffers better performance than its top-tier Titan X, which costs around $1,000. PC Gamer's recent guide for building a high-end gaming PC noted that all the necessary components could be bought for around $2,000. As for virtual reality, "VR ready" PCs generally cost around $1,000. Lastly, a recent Valve survey found that less than20% of gamers plan to upgrade their current systems to play VR games -- which greatly limits the total addressable market of a 10-core desktop CPU.</p>
<p>Intel's launch of a pricey niche CPU doesn't really make sense in the context of gaming, but it makes sense in the context of Moore's Law's coming undone. That "law" claimed that the number of transistors within the same area of silicon can double every two years, and served as the foundation of Intel's "tick-tock" strategy for decades.</p>
<p>During a "tick" launch, Intel introduces a smaller microarchitecture with a new manufacturing process. During a "tock" launch, the microprocessors are upgraded but the die size remains the same. In the past, the tick-tock cycle was about two years long. But over the past few years, it became increasingly expensive and difficult to engineer smaller chips. In March, Intel announced that it would <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/29/as-moores-law-ends-whats-next-for-intel-corporatio.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">officially replace Opens a New Window.</a> the 24-month tick-tock cycle with a 30-month "process, architecture, and optimization" model.</p>
<p>Simply put, Intel couldn't keep boosting clock speeds and keep shrinking down its chips as quickly as before, so it resorted to a cheaper way of boosting performance -- adding additional CPU cores to existing architecture. In addition to a 10-core CPU, Intel is launching six- and eight-core CPUs based on the same Broadwell-E architecture. A notable drawback of Broadwell-E is that clock speeds gradually decline as more cores are added, so Intel added the Turbo Boost feature to compensate. But Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham recently <a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/broadwell-e-arrives-testing-intels-10-core-1700-desktop-cpu/2/" type="external">pointed out Opens a New Window.</a> that for single-threaded tasks, "a faster CPU with fewer cores may well beat your new 10-core, $1,700 monster."</p>
<p>Intel likely knows that it won't sell many 10-core desktop CPUs. But it also likely knows that announcing a "10-core" processor would generate free publicity about its processors and potentially counter the notion that its CPU upgrades weren't that dramatic anymore. It's not all that different from IBM's claimof creating the <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/07/17/ibm-just-leapfrogged-over-intel-corporation-with-t.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">world's tiniest CPU Opens a New Window.</a> with 7nm technology last year. That announcement initially stunned Intel investors, but it quickly became apparent that Big Blue's chip would be too costly to mass produce.</p>
<p>Intel also can't sidestep the slowdown in PC sales by relying on gamers, as Nvidia did, because high-end gaming relies more on add-in graphic boards than multi-core CPUs. Therefore, Intel's new six, eight, and ten-core CPUs probably won't move the needle for its Client Computing Group, which posteda 2% annual sales decline last quarter. But they represent interesting technical milestones, which might appeal to a niche group of desktop PC enthusiasts.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/05/who-will-buy-intel-corporations-1700-desktop-cpus.aspx" type="external">Who Will Buy Intel Corporation's $1,700 Desktop CPUs? Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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>
|
Who Will Buy Intel Corporation's $1,700 Desktop CPUs?
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/06/05/who-will-buy-intel-corporation-1700-desktop-cpus.html
|
2016-06-05
| 0right
|
Who Will Buy Intel Corporation's $1,700 Desktop CPUs?
<p />
<p>Intel recently unveiled its first 10-core desktop CPU, the Intel Core i7-6950X Extreme Edition. The new processor runs at 3GHz (with boost speeds of up to 3.5GHz), has 25MB of cache, 40 PCI Express 3.0 lanes, and features Intel's new Turbo Boost 3.0 technology.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Intel claims those specs make it twice as fast as its top-tier quad-core i7 6700K for 3D rendering and 65% faster at editing 4K video. But customers will pay a lot for that performance boost -- the 10-core i7-6950X will cost a whopping $1,723, roughly five times the price of the i7 6700K. So who is Intel actually targeting with such a pricey processor?</p>
<p>Image source: Intel.</p>
<p>In its press release, Intel declares that the "growing community of more than 1.3 billion" gamers "are continually raising the bar" by "driving their systems to its limits." The company also says that the 10-core CPU delivers "a fantastic experience" with virtual reality headsets like Facebook's Oculus Rift and HTC's Vive.</p>
<p>But for most gamers, buying a $1,700 processor is complete overkill. Simply take a look at the recommended specs for two graphically demanding current-gen games -- Square Enix's Rise of the Tomb Raider and Electronic Arts' Star Wars Battlefront.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Rise of the Tomb Raider's recommended requirements include a Core i5-750 2.4GHz CPU ($150), Nvidia's GeForce GTX 970($300), and 16GB of RAM. Battlefront's recommended requirements includea Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz ($230), a GeForce GTX 970, and 16GB of RAM. Most modern games rely more on the GPU and the amount of available RAM instead of the processor, so spending $1,700 on a 10-core CPU for gaming seems pretty wasteful.</p>
<p>Rise of the Tomb Raider. Image source: Square Enix.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, prices for high-end graphics boards are rapidly dropping. Nvidia's <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/01/nvidia-corporation-vs-amd-battle-of-the-next-gen-g.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">new GTX 1070 Opens a New Window.</a>, for example, costs $380 andoffers better performance than its top-tier Titan X, which costs around $1,000. PC Gamer's recent guide for building a high-end gaming PC noted that all the necessary components could be bought for around $2,000. As for virtual reality, "VR ready" PCs generally cost around $1,000. Lastly, a recent Valve survey found that less than20% of gamers plan to upgrade their current systems to play VR games -- which greatly limits the total addressable market of a 10-core desktop CPU.</p>
<p>Intel's launch of a pricey niche CPU doesn't really make sense in the context of gaming, but it makes sense in the context of Moore's Law's coming undone. That "law" claimed that the number of transistors within the same area of silicon can double every two years, and served as the foundation of Intel's "tick-tock" strategy for decades.</p>
<p>During a "tick" launch, Intel introduces a smaller microarchitecture with a new manufacturing process. During a "tock" launch, the microprocessors are upgraded but the die size remains the same. In the past, the tick-tock cycle was about two years long. But over the past few years, it became increasingly expensive and difficult to engineer smaller chips. In March, Intel announced that it would <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/29/as-moores-law-ends-whats-next-for-intel-corporatio.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">officially replace Opens a New Window.</a> the 24-month tick-tock cycle with a 30-month "process, architecture, and optimization" model.</p>
<p>Simply put, Intel couldn't keep boosting clock speeds and keep shrinking down its chips as quickly as before, so it resorted to a cheaper way of boosting performance -- adding additional CPU cores to existing architecture. In addition to a 10-core CPU, Intel is launching six- and eight-core CPUs based on the same Broadwell-E architecture. A notable drawback of Broadwell-E is that clock speeds gradually decline as more cores are added, so Intel added the Turbo Boost feature to compensate. But Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham recently <a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/broadwell-e-arrives-testing-intels-10-core-1700-desktop-cpu/2/" type="external">pointed out Opens a New Window.</a> that for single-threaded tasks, "a faster CPU with fewer cores may well beat your new 10-core, $1,700 monster."</p>
<p>Intel likely knows that it won't sell many 10-core desktop CPUs. But it also likely knows that announcing a "10-core" processor would generate free publicity about its processors and potentially counter the notion that its CPU upgrades weren't that dramatic anymore. It's not all that different from IBM's claimof creating the <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/07/17/ibm-just-leapfrogged-over-intel-corporation-with-t.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">world's tiniest CPU Opens a New Window.</a> with 7nm technology last year. That announcement initially stunned Intel investors, but it quickly became apparent that Big Blue's chip would be too costly to mass produce.</p>
<p>Intel also can't sidestep the slowdown in PC sales by relying on gamers, as Nvidia did, because high-end gaming relies more on add-in graphic boards than multi-core CPUs. Therefore, Intel's new six, eight, and ten-core CPUs probably won't move the needle for its Client Computing Group, which posteda 2% annual sales decline last quarter. But they represent interesting technical milestones, which might appeal to a niche group of desktop PC enthusiasts.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/05/who-will-buy-intel-corporations-1700-desktop-cpus.aspx" type="external">Who Will Buy Intel Corporation's $1,700 Desktop CPUs? Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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>
| 598,754 |
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<p />
<p>The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant “has made significant progress in strengthening its emergency management program, but much remains to be done,” including resolving issues with emergency command and control, communications and staff training, the Office of Enterprise Assessments concluded in a report released earlier this year.</p>
<p>Assessors said the key shift made by WIPP since the February 2014 shutdown was in reorganizing the facility’s “command and control structure” – essentially who is responsible for directing the reaction to an unfolding emergency.</p>
<p>WIPP contractor Nuclear Waste Partnership’s new response strategy is led by an incident commander, who controls the scene of an event, and a facility shift manager, who serves as emergency director.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Last year, an Accident Investigation Board found numerous failings in NWP’s response to an underground fire on a salt haul truck and again to a radiation release days later that contaminated nearly two dozen workers. Two investigations characterized the responses to both crises as “less than adequate” and “ineffective.”</p>
<p>When WIPP ran a test of its emergency response system in December, the Office of Enterprise Assessments was looking for a change in how NWP handled a crisis, this time a simulated “emergency” scenario: a fire on a bolting machine in the deep underground salt mine, in which five workers would be hurt and one would be radiologically contaminated.</p>
<p>The assessors concluded that procedures in the drill for activating the emergency response, evacuating the mine and notifying off-site agencies “were used and worked well.”</p>
<p>However, communications problems tripped up the response, and incident command “was not very effective in maintaining situational awareness and ensuring a common operating picture among responders” during the drill, assessors said.</p>
<p>“It was the first full-scale test of our new emergency management system,” Jim Blankenhorn, NWP recovery manager, said in a town hall meeting after the test. “There were some things that we learned … that we need to improve on.”</p>
<p>In its report on last year’s actual underground fire, the Accident Investigation Board specifically called out communications deficiencies, a lack of effective training and issues resulting from not having an incident command system in place.</p>
<p>Investigators also determined that NWP workers were unable to recognize, classify or safely respond to last year’s radiological emergency. They also faulted DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office for not holding NWP accountable for “long-standing deficiencies” found in previous reviews.</p>
<p>In the recent drill exercise, assessors called the radiological control response “commendable.”</p>
<p>The Office of Enterprise Assessments bills itself as an autonomous organization within DOE, responsible for performance of assessments on behalf of the department leadership. It plans to continue NWP’s progress in improving the WIPP emergency management program, according to the report.</p>
<p />
<p />
|
DOE says WIPP better able to deal with emergencies
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/549987/doe-says-wipp-better-able-to-deal-with-emergencies.html
| 2least
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DOE says WIPP better able to deal with emergencies
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant “has made significant progress in strengthening its emergency management program, but much remains to be done,” including resolving issues with emergency command and control, communications and staff training, the Office of Enterprise Assessments concluded in a report released earlier this year.</p>
<p>Assessors said the key shift made by WIPP since the February 2014 shutdown was in reorganizing the facility’s “command and control structure” – essentially who is responsible for directing the reaction to an unfolding emergency.</p>
<p>WIPP contractor Nuclear Waste Partnership’s new response strategy is led by an incident commander, who controls the scene of an event, and a facility shift manager, who serves as emergency director.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Last year, an Accident Investigation Board found numerous failings in NWP’s response to an underground fire on a salt haul truck and again to a radiation release days later that contaminated nearly two dozen workers. Two investigations characterized the responses to both crises as “less than adequate” and “ineffective.”</p>
<p>When WIPP ran a test of its emergency response system in December, the Office of Enterprise Assessments was looking for a change in how NWP handled a crisis, this time a simulated “emergency” scenario: a fire on a bolting machine in the deep underground salt mine, in which five workers would be hurt and one would be radiologically contaminated.</p>
<p>The assessors concluded that procedures in the drill for activating the emergency response, evacuating the mine and notifying off-site agencies “were used and worked well.”</p>
<p>However, communications problems tripped up the response, and incident command “was not very effective in maintaining situational awareness and ensuring a common operating picture among responders” during the drill, assessors said.</p>
<p>“It was the first full-scale test of our new emergency management system,” Jim Blankenhorn, NWP recovery manager, said in a town hall meeting after the test. “There were some things that we learned … that we need to improve on.”</p>
<p>In its report on last year’s actual underground fire, the Accident Investigation Board specifically called out communications deficiencies, a lack of effective training and issues resulting from not having an incident command system in place.</p>
<p>Investigators also determined that NWP workers were unable to recognize, classify or safely respond to last year’s radiological emergency. They also faulted DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office for not holding NWP accountable for “long-standing deficiencies” found in previous reviews.</p>
<p>In the recent drill exercise, assessors called the radiological control response “commendable.”</p>
<p>The Office of Enterprise Assessments bills itself as an autonomous organization within DOE, responsible for performance of assessments on behalf of the department leadership. It plans to continue NWP’s progress in improving the WIPP emergency management program, according to the report.</p>
<p />
<p />
| 598,755 |
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<p>MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Walters totaled 19 points and eight rebounds and Giddy Potts added 14 points, seven boards, three assists and two steals to power Middle Tennessee to a 69-49 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday.</p>
<p>Potts scored nine points in the first 3 ½ minutes — sandwiching two 3-pointers around a 3-point play — as the Blue Raiders (13-4, 5-0 Conference USA) jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back. Nick King snagged 10 rebounds to help Middle Tennessee control the boards 50-23.</p>
<p>Tyree Griffin had 21 points to pace the Golden Eagles (9-10, 2-4), while LaDavius Draine finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Cortez Edwards scored 10.</p>
<p>Draine scored the last five points of the first half to pull Southern Miss within 30-24 at intermission. But Walters scored six in a 12-6 run to open the second half to put the Blue Raiders up 42-30. A 3-pointer from Edward Simpson pushed the lead to 21 and Middle Tennessee coasted from there.</p>
<p>The Golden Eagles shot 35 percent from the floor, 17 percent from distance and had just three assists.</p>
<p>MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Walters totaled 19 points and eight rebounds and Giddy Potts added 14 points, seven boards, three assists and two steals to power Middle Tennessee to a 69-49 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday.</p>
<p>Potts scored nine points in the first 3 ½ minutes — sandwiching two 3-pointers around a 3-point play — as the Blue Raiders (13-4, 5-0 Conference USA) jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back. Nick King snagged 10 rebounds to help Middle Tennessee control the boards 50-23.</p>
<p>Tyree Griffin had 21 points to pace the Golden Eagles (9-10, 2-4), while LaDavius Draine finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Cortez Edwards scored 10.</p>
<p>Draine scored the last five points of the first half to pull Southern Miss within 30-24 at intermission. But Walters scored six in a 12-6 run to open the second half to put the Blue Raiders up 42-30. A 3-pointer from Edward Simpson pushed the lead to 21 and Middle Tennessee coasted from there.</p>
<p>The Golden Eagles shot 35 percent from the floor, 17 percent from distance and had just three assists.</p>
|
Middle Tennessee breezes past Southern Miss 69-49
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/889843e87ac749b2bceaedfb7228073d
|
2018-01-14
| 2least
|
Middle Tennessee breezes past Southern Miss 69-49
<p>MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Walters totaled 19 points and eight rebounds and Giddy Potts added 14 points, seven boards, three assists and two steals to power Middle Tennessee to a 69-49 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday.</p>
<p>Potts scored nine points in the first 3 ½ minutes — sandwiching two 3-pointers around a 3-point play — as the Blue Raiders (13-4, 5-0 Conference USA) jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back. Nick King snagged 10 rebounds to help Middle Tennessee control the boards 50-23.</p>
<p>Tyree Griffin had 21 points to pace the Golden Eagles (9-10, 2-4), while LaDavius Draine finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Cortez Edwards scored 10.</p>
<p>Draine scored the last five points of the first half to pull Southern Miss within 30-24 at intermission. But Walters scored six in a 12-6 run to open the second half to put the Blue Raiders up 42-30. A 3-pointer from Edward Simpson pushed the lead to 21 and Middle Tennessee coasted from there.</p>
<p>The Golden Eagles shot 35 percent from the floor, 17 percent from distance and had just three assists.</p>
<p>MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Walters totaled 19 points and eight rebounds and Giddy Potts added 14 points, seven boards, three assists and two steals to power Middle Tennessee to a 69-49 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday.</p>
<p>Potts scored nine points in the first 3 ½ minutes — sandwiching two 3-pointers around a 3-point play — as the Blue Raiders (13-4, 5-0 Conference USA) jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back. Nick King snagged 10 rebounds to help Middle Tennessee control the boards 50-23.</p>
<p>Tyree Griffin had 21 points to pace the Golden Eagles (9-10, 2-4), while LaDavius Draine finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Cortez Edwards scored 10.</p>
<p>Draine scored the last five points of the first half to pull Southern Miss within 30-24 at intermission. But Walters scored six in a 12-6 run to open the second half to put the Blue Raiders up 42-30. A 3-pointer from Edward Simpson pushed the lead to 21 and Middle Tennessee coasted from there.</p>
<p>The Golden Eagles shot 35 percent from the floor, 17 percent from distance and had just three assists.</p>
| 598,756 |
<p />
<p>LG Electronics said Tuesday it will spend $25 million to open a U.S. plant for manufacturing electric vehicle components.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The 250,000-square-foot building is located in Hazel Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. When it opens next year, the plant will create at least 292 jobs in Hazel Park and an expanded research and development center in nearby Troy.</p>
<p>The Michigan government is providing a four-year, $2.9 million capital grant for the project.</p>
<p>“LG’s initiative to develop and produce world-class EV components in the United States represents a key pillar of our strategy to be the best technology partner to U.S. automakers,” said Ken Chang, head of the LG Vehicle Components North American Business Center.</p>
<p>LG said vehicle components are the company’s fastest-growing business. Auto-related revenue jumped 43% year-over-year to $1.5 billion during the first half of 2017, driven by LG’s supplier agreement with General Motors (NYSE:GM) for the new Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Foxconn has expressed interest in opening a Michigan facility to develop advanced vehicle technologies, including self-driving cars Opens a New Window.</a>. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, has said there’s a “strong possibility” that Foxconn, known for making Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones, will expand to the state. The Taiwanese electronics company recently announced that it will build a $10 billion plan in Wisconsin.</p>
<p>In addition to the Michigan facility, LG expects to begin construction soon on a $250 million factory for washing machines in Clarksville, Tennessee. The production plant will create 600 new jobs by 2019, according to LG. The company is also building a new North American headquarters down the road from its current offices in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. The project will cost $300 million.</p>
|
LG to open Michigan plant to make electric car parts
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/08/22/lg-to-open-michigan-plant-to-make-electric-car-parts.html
|
2017-08-22
| 0right
|
LG to open Michigan plant to make electric car parts
<p />
<p>LG Electronics said Tuesday it will spend $25 million to open a U.S. plant for manufacturing electric vehicle components.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The 250,000-square-foot building is located in Hazel Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. When it opens next year, the plant will create at least 292 jobs in Hazel Park and an expanded research and development center in nearby Troy.</p>
<p>The Michigan government is providing a four-year, $2.9 million capital grant for the project.</p>
<p>“LG’s initiative to develop and produce world-class EV components in the United States represents a key pillar of our strategy to be the best technology partner to U.S. automakers,” said Ken Chang, head of the LG Vehicle Components North American Business Center.</p>
<p>LG said vehicle components are the company’s fastest-growing business. Auto-related revenue jumped 43% year-over-year to $1.5 billion during the first half of 2017, driven by LG’s supplier agreement with General Motors (NYSE:GM) for the new Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Foxconn has expressed interest in opening a Michigan facility to develop advanced vehicle technologies, including self-driving cars Opens a New Window.</a>. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, has said there’s a “strong possibility” that Foxconn, known for making Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones, will expand to the state. The Taiwanese electronics company recently announced that it will build a $10 billion plan in Wisconsin.</p>
<p>In addition to the Michigan facility, LG expects to begin construction soon on a $250 million factory for washing machines in Clarksville, Tennessee. The production plant will create 600 new jobs by 2019, according to LG. The company is also building a new North American headquarters down the road from its current offices in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. The project will cost $300 million.</p>
| 598,757 |
<p>There were more revelations over the weekend of the NSA spying on friendly countries.&#160;This time, France and Mexico were the targets.&#160;The same NSA surveillance used to intercept the emails of Mexican drug cartels was used to hack into the emails of Mexico's president.</p>
<p>New information leaked to the German publication <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nsa-hacked-email-account-of-mexican-president-a-928817.html" type="external">Der Spiegel</a>&#160;showed that the U.S. was spying on former Mexican president Felipe Calderon since 2010. The new revelation comes just weeks after a leak about NSA spying on the current Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto, while he was campaigning for office.</p>
<p>Is the Mexican government up in arms?</p>
<p>Well, sort of.</p>
<p>While the French forcefully called on the US ambassador to explain the spying, Mexico's response to Sunday's news has been rather mild mannered. It arrived as a strongly-worded email.</p>
<p>Freelance journalist Franc Contreras says this tepid response is due to the huge economic ties between the countries.&#160;"We know that the Mexican economy would absolutely collapse without strong relations with the United States," says Contreras. "80% of everything Mexico exports to the world is going to the United States, so the trade ties are tremendous."</p>
<p>And Contreras says Mexicans weren't surprised to learn that the US was spying on their country.&#160;"The United States used Mexico City back in the days of the Cold War," relates Contreras. "[Mexico] was the major spy hub in Latin America for the United States government."</p>
<p>And more recently, Contreras says Mexico's government took a lesson from the US Patriot Act and created laws that let it do the same sort of email spying on its own people.&#160;</p>
|
The US spied on Mexico's leaders? So what else is new?
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2013-10-21/us-spied-mexicos-leaders-so-what-else-new
|
2013-10-21
| 3left-center
|
The US spied on Mexico's leaders? So what else is new?
<p>There were more revelations over the weekend of the NSA spying on friendly countries.&#160;This time, France and Mexico were the targets.&#160;The same NSA surveillance used to intercept the emails of Mexican drug cartels was used to hack into the emails of Mexico's president.</p>
<p>New information leaked to the German publication <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nsa-hacked-email-account-of-mexican-president-a-928817.html" type="external">Der Spiegel</a>&#160;showed that the U.S. was spying on former Mexican president Felipe Calderon since 2010. The new revelation comes just weeks after a leak about NSA spying on the current Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto, while he was campaigning for office.</p>
<p>Is the Mexican government up in arms?</p>
<p>Well, sort of.</p>
<p>While the French forcefully called on the US ambassador to explain the spying, Mexico's response to Sunday's news has been rather mild mannered. It arrived as a strongly-worded email.</p>
<p>Freelance journalist Franc Contreras says this tepid response is due to the huge economic ties between the countries.&#160;"We know that the Mexican economy would absolutely collapse without strong relations with the United States," says Contreras. "80% of everything Mexico exports to the world is going to the United States, so the trade ties are tremendous."</p>
<p>And Contreras says Mexicans weren't surprised to learn that the US was spying on their country.&#160;"The United States used Mexico City back in the days of the Cold War," relates Contreras. "[Mexico] was the major spy hub in Latin America for the United States government."</p>
<p>And more recently, Contreras says Mexico's government took a lesson from the US Patriot Act and created laws that let it do the same sort of email spying on its own people.&#160;</p>
| 598,758 |
<p>Abbott Laboratories released new software updates designed to protect hundreds of thousands of implanted pacemakers from external hacking that could harm heart patients and to guard against dangerous battery depletions in a different cardiac device linked to two patient deaths.</p>
<p>U.S. health regulators flagged the safety risks of the devices and issued a blistering warning letter earlier this year criticizing Abbott's handling of the problems. Abbott acquired the products with its $23.6 billion purchase of St. Jude Medical in January and said the issues cited in the warning letter occurred before the deal closed.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The software patches underscore the growing concern about cybersecurity of medical devices that are increasingly connected via the internet or other networks.</p>
<p>Abbott said in a letter to doctors Monday that the new firmware -- a type of software embedded in the device's hardware -- is intended to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to pacemakers that use radio-frequency communications.</p>
<p>"This firmware update provides an additional layer of security against unauthorized access to these devices that further reduces the potential for a successful cybersecurity attack," Abbott said in the letter.</p>
<p>Abbott said it doesn't recommend that patients have their pacemakers replaced. Rather, the company advises doctors to discuss the matter with patients at their next visits and to administer the software update if it is deemed appropriate. The doctor administers the update through a wand held over the site of the implanted pacemaker. The update itself carries small risks of causing a device malfunction, Abbott said.</p>
<p>About 465,000 implanted pacemakers are eligible for the update, and Abbott said the update will be built into all newly implanted devices. The pacemakers are sold under brand names including Accent, Anthem and Assurity.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The FDA said Tuesday there are no known reports of patient harm related to the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the 465,000 implanted pacemaker devices.</p>
<p>The agency said it approved Abbott's software update "to reduce the risk of patient harm due to potential exploitation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities" for the pacemakers, which use electrical jolts to maintain a regular heartbeat in patients with abnormal heart rhythm.</p>
<p>The FDA said the Abbott pacemakers had vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could allow an unauthorized user to access a patient's device using commercially available equipment. Hackers could modify programming commands to the pacemaker, which could result in patient harm from rapid battery depletion or administration of inappropriate heart pacing, the FDA said.</p>
<p>Abbott also released a new software update for more than 398,000 implanted cardioverter defibrillators, which are designed to prevent cardiac arrest in patients with rapid heartbeats. The software update provides doctors with earlier warnings of the potential for premature battery depletion.</p>
<p>In its warning letter earlier this year, the FDA said Abbott hadn't properly investigated and resolved the cybersecurity risks of its pacemakers or the risk of premature battery depletion in the defibrillators.</p>
<p>Last year, St. Jude warned of a battery malfunction that could cause defibrillators to quickly lose power and stop functioning, and the FDA said two patients died after batteries in their St. Jude-made defibrillators ran down prematurely, preventing the devices from providing needed shock therapy.</p>
<p>Write to Peter Loftus at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 29, 2017 18:54 ET (22:54 GMT)</p>
|
Abbott Releases New Software Updates to Protect Pacemakers From Hacking
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/29/abbott-releases-new-software-updates-to-protect-pacemakers-from-hacking.html
|
2017-08-29
| 0right
|
Abbott Releases New Software Updates to Protect Pacemakers From Hacking
<p>Abbott Laboratories released new software updates designed to protect hundreds of thousands of implanted pacemakers from external hacking that could harm heart patients and to guard against dangerous battery depletions in a different cardiac device linked to two patient deaths.</p>
<p>U.S. health regulators flagged the safety risks of the devices and issued a blistering warning letter earlier this year criticizing Abbott's handling of the problems. Abbott acquired the products with its $23.6 billion purchase of St. Jude Medical in January and said the issues cited in the warning letter occurred before the deal closed.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The software patches underscore the growing concern about cybersecurity of medical devices that are increasingly connected via the internet or other networks.</p>
<p>Abbott said in a letter to doctors Monday that the new firmware -- a type of software embedded in the device's hardware -- is intended to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to pacemakers that use radio-frequency communications.</p>
<p>"This firmware update provides an additional layer of security against unauthorized access to these devices that further reduces the potential for a successful cybersecurity attack," Abbott said in the letter.</p>
<p>Abbott said it doesn't recommend that patients have their pacemakers replaced. Rather, the company advises doctors to discuss the matter with patients at their next visits and to administer the software update if it is deemed appropriate. The doctor administers the update through a wand held over the site of the implanted pacemaker. The update itself carries small risks of causing a device malfunction, Abbott said.</p>
<p>About 465,000 implanted pacemakers are eligible for the update, and Abbott said the update will be built into all newly implanted devices. The pacemakers are sold under brand names including Accent, Anthem and Assurity.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The FDA said Tuesday there are no known reports of patient harm related to the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the 465,000 implanted pacemaker devices.</p>
<p>The agency said it approved Abbott's software update "to reduce the risk of patient harm due to potential exploitation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities" for the pacemakers, which use electrical jolts to maintain a regular heartbeat in patients with abnormal heart rhythm.</p>
<p>The FDA said the Abbott pacemakers had vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could allow an unauthorized user to access a patient's device using commercially available equipment. Hackers could modify programming commands to the pacemaker, which could result in patient harm from rapid battery depletion or administration of inappropriate heart pacing, the FDA said.</p>
<p>Abbott also released a new software update for more than 398,000 implanted cardioverter defibrillators, which are designed to prevent cardiac arrest in patients with rapid heartbeats. The software update provides doctors with earlier warnings of the potential for premature battery depletion.</p>
<p>In its warning letter earlier this year, the FDA said Abbott hadn't properly investigated and resolved the cybersecurity risks of its pacemakers or the risk of premature battery depletion in the defibrillators.</p>
<p>Last year, St. Jude warned of a battery malfunction that could cause defibrillators to quickly lose power and stop functioning, and the FDA said two patients died after batteries in their St. Jude-made defibrillators ran down prematurely, preventing the devices from providing needed shock therapy.</p>
<p>Write to Peter Loftus at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 29, 2017 18:54 ET (22:54 GMT)</p>
| 598,759 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>It turns out that the majority of Americans are at odds with the Republican president-elect over the Paris accord. A new survey released by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Monday suggests that if Trump were to actually keep his word and withdraw from the agreement, that move might not be very popular here in the United States. The survey of 2,061 Americans, conducted in June, finds that 71 percent support the Paris deal, including 57 percent of Republicans. It’s a notable finding on a topic so new that not all Americans may have even heard of it.</p>
<p>The finding, notes the Chicago Council, comports with Americans’ longstanding general support for international climate treaties, but they also somewhat mask deep disagreement about the reality and severity of climate change that persists between Democrats and Republicans.</p>
<p>Those differences reappeared when respondents were asked whether they agreed that climate change is “a serious and pressing problem” that should be addressed even if there are “significant costs”. 62 percent of Democrats agreed with that statement, while only 19 percent of Republicans agreed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dina Smeltz, an opinion researcher and senior fellow with the Chicago Council who is lead author of the report on the survey results, said that the way to reconcile the two findings involves the different priority that Democrats and Republicans place on the climate issue.</p>
<p>“In terms of priorities, Democrats see it as a much higher priority for foreign policy, but that doesn’t mean that Republicans. . . don’t think some action should be taken,” Smeltz said. “An increasing percentage of Republicans now say that some gradual action should be taken” to address climate change concerns.</p>
<p>One issue not explicitly addressed by the survey is whether the world is already under such a threat from climate change that we can’t afford to take “gradual” steps toward reducing the risks. Scientists generally consider the problem to be very urgent and say that steep global emissions cuts are required to address it.</p>
<p>Smeltz said the study showed that Americans overall tend to favor treaties and international agreements, which might partly explain the finding. “When we ask about agreements in general, especially in our wording, Americans do seem to support a lot of international agreements which are collective agreements,” she said, “which means that Americans alone do not have to sign on to these agreements.”</p>
<p>Considering the study results, could trying to exit the Paris deal damage the president-elect politically? It would undoubtedly cause a national and an international uproar, but would Trump’s base think worse of him?</p>
<p>“Some of the support could be soft, so it’s hard to make a broad conclusion with that,” Smeltz said. “But basically the American public does support making gains on this, and has been growing in their support for mitigating climate change.”</p>
<p>But Smeltz does not think views on this subject have changed much since the election; rather, she detects a broadly growing U.S. acceptance of climate action. “Among all partisans, there has been an increase in those who want to take some kind of a step to mitigate climate change,” she said.</p>
<p>That may be good news for the activists, scientists and environmentalists who fear a much bigger battle ahead in opposing the new president on this issue.</p>
<p>trump-climate</p>
|
Trump wants to dump the Paris climate deal, but 71 percent of Americans support it, survey finds
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/893766/trump-wants-to-dump-the-paris-climate-deal-but-71-percent-of-americans-support-it-survey-finds.html
| 2least
|
Trump wants to dump the Paris climate deal, but 71 percent of Americans support it, survey finds
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>It turns out that the majority of Americans are at odds with the Republican president-elect over the Paris accord. A new survey released by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Monday suggests that if Trump were to actually keep his word and withdraw from the agreement, that move might not be very popular here in the United States. The survey of 2,061 Americans, conducted in June, finds that 71 percent support the Paris deal, including 57 percent of Republicans. It’s a notable finding on a topic so new that not all Americans may have even heard of it.</p>
<p>The finding, notes the Chicago Council, comports with Americans’ longstanding general support for international climate treaties, but they also somewhat mask deep disagreement about the reality and severity of climate change that persists between Democrats and Republicans.</p>
<p>Those differences reappeared when respondents were asked whether they agreed that climate change is “a serious and pressing problem” that should be addressed even if there are “significant costs”. 62 percent of Democrats agreed with that statement, while only 19 percent of Republicans agreed.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dina Smeltz, an opinion researcher and senior fellow with the Chicago Council who is lead author of the report on the survey results, said that the way to reconcile the two findings involves the different priority that Democrats and Republicans place on the climate issue.</p>
<p>“In terms of priorities, Democrats see it as a much higher priority for foreign policy, but that doesn’t mean that Republicans. . . don’t think some action should be taken,” Smeltz said. “An increasing percentage of Republicans now say that some gradual action should be taken” to address climate change concerns.</p>
<p>One issue not explicitly addressed by the survey is whether the world is already under such a threat from climate change that we can’t afford to take “gradual” steps toward reducing the risks. Scientists generally consider the problem to be very urgent and say that steep global emissions cuts are required to address it.</p>
<p>Smeltz said the study showed that Americans overall tend to favor treaties and international agreements, which might partly explain the finding. “When we ask about agreements in general, especially in our wording, Americans do seem to support a lot of international agreements which are collective agreements,” she said, “which means that Americans alone do not have to sign on to these agreements.”</p>
<p>Considering the study results, could trying to exit the Paris deal damage the president-elect politically? It would undoubtedly cause a national and an international uproar, but would Trump’s base think worse of him?</p>
<p>“Some of the support could be soft, so it’s hard to make a broad conclusion with that,” Smeltz said. “But basically the American public does support making gains on this, and has been growing in their support for mitigating climate change.”</p>
<p>But Smeltz does not think views on this subject have changed much since the election; rather, she detects a broadly growing U.S. acceptance of climate action. “Among all partisans, there has been an increase in those who want to take some kind of a step to mitigate climate change,” she said.</p>
<p>That may be good news for the activists, scientists and environmentalists who fear a much bigger battle ahead in opposing the new president on this issue.</p>
<p>trump-climate</p>
| 598,760 |
|
<p>A few months back, we <a href="" type="internal">reported</a> on the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and veggies. Today, <a href="http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/health-well-being/blogs/conventional-celery-stalks-of-pesticides" type="external">Mother Nature Network</a> reports that the <a href="http://www.foodnews.org/" type="external">Environmental Working Group</a> is about to publish the 2010 version of the list. This year, celery beats out peaches for the number one spot in the “dirty dozen” list. New additions are spinach, potatoes, and blueberries, replacing last year’s lettuce, pears, and carrots. In the “Clean 15” list, grapefruit and honeydew melon replace tomato and papaya.</p>
<p />
|
Most Pesticide Laden Produce of 2010
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/most-pesticide-laden-produce-2010/
|
2010-04-28
| 4left
|
Most Pesticide Laden Produce of 2010
<p>A few months back, we <a href="" type="internal">reported</a> on the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and veggies. Today, <a href="http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/health-well-being/blogs/conventional-celery-stalks-of-pesticides" type="external">Mother Nature Network</a> reports that the <a href="http://www.foodnews.org/" type="external">Environmental Working Group</a> is about to publish the 2010 version of the list. This year, celery beats out peaches for the number one spot in the “dirty dozen” list. New additions are spinach, potatoes, and blueberries, replacing last year’s lettuce, pears, and carrots. In the “Clean 15” list, grapefruit and honeydew melon replace tomato and papaya.</p>
<p />
| 598,761 |
<p>Margaretta "Happy" Rockefeller, the widow of former U.S. Vice President and New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and one of the first women to speak publicly about her breast cancer in the 1970s, has died. She was 88.</p>
<p>Happy Rockefeller, who earned her nickname as a child because of her pleasant personality, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday at her home in Tarrytown, New York, said family spokesman Fraser Seitel.</p>
<p>She had suffered from a brief illness.</p>
<p>"She was blessed with great commonsense and insight into human beings and human nature," said longtime friend Richard Parsons, a senior adviser at Providence Equity Partners. "I thought she was extraordinary."</p>
<p>Both she and the New York governor were divorced when they married in 1963. That was seen as scandalous at the time, and political pundits blamed the marriage for Nelson Rockefeller's failure to secure the 1964 Republican presidential nomination.</p>
<p>At that time, no divorced candidate had ever won the presidency; Ronald Reagan became the only divorced president when he was elected in 1980.</p>
<p>After her husband served four terms as New York's governor, he was named by President Gerald Ford to serve as vice president after Richard Nixon's resignation in the Watergate scandal in 1974. Shortly after being chosen, Happy Rockefeller was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent two mastectomies. She and Ford's wife, Betty, were among the first women to speak publicly about the disease.</p>
<p>"She went through it with dignity and was one of the first role models," Parsons said. "She carried herself unapologetically."</p>
<p>A well-known socialite for many causes, Happy Rockefeller served as chairman of the board for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In 1991, she was appointed as a public delegate to the United Nations by President George H. W. Bush.</p>
<p>"People at the U.N. knew her and wanted her advice and she was prepared to educate herself on many subjects," said former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering. "A lot of my fellow senior diplomats considered it a real honor to meet her, and she always responded very positively."</p>
<p>Philanthropic activities included support for the Philadelphia Orchestra's annual visits to China. She also supported the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, the Central Park Conservancy and Historic Hudson Valley.</p>
<p>Born Margaretta Large Fitler on June 9, 1926, she often spoke of being a proud descendant of Gen. George Gordon Meade, who commanded Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. She graduated in 1944 from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and married Dr. James Slater Murphy in 1948. The couple had four children, three of whom survive.</p>
<p>She divorced Murphy about a month before marrying Rockefeller in May 1963. They had two sons.</p>
<p>In a statement, the family said Happy Rockefeller "above all, was dedicated to her immediate and extended family and greatly loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She had a firm belief in the importance of family and the nurturing, support, and perspective it can provide to its members."</p>
<p>Funeral services have not been announced.</p>
<p>Margaretta "Happy" Rockefeller, the widow of former U.S. Vice President and New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and one of the first women to speak publicly about her breast cancer in the 1970s, has died. She was 88.</p>
<p>Happy Rockefeller, who earned her nickname as a child because of her pleasant personality, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday at her home in Tarrytown, New York, said family spokesman Fraser Seitel.</p>
<p>She had suffered from a brief illness.</p>
<p>"She was blessed with great commonsense and insight into human beings and human nature," said longtime friend Richard Parsons, a senior adviser at Providence Equity Partners. "I thought she was extraordinary."</p>
<p>Both she and the New York governor were divorced when they married in 1963. That was seen as scandalous at the time, and political pundits blamed the marriage for Nelson Rockefeller's failure to secure the 1964 Republican presidential nomination.</p>
<p>At that time, no divorced candidate had ever won the presidency; Ronald Reagan became the only divorced president when he was elected in 1980.</p>
<p>After her husband served four terms as New York's governor, he was named by President Gerald Ford to serve as vice president after Richard Nixon's resignation in the Watergate scandal in 1974. Shortly after being chosen, Happy Rockefeller was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent two mastectomies. She and Ford's wife, Betty, were among the first women to speak publicly about the disease.</p>
<p>"She went through it with dignity and was one of the first role models," Parsons said. "She carried herself unapologetically."</p>
<p>A well-known socialite for many causes, Happy Rockefeller served as chairman of the board for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In 1991, she was appointed as a public delegate to the United Nations by President George H. W. Bush.</p>
<p>"People at the U.N. knew her and wanted her advice and she was prepared to educate herself on many subjects," said former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering. "A lot of my fellow senior diplomats considered it a real honor to meet her, and she always responded very positively."</p>
<p>Philanthropic activities included support for the Philadelphia Orchestra's annual visits to China. She also supported the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, the Central Park Conservancy and Historic Hudson Valley.</p>
<p>Born Margaretta Large Fitler on June 9, 1926, she often spoke of being a proud descendant of Gen. George Gordon Meade, who commanded Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. She graduated in 1944 from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and married Dr. James Slater Murphy in 1948. The couple had four children, three of whom survive.</p>
<p>She divorced Murphy about a month before marrying Rockefeller in May 1963. They had two sons.</p>
<p>In a statement, the family said Happy Rockefeller "above all, was dedicated to her immediate and extended family and greatly loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She had a firm belief in the importance of family and the nurturing, support, and perspective it can provide to its members."</p>
<p>Funeral services have not been announced.</p>
|
'Happy' Rockefeller, widow of former vice president, dies
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/bd1933e74b724ba6a3a5966a384962e7
|
2015-05-20
| 2least
|
'Happy' Rockefeller, widow of former vice president, dies
<p>Margaretta "Happy" Rockefeller, the widow of former U.S. Vice President and New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and one of the first women to speak publicly about her breast cancer in the 1970s, has died. She was 88.</p>
<p>Happy Rockefeller, who earned her nickname as a child because of her pleasant personality, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday at her home in Tarrytown, New York, said family spokesman Fraser Seitel.</p>
<p>She had suffered from a brief illness.</p>
<p>"She was blessed with great commonsense and insight into human beings and human nature," said longtime friend Richard Parsons, a senior adviser at Providence Equity Partners. "I thought she was extraordinary."</p>
<p>Both she and the New York governor were divorced when they married in 1963. That was seen as scandalous at the time, and political pundits blamed the marriage for Nelson Rockefeller's failure to secure the 1964 Republican presidential nomination.</p>
<p>At that time, no divorced candidate had ever won the presidency; Ronald Reagan became the only divorced president when he was elected in 1980.</p>
<p>After her husband served four terms as New York's governor, he was named by President Gerald Ford to serve as vice president after Richard Nixon's resignation in the Watergate scandal in 1974. Shortly after being chosen, Happy Rockefeller was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent two mastectomies. She and Ford's wife, Betty, were among the first women to speak publicly about the disease.</p>
<p>"She went through it with dignity and was one of the first role models," Parsons said. "She carried herself unapologetically."</p>
<p>A well-known socialite for many causes, Happy Rockefeller served as chairman of the board for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In 1991, she was appointed as a public delegate to the United Nations by President George H. W. Bush.</p>
<p>"People at the U.N. knew her and wanted her advice and she was prepared to educate herself on many subjects," said former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering. "A lot of my fellow senior diplomats considered it a real honor to meet her, and she always responded very positively."</p>
<p>Philanthropic activities included support for the Philadelphia Orchestra's annual visits to China. She also supported the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, the Central Park Conservancy and Historic Hudson Valley.</p>
<p>Born Margaretta Large Fitler on June 9, 1926, she often spoke of being a proud descendant of Gen. George Gordon Meade, who commanded Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. She graduated in 1944 from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and married Dr. James Slater Murphy in 1948. The couple had four children, three of whom survive.</p>
<p>She divorced Murphy about a month before marrying Rockefeller in May 1963. They had two sons.</p>
<p>In a statement, the family said Happy Rockefeller "above all, was dedicated to her immediate and extended family and greatly loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She had a firm belief in the importance of family and the nurturing, support, and perspective it can provide to its members."</p>
<p>Funeral services have not been announced.</p>
<p>Margaretta "Happy" Rockefeller, the widow of former U.S. Vice President and New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and one of the first women to speak publicly about her breast cancer in the 1970s, has died. She was 88.</p>
<p>Happy Rockefeller, who earned her nickname as a child because of her pleasant personality, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday at her home in Tarrytown, New York, said family spokesman Fraser Seitel.</p>
<p>She had suffered from a brief illness.</p>
<p>"She was blessed with great commonsense and insight into human beings and human nature," said longtime friend Richard Parsons, a senior adviser at Providence Equity Partners. "I thought she was extraordinary."</p>
<p>Both she and the New York governor were divorced when they married in 1963. That was seen as scandalous at the time, and political pundits blamed the marriage for Nelson Rockefeller's failure to secure the 1964 Republican presidential nomination.</p>
<p>At that time, no divorced candidate had ever won the presidency; Ronald Reagan became the only divorced president when he was elected in 1980.</p>
<p>After her husband served four terms as New York's governor, he was named by President Gerald Ford to serve as vice president after Richard Nixon's resignation in the Watergate scandal in 1974. Shortly after being chosen, Happy Rockefeller was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent two mastectomies. She and Ford's wife, Betty, were among the first women to speak publicly about the disease.</p>
<p>"She went through it with dignity and was one of the first role models," Parsons said. "She carried herself unapologetically."</p>
<p>A well-known socialite for many causes, Happy Rockefeller served as chairman of the board for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In 1991, she was appointed as a public delegate to the United Nations by President George H. W. Bush.</p>
<p>"People at the U.N. knew her and wanted her advice and she was prepared to educate herself on many subjects," said former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering. "A lot of my fellow senior diplomats considered it a real honor to meet her, and she always responded very positively."</p>
<p>Philanthropic activities included support for the Philadelphia Orchestra's annual visits to China. She also supported the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, the Central Park Conservancy and Historic Hudson Valley.</p>
<p>Born Margaretta Large Fitler on June 9, 1926, she often spoke of being a proud descendant of Gen. George Gordon Meade, who commanded Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. She graduated in 1944 from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and married Dr. James Slater Murphy in 1948. The couple had four children, three of whom survive.</p>
<p>She divorced Murphy about a month before marrying Rockefeller in May 1963. They had two sons.</p>
<p>In a statement, the family said Happy Rockefeller "above all, was dedicated to her immediate and extended family and greatly loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She had a firm belief in the importance of family and the nurturing, support, and perspective it can provide to its members."</p>
<p>Funeral services have not been announced.</p>
| 598,762 |
<p>BofI Holding (NASDAQ: BOFI)&#160;has grown tremendously in recent years, but it's still a relatively small bank. Here are some of the catalysts that could help grow its business even more, as well as some economic trends that could boost its profit margin even further.</p>
<p>A full transcript follows the video.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than BofI HoldingWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=acaf4189-bdee-4e01-8c4b-d6a6c38ae519&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now… and BofI Holding wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=acaf4189-bdee-4e01-8c4b-d6a6c38ae519&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&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 December 4, 2017</p>
<p>This video was recorded on Dec. 4, 2017.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Michael Douglass: The bank has a number of opportunities it's trying to execute on right now. We mentioned auto lending. They're also getting into the personal-loan game. You've probably seen Marcus by Goldman Sachs&#160;ads on Facebook. At least I have. They're certainly pushing into that. And that's all, when you think about all of what they're doing, it feeds into this universal digital initiative that they're working toward.</p>
<p>Matt Frankel: Yeah, this is kind of their initiative where they want to be a one-stop digital bank for anybody's banking needs. They want to make the most user-friendly interface among digital banks, offer any lending and deposit product you could ever want, and be more open to third-party partnerships like the H&amp;R Block&#160;partnership I mentioned earlier.</p>
<p>Douglass: Yeah. That means, among other things, they're doing a lot of other investment in tech right now. Actually, that 40-and-some-change efficiency ratio we talked about is higher than it's been historically in part because they are making so many of those investments right now. Of course, you still have an enormous cost advantage.</p>
<p>Two other things going forward that are worth highlighting -- the first one is interest rates. The Fed has increased interest rates by 0.75% in the last year. BofI has only increased their average interest rate, checking and savings deposits rates, by 0.29%. So that difference is an arbitrage advantage, and that's one of the reasons why, when we talk about rising interest rates benefiting banks, this is why, it's things like this. The banks are able to raise how much they are paying out for deposits in savings accounts at a lower rate than the Fed is increasing overall interest rates, which then enables them to pocket the difference.</p>
<p>Frankel: Yeah. It's also worth pointing out that the 0.29% is actually more than most banks have increased in the same amount of time. My Wells Fargo savings account still pays out something like 0.02% or something like that.</p>
<p>Douglass: [laughs] Right.</p>
<p>Frankel: So it sounds like the bank is being a little greedy by getting 0.75% more on their loans, and only paying out less than half of that in additional interest on deposits. But it's really a lot more generous than the industry standard. BofI's rates were a lot higher to begin with, too, so this makes some of the more appealing interest rates in banking look even more so.</p>
<p>Douglass: Yes. And this for me highlights the really key thing to think about with BofI, and it's the primary reason that I'm a shareholder, which is this inherent advantage, which is its low-cost structure. Low-cost structure is everything in my mind if management is good, because that means you're going to be able to continue attracting deposits, because you're able to pay out more for them.</p>
<p>You're also, on the flip side, on the loan side, you're able to get the most creditworthy folks with the really high FICO scores because you're able to offer them a slightly lower loan rate than anybody else, and you're able to do that on both ends because of your non-interest expenses -- so, things like, in this case, physical plant, are so much lower than anybody else has, such that you are able to take those hits on both sides of the loan/deposit part of the business, but still maintain profitability and core conservative underwriting standards, because you don't need to chase yield. If your cost is lower than everybody else's, you can give more back on both sides to attract the best consumers.</p>
<p>For me, this is a huge advantage that BofI has.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFMathGuy/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Matthew Frankel Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFEnterprise/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Michael Douglass Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of BofI Holding and Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends BofI Holding and Facebook. 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;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
|
BofI Holding's Future Growth Catalysts
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/12/07/bofi-holdings-future-growth-catalysts.html
|
2017-12-07
| 0right
|
BofI Holding's Future Growth Catalysts
<p>BofI Holding (NASDAQ: BOFI)&#160;has grown tremendously in recent years, but it's still a relatively small bank. Here are some of the catalysts that could help grow its business even more, as well as some economic trends that could boost its profit margin even further.</p>
<p>A full transcript follows the video.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than BofI HoldingWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=acaf4189-bdee-4e01-8c4b-d6a6c38ae519&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now… and BofI Holding wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=acaf4189-bdee-4e01-8c4b-d6a6c38ae519&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&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 December 4, 2017</p>
<p>This video was recorded on Dec. 4, 2017.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Michael Douglass: The bank has a number of opportunities it's trying to execute on right now. We mentioned auto lending. They're also getting into the personal-loan game. You've probably seen Marcus by Goldman Sachs&#160;ads on Facebook. At least I have. They're certainly pushing into that. And that's all, when you think about all of what they're doing, it feeds into this universal digital initiative that they're working toward.</p>
<p>Matt Frankel: Yeah, this is kind of their initiative where they want to be a one-stop digital bank for anybody's banking needs. They want to make the most user-friendly interface among digital banks, offer any lending and deposit product you could ever want, and be more open to third-party partnerships like the H&amp;R Block&#160;partnership I mentioned earlier.</p>
<p>Douglass: Yeah. That means, among other things, they're doing a lot of other investment in tech right now. Actually, that 40-and-some-change efficiency ratio we talked about is higher than it's been historically in part because they are making so many of those investments right now. Of course, you still have an enormous cost advantage.</p>
<p>Two other things going forward that are worth highlighting -- the first one is interest rates. The Fed has increased interest rates by 0.75% in the last year. BofI has only increased their average interest rate, checking and savings deposits rates, by 0.29%. So that difference is an arbitrage advantage, and that's one of the reasons why, when we talk about rising interest rates benefiting banks, this is why, it's things like this. The banks are able to raise how much they are paying out for deposits in savings accounts at a lower rate than the Fed is increasing overall interest rates, which then enables them to pocket the difference.</p>
<p>Frankel: Yeah. It's also worth pointing out that the 0.29% is actually more than most banks have increased in the same amount of time. My Wells Fargo savings account still pays out something like 0.02% or something like that.</p>
<p>Douglass: [laughs] Right.</p>
<p>Frankel: So it sounds like the bank is being a little greedy by getting 0.75% more on their loans, and only paying out less than half of that in additional interest on deposits. But it's really a lot more generous than the industry standard. BofI's rates were a lot higher to begin with, too, so this makes some of the more appealing interest rates in banking look even more so.</p>
<p>Douglass: Yes. And this for me highlights the really key thing to think about with BofI, and it's the primary reason that I'm a shareholder, which is this inherent advantage, which is its low-cost structure. Low-cost structure is everything in my mind if management is good, because that means you're going to be able to continue attracting deposits, because you're able to pay out more for them.</p>
<p>You're also, on the flip side, on the loan side, you're able to get the most creditworthy folks with the really high FICO scores because you're able to offer them a slightly lower loan rate than anybody else, and you're able to do that on both ends because of your non-interest expenses -- so, things like, in this case, physical plant, are so much lower than anybody else has, such that you are able to take those hits on both sides of the loan/deposit part of the business, but still maintain profitability and core conservative underwriting standards, because you don't need to chase yield. If your cost is lower than everybody else's, you can give more back on both sides to attract the best consumers.</p>
<p>For me, this is a huge advantage that BofI has.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFMathGuy/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Matthew Frankel Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFEnterprise/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Michael Douglass Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of BofI Holding and Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends BofI Holding and Facebook. 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;referring_guid=3cee8fb4-da7c-11e7-9904-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
| 598,763 |
<p>Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has rejected cuts to the welfare state, ruling that all citizens, even the poor, have a right to a "minimum level of participation in social, cultural, and political life." That's a much higher standard than providing for food and other basic needs.</p>
<p>Christian Science Monitor:</p>
<p>Last month, the federal constitutional court said that a sweeping reform established five years ago to reduce what was then seen as an overburdened welfare system was unconstitutional. The reason: It failed to ensure its 6.7 million recipients, especially children, "a dignified minimum income" and give less privileged citizens a "minimum level of participation in social, cultural, and political life."</p>
<p>The court gave Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition until year's end to create a better model. And it unleashed heated debate over the future of Germany's social model at a time when, from France to Greece, social unrest in Europe is widespread.</p>
<p />
<p>"The court said that it's not enough to have food, clothes, and a roof - people also have to be able to participate in society, otherwise they become outcasts," says Christoph Butterwegge, a poverty expert at the University of Cologne. "For the constitutional court to define social participation as a right, that's unprecedented."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0322/Germany-social-welfare-ruling-sees-right-to-social-cultural-life" type="external">Read more</a></p>
|
German High Court Outlines Profound Welfare Rights
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/german-high-court-outlines-profound-welfare-rights/
|
2010-03-23
| 4left
|
German High Court Outlines Profound Welfare Rights
<p>Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has rejected cuts to the welfare state, ruling that all citizens, even the poor, have a right to a "minimum level of participation in social, cultural, and political life." That's a much higher standard than providing for food and other basic needs.</p>
<p>Christian Science Monitor:</p>
<p>Last month, the federal constitutional court said that a sweeping reform established five years ago to reduce what was then seen as an overburdened welfare system was unconstitutional. The reason: It failed to ensure its 6.7 million recipients, especially children, "a dignified minimum income" and give less privileged citizens a "minimum level of participation in social, cultural, and political life."</p>
<p>The court gave Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition until year's end to create a better model. And it unleashed heated debate over the future of Germany's social model at a time when, from France to Greece, social unrest in Europe is widespread.</p>
<p />
<p>"The court said that it's not enough to have food, clothes, and a roof - people also have to be able to participate in society, otherwise they become outcasts," says Christoph Butterwegge, a poverty expert at the University of Cologne. "For the constitutional court to define social participation as a right, that's unprecedented."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0322/Germany-social-welfare-ruling-sees-right-to-social-cultural-life" type="external">Read more</a></p>
| 598,764 |
<p />
<p>Image <a href="http://www.mercadolibre.com.ar/" type="external">source Opens a New Window.</a>: MercadoLibre, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>What: MercadoLibre, Inc.(NASDAQ: MELI)stock appreciated 33.9% from the beginning of the year through July 31, according to data from <a href="http://www.spcapitaliq.com/" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>.The Latin American commerce giant's shares have reversed course in decided fashion after opening the year in the red:</p>
<p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/MELI" type="external">MELI</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>So what: A pair of strong earnings reports can be credited for the success of the "MELI" ticker so far in 2016. As is visible in the chart above, the company's fourth-quarter 2015 report, released on Feb. 26, catalyzed MercadoLibre's months-long climb.</p>
<p>For an example of the type of statistics which have caught investors' attention, consider the Q1 2016 report, released on May 5. The company's net revenue for the quarter increased 75%. Even after accounting for foreign-currency translation within some of the most inflationary economies in the world (namely, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela), MercadoLibre was still able to book a 6.7% net revenue gain in its reporting unit of U.S. dollars.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Gross merchandise volume, or GMV, a measure of total dollar volume of items sold in the MercadoLibre marketplace, grew 8%, to $1.8 billion, in the first quarter. Excluding Venezuela, GMV gained 58% on a forex-neutral basis.</p>
<p>Even more impressively, MercadoLibre's online payments solution, Mercado Pago, expanded its total payments volume, or TPV, by 33%, to $1.4 billion. TPV measures the total dollar amount of payments occurring through the Mercado Pago system.</p>
<p>In yet another specific instance of headlong growth, Mercado reported a jump of 114% in total items shipped through its Mercado Envios shipping service, to 17.2 million units. Management noted that most of this growth came from Brazil, where roughly 70% of Mercado's platform sales used the shipping solution.</p>
<p>Now what:If you've followed MercadoLibre for a while, you're familiar with extremely healthy metrics like those above. So what's providing the stock price uptick in 2016? Simply, Mercado is demonstrating that it can counterbalance rapid growth in high-inflation economies with market penetration in more stable, robust economies, for example, Mexico and Chile -- both of which management recently cited as promising growth markets.</p>
<p>This diversification is bolstered by a long-term trend in which marketplace-based merchandise sales are increasingly supplemented with profitable revenue streams, such as payments, shipping, and advertising services.The two factors together have allayed investors' primary fears so far this year.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, MercadoLibre's swift 2016 rise has pushed its valuation up to a steep 56 times forward one-year earnings. Will the company's second-quarter results support this multiple or slow Mercado shares temporarily? We'll find out soon enough, as the organization is scheduled to report earnings this week, on Aug. 4, after the close of trading.</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=2667&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/TMFfinosus/info.aspx" type="external">Asit Sharma Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MercadoLibre. 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://wiki.fool.com/Motley" 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>
|
MercadoLibre Shares Have Soared 34% So Far This Year: Here's Why
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/08/03/mercadolibre-shares-have-soared-34-so-far-this-year-here-why.html
|
2016-08-03
| 0right
|
MercadoLibre Shares Have Soared 34% So Far This Year: Here's Why
<p />
<p>Image <a href="http://www.mercadolibre.com.ar/" type="external">source Opens a New Window.</a>: MercadoLibre, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>What: MercadoLibre, Inc.(NASDAQ: MELI)stock appreciated 33.9% from the beginning of the year through July 31, according to data from <a href="http://www.spcapitaliq.com/" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>.The Latin American commerce giant's shares have reversed course in decided fashion after opening the year in the red:</p>
<p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/MELI" type="external">MELI</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>So what: A pair of strong earnings reports can be credited for the success of the "MELI" ticker so far in 2016. As is visible in the chart above, the company's fourth-quarter 2015 report, released on Feb. 26, catalyzed MercadoLibre's months-long climb.</p>
<p>For an example of the type of statistics which have caught investors' attention, consider the Q1 2016 report, released on May 5. The company's net revenue for the quarter increased 75%. Even after accounting for foreign-currency translation within some of the most inflationary economies in the world (namely, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela), MercadoLibre was still able to book a 6.7% net revenue gain in its reporting unit of U.S. dollars.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Gross merchandise volume, or GMV, a measure of total dollar volume of items sold in the MercadoLibre marketplace, grew 8%, to $1.8 billion, in the first quarter. Excluding Venezuela, GMV gained 58% on a forex-neutral basis.</p>
<p>Even more impressively, MercadoLibre's online payments solution, Mercado Pago, expanded its total payments volume, or TPV, by 33%, to $1.4 billion. TPV measures the total dollar amount of payments occurring through the Mercado Pago system.</p>
<p>In yet another specific instance of headlong growth, Mercado reported a jump of 114% in total items shipped through its Mercado Envios shipping service, to 17.2 million units. Management noted that most of this growth came from Brazil, where roughly 70% of Mercado's platform sales used the shipping solution.</p>
<p>Now what:If you've followed MercadoLibre for a while, you're familiar with extremely healthy metrics like those above. So what's providing the stock price uptick in 2016? Simply, Mercado is demonstrating that it can counterbalance rapid growth in high-inflation economies with market penetration in more stable, robust economies, for example, Mexico and Chile -- both of which management recently cited as promising growth markets.</p>
<p>This diversification is bolstered by a long-term trend in which marketplace-based merchandise sales are increasingly supplemented with profitable revenue streams, such as payments, shipping, and advertising services.The two factors together have allayed investors' primary fears so far this year.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, MercadoLibre's swift 2016 rise has pushed its valuation up to a steep 56 times forward one-year earnings. Will the company's second-quarter results support this multiple or slow Mercado shares temporarily? We'll find out soon enough, as the organization is scheduled to report earnings this week, on Aug. 4, after the close of trading.</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=2667&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/TMFfinosus/info.aspx" type="external">Asit Sharma Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MercadoLibre. 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://wiki.fool.com/Motley" 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>
| 598,765 |
<p />
<p>Despite workloads being at an all-time high, many employees say just showing up is all they really care about, new research shows.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>A new study from ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee assistance programs, found that 22 percent of employees said presenteeism, or just being present at work, is their top priority, a 3 percent increase from a year ago.</p>
<p>Overall, the survey revealed that more than 60 percent of workers have <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2267-workplace-stress-health-epidemic-%20perventable-employee-assistance-programs.html" type="external">high levels of stress Opens a New Window.</a>, with another 32 percent having constant but manageable stress. Just 5 percent of those surveyed reported low amounts of stress.</p>
<p>Nearly 40 percent of employees attribute high stress to their mounting workload, while 34 percent blame it on having problems with the people they work with. Other studies have shown that <a href="http://www.livescience.com/2220-stress-deadly.html" type="external">stress can be deadly Opens a New Window.</a> and is otherwise bad for health.</p>
<p>"As employers continue to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to hiring, people who currently have jobs — many of whom have taken on extra work — are starting to show signs of prolonged stress," said Richard Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "This can result in burnout and reduced performance."</p>
<p>The research also found:</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The research was based on surveys of 1,880 employees nationwide.</p>
<p>Follow Chad Brooks on Twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cbrooks76" type="external">cbrooks76 Opens a New Window.</a> or BusinessNewsDaily @ <a href="http://twitter.com/BNDarticles" type="external">BNDarticles Opens a New Window.</a>. We're also on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessNewsDaily" type="external">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://plus.google.com/113390396142026041164/posts" type="external">Google+ Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
|
Stressed Employees Aim to Just Show Up at Work
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/10/30/stressed-employees-aim-to-just-show-up-at-work.html
|
2016-03-23
| 0right
|
Stressed Employees Aim to Just Show Up at Work
<p />
<p>Despite workloads being at an all-time high, many employees say just showing up is all they really care about, new research shows.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>A new study from ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee assistance programs, found that 22 percent of employees said presenteeism, or just being present at work, is their top priority, a 3 percent increase from a year ago.</p>
<p>Overall, the survey revealed that more than 60 percent of workers have <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2267-workplace-stress-health-epidemic-%20perventable-employee-assistance-programs.html" type="external">high levels of stress Opens a New Window.</a>, with another 32 percent having constant but manageable stress. Just 5 percent of those surveyed reported low amounts of stress.</p>
<p>Nearly 40 percent of employees attribute high stress to their mounting workload, while 34 percent blame it on having problems with the people they work with. Other studies have shown that <a href="http://www.livescience.com/2220-stress-deadly.html" type="external">stress can be deadly Opens a New Window.</a> and is otherwise bad for health.</p>
<p>"As employers continue to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to hiring, people who currently have jobs — many of whom have taken on extra work — are starting to show signs of prolonged stress," said Richard Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "This can result in burnout and reduced performance."</p>
<p>The research also found:</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The research was based on surveys of 1,880 employees nationwide.</p>
<p>Follow Chad Brooks on Twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cbrooks76" type="external">cbrooks76 Opens a New Window.</a> or BusinessNewsDaily @ <a href="http://twitter.com/BNDarticles" type="external">BNDarticles Opens a New Window.</a>. We're also on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessNewsDaily" type="external">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://plus.google.com/113390396142026041164/posts" type="external">Google+ Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
| 598,766 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>The Facebook page of Roopbaan magazine, a LGTB rights publication, is seen on the screen of a cell phone in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 28, 2016. The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country's already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said. (AP Photo)</p>
<p>NEW DELHI - The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country's already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said.</p>
<p>Police detectives say they are working with evidence including a mobile phone, documents and witness testimony to solve the case, in which a gang of young men fatally stabbed a theater actor and the editor of Bangladesh's only LGBT rights magazine, who also worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development.</p>
<p>But with these being the latest killings in an ongoing wave of violence targeting atheist writers and outspoken moderates, members of Bangladesh's minority groups and civil society worry they're not safe, while rights groups question the government's repeated claims that the situation is under control.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>That fear is especially strong among members of Bangladesh's largely closeted gay community.</p>
<p>"They have gone into hiding. They are feeling particularly vulnerable," said Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. "Being gay is hard enough in conservative societies."</p>
<p>After the government advised those at risk to simply lay low and avoid offending others, she said, "LGBT people are hardly likely to have faith in a government that pretty much denies the LGBT community exists."</p>
<p>Already, five people have been killed this year, after nine were slain in 2015. But while authorities have arrested suspects in some of those cases - mostly low-level operatives following orders in allegedly carrying out the attacks - none has yet been prosecuted, and authorities have yet to identify the masterminds. Police say they are waiting until investigations are complete before taking any suspects to court. For the 2013 killing of an atheist blogger, a court has sentenced two men to death and six others to time in prison.</p>
<p>The attacks follow a similar pattern: a group of young men wielding knives or machetes approach their victim as his guard is down, perhaps while he is strolling down the street or relaxing at home. The men spew hateful language, then hack and stab at the victim before disappearing, often without a trace.</p>
<p>Nearly all of those killed are considered soft targets: atheist bloggers, foreign aid workers, a university professor, and now gay rights activists.</p>
<p>Nearly all the attacks have been claimed by transnational Islamist extremist groups, including the so-called Islamic State and various affiliates of al-Qaida.</p>
<p>The government has dismissed these claims of responsibility, saying these groups have no presence in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million in South Asia. Instead, it says the attacks are part of a campaign by domestic groups aligned with political opposition parties who want to undermine Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's secular government and restore Islamic rule. It has yet to publicly present any evidence of such a campaign.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The opposition has denied the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasina's failures in maintaining security.</p>
<p>"These attacks are politically motivated, well-planned to destabilize the country," retired Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, told The Associated Press. But that doesn't mean the effort isn't coming from abroad or coordinated with international groups, he said. "This is designed to create sense of insecurity among people so they get terrified, and they are succeeding in doing that."</p>
<p>Responsibility for Monday's attack was claimed by the AQIS-affiliate Ansar al-Islam, which said its victims were targeted as "pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality."</p>
<p>One of the victims, Xulhaz Mannan, was one of the most prominent gays in Bangladesh as a leading activist and editor of the Roopbaan, a LGBT rights magazine he launched in 2014. Bangladesh outlaws homosexual relations, punishable by up to life in prison.</p>
<p>Mannan had openly described how difficult it is to be gay in Bangladesh. In a 2014 blog entry, he called Bangladesh "a country where the predominant religions identify a same sex lover as a sinner, the law of the land as a criminal; social norms as a pervert; culture as imported - how should life be for LGBTs in Bangladesh?"</p>
<p>With police apparently struggling to prevent more targeted attacks, many members of civil society have become spooked into moving abroad or going underground.</p>
<p>Human rights lawyer and activist Sara Hossain, a friend of Mannan, ridiculed the government's repeated statement that they have the situation under control.</p>
<p>"If it is so, then why people are being killed in every 24 hours?" she asked.</p>
|
New killings in Bangladesh leave LGBT community full of fear
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/765037/new-killings-in-bangladesh-leave-lgbt-community-full-of-fear.html
| 2least
|
New killings in Bangladesh leave LGBT community full of fear
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>The Facebook page of Roopbaan magazine, a LGTB rights publication, is seen on the screen of a cell phone in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 28, 2016. The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country's already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said. (AP Photo)</p>
<p>NEW DELHI - The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country's already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said.</p>
<p>Police detectives say they are working with evidence including a mobile phone, documents and witness testimony to solve the case, in which a gang of young men fatally stabbed a theater actor and the editor of Bangladesh's only LGBT rights magazine, who also worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development.</p>
<p>But with these being the latest killings in an ongoing wave of violence targeting atheist writers and outspoken moderates, members of Bangladesh's minority groups and civil society worry they're not safe, while rights groups question the government's repeated claims that the situation is under control.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>That fear is especially strong among members of Bangladesh's largely closeted gay community.</p>
<p>"They have gone into hiding. They are feeling particularly vulnerable," said Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. "Being gay is hard enough in conservative societies."</p>
<p>After the government advised those at risk to simply lay low and avoid offending others, she said, "LGBT people are hardly likely to have faith in a government that pretty much denies the LGBT community exists."</p>
<p>Already, five people have been killed this year, after nine were slain in 2015. But while authorities have arrested suspects in some of those cases - mostly low-level operatives following orders in allegedly carrying out the attacks - none has yet been prosecuted, and authorities have yet to identify the masterminds. Police say they are waiting until investigations are complete before taking any suspects to court. For the 2013 killing of an atheist blogger, a court has sentenced two men to death and six others to time in prison.</p>
<p>The attacks follow a similar pattern: a group of young men wielding knives or machetes approach their victim as his guard is down, perhaps while he is strolling down the street or relaxing at home. The men spew hateful language, then hack and stab at the victim before disappearing, often without a trace.</p>
<p>Nearly all of those killed are considered soft targets: atheist bloggers, foreign aid workers, a university professor, and now gay rights activists.</p>
<p>Nearly all the attacks have been claimed by transnational Islamist extremist groups, including the so-called Islamic State and various affiliates of al-Qaida.</p>
<p>The government has dismissed these claims of responsibility, saying these groups have no presence in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million in South Asia. Instead, it says the attacks are part of a campaign by domestic groups aligned with political opposition parties who want to undermine Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's secular government and restore Islamic rule. It has yet to publicly present any evidence of such a campaign.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The opposition has denied the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasina's failures in maintaining security.</p>
<p>"These attacks are politically motivated, well-planned to destabilize the country," retired Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, told The Associated Press. But that doesn't mean the effort isn't coming from abroad or coordinated with international groups, he said. "This is designed to create sense of insecurity among people so they get terrified, and they are succeeding in doing that."</p>
<p>Responsibility for Monday's attack was claimed by the AQIS-affiliate Ansar al-Islam, which said its victims were targeted as "pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality."</p>
<p>One of the victims, Xulhaz Mannan, was one of the most prominent gays in Bangladesh as a leading activist and editor of the Roopbaan, a LGBT rights magazine he launched in 2014. Bangladesh outlaws homosexual relations, punishable by up to life in prison.</p>
<p>Mannan had openly described how difficult it is to be gay in Bangladesh. In a 2014 blog entry, he called Bangladesh "a country where the predominant religions identify a same sex lover as a sinner, the law of the land as a criminal; social norms as a pervert; culture as imported - how should life be for LGBTs in Bangladesh?"</p>
<p>With police apparently struggling to prevent more targeted attacks, many members of civil society have become spooked into moving abroad or going underground.</p>
<p>Human rights lawyer and activist Sara Hossain, a friend of Mannan, ridiculed the government's repeated statement that they have the situation under control.</p>
<p>"If it is so, then why people are being killed in every 24 hours?" she asked.</p>
| 598,767 |
|
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Progressive organizations, from trade unions to large nonprofits, have long struggled to find ways of aligning their values with their work. In these organizations, "management" is often uttered with an air of disgust, seen—correctly—as the source of many of the injustices the staff works to fight. Yet, in spite of this, our organizations have tended to adopt the same management systems found in business and government, blind to the ways we perpetuate some of the very things we criticize in other institutions.</p>
<p>Ultimately, if we want to create a world of democracy, transparency, and egalitarianism, we need to start to demonstrate what that looks like in our own work. How do we make decisions? Who does what jobs, and why? How do we treat each other?</p>
<p>If we can't manifest our values in our own offices, it seems unlikely that we can do so in our communities, cities, or countries. Yet many social change organizations continue to churn out formulaic reiterations of the organizing systems constructed by Anglo-American industrialists a century and a half ago. At their core is the idea that a few great leaders will create hierarchies led by specialists and experts, and that the rest of us will be given a box (or cubicle) to fit within, to implement the visions of the infallible heroes at the top.</p>
<p>Some organizations have concluded that workplace dictatorships are simply a necessary evil on the road to a better world. Luckily, though, there have always been those less inclined to believe in the old fallacy of "the ends justify the means," which assumes that any steps towards a positive result are acceptable, even if they would be seen as unethical in any other context. Instead, some have chosen to explore what it might look like to do socially useful things in groups without undermining their core values in the process.</p>
<p>My new book, Anarchists in the Boardroom, tells the stories of Argentine worker-run factories, Occupy encampments, and direct actions against tax-dodging corporations to highlight some of the emerging alternatives to our inherited systems of organizing. There is something deeply human about these non-hierarchical systems that seems to bring out the best in us. They allow us to find our own ways of supporting the causes we believe in, rather than slotting us into hierarchies and departments that prescribe how we are meant to do so. Below are a few key lessons that could help our organizations to embrace the humanity of the people that make them up:</p>
<p>While there were far more differences than similarities among the nearly one thousand Occupy camps that emerged around in the world in late 2011, consensus-based decision-making was one of the movement's hallmarks.</p>
<p>This was no coincidence. Drawing on previous movements from Spain and Latin America, Occupiers knew that decisions made by a small part of a big group tend to lack the collective investment needed to turn those decisions into widespread action. Alternatively, when it comes to big-picture questions, decisions made by as-close-to-everybody-as-possible tend to create meaningful buy-in for whatever decisions emerge (even if this is initially a time-consuming process).</p>
<p>This is a fundamental difference between representative democracy and the participatory kind, which treats decision-making as constructive compromise rather than a fight to win by "50 percent plus one." Fundamentally, consensus-based decisions build trust among those involved, encouraging them to find their own autonomous ways of taking those decisions forward. The value of this trust-building shouldn't be underestimated.</p>
<p>Without trust, even the best systems fall apart. There's a structural level to any form of democracy, but there's also a personal one. If we aren't working to build trusting relationships between colleagues, members, supporters, and others within and around our organizations, we will struggle to make those organizations the places we want them to be.</p>
<p>Trust helps us move beyond the formal structures of democratic process to the spirit of it, in which mutual accountability informs each of our individual actions without the need for an extensive decision-making process every time. In social movements the need to be trustworthy is amplified because the personal risks involved are often higher than in most formal organizations. Luckily, in most situations people respond to being trusted by becoming more trustworthy. Mutual trust breeds mutual accountability, which tends to push most of us to do better at the things we care about.</p>
<p>Formalized roles and hierarchies undermine trust by giving some individuals power over others, which is one of the fundamental reasons so many movements have avoided these structures. Instead, social movements (at their best) allow people to work together more fluidly, slipping between roles and following their individual passion to work where they are inspired to, rather than where someone else has told them to. A <a href="http://www.foster.washington.edu/centers/facultyresearch/Pages/harmonious-passion.aspx" type="external">growing body of evidence</a> suggests that people in all fields achieve far more when they have a strong sense of autonomy over what they do, as opposed to when they are told what to do and how to do it.</p>
<p>In the range of examples I explore in my book, there is a noticeable absence of planning meetings or strategy retreats. When I met with the activists who helped kick-start <a href="http://rabble.ca/news/2013/06/occupy-sandy-horizontal-lessons-community-based-disaster-recovery" type="external">Occupy Sandy</a>—the self-organized disaster response effort that emerged after Hurricane Sandy hit—they told me that they didn't spend time "sitting in a room strategizing together," but instead got out and did what was needed.</p>
<p>This ad hoc responsiveness is often the norm in movements. It demonstrates the notion that the specifics of a movement's direction can't and shouldn't be determined before experiencing the on-the-ground realities. That responsiveness was more important than anything that could be conceived in a boardroom or conference center, months or years in advance.</p>
<p>The primary lesson I've found in bringing learning from grassroots social movements to organizations, is that organizational change, as with social change, is most effective when it comes from the grassroots. As in society more widely, if those of us lacking executive powers decide to wait for those in charge to bring us participatory democracy, we'll be waiting a long time.</p>
<p>Sometimes this is because of fundamentally different values often held by those who succeed in climbing institutional ladders. But more often it is simply the inability of a small group to know the right direction for a much larger one.</p>
<p>More involvement means more perspective. More perspective means better odds of finding solutions and ways of doing things we've traditionally missed. Thus, participatory democracy is better for achieving our social aims, and is within the reach of us all.</p>
<p>So it's over to you. How will you start your workplace revolution?</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Read more:</p>
|
Three Things Activists in the Office Can Learn from the Street
| true |
http://yesmagazine.org/people-power/three-reasons-why-participatory-democracy-helps-build-a-stronger-workplace
| 4left
|
Three Things Activists in the Office Can Learn from the Street
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Progressive organizations, from trade unions to large nonprofits, have long struggled to find ways of aligning their values with their work. In these organizations, "management" is often uttered with an air of disgust, seen—correctly—as the source of many of the injustices the staff works to fight. Yet, in spite of this, our organizations have tended to adopt the same management systems found in business and government, blind to the ways we perpetuate some of the very things we criticize in other institutions.</p>
<p>Ultimately, if we want to create a world of democracy, transparency, and egalitarianism, we need to start to demonstrate what that looks like in our own work. How do we make decisions? Who does what jobs, and why? How do we treat each other?</p>
<p>If we can't manifest our values in our own offices, it seems unlikely that we can do so in our communities, cities, or countries. Yet many social change organizations continue to churn out formulaic reiterations of the organizing systems constructed by Anglo-American industrialists a century and a half ago. At their core is the idea that a few great leaders will create hierarchies led by specialists and experts, and that the rest of us will be given a box (or cubicle) to fit within, to implement the visions of the infallible heroes at the top.</p>
<p>Some organizations have concluded that workplace dictatorships are simply a necessary evil on the road to a better world. Luckily, though, there have always been those less inclined to believe in the old fallacy of "the ends justify the means," which assumes that any steps towards a positive result are acceptable, even if they would be seen as unethical in any other context. Instead, some have chosen to explore what it might look like to do socially useful things in groups without undermining their core values in the process.</p>
<p>My new book, Anarchists in the Boardroom, tells the stories of Argentine worker-run factories, Occupy encampments, and direct actions against tax-dodging corporations to highlight some of the emerging alternatives to our inherited systems of organizing. There is something deeply human about these non-hierarchical systems that seems to bring out the best in us. They allow us to find our own ways of supporting the causes we believe in, rather than slotting us into hierarchies and departments that prescribe how we are meant to do so. Below are a few key lessons that could help our organizations to embrace the humanity of the people that make them up:</p>
<p>While there were far more differences than similarities among the nearly one thousand Occupy camps that emerged around in the world in late 2011, consensus-based decision-making was one of the movement's hallmarks.</p>
<p>This was no coincidence. Drawing on previous movements from Spain and Latin America, Occupiers knew that decisions made by a small part of a big group tend to lack the collective investment needed to turn those decisions into widespread action. Alternatively, when it comes to big-picture questions, decisions made by as-close-to-everybody-as-possible tend to create meaningful buy-in for whatever decisions emerge (even if this is initially a time-consuming process).</p>
<p>This is a fundamental difference between representative democracy and the participatory kind, which treats decision-making as constructive compromise rather than a fight to win by "50 percent plus one." Fundamentally, consensus-based decisions build trust among those involved, encouraging them to find their own autonomous ways of taking those decisions forward. The value of this trust-building shouldn't be underestimated.</p>
<p>Without trust, even the best systems fall apart. There's a structural level to any form of democracy, but there's also a personal one. If we aren't working to build trusting relationships between colleagues, members, supporters, and others within and around our organizations, we will struggle to make those organizations the places we want them to be.</p>
<p>Trust helps us move beyond the formal structures of democratic process to the spirit of it, in which mutual accountability informs each of our individual actions without the need for an extensive decision-making process every time. In social movements the need to be trustworthy is amplified because the personal risks involved are often higher than in most formal organizations. Luckily, in most situations people respond to being trusted by becoming more trustworthy. Mutual trust breeds mutual accountability, which tends to push most of us to do better at the things we care about.</p>
<p>Formalized roles and hierarchies undermine trust by giving some individuals power over others, which is one of the fundamental reasons so many movements have avoided these structures. Instead, social movements (at their best) allow people to work together more fluidly, slipping between roles and following their individual passion to work where they are inspired to, rather than where someone else has told them to. A <a href="http://www.foster.washington.edu/centers/facultyresearch/Pages/harmonious-passion.aspx" type="external">growing body of evidence</a> suggests that people in all fields achieve far more when they have a strong sense of autonomy over what they do, as opposed to when they are told what to do and how to do it.</p>
<p>In the range of examples I explore in my book, there is a noticeable absence of planning meetings or strategy retreats. When I met with the activists who helped kick-start <a href="http://rabble.ca/news/2013/06/occupy-sandy-horizontal-lessons-community-based-disaster-recovery" type="external">Occupy Sandy</a>—the self-organized disaster response effort that emerged after Hurricane Sandy hit—they told me that they didn't spend time "sitting in a room strategizing together," but instead got out and did what was needed.</p>
<p>This ad hoc responsiveness is often the norm in movements. It demonstrates the notion that the specifics of a movement's direction can't and shouldn't be determined before experiencing the on-the-ground realities. That responsiveness was more important than anything that could be conceived in a boardroom or conference center, months or years in advance.</p>
<p>The primary lesson I've found in bringing learning from grassroots social movements to organizations, is that organizational change, as with social change, is most effective when it comes from the grassroots. As in society more widely, if those of us lacking executive powers decide to wait for those in charge to bring us participatory democracy, we'll be waiting a long time.</p>
<p>Sometimes this is because of fundamentally different values often held by those who succeed in climbing institutional ladders. But more often it is simply the inability of a small group to know the right direction for a much larger one.</p>
<p>More involvement means more perspective. More perspective means better odds of finding solutions and ways of doing things we've traditionally missed. Thus, participatory democracy is better for achieving our social aims, and is within the reach of us all.</p>
<p>So it's over to you. How will you start your workplace revolution?</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Read more:</p>
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<p>Photo by Alex Wright | <a href="" type="internal">CC by 2.0</a></p>
<p>Ken Burns “Vietnam War” documentary seems to emphasize the anti-war movement harassing returning veterans by name calling or spitting—an accusation I never heard of until the mid-1990s.</p>
<p>In 1965 across the country at colleges students were holding anti-war teach-ins, poetry&#160; readings, and small anti-war demonstrations. I had been in the anti-war movement starting in May 21-23, 1965, when the newly formed Vietnam Day Committee (called VDC) held the teach-in for 36-hours on the men’s playing field at UC Berkeley. I and a female friend listened for hours to the speakers in the hot afternoon as 30,000 people showed up. The State Department, who was invited to send a speaker, declined so an empty chair stood on stage with a sign saying, “Reserved for the State Department.” We listened to the baby doctor Benjamin Spock; veteran socialist leader Norman Thomas; novelist Norman Mailer; independent journalist I.F. Stone and folksinger Phil Ochs sang songs.</p>
<p>After a break for dinner, we walked onto the steps leading up to the Student Union where a young man who was handing out leaflets barked, “Sit-in against the war in San Francisco. Sit-in against the war in San Francisco.” He asked us both, “Why don’t you come to the sit-in?”</p>
<p>“I was already arrested once,” I said. “FSM (Free Speech Movement sit-in).”</p>
<p>“Terrific,” he said.</p>
<p>“I was found guilty. That’s not terrific,” I said, taking one of his leaflets.</p>
<p>Forty students sat on all the stuffed green, blue or maroon couches and chairs in the first floor lounge around the TV set on the north end. We found a place to sit on the floor.&#160; The documentary had still another parade of facts about Vietnam, but then the announcer said that the U.S. had ordered premier Diem murdered. It seemed unbelievable. Murdered! How could they arrange for a man to be killed? Hire an assassin? Pay him money? How could they be so cold-blooded?</p>
<p>The next semester on October 15, 1965, at Vietnam Day Committee’s teach-in on campus we heard that the U.S. was now bombing North and South Vietnam as well as increasing U.S. soldiers fighting there.&#160;&#160; I joined the first large anti-war march of 10,000 to march to the Oakland Army Induction Center. We marched and chanted anti-war slogans in the middle of the street down Telegraph Avenue toward Ashby Avenue, going right until we reached the intersection of Ashby and Shattuck where we milled in the center of this big intersection.&#160; We were supposed to march down Shattuck Avenue into Oakland but a line of 400 fierce Oakland cops blocked us, refusing to let us enter Oakland. A hastily convened sub-committee met to decide what to do. In the middle of the crowd I saw my roommate Rita’s date, the Army Veteran, walk over to me. He was a tall, husky man in his mid-twenties.</p>
<p>“Look at the rooftops behind the Oakland cops,” he said pointing to the rooftops. I saw Oakland cops with shotguns pointing at us. “And over there,” he said pointing to more rooftops a little south where I saw more Oakland cops pointed their shotguns down at us.&#160; I felt terrified.</p>
<p>“Follow me,” he suggested, so I followed him out of the packed crowd onto the northeast corner where we both looked at the crowd. We were the only two people standing on that corner.</p>
<p>“I learned a lot in basic training,” he continued. “You always need an escape route. If the line of cops move forward and we were in the middle of the crowd, people might panic and we might be crushed. Right here we have an escape route. Follow me,” he said, motioning. He led me one block north to a side street where nobody was. “Now you can safely walk home on an escape route.”</p>
<p>“Thanks,” I said, and then I walked home to my apartment. From them on whenever I was in a large crowd I looked for my escape route.&#160; In the news&#160; that evening I learned later the VDC leadership didn’t not to go into Oakland that afternoon but led the students back to the Berkeley Civic Center park where they&#160; scheduled a 2nd march for the next day while 100 people slept overnight in the park. There they were tear gassed—another first.</p>
<p>The next day I wasn’t there when four thousand anti-war marchers reached the Oakland line a 2nd time, being again stopped by a line of cops.&#160; Poet Allen Ginsberg at the front of the march started chanting “Hare Krisna” to calm everyone down.&#160; Suddenly Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang members appeared and attacked the protestors, ripping up banners and shouting, “Go back to Russia you fucking communists!” The police stopped the Angels.</p>
<p>In August VDC organized students to walk on the railroad tracks to stop the troop trains from going through Berkeley. Later we heard the army never sent any more troop trains through Berkeley.</p>
<p>Anti-war marches continued on November 20 when VDC had a 3rd march. The day before the Hells Angels in a press conference said that though they think the march despicable, they won’t protest it. About 8000 protestors were able to peacefully march to DeFremery Pak in Oakland.&#160; November 27 about 20,000 anti-war protestors rallied at the White House. Many famous people sponsored the march:&#160; &#160;novelists Saul Bellow and James Hersey; playwright Arthur Miller; artist Alexander Calder; actors Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Tony Randall; Dr. Albert Sabin (developer of the oral polio vaccine).</p>
<p>The next summer of 1966 VDC headquarters was bombed in Berkeley. &#160;I was in Los Angeles where I grew up and went to the anti-war march at Century City on July 9th with my friend. We joined the three hundred marching around in a circle across the street from the fifteen-story chrome and steel hotel where governors from all fifty states were meeting. A line of cops stood in front of the hotel glaring hostilely at us.&#160; Century City was traffic lanes with zooming cars, towering glass-and-steel office buildings, and streets vacant of people. The picketers were students from UCLA, from Santa Monica Community College., from Westside CORE, and from University High School, the high school near the ULCA where professors sent their kids.&#160; The high school kids were the most raucous, pushing the line faster, starting a new chant, ‘Hey, hey, LBJ, how many boys did you kill today?”</p>
<p>The high school kids knew they were cannon fodder, the next to go to Vietnam. They reminded me of my younger brother, who would soon turn eighteen years old and start junior college in September.&#160; I felt a sedate Old Lady of Twenty compared to the rowdy sixteen-year-olds who kept shouting, “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many boys did you kill today?” Our demonstration was a smash so that a group of us decided to name ourselves the July 9th committee and keep the group together planning more anti-war events that summer. We mostly made t-shirts with anti-war slogans.</p>
<p>August 6th Hiroshima Day I waited for the anti-war march to begin to stop the war in Vietnam and also to commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima with the forty high school and college students at the downtown plaza in Olvera Street by the band shell. A few of us wore the red “Get out of Vietnam” t-shirt our silk-screen subcommittee had made.&#160; We complained about the middle-aged for banning our cheer–“Hey, hey, LBJ,/ how many kids have you killed today?”</p>
<p>“They’re a bunch of scared liberals,” a boy said.</p>
<p>“Let’s chant, ‘Get out of Vietnam’ in Spanish?” &#160;“Afuera de Vietnam,” the boy said.</p>
<p>“That’s great idea,” the girl said.“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Good idea.”</p>
<p>“Chant it.”</p>
<p>“We’ll yell it.”</p>
<p>We then shouted in Spanish, “Afuera de Vietnam. Afuera de Vietnam” as we started out of the plaza. We were part of a crowd of 300 people marching the downtown sidewalks through a largely Latino crowd busy doing Saturday shopping..</p>
<p>“Afuera de Vietnam, afuera de Vietnam,” our group screamed. The Latino men at the street corner turned to stare at us as we shouted, “afuera de Vietnam” marching by the City Hall, which looked like a concrete white phallus thrusting up into the sky.</p>
<p>“Afuera de Vietnam. Afuera de Vietnam,” we yelled all the way to the steps of City Hall.</p>
<p>I proudly wore a black arm band, walking up and down through the crowd on the City Hall lawn handing around a coffee can to collect money for the Peace Action Council. The glaring sun cooked us. About ten of us were moving through the crowd with our coffee cans. The teenagers threw in quarters, the adults half dollars and dollar bills in my can. From the top steps of City Hall respectable Westside liberals gave boring speeches to a crowd that was baking in the August sun. I thought the Los Angeles anti-war movement could kill you with boredom and decorum except for my small group of rowdies.</p>
<p>Back in Berkeley the spring of 1967 I heard Martin Luther King speaks out against the war in January. I took a short break from my studies March 25 to join the national anti-war protests. I and 100,000 others peacefully marched miles from downtown San Francisco to Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park where we filled up the stadium. We listened to many speakers including Julian Bond, Eldridge Cleaver, Coretta Scott King (King was leading an anti-war march that day in Chicago), and listened to Judy Collins and San Francisco bands. In the spring the Vietnam War had only gotten bigger with more U.S. troops and more U.S. bombings.</p>
<p>Just before I started the summer session, my mother told me she and my 78-year old grandmother were going to their first anti-war march June 23 in Century City in Los Angeles where President Johnson was having a $500/plate funding raising dinner at the hotel. My mom and grandmother joined the thousands in the march—mothers with children as Another Mother for Peace was organizing in Los Angeles; the disabled; senior citizens–marching from Cheviot Hills Park to the hotel. The baby doctor Benjamin Spock was at the head of the march. The anti-war movement had spread beyond small pacifist circles and college campuses to mothers, senior citizens, and intellectuals like poet Lowell, and writers at the New York Review of Books who in New York were coming out against the war. Four Vietnam veterans started Vietnam Veterans against the war that June.</p>
<p>1,300 helmeted LAPD officers carryings guns and nightsticks attacked the head of the crowd. The people were boxed in with nowhere to run to:&#160; the police guarded the hotel to the west; a police blockade was on the north; thousands of marchers pushed in from the south; and a steep embankment was on the east. My mother later told me my grandmother was nearly knocked down in the terrified crowd. My grandmother had survived but I was very upset about my grandmother being attacked.</p>
<p>In October the Berkeley Stop-the-Draft movement had a week of protests in Oakland. On Monday the moderates had a peaceful sit-in on the steps of the Oakland Induction Center. The anti-war moderates, who had wanted the peaceful sit-in, had been arguing with the radicals, who want to move into the streets. Before Monday the moderates had won. The group that sat down included Joan Baez and her mother when the cops started clubbing all the seated people who ducked and ran.&#160; After the moderates were clubbed, the radicals won out, the group deciding take over the street.</p>
<p>All the young men I knew including my brother were searching for ways to get out of the draft. I caught the bus into downtown Oakland, getting off at the downtown shopping district, and started walking through the crowds of shoppers and office folk–mostly middle aged ladies or younger women in dresses, heels and stockings or men in suits or shirts and trousers. I was wearing my demonstration clothes:&#160; jeans, a green t-shirt, a blue jean jacket, and tennis shoes.</p>
<p>Near the Induction Center, shoppers and office workers were replaced by a crowd of 5,000 protesters. Some young men wore motorcycle helmets or construction hard hats, and a few even held shields. I saw two medics with white arm bands. Medical students came to demonstrations to patch up the clubbed, the gassed, and the bruised. Huge Oakland cops with their nightsticks by their side and their guns in their holsters stood between the crowd and the building. More hundreds of big, beefy cops stood in a line down one side street leading up to the Induction Center.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the Oakland cops between the protesters and the Induction Center started pushing the crowd back away from the building. Another group of Oakland cops came up from the side street, marching in between the crowd. The cops cut the 5,000 into about four groups of about 1,000 apiece, moving each group away from the building. My group retreated down half a block in the middle of the street. No cars could get through. A hundred cops stationed themselves, clubs up, in front of the crowd.</p>
<p>The militants stopped and milled in the middle of the street. With their clubs up, the police started to push the protesters back once again. My group started to run, retreating down the middle of the street another half block until we were milling in the middle of the intersection. The cops stationed themselves in front of the street they had just come down, still holding their clubs high. A second and third line of cops came up, completely blocking off both cross streets, looking angry and menacing.</p>
<p>My group had only one exit, running down the street behind them. Good god, I thought, please don’t bring up a fourth line of cops to beat the hell out of us.&#160; As if the crowd shared my fear, the mass of people started running down the middle of the one open street. Hundreds of cops marched with clubs up pushing the crowd who ran away again down the middle of the street.</p>
<p>The cops, clubs up, pushed us back a second block from the Induction Center and then pushed us back a third block. On the sidewalk a medic treated a young man whose head was bleeding. Behind us, we saw a horde of black motorcycle cops driving toward us leading a bus full of draftees. The motorcycles cut a line in the middle of the protestors, leaving room for the bus to drive through.</p>
<p>We in the street hollered at the scared boys’ faces peering out of the windows, “Hell, no, we won’t go.” “Get out of Vietnam.” “No draft, no war.”</p>
<p>The draftees in the buses looked at us as if we were from Mars. They looked at us with bewildered faces as the bus roared on through the crowd in the street.</p>
<p>“Stop the war. Stop the war,” more people yelled at the draftees.</p>
<p>The man beside me said, “We kept the buses from coming in for fifteen minutes.”</p>
<p>Fifteen minutes. Big deal, I thought, as I sat on the bus driving over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco.&#160; That night I dreamed of lines of Oakland cops on three sides of me with a fourth line of cops coming up from behind. Circled and trapped. The cops started clubbing people around me.</p>
<p>In June my graduation was looming. I told my parents I wasn’t going to the regular graduation ceremonies and not to come. Instead I went with my friend Evelyn to the Vietnam Commencement Counter-Graduation. We edged our way through the crowd packed into Sproul Plaza. Five thousand had crammed into every inch of Sproul Plaza from the doors of Sproul Hall across to the Student Union and the Terrace.</p>
<p>We squeezed our way through the packed crowd to the Student Union steps, climbed up a few steps and sat down. A girl was inching her way through the crowd handing out leaflets. I took one, and read a long list of the names of young men I knew who had pledged not to be drafted.</p>
<p>I saw my community in Sproul Plaza. Two hundred male faculty in suits and ties and three women faculty stood on the top of the steps facing the crowd. A band crowded lower on the steps, solemnly clutching their tuba, trombones, drums, trumpets, and flutes. At the microphone a professor was giving citations out to young men for draft refusal, including one spending his time in the stockade for refusing to report for reserve duty. His friend picked it up for him and promised to deliver it to him in the stockade.</p>
<p>Yes, I thought, my magic community was here and had reached out to include the soldier in the stockade in San Francisco. Phil Ochs, our troubadour, pushed his way to the microphone with his guitar and began to sing, “It’s always the old who lead you to war/ and it’s always the young who go./ And I ain’t a marching anymore. /And I ain’t a marching anymore.”</p>
<p>Then Dan Siegal, a law student at Boalt Law School, took the mike and said, “Will all the men in the crowd who have vowed to refuse the draft stand?” Hundreds of young men from all sections of the crowd stood up to deafening applause. “Now say the pledge,” Siegal said.</p>
<p>They said in unison: “Our war in Vietnam is unjust and immoral. As long as the United States is involved in this war I will not serve in the Armed Forces.”</p>
<p>For four years we had breathed in this war daily like smelling a noxious gas. For four years the war hovered over first dates and weddings.&#160; For four years every young man I knew was terrified of being drafted for this war they detested, talked of harming themselves or going into exile. To stop the war, the young men I knew had to put their futures on the line. The crowd roared its approval.</p>
<p>Siegel said, “Now all those who support them stand up.” Evelyn and I stood up along with the rest of the crowd. From the second floor balcony of the Student Union a trumpet sounded. The band on the steps of Sproul Hall started to play–tubas, drums, flutes, and trombones–joining the trumpet to serenade the class of 1968 including the soldier in the stockade in San Francisco.</p>
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The Antiwar Movement, Class of 1968
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2017/11/02/the-antiwar-movement-class-of-1968/
|
2017-11-02
| 4left
|
The Antiwar Movement, Class of 1968
<p>Photo by Alex Wright | <a href="" type="internal">CC by 2.0</a></p>
<p>Ken Burns “Vietnam War” documentary seems to emphasize the anti-war movement harassing returning veterans by name calling or spitting—an accusation I never heard of until the mid-1990s.</p>
<p>In 1965 across the country at colleges students were holding anti-war teach-ins, poetry&#160; readings, and small anti-war demonstrations. I had been in the anti-war movement starting in May 21-23, 1965, when the newly formed Vietnam Day Committee (called VDC) held the teach-in for 36-hours on the men’s playing field at UC Berkeley. I and a female friend listened for hours to the speakers in the hot afternoon as 30,000 people showed up. The State Department, who was invited to send a speaker, declined so an empty chair stood on stage with a sign saying, “Reserved for the State Department.” We listened to the baby doctor Benjamin Spock; veteran socialist leader Norman Thomas; novelist Norman Mailer; independent journalist I.F. Stone and folksinger Phil Ochs sang songs.</p>
<p>After a break for dinner, we walked onto the steps leading up to the Student Union where a young man who was handing out leaflets barked, “Sit-in against the war in San Francisco. Sit-in against the war in San Francisco.” He asked us both, “Why don’t you come to the sit-in?”</p>
<p>“I was already arrested once,” I said. “FSM (Free Speech Movement sit-in).”</p>
<p>“Terrific,” he said.</p>
<p>“I was found guilty. That’s not terrific,” I said, taking one of his leaflets.</p>
<p>Forty students sat on all the stuffed green, blue or maroon couches and chairs in the first floor lounge around the TV set on the north end. We found a place to sit on the floor.&#160; The documentary had still another parade of facts about Vietnam, but then the announcer said that the U.S. had ordered premier Diem murdered. It seemed unbelievable. Murdered! How could they arrange for a man to be killed? Hire an assassin? Pay him money? How could they be so cold-blooded?</p>
<p>The next semester on October 15, 1965, at Vietnam Day Committee’s teach-in on campus we heard that the U.S. was now bombing North and South Vietnam as well as increasing U.S. soldiers fighting there.&#160;&#160; I joined the first large anti-war march of 10,000 to march to the Oakland Army Induction Center. We marched and chanted anti-war slogans in the middle of the street down Telegraph Avenue toward Ashby Avenue, going right until we reached the intersection of Ashby and Shattuck where we milled in the center of this big intersection.&#160; We were supposed to march down Shattuck Avenue into Oakland but a line of 400 fierce Oakland cops blocked us, refusing to let us enter Oakland. A hastily convened sub-committee met to decide what to do. In the middle of the crowd I saw my roommate Rita’s date, the Army Veteran, walk over to me. He was a tall, husky man in his mid-twenties.</p>
<p>“Look at the rooftops behind the Oakland cops,” he said pointing to the rooftops. I saw Oakland cops with shotguns pointing at us. “And over there,” he said pointing to more rooftops a little south where I saw more Oakland cops pointed their shotguns down at us.&#160; I felt terrified.</p>
<p>“Follow me,” he suggested, so I followed him out of the packed crowd onto the northeast corner where we both looked at the crowd. We were the only two people standing on that corner.</p>
<p>“I learned a lot in basic training,” he continued. “You always need an escape route. If the line of cops move forward and we were in the middle of the crowd, people might panic and we might be crushed. Right here we have an escape route. Follow me,” he said, motioning. He led me one block north to a side street where nobody was. “Now you can safely walk home on an escape route.”</p>
<p>“Thanks,” I said, and then I walked home to my apartment. From them on whenever I was in a large crowd I looked for my escape route.&#160; In the news&#160; that evening I learned later the VDC leadership didn’t not to go into Oakland that afternoon but led the students back to the Berkeley Civic Center park where they&#160; scheduled a 2nd march for the next day while 100 people slept overnight in the park. There they were tear gassed—another first.</p>
<p>The next day I wasn’t there when four thousand anti-war marchers reached the Oakland line a 2nd time, being again stopped by a line of cops.&#160; Poet Allen Ginsberg at the front of the march started chanting “Hare Krisna” to calm everyone down.&#160; Suddenly Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang members appeared and attacked the protestors, ripping up banners and shouting, “Go back to Russia you fucking communists!” The police stopped the Angels.</p>
<p>In August VDC organized students to walk on the railroad tracks to stop the troop trains from going through Berkeley. Later we heard the army never sent any more troop trains through Berkeley.</p>
<p>Anti-war marches continued on November 20 when VDC had a 3rd march. The day before the Hells Angels in a press conference said that though they think the march despicable, they won’t protest it. About 8000 protestors were able to peacefully march to DeFremery Pak in Oakland.&#160; November 27 about 20,000 anti-war protestors rallied at the White House. Many famous people sponsored the march:&#160; &#160;novelists Saul Bellow and James Hersey; playwright Arthur Miller; artist Alexander Calder; actors Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Tony Randall; Dr. Albert Sabin (developer of the oral polio vaccine).</p>
<p>The next summer of 1966 VDC headquarters was bombed in Berkeley. &#160;I was in Los Angeles where I grew up and went to the anti-war march at Century City on July 9th with my friend. We joined the three hundred marching around in a circle across the street from the fifteen-story chrome and steel hotel where governors from all fifty states were meeting. A line of cops stood in front of the hotel glaring hostilely at us.&#160; Century City was traffic lanes with zooming cars, towering glass-and-steel office buildings, and streets vacant of people. The picketers were students from UCLA, from Santa Monica Community College., from Westside CORE, and from University High School, the high school near the ULCA where professors sent their kids.&#160; The high school kids were the most raucous, pushing the line faster, starting a new chant, ‘Hey, hey, LBJ, how many boys did you kill today?”</p>
<p>The high school kids knew they were cannon fodder, the next to go to Vietnam. They reminded me of my younger brother, who would soon turn eighteen years old and start junior college in September.&#160; I felt a sedate Old Lady of Twenty compared to the rowdy sixteen-year-olds who kept shouting, “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many boys did you kill today?” Our demonstration was a smash so that a group of us decided to name ourselves the July 9th committee and keep the group together planning more anti-war events that summer. We mostly made t-shirts with anti-war slogans.</p>
<p>August 6th Hiroshima Day I waited for the anti-war march to begin to stop the war in Vietnam and also to commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima with the forty high school and college students at the downtown plaza in Olvera Street by the band shell. A few of us wore the red “Get out of Vietnam” t-shirt our silk-screen subcommittee had made.&#160; We complained about the middle-aged for banning our cheer–“Hey, hey, LBJ,/ how many kids have you killed today?”</p>
<p>“They’re a bunch of scared liberals,” a boy said.</p>
<p>“Let’s chant, ‘Get out of Vietnam’ in Spanish?” &#160;“Afuera de Vietnam,” the boy said.</p>
<p>“That’s great idea,” the girl said.“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Good idea.”</p>
<p>“Chant it.”</p>
<p>“We’ll yell it.”</p>
<p>We then shouted in Spanish, “Afuera de Vietnam. Afuera de Vietnam” as we started out of the plaza. We were part of a crowd of 300 people marching the downtown sidewalks through a largely Latino crowd busy doing Saturday shopping..</p>
<p>“Afuera de Vietnam, afuera de Vietnam,” our group screamed. The Latino men at the street corner turned to stare at us as we shouted, “afuera de Vietnam” marching by the City Hall, which looked like a concrete white phallus thrusting up into the sky.</p>
<p>“Afuera de Vietnam. Afuera de Vietnam,” we yelled all the way to the steps of City Hall.</p>
<p>I proudly wore a black arm band, walking up and down through the crowd on the City Hall lawn handing around a coffee can to collect money for the Peace Action Council. The glaring sun cooked us. About ten of us were moving through the crowd with our coffee cans. The teenagers threw in quarters, the adults half dollars and dollar bills in my can. From the top steps of City Hall respectable Westside liberals gave boring speeches to a crowd that was baking in the August sun. I thought the Los Angeles anti-war movement could kill you with boredom and decorum except for my small group of rowdies.</p>
<p>Back in Berkeley the spring of 1967 I heard Martin Luther King speaks out against the war in January. I took a short break from my studies March 25 to join the national anti-war protests. I and 100,000 others peacefully marched miles from downtown San Francisco to Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park where we filled up the stadium. We listened to many speakers including Julian Bond, Eldridge Cleaver, Coretta Scott King (King was leading an anti-war march that day in Chicago), and listened to Judy Collins and San Francisco bands. In the spring the Vietnam War had only gotten bigger with more U.S. troops and more U.S. bombings.</p>
<p>Just before I started the summer session, my mother told me she and my 78-year old grandmother were going to their first anti-war march June 23 in Century City in Los Angeles where President Johnson was having a $500/plate funding raising dinner at the hotel. My mom and grandmother joined the thousands in the march—mothers with children as Another Mother for Peace was organizing in Los Angeles; the disabled; senior citizens–marching from Cheviot Hills Park to the hotel. The baby doctor Benjamin Spock was at the head of the march. The anti-war movement had spread beyond small pacifist circles and college campuses to mothers, senior citizens, and intellectuals like poet Lowell, and writers at the New York Review of Books who in New York were coming out against the war. Four Vietnam veterans started Vietnam Veterans against the war that June.</p>
<p>1,300 helmeted LAPD officers carryings guns and nightsticks attacked the head of the crowd. The people were boxed in with nowhere to run to:&#160; the police guarded the hotel to the west; a police blockade was on the north; thousands of marchers pushed in from the south; and a steep embankment was on the east. My mother later told me my grandmother was nearly knocked down in the terrified crowd. My grandmother had survived but I was very upset about my grandmother being attacked.</p>
<p>In October the Berkeley Stop-the-Draft movement had a week of protests in Oakland. On Monday the moderates had a peaceful sit-in on the steps of the Oakland Induction Center. The anti-war moderates, who had wanted the peaceful sit-in, had been arguing with the radicals, who want to move into the streets. Before Monday the moderates had won. The group that sat down included Joan Baez and her mother when the cops started clubbing all the seated people who ducked and ran.&#160; After the moderates were clubbed, the radicals won out, the group deciding take over the street.</p>
<p>All the young men I knew including my brother were searching for ways to get out of the draft. I caught the bus into downtown Oakland, getting off at the downtown shopping district, and started walking through the crowds of shoppers and office folk–mostly middle aged ladies or younger women in dresses, heels and stockings or men in suits or shirts and trousers. I was wearing my demonstration clothes:&#160; jeans, a green t-shirt, a blue jean jacket, and tennis shoes.</p>
<p>Near the Induction Center, shoppers and office workers were replaced by a crowd of 5,000 protesters. Some young men wore motorcycle helmets or construction hard hats, and a few even held shields. I saw two medics with white arm bands. Medical students came to demonstrations to patch up the clubbed, the gassed, and the bruised. Huge Oakland cops with their nightsticks by their side and their guns in their holsters stood between the crowd and the building. More hundreds of big, beefy cops stood in a line down one side street leading up to the Induction Center.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the Oakland cops between the protesters and the Induction Center started pushing the crowd back away from the building. Another group of Oakland cops came up from the side street, marching in between the crowd. The cops cut the 5,000 into about four groups of about 1,000 apiece, moving each group away from the building. My group retreated down half a block in the middle of the street. No cars could get through. A hundred cops stationed themselves, clubs up, in front of the crowd.</p>
<p>The militants stopped and milled in the middle of the street. With their clubs up, the police started to push the protesters back once again. My group started to run, retreating down the middle of the street another half block until we were milling in the middle of the intersection. The cops stationed themselves in front of the street they had just come down, still holding their clubs high. A second and third line of cops came up, completely blocking off both cross streets, looking angry and menacing.</p>
<p>My group had only one exit, running down the street behind them. Good god, I thought, please don’t bring up a fourth line of cops to beat the hell out of us.&#160; As if the crowd shared my fear, the mass of people started running down the middle of the one open street. Hundreds of cops marched with clubs up pushing the crowd who ran away again down the middle of the street.</p>
<p>The cops, clubs up, pushed us back a second block from the Induction Center and then pushed us back a third block. On the sidewalk a medic treated a young man whose head was bleeding. Behind us, we saw a horde of black motorcycle cops driving toward us leading a bus full of draftees. The motorcycles cut a line in the middle of the protestors, leaving room for the bus to drive through.</p>
<p>We in the street hollered at the scared boys’ faces peering out of the windows, “Hell, no, we won’t go.” “Get out of Vietnam.” “No draft, no war.”</p>
<p>The draftees in the buses looked at us as if we were from Mars. They looked at us with bewildered faces as the bus roared on through the crowd in the street.</p>
<p>“Stop the war. Stop the war,” more people yelled at the draftees.</p>
<p>The man beside me said, “We kept the buses from coming in for fifteen minutes.”</p>
<p>Fifteen minutes. Big deal, I thought, as I sat on the bus driving over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco.&#160; That night I dreamed of lines of Oakland cops on three sides of me with a fourth line of cops coming up from behind. Circled and trapped. The cops started clubbing people around me.</p>
<p>In June my graduation was looming. I told my parents I wasn’t going to the regular graduation ceremonies and not to come. Instead I went with my friend Evelyn to the Vietnam Commencement Counter-Graduation. We edged our way through the crowd packed into Sproul Plaza. Five thousand had crammed into every inch of Sproul Plaza from the doors of Sproul Hall across to the Student Union and the Terrace.</p>
<p>We squeezed our way through the packed crowd to the Student Union steps, climbed up a few steps and sat down. A girl was inching her way through the crowd handing out leaflets. I took one, and read a long list of the names of young men I knew who had pledged not to be drafted.</p>
<p>I saw my community in Sproul Plaza. Two hundred male faculty in suits and ties and three women faculty stood on the top of the steps facing the crowd. A band crowded lower on the steps, solemnly clutching their tuba, trombones, drums, trumpets, and flutes. At the microphone a professor was giving citations out to young men for draft refusal, including one spending his time in the stockade for refusing to report for reserve duty. His friend picked it up for him and promised to deliver it to him in the stockade.</p>
<p>Yes, I thought, my magic community was here and had reached out to include the soldier in the stockade in San Francisco. Phil Ochs, our troubadour, pushed his way to the microphone with his guitar and began to sing, “It’s always the old who lead you to war/ and it’s always the young who go./ And I ain’t a marching anymore. /And I ain’t a marching anymore.”</p>
<p>Then Dan Siegal, a law student at Boalt Law School, took the mike and said, “Will all the men in the crowd who have vowed to refuse the draft stand?” Hundreds of young men from all sections of the crowd stood up to deafening applause. “Now say the pledge,” Siegal said.</p>
<p>They said in unison: “Our war in Vietnam is unjust and immoral. As long as the United States is involved in this war I will not serve in the Armed Forces.”</p>
<p>For four years we had breathed in this war daily like smelling a noxious gas. For four years the war hovered over first dates and weddings.&#160; For four years every young man I knew was terrified of being drafted for this war they detested, talked of harming themselves or going into exile. To stop the war, the young men I knew had to put their futures on the line. The crowd roared its approval.</p>
<p>Siegel said, “Now all those who support them stand up.” Evelyn and I stood up along with the rest of the crowd. From the second floor balcony of the Student Union a trumpet sounded. The band on the steps of Sproul Hall started to play–tubas, drums, flutes, and trombones–joining the trumpet to serenade the class of 1968 including the soldier in the stockade in San Francisco.</p>
| 598,769 |
<p>Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens courted controversy and touched off political disputes even before acknowledging an extramarital affair and facing bombshell allegations that he blackmailed the woman involved.</p>
<p>Greitens has been a rising star in the national Republican Party and a welcome partner for state GOP lawmakers, whose favored policies had faced a Democratic governor's veto pen until Greitens' election in 2016. He also seemed to have his sights set on even higher office, having secured the web address EricGreitensforPresident.com years before running for governor.</p>
<p>But he also made missteps as a first-time candidate and then as a freshman governor, raising questions in particular about secrecy.</p>
<p>Greitens acknowledged Wednesday that he had an extramarital affair in 2015, but he denies the blackmail allegations and is telling supporters that a St. Louis prosecutor's investigation will clear him.</p>
<p>A look at some of the notable hiccups during Greitens' first campaign and first year in office:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>RESUME QUESTIONS</p>
<p>While running for governor, Greitens repeatedly touted his volunteer work with refugees in the Balkans in 1994, saying he helped children in Bosnia, where thousands died amid ethnic strife following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia. He <a href="" type="internal">later acknowledged</a> that most of the work was in safer, neighboring Croatia. Asked about the word choice, Greitens told The Associated Press that people recognized what happened in Bosnia and understood working with Bosnian refugees. But the choice also may have had a political advantage: Missouri has a large population of Bosnian refugees.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>CHARITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens' campaign for governor had access to the donor list for The Mission Continues, a veterans' charity he founded, and raised $2 million from individuals and entities that had given the charity significant contributions. Democrats said it was the kind of insider politics that Greitens decried in his campaign, and the chairman of the state party filed an ethics complaint contending he should have disclosed the list as an in-kind contribution. Greitens <a href="" type="internal">initially denied</a> using the charity's list for fundraising, then <a href="" type="internal">belatedly reported</a> it as an in-kind contribution. He paid a $100 fine.</p>
<p>Federal law prohibits charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. The IRS has said charities cannot give their donor lists away but can rent them at fair market value if they're available to all candidates.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PAY SCRUTINIZED</p>
<p>During his campaign, Greitens emphasized how he started The Mission Continues with combat pay from a tour in Iraq, and he initially worked for the charity without pay. But as donations rose, <a href="" type="internal">he started taking a salary,</a> and it hit $175,000 in 2011 — above the median for nearly 240 medium-sized charities in the Midwest, though not extravagant, according to analysts. Greitens' Democratic opponent suggested in an ad that the Republican was diverting money that was supposed to be used to help veterans.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>INAUGURAL DONORS</p>
<p>Greitens made fighting corruption and making ethics reforms a key part of his successful campaign for governor. Once elected, he broke with tradition by <a href="" type="internal">refusing to disclose</a> the amount of the donations to his inaugural festivities. Democratic legislators said the move could allow him to hide any conflicts of interest.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DARK MONEY HELP</p>
<p>Within weeks of Greitens taking office, his campaign treasurer <a href="" type="internal">founded a nonprofit group</a> to promote the new governor's agenda. The group can take an unlimited amount of money from donors and it does not have to reveal who is contributing.</p>
<p>Separately, Greitens received a <a href="" type="internal">contribution of nearly $2 million</a> for his campaign from a super PAC with only a single, mystery group as a donor.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SECRECY INVESTIGATED</p>
<p>The state attorney general's office <a href="" type="internal">is reviewing</a> Greitens' and some of his staff's use of a secretive app that deletes messages after they're read. The review was announced after The Kansas City Star reported that the governor and some of his staff have Confide accounts tied to their personal cellphones. The app also prevents recipients from saving, forwarding, printing or taking screenshots of messages. Government-transparency advocates worry that use of the app could undermine open-record laws.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDUCATION FIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens worked for months to appoint five new members to the eight-member State Board of Education and engineer its firing of the state's education commissioner. The effort drew strong criticism from some educators and lawmakers, who praised former Commissioner Margie Vandeven's work. Greitens was never clear about what Vandeven had done wrong; critics said the move interfered with the independence of the school board. Now those new board appointees face confirmation by the state Senate, where two Greitens foes have vowed to filibuster.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: <a href="http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv" type="external">http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv</a></p>
<p>Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens courted controversy and touched off political disputes even before acknowledging an extramarital affair and facing bombshell allegations that he blackmailed the woman involved.</p>
<p>Greitens has been a rising star in the national Republican Party and a welcome partner for state GOP lawmakers, whose favored policies had faced a Democratic governor's veto pen until Greitens' election in 2016. He also seemed to have his sights set on even higher office, having secured the web address EricGreitensforPresident.com years before running for governor.</p>
<p>But he also made missteps as a first-time candidate and then as a freshman governor, raising questions in particular about secrecy.</p>
<p>Greitens acknowledged Wednesday that he had an extramarital affair in 2015, but he denies the blackmail allegations and is telling supporters that a St. Louis prosecutor's investigation will clear him.</p>
<p>A look at some of the notable hiccups during Greitens' first campaign and first year in office:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>RESUME QUESTIONS</p>
<p>While running for governor, Greitens repeatedly touted his volunteer work with refugees in the Balkans in 1994, saying he helped children in Bosnia, where thousands died amid ethnic strife following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia. He <a href="" type="internal">later acknowledged</a> that most of the work was in safer, neighboring Croatia. Asked about the word choice, Greitens told The Associated Press that people recognized what happened in Bosnia and understood working with Bosnian refugees. But the choice also may have had a political advantage: Missouri has a large population of Bosnian refugees.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>CHARITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens' campaign for governor had access to the donor list for The Mission Continues, a veterans' charity he founded, and raised $2 million from individuals and entities that had given the charity significant contributions. Democrats said it was the kind of insider politics that Greitens decried in his campaign, and the chairman of the state party filed an ethics complaint contending he should have disclosed the list as an in-kind contribution. Greitens <a href="" type="internal">initially denied</a> using the charity's list for fundraising, then <a href="" type="internal">belatedly reported</a> it as an in-kind contribution. He paid a $100 fine.</p>
<p>Federal law prohibits charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. The IRS has said charities cannot give their donor lists away but can rent them at fair market value if they're available to all candidates.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PAY SCRUTINIZED</p>
<p>During his campaign, Greitens emphasized how he started The Mission Continues with combat pay from a tour in Iraq, and he initially worked for the charity without pay. But as donations rose, <a href="" type="internal">he started taking a salary,</a> and it hit $175,000 in 2011 — above the median for nearly 240 medium-sized charities in the Midwest, though not extravagant, according to analysts. Greitens' Democratic opponent suggested in an ad that the Republican was diverting money that was supposed to be used to help veterans.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>INAUGURAL DONORS</p>
<p>Greitens made fighting corruption and making ethics reforms a key part of his successful campaign for governor. Once elected, he broke with tradition by <a href="" type="internal">refusing to disclose</a> the amount of the donations to his inaugural festivities. Democratic legislators said the move could allow him to hide any conflicts of interest.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DARK MONEY HELP</p>
<p>Within weeks of Greitens taking office, his campaign treasurer <a href="" type="internal">founded a nonprofit group</a> to promote the new governor's agenda. The group can take an unlimited amount of money from donors and it does not have to reveal who is contributing.</p>
<p>Separately, Greitens received a <a href="" type="internal">contribution of nearly $2 million</a> for his campaign from a super PAC with only a single, mystery group as a donor.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SECRECY INVESTIGATED</p>
<p>The state attorney general's office <a href="" type="internal">is reviewing</a> Greitens' and some of his staff's use of a secretive app that deletes messages after they're read. The review was announced after The Kansas City Star reported that the governor and some of his staff have Confide accounts tied to their personal cellphones. The app also prevents recipients from saving, forwarding, printing or taking screenshots of messages. Government-transparency advocates worry that use of the app could undermine open-record laws.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDUCATION FIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens worked for months to appoint five new members to the eight-member State Board of Education and engineer its firing of the state's education commissioner. The effort drew strong criticism from some educators and lawmakers, who praised former Commissioner Margie Vandeven's work. Greitens was never clear about what Vandeven had done wrong; critics said the move interfered with the independence of the school board. Now those new board appointees face confirmation by the state Senate, where two Greitens foes have vowed to filibuster.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: <a href="http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv" type="external">http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv</a></p>
|
Missouri governor inspired disputes before affair was public
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/b10379c99bb84d5b8b1eb8546b13b4ba
|
2018-01-13
| 2least
|
Missouri governor inspired disputes before affair was public
<p>Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens courted controversy and touched off political disputes even before acknowledging an extramarital affair and facing bombshell allegations that he blackmailed the woman involved.</p>
<p>Greitens has been a rising star in the national Republican Party and a welcome partner for state GOP lawmakers, whose favored policies had faced a Democratic governor's veto pen until Greitens' election in 2016. He also seemed to have his sights set on even higher office, having secured the web address EricGreitensforPresident.com years before running for governor.</p>
<p>But he also made missteps as a first-time candidate and then as a freshman governor, raising questions in particular about secrecy.</p>
<p>Greitens acknowledged Wednesday that he had an extramarital affair in 2015, but he denies the blackmail allegations and is telling supporters that a St. Louis prosecutor's investigation will clear him.</p>
<p>A look at some of the notable hiccups during Greitens' first campaign and first year in office:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>RESUME QUESTIONS</p>
<p>While running for governor, Greitens repeatedly touted his volunteer work with refugees in the Balkans in 1994, saying he helped children in Bosnia, where thousands died amid ethnic strife following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia. He <a href="" type="internal">later acknowledged</a> that most of the work was in safer, neighboring Croatia. Asked about the word choice, Greitens told The Associated Press that people recognized what happened in Bosnia and understood working with Bosnian refugees. But the choice also may have had a political advantage: Missouri has a large population of Bosnian refugees.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>CHARITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens' campaign for governor had access to the donor list for The Mission Continues, a veterans' charity he founded, and raised $2 million from individuals and entities that had given the charity significant contributions. Democrats said it was the kind of insider politics that Greitens decried in his campaign, and the chairman of the state party filed an ethics complaint contending he should have disclosed the list as an in-kind contribution. Greitens <a href="" type="internal">initially denied</a> using the charity's list for fundraising, then <a href="" type="internal">belatedly reported</a> it as an in-kind contribution. He paid a $100 fine.</p>
<p>Federal law prohibits charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. The IRS has said charities cannot give their donor lists away but can rent them at fair market value if they're available to all candidates.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PAY SCRUTINIZED</p>
<p>During his campaign, Greitens emphasized how he started The Mission Continues with combat pay from a tour in Iraq, and he initially worked for the charity without pay. But as donations rose, <a href="" type="internal">he started taking a salary,</a> and it hit $175,000 in 2011 — above the median for nearly 240 medium-sized charities in the Midwest, though not extravagant, according to analysts. Greitens' Democratic opponent suggested in an ad that the Republican was diverting money that was supposed to be used to help veterans.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>INAUGURAL DONORS</p>
<p>Greitens made fighting corruption and making ethics reforms a key part of his successful campaign for governor. Once elected, he broke with tradition by <a href="" type="internal">refusing to disclose</a> the amount of the donations to his inaugural festivities. Democratic legislators said the move could allow him to hide any conflicts of interest.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DARK MONEY HELP</p>
<p>Within weeks of Greitens taking office, his campaign treasurer <a href="" type="internal">founded a nonprofit group</a> to promote the new governor's agenda. The group can take an unlimited amount of money from donors and it does not have to reveal who is contributing.</p>
<p>Separately, Greitens received a <a href="" type="internal">contribution of nearly $2 million</a> for his campaign from a super PAC with only a single, mystery group as a donor.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SECRECY INVESTIGATED</p>
<p>The state attorney general's office <a href="" type="internal">is reviewing</a> Greitens' and some of his staff's use of a secretive app that deletes messages after they're read. The review was announced after The Kansas City Star reported that the governor and some of his staff have Confide accounts tied to their personal cellphones. The app also prevents recipients from saving, forwarding, printing or taking screenshots of messages. Government-transparency advocates worry that use of the app could undermine open-record laws.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDUCATION FIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens worked for months to appoint five new members to the eight-member State Board of Education and engineer its firing of the state's education commissioner. The effort drew strong criticism from some educators and lawmakers, who praised former Commissioner Margie Vandeven's work. Greitens was never clear about what Vandeven had done wrong; critics said the move interfered with the independence of the school board. Now those new board appointees face confirmation by the state Senate, where two Greitens foes have vowed to filibuster.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: <a href="http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv" type="external">http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv</a></p>
<p>Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens courted controversy and touched off political disputes even before acknowledging an extramarital affair and facing bombshell allegations that he blackmailed the woman involved.</p>
<p>Greitens has been a rising star in the national Republican Party and a welcome partner for state GOP lawmakers, whose favored policies had faced a Democratic governor's veto pen until Greitens' election in 2016. He also seemed to have his sights set on even higher office, having secured the web address EricGreitensforPresident.com years before running for governor.</p>
<p>But he also made missteps as a first-time candidate and then as a freshman governor, raising questions in particular about secrecy.</p>
<p>Greitens acknowledged Wednesday that he had an extramarital affair in 2015, but he denies the blackmail allegations and is telling supporters that a St. Louis prosecutor's investigation will clear him.</p>
<p>A look at some of the notable hiccups during Greitens' first campaign and first year in office:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>RESUME QUESTIONS</p>
<p>While running for governor, Greitens repeatedly touted his volunteer work with refugees in the Balkans in 1994, saying he helped children in Bosnia, where thousands died amid ethnic strife following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia. He <a href="" type="internal">later acknowledged</a> that most of the work was in safer, neighboring Croatia. Asked about the word choice, Greitens told The Associated Press that people recognized what happened in Bosnia and understood working with Bosnian refugees. But the choice also may have had a political advantage: Missouri has a large population of Bosnian refugees.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>CHARITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens' campaign for governor had access to the donor list for The Mission Continues, a veterans' charity he founded, and raised $2 million from individuals and entities that had given the charity significant contributions. Democrats said it was the kind of insider politics that Greitens decried in his campaign, and the chairman of the state party filed an ethics complaint contending he should have disclosed the list as an in-kind contribution. Greitens <a href="" type="internal">initially denied</a> using the charity's list for fundraising, then <a href="" type="internal">belatedly reported</a> it as an in-kind contribution. He paid a $100 fine.</p>
<p>Federal law prohibits charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. The IRS has said charities cannot give their donor lists away but can rent them at fair market value if they're available to all candidates.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PAY SCRUTINIZED</p>
<p>During his campaign, Greitens emphasized how he started The Mission Continues with combat pay from a tour in Iraq, and he initially worked for the charity without pay. But as donations rose, <a href="" type="internal">he started taking a salary,</a> and it hit $175,000 in 2011 — above the median for nearly 240 medium-sized charities in the Midwest, though not extravagant, according to analysts. Greitens' Democratic opponent suggested in an ad that the Republican was diverting money that was supposed to be used to help veterans.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>INAUGURAL DONORS</p>
<p>Greitens made fighting corruption and making ethics reforms a key part of his successful campaign for governor. Once elected, he broke with tradition by <a href="" type="internal">refusing to disclose</a> the amount of the donations to his inaugural festivities. Democratic legislators said the move could allow him to hide any conflicts of interest.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DARK MONEY HELP</p>
<p>Within weeks of Greitens taking office, his campaign treasurer <a href="" type="internal">founded a nonprofit group</a> to promote the new governor's agenda. The group can take an unlimited amount of money from donors and it does not have to reveal who is contributing.</p>
<p>Separately, Greitens received a <a href="" type="internal">contribution of nearly $2 million</a> for his campaign from a super PAC with only a single, mystery group as a donor.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SECRECY INVESTIGATED</p>
<p>The state attorney general's office <a href="" type="internal">is reviewing</a> Greitens' and some of his staff's use of a secretive app that deletes messages after they're read. The review was announced after The Kansas City Star reported that the governor and some of his staff have Confide accounts tied to their personal cellphones. The app also prevents recipients from saving, forwarding, printing or taking screenshots of messages. Government-transparency advocates worry that use of the app could undermine open-record laws.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDUCATION FIGHT</p>
<p>Greitens worked for months to appoint five new members to the eight-member State Board of Education and engineer its firing of the state's education commissioner. The effort drew strong criticism from some educators and lawmakers, who praised former Commissioner Margie Vandeven's work. Greitens was never clear about what Vandeven had done wrong; critics said the move interfered with the independence of the school board. Now those new board appointees face confirmation by the state Senate, where two Greitens foes have vowed to filibuster.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: <a href="http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv" type="external">http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv</a></p>
| 598,770 |
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-294719558/stock-photo-legal-marijuana.html?src=q0IcwvEUSS0vqAbNxDIi7Q-1-31"&gt;Bruce Weber&lt;/a&gt;/Shutterstock</p>
<p />
<p>Residents of Washington, DC, have taken major issue with Congress on two big local priorities in the past year: legalizing marijuana and sledding on the slopes of the US Capitol. DC voters <a href="https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2014/November-4-General-Election" type="external">approved</a> a ballot measure last November to legalize weed by a 65-27 percent margin, only to be told by Congress that the city couldn’t regulate or tax the sale of the drug. And residents <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/03/05/d-c-loses-its-capitol-hill-sledding-battle-for-now/" type="external">flocked</a> to the Capitol with their sleds after a heavy snow in March, only to be thwarted by Capitol police.</p>
<p>In its omnibus budget deal released Tuesday night, Congress tackled both of these issues, granting DC its wish on one but not the other. Sledding, the body determined, would be permitted; regulating the marijuana market would not.</p>
<p>The District of Columbia—home to more than 650,000 people, making it more populous than Vermont or Wyoming—lacks a voting representative in Congress, and its budget is subject to congressional approval, a unique carve-out that no other US city or state must contend with.</p>
<p>As part of a larger deal to keep the government funded for the next year, Congress is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/12/16/heres-what-made-it-into-congresss-big-tax-and-spending-bills/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-low_budget-1035pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory#oilexports" type="external">asking</a> Capitol police to let kids from the surrounding neighborhoods bring their sleds to the slopes outside the building, among the best in the town. But while the kids can frolic, Congress still wants to prevent the adults in town from buying and selling a once-illegal substance.</p>
<p>The budget deal includes a rider first implemented last year that prohibits the city government from using any of its money to further legalize marijuana in the nation’s capital. After voters approved Initiative 71 last November—which legalized home growth and possession of small amounts of the drug—the city has been stuck in a gray area. Residents can now safely keep a small stash of weed at home without fear of being arrested by local cops, but there’s no legal way for them to buy the drug, unless they qualify for a medical marijuana prescription. The city council was on track to pass rules to allow for a marketplace and taxation system, like those in Colorado and Washington state, late last year before Congress intervened, much to the consternation of local officials. As <a href="" type="internal">I wrote earlier this summer</a>:</p>
<p>There are a whole host of reasons the city government and voters would prefer a market where marijuana is sold in approved storefronts just like liquor. As Colorado has shown with its regulated system, bringing drug sales out of the black market can be a boon for tax revenue, with the state <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/21/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenues-2015" type="external">set to collect</a> about $125 million this year from marijuana sales taxes. And before the ballot initiative last year legalized personal possession of small quantities of the drug, studies had <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/04/the-blackwhite-marijuana-arrest-gap-in-nine-charts/" type="external">shown</a> that black residents of DC were 8.05 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white residents, even though black people and white people <a href="https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/1114413-mj-report-rfs-rel1.pdf#11" type="external">smoke pot</a> at equal levels nationally.</p>
<p>That rider barred the city from regulating marijuana sales until government funding ran out. Tuesday night’s deal extends the prohibition through next September—and effectively signals that stripping the District’s ability to regulate a drug it has legalized has become a de facto part of any deal to keep the government from shutting down.</p>
<p />
|
Congress Allows DC to Sled, But Not to Regulate the Sale of Marijuana
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2015/12/let-them-ride-sleds/
|
2015-12-16
| 4left
|
Congress Allows DC to Sled, But Not to Regulate the Sale of Marijuana
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-294719558/stock-photo-legal-marijuana.html?src=q0IcwvEUSS0vqAbNxDIi7Q-1-31"&gt;Bruce Weber&lt;/a&gt;/Shutterstock</p>
<p />
<p>Residents of Washington, DC, have taken major issue with Congress on two big local priorities in the past year: legalizing marijuana and sledding on the slopes of the US Capitol. DC voters <a href="https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2014/November-4-General-Election" type="external">approved</a> a ballot measure last November to legalize weed by a 65-27 percent margin, only to be told by Congress that the city couldn’t regulate or tax the sale of the drug. And residents <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/03/05/d-c-loses-its-capitol-hill-sledding-battle-for-now/" type="external">flocked</a> to the Capitol with their sleds after a heavy snow in March, only to be thwarted by Capitol police.</p>
<p>In its omnibus budget deal released Tuesday night, Congress tackled both of these issues, granting DC its wish on one but not the other. Sledding, the body determined, would be permitted; regulating the marijuana market would not.</p>
<p>The District of Columbia—home to more than 650,000 people, making it more populous than Vermont or Wyoming—lacks a voting representative in Congress, and its budget is subject to congressional approval, a unique carve-out that no other US city or state must contend with.</p>
<p>As part of a larger deal to keep the government funded for the next year, Congress is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/12/16/heres-what-made-it-into-congresss-big-tax-and-spending-bills/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-low_budget-1035pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory#oilexports" type="external">asking</a> Capitol police to let kids from the surrounding neighborhoods bring their sleds to the slopes outside the building, among the best in the town. But while the kids can frolic, Congress still wants to prevent the adults in town from buying and selling a once-illegal substance.</p>
<p>The budget deal includes a rider first implemented last year that prohibits the city government from using any of its money to further legalize marijuana in the nation’s capital. After voters approved Initiative 71 last November—which legalized home growth and possession of small amounts of the drug—the city has been stuck in a gray area. Residents can now safely keep a small stash of weed at home without fear of being arrested by local cops, but there’s no legal way for them to buy the drug, unless they qualify for a medical marijuana prescription. The city council was on track to pass rules to allow for a marketplace and taxation system, like those in Colorado and Washington state, late last year before Congress intervened, much to the consternation of local officials. As <a href="" type="internal">I wrote earlier this summer</a>:</p>
<p>There are a whole host of reasons the city government and voters would prefer a market where marijuana is sold in approved storefronts just like liquor. As Colorado has shown with its regulated system, bringing drug sales out of the black market can be a boon for tax revenue, with the state <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/21/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenues-2015" type="external">set to collect</a> about $125 million this year from marijuana sales taxes. And before the ballot initiative last year legalized personal possession of small quantities of the drug, studies had <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/04/the-blackwhite-marijuana-arrest-gap-in-nine-charts/" type="external">shown</a> that black residents of DC were 8.05 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white residents, even though black people and white people <a href="https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/1114413-mj-report-rfs-rel1.pdf#11" type="external">smoke pot</a> at equal levels nationally.</p>
<p>That rider barred the city from regulating marijuana sales until government funding ran out. Tuesday night’s deal extends the prohibition through next September—and effectively signals that stripping the District’s ability to regulate a drug it has legalized has become a de facto part of any deal to keep the government from shutting down.</p>
<p />
| 598,771 |
<p>Millions of Americans drink “unhealthy” water; military suicides escalate; schools erode and health programs collapse.</p>
<p>— The New York Times</p>
<p>The Senate passed a $626 billion “defense” budget without discussion. Since 1947, when the War Department became the Defense Department, Congress has allocated trillions of dollars, but all for offense and with dubious results: Korea (1950-53), Vietnam (1964-74), Iraq and Afghanistan. None of those countries attacked or threatened us.</p>
<p>In Copenhagen, Obama reflected the denial mood of Congress, banks and corporations and offered platitudes to reduce global warming while admitting the perils of growing climate change. Raising unpleasant future scenarios signifies unacceptable political pessimism. The press, predictably, abdicated on all issues not connected to celebrity scandal.</p>
<p>Last September, Fidel Castro said modern media’s main message was “Buy this, buy that.” After watching CNN International, a network whose founder, Ted Turner, attributed to Fidel the idea of fashioning a global news network, he called such “news” a purveyor of “universal disorientation.”</p>
<p>Mass confusion also derives from priorities. As unemployment grew and war raged, newspaper headlines and TV news shows featured Tiger Woods’ women. Even George Orwell didn’t imagine how incessant visual shock images and audio babble could combine with the blur of newsprint to immerse the public in depths of muddle.</p>
<p>Misdirected U.S. residents also entered the second decade of the Century as victims because of scams and con jobs perpetrated by CEOs. Ruses perpetrated by the country’s highest officials which led to the U.S. military’s reduction of parts of Iraq and Afghanistan to rubble – with massive death and injury.</p>
<p>The Century itself began with a sham election. Bush’s presidential qualifications equaled mine as a religious icon painter. No matter. The Supreme Court established that democracy did not include counting votes in Florida.</p>
<p>Shortly after, Bush’s buddy and campaign contributor, ENRON chief “Kenny-Boy” Lay, stood naked as his company defrauded the public — billions of dollars of losses hidden by fraudulent accounting – we learned the new meaning of “innovative.” For six consecutive years Fortune named ENRON its “most innovative company.”</p>
<p>Some ENRON executives made billions by helping cause and then profitfrom a California power shortage; others guided creative accountants through courses in numerical book-cooking so as to create the façade of profitability. Other monster-sized corporations with high ratings also collapsed (Adelphia and WorldCom) thanks to dubious profiteering and speculating by top executives.</p>
<p>Despite warning signs that “prosperity” included phony accounting, Fed Chairs offered rosy predictions of an eternal housing boom. The U.S. economy would perpetually rise.</p>
<p>The venerable Bernie Madoff assured clients, with phony assets statements, that they would enjoy ever larger fortunes by investing pension and endowment funds in his licensed ponzi scheme of $64 billion. Bernie’s good times lasted more than a decade.</p>
<p>Bush had done nothing of note until Osama’s crew struck. Bush’s National Security neo cons then pushed their aggressive agenda through a terrified Congress and an un-skeptical media. Invading Afghanistan would somehow retaliate for the 9/11 outrage, rid the country of the hated Taliban and, most importantly, capture the evil Osama bin Laden. Without fear or fact, neo con ideologues manipulated publics in the U.S. and England. In record time, we had a new war, and a hastily drafted Patriot Act to curtail our liberties for the purpose of stopping bin Laden, who wanted to curtail our freedom.</p>
<p>After no opposition to war in Afghanistan emerged, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld “conned” the media and Congress, with British collusion, into war in Iraq (see the film “In the Loop”). Over six plus years, hundreds of thousands died. Iraq’s integrity got shattered. No weapons of mass destruction were found; nor ties between Saddam’s Iraq’s and Al-Qaeda. Bush and Blair shrugged: “It’s a better world without Saddam.” Relatives of the dead shouldn’t complain because their loved ones died “for a better world.”</p>
<p>Scandal also struck religion – again. Ultra religious megapreacher Ted Haggard liked getting speed inserted into his stimulant-craving booty according to his masseuse who followed the drugged-up Ted’s nether orifice with his own you know what. Like the fictional Elmer Gantry, Ted preached fidelity while imagining kinky scenarios. After his “outing,” Ted “cured” “homoerotica” by spending two weeks in Christian rehab. Now happily reunited with wife and kids, Ted counsels others with similar “problems.”</p>
<p>In November 2008, Americans, recoiling from the Bush nightmare, voted for “hope” and “change.” Obama then appointed the same old perpetrators as top economic bosses (Treasury Secretary Geithner and Economic Adviser-in-Chief Summers) and continued Bush’s Afghan war with more troops. Our rotting infrastructure will somehow take care of itself and the unemployed and foreclosed should have faith.</p>
<p>Happy New Year and Take to the Streets!</p>
<p>SAUL LANDAU’s <a href="http://www.easycartsecure.com/CounterPunch/CounterPunch_Books.html" type="external">A BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD</a> was published by CounterPunch / AK Press.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
|
Naked Empire
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2010/01/08/naked-empire/
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2010-01-08
| 4left
|
Naked Empire
<p>Millions of Americans drink “unhealthy” water; military suicides escalate; schools erode and health programs collapse.</p>
<p>— The New York Times</p>
<p>The Senate passed a $626 billion “defense” budget without discussion. Since 1947, when the War Department became the Defense Department, Congress has allocated trillions of dollars, but all for offense and with dubious results: Korea (1950-53), Vietnam (1964-74), Iraq and Afghanistan. None of those countries attacked or threatened us.</p>
<p>In Copenhagen, Obama reflected the denial mood of Congress, banks and corporations and offered platitudes to reduce global warming while admitting the perils of growing climate change. Raising unpleasant future scenarios signifies unacceptable political pessimism. The press, predictably, abdicated on all issues not connected to celebrity scandal.</p>
<p>Last September, Fidel Castro said modern media’s main message was “Buy this, buy that.” After watching CNN International, a network whose founder, Ted Turner, attributed to Fidel the idea of fashioning a global news network, he called such “news” a purveyor of “universal disorientation.”</p>
<p>Mass confusion also derives from priorities. As unemployment grew and war raged, newspaper headlines and TV news shows featured Tiger Woods’ women. Even George Orwell didn’t imagine how incessant visual shock images and audio babble could combine with the blur of newsprint to immerse the public in depths of muddle.</p>
<p>Misdirected U.S. residents also entered the second decade of the Century as victims because of scams and con jobs perpetrated by CEOs. Ruses perpetrated by the country’s highest officials which led to the U.S. military’s reduction of parts of Iraq and Afghanistan to rubble – with massive death and injury.</p>
<p>The Century itself began with a sham election. Bush’s presidential qualifications equaled mine as a religious icon painter. No matter. The Supreme Court established that democracy did not include counting votes in Florida.</p>
<p>Shortly after, Bush’s buddy and campaign contributor, ENRON chief “Kenny-Boy” Lay, stood naked as his company defrauded the public — billions of dollars of losses hidden by fraudulent accounting – we learned the new meaning of “innovative.” For six consecutive years Fortune named ENRON its “most innovative company.”</p>
<p>Some ENRON executives made billions by helping cause and then profitfrom a California power shortage; others guided creative accountants through courses in numerical book-cooking so as to create the façade of profitability. Other monster-sized corporations with high ratings also collapsed (Adelphia and WorldCom) thanks to dubious profiteering and speculating by top executives.</p>
<p>Despite warning signs that “prosperity” included phony accounting, Fed Chairs offered rosy predictions of an eternal housing boom. The U.S. economy would perpetually rise.</p>
<p>The venerable Bernie Madoff assured clients, with phony assets statements, that they would enjoy ever larger fortunes by investing pension and endowment funds in his licensed ponzi scheme of $64 billion. Bernie’s good times lasted more than a decade.</p>
<p>Bush had done nothing of note until Osama’s crew struck. Bush’s National Security neo cons then pushed their aggressive agenda through a terrified Congress and an un-skeptical media. Invading Afghanistan would somehow retaliate for the 9/11 outrage, rid the country of the hated Taliban and, most importantly, capture the evil Osama bin Laden. Without fear or fact, neo con ideologues manipulated publics in the U.S. and England. In record time, we had a new war, and a hastily drafted Patriot Act to curtail our liberties for the purpose of stopping bin Laden, who wanted to curtail our freedom.</p>
<p>After no opposition to war in Afghanistan emerged, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld “conned” the media and Congress, with British collusion, into war in Iraq (see the film “In the Loop”). Over six plus years, hundreds of thousands died. Iraq’s integrity got shattered. No weapons of mass destruction were found; nor ties between Saddam’s Iraq’s and Al-Qaeda. Bush and Blair shrugged: “It’s a better world without Saddam.” Relatives of the dead shouldn’t complain because their loved ones died “for a better world.”</p>
<p>Scandal also struck religion – again. Ultra religious megapreacher Ted Haggard liked getting speed inserted into his stimulant-craving booty according to his masseuse who followed the drugged-up Ted’s nether orifice with his own you know what. Like the fictional Elmer Gantry, Ted preached fidelity while imagining kinky scenarios. After his “outing,” Ted “cured” “homoerotica” by spending two weeks in Christian rehab. Now happily reunited with wife and kids, Ted counsels others with similar “problems.”</p>
<p>In November 2008, Americans, recoiling from the Bush nightmare, voted for “hope” and “change.” Obama then appointed the same old perpetrators as top economic bosses (Treasury Secretary Geithner and Economic Adviser-in-Chief Summers) and continued Bush’s Afghan war with more troops. Our rotting infrastructure will somehow take care of itself and the unemployed and foreclosed should have faith.</p>
<p>Happy New Year and Take to the Streets!</p>
<p>SAUL LANDAU’s <a href="http://www.easycartsecure.com/CounterPunch/CounterPunch_Books.html" type="external">A BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD</a> was published by CounterPunch / AK Press.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 598,772 |
<p>CHICAGO — Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was released from prison in Minnesota and transferred to a Chicago re-entry facility, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison</a> in April 2016 in a banking violations case that revealed accusations he had sexually abused teenagers while coaching wrestling at a suburban Chicago high school.</p>
<p>The Bureau of Prisons said in an email that Hastert left the Minnesota prison on Monday and is now “under the jurisdiction” of a Chicago residential re-entry management office. It’s unclear whether Hastert was staying at a halfway house or whether he could be transferred to home confinement. Hastert’s release date is listed as Aug. 16.</p>
<p>Hastert’s attorneys declined comment Tuesday.</p>
<p>The Illinois congressman-turned-high-paid lobbyist had to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or just over a year. It’s not uncommon for inmates to be released early for administrative or other reasons.</p>
<p>Hastert pleaded guilty to violating banking law in seeking to pay $3.5 million in hush money to keep the sex abuse secret. He is one of the highest-ranking U.S. politicians to ever go to prison, where he was known as Inmate No. 47991-424.</p>
<p>Scott Cross, who testified at Hastert’s sentencing hearing that Hastert abused him as a teen, said Tuesday that he didn’t ask to be notified of Hastert’s release from prison and remains intent on moving on with his life.</p>
<p>“I don’t have any control over this stuff,” he told The Associated Press. “I did what I thought was right for me. I’m not going to look back on it.”</p>
<p>Cross still believes Hastert’s sentence was a “slap on the wrist” but doesn’t fault federal authorities.</p>
<p>“They got him on what they could,” he said.</p>
<p>Health issues</p>
<p>Hastert’s health has been an issue. He sat in a wheelchair during his sentencing and used a walker to deliver a statement. He served his term at the 64-acre Rochester Federal Medical Center, a prison that specializes in care for physically ailing or mentally ill inmates and is near the Mayo Clinic. Hastert nearly died from a blood infection and had a stroke after he pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2015. He also has diabetes.</p>
<p>When Illinois former Gov. George Ryan was released from an Indiana prison in 2013 after five years for corruption, he traveled to a halfway house in Chicago, but was released to return to his home in Kankakee within hours. The Republican was released from home confinement a year later.</p>
<p>Hastert’s sentence includes two years of supervised release, during which he must undergo sex-offender treatment. Prison and health experts have said that treatment will likely include a lie-detector test to determine how many times Hastert sexually abused kids and for how long.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin branded Hastert “a serial child molester” during his sentencing in Chicago. Hastert was never charged with child abuse because the statutes of limitation blocked prosecutors from filing charges dating back to when Hastert coached at Yorkville High School, from 1965 to 1981.</p>
<p>Former wrestler</p>
<p>Cross, a former wrestler, testified that he was abused when he was in the school locker room.</p>
<p>“I looked up to coach Hastert,” said Cross, who also is the brother of a state Republican leader. “I was devastated. I felt very alone.”</p>
<p>Court filings detailed the abuse allegations, describing how Hastert would also sit in a recliner in the high school locker room with a direct view of the showers.</p>
<p>The nation’s longest-serving GOP House speaker was second in the line to the presidency from 1999 to 2007 under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.</p>
<p>In Yorkville, the community that was once immensely proud of Hastert, a former close friend of his, Bob Evans, said he hopes the saga is almost over.</p>
<p>“He did what the law said he had to do and hopefully we will never see him again (and) we will never have to hear about this again,” said Bob Evans, who was a fellow coach at Yorkville High School when Hastert was there. “You just get tired of hearing about it.”</p>
<p>RELATED</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Judge rules accuser can remain anonymous in Hastert sex abuse suit</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">New lawsuit accuses Dennis Hastert of sexual assault</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Prosecutors say Dennis Hastert wanted to hide sex abuse of wrestler, 14</a></p>
<p />
|
Ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert released from prison
| false |
https://reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/ex-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-released-from-prison/
|
2017-07-18
| 1right-center
|
Ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert released from prison
<p>CHICAGO — Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was released from prison in Minnesota and transferred to a Chicago re-entry facility, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison</a> in April 2016 in a banking violations case that revealed accusations he had sexually abused teenagers while coaching wrestling at a suburban Chicago high school.</p>
<p>The Bureau of Prisons said in an email that Hastert left the Minnesota prison on Monday and is now “under the jurisdiction” of a Chicago residential re-entry management office. It’s unclear whether Hastert was staying at a halfway house or whether he could be transferred to home confinement. Hastert’s release date is listed as Aug. 16.</p>
<p>Hastert’s attorneys declined comment Tuesday.</p>
<p>The Illinois congressman-turned-high-paid lobbyist had to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or just over a year. It’s not uncommon for inmates to be released early for administrative or other reasons.</p>
<p>Hastert pleaded guilty to violating banking law in seeking to pay $3.5 million in hush money to keep the sex abuse secret. He is one of the highest-ranking U.S. politicians to ever go to prison, where he was known as Inmate No. 47991-424.</p>
<p>Scott Cross, who testified at Hastert’s sentencing hearing that Hastert abused him as a teen, said Tuesday that he didn’t ask to be notified of Hastert’s release from prison and remains intent on moving on with his life.</p>
<p>“I don’t have any control over this stuff,” he told The Associated Press. “I did what I thought was right for me. I’m not going to look back on it.”</p>
<p>Cross still believes Hastert’s sentence was a “slap on the wrist” but doesn’t fault federal authorities.</p>
<p>“They got him on what they could,” he said.</p>
<p>Health issues</p>
<p>Hastert’s health has been an issue. He sat in a wheelchair during his sentencing and used a walker to deliver a statement. He served his term at the 64-acre Rochester Federal Medical Center, a prison that specializes in care for physically ailing or mentally ill inmates and is near the Mayo Clinic. Hastert nearly died from a blood infection and had a stroke after he pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2015. He also has diabetes.</p>
<p>When Illinois former Gov. George Ryan was released from an Indiana prison in 2013 after five years for corruption, he traveled to a halfway house in Chicago, but was released to return to his home in Kankakee within hours. The Republican was released from home confinement a year later.</p>
<p>Hastert’s sentence includes two years of supervised release, during which he must undergo sex-offender treatment. Prison and health experts have said that treatment will likely include a lie-detector test to determine how many times Hastert sexually abused kids and for how long.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin branded Hastert “a serial child molester” during his sentencing in Chicago. Hastert was never charged with child abuse because the statutes of limitation blocked prosecutors from filing charges dating back to when Hastert coached at Yorkville High School, from 1965 to 1981.</p>
<p>Former wrestler</p>
<p>Cross, a former wrestler, testified that he was abused when he was in the school locker room.</p>
<p>“I looked up to coach Hastert,” said Cross, who also is the brother of a state Republican leader. “I was devastated. I felt very alone.”</p>
<p>Court filings detailed the abuse allegations, describing how Hastert would also sit in a recliner in the high school locker room with a direct view of the showers.</p>
<p>The nation’s longest-serving GOP House speaker was second in the line to the presidency from 1999 to 2007 under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.</p>
<p>In Yorkville, the community that was once immensely proud of Hastert, a former close friend of his, Bob Evans, said he hopes the saga is almost over.</p>
<p>“He did what the law said he had to do and hopefully we will never see him again (and) we will never have to hear about this again,” said Bob Evans, who was a fellow coach at Yorkville High School when Hastert was there. “You just get tired of hearing about it.”</p>
<p>RELATED</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Judge rules accuser can remain anonymous in Hastert sex abuse suit</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">New lawsuit accuses Dennis Hastert of sexual assault</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Prosecutors say Dennis Hastert wanted to hide sex abuse of wrestler, 14</a></p>
<p />
| 598,773 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>Elizabeth (Betty) Jane Krewer, 85, passed away Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. She was born in Dixon, Ill., on June 27, 1928, to William C. and Florence May (Hatch) Dempsey.</p>
<p>She was preceded in death by her husband, John F. Krewer; and brothers, William, Robert and Fred Dempsey.</p>
<p>Mrs. Krewer is survived by daughters, Noreen A. Scott (Robert) of Rio Rancho, N.M., Mary Crafton-Williams (Edward) of Rio Rancho; and Elizabeth Stahl and Scott Monroe of El Mirage, Ariz.; grandchildren, Kimberly, Brinnon (Erica), and Christopher Scott, Brian (Nicole), Timothy, and Emily Crafton, Shaun Stahl; great-grandchildren, Cameron and Mirabel Crafton, Kayla and Caden Stahl, Evangeline Scott; sister, Margaret Bertsche; sisters-in-law, Carol Dempsey, Jeanne Maples; and many loved nieces and nephews.</p>
<p>A rosary will be recited at 11 a.m. followed by the celebration of the Mass of Christian burial at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 1001 Meteor Ave. NE, Rio Rancho. Inurnment will follow at 2:15 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, N.M.</p>
<p>In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mrs. Krewer’s name can be given to the UNM Cancer Center Development Office, MSC07 4025, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M., 87131-0001. To view information or leave a condolence, please visit danielsfuneral.com.</p>
<p>(Daniels Family Funeral Services, 4310 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho, N.M., 87124, 505-892-9920.)</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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Obituary: Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Jane Krewer
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https://abqjournal.com/273535/elizabeth-39betty39-jane-krewer.html
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2013-10-02
| 2least
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Obituary: Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Jane Krewer
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>Elizabeth (Betty) Jane Krewer, 85, passed away Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. She was born in Dixon, Ill., on June 27, 1928, to William C. and Florence May (Hatch) Dempsey.</p>
<p>She was preceded in death by her husband, John F. Krewer; and brothers, William, Robert and Fred Dempsey.</p>
<p>Mrs. Krewer is survived by daughters, Noreen A. Scott (Robert) of Rio Rancho, N.M., Mary Crafton-Williams (Edward) of Rio Rancho; and Elizabeth Stahl and Scott Monroe of El Mirage, Ariz.; grandchildren, Kimberly, Brinnon (Erica), and Christopher Scott, Brian (Nicole), Timothy, and Emily Crafton, Shaun Stahl; great-grandchildren, Cameron and Mirabel Crafton, Kayla and Caden Stahl, Evangeline Scott; sister, Margaret Bertsche; sisters-in-law, Carol Dempsey, Jeanne Maples; and many loved nieces and nephews.</p>
<p>A rosary will be recited at 11 a.m. followed by the celebration of the Mass of Christian burial at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 1001 Meteor Ave. NE, Rio Rancho. Inurnment will follow at 2:15 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, N.M.</p>
<p>In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mrs. Krewer’s name can be given to the UNM Cancer Center Development Office, MSC07 4025, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M., 87131-0001. To view information or leave a condolence, please visit danielsfuneral.com.</p>
<p>(Daniels Family Funeral Services, 4310 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho, N.M., 87124, 505-892-9920.)</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
| 598,774 |
<p>Matt Rourke/AP</p>
<p />
<p>Whether Bernie Sanders places first or second in Monday night’s Iowa caucuses—which <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2016/01/30/clinton-keeps-slim-edge-over-sanders-latest-iowa-poll/79537020/" type="external">recent polls</a> show Hillary Clinton narrowly leading—his outsider campaign has made a definitive mark on Iowa’s college campuses, where Clinton is just plain uncool.</p>
<p>“I’m not a fan of Hillary at all. I think she’s very much backed by big money and would be a continuation of the institutions that are present in America that I think are pretty negative,” Wyatt Heritage, a first-year student at Grinnell College, told me last week. “Supporting Hillary feels like being a Republican here.”</p>
<p>Grinnell College (where I graduated in 2009) was a rough spot for Clinton during her last presidential campaign. In the precinct covering the school, she did not meet the 15 percent requirement and, consequently, received no delegates. It was a costly loss for Clinton, given that this was the most delegate-rich precinct in the state. Obama ended up winning Iowa’s Democratic caucus.</p>
<p>It seems things haven’t gone much better for Clinton this time around. Barb Trish, a political science professor at Grinnell and my old adviser, told me that the students who favor Clinton seem hesitant to say so. (Fans of Sanders are hardly reluctant to note their preference.) As part of her political science intro class, Trish routinely asks her students what opinions might be socially unpopular to express at Grinnell. Typically, she says, students suggest the uber-liberal campus might be a rough place to be pro-life. But last semester, one first-year student piped up that she thought it would be difficult to express support for Clinton. When Clinton visited the campus last fall, Sanders fans created a Facebook protest page titled “Grinnellians Against Hillary,” and in the middle of her event they stood up, threw paper money into the air, and chanted about her connections to Wall Street.</p>
<p>Clinton has not fared poorly only at Grinnell College. When Drake University in Des Moines hosted a mock caucus a week ago, Clinton <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeBullington/status/692530954246692864" type="external">nabbed</a> just two delegates, and Sanders and Martin O’Malley each drew four. Younger voters statewide have broken strongly for Sanders. In the <a href="" type="internal">latest</a> Des Moines Register poll, Sanders got 63 percent from voters under 35. “Sanders has definitely captured the vast majority of young persons from college campuses but not necessarily the young people who were previously politically involved,” says Austin Wadle, president of the College Democrats of Iowa and a sophomore at Grinnell. “He’s definitely getting a lot of people who previously had no interest in politics and the electoral process, to get them excited for it.”</p>
<p>That trend carries over nationally. A recent USA Today/Rock the Vote poll <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/01/14/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-women-millennials/78810110/" type="external">found</a> 57 percent support for Sanders from Democratic and independent voters between the ages of 18 and 25, with Clinton registering only 25 percent. A Reuters <a href="https://www.uspolitics.news/2016/01/30/news/2016-elections/poll-bernie-sanders-leads-hillary-clinton-among-young-voters/2491" type="external">poll</a> last week showed that a whopping 75 percent of Democrats younger than 30 support Sanders, with 17 percent in Clinton’s corner. And it’s not just young Democratic men breaking for Sanders. The Rock the Vote poll showed that the “Berniebros” <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/move-over-berniebros-a-wave-of-young-women-is-boosting-bernie-sanders-20160112" type="external">include a lot of young women</a>, with Sanders holding a 50 to 31 percent lead over Clinton among the women polled.</p>
<p>College campuses featured prominently during the final week of Sanders’ Iowa campaign. He started the home stretch on Monday at Grinnell and closed Sunday by pumping up canvassers at Iowa State University followed by his last Iowa rally at Grand View University in Des Moines. The night before, he held a rock concert extravaganza at the University of Iowa. A crowd of 3,500 people, mostly students, crammed into the Field House, with the fire marshal turning away hundreds more when the building reached capacity. Still, the line of shut-out students cheered for Sanders outside. It would have been easy to assume the college kids were there to see Vampire Weekend or Foster the People, but they ate up Sanders’ speech and began filing out en masse once he’d finished—even though Vampire Weekend came back onstage for a rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.” Turns out they were there for the socialist stumping rather than the indie tunes.</p>
<p>Clinton does have her own base of college fans, and students from several campuses described the campus Clinton organizers as more professional and organized than the spirited Bernie fans. “There’s a bit of contentiousness between the two groups,” Wadle says. “The Bernie people are very outspoken, sometimes more aggressive than other candidates.”</p>
<p>Should Clinton beat back the Sanders challenge and snag the nomination, she might have to work hard to win the support of college-age voters because the nomination fight has seemingly left a negative impression of Clinton among younger voters. Clinton, says Zach Spahr, a Grinnell student and Sanders fan, “is a manipulative politician who pays lip service to true liberal ideas.” But all’s not lost for Clinton. Sitting next to Spahr was Herny Bolster, a second-year Grinnell student and, at this point, a fan of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, and he has a different take. He points out that Clinton is more willing than Sanders to build compromises across the aisle, and he adds, “The more I get to know about Hillary, she’s not as bad as everyone says. I mean, she’s not the devil. She’s extremely not the devil.”</p>
<p />
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Hillary Clinton Has a College Student Problem
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2016/02/iowa-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-college/
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2016-02-01
| 4left
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Hillary Clinton Has a College Student Problem
<p>Matt Rourke/AP</p>
<p />
<p>Whether Bernie Sanders places first or second in Monday night’s Iowa caucuses—which <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2016/01/30/clinton-keeps-slim-edge-over-sanders-latest-iowa-poll/79537020/" type="external">recent polls</a> show Hillary Clinton narrowly leading—his outsider campaign has made a definitive mark on Iowa’s college campuses, where Clinton is just plain uncool.</p>
<p>“I’m not a fan of Hillary at all. I think she’s very much backed by big money and would be a continuation of the institutions that are present in America that I think are pretty negative,” Wyatt Heritage, a first-year student at Grinnell College, told me last week. “Supporting Hillary feels like being a Republican here.”</p>
<p>Grinnell College (where I graduated in 2009) was a rough spot for Clinton during her last presidential campaign. In the precinct covering the school, she did not meet the 15 percent requirement and, consequently, received no delegates. It was a costly loss for Clinton, given that this was the most delegate-rich precinct in the state. Obama ended up winning Iowa’s Democratic caucus.</p>
<p>It seems things haven’t gone much better for Clinton this time around. Barb Trish, a political science professor at Grinnell and my old adviser, told me that the students who favor Clinton seem hesitant to say so. (Fans of Sanders are hardly reluctant to note their preference.) As part of her political science intro class, Trish routinely asks her students what opinions might be socially unpopular to express at Grinnell. Typically, she says, students suggest the uber-liberal campus might be a rough place to be pro-life. But last semester, one first-year student piped up that she thought it would be difficult to express support for Clinton. When Clinton visited the campus last fall, Sanders fans created a Facebook protest page titled “Grinnellians Against Hillary,” and in the middle of her event they stood up, threw paper money into the air, and chanted about her connections to Wall Street.</p>
<p>Clinton has not fared poorly only at Grinnell College. When Drake University in Des Moines hosted a mock caucus a week ago, Clinton <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeBullington/status/692530954246692864" type="external">nabbed</a> just two delegates, and Sanders and Martin O’Malley each drew four. Younger voters statewide have broken strongly for Sanders. In the <a href="" type="internal">latest</a> Des Moines Register poll, Sanders got 63 percent from voters under 35. “Sanders has definitely captured the vast majority of young persons from college campuses but not necessarily the young people who were previously politically involved,” says Austin Wadle, president of the College Democrats of Iowa and a sophomore at Grinnell. “He’s definitely getting a lot of people who previously had no interest in politics and the electoral process, to get them excited for it.”</p>
<p>That trend carries over nationally. A recent USA Today/Rock the Vote poll <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/01/14/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-women-millennials/78810110/" type="external">found</a> 57 percent support for Sanders from Democratic and independent voters between the ages of 18 and 25, with Clinton registering only 25 percent. A Reuters <a href="https://www.uspolitics.news/2016/01/30/news/2016-elections/poll-bernie-sanders-leads-hillary-clinton-among-young-voters/2491" type="external">poll</a> last week showed that a whopping 75 percent of Democrats younger than 30 support Sanders, with 17 percent in Clinton’s corner. And it’s not just young Democratic men breaking for Sanders. The Rock the Vote poll showed that the “Berniebros” <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/move-over-berniebros-a-wave-of-young-women-is-boosting-bernie-sanders-20160112" type="external">include a lot of young women</a>, with Sanders holding a 50 to 31 percent lead over Clinton among the women polled.</p>
<p>College campuses featured prominently during the final week of Sanders’ Iowa campaign. He started the home stretch on Monday at Grinnell and closed Sunday by pumping up canvassers at Iowa State University followed by his last Iowa rally at Grand View University in Des Moines. The night before, he held a rock concert extravaganza at the University of Iowa. A crowd of 3,500 people, mostly students, crammed into the Field House, with the fire marshal turning away hundreds more when the building reached capacity. Still, the line of shut-out students cheered for Sanders outside. It would have been easy to assume the college kids were there to see Vampire Weekend or Foster the People, but they ate up Sanders’ speech and began filing out en masse once he’d finished—even though Vampire Weekend came back onstage for a rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.” Turns out they were there for the socialist stumping rather than the indie tunes.</p>
<p>Clinton does have her own base of college fans, and students from several campuses described the campus Clinton organizers as more professional and organized than the spirited Bernie fans. “There’s a bit of contentiousness between the two groups,” Wadle says. “The Bernie people are very outspoken, sometimes more aggressive than other candidates.”</p>
<p>Should Clinton beat back the Sanders challenge and snag the nomination, she might have to work hard to win the support of college-age voters because the nomination fight has seemingly left a negative impression of Clinton among younger voters. Clinton, says Zach Spahr, a Grinnell student and Sanders fan, “is a manipulative politician who pays lip service to true liberal ideas.” But all’s not lost for Clinton. Sitting next to Spahr was Herny Bolster, a second-year Grinnell student and, at this point, a fan of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, and he has a different take. He points out that Clinton is more willing than Sanders to build compromises across the aisle, and he adds, “The more I get to know about Hillary, she’s not as bad as everyone says. I mean, she’s not the devil. She’s extremely not the devil.”</p>
<p />
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<p>On Monday a shocking courtroom drama played out during a hearing for Donald Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen. After previously refusing to disclose the name of one of his clients, he relented and announced that the <a href="" type="internal">secret client was Fox News host Sean Hannity</a>. After those in attendance regained their composure, the media lit up with tales of the obvious violations of ethics from everyone involved.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2113539785327472" type="external" /></p>
<p>It took Fox News another day to come up with a <a href="https://twitter.com/davidfolkenflik/status/986308706831945729" type="external">response</a> to this calamity. But the extra time they devoted to it didn’t seem to help them manufacture a satisfactory excuse. All they could muster was a weak attempt to hold themselves blameless and free pass for Hannity to continue being a complete sleazeball. They said that:</p>
<p>“While FOX News was unaware of Sean Hannity’s informal relationship with Michael Cohen and was surprised by the announcement in court yesterday, we have reviewed the matter and spoken to Sean and he continues to have our full support.”</p>
<p>Let’s break that down. First of all, Fox News is admitting that they have no idea what Hannity is up to. Obviously he never bothered to tell is bosses that he was in violation of common principles of media ethics. That failure to alert the executives in charge was, by itself, a fireable offense. No media enterprise should ever be “surprised” like this.</p>
<p>Secondly, what Fox is so cavalierly looking the other way about is a complex web of immorality and deceit. Cohen told the court that Hannity is his client. Hannity denied that. In effect, he is calling Cohen a liar. Plus, Hannity insists that Cohen isn’t his lawyer, but still says he should have attorney-client privileges. For that privilege to be in effect, there has to be an attorney and a client. Also, Hannity said that he never paid Cohen anything for his advice. Well, except for the time he slipped him ten bucks to invoke the privacy of an attorney-client relationship that he said he didn’t have. But what is he trying to keep private if the only thing he said he ever discussed with Cohen was real estate?</p>
<p>And why did Cohen try so hard to keep Hannity’s name a secret at the hearing? Does it have anything to do with Cohen’s specialty of facilitating hush money payoffs to mistresses of his famous clients? Or could there be some connection between Hannity and Cohen’s other client, Donald Trump, that they need to keep on the down low? Or maybe even some link between Hannity and Russia? Who knows?</p>
<p>Certainly not Fox News. At least they didn’t know before, and if they know now they aren’t saying. They also aren’t doing anything about it despite all of the blatant misbehavior noted above. Never the mind the beating they are taking in the press. For instance, the Washington Post published an <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/04/17/time-for-fox-news-to-investigate-sean-hannity/" type="external">article</a> saying that it’s “Time for Fox News to investigate Sean Hannity.” Time Magazine is <a href="http://time.com/5242631/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-fox-news/" type="external">asking</a> “Can Sean Hannity and Fox News Cover Michael Cohen Fairly?” Even Trump defender Alen Dershowitz called out Hannity on his own show saying “I do want to say that I really think that you should have disclosed your relationship with Cohen when you talked about him on this show.”</p>
<p>Fox News has already lost too many top prime time stars to take a chance with their current ratings king. Bill O’Reilly was fired due to his serial sexual harassment and abuse. Megyn Kelly ditched Fox for NBC in part due to O’Reilly and other Fox perverts. Laura Ingraham is currently suffering a hemorrhage of advertisers after she attacked David Hogg, the high schooler who survived the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.</p>
<p>Hannity would be getting off scot-free in under any circumstances because Fox is a den of iniquity and doesn’t care if their standard bearers are slimeballs. But he’s also benefiting because Fox is running out of replacement shills. If they were smart they’d give Hannity the heave-ho – not just because he committed unforgivably unethical acts – but because he’s <a href="" type="internal">losing to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow</a>. That should be the biggest embarrassment to Fox News that you would think they wouldn’t tolerate. They must really be hard up to let that go by.</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>
|
Fox News is Totally Cool with Sean Hannity’s Unethical Shilling for His Lawyer Michael Cohen
| true |
http://newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p%3D31739
| 4left
|
Fox News is Totally Cool with Sean Hannity’s Unethical Shilling for His Lawyer Michael Cohen
<p>On Monday a shocking courtroom drama played out during a hearing for Donald Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen. After previously refusing to disclose the name of one of his clients, he relented and announced that the <a href="" type="internal">secret client was Fox News host Sean Hannity</a>. After those in attendance regained their composure, the media lit up with tales of the obvious violations of ethics from everyone involved.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2113539785327472" type="external" /></p>
<p>It took Fox News another day to come up with a <a href="https://twitter.com/davidfolkenflik/status/986308706831945729" type="external">response</a> to this calamity. But the extra time they devoted to it didn’t seem to help them manufacture a satisfactory excuse. All they could muster was a weak attempt to hold themselves blameless and free pass for Hannity to continue being a complete sleazeball. They said that:</p>
<p>“While FOX News was unaware of Sean Hannity’s informal relationship with Michael Cohen and was surprised by the announcement in court yesterday, we have reviewed the matter and spoken to Sean and he continues to have our full support.”</p>
<p>Let’s break that down. First of all, Fox News is admitting that they have no idea what Hannity is up to. Obviously he never bothered to tell is bosses that he was in violation of common principles of media ethics. That failure to alert the executives in charge was, by itself, a fireable offense. No media enterprise should ever be “surprised” like this.</p>
<p>Secondly, what Fox is so cavalierly looking the other way about is a complex web of immorality and deceit. Cohen told the court that Hannity is his client. Hannity denied that. In effect, he is calling Cohen a liar. Plus, Hannity insists that Cohen isn’t his lawyer, but still says he should have attorney-client privileges. For that privilege to be in effect, there has to be an attorney and a client. Also, Hannity said that he never paid Cohen anything for his advice. Well, except for the time he slipped him ten bucks to invoke the privacy of an attorney-client relationship that he said he didn’t have. But what is he trying to keep private if the only thing he said he ever discussed with Cohen was real estate?</p>
<p>And why did Cohen try so hard to keep Hannity’s name a secret at the hearing? Does it have anything to do with Cohen’s specialty of facilitating hush money payoffs to mistresses of his famous clients? Or could there be some connection between Hannity and Cohen’s other client, Donald Trump, that they need to keep on the down low? Or maybe even some link between Hannity and Russia? Who knows?</p>
<p>Certainly not Fox News. At least they didn’t know before, and if they know now they aren’t saying. They also aren’t doing anything about it despite all of the blatant misbehavior noted above. Never the mind the beating they are taking in the press. For instance, the Washington Post published an <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/04/17/time-for-fox-news-to-investigate-sean-hannity/" type="external">article</a> saying that it’s “Time for Fox News to investigate Sean Hannity.” Time Magazine is <a href="http://time.com/5242631/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-fox-news/" type="external">asking</a> “Can Sean Hannity and Fox News Cover Michael Cohen Fairly?” Even Trump defender Alen Dershowitz called out Hannity on his own show saying “I do want to say that I really think that you should have disclosed your relationship with Cohen when you talked about him on this show.”</p>
<p>Fox News has already lost too many top prime time stars to take a chance with their current ratings king. Bill O’Reilly was fired due to his serial sexual harassment and abuse. Megyn Kelly ditched Fox for NBC in part due to O’Reilly and other Fox perverts. Laura Ingraham is currently suffering a hemorrhage of advertisers after she attacked David Hogg, the high schooler who survived the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.</p>
<p>Hannity would be getting off scot-free in under any circumstances because Fox is a den of iniquity and doesn’t care if their standard bearers are slimeballs. But he’s also benefiting because Fox is running out of replacement shills. If they were smart they’d give Hannity the heave-ho – not just because he committed unforgivably unethical acts – but because he’s <a href="" type="internal">losing to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow</a>. That should be the biggest embarrassment to Fox News that you would think they wouldn’t tolerate. They must really be hard up to let that go by.</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>
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<p>Photo by NASA Goddard Space Flig | <a href="" type="internal">CC BY 2.0</a></p>
<p>It was only five years ago that Scientific American published this article: Climate Armageddon: How the World’s Weather Could Quickly Run Amok, d/d May 25, 2012. The subheading to that article read: “Climate scientists think a perfect storm of climate ‘flip’ could cause massive upheavals in a matter of years.” Well now….</p>
<p>That 2012 article also explained how the eminent British scientist James Lovelock (98) switched allegiance from his original theory of Gaia, which states that Gaia (Earth) will always compensate for changes in climate by natural occurrence, a self-correcting mechanism, not too hot, not too cold, not to worry. That was back in the 1970s.</p>
<p>Contrariwise, thirty-plus years later in 2006 Lovelock rejected his own theory, ominously stating: “I have to tell you, as members of the Earth’s family and an intimate part of it, that you and especially civilization, are in grave danger.” (Published in The Independent in 2006), Ibid.</p>
<p>Thus, Lovelock rejected his own Gaia hypothesis of a self-regulating planet and embraced the “flip” school of thought, which refers to dynamic systems or mathematics that describe things that tend to change suddenly, difficult to predict as to timing. Ergo, this refers to the fearsome tipping point, when the climate system suddenly turns wacky like a wild beast poked with a stick (Broecker), self-reinforcing its destructive path, hands-free, no stopping its ruinous behavior! This may already be happening on a scale that is downright scary in fact singularly scary because it’s so soon. This is not normal. The planet is on Speed!</p>
<p>Massive hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria) and torrential flooding (Houston, Sierra Leone, Bihar-India, Assam-India, Nepal, Mumbai, Southern Asian Noah’s Ark territory) are only telltale signs, minor events in a bigger picture, like canaries in the proverbial mineshaft, warning of a much larger canvas painted with darkened hues, threatening like the distant rumbling of an upcoming mega storm.</p>
<p>In that regard, it’s unmitigated insanity to ignore the bellwethers of Armageddon when big time trouble brews, like now. Ominous changes in the planet’s ecosystem are so blatant that anybody ignoring these warning signals should be slapped on the back of the head: Wake up and pay attention!</p>
<p>After all, Greenland’s entire surface turned to slush for the first time in scientific history, raising the question of whether a tipping point is at hand, in turn, raising sea level by a lot. According to the climate models of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Greenland’s entire ice sheet was not expected to turn 100% slushy for decades to come. Surprise, surprise, it’s here now!</p>
<p>Another big surprise that hits right between the eyes is the colossal humongous loss of Arctic and Antarctic ice, astoundingly ahead of the scientific model indicators by decades upon decades. Precariously, according to knowledgeable scientists, West Antarctica is already at a tipping point. “That’s bad news” is the understatement of the century.</p>
<p>Along the way, the world watched with great fascination as three gigantic Antarctic ice sheets the size of states splintered apart over the past decade, gone in record time: (1) Larsen A disintegrated in January 1995, (2) Larsen B, which was perfectly stable for all of 10,000 years, until global warming hit over the past 200 years, partially collapsed in 2002, and (3) a large portion of Larsen C broke away in 2017.</p>
<p>Scientific expeditions discovered the culprit as ocean warming stealthily beneath those icy behemoths. Once again, global warming doing its dirty work, and once again, surprise, surprise as tick-tock, tick-tock nature’s timing mechanism accelerates beyond the boundaries of natural variability whilst the ecosystem chokes on exhaust fumes!</p>
<p>It’s worth noting that ice shelves typically lose mass by iceberg calving and by melting at upper and lower surfaces but not via large scale sudden breakoffs and disintegration like Larsen A, B, and C, highly irregular behavior and unusual by past standards. This is likely one more signal of impending trouble spelled with a capital T.</p>
<p>All of this anomalous climate activity is getting a little too familiar for comfort, in part, because it has a nasty doom and gloom ambience. Not only is Antarctica splintering ice shelves the size of states, thereby exposing large-scale (big time) glacial runoff immediately behind the ice shelves, which served as backstops, but also in addition to Antarctica’s horror story at the bottom of the world, the Arctic, at the top of the world, is an ecological basket case.</p>
<p>According to the U.S. Naval Research Lab, multi-year ice has disappeared, thus losing the entire infrastructure of the North Pole. The cause: Too much anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming. In turn, as a consequence, according to scientists with the International Arctic Research Centre/University of Alaska, the East Siberian Arctic Shelf’s extraordinarily shallow waters (50m) have reached a thawing point for subsea permafrost, thereby exposing gigatons of ancient methane to too much heat, which, in turn, could evolve into nasty ole runaway global warming, in short, the worse of the worst case situation for all of humanity, as agricultural fields fry to a crisp.</p>
<p>Even worse yet, Russian scientists that annually travel to the Arctic have discovered increasingly wider extensive water columns of methane (CH4) bubbling up to surface. They believe there may be hundreds, maybe thousands, bubbling water columns up to one-kilometre (1,000 metres) diameter whereas those columns at the same exact locations only a few years ago were 100 metres in diameter but expanding fast! IPCC models for potential global warming do not include mention of this can of worms.</p>
<p>Speaking of risks of future global warming not included in IPCC models, scientists in Alaska discovered massive carbon emissions seeping out of land permafrost, essentially emitting as much carbon in two years as US commercial sources emit per annum. This has the signature of a tipping point that self-reinforces emission of carbon into the atmosphere. After all, Alaskan temps have been really hot. And, deadly methane-laden permafrost melts in heat.</p>
<p>Further, speaking of high heat levels found at high latitudes, Russian scientists report massive numbers (7,000 counted but likely thousands more) of pingos as well as melting permafrost spreading all across Siberia. Perniciously, this is likely more self-reinforcing carbon emission spewing into the atmosphere, no further human influence required.</p>
<p>As such and horrifyingly, the discombobulated ecosystem may be in the process, heaven forbid, of overtaking human influenced carbon emissions/global warming. No more anthropogenic or human influence required to overheat the planet; it may be starting to heat up on its own volition. That’s what Venus (865°F) did. All of its carbon is now in its atmosphere whereas most of our carbon is still underground, under ice. What to do?</p>
<p>Of course, everybody talks about geo-engineering and how engineers can shoot particles like sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect solar radiation back into outer space (which may damage ozone as an unintended consequence) or maybe remove carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it or maybe put mineral dust like olivine into the ocean to combat global warming, blah, blah, blah. This will save humanity from its own vices, but oh contraire, nobody knows if geo-engineering works at scale. In fact, the National Academy of Sciences, the European Transdisciplinary Assessment of Climate Engineering, and several prominent scientists claim it is not a solution for several reasons, including “unintended consequences” that are worse than the initial fix.</p>
<p>It’s entirely possible that humanity is in the lurch by already passing the 11th-hour and now forced to adapt to higher temps, fierce storms, severe droughts, serious crop failure, destructive weather patterns, bouts of human starvation, Biblical flooding, and restless angry masses of eco migrants roaming the countryside, or in short, the dystopian films Blade Runner (1982) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) combined and including pissed-off people bearing arms, open carry, in a throwback to Revolutionary American times (1775-1783). Based upon recent political/societal behavior, there are plenty of people looking forward to this.</p>
<p>On the other hand, what if the world comes together with a Marshall Plan effort, all hands on deck, to convert fossil fuels to renewables ASAP? What would that do? According to Kevin Anderson of Tyndall Centre for Climate Change/UK, in order to stay below the guardrail 2°C, lesser-developed nations must go to zero CO2 emissions by 2050 but wealthy nations must go to zero CO2 emissions by 2035.</p>
<p>On the other-other hand, according to Michael Oppenheimer (Princeton), an author of the IPCC 4th assessment, the odds of staying under 2° C are maybe 10%, and the last time the world was 2° C warmer, sea levels were 18-30 feet higher.</p>
<p>But then again, according to Wally Broecker (Columbia, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), who coined the term “Global Warming” in 1975; when he was in grad school in the 1950s fossil fuels accounted for 85% of energy sourcing. Today, it’s basically the same with fossil fuels at 81%. Go figure.</p>
<p>Withal, nobody knows for certain what will happen, in part, because we’ve never been here before. All the same, abrupt climate change continues to negatively outpace expectations of scientists, leading to serious concerns that their worse case scenarios are too soft, too conservative.</p>
<p>What then should be done remains the most compelling question of the 21st century.</p>
<p>According to several top-flight scientists, like James Hansen, the Paris Agreement of 2016 signed by almost 200 nations is too flimsy and misguided to solve the problem.</p>
<p>“If you talk to glaciologists privately they will tell you they are very concerned we are locking in much more significant sea level rises than the ice sheet models are telling us,” James Hansen-Columbia University. (Source: Oliver Milman, James Hansen, Father of Climate Change Awareness, Calls Paris Talks “A Fraud,” The Guardian, Dec. 12, 2015)</p>
<p>Postscript: “If it turns out that global warming and ocean acidification are consequences of capitalism’s carbon-based energy system, the entire world could end up dead from the external costs of capitalism,” Paul Craig Roberts, American economist</p>
|
Climate Armageddon Revisited
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2017/09/25/climate-armageddon-revisited/
|
2017-09-25
| 4left
|
Climate Armageddon Revisited
<p>Photo by NASA Goddard Space Flig | <a href="" type="internal">CC BY 2.0</a></p>
<p>It was only five years ago that Scientific American published this article: Climate Armageddon: How the World’s Weather Could Quickly Run Amok, d/d May 25, 2012. The subheading to that article read: “Climate scientists think a perfect storm of climate ‘flip’ could cause massive upheavals in a matter of years.” Well now….</p>
<p>That 2012 article also explained how the eminent British scientist James Lovelock (98) switched allegiance from his original theory of Gaia, which states that Gaia (Earth) will always compensate for changes in climate by natural occurrence, a self-correcting mechanism, not too hot, not too cold, not to worry. That was back in the 1970s.</p>
<p>Contrariwise, thirty-plus years later in 2006 Lovelock rejected his own theory, ominously stating: “I have to tell you, as members of the Earth’s family and an intimate part of it, that you and especially civilization, are in grave danger.” (Published in The Independent in 2006), Ibid.</p>
<p>Thus, Lovelock rejected his own Gaia hypothesis of a self-regulating planet and embraced the “flip” school of thought, which refers to dynamic systems or mathematics that describe things that tend to change suddenly, difficult to predict as to timing. Ergo, this refers to the fearsome tipping point, when the climate system suddenly turns wacky like a wild beast poked with a stick (Broecker), self-reinforcing its destructive path, hands-free, no stopping its ruinous behavior! This may already be happening on a scale that is downright scary in fact singularly scary because it’s so soon. This is not normal. The planet is on Speed!</p>
<p>Massive hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria) and torrential flooding (Houston, Sierra Leone, Bihar-India, Assam-India, Nepal, Mumbai, Southern Asian Noah’s Ark territory) are only telltale signs, minor events in a bigger picture, like canaries in the proverbial mineshaft, warning of a much larger canvas painted with darkened hues, threatening like the distant rumbling of an upcoming mega storm.</p>
<p>In that regard, it’s unmitigated insanity to ignore the bellwethers of Armageddon when big time trouble brews, like now. Ominous changes in the planet’s ecosystem are so blatant that anybody ignoring these warning signals should be slapped on the back of the head: Wake up and pay attention!</p>
<p>After all, Greenland’s entire surface turned to slush for the first time in scientific history, raising the question of whether a tipping point is at hand, in turn, raising sea level by a lot. According to the climate models of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Greenland’s entire ice sheet was not expected to turn 100% slushy for decades to come. Surprise, surprise, it’s here now!</p>
<p>Another big surprise that hits right between the eyes is the colossal humongous loss of Arctic and Antarctic ice, astoundingly ahead of the scientific model indicators by decades upon decades. Precariously, according to knowledgeable scientists, West Antarctica is already at a tipping point. “That’s bad news” is the understatement of the century.</p>
<p>Along the way, the world watched with great fascination as three gigantic Antarctic ice sheets the size of states splintered apart over the past decade, gone in record time: (1) Larsen A disintegrated in January 1995, (2) Larsen B, which was perfectly stable for all of 10,000 years, until global warming hit over the past 200 years, partially collapsed in 2002, and (3) a large portion of Larsen C broke away in 2017.</p>
<p>Scientific expeditions discovered the culprit as ocean warming stealthily beneath those icy behemoths. Once again, global warming doing its dirty work, and once again, surprise, surprise as tick-tock, tick-tock nature’s timing mechanism accelerates beyond the boundaries of natural variability whilst the ecosystem chokes on exhaust fumes!</p>
<p>It’s worth noting that ice shelves typically lose mass by iceberg calving and by melting at upper and lower surfaces but not via large scale sudden breakoffs and disintegration like Larsen A, B, and C, highly irregular behavior and unusual by past standards. This is likely one more signal of impending trouble spelled with a capital T.</p>
<p>All of this anomalous climate activity is getting a little too familiar for comfort, in part, because it has a nasty doom and gloom ambience. Not only is Antarctica splintering ice shelves the size of states, thereby exposing large-scale (big time) glacial runoff immediately behind the ice shelves, which served as backstops, but also in addition to Antarctica’s horror story at the bottom of the world, the Arctic, at the top of the world, is an ecological basket case.</p>
<p>According to the U.S. Naval Research Lab, multi-year ice has disappeared, thus losing the entire infrastructure of the North Pole. The cause: Too much anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming. In turn, as a consequence, according to scientists with the International Arctic Research Centre/University of Alaska, the East Siberian Arctic Shelf’s extraordinarily shallow waters (50m) have reached a thawing point for subsea permafrost, thereby exposing gigatons of ancient methane to too much heat, which, in turn, could evolve into nasty ole runaway global warming, in short, the worse of the worst case situation for all of humanity, as agricultural fields fry to a crisp.</p>
<p>Even worse yet, Russian scientists that annually travel to the Arctic have discovered increasingly wider extensive water columns of methane (CH4) bubbling up to surface. They believe there may be hundreds, maybe thousands, bubbling water columns up to one-kilometre (1,000 metres) diameter whereas those columns at the same exact locations only a few years ago were 100 metres in diameter but expanding fast! IPCC models for potential global warming do not include mention of this can of worms.</p>
<p>Speaking of risks of future global warming not included in IPCC models, scientists in Alaska discovered massive carbon emissions seeping out of land permafrost, essentially emitting as much carbon in two years as US commercial sources emit per annum. This has the signature of a tipping point that self-reinforces emission of carbon into the atmosphere. After all, Alaskan temps have been really hot. And, deadly methane-laden permafrost melts in heat.</p>
<p>Further, speaking of high heat levels found at high latitudes, Russian scientists report massive numbers (7,000 counted but likely thousands more) of pingos as well as melting permafrost spreading all across Siberia. Perniciously, this is likely more self-reinforcing carbon emission spewing into the atmosphere, no further human influence required.</p>
<p>As such and horrifyingly, the discombobulated ecosystem may be in the process, heaven forbid, of overtaking human influenced carbon emissions/global warming. No more anthropogenic or human influence required to overheat the planet; it may be starting to heat up on its own volition. That’s what Venus (865°F) did. All of its carbon is now in its atmosphere whereas most of our carbon is still underground, under ice. What to do?</p>
<p>Of course, everybody talks about geo-engineering and how engineers can shoot particles like sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect solar radiation back into outer space (which may damage ozone as an unintended consequence) or maybe remove carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it or maybe put mineral dust like olivine into the ocean to combat global warming, blah, blah, blah. This will save humanity from its own vices, but oh contraire, nobody knows if geo-engineering works at scale. In fact, the National Academy of Sciences, the European Transdisciplinary Assessment of Climate Engineering, and several prominent scientists claim it is not a solution for several reasons, including “unintended consequences” that are worse than the initial fix.</p>
<p>It’s entirely possible that humanity is in the lurch by already passing the 11th-hour and now forced to adapt to higher temps, fierce storms, severe droughts, serious crop failure, destructive weather patterns, bouts of human starvation, Biblical flooding, and restless angry masses of eco migrants roaming the countryside, or in short, the dystopian films Blade Runner (1982) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) combined and including pissed-off people bearing arms, open carry, in a throwback to Revolutionary American times (1775-1783). Based upon recent political/societal behavior, there are plenty of people looking forward to this.</p>
<p>On the other hand, what if the world comes together with a Marshall Plan effort, all hands on deck, to convert fossil fuels to renewables ASAP? What would that do? According to Kevin Anderson of Tyndall Centre for Climate Change/UK, in order to stay below the guardrail 2°C, lesser-developed nations must go to zero CO2 emissions by 2050 but wealthy nations must go to zero CO2 emissions by 2035.</p>
<p>On the other-other hand, according to Michael Oppenheimer (Princeton), an author of the IPCC 4th assessment, the odds of staying under 2° C are maybe 10%, and the last time the world was 2° C warmer, sea levels were 18-30 feet higher.</p>
<p>But then again, according to Wally Broecker (Columbia, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), who coined the term “Global Warming” in 1975; when he was in grad school in the 1950s fossil fuels accounted for 85% of energy sourcing. Today, it’s basically the same with fossil fuels at 81%. Go figure.</p>
<p>Withal, nobody knows for certain what will happen, in part, because we’ve never been here before. All the same, abrupt climate change continues to negatively outpace expectations of scientists, leading to serious concerns that their worse case scenarios are too soft, too conservative.</p>
<p>What then should be done remains the most compelling question of the 21st century.</p>
<p>According to several top-flight scientists, like James Hansen, the Paris Agreement of 2016 signed by almost 200 nations is too flimsy and misguided to solve the problem.</p>
<p>“If you talk to glaciologists privately they will tell you they are very concerned we are locking in much more significant sea level rises than the ice sheet models are telling us,” James Hansen-Columbia University. (Source: Oliver Milman, James Hansen, Father of Climate Change Awareness, Calls Paris Talks “A Fraud,” The Guardian, Dec. 12, 2015)</p>
<p>Postscript: “If it turns out that global warming and ocean acidification are consequences of capitalism’s carbon-based energy system, the entire world could end up dead from the external costs of capitalism,” Paul Craig Roberts, American economist</p>
| 598,777 |
<p />
<p />
<p>The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia elected officers at its annual General Assembly this month. From left are Ka'thy Gore Chappell, secretary; Walt Cummings, current moderator; Jack Mercer, national Coordinating Council member; and Rob Fox, moderator-elect. Not pictured are treasurer Dennis Sacrey and national Coordinating Council members Sarah Fain, Brian Harfst and Tom Siddle.</p>
|
New officers for CBFV
| false |
https://baptistnews.com/article/newofficersforcbfv/
| 3left-center
|
New officers for CBFV
<p />
<p />
<p>The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia elected officers at its annual General Assembly this month. From left are Ka'thy Gore Chappell, secretary; Walt Cummings, current moderator; Jack Mercer, national Coordinating Council member; and Rob Fox, moderator-elect. Not pictured are treasurer Dennis Sacrey and national Coordinating Council members Sarah Fain, Brian Harfst and Tom Siddle.</p>
| 598,778 |
|
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<p />
<p>FOR THE RECORD: Isabelle Kessler’s name has been corrected in this story.</p>
<p>One chilly morning, I could think of nothing finer than the opportunity to sit in an elementary school and watch a puppet show. It started like you might expect. Longtime Albuquerque puppeteer Loren Kahn strapped on her theater box, a one-of-a-kind performance space decorated in silk and brocade, and soon she was eliciting squeals and laughs with a one-woman burlesque of kazoo, tin horn and a trombone-playing, wisecracking frog starring in a revamped version of Grimm’s fairy tale “The Frog Prince.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Things quickly turned existential.</p>
<p>“This is an hour we will spend together,” Kahn’s theater partner, Isabelle Kessler, told the third- and fourth-graders at Eubank Elementary in a thick French accent. “And when it’s over, we will never have it again. You have expectations for today, which I think is not to be bored, and we have expectations of you, which is to feel. So I hope our expectations meet.”</p>
<p>It was Kessler’s way of asking for complete attention to the program “The Art of Being a Spectator,” which Kahn and Kessler&#160;have been taking to elementary schools under funding from the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico Arts and the McCune Charitable Foundation.</p>
<p>That request, as it turned out, was hardly necessary.</p>
<p>The 40 or 50 kids sat in rapt attention as the puppet show unfurled and as Kahn and Kessler&#160;led them through a discussion of art and perspective, the difference between thinking and feeling, how the reactions of others influence how we feel.</p>
<p>“What is the difference between being a spectator and being a witness?” Kahn asked.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“What is going on in your head when you see art?” Kessler&#160;asked.</p>
<p>“Feelings,” Kessler&#160;said abstrusely, “they can multiply.</p>
<p>When someone asked whether the frog in the puppet show was really a frog or a prince, Kahn and Kessler&#160;both exclaimed, “Ahhh!” Now we were really getting to somewhere.</p>
<p>“Everyone,” Kessler&#160;said, “has a prince or princess inside themselves.”</p>
<p>Then Kessler&#160;made a reference to the humanist philosopher Montaigne and told her ponytailed and sneakered audience that Montaigne believed “inside of us we have a crowd of people.”</p>
<p>I turned to the kids to check for yawns or frowns or giggles.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Nope. They were locked onto Kessler.</p>
<p>When Kahn and Kessler&#160;asked the 10- and 11-year-olds what a spectator is and what he should do, hands went up.</p>
<p>“They sit and watch.”</p>
<p>“Stay and be quiet.”</p>
<p>“Look carefully.”</p>
<p>“They build.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Yes,” Kessler&#160;said. “As a spectator we build something in our head.”</p>
<p>Kahn and Kessler&#160;developed this interactive curriculum to influence how children think about the various media that surround them – television, video games, movies, theater, art and music.</p>
<p>Instead of zoning out and wasting time, or accepting messages without analyzing them, they want to encourage even the youngest children to engage with everything they see.</p>
<p>“I want to tell them that if you are looking at something, you are alive. Take the time to enjoy what you see, what you feel. I hope that they understand that when they are spectators, it’s a nourishment. To not think, to not engage, it’s terribly dangerous.”</p>
<p>As the world of media grows and fractures into special-interest outlets all with their own “facts,” engaged, critical thinking might be what separates shepherds from sheep.</p>
<p>When “The Art of Being a Spectator” program is complete, Kahn and Kessler&#160;will have put on 42 shows for a couple thousand kids – all for $15,000 in funding, which seems like a bargain.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Kessler&#160;is a theater director who was a professor of cross-cultural communication in France and who believes preschool isn’t too early to start talking to children about philosophy.</p>
<p>I pointed out to her that she uses some sophisticated language and concepts in a presentation to elementary school kids.</p>
<p>“And they get it!” she said.</p>
<p>When I talked to the kids before they lined up to march back to their classes, they said they loved the show. In fact, it had gone a half-hour over the allotted hour and no one had gotten fidgety.</p>
<p>They all told me they watch some TV and movies, but spend more time with video games – the “screen media” that is becoming a constant in the lives of children.</p>
<p>Jack Lockhart, who is in fourth grade, told me he liked to play “Madden NFL 13” and to watch “Adventure Time” on the Cartoon Network.</p>
<p>But when I asked him to tell me his favorite thing to watch, he surprised me.</p>
<p>“Watching my baby brother sleep,” he told me. “It makes me feel good.”</p>
<p>UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Leslie at 823-3914 or <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>. Go to <a href="" type="internal">www.abqjournal.com/letters/new</a> to submit a letter to the editor. — This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p>
|
Puppets, Kids and Critical Thinking
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/166662/puppets-kids-and-critical-thinking.html
|
2013-02-07
| 2least
|
Puppets, Kids and Critical Thinking
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>FOR THE RECORD: Isabelle Kessler’s name has been corrected in this story.</p>
<p>One chilly morning, I could think of nothing finer than the opportunity to sit in an elementary school and watch a puppet show. It started like you might expect. Longtime Albuquerque puppeteer Loren Kahn strapped on her theater box, a one-of-a-kind performance space decorated in silk and brocade, and soon she was eliciting squeals and laughs with a one-woman burlesque of kazoo, tin horn and a trombone-playing, wisecracking frog starring in a revamped version of Grimm’s fairy tale “The Frog Prince.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Things quickly turned existential.</p>
<p>“This is an hour we will spend together,” Kahn’s theater partner, Isabelle Kessler, told the third- and fourth-graders at Eubank Elementary in a thick French accent. “And when it’s over, we will never have it again. You have expectations for today, which I think is not to be bored, and we have expectations of you, which is to feel. So I hope our expectations meet.”</p>
<p>It was Kessler’s way of asking for complete attention to the program “The Art of Being a Spectator,” which Kahn and Kessler&#160;have been taking to elementary schools under funding from the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico Arts and the McCune Charitable Foundation.</p>
<p>That request, as it turned out, was hardly necessary.</p>
<p>The 40 or 50 kids sat in rapt attention as the puppet show unfurled and as Kahn and Kessler&#160;led them through a discussion of art and perspective, the difference between thinking and feeling, how the reactions of others influence how we feel.</p>
<p>“What is the difference between being a spectator and being a witness?” Kahn asked.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“What is going on in your head when you see art?” Kessler&#160;asked.</p>
<p>“Feelings,” Kessler&#160;said abstrusely, “they can multiply.</p>
<p>When someone asked whether the frog in the puppet show was really a frog or a prince, Kahn and Kessler&#160;both exclaimed, “Ahhh!” Now we were really getting to somewhere.</p>
<p>“Everyone,” Kessler&#160;said, “has a prince or princess inside themselves.”</p>
<p>Then Kessler&#160;made a reference to the humanist philosopher Montaigne and told her ponytailed and sneakered audience that Montaigne believed “inside of us we have a crowd of people.”</p>
<p>I turned to the kids to check for yawns or frowns or giggles.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Nope. They were locked onto Kessler.</p>
<p>When Kahn and Kessler&#160;asked the 10- and 11-year-olds what a spectator is and what he should do, hands went up.</p>
<p>“They sit and watch.”</p>
<p>“Stay and be quiet.”</p>
<p>“Look carefully.”</p>
<p>“They build.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Yes,” Kessler&#160;said. “As a spectator we build something in our head.”</p>
<p>Kahn and Kessler&#160;developed this interactive curriculum to influence how children think about the various media that surround them – television, video games, movies, theater, art and music.</p>
<p>Instead of zoning out and wasting time, or accepting messages without analyzing them, they want to encourage even the youngest children to engage with everything they see.</p>
<p>“I want to tell them that if you are looking at something, you are alive. Take the time to enjoy what you see, what you feel. I hope that they understand that when they are spectators, it’s a nourishment. To not think, to not engage, it’s terribly dangerous.”</p>
<p>As the world of media grows and fractures into special-interest outlets all with their own “facts,” engaged, critical thinking might be what separates shepherds from sheep.</p>
<p>When “The Art of Being a Spectator” program is complete, Kahn and Kessler&#160;will have put on 42 shows for a couple thousand kids – all for $15,000 in funding, which seems like a bargain.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Kessler&#160;is a theater director who was a professor of cross-cultural communication in France and who believes preschool isn’t too early to start talking to children about philosophy.</p>
<p>I pointed out to her that she uses some sophisticated language and concepts in a presentation to elementary school kids.</p>
<p>“And they get it!” she said.</p>
<p>When I talked to the kids before they lined up to march back to their classes, they said they loved the show. In fact, it had gone a half-hour over the allotted hour and no one had gotten fidgety.</p>
<p>They all told me they watch some TV and movies, but spend more time with video games – the “screen media” that is becoming a constant in the lives of children.</p>
<p>Jack Lockhart, who is in fourth grade, told me he liked to play “Madden NFL 13” and to watch “Adventure Time” on the Cartoon Network.</p>
<p>But when I asked him to tell me his favorite thing to watch, he surprised me.</p>
<p>“Watching my baby brother sleep,” he told me. “It makes me feel good.”</p>
<p>UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Leslie at 823-3914 or <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>. Go to <a href="" type="internal">www.abqjournal.com/letters/new</a> to submit a letter to the editor. — This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p>
| 598,779 |
<p>While we learn more depressing <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">details</a> about the Nazi-idolizing, <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/10/01/oregon-shooter-presented-horrifying-question-to-victims-before-opening-fire-survivors-say/" type="external">Christian-hating</a> coward who carried out the horrific mass shooting on the "gun-free" campus of Oregon's Umpqua Community College Thursday, another story has emerged that involves a man far more worthy of our attention.</p>
<p>Heroic UCC student Chris Mintz, a 30-year-old Army veteran, in the words of his cousin, "went after the shooter," attempting to prevent him from taking more innocent lives.</p>
<p>Mintz was shot at least five times by the gunman. As he lay wounded, a nurse who was holding his hand heard him say, "It’s my son’s birthday, it’s my son’s birthday."</p>
<p>His son, Tyrik, had just turned six. But, thankfully, Tyrik did not lose his father that day. After undergoing surgery, Mintz is expected to recover.</p>
<p>"It sounds like something he would do," said Mintz's cousin Derek Bourgeois told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">The Daily Mail</a>. "There was no way he was going to stand around and watch something this horrific happen."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/10/02/forget-oregon-s-gunman-remember-the-hero-who-charged-straight-at-him.html" type="external">According to</a> The Daily Beast's Michael Daly, Bourgeois joined the Army along with Mintz after graduating from high school. Mintz had been deployed and was eventually stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington.</p>
<p>"After leaving the Army, Mintz had moved to Oregon and done a bit of mixed martial arts. He had been working at the local YMCA while he enrolled at the community college with an eye toward becoming a fitness trainer," writes Daly.</p>
<p>A day that began with him posting, "Happy birthday, Tyrik," ended with Mintz in the hospital, having suffered at least five gun wounds after bravely risking his life for others as he'd done in the service.</p>
<p>To his family's great joy, he's going to make it, though the road to recovery won't be easy.</p>
<p>"From what I’m hearing, he’s fine," said Bourgeois, who <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">noted</a> that no vital organs had been hit. "But he’s going to have to learn to walk again."</p>
<p>Here's to Chris Mintz, a name worth remembering.</p>
<p />
<p />
|
Heroic Army Veteran Risked His Life to Stop Oregon Shooter
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/242/heroic-army-veteran-risked-his-life-stop-oregon-james-barrett
|
2015-10-02
| 0right
|
Heroic Army Veteran Risked His Life to Stop Oregon Shooter
<p>While we learn more depressing <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">details</a> about the Nazi-idolizing, <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/10/01/oregon-shooter-presented-horrifying-question-to-victims-before-opening-fire-survivors-say/" type="external">Christian-hating</a> coward who carried out the horrific mass shooting on the "gun-free" campus of Oregon's Umpqua Community College Thursday, another story has emerged that involves a man far more worthy of our attention.</p>
<p>Heroic UCC student Chris Mintz, a 30-year-old Army veteran, in the words of his cousin, "went after the shooter," attempting to prevent him from taking more innocent lives.</p>
<p>Mintz was shot at least five times by the gunman. As he lay wounded, a nurse who was holding his hand heard him say, "It’s my son’s birthday, it’s my son’s birthday."</p>
<p>His son, Tyrik, had just turned six. But, thankfully, Tyrik did not lose his father that day. After undergoing surgery, Mintz is expected to recover.</p>
<p>"It sounds like something he would do," said Mintz's cousin Derek Bourgeois told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">The Daily Mail</a>. "There was no way he was going to stand around and watch something this horrific happen."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/10/02/forget-oregon-s-gunman-remember-the-hero-who-charged-straight-at-him.html" type="external">According to</a> The Daily Beast's Michael Daly, Bourgeois joined the Army along with Mintz after graduating from high school. Mintz had been deployed and was eventually stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington.</p>
<p>"After leaving the Army, Mintz had moved to Oregon and done a bit of mixed martial arts. He had been working at the local YMCA while he enrolled at the community college with an eye toward becoming a fitness trainer," writes Daly.</p>
<p>A day that began with him posting, "Happy birthday, Tyrik," ended with Mintz in the hospital, having suffered at least five gun wounds after bravely risking his life for others as he'd done in the service.</p>
<p>To his family's great joy, he's going to make it, though the road to recovery won't be easy.</p>
<p>"From what I’m hearing, he’s fine," said Bourgeois, who <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256633/Shooter-Oregon-community-college-kills-people-campus.html" type="external">noted</a> that no vital organs had been hit. "But he’s going to have to learn to walk again."</p>
<p>Here's to Chris Mintz, a name worth remembering.</p>
<p />
<p />
| 598,780 |
<p>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Two brothers have been accused for a second time of stealing corpses from graveyards and eating human remains, police in Pakistan said Monday.</p>
<p>Mohammad Arif, 36, and Farman Ali, 33, were jailed in 2011 after admitting digging up graves, stealing as many as 150 bodies and eating the exhumed flesh, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/695443/bhakkar-cannibals-return-to-eating-human-flesh/" type="external">according to The Express Tribune</a>.</p>
<p>Police told NBC News on Monday that a boy's head was discovered during a raid on their home</p>
<p>"We got news this morning that they are up to their old ways," Chief Constable Zafar Iqbal of the Bhakkar Police said.</p>
<p>Arif was arrested and charged with crimes including "terrorism," according to Iqbal. Ali remained at large.</p>
<p>"He's probably just loitering around, we will find him," Iqbal added. "Nobody likes an outcast on the loose."</p>
<p>He added: "I'm not a doctor, but these guys are trouble. They've served time before. Maybe they have psychological problems, or maybe they're just bums. No wives, a family that doesn't talk to them, and a community that shuns them."</p>
<p>Alexander Smith contributed to this story.</p>
|
Grave-Robbing Brothers Accused of Eating Human Corpses, Again
| false |
http://nbcnews.com/news/world/grave-robbing-brothers-accused-eating-human-corpses-again-n79821
|
2014-04-14
| 3left-center
|
Grave-Robbing Brothers Accused of Eating Human Corpses, Again
<p>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Two brothers have been accused for a second time of stealing corpses from graveyards and eating human remains, police in Pakistan said Monday.</p>
<p>Mohammad Arif, 36, and Farman Ali, 33, were jailed in 2011 after admitting digging up graves, stealing as many as 150 bodies and eating the exhumed flesh, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/695443/bhakkar-cannibals-return-to-eating-human-flesh/" type="external">according to The Express Tribune</a>.</p>
<p>Police told NBC News on Monday that a boy's head was discovered during a raid on their home</p>
<p>"We got news this morning that they are up to their old ways," Chief Constable Zafar Iqbal of the Bhakkar Police said.</p>
<p>Arif was arrested and charged with crimes including "terrorism," according to Iqbal. Ali remained at large.</p>
<p>"He's probably just loitering around, we will find him," Iqbal added. "Nobody likes an outcast on the loose."</p>
<p>He added: "I'm not a doctor, but these guys are trouble. They've served time before. Maybe they have psychological problems, or maybe they're just bums. No wives, a family that doesn't talk to them, and a community that shuns them."</p>
<p>Alexander Smith contributed to this story.</p>
| 598,781 |
<p>BBB serving New Mexico &amp; Southwest Colorado was founded in 1941. For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brand and charities they can trust. In 2015, people turned to BBB more than 172 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Timeshare and vacation rental scams guarantee sales or promise low prices. Do your research and always be wary of requests for payment by wire transfer or prepaid debit cards.</p>
<p>Timeshares and vacation rentals are a great way to travel and have the comforts of home. However, scammers love to take advantage of vacationers by making false promises and creating a sense of urgency to fool them into paying for something that doesn’t exist.</p>
<p>In travel and vacation scams, con artists post listings for properties that either aren’t for rent, don’t exist, or are significantly different than pictured. They then lure in vacationers with the promise of low fees and great amenities. Typically, the “owner” creates a false sense of urgency – maybe another vacationer is interested in the rental – to get you to pay up before doing sufficient research.</p>
<p>Another common travel scam is the timeshare resale con. A timeshare owner who is looking to sell gets a call from someone claiming to be a real estate broker or agent. These scammers claim to specialize in timeshare resales and promise they have buyers ready to purchase. To secure this service, the scammer pressures the target into paying an upfront fee. The timeshare owner pays up, but the reselling agent never delivers.</p>
<p>Don’t wire money or use a prepaid debit card. You should never pay for a vacation rental by prepaid debit card or wire transfer. These payments are the same as sending cash. Once you send the money, you have no way to get it back. That’s why scammers depend upon these forms of payment.</p>
<p>If it’s too good to be true it probably isn’t. Scammers lure in targets by guaranteeing sales or promising vacation rentals at low prices. Do your research. In general, free online ad services are going to be the most risky.</p>
|
BBB Offers Tips for Timeshare Rental Scams
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/1026322/bbb-offers-tips-for-timeshare-rental-scams.html
| 2least
|
BBB Offers Tips for Timeshare Rental Scams
<p>BBB serving New Mexico &amp; Southwest Colorado was founded in 1941. For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brand and charities they can trust. In 2015, people turned to BBB more than 172 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Timeshare and vacation rental scams guarantee sales or promise low prices. Do your research and always be wary of requests for payment by wire transfer or prepaid debit cards.</p>
<p>Timeshares and vacation rentals are a great way to travel and have the comforts of home. However, scammers love to take advantage of vacationers by making false promises and creating a sense of urgency to fool them into paying for something that doesn’t exist.</p>
<p>In travel and vacation scams, con artists post listings for properties that either aren’t for rent, don’t exist, or are significantly different than pictured. They then lure in vacationers with the promise of low fees and great amenities. Typically, the “owner” creates a false sense of urgency – maybe another vacationer is interested in the rental – to get you to pay up before doing sufficient research.</p>
<p>Another common travel scam is the timeshare resale con. A timeshare owner who is looking to sell gets a call from someone claiming to be a real estate broker or agent. These scammers claim to specialize in timeshare resales and promise they have buyers ready to purchase. To secure this service, the scammer pressures the target into paying an upfront fee. The timeshare owner pays up, but the reselling agent never delivers.</p>
<p>Don’t wire money or use a prepaid debit card. You should never pay for a vacation rental by prepaid debit card or wire transfer. These payments are the same as sending cash. Once you send the money, you have no way to get it back. That’s why scammers depend upon these forms of payment.</p>
<p>If it’s too good to be true it probably isn’t. Scammers lure in targets by guaranteeing sales or promising vacation rentals at low prices. Do your research. In general, free online ad services are going to be the most risky.</p>
| 598,782 |
|
<p>How long does it take a mild-mannered, antiwar, black professor of constitutional law, trained as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, to become an enthusiastic sponsor of targeted assassinations, “decapitation” strategies and remote-control bombing of mud houses the far end of the globe?</p>
<p>There’s nothing surprising here. As far back as President Woodrow Wilson in the early twentieth century, American liberalism has been swift to flex imperial muscle, to whistle up the Marines. High explosive has always been in the hormone shot.</p>
<p>The nearest parallel to Obama in eager deference to the bloodthirsty counsels of his counter-insurgency advisors is John F. Kennedy. It is not surprising that bright young presidents relish quick-fix, “outside the box” scenarios for victory.</p>
<p>Whether in Vietnam or Afghanistan the counsels of regular Army generals tends to be drear and unappetizing: vast, costly deployments of troops by the hundreds of thousand, mounting casualties, uncertain prospects for any long-term success – all adding up to dismaying political costs on the home front.</p>
<p>Amid Camelot’s dawn&#160; in 1961, Kennedy swiftly bent an ear to the counsels of men like Ed Lansdale, a special ops man who wore rakishly the halo of victory over the Communist guerillas in the Philippines and who promised results in Vietnam.</p>
<p>By the time he himself had become the victim of Lee Harvey Oswald’s&#160; “decapitation” strategy, brought to successful conclusion in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, on November 22, 1963, Kennedy had set in motion the counter-insurgency operations, complete with programs of assassination and torture, that turned South-East Asia and Latin America into charnel houses, some of them, like Colombia, to this day.</p>
<p>Another Democrat who strode into the White House with the word “peace” springing from his lips was Jimmy Carter. It was he who first decreed that “freedom” and the war of terror required a $3.5 billion investment in a secret CIA-led war in Afghanistan, plus the deployment of Argentinian torturers to advise US military teams in counter-insurgency ops in El Salvador and Nicaragua.</p>
<p>(Though no US president can spend more than a few moments in the Oval Office scanning his in-tray the morning after the inaugural ceremonies&#160; without okaying the spilling of blood somewhere on the planet, it has to be said that Bill Clinton did display some momentary distaste before&#160; settling comfortably into the killer’s role. “Do we have to do this?” he muttered, as his national security team said that imperial dignity required cruise missile bombardment of Baghdad in 1993 in retaliation for a foiled attack on former President G.H.W. Bush, during a visit to Kuwait. The misisiles landed in a suburb, one of them killing the artist Laila al-Attar.)</p>
<p>Obama campaigned on a pledge to “decapitate” al-Qaida, meaning the assassination of its leaders. It was his short-hand way of advertising that he had the right stuff. And, like Kennedy, he’s summoning&#160; the exponents of unconventional, short-cut paths to success in that mission. &#160;Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal now replaces General David McKiernan as Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan.&#160; McChrystal’s expertise is precisely in assassination and “decapitation”. As commander of the military’s Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) for nearly five years starting in 2003, McChrystal was in charge of death squad ops, with its best advertised success being the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaida in Iraq.</p>
<p>The phrase “sophisticated networks” tends to crop up in assessments of McChrystal’s Iraq years. Actually there’s nothing fresh or sophisticated in what he did. Programs of targeted assassination aren’t new in counter-insurgency. The most infamous and best known was the Phoenix Program in Vietnam, designed to identify and eliminate cadres of Vietnam’s “National Liberation Front”, informally known as the Viet Cong of whom, on some estimates, at least 40,000 were duly assassinated.</p>
<p>In such enterprises two outcomes are inevitable. Identification of the human targets requires either voluntary informants or captives. In the latter instance kidnapping (ie extrajudicial seizure of “enemy combatants”) and then&#160; torture are certain, whatever rhetorical pledges are proclaimed back home. There may be intelligence officers who will rely on patient, non-violent interrogation, as the US officer, Major Matthew Alexander, who elicited the whereabouts of al-Zarquawi told Patrick Cockburn <a href="" type="internal">on this site</a> that he did. There will be others, US personnel who will either personally reach for the garden hose and the face towel, or delegate the task to the local talent.&#160; It has been thus, without remit, through the entire course of Empire. Not so long ago&#160; CounterPuncher Prof. Bruce Jackson of SUNY, Buffalo,&#160; sent us an illustration from the May 22, 1902 issue of the original (pre-Luce) Life. The only military action the US had going at the time was in the Philippines, where Pershing was fighting the Moros — Muslims who wanted independence from US rule. A pipe-smoking GI pours water into a funnel held in the mouth of a barefoot prisoner by another GI, who sits on the prisoner’s genitals and points a pistol at his throat.</p>
<p>McChrystal, not coincidentally, was involved&#160; in the prisoner abuse scandal at Baghdad’s Camp Nama. (He also played a sordid role in the cover-up in the friendly-fire death of ex-NFL star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman.)</p>
<p>Whatever the technique, a second certainty is the killing of large numbers of civilians in the final&#160; “targeted assassination”. At one point in the first war on Saddam in the early 1990s,&#160; a huge component of US air sorties was devoted each day to bombing places where US intelligence had concluded Saddam might be hiding. Time after time, after the mangled bodies of men, women and children had been scrutinized, came the crestfallen tidings that Saddam was not among them.</p>
<p>Already in Afghanistan public opinion has been inflamed by the weekly bulletins of deadly bombardments either by drones or manned bombers. Still in the headlines is the US bombardment of&#160; Bola Boluk in Farah province, which yielded 140 dead villagers torn apart by high explosive including 93 children. Only 22 were male and over 18. Perhaps “sophisticated intelligence” had identified one of these as an al-Qaida man, or a Taliban captain, or maybe someone an Afghan informant to the US military just didn’t care for. Maybe electronic eavesdropping simply screwed up the coordinates. If we ever know, it won’t be for a very long time. Obama has managed a terse apology, even as he installs McChrystal, thus ensuring more of the same.</p>
<p>The logic of targeted assassinations was on display in Gaza even as Obama worked on the uplifting phrases of his Inaugural Address. The Israelis claimed they were targeting only Hamas even as the body counts of women and children methodically refuted these claims and finally extorted&#160; from Obama a terse phrase of regret.</p>
<p>He may soon weary of uttering them. His course is set and his presidency already permanently stained the ever-familiar blood-red tint. There’s no short-cut, no “nicer path”&#160; in counter-insurgency and the policing of Empire. A targeted bombing yields up Bola Boluk, and the incandescent enmity of most Afghans. The war on al Qaida mutates into war on the Taliban, and 850,000 refugees in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. The mild-mannered professor is bidding to be as sure-footed as Bush and Cheney in trampling on constitutional rights. He’s now backing into pledges to shut down the kangaroo courts (“military commissions”) by which means&#160; the US have held prisoners at Guantanamo who’ve never even been formally charged with a crime! He’s threatening to hold some prisoners indefinitely in the U.S. without trial. He’s been awarded a hearty editorial clap on the back from the Wall Street Journal:</p>
<p>“Mr. Obama deserves credit for accepting that civilians courts are largely unsuited for the realities of the war on terror. He has now decided to preserve a tribunal process that will be identical in every material way to the one favored by Dick Cheney.”</p>
<p>It didn’t take long. But it’s what we’ve got – for the rest of Obama-time.</p>
<p>The Landscapes Meat Made</p>
<p>From the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries—when reliable records began to be kept—to the mid nineteenth century, the European diet varied little. Grains took up about 90 per cent of a family’s food budget: rye, buckwheat, oats, barley, maize. From the moments that the victuallers and provisioners in the Napoleonic wars pioneered the organization of the mass-production line and also modern methods of food preservation, the stage was set for the annihilation of both time and space in matters of food consumption. The vast cattle herds that began to graze the pastures of the western United States, Australia and Argentina signalled the change.</p>
<p>David Hamilton Wright, a biologist at the University of Georgia, once wrote that ‘an alien ecologist observing. . .earth might conclude that cattle is the dominant species in our biosphere.’ The modern livestock economy and the passion for meat have radically altered the look of the planet. Today, across huge swaths of the globe, from Australia to the western plains of the United States, one sees the conquest landscapes of the European mass-meat producers and their herds of ungulates. Because of romantic ideas of ‘timeless landscapes’ it is hard to grasp the rapidity of this process, with spans as short as thirty-five years between the irruption of a herd onto virgin terrain, over-grazing, soil erosion, crash and eventual stabilization, with the plant communities finally levelling out, though reduced in richness and variety, and the land altered forever.</p>
<p>As Mexico reels from the swine flu panic, there’s angry talk of the disastrous impact on that country of North American methods of intensive livestock production. The&#160; initial swine flu deaths came near the huge pig factories in the state of Veracruz, owned by Granjas Carroll, a subsidiary of Smithfield Farms, centered in North Carolina and now expanding into Eastern Europe.&#160; Intensive pork production in North Carolina in the 1990s sponsored the emergence of the H1N1 swine flu virus in 1998, the year North Carolina’s pig population hit ten million, up from two million just six years earlier, achieved by cramming 25 times more pigs into each factory, each one a stinking nightmare to the people living nearby.</p>
<p>In our latest newsletter I visit the world&#160; that intensive livestock raising has made, from&#160; the Valle in Mexico destroyed by Spanish sheep ranching in the 16th century, to the trashed landscapes of Texas and California today.&#160; In the same brilliant issue Steven Higgs probes the safety of nanotechnologies. Moms, hold that nano-toy, and that nano make-up! And Senator Jim Abourezk looks back on&#160; the occupation of Wounded Knee, and the role he played.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.easycartsecure.com/CounterPunch/Annual_Subscriptions.html" type="external">Subscribe Now!</a></p>
<p>ALEXANDER COCKBURN can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
|
How Long Does It Take?
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2009/05/22/how-long-does-it-take/
|
2009-05-22
| 4left
|
How Long Does It Take?
<p>How long does it take a mild-mannered, antiwar, black professor of constitutional law, trained as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, to become an enthusiastic sponsor of targeted assassinations, “decapitation” strategies and remote-control bombing of mud houses the far end of the globe?</p>
<p>There’s nothing surprising here. As far back as President Woodrow Wilson in the early twentieth century, American liberalism has been swift to flex imperial muscle, to whistle up the Marines. High explosive has always been in the hormone shot.</p>
<p>The nearest parallel to Obama in eager deference to the bloodthirsty counsels of his counter-insurgency advisors is John F. Kennedy. It is not surprising that bright young presidents relish quick-fix, “outside the box” scenarios for victory.</p>
<p>Whether in Vietnam or Afghanistan the counsels of regular Army generals tends to be drear and unappetizing: vast, costly deployments of troops by the hundreds of thousand, mounting casualties, uncertain prospects for any long-term success – all adding up to dismaying political costs on the home front.</p>
<p>Amid Camelot’s dawn&#160; in 1961, Kennedy swiftly bent an ear to the counsels of men like Ed Lansdale, a special ops man who wore rakishly the halo of victory over the Communist guerillas in the Philippines and who promised results in Vietnam.</p>
<p>By the time he himself had become the victim of Lee Harvey Oswald’s&#160; “decapitation” strategy, brought to successful conclusion in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, on November 22, 1963, Kennedy had set in motion the counter-insurgency operations, complete with programs of assassination and torture, that turned South-East Asia and Latin America into charnel houses, some of them, like Colombia, to this day.</p>
<p>Another Democrat who strode into the White House with the word “peace” springing from his lips was Jimmy Carter. It was he who first decreed that “freedom” and the war of terror required a $3.5 billion investment in a secret CIA-led war in Afghanistan, plus the deployment of Argentinian torturers to advise US military teams in counter-insurgency ops in El Salvador and Nicaragua.</p>
<p>(Though no US president can spend more than a few moments in the Oval Office scanning his in-tray the morning after the inaugural ceremonies&#160; without okaying the spilling of blood somewhere on the planet, it has to be said that Bill Clinton did display some momentary distaste before&#160; settling comfortably into the killer’s role. “Do we have to do this?” he muttered, as his national security team said that imperial dignity required cruise missile bombardment of Baghdad in 1993 in retaliation for a foiled attack on former President G.H.W. Bush, during a visit to Kuwait. The misisiles landed in a suburb, one of them killing the artist Laila al-Attar.)</p>
<p>Obama campaigned on a pledge to “decapitate” al-Qaida, meaning the assassination of its leaders. It was his short-hand way of advertising that he had the right stuff. And, like Kennedy, he’s summoning&#160; the exponents of unconventional, short-cut paths to success in that mission. &#160;Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal now replaces General David McKiernan as Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan.&#160; McChrystal’s expertise is precisely in assassination and “decapitation”. As commander of the military’s Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) for nearly five years starting in 2003, McChrystal was in charge of death squad ops, with its best advertised success being the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaida in Iraq.</p>
<p>The phrase “sophisticated networks” tends to crop up in assessments of McChrystal’s Iraq years. Actually there’s nothing fresh or sophisticated in what he did. Programs of targeted assassination aren’t new in counter-insurgency. The most infamous and best known was the Phoenix Program in Vietnam, designed to identify and eliminate cadres of Vietnam’s “National Liberation Front”, informally known as the Viet Cong of whom, on some estimates, at least 40,000 were duly assassinated.</p>
<p>In such enterprises two outcomes are inevitable. Identification of the human targets requires either voluntary informants or captives. In the latter instance kidnapping (ie extrajudicial seizure of “enemy combatants”) and then&#160; torture are certain, whatever rhetorical pledges are proclaimed back home. There may be intelligence officers who will rely on patient, non-violent interrogation, as the US officer, Major Matthew Alexander, who elicited the whereabouts of al-Zarquawi told Patrick Cockburn <a href="" type="internal">on this site</a> that he did. There will be others, US personnel who will either personally reach for the garden hose and the face towel, or delegate the task to the local talent.&#160; It has been thus, without remit, through the entire course of Empire. Not so long ago&#160; CounterPuncher Prof. Bruce Jackson of SUNY, Buffalo,&#160; sent us an illustration from the May 22, 1902 issue of the original (pre-Luce) Life. The only military action the US had going at the time was in the Philippines, where Pershing was fighting the Moros — Muslims who wanted independence from US rule. A pipe-smoking GI pours water into a funnel held in the mouth of a barefoot prisoner by another GI, who sits on the prisoner’s genitals and points a pistol at his throat.</p>
<p>McChrystal, not coincidentally, was involved&#160; in the prisoner abuse scandal at Baghdad’s Camp Nama. (He also played a sordid role in the cover-up in the friendly-fire death of ex-NFL star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman.)</p>
<p>Whatever the technique, a second certainty is the killing of large numbers of civilians in the final&#160; “targeted assassination”. At one point in the first war on Saddam in the early 1990s,&#160; a huge component of US air sorties was devoted each day to bombing places where US intelligence had concluded Saddam might be hiding. Time after time, after the mangled bodies of men, women and children had been scrutinized, came the crestfallen tidings that Saddam was not among them.</p>
<p>Already in Afghanistan public opinion has been inflamed by the weekly bulletins of deadly bombardments either by drones or manned bombers. Still in the headlines is the US bombardment of&#160; Bola Boluk in Farah province, which yielded 140 dead villagers torn apart by high explosive including 93 children. Only 22 were male and over 18. Perhaps “sophisticated intelligence” had identified one of these as an al-Qaida man, or a Taliban captain, or maybe someone an Afghan informant to the US military just didn’t care for. Maybe electronic eavesdropping simply screwed up the coordinates. If we ever know, it won’t be for a very long time. Obama has managed a terse apology, even as he installs McChrystal, thus ensuring more of the same.</p>
<p>The logic of targeted assassinations was on display in Gaza even as Obama worked on the uplifting phrases of his Inaugural Address. The Israelis claimed they were targeting only Hamas even as the body counts of women and children methodically refuted these claims and finally extorted&#160; from Obama a terse phrase of regret.</p>
<p>He may soon weary of uttering them. His course is set and his presidency already permanently stained the ever-familiar blood-red tint. There’s no short-cut, no “nicer path”&#160; in counter-insurgency and the policing of Empire. A targeted bombing yields up Bola Boluk, and the incandescent enmity of most Afghans. The war on al Qaida mutates into war on the Taliban, and 850,000 refugees in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. The mild-mannered professor is bidding to be as sure-footed as Bush and Cheney in trampling on constitutional rights. He’s now backing into pledges to shut down the kangaroo courts (“military commissions”) by which means&#160; the US have held prisoners at Guantanamo who’ve never even been formally charged with a crime! He’s threatening to hold some prisoners indefinitely in the U.S. without trial. He’s been awarded a hearty editorial clap on the back from the Wall Street Journal:</p>
<p>“Mr. Obama deserves credit for accepting that civilians courts are largely unsuited for the realities of the war on terror. He has now decided to preserve a tribunal process that will be identical in every material way to the one favored by Dick Cheney.”</p>
<p>It didn’t take long. But it’s what we’ve got – for the rest of Obama-time.</p>
<p>The Landscapes Meat Made</p>
<p>From the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries—when reliable records began to be kept—to the mid nineteenth century, the European diet varied little. Grains took up about 90 per cent of a family’s food budget: rye, buckwheat, oats, barley, maize. From the moments that the victuallers and provisioners in the Napoleonic wars pioneered the organization of the mass-production line and also modern methods of food preservation, the stage was set for the annihilation of both time and space in matters of food consumption. The vast cattle herds that began to graze the pastures of the western United States, Australia and Argentina signalled the change.</p>
<p>David Hamilton Wright, a biologist at the University of Georgia, once wrote that ‘an alien ecologist observing. . .earth might conclude that cattle is the dominant species in our biosphere.’ The modern livestock economy and the passion for meat have radically altered the look of the planet. Today, across huge swaths of the globe, from Australia to the western plains of the United States, one sees the conquest landscapes of the European mass-meat producers and their herds of ungulates. Because of romantic ideas of ‘timeless landscapes’ it is hard to grasp the rapidity of this process, with spans as short as thirty-five years between the irruption of a herd onto virgin terrain, over-grazing, soil erosion, crash and eventual stabilization, with the plant communities finally levelling out, though reduced in richness and variety, and the land altered forever.</p>
<p>As Mexico reels from the swine flu panic, there’s angry talk of the disastrous impact on that country of North American methods of intensive livestock production. The&#160; initial swine flu deaths came near the huge pig factories in the state of Veracruz, owned by Granjas Carroll, a subsidiary of Smithfield Farms, centered in North Carolina and now expanding into Eastern Europe.&#160; Intensive pork production in North Carolina in the 1990s sponsored the emergence of the H1N1 swine flu virus in 1998, the year North Carolina’s pig population hit ten million, up from two million just six years earlier, achieved by cramming 25 times more pigs into each factory, each one a stinking nightmare to the people living nearby.</p>
<p>In our latest newsletter I visit the world&#160; that intensive livestock raising has made, from&#160; the Valle in Mexico destroyed by Spanish sheep ranching in the 16th century, to the trashed landscapes of Texas and California today.&#160; In the same brilliant issue Steven Higgs probes the safety of nanotechnologies. Moms, hold that nano-toy, and that nano make-up! And Senator Jim Abourezk looks back on&#160; the occupation of Wounded Knee, and the role he played.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.easycartsecure.com/CounterPunch/Annual_Subscriptions.html" type="external">Subscribe Now!</a></p>
<p>ALEXANDER COCKBURN can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
| 598,783 |
<p />
<p />
<p>The interim Libyan government declared a moratorium on the export of Libyan oil companies contracting with Qatar, in an attempt to prevent the financing of terrorism. The Russian news agency(Sputnik) said that the head of Libya's interim government, Abdullah kinks, sent a letter to stop dealing with the &amp;company Glencore'; the export of oil, to the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation in Tripoli and the Libyan oil companies, because of its contract with Qatar, drew the same deal with any company dealing with Doha.</p>
<p />
<p>The agency quoted the Libyan parliament deputy Saed Emgib , as saying that the government is taking some steps to prevent the financing of extremist groups, and those first, and all options are on the table, and all available steps to diminish the role of Qatar in Libya, it is clear who are those whom support some of the personalities and groups working to destabilize the situation in Libya, which has brought the country to this situation recurring now according to the Russian agency, that there is a tougher step on Qatar-owned companies, or cooperate with the Qatari government, this step comes under several steps the government intends to take, to try to stop the qualitative support to the State of Qatar and the existing groups in Libya.</p>
|
Libya KOs Qatar over Sponsored Terror
| true |
http://thegoldwater.com/news/3897-Libya-KOs-Qatar-over-Sponsored-Terror
|
2017-06-18
| 0right
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Libya KOs Qatar over Sponsored Terror
<p />
<p />
<p>The interim Libyan government declared a moratorium on the export of Libyan oil companies contracting with Qatar, in an attempt to prevent the financing of terrorism. The Russian news agency(Sputnik) said that the head of Libya's interim government, Abdullah kinks, sent a letter to stop dealing with the &amp;company Glencore'; the export of oil, to the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation in Tripoli and the Libyan oil companies, because of its contract with Qatar, drew the same deal with any company dealing with Doha.</p>
<p />
<p>The agency quoted the Libyan parliament deputy Saed Emgib , as saying that the government is taking some steps to prevent the financing of extremist groups, and those first, and all options are on the table, and all available steps to diminish the role of Qatar in Libya, it is clear who are those whom support some of the personalities and groups working to destabilize the situation in Libya, which has brought the country to this situation recurring now according to the Russian agency, that there is a tougher step on Qatar-owned companies, or cooperate with the Qatari government, this step comes under several steps the government intends to take, to try to stop the qualitative support to the State of Qatar and the existing groups in Libya.</p>
| 598,784 |
<p>In my&#160; <a href="http://www.fortruthssake.com/2014/08/isnt-conspiracy-anymore/" type="external">last article</a>, I discussed the idea that much of what we are experiencing in this country can’t be considered a “ <a href="" type="internal">conspiracy theory</a>” anymore, because it is actually happening. We are literally watching the world burn around us, and every day there is another new, exciting development that only, in my mind anyways, reinforces the idea that it is all <a href="" type="internal">being done by design</a>.</p>
<p>I discussed the fact that there are many individual incidents that, at first glance, appear to be isolated events, but in reality, are all a part of the “mother conspiracy,” if you will. What is this mother conspiracy you ask? Many people recognize it as the “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9I48UA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00L9I48UA&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=M2OZ2ZLSDXMHHOAU" type="external">Illuminati</a>” or the “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786719834/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0786719834&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=BTYOGHZLKIUTXMTK" type="external">secret societies</a>.” Others refer to the conspirators as the&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374531617/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0374531617&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=DS7E577JLXDNGFSG" type="external">global elite</a>, or even their more common name,&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979988624/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0979988624&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=4NZU2MXMDDL7MJG5" type="external">The Bilderberg Group.</a></p>
<p>Still others, like myself, believe that these people are Communists who are carrying out the agenda of instilling a global communist government sought after by people like&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0815411774/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0815411774&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=GCEOOB36JRSEVXOF" type="external">Vladimir Lenin</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804701423/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0804701423&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=ABNVTOSYAGPUOKDS" type="external">Antonio Gramsci</a>. Well, for truth’s sake, all of these different designations are one and the same. They are working together to carry out their agenda of a <a href="" type="internal">one-world government</a> through the United Nations.</p>
<p>Again, there are many different issues driving many different debates, but there is one in particular that deserves special attention because it’s the one that may seal the fate of mankind. This is the&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936488493/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1936488493&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=JJRL4AOWFPIPY5XZ" type="external">Global Warming</a>&#160;debate (which is simply called “ <a href="" type="internal">climate change</a>” now). &#160;I can’t think of any one issue that is debated with as much passion and controversy as&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/02/heat-global-warming-generated-ongoing-debate/" type="external">man-made Global Warming</a>. Many people are convinced that&#160;an alleged rash of <a href="" type="internal">extreme weather events</a> is caused by man’s activities and use of fossil fuels, and because of this, they are being led to believe that&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/07/yes-obama-can-read-global-warming-hoax/" type="external">governments must take drastic actions</a>.</p>
<p>Being a <a href="" type="internal">global warming denier</a> is now equated with being a “Nazi,” and in fact, one professor at a U.S. university has actually&#160; <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/17/u-s-college-professor-demands-imprisonment-for-climate-change-deniers/" type="external">called for the imprisonment</a>&#160;of those who deny the alleged science of global warming. It’s amazing how they can accuse us of being “Nazis” while threatening to imprison us for disagreeing with them. &#160;There has been a tremendous push in education to convince young people that the United States and its capitalistic system is the primary cause of Global Warming. The best way to illustrate this is through the film, “ <a href="https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&amp;type=A211US636&amp;p=the+story+of+stuff" type="external">The Story of Stuff</a>.”</p>
<p>People are being conditioned to believe that the only way to save the planet is if mankind&#160;surrenders&#160;their individuality <a href="" type="internal">in favor of the collective</a>, while allowing government to determine&#160;what is best for us. The proof for this is found in the words of U.N. climate chief, Christina Figueres, when she said “ <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/15/un-climate-chief-communism-is-best-to-fight-global-warming/" type="external">global communism is the only solution to global warming</a>.”</p>
<p>Nope, there is no conspiracy here. They are telling us what they are going to do! Through the use of psychological propaganda, the left has convinced a great many people that we are indeed responsible for Global Warming and we need to pay higher taxes, give up our rights and allow&#160;government to run our lives in order to stop it. There is only one problem with all of this. It is all a hoax designed to carry out their main policy initiative: the&#160;human depopulation agenda, better known as&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GKNOTE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004GKNOTE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=3BTZWFWLCSCACYSL" type="external">Agenda 21</a>. This is the number one issue driving the global warming debate because <a href="" type="internal">the left believes</a> that there are far too many people on the planet and that humanity is just a “cancer” to the earth.</p>
<p>For those who&#160;may not be familiar with <a href="" type="internal">Agenda 21</a>, let me summarize it by saying that it essentially involves every policy initiative that pushes the world towards total U.N. control. It involves everything from <a href="" type="internal">gun control</a> to parental rights. The plan is to strip all individuals of their rights to private property, herd us into dense population centers and control us like cattle. They also&#160; <a href="http://www.thenewamerican.com/rio-20/item/11724-science-group-un-rio%2020-summit-must-reduce-global-population" type="external">intend to&#160;drastically reduce the human population</a>&#160;from its current number of about seven billion to around 500,000,000, because they fear that human beings consume too much, and the population growth is too much for the planet to handle. For those who refuse to entertain&#160;that anyone could believe such a thing, let’s look at this quote from the “ <a href="http://www.iahf.com/biowar/991020a.html" type="external">Initiative for the United Nations, Eco 92 Earth Charter</a>.”</p>
<p>“The present vast over population, now far beyond the world carrying capacity cannot be answered by future reductions in the birth rate due to contraception, sterilization and abortion, but must be met in the present by the reduction in the numbers presently existing. This must be done by whatever means necessary.”</p>
<p>Do you need to read that again? According to that quote, which is part of an official U.N. document concerning the agenda to combat “global warming,” <a href="" type="internal">abortion</a>&#160;and&#160;birth control were part of the human depopulation agenda. They have now determined that these methods are not effective enough and more drastic measures must be taken to bring human population levels down. &#160;You can call me a “tin-foil-hat-wearing” conspiracy theorist if you wish; however, I think the fact that the U.S. has a&#160; <a href="http://www.google.com/patents/CA2741523A1?cl=en" type="external">patent on the current Ebola</a>&#160;virus says it all. This all spells <a href="" type="internal">global depopulation</a>.</p>
<p>I want to leave you with one more quote&#160;from a document entitled “ <a href="http://www.green-agenda.com/globalrevolution.html" type="external">The First Global Revolution</a>.” It outlines the motivations behind the “green agenda” and allows you to see exactly what type of people with which we are dealing. They are earth-worshipping pagans who believe you are responsible for the death&#160;of the planet, and they are intent on following through with what they started.</p>
<p>“The common enemy of humanity is man. In searching for a new enemy to unite us we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention, and it is only through changed attitudes and behavior that they can be overcome. The real enemy then is humanity itself.”&#160; <a href="http://www.jeremiahproject.com/newworldorder/club-of-rome.html" type="external">The Club of &#160;Rome</a></p>
<p>The writing has been on the wall for a while. People either can’t read it or they refuse to believe what they read. That’s exactly the type of ignorance that <a href="" type="internal">the global elite</a> count on, making their job so much easier.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fortruthssake.com/2014/08/globalists-taking-charge-agenda-21s-global-depopulation-agenda/" type="external">Source</a></p>
<p>David Risselada is a freelance writer and researcher. David served in the United States Marine Corps from 1995-1999 and the US Army from 2001-2006. In addition to contributing to&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/" type="external">FreedomOutpost.com</a>, he writes at&#160; <a href="http://www.radicalconservativerisso.blogspot.com/" type="external">Radical Conservative</a>. Follow David on&#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/jkdriss" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p>Courtesy of <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/08/human-depopulation-real-agenda/" type="external">Freedom Outpost</a>.</p>
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Human Depopulation is the Real Agenda
| true |
http://dcclothesline.com/2014/08/10/human-depopulation-real-agenda/
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2014-08-10
| 0right
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Human Depopulation is the Real Agenda
<p>In my&#160; <a href="http://www.fortruthssake.com/2014/08/isnt-conspiracy-anymore/" type="external">last article</a>, I discussed the idea that much of what we are experiencing in this country can’t be considered a “ <a href="" type="internal">conspiracy theory</a>” anymore, because it is actually happening. We are literally watching the world burn around us, and every day there is another new, exciting development that only, in my mind anyways, reinforces the idea that it is all <a href="" type="internal">being done by design</a>.</p>
<p>I discussed the fact that there are many individual incidents that, at first glance, appear to be isolated events, but in reality, are all a part of the “mother conspiracy,” if you will. What is this mother conspiracy you ask? Many people recognize it as the “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9I48UA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00L9I48UA&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=M2OZ2ZLSDXMHHOAU" type="external">Illuminati</a>” or the “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786719834/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0786719834&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=BTYOGHZLKIUTXMTK" type="external">secret societies</a>.” Others refer to the conspirators as the&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374531617/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0374531617&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=DS7E577JLXDNGFSG" type="external">global elite</a>, or even their more common name,&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979988624/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0979988624&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=4NZU2MXMDDL7MJG5" type="external">The Bilderberg Group.</a></p>
<p>Still others, like myself, believe that these people are Communists who are carrying out the agenda of instilling a global communist government sought after by people like&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0815411774/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0815411774&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=GCEOOB36JRSEVXOF" type="external">Vladimir Lenin</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804701423/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0804701423&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=ABNVTOSYAGPUOKDS" type="external">Antonio Gramsci</a>. Well, for truth’s sake, all of these different designations are one and the same. They are working together to carry out their agenda of a <a href="" type="internal">one-world government</a> through the United Nations.</p>
<p>Again, there are many different issues driving many different debates, but there is one in particular that deserves special attention because it’s the one that may seal the fate of mankind. This is the&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936488493/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1936488493&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=JJRL4AOWFPIPY5XZ" type="external">Global Warming</a>&#160;debate (which is simply called “ <a href="" type="internal">climate change</a>” now). &#160;I can’t think of any one issue that is debated with as much passion and controversy as&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/02/heat-global-warming-generated-ongoing-debate/" type="external">man-made Global Warming</a>. Many people are convinced that&#160;an alleged rash of <a href="" type="internal">extreme weather events</a> is caused by man’s activities and use of fossil fuels, and because of this, they are being led to believe that&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/07/yes-obama-can-read-global-warming-hoax/" type="external">governments must take drastic actions</a>.</p>
<p>Being a <a href="" type="internal">global warming denier</a> is now equated with being a “Nazi,” and in fact, one professor at a U.S. university has actually&#160; <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/17/u-s-college-professor-demands-imprisonment-for-climate-change-deniers/" type="external">called for the imprisonment</a>&#160;of those who deny the alleged science of global warming. It’s amazing how they can accuse us of being “Nazis” while threatening to imprison us for disagreeing with them. &#160;There has been a tremendous push in education to convince young people that the United States and its capitalistic system is the primary cause of Global Warming. The best way to illustrate this is through the film, “ <a href="https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&amp;type=A211US636&amp;p=the+story+of+stuff" type="external">The Story of Stuff</a>.”</p>
<p>People are being conditioned to believe that the only way to save the planet is if mankind&#160;surrenders&#160;their individuality <a href="" type="internal">in favor of the collective</a>, while allowing government to determine&#160;what is best for us. The proof for this is found in the words of U.N. climate chief, Christina Figueres, when she said “ <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/15/un-climate-chief-communism-is-best-to-fight-global-warming/" type="external">global communism is the only solution to global warming</a>.”</p>
<p>Nope, there is no conspiracy here. They are telling us what they are going to do! Through the use of psychological propaganda, the left has convinced a great many people that we are indeed responsible for Global Warming and we need to pay higher taxes, give up our rights and allow&#160;government to run our lives in order to stop it. There is only one problem with all of this. It is all a hoax designed to carry out their main policy initiative: the&#160;human depopulation agenda, better known as&#160; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GKNOTE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004GKNOTE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=3BTZWFWLCSCACYSL" type="external">Agenda 21</a>. This is the number one issue driving the global warming debate because <a href="" type="internal">the left believes</a> that there are far too many people on the planet and that humanity is just a “cancer” to the earth.</p>
<p>For those who&#160;may not be familiar with <a href="" type="internal">Agenda 21</a>, let me summarize it by saying that it essentially involves every policy initiative that pushes the world towards total U.N. control. It involves everything from <a href="" type="internal">gun control</a> to parental rights. The plan is to strip all individuals of their rights to private property, herd us into dense population centers and control us like cattle. They also&#160; <a href="http://www.thenewamerican.com/rio-20/item/11724-science-group-un-rio%2020-summit-must-reduce-global-population" type="external">intend to&#160;drastically reduce the human population</a>&#160;from its current number of about seven billion to around 500,000,000, because they fear that human beings consume too much, and the population growth is too much for the planet to handle. For those who refuse to entertain&#160;that anyone could believe such a thing, let’s look at this quote from the “ <a href="http://www.iahf.com/biowar/991020a.html" type="external">Initiative for the United Nations, Eco 92 Earth Charter</a>.”</p>
<p>“The present vast over population, now far beyond the world carrying capacity cannot be answered by future reductions in the birth rate due to contraception, sterilization and abortion, but must be met in the present by the reduction in the numbers presently existing. This must be done by whatever means necessary.”</p>
<p>Do you need to read that again? According to that quote, which is part of an official U.N. document concerning the agenda to combat “global warming,” <a href="" type="internal">abortion</a>&#160;and&#160;birth control were part of the human depopulation agenda. They have now determined that these methods are not effective enough and more drastic measures must be taken to bring human population levels down. &#160;You can call me a “tin-foil-hat-wearing” conspiracy theorist if you wish; however, I think the fact that the U.S. has a&#160; <a href="http://www.google.com/patents/CA2741523A1?cl=en" type="external">patent on the current Ebola</a>&#160;virus says it all. This all spells <a href="" type="internal">global depopulation</a>.</p>
<p>I want to leave you with one more quote&#160;from a document entitled “ <a href="http://www.green-agenda.com/globalrevolution.html" type="external">The First Global Revolution</a>.” It outlines the motivations behind the “green agenda” and allows you to see exactly what type of people with which we are dealing. They are earth-worshipping pagans who believe you are responsible for the death&#160;of the planet, and they are intent on following through with what they started.</p>
<p>“The common enemy of humanity is man. In searching for a new enemy to unite us we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention, and it is only through changed attitudes and behavior that they can be overcome. The real enemy then is humanity itself.”&#160; <a href="http://www.jeremiahproject.com/newworldorder/club-of-rome.html" type="external">The Club of &#160;Rome</a></p>
<p>The writing has been on the wall for a while. People either can’t read it or they refuse to believe what they read. That’s exactly the type of ignorance that <a href="" type="internal">the global elite</a> count on, making their job so much easier.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fortruthssake.com/2014/08/globalists-taking-charge-agenda-21s-global-depopulation-agenda/" type="external">Source</a></p>
<p>David Risselada is a freelance writer and researcher. David served in the United States Marine Corps from 1995-1999 and the US Army from 2001-2006. In addition to contributing to&#160; <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/" type="external">FreedomOutpost.com</a>, he writes at&#160; <a href="http://www.radicalconservativerisso.blogspot.com/" type="external">Radical Conservative</a>. Follow David on&#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/jkdriss" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p>Courtesy of <a href="http://freedomoutpost.com/2014/08/human-depopulation-real-agenda/" type="external">Freedom Outpost</a>.</p>
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| 598,785 |
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CUP.jpg" type="external" />Stats Montreal Canadiens skaters No. Player Pos G A P +/- PIM S Hits BkS GvA TkA FO% PP TOI SH TOI TOI 67 M. Pacioretty L 0 0 0 -1 0 3 1 0 0 0 100% 2:02 1:38 19:09 Montreal Canadiens goaltenders No. Player Saves - Shots [?]</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013030316" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.nhl.com</a></p>
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Date With Stanley!
| true |
http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/new-york-rangers-goaltenders/
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Date With Stanley!
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CUP.jpg" type="external" />Stats Montreal Canadiens skaters No. Player Pos G A P +/- PIM S Hits BkS GvA TkA FO% PP TOI SH TOI TOI 67 M. Pacioretty L 0 0 0 -1 0 3 1 0 0 0 100% 2:02 1:38 19:09 Montreal Canadiens goaltenders No. Player Saves - Shots [?]</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013030316" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.nhl.com</a></p>
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| 598,786 |
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<p>DEERFIELD BEACH (FL)Boston Heraldby Michael Lasalandra Wednesday, July 2, 2003</p>
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<p>DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. - Bishop Sean P. O'Malley's father and stepmother aren't surprised their son has been named to take over the top job in the Archdiocese of Boston and have no doubts he will succeed in cleaning up the mess over sexual abuse by priests.</p>
<p>``He's moved rather rapidly since he's been ordained,'' Theodore O'Malley said. ``He'll clean it up. He'll work hard at it. He always does.''</p>
<p>Being named archbishop-elect of Boston seems like a natural move for Sean O'Malley, who previously has served as bishop of the dioceses of the Virgin Islands, Fall River, Mass., and Palm Beach, his father said.</p>
<p>``He's known from an early age what he wanted to do,'' he said. ``He knew he wanted to be a priest since he was 10 years old.''</p>
<p>Theodore O'Malley, 86, and his wife, Claire, 81, said they are excited but also saddened their son is leaving the Diocese of Palm Beach, where he has been bishop for just over eight months.</p>
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Ascension leads to hub post: Bishop stays on fast track
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https://poynter.org/news/ascension-leads-hub-post-bishop-stays-fast-track
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2003-07-02
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Ascension leads to hub post: Bishop stays on fast track
<p>DEERFIELD BEACH (FL)Boston Heraldby Michael Lasalandra Wednesday, July 2, 2003</p>
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<p>DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. - Bishop Sean P. O'Malley's father and stepmother aren't surprised their son has been named to take over the top job in the Archdiocese of Boston and have no doubts he will succeed in cleaning up the mess over sexual abuse by priests.</p>
<p>``He's moved rather rapidly since he's been ordained,'' Theodore O'Malley said. ``He'll clean it up. He'll work hard at it. He always does.''</p>
<p>Being named archbishop-elect of Boston seems like a natural move for Sean O'Malley, who previously has served as bishop of the dioceses of the Virgin Islands, Fall River, Mass., and Palm Beach, his father said.</p>
<p>``He's known from an early age what he wanted to do,'' he said. ``He knew he wanted to be a priest since he was 10 years old.''</p>
<p>Theodore O'Malley, 86, and his wife, Claire, 81, said they are excited but also saddened their son is leaving the Diocese of Palm Beach, where he has been bishop for just over eight months.</p>
| 598,787 |
<p>Sandro Galea, a public health professor at Columbia University, was one of the first scientists to study the psychological impact of 9/11 on New Yorkers. Early on, he made a surprising finding.</p>
<p>While most New Yorkers were understandably anxious in the days after the terrorist attacks, only a minority went on to develop debilitating psychological problems like post-traumatic stress disorder.</p>
<p>"Even among people who were in the towers and who were trying to escape or got injured, the risk of PTSD was still in the minority," says Galea.</p>
<p>He says it was an "aha" moment for him.</p>
<p>"Human beings are incredibly adaptive and incredibly resilient," he says. "Even in the face of a dramatic trauma, with horrendous circumstances, most people are still pulling through fine."</p>
<p>By "pulling through fine," Galea does not mean that people were not upset. Rather, they were able to function normally even if they had periods of great sadness.</p>
<p>Galea wanted to know: was this resilience unique to New Yorkers, or was it a more general human trait?</p>
<p>So he approached a colleague who had studied the psychological impacts of a devastating flood in Mexico. Torrential rains in 1999 killed more than 400 people and displaced over 200,000.</p>
<p>"Even in the flood sample, where the vast majority of participants are people who had lost homes or lost loved ones, it was still nearly half who qualified as being resilient," says Galea.</p>
<p>Psychologists are just beginning to understand what makes some people resilient and others vulnerable.</p>
<p>Columbia University psychologist George Bonanno has spent years studying the factors that influence human resilience.</p>
<p>"There are some factors that are inherent in people — their personality and the way they cope — that does tend to make some people more resilient than others," he says.</p>
<p>Genetics may influence resilience. Also, men tend to be more psychologically resilient than women, although it is not clear why.</p>
<p>Bonanno says external factors also play a role.</p>
<p>"If a person has economic difficulties, or doesn't have much of a social support network or a network of friends and people to rely on, that person is going to be less likely to be resilient," he says.</p>
<p>Bonanno hopes that this research will lead to helpful tools for encouraging resilience.</p>
<p>One factor that plays a key role in determining resilience is the presence or absence of chronic stress. In a recent study, Bonanno and his colleagues looked at the mental health of Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank.</p>
<p>To Bonanno's surprise, he found almost no resilient individuals in that population. He says that's because people there were living under chronically stressful conditions, including "lots of loss, lots of injury and exposure to violence on a regular basis, combined with poverty and all kind of other factors."</p>
<p>"You combine all these factors together," he says, "and you get a very, very caustic and chronic situation."</p>
<p>Bonanno says chronic stress wears us out and prevents us from recovering from trauma.</p>
<p>Fortunately for New Yorkers, the terror of 9/11 has not been repeated in the past decade. That in no way reduces the horror of what they experienced, but it gave most New Yorkers the chance to recover and resume their daily lives.</p>
|
What We Can Learn From The Resilience Of Trauma Survivors
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2011-09-09/what-we-can-learn-resilience-trauma-survivors
|
2011-09-09
| 3left-center
|
What We Can Learn From The Resilience Of Trauma Survivors
<p>Sandro Galea, a public health professor at Columbia University, was one of the first scientists to study the psychological impact of 9/11 on New Yorkers. Early on, he made a surprising finding.</p>
<p>While most New Yorkers were understandably anxious in the days after the terrorist attacks, only a minority went on to develop debilitating psychological problems like post-traumatic stress disorder.</p>
<p>"Even among people who were in the towers and who were trying to escape or got injured, the risk of PTSD was still in the minority," says Galea.</p>
<p>He says it was an "aha" moment for him.</p>
<p>"Human beings are incredibly adaptive and incredibly resilient," he says. "Even in the face of a dramatic trauma, with horrendous circumstances, most people are still pulling through fine."</p>
<p>By "pulling through fine," Galea does not mean that people were not upset. Rather, they were able to function normally even if they had periods of great sadness.</p>
<p>Galea wanted to know: was this resilience unique to New Yorkers, or was it a more general human trait?</p>
<p>So he approached a colleague who had studied the psychological impacts of a devastating flood in Mexico. Torrential rains in 1999 killed more than 400 people and displaced over 200,000.</p>
<p>"Even in the flood sample, where the vast majority of participants are people who had lost homes or lost loved ones, it was still nearly half who qualified as being resilient," says Galea.</p>
<p>Psychologists are just beginning to understand what makes some people resilient and others vulnerable.</p>
<p>Columbia University psychologist George Bonanno has spent years studying the factors that influence human resilience.</p>
<p>"There are some factors that are inherent in people — their personality and the way they cope — that does tend to make some people more resilient than others," he says.</p>
<p>Genetics may influence resilience. Also, men tend to be more psychologically resilient than women, although it is not clear why.</p>
<p>Bonanno says external factors also play a role.</p>
<p>"If a person has economic difficulties, or doesn't have much of a social support network or a network of friends and people to rely on, that person is going to be less likely to be resilient," he says.</p>
<p>Bonanno hopes that this research will lead to helpful tools for encouraging resilience.</p>
<p>One factor that plays a key role in determining resilience is the presence or absence of chronic stress. In a recent study, Bonanno and his colleagues looked at the mental health of Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank.</p>
<p>To Bonanno's surprise, he found almost no resilient individuals in that population. He says that's because people there were living under chronically stressful conditions, including "lots of loss, lots of injury and exposure to violence on a regular basis, combined with poverty and all kind of other factors."</p>
<p>"You combine all these factors together," he says, "and you get a very, very caustic and chronic situation."</p>
<p>Bonanno says chronic stress wears us out and prevents us from recovering from trauma.</p>
<p>Fortunately for New Yorkers, the terror of 9/11 has not been repeated in the past decade. That in no way reduces the horror of what they experienced, but it gave most New Yorkers the chance to recover and resume their daily lives.</p>
| 598,788 |
<p>Writing from his jail cell, <a href="" type="internal">Mumia Abu-Jamal pointed out</a> that, “The truth is White Americans have sculpted and supported an edifice of utter separation –for centuries. And today, we still dwell in two very different worlds and head-spaces: one of privilege and another of privation.” In his communication Abu – Jamal had moved from recalling playwright Jean Genet and his “Theater of the Absurd” to commentary on racism – “as we witness the decay of capitalism – its utter dog-eat-dog ruthlessness.”</p>
<p>The former Black Panther, a political prisoner for years, thus goes to the core of a society where new or expectant mothers are dying at rates far in excess of contemporary international norms. Maternal deaths in the United States and in Texas, discussed recently in the professional journal <a href="" type="internal">“Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology,”</a> became a news story in late August.</p>
<p>The report showed that in Texas the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) had moved from 17.7 deaths in 2000 to 35.8 deaths in 2014. The MMR refers to the number of women per 100,000 live births who die during their pregnancy or within 42 days afterwards and who die from causes related to childbirth.</p>
<p>“Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology” observed that MMRs have been rising in the United States for years and that the MMR for 2014 was 23.8. This was “at a time when the World Health Organization reports that 157 of 183 countries studied had decreases in maternal mortality between 2000 and 2013.”</p>
<p>The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" type="external">documented a rise</a> in the MMR from 7.2 in 1987, to 14.5 in 2000, and to 17.8 in 2011. In world rankings, the U. S. MMR for 2010 fell 48 places below Estonia’s MMR, which was then the world’s most favorable. It was a year when <a href="" type="internal">31 countries</a> demonstrated MMRs of 10 or less. The United States in 2015 ranked 61st in the world in maternal health generally, according to the The <a href="" type="internal">Save the Children organization</a>.</p>
<p>The study in “Obstetrics and Gynecology” indicated maternal deaths have long been under-reported due to flawed data collection by U. S. public health agencies. Improved methods now, for example, yield a national MMR for 2000 of 18.8, instead of 14.5.</p>
<p>Noting a worldwide 45 percent drop in maternal mortality, the <a href="" type="internal">New York Times</a> exclaimed September 4 that “America’s record is unconscionable.” Indeed, that old adage about “motherhood and apple pie” being sacrosanct no longer applies, at least in regard to the first. Motherhood is in trouble.</p>
<p>By way of explanation, there is frequent resort to blaming the victim and her circumstances; she is <a href="" type="internal">obese</a>, for example; encounters <a href="" type="internal">violence</a>; uses <a href="" type="internal">drugs</a>; has <a href="" type="internal">mental health</a> problems; or suffers from this or that other illness. Mumia Abu-Jamal would have been looking elsewhere for whys and wherefores, and an abundance of facts are readily at hand.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" type="external">Centers for Disease Control reported</a> that for 2012 white women suffered 11.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012 while the MMR for black mothers that year was 41.1. The MMR for women of other races was 15.7. <a href="" type="internal">In another report</a>, “In Georgia, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the rate of maternal mortality for white women was 14 per 100,000 live births … For African American women, it was 49 per 100,000.” <a href="" type="internal">Yet another study</a> concludes that black mothers’ fourfold greater risk of death in comparison with white mothers persists “even when controlling for age, socioeconomic status and education.”</p>
<p>Racism has contributed mightily to the burgeoning U. S. epidemic of maternal deaths. Racism shows up in many ways, but taken as a whole they’ve made it so that “ <a href="" type="internal">46 percent of maternal deaths</a> among African-American women [were] preventable compared with 33 percent of such deaths among white women.”</p>
<p>One manifestation is that <a href="" type="internal">medical evaluations</a> of African – Americans are often incomplete and/or incompetent. Another is that <a href="" type="internal">poor people</a>, black people included, suffer more illnesses than higher –income people do, including heart disease, a leading cause of maternal death. Also, “ <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821669" type="external">bias, prejudice</a> and stereotyping by health care providers contribute to delivering lower-quality care.”</p>
<p>And black women’s lack of access to health care often causes them to delay medical care during pregnancy, or go without. Either way, their risk of death from pregnancy -related complications increases. States refusing to extend Medicaid coverage as provided for under the Affordable Care Act is one leading cause of reduced access today. The closing down of women’s health-care facilities is another, a prime example being the attack on Planned Parenthood offices in Texas.</p>
<p>In 2010, Amnesty International issued a report that strongly condemned U. S. governmental policies regarding maternal health. Titled <a href="" type="internal">“Deadly Delivery, the Maternal Health Care Crisis</a> in the USA,” it insisted that, “Discrimination is costing lives… [W]omen face barriers to care, especially women of color, those living in poverty, Native American and immigrant women.” An Amnesty International spokesperson denounced both a “haphazard approach to maternal care” that is “scandalous and disgraceful,” and a lack of “political will.”</p>
<p>Importantly, the Amnesty International report portrays both black and white women as victims of discrimination based on social class. Women are dying because they are black, or because they are poor, or both. After all, white women giving birth in the United States are much more likely to die than their counterparts in dozens of other countries.</p>
<p>“Women of color are at least twice as likely as white women to be living in poverty,” the report says. It mentions other class – determined impediments to U. S. mothers’ survival, including: language barriers, shortages of health-care resources and of specialists in rural areas and inner cities, educational disparities, and lack of insurance coverage due to poverty. Food shortages would be another.</p>
<p>According to Amnesty International, “Health insurance companies’ primary responsibility is to shareholders and decisions about health care coverage and services may be influenced by financial concerns rather than driven by an assessment of the benefit to the public and to the individual.” The idea is that mothers without resources may not get care.</p>
<p>Racial discrimination and class discrimination may of course overlap. A prevailing line of U.S. thought is to belittle the fact of social-class distinctions, and in that vein, as pointed out by critics such as public health expert <a href="" type="internal">Vicente Navarro,</a> not a few academicians and officials use race as a proxy for class. Class dynamics may indeed be operating in both the scenario posed by Mumia Abu-Jamal and in the current maternal-health catastrophe. But in the latter instance, racial oppression also grinds away, and with disastrous consequences.</p>
<p>The American Public Health Association was very clear in 2011: “ <a href="" type="internal">Preventable maternal mortality is</a> associated with the violation of a variety of human rights, including the mother’s right to life, the right to freedom from discrimination, and the right to health and quality health care.” The Association’s statement quoted Mahmoud Fathalla, past president of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologist. He declared that, “Women are not dying because of untreatable diseases. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”</p>
<p>He was saying, in other words, that women’s lives don’t matter. And we think it takes a capitalist society for women’s lives not to matter, one that turns a blind eye to racial oppression and turns away from protecting the most vulnerable.</p>
|
When Women’s Lives Don’t Matter
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2016/09/30/when-womens-lives-dont-matter-2/
|
2016-09-30
| 4left
|
When Women’s Lives Don’t Matter
<p>Writing from his jail cell, <a href="" type="internal">Mumia Abu-Jamal pointed out</a> that, “The truth is White Americans have sculpted and supported an edifice of utter separation –for centuries. And today, we still dwell in two very different worlds and head-spaces: one of privilege and another of privation.” In his communication Abu – Jamal had moved from recalling playwright Jean Genet and his “Theater of the Absurd” to commentary on racism – “as we witness the decay of capitalism – its utter dog-eat-dog ruthlessness.”</p>
<p>The former Black Panther, a political prisoner for years, thus goes to the core of a society where new or expectant mothers are dying at rates far in excess of contemporary international norms. Maternal deaths in the United States and in Texas, discussed recently in the professional journal <a href="" type="internal">“Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology,”</a> became a news story in late August.</p>
<p>The report showed that in Texas the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) had moved from 17.7 deaths in 2000 to 35.8 deaths in 2014. The MMR refers to the number of women per 100,000 live births who die during their pregnancy or within 42 days afterwards and who die from causes related to childbirth.</p>
<p>“Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology” observed that MMRs have been rising in the United States for years and that the MMR for 2014 was 23.8. This was “at a time when the World Health Organization reports that 157 of 183 countries studied had decreases in maternal mortality between 2000 and 2013.”</p>
<p>The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" type="external">documented a rise</a> in the MMR from 7.2 in 1987, to 14.5 in 2000, and to 17.8 in 2011. In world rankings, the U. S. MMR for 2010 fell 48 places below Estonia’s MMR, which was then the world’s most favorable. It was a year when <a href="" type="internal">31 countries</a> demonstrated MMRs of 10 or less. The United States in 2015 ranked 61st in the world in maternal health generally, according to the The <a href="" type="internal">Save the Children organization</a>.</p>
<p>The study in “Obstetrics and Gynecology” indicated maternal deaths have long been under-reported due to flawed data collection by U. S. public health agencies. Improved methods now, for example, yield a national MMR for 2000 of 18.8, instead of 14.5.</p>
<p>Noting a worldwide 45 percent drop in maternal mortality, the <a href="" type="internal">New York Times</a> exclaimed September 4 that “America’s record is unconscionable.” Indeed, that old adage about “motherhood and apple pie” being sacrosanct no longer applies, at least in regard to the first. Motherhood is in trouble.</p>
<p>By way of explanation, there is frequent resort to blaming the victim and her circumstances; she is <a href="" type="internal">obese</a>, for example; encounters <a href="" type="internal">violence</a>; uses <a href="" type="internal">drugs</a>; has <a href="" type="internal">mental health</a> problems; or suffers from this or that other illness. Mumia Abu-Jamal would have been looking elsewhere for whys and wherefores, and an abundance of facts are readily at hand.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pmss.html" type="external">Centers for Disease Control reported</a> that for 2012 white women suffered 11.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012 while the MMR for black mothers that year was 41.1. The MMR for women of other races was 15.7. <a href="" type="internal">In another report</a>, “In Georgia, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the rate of maternal mortality for white women was 14 per 100,000 live births … For African American women, it was 49 per 100,000.” <a href="" type="internal">Yet another study</a> concludes that black mothers’ fourfold greater risk of death in comparison with white mothers persists “even when controlling for age, socioeconomic status and education.”</p>
<p>Racism has contributed mightily to the burgeoning U. S. epidemic of maternal deaths. Racism shows up in many ways, but taken as a whole they’ve made it so that “ <a href="" type="internal">46 percent of maternal deaths</a> among African-American women [were] preventable compared with 33 percent of such deaths among white women.”</p>
<p>One manifestation is that <a href="" type="internal">medical evaluations</a> of African – Americans are often incomplete and/or incompetent. Another is that <a href="" type="internal">poor people</a>, black people included, suffer more illnesses than higher –income people do, including heart disease, a leading cause of maternal death. Also, “ <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821669" type="external">bias, prejudice</a> and stereotyping by health care providers contribute to delivering lower-quality care.”</p>
<p>And black women’s lack of access to health care often causes them to delay medical care during pregnancy, or go without. Either way, their risk of death from pregnancy -related complications increases. States refusing to extend Medicaid coverage as provided for under the Affordable Care Act is one leading cause of reduced access today. The closing down of women’s health-care facilities is another, a prime example being the attack on Planned Parenthood offices in Texas.</p>
<p>In 2010, Amnesty International issued a report that strongly condemned U. S. governmental policies regarding maternal health. Titled <a href="" type="internal">“Deadly Delivery, the Maternal Health Care Crisis</a> in the USA,” it insisted that, “Discrimination is costing lives… [W]omen face barriers to care, especially women of color, those living in poverty, Native American and immigrant women.” An Amnesty International spokesperson denounced both a “haphazard approach to maternal care” that is “scandalous and disgraceful,” and a lack of “political will.”</p>
<p>Importantly, the Amnesty International report portrays both black and white women as victims of discrimination based on social class. Women are dying because they are black, or because they are poor, or both. After all, white women giving birth in the United States are much more likely to die than their counterparts in dozens of other countries.</p>
<p>“Women of color are at least twice as likely as white women to be living in poverty,” the report says. It mentions other class – determined impediments to U. S. mothers’ survival, including: language barriers, shortages of health-care resources and of specialists in rural areas and inner cities, educational disparities, and lack of insurance coverage due to poverty. Food shortages would be another.</p>
<p>According to Amnesty International, “Health insurance companies’ primary responsibility is to shareholders and decisions about health care coverage and services may be influenced by financial concerns rather than driven by an assessment of the benefit to the public and to the individual.” The idea is that mothers without resources may not get care.</p>
<p>Racial discrimination and class discrimination may of course overlap. A prevailing line of U.S. thought is to belittle the fact of social-class distinctions, and in that vein, as pointed out by critics such as public health expert <a href="" type="internal">Vicente Navarro,</a> not a few academicians and officials use race as a proxy for class. Class dynamics may indeed be operating in both the scenario posed by Mumia Abu-Jamal and in the current maternal-health catastrophe. But in the latter instance, racial oppression also grinds away, and with disastrous consequences.</p>
<p>The American Public Health Association was very clear in 2011: “ <a href="" type="internal">Preventable maternal mortality is</a> associated with the violation of a variety of human rights, including the mother’s right to life, the right to freedom from discrimination, and the right to health and quality health care.” The Association’s statement quoted Mahmoud Fathalla, past president of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologist. He declared that, “Women are not dying because of untreatable diseases. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”</p>
<p>He was saying, in other words, that women’s lives don’t matter. And we think it takes a capitalist society for women’s lives not to matter, one that turns a blind eye to racial oppression and turns away from protecting the most vulnerable.</p>
| 598,789 |
<p>Bode Miller of the United States skis during training for the Alpine Skiing Men's Downhill ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 6 in Sochi, Russia. Competing in his fifth Olympics, Miller was the fastest through the Olympic downhill course during today's training session. He completed the course in 2 minutes, 7.75 seconds, beating out Switzerland's Patrick Kueng by three hundredths of a second.</p>
|
USA’s Bode Miller Places First in Training
| false |
http://nbcnews.com/storyline/sochi-olympics/usas-bode-miller-places-first-training-n23686
|
2014-02-07
| 3left-center
|
USA’s Bode Miller Places First in Training
<p>Bode Miller of the United States skis during training for the Alpine Skiing Men's Downhill ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 6 in Sochi, Russia. Competing in his fifth Olympics, Miller was the fastest through the Olympic downhill course during today's training session. He completed the course in 2 minutes, 7.75 seconds, beating out Switzerland's Patrick Kueng by three hundredths of a second.</p>
| 598,790 |
<p />
<p>After suffering through a historically bad start to the year through the first half of February, patient equities investors have since been treated to a modest rebound. The S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average have each climbed more than 10% since hitting their 2016 lows last month. But that doesn't mean there aren't still bargains to be found. So we asked seven Motley Fool contributors to pick one stock they believe investors should buy in March. Read on to see which companies they chose and why.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Image source: The Motley Fool.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a>: When high-growth stocks go on sale, it can give opportunistic investors a chance that they'll rarely get.Chipotle Mexican Grill recently gave investors that opportunity and even after its recent recovery, the Mexican fast-casual chain's stock is still at attractive levels.</p>
<p>Chipotle stock got slammed late last year when reports of food-borne illness at some of its restaurant locations raised concerns about whether loyal customers would abandon Chipotle in favor of other fast-casual rivals. Yet the Mexican-food chain has worked hard to reassure its customer base that it has taken steps to address those concerns. Investors have sent the stock down sharply because past incidents at other restaurant companies have often led to years of underperformance, and in some cases, it has caused a complete failure of a business model. Chipotle admits that it will suffer aftershocks in its financials through 2016, but its long-term growth strategy remains intact. Moreover, the growth opportunities for Chipotle remain numerous, with the potential to add new store concepts and expand more aggressively in the international market. In the long run, Chipotle should be able to get through this crisis and emerge stronger, rewarding those shareholders who took advantage of the stock's decline to buy shares.</p>
<p>: I've long harbored serious doubts about the small-cap biopharma Amarin Corporation plc , but after winning its First Amendment lawsuit against the FDA this month, the stock now looks ready to take flight. The core issue is that the FDA was attempting to block the company from discussing off-label uses of its highly refined fish-oil pill, Vascepa, with doctors based on the drug's late-stage trial in patients with moderately high triglyceride levels.</p>
<p>Previously, the FDA declined to approve an label expansion for Vascepa for this much larger patient population, essentially casting doubt on the drug's ability to reduce the occurrence of serious cardiovascular events. As the pill did lead to significantly lower triglyceride levels in this patient population, though, it's not exactly misleading to inform doctors of Vascepa's possible benefits for individuals with moderately high triglycerides -- which was the main issue under debate in this First Amendment lawsuit.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Cutting to the chase, Amarin's potential target market size may have just grown by a significant margin if it can persuade doctors to prescribe the drug off-label. And Wall Street seems confident that Amarin does stand a good shot at doing just that -- forecasting a healthy 53% jump in Vascepa's sales this year, followed by another 43% rise next year, according to data from <a href="http://www.spcapitaliq.com" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>:LinkedIn stock crashed by nearly 60% after the company reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2015, and it's still trading at a big discount of over 57% from its highs of the last year. I believe this huge short-term decline is providing a buying opportunity for investors in the company, so I recently <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/03/why-i-bought-more-linkedin-stock.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">capitalized on the chance Opens a New Window.</a>and added some LinkedIn stock to my portfolio at conveniently low prices.</p>
<p>Image source: Wikimedia Commons.</p>
<p>LinkedIn reported a big 35% revenue increase for 2015, but management is expecting sales to grow between 20% and 22% in 2016, and this anticipated slowdown is the biggest reason behind all the pessimism surrounding LinkedIn. Global currency headwinds and the economic slowdown in emerging markets are hurting performance, and LinkedIn is also being more selective when it comes to investments for growth.</p>
<p>On the other hand, even if growth slows down, LinkedIn is well on track to consolidating its undisputed leadership position in online human resources and professional networking. The company has 414 million registered users as of the end of 2015, a strong 19% year-over-year increase. Just as important, nearly 43,000 corporations use LinkedIn's platform for their human-resources needs, a vigorous growth rate of 29% last quarter.</p>
<p>Internet and related technologies are profoundly transforming all kinds of industries, and human resources is no exception. LinkedIn is clearly the biggest beneficiary from this trend, and management calculates its addressable market opportunity is worth nearly $115 billion, so the company is still offering spectacular room for expansion in the years ahead.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTwoCoins/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Miller Opens a New Window.</a>: Time Warner has been on my watch list for a while, but it's starting to intrigue me. For one, the company owns certain rights to popular sports, including the NBA, which is increasingly important for revenue, as live shows have proved valuable for advertisers. That should benefit the company, since the NBA playoffs are around the corner, as well as the start of Major League Baseball, as we head into the spring and summer months.</p>
<p>Image source: Time Warner/HBO.</p>
<p>Another critical component for the company's bottom line is its HBO content. While the reported 800,000 subscribers to its HBO Now subscription video-on-demand platform had some describing it as weak, it was only on the market for 10 months and it could receive a near-term surge in subscribers as the insanely popular Game of Thrones launches a new season next month. Further, the company plans to increase its original programming by 50%, which could continue to increases costs and perhaps diminish margins in the near term, but the long-term payoff for HBO should be worth it for investors.</p>
<p>Time Warner's recent fourth quarter fell short of analyst expectations, but the company did raise its earnings guidance for 2016 from $5.25 per share to between $5.25 and $5.40. And if you flip through the company's <a href="http://s1.q4cdn.com/730563363/files/2015/4Q15/Earnings-Summary-Presentation-4Q15-FINAL.pdf" type="external">fourth-quarter presentation Opens a New Window.</a>, there were quite a few positive developments amid the company's turnaround.</p>
<p>One of the positive developments was the progress in its operations. Time Warner completed the "all digital" conversions and Internet speeds up to 300 Mbps in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; and Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., with other cities on the way. The company also posted a 13% decline in care calls per customer, with a 19% decline in repair-related truck rolls per customer. The company checked in with a 98% on-time percentage for customer appointments within its "industry-leading" one-hour appointment windows.</p>
<p>Time Warner is far from a sure thing, especially as the cord cutting trend exists, but its valuable sports programming, HBO content, and operational improvements point to a better 2016.</p>
<p>: March means getting serious about tax time, and getting serious about tax time means that millions of people, including me, will be relying heavily on Intuit's top-selling QuickBooks and TurboTax software this month.</p>
<p>Intuit is a Goliath in small-business accounting and tax-preparation software, and because the company's revenue is split about equally between these two product lines, Intuit is in a good position to benefit from improving small-business conditions. According to Sageworks, small business' net profit margin improved to 7.5% in 2015 from 6.4% in 2014, and according to payroll company Automatic Data Processing, small-business employment is higher than at any point in the past decade.</p>
<p>Assuming those small-business trends boost demand for Intuit products and services, then management's transitioning of clients to profit-friendly monthly cloud subscriptions from one-off purchases of desktop software could send earnings and the company's stock price higher. In the current fiscal year, Intuit expects to grow its top line between 8% and 10% and to deliver non-GAAP EPS of between $3.45 and $3.50, up from $2.59 in FY 2015. That's a pretty solid forecast, and it could make picking up shares ahead of tax time savvy.</p>
<p>:Trex Company is the market leader in wood-alternative decking, commanding nearly 40% of market share, and has grown its business far faster than the industry since the end of the recession. At the same time, the company has added new products, including railing and lighting accessories, giving it a fully designed series of branded "soup to nuts" products for outdoor living spaces.</p>
<p>The company has also expanded into recycled polyethylene pellets and is working on customized formulations, which it will sell to companies that use poly pellets to manufacture their goods, whether it's plastic bottles, car parts, or numerous other things made from the ubiquitous material.</p>
<p>Last year, the company grew sales 13% and earnings per share 19%, and today, Trex's share price is pretty much where it was at the beginning of 2015. Yes, it's recovered from being down as much as 25% as recently as a few weeks ago, but it remains a dominant market leader in its industry, and a great value.</p>
<p>Lastly, there's a lot to like about the long-term prospects, too. Housing remains relatively strong, as do the U.S. economy and jobs market. If that remains true, Trex should make for a market-beating investment for years to come.</p>
<p>Image source: PayPal Holdings.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Steve Symington Opens a New Window.</a>: On the heels of its formal separation fromeBaytwo quarters ago -- and despite intensifying competition in its space -- digital payments platform leaderPayPal Holdings has never looked stronger. Most recently, PayPal saw revenue growth accelerate to 17% (to $2.6 billion) in the fourth quarter. That included one percentage point from its acquisition of Xoom, but it was primarily driven by a combination of growth in customer accounts (up 17 million year over year to 179 million), and a 25% increase in total transactions, to 1.4 billion.</p>
<p>And as fellow Fool Asit Sharma <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/29/5-key-observations-from-paypal-holdings-incs-manag.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">pointed out Opens a New Window.</a>recently, PayPal management even ironically credited increasing competition forhelpingto drive growth, as consumers are turned off by an ever-increasing number of confusing digital payment options and so tend to be drawn to its widely accepted "platform and technology-agnostic" approach.</p>
<p>A full 56% of PayPal's customer base is now outside the United States as well, demonstrating its ability to scale its success on a global basis. And PayPal would have achieved 21% top-line growth had it not been for the negative effects of foreign currency exchange. That brought currency-neutral revenue growth to 19% for the full year, above the high end of PayPal's guidance for 15% to 18%. At the same time, PayPal is proving its business can generate plenty of cash, with cash flow from operations of $728 million, and free cash flow of $564 million in the fourth quarter alone. So it should come as no surprise that the company is putting its money where its mouth is with a new $2 billion share repurchase authorization.</p>
<p>Finally, looking forward, PayPal anticipates currency-neutral revenue growth of 16% to 19% for the coming year. But given its outperformance so far -- and while a deceleration from its most recent quarterly performance is understandable, growing from a larger base, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if PayPal was once again underpromising with the intention of overdelivering. If PayPal can sustain its momentum and seize as much of its massive global opportunity as possible in these early stages of growth, I think long-term investors who buy the stock this month stand to be handsomely rewarded.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/15/7-top-stocks-to-buy-in-march.aspx" type="external">7 Top Stocks to Buy in March Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/acardenal/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Andrs Cardenal Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of LinkedIn. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Dan Caplinger</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTwoCoins/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Miller</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/gbudwell/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">George Budwell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/elihpaudio/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Jason Hall Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, LinkedIn, and Trex. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Steve Symington</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/EBCapitalMarkets/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Todd Campbell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Intuit, LinkedIn, PayPal Holdings, and Trex. The Motley Fool recommends Time Warner. 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>
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7 Top Stocks to Buy in March
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2016-03-15
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7 Top Stocks to Buy in March
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<p>After suffering through a historically bad start to the year through the first half of February, patient equities investors have since been treated to a modest rebound. The S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average have each climbed more than 10% since hitting their 2016 lows last month. But that doesn't mean there aren't still bargains to be found. So we asked seven Motley Fool contributors to pick one stock they believe investors should buy in March. Read on to see which companies they chose and why.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Image source: The Motley Fool.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a>: When high-growth stocks go on sale, it can give opportunistic investors a chance that they'll rarely get.Chipotle Mexican Grill recently gave investors that opportunity and even after its recent recovery, the Mexican fast-casual chain's stock is still at attractive levels.</p>
<p>Chipotle stock got slammed late last year when reports of food-borne illness at some of its restaurant locations raised concerns about whether loyal customers would abandon Chipotle in favor of other fast-casual rivals. Yet the Mexican-food chain has worked hard to reassure its customer base that it has taken steps to address those concerns. Investors have sent the stock down sharply because past incidents at other restaurant companies have often led to years of underperformance, and in some cases, it has caused a complete failure of a business model. Chipotle admits that it will suffer aftershocks in its financials through 2016, but its long-term growth strategy remains intact. Moreover, the growth opportunities for Chipotle remain numerous, with the potential to add new store concepts and expand more aggressively in the international market. In the long run, Chipotle should be able to get through this crisis and emerge stronger, rewarding those shareholders who took advantage of the stock's decline to buy shares.</p>
<p>: I've long harbored serious doubts about the small-cap biopharma Amarin Corporation plc , but after winning its First Amendment lawsuit against the FDA this month, the stock now looks ready to take flight. The core issue is that the FDA was attempting to block the company from discussing off-label uses of its highly refined fish-oil pill, Vascepa, with doctors based on the drug's late-stage trial in patients with moderately high triglyceride levels.</p>
<p>Previously, the FDA declined to approve an label expansion for Vascepa for this much larger patient population, essentially casting doubt on the drug's ability to reduce the occurrence of serious cardiovascular events. As the pill did lead to significantly lower triglyceride levels in this patient population, though, it's not exactly misleading to inform doctors of Vascepa's possible benefits for individuals with moderately high triglycerides -- which was the main issue under debate in this First Amendment lawsuit.</p>
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<p>Cutting to the chase, Amarin's potential target market size may have just grown by a significant margin if it can persuade doctors to prescribe the drug off-label. And Wall Street seems confident that Amarin does stand a good shot at doing just that -- forecasting a healthy 53% jump in Vascepa's sales this year, followed by another 43% rise next year, according to data from <a href="http://www.spcapitaliq.com" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>:LinkedIn stock crashed by nearly 60% after the company reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2015, and it's still trading at a big discount of over 57% from its highs of the last year. I believe this huge short-term decline is providing a buying opportunity for investors in the company, so I recently <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/03/why-i-bought-more-linkedin-stock.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">capitalized on the chance Opens a New Window.</a>and added some LinkedIn stock to my portfolio at conveniently low prices.</p>
<p>Image source: Wikimedia Commons.</p>
<p>LinkedIn reported a big 35% revenue increase for 2015, but management is expecting sales to grow between 20% and 22% in 2016, and this anticipated slowdown is the biggest reason behind all the pessimism surrounding LinkedIn. Global currency headwinds and the economic slowdown in emerging markets are hurting performance, and LinkedIn is also being more selective when it comes to investments for growth.</p>
<p>On the other hand, even if growth slows down, LinkedIn is well on track to consolidating its undisputed leadership position in online human resources and professional networking. The company has 414 million registered users as of the end of 2015, a strong 19% year-over-year increase. Just as important, nearly 43,000 corporations use LinkedIn's platform for their human-resources needs, a vigorous growth rate of 29% last quarter.</p>
<p>Internet and related technologies are profoundly transforming all kinds of industries, and human resources is no exception. LinkedIn is clearly the biggest beneficiary from this trend, and management calculates its addressable market opportunity is worth nearly $115 billion, so the company is still offering spectacular room for expansion in the years ahead.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTwoCoins/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Miller Opens a New Window.</a>: Time Warner has been on my watch list for a while, but it's starting to intrigue me. For one, the company owns certain rights to popular sports, including the NBA, which is increasingly important for revenue, as live shows have proved valuable for advertisers. That should benefit the company, since the NBA playoffs are around the corner, as well as the start of Major League Baseball, as we head into the spring and summer months.</p>
<p>Image source: Time Warner/HBO.</p>
<p>Another critical component for the company's bottom line is its HBO content. While the reported 800,000 subscribers to its HBO Now subscription video-on-demand platform had some describing it as weak, it was only on the market for 10 months and it could receive a near-term surge in subscribers as the insanely popular Game of Thrones launches a new season next month. Further, the company plans to increase its original programming by 50%, which could continue to increases costs and perhaps diminish margins in the near term, but the long-term payoff for HBO should be worth it for investors.</p>
<p>Time Warner's recent fourth quarter fell short of analyst expectations, but the company did raise its earnings guidance for 2016 from $5.25 per share to between $5.25 and $5.40. And if you flip through the company's <a href="http://s1.q4cdn.com/730563363/files/2015/4Q15/Earnings-Summary-Presentation-4Q15-FINAL.pdf" type="external">fourth-quarter presentation Opens a New Window.</a>, there were quite a few positive developments amid the company's turnaround.</p>
<p>One of the positive developments was the progress in its operations. Time Warner completed the "all digital" conversions and Internet speeds up to 300 Mbps in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; and Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., with other cities on the way. The company also posted a 13% decline in care calls per customer, with a 19% decline in repair-related truck rolls per customer. The company checked in with a 98% on-time percentage for customer appointments within its "industry-leading" one-hour appointment windows.</p>
<p>Time Warner is far from a sure thing, especially as the cord cutting trend exists, but its valuable sports programming, HBO content, and operational improvements point to a better 2016.</p>
<p>: March means getting serious about tax time, and getting serious about tax time means that millions of people, including me, will be relying heavily on Intuit's top-selling QuickBooks and TurboTax software this month.</p>
<p>Intuit is a Goliath in small-business accounting and tax-preparation software, and because the company's revenue is split about equally between these two product lines, Intuit is in a good position to benefit from improving small-business conditions. According to Sageworks, small business' net profit margin improved to 7.5% in 2015 from 6.4% in 2014, and according to payroll company Automatic Data Processing, small-business employment is higher than at any point in the past decade.</p>
<p>Assuming those small-business trends boost demand for Intuit products and services, then management's transitioning of clients to profit-friendly monthly cloud subscriptions from one-off purchases of desktop software could send earnings and the company's stock price higher. In the current fiscal year, Intuit expects to grow its top line between 8% and 10% and to deliver non-GAAP EPS of between $3.45 and $3.50, up from $2.59 in FY 2015. That's a pretty solid forecast, and it could make picking up shares ahead of tax time savvy.</p>
<p>:Trex Company is the market leader in wood-alternative decking, commanding nearly 40% of market share, and has grown its business far faster than the industry since the end of the recession. At the same time, the company has added new products, including railing and lighting accessories, giving it a fully designed series of branded "soup to nuts" products for outdoor living spaces.</p>
<p>The company has also expanded into recycled polyethylene pellets and is working on customized formulations, which it will sell to companies that use poly pellets to manufacture their goods, whether it's plastic bottles, car parts, or numerous other things made from the ubiquitous material.</p>
<p>Last year, the company grew sales 13% and earnings per share 19%, and today, Trex's share price is pretty much where it was at the beginning of 2015. Yes, it's recovered from being down as much as 25% as recently as a few weeks ago, but it remains a dominant market leader in its industry, and a great value.</p>
<p>Lastly, there's a lot to like about the long-term prospects, too. Housing remains relatively strong, as do the U.S. economy and jobs market. If that remains true, Trex should make for a market-beating investment for years to come.</p>
<p>Image source: PayPal Holdings.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Steve Symington Opens a New Window.</a>: On the heels of its formal separation fromeBaytwo quarters ago -- and despite intensifying competition in its space -- digital payments platform leaderPayPal Holdings has never looked stronger. Most recently, PayPal saw revenue growth accelerate to 17% (to $2.6 billion) in the fourth quarter. That included one percentage point from its acquisition of Xoom, but it was primarily driven by a combination of growth in customer accounts (up 17 million year over year to 179 million), and a 25% increase in total transactions, to 1.4 billion.</p>
<p>And as fellow Fool Asit Sharma <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/29/5-key-observations-from-paypal-holdings-incs-manag.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">pointed out Opens a New Window.</a>recently, PayPal management even ironically credited increasing competition forhelpingto drive growth, as consumers are turned off by an ever-increasing number of confusing digital payment options and so tend to be drawn to its widely accepted "platform and technology-agnostic" approach.</p>
<p>A full 56% of PayPal's customer base is now outside the United States as well, demonstrating its ability to scale its success on a global basis. And PayPal would have achieved 21% top-line growth had it not been for the negative effects of foreign currency exchange. That brought currency-neutral revenue growth to 19% for the full year, above the high end of PayPal's guidance for 15% to 18%. At the same time, PayPal is proving its business can generate plenty of cash, with cash flow from operations of $728 million, and free cash flow of $564 million in the fourth quarter alone. So it should come as no surprise that the company is putting its money where its mouth is with a new $2 billion share repurchase authorization.</p>
<p>Finally, looking forward, PayPal anticipates currency-neutral revenue growth of 16% to 19% for the coming year. But given its outperformance so far -- and while a deceleration from its most recent quarterly performance is understandable, growing from a larger base, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if PayPal was once again underpromising with the intention of overdelivering. If PayPal can sustain its momentum and seize as much of its massive global opportunity as possible in these early stages of growth, I think long-term investors who buy the stock this month stand to be handsomely rewarded.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/15/7-top-stocks-to-buy-in-march.aspx" type="external">7 Top Stocks to Buy in March Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/acardenal/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Andrs Cardenal Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of LinkedIn. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Dan Caplinger</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTwoCoins/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Miller</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/gbudwell/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">George Budwell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/elihpaudio/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Jason Hall Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, LinkedIn, and Trex. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Steve Symington</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/EBCapitalMarkets/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Todd Campbell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Intuit, LinkedIn, PayPal Holdings, and Trex. The Motley Fool recommends Time Warner. 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>
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<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
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<p>Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, have made retirement investing simpler for many people. They combine the diversification and hands-off investing of mutual funds with the lower minimum investments and liquid trading of the stock market. If you're looking to get started in ETF investing, here are five that you can use to build a complete and diversified retirement portfolio.</p>
<p>Warren Buffett has said several times that the best investment most people can make is a low-cost S&amp;P 500 index fund, and with a low 0.05% expense ratio, the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is an excellent example.</p>
<p>The fund essentially invests in all 500 companies that make up the index and in the same proportions, so you're investing in the long-term success of American industry, not any single company or business. And by making periodic investments over time, you'll end up buying more when the market is cheap and less when it's expensive -- a concept known as dollar-cost averaging.</p>
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<p>The S&amp;P 500 index fund is great, but it's also nice to have some exposure to small-cap stocks, which can be more volatile but also tend to have more <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/beginning/investing-strategies-small-cap-investing.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">upside potential Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>One good ETF to get small-cap exposure is the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEMKT: IWM), which tracks the 2,000 stocks in the index that shares its name. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.20% and its largest stock holding, Advanced Micro Devices, makes up just 0.26% of the fund's asset value. So when compared with the S&amp;P 500, whose largest holding, Apple, makes up more than 3% of the index, this index is a much more diverse collection of stocks.</p>
<p>Why invest in foreign stocks? Well, just to name a few reasons:</p>
<p>While there are a number of ways you can classify international stocks, two main categories are developed markets, which refers to countries such as Great Britain and Germany, and emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and India. Developed markets tend to be less volatile and can be a nice component of a diverse portfolio. Emerging markets can be quite volatile but have the potential to produce monster returns when things are going well -- in fact, during the 20-year period from 1988 through 2007, the leading emerging markets index averaged an annual gain of 17%.</p>
<p>For developed markets, the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEMKT: IEFA) is a good choice. The fund invests in a mix of stocks from developed markets all over the world excluding the U.S. and Canada. As an example, some of the fund's biggest holdings include Nestle, Novartis, Roche, and Toyota. Its 0.12% expense ratio is among the lowest you'll find for foreign stock funds of any kind.</p>
<p>To invest in emerging markets, the Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHE) is my top choice. Its 0.14% expense ratio is lowest among diversified emerging markets ETFs, and the fund holds a diverse blend of 794 stocks from markets such as China, Taiwan, India, South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico.</p>
<p>All investors should have some exposure to bonds, which are also known as fixed-income securities. However, it's generally not a great idea for most investors to buy individual bonds, or even to invest in a fund that specializes in a single type of bond.</p>
<p>A broad bond fund, composed of bonds of varying types and maturities, will do the trick. And, the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSEMKT: BND) is a good choice. The fund has a rock-bottom 0.06% expense ratio and invests in a mix of government and investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund's dividend yield is currently 1.88%, but this figure can rise considerably if interest rates start to normalize.</p>
<p>We have a thorough introduction to asset allocation <a href="http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/a-quick-guide-to-asset-allocation-stocks-vs-bonds.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">here Opens a New Window.</a>, but in general, younger investors should have most of their money in stocks, while older investors should have more of their investments in bonds. One rule of thumb states that if you subtract your age from 110, you can determine how much of your money should be in stocks. For example, I'm 35, so I should have roughly 75% of my money in stocks. You can adjust this figure to meet your own risk tolerance I actually have closer to 90% in stocks to capture more long-term growth potential.</p>
<p>Within the "stocks" category, I'd suggest about half of your stock allocation in an S&amp;P 500 index fund, with about one-fourth in small or mid-caps. The remaining can be invested in international stocks of either developed or emerging markets. For example, an ETF portfolio for a 30-year-old investor might look like this:</p>
<p>As a final point, it's important to mention that there are many other good ETFs than the five mentioned here. These are just some good examples that fit together nicely to form a diverse portfolio. The main takeaway here is the diversification and exposure to different types of asset classes, and low expense ratios, the combination of which can allow you to build an excellent retirement nest egg over time, while still allowing you to sleep soundly at night.</p>
<p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/KWMatt82/info.aspx" type="external">Matthew Frankel Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and recommends Apple and Nestle. 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>
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5 ETFs to Help You Build Retirement Wealth
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http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/09/08/5-etfs-to-help-build-retirement-wealth.html
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2016-09-08
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5 ETFs to Help You Build Retirement Wealth
<p />
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, have made retirement investing simpler for many people. They combine the diversification and hands-off investing of mutual funds with the lower minimum investments and liquid trading of the stock market. If you're looking to get started in ETF investing, here are five that you can use to build a complete and diversified retirement portfolio.</p>
<p>Warren Buffett has said several times that the best investment most people can make is a low-cost S&amp;P 500 index fund, and with a low 0.05% expense ratio, the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is an excellent example.</p>
<p>The fund essentially invests in all 500 companies that make up the index and in the same proportions, so you're investing in the long-term success of American industry, not any single company or business. And by making periodic investments over time, you'll end up buying more when the market is cheap and less when it's expensive -- a concept known as dollar-cost averaging.</p>
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<p>The S&amp;P 500 index fund is great, but it's also nice to have some exposure to small-cap stocks, which can be more volatile but also tend to have more <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/beginning/investing-strategies-small-cap-investing.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">upside potential Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>One good ETF to get small-cap exposure is the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEMKT: IWM), which tracks the 2,000 stocks in the index that shares its name. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.20% and its largest stock holding, Advanced Micro Devices, makes up just 0.26% of the fund's asset value. So when compared with the S&amp;P 500, whose largest holding, Apple, makes up more than 3% of the index, this index is a much more diverse collection of stocks.</p>
<p>Why invest in foreign stocks? Well, just to name a few reasons:</p>
<p>While there are a number of ways you can classify international stocks, two main categories are developed markets, which refers to countries such as Great Britain and Germany, and emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and India. Developed markets tend to be less volatile and can be a nice component of a diverse portfolio. Emerging markets can be quite volatile but have the potential to produce monster returns when things are going well -- in fact, during the 20-year period from 1988 through 2007, the leading emerging markets index averaged an annual gain of 17%.</p>
<p>For developed markets, the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEMKT: IEFA) is a good choice. The fund invests in a mix of stocks from developed markets all over the world excluding the U.S. and Canada. As an example, some of the fund's biggest holdings include Nestle, Novartis, Roche, and Toyota. Its 0.12% expense ratio is among the lowest you'll find for foreign stock funds of any kind.</p>
<p>To invest in emerging markets, the Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHE) is my top choice. Its 0.14% expense ratio is lowest among diversified emerging markets ETFs, and the fund holds a diverse blend of 794 stocks from markets such as China, Taiwan, India, South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico.</p>
<p>All investors should have some exposure to bonds, which are also known as fixed-income securities. However, it's generally not a great idea for most investors to buy individual bonds, or even to invest in a fund that specializes in a single type of bond.</p>
<p>A broad bond fund, composed of bonds of varying types and maturities, will do the trick. And, the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSEMKT: BND) is a good choice. The fund has a rock-bottom 0.06% expense ratio and invests in a mix of government and investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund's dividend yield is currently 1.88%, but this figure can rise considerably if interest rates start to normalize.</p>
<p>We have a thorough introduction to asset allocation <a href="http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/a-quick-guide-to-asset-allocation-stocks-vs-bonds.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">here Opens a New Window.</a>, but in general, younger investors should have most of their money in stocks, while older investors should have more of their investments in bonds. One rule of thumb states that if you subtract your age from 110, you can determine how much of your money should be in stocks. For example, I'm 35, so I should have roughly 75% of my money in stocks. You can adjust this figure to meet your own risk tolerance I actually have closer to 90% in stocks to capture more long-term growth potential.</p>
<p>Within the "stocks" category, I'd suggest about half of your stock allocation in an S&amp;P 500 index fund, with about one-fourth in small or mid-caps. The remaining can be invested in international stocks of either developed or emerging markets. For example, an ETF portfolio for a 30-year-old investor might look like this:</p>
<p>As a final point, it's important to mention that there are many other good ETFs than the five mentioned here. These are just some good examples that fit together nicely to form a diverse portfolio. The main takeaway here is the diversification and exposure to different types of asset classes, and low expense ratios, the combination of which can allow you to build an excellent retirement nest egg over time, while still allowing you to sleep soundly at night.</p>
<p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/KWMatt82/info.aspx" type="external">Matthew Frankel Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and recommends Apple and Nestle. 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>
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<p>Top aid officials and military officers have warned that more helicopters are desperately needed to get assistance to the farthest reaches of earthquake-struck Nepal.</p>
<p>Twenty-eight countries are helping in the rescue effort, but "there are 20 helicopters operating here, most of them Indian,” Air Vice Marshal Upkarjit Singh of the Indian Air Force told NBC News.</p>
<p>The choppers are crucial to moving rescue efforts forward: For example, a 30-minute helicopter ride to the town of Charikot in northeastern Nepal would otherwise be a five-day haul by road. And many roads are blocked by landslides, making it difficult if not impossible for supply trucks to get through.</p>
<p>Nepal's National Emergency Operation Centre said Saturday that the death toll had risen to 7,040 from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake. The U.N. has estimated the quake affected 8.1 million people — more than a fourth of Nepal's population of 27.8 million.</p>
<p>Ertharin Cousin, the U.N. World Food Program's executive director, called for more helicopters to help distribute aid in the mountainous country.</p>
<p>"We definitely need more helicopters," she told The Associated Press on Saturday.</p>
<p>"Even seven days in this is still very much considered the early days, because there are people we still haven't reached,” she said. “So we need helicopters to reach them."</p>
<p>But getting more of them to the disaster zone is not easy, according to the U.S.’s Lt. Col. Gianstefano Martin.</p>
<p>“Parking, refueling and other logistical factors have to be kept in mind,” he said.</p>
<p>There could be some relief in sight: The Nepali army told NBC News that it would be receiving as many as eight additional military helicopters from the U.S. as early as this weekend.</p>
<p>There were only four deployments in eight hours on Friday from the Khatmandu Army Aviation airbase. Much of the aid — around 470 tons distributed by Friday morning — hasn’t been distributed, according to Nepal's military.</p>
<p>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>
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Nepal Earthquake: Aid Workers Warn Of Desperate Chopper Shortage
| false |
http://nbcnews.com/storyline/nepal-earthquake/nepal-earthquake-aid-workers-warn-desperate-chopper-shortage-n352581
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2015-05-02
| 3left-center
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Nepal Earthquake: Aid Workers Warn Of Desperate Chopper Shortage
<p>Top aid officials and military officers have warned that more helicopters are desperately needed to get assistance to the farthest reaches of earthquake-struck Nepal.</p>
<p>Twenty-eight countries are helping in the rescue effort, but "there are 20 helicopters operating here, most of them Indian,” Air Vice Marshal Upkarjit Singh of the Indian Air Force told NBC News.</p>
<p>The choppers are crucial to moving rescue efforts forward: For example, a 30-minute helicopter ride to the town of Charikot in northeastern Nepal would otherwise be a five-day haul by road. And many roads are blocked by landslides, making it difficult if not impossible for supply trucks to get through.</p>
<p>Nepal's National Emergency Operation Centre said Saturday that the death toll had risen to 7,040 from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake. The U.N. has estimated the quake affected 8.1 million people — more than a fourth of Nepal's population of 27.8 million.</p>
<p>Ertharin Cousin, the U.N. World Food Program's executive director, called for more helicopters to help distribute aid in the mountainous country.</p>
<p>"We definitely need more helicopters," she told The Associated Press on Saturday.</p>
<p>"Even seven days in this is still very much considered the early days, because there are people we still haven't reached,” she said. “So we need helicopters to reach them."</p>
<p>But getting more of them to the disaster zone is not easy, according to the U.S.’s Lt. Col. Gianstefano Martin.</p>
<p>“Parking, refueling and other logistical factors have to be kept in mind,” he said.</p>
<p>There could be some relief in sight: The Nepali army told NBC News that it would be receiving as many as eight additional military helicopters from the U.S. as early as this weekend.</p>
<p>There were only four deployments in eight hours on Friday from the Khatmandu Army Aviation airbase. Much of the aid — around 470 tons distributed by Friday morning — hasn’t been distributed, according to Nepal's military.</p>
<p>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>
| 598,793 |
<p>© Jeff Newman/Globe Photos/ZUMApress.com</p>
<p>Election Day 2012 is still 17 months away, but already a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/crossroads-gps-launches-20-million-ad-campaign/2011/06/24/AGBjvVjH_blog.html" type="external">shadowy outside spending group</a> has announced it will spend $20 million on ads bashing President Obama’s record on the economy, jobs, and the nation’s debt.</p>
<p>Conceived by GOP mastermind Karl Rove, <a href="" type="internal">Crossroads GPS</a> will unveil its first, $5 million set of ads today, appearing on television stations in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Virginia, among other states. The ads will also appear on national TV networks. Here’s that first ad, titled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvnAE8olUxU" type="external">“Shovel Ready,”</a> ripping Obama for rising unemployment and national debt and a failed $830 billion stimulus. “It’s time to take away Obama’s blank check,” says the ad’s narrator.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Want to know who funded the “Shovel Ready” ad? Too bad. Crossroads GPS is what’s called a <a href="http://www.irs.gov/charities/nonprofits/article/0,,id=96178,00.html" type="external">501(c)4 group</a>, or “social welfare organization,” under IRS tax law. That means the group can engage in politicking, but it can’t be the majority of what they do. But more importantly, Crossroads GPS does not have to disclose who its donors are. It’s a secret. When Crossroads GPS files its fundraising paperwork with the IRS for the 2010 election, which it has yet to do seven months after the fact, there won’t be any donor names at all.</p>
<p>Think of Crossroads GPS’ $20 million ad buy as a preview for what’s to come in the 2012 presidential election. In fact, Crossroads GPS’ sister group, American Crossroads, which does have to disclose its donors, has pledged to spend a staggering $120 million during the 2012 election cycle to unseat Obama and win the majority in the Senate. On the Democratic side, as <a href="" type="internal">I reported in May</a>, there are an array of outside spending groups focusing on the presidential, House, and Senate races intended to counter the right wing’s flow of dark money. After watching the GOP cruise to victory in 2010, with the help of the Crossroads groups, they’re building their own war chests for 2012. “What’s the benefit,” one Democratic strategist told me, “of sitting on the sidelines and losing your majority in the Senate, losing more seats in the House, and possibly losing the White House?”</p>
<p>Already Democrats are using the “Shovel Ready” ad as a way to raise as much as $400,000 this week, <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/168473-senate-democrats-launch-fundraising-effort-to-counter-20-million-campaign-by-crossroads-gps" type="external">The Hill reported</a>. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the main fundraising arm for Senate Democrats, blasted out an email to supporters highlighting the GPS ad and asking for money. “It’s a huge buy,” wrote DSCC official Guy Cecil, “but we can fend them off in the states they’re targeting IF we hit this fundraising goal on Thursday.”</p>
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Rove’s Shadowy Crossroads GPS Plans $20 Million Ad Assault on Obama
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/karl-rove-crossroads-obama-20-million/
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2011-06-27
| 4left
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Rove’s Shadowy Crossroads GPS Plans $20 Million Ad Assault on Obama
<p>© Jeff Newman/Globe Photos/ZUMApress.com</p>
<p>Election Day 2012 is still 17 months away, but already a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/crossroads-gps-launches-20-million-ad-campaign/2011/06/24/AGBjvVjH_blog.html" type="external">shadowy outside spending group</a> has announced it will spend $20 million on ads bashing President Obama’s record on the economy, jobs, and the nation’s debt.</p>
<p>Conceived by GOP mastermind Karl Rove, <a href="" type="internal">Crossroads GPS</a> will unveil its first, $5 million set of ads today, appearing on television stations in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Virginia, among other states. The ads will also appear on national TV networks. Here’s that first ad, titled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvnAE8olUxU" type="external">“Shovel Ready,”</a> ripping Obama for rising unemployment and national debt and a failed $830 billion stimulus. “It’s time to take away Obama’s blank check,” says the ad’s narrator.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Want to know who funded the “Shovel Ready” ad? Too bad. Crossroads GPS is what’s called a <a href="http://www.irs.gov/charities/nonprofits/article/0,,id=96178,00.html" type="external">501(c)4 group</a>, or “social welfare organization,” under IRS tax law. That means the group can engage in politicking, but it can’t be the majority of what they do. But more importantly, Crossroads GPS does not have to disclose who its donors are. It’s a secret. When Crossroads GPS files its fundraising paperwork with the IRS for the 2010 election, which it has yet to do seven months after the fact, there won’t be any donor names at all.</p>
<p>Think of Crossroads GPS’ $20 million ad buy as a preview for what’s to come in the 2012 presidential election. In fact, Crossroads GPS’ sister group, American Crossroads, which does have to disclose its donors, has pledged to spend a staggering $120 million during the 2012 election cycle to unseat Obama and win the majority in the Senate. On the Democratic side, as <a href="" type="internal">I reported in May</a>, there are an array of outside spending groups focusing on the presidential, House, and Senate races intended to counter the right wing’s flow of dark money. After watching the GOP cruise to victory in 2010, with the help of the Crossroads groups, they’re building their own war chests for 2012. “What’s the benefit,” one Democratic strategist told me, “of sitting on the sidelines and losing your majority in the Senate, losing more seats in the House, and possibly losing the White House?”</p>
<p>Already Democrats are using the “Shovel Ready” ad as a way to raise as much as $400,000 this week, <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/168473-senate-democrats-launch-fundraising-effort-to-counter-20-million-campaign-by-crossroads-gps" type="external">The Hill reported</a>. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the main fundraising arm for Senate Democrats, blasted out an email to supporters highlighting the GPS ad and asking for money. “It’s a huge buy,” wrote DSCC official Guy Cecil, “but we can fend them off in the states they’re targeting IF we hit this fundraising goal on Thursday.”</p>
| 598,794 |
<p>The GOP convention apparently <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/07/google-searches-for-3rd-party-candidate-skyrocket-during-trumps-speech" type="external">turned off</a> a great number of people this week who are not committed Democrats voting for Hillary Clinton. The number of people using Google searches to look up “third party candidate” exploded, increasing by an astonishing 10,000 percent. The <a href="https://www.google.com/trends/explore?hl=en-US#geo=US&amp;date=now+7-d&amp;cmpt=q&amp;q=%223rd+party+candidate+2016%22&amp;tz=Etc/GMT%2B4" type="external">zenith</a> of the searching for “third-party candidate searches came during Donald Trump’s acceptance speech.</p>
<p>What is worse for Trump and the GOP is that the states where there was the most interest in searching for a third-party candidate were Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Texas, in that order. Colorado, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania are swing states and Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas are traditionally GOP strongholds. Only Minnesota is a staunchly Democratic state.</p>
<p>It is unclear whether the Google searchers were alienated by the content of Trump’s speech or his delivery; as Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro, who <a href="" type="internal">praised</a> the content of the speech, <a href="" type="internal">wrote,</a> “Donald Trump bellowed his way through it like a braying jackass.”</p>
<p>The two other candidates who are running against Trump and Hillary Clinton, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, have low polling numbers, especially Stein, but Johnson may poll well enough to be included in a debate with Clinton and Trump. To be accepted in a presidential debate, a candidate <a href="https://reason.com/blog/2016/06/03/gary-johnson-polls-debates-libertarian" type="external">must reach</a> 15 percent in the polls around the time of Labor Day.</p>
<p>Johnson may poll well enough to be included in a debate with Clinton and Trump.</p>
<p>Johnson is within striking distance; he is currently polling at between 10 and 13 percent in some surveys, and better than that in various other states, according to <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-07-20/does-libertarian-candidate-gary-johnson-have-a-shot" type="external">US News and World Report</a>.</p>
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Google Searches for ‘3rd Party Candidate’ Soar During Trump Speech
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/7732/google-searches-3rd-party-candidate-soar-during-hank-berrien
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2016-07-22
| 0right
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Google Searches for ‘3rd Party Candidate’ Soar During Trump Speech
<p>The GOP convention apparently <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/07/google-searches-for-3rd-party-candidate-skyrocket-during-trumps-speech" type="external">turned off</a> a great number of people this week who are not committed Democrats voting for Hillary Clinton. The number of people using Google searches to look up “third party candidate” exploded, increasing by an astonishing 10,000 percent. The <a href="https://www.google.com/trends/explore?hl=en-US#geo=US&amp;date=now+7-d&amp;cmpt=q&amp;q=%223rd+party+candidate+2016%22&amp;tz=Etc/GMT%2B4" type="external">zenith</a> of the searching for “third-party candidate searches came during Donald Trump’s acceptance speech.</p>
<p>What is worse for Trump and the GOP is that the states where there was the most interest in searching for a third-party candidate were Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Texas, in that order. Colorado, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania are swing states and Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas are traditionally GOP strongholds. Only Minnesota is a staunchly Democratic state.</p>
<p>It is unclear whether the Google searchers were alienated by the content of Trump’s speech or his delivery; as Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro, who <a href="" type="internal">praised</a> the content of the speech, <a href="" type="internal">wrote,</a> “Donald Trump bellowed his way through it like a braying jackass.”</p>
<p>The two other candidates who are running against Trump and Hillary Clinton, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, have low polling numbers, especially Stein, but Johnson may poll well enough to be included in a debate with Clinton and Trump. To be accepted in a presidential debate, a candidate <a href="https://reason.com/blog/2016/06/03/gary-johnson-polls-debates-libertarian" type="external">must reach</a> 15 percent in the polls around the time of Labor Day.</p>
<p>Johnson may poll well enough to be included in a debate with Clinton and Trump.</p>
<p>Johnson is within striking distance; he is currently polling at between 10 and 13 percent in some surveys, and better than that in various other states, according to <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-07-20/does-libertarian-candidate-gary-johnson-have-a-shot" type="external">US News and World Report</a>.</p>
| 598,795 |
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Paragon Care Ltd:</p>
<p>* PARAGON CARE LTD- ‍ANDREW JUST HAS FORMALLY COMMENCED IN HIS ROLE AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PARAGON CARE​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Mexico’s presidential front-runner launches his campaign near the U.S. border on Sunday, amid tension over U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to put a wall between the two countries.</p> FILE PHOTO: Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) addresses the audience during a conference organised by the Mexican Construction Industry Association in Guadalajara, Mexico March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>As the July 1 election approaches, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and three other candidates will face off over issues including corruption, drug violence and trade.</p>
<p>Here are some facts on the presidential contenders:</p> ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR
<p>Two-time runner-up Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, is running on an anti-corruption platform with his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party and he has a double-digit lead in opinion polls.</p>
<p>He could usher in a Mexican government less accommodating toward the United States, where Trump has stoked trade tensions with Mexico and aggressively moved to curb immigration. Trump’s pledge to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border was a main theme of his 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.</p>
<p>Variously described as a leftist, a populist and a nationalist, Lopez Obrador, 64, has aimed for a moderate tone in this campaign. His slogan is “peace and love,” and he says he is not looking for revenge against the current government.</p>
<p>But the former Mexico City mayor has also promised to review recently awarded oil contracts and threatened to cancel the capital’s new airport, spooking investors.</p> Ricardo Anaya, presidential candidate for the National Action Party (PAN), leading a left-right coalition, gives a speech to supporters during his campaign rally in Mexico City, Mexico March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>When he narrowly lost his first presidential bid in 2006, he contested the result and organized a sit-in that closed one of the main thoroughfares in Mexico City for weeks, causing chaos. Lopez Obrador says he has changed since then.</p> RICARDO ANAYA
<p>The youngest of the four presidential candidates, Anaya sprung to prominence when he took over the presidency of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) in 2015.</p>
<p>Born in the small, central state of Queretaro, the 39-year-old career politician helped the party take more than 10 of the country’s governorships for the first time in its history.</p>
<p>His main proposals include a universal minimum income and an international commission to investigate the current government over corruption allegations.</p>
<p>Anaya has been criticized for his frequent trips to Atlanta, where his wife and three children have lived, and over a real estate deal the ruling party said was money laundering.</p>
<p>Anaya denied the allegations.</p>
<p>He joined the PAN as a law student and held several senior positions in the Queretaro state government between 2002 and 2009 before becoming president of the federal lower house in 2013.</p> JOSE ANTONIO MEADE
<p>At the end of 2017, in an attempt to clean up its image and as Lopez Obrador took off in opinion polls, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) chose a non-member as its candidate for the first time.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>Meade, 49, has served in five different ministerial jobs, including minister of foreign affairs, social development, energy and finance, under PRI and PAN governments.</p>
<p>His critics blame him for a hike in gasoline prices in 2017 that led to protests across Mexico and spiked inflation, and tie him to corruption accusations at departments he ran. He denies any wrongdoing.</p> MARGARITA ZAVALA
<p>Zavala is the only independent candidate on the ballot after a scandal over falsified signatures knocked out two of her opponents.</p>
<p>The former first lady left the PAN in 2017, in a split with fellow candidate Ricardo Anaya. Mexico City-born Zavala would be Mexico’s first-ever female president.</p>
<p>In the 1990s, Zavala was a lawmaker in the Mexico City assembly and the chief lawyer for the PAN’s executive committee. She was later a federal congresswoman.</p>
<p>She faces criticism for her husband Felipe Calderon’s policy of putting soldiers on the streets when he was president, during a war on drug gangs that saw tens of thousands killed.</p>
<p>If elected, Zavala says she would withdraw the troops.</p>
<p>Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; editing by Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexico’s presidential front-runner launches his campaign close to the U.S. border on Sunday amid tension over U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to put up a wall between the countries.</p> FILE PHOTO: Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) addresses the audience during a conference organised by the Mexican Construction Industry Association in Guadalajara, Mexico March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>If leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins the July 1 election, he is expected to be less accommodating toward Trump than the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has been lagging in polls because of anger over its failure to contain violence and graft.</p>
<p>His three-month campaign starts in Ciudad Juarez, a tribute to the city’s namesake Benito Juarez, the 19th century Mexican president from indigenous roots whose exiled government resisted a French colonialist intervention from the unruly border city.</p>
<p>Lopez Obrador recently criticized President Enrique Pena Nieto for “governing with recipes sent from abroad,” but he has lately softened his opposition to the government’s policy of allowing foreign investment in the oil industry.</p>
<p>The ruling party candidate trailing in third place, former finance minister Jose Antonio Meade, launches his own campaign on Sunday at the other end of the country in the southeastern town of Merida.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-mexico-election-candidates-factbox/factbox-mexicos-presidential-candidates-at-the-start-of-campaigning-idUSKCN1H80XL" type="external">Factbox: Mexico's presidential candidates at the start of campaigning</a>
<p>Second-place Ricardo Anaya began campaigning on Friday.</p>
<p>Silver-haired leftist Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor, first ran for president in 2006. He would seek a meeting with Trump “as soon as possible” a senior advisor said, while indicating foreign policy would hew less closely to U.S. regional priorities if he wins.</p>
<p>Trump’s tough trade policies, insults against Mexican migrants and demands for the border wall have angered ordinary Mexicans who see their country as a natural ally of the United States.</p>
<p>Lopez Obrador has made clear U.S.-Mexican relations will remain strong if he wins, while promising to throw Trump a “curve ball” and defend Mexican pride. His unconventional, and at times inconsistent, policy stances have sometimes led to comparisons with the U.S. president.</p>
<p>He supports the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and the United States, but has called for talks started by Trump to renegotiate the deal to be suspended until after the election.</p>
<p>In a possible sign of the moderation Lopez Obrador is keen to project, Ciudad Juarez also harbored another of his heroes — Francisco I. Madero, a wealthy, U.S.-educated, moderate leader of the Mexican revolution who tried to unite conservatives and radicals.</p>
<p>However, the 64-year-old continues to play to his leftist base, attacking the current government over a $13 billion airport project he says is tainted by corruption.</p>
<p>He has promised to “consult the people” on reforms and plans to turn the presidential residence into a cultural center, sell the presidential plane and cut his salary in half.</p>
<p>The candidate’s foreign policy advisor, Hector Vasconcelos, has said U.S. relations should be aimed at bolstering economic cooperation and that the current ties over-emphasize police and military relations.</p>
<p>Vasconcelos also said Mexico would not follow the United States in sanctioning socialist Venezuela, and would refrain from foreign interference to focus on critical problems at home such as violence.</p>
<p>As well as its storied history, in modern times Ciudad Juarez, opposite El Paso in Texas, has been the scene of the murders of hundreds of women, many of them low-salaried workers in export factories.</p>
<p>That horror, mirrored in towns across Mexico during a decade of extreme drug violence, is another reason Lopez Obrador chose the city to start campaigning, an advisor said.</p>
<p>“It is a symbol of the need to heal Mexican pain,” said senior campaign member Tatiana Clouthier.</p>
<p>Angel Perez, 29, a Mexican national who lives in El Paso, said he would attend Sunday’s campaign launch with his wife and two daughters, hopeful that Lopez Obrador will deliver on promises for change.</p>
<p>“I think he has what it takes to put Trump in his place,” he said.</p>
<p>Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. policy toward China has been misdirected for decades and policymakers are now recalibrating ties, Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters during a visit to Beijing amid heightened trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.</p> FILE PHOTO: Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) addresses the audience at the morning plenary session at the Netroots Nation conference for political progressives in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Christopher Aluka Berry
<p>Warren’s visit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to implement more than $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods meant to punish China over U.S. allegations that Beijing systematically misappropriated American intellectual property.</p>
<p>The Massachusetts Democrat and Trump foe, who has been touted as a potential 2020 presidential candidate despite rejecting such speculation, has said U.S. trade policy needs a rethink and that she is not afraid of tariffs.</p>
<p>After years of mistakenly assuming economic engagement would lead to a more open China, the U.S. government was waking up to Chinese demands for U.S. companies to give up their know-how in exchange for access to its market, Warren said.</p>
<p>“The whole policy was misdirected. We told ourselves a happy-face story that never fit with the facts,” Warren told reporters on Saturday, during a three-day visit to China that began on Friday.</p>
<p>“Now U.S. policymakers are starting to look more aggressively at pushing China to open up the markets without demanding a hostage price of access to U.S. technology,” she said.</p>
<p>Warren discussed trade issues and North Korea with senior Chinese officials, including Liu He, the vice premier for economic policy, Yang Jiechi, a top diplomat, and the Minister of Defence Wei Fenghe.</p>
<p>She said she told officials she met that Americans cannot support a more integrated economic system with China if it “fails to respect basic human rights”.</p>
<p>China’s ruling Communist Party has tightened controls on society since President Xi Jinping assumed power, from online censorship to a crackdown on activists and non-governmental organizations, though Chinese officials routinely deny accusations of rights abuses.</p>
<p>Warren also made stops in Japan and South Korea, and she said that U.S. allies in Asia were having trouble understanding Trump’s “chaotic” foreign policy.</p>
<p>North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Trump had earlier exchanged insults and veiled threats of war over North Korea’s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, but the U.S. leader made the surprising announcement last month that he was prepared to meet Kim.</p>
<p>Warren said success for that meeting would mean getting a commitment to discuss verifiable steps to reduce North Korea’s nuclear threat, which would require careful negotiations from a State Department whose role has been vastly diminished under Trump, with several high-profile posts unoccupied.</p>
<p>Trump’s efforts to “take the legs out from underneath our diplomatic corps” are a “terrible mistake”, she said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Christian Schmollinger</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - About 200 people demonstrated in Sacramento on Saturday to protest the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, in the latest of nearly two weeks of mostly peaceful rallies since the unarmed black man was gunned down in his grandmother’s yard.</p>
<p>Another vigil with about 150 people was held Saturday night, and a protester was apparently hit by a Sacramento Sheriff’s vehicle, according to a video posted on the Internet and The Sacramento Bee.</p>
<p>The video shows the protester apparently hit and then fall to the ground as people screamed. The newspaper reported that witnesses said the sheriff’s vehicle then left the scene and a short time later the protestor was taken to a hospital by the fire department. No officials were available for comment early Sunday.</p>
<p>The death of the 22-year-old father of two was the latest in a string of killings of black men by police that have triggered street protests and fueled a renewed national debate about bias in the U.S. criminal justice system.</p>
<p>Saturday’s demonstration brought together a multi-racial crowd, many holding signs such as “Stop Police Rage” and “Power to the People.” It was led by retired National Basketball Association player Matt Barnes, who grew up in the area and had two stints with the Sacramento Kings franchise.</p>
<p>“We’re here today to raise awareness, to come together peacefully and to have some accountability for the officers, not only in Sacramento but across the country, who have been doing this,” Barnes told the Sacramento Bee newspaper.</p>
<p>Some of Clark’s relatives attended the gathering in a city plaza. It followed a more heated protest overnight, during which demonstrators yelled expletives at police clad in riot gear.</p> Salena Manni (L), fiancee of Stephon Clark, holds their son Cairo and an unidentified man holds son Aiden (2nd R) while Basim Elkarra speaks and Rev Shane Harris listens at a rally in Sacramento, California, U.S., March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Strong NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
<p>Clark was shot on the night of March 18 by police responding to a report that someone was breaking windows. Police said the officers feared he had a gun, but that he was later found to have been holding a cellphone.</p>
<p>Police have said he was moving towards officers in a menacing way. The shooting was captured on a body cam video released by police.</p>
<p>On Friday, an attorney for Clark’s family released a private autopsy showing most of the eight bullets that hit Clark struck him in the back, contradicting the police version of events.</p> Slideshow (14 Images)
<p>Clark was shot six times in the back, once in the side and once in the leg, said the attorney, Benjamin Crump.</p>
<p>“This independent autopsy affirms that Stephon was not a threat to police and was slain in another senseless police killing under increasingly questionable circumstances,” Crump said.</p>
<p>The Sacramento Police Department said it would have no further comment until after the release of the findings of an official autopsy by the county coroner, and a review by state and local prosecutors.</p>
<p>In several days of sporadic protests, protesters have blocked traffic and twice delayed fans from reaching games played by the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Rich McKay in Atlanta and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing Chizu Nomiyama and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
|
BRIEF-Paragon Care Ltd says Andrew Just Has Formally Commenced Role As Chief Executive Officer Factbox: Mexico's presidential candidates at the start of campaigning Channeling national pride, Mexican front-runner to campaign by U.S. border Senator Warren, in Beijing, says U.S. is waking up to Chinese abuses Autopsy prompts more protests over killing of black man in California
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https://reuters.com/article/brief-paragon-care-ltd-says-andrew-just/brief-paragon-care-ltd-says-andrew-just-has-formally-commenced-role-as-chief-executive-officer-idUSFWN1PE1DC
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2018-01-22
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BRIEF-Paragon Care Ltd says Andrew Just Has Formally Commenced Role As Chief Executive Officer Factbox: Mexico's presidential candidates at the start of campaigning Channeling national pride, Mexican front-runner to campaign by U.S. border Senator Warren, in Beijing, says U.S. is waking up to Chinese abuses Autopsy prompts more protests over killing of black man in California
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Paragon Care Ltd:</p>
<p>* PARAGON CARE LTD- ‍ANDREW JUST HAS FORMALLY COMMENCED IN HIS ROLE AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PARAGON CARE​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Mexico’s presidential front-runner launches his campaign near the U.S. border on Sunday, amid tension over U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to put a wall between the two countries.</p> FILE PHOTO: Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) addresses the audience during a conference organised by the Mexican Construction Industry Association in Guadalajara, Mexico March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>As the July 1 election approaches, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and three other candidates will face off over issues including corruption, drug violence and trade.</p>
<p>Here are some facts on the presidential contenders:</p> ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR
<p>Two-time runner-up Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, is running on an anti-corruption platform with his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party and he has a double-digit lead in opinion polls.</p>
<p>He could usher in a Mexican government less accommodating toward the United States, where Trump has stoked trade tensions with Mexico and aggressively moved to curb immigration. Trump’s pledge to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border was a main theme of his 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.</p>
<p>Variously described as a leftist, a populist and a nationalist, Lopez Obrador, 64, has aimed for a moderate tone in this campaign. His slogan is “peace and love,” and he says he is not looking for revenge against the current government.</p>
<p>But the former Mexico City mayor has also promised to review recently awarded oil contracts and threatened to cancel the capital’s new airport, spooking investors.</p> Ricardo Anaya, presidential candidate for the National Action Party (PAN), leading a left-right coalition, gives a speech to supporters during his campaign rally in Mexico City, Mexico March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>When he narrowly lost his first presidential bid in 2006, he contested the result and organized a sit-in that closed one of the main thoroughfares in Mexico City for weeks, causing chaos. Lopez Obrador says he has changed since then.</p> RICARDO ANAYA
<p>The youngest of the four presidential candidates, Anaya sprung to prominence when he took over the presidency of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) in 2015.</p>
<p>Born in the small, central state of Queretaro, the 39-year-old career politician helped the party take more than 10 of the country’s governorships for the first time in its history.</p>
<p>His main proposals include a universal minimum income and an international commission to investigate the current government over corruption allegations.</p>
<p>Anaya has been criticized for his frequent trips to Atlanta, where his wife and three children have lived, and over a real estate deal the ruling party said was money laundering.</p>
<p>Anaya denied the allegations.</p>
<p>He joined the PAN as a law student and held several senior positions in the Queretaro state government between 2002 and 2009 before becoming president of the federal lower house in 2013.</p> JOSE ANTONIO MEADE
<p>At the end of 2017, in an attempt to clean up its image and as Lopez Obrador took off in opinion polls, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) chose a non-member as its candidate for the first time.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>Meade, 49, has served in five different ministerial jobs, including minister of foreign affairs, social development, energy and finance, under PRI and PAN governments.</p>
<p>His critics blame him for a hike in gasoline prices in 2017 that led to protests across Mexico and spiked inflation, and tie him to corruption accusations at departments he ran. He denies any wrongdoing.</p> MARGARITA ZAVALA
<p>Zavala is the only independent candidate on the ballot after a scandal over falsified signatures knocked out two of her opponents.</p>
<p>The former first lady left the PAN in 2017, in a split with fellow candidate Ricardo Anaya. Mexico City-born Zavala would be Mexico’s first-ever female president.</p>
<p>In the 1990s, Zavala was a lawmaker in the Mexico City assembly and the chief lawyer for the PAN’s executive committee. She was later a federal congresswoman.</p>
<p>She faces criticism for her husband Felipe Calderon’s policy of putting soldiers on the streets when he was president, during a war on drug gangs that saw tens of thousands killed.</p>
<p>If elected, Zavala says she would withdraw the troops.</p>
<p>Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; editing by Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexico’s presidential front-runner launches his campaign close to the U.S. border on Sunday amid tension over U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to put up a wall between the countries.</p> FILE PHOTO: Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) addresses the audience during a conference organised by the Mexican Construction Industry Association in Guadalajara, Mexico March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero
<p>If leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins the July 1 election, he is expected to be less accommodating toward Trump than the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has been lagging in polls because of anger over its failure to contain violence and graft.</p>
<p>His three-month campaign starts in Ciudad Juarez, a tribute to the city’s namesake Benito Juarez, the 19th century Mexican president from indigenous roots whose exiled government resisted a French colonialist intervention from the unruly border city.</p>
<p>Lopez Obrador recently criticized President Enrique Pena Nieto for “governing with recipes sent from abroad,” but he has lately softened his opposition to the government’s policy of allowing foreign investment in the oil industry.</p>
<p>The ruling party candidate trailing in third place, former finance minister Jose Antonio Meade, launches his own campaign on Sunday at the other end of the country in the southeastern town of Merida.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-mexico-election-candidates-factbox/factbox-mexicos-presidential-candidates-at-the-start-of-campaigning-idUSKCN1H80XL" type="external">Factbox: Mexico's presidential candidates at the start of campaigning</a>
<p>Second-place Ricardo Anaya began campaigning on Friday.</p>
<p>Silver-haired leftist Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor, first ran for president in 2006. He would seek a meeting with Trump “as soon as possible” a senior advisor said, while indicating foreign policy would hew less closely to U.S. regional priorities if he wins.</p>
<p>Trump’s tough trade policies, insults against Mexican migrants and demands for the border wall have angered ordinary Mexicans who see their country as a natural ally of the United States.</p>
<p>Lopez Obrador has made clear U.S.-Mexican relations will remain strong if he wins, while promising to throw Trump a “curve ball” and defend Mexican pride. His unconventional, and at times inconsistent, policy stances have sometimes led to comparisons with the U.S. president.</p>
<p>He supports the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and the United States, but has called for talks started by Trump to renegotiate the deal to be suspended until after the election.</p>
<p>In a possible sign of the moderation Lopez Obrador is keen to project, Ciudad Juarez also harbored another of his heroes — Francisco I. Madero, a wealthy, U.S.-educated, moderate leader of the Mexican revolution who tried to unite conservatives and radicals.</p>
<p>However, the 64-year-old continues to play to his leftist base, attacking the current government over a $13 billion airport project he says is tainted by corruption.</p>
<p>He has promised to “consult the people” on reforms and plans to turn the presidential residence into a cultural center, sell the presidential plane and cut his salary in half.</p>
<p>The candidate’s foreign policy advisor, Hector Vasconcelos, has said U.S. relations should be aimed at bolstering economic cooperation and that the current ties over-emphasize police and military relations.</p>
<p>Vasconcelos also said Mexico would not follow the United States in sanctioning socialist Venezuela, and would refrain from foreign interference to focus on critical problems at home such as violence.</p>
<p>As well as its storied history, in modern times Ciudad Juarez, opposite El Paso in Texas, has been the scene of the murders of hundreds of women, many of them low-salaried workers in export factories.</p>
<p>That horror, mirrored in towns across Mexico during a decade of extreme drug violence, is another reason Lopez Obrador chose the city to start campaigning, an advisor said.</p>
<p>“It is a symbol of the need to heal Mexican pain,” said senior campaign member Tatiana Clouthier.</p>
<p>Angel Perez, 29, a Mexican national who lives in El Paso, said he would attend Sunday’s campaign launch with his wife and two daughters, hopeful that Lopez Obrador will deliver on promises for change.</p>
<p>“I think he has what it takes to put Trump in his place,” he said.</p>
<p>Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. policy toward China has been misdirected for decades and policymakers are now recalibrating ties, Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters during a visit to Beijing amid heightened trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.</p> FILE PHOTO: Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) addresses the audience at the morning plenary session at the Netroots Nation conference for political progressives in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Christopher Aluka Berry
<p>Warren’s visit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to implement more than $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods meant to punish China over U.S. allegations that Beijing systematically misappropriated American intellectual property.</p>
<p>The Massachusetts Democrat and Trump foe, who has been touted as a potential 2020 presidential candidate despite rejecting such speculation, has said U.S. trade policy needs a rethink and that she is not afraid of tariffs.</p>
<p>After years of mistakenly assuming economic engagement would lead to a more open China, the U.S. government was waking up to Chinese demands for U.S. companies to give up their know-how in exchange for access to its market, Warren said.</p>
<p>“The whole policy was misdirected. We told ourselves a happy-face story that never fit with the facts,” Warren told reporters on Saturday, during a three-day visit to China that began on Friday.</p>
<p>“Now U.S. policymakers are starting to look more aggressively at pushing China to open up the markets without demanding a hostage price of access to U.S. technology,” she said.</p>
<p>Warren discussed trade issues and North Korea with senior Chinese officials, including Liu He, the vice premier for economic policy, Yang Jiechi, a top diplomat, and the Minister of Defence Wei Fenghe.</p>
<p>She said she told officials she met that Americans cannot support a more integrated economic system with China if it “fails to respect basic human rights”.</p>
<p>China’s ruling Communist Party has tightened controls on society since President Xi Jinping assumed power, from online censorship to a crackdown on activists and non-governmental organizations, though Chinese officials routinely deny accusations of rights abuses.</p>
<p>Warren also made stops in Japan and South Korea, and she said that U.S. allies in Asia were having trouble understanding Trump’s “chaotic” foreign policy.</p>
<p>North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Trump had earlier exchanged insults and veiled threats of war over North Korea’s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, but the U.S. leader made the surprising announcement last month that he was prepared to meet Kim.</p>
<p>Warren said success for that meeting would mean getting a commitment to discuss verifiable steps to reduce North Korea’s nuclear threat, which would require careful negotiations from a State Department whose role has been vastly diminished under Trump, with several high-profile posts unoccupied.</p>
<p>Trump’s efforts to “take the legs out from underneath our diplomatic corps” are a “terrible mistake”, she said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Christian Schmollinger</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - About 200 people demonstrated in Sacramento on Saturday to protest the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, in the latest of nearly two weeks of mostly peaceful rallies since the unarmed black man was gunned down in his grandmother’s yard.</p>
<p>Another vigil with about 150 people was held Saturday night, and a protester was apparently hit by a Sacramento Sheriff’s vehicle, according to a video posted on the Internet and The Sacramento Bee.</p>
<p>The video shows the protester apparently hit and then fall to the ground as people screamed. The newspaper reported that witnesses said the sheriff’s vehicle then left the scene and a short time later the protestor was taken to a hospital by the fire department. No officials were available for comment early Sunday.</p>
<p>The death of the 22-year-old father of two was the latest in a string of killings of black men by police that have triggered street protests and fueled a renewed national debate about bias in the U.S. criminal justice system.</p>
<p>Saturday’s demonstration brought together a multi-racial crowd, many holding signs such as “Stop Police Rage” and “Power to the People.” It was led by retired National Basketball Association player Matt Barnes, who grew up in the area and had two stints with the Sacramento Kings franchise.</p>
<p>“We’re here today to raise awareness, to come together peacefully and to have some accountability for the officers, not only in Sacramento but across the country, who have been doing this,” Barnes told the Sacramento Bee newspaper.</p>
<p>Some of Clark’s relatives attended the gathering in a city plaza. It followed a more heated protest overnight, during which demonstrators yelled expletives at police clad in riot gear.</p> Salena Manni (L), fiancee of Stephon Clark, holds their son Cairo and an unidentified man holds son Aiden (2nd R) while Basim Elkarra speaks and Rev Shane Harris listens at a rally in Sacramento, California, U.S., March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Strong NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
<p>Clark was shot on the night of March 18 by police responding to a report that someone was breaking windows. Police said the officers feared he had a gun, but that he was later found to have been holding a cellphone.</p>
<p>Police have said he was moving towards officers in a menacing way. The shooting was captured on a body cam video released by police.</p>
<p>On Friday, an attorney for Clark’s family released a private autopsy showing most of the eight bullets that hit Clark struck him in the back, contradicting the police version of events.</p> Slideshow (14 Images)
<p>Clark was shot six times in the back, once in the side and once in the leg, said the attorney, Benjamin Crump.</p>
<p>“This independent autopsy affirms that Stephon was not a threat to police and was slain in another senseless police killing under increasingly questionable circumstances,” Crump said.</p>
<p>The Sacramento Police Department said it would have no further comment until after the release of the findings of an official autopsy by the county coroner, and a review by state and local prosecutors.</p>
<p>In several days of sporadic protests, protesters have blocked traffic and twice delayed fans from reaching games played by the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Rich McKay in Atlanta and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing Chizu Nomiyama and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| 598,796 |
<p>A look at some overlooked albums of 2017 by The Associated Press.</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Tinariwen, "Elwan" (Anti/Epitaph)</p>
<p>Tinariwen is a band on the run, forced into exile by political upheaval in their Northern Mali homeland. Nearly every song on "Elwan," the Grammy-nominated album they released almost a year ago, reflects on their pains and yearnings of wanting most of all to get back home. It's a poignant wonder.</p>
<p>Recorded in Morocco, France and, back in 2014, at the Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, California, the Tuareg band's mesmerizing brand of desert blues is presented in nuggets rarely exceeding four minutes, making it almost pop-like in its compressed efficiency.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, there are some rock and roll guests, including Kurt Vile and Matt Sweeney, whose electric guitars enhance the density of the already guitar-heavy arrangements, all driven by layers of percussion dynamic enough to challenge any "Stomp" cast.</p>
<p>Mark Lanegan adds vocal to the ethereal "Nannuflay" ("Fulfilled"), where the lyrics in Tamashek, the Tuareg language, talk about "pursuing memories built on a dune that's always moving."</p>
<p>Other songs directly reference the conflicts on their native soil — "My own people have abandoned their ancestral ways/All that's left is a groaning land;" the goal is "the unity of our nation and to carry our banner high" or "you can read the bitterness on the faces of the innocents."</p>
<p>"Elwan" is in the running for best world music album at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Jan. 28. Other nominees in the category include Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Vicente Amigo.</p>
<p>The album's title means "The Elephants," but even without a pachyderm's memory this is music you aren't likely to soon forget.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Various artists, "Sunday in the Park with George (2017 Broadway Cast Recording)" (Arts Music)</p>
<p>Annaleigh Ashford is a revelation as Dot in this outstanding recording of the cast from the 2017 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George," the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.</p>
<p>Her voice makes Sondheim's tongue-twisting lyrics glow and at the top of her range is superior to that of Bernadette Peters, who originated the role of the model/girlfriend of French impressionist painter Georges Seurat.</p>
<p>Peters and Mandy Patinkin gave indelible performances during the initial run that started in 1984, which is preserved on an RCA audio recording and a video. Paired with Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashford has a more powerful and effortless top that soars in songs such as "Move On" and "We Do Not Belong Together," and is more crystalline and less breathy in "Children and Art."</p>
<p>Known more for his film roles, which include an Academy Award-nominated performance in "Brokeback Mountain," Gyllenhaal like Patinkin conveys the introspective and tortured aspects of Seurat, a pointillist innovator who died at age 31 in 1891. The show uses his great "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago, to focus on the meaning and place of art and artists in life.</p>
<p>— Ron Blum (twitter.com/RonaldBlum)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless, "Boy Crazy and Single(s)" (Bloodshot Records)</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless is her own brand of outlaw. The 27-year-old Ohioan is fearless and direct and, if you haven't had the privilege of being introduced, last year's reissue of her five-song "Boy Crazy" EP — updated with six more tracks recorded between 2012 and 2015 — is an excellent primer.</p>
<p>Loveless combines rock, country and honky-tonk with a punkish attitude that avoids artificial ingredients.</p>
<p>The 42-minute collection came out in October, just days after the passing of Tom Petty, and Loveless seems to possess his similar sort of unflinching candor and resilience. If, in contrast to some of her more high-sparkle contemporaries, she sounds much more real it's also because she writes some of the funniest, down-to-earth songs you'll hear anywhere.</p>
<p>The characters — they can't possibly be all her, can they? — are in a constant state of turmoil, regrets on top of regrets and romances that glow with a nearly unbearable intensity before ending badly. On "Come Over" she has thoughts like "I don't want to wreck your home/Could she have an accident/I mean something small to her out of the way," even if the inevitable conclusion arrives when "it turns out I don't look that good in bright lighting anyway."</p>
<p>Loveless also has a sharp ear for covers and her interpretations of Kesha ("Blind") and Elvis Costello ("Alison") are fresh and unvarnished while her brilliant take on Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" has echoes of Pat Benatar at her most rocking and intense.</p>
<p>This compilation is an absolute winner and just as on her albums, including the 2011 modern classic "Indestructible Machine" and "Real" from 2016, she sings like she means it.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>The Clientele, "Music for the Age of Miracles" (Merge Records)</p>
<p>The Clientele are often described as "autumnal," so it seemed apt that their first full album in eight years — a glowing specimen of gently orchestrated pop — was given a late September release. "Music for the Age of Miracles," however, is a thing of beauty that sounds just as good in the cold of the new year, a perfect balm for bomb cyclones and the assault of winter weather.</p>
<p>The London-based band has also been tagged as pastoral, erudite, mystical and spooky and the album stays on those paths while also deepening the echoes. Anthony Harmer, an old friend of bandleader Alasdair MacLean, helps execute a gentle renovation of the band's traditional sounds with his breezy arrangements and instruments like the santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer.</p>
<p>The melodies sweep in from many directions and perfectly match MacLean's literate lyrics full of mystery, beauty and fresh nostalgia. Three brief instrumental interludes written by drummer Mark Keen are an opportunity for reflection, to let the songs penetrate even more fully into the senses.</p>
<p>The album's bookends are among its strongest tracks. "The Neighbour" is youthful, dreamy and romantic — "The crowds thinned out until we were alone" — while MacLean says "The Age of Miracles" is in part about being a father. Like with many of his songs, however, you can probably find phrases and moods that fit your own story and circumstances.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>A look at some overlooked albums of 2017 by The Associated Press.</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Tinariwen, "Elwan" (Anti/Epitaph)</p>
<p>Tinariwen is a band on the run, forced into exile by political upheaval in their Northern Mali homeland. Nearly every song on "Elwan," the Grammy-nominated album they released almost a year ago, reflects on their pains and yearnings of wanting most of all to get back home. It's a poignant wonder.</p>
<p>Recorded in Morocco, France and, back in 2014, at the Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, California, the Tuareg band's mesmerizing brand of desert blues is presented in nuggets rarely exceeding four minutes, making it almost pop-like in its compressed efficiency.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, there are some rock and roll guests, including Kurt Vile and Matt Sweeney, whose electric guitars enhance the density of the already guitar-heavy arrangements, all driven by layers of percussion dynamic enough to challenge any "Stomp" cast.</p>
<p>Mark Lanegan adds vocal to the ethereal "Nannuflay" ("Fulfilled"), where the lyrics in Tamashek, the Tuareg language, talk about "pursuing memories built on a dune that's always moving."</p>
<p>Other songs directly reference the conflicts on their native soil — "My own people have abandoned their ancestral ways/All that's left is a groaning land;" the goal is "the unity of our nation and to carry our banner high" or "you can read the bitterness on the faces of the innocents."</p>
<p>"Elwan" is in the running for best world music album at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Jan. 28. Other nominees in the category include Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Vicente Amigo.</p>
<p>The album's title means "The Elephants," but even without a pachyderm's memory this is music you aren't likely to soon forget.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Various artists, "Sunday in the Park with George (2017 Broadway Cast Recording)" (Arts Music)</p>
<p>Annaleigh Ashford is a revelation as Dot in this outstanding recording of the cast from the 2017 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George," the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.</p>
<p>Her voice makes Sondheim's tongue-twisting lyrics glow and at the top of her range is superior to that of Bernadette Peters, who originated the role of the model/girlfriend of French impressionist painter Georges Seurat.</p>
<p>Peters and Mandy Patinkin gave indelible performances during the initial run that started in 1984, which is preserved on an RCA audio recording and a video. Paired with Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashford has a more powerful and effortless top that soars in songs such as "Move On" and "We Do Not Belong Together," and is more crystalline and less breathy in "Children and Art."</p>
<p>Known more for his film roles, which include an Academy Award-nominated performance in "Brokeback Mountain," Gyllenhaal like Patinkin conveys the introspective and tortured aspects of Seurat, a pointillist innovator who died at age 31 in 1891. The show uses his great "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago, to focus on the meaning and place of art and artists in life.</p>
<p>— Ron Blum (twitter.com/RonaldBlum)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless, "Boy Crazy and Single(s)" (Bloodshot Records)</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless is her own brand of outlaw. The 27-year-old Ohioan is fearless and direct and, if you haven't had the privilege of being introduced, last year's reissue of her five-song "Boy Crazy" EP — updated with six more tracks recorded between 2012 and 2015 — is an excellent primer.</p>
<p>Loveless combines rock, country and honky-tonk with a punkish attitude that avoids artificial ingredients.</p>
<p>The 42-minute collection came out in October, just days after the passing of Tom Petty, and Loveless seems to possess his similar sort of unflinching candor and resilience. If, in contrast to some of her more high-sparkle contemporaries, she sounds much more real it's also because she writes some of the funniest, down-to-earth songs you'll hear anywhere.</p>
<p>The characters — they can't possibly be all her, can they? — are in a constant state of turmoil, regrets on top of regrets and romances that glow with a nearly unbearable intensity before ending badly. On "Come Over" she has thoughts like "I don't want to wreck your home/Could she have an accident/I mean something small to her out of the way," even if the inevitable conclusion arrives when "it turns out I don't look that good in bright lighting anyway."</p>
<p>Loveless also has a sharp ear for covers and her interpretations of Kesha ("Blind") and Elvis Costello ("Alison") are fresh and unvarnished while her brilliant take on Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" has echoes of Pat Benatar at her most rocking and intense.</p>
<p>This compilation is an absolute winner and just as on her albums, including the 2011 modern classic "Indestructible Machine" and "Real" from 2016, she sings like she means it.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>The Clientele, "Music for the Age of Miracles" (Merge Records)</p>
<p>The Clientele are often described as "autumnal," so it seemed apt that their first full album in eight years — a glowing specimen of gently orchestrated pop — was given a late September release. "Music for the Age of Miracles," however, is a thing of beauty that sounds just as good in the cold of the new year, a perfect balm for bomb cyclones and the assault of winter weather.</p>
<p>The London-based band has also been tagged as pastoral, erudite, mystical and spooky and the album stays on those paths while also deepening the echoes. Anthony Harmer, an old friend of bandleader Alasdair MacLean, helps execute a gentle renovation of the band's traditional sounds with his breezy arrangements and instruments like the santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer.</p>
<p>The melodies sweep in from many directions and perfectly match MacLean's literate lyrics full of mystery, beauty and fresh nostalgia. Three brief instrumental interludes written by drummer Mark Keen are an opportunity for reflection, to let the songs penetrate even more fully into the senses.</p>
<p>The album's bookends are among its strongest tracks. "The Neighbour" is youthful, dreamy and romantic — "The crowds thinned out until we were alone" — while MacLean says "The Age of Miracles" is in part about being a father. Like with many of his songs, however, you can probably find phrases and moods that fit your own story and circumstances.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
|
Overlooked albums of 2017: Tinariwen, Lydia Loveless
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/735e60c034a14ec0b03b15064ca858a3
|
2018-01-12
| 2least
|
Overlooked albums of 2017: Tinariwen, Lydia Loveless
<p>A look at some overlooked albums of 2017 by The Associated Press.</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Tinariwen, "Elwan" (Anti/Epitaph)</p>
<p>Tinariwen is a band on the run, forced into exile by political upheaval in their Northern Mali homeland. Nearly every song on "Elwan," the Grammy-nominated album they released almost a year ago, reflects on their pains and yearnings of wanting most of all to get back home. It's a poignant wonder.</p>
<p>Recorded in Morocco, France and, back in 2014, at the Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, California, the Tuareg band's mesmerizing brand of desert blues is presented in nuggets rarely exceeding four minutes, making it almost pop-like in its compressed efficiency.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, there are some rock and roll guests, including Kurt Vile and Matt Sweeney, whose electric guitars enhance the density of the already guitar-heavy arrangements, all driven by layers of percussion dynamic enough to challenge any "Stomp" cast.</p>
<p>Mark Lanegan adds vocal to the ethereal "Nannuflay" ("Fulfilled"), where the lyrics in Tamashek, the Tuareg language, talk about "pursuing memories built on a dune that's always moving."</p>
<p>Other songs directly reference the conflicts on their native soil — "My own people have abandoned their ancestral ways/All that's left is a groaning land;" the goal is "the unity of our nation and to carry our banner high" or "you can read the bitterness on the faces of the innocents."</p>
<p>"Elwan" is in the running for best world music album at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Jan. 28. Other nominees in the category include Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Vicente Amigo.</p>
<p>The album's title means "The Elephants," but even without a pachyderm's memory this is music you aren't likely to soon forget.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Various artists, "Sunday in the Park with George (2017 Broadway Cast Recording)" (Arts Music)</p>
<p>Annaleigh Ashford is a revelation as Dot in this outstanding recording of the cast from the 2017 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George," the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.</p>
<p>Her voice makes Sondheim's tongue-twisting lyrics glow and at the top of her range is superior to that of Bernadette Peters, who originated the role of the model/girlfriend of French impressionist painter Georges Seurat.</p>
<p>Peters and Mandy Patinkin gave indelible performances during the initial run that started in 1984, which is preserved on an RCA audio recording and a video. Paired with Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashford has a more powerful and effortless top that soars in songs such as "Move On" and "We Do Not Belong Together," and is more crystalline and less breathy in "Children and Art."</p>
<p>Known more for his film roles, which include an Academy Award-nominated performance in "Brokeback Mountain," Gyllenhaal like Patinkin conveys the introspective and tortured aspects of Seurat, a pointillist innovator who died at age 31 in 1891. The show uses his great "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago, to focus on the meaning and place of art and artists in life.</p>
<p>— Ron Blum (twitter.com/RonaldBlum)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless, "Boy Crazy and Single(s)" (Bloodshot Records)</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless is her own brand of outlaw. The 27-year-old Ohioan is fearless and direct and, if you haven't had the privilege of being introduced, last year's reissue of her five-song "Boy Crazy" EP — updated with six more tracks recorded between 2012 and 2015 — is an excellent primer.</p>
<p>Loveless combines rock, country and honky-tonk with a punkish attitude that avoids artificial ingredients.</p>
<p>The 42-minute collection came out in October, just days after the passing of Tom Petty, and Loveless seems to possess his similar sort of unflinching candor and resilience. If, in contrast to some of her more high-sparkle contemporaries, she sounds much more real it's also because she writes some of the funniest, down-to-earth songs you'll hear anywhere.</p>
<p>The characters — they can't possibly be all her, can they? — are in a constant state of turmoil, regrets on top of regrets and romances that glow with a nearly unbearable intensity before ending badly. On "Come Over" she has thoughts like "I don't want to wreck your home/Could she have an accident/I mean something small to her out of the way," even if the inevitable conclusion arrives when "it turns out I don't look that good in bright lighting anyway."</p>
<p>Loveless also has a sharp ear for covers and her interpretations of Kesha ("Blind") and Elvis Costello ("Alison") are fresh and unvarnished while her brilliant take on Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" has echoes of Pat Benatar at her most rocking and intense.</p>
<p>This compilation is an absolute winner and just as on her albums, including the 2011 modern classic "Indestructible Machine" and "Real" from 2016, she sings like she means it.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>The Clientele, "Music for the Age of Miracles" (Merge Records)</p>
<p>The Clientele are often described as "autumnal," so it seemed apt that their first full album in eight years — a glowing specimen of gently orchestrated pop — was given a late September release. "Music for the Age of Miracles," however, is a thing of beauty that sounds just as good in the cold of the new year, a perfect balm for bomb cyclones and the assault of winter weather.</p>
<p>The London-based band has also been tagged as pastoral, erudite, mystical and spooky and the album stays on those paths while also deepening the echoes. Anthony Harmer, an old friend of bandleader Alasdair MacLean, helps execute a gentle renovation of the band's traditional sounds with his breezy arrangements and instruments like the santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer.</p>
<p>The melodies sweep in from many directions and perfectly match MacLean's literate lyrics full of mystery, beauty and fresh nostalgia. Three brief instrumental interludes written by drummer Mark Keen are an opportunity for reflection, to let the songs penetrate even more fully into the senses.</p>
<p>The album's bookends are among its strongest tracks. "The Neighbour" is youthful, dreamy and romantic — "The crowds thinned out until we were alone" — while MacLean says "The Age of Miracles" is in part about being a father. Like with many of his songs, however, you can probably find phrases and moods that fit your own story and circumstances.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>A look at some overlooked albums of 2017 by The Associated Press.</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Tinariwen, "Elwan" (Anti/Epitaph)</p>
<p>Tinariwen is a band on the run, forced into exile by political upheaval in their Northern Mali homeland. Nearly every song on "Elwan," the Grammy-nominated album they released almost a year ago, reflects on their pains and yearnings of wanting most of all to get back home. It's a poignant wonder.</p>
<p>Recorded in Morocco, France and, back in 2014, at the Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, California, the Tuareg band's mesmerizing brand of desert blues is presented in nuggets rarely exceeding four minutes, making it almost pop-like in its compressed efficiency.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, there are some rock and roll guests, including Kurt Vile and Matt Sweeney, whose electric guitars enhance the density of the already guitar-heavy arrangements, all driven by layers of percussion dynamic enough to challenge any "Stomp" cast.</p>
<p>Mark Lanegan adds vocal to the ethereal "Nannuflay" ("Fulfilled"), where the lyrics in Tamashek, the Tuareg language, talk about "pursuing memories built on a dune that's always moving."</p>
<p>Other songs directly reference the conflicts on their native soil — "My own people have abandoned their ancestral ways/All that's left is a groaning land;" the goal is "the unity of our nation and to carry our banner high" or "you can read the bitterness on the faces of the innocents."</p>
<p>"Elwan" is in the running for best world music album at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Jan. 28. Other nominees in the category include Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Vicente Amigo.</p>
<p>The album's title means "The Elephants," but even without a pachyderm's memory this is music you aren't likely to soon forget.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Various artists, "Sunday in the Park with George (2017 Broadway Cast Recording)" (Arts Music)</p>
<p>Annaleigh Ashford is a revelation as Dot in this outstanding recording of the cast from the 2017 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George," the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.</p>
<p>Her voice makes Sondheim's tongue-twisting lyrics glow and at the top of her range is superior to that of Bernadette Peters, who originated the role of the model/girlfriend of French impressionist painter Georges Seurat.</p>
<p>Peters and Mandy Patinkin gave indelible performances during the initial run that started in 1984, which is preserved on an RCA audio recording and a video. Paired with Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashford has a more powerful and effortless top that soars in songs such as "Move On" and "We Do Not Belong Together," and is more crystalline and less breathy in "Children and Art."</p>
<p>Known more for his film roles, which include an Academy Award-nominated performance in "Brokeback Mountain," Gyllenhaal like Patinkin conveys the introspective and tortured aspects of Seurat, a pointillist innovator who died at age 31 in 1891. The show uses his great "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago, to focus on the meaning and place of art and artists in life.</p>
<p>— Ron Blum (twitter.com/RonaldBlum)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless, "Boy Crazy and Single(s)" (Bloodshot Records)</p>
<p>Lydia Loveless is her own brand of outlaw. The 27-year-old Ohioan is fearless and direct and, if you haven't had the privilege of being introduced, last year's reissue of her five-song "Boy Crazy" EP — updated with six more tracks recorded between 2012 and 2015 — is an excellent primer.</p>
<p>Loveless combines rock, country and honky-tonk with a punkish attitude that avoids artificial ingredients.</p>
<p>The 42-minute collection came out in October, just days after the passing of Tom Petty, and Loveless seems to possess his similar sort of unflinching candor and resilience. If, in contrast to some of her more high-sparkle contemporaries, she sounds much more real it's also because she writes some of the funniest, down-to-earth songs you'll hear anywhere.</p>
<p>The characters — they can't possibly be all her, can they? — are in a constant state of turmoil, regrets on top of regrets and romances that glow with a nearly unbearable intensity before ending badly. On "Come Over" she has thoughts like "I don't want to wreck your home/Could she have an accident/I mean something small to her out of the way," even if the inevitable conclusion arrives when "it turns out I don't look that good in bright lighting anyway."</p>
<p>Loveless also has a sharp ear for covers and her interpretations of Kesha ("Blind") and Elvis Costello ("Alison") are fresh and unvarnished while her brilliant take on Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" has echoes of Pat Benatar at her most rocking and intense.</p>
<p>This compilation is an absolute winner and just as on her albums, including the 2011 modern classic "Indestructible Machine" and "Real" from 2016, she sings like she means it.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>The Clientele, "Music for the Age of Miracles" (Merge Records)</p>
<p>The Clientele are often described as "autumnal," so it seemed apt that their first full album in eight years — a glowing specimen of gently orchestrated pop — was given a late September release. "Music for the Age of Miracles," however, is a thing of beauty that sounds just as good in the cold of the new year, a perfect balm for bomb cyclones and the assault of winter weather.</p>
<p>The London-based band has also been tagged as pastoral, erudite, mystical and spooky and the album stays on those paths while also deepening the echoes. Anthony Harmer, an old friend of bandleader Alasdair MacLean, helps execute a gentle renovation of the band's traditional sounds with his breezy arrangements and instruments like the santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer.</p>
<p>The melodies sweep in from many directions and perfectly match MacLean's literate lyrics full of mystery, beauty and fresh nostalgia. Three brief instrumental interludes written by drummer Mark Keen are an opportunity for reflection, to let the songs penetrate even more fully into the senses.</p>
<p>The album's bookends are among its strongest tracks. "The Neighbour" is youthful, dreamy and romantic — "The crowds thinned out until we were alone" — while MacLean says "The Age of Miracles" is in part about being a father. Like with many of his songs, however, you can probably find phrases and moods that fit your own story and circumstances.</p>
<p>— Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/PabloGorondi)</p>
| 598,797 |
<p>July 13 (UPI) — <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Loretta_Lynn/" type="external">Loretta Lynn</a> will postpone additional tour dates and the release of her new album as she continues to recuperate from a stroke.</p>
<p>The 85-year-old country star said in a statement on her <a href="http://www.lorettalynn.com/" type="external">website</a> Wednesday that she’s focused on “making a full recovery” after having a stroke in May.</p>
<p>“Thank you so much for all of your prayers, love, and support,” Lynn wrote. “I’m happy to say that I’m at home with my family and getting better by the day! My main focus now is making a full recovery so that I can get back to putting all of me into what I love, sharing my music with you.”</p>
<p>“My new album, Wouldn’t It Be Great, was originally scheduled to come in August this year. I now want to wait to release it next year because this record is so special to me,” she explained. “It deserves me at my best and I can’t wait to share it.”</p>
<p>“I want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me,” the star added. “I am getting stronger every day and can’t wait to get back out there with all of you. I’m just letting everybody know that Willie [Nelson] ain’t dead yet and neither am I, and I can’t wait to see all of you on the road!”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2017/05/06/Country-music-icon-Loretta-Lynn-hospitalized-after-stroke/7711494074127/" type="external">Lynn’s official Facebook page confirmed</a> May 5 that the singer was admitted to the hospital after having a stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., the night previous. Her website shared an update May 15, saying Lynn was “doing great” in the wake of her stroke.</p>
<p>“Loretta wants to thank everybody for their prayers love and support. Loretta has been moved from hospital facility in to rehabilitation and we’re happy to report she is doing great!” the <a href="http://www.lorettalynn.com/update-on-loretta/" type="external">post</a> reads.</p>
<p>Lynn announced Wouldn’t It Be Great a day before her 85th birthday in April. She was to perform July 21 in Dubuque, Iowa, before performing at different shows across the country through May 2018.</p>
|
Loretta Lynn postpones tour, album release after stroke
| false |
https://newsline.com/loretta-lynn-postpones-tour-album-release-after-stroke/
|
2017-07-13
| 1right-center
|
Loretta Lynn postpones tour, album release after stroke
<p>July 13 (UPI) — <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Loretta_Lynn/" type="external">Loretta Lynn</a> will postpone additional tour dates and the release of her new album as she continues to recuperate from a stroke.</p>
<p>The 85-year-old country star said in a statement on her <a href="http://www.lorettalynn.com/" type="external">website</a> Wednesday that she’s focused on “making a full recovery” after having a stroke in May.</p>
<p>“Thank you so much for all of your prayers, love, and support,” Lynn wrote. “I’m happy to say that I’m at home with my family and getting better by the day! My main focus now is making a full recovery so that I can get back to putting all of me into what I love, sharing my music with you.”</p>
<p>“My new album, Wouldn’t It Be Great, was originally scheduled to come in August this year. I now want to wait to release it next year because this record is so special to me,” she explained. “It deserves me at my best and I can’t wait to share it.”</p>
<p>“I want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me,” the star added. “I am getting stronger every day and can’t wait to get back out there with all of you. I’m just letting everybody know that Willie [Nelson] ain’t dead yet and neither am I, and I can’t wait to see all of you on the road!”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2017/05/06/Country-music-icon-Loretta-Lynn-hospitalized-after-stroke/7711494074127/" type="external">Lynn’s official Facebook page confirmed</a> May 5 that the singer was admitted to the hospital after having a stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., the night previous. Her website shared an update May 15, saying Lynn was “doing great” in the wake of her stroke.</p>
<p>“Loretta wants to thank everybody for their prayers love and support. Loretta has been moved from hospital facility in to rehabilitation and we’re happy to report she is doing great!” the <a href="http://www.lorettalynn.com/update-on-loretta/" type="external">post</a> reads.</p>
<p>Lynn announced Wouldn’t It Be Great a day before her 85th birthday in April. She was to perform July 21 in Dubuque, Iowa, before performing at different shows across the country through May 2018.</p>
| 598,798 |
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pope1.jpg" type="external" />Pope Francis took a dramatic plunge Sunday into Mideast politics while on his Holy Land pilgrimage, receiving an acceptance from the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to visit him at the Vatican next month to discuss embattled peace efforts. Francis also buoyed Palestinian hopes by openly endorsing "the State of ["]</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Pope-Mideast-vatican-invitation/2014/05/25/id/573257/" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.newsmax.com</a></p>
<p />
|
Pope Francis recognizes Palestine and sets up Mideast peace summit at Vatican
| true |
http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/pope-extends-dramatic-vatican-summit-invitation-to-israeli-palestinian-leaders/
| 0right
|
Pope Francis recognizes Palestine and sets up Mideast peace summit at Vatican
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pope1.jpg" type="external" />Pope Francis took a dramatic plunge Sunday into Mideast politics while on his Holy Land pilgrimage, receiving an acceptance from the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to visit him at the Vatican next month to discuss embattled peace efforts. Francis also buoyed Palestinian hopes by openly endorsing "the State of ["]</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Pope-Mideast-vatican-invitation/2014/05/25/id/573257/" type="external">Click here to view original web page at www.newsmax.com</a></p>
<p />
| 598,799 |
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