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<p>The latest <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/02/04/shock-ppp-national-poll-trump-25-cruz-21-rubio-21/" type="external">national poll</a> shows real estate mogul Donald Trump sinking fast, and reflects that the GOP primary is now a three-man race.</p>
<p>Notable takeaways from the Public Policy Polling survey:</p>
<p>Trump nosedives in <a href="https://twitter.com/ppppolls" type="external">@ppppolls</a> national survey: Trump 25 (-9) Rubio 21 (+8) Cruz 21 (+3) <a href="https://t.co/pk73CmpSsn" type="external">https://t.co/pk73CmpSsn</a></p>
<p>GOP National 3-way race (PPP): Rubio 34% Trump 33% Cruz 25% Rubio also leads Trump and Cruz one-on-one now.</p>
<p>In the head-to-head matchups, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) leads Trump 52 percent to 40 percent, and leads Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) 46 percent to 40 percent. Rubio also has a favorability rating of 64 percent, tying him with Dr. Ben Carson as the most popular candidate in the field. Cruz does lead among second choice voters at 20 percent, with Rubio at 15 percent, although 21 percent are undecided on their second choice.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that The New Republic's Nate Cohn has questioned the <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/114682/ppp-polling-methodology-opaque-flawed" type="external">methodology</a> of PPP's polling, and that it remains to be seen if other polls produce results are similar to PPP. National polls don't necessarily reflect state polls, and a lot can change in a week. However, if the PPP poll is accurate, it spells bad news for Trump, and indicates that Rubio is surging.</p>
<p>(h/t: <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/02/04/shock-ppp-national-poll-trump-25-cruz-21-rubio-21/" type="external">Hot Air</a>)</p>
|
National Poll: Trump Drops Like A Rock
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/3142/national-poll-trump-drops-rock-aaron-bandler
|
2016-02-04
| 0right
|
National Poll: Trump Drops Like A Rock
<p>The latest <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/02/04/shock-ppp-national-poll-trump-25-cruz-21-rubio-21/" type="external">national poll</a> shows real estate mogul Donald Trump sinking fast, and reflects that the GOP primary is now a three-man race.</p>
<p>Notable takeaways from the Public Policy Polling survey:</p>
<p>Trump nosedives in <a href="https://twitter.com/ppppolls" type="external">@ppppolls</a> national survey: Trump 25 (-9) Rubio 21 (+8) Cruz 21 (+3) <a href="https://t.co/pk73CmpSsn" type="external">https://t.co/pk73CmpSsn</a></p>
<p>GOP National 3-way race (PPP): Rubio 34% Trump 33% Cruz 25% Rubio also leads Trump and Cruz one-on-one now.</p>
<p>In the head-to-head matchups, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) leads Trump 52 percent to 40 percent, and leads Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) 46 percent to 40 percent. Rubio also has a favorability rating of 64 percent, tying him with Dr. Ben Carson as the most popular candidate in the field. Cruz does lead among second choice voters at 20 percent, with Rubio at 15 percent, although 21 percent are undecided on their second choice.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that The New Republic's Nate Cohn has questioned the <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/114682/ppp-polling-methodology-opaque-flawed" type="external">methodology</a> of PPP's polling, and that it remains to be seen if other polls produce results are similar to PPP. National polls don't necessarily reflect state polls, and a lot can change in a week. However, if the PPP poll is accurate, it spells bad news for Trump, and indicates that Rubio is surging.</p>
<p>(h/t: <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/02/04/shock-ppp-national-poll-trump-25-cruz-21-rubio-21/" type="external">Hot Air</a>)</p>
| 7,700 |
<p>In her new book “The Female Brain,” <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/06/MNG3HKAMVO1.DTL&amp;hw=brain&amp;sn=001&amp;sc=1000" type="external">a UCSF neuropsychiatrist writes</a>, “Women have an eight-lane superhighway for processing emotion, while men have a small country road.” Men, however, “have O’Hare Airport as a hub for processing thoughts about sex, where women have the airfield nearby that lands small and private planes.”</p>
<p>SF Chronicle:</p>
<p>Louann Brizendine’s feminist ideals were forged in the 1970s, so the UCSF neuropsychiatrist is aware that some parts of her new book, “The Female Brain,” sound politically incorrect.</p>
<p>Such as the part about how a financially independent woman may talk about finding a soul mate, but when she meets a prospective mate her brain is subconsciously sizing up his portfolio. Or the part describing the withdrawal pains moms feel when they return to work and can no longer cop a hormonal high from breast-feeding their babies.</p>
<p />
<p>Women have come a long way toward equality over the past 50 years, but the Yale-trained Brizendine, 53, says her research indicates that human brains are still wired for Stone Age necessities.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/06/MNG3HKAMVO1.DTL&amp;hw=brain&amp;sn=001&amp;sc=1000" type="external">Link</a></p>
|
Researcher: Men's and Women's Brains Wired Differently
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/researcher-mens-and-womens-brains-wired-differently/
|
2006-08-13
| 4left
|
Researcher: Men's and Women's Brains Wired Differently
<p>In her new book “The Female Brain,” <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/06/MNG3HKAMVO1.DTL&amp;hw=brain&amp;sn=001&amp;sc=1000" type="external">a UCSF neuropsychiatrist writes</a>, “Women have an eight-lane superhighway for processing emotion, while men have a small country road.” Men, however, “have O’Hare Airport as a hub for processing thoughts about sex, where women have the airfield nearby that lands small and private planes.”</p>
<p>SF Chronicle:</p>
<p>Louann Brizendine’s feminist ideals were forged in the 1970s, so the UCSF neuropsychiatrist is aware that some parts of her new book, “The Female Brain,” sound politically incorrect.</p>
<p>Such as the part about how a financially independent woman may talk about finding a soul mate, but when she meets a prospective mate her brain is subconsciously sizing up his portfolio. Or the part describing the withdrawal pains moms feel when they return to work and can no longer cop a hormonal high from breast-feeding their babies.</p>
<p />
<p>Women have come a long way toward equality over the past 50 years, but the Yale-trained Brizendine, 53, says her research indicates that human brains are still wired for Stone Age necessities.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/06/MNG3HKAMVO1.DTL&amp;hw=brain&amp;sn=001&amp;sc=1000" type="external">Link</a></p>
| 7,701 |
<p>Jan. 25 (UPI) — ERAPSCO has been awarded a contract for engineering support for the Navy’s underwater active sonobuoys.</p>
<p>The deal, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $9.6 million under the terms of a cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery and is a modification on a previously awarded contract.</p>
<p>The contract taps ERAPSCO for the procurement of engineering support services, along with other design and development efforts for multiple ping sonobuoy qualification and testing.</p>
<p>The U.S. Navy has long maintained an anti-submarine warfare capability that is used to detect, identify and track hostile submarines. The Navy uses three different types of sonobuoys to find and track submarines that may be lurking beneath the water.</p>
<p>Passive sonobuoys listen for the energy or sound produced by a submarine, active sonobuoys send a “ping” into the water in the hope of generating an echo from a potential hostile submarine and special purpose buoys provide amplifying information to radar technicians and intelligence analysts by collecting data on water temperature and ambient noise, according to the Navy.</p>
<p>Work on the contract will occur in DeLeon Springs, Fla., and Columbia City, Ind., and is expected to be completed in January 2021.</p>
<p>More than $1.7 million will be obligated to ERAPSCO at the time of award from the Navy’s fiscal year 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds, and the funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.</p>
|
Navy turns to ERAPSCO for sonobuoy support
| false |
https://newsline.com/navy-turns-to-erapsco-for-sonobuoy-support/
|
2018-01-26
| 1right-center
|
Navy turns to ERAPSCO for sonobuoy support
<p>Jan. 25 (UPI) — ERAPSCO has been awarded a contract for engineering support for the Navy’s underwater active sonobuoys.</p>
<p>The deal, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $9.6 million under the terms of a cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery and is a modification on a previously awarded contract.</p>
<p>The contract taps ERAPSCO for the procurement of engineering support services, along with other design and development efforts for multiple ping sonobuoy qualification and testing.</p>
<p>The U.S. Navy has long maintained an anti-submarine warfare capability that is used to detect, identify and track hostile submarines. The Navy uses three different types of sonobuoys to find and track submarines that may be lurking beneath the water.</p>
<p>Passive sonobuoys listen for the energy or sound produced by a submarine, active sonobuoys send a “ping” into the water in the hope of generating an echo from a potential hostile submarine and special purpose buoys provide amplifying information to radar technicians and intelligence analysts by collecting data on water temperature and ambient noise, according to the Navy.</p>
<p>Work on the contract will occur in DeLeon Springs, Fla., and Columbia City, Ind., and is expected to be completed in January 2021.</p>
<p>More than $1.7 million will be obligated to ERAPSCO at the time of award from the Navy’s fiscal year 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds, and the funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.</p>
| 7,702 |
<p>LONDON (AP) — A former Chelsea youth team coach has denied allegations that he subjected players to racist and other abuse.</p>
<p>The Guardian newspaper’s website reported on Friday that three former youth team players at Chelsea have launched legal claims against the west London club as a result of their treatment during the 1990s by former coach Graham Rix and ex-scout Gwyn Williams.</p>
<p>Eddie Johns, a lawyer representing Rix and Williams, says “our clients deny all and any allegations of racial or other abuse.”</p>
<p>Johns adds that police have already investigated the allegations and “did not consider there was sufficient evidence even to report it to the Crown Prosecution Service.”</p>
<p>According to Johns, Rix and Williams “are cooperating fully” with the Football Association on the matter.</p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — A former Chelsea youth team coach has denied allegations that he subjected players to racist and other abuse.</p>
<p>The Guardian newspaper’s website reported on Friday that three former youth team players at Chelsea have launched legal claims against the west London club as a result of their treatment during the 1990s by former coach Graham Rix and ex-scout Gwyn Williams.</p>
<p>Eddie Johns, a lawyer representing Rix and Williams, says “our clients deny all and any allegations of racial or other abuse.”</p>
<p>Johns adds that police have already investigated the allegations and “did not consider there was sufficient evidence even to report it to the Crown Prosecution Service.”</p>
<p>According to Johns, Rix and Williams “are cooperating fully” with the Football Association on the matter.</p>
|
Former Chelsea coach denies claims of racism toward players
| false |
https://apnews.com/2572d6263a294bac93f6057827c3b6b1
|
2018-01-12
| 2least
|
Former Chelsea coach denies claims of racism toward players
<p>LONDON (AP) — A former Chelsea youth team coach has denied allegations that he subjected players to racist and other abuse.</p>
<p>The Guardian newspaper’s website reported on Friday that three former youth team players at Chelsea have launched legal claims against the west London club as a result of their treatment during the 1990s by former coach Graham Rix and ex-scout Gwyn Williams.</p>
<p>Eddie Johns, a lawyer representing Rix and Williams, says “our clients deny all and any allegations of racial or other abuse.”</p>
<p>Johns adds that police have already investigated the allegations and “did not consider there was sufficient evidence even to report it to the Crown Prosecution Service.”</p>
<p>According to Johns, Rix and Williams “are cooperating fully” with the Football Association on the matter.</p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — A former Chelsea youth team coach has denied allegations that he subjected players to racist and other abuse.</p>
<p>The Guardian newspaper’s website reported on Friday that three former youth team players at Chelsea have launched legal claims against the west London club as a result of their treatment during the 1990s by former coach Graham Rix and ex-scout Gwyn Williams.</p>
<p>Eddie Johns, a lawyer representing Rix and Williams, says “our clients deny all and any allegations of racial or other abuse.”</p>
<p>Johns adds that police have already investigated the allegations and “did not consider there was sufficient evidence even to report it to the Crown Prosecution Service.”</p>
<p>According to Johns, Rix and Williams “are cooperating fully” with the Football Association on the matter.</p>
| 7,703 |
<p>GW Pharmaceuticals reported a favorable result last week in a phase 3 trial of Sativex involving 177 patients with severe cancer pain who were not getting adequate relief from opiates. Sativex is a cannabis-plant extract containing approximately equal concentrations of THC and CBD (cannabidiol). Patients in the study continued taking morphine and added either Sativex, a placebo, or another plant extract high in THC (all sprayed into the mouth). Some 40% of the patients taking Sativex reported pain reduction of 30% or more -significantly more relief than the placebo or the high-THC extract provided. The oft-repeated myth that Marinol (synthetic THC) contains the active ingredient of marijuana is dispelled by this and other studies showing that CBD plays a beneficial role. GW’s application to market Sativex has been denied, to date, by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA, the British equivalent of the FDA). GW submitted data from clinical trials showing that Sativex reduced spasticity, but in December ’04 the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), an advisory body to the MHRA, questioned the “clinical relevance” of the reduced spasticity (its meaning to the patients, a fuzzy concept) and required a confirmatory study.</p>
<p>GW is carrying out the extra study and also appealing the denial to the Medicines Commission, the senior advisory body to the MHRA. Several of the doctors who conducted the trials have expressed dismay towards the CSM. Professor Derick Wade, Professor in Neurological Rehabilitation, University of Oxford, and clinical expert on MS for the National Institute of Clinical Excellence National Clinical Guideline on management of MS, said, “I have treated more than 60 patients in clinical trials with Sativex. We have seen improvements in spasticity, and in other symptoms, usually sustained for many months. For patients, relief of spasticity is, like relief of pain, a substantial benefit in its own right. Many of those involved in the studies had already tried all other available treatments and so I believe Sativex is a valuable treatment option for people with MS whose spasticity is not yet adequately controlled.”</p>
<p>Is GW Pharmaceutical getting the kind of runaround from British regulatory authorities that Americans interested in cannabis-based medicine get from NIDA, the DEA and HHS? Geoffrey Guy remarked our astonishment back in ’98 when he said he’d been granted a license by the Home Office to grow cannabis, develop extracts with different cannabinoid ratios, and test them in clinical trials. The British government would treat him fairly, he reassured us. He had no doubt about it. There were hoops that had to be jumped through -purity, consistency, etc.- but he was a successful pharmaceutical entrepreneur and it was all do-able.</p>
<p>With every passing day that GW fails to get approval to market Sativex, our old cynicism towards the British government is restored. Recently it was revealed that an influential psychiatrist named Stuart Montgomery, a member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, had advised Pfizer how to rewrite their application for Zoloft and held off becoming a paid consultant until after the approval had gone through (so he wouldn’t be disqualified). The more power Pfizer et al have over the regulators, the longer the runaround for GW.</p>
<p>She Was Hip All Along</p>
<p>The actress who played the pot-dealing seductress in Reefer Madness, Thelma White died last week in Los Angeles at the age of 94. She recognized the falseness of the film in front and didn’t want to appear in it, but the studio owned her. Her AP obit was poignant and informative.</p>
<p>“Ms. White played a hard-boiled blonde named Mae who peddles ‘demon weed’ to unsuspecting young people in ‘Reefer Madness,’ a low-budget cautionary tale written by a religious group. In the film, she lures high school students to her apartment for sex and drugs, turning them into addicts who shoot their girlfriends, run over pedestrians and go insane.</p>
<p>“A musical and comedy actress who made more than 40 movies, Ms. White was horrified when RKO Studios picked her for the antidrug film. But because of her contract, she had little choice but to accept the role.</p>
<p>” ‘I’m ashamed to say that it’s the only one of my films that’s become a classic,’ she told The Los Angeles Times in an interview in 1987. ‘I hide my head when I think about it.’</p>
<p>“Born Thelma Wolpa in Lincoln, Neb., in 1910, Ms. White was a carnival performer as a toddler before moving on to vaudeville, radio and movies.</p>
<p>” ‘Reefer Madness'” was destined for obscurity, but in 1972, Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, discovered it in the Library of Congress archives, bought a print and screened it at a New York benefit.</p>
<p>“Robert Shaye, founder of New Line Cinema, saw the film and recognized its appeal as an unintentional parody. He re-released it through his then-fledgling company, holding midnight showings.</p>
<p>“Ms. White twice saw an off-Broadway musical that spoofed the movie. The musical ‘was campy and over the top, and she loved it,'” according to her godson, her sole survivor.</p>
<p>I didn’t know that Keith Stroup rediscovered Reefer Madness, and that it helped transform New Line Cinema (from a small company that booked speakers for college events) into a major movie distributor. Nor did I know that a religious group wrote the inane flick; the credits name two Hollywood professionals who mostly turned out B- westerns.</p>
<p>According to Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney, authors of the latter-day musical that Ms White enjoyed, “Reefer Madness began its cinematic life as a 1936 cautionary film entitled ‘Tell Your Children.’ It was financed by a small church group, and was intended to scare the living bejeezus out of every parent who viewed it. Soon after the film was shot, however, it was purchased by the notorious exploitation film maestro Dwain Esper (Narcotic, Marihuana, Maniac), who took the liberty of cutting in salacious insert shots and slapping on the sexier title of Reefer Madness, before distributing it on the exploitation circuit. Esper was an absolutely notorious figure who would do things like stealing unattended prints of studio films out of projection booths and film exchanges, and then physically drive them from small town exhibitor to small town exhibitor until the authorities caught up with him. A delightful, poignant and detailed portrayal of this lunatic opportunist is featured in exploiteer Dave Friedman’s autobiography, A Youth in Babylon, which is a book every cult movie or pop culture enthusiast ought to read.</p>
<p>“After a brief run, the film lay forgotten for several decades. There was no concept of after market in those days, especially for films that existed outside the confines of the studio system. For this reason, neither Esper nor the original filmmakers bothered to copyright the movie, and it eventually fell into the public domain.”</p>
<p>Murphy and Studney got their info mainly from White herself and documentary maker Ray Greene, whose films include “Schlock!”</p>
<p>We have yet to identify the “small church group” that financed “Tell Your Children.” Pothead lore has it that Reefer Madness was made in concert with a campaign to impose federal marijuana prohibition led by Harry Anslinger, the commissioner of the Bureau of Narcotics, who manipulated the media and understood the influence of Hollywood. The “Reefer Madness” line jibes perfectly with Anslinger’s. “Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death,” he told Congress in ’37. They believed him and we are still feeling the consequences.</p>
<p>There is a movie to be made about the making of Reefer Madness–a musical. Woody Harrelson, maybe, could play Anslinger (then about 40). But who could play alienated, musical Thelma White?</p>
<p>FRED GARDNER can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a> FRED GARDNER can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
|
Is GW Getting the Runaround?
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2005/01/22/is-gw-getting-the-runaround/
|
2005-01-22
| 4left
|
Is GW Getting the Runaround?
<p>GW Pharmaceuticals reported a favorable result last week in a phase 3 trial of Sativex involving 177 patients with severe cancer pain who were not getting adequate relief from opiates. Sativex is a cannabis-plant extract containing approximately equal concentrations of THC and CBD (cannabidiol). Patients in the study continued taking morphine and added either Sativex, a placebo, or another plant extract high in THC (all sprayed into the mouth). Some 40% of the patients taking Sativex reported pain reduction of 30% or more -significantly more relief than the placebo or the high-THC extract provided. The oft-repeated myth that Marinol (synthetic THC) contains the active ingredient of marijuana is dispelled by this and other studies showing that CBD plays a beneficial role. GW’s application to market Sativex has been denied, to date, by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA, the British equivalent of the FDA). GW submitted data from clinical trials showing that Sativex reduced spasticity, but in December ’04 the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), an advisory body to the MHRA, questioned the “clinical relevance” of the reduced spasticity (its meaning to the patients, a fuzzy concept) and required a confirmatory study.</p>
<p>GW is carrying out the extra study and also appealing the denial to the Medicines Commission, the senior advisory body to the MHRA. Several of the doctors who conducted the trials have expressed dismay towards the CSM. Professor Derick Wade, Professor in Neurological Rehabilitation, University of Oxford, and clinical expert on MS for the National Institute of Clinical Excellence National Clinical Guideline on management of MS, said, “I have treated more than 60 patients in clinical trials with Sativex. We have seen improvements in spasticity, and in other symptoms, usually sustained for many months. For patients, relief of spasticity is, like relief of pain, a substantial benefit in its own right. Many of those involved in the studies had already tried all other available treatments and so I believe Sativex is a valuable treatment option for people with MS whose spasticity is not yet adequately controlled.”</p>
<p>Is GW Pharmaceutical getting the kind of runaround from British regulatory authorities that Americans interested in cannabis-based medicine get from NIDA, the DEA and HHS? Geoffrey Guy remarked our astonishment back in ’98 when he said he’d been granted a license by the Home Office to grow cannabis, develop extracts with different cannabinoid ratios, and test them in clinical trials. The British government would treat him fairly, he reassured us. He had no doubt about it. There were hoops that had to be jumped through -purity, consistency, etc.- but he was a successful pharmaceutical entrepreneur and it was all do-able.</p>
<p>With every passing day that GW fails to get approval to market Sativex, our old cynicism towards the British government is restored. Recently it was revealed that an influential psychiatrist named Stuart Montgomery, a member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, had advised Pfizer how to rewrite their application for Zoloft and held off becoming a paid consultant until after the approval had gone through (so he wouldn’t be disqualified). The more power Pfizer et al have over the regulators, the longer the runaround for GW.</p>
<p>She Was Hip All Along</p>
<p>The actress who played the pot-dealing seductress in Reefer Madness, Thelma White died last week in Los Angeles at the age of 94. She recognized the falseness of the film in front and didn’t want to appear in it, but the studio owned her. Her AP obit was poignant and informative.</p>
<p>“Ms. White played a hard-boiled blonde named Mae who peddles ‘demon weed’ to unsuspecting young people in ‘Reefer Madness,’ a low-budget cautionary tale written by a religious group. In the film, she lures high school students to her apartment for sex and drugs, turning them into addicts who shoot their girlfriends, run over pedestrians and go insane.</p>
<p>“A musical and comedy actress who made more than 40 movies, Ms. White was horrified when RKO Studios picked her for the antidrug film. But because of her contract, she had little choice but to accept the role.</p>
<p>” ‘I’m ashamed to say that it’s the only one of my films that’s become a classic,’ she told The Los Angeles Times in an interview in 1987. ‘I hide my head when I think about it.’</p>
<p>“Born Thelma Wolpa in Lincoln, Neb., in 1910, Ms. White was a carnival performer as a toddler before moving on to vaudeville, radio and movies.</p>
<p>” ‘Reefer Madness'” was destined for obscurity, but in 1972, Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, discovered it in the Library of Congress archives, bought a print and screened it at a New York benefit.</p>
<p>“Robert Shaye, founder of New Line Cinema, saw the film and recognized its appeal as an unintentional parody. He re-released it through his then-fledgling company, holding midnight showings.</p>
<p>“Ms. White twice saw an off-Broadway musical that spoofed the movie. The musical ‘was campy and over the top, and she loved it,'” according to her godson, her sole survivor.</p>
<p>I didn’t know that Keith Stroup rediscovered Reefer Madness, and that it helped transform New Line Cinema (from a small company that booked speakers for college events) into a major movie distributor. Nor did I know that a religious group wrote the inane flick; the credits name two Hollywood professionals who mostly turned out B- westerns.</p>
<p>According to Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney, authors of the latter-day musical that Ms White enjoyed, “Reefer Madness began its cinematic life as a 1936 cautionary film entitled ‘Tell Your Children.’ It was financed by a small church group, and was intended to scare the living bejeezus out of every parent who viewed it. Soon after the film was shot, however, it was purchased by the notorious exploitation film maestro Dwain Esper (Narcotic, Marihuana, Maniac), who took the liberty of cutting in salacious insert shots and slapping on the sexier title of Reefer Madness, before distributing it on the exploitation circuit. Esper was an absolutely notorious figure who would do things like stealing unattended prints of studio films out of projection booths and film exchanges, and then physically drive them from small town exhibitor to small town exhibitor until the authorities caught up with him. A delightful, poignant and detailed portrayal of this lunatic opportunist is featured in exploiteer Dave Friedman’s autobiography, A Youth in Babylon, which is a book every cult movie or pop culture enthusiast ought to read.</p>
<p>“After a brief run, the film lay forgotten for several decades. There was no concept of after market in those days, especially for films that existed outside the confines of the studio system. For this reason, neither Esper nor the original filmmakers bothered to copyright the movie, and it eventually fell into the public domain.”</p>
<p>Murphy and Studney got their info mainly from White herself and documentary maker Ray Greene, whose films include “Schlock!”</p>
<p>We have yet to identify the “small church group” that financed “Tell Your Children.” Pothead lore has it that Reefer Madness was made in concert with a campaign to impose federal marijuana prohibition led by Harry Anslinger, the commissioner of the Bureau of Narcotics, who manipulated the media and understood the influence of Hollywood. The “Reefer Madness” line jibes perfectly with Anslinger’s. “Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death,” he told Congress in ’37. They believed him and we are still feeling the consequences.</p>
<p>There is a movie to be made about the making of Reefer Madness–a musical. Woody Harrelson, maybe, could play Anslinger (then about 40). But who could play alienated, musical Thelma White?</p>
<p>FRED GARDNER can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a> FRED GARDNER can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
| 7,704 |
<p>Julian Assange’s attorney was found dead, and the WikiLeaks founder thinks he knows why his lawyer met a mysterious and untimely demise.</p>
<p>News of the death of the internationally renowned attorney, John Jones, sparked conspiracy theories about his death being murder almost instantly. Some political watchers are certain the attorney’s shocking and supposed suicide is linked to Julian Assange’s vow to expose all of the skeletons in the Clinton closet and to reveal the corrupt inner-working of the Democrat Party.</p>
<p />
<p>John Jones, 48, was run over by a train in North London and killed instantly. His death has been ruled a suicide by British police. He was regarded as one of the country’s top human rights attorneys.</p>
<p>The speculation about&#160;John Jones’s&#160;death has been fueled at least in part by a “death threat” uttered by liberal commentator, Bob Beckel, on live television.</p>
<p>Bob Beckel grew agitated about the WikiLeaks investigation into Hillary Clinton and the DNC and ultimately shouted that somebody should “just kill the son of a b***h!”</p>
<p>Julian Assange is reportedly planning to reveal an “October Surprise” leak of material, which could crush Hillary’s run for the White House—and put her behind bars.</p>
<p>The North London police are not treating Jones’s death as suspicious.</p>
<p>Jones, who has worked on a plethora of high profile human rights cases, also reportedly worked on the same legal team as actor George Clooney’s wife Amal.</p>
<p>Jones specialized in legal cases involving extradition issues, war crimes, and counter-terrorism.</p>
<p>Do you think the death of Julian Assange’s attorney, John Jones, was a suicide, or could it be simply be another name added to the body count of people linked to the Clintons who died both suddenly and unexpectedly?</p>
<p><a href="https://theangrypatriot.leadpages.co/leadbox/142039e73f72a2%3A112599585346dc/5702666986455040/" type="external">Click here to get my DAILY Trump email newsletter free!!</a></p>
<p>Please share this story on Facebook and tell us what you think because OUR voice is YOUR voice! You can also reach out to me on Twitter at&#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_SgtFreefall" type="external">@AP_SgtFreefall</a> to discuss this story.</p>
|
BREAKING – WikiLeaks Julian Assange Lawyer FOUND DEAD, Assange Exposes The TRUTH!
| true |
http://angrypatriotmovement.com/julian-assange-lawyer-found/
| 0right
|
BREAKING – WikiLeaks Julian Assange Lawyer FOUND DEAD, Assange Exposes The TRUTH!
<p>Julian Assange’s attorney was found dead, and the WikiLeaks founder thinks he knows why his lawyer met a mysterious and untimely demise.</p>
<p>News of the death of the internationally renowned attorney, John Jones, sparked conspiracy theories about his death being murder almost instantly. Some political watchers are certain the attorney’s shocking and supposed suicide is linked to Julian Assange’s vow to expose all of the skeletons in the Clinton closet and to reveal the corrupt inner-working of the Democrat Party.</p>
<p />
<p>John Jones, 48, was run over by a train in North London and killed instantly. His death has been ruled a suicide by British police. He was regarded as one of the country’s top human rights attorneys.</p>
<p>The speculation about&#160;John Jones’s&#160;death has been fueled at least in part by a “death threat” uttered by liberal commentator, Bob Beckel, on live television.</p>
<p>Bob Beckel grew agitated about the WikiLeaks investigation into Hillary Clinton and the DNC and ultimately shouted that somebody should “just kill the son of a b***h!”</p>
<p>Julian Assange is reportedly planning to reveal an “October Surprise” leak of material, which could crush Hillary’s run for the White House—and put her behind bars.</p>
<p>The North London police are not treating Jones’s death as suspicious.</p>
<p>Jones, who has worked on a plethora of high profile human rights cases, also reportedly worked on the same legal team as actor George Clooney’s wife Amal.</p>
<p>Jones specialized in legal cases involving extradition issues, war crimes, and counter-terrorism.</p>
<p>Do you think the death of Julian Assange’s attorney, John Jones, was a suicide, or could it be simply be another name added to the body count of people linked to the Clintons who died both suddenly and unexpectedly?</p>
<p><a href="https://theangrypatriot.leadpages.co/leadbox/142039e73f72a2%3A112599585346dc/5702666986455040/" type="external">Click here to get my DAILY Trump email newsletter free!!</a></p>
<p>Please share this story on Facebook and tell us what you think because OUR voice is YOUR voice! You can also reach out to me on Twitter at&#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_SgtFreefall" type="external">@AP_SgtFreefall</a> to discuss this story.</p>
| 7,705 |
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<p>MORRISTOWN (NY)NorthJersey.com</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>People knew James Thomas Kelly still burned emotionally after a childhood of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest, but his suicide early Sunday morning nevertheless stunned them.</p>
<p>Ben Cotton, New Jersey director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, described the Morristown resident as a caring "brother in survival" who volunteered to tell his story about abuse at the hands of a Mendham priest.</p>
<p>The news that the 37-year-old Kelly stepped in front of an NJ Transit train just west of the Morristown station was a complete surprise.</p>
<p>"It was more than a shock," Cotton said. "It goes to show the urgency of how much pain people who endure sex abuse as children live with. I'm sorry Jim could no longer manage that pain."</p>
<p>Kelly spent a lot of time helping others address their emotional scars. He helped start a chapter of SNAP, working with other people who said they were abused as children by the Rev. James T. Hanley, a Roman Catholic priest at St. Joseph's Church in Mendham.</p>
<p>Hanley, who retired in the 1980s, was never charged with any crimes, but the diocese removed him from the priesthood earlier this year. The Paterson resident has never publicly responded to the allegations.</p>
|
Suicide of abuse victim 'a shock'
| false |
https://poynter.org/news/suicide-abuse-victim-shock
|
2003-10-15
| 2least
|
Suicide of abuse victim 'a shock'
<p>MORRISTOWN (NY)NorthJersey.com</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>People knew James Thomas Kelly still burned emotionally after a childhood of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest, but his suicide early Sunday morning nevertheless stunned them.</p>
<p>Ben Cotton, New Jersey director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, described the Morristown resident as a caring "brother in survival" who volunteered to tell his story about abuse at the hands of a Mendham priest.</p>
<p>The news that the 37-year-old Kelly stepped in front of an NJ Transit train just west of the Morristown station was a complete surprise.</p>
<p>"It was more than a shock," Cotton said. "It goes to show the urgency of how much pain people who endure sex abuse as children live with. I'm sorry Jim could no longer manage that pain."</p>
<p>Kelly spent a lot of time helping others address their emotional scars. He helped start a chapter of SNAP, working with other people who said they were abused as children by the Rev. James T. Hanley, a Roman Catholic priest at St. Joseph's Church in Mendham.</p>
<p>Hanley, who retired in the 1980s, was never charged with any crimes, but the diocese removed him from the priesthood earlier this year. The Paterson resident has never publicly responded to the allegations.</p>
| 7,706 |
<p>Greg Nelson (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)</p>
<p>Every town seems to have “that house.” You know, the one where the residents GO NUTS decorating for the holidays.</p>
<p>In Washington, it could well be the 1609 16th St., N.W. home of Greg Nelson and Jose Cunningham. If you frequent the area, you probably know it — it’s the one next to Church of the Holy City that’s always decked out in wildly extravagant lawn decor no matter the holiday.</p>
<p>And, of course, Halloween is one of the biggies. Nelson, the self-described “Mr. Holiday,” started going all out about nine years ago and says that while Christmas is his favorite (“because it’s truly the most wonderful time of the year”), Halloween and Easter aren’t far behind. He also says he’d put money on the fact that he has the largest collection of red, white and blue bunting and USA stick flags in the city.</p>
<p>Nelson stores the massive collection in his basement and garage. Each holiday has its own color-coded plastic bins. The most common comments he hears are, “Thank you for bringing joy to the neighborhood,” “This is so cool,” “What is this place” and “Where do you store all this stuff?”</p>
<p>Cunningham, he says, is supportive and looks at it as Nelson’s hobby while he has his own.</p>
<p>Nelson, 47, came to Washington 21 years ago for work. The Minneapolis native works by day as a marketing consultant. He enjoys cooking, mixology, holiday decorating (of course!) and walking his dog Arbo in his free time.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?</p>
<p>Twenty-six years. My father.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Who’s your LGBT hero?</p>
<p>Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) the first member of Congress to permanently display the Pride flag outside his office in the Cannon House Office Building.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?&#160;</p>
<p>I am the wrong person to ask. I met my partner three hours after moving to D.C., and while we often eat out and dine with friends, we don’t go to bars and tend to be in bed by 10 p.m. every night.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Describe your dream wedding.</p>
<p>“Getz, Gershwin &amp; Gaynor.” Creative black &amp; white attire, private ceremony, followed by the best theme music of the decade. Opening with “Signature Cocktails &amp; Bossa Nova,” followed by “Farm to Table Menu &amp; American Standards,” ending with “Dessert &amp; Disco.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?</p>
<p>Criminal justice reform</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What historical outcome would you change?</p>
<p>My first relationship and his subsequent involvement with serial killer Andrew Cunanan.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?</p>
<p>The death of Princess Diana.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>On what do you insist?</p>
<p>Treating people with respect. Don’t say you aren’t judgmental if you only listen to one side of the story. People who assume without knowing all the facts or the reasons why people are the way they are should think twice before throwing stones from their own glass houses.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?</p>
<p>Life lesson learned while on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky this weekend: “I like my bourbon straight, but my friends can go either way.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If your life were a book, what would the title be?</p>
<p>“Life is better with a THEME”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? &#160;</p>
<p>Read that news article in the Washington Post and then head to the dog park for my morning walk. In other words, nothing at all.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What do you believe in beyond the physical world?&#160;</p>
<p>That all dogs go to heaven.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?</p>
<p>Have an open mind about stopping the tribal partisanship between Democrats and Republicans. I know that is much easier said than done. However, I also know first-hand, misconceptions exist on both sides. Please take a minute and attempt to listen to one another as individuals before making broad, sweeping generalizations just on the basis of political affiliation and sexual orientation.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What would you walk across hot coals for?</p>
<p>My Labradoodle, Arbo.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?</p>
<p>That all gay men have a flair for style and interior decorating.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s your favorite LGBT movie?</p>
<p>“The Normal Heart”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s the most overrated social custom?</p>
<p>Presidential turkey pardons.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What trophy or prize do you most covet?</p>
<p>The original recipe card for my mother’s Swedish meatballs. They are delicious and award winning.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What do you wish you’d known at 18?</p>
<p>You will have friends for seasons, friends for reasons and friends for life. Have fun, love and laugh with others but don’t be disappointed or angry when friendships end. Find wisdom behind the reasons why some friends have enriched your life, while others have brought you disappointment. But most importantly cherish, love and show gratitude to the individuals who have stood by you and helped to clean up your life messes, because those are the individuals that are your true friends and matter the most.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Why Washington?</p>
<p>It is the only place in America where you can never have too much bunting or too many flags.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Church of the Holy City</a> <a href="" type="internal">Greg Nelson</a> <a href="" type="internal">Halloween</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jose Cunningham</a></p>
|
QUEERY: Greg Nelson
| false |
http://washingtonblade.com/2017/10/25/queery-greg-nelson/
| 3left-center
|
QUEERY: Greg Nelson
<p>Greg Nelson (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)</p>
<p>Every town seems to have “that house.” You know, the one where the residents GO NUTS decorating for the holidays.</p>
<p>In Washington, it could well be the 1609 16th St., N.W. home of Greg Nelson and Jose Cunningham. If you frequent the area, you probably know it — it’s the one next to Church of the Holy City that’s always decked out in wildly extravagant lawn decor no matter the holiday.</p>
<p>And, of course, Halloween is one of the biggies. Nelson, the self-described “Mr. Holiday,” started going all out about nine years ago and says that while Christmas is his favorite (“because it’s truly the most wonderful time of the year”), Halloween and Easter aren’t far behind. He also says he’d put money on the fact that he has the largest collection of red, white and blue bunting and USA stick flags in the city.</p>
<p>Nelson stores the massive collection in his basement and garage. Each holiday has its own color-coded plastic bins. The most common comments he hears are, “Thank you for bringing joy to the neighborhood,” “This is so cool,” “What is this place” and “Where do you store all this stuff?”</p>
<p>Cunningham, he says, is supportive and looks at it as Nelson’s hobby while he has his own.</p>
<p>Nelson, 47, came to Washington 21 years ago for work. The Minneapolis native works by day as a marketing consultant. He enjoys cooking, mixology, holiday decorating (of course!) and walking his dog Arbo in his free time.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?</p>
<p>Twenty-six years. My father.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Who’s your LGBT hero?</p>
<p>Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) the first member of Congress to permanently display the Pride flag outside his office in the Cannon House Office Building.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?&#160;</p>
<p>I am the wrong person to ask. I met my partner three hours after moving to D.C., and while we often eat out and dine with friends, we don’t go to bars and tend to be in bed by 10 p.m. every night.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Describe your dream wedding.</p>
<p>“Getz, Gershwin &amp; Gaynor.” Creative black &amp; white attire, private ceremony, followed by the best theme music of the decade. Opening with “Signature Cocktails &amp; Bossa Nova,” followed by “Farm to Table Menu &amp; American Standards,” ending with “Dessert &amp; Disco.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?</p>
<p>Criminal justice reform</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What historical outcome would you change?</p>
<p>My first relationship and his subsequent involvement with serial killer Andrew Cunanan.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?</p>
<p>The death of Princess Diana.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>On what do you insist?</p>
<p>Treating people with respect. Don’t say you aren’t judgmental if you only listen to one side of the story. People who assume without knowing all the facts or the reasons why people are the way they are should think twice before throwing stones from their own glass houses.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?</p>
<p>Life lesson learned while on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky this weekend: “I like my bourbon straight, but my friends can go either way.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If your life were a book, what would the title be?</p>
<p>“Life is better with a THEME”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? &#160;</p>
<p>Read that news article in the Washington Post and then head to the dog park for my morning walk. In other words, nothing at all.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What do you believe in beyond the physical world?&#160;</p>
<p>That all dogs go to heaven.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?</p>
<p>Have an open mind about stopping the tribal partisanship between Democrats and Republicans. I know that is much easier said than done. However, I also know first-hand, misconceptions exist on both sides. Please take a minute and attempt to listen to one another as individuals before making broad, sweeping generalizations just on the basis of political affiliation and sexual orientation.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What would you walk across hot coals for?</p>
<p>My Labradoodle, Arbo.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?</p>
<p>That all gay men have a flair for style and interior decorating.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s your favorite LGBT movie?</p>
<p>“The Normal Heart”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What’s the most overrated social custom?</p>
<p>Presidential turkey pardons.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What trophy or prize do you most covet?</p>
<p>The original recipe card for my mother’s Swedish meatballs. They are delicious and award winning.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>What do you wish you’d known at 18?</p>
<p>You will have friends for seasons, friends for reasons and friends for life. Have fun, love and laugh with others but don’t be disappointed or angry when friendships end. Find wisdom behind the reasons why some friends have enriched your life, while others have brought you disappointment. But most importantly cherish, love and show gratitude to the individuals who have stood by you and helped to clean up your life messes, because those are the individuals that are your true friends and matter the most.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Why Washington?</p>
<p>It is the only place in America where you can never have too much bunting or too many flags.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Church of the Holy City</a> <a href="" type="internal">Greg Nelson</a> <a href="" type="internal">Halloween</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jose Cunningham</a></p>
| 7,707 |
|
<p>Rufus Gifford has launched a bid for Congress. (Photo via YouTube)</p>
<p>A gay Democrat who served President Obama as a fundraiser for his presidential campaigns and as U.S. ambassador to Denmark has a launched a campaign to run for Congress.</p>
<p>In a video message Monday, Rufus Gifford declared his bid to represent Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House.</p>
<p>“Like so many of you, I woke up a year ago shocked and heartbroken by the election of Donald Trump,” Gifford says. “As someone who worked for President Obama for 10 years, helping elect him twice and implement his policies, the idea that that profound legacy was at risk on health care, on climate, on equality, that was devastating for me.”</p>
<p>During the second term of the Obama administration, Gifford was appointed and confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Denmark, making him one of seven openly gay ambassadors during the Obama years.</p>
<p>“During my time as ambassador it was my desire to get out from behind my desk, humanize our work, tear down the walls, listen, ask questions and encourage people to engage,” Gifford says. “The groups of people that started to show up, people who had never thought about public service before, that was amazing to me.”</p>
<p>Prior to his role as U.S. ambassador, Gifford worked in Los Angeles in finance for the entertainment industry. In 2008, Gifford was a California fundraiser for Obama’s presidential campaign, then became finance director for the Democratic National Committee. In 2012, Gifford was finance director for Obama’s second presidential campaign.</p>
<p>Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district is heavily Democratic. The seat will be open because six-term Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) declared she won’t seek another term next year.</p>
<p>But Gifford faces a crowded field in obtaining the Democratic nomination to run in the general election. Among his seven competitors in the race is State Rep. Juana Matias, Westford School committee member Terry Ryan and Troca Hotels Management CEO Abhijit Das.</p>
<p>Gifford is not the only out candidate in the race: Also running is 2014 candidate for Massachusetts lieutenant governor Steve Kerrigan, who’s gay.</p>
<p>Gifford also isn’t the only gay U.S. ambassador during the Obama administration who declared a bid for a congressional seat in the 2018 election. Former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security &amp; Co-operation in Europe Daniel Baer <a href="" type="internal">launched a campaign</a> to run for Congress in Colorado, but <a href="" type="internal">suspended</a> his bid after the incumbent in the seat changed his mind and sought to run for another term.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal">gay congressional candidates</a> <a href="" type="internal">Massachusetts</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rufus Gifford</a> <a href="" type="internal">Steve Kerrigan</a></p>
|
Gay Obama fundraiser, ambassador launches congressional bid
| false |
http://washingtonblade.com/2017/11/13/gay-obama-fundraiser-ambassador-launches-congressional-bid/
| 3left-center
|
Gay Obama fundraiser, ambassador launches congressional bid
<p>Rufus Gifford has launched a bid for Congress. (Photo via YouTube)</p>
<p>A gay Democrat who served President Obama as a fundraiser for his presidential campaigns and as U.S. ambassador to Denmark has a launched a campaign to run for Congress.</p>
<p>In a video message Monday, Rufus Gifford declared his bid to represent Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House.</p>
<p>“Like so many of you, I woke up a year ago shocked and heartbroken by the election of Donald Trump,” Gifford says. “As someone who worked for President Obama for 10 years, helping elect him twice and implement his policies, the idea that that profound legacy was at risk on health care, on climate, on equality, that was devastating for me.”</p>
<p>During the second term of the Obama administration, Gifford was appointed and confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Denmark, making him one of seven openly gay ambassadors during the Obama years.</p>
<p>“During my time as ambassador it was my desire to get out from behind my desk, humanize our work, tear down the walls, listen, ask questions and encourage people to engage,” Gifford says. “The groups of people that started to show up, people who had never thought about public service before, that was amazing to me.”</p>
<p>Prior to his role as U.S. ambassador, Gifford worked in Los Angeles in finance for the entertainment industry. In 2008, Gifford was a California fundraiser for Obama’s presidential campaign, then became finance director for the Democratic National Committee. In 2012, Gifford was finance director for Obama’s second presidential campaign.</p>
<p>Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district is heavily Democratic. The seat will be open because six-term Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) declared she won’t seek another term next year.</p>
<p>But Gifford faces a crowded field in obtaining the Democratic nomination to run in the general election. Among his seven competitors in the race is State Rep. Juana Matias, Westford School committee member Terry Ryan and Troca Hotels Management CEO Abhijit Das.</p>
<p>Gifford is not the only out candidate in the race: Also running is 2014 candidate for Massachusetts lieutenant governor Steve Kerrigan, who’s gay.</p>
<p>Gifford also isn’t the only gay U.S. ambassador during the Obama administration who declared a bid for a congressional seat in the 2018 election. Former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security &amp; Co-operation in Europe Daniel Baer <a href="" type="internal">launched a campaign</a> to run for Congress in Colorado, but <a href="" type="internal">suspended</a> his bid after the incumbent in the seat changed his mind and sought to run for another term.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal">gay congressional candidates</a> <a href="" type="internal">Massachusetts</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rufus Gifford</a> <a href="" type="internal">Steve Kerrigan</a></p>
| 7,708 |
|
<p>Annual colonoscopies, daily medication, periodic flare ups requiring extended treatment and, often, hospitalization. Excessive weight loss, bloody diarrhea, painful cramping, loss of bowel control. This is life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), suffered by 1.4 million Americans and for which there is no cure--only treatment options that sufferers find costly, lacking in efficacy, and with unpleasant, even dangerous, side effects.</p>
<p>I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, one of the types of IBD, when I was 25-years-old. I was in my first year of teaching middle school, often running to the student bathroom at the end of the hall in the middle of class, unable to make it all the way to the staff facilities. After months of seeking medical help, I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn’t stop vomiting and passing bloody diarrhea.</p>
<p>After a week of not being allowed to eat solid food, I received a sigmoidoscopy (similar to a colonoscopy but not as extensive) which confirmed my doctor’s suspicions: I had IBD. For the past 15 years, I have undergone extremely intrusive rectal scopes. I take maintenance medications that often fail, and I’m back to running for the bathroom again. I am at an exponentially higher risk for colon cancer, hence the yearly test. I have tried various holistic treatments such as meditation and aloe pills, but inevitably I experience another flare up.</p>
<p>One particular alternative treatment that is unavailable in my state, yet investigated by a growing number of IBD sufferers, is the medicinal use of cannabis.</p>
<p>During the second half of this decade, medical marijuana is gaining legal ground in the United States. While federally still illegal, many states have passed laws allowing for prescription pot as treatment for a wide variety of illnesses. California lead the charge, legalizing medical marijuana 20 years ago; since that time, medical practices dedicated to the use of cannabis have flourished. <a type="external" href="" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html" type="external">Medical marijuana</a> is now legal in 25 states as well as the District of Columbia. Four of those states, as well as DC, have legalized recreational use. In spite of increased legality, however, official advocacy groups such as the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America are hesitant, if not entirely opposed to endorsing its usage, which is more than likely the result of the still-existent federal ban on medical marijuana.</p>
<p>While weed may be most commonly recognized as an alternative treatment for nausea, particularly for chemotherapy patients, its usage as an anti-inflammatory is gaining ground as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/" type="external">researchers</a> learn about stimulating the body’s naturally-occurring cannabinoid receptors. By studying how cannabinoids relieve nausea and pain, researchers discovered the physiological effects in addition to the known psychoactive properties.</p>
<p>“There are an abundance of cannabinoid receptors in GI tissue, both on immune cells and GI cells, says Dr. Jordan Tishler. “Cannabis has been very effective in inflammatory disorders at treating both the underlying disease as well as the symptoms.” At his Boston-area medical practice, Inhale MD Health and Wellness, the Harvard-educated Dr.Tishler utilizes cannabis to treat his patients for any number of illnesses, both physical and psychological, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).</p>
<p>Inflammatory Bowel Disease, not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a chronic illness that causes inflammation of part or all of the digestive tract. Since there is no cure for IBD, the most that sufferers can hope for is management of symptoms, which include severe diarrhea, nausea, cramping, fatigue, rectal bleeding, malnourishment, weight loss, skin ailments, and eye inflammation. People with IBD experience periods of remission in between often debilitating, even life-threatening, flare-ups.</p>
<p>There are two kinds of IBD: Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the large intestine and rectum, whereas Crohn’s affects the entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus. Conventional medical treatment involves steroids, biologic therapies like Remicade and Humira, and bowel resection or removal--all of which have serious side effects. Often the side effects are just as hard or harder to manage than IBD itself. As many as <a href="http://www.ccfa.org/resources/facts-about-inflammatory.html" type="external">1.4 million Americans</a> suffer from IBD according to the Crohn’s &amp; Colitis Foundation of America, (CCFA) the leading organization in funding and research. Patients are typically diagnosed before reaching the age of 30, which often greatly impacts daily life.</p>
<p>Using cannabis as a treatment, according to Dr. Tishler, is less harmful. “Side effects are real, but I can count the number of patients who’ve failed cannabis therapy due to intolerance of side effects on one hand. Careful regimen planning, patient compliance, and regular follow up, just like with any other medicine, can effectively overcome these issues.”</p>
<p>Dr. Tishler and others who prescribe cannabis seek to minimize the impact IBD has on the daily lives of those who have it. Taking into account the symptoms of each individual patient, Dr. Tishler recommends a range of preparations.</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>“Oral preparations (edibles) give much longer coverage, whereas for intermittent symptoms, I typically prefer vaporized flower,” he said. For those patients requiring additional treatment, he will sometimes combine an oral regimen with vaped flower, the loose leaf form of marijuana versus a concentrate. “As with all medicines, there are risks and benefits to cannabis,” Dr. Tishler said, “and the aim is always to find and use the lowest dose possible to get the best benefit and the fewest side effects.” He also emphasized that a medical regiment vastly differs from a recreational one.</p>
<p>Dr. Rashna Patel is a licensed physician in the state of California who runs her own medical marijuana practice. Known as “ <a href="http://www.drrachnapatel.com/" type="external">The Medical Marijuana Expert,</a>” Dr. Patel treats IBD using cannabis with much success. “I’ve found that it helps [my patients] in a couple of ways,” she said. “It helps reduce abdominal cramping, nausea, and it also helps to stimulate the appetite.” Since IBD sufferers often have issues with weight loss, using cannabis can help with appetite and weight management.</p>
<p>The most recent breakthrough in Crohn’s disease research inadvertently supports cannabis as not just a treatment for symptoms, but for the disease itself. The <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160920151435.htm" type="external">study</a>, conducted by an international team led by Case Western University School of Medicine, found that the fungi and bacteria normally present in the human body have atypical interactions in the body of Crohn’s patients. Additionally, by studying the fecal matter of both healthy and Crohn’s patients in the same family, researchers found that in comparison with the healthy family members, Crohn’s patients had a higher level of two bacteria and one fungus, which worked together to create a slimy, inflammation-causing film in the intestines.</p>
<p>This discovery, combined with the identification of cannabis’ a <a href="http://medireview.com/2014/07/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cbc-the-marijuana-cannabinoid-you-never-heard-of/" type="external">ntifungal and antibacterial properties</a>, has the potential to bring about new treatments and perhaps even ultimately a cure for Crohn’s and other IBD sufferers. By cultivating various strains of cannabinoid with these properties, researchers are attempting to maximize the antifungal and antibacterial properties for both <a href="http://mychronicrelief.com/cannabis-science/cannabinoids/" type="external">topical and internal applications</a>.</p>
<p>But while doctors like Tishler and Patel prescribe medical marijuana to their patients, the Crohn’s &amp; Colitis Foundation has repeatedly cautioned against its usage. In its most recent statement released this month, CCFA spoke more favorably than in the past, but still said, “CCFA does not endorse the use of marijuana in any form by IBD patients, any current state-based medical marijuana programs, or the legalization of marijuana.”</p>
<p>It continues, “CCFA does support the calls by various health organizations urging review of marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance, with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and the potential development of cannabinoid-based medications.” This call for research is a marked change from earlier statements which concluded that there were no compelling reasons to even explore cannabis as a treatment option.</p>
<p>Samantha S., who lives in a non-legal state and is quoted under an assumed name, self-medicates her IBD symptoms with cannabis.</p>
<p>“I’ve used it recreationally for a long time, but I didn’t connect the two until about five years ago, when I realized how it treated my nausea better than anything else,” she says. She also notices the positive effect of cannabis on her other IBD symptoms. “When I’m going through a flare up, nausea is overwhelming and I vomit frequently if I don’t have cannabis to help.”</p>
<p>Since she lives in a non-legal state, Samantha doesn’t have regular access to edibles, but notices a huge difference in pain relief when she is able to use them. She hopes that her state will one day legalize cannabis as she has had a positive experience managing her symptoms with it.</p>
<p>In England, where cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes, 37-year-old Steve Alexander of Manchester started vaping with a device called the Medipen. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis four years ago, and after exhausting several standard and alternative treatment options, he is trying cannabis.</p>
<p>“I have been using it a week now, and to be totally honest, I feel better. I think it helps slightly with cramps and most importantly with the stress [ulcerative colitis] brings,”he says.</p>
<p>England’s current law allows for a maximum concentration of 20 percent cannabis oil, and Alexander is on this regimen as a last gasp effort to avoid steroids. In conjunction with high strength probiotics, he hopes the cannabis will get the symptoms under control. “I’m an engineer and father of two young children,” he says, “and my life/work becomes quite difficult if I’m constantly using the toilet.”</p>
<p>Dr. Tishler is encouraged by CCFA’s progress on medical marijuana, but remains frustrated by their conclusion. “They lend too much weight to the idea of side effects, many of which are simply not seen with any frequency in cannabis users, and overlook the reality that all medication have side effects, and are not going to be safe and effective for all patients.”</p>
<p>Whether a change to the federal law might mean a change to CCFA’s position cannot be predicted, but that is the hope of doctors who support medical marijuana. And it is certainly the hope of those patients who are desperate for better treatment options.</p>
|
Can Smoking Pot Treat Incurable Disease?
| true |
https://thedailybeast.com/can-smoking-pot-treat-incurable-disease
|
2018-10-07
| 4left
|
Can Smoking Pot Treat Incurable Disease?
<p>Annual colonoscopies, daily medication, periodic flare ups requiring extended treatment and, often, hospitalization. Excessive weight loss, bloody diarrhea, painful cramping, loss of bowel control. This is life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), suffered by 1.4 million Americans and for which there is no cure--only treatment options that sufferers find costly, lacking in efficacy, and with unpleasant, even dangerous, side effects.</p>
<p>I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, one of the types of IBD, when I was 25-years-old. I was in my first year of teaching middle school, often running to the student bathroom at the end of the hall in the middle of class, unable to make it all the way to the staff facilities. After months of seeking medical help, I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn’t stop vomiting and passing bloody diarrhea.</p>
<p>After a week of not being allowed to eat solid food, I received a sigmoidoscopy (similar to a colonoscopy but not as extensive) which confirmed my doctor’s suspicions: I had IBD. For the past 15 years, I have undergone extremely intrusive rectal scopes. I take maintenance medications that often fail, and I’m back to running for the bathroom again. I am at an exponentially higher risk for colon cancer, hence the yearly test. I have tried various holistic treatments such as meditation and aloe pills, but inevitably I experience another flare up.</p>
<p>One particular alternative treatment that is unavailable in my state, yet investigated by a growing number of IBD sufferers, is the medicinal use of cannabis.</p>
<p>During the second half of this decade, medical marijuana is gaining legal ground in the United States. While federally still illegal, many states have passed laws allowing for prescription pot as treatment for a wide variety of illnesses. California lead the charge, legalizing medical marijuana 20 years ago; since that time, medical practices dedicated to the use of cannabis have flourished. <a type="external" href="" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html" type="external">Medical marijuana</a> is now legal in 25 states as well as the District of Columbia. Four of those states, as well as DC, have legalized recreational use. In spite of increased legality, however, official advocacy groups such as the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America are hesitant, if not entirely opposed to endorsing its usage, which is more than likely the result of the still-existent federal ban on medical marijuana.</p>
<p>While weed may be most commonly recognized as an alternative treatment for nausea, particularly for chemotherapy patients, its usage as an anti-inflammatory is gaining ground as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/" type="external">researchers</a> learn about stimulating the body’s naturally-occurring cannabinoid receptors. By studying how cannabinoids relieve nausea and pain, researchers discovered the physiological effects in addition to the known psychoactive properties.</p>
<p>“There are an abundance of cannabinoid receptors in GI tissue, both on immune cells and GI cells, says Dr. Jordan Tishler. “Cannabis has been very effective in inflammatory disorders at treating both the underlying disease as well as the symptoms.” At his Boston-area medical practice, Inhale MD Health and Wellness, the Harvard-educated Dr.Tishler utilizes cannabis to treat his patients for any number of illnesses, both physical and psychological, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).</p>
<p>Inflammatory Bowel Disease, not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a chronic illness that causes inflammation of part or all of the digestive tract. Since there is no cure for IBD, the most that sufferers can hope for is management of symptoms, which include severe diarrhea, nausea, cramping, fatigue, rectal bleeding, malnourishment, weight loss, skin ailments, and eye inflammation. People with IBD experience periods of remission in between often debilitating, even life-threatening, flare-ups.</p>
<p>There are two kinds of IBD: Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the large intestine and rectum, whereas Crohn’s affects the entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus. Conventional medical treatment involves steroids, biologic therapies like Remicade and Humira, and bowel resection or removal--all of which have serious side effects. Often the side effects are just as hard or harder to manage than IBD itself. As many as <a href="http://www.ccfa.org/resources/facts-about-inflammatory.html" type="external">1.4 million Americans</a> suffer from IBD according to the Crohn’s &amp; Colitis Foundation of America, (CCFA) the leading organization in funding and research. Patients are typically diagnosed before reaching the age of 30, which often greatly impacts daily life.</p>
<p>Using cannabis as a treatment, according to Dr. Tishler, is less harmful. “Side effects are real, but I can count the number of patients who’ve failed cannabis therapy due to intolerance of side effects on one hand. Careful regimen planning, patient compliance, and regular follow up, just like with any other medicine, can effectively overcome these issues.”</p>
<p>Dr. Tishler and others who prescribe cannabis seek to minimize the impact IBD has on the daily lives of those who have it. Taking into account the symptoms of each individual patient, Dr. Tishler recommends a range of preparations.</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>“Oral preparations (edibles) give much longer coverage, whereas for intermittent symptoms, I typically prefer vaporized flower,” he said. For those patients requiring additional treatment, he will sometimes combine an oral regimen with vaped flower, the loose leaf form of marijuana versus a concentrate. “As with all medicines, there are risks and benefits to cannabis,” Dr. Tishler said, “and the aim is always to find and use the lowest dose possible to get the best benefit and the fewest side effects.” He also emphasized that a medical regiment vastly differs from a recreational one.</p>
<p>Dr. Rashna Patel is a licensed physician in the state of California who runs her own medical marijuana practice. Known as “ <a href="http://www.drrachnapatel.com/" type="external">The Medical Marijuana Expert,</a>” Dr. Patel treats IBD using cannabis with much success. “I’ve found that it helps [my patients] in a couple of ways,” she said. “It helps reduce abdominal cramping, nausea, and it also helps to stimulate the appetite.” Since IBD sufferers often have issues with weight loss, using cannabis can help with appetite and weight management.</p>
<p>The most recent breakthrough in Crohn’s disease research inadvertently supports cannabis as not just a treatment for symptoms, but for the disease itself. The <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160920151435.htm" type="external">study</a>, conducted by an international team led by Case Western University School of Medicine, found that the fungi and bacteria normally present in the human body have atypical interactions in the body of Crohn’s patients. Additionally, by studying the fecal matter of both healthy and Crohn’s patients in the same family, researchers found that in comparison with the healthy family members, Crohn’s patients had a higher level of two bacteria and one fungus, which worked together to create a slimy, inflammation-causing film in the intestines.</p>
<p>This discovery, combined with the identification of cannabis’ a <a href="http://medireview.com/2014/07/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cbc-the-marijuana-cannabinoid-you-never-heard-of/" type="external">ntifungal and antibacterial properties</a>, has the potential to bring about new treatments and perhaps even ultimately a cure for Crohn’s and other IBD sufferers. By cultivating various strains of cannabinoid with these properties, researchers are attempting to maximize the antifungal and antibacterial properties for both <a href="http://mychronicrelief.com/cannabis-science/cannabinoids/" type="external">topical and internal applications</a>.</p>
<p>But while doctors like Tishler and Patel prescribe medical marijuana to their patients, the Crohn’s &amp; Colitis Foundation has repeatedly cautioned against its usage. In its most recent statement released this month, CCFA spoke more favorably than in the past, but still said, “CCFA does not endorse the use of marijuana in any form by IBD patients, any current state-based medical marijuana programs, or the legalization of marijuana.”</p>
<p>It continues, “CCFA does support the calls by various health organizations urging review of marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance, with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and the potential development of cannabinoid-based medications.” This call for research is a marked change from earlier statements which concluded that there were no compelling reasons to even explore cannabis as a treatment option.</p>
<p>Samantha S., who lives in a non-legal state and is quoted under an assumed name, self-medicates her IBD symptoms with cannabis.</p>
<p>“I’ve used it recreationally for a long time, but I didn’t connect the two until about five years ago, when I realized how it treated my nausea better than anything else,” she says. She also notices the positive effect of cannabis on her other IBD symptoms. “When I’m going through a flare up, nausea is overwhelming and I vomit frequently if I don’t have cannabis to help.”</p>
<p>Since she lives in a non-legal state, Samantha doesn’t have regular access to edibles, but notices a huge difference in pain relief when she is able to use them. She hopes that her state will one day legalize cannabis as she has had a positive experience managing her symptoms with it.</p>
<p>In England, where cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes, 37-year-old Steve Alexander of Manchester started vaping with a device called the Medipen. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis four years ago, and after exhausting several standard and alternative treatment options, he is trying cannabis.</p>
<p>“I have been using it a week now, and to be totally honest, I feel better. I think it helps slightly with cramps and most importantly with the stress [ulcerative colitis] brings,”he says.</p>
<p>England’s current law allows for a maximum concentration of 20 percent cannabis oil, and Alexander is on this regimen as a last gasp effort to avoid steroids. In conjunction with high strength probiotics, he hopes the cannabis will get the symptoms under control. “I’m an engineer and father of two young children,” he says, “and my life/work becomes quite difficult if I’m constantly using the toilet.”</p>
<p>Dr. Tishler is encouraged by CCFA’s progress on medical marijuana, but remains frustrated by their conclusion. “They lend too much weight to the idea of side effects, many of which are simply not seen with any frequency in cannabis users, and overlook the reality that all medication have side effects, and are not going to be safe and effective for all patients.”</p>
<p>Whether a change to the federal law might mean a change to CCFA’s position cannot be predicted, but that is the hope of doctors who support medical marijuana. And it is certainly the hope of those patients who are desperate for better treatment options.</p>
| 7,709 |
<p>Two people pretended to be Good Samaritans in helping a man out, and then proceeded to rob him at gunpoint.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/14/men-posing-as-good-samaritans-robbed-another-man-at-gunpoint-in-st-paul-charges-say/" type="external">Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports</a> that the two robbers offered to help out a man whose car had smashed into a light pole after he lost control of it. Little did the man know he was being tricked.</p>
<p>The two robbers, identified as 21-year-olds Corey Delray Harden and Shawn Alan James Rodriguez-Young, allegedly stole the victim's wallet, phone and shoes. Harden showed the victim a gun under his shirt and threatened to "blow you back" if the victim moved as he handed over what was in his pockets and shoes.</p>
<p>Harden and Rodriguez-Young left in a white Dodge Durango, leaving the victim on his own to find a passing car and request a phone call to the police.</p>
<p>The police eventually found Harden and Rodriguez with two other people in a white Dodge Durango with the victim's possessions as well as a BB gun. Both men were arrested. It's not known if the other two people in the car were involved in the robbery.</p>
<p>Harden has denied robbing anyone, but the victim was able to identify both Harden and Rodriguez-Young as the people who robbed him.</p>
<p>There have been previous reported incidents of people posing as Good Samaritans–such as <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2015/09/29/driver-posing-as-good-samaritan-robs-irving-woman-after-crash-on-highway-114" type="external">here</a> and <a href="http://www.foxla.com/news/local-news/189137473-story" type="external">here</a>–in helping people out with car problems, only to rob them. It's certainly something to be wary of going forward.</p>
|
Two People Posed As Good Samaritans To Rob Man At Gunpoint
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/11667/two-people-posed-good-samaritans-only-rob-man-aaron-bandler
|
2016-12-15
| 0right
|
Two People Posed As Good Samaritans To Rob Man At Gunpoint
<p>Two people pretended to be Good Samaritans in helping a man out, and then proceeded to rob him at gunpoint.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/14/men-posing-as-good-samaritans-robbed-another-man-at-gunpoint-in-st-paul-charges-say/" type="external">Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports</a> that the two robbers offered to help out a man whose car had smashed into a light pole after he lost control of it. Little did the man know he was being tricked.</p>
<p>The two robbers, identified as 21-year-olds Corey Delray Harden and Shawn Alan James Rodriguez-Young, allegedly stole the victim's wallet, phone and shoes. Harden showed the victim a gun under his shirt and threatened to "blow you back" if the victim moved as he handed over what was in his pockets and shoes.</p>
<p>Harden and Rodriguez-Young left in a white Dodge Durango, leaving the victim on his own to find a passing car and request a phone call to the police.</p>
<p>The police eventually found Harden and Rodriguez with two other people in a white Dodge Durango with the victim's possessions as well as a BB gun. Both men were arrested. It's not known if the other two people in the car were involved in the robbery.</p>
<p>Harden has denied robbing anyone, but the victim was able to identify both Harden and Rodriguez-Young as the people who robbed him.</p>
<p>There have been previous reported incidents of people posing as Good Samaritans–such as <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2015/09/29/driver-posing-as-good-samaritan-robs-irving-woman-after-crash-on-highway-114" type="external">here</a> and <a href="http://www.foxla.com/news/local-news/189137473-story" type="external">here</a>–in helping people out with car problems, only to rob them. It's certainly something to be wary of going forward.</p>
| 7,710 |
<p>WikiLeaks is again publishing a trove of documents, in this case classified U.S. State Department diplomatic cables. The whistle-blower website will gradually be releasing more than 250,000 of these documents in the coming months so that they can be analyzed and gain the attention they deserve. The cables are internal, written communications among U.S. embassies around the world and also to the U.S. State Department. WikiLeaks described the leak as “the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain [giving] an unprecedented insight into U.S. government foreign activities.”</p>
<p>Critics argue, as they did with earlier leaks of secret documents regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, that lives will be lost as a result. Rather, lives might actually be saved, since the way that the U.S. conducts diplomacy is now getting more exposure than ever—as is the apparent ease with which the U.S. government lives up (or down) to the adage used by pioneering journalist I.F. Stone: “Governments lie.”</p>
<p>Take the case of Khaled El-Masri. El-Masri was snatched in Macedonia as part of the CIA’s secret extraordinary rendition program, in which people are taken by the U.S. government and sent to other countries, where they can be subjected to torture. He was held and tortured in a secret prison in Afghanistan for months before being dropped by the CIA on an isolated road in Albania, even though the CIA had long established that it had grabbed the wrong man. El-Masri, a German citizen, sought justice through German courts, and it looked like 13 CIA agents might be charged. Then the U.S. Embassy in Berlin stepped in, threatening, according to one cable, that “issuance of international arrest warrants would have a negative impact on our bilateral relationship.” No charges were ever filed in Germany, suggesting the diplomatic threat worked. The 13 agents are, however, still facing charges in Spain, where prosecutors enjoy some freedom from political pressures.</p>
<p>Or so we thought. In fact, Spain figures prominently in the leaked documents as well. Among the cables is one from May 14, 2007, authored by Eduardo Aguirre, a conservative Cuban-American banker appointed U.S. ambassador to Spain by George W. Bush. Aguirre wrote: “For our side, it will be important to continue to raise the Couso case, in which three U.S. servicemen face charges related to the 2003 death of Spanish cameraman Jose Couso during the battle for Baghdad.”</p>
<p />
<p>Couso was a young cameraman with the Spanish TV network Telecinco. He was filming from the balcony of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad on April 8, 2003, when a U.S. Army tank fired on the hotel packed with journalists, killing Couso and a Reuters cameraman. Ambassador Aguirre was trying to quash the lawsuit brought by the Couso family in Spain.</p>
<p>The U.S. ambassador was also pressuring the Spanish government to drop a precedent-setting case against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials. In that same memo, Aguirre writes, “The Deputy Justice Minister also said the GOS [government of Spain] strongly opposes a case brought against former Secretary Rumsfeld and will work to get it dismissed. The judge involved in that case has told us he has already started the process of dismissing the case.”</p>
<p>These revelations are rocking the Spanish government, as the cables clearly show U.S. attempts to disrupt the Spanish justice system.</p>
<p>Ambassador Aguirre told Spain’s El Pais newspaper several years ago, “I am George Bush’s plumber, I will solve all the problems George gives me.”</p>
<p>In another series of cables, the U.S. State Department instructs its staff around the world and at the U.N. to spy on people, and, remarkably, to collect biometric information on diplomats. The cable reads, “Data should include e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers, fingerprints, facial images, DNA and iris scans.”</p>
<p>WikiLeaks is continuing its partnership with a global group of media outlets: Britain’s The Guardian, El Pais, The New York Times, German magazine Der Spiegel and France’s Le Monde. David Leigh, investigations editor of The Guardian, told me, “We haven’t seen anything yet,” with literally almost a quarter-million cables still not publicly revealed.</p>
<p>A renowned political analyst and linguist, MIT professor Noam Chomsky helped Daniel Ellsberg, America’s premier whistle-blower, release the Pentagon Papers 40 years ago. I asked Chomsky about the latest cables released by WikiLeaks. “What this reveals,” he reflected, “is the profound hatred for democracy on the part of our political leadership.”</p>
<p>Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.</p>
<p>Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 800 stations in North America. She is the author of “Breaking the Sound Barrier,” recently released in paperback and now a New York Times best-seller.</p>
<p>© 2010 Amy Goodman</p>
<p>Distributed by King Features Syndicate</p>
|
WikiLeaks and the End of U.S. 'Diplomacy'
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/wikileaks-and-the-end-of-u-s-diplomacy/
|
2010-12-01
| 4left
|
WikiLeaks and the End of U.S. 'Diplomacy'
<p>WikiLeaks is again publishing a trove of documents, in this case classified U.S. State Department diplomatic cables. The whistle-blower website will gradually be releasing more than 250,000 of these documents in the coming months so that they can be analyzed and gain the attention they deserve. The cables are internal, written communications among U.S. embassies around the world and also to the U.S. State Department. WikiLeaks described the leak as “the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain [giving] an unprecedented insight into U.S. government foreign activities.”</p>
<p>Critics argue, as they did with earlier leaks of secret documents regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, that lives will be lost as a result. Rather, lives might actually be saved, since the way that the U.S. conducts diplomacy is now getting more exposure than ever—as is the apparent ease with which the U.S. government lives up (or down) to the adage used by pioneering journalist I.F. Stone: “Governments lie.”</p>
<p>Take the case of Khaled El-Masri. El-Masri was snatched in Macedonia as part of the CIA’s secret extraordinary rendition program, in which people are taken by the U.S. government and sent to other countries, where they can be subjected to torture. He was held and tortured in a secret prison in Afghanistan for months before being dropped by the CIA on an isolated road in Albania, even though the CIA had long established that it had grabbed the wrong man. El-Masri, a German citizen, sought justice through German courts, and it looked like 13 CIA agents might be charged. Then the U.S. Embassy in Berlin stepped in, threatening, according to one cable, that “issuance of international arrest warrants would have a negative impact on our bilateral relationship.” No charges were ever filed in Germany, suggesting the diplomatic threat worked. The 13 agents are, however, still facing charges in Spain, where prosecutors enjoy some freedom from political pressures.</p>
<p>Or so we thought. In fact, Spain figures prominently in the leaked documents as well. Among the cables is one from May 14, 2007, authored by Eduardo Aguirre, a conservative Cuban-American banker appointed U.S. ambassador to Spain by George W. Bush. Aguirre wrote: “For our side, it will be important to continue to raise the Couso case, in which three U.S. servicemen face charges related to the 2003 death of Spanish cameraman Jose Couso during the battle for Baghdad.”</p>
<p />
<p>Couso was a young cameraman with the Spanish TV network Telecinco. He was filming from the balcony of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad on April 8, 2003, when a U.S. Army tank fired on the hotel packed with journalists, killing Couso and a Reuters cameraman. Ambassador Aguirre was trying to quash the lawsuit brought by the Couso family in Spain.</p>
<p>The U.S. ambassador was also pressuring the Spanish government to drop a precedent-setting case against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials. In that same memo, Aguirre writes, “The Deputy Justice Minister also said the GOS [government of Spain] strongly opposes a case brought against former Secretary Rumsfeld and will work to get it dismissed. The judge involved in that case has told us he has already started the process of dismissing the case.”</p>
<p>These revelations are rocking the Spanish government, as the cables clearly show U.S. attempts to disrupt the Spanish justice system.</p>
<p>Ambassador Aguirre told Spain’s El Pais newspaper several years ago, “I am George Bush’s plumber, I will solve all the problems George gives me.”</p>
<p>In another series of cables, the U.S. State Department instructs its staff around the world and at the U.N. to spy on people, and, remarkably, to collect biometric information on diplomats. The cable reads, “Data should include e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers, fingerprints, facial images, DNA and iris scans.”</p>
<p>WikiLeaks is continuing its partnership with a global group of media outlets: Britain’s The Guardian, El Pais, The New York Times, German magazine Der Spiegel and France’s Le Monde. David Leigh, investigations editor of The Guardian, told me, “We haven’t seen anything yet,” with literally almost a quarter-million cables still not publicly revealed.</p>
<p>A renowned political analyst and linguist, MIT professor Noam Chomsky helped Daniel Ellsberg, America’s premier whistle-blower, release the Pentagon Papers 40 years ago. I asked Chomsky about the latest cables released by WikiLeaks. “What this reveals,” he reflected, “is the profound hatred for democracy on the part of our political leadership.”</p>
<p>Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.</p>
<p>Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 800 stations in North America. She is the author of “Breaking the Sound Barrier,” recently released in paperback and now a New York Times best-seller.</p>
<p>© 2010 Amy Goodman</p>
<p>Distributed by King Features Syndicate</p>
| 7,711 |
<p><a href="" type="external" /></p>
<p />
<p>Hundreds of Islamics, all dressed close to army attire, marched through Berlin - showing they are huge in numbers and ready to fight. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/330201017032791/posts/1321592354560314" type="external">Source</a></p>
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<p><a href="" type="internal">Trump News: Trump's Approval Ratings Jump to 50 Percent</a>April 17, 2017In "Action Alerts"</p>
|
GERMANY: ISLAMICS MARCHING THROUGH BERLIN! Hundreds of Islamics, all dressed cl?
| true |
http://libertyfederation.org/germany-islamics-marching-through-berlinhundreds-of-islamics-all-dressed-cl/
|
2016-11-30
| 0right
|
GERMANY: ISLAMICS MARCHING THROUGH BERLIN! Hundreds of Islamics, all dressed cl?
<p><a href="" type="external" /></p>
<p />
<p>Hundreds of Islamics, all dressed close to army attire, marched through Berlin - showing they are huge in numbers and ready to fight. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/330201017032791/posts/1321592354560314" type="external">Source</a></p>
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - An attempt to sell drug paraphernalia ended badly for the salesman.</p>
<p>Matthew Chavez, 25, was stabbed in the back and arm near San Pablo and Central at about 8:50 p.m. Monday after he approached a group of people to try to sell them a glass pipe, according to an Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson. Police said Chavez is expected to survive.</p>
<p>Albuquerque police Southeast Field Officers responded to the Talin Market at 88 Louisiana Blvd SE in reference to the stabbing Monday night, police said.</p>
<p>Chavez and the alleged assailants had already fled.</p>
<p>Chavez went to Talin Market and asked for help. He was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital, police said.</p>
<p>Chavez has a pending arrest for armed robbery and he will be arrested when he is released from the hospital, police said.</p>
<p>He hasn't told officers any information to identify the attackers, according to police. No one has been charged in connection to the stabbing.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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Man attempting to sell glass pipe stabbed in back
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/380687/man-attempting-to-sell-glass-pipe-stabbed-in-back.html
| 2least
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Man attempting to sell glass pipe stabbed in back
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - An attempt to sell drug paraphernalia ended badly for the salesman.</p>
<p>Matthew Chavez, 25, was stabbed in the back and arm near San Pablo and Central at about 8:50 p.m. Monday after he approached a group of people to try to sell them a glass pipe, according to an Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson. Police said Chavez is expected to survive.</p>
<p>Albuquerque police Southeast Field Officers responded to the Talin Market at 88 Louisiana Blvd SE in reference to the stabbing Monday night, police said.</p>
<p>Chavez and the alleged assailants had already fled.</p>
<p>Chavez went to Talin Market and asked for help. He was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital, police said.</p>
<p>Chavez has a pending arrest for armed robbery and he will be arrested when he is released from the hospital, police said.</p>
<p>He hasn't told officers any information to identify the attackers, according to police. No one has been charged in connection to the stabbing.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
| 7,713 |
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<p />
<p>Immanuel Ness. Southern Insurgency: The Coming of the Global Working Class. London: Pluto Press, 2016. 226 pages. Tables. Notes. Index. Paper $28.</p>
<p>Immanuel Ness, professor of Political Science at City University of New York and a prolific writer on labor, has written an important new book whose title, Southern Insurgency: The Coming of the Global Working Class, should, I think, have ended in a question mark. Manny, a friend and a colleague—who, when I have seen him lately, has been in a state of jetlag from his travels to centers of worker activism around the globe—argues that those interested in labor should direct their attention from the stagnant and declining labor movement of the Global North to the migrant and contract laborers in places like South Africa, India, and China who are building democratic, militant, rank-and-file movements from below—struggles that, Ness suggests, are laying the foundations of a new global labor movement.</p>
<p>While labor unions in the Global North and in the Global South have long been bureaucratic or corporate organizations—whose partnership with their governments and employers has not saved them from decline—new workers’ movements in the South, Ness argues, more resemble what he believes to have been the prototypical model of democratic and militant unionism: the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Labor’s future, Ness believes, lies, in the enormous new industrial working classes of the Global South.</p>
<p>Ness’s&#160;Southern Insurgency poses very important questions at several levels. First, will the southern insurgency that he describes be able to win higher wages, better conditions, and build rank-and-file organizations and labor unions throughout the Global South as it has in some places? Second, will a revived labor movement in the Global South be able to revitalize the labor movement throughout the world as the title suggests? Third, will such a revitalized global labor movement be able to prove Karl Marx was right, that industrial workers do have the ability to lead the working class, farmers, and all of the exploited and oppressed in that revolution that will liberate not only themselves, but all of humanity? While cautious in his assertions, Ness implies that the answer to all three of these questions is “Yes.” Certainly he hopes that that will prove to be the case. There are, however, counter-tendencies that would inhibit such developments, arguments that he has not addressed and which we raise here.</p>
<p>Ness establishes a framework for his study based on a theory of imperialism and monopoly capitalism that he has in a very general way taken from Vladimir Lenin and Harry Magdoff. While he doesn’t elaborate on these theories, he suggest that imperialism today operates in the form of neoliberal globalization as corporations seek profits through the capture of natural resources and the exploitation of cheap plabor on a planetary scale. Globalization has also created a vast migrant labor force, an industrial reserve army, that employers take advantage of to keep wages low.</p>
<p>The force driving the fundamental shift of working class power from North to South, Ness argues, is finance capital’s search for profits, a quest that has led to massive foreign direct investment in the Global South, the building of enormous new industrial cities and enormous factory complexes that employ a relatively a relatively small core of permanent, full-time, and more skilled workers and hundreds of thousands of temporary contract workers, many of them internal migrants of immigrants from abroad. The multinational corporations’ drive for profits has frequently pushed these workers to the wall, and they have fought back, but outside of the framework of the labor unions.</p>
<p>Three Case Studies</p>
<p>Ness’s book concentrates on three cases taken up in three separate chapters that form the heart of the book. They are: 1) the Maruti Suzuki auto plants in Haryana State in India; 2) the Yue Yuen shoe manufacturing plants in the Pearl River Delta of China; 3) the platinum mines of South Africa. Each of these nations has its own history of imperialism, of domestic capitalism, and of labor unionism which Ness briefly and clearly explains. India’s unions formed during the colonial era and in the struggle against colonialism represented workers in the historic industries, but failed to take on the challenge of organizing the migrant contract laborers. So between 1999 and 2013 workers repeatedly formed rank-and-file labor organizations and independent labor unions in the Maruti Suzuki plants in Haryana State to fight for higher wages and better conditions. Yet, despite their heroic struggles, Maruti Suzuki destroyed the workers’ organizations, though labor organizing and strikes continue in Haryana State.</p>
<p>In China the situation has been quite different. The Chinese Communist Party’s All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), created initially for workers in the state-owned industries, and designed to prevent independent labor action of any sort, responded to the economic reforms and expansion of private industry by signing up hundreds of thousands of workers at newer plants, also with the goal of controlling workers and preventing strikes. But as workers began to engage in widespread strikes at workplaces throughout the country, the Chinese government responded by passing the labor reforms of 2008. Those reforms allowed workers to form rank-and-file groups at the local plant level, as long as they did not attempt to either leave the ACFTU and form independent unions and didn’t attempt to form links with other workers in other plants. At the Yue Yuen shoe plant 30,000 of a total of 43,000 workers organized just such a rank-and-file movement and went on strike for weeks, eventually succeeding in winning such things as employer pension contributions and higher wages. Their strike was just one of thousands in the strike waves between 2009 and 2014.</p>
<p>Ness’s third case is that of the South African platinum miners. South Africa’s black workers’ labor unions had been formed in the struggle against the white apartheid government in the period between the 1950s and the 1990s. When the African National Congress (ANC) came to power, supported by its historic allies the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), it adopted neoliberal economic policies. The ANC worked with COSATU in an attempt to keep the South African working class under control, while its constituent unions such as the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) collaborated with multinational employers in squelching rank-and-file omvements and firing workers. Platinum miners nevertheless organized rank-and-file groups that cooperated with the independent Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU). The miners’ strikes between 2009 and 2014 culminated in the ANC government’s massacre of 34 Marikana miners on August 16, 2012. Workers organized in their rank-and-file groups and working with the AMCU continued to strike and won significant wage gains. The South African miners movement not only fought the company but also challenged the ANC government.</p>
<p>In these three central chapters, Ness describes the workers’ struggles in some detail, arguing that in each case—either because of the opposition or neglect of the dominant labor organizations—workers built rank-and-file movements and in some cases independent labor unions. While in some cases those workers won victories—an expansion of labor right to organize and bargain in China and wage gains in both China and South Africa—in no case does he make the case that the movements he so much admires have succeeded in turning the corner and building a new militant and radical labor movements in their respective countries that can turn back the tide of imperialism in the form of neoliberal capitalism and of multinational corporations, and they are far from overturning their own neoliberal governments much less their capitalist states. The movements that Ness describes remain contained, sometimes within one plant and sometimes within one industrial region, and they seldom result in a national independent labor organization—except, one could argue, in the case of South Africa where they have created an alternative national mine workers union. In India and China we see no creation of a national union movement in even one industry.</p>
<p>So far, at least, the southern insurgents have not built a powerful, autonomous labor movement in any of the countries that he discusses. And it is not clear how a victorious labor movement of industrial workers in the Global South would have an impact on the world labor movement. While international labor organizations and networks of various sorts exist—such as the international trade federation—genuine international labor solidarity to fight the corporations is really quite rare. Finally, unless one can show that workers can take power and reorganize society, Marx’s proposition of workers liberating humanity remains in question.</p>
<p>The Marxist Proposition</p>
<p>We might briefly reconsider that Marxist proposition. Karl Marx and his followers agued that the industrial working class, whose labor produces products for society, stands in a privileged position at the point of production where at the same time it also creates profits for the capitalist class. At the same time, capitalist industry brings workers together in factories, mills, and in mines where management organizes them into virtual armies of production that have the power to bring a nation’s industry to a halt. The employer’s exploitation of these workers leads them to form labor unions to demand higher wages and better conditions, and to form political parties to fight for legislation to establish maximum working hours, minimum wages, and to take on other issues such as child labor. Workers as a class have a comprehensive understanding of their workplaces and industries, and together have the knowledge to reorganize production on a new democratic and socialist basis. Their privileged position in the workplace, the economy, and the society as a whole gives the industrial working class a social weight that allows these workers to lead other wage-earners in other sectors (services, public employment) as a class forming the majority of society to fight to take power and lead the nation, to collectivize the economy and to establish socialism, and thus to liberate humanity. So argued Marx, Friedrich Engels, and their successors.</p>
<p>The transformation of the economies of the Global North in the late twentieth century—the declining role of the industrial sectors, the reduction in the size of industrial workplaces, the automation of industry and the deskilling of labor, the movement of many major plants and entire industries to the Global South, and the increase in precarious employment—raised the question in the North of whether or not industrial workers unions remained as central as they had once been, whether or not the labor movement more broadly remained significant, and whether or not Marx’s dream of a working class fight for socialism was possible.</p>
<p>If a militant labor movement and the dream of socialism now seemed to some impossible in the North, Ness argues that in the Global South multinational corporations’ investment has created even larger industrial zones, bigger plants, and a huge industrial working class far larger than that ever known to Marx. In the Global South, Ness argues, the most oppressed and exploited workers—migrant and contract workers—have formed rank-and-file organizations and independent unions, such as those described in his case studies, that do not share in the traditional labor unions’ bureaucratic structures, partnership with the employers, and corporative relationships to the state. Ness believes that these unions resemble the Industrial Workers of the World or, as he says in another place, the Council Communists of Germany in the 1920s. That is the kind of labor movement than can liberate the world, and once again, he seems to believe capital is recreating it.</p>
<p>Counter-Tendencies</p>
<p>While it is true that neoliberal capitalism and the multinational corporations operating on a global scale have created an enormous new industrial working class, there are also countertendencies that should be taken into account. First, while China’s industrial working class has grown, its future is not completely clear. The working class is not the only class in formation in Chinese society; there is also the rapid growth of the service sector accompanied by a decline in size of the industrial sector as a percentage of total production and employment. Throughout the history of capitalism from its origins in Europe to its spread to North and South America, Asia, and Africa, nations have generally experienced an initial surge in the growth of the size of the industrial sector, though soon the service sector grows even more rapidly than industry, as agriculture shrinks in importance (as measured in GDP). Today in China the fastest growing sector is not industry, but services, and it is not at all clear that service workers can play the same role in the labor movement and in society as China’s militant industrial workers.</p>
<p>It should also be taken into account that as the Chinese workers’ movement is successful in winning strikes for higher wages, Chinese employers will, as employers have always done, turn to the use of more automated machinery, thus reducing the number of industrial workers necessary to produce the same amount of products. It is also to be expected that Chinese capitalists will move their plants to other lower-wage areas in South and Southeast Asia, further reducing the size of the industrial working class. We even have cases such as Brazil where the rise in commodity prices for agricultural products has led to disinvestment in industry and the expansion of agriculture. The future of the Global South’s industrial working class is not clear.</p>
<p>Second, there is the problem that successful labor organizations, those that begin to achieve permanence and to engage in collective bargaining, will in all likelihood tend to become bureaucratic. As labor unions develop, they tend to elect officers and to hire staff both of which no longer work in industry while they often receive higher salaries than the workers they represent. This labor union leadership thus becomes a social caste that mediates between the employers and the workers, and as such a caste it develops an ideology: it comes to believe that its privileged position of contact with bosses and workers allows it to know what’s best for the industry and for the workers as a whole. One has to ask why the rank-and-file groups and incipient unions and actual independent unions described by Ness will not tend to follow the same path of development.</p>
<p>These new labor movements may through their industrial economic activity help to open the way to democracy in China and to greater and more genuine democracy in countries like India and South Africa. If that happens, wouldn’t we expect these rank-and-file labor movements to lead not only to independent labor unions, but also to labor politics and labor parties? Clearly the development of an economic and political crisis in one of these nations might give these rank-and-file movements greater impetus, leading them to become a political factor. Very likely new labor parties would tend to become part of the existing party systems and governmental structures as they have in other nations.</p>
<p>Then, too, there is the question of a revolutionary party. Wouldn’t we expect the development of democratic and revolutionary socialist movements? In fact, we know what some of the current labor organizers working through the labor NGOs in China (several of which were recently shut down) do consider themselves to be socialists. Ness’s discussion only extends as far as the current syndicalist movement.</p>
<p>Finally, there is the question of the Global North. The rise of manufacturing in the Global South since the 1980s, with increasingly sophisticated technology contributing to high value added, has put pressure on the capitalist of the Global North to impose austerity and work to drive down wages as well as the social wage (unemployment insurance, workers compensation, health and pension plans). The Global North comes more and more to resemble the Global South—except that its industrial plant has been dramatically reduced. One can see that developments in the Global North could lead to a revived labor movement, even if one led by teachers, hospital workers, and restaurant employees and not industrial workers. While they have less economic clout, public employees directly confront and challenge the political system.</p>
<p>Ness’s book provides an account of some quite important labor struggles taking place in countries of the Global South where clearly there is a Southern Insurgency. And it raises important and interesting questions about the future of global labor. Yet, he has failed to convince us that the admirable and heroic struggles he describes constitute a genuine alternative to the bureaucratic labor unions he quite rightly disdains. Perhaps developments will prove him right, and a powerful syndicalism will develop, but it is not here yet. And even if it does, it will need a political force if it is to change the system that so oppesses and exploits global labor today.</p>
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<p>&#160;</p>
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Can Workers of the Global South Change the World Labor Movement?
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Can Workers of the Global South Change the World Labor Movement?
<p />
<p>Immanuel Ness. Southern Insurgency: The Coming of the Global Working Class. London: Pluto Press, 2016. 226 pages. Tables. Notes. Index. Paper $28.</p>
<p>Immanuel Ness, professor of Political Science at City University of New York and a prolific writer on labor, has written an important new book whose title, Southern Insurgency: The Coming of the Global Working Class, should, I think, have ended in a question mark. Manny, a friend and a colleague—who, when I have seen him lately, has been in a state of jetlag from his travels to centers of worker activism around the globe—argues that those interested in labor should direct their attention from the stagnant and declining labor movement of the Global North to the migrant and contract laborers in places like South Africa, India, and China who are building democratic, militant, rank-and-file movements from below—struggles that, Ness suggests, are laying the foundations of a new global labor movement.</p>
<p>While labor unions in the Global North and in the Global South have long been bureaucratic or corporate organizations—whose partnership with their governments and employers has not saved them from decline—new workers’ movements in the South, Ness argues, more resemble what he believes to have been the prototypical model of democratic and militant unionism: the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Labor’s future, Ness believes, lies, in the enormous new industrial working classes of the Global South.</p>
<p>Ness’s&#160;Southern Insurgency poses very important questions at several levels. First, will the southern insurgency that he describes be able to win higher wages, better conditions, and build rank-and-file organizations and labor unions throughout the Global South as it has in some places? Second, will a revived labor movement in the Global South be able to revitalize the labor movement throughout the world as the title suggests? Third, will such a revitalized global labor movement be able to prove Karl Marx was right, that industrial workers do have the ability to lead the working class, farmers, and all of the exploited and oppressed in that revolution that will liberate not only themselves, but all of humanity? While cautious in his assertions, Ness implies that the answer to all three of these questions is “Yes.” Certainly he hopes that that will prove to be the case. There are, however, counter-tendencies that would inhibit such developments, arguments that he has not addressed and which we raise here.</p>
<p>Ness establishes a framework for his study based on a theory of imperialism and monopoly capitalism that he has in a very general way taken from Vladimir Lenin and Harry Magdoff. While he doesn’t elaborate on these theories, he suggest that imperialism today operates in the form of neoliberal globalization as corporations seek profits through the capture of natural resources and the exploitation of cheap plabor on a planetary scale. Globalization has also created a vast migrant labor force, an industrial reserve army, that employers take advantage of to keep wages low.</p>
<p>The force driving the fundamental shift of working class power from North to South, Ness argues, is finance capital’s search for profits, a quest that has led to massive foreign direct investment in the Global South, the building of enormous new industrial cities and enormous factory complexes that employ a relatively a relatively small core of permanent, full-time, and more skilled workers and hundreds of thousands of temporary contract workers, many of them internal migrants of immigrants from abroad. The multinational corporations’ drive for profits has frequently pushed these workers to the wall, and they have fought back, but outside of the framework of the labor unions.</p>
<p>Three Case Studies</p>
<p>Ness’s book concentrates on three cases taken up in three separate chapters that form the heart of the book. They are: 1) the Maruti Suzuki auto plants in Haryana State in India; 2) the Yue Yuen shoe manufacturing plants in the Pearl River Delta of China; 3) the platinum mines of South Africa. Each of these nations has its own history of imperialism, of domestic capitalism, and of labor unionism which Ness briefly and clearly explains. India’s unions formed during the colonial era and in the struggle against colonialism represented workers in the historic industries, but failed to take on the challenge of organizing the migrant contract laborers. So between 1999 and 2013 workers repeatedly formed rank-and-file labor organizations and independent labor unions in the Maruti Suzuki plants in Haryana State to fight for higher wages and better conditions. Yet, despite their heroic struggles, Maruti Suzuki destroyed the workers’ organizations, though labor organizing and strikes continue in Haryana State.</p>
<p>In China the situation has been quite different. The Chinese Communist Party’s All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), created initially for workers in the state-owned industries, and designed to prevent independent labor action of any sort, responded to the economic reforms and expansion of private industry by signing up hundreds of thousands of workers at newer plants, also with the goal of controlling workers and preventing strikes. But as workers began to engage in widespread strikes at workplaces throughout the country, the Chinese government responded by passing the labor reforms of 2008. Those reforms allowed workers to form rank-and-file groups at the local plant level, as long as they did not attempt to either leave the ACFTU and form independent unions and didn’t attempt to form links with other workers in other plants. At the Yue Yuen shoe plant 30,000 of a total of 43,000 workers organized just such a rank-and-file movement and went on strike for weeks, eventually succeeding in winning such things as employer pension contributions and higher wages. Their strike was just one of thousands in the strike waves between 2009 and 2014.</p>
<p>Ness’s third case is that of the South African platinum miners. South Africa’s black workers’ labor unions had been formed in the struggle against the white apartheid government in the period between the 1950s and the 1990s. When the African National Congress (ANC) came to power, supported by its historic allies the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), it adopted neoliberal economic policies. The ANC worked with COSATU in an attempt to keep the South African working class under control, while its constituent unions such as the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) collaborated with multinational employers in squelching rank-and-file omvements and firing workers. Platinum miners nevertheless organized rank-and-file groups that cooperated with the independent Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU). The miners’ strikes between 2009 and 2014 culminated in the ANC government’s massacre of 34 Marikana miners on August 16, 2012. Workers organized in their rank-and-file groups and working with the AMCU continued to strike and won significant wage gains. The South African miners movement not only fought the company but also challenged the ANC government.</p>
<p>In these three central chapters, Ness describes the workers’ struggles in some detail, arguing that in each case—either because of the opposition or neglect of the dominant labor organizations—workers built rank-and-file movements and in some cases independent labor unions. While in some cases those workers won victories—an expansion of labor right to organize and bargain in China and wage gains in both China and South Africa—in no case does he make the case that the movements he so much admires have succeeded in turning the corner and building a new militant and radical labor movements in their respective countries that can turn back the tide of imperialism in the form of neoliberal capitalism and of multinational corporations, and they are far from overturning their own neoliberal governments much less their capitalist states. The movements that Ness describes remain contained, sometimes within one plant and sometimes within one industrial region, and they seldom result in a national independent labor organization—except, one could argue, in the case of South Africa where they have created an alternative national mine workers union. In India and China we see no creation of a national union movement in even one industry.</p>
<p>So far, at least, the southern insurgents have not built a powerful, autonomous labor movement in any of the countries that he discusses. And it is not clear how a victorious labor movement of industrial workers in the Global South would have an impact on the world labor movement. While international labor organizations and networks of various sorts exist—such as the international trade federation—genuine international labor solidarity to fight the corporations is really quite rare. Finally, unless one can show that workers can take power and reorganize society, Marx’s proposition of workers liberating humanity remains in question.</p>
<p>The Marxist Proposition</p>
<p>We might briefly reconsider that Marxist proposition. Karl Marx and his followers agued that the industrial working class, whose labor produces products for society, stands in a privileged position at the point of production where at the same time it also creates profits for the capitalist class. At the same time, capitalist industry brings workers together in factories, mills, and in mines where management organizes them into virtual armies of production that have the power to bring a nation’s industry to a halt. The employer’s exploitation of these workers leads them to form labor unions to demand higher wages and better conditions, and to form political parties to fight for legislation to establish maximum working hours, minimum wages, and to take on other issues such as child labor. Workers as a class have a comprehensive understanding of their workplaces and industries, and together have the knowledge to reorganize production on a new democratic and socialist basis. Their privileged position in the workplace, the economy, and the society as a whole gives the industrial working class a social weight that allows these workers to lead other wage-earners in other sectors (services, public employment) as a class forming the majority of society to fight to take power and lead the nation, to collectivize the economy and to establish socialism, and thus to liberate humanity. So argued Marx, Friedrich Engels, and their successors.</p>
<p>The transformation of the economies of the Global North in the late twentieth century—the declining role of the industrial sectors, the reduction in the size of industrial workplaces, the automation of industry and the deskilling of labor, the movement of many major plants and entire industries to the Global South, and the increase in precarious employment—raised the question in the North of whether or not industrial workers unions remained as central as they had once been, whether or not the labor movement more broadly remained significant, and whether or not Marx’s dream of a working class fight for socialism was possible.</p>
<p>If a militant labor movement and the dream of socialism now seemed to some impossible in the North, Ness argues that in the Global South multinational corporations’ investment has created even larger industrial zones, bigger plants, and a huge industrial working class far larger than that ever known to Marx. In the Global South, Ness argues, the most oppressed and exploited workers—migrant and contract workers—have formed rank-and-file organizations and independent unions, such as those described in his case studies, that do not share in the traditional labor unions’ bureaucratic structures, partnership with the employers, and corporative relationships to the state. Ness believes that these unions resemble the Industrial Workers of the World or, as he says in another place, the Council Communists of Germany in the 1920s. That is the kind of labor movement than can liberate the world, and once again, he seems to believe capital is recreating it.</p>
<p>Counter-Tendencies</p>
<p>While it is true that neoliberal capitalism and the multinational corporations operating on a global scale have created an enormous new industrial working class, there are also countertendencies that should be taken into account. First, while China’s industrial working class has grown, its future is not completely clear. The working class is not the only class in formation in Chinese society; there is also the rapid growth of the service sector accompanied by a decline in size of the industrial sector as a percentage of total production and employment. Throughout the history of capitalism from its origins in Europe to its spread to North and South America, Asia, and Africa, nations have generally experienced an initial surge in the growth of the size of the industrial sector, though soon the service sector grows even more rapidly than industry, as agriculture shrinks in importance (as measured in GDP). Today in China the fastest growing sector is not industry, but services, and it is not at all clear that service workers can play the same role in the labor movement and in society as China’s militant industrial workers.</p>
<p>It should also be taken into account that as the Chinese workers’ movement is successful in winning strikes for higher wages, Chinese employers will, as employers have always done, turn to the use of more automated machinery, thus reducing the number of industrial workers necessary to produce the same amount of products. It is also to be expected that Chinese capitalists will move their plants to other lower-wage areas in South and Southeast Asia, further reducing the size of the industrial working class. We even have cases such as Brazil where the rise in commodity prices for agricultural products has led to disinvestment in industry and the expansion of agriculture. The future of the Global South’s industrial working class is not clear.</p>
<p>Second, there is the problem that successful labor organizations, those that begin to achieve permanence and to engage in collective bargaining, will in all likelihood tend to become bureaucratic. As labor unions develop, they tend to elect officers and to hire staff both of which no longer work in industry while they often receive higher salaries than the workers they represent. This labor union leadership thus becomes a social caste that mediates between the employers and the workers, and as such a caste it develops an ideology: it comes to believe that its privileged position of contact with bosses and workers allows it to know what’s best for the industry and for the workers as a whole. One has to ask why the rank-and-file groups and incipient unions and actual independent unions described by Ness will not tend to follow the same path of development.</p>
<p>These new labor movements may through their industrial economic activity help to open the way to democracy in China and to greater and more genuine democracy in countries like India and South Africa. If that happens, wouldn’t we expect these rank-and-file labor movements to lead not only to independent labor unions, but also to labor politics and labor parties? Clearly the development of an economic and political crisis in one of these nations might give these rank-and-file movements greater impetus, leading them to become a political factor. Very likely new labor parties would tend to become part of the existing party systems and governmental structures as they have in other nations.</p>
<p>Then, too, there is the question of a revolutionary party. Wouldn’t we expect the development of democratic and revolutionary socialist movements? In fact, we know what some of the current labor organizers working through the labor NGOs in China (several of which were recently shut down) do consider themselves to be socialists. Ness’s discussion only extends as far as the current syndicalist movement.</p>
<p>Finally, there is the question of the Global North. The rise of manufacturing in the Global South since the 1980s, with increasingly sophisticated technology contributing to high value added, has put pressure on the capitalist of the Global North to impose austerity and work to drive down wages as well as the social wage (unemployment insurance, workers compensation, health and pension plans). The Global North comes more and more to resemble the Global South—except that its industrial plant has been dramatically reduced. One can see that developments in the Global North could lead to a revived labor movement, even if one led by teachers, hospital workers, and restaurant employees and not industrial workers. While they have less economic clout, public employees directly confront and challenge the political system.</p>
<p>Ness’s book provides an account of some quite important labor struggles taking place in countries of the Global South where clearly there is a Southern Insurgency. And it raises important and interesting questions about the future of global labor. Yet, he has failed to convince us that the admirable and heroic struggles he describes constitute a genuine alternative to the bureaucratic labor unions he quite rightly disdains. Perhaps developments will prove him right, and a powerful syndicalism will develop, but it is not here yet. And even if it does, it will need a political force if it is to change the system that so oppesses and exploits global labor today.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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| 7,714 |
|
<p />
<p>Student loan debt has been one of the hotter political topics of the past few years, generating a collection of proposed solutions like free community college, a student borrower’s bill of rights and changes to the bankruptcy law, to name a few. A state lawmaker in New Jersey just tossed out another idea: a debt-payoff lottery.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Of course, anyone with student loan debt could enter their state’s lottery (though not all states have them) for the chance to win and <a href="http://www.credit.com/debt/strategies-for-paying-off-student-loan-debt/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_1&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">pay off their loans Opens a New Window.</a> that way, but Assemblyman John Burzichelli proposed a smaller, targeted lottery for people with education debt, reports <a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/07/a_lottery_to_pay_off_student_debt_nj_lawmaker.html" type="external">NJ.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>His bill describes a lottery in which borrowers can register information about their debt to play, and they can buy tickets online, according to the news report. Someone else can also buy a lottery ticket (no more than $3) to benefit a borrower. Borrowers could not spend more than 15% their loan balances on the lottery tickets — the typical&#160;borrower who graduated from a New Jersey school in 2014 had $28,109 in loans, according to the Project on Student Debt, and 15% of that is $4,216. Like any other lottery winners, borrowers would be subject to taxes on their prize. If a borrower wins a pot that exceeds his or her debt, the remaining prize money would go to other borrowers.</p>
<p>While the number of people who could enter a student-loan-payoff lottery is smaller than the potential number of ticket holders in a general lottery, the odds of winning likely wouldn’t be great. Imagine getting to the point where you’ve maxed out your allotment of ticket purchases and realizing you spent thousands of dollars for a chance at paying off your debt, when you could have just paid off thousands of dollars in debt. That would be depressing. Then again, that’s how these things work. With every purchase, there’s always the argument that the money could have been better spent.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, as this bill lingers in the New Jersey Legislature, millions of borrowers across the nation have <a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/how-long-will-i-be-paying-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_3&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">student loans to pay Opens a New Window.</a>. Maybe a few of them will win lottery jackpots and use them to pay off their debts, but most people need to figure out a way to afford these things with the financial resources&#160;they’ve got. <a href="http://blog.credit.com/2015/06/what-happens-if-i-ignore-my-student-loans-84434/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_4&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Failing to pay your student loan bills Opens a New Window.</a> will certainly destroy your credit, and you may have your wages garnished or tax refunds seized, if you default on federal loans. (You can see how your student loans are <a href="https://www.credit.com/free-credit-score/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_5&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">affecting your credit scores for free on Credit.com Opens a New Window.</a>.) If you’re concerned about your ability to repay your student loans, talk to your servicer (the company that handles your loan payments) and look into any <a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/repayment-options-for-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_6&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">student loan repayment options Opens a New Window.</a> that could make your debt manageable.</p>
<p>More from Credit.com</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/student-loan-forgiveness-programs/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_1&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Can You Get Your Student Loans Forgiven? Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/credit-scores/how-student-loans-can-impact-your-credit-score/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_2&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">How Student Loans Can Impact Your Credit Score Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/repayment-options-for-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_3&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Repayment Options for Student Loans Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>This article originally appeared on <a href="http://blog.credit.com/2015/07/9-important-ages-for-retirement-planning-120220/" type="external">Credit.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Christine DiGangi covers personal finance for Credit.com. Previously, she managed communications for the Society of Professional Journalists, served as a copy editor of The New York Times News Service and worked as a reporter for the Oregonian and the News &amp; Record. <a href="http://blog.credit.com/author/christine-digangi/?utm_source=Fox" type="external">More by Christine DiGangi Opens a New Window.</a></p>
|
A New Lottery Proposal: Pay Off the Winner's Student Loans
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2015/07/08/new-lottery-proposal-pay-off-winner-student-loans.html
|
2016-03-04
| 0right
|
A New Lottery Proposal: Pay Off the Winner's Student Loans
<p />
<p>Student loan debt has been one of the hotter political topics of the past few years, generating a collection of proposed solutions like free community college, a student borrower’s bill of rights and changes to the bankruptcy law, to name a few. A state lawmaker in New Jersey just tossed out another idea: a debt-payoff lottery.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Of course, anyone with student loan debt could enter their state’s lottery (though not all states have them) for the chance to win and <a href="http://www.credit.com/debt/strategies-for-paying-off-student-loan-debt/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_1&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">pay off their loans Opens a New Window.</a> that way, but Assemblyman John Burzichelli proposed a smaller, targeted lottery for people with education debt, reports <a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/07/a_lottery_to_pay_off_student_debt_nj_lawmaker.html" type="external">NJ.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>His bill describes a lottery in which borrowers can register information about their debt to play, and they can buy tickets online, according to the news report. Someone else can also buy a lottery ticket (no more than $3) to benefit a borrower. Borrowers could not spend more than 15% their loan balances on the lottery tickets — the typical&#160;borrower who graduated from a New Jersey school in 2014 had $28,109 in loans, according to the Project on Student Debt, and 15% of that is $4,216. Like any other lottery winners, borrowers would be subject to taxes on their prize. If a borrower wins a pot that exceeds his or her debt, the remaining prize money would go to other borrowers.</p>
<p>While the number of people who could enter a student-loan-payoff lottery is smaller than the potential number of ticket holders in a general lottery, the odds of winning likely wouldn’t be great. Imagine getting to the point where you’ve maxed out your allotment of ticket purchases and realizing you spent thousands of dollars for a chance at paying off your debt, when you could have just paid off thousands of dollars in debt. That would be depressing. Then again, that’s how these things work. With every purchase, there’s always the argument that the money could have been better spent.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, as this bill lingers in the New Jersey Legislature, millions of borrowers across the nation have <a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/how-long-will-i-be-paying-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_3&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">student loans to pay Opens a New Window.</a>. Maybe a few of them will win lottery jackpots and use them to pay off their debts, but most people need to figure out a way to afford these things with the financial resources&#160;they’ve got. <a href="http://blog.credit.com/2015/06/what-happens-if-i-ignore-my-student-loans-84434/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_4&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Failing to pay your student loan bills Opens a New Window.</a> will certainly destroy your credit, and you may have your wages garnished or tax refunds seized, if you default on federal loans. (You can see how your student loans are <a href="https://www.credit.com/free-credit-score/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_5&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">affecting your credit scores for free on Credit.com Opens a New Window.</a>.) If you’re concerned about your ability to repay your student loans, talk to your servicer (the company that handles your loan payments) and look into any <a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/repayment-options-for-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=IB_6&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">student loan repayment options Opens a New Window.</a> that could make your debt manageable.</p>
<p>More from Credit.com</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/student-loan-forgiveness-programs/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_1&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Can You Get Your Student Loans Forgiven? Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/credit-scores/how-student-loans-can-impact-your-credit-score/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_2&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">How Student Loans Can Impact Your Credit Score Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.credit.com/loans/student-loans/student-articles/repayment-options-for-student-loans/?utm_source=Fox&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=BO_3&amp;utm_campaign=lottery_student_loans" type="external">Repayment Options for Student Loans Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>This article originally appeared on <a href="http://blog.credit.com/2015/07/9-important-ages-for-retirement-planning-120220/" type="external">Credit.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Christine DiGangi covers personal finance for Credit.com. Previously, she managed communications for the Society of Professional Journalists, served as a copy editor of The New York Times News Service and worked as a reporter for the Oregonian and the News &amp; Record. <a href="http://blog.credit.com/author/christine-digangi/?utm_source=Fox" type="external">More by Christine DiGangi Opens a New Window.</a></p>
| 7,715 |
<p>your email</p>
<p>your name</p>
<p>recipient(s) email (comma separated)</p>
<p />
<p>message</p>
<p>captcha</p>
<p />
<p>Tom Geoghegan, who has been a union-side lawyer for decades, says that there is no way Americans can achieve a full-employment economy without a labor movement. (Stephen Franklin) &#160;</p>
<p>For three years in the early 1970s, journalist Studs&#160;Terkel&#160;gathered stories from a variety of American workers.&#160;He then compiled them into&#160;Working, an oral-history collection that went on to become a classic. Four decades after its publication,&#160;Working&#160;is more relevant than ever. Terkel, who regularly contributed to&#160;In These Times,&#160;once wrote, “I know the good fight—the fight for democracy, for civil rights, for the rights of workers has a future, for these values will live on in the pages of&#160;In These Times.”&#160;In honor of that sentiment and of&#160;Working’s&#160;40th anniversary,&#160;ITT&#160;writers have invited a broad range of American workers to describe what they do, in their own words. More "Working&#160;at 40" stories&#160; <a href="" type="internal">can be found here</a>.</p>
<p>Philip Da Vinci had worked as a lawyer for a large insurance firm when he decided he needed to do something that felt useful, he told Terkel in Working. He switched to a storefront law office serving the elderly, juveniles, prison inmates, people “dumped” from state mental hospitals, and other residents of his low-income Chicago neighborhood. But he struggled to hang onto his hope. “You can change a few things. But not much progress is being made,” he told Terkel.</p>
<p>Tom Geoghegan is a Chicago lawyer who tells In These Times that he, too, wanted to shape the future of the country through his profession. In addition to spending much of his career representing workers and unions, he has also written a number of books. His book “Which Side Are You On?” (1991), which chronicled the downward slide of organized labor, was described by Terkel himself as reading “like an enthralling novel.” This interview has been edited and abridged.</p>
<p>I became a lawyer because I came of age in the late 1960s. I graduated from college in 1971. I saw the Civil Rights legal revolution and I lived through the Warren Court, which made bigger changes in the country than normal electoral politics. I was immensely influenced by my uncle, who was in Robert Kennedy’s Justice Department and worked on the Civil Rights bill.</p>
<p>I was taken with the idea of going in and arguing for the right and true; and not making any compromises at all but simply going to the max for your client; and that you could make big changes in the country and bring a better and more just way of life. The other reason I did it is that it looked like a better option than being an academic. I was scared that if I tried to become an academic, I would spend years on a Ph.D. that would never get finished. I’m also the oldest of six sons, and so I felt it was my obligation to go out and do something that would pass muster for what an oldest son ought to do.&#160;</p>
<p>Labor law was still a big deal at the time and it was very clear to me that the Democratic Party and organized labor were the two forces of change in this society, and that they were inextricably linked. And as a non-labor person from the outside, I thought the way to have the best possible Democratic Party was to have a well-organized labor movement. I was convinced that there was a terrible rift developing between the progressive left and organized labor.</p>
<p>I didn’t think of labor as an endangered species then. At the time—the late 1960s, early 1970s—people had the presumption that labor was here to stay. It was powerful, and the idea of using that power in a more progressive way really attracted me.&#160;</p>
<p>I still am enthused about labor. I started out as a young law student, and then as a very young lawyer, working for a progressive administration in the United Mine Workers. All these people had basically taken on a corrupt union leadership, which still had some power even after the reformers had taken over. That situation simultaneously exposed me to the best and worst in the labor movement. There is, in organized labor, plenty of gray area, and I understood that later. But at the beginning of my involvement in labor everything was black and white. There were the good guys and the bad guys in the battles of the mineworkers.</p>
<p>I felt that tremendously, too, when I went to the steelworkers and I worked for Ed Sadlowski. We were fighting an entrenched bureaucratic union leadership that wasn’t as evil as the former mineworkers leadership, but in some ways it was worse because you were fighting the banality of a union bureaucracy that should have been the champion of the people.</p>
<p>And that led me to my current job at the firm—now called Despres, Schwarts and Geoghegan Ltd.—where I went to work with Leon Despres, who was this champion of progressive causes. He was not known as a labor lawyer, but that was who he was and how he regarded himself for decades of his career. I worked with him for 25 years until he died at the age of 101.</p>
<p>We were different from other union-side lawyers, because we both represented unions and sometimes sued them because they were not being democratic enough. And that is a very tricky way for a union-side lawyer to live. It is not a good business model, but it is something we felt committed to doing. As organized labor shrank, dwindled, and became less important, it’s become even more of an important cause to me.&#160;</p>
<p>I’m also of an age—I’m 65 years old—where I feel that I have to stay committed to this fight if only to set a good example. There are so few of us from my generation who are out fighting for organized labor compared to 40 or 50 years ago. While I'm not unique, it is still a small number and we should not leave it. We should stay on the parapets and keep fighting.</p>
<p>What has changed about being a lawyer and a labor lawyer?</p>
<p>A million things have changed. But people’s perceptions about what the law can do have changed most of all. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, people my age thought lawyers and judges could make big changes in the country. They did make big changes—and they still can and still do—but it is much harder now to persuade people on the Left that they should be using the courts more creatively, because those people have given up on law. And that’s a very dumb thing to do in the American constitutional system. We don’t majority-rule here. We have a lot of gridlock, and lot of checks and balances. Over the years, to break gridlock, you do rely upon the courts to come in from the outside.</p>
<p>You give up on the courts, which I think the Left has done, and you give up the opportunity for making big changes in the American system, because they are never going to come through normal electoral politics.</p>
<p>Let me give you an example of a group that figured out what was wrong. Gay rights. Yes, they demonstrated in the streets. But you’ll notice, with regard to same-sex marriage, advocates really gave up on electoral politics and went through the courts, and they’ve achieved real change that way. I’ve been trying to get other progressive groups, including unions, to realize that there’s a lot that they can do in the courts now.&#160;</p>
<p>I’ve also been pushing this idea of amending the Civil Rights Act to give workers the right to go into the courts to file a complaint about discrimination based on union membership. But it is very hard to convince union leaders of that.</p>
<p>What’s the future for labor?</p>
<p>I don’t know, but I think it is open-ended. [Pauses.] I think the labor movement could come back if there were a real commitment by the leadership of the Democratic Party. I don’t mean Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I mean people at several levels of the party. People who talk about maintaining the welfare state without a labor movement behind it are kidding themselves. You will not be able to have a full-employment economy without a labor movement.&#160;</p>
|
Lawyer: ‘We Should Stay on the Parapets and Keep Fighting’
| true |
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17041/lawyer_working_40
|
2014-08-11
| 4left
|
Lawyer: ‘We Should Stay on the Parapets and Keep Fighting’
<p>your email</p>
<p>your name</p>
<p>recipient(s) email (comma separated)</p>
<p />
<p>message</p>
<p>captcha</p>
<p />
<p>Tom Geoghegan, who has been a union-side lawyer for decades, says that there is no way Americans can achieve a full-employment economy without a labor movement. (Stephen Franklin) &#160;</p>
<p>For three years in the early 1970s, journalist Studs&#160;Terkel&#160;gathered stories from a variety of American workers.&#160;He then compiled them into&#160;Working, an oral-history collection that went on to become a classic. Four decades after its publication,&#160;Working&#160;is more relevant than ever. Terkel, who regularly contributed to&#160;In These Times,&#160;once wrote, “I know the good fight—the fight for democracy, for civil rights, for the rights of workers has a future, for these values will live on in the pages of&#160;In These Times.”&#160;In honor of that sentiment and of&#160;Working’s&#160;40th anniversary,&#160;ITT&#160;writers have invited a broad range of American workers to describe what they do, in their own words. More "Working&#160;at 40" stories&#160; <a href="" type="internal">can be found here</a>.</p>
<p>Philip Da Vinci had worked as a lawyer for a large insurance firm when he decided he needed to do something that felt useful, he told Terkel in Working. He switched to a storefront law office serving the elderly, juveniles, prison inmates, people “dumped” from state mental hospitals, and other residents of his low-income Chicago neighborhood. But he struggled to hang onto his hope. “You can change a few things. But not much progress is being made,” he told Terkel.</p>
<p>Tom Geoghegan is a Chicago lawyer who tells In These Times that he, too, wanted to shape the future of the country through his profession. In addition to spending much of his career representing workers and unions, he has also written a number of books. His book “Which Side Are You On?” (1991), which chronicled the downward slide of organized labor, was described by Terkel himself as reading “like an enthralling novel.” This interview has been edited and abridged.</p>
<p>I became a lawyer because I came of age in the late 1960s. I graduated from college in 1971. I saw the Civil Rights legal revolution and I lived through the Warren Court, which made bigger changes in the country than normal electoral politics. I was immensely influenced by my uncle, who was in Robert Kennedy’s Justice Department and worked on the Civil Rights bill.</p>
<p>I was taken with the idea of going in and arguing for the right and true; and not making any compromises at all but simply going to the max for your client; and that you could make big changes in the country and bring a better and more just way of life. The other reason I did it is that it looked like a better option than being an academic. I was scared that if I tried to become an academic, I would spend years on a Ph.D. that would never get finished. I’m also the oldest of six sons, and so I felt it was my obligation to go out and do something that would pass muster for what an oldest son ought to do.&#160;</p>
<p>Labor law was still a big deal at the time and it was very clear to me that the Democratic Party and organized labor were the two forces of change in this society, and that they were inextricably linked. And as a non-labor person from the outside, I thought the way to have the best possible Democratic Party was to have a well-organized labor movement. I was convinced that there was a terrible rift developing between the progressive left and organized labor.</p>
<p>I didn’t think of labor as an endangered species then. At the time—the late 1960s, early 1970s—people had the presumption that labor was here to stay. It was powerful, and the idea of using that power in a more progressive way really attracted me.&#160;</p>
<p>I still am enthused about labor. I started out as a young law student, and then as a very young lawyer, working for a progressive administration in the United Mine Workers. All these people had basically taken on a corrupt union leadership, which still had some power even after the reformers had taken over. That situation simultaneously exposed me to the best and worst in the labor movement. There is, in organized labor, plenty of gray area, and I understood that later. But at the beginning of my involvement in labor everything was black and white. There were the good guys and the bad guys in the battles of the mineworkers.</p>
<p>I felt that tremendously, too, when I went to the steelworkers and I worked for Ed Sadlowski. We were fighting an entrenched bureaucratic union leadership that wasn’t as evil as the former mineworkers leadership, but in some ways it was worse because you were fighting the banality of a union bureaucracy that should have been the champion of the people.</p>
<p>And that led me to my current job at the firm—now called Despres, Schwarts and Geoghegan Ltd.—where I went to work with Leon Despres, who was this champion of progressive causes. He was not known as a labor lawyer, but that was who he was and how he regarded himself for decades of his career. I worked with him for 25 years until he died at the age of 101.</p>
<p>We were different from other union-side lawyers, because we both represented unions and sometimes sued them because they were not being democratic enough. And that is a very tricky way for a union-side lawyer to live. It is not a good business model, but it is something we felt committed to doing. As organized labor shrank, dwindled, and became less important, it’s become even more of an important cause to me.&#160;</p>
<p>I’m also of an age—I’m 65 years old—where I feel that I have to stay committed to this fight if only to set a good example. There are so few of us from my generation who are out fighting for organized labor compared to 40 or 50 years ago. While I'm not unique, it is still a small number and we should not leave it. We should stay on the parapets and keep fighting.</p>
<p>What has changed about being a lawyer and a labor lawyer?</p>
<p>A million things have changed. But people’s perceptions about what the law can do have changed most of all. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, people my age thought lawyers and judges could make big changes in the country. They did make big changes—and they still can and still do—but it is much harder now to persuade people on the Left that they should be using the courts more creatively, because those people have given up on law. And that’s a very dumb thing to do in the American constitutional system. We don’t majority-rule here. We have a lot of gridlock, and lot of checks and balances. Over the years, to break gridlock, you do rely upon the courts to come in from the outside.</p>
<p>You give up on the courts, which I think the Left has done, and you give up the opportunity for making big changes in the American system, because they are never going to come through normal electoral politics.</p>
<p>Let me give you an example of a group that figured out what was wrong. Gay rights. Yes, they demonstrated in the streets. But you’ll notice, with regard to same-sex marriage, advocates really gave up on electoral politics and went through the courts, and they’ve achieved real change that way. I’ve been trying to get other progressive groups, including unions, to realize that there’s a lot that they can do in the courts now.&#160;</p>
<p>I’ve also been pushing this idea of amending the Civil Rights Act to give workers the right to go into the courts to file a complaint about discrimination based on union membership. But it is very hard to convince union leaders of that.</p>
<p>What’s the future for labor?</p>
<p>I don’t know, but I think it is open-ended. [Pauses.] I think the labor movement could come back if there were a real commitment by the leadership of the Democratic Party. I don’t mean Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I mean people at several levels of the party. People who talk about maintaining the welfare state without a labor movement behind it are kidding themselves. You will not be able to have a full-employment economy without a labor movement.&#160;</p>
| 7,716 |
<p>Photo Credit: <a href="http://heritageaction.com/2013/04/democrats-are-blocking-resolution-to-honor-lady-thatcher/" type="external">Heritage Action</a></p>
<p>Senate Democrats have abandoned etiquette in an appalling display of disrespect to the memory of Baroness Margaret Thatcher.</p>
<p>“A Senate resolution to honor Lady Thatcher was supposed to pass [Tuesday] night,” according to Heritage Action.&#160;“However, per well placed sources on the Hill, Democrats have a hold on the resolution.”</p>
<p>Katherine Rosario explained the symbolic gesture that was inexplicably shunned by Senate liberals: “It’s a simple, solemn means of honoring the individual by passing a resolution and immediately adjourning.”</p>
<p>Rosario echoed our sentiments as well:</p>
<p>To refuse to honor a woman of such great historical and political significance, who was deeply loyal to the United States, is petty and shameful.&#160; One truly has to wonder, what is it about Lady Thatcher that gives them pause?&#160; Her unfaltering commitment to freedom?&#160; Or perhaps the way she fought for individual liberty and limited government?</p>
<p>Its’ worth noting the Republican controlled House expressed its “profound sorrow” by passing <a href="http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/flooraction/jan2013/thatcher.pdf" type="external">H. Res. 141</a>in Thatcher’s honor, the Hill reported.</p>
<p>The House bereavement resolution from Tuesday showed the respect Americans would expect all elected officials in Congress to have for Thatcher, not just Republicans:</p>
<p>Resolved, That the House of Representatives has learned with profound sorrow of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.</p>
<p>Resolved, that the House of Representatives tenders its deep sympathies to the members of the family of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher and her countrymen.</p>
<p>Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the legacy of Baroness Margaret Thatcher for her life-long commitment to advancing freedom, liberty, and democracy and for her friendship to the United States of America.</p>
<p>Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to communicate these expressions of sentiment to the family of the deceased and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.</p>
<p>Resolved, That when the House adjourn today it do so as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher.</p>
<p><a href="http://heritageaction.com/2013/04/democrats-are-blocking-resolution-to-honor-lady-thatcher/" type="external">More from Heritage Action.</a></p>
|
Senate Dems refuse to honor Thatcher with symbolic gesture
| true |
http://bizpacreview.com/2013/04/12/senate-dems-refuse-to-honor-thatcher-with-symbolic-gesture-61227
|
2013-04-12
| 0right
|
Senate Dems refuse to honor Thatcher with symbolic gesture
<p>Photo Credit: <a href="http://heritageaction.com/2013/04/democrats-are-blocking-resolution-to-honor-lady-thatcher/" type="external">Heritage Action</a></p>
<p>Senate Democrats have abandoned etiquette in an appalling display of disrespect to the memory of Baroness Margaret Thatcher.</p>
<p>“A Senate resolution to honor Lady Thatcher was supposed to pass [Tuesday] night,” according to Heritage Action.&#160;“However, per well placed sources on the Hill, Democrats have a hold on the resolution.”</p>
<p>Katherine Rosario explained the symbolic gesture that was inexplicably shunned by Senate liberals: “It’s a simple, solemn means of honoring the individual by passing a resolution and immediately adjourning.”</p>
<p>Rosario echoed our sentiments as well:</p>
<p>To refuse to honor a woman of such great historical and political significance, who was deeply loyal to the United States, is petty and shameful.&#160; One truly has to wonder, what is it about Lady Thatcher that gives them pause?&#160; Her unfaltering commitment to freedom?&#160; Or perhaps the way she fought for individual liberty and limited government?</p>
<p>Its’ worth noting the Republican controlled House expressed its “profound sorrow” by passing <a href="http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/flooraction/jan2013/thatcher.pdf" type="external">H. Res. 141</a>in Thatcher’s honor, the Hill reported.</p>
<p>The House bereavement resolution from Tuesday showed the respect Americans would expect all elected officials in Congress to have for Thatcher, not just Republicans:</p>
<p>Resolved, That the House of Representatives has learned with profound sorrow of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.</p>
<p>Resolved, that the House of Representatives tenders its deep sympathies to the members of the family of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher and her countrymen.</p>
<p>Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the legacy of Baroness Margaret Thatcher for her life-long commitment to advancing freedom, liberty, and democracy and for her friendship to the United States of America.</p>
<p>Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to communicate these expressions of sentiment to the family of the deceased and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.</p>
<p>Resolved, That when the House adjourn today it do so as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher.</p>
<p><a href="http://heritageaction.com/2013/04/democrats-are-blocking-resolution-to-honor-lady-thatcher/" type="external">More from Heritage Action.</a></p>
| 7,717 |
<p />
<p>Americans are living longer these days. The Social Security Administration estimates that one in four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, while one in 10 will live past age 95. But rather than celebrate these projected milestones, many near-retirees are, in fact, bemoaning them.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>In a recent Transamerica study, 43% of workers 50 and older stated that their single greatest retirement fear is outliving their savings. And in a similar Allianz study, 60% of baby boomers admitted to being more fearful of running out of money in retirement than actually dying.</p>
<p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.</p>
<p>Given that the typical American is far behind on retirement savings, a growing number of seniors will inevitably find themselves searching for ways to generate added cash upon leaving their full-time jobs. With that in mind, here are a few income-producing options to explore.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Though your Social Security benefits themselves are based on how much you earned during your working years, the age at which you claim them can impact your eventual payout. If you file for Social Security at your <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/04/what-is-your-social-security-retirement-age.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">full retirement age Opens a New Window.</a> -- which for today's workers is 66, 67, or somewhere in between -- you'll get to collect your monthly benefits in full. But if you hold off on taking benefits, you'll get an annual 8% boost for every year you delay, up until age 70.</p>
<p>Imagine your full retirement age is 66, at which point you'd be eligible for $1,600 a month in benefits. Wait until 70 and you'll increase those payments to $2,112.</p>
<p>Now one thing to keep in mind is that this strategy really only works if you expect to live long enough to collect enough payments to make waiting worthwhile. Remember, though holding off on Social Security will allow you to boost those payments, it also means collecting fewer payments during your lifetime. In our example, at age 82.5, you'd wind up with the same amount of lifetime benefits whether you started collecting $1,600 a month at age 66 or $2,112 at age 70. If you think you'll live beyond your breakeven age, then waiting on Social Security is a great way to get your hands on additional retirement income. But if you have a known health issue or a family history of dying on the younger side, be aware that this strategy may not pay off.</p>
<p>Second to healthcare, housing is generally the average retiree's greatest expense. But if you sell your home and downsize to a smaller property, you can lower your costs and take in some additional income at the same time.</p>
<p>It's estimated that 30% of homeowners 65 and older still have a mortgage, but even those who pay off their homes prior to retirement still face a number of costs. First, there are property taxes, which have historically proven to rise over time, even during periods when home values drop. Then there's maintenance to consider. The typical homeowner spends 1% to 4% of his or her home's value on annual upkeep, and if you have an aging property, you're likely to hit the higher end of that range. Downsizing to a smaller space can help keep these costs to a minimum, and if you're among the 70% of seniors who are entering retirement mortgage-free, you'll get to pocket the proceeds from the sale of your home and use them as you see fit.</p>
<p>The Pew Research Center reports that more older Americans are working now than ever before. As of May 2016, almost 19% of seniors 65 and older were employed in some capacity, compared to just under 13% back in 2000. If you're looking for a way to boost your retirement income, working part-time is a surefire way to achieve that goal.</p>
<p>But don't just apply for any old desk job or resign yourself to a series of uninspired shifts at your local retail establishment. If you find something you're passionate about and actually enjoy doing, working part-time can be a great way to not only earn money but occupy some of your newfound free time. You might think about starting a business or consulting independently in your former field. And if you really want a job that helps you feel young, consider nannying for a working family in your neighborhood. There are a host of options for working during retirement, so it's really just a matter of finding the right fit for you.</p>
<p>You deserve a retirement devoid of financial stress. If you're willing to wait on Social Security, unload your home, and work part-time, you can increase your retirement income without having to sacrifice the comfortable lifestyle you've been anticipating.</p>
<p>The $16,122 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 $16,122 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>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 Proven Ways to Boost Your Retirement Income
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/06/3-proven-ways-to-boost-your-retirement-income.html
|
2017-04-17
| 0right
|
3 Proven Ways to Boost Your Retirement Income
<p />
<p>Americans are living longer these days. The Social Security Administration estimates that one in four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, while one in 10 will live past age 95. But rather than celebrate these projected milestones, many near-retirees are, in fact, bemoaning them.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>In a recent Transamerica study, 43% of workers 50 and older stated that their single greatest retirement fear is outliving their savings. And in a similar Allianz study, 60% of baby boomers admitted to being more fearful of running out of money in retirement than actually dying.</p>
<p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.</p>
<p>Given that the typical American is far behind on retirement savings, a growing number of seniors will inevitably find themselves searching for ways to generate added cash upon leaving their full-time jobs. With that in mind, here are a few income-producing options to explore.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Though your Social Security benefits themselves are based on how much you earned during your working years, the age at which you claim them can impact your eventual payout. If you file for Social Security at your <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/04/what-is-your-social-security-retirement-age.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">full retirement age Opens a New Window.</a> -- which for today's workers is 66, 67, or somewhere in between -- you'll get to collect your monthly benefits in full. But if you hold off on taking benefits, you'll get an annual 8% boost for every year you delay, up until age 70.</p>
<p>Imagine your full retirement age is 66, at which point you'd be eligible for $1,600 a month in benefits. Wait until 70 and you'll increase those payments to $2,112.</p>
<p>Now one thing to keep in mind is that this strategy really only works if you expect to live long enough to collect enough payments to make waiting worthwhile. Remember, though holding off on Social Security will allow you to boost those payments, it also means collecting fewer payments during your lifetime. In our example, at age 82.5, you'd wind up with the same amount of lifetime benefits whether you started collecting $1,600 a month at age 66 or $2,112 at age 70. If you think you'll live beyond your breakeven age, then waiting on Social Security is a great way to get your hands on additional retirement income. But if you have a known health issue or a family history of dying on the younger side, be aware that this strategy may not pay off.</p>
<p>Second to healthcare, housing is generally the average retiree's greatest expense. But if you sell your home and downsize to a smaller property, you can lower your costs and take in some additional income at the same time.</p>
<p>It's estimated that 30% of homeowners 65 and older still have a mortgage, but even those who pay off their homes prior to retirement still face a number of costs. First, there are property taxes, which have historically proven to rise over time, even during periods when home values drop. Then there's maintenance to consider. The typical homeowner spends 1% to 4% of his or her home's value on annual upkeep, and if you have an aging property, you're likely to hit the higher end of that range. Downsizing to a smaller space can help keep these costs to a minimum, and if you're among the 70% of seniors who are entering retirement mortgage-free, you'll get to pocket the proceeds from the sale of your home and use them as you see fit.</p>
<p>The Pew Research Center reports that more older Americans are working now than ever before. As of May 2016, almost 19% of seniors 65 and older were employed in some capacity, compared to just under 13% back in 2000. If you're looking for a way to boost your retirement income, working part-time is a surefire way to achieve that goal.</p>
<p>But don't just apply for any old desk job or resign yourself to a series of uninspired shifts at your local retail establishment. If you find something you're passionate about and actually enjoy doing, working part-time can be a great way to not only earn money but occupy some of your newfound free time. You might think about starting a business or consulting independently in your former field. And if you really want a job that helps you feel young, consider nannying for a working family in your neighborhood. There are a host of options for working during retirement, so it's really just a matter of finding the right fit for you.</p>
<p>You deserve a retirement devoid of financial stress. If you're willing to wait on Social Security, unload your home, and work part-time, you can increase your retirement income without having to sacrifice the comfortable lifestyle you've been anticipating.</p>
<p>The $16,122 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 $16,122 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>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>
| 7,718 |
<p />
<p>Millennials have taken quite the beating for the past few years, tagged by many as The Slacker Generation. It is true that many of the Millennial generation have grown up receiving trophies for essentially nothing more than having a set of lungs that exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide, a recent survey shows that just maybe today’s youth deserve the branding of lazy.</p>
<p>As reported by the <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/gallup-millennials-checked-out-at-work-16-out-to-do-damage-to-employer/article/2593180" type="external">Washington Examiner</a>, the Gallup polling organization has just released their findings in a study entitled&#160; <a href="http://www.gallup.com/reports/189830/millennials-work-live.aspx" type="external">How Millennials Want to Work and Live</a>. And after tabulating the opinions of 73 million Americans ranging from Traditionalists to the Baby Boomers to the Generation Xers to the Millennials, the numbers don’t look good for the trophy kids.</p>
<p>Basically, the study stated, “The millennial workforce is predominantly ‘checked out,’ not putting energy or passion into their jobs. They are indifferent about work and show up just to put in their hours.” Gallup broke down the various generations by the following, to include birth year range:</p>
<p>The polling company also broke down by generation how much, or little as the case may be, each groups commitment to those that sign their paychecks. The three categories of “engagement” are as follows, to include the specific definition of such:</p>
<p>According to Gallup, a mere 29 percent of Millennials are categorized as Engaged. Those that fell into the Not Engaged and Actively Disengaged groups combined come to a whopping 71 percent. To further inflame the issue, Gallup also noted that Millennial turnover due to lack of engagement in the workplace ends up costing the US economy an estimated $30.5 billion per year.</p>
<p>Perhaps best exemplifying the prevailing attitude would be a Stuart Varney segment of the Fox Business Network (see video, above) detailing a study from earlier this year that noted fully 40 percent of Millennials had decided to forego breakfast cereal. Reason being – it takes too long to clean up afterwards.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p>
|
Lazy Millennials, 16% out to sabotage employers
| true |
http://conservativefiringline.com/millennials-lazy-16-percent-sabotage-employers/
|
2016-06-07
| 0right
|
Lazy Millennials, 16% out to sabotage employers
<p />
<p>Millennials have taken quite the beating for the past few years, tagged by many as The Slacker Generation. It is true that many of the Millennial generation have grown up receiving trophies for essentially nothing more than having a set of lungs that exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide, a recent survey shows that just maybe today’s youth deserve the branding of lazy.</p>
<p>As reported by the <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/gallup-millennials-checked-out-at-work-16-out-to-do-damage-to-employer/article/2593180" type="external">Washington Examiner</a>, the Gallup polling organization has just released their findings in a study entitled&#160; <a href="http://www.gallup.com/reports/189830/millennials-work-live.aspx" type="external">How Millennials Want to Work and Live</a>. And after tabulating the opinions of 73 million Americans ranging from Traditionalists to the Baby Boomers to the Generation Xers to the Millennials, the numbers don’t look good for the trophy kids.</p>
<p>Basically, the study stated, “The millennial workforce is predominantly ‘checked out,’ not putting energy or passion into their jobs. They are indifferent about work and show up just to put in their hours.” Gallup broke down the various generations by the following, to include birth year range:</p>
<p>The polling company also broke down by generation how much, or little as the case may be, each groups commitment to those that sign their paychecks. The three categories of “engagement” are as follows, to include the specific definition of such:</p>
<p>According to Gallup, a mere 29 percent of Millennials are categorized as Engaged. Those that fell into the Not Engaged and Actively Disengaged groups combined come to a whopping 71 percent. To further inflame the issue, Gallup also noted that Millennial turnover due to lack of engagement in the workplace ends up costing the US economy an estimated $30.5 billion per year.</p>
<p>Perhaps best exemplifying the prevailing attitude would be a Stuart Varney segment of the Fox Business Network (see video, above) detailing a study from earlier this year that noted fully 40 percent of Millennials had decided to forego breakfast cereal. Reason being – it takes too long to clean up afterwards.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p>
| 7,719 |
<p />
<p>Interviews are a two-way street, and impressing the hiring manager is just one part of it. As a potential employer determines if you’re right for the job, you’ve got to figure out if that company is right for you — when it is, it becomes a ripple effect of benefits.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“You’re meeting the company to determine whether that’s a place where you’ll be happy, and a company wants people who enjoy coming to work every day,” says Lori Almeida, Chief Talent Officer at Siegel+Gale. “Employee satisfaction is important to a business.”</p>
<p>Finding the best opportunity takes work. “Anybody looking for a job needs to be honest about why they’re looking and what they’re looking for and not getting [from their current employer],” says Paul Wolfe, senior vice president of Human Resources at career website <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__indeed.com&amp;d=CwMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=yGaLho8s1IshO_Ub_mMkWYbDhHJrhzpzkLUu8C7vLZE&amp;m=q4RvK2P2HSYySl7UAzw305fQoMR-YcA_M5wdXqvrYzw&amp;s=ldEgPfsdm_T-DtSv2MdHXG0MuYsLQnShcANPyXMSA8w&amp;e=" type="external">Indeed.com. Opens a New Window.</a> “Be honest, do research and ask questions if that company’s the right place for you.”</p>
<p>Be sure to review all aspects of the role, company and industry to pinpoint that right fit. Experts provide tips to help you conduct your job search.</p>
<p>Know Your Goals</p>
<p>Reflect on previous jobs and employers as to what’s critical at this juncture in your career, whether that’s career path, schedule, culture, team, or benefits. “Think about what’s important to you and how that company will meet those criteria,” says Natasha Stough, EY Americas Director of Campus Recruiting. “A little soul searching never hurts.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The type of work and environment that best suits you matters as well. “The culture at one company will be different than that at another company, and you want your personality to fit in,” says Michael Baldwin, author of Just Add Water. “Your personality is set, and you can’t be in a culture that’s very different from what you are because you won’t be happy.”</p>
<p>Research the Company</p>
<p>Stand out from the pool of applicants by knowing about a company, including its clients, products, employees, culture and work environment, as well as the industry and competitive landscape.</p>
<p>Websites like Indeed and Glassdoor are great places to start because of the reviews from job candidates and current and former employees. “As a prospective employee, you can read comments on interviews, salaries and what it’s like to work there,” says Almeida. “Companies can’t have comments redacted from the sites so it’s pretty true. You have to consider these reviews to determine if that’s a place where you want to be.”</p>
<p>Your network, LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) and other connections can offer a wealth of information too. “It’s usually a couple degrees of separation in your network to get to someone at the company or who knows someone there — that’s a great resource to ask questions,” says Wolfe. Someone with experience at a certain company can provide insight as to what it’s like to work there and why they stayed or left.</p>
<p>Ask Questions</p>
<p>“Asking questions is a good thing, and it shows a potential employer that you’re genuinely interested and are doing the best you can to assess if this is a good fit for you,” says Scott Dobroski, community expert at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.glassdoor.com&amp;d=CwMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=yGaLho8s1IshO_Ub_mMkWYbDhHJrhzpzkLUu8C7vLZE&amp;m=q4RvK2P2HSYySl7UAzw305fQoMR-YcA_M5wdXqvrYzw&amp;s=ZGX3S2D4Sj2hw_A5K3h3ReXSvyj1Tpyz68IuRGOLJKo&amp;e=" type="external">Glassdoor Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>For a sense of the environment and job responsibilities, experts recommend inquiring about the job’s short- and long-term expectations, an average day, whether people collaborate, how you’ll be challenged, the company culture, training or coaching opportunities, and the team structure.</p>
<p>Asking about the best and worst parts of the job, as well as the company’s goals and values and how the team supports these, will provide context about the position and company. If lifestyle is important, then ask about work schedules, arrangements and travel.</p>
<p>Recognizing what’s kept people engaged will help you understand the company’s culture. “It’s helpful to understand why people have stayed at that company — what’s their story,” says Stough. “When people talk about themselves and their own journeys, you’ll start to frame out a general understanding of their perspective of the company.”</p>
<p>Observe</p>
<p>During the interview process, look at how people interact with each other, if they’re happy and if you feel comfortable in this space, experts say, along with whether there’s a sense of community.</p>
<p>“Having an experience is important and that sense of connectivity and connection — how you build community and connection is very real and a priority for many people regardless of career level,” says Stough.</p>
|
Assessing the Right Company for You
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2015/11/24/assessing-right-company-for.html
|
2016-03-04
| 0right
|
Assessing the Right Company for You
<p />
<p>Interviews are a two-way street, and impressing the hiring manager is just one part of it. As a potential employer determines if you’re right for the job, you’ve got to figure out if that company is right for you — when it is, it becomes a ripple effect of benefits.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“You’re meeting the company to determine whether that’s a place where you’ll be happy, and a company wants people who enjoy coming to work every day,” says Lori Almeida, Chief Talent Officer at Siegel+Gale. “Employee satisfaction is important to a business.”</p>
<p>Finding the best opportunity takes work. “Anybody looking for a job needs to be honest about why they’re looking and what they’re looking for and not getting [from their current employer],” says Paul Wolfe, senior vice president of Human Resources at career website <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__indeed.com&amp;d=CwMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=yGaLho8s1IshO_Ub_mMkWYbDhHJrhzpzkLUu8C7vLZE&amp;m=q4RvK2P2HSYySl7UAzw305fQoMR-YcA_M5wdXqvrYzw&amp;s=ldEgPfsdm_T-DtSv2MdHXG0MuYsLQnShcANPyXMSA8w&amp;e=" type="external">Indeed.com. Opens a New Window.</a> “Be honest, do research and ask questions if that company’s the right place for you.”</p>
<p>Be sure to review all aspects of the role, company and industry to pinpoint that right fit. Experts provide tips to help you conduct your job search.</p>
<p>Know Your Goals</p>
<p>Reflect on previous jobs and employers as to what’s critical at this juncture in your career, whether that’s career path, schedule, culture, team, or benefits. “Think about what’s important to you and how that company will meet those criteria,” says Natasha Stough, EY Americas Director of Campus Recruiting. “A little soul searching never hurts.”</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The type of work and environment that best suits you matters as well. “The culture at one company will be different than that at another company, and you want your personality to fit in,” says Michael Baldwin, author of Just Add Water. “Your personality is set, and you can’t be in a culture that’s very different from what you are because you won’t be happy.”</p>
<p>Research the Company</p>
<p>Stand out from the pool of applicants by knowing about a company, including its clients, products, employees, culture and work environment, as well as the industry and competitive landscape.</p>
<p>Websites like Indeed and Glassdoor are great places to start because of the reviews from job candidates and current and former employees. “As a prospective employee, you can read comments on interviews, salaries and what it’s like to work there,” says Almeida. “Companies can’t have comments redacted from the sites so it’s pretty true. You have to consider these reviews to determine if that’s a place where you want to be.”</p>
<p>Your network, LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) and other connections can offer a wealth of information too. “It’s usually a couple degrees of separation in your network to get to someone at the company or who knows someone there — that’s a great resource to ask questions,” says Wolfe. Someone with experience at a certain company can provide insight as to what it’s like to work there and why they stayed or left.</p>
<p>Ask Questions</p>
<p>“Asking questions is a good thing, and it shows a potential employer that you’re genuinely interested and are doing the best you can to assess if this is a good fit for you,” says Scott Dobroski, community expert at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.glassdoor.com&amp;d=CwMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=yGaLho8s1IshO_Ub_mMkWYbDhHJrhzpzkLUu8C7vLZE&amp;m=q4RvK2P2HSYySl7UAzw305fQoMR-YcA_M5wdXqvrYzw&amp;s=ZGX3S2D4Sj2hw_A5K3h3ReXSvyj1Tpyz68IuRGOLJKo&amp;e=" type="external">Glassdoor Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>For a sense of the environment and job responsibilities, experts recommend inquiring about the job’s short- and long-term expectations, an average day, whether people collaborate, how you’ll be challenged, the company culture, training or coaching opportunities, and the team structure.</p>
<p>Asking about the best and worst parts of the job, as well as the company’s goals and values and how the team supports these, will provide context about the position and company. If lifestyle is important, then ask about work schedules, arrangements and travel.</p>
<p>Recognizing what’s kept people engaged will help you understand the company’s culture. “It’s helpful to understand why people have stayed at that company — what’s their story,” says Stough. “When people talk about themselves and their own journeys, you’ll start to frame out a general understanding of their perspective of the company.”</p>
<p>Observe</p>
<p>During the interview process, look at how people interact with each other, if they’re happy and if you feel comfortable in this space, experts say, along with whether there’s a sense of community.</p>
<p>“Having an experience is important and that sense of connectivity and connection — how you build community and connection is very real and a priority for many people regardless of career level,” says Stough.</p>
| 7,720 |
<p>Democratic candidate for governor Delaine Eastin wants to reduce California’s high poverty and incarceration by investing more in students.</p>
<p>Eastin, a former state legislator and superintendent of public instruction, recently said California doesn’t spend enough on students at its K-12 schools but spends more than any state in the nation on its inmates.</p>
<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, you are living in the most expensive state in the union, but you are 41st in per pupil spending," Eastin claimed at a Los Angeles <a href="http://www.capradio.org/articles/2018/01/13/watch-california-gubernatorial-town-hall/" type="external">town hall</a>&#160;for six gubernatorial candidates on Jan. 13, 2018.</p>
<p>"You should be in the top 10 not the bottom 10," she added.&#160;"But guess what, you’re No. 1 in per prisoner expenditure. That’s a disgrace. Budgets are statements of values. And to look at our budget, you’d think prisons were more important than education."</p>
<p />
<p>Eastin makes her claim at about the 46:00 minute mark in the town hall.&#160;</p>
<p>Was Eastin right about those rankings? We decided to fact check her per student vs. per prisoner spending comparison.</p>
<p>41st in per student spending?</p>
<p>To support the first part of the statement, Eastin’s campaign pointed to a <a href="http://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/californias-support-k-12-education-improving-still-lags-nation/" type="external">January 2017 report</a> by the California Budget and Policy Center. The nonprofit, which is described in some media reports as left-leaning, analyzes how budget and tax policies affect low- and middle-income Californians.</p>
<p>Its report found "California ranked 41st among all states in spending per K-12 student after adjusting for differences in the cost of living in each state." It used data from the 2015-16 fiscal year.</p>
<p>California schools spent $10,291 per K-12 student that year, or about $1,900 less than the $12,252 per student spent by the nation as a whole, the report said. Notably, California’s per student spending was up about $2,000 from the 2012-13 fiscal year, when the state ranked 50th in the nation.</p>
<p>Jonathan Kaplan, the report’s author and a senior policy analyst at the center, told us the report applies a wage-based index to account for California’s high teacher salaries. This adjustment, he said, allows for a valid spending comparison between states that pay employees much less.</p>
<p>Clarifications missing</p>
<p>Eastin’s statement does not clarify that the 41st in the nation ranking includes an adjustment for cost-of-living. Nor does she mention that California’s per pupil spending has moved up the rankings in recent years. &#160;</p>
<p>The budget center is not the only group that ranks per pupil spending.</p>
<p>EdWeek, a publication that covers K-12 education, ranked California 46th in per student spending, also using a cost of living adjustment. It’s most recent ranking, however, uses older data, from 2013-14, that doesn’t account for recent state spending increases.</p>
<p>By contrast, the National Education Association conducts a straight spending comparison. It placed California’s per pupil spending at 22nd for 2015-16.</p>
<p>In February 2017, EdSource.org published an <a href="https://edsource.org/2017/how-does-california-rank-in-per-pupil-spending-it-all-depends/577405" type="external">in-depth look</a> at the ways California’s per pupil spending has been ranked by different groups.</p>
<p>It summarized its findings this way:</p>
<p>"Since 2011-12, the low point in funding following the 2007-08 recession, California has increased K-12 funding by more than $20 billion. As a result, its average per-student spending has significantly increased, and its ranking among the states has improved in the three most frequently cited studies.</p>
<p>But there’s a big variation in the state’s ranking among the three because they use different methods and different data. California has moved up some but continues to be in the bottom fifth of states, according to Education Week and the California Budget and Policy Center, while the National Education Association places California near the middle."</p>
<p>Per prisoner spending</p>
<p>To support Eastin’s claim that California is "No. 1 in per prisoner expenditure," her campaign directed us to a June 2017 Associated Press <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-prison-costs-20170604-htmlstory.html" type="external">article</a> that describes those costs as "the nation’s highest." It said California’s per-inmate cost was expected to &#160;climb to $75,560 in the next year.</p>
<p>"Since 2015, California’s per-inmate costs have surged nearly $10,000, or about 13%. New York is a distant second in overall costs at about $69,000," the AP reported.</p>
<p>In August 2017, PolitiFact California rated Mostly True Sen. Kamala Harris’ claim "it costs $75,000 per year" to lock up an inmate in the state, based in part on the AP article and state budget estimates.</p>
<p>We found several reasons for the dramatic cost increase. Most notable is California’s sharp drop in inmates combined with higher corrections spending, resulting from greater state contributions to prison employee pensions.</p>
<p>The inmate drop is driven by a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court order for California to reduce prison overcrowding. California’s prison population reached a peak of <a href="http://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-changing-prison-population/" type="external">163,000 inmates</a> in 2006, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The state estimates it will house an average of about 119,000 prisoners this year.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, there’s been no corresponding reduction in prison staff as inmate number have fallen, causing per capita costs to spike.</p>
<p>Jeffrey Callison, a state prisons spokesman, told us the conditions of the court order prevent California from closing prisons even as the inmate population is reduced.</p>
<p>"So long as the order is in effect we cannot close prisons because to do so would reduce our capacity, thereby pushing us back above 137.5 percent" level of prison crowding, Callison&#160;said in an email.&#160;That&#160;level is tied to prison capacity and defined by the court, he said.</p>
<p>Prisoner cost to keep climbing</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the per inmate cost is expected to go up again -- to $80,729 -- under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2018-19 budget released this month.</p>
<p>PolitiFact California could not immediately obtain current per prisoner cost estimates for the state of New York. Various rankings have listed New York as No. 1 for per prisoner costs, including a Vera Institute of Justice <a href="https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends" type="external">report</a> using the earlier 2015 data.</p>
<p>Christian Henrichson, research director at the Vera Institute, told us by email that California and New York "are neck and neck on this measure, and the answer may depend on the year studied."</p>
<p>California’s continued per prisoner cost spike "would place CA in the top spot," Jon Murchinson, Eastin’s campaign spokesman, asserted in an email.</p>
<p>While we don’t have all the exact figures, that’s a fairly safe bet.</p>
<p>Though per capita inmate costs continue to climb, that doesn’t mean California spends more on prisons than K-12 education, as some might take from Eastin’s claim. The reverse is correct: Gov. Jerry Brown’s <a href="http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2018-19/pdf/BudgetSummary/SummaryCharts.pdf" type="external">current general fund budget</a> projects spending 42 percent, or $55 billion, on the K-12 system. Meanwhile, it proposes spending 9 percent, or about $12 billion, on the prison system.</p>
<p>Our ruling</p>
<p>Candidate for governor Delaine Eastin recently claimed California ranks 41st in per pupil K-12 spending but is "No. 1 in per prisoner" spending.</p>
<p>She relied on a January 2017 policy center report that backs up the per pupil spending ranking, after adjusting for cost of living. Another ranking that makes a straight spending comparison puts California at 22nd for per pupil spending. Eastin did not make this clear in her statement nor did she note that California’s per student spending has increased in recent years.</p>
<p>Eastin’s claim that California is No. 1 for per prisoner costs is backed up by a 2017 Associated Press report, which listed New York a distant second. While we could not immediately find current figures for New York, we discovered that California’s per prisoner costs are expected to again rise -- to more than $80,000 -- in the next fiscal year, several thousand dollars higher than in recent years.</p>
<p>Overall, Eastin’s comparison is supported by recent studies. But her statement could use clarifying information.</p>
<p>We rate it Mostly True.</p>
<p>MOSTLY TRUE&#160;– The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.</p>
<p>Click here for <a href="" type="internal">&#160;more</a>&#160;on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check.</p>
<p>UPDATE: After publication, we added additional context noting the U.S. Supreme Court order prevents California from automatically&#160;closing prisons even as its inmate population is reduced.</p>
|
Mostly True: California ranks 41st on per student spending but No. 1 per prisoner
| false |
http://politifact.com/california/statements/2018/jan/17/delaine-eastin/does-california-rank-41st-student-spending-no-1-pr/
|
2018-01-17
| 2least
|
Mostly True: California ranks 41st on per student spending but No. 1 per prisoner
<p>Democratic candidate for governor Delaine Eastin wants to reduce California’s high poverty and incarceration by investing more in students.</p>
<p>Eastin, a former state legislator and superintendent of public instruction, recently said California doesn’t spend enough on students at its K-12 schools but spends more than any state in the nation on its inmates.</p>
<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, you are living in the most expensive state in the union, but you are 41st in per pupil spending," Eastin claimed at a Los Angeles <a href="http://www.capradio.org/articles/2018/01/13/watch-california-gubernatorial-town-hall/" type="external">town hall</a>&#160;for six gubernatorial candidates on Jan. 13, 2018.</p>
<p>"You should be in the top 10 not the bottom 10," she added.&#160;"But guess what, you’re No. 1 in per prisoner expenditure. That’s a disgrace. Budgets are statements of values. And to look at our budget, you’d think prisons were more important than education."</p>
<p />
<p>Eastin makes her claim at about the 46:00 minute mark in the town hall.&#160;</p>
<p>Was Eastin right about those rankings? We decided to fact check her per student vs. per prisoner spending comparison.</p>
<p>41st in per student spending?</p>
<p>To support the first part of the statement, Eastin’s campaign pointed to a <a href="http://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/californias-support-k-12-education-improving-still-lags-nation/" type="external">January 2017 report</a> by the California Budget and Policy Center. The nonprofit, which is described in some media reports as left-leaning, analyzes how budget and tax policies affect low- and middle-income Californians.</p>
<p>Its report found "California ranked 41st among all states in spending per K-12 student after adjusting for differences in the cost of living in each state." It used data from the 2015-16 fiscal year.</p>
<p>California schools spent $10,291 per K-12 student that year, or about $1,900 less than the $12,252 per student spent by the nation as a whole, the report said. Notably, California’s per student spending was up about $2,000 from the 2012-13 fiscal year, when the state ranked 50th in the nation.</p>
<p>Jonathan Kaplan, the report’s author and a senior policy analyst at the center, told us the report applies a wage-based index to account for California’s high teacher salaries. This adjustment, he said, allows for a valid spending comparison between states that pay employees much less.</p>
<p>Clarifications missing</p>
<p>Eastin’s statement does not clarify that the 41st in the nation ranking includes an adjustment for cost-of-living. Nor does she mention that California’s per pupil spending has moved up the rankings in recent years. &#160;</p>
<p>The budget center is not the only group that ranks per pupil spending.</p>
<p>EdWeek, a publication that covers K-12 education, ranked California 46th in per student spending, also using a cost of living adjustment. It’s most recent ranking, however, uses older data, from 2013-14, that doesn’t account for recent state spending increases.</p>
<p>By contrast, the National Education Association conducts a straight spending comparison. It placed California’s per pupil spending at 22nd for 2015-16.</p>
<p>In February 2017, EdSource.org published an <a href="https://edsource.org/2017/how-does-california-rank-in-per-pupil-spending-it-all-depends/577405" type="external">in-depth look</a> at the ways California’s per pupil spending has been ranked by different groups.</p>
<p>It summarized its findings this way:</p>
<p>"Since 2011-12, the low point in funding following the 2007-08 recession, California has increased K-12 funding by more than $20 billion. As a result, its average per-student spending has significantly increased, and its ranking among the states has improved in the three most frequently cited studies.</p>
<p>But there’s a big variation in the state’s ranking among the three because they use different methods and different data. California has moved up some but continues to be in the bottom fifth of states, according to Education Week and the California Budget and Policy Center, while the National Education Association places California near the middle."</p>
<p>Per prisoner spending</p>
<p>To support Eastin’s claim that California is "No. 1 in per prisoner expenditure," her campaign directed us to a June 2017 Associated Press <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-prison-costs-20170604-htmlstory.html" type="external">article</a> that describes those costs as "the nation’s highest." It said California’s per-inmate cost was expected to &#160;climb to $75,560 in the next year.</p>
<p>"Since 2015, California’s per-inmate costs have surged nearly $10,000, or about 13%. New York is a distant second in overall costs at about $69,000," the AP reported.</p>
<p>In August 2017, PolitiFact California rated Mostly True Sen. Kamala Harris’ claim "it costs $75,000 per year" to lock up an inmate in the state, based in part on the AP article and state budget estimates.</p>
<p>We found several reasons for the dramatic cost increase. Most notable is California’s sharp drop in inmates combined with higher corrections spending, resulting from greater state contributions to prison employee pensions.</p>
<p>The inmate drop is driven by a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court order for California to reduce prison overcrowding. California’s prison population reached a peak of <a href="http://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-changing-prison-population/" type="external">163,000 inmates</a> in 2006, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The state estimates it will house an average of about 119,000 prisoners this year.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, there’s been no corresponding reduction in prison staff as inmate number have fallen, causing per capita costs to spike.</p>
<p>Jeffrey Callison, a state prisons spokesman, told us the conditions of the court order prevent California from closing prisons even as the inmate population is reduced.</p>
<p>"So long as the order is in effect we cannot close prisons because to do so would reduce our capacity, thereby pushing us back above 137.5 percent" level of prison crowding, Callison&#160;said in an email.&#160;That&#160;level is tied to prison capacity and defined by the court, he said.</p>
<p>Prisoner cost to keep climbing</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the per inmate cost is expected to go up again -- to $80,729 -- under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2018-19 budget released this month.</p>
<p>PolitiFact California could not immediately obtain current per prisoner cost estimates for the state of New York. Various rankings have listed New York as No. 1 for per prisoner costs, including a Vera Institute of Justice <a href="https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends" type="external">report</a> using the earlier 2015 data.</p>
<p>Christian Henrichson, research director at the Vera Institute, told us by email that California and New York "are neck and neck on this measure, and the answer may depend on the year studied."</p>
<p>California’s continued per prisoner cost spike "would place CA in the top spot," Jon Murchinson, Eastin’s campaign spokesman, asserted in an email.</p>
<p>While we don’t have all the exact figures, that’s a fairly safe bet.</p>
<p>Though per capita inmate costs continue to climb, that doesn’t mean California spends more on prisons than K-12 education, as some might take from Eastin’s claim. The reverse is correct: Gov. Jerry Brown’s <a href="http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2018-19/pdf/BudgetSummary/SummaryCharts.pdf" type="external">current general fund budget</a> projects spending 42 percent, or $55 billion, on the K-12 system. Meanwhile, it proposes spending 9 percent, or about $12 billion, on the prison system.</p>
<p>Our ruling</p>
<p>Candidate for governor Delaine Eastin recently claimed California ranks 41st in per pupil K-12 spending but is "No. 1 in per prisoner" spending.</p>
<p>She relied on a January 2017 policy center report that backs up the per pupil spending ranking, after adjusting for cost of living. Another ranking that makes a straight spending comparison puts California at 22nd for per pupil spending. Eastin did not make this clear in her statement nor did she note that California’s per student spending has increased in recent years.</p>
<p>Eastin’s claim that California is No. 1 for per prisoner costs is backed up by a 2017 Associated Press report, which listed New York a distant second. While we could not immediately find current figures for New York, we discovered that California’s per prisoner costs are expected to again rise -- to more than $80,000 -- in the next fiscal year, several thousand dollars higher than in recent years.</p>
<p>Overall, Eastin’s comparison is supported by recent studies. But her statement could use clarifying information.</p>
<p>We rate it Mostly True.</p>
<p>MOSTLY TRUE&#160;– The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.</p>
<p>Click here for <a href="" type="internal">&#160;more</a>&#160;on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check.</p>
<p>UPDATE: After publication, we added additional context noting the U.S. Supreme Court order prevents California from automatically&#160;closing prisons even as its inmate population is reduced.</p>
| 7,721 |
<p>Oil prices settled with a slight loss on Tuesday, sticking to a tight trading range as traders awaited weekly U.S. petroleum inventory data. The Energy Information Administration will issue its report early Wednesday, after the American Petroleum Institute's figures late Tuesday. Analysts surveyed by S&amp;P Global Platts forecast a weekly rise of 1.6 million barrels for crude stockpiles. April West Texas Intermediate crude fell 6 cents, or 0.1%, to settle $53.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
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Oil Ends With a Slight Loss Ahead Of Weekly Data On U.S. Crude Supply
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/03/07/oil-ends-with-slight-loss-ahead-weekly-data-on-us-crude-supply.html
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2017-03-17
| 0right
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Oil Ends With a Slight Loss Ahead Of Weekly Data On U.S. Crude Supply
<p>Oil prices settled with a slight loss on Tuesday, sticking to a tight trading range as traders awaited weekly U.S. petroleum inventory data. The Energy Information Administration will issue its report early Wednesday, after the American Petroleum Institute's figures late Tuesday. Analysts surveyed by S&amp;P Global Platts forecast a weekly rise of 1.6 million barrels for crude stockpiles. April West Texas Intermediate crude fell 6 cents, or 0.1%, to settle $53.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
| 7,722 |
<p>A while back I noted that Egypt looked like it was networking with European powers to address the <a href="" type="internal">chaos that threatens the vital Suez Canal.</a></p>
<p>Russia’s President Vladimir Putin came to Cairo this week, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-10/putin-s-ak-47-gift-seals-egypt-ties-on-eve-of-minsk-peace-talks" type="external">bearing gifts that indicate he understands Egyptian needs</a>.</p>
<p>Just hours before a summit in Minsk that could decide the fate of eastern Europe for a generation, Vladimir Putin had a gift for the president of Egypt: an assault rifle.</p>
<p>A photo of the rifle, with its wooden stock and accompanying gun case, along with a smiling President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, was posted on the website of Egypt’s state-controlled MENA news agency. The rifle was identified as an AK-47, according to the state-run Russia Today’s Arabic website.</p>
<p>A video of the exchange, which occurred at the Cairo Aiport shortly after Putin arrived.</p>
<p />
<p>But the AK-47 isn’t the only present in Putin’s bag: Last year, the two countries made a $3 billion deal that includes <a href="http://defence.pk/threads/russia-egypt-agree-to-boost-military-cooperation-%E2%80%93-putin.328789/" type="external">Russian attack helicopters and MiG-29 fighter jets</a>. Additionally, Russian businesses have agreed to proceed with <a href="http://amwalalghad.com/en/investment-news/industry-trade/33021-russian-companies-would-participate-in-building-seeds-storage-project-in-egypt.html" type="external">a major grain storage construction project in Egypt</a>.</p>
<p />
<p>The most fascinating aspect of this new friendship? Russia is going to help <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/russia-build-egypt-nuclear-power-plant-150210185343926.html" type="external">Egypt build its first nuclear power plant</a>:</p>
<p>Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi made the announcement on Tuesday at a joint news conference in the Egyptian capital, where they signed an agreement on the plant’s construction.</p>
<p>“If final decisions are made, it will mean not just building a nuclear power plant, it means the creation of the entire new atomic industry in Egypt,” said Putin.</p>
<p>The plant would be built at the existing nuclear site in Dabaa, on the Mediterranean coast west of the port city of Alexandria, where a research reactor has stood for years.</p>
<p>It looks like the Smart Set in Washington is <a href="http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/washington-has-%E2%80%98no-problem-egypt-russia-nuclear-plant" type="external">just fine with this development</a>:</p>
<p>Washington has no problem with Egyptian-Russian plans for a nuclear station west of Cairo, the US Department of State said Tuesday.</p>
<p>“We support peaceful nuclear power programs as long as obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to which Egypt is a signatory and obligations to the IAEA are fully met and the highest international standards regulating security, nonproliferation, export controls, and physical security are strictly followed,” US State Department spokesperson, Jen Psaki, said during the daily press briefing.</p>
<p>Israeli Radio contributor <a href="http://nypost.com/2015/02/10/losing-egypt-putin-exploits-obamas-slaps-at-us-ally/" type="external">Benny Avni offers this analysis in The New York Post</a>, which notes that Putin has exploited an opening left by Obama:</p>
<p>Wait, how did Sisi all of a sudden become the Kremlin’s BFF? The ex-general rose up the ranks of an Egyptian army that was almost exclusively backed by America. Sisi was even a fellow at the US Army War College in the early 1990s.</p>
<p>Simple: America no longer wants the friendship of a man who, according to his detractors, has reversed Egypt’s progress toward democracy.</p>
<p>To make that point, President Obama suspended for a while the annual $1.5 billion US aid package to Egypt. He also held up deliveries of military hardware like US-made attack helicopters, which Sisi desperately needs to fight ISIS and other Islamist terrorists in the Sinai.</p>
<p>…To continue his fight against extremists, Sisi needs military hardware, money and diplomatic backing. Washington managed to convince the entire Arab world that we’re siding with the Muslim Brotherhood (or with Tehran), rather than Sisi.</p>
<p>So here comes Putin, Kalashnikov in hand.</p>
<p>I traveled through Egypt in 1988, and was warmly received as an American after effective diplomacy in the 1970’s enhanced our relations with the Land of the Nile…wooing it away from the Soviet Union.</p>
<p>Now, it appears that the AK-47 came with a “reset” button…one that Obama built.</p>
|
Putin hits “Reset” button on Egyptian relations
| true |
http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/02/putin-hits-reset-button-on-egyptian-relations/
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2015-02-12
| 0right
|
Putin hits “Reset” button on Egyptian relations
<p>A while back I noted that Egypt looked like it was networking with European powers to address the <a href="" type="internal">chaos that threatens the vital Suez Canal.</a></p>
<p>Russia’s President Vladimir Putin came to Cairo this week, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-10/putin-s-ak-47-gift-seals-egypt-ties-on-eve-of-minsk-peace-talks" type="external">bearing gifts that indicate he understands Egyptian needs</a>.</p>
<p>Just hours before a summit in Minsk that could decide the fate of eastern Europe for a generation, Vladimir Putin had a gift for the president of Egypt: an assault rifle.</p>
<p>A photo of the rifle, with its wooden stock and accompanying gun case, along with a smiling President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, was posted on the website of Egypt’s state-controlled MENA news agency. The rifle was identified as an AK-47, according to the state-run Russia Today’s Arabic website.</p>
<p>A video of the exchange, which occurred at the Cairo Aiport shortly after Putin arrived.</p>
<p />
<p>But the AK-47 isn’t the only present in Putin’s bag: Last year, the two countries made a $3 billion deal that includes <a href="http://defence.pk/threads/russia-egypt-agree-to-boost-military-cooperation-%E2%80%93-putin.328789/" type="external">Russian attack helicopters and MiG-29 fighter jets</a>. Additionally, Russian businesses have agreed to proceed with <a href="http://amwalalghad.com/en/investment-news/industry-trade/33021-russian-companies-would-participate-in-building-seeds-storage-project-in-egypt.html" type="external">a major grain storage construction project in Egypt</a>.</p>
<p />
<p>The most fascinating aspect of this new friendship? Russia is going to help <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/russia-build-egypt-nuclear-power-plant-150210185343926.html" type="external">Egypt build its first nuclear power plant</a>:</p>
<p>Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi made the announcement on Tuesday at a joint news conference in the Egyptian capital, where they signed an agreement on the plant’s construction.</p>
<p>“If final decisions are made, it will mean not just building a nuclear power plant, it means the creation of the entire new atomic industry in Egypt,” said Putin.</p>
<p>The plant would be built at the existing nuclear site in Dabaa, on the Mediterranean coast west of the port city of Alexandria, where a research reactor has stood for years.</p>
<p>It looks like the Smart Set in Washington is <a href="http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/washington-has-%E2%80%98no-problem-egypt-russia-nuclear-plant" type="external">just fine with this development</a>:</p>
<p>Washington has no problem with Egyptian-Russian plans for a nuclear station west of Cairo, the US Department of State said Tuesday.</p>
<p>“We support peaceful nuclear power programs as long as obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to which Egypt is a signatory and obligations to the IAEA are fully met and the highest international standards regulating security, nonproliferation, export controls, and physical security are strictly followed,” US State Department spokesperson, Jen Psaki, said during the daily press briefing.</p>
<p>Israeli Radio contributor <a href="http://nypost.com/2015/02/10/losing-egypt-putin-exploits-obamas-slaps-at-us-ally/" type="external">Benny Avni offers this analysis in The New York Post</a>, which notes that Putin has exploited an opening left by Obama:</p>
<p>Wait, how did Sisi all of a sudden become the Kremlin’s BFF? The ex-general rose up the ranks of an Egyptian army that was almost exclusively backed by America. Sisi was even a fellow at the US Army War College in the early 1990s.</p>
<p>Simple: America no longer wants the friendship of a man who, according to his detractors, has reversed Egypt’s progress toward democracy.</p>
<p>To make that point, President Obama suspended for a while the annual $1.5 billion US aid package to Egypt. He also held up deliveries of military hardware like US-made attack helicopters, which Sisi desperately needs to fight ISIS and other Islamist terrorists in the Sinai.</p>
<p>…To continue his fight against extremists, Sisi needs military hardware, money and diplomatic backing. Washington managed to convince the entire Arab world that we’re siding with the Muslim Brotherhood (or with Tehran), rather than Sisi.</p>
<p>So here comes Putin, Kalashnikov in hand.</p>
<p>I traveled through Egypt in 1988, and was warmly received as an American after effective diplomacy in the 1970’s enhanced our relations with the Land of the Nile…wooing it away from the Soviet Union.</p>
<p>Now, it appears that the AK-47 came with a “reset” button…one that Obama built.</p>
| 7,723 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Biologist Michael Lester discovered a northern Mexican garter snake, which was designated as a threatened species in 2014, along the river in 2015, The Arizona Republic reported .</p>
<p>Lester was working as a seasonal technician for a bird research group at Beal Lake on the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge.</p>
<p>“When I got back to our shared housing, I mentioned to my field crew leader, ‘Oh yeah, I saw a garter snake today,’ pretty nonchalantly,” Lester recalled. “She had this look on her face, and she was like, ‘What are you talking about? There are no garter snakes in this area.'”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Jeff Servoss, a herpetologist lead for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s northern Mexican garter snake recovery program, said he doesn’t believe the program is directly responsible for the snake’s apparent re-appearance.</p>
<p>Servoss said he thinks the snake has always been in the area but just “in exceptionally low density.”</p>
<p>Servoss attributed the snake’s frequent re-appearance near Bill Williams River, at least in part, to populations of lowland leopard frogs, a critical prey for the snakes.</p>
<p>“As long as you can promote a leopard frog and keep them as part of your community, there’s a chance you could have success with Mexican gartersnakes (scientists prefer the one-word spelling) as well,” he said.</p>
<p>When the northern Mexican garter snake was listed as threatened in 2014, officials weren’t sure they would ever come across one of the snakes.</p>
<p>Some endangered and threatened species call the river home, and in 2005, the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program was officially launched to protect those species.</p>
<p>Jessica Gwinn, Colorado River coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said it was encouraging to see the progress the Multi-Species Conservation Program had made in its first 10 years.</p>
<p>Regardless of whether the Multi-Species Conservation Program is responsible for the snake’s rediscovery, biologists see the new and improved habitats as the river being used to its full potential.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Arizona Republic, <a href="" type="internal">http://www.azcentral.com</a></p>
|
Snake species believed to had vanished reappears in Arizona
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/1116300/snake-species-believed-to-had-vanished-reappears-in-arizona.html
| 2least
|
Snake species believed to had vanished reappears in Arizona
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Biologist Michael Lester discovered a northern Mexican garter snake, which was designated as a threatened species in 2014, along the river in 2015, The Arizona Republic reported .</p>
<p>Lester was working as a seasonal technician for a bird research group at Beal Lake on the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge.</p>
<p>“When I got back to our shared housing, I mentioned to my field crew leader, ‘Oh yeah, I saw a garter snake today,’ pretty nonchalantly,” Lester recalled. “She had this look on her face, and she was like, ‘What are you talking about? There are no garter snakes in this area.'”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Jeff Servoss, a herpetologist lead for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s northern Mexican garter snake recovery program, said he doesn’t believe the program is directly responsible for the snake’s apparent re-appearance.</p>
<p>Servoss said he thinks the snake has always been in the area but just “in exceptionally low density.”</p>
<p>Servoss attributed the snake’s frequent re-appearance near Bill Williams River, at least in part, to populations of lowland leopard frogs, a critical prey for the snakes.</p>
<p>“As long as you can promote a leopard frog and keep them as part of your community, there’s a chance you could have success with Mexican gartersnakes (scientists prefer the one-word spelling) as well,” he said.</p>
<p>When the northern Mexican garter snake was listed as threatened in 2014, officials weren’t sure they would ever come across one of the snakes.</p>
<p>Some endangered and threatened species call the river home, and in 2005, the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program was officially launched to protect those species.</p>
<p>Jessica Gwinn, Colorado River coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said it was encouraging to see the progress the Multi-Species Conservation Program had made in its first 10 years.</p>
<p>Regardless of whether the Multi-Species Conservation Program is responsible for the snake’s rediscovery, biologists see the new and improved habitats as the river being used to its full potential.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Arizona Republic, <a href="" type="internal">http://www.azcentral.com</a></p>
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|
<p>RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming couple has filed notice that they have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against Encana Oil &amp; Gas over potentially tainted groundwater.</p>
<p>Pavillion-area couple Jeff and Rhonda Locker filed the notice Monday in a federal lawsuit that began in 2014.</p>
<p>The Ranger <a href="https://www.dailyranger.com/story.php?id=31031&amp;headline=pavillion-couple-encana-settle-suit-over-bad-water" type="external">reports</a> that the Lockers had accused Encana of contaminating their water and then conspiring to cover up the pollution.</p>
<p>Encana had denied the accusations.</p>
<p>No terms of the settlement have been revealed, and the parties are required for file a dismissal pleading by Feb. 21.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The (Riverton, Wyo.) Ranger, <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external">http://www.dailyranger.com</a></p>
<p>RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming couple has filed notice that they have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against Encana Oil &amp; Gas over potentially tainted groundwater.</p>
<p>Pavillion-area couple Jeff and Rhonda Locker filed the notice Monday in a federal lawsuit that began in 2014.</p>
<p>The Ranger <a href="https://www.dailyranger.com/story.php?id=31031&amp;headline=pavillion-couple-encana-settle-suit-over-bad-water" type="external">reports</a> that the Lockers had accused Encana of contaminating their water and then conspiring to cover up the pollution.</p>
<p>Encana had denied the accusations.</p>
<p>No terms of the settlement have been revealed, and the parties are required for file a dismissal pleading by Feb. 21.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The (Riverton, Wyo.) Ranger, <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external">http://www.dailyranger.com</a></p>
|
Wyoming groundwater lawsuit settlement reached
| false |
https://apnews.com/bb8d027343334bef8dd183a5bca68a02
|
2018-01-24
| 2least
|
Wyoming groundwater lawsuit settlement reached
<p>RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming couple has filed notice that they have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against Encana Oil &amp; Gas over potentially tainted groundwater.</p>
<p>Pavillion-area couple Jeff and Rhonda Locker filed the notice Monday in a federal lawsuit that began in 2014.</p>
<p>The Ranger <a href="https://www.dailyranger.com/story.php?id=31031&amp;headline=pavillion-couple-encana-settle-suit-over-bad-water" type="external">reports</a> that the Lockers had accused Encana of contaminating their water and then conspiring to cover up the pollution.</p>
<p>Encana had denied the accusations.</p>
<p>No terms of the settlement have been revealed, and the parties are required for file a dismissal pleading by Feb. 21.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The (Riverton, Wyo.) Ranger, <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external">http://www.dailyranger.com</a></p>
<p>RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming couple has filed notice that they have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against Encana Oil &amp; Gas over potentially tainted groundwater.</p>
<p>Pavillion-area couple Jeff and Rhonda Locker filed the notice Monday in a federal lawsuit that began in 2014.</p>
<p>The Ranger <a href="https://www.dailyranger.com/story.php?id=31031&amp;headline=pavillion-couple-encana-settle-suit-over-bad-water" type="external">reports</a> that the Lockers had accused Encana of contaminating their water and then conspiring to cover up the pollution.</p>
<p>Encana had denied the accusations.</p>
<p>No terms of the settlement have been revealed, and the parties are required for file a dismissal pleading by Feb. 21.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The (Riverton, Wyo.) Ranger, <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.dailyranger.com" type="external">http://www.dailyranger.com</a></p>
| 7,725 |
<p>Malala Yousafzai became an international symbol of bravery and hope for women after she was targeted by the Taliban in Pakistan two years ago for speaking in favor of girls' education. The teen recovered after being shot in the head. On Friday, Pakistan's army announced it had arrested 10 men behind the attack, some of whom had been caught months earlier.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/12/men-malala-yousafzai-shooting-arrested-pakistan" type="external">The Guardian reports</a> that the military kept the arrests under wraps so it could carry out operations against the Taliban and other groups based on information from the suspects. A former spokesperson for the Pakistani Taliban disputed the army claim that central Taliban leaders had ordered the men to kill Malala and 22 other opponents of the group in the Swat Valley.</p>
<p>After Malala was shot, the Taliban quickly claimed responsibility, but then said local members of the group had tried to kill her on their own initiative. A military spokesman said the accused men would be tried under an anti-terrorism law.</p>
<p>(Editor's note: The Global Scan can be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. Just&#160; <a href="" type="internal">register and sign up&#160;</a>today.)</p>
<p>With ISIS getting all the global media attention, Al-Qaeda sought to bolster its public profile last week by announcing its newest branch, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. But the group's first apparent outing — an attack last weekend — failed miserably.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/11092387/Al-Qaeda-India-branchs-first-attack-ends-in-dismal-failure-as-jihadists-raid-wrong-ship.html" type="external">Britain's The Telegraph reports</a> that heavily-armed militants went to a naval dock at the Karachi seaport expecting to find an American aircraft carrier. Instead, they attacked a Pakistani frigate. The fighters were quickly subdued, with three killed and four captured. Interrogations of the prisoners led to the capture of another three fighters later.</p>
<p>Al-Qaeda issued a statement on Thursday taking responsiblity for the attack and saying it had been going after "American Marines and their cronies." Investigators, though, are uncertain if the group really carried out the attack or just decided to take credit for it. Maybe getting press for a failed attack is better than getting no press coverage at all.</p>
<p>Statistics indicate that one in six women in Bogotá have been sexually harassed on public buses. But the next time someone tries to harass a woman, he may be confronted with an immediate arrest. The&#160;Bogotá&#160;police force has a new, undercover unit of eleven officers, most of them women, who are riding the buses.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">PRI's The World spoke to a BBC reporter</a> who spent a day with the squad. The officers are trained to read body language to help them spot potential harassers. The police say the female officers are not there to act as bait for harassers&#160;&#160;— that's against Colombian law.</p>
<p>And the group drops the clandestine approach to make highly public arrests as a deterrent to other harassers and to reassure women that they have help. The squad's officer in charge says it is still too early to tell if the strategy is working, but signs after the first month in action are looking good.</p>
<p>Rice farmers in Liangshan village in East China's Fujian province say they have a new agricultural technique that boosts production by 15 percent. They play Buddhist chants over lotus-shaped speakers to their rice plants.</p>
<p>China's English-language <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/880430.shtml" type="external">Global Times reports</a> that agriculture authorities say the rice plants also produced larger grains than usual, while fields without the music were prone to pests. And for the skeptical among you, the report says experts at China Agricultural University note that rhythmic sound waves have been shown to help plants absorb more sunlight. But a local official is quite sure that only "positive" music is helpful and expects rock 'n roll would hurt plant growth.</p>
<p>The "Tower of David" was intended to be a magnificent financial center in the heart of Caracas, Venezuela. But it was abandoned after its chief financier, David&#160;Brillembourg, died and a financial crisis hit in 1994. Seven years ago, thousands of squatters started moving in, creating a community complete with chapels, basketball courts and businesses in the 45-story, elevator-less skyscraper.</p>
<p>Now Venezuela's government wants to revitalize Caracas and is moving the squatters into government-owned apartments 25 miles away. Some of the squatters are happy that they are finally getting the homes they have always wanted, while others are sad to leave the community they have created and the jobs they have found in the city. <a href="" type="internal">PRI's The World has their stories and a slideshow</a> of "the world's tallest squat."</p>
<p>The summer of 2014 has been hotter than usual for parts of China, India and North and South Korea — with New Delhi hitting 48 degrees C. (or 118 F.) <a href="http://www.dw.de/the-environmental-price-of-staying-cool/a-17914703" type="external">Deutsche Welle notes that the heat has led to skyrocketing energy use</a>as millions of people sought relief using air conditioning and other appliances.</p>
<p>As Asia continues to develop, air conditioning will spread, spurring energy consumption and its resulting environmental consequences. In China alone, air conditioning adoption rose by more than 10 times in under a decade. China could soon eclipse the US, which has an 87 percent rate of ownership of air conditioners.</p>
|
Pakistan says it has captured the men who shot Malala in 2012
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2014-09-12/pakistan-says-it-has-captured-men-who-shot-malala-2012
|
2014-09-13
| 3left-center
|
Pakistan says it has captured the men who shot Malala in 2012
<p>Malala Yousafzai became an international symbol of bravery and hope for women after she was targeted by the Taliban in Pakistan two years ago for speaking in favor of girls' education. The teen recovered after being shot in the head. On Friday, Pakistan's army announced it had arrested 10 men behind the attack, some of whom had been caught months earlier.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/12/men-malala-yousafzai-shooting-arrested-pakistan" type="external">The Guardian reports</a> that the military kept the arrests under wraps so it could carry out operations against the Taliban and other groups based on information from the suspects. A former spokesperson for the Pakistani Taliban disputed the army claim that central Taliban leaders had ordered the men to kill Malala and 22 other opponents of the group in the Swat Valley.</p>
<p>After Malala was shot, the Taliban quickly claimed responsibility, but then said local members of the group had tried to kill her on their own initiative. A military spokesman said the accused men would be tried under an anti-terrorism law.</p>
<p>(Editor's note: The Global Scan can be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. Just&#160; <a href="" type="internal">register and sign up&#160;</a>today.)</p>
<p>With ISIS getting all the global media attention, Al-Qaeda sought to bolster its public profile last week by announcing its newest branch, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. But the group's first apparent outing — an attack last weekend — failed miserably.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/11092387/Al-Qaeda-India-branchs-first-attack-ends-in-dismal-failure-as-jihadists-raid-wrong-ship.html" type="external">Britain's The Telegraph reports</a> that heavily-armed militants went to a naval dock at the Karachi seaport expecting to find an American aircraft carrier. Instead, they attacked a Pakistani frigate. The fighters were quickly subdued, with three killed and four captured. Interrogations of the prisoners led to the capture of another three fighters later.</p>
<p>Al-Qaeda issued a statement on Thursday taking responsiblity for the attack and saying it had been going after "American Marines and their cronies." Investigators, though, are uncertain if the group really carried out the attack or just decided to take credit for it. Maybe getting press for a failed attack is better than getting no press coverage at all.</p>
<p>Statistics indicate that one in six women in Bogotá have been sexually harassed on public buses. But the next time someone tries to harass a woman, he may be confronted with an immediate arrest. The&#160;Bogotá&#160;police force has a new, undercover unit of eleven officers, most of them women, who are riding the buses.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">PRI's The World spoke to a BBC reporter</a> who spent a day with the squad. The officers are trained to read body language to help them spot potential harassers. The police say the female officers are not there to act as bait for harassers&#160;&#160;— that's against Colombian law.</p>
<p>And the group drops the clandestine approach to make highly public arrests as a deterrent to other harassers and to reassure women that they have help. The squad's officer in charge says it is still too early to tell if the strategy is working, but signs after the first month in action are looking good.</p>
<p>Rice farmers in Liangshan village in East China's Fujian province say they have a new agricultural technique that boosts production by 15 percent. They play Buddhist chants over lotus-shaped speakers to their rice plants.</p>
<p>China's English-language <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/880430.shtml" type="external">Global Times reports</a> that agriculture authorities say the rice plants also produced larger grains than usual, while fields without the music were prone to pests. And for the skeptical among you, the report says experts at China Agricultural University note that rhythmic sound waves have been shown to help plants absorb more sunlight. But a local official is quite sure that only "positive" music is helpful and expects rock 'n roll would hurt plant growth.</p>
<p>The "Tower of David" was intended to be a magnificent financial center in the heart of Caracas, Venezuela. But it was abandoned after its chief financier, David&#160;Brillembourg, died and a financial crisis hit in 1994. Seven years ago, thousands of squatters started moving in, creating a community complete with chapels, basketball courts and businesses in the 45-story, elevator-less skyscraper.</p>
<p>Now Venezuela's government wants to revitalize Caracas and is moving the squatters into government-owned apartments 25 miles away. Some of the squatters are happy that they are finally getting the homes they have always wanted, while others are sad to leave the community they have created and the jobs they have found in the city. <a href="" type="internal">PRI's The World has their stories and a slideshow</a> of "the world's tallest squat."</p>
<p>The summer of 2014 has been hotter than usual for parts of China, India and North and South Korea — with New Delhi hitting 48 degrees C. (or 118 F.) <a href="http://www.dw.de/the-environmental-price-of-staying-cool/a-17914703" type="external">Deutsche Welle notes that the heat has led to skyrocketing energy use</a>as millions of people sought relief using air conditioning and other appliances.</p>
<p>As Asia continues to develop, air conditioning will spread, spurring energy consumption and its resulting environmental consequences. In China alone, air conditioning adoption rose by more than 10 times in under a decade. China could soon eclipse the US, which has an 87 percent rate of ownership of air conditioners.</p>
| 7,726 |
<p>(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)</p>
<p>CBS president Glenn Geller came out as gay while facing questions about the network’s lack of diversity at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Geller, who was promoted to the position in September, publicly came out to make a point about CBS’s diversity.</p>
<p>“We always evolving, changing,” Geller says. ““I’m just a gay guy from Indiana who doesn’t play basketball. There is diversity at CBS. It exists in front and&#160;behind the camera. Can we do better? I think we are.”</p>
<p>“I mentioned my husband earlier, because I want to normalize my diversity. CBS will always reflect what American looks like,” Geller says. He also praised shows such as “Mom,” Madame Secretary,” “Survivor” and “Big Brother.”</p>
<p>CBS is not doing well for LGBT content, according to the&#160; <a href="http://www.glaad.org/nri2015" type="external">GLAAD 2015 Network Responsibility Index</a>, which rates LGBT content on networks for the 2014-2015 television season. CBS fell under the “Adequate” category along with&#160;NBC, TLC, TNT and USA. ABC Family and FOX scored as “Excellent.”</p>
<p>Geller went on to say he hopes to bring&#160;“my own sensibility and point of view” to the network and promised upcoming programming would have more diversity.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Big Brother</a> <a href="" type="internal">CBS</a> <a href="" type="internal">CBS president</a> <a href="" type="internal">GLAAD 2015 Network Responsibility Index</a> <a href="" type="internal">Glenn Geller</a> <a href="" type="internal">Madame Secretary</a> <a href="" type="internal">Mom</a> <a href="" type="internal">Survivor</a></p>
|
CBS president comes out, talks network diversity
| false |
http://washingtonblade.com/2016/01/13/cbs-president-comes-out/
| 3left-center
|
CBS president comes out, talks network diversity
<p>(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)</p>
<p>CBS president Glenn Geller came out as gay while facing questions about the network’s lack of diversity at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Geller, who was promoted to the position in September, publicly came out to make a point about CBS’s diversity.</p>
<p>“We always evolving, changing,” Geller says. ““I’m just a gay guy from Indiana who doesn’t play basketball. There is diversity at CBS. It exists in front and&#160;behind the camera. Can we do better? I think we are.”</p>
<p>“I mentioned my husband earlier, because I want to normalize my diversity. CBS will always reflect what American looks like,” Geller says. He also praised shows such as “Mom,” Madame Secretary,” “Survivor” and “Big Brother.”</p>
<p>CBS is not doing well for LGBT content, according to the&#160; <a href="http://www.glaad.org/nri2015" type="external">GLAAD 2015 Network Responsibility Index</a>, which rates LGBT content on networks for the 2014-2015 television season. CBS fell under the “Adequate” category along with&#160;NBC, TLC, TNT and USA. ABC Family and FOX scored as “Excellent.”</p>
<p>Geller went on to say he hopes to bring&#160;“my own sensibility and point of view” to the network and promised upcoming programming would have more diversity.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Big Brother</a> <a href="" type="internal">CBS</a> <a href="" type="internal">CBS president</a> <a href="" type="internal">GLAAD 2015 Network Responsibility Index</a> <a href="" type="internal">Glenn Geller</a> <a href="" type="internal">Madame Secretary</a> <a href="" type="internal">Mom</a> <a href="" type="internal">Survivor</a></p>
| 7,727 |
|
<p>Thursday, May 24, 2012</p>
<p>By Wladek Flakin, RIO, sympathizing section of the Fracci??n Trotskista in Germany</p>
<p>20,000 people came to Germany's financial capital, Frankfurt, on May 19, to participate in a mass march against the European Central Bank (ECB) and the austerity policy that the ECB is imposing throughout Europe. In the days preceding the march, two thousand demonstrators had blocked banks and squares in the city, despite a prohibition by the police against all types of demonstrations.</p>
<p>The protest, which was named "Blockupy Frankfurt", was confronted by a wave of repression unprecedented since the 2007 protests against the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm. Already in the preceding weeks, the police wrote to hundreds of people who had been arrested at a protest in Frankfurt in March, to prohibit them from entering the city. On the road to Frankfurt, buses full of activists were stopped and placed under preventive detention. Hundreds of people were arrested and still more were beaten up in the blockades themselves. Altogether, some 5,000 police were deployed, which led some daily papers to say that it had been the police, rather than the "Blockupy" activists, who had brought the entire city to a halt.</p>
<p>Demonstrators from throughout Germany and also from France, Italy and other European countries participated in the march. International solidarity was expressed through Greek flags or in the speeches in other languages. At the same time, the participation of the workers' movement was quite small (with the exception of French unions like the SUD or the CGT), a result of the union bureaucracy's policy of limiting itself to "responsible" demands that would not harm German capital. The very day of the march, the metalworkers' union bureaucracy arrived at an agreement on pay raises in the biggest industrial sector for German imperialism. Given the record profits that German automakers are having, the bureaucracy only obtained a raise of less than 4%, while accepting the consolidation of precarious working conditions. Negotiations of this type create a lot of dissatisfaction among the rank and file of the unions, but no open rejection yet. Increased repression also has a preventive character, preparing the state machine to confront broader movements in the future.</p>
<p>These protests are taking place in the context of growing objections to German imperialism's policy in the European Union, culminating in the combined pressure from Presidents Hollande and Obama on Merkel to abandon the policy of harsh austerity. For that reason, the contradictions in the "heart of the beast" could have a big international impact. For instance, a week before, Merkel's conservative party had lost the elections in the country's biggest province, North Rhine-Westphalia, with their worst result in history. This led to the dismissal of the Minister of the Environment, R??ttgen, who had been put in charge of the election campaign in the province.</p>
<p>It is only through struggle against its own imperialism that the working class in Germany can defend its old conquests and win new ones. But the social-democratic party SPD, closely linked to the union bureaucracy, does not present any alternative to Merkel and her austerity policy. In spite of some progressive statements, the reformist party "Die Linke" has also limited itself to supporting social-democratic governments at the provincial level. For that reason, we revolutionary Marxists of the Revolutionary Internationalist Organization (RIO), a sympathizing section of the Fracci??n Trotskista in Germany, participated in the Frankfurt marches with an anti-imperialist profile, using the slogan of the German Communist Karl Liebknecht, "The main enemy is in one's own country!"</p>
|
20,000 in Frankfurt against the European Central Bank
| true |
https://leftvoice.org/20-000-in-Frankfurt-against-the-European-Central-Bank
|
2012-06-09
| 4left
|
20,000 in Frankfurt against the European Central Bank
<p>Thursday, May 24, 2012</p>
<p>By Wladek Flakin, RIO, sympathizing section of the Fracci??n Trotskista in Germany</p>
<p>20,000 people came to Germany's financial capital, Frankfurt, on May 19, to participate in a mass march against the European Central Bank (ECB) and the austerity policy that the ECB is imposing throughout Europe. In the days preceding the march, two thousand demonstrators had blocked banks and squares in the city, despite a prohibition by the police against all types of demonstrations.</p>
<p>The protest, which was named "Blockupy Frankfurt", was confronted by a wave of repression unprecedented since the 2007 protests against the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm. Already in the preceding weeks, the police wrote to hundreds of people who had been arrested at a protest in Frankfurt in March, to prohibit them from entering the city. On the road to Frankfurt, buses full of activists were stopped and placed under preventive detention. Hundreds of people were arrested and still more were beaten up in the blockades themselves. Altogether, some 5,000 police were deployed, which led some daily papers to say that it had been the police, rather than the "Blockupy" activists, who had brought the entire city to a halt.</p>
<p>Demonstrators from throughout Germany and also from France, Italy and other European countries participated in the march. International solidarity was expressed through Greek flags or in the speeches in other languages. At the same time, the participation of the workers' movement was quite small (with the exception of French unions like the SUD or the CGT), a result of the union bureaucracy's policy of limiting itself to "responsible" demands that would not harm German capital. The very day of the march, the metalworkers' union bureaucracy arrived at an agreement on pay raises in the biggest industrial sector for German imperialism. Given the record profits that German automakers are having, the bureaucracy only obtained a raise of less than 4%, while accepting the consolidation of precarious working conditions. Negotiations of this type create a lot of dissatisfaction among the rank and file of the unions, but no open rejection yet. Increased repression also has a preventive character, preparing the state machine to confront broader movements in the future.</p>
<p>These protests are taking place in the context of growing objections to German imperialism's policy in the European Union, culminating in the combined pressure from Presidents Hollande and Obama on Merkel to abandon the policy of harsh austerity. For that reason, the contradictions in the "heart of the beast" could have a big international impact. For instance, a week before, Merkel's conservative party had lost the elections in the country's biggest province, North Rhine-Westphalia, with their worst result in history. This led to the dismissal of the Minister of the Environment, R??ttgen, who had been put in charge of the election campaign in the province.</p>
<p>It is only through struggle against its own imperialism that the working class in Germany can defend its old conquests and win new ones. But the social-democratic party SPD, closely linked to the union bureaucracy, does not present any alternative to Merkel and her austerity policy. In spite of some progressive statements, the reformist party "Die Linke" has also limited itself to supporting social-democratic governments at the provincial level. For that reason, we revolutionary Marxists of the Revolutionary Internationalist Organization (RIO), a sympathizing section of the Fracci??n Trotskista in Germany, participated in the Frankfurt marches with an anti-imperialist profile, using the slogan of the German Communist Karl Liebknecht, "The main enemy is in one's own country!"</p>
| 7,728 |
<p />
<p>In all, according to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-violence-labor-day-tuesday-20160906-story.html" type="external">Chicago Tribune</a>, 65 people were shot over the long weekend, including a woman who was nine months pregnant. She was standing on a porch with her boyfriend, who was also seriously wounded. Doctors reportedly delivered her nearly full-term baby, but the infant’s condition was not immediately known.</p>
<p>The holiday weekend blood-letting comes after August racked up 90 Windy City homicides. The mayhem prompted Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, to <a href="http://www.ccrkba.org/the-problem-isnt-gun-rights-its-chicago-says-ccrkba/" type="external">blame city officials</a> and their policies. Here’s his blunt analysis:</p>
<p>“It is time for the good citizens of Chicago to recognize that their city is in chaos, and that those responsible are not just a bunch of thugs on the South and West sides, but the people who are supposed to be in charge at city hall. This is what happens with decades of one party control. Their policies have failed, their strategies have failed and yet they are blind to all of it because they cannot admit those failures.”</p>
<p>Many if not most of the murder victims have been black, and so have their killers. Blogger Devon Foley looked at this grim reality back in July at IntellectualTakeout.org.</p>
<p>Still, where are the protests? Chicago streets have not been blocked. The City Council has not staged a sit-in. There was a <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-homan-square-protest-chicago-20160725-story.html" type="external">protest back in July</a>, but that was against a proposal to make attacks on first responders (police and firemen) a hate crime.</p>
<p>The city may be looking at a total of 700 slayings this year if the violence continues at its present rate. According to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-eddie-johnson-kass-0902-20160901-column.html" type="external">Chicago Tribune,</a> Police Supt. Eddie Johnson wants to get tougher on criminals who use guns, an idea championed two decades ago by gun rights groups in Washington State. It was called “Hard Time for Armed Crime.”</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p>
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500th Chicago homicide, but where are the protests?
| true |
http://conservativefiringline.com/500th-chicago-homicide-protests/
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2016-09-06
| 0right
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500th Chicago homicide, but where are the protests?
<p />
<p>In all, according to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-violence-labor-day-tuesday-20160906-story.html" type="external">Chicago Tribune</a>, 65 people were shot over the long weekend, including a woman who was nine months pregnant. She was standing on a porch with her boyfriend, who was also seriously wounded. Doctors reportedly delivered her nearly full-term baby, but the infant’s condition was not immediately known.</p>
<p>The holiday weekend blood-letting comes after August racked up 90 Windy City homicides. The mayhem prompted Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, to <a href="http://www.ccrkba.org/the-problem-isnt-gun-rights-its-chicago-says-ccrkba/" type="external">blame city officials</a> and their policies. Here’s his blunt analysis:</p>
<p>“It is time for the good citizens of Chicago to recognize that their city is in chaos, and that those responsible are not just a bunch of thugs on the South and West sides, but the people who are supposed to be in charge at city hall. This is what happens with decades of one party control. Their policies have failed, their strategies have failed and yet they are blind to all of it because they cannot admit those failures.”</p>
<p>Many if not most of the murder victims have been black, and so have their killers. Blogger Devon Foley looked at this grim reality back in July at IntellectualTakeout.org.</p>
<p>Still, where are the protests? Chicago streets have not been blocked. The City Council has not staged a sit-in. There was a <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-homan-square-protest-chicago-20160725-story.html" type="external">protest back in July</a>, but that was against a proposal to make attacks on first responders (police and firemen) a hate crime.</p>
<p>The city may be looking at a total of 700 slayings this year if the violence continues at its present rate. According to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-eddie-johnson-kass-0902-20160901-column.html" type="external">Chicago Tribune,</a> Police Supt. Eddie Johnson wants to get tougher on criminals who use guns, an idea championed two decades ago by gun rights groups in Washington State. It was called “Hard Time for Armed Crime.”</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p>
| 7,729 |
<p>DALLAS (AP) — Thousands of Texans have saluted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with parades, music and speeches honoring the slain civil rights leader.</p>
<p>MLK Day Parades were being held Monday in numerous Texas cities, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio. An MLK march, rally and cultural festival was scheduled on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.</p>
<p>The Children's Museum of Houston's 22nd annual MLK Day Celebration on Monday featured artwork, recitations and spiritual songs. A Gospel Night community choir program was planned in Lubbock.</p>
<p>Some communities honored King, who was assassinated 50 years ago, with public service and church programs. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley urged volunteers to do projects for "a more beloved community."</p>
<p>An MLK unity barbecue was held Sunday in Tyler.</p>
<p>DALLAS (AP) — Thousands of Texans have saluted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with parades, music and speeches honoring the slain civil rights leader.</p>
<p>MLK Day Parades were being held Monday in numerous Texas cities, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio. An MLK march, rally and cultural festival was scheduled on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.</p>
<p>The Children's Museum of Houston's 22nd annual MLK Day Celebration on Monday featured artwork, recitations and spiritual songs. A Gospel Night community choir program was planned in Lubbock.</p>
<p>Some communities honored King, who was assassinated 50 years ago, with public service and church programs. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley urged volunteers to do projects for "a more beloved community."</p>
<p>An MLK unity barbecue was held Sunday in Tyler.</p>
|
Texans salute MLK with peace marches, music, speeches
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/7cb71c6e278a4adebf2075dd4a1dad54
|
2018-01-15
| 2least
|
Texans salute MLK with peace marches, music, speeches
<p>DALLAS (AP) — Thousands of Texans have saluted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with parades, music and speeches honoring the slain civil rights leader.</p>
<p>MLK Day Parades were being held Monday in numerous Texas cities, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio. An MLK march, rally and cultural festival was scheduled on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.</p>
<p>The Children's Museum of Houston's 22nd annual MLK Day Celebration on Monday featured artwork, recitations and spiritual songs. A Gospel Night community choir program was planned in Lubbock.</p>
<p>Some communities honored King, who was assassinated 50 years ago, with public service and church programs. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley urged volunteers to do projects for "a more beloved community."</p>
<p>An MLK unity barbecue was held Sunday in Tyler.</p>
<p>DALLAS (AP) — Thousands of Texans have saluted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with parades, music and speeches honoring the slain civil rights leader.</p>
<p>MLK Day Parades were being held Monday in numerous Texas cities, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio. An MLK march, rally and cultural festival was scheduled on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.</p>
<p>The Children's Museum of Houston's 22nd annual MLK Day Celebration on Monday featured artwork, recitations and spiritual songs. A Gospel Night community choir program was planned in Lubbock.</p>
<p>Some communities honored King, who was assassinated 50 years ago, with public service and church programs. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley urged volunteers to do projects for "a more beloved community."</p>
<p>An MLK unity barbecue was held Sunday in Tyler.</p>
| 7,730 |
<p>New scientific data debunks the <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/28/climate-change-hurricane-harvey-215547" type="external">hyperventilating journalists</a> suggesting the latest hurricanes to hit the United States, Harvey and Irma, were the cause of man-made Climate Change.</p>
<p>As <a href="http://www.heritage.org/environment/commentary/harvey-and-irma-cant-be-blamed-climate-change" type="external">explained</a> by environmental analyst Nicholas Loris — who cites findings and analysis from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center — "Man-made warming did not cause Harvey and Irma."</p>
<p>"As carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have increased, there have been no trends in global tropical cycle landfalls," states Loris. "Before Harvey and Irma, with a little bit of luck, the United States was in a 12-year hurricane drought. More importantly, the average number of hurricanes per decade reaching landfall in the U.S. has fallen over the past 160 years."</p>
<p>Loris, a Herbert and Joyce Morgan fellow, goes on to reiterate that his analysis is rooted in "mainstream science."</p>
<p>"This comes not via 'denier data,' but from mainstream science," he writes. "The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported in its most recent scientific assessment that '(n)o robust trends in annual numbers of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes ... have been identified over the past 100 years in the North Atlantic basin,' and that there are 'no significant observed trends in global tropical cyclone frequency.'"</p>
<p>Further, as noted by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, "It is premature to conclude that human activities — and particularly greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming — have already had a detectable impact on Atlantic hurricane or global tropical cyclone activity."</p>
<p>Loris also debunks the notion that hurricanes are being so-called "supercharged" by man-made Climate Change, citing the former director of the National Hurricane Center, Bill Read.</p>
<p>"This is not an uncommon occurrence to see storms grow and intensify rapidly in the western Gulf of Mexico. That's as long as we've been tracking them that has occurred," Read told CNN when asked about the allegedly "supercharged" storms.</p>
<p>In closing, Loris says our focus must be on helping our brothers and sisters in Texas and Florida, not "political opportunism."</p>
<p>"Policymakers should focus on improving natural disaster response, resilience and preparedness. Blaming man-made climate change on Harvey and Irma is truly denying the data," he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/09/19/new-analysis-disputes-the-theory-that-climate-change-was-responsible-for-harvey-and-irma/amp/" type="external">H/T</a> The Blaze</p>
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DEBUNKED: Hurricanes Harvey And Irma Were NOT Caused By 'Climate Change'
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/21289/study-no-hurricanes-harvey-and-irma-were-not-amanda-prestigiacomo
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2017-09-19
| 0right
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DEBUNKED: Hurricanes Harvey And Irma Were NOT Caused By 'Climate Change'
<p>New scientific data debunks the <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/28/climate-change-hurricane-harvey-215547" type="external">hyperventilating journalists</a> suggesting the latest hurricanes to hit the United States, Harvey and Irma, were the cause of man-made Climate Change.</p>
<p>As <a href="http://www.heritage.org/environment/commentary/harvey-and-irma-cant-be-blamed-climate-change" type="external">explained</a> by environmental analyst Nicholas Loris — who cites findings and analysis from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center — "Man-made warming did not cause Harvey and Irma."</p>
<p>"As carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have increased, there have been no trends in global tropical cycle landfalls," states Loris. "Before Harvey and Irma, with a little bit of luck, the United States was in a 12-year hurricane drought. More importantly, the average number of hurricanes per decade reaching landfall in the U.S. has fallen over the past 160 years."</p>
<p>Loris, a Herbert and Joyce Morgan fellow, goes on to reiterate that his analysis is rooted in "mainstream science."</p>
<p>"This comes not via 'denier data,' but from mainstream science," he writes. "The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported in its most recent scientific assessment that '(n)o robust trends in annual numbers of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes ... have been identified over the past 100 years in the North Atlantic basin,' and that there are 'no significant observed trends in global tropical cyclone frequency.'"</p>
<p>Further, as noted by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, "It is premature to conclude that human activities — and particularly greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming — have already had a detectable impact on Atlantic hurricane or global tropical cyclone activity."</p>
<p>Loris also debunks the notion that hurricanes are being so-called "supercharged" by man-made Climate Change, citing the former director of the National Hurricane Center, Bill Read.</p>
<p>"This is not an uncommon occurrence to see storms grow and intensify rapidly in the western Gulf of Mexico. That's as long as we've been tracking them that has occurred," Read told CNN when asked about the allegedly "supercharged" storms.</p>
<p>In closing, Loris says our focus must be on helping our brothers and sisters in Texas and Florida, not "political opportunism."</p>
<p>"Policymakers should focus on improving natural disaster response, resilience and preparedness. Blaming man-made climate change on Harvey and Irma is truly denying the data," he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/09/19/new-analysis-disputes-the-theory-that-climate-change-was-responsible-for-harvey-and-irma/amp/" type="external">H/T</a> The Blaze</p>
| 7,731 |
<p>A leftist constitutional law professor has published a <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-its-time-to-repeal-the-second-amendment-right-bear-arms-20160613?page=2" type="external">piece</a> in Rolling Stone magazine explicitly calling for the abolition of the Second Amendment.</p>
<p>The piece is written by <a href="http://drexel.edu/law/faculty/fulltime_fac/David%20Cohen/" type="external">David S. Cohen</a>, who teaches at Drexel University, and consists of essentially a feelings-based argument for repealing Second Amendment filled with mistruths and errors about the Constitution and the Founding Fathers' intentions.</p>
<p>The first paragraph immediately shows signs of a misunderstanding of the founding document:</p>
<p>I teach the Constitution for a living. I revere the document when it is used to further social justice and make our country a more inclusive one. I admire the Founders for establishing a representative democracy that has survived for over two centuries.</p>
<p>Two key points here: Cohen is essentially saying he likes the Constitution only in certain circumstances, and his examples of "social justice" and ways to make the country "more inclusive" include the Supreme Court cases Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges, which made abortion and gay marriage legal throughout the country. Both of them were decisions that twisted the words of the Constitution. Cohen's other error is calling the U.S. "a representative democracy." Actually, the country is a constitutional republic.</p>
<p>Cohen proceeds to argue that there were instances where the Founding Fathers were wrong, and like a typical leftist he pulls the slavery card:</p>
<p>Much more profoundly, the Framers and the Constitution were wildly wrong on race. They enshrined slavery into the Constitution in multiple ways, including taking the extreme step of prohibiting the Constitution from being amended to stop the slave trade in the country's first 20 years. They also blatantly wrote racism into the Constitution by counting slaves as only 3/5 of a person for purposes of Congressional representation. It took a bloody civil war to fix these constitutional flaws (and then another 150 years, and counting, to try to fix the societal consequences of them).</p>
<p>This is completely off base. As radio host and constitutional scholar Mark Levin writes in <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=a1NYXMv_yLoC&amp;pg=PA58&amp;lpg=PA58&amp;dq=mark+levin+liberty+and+tyranny+slavery&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=pPCA-NWYmp&amp;sig=YrZreEpIb5kWjWu28tJS4ZPTKKY&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjQztXMpqjNAhUUVFIKHaCrC1gQ6AEIRzAE#v=onepage&amp;q=mark%20levin%20liberty%20and%20tyranny%20slavery&amp;f=false" type="external">Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto</a>, the delegates from the northern states wanted to abolish slavery, but the southern states' delegates would not have agreed to the Constitution under those circumstances, so they reached a compromise that would pave the way for slavery to be officially abolished.</p>
<p>"The constitution they adopted empowered Congress to prohibit the importation of slaves to the United States in twenty years' time, which it did," writes Levin. "It reduced the influence of Southern states would have in the House of Representatives of apportioning seats. Unfortunately, the southern states did succeed in inserting language requiring the return of slaves who escaped to other states. However the Constitution, did not, as some people intend, compel the practice of slavery."</p>
<p>Levin also argues that slavery would have lasted a lot longer without the Constitution because otherwise the southern states might have formed their own country or just existed by themselves.</p>
<p>While no one is arguing that the Founders were perfect, it is important to keep in mind that the Founders were keen on preserving individual liberty and private property from an overreaching federal government, and leftists like Cohen who falsely claim the Constitution preserved slavery make an attempt to undermine the importance of the Founders' intent. That's why Cohen doesn't even address the purpose of the Second Amendment in his feelings-based argument in favor of repealing the amendment:</p>
<p>The Second Amendment needs to be repealed because it is outdated, a threat to liberty and a suicide pact. When the Second Amendment was adopted in 1791, there were no weapons remotely like the AR-15 assault rifle and many of the advances of modern weaponry were long from being invented or popularized.</p>
<p>Sure, the Founders knew that the world evolved and that technology changed, but the weapons of today that are easily accessible are vastly different than anything that existed in 1791. When the Second Amendment was written, the Founders didn't have to weigh the risks of one man killing 49 and injuring 53 all by himself. Now we do, and the risk-benefit analysis of 1791 is flatly irrelevant to the risk-benefit analysis of today.</p>
<p>Apply Cohen's logic to the First Amendment–the Founders couldn't conceive of the Internet, television or radio, so does that make the First Amendment "outdated"?</p>
<p>The Second Amendment had nothing to do with the Founders weighing risks about the capability of weapons, and even if AR-15s existed then (and <a href="http://www.ijreview.com/2016/06/627943-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-assault-rifles-and-the-ar-15/" type="external">they're not assault rifles</a>) the Founders still would have ratified the Second Amendment because <a href="http://therightscoop.com/mark-levin-the-reason-the-2nd-amendment-exists-is-to-arm-the-population-to-overthrow-a-tyrannical-government/" type="external">it protects the populace against government tyranny</a>.</p>
<p>Thomas Jefferson himself once <a href="" type="internal">said</a>, "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."</p>
<p>History is replete with examples of governments disarming their people before committing acts of atrocity against them, which <a href="" type="internal">include</a>:</p>
<p>The Daily Wire editor-in-chief Ben Shapiro has <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/10/09/ben-carson-right-yes-jews-guns-holocaust/" type="external">written</a> how the Warsaw Ghetto uprising forced a delay in the Nazis' war plans for about a month and resulted in a Polish uprising against the Nazis.</p>
<p>But Cohen doesn't acknowledge this. Instead he continues with a feelings-based argument:</p>
<p>Gun-rights advocates like to make this all about liberty, insisting that their freedom to bear arms is of utmost importance and that restricting their freedom would be a violation of basic rights.</p>
<p>But liberty is not a one way street. It also includes the liberty to enjoy a night out with friends, loving who you want to love, dancing how you want to dance, in a club that has historically provided a refuge from the hate and fear that surrounds you. It also includes the liberty to go to and send your kids to kindergarten and first grade so that they can begin to be infused with a love of learning. It includes the liberty to go to a movie, to your religious house of worship, to college, to work, to an abortion clinic, go to a hair salon, to a community center, to the supermarket, to go anywhere and feel that you are free to do to so without having to weigh the risk of being gunned down by someone wielding a weapon that can easily kill you and countless others.</p>
<p>The very act of stepping outside your home is an inherent risk of exposing yourself to possible harm, whether it's a criminal carrying a gun (legally or illegally), a knife, or some other form of weapon, and no law can prevent that risk from occurring. The best way to minimize that risk is for law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves with a firearm, as <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425802/gun-free-zones-don't-save-lives-right-to-carry-laws-do" type="external">statistics have proven</a>.</p>
<p>Cohen continues:</p>
<p>Just think of what would have happened in the Orlando night-club Saturday night if there had been many others armed. In a crowded, dark, loud dance club, after the shooter began firing, imagine if others took out their guns and started firing back. Yes, maybe they would have killed the shooter, but how would anyone else have known what exactly was going on? How would it not have devolved into mass confusion and fear followed by a large-scale shootout without anyone knowing who was the good guy with a gun, who was the bad guy with a gun, and who was just caught in the middle? The death toll could have been much higher if more people were armed.</p>
<p>This is the usual speculative, emotion-driven argument from the left anytime pro-Second Amendment advocates call for ending gun-free zones. It is unknowable what exactly would have happened if the Pulse nightclub featured armed citizens; it's possible the terrorist might not have targeted the club at all since there is <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425802/gun-free-zones-don't-save-lives-right-to-carry-laws-do" type="external">an abundance of evidence</a> that cold-blooded murders target gun-free zones because they know they won't be met with as much resistance. There is certainly <a href="http://crimeresearch.org/2016/06/mass-shooting-in-florida-occurred-in-another-gun-free-zone-as-many-as-20-people-died-in-a-shooting-at-an-orlando-nightclub/" type="external">no evidence</a> that carrying firearms in places that serve alcohol has caused any problems. But saying that they should have been disarmed eliminates any chance they have of fighting back and saving lives.</p>
<p>Cohen concludes:</p>
<p>The gun-rights lobby's mantra that more people need guns will lead to an obvious result — more people will be killed. We'd be walking down a road in which blood baths are a common occurrence, all because the Second Amendment allows them to be.</p>
<p>At this point, bickering about the niceties of textual interpretation, whether the history of the amendment supports this view or that, and how legislators can solve this problem within the confines of the constitution is useless drivel that will lead to more of the same. We need a mass movement of those who are fed up with the long-dead Founders' view of the world ruling current day politics. A mass movement of those who will stand up and say that our founding document was wrong and needs to be changed. A mass movement of those who will thumb their nose at the NRA, an organization that is nothing more than the political wing of the country's gun manufacturers, and say enough is enough.</p>
<p>The Second Amendment must be repealed, and it is the essence of American democracy to say so.</p>
<p>Actually, it is the essence of the country's constitutional republic to uphold and cherish the Second Amendment, as it is one of the largest impediments to government tyranny.</p>
|
Rolling Stone: Hey, Let’s Get Rid Of The Second Amendment!
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/6574/rolling-stone-hey-lets-get-rid-second-amendment-aaron-bandler
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2016-06-14
| 0right
|
Rolling Stone: Hey, Let’s Get Rid Of The Second Amendment!
<p>A leftist constitutional law professor has published a <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-its-time-to-repeal-the-second-amendment-right-bear-arms-20160613?page=2" type="external">piece</a> in Rolling Stone magazine explicitly calling for the abolition of the Second Amendment.</p>
<p>The piece is written by <a href="http://drexel.edu/law/faculty/fulltime_fac/David%20Cohen/" type="external">David S. Cohen</a>, who teaches at Drexel University, and consists of essentially a feelings-based argument for repealing Second Amendment filled with mistruths and errors about the Constitution and the Founding Fathers' intentions.</p>
<p>The first paragraph immediately shows signs of a misunderstanding of the founding document:</p>
<p>I teach the Constitution for a living. I revere the document when it is used to further social justice and make our country a more inclusive one. I admire the Founders for establishing a representative democracy that has survived for over two centuries.</p>
<p>Two key points here: Cohen is essentially saying he likes the Constitution only in certain circumstances, and his examples of "social justice" and ways to make the country "more inclusive" include the Supreme Court cases Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges, which made abortion and gay marriage legal throughout the country. Both of them were decisions that twisted the words of the Constitution. Cohen's other error is calling the U.S. "a representative democracy." Actually, the country is a constitutional republic.</p>
<p>Cohen proceeds to argue that there were instances where the Founding Fathers were wrong, and like a typical leftist he pulls the slavery card:</p>
<p>Much more profoundly, the Framers and the Constitution were wildly wrong on race. They enshrined slavery into the Constitution in multiple ways, including taking the extreme step of prohibiting the Constitution from being amended to stop the slave trade in the country's first 20 years. They also blatantly wrote racism into the Constitution by counting slaves as only 3/5 of a person for purposes of Congressional representation. It took a bloody civil war to fix these constitutional flaws (and then another 150 years, and counting, to try to fix the societal consequences of them).</p>
<p>This is completely off base. As radio host and constitutional scholar Mark Levin writes in <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=a1NYXMv_yLoC&amp;pg=PA58&amp;lpg=PA58&amp;dq=mark+levin+liberty+and+tyranny+slavery&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=pPCA-NWYmp&amp;sig=YrZreEpIb5kWjWu28tJS4ZPTKKY&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjQztXMpqjNAhUUVFIKHaCrC1gQ6AEIRzAE#v=onepage&amp;q=mark%20levin%20liberty%20and%20tyranny%20slavery&amp;f=false" type="external">Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto</a>, the delegates from the northern states wanted to abolish slavery, but the southern states' delegates would not have agreed to the Constitution under those circumstances, so they reached a compromise that would pave the way for slavery to be officially abolished.</p>
<p>"The constitution they adopted empowered Congress to prohibit the importation of slaves to the United States in twenty years' time, which it did," writes Levin. "It reduced the influence of Southern states would have in the House of Representatives of apportioning seats. Unfortunately, the southern states did succeed in inserting language requiring the return of slaves who escaped to other states. However the Constitution, did not, as some people intend, compel the practice of slavery."</p>
<p>Levin also argues that slavery would have lasted a lot longer without the Constitution because otherwise the southern states might have formed their own country or just existed by themselves.</p>
<p>While no one is arguing that the Founders were perfect, it is important to keep in mind that the Founders were keen on preserving individual liberty and private property from an overreaching federal government, and leftists like Cohen who falsely claim the Constitution preserved slavery make an attempt to undermine the importance of the Founders' intent. That's why Cohen doesn't even address the purpose of the Second Amendment in his feelings-based argument in favor of repealing the amendment:</p>
<p>The Second Amendment needs to be repealed because it is outdated, a threat to liberty and a suicide pact. When the Second Amendment was adopted in 1791, there were no weapons remotely like the AR-15 assault rifle and many of the advances of modern weaponry were long from being invented or popularized.</p>
<p>Sure, the Founders knew that the world evolved and that technology changed, but the weapons of today that are easily accessible are vastly different than anything that existed in 1791. When the Second Amendment was written, the Founders didn't have to weigh the risks of one man killing 49 and injuring 53 all by himself. Now we do, and the risk-benefit analysis of 1791 is flatly irrelevant to the risk-benefit analysis of today.</p>
<p>Apply Cohen's logic to the First Amendment–the Founders couldn't conceive of the Internet, television or radio, so does that make the First Amendment "outdated"?</p>
<p>The Second Amendment had nothing to do with the Founders weighing risks about the capability of weapons, and even if AR-15s existed then (and <a href="http://www.ijreview.com/2016/06/627943-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-assault-rifles-and-the-ar-15/" type="external">they're not assault rifles</a>) the Founders still would have ratified the Second Amendment because <a href="http://therightscoop.com/mark-levin-the-reason-the-2nd-amendment-exists-is-to-arm-the-population-to-overthrow-a-tyrannical-government/" type="external">it protects the populace against government tyranny</a>.</p>
<p>Thomas Jefferson himself once <a href="" type="internal">said</a>, "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."</p>
<p>History is replete with examples of governments disarming their people before committing acts of atrocity against them, which <a href="" type="internal">include</a>:</p>
<p>The Daily Wire editor-in-chief Ben Shapiro has <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/10/09/ben-carson-right-yes-jews-guns-holocaust/" type="external">written</a> how the Warsaw Ghetto uprising forced a delay in the Nazis' war plans for about a month and resulted in a Polish uprising against the Nazis.</p>
<p>But Cohen doesn't acknowledge this. Instead he continues with a feelings-based argument:</p>
<p>Gun-rights advocates like to make this all about liberty, insisting that their freedom to bear arms is of utmost importance and that restricting their freedom would be a violation of basic rights.</p>
<p>But liberty is not a one way street. It also includes the liberty to enjoy a night out with friends, loving who you want to love, dancing how you want to dance, in a club that has historically provided a refuge from the hate and fear that surrounds you. It also includes the liberty to go to and send your kids to kindergarten and first grade so that they can begin to be infused with a love of learning. It includes the liberty to go to a movie, to your religious house of worship, to college, to work, to an abortion clinic, go to a hair salon, to a community center, to the supermarket, to go anywhere and feel that you are free to do to so without having to weigh the risk of being gunned down by someone wielding a weapon that can easily kill you and countless others.</p>
<p>The very act of stepping outside your home is an inherent risk of exposing yourself to possible harm, whether it's a criminal carrying a gun (legally or illegally), a knife, or some other form of weapon, and no law can prevent that risk from occurring. The best way to minimize that risk is for law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves with a firearm, as <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425802/gun-free-zones-don't-save-lives-right-to-carry-laws-do" type="external">statistics have proven</a>.</p>
<p>Cohen continues:</p>
<p>Just think of what would have happened in the Orlando night-club Saturday night if there had been many others armed. In a crowded, dark, loud dance club, after the shooter began firing, imagine if others took out their guns and started firing back. Yes, maybe they would have killed the shooter, but how would anyone else have known what exactly was going on? How would it not have devolved into mass confusion and fear followed by a large-scale shootout without anyone knowing who was the good guy with a gun, who was the bad guy with a gun, and who was just caught in the middle? The death toll could have been much higher if more people were armed.</p>
<p>This is the usual speculative, emotion-driven argument from the left anytime pro-Second Amendment advocates call for ending gun-free zones. It is unknowable what exactly would have happened if the Pulse nightclub featured armed citizens; it's possible the terrorist might not have targeted the club at all since there is <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425802/gun-free-zones-don't-save-lives-right-to-carry-laws-do" type="external">an abundance of evidence</a> that cold-blooded murders target gun-free zones because they know they won't be met with as much resistance. There is certainly <a href="http://crimeresearch.org/2016/06/mass-shooting-in-florida-occurred-in-another-gun-free-zone-as-many-as-20-people-died-in-a-shooting-at-an-orlando-nightclub/" type="external">no evidence</a> that carrying firearms in places that serve alcohol has caused any problems. But saying that they should have been disarmed eliminates any chance they have of fighting back and saving lives.</p>
<p>Cohen concludes:</p>
<p>The gun-rights lobby's mantra that more people need guns will lead to an obvious result — more people will be killed. We'd be walking down a road in which blood baths are a common occurrence, all because the Second Amendment allows them to be.</p>
<p>At this point, bickering about the niceties of textual interpretation, whether the history of the amendment supports this view or that, and how legislators can solve this problem within the confines of the constitution is useless drivel that will lead to more of the same. We need a mass movement of those who are fed up with the long-dead Founders' view of the world ruling current day politics. A mass movement of those who will stand up and say that our founding document was wrong and needs to be changed. A mass movement of those who will thumb their nose at the NRA, an organization that is nothing more than the political wing of the country's gun manufacturers, and say enough is enough.</p>
<p>The Second Amendment must be repealed, and it is the essence of American democracy to say so.</p>
<p>Actually, it is the essence of the country's constitutional republic to uphold and cherish the Second Amendment, as it is one of the largest impediments to government tyranny.</p>
| 7,732 |
<p />
<p>Even Fortune 500 corporations haven't been able to sustain franchises in the restaurant delivery service industry. It turns out, this business requires an involved local owner-operator who knows the community, has the skill and knowledge to maintain relationships with restaurants, and can make quick decisions when needed.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>I expanded Eat Out In to San Antonio in 2009 because it's only 90 miles away and I already had good relationships with many restaurants there. I have no plans to expand the business geographically because I couldn't devote the time necessary to maintaining those relationships.</p>
<p>If I had pursued my dream of becoming the next McDonald's, I might not be in business today, and I certainly wouldn't have such a close relationship with my daughter.</p>
<p>I often run into people who tell me they thought up the idea for a restaurant delivery service but didn't do anything with it. If I hadn't started Eat Out In, someone else eventually would have taken the plunge, and I'd be sitting here today saying: "If only . . ." My big idea didn't turn out exactly as I expected, but it did turn out pretty well.</p>
<p>New ideas are hard to come by. If you have one, act on it and don't wait for someone else to make it work. Here are some lessons I've learned over the past 25 years:</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Be persistent. When I started Eat Out In, my brother-in-law told me I was ahead of my time, and he was right. It took awhile for the idea to catch on. Meanwhile, I learned to hang in there, develop my concept, and not get discouraged that it wasn't an overnight success. That experience has helped me get through lots of rough spots.</p>
<p>Know your business. Even though I started a new concept, I knew a lot about the restaurant and delivery industries. Restaurants would never have signed up with me if I hadn't understood their business. Knowing your business builds credibility, which is essential for long-term success.</p>
<p>Trust your instincts. There was no road map for running a multi-restaurant delivery service, so I had to trust my instincts about many decisions. If I made a wrong choice, I learned from it and did things differently the next time. Have confidence in your instincts and the ability to learn as you go along.</p>
<p>Extend your skill set. I provide hands-on management of our advertising and marketing and employ freelance designers and copywriters rather than an ad agency. I feel comfortable in this arena because of my experience in sales, marketing and communications. We have saved huge amounts of money for investment in other parts of the business. On the other hand, I know my limitations and always hire professionals to do what I can't.</p>
<p>Related Links</p>
|
How to Act on Your Big Idea
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2010/10/13/act-big-idea.html
|
2016-03-22
| 0right
|
How to Act on Your Big Idea
<p />
<p>Even Fortune 500 corporations haven't been able to sustain franchises in the restaurant delivery service industry. It turns out, this business requires an involved local owner-operator who knows the community, has the skill and knowledge to maintain relationships with restaurants, and can make quick decisions when needed.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>I expanded Eat Out In to San Antonio in 2009 because it's only 90 miles away and I already had good relationships with many restaurants there. I have no plans to expand the business geographically because I couldn't devote the time necessary to maintaining those relationships.</p>
<p>If I had pursued my dream of becoming the next McDonald's, I might not be in business today, and I certainly wouldn't have such a close relationship with my daughter.</p>
<p>I often run into people who tell me they thought up the idea for a restaurant delivery service but didn't do anything with it. If I hadn't started Eat Out In, someone else eventually would have taken the plunge, and I'd be sitting here today saying: "If only . . ." My big idea didn't turn out exactly as I expected, but it did turn out pretty well.</p>
<p>New ideas are hard to come by. If you have one, act on it and don't wait for someone else to make it work. Here are some lessons I've learned over the past 25 years:</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Be persistent. When I started Eat Out In, my brother-in-law told me I was ahead of my time, and he was right. It took awhile for the idea to catch on. Meanwhile, I learned to hang in there, develop my concept, and not get discouraged that it wasn't an overnight success. That experience has helped me get through lots of rough spots.</p>
<p>Know your business. Even though I started a new concept, I knew a lot about the restaurant and delivery industries. Restaurants would never have signed up with me if I hadn't understood their business. Knowing your business builds credibility, which is essential for long-term success.</p>
<p>Trust your instincts. There was no road map for running a multi-restaurant delivery service, so I had to trust my instincts about many decisions. If I made a wrong choice, I learned from it and did things differently the next time. Have confidence in your instincts and the ability to learn as you go along.</p>
<p>Extend your skill set. I provide hands-on management of our advertising and marketing and employ freelance designers and copywriters rather than an ad agency. I feel comfortable in this arena because of my experience in sales, marketing and communications. We have saved huge amounts of money for investment in other parts of the business. On the other hand, I know my limitations and always hire professionals to do what I can't.</p>
<p>Related Links</p>
| 7,733 |
<p>Lupo Verde is offering a special for Festa della Donna on March 8. (Photo courtesy Lupo Verde)</p>
<p>Ladies, if you’re looking for an excuse to drink mimosas on a Tuesday (and who isn’t?), then look no further: International Women’s Day is Tuesday, March 8 and mimosas are de rigueur. Go ahead and drink up, because it’s politically correct.</p>
<p>Celebrated widely around the world, International Women’s Day is an official holiday in dozens of countries including Afghanistan, China, Madagascar, Russia and Vietnam, but actually got its start in New York in 1909 to commemorate a strike by the Internationals Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, while in 1917, Russian women used the day to protest food shortages and World War I by striking for “Bread and Peace.”</p>
<p>The day’s origins may certainly be political, but the Italians took the concept in another direction — which leads, naturally, to mimosas. Called the Festa della Donna, the Italian observation is simply a celebration of all things female, particularly friendships between women, and hand-held bouquets of tiny yellow mimosa flowers, a harbinger of spring, are given to women across the country. It’s a day when restaurants and bars all over Italy create special dishes for female customers and women gather to share meals and companionship.</p>
<p>Here in the District, local Italian restaurant Lupo Verde (1401 T St., N.W.) is honoring the Festa della Donna in its own way on&#160;March 8, with complimentary mimosa cocktails for female customers during that night’s dinner service and a special dish, the Risotto Mimosa. Made with a base of Acquerello risotto, a rice from Italy’s Piemonte region that is most preferred for risotto, the dish brings together fragrant saffron, shrimp, mango and pistachios with vincotto, a richly sweet southern Italian condiment made from grape must.</p>
<p>“This is part of our Italian culture we grew up with, and we want to carry on the holiday tradition as our families have for generations, like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day here in America for example,” says Antonio Matarazzo, a partner at Lupo Verde. “We don’t think of the political aspects surrounding this or anything sexist by celebrating this women-oriented day. I was bringing mimosa flowers to school for my teachers at the age of 8 years old to show appreciation in my hometown of Avellino, Italy.”</p>
<p>If you prefer to have a girl’s night at home to observe the Festa della Donna, you can break out the champagne and orange juice while also whipping up a Torta Mimosa, a lovely spring-like cake that is meant to resemble the flowers after which it is named. Made up of yellow cake, liqueur and cream, it’s easy to assemble and tastes just about right while enjoying cocktails with some girlfriends. Go ahead, celebrate yourselves — you deserve it.</p>
<p>This is a simplified version of the classic cake, because you shouldn’t have to slave over a hot stove for hours on a holiday meant to celebrate women (well, unless you’re a man) and you can also make most of it the day before. Give the cake a distinctly D.C. vibe by using Don Ciccio &amp; Figli’s perfectly lemony limoncello (available for purchase in liquor stores across the area; <a href="http://donciccioefigli.com/" type="external">donciccioefigli.com</a>), which is made by Italian expat Francesco Amodeo right here in our fair city, when he’s not serving up tasty cocktails at Lupo Verde.</p>
<p>1 recipe for a two-layer 9-inch vanilla cake (you can use a box cake, it’s fine)</p>
<p>2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)</p>
<p>1 cup lemon curd</p>
<p>3 cups whipped cream, lightly sweetened</p>
<p>6 tablespoons limoncello</p>
<p>Mix together the vanilla cake batter and add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, mixing thoroughly. Bake in two cake pans according to recipe directions, then allow to cool thoroughly on a rack.</p>
<p>When the cakes are cooled, slice them in half horizontally so that you now have four equal layers. Cut one of the cake layers into small cubes, the size of salad croutons, and set them aside in an airtight container. Mix the remaining tablespoon of lemon zest into the whipped cream. Line a mixing bowl with plastic wrap, then place one of the cake layers, cut side up, inside into the bottom of the bowl so that it curves with the shape of the bowl.</p>
<p>Brush it well with 2 tablespoons of the limoncello, then spread 1/2 cup of lemon curd over that, and top the lemon curd with 1 cup of the whipped cream. Repeat the process with another layer of the cake, cut side up, more limoncello, lemon curd, and whipped cream. Take another layer of cake, brush the cut side with more limoncello, and place it, cut side down, on top of the layers that you’ve already done, pressing it down lightly with your hands, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or even overnight. Refrigerate the remaining whipped cream until you are ready to assemble the rest of the cake.</p>
<p>After the cake has set, remove the plastic wrap and place a round serving platter over the top of the bowl, then flip the whole bowl over so that the cake inverts onto the platter. Remove the rest of the plastic wrap. Spread the remaining whipped cream thinly across the surface of the cake, then take the little cake cubes and press them lightly into the cream across the surface of the cake, to mimic the small clustering flowers of the mimosa. Serve immediately.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Antonio Matarazzo</a> <a href="" type="internal">Festa della Donna</a> <a href="" type="internal">International Women's Day</a> <a href="" type="internal">Italy</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lupo Verde</a> <a href="" type="internal">mimosa</a> <a href="" type="internal">mimosas</a> <a href="" type="internal">Risotto Mimosa</a> <a href="" type="internal">Torta Mimosa</a></p>
|
International Women’s Day coming March 8
| false |
http://washingtonblade.com/2016/03/04/because-you-deserve-it/
| 3left-center
|
International Women’s Day coming March 8
<p>Lupo Verde is offering a special for Festa della Donna on March 8. (Photo courtesy Lupo Verde)</p>
<p>Ladies, if you’re looking for an excuse to drink mimosas on a Tuesday (and who isn’t?), then look no further: International Women’s Day is Tuesday, March 8 and mimosas are de rigueur. Go ahead and drink up, because it’s politically correct.</p>
<p>Celebrated widely around the world, International Women’s Day is an official holiday in dozens of countries including Afghanistan, China, Madagascar, Russia and Vietnam, but actually got its start in New York in 1909 to commemorate a strike by the Internationals Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, while in 1917, Russian women used the day to protest food shortages and World War I by striking for “Bread and Peace.”</p>
<p>The day’s origins may certainly be political, but the Italians took the concept in another direction — which leads, naturally, to mimosas. Called the Festa della Donna, the Italian observation is simply a celebration of all things female, particularly friendships between women, and hand-held bouquets of tiny yellow mimosa flowers, a harbinger of spring, are given to women across the country. It’s a day when restaurants and bars all over Italy create special dishes for female customers and women gather to share meals and companionship.</p>
<p>Here in the District, local Italian restaurant Lupo Verde (1401 T St., N.W.) is honoring the Festa della Donna in its own way on&#160;March 8, with complimentary mimosa cocktails for female customers during that night’s dinner service and a special dish, the Risotto Mimosa. Made with a base of Acquerello risotto, a rice from Italy’s Piemonte region that is most preferred for risotto, the dish brings together fragrant saffron, shrimp, mango and pistachios with vincotto, a richly sweet southern Italian condiment made from grape must.</p>
<p>“This is part of our Italian culture we grew up with, and we want to carry on the holiday tradition as our families have for generations, like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day here in America for example,” says Antonio Matarazzo, a partner at Lupo Verde. “We don’t think of the political aspects surrounding this or anything sexist by celebrating this women-oriented day. I was bringing mimosa flowers to school for my teachers at the age of 8 years old to show appreciation in my hometown of Avellino, Italy.”</p>
<p>If you prefer to have a girl’s night at home to observe the Festa della Donna, you can break out the champagne and orange juice while also whipping up a Torta Mimosa, a lovely spring-like cake that is meant to resemble the flowers after which it is named. Made up of yellow cake, liqueur and cream, it’s easy to assemble and tastes just about right while enjoying cocktails with some girlfriends. Go ahead, celebrate yourselves — you deserve it.</p>
<p>This is a simplified version of the classic cake, because you shouldn’t have to slave over a hot stove for hours on a holiday meant to celebrate women (well, unless you’re a man) and you can also make most of it the day before. Give the cake a distinctly D.C. vibe by using Don Ciccio &amp; Figli’s perfectly lemony limoncello (available for purchase in liquor stores across the area; <a href="http://donciccioefigli.com/" type="external">donciccioefigli.com</a>), which is made by Italian expat Francesco Amodeo right here in our fair city, when he’s not serving up tasty cocktails at Lupo Verde.</p>
<p>1 recipe for a two-layer 9-inch vanilla cake (you can use a box cake, it’s fine)</p>
<p>2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)</p>
<p>1 cup lemon curd</p>
<p>3 cups whipped cream, lightly sweetened</p>
<p>6 tablespoons limoncello</p>
<p>Mix together the vanilla cake batter and add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, mixing thoroughly. Bake in two cake pans according to recipe directions, then allow to cool thoroughly on a rack.</p>
<p>When the cakes are cooled, slice them in half horizontally so that you now have four equal layers. Cut one of the cake layers into small cubes, the size of salad croutons, and set them aside in an airtight container. Mix the remaining tablespoon of lemon zest into the whipped cream. Line a mixing bowl with plastic wrap, then place one of the cake layers, cut side up, inside into the bottom of the bowl so that it curves with the shape of the bowl.</p>
<p>Brush it well with 2 tablespoons of the limoncello, then spread 1/2 cup of lemon curd over that, and top the lemon curd with 1 cup of the whipped cream. Repeat the process with another layer of the cake, cut side up, more limoncello, lemon curd, and whipped cream. Take another layer of cake, brush the cut side with more limoncello, and place it, cut side down, on top of the layers that you’ve already done, pressing it down lightly with your hands, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or even overnight. Refrigerate the remaining whipped cream until you are ready to assemble the rest of the cake.</p>
<p>After the cake has set, remove the plastic wrap and place a round serving platter over the top of the bowl, then flip the whole bowl over so that the cake inverts onto the platter. Remove the rest of the plastic wrap. Spread the remaining whipped cream thinly across the surface of the cake, then take the little cake cubes and press them lightly into the cream across the surface of the cake, to mimic the small clustering flowers of the mimosa. Serve immediately.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Antonio Matarazzo</a> <a href="" type="internal">Festa della Donna</a> <a href="" type="internal">International Women's Day</a> <a href="" type="internal">Italy</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lupo Verde</a> <a href="" type="internal">mimosa</a> <a href="" type="internal">mimosas</a> <a href="" type="internal">Risotto Mimosa</a> <a href="" type="internal">Torta Mimosa</a></p>
| 7,734 |
|
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Enterprise Financial Services Corp :</p>
<p>* ENTERPRISE FINANCIAL REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL 2017 YEAR RESULTS</p> * Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE $0.32
<p>* Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $0.77 — THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - To Wall Street money managers who make bets for a living, U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance against China on trade looks like a high-stakes poker hand - but they believe they can play it for all it’s worth.</p> FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
<p>Fears that Trump could set off a trade conflict have roiled Wall Street since March 1, when the president announced plans to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, risking retaliation from major trade partners like China, Europe and neighboring Canada.</p>
<p>It’s been a roller coaster ride, with markets slumping after Trump last Friday moved to impose up to $60 billion in tariffs on some Chinese imports and China declared plans to retaliate with duties of up to $3 billion of U.S. imports even as it urged the United States to “pull back from the brink.”</p>
<p>China’s willingness to negotiate spurred a rebound on Monday, though jitters in the tech sector drove markets back down on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Investors remain concerned about a trade war between the world’s two largest economies, but some big players are sanguine about their prospects to make money even as they try and dissect Trump’s strategy on trade.</p>
<p>The former celebrity businessman on March 2 tweeted, “trade wars are good, and easy to win,” shocking economists who cite evidence that trade wars in the past have been destructive to economies involved.</p>
<p>“Other administrations have gone to trading partners like China and asked for a fairer deal, only to get a cigar put out on their forehead,” said Steve Chiavarone, a portfolio manager at Federated Investors. “I suspect Trump’s bucking of norms is absolutely part of his negotiating tactics.”</p>
<p>Chiavarone and others said they remain confident the S&amp;P 500 will rise significantly this year.</p>
<p>“So far you are talking about small amounts of tariffs in niche sectors,” said Phil Blancato, head of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management in New York. “For anyone who is looking for an opportunity to enter the market here at better valuations, this is it.”</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, surrounded by business leaders and administration officials, prepares to sign a memorandum on intellectual property tariffs on high-tech goods from China, at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst THE ART OF THE DEAL
<p>“He has shown himself to act aggressively, quickly and unilaterally, and that’s brought China to the negotiating table,” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer of EventShares exchange traded funds. “I truly think they are worried about him taking unilateral action and harming China’s economy.”</p>
<p>Fears of a trade war, which could hurt U.S. multinationals and dull the benefits of deep corporate tax cuts enacted this year, have helped push the S&amp;P 500 down nearly 4 percent since the end of February.</p>
<p>The Trump administration has demanded that China immediately cut its $375 billion trade surplus with the United States by $100 billion, a position seen by some as an opening tactic in a long negotiation.</p>
<p>China could respond to U.S. measures with a range of tariffs aimed at U.S. multinationals, or even farmers in rural regions who helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election.</p>
<p>Trump’s bellicose stance with U.S. trade partners reflects a negotiating style outlined in his 1987 book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” said Oliver Pursche, chief market strategist at Bruderman Asset Management in New York.</p>
<p>“You propose something horrific, and then when you pull back what you want is not as painful as feared,” Pursche said. “The problem is the other side isn’t dumb. Eventually, they’re going to figure that out.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Noel Randewich, additional reporting by April Joyner and Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Editing by Alden Bentley</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - The number of finance jobs to be shifted out of Britain or created overseas by March 2019 due to Brexit has dropped by half compared to six months ago to 5,000 roles, firms employing the bulk of UK-based workers in international finance told Reuters.</p>
<p>A Reuters survey of 119 firms, following up on a survey published in September 2017, also found that Paris has overtaken Frankfurt as the most popular destination for the new roles.</p>
<p>Some banks lowered the estimates for jobs they need to move as they consider more carefully how much of their operations they will need in the European Union if Britain loses access to the bloc's single market, the survey found. (For a graphic on Brexit and the City, click <a href="https://tmsnrt.rs/2zzQOfC" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2zzQOfC</a>)</p>
<p>A more conciliatory tone toward the finance sectors from British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and progress in talks with the EU have also had an effect.</p>
<p>The findings suggest London will comfortably remain Europe’s largest financial centre, at least in the short term, boosting supporters of leaving the EU, who say the threat of job losses from one of Britain’s biggest industries was exaggerated.</p>
<p>Executives and politicians predicted a mass exodus of finance jobs from London to rival centres in continental Europe after Britain voted to quit the EU in the summer of 2016.</p>
<p>“The idea of London’s demise was overdone because it will retain most of the advantages that made it a great financial centre,” said Peter Hahn, a professor of banking at the London Institute of Banking and Finance.</p>
<p>The September survey, which found that they planned to move or create 10,000 jobs on the continent by Brexit Day on March 29, 2019, was also as at the lower end of estimates by industry lobby groups and financial firms.</p>
<p>The Bank of England later validated the number.</p>
<p>The future of London as Europe’s financial centre is one of the biggest issues in Brexit talks because it is Britain’s largest export sector and biggest source of tax. Rival cities within the bloc are battling to draw highly-paid banking jobs and the revenues they bring.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/uk-britain-eu-city-jobs-factbox/factbox-reuters-surveys-uk-financial-services-jobs-post-brexit-idUSKBN1H411Q" type="external">Factbox - Reuters surveys UK financial services jobs post-Brexit</a>
<p>International finance firms are building up operations in the EU to ensure they can continue to serve clients if their London operations lose the ability to operate across the bloc - known as the EU financial “passport” - once Britain leaves.</p>
<p>The companies surveyed - the biggest or most internationally-focused banks, insurers, asset managers, private equity firms and exchanges in Britain - were responding to questions about their plans in the event of a so-called “hard” Brexit, where the UK would leave not only the EU but also the single market and Customs Union.</p>
<p>Britain and the EU agreed on March 19 to a transition period of 21 months to give time for talks on future trade ties. The deal eases concerns about a hard Brexit but must still be approved by parliament in a vote expected later this year.</p>
<p>Canvassing was conducted by email and telephone interviews between Feb. 9 and March 22, just shy of a year before Britain is due to leave.</p>
<p>A total of 164 firms were approached, and 119 participated versus 123 in September. A handful of asset managers, exchanges and insurers who responded in September didn’t respond this time or declined to comment, while a few insurers and asset managers were included for the first time.</p>
<p>More than half of the companies surveyed told Reuters they would have to move staff or restructure their businesses because of Brexit. Another quarter said it would have no impact, and the remainder said they didn’t know or were still mulling over their plans.</p> SHRINKING PROJECTIONS
<p>Several banks said they had scaled back their estimates since the last survey was published.</p>
<p>Deutsche Bank, which had originally examined moving up to 4,000 staff from London, will now initially shift less than 200 jobs, according to the survey.</p>
<p>UBS plans to move 200 staff to Frankfurt from London after previously indicating as many as 1,500 jobs would move, the survey shows.</p>
<p>Goldman Sachs, which had considered moving about 1,000 people, now expects to move fewer than 500, it found.</p>
<p>The survey indicated 4,798 banking roles would be affected. Many of those would be shifted out of the UK, but some would be new roles in Europe, the executives surveyed said.</p>
<p>As in the previous survey, most respondents said bigger moves could be in store in a decade or more, however.</p>
<p>“I doubt there will be a mass migration overnight, but my guess is in 5, if not 10 years, London will be down quite a lot,” said one executive at a large U.S. bank, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press.</p>
<p>“London was the only game in town, at least in Europe, and now it won’t be.”</p>
<p>Twenty-five of the 40 banks who said they would make changes to their business as a result of Brexit said they have taken steps such as applying for licences, hiring more office space elsewhere in Europe or moving some contracts with clients to cities in the EU.</p>
<p>Only eight of the banks said they have started moving staff or hiring employees locally to bolster their European operations because of Brexit.</p>
<p>Most executives said moving staff or assets would be one of the last steps they take in their relocation plans.</p>
<p>Although most firms responded before the transition deal was announced, a question was included in the survey about how the firms would cope in the event of such an agreement.</p>
<p>The majority of banks responded that it wouldn’t make any difference to their plans because it doesn’t clarify anything and is still vulnerable to any number of political scenarios, including the potential collapse of May’s government.</p>
<p>There was a small rise in the number of insurance companies planning to move staff or create jobs overseas, according to the survey.</p>
<p>Insurance companies said they planned to move or create 173 jobs overseas, up from 98 in the previous Reuters survey, and the asset management sector plans to move 304 roles.</p>
<p>Previous forecasts for job losses in a hard Brexit scenario have ranged from about 30,000 roles, estimated by the Brussels-based Bruegel research group, to up to 75,000 by Oliver Wyman and as many as 232,000 by the London Stock Exchange.</p>
<p>The timeframe in the Bruegel estimate was up to March 2020, the Oliver Wyman forecast was up to 2022 and the London Stock Exchange’s was up to 2024.</p>
<p>In a surprise development, Paris has emerged as the biggest winner in the fight for London-based banking jobs that may be moved to cities in the EU after Brexit, the survey found.</p>
<p>France’s capital is on course to gain 2,280 roles, the survey showed.</p>
<p>The bulk of those are from HSBC, which continues to indicate it may move 1,000 investment jobs despite comments by the head of its investment bank last year that he expected fewer jobs to leave because the chances of a hard Brexit were receding.</p>
<p>Many large finance companies were initially deterred by a perception of France as a country of high taxes and strict labor laws, according to executives.</p> FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past office skyscrapers in the City of London financial district, London, Britain, January 25, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
<p>But efforts by President Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker, to woo the industry by making it easier to hire and fire and cutting taxes on salaries, wealth and capital income appeared to be paying off.</p>
<p>Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and HSBC were among the firms that are planning to move at least some staff to Paris, the survey shows.</p>
<p>Frankfurt was on course to win the second highest number of jobs with 1,420 roles, followed by Dublin with 612 roles and 407 in Luxembourg, the Reuters survey showed.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Suzanne Barlyn in New York, Stephen Jewkes in Milan, Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices settled slightly lower on Tuesday, only to fall in post-settlement electronic trading as stocks slumped and industry group data showed a surprising increase in crude inventories.</p> FILE PHOTO: A gas station attendant pumps fuel into a customer's car at a gas station in Shanghai, China November 17, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 touched $71 a barrel before retreating, and settled down 1 cent at $70.11 a barrel in what traders characterized as profit-taking following several days of gains. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures CLc1 fell 30 cents to settle at $65.25 a barrel.</p>
<p>In post-settlement trading, when volumes are thinner, prices for both benchmarks slipped in tandem with equities markets, and then dropped again after industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a larger-than-expected rise in U.S. oil inventories.</p>
<p>(GRAPHIC: Global spot crude futures volumes - <a href="http://reut.rs/2I32GHF" type="external">reut.rs/2I32GHF</a>)</p>
<a href="http://reut.rs/2I32GHF" type="external" />
<p>At one point, WTI fell more than $1. It traded at $64.69 a barrel, down 86 cents, as of 4:42 p.m. EDT (2042 GMT).</p>
<p>Crude inventories rose by 5.3 million barrels in the week ended March 23 to 430.6 million, API said. U.S. inventories were expected to fall by 287,000 barrels; the U.S. Energy Department releases its figures Wednesday morning.</p>
<p>The dollar .DXY rebounded from a five-week low hit earlier in the session as trade tensions eased. A stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. [FRX/]</p>
<p>“The dollar index is poking up there and that’s probably weighing a little bit on prices,” said Phillip Streible, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago.</p>
<p>Brent has risen by more than 5 percent this month while WTI is up over 4 percent. They are on track for a third consecutive quarterly gain, which last happened in 2010.</p>
<p>While both contracts have been gaining, Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois said Brent has outperformed WTI. The spread between the two May contracts has widened, he noted, which implies OPEC’s success in trimming supplies.</p>
<p>The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producer countries agreed more than a year ago to reduce supply.</p>
<p>The deal is due to expire at the end of this year, but Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Reuters that OPEC and Russia were working on an agreement to cooperate for another 10 to 20 years, though that does not specifically mean cuts will go on for that long.</p>
<p>Still, analysts said the market’s current strength may not last. Barclays Research analysts said they expected the supply deficit of the past few months to give way to a surplus on rising U.S. output.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; editing by Marguerita Choy, Edmund Blair and G Crosse</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
|
BRIEF-Enterprise Financial Q4 Earnings Per Share $0.32 On China trade clash, Wall Street embraces Trump's poker face 5,000 UK finance jobs may be moved by Brexit, half earlier forecast - Reuters Oil drops on equity weakness, surprise API build
| false |
https://reuters.com/article/brief-enterprise-financial-q4-earnings-p/brief-enterprise-financial-q4-earnings-per-share-032-idUSASB0C1T6
|
2018-01-23
| 2least
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BRIEF-Enterprise Financial Q4 Earnings Per Share $0.32 On China trade clash, Wall Street embraces Trump's poker face 5,000 UK finance jobs may be moved by Brexit, half earlier forecast - Reuters Oil drops on equity weakness, surprise API build
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Enterprise Financial Services Corp :</p>
<p>* ENTERPRISE FINANCIAL REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL 2017 YEAR RESULTS</p> * Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE $0.32
<p>* Q4 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $0.77 — THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - To Wall Street money managers who make bets for a living, U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance against China on trade looks like a high-stakes poker hand - but they believe they can play it for all it’s worth.</p> FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
<p>Fears that Trump could set off a trade conflict have roiled Wall Street since March 1, when the president announced plans to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, risking retaliation from major trade partners like China, Europe and neighboring Canada.</p>
<p>It’s been a roller coaster ride, with markets slumping after Trump last Friday moved to impose up to $60 billion in tariffs on some Chinese imports and China declared plans to retaliate with duties of up to $3 billion of U.S. imports even as it urged the United States to “pull back from the brink.”</p>
<p>China’s willingness to negotiate spurred a rebound on Monday, though jitters in the tech sector drove markets back down on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Investors remain concerned about a trade war between the world’s two largest economies, but some big players are sanguine about their prospects to make money even as they try and dissect Trump’s strategy on trade.</p>
<p>The former celebrity businessman on March 2 tweeted, “trade wars are good, and easy to win,” shocking economists who cite evidence that trade wars in the past have been destructive to economies involved.</p>
<p>“Other administrations have gone to trading partners like China and asked for a fairer deal, only to get a cigar put out on their forehead,” said Steve Chiavarone, a portfolio manager at Federated Investors. “I suspect Trump’s bucking of norms is absolutely part of his negotiating tactics.”</p>
<p>Chiavarone and others said they remain confident the S&amp;P 500 will rise significantly this year.</p>
<p>“So far you are talking about small amounts of tariffs in niche sectors,” said Phil Blancato, head of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management in New York. “For anyone who is looking for an opportunity to enter the market here at better valuations, this is it.”</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, surrounded by business leaders and administration officials, prepares to sign a memorandum on intellectual property tariffs on high-tech goods from China, at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst THE ART OF THE DEAL
<p>“He has shown himself to act aggressively, quickly and unilaterally, and that’s brought China to the negotiating table,” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer of EventShares exchange traded funds. “I truly think they are worried about him taking unilateral action and harming China’s economy.”</p>
<p>Fears of a trade war, which could hurt U.S. multinationals and dull the benefits of deep corporate tax cuts enacted this year, have helped push the S&amp;P 500 down nearly 4 percent since the end of February.</p>
<p>The Trump administration has demanded that China immediately cut its $375 billion trade surplus with the United States by $100 billion, a position seen by some as an opening tactic in a long negotiation.</p>
<p>China could respond to U.S. measures with a range of tariffs aimed at U.S. multinationals, or even farmers in rural regions who helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election.</p>
<p>Trump’s bellicose stance with U.S. trade partners reflects a negotiating style outlined in his 1987 book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” said Oliver Pursche, chief market strategist at Bruderman Asset Management in New York.</p>
<p>“You propose something horrific, and then when you pull back what you want is not as painful as feared,” Pursche said. “The problem is the other side isn’t dumb. Eventually, they’re going to figure that out.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Noel Randewich, additional reporting by April Joyner and Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Editing by Alden Bentley</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - The number of finance jobs to be shifted out of Britain or created overseas by March 2019 due to Brexit has dropped by half compared to six months ago to 5,000 roles, firms employing the bulk of UK-based workers in international finance told Reuters.</p>
<p>A Reuters survey of 119 firms, following up on a survey published in September 2017, also found that Paris has overtaken Frankfurt as the most popular destination for the new roles.</p>
<p>Some banks lowered the estimates for jobs they need to move as they consider more carefully how much of their operations they will need in the European Union if Britain loses access to the bloc's single market, the survey found. (For a graphic on Brexit and the City, click <a href="https://tmsnrt.rs/2zzQOfC" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2zzQOfC</a>)</p>
<p>A more conciliatory tone toward the finance sectors from British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and progress in talks with the EU have also had an effect.</p>
<p>The findings suggest London will comfortably remain Europe’s largest financial centre, at least in the short term, boosting supporters of leaving the EU, who say the threat of job losses from one of Britain’s biggest industries was exaggerated.</p>
<p>Executives and politicians predicted a mass exodus of finance jobs from London to rival centres in continental Europe after Britain voted to quit the EU in the summer of 2016.</p>
<p>“The idea of London’s demise was overdone because it will retain most of the advantages that made it a great financial centre,” said Peter Hahn, a professor of banking at the London Institute of Banking and Finance.</p>
<p>The September survey, which found that they planned to move or create 10,000 jobs on the continent by Brexit Day on March 29, 2019, was also as at the lower end of estimates by industry lobby groups and financial firms.</p>
<p>The Bank of England later validated the number.</p>
<p>The future of London as Europe’s financial centre is one of the biggest issues in Brexit talks because it is Britain’s largest export sector and biggest source of tax. Rival cities within the bloc are battling to draw highly-paid banking jobs and the revenues they bring.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/uk-britain-eu-city-jobs-factbox/factbox-reuters-surveys-uk-financial-services-jobs-post-brexit-idUSKBN1H411Q" type="external">Factbox - Reuters surveys UK financial services jobs post-Brexit</a>
<p>International finance firms are building up operations in the EU to ensure they can continue to serve clients if their London operations lose the ability to operate across the bloc - known as the EU financial “passport” - once Britain leaves.</p>
<p>The companies surveyed - the biggest or most internationally-focused banks, insurers, asset managers, private equity firms and exchanges in Britain - were responding to questions about their plans in the event of a so-called “hard” Brexit, where the UK would leave not only the EU but also the single market and Customs Union.</p>
<p>Britain and the EU agreed on March 19 to a transition period of 21 months to give time for talks on future trade ties. The deal eases concerns about a hard Brexit but must still be approved by parliament in a vote expected later this year.</p>
<p>Canvassing was conducted by email and telephone interviews between Feb. 9 and March 22, just shy of a year before Britain is due to leave.</p>
<p>A total of 164 firms were approached, and 119 participated versus 123 in September. A handful of asset managers, exchanges and insurers who responded in September didn’t respond this time or declined to comment, while a few insurers and asset managers were included for the first time.</p>
<p>More than half of the companies surveyed told Reuters they would have to move staff or restructure their businesses because of Brexit. Another quarter said it would have no impact, and the remainder said they didn’t know or were still mulling over their plans.</p> SHRINKING PROJECTIONS
<p>Several banks said they had scaled back their estimates since the last survey was published.</p>
<p>Deutsche Bank, which had originally examined moving up to 4,000 staff from London, will now initially shift less than 200 jobs, according to the survey.</p>
<p>UBS plans to move 200 staff to Frankfurt from London after previously indicating as many as 1,500 jobs would move, the survey shows.</p>
<p>Goldman Sachs, which had considered moving about 1,000 people, now expects to move fewer than 500, it found.</p>
<p>The survey indicated 4,798 banking roles would be affected. Many of those would be shifted out of the UK, but some would be new roles in Europe, the executives surveyed said.</p>
<p>As in the previous survey, most respondents said bigger moves could be in store in a decade or more, however.</p>
<p>“I doubt there will be a mass migration overnight, but my guess is in 5, if not 10 years, London will be down quite a lot,” said one executive at a large U.S. bank, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press.</p>
<p>“London was the only game in town, at least in Europe, and now it won’t be.”</p>
<p>Twenty-five of the 40 banks who said they would make changes to their business as a result of Brexit said they have taken steps such as applying for licences, hiring more office space elsewhere in Europe or moving some contracts with clients to cities in the EU.</p>
<p>Only eight of the banks said they have started moving staff or hiring employees locally to bolster their European operations because of Brexit.</p>
<p>Most executives said moving staff or assets would be one of the last steps they take in their relocation plans.</p>
<p>Although most firms responded before the transition deal was announced, a question was included in the survey about how the firms would cope in the event of such an agreement.</p>
<p>The majority of banks responded that it wouldn’t make any difference to their plans because it doesn’t clarify anything and is still vulnerable to any number of political scenarios, including the potential collapse of May’s government.</p>
<p>There was a small rise in the number of insurance companies planning to move staff or create jobs overseas, according to the survey.</p>
<p>Insurance companies said they planned to move or create 173 jobs overseas, up from 98 in the previous Reuters survey, and the asset management sector plans to move 304 roles.</p>
<p>Previous forecasts for job losses in a hard Brexit scenario have ranged from about 30,000 roles, estimated by the Brussels-based Bruegel research group, to up to 75,000 by Oliver Wyman and as many as 232,000 by the London Stock Exchange.</p>
<p>The timeframe in the Bruegel estimate was up to March 2020, the Oliver Wyman forecast was up to 2022 and the London Stock Exchange’s was up to 2024.</p>
<p>In a surprise development, Paris has emerged as the biggest winner in the fight for London-based banking jobs that may be moved to cities in the EU after Brexit, the survey found.</p>
<p>France’s capital is on course to gain 2,280 roles, the survey showed.</p>
<p>The bulk of those are from HSBC, which continues to indicate it may move 1,000 investment jobs despite comments by the head of its investment bank last year that he expected fewer jobs to leave because the chances of a hard Brexit were receding.</p>
<p>Many large finance companies were initially deterred by a perception of France as a country of high taxes and strict labor laws, according to executives.</p> FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past office skyscrapers in the City of London financial district, London, Britain, January 25, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
<p>But efforts by President Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker, to woo the industry by making it easier to hire and fire and cutting taxes on salaries, wealth and capital income appeared to be paying off.</p>
<p>Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and HSBC were among the firms that are planning to move at least some staff to Paris, the survey shows.</p>
<p>Frankfurt was on course to win the second highest number of jobs with 1,420 roles, followed by Dublin with 612 roles and 407 in Luxembourg, the Reuters survey showed.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Suzanne Barlyn in New York, Stephen Jewkes in Milan, Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices settled slightly lower on Tuesday, only to fall in post-settlement electronic trading as stocks slumped and industry group data showed a surprising increase in crude inventories.</p> FILE PHOTO: A gas station attendant pumps fuel into a customer's car at a gas station in Shanghai, China November 17, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 touched $71 a barrel before retreating, and settled down 1 cent at $70.11 a barrel in what traders characterized as profit-taking following several days of gains. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures CLc1 fell 30 cents to settle at $65.25 a barrel.</p>
<p>In post-settlement trading, when volumes are thinner, prices for both benchmarks slipped in tandem with equities markets, and then dropped again after industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a larger-than-expected rise in U.S. oil inventories.</p>
<p>(GRAPHIC: Global spot crude futures volumes - <a href="http://reut.rs/2I32GHF" type="external">reut.rs/2I32GHF</a>)</p>
<a href="http://reut.rs/2I32GHF" type="external" />
<p>At one point, WTI fell more than $1. It traded at $64.69 a barrel, down 86 cents, as of 4:42 p.m. EDT (2042 GMT).</p>
<p>Crude inventories rose by 5.3 million barrels in the week ended March 23 to 430.6 million, API said. U.S. inventories were expected to fall by 287,000 barrels; the U.S. Energy Department releases its figures Wednesday morning.</p>
<p>The dollar .DXY rebounded from a five-week low hit earlier in the session as trade tensions eased. A stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. [FRX/]</p>
<p>“The dollar index is poking up there and that’s probably weighing a little bit on prices,” said Phillip Streible, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago.</p>
<p>Brent has risen by more than 5 percent this month while WTI is up over 4 percent. They are on track for a third consecutive quarterly gain, which last happened in 2010.</p>
<p>While both contracts have been gaining, Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois said Brent has outperformed WTI. The spread between the two May contracts has widened, he noted, which implies OPEC’s success in trimming supplies.</p>
<p>The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producer countries agreed more than a year ago to reduce supply.</p>
<p>The deal is due to expire at the end of this year, but Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Reuters that OPEC and Russia were working on an agreement to cooperate for another 10 to 20 years, though that does not specifically mean cuts will go on for that long.</p>
<p>Still, analysts said the market’s current strength may not last. Barclays Research analysts said they expected the supply deficit of the past few months to give way to a surplus on rising U.S. output.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; editing by Marguerita Choy, Edmund Blair and G Crosse</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| 7,735 |
<p>* Australia shares on track to end week lower</p>
<p>* Weak gold prices drag material stocks down</p>
<p>* New Zealand shares little changed by weak manufacturing data</p>
<p>By Christina Martin</p>
<p>Jan 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares inched down on Friday, following Wall Street which took a breather after a stretch of record highs, while gains in healthcare and consumer staples stocks kept the index afloat.</p>
<p>Wall Street fell on Thursday after a run of strong performances from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&amp;P 500 index.</p>
<p>Australia’s S&amp;P/ASX 200 index inched down 0.1 percent, or 5.4 points, to 6009.2 by 0113 GMT, on track to mark its second weekly loss. The benchmark ended flat in the previous session.</p>
<p>The materials sector was the biggest drag on the index, weighed down by gold stocks, which slipped for a fourth straight session, down as much as 1.5 percent.</p>
<p>While base metal prices were up on an upbeat performance from China’s industrial sector, gold prices were flat in a narrow range and under pressure from higher U.S. Treasury yields.</p>
<p>Newcrest Mining Ltd lost as much as 2.2 percent and hit its lowest in more than three weeks, while fellow gold miner Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd touched its lowest in more than five weeks, falling as much as 3.9 percent.</p>
<p>Output at BHP Billiton PLC’s Escondida mine in Chile, the largest copper mine in the world, fell 7.8 percent in 2017 versus the prior year because of a prolonged strike.</p>
<p>Rio Tinto also has a stake in the mine. BHP was flat, while Rio fell as much as 0.8 percent to the lowest in more than a week.</p>
<p>Real estate stocks also pulled the benchmark index down, with Gateway Lifestyle Group sliding as much as 2.9 percent and Iron Mountain Inc hitting its lowest in more than five months, sliding by as much as 2.7 percent.</p>
<p>U.S. home building fell more than expected in December, recording the biggest drop in just over a year, but the steep drop in groundbreaking activity will probably be temporary against the backdrop of a tightening labour market.</p>
<p>Financial stocks slipped, with three of the ‘Big Four’ banks losing between 0.2 percent and 0.4 percent. Commonwealth Bank of Australia inched up 0.2 percent.</p>
<p>Healthcare stocks and consumer staples kept the index afloat.</p>
<p>CSL Ltd added as much as 1.5 percent, hitting its highest in more than six weeks, while Wesfarmers Ltd rose as much as 1 percent.</p>
<p>“We had a negative Wall Street, a soft commodity complex, but this may be counterbalanced by a nice set of China GDP numbers and December Aussie labour market numbers yesterday,” said Emmanuel Ng, FX strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd.</p>
<p>“In addition, global risk appetite remains in risk-on territory. Overall, interest towards cyclicals look to remain intact.”</p>
<p>China’s gross domestic product grew 6.8 percent in fourth-quarter 2017 from a year earlier.</p>
<p>Australian job growth in December topped expectations to match the longest run of monthly gains on record, yet unemployment still edged up as more people looked for work -putting an unwelcome brake on wages and inflation.</p>
<p>New Zealand’s benchmark S&amp;P/NZX 50 index also traded flat, slightly dipping at 0.023 percent, or 1.93 points to 8274.6, but was on track to end the week higher.</p>
<p>Markets remained little changed after a survey showed manufacturing activity in New Zealand grew in December at its slowest pace in five years.</p>
<p>Material and telecom shares pulled on the index but were offset by industrials and healthcare stocks.</p>
<p>Reporting by Christina Martin in Bengaluru; Editing by Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Genuine Parts Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GPC.N" type="external">GPC.N</a>) said on Thursday it would spin off its wholesale distribution business S.P. Richards and merge it with Essendant ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=ESND.O" type="external">ESND.O</a>) in a tax-free transaction for shareholders, as it focuses on its industrial and auto parts businesses.</p>
<p>The combined company will have more products and resources, giving its customers - mainly independent dealers - a one-stop shop as they grapple with intense competition from e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AMZN.O" type="external">AMZN.O</a>) and big-box stores.</p>
<p>“This combination of our customer centric companies creates a stronger partner to support those dealers and help them to be more competitive with all the other options available to customers in the industry,” Essendant Chief Executive Officer Ric Phillips said on a call with analysts.</p>
<p>Essendant’s shares jumped 18 percent to $10.00, while those of Genuine Parts were up about 1 percent at $90.17 in morning trading.</p>
<p>Illinois-based Essendant is a wholesale distributor of workplace items including janitorial supplies, while Atlanta, Georgia-based S.P. Richards distributes products ranging from office furniture to school supplies.</p>
<p>The combined entity will be called Essendant and headed by Phillips. S.P. Richards CEO Rick Toppin will become chief operating officer of the new company. Essendant had a market capitalization of about $323.5 million as of Wednesday’s close.</p>
<p>Genuine Parts, one of the leading U.S. car parts distributors, said the deal implied a valuation of about $680 million for S.P. Richards.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GPC.N" type="external">Genuine Parts Co</a> 90.13 GPC.N New York Stock Exchange +0.47 (+0.52%) GPC.N ESND.O AMZN.O
<p>Genuine Parts will get $347 million in cash and its shareholders 51 percent of the newly-formed combined company. Structured as a Reverse Morris Trust deal, the transaction will be tax-free for the companies’ shareholders.</p>
<p>The company has been evaluating options for the S.P. Richards business, which has been pressured by weak demand for office supplies.</p>
<p>Essendant has also been hit as large customers source products directly from manufacturers. Its net sales declined 6.2 percent to $5.04 billion in 2017, while adjusted profit fell more than 50 percent.</p>
<p>Genuine Parts has been focusing on its auto parts and industrial businesses. Last year, the company completed a deal to buy London-based Alliance Automotive Group and took a stake in Australia’s Inenco Group.</p>
<p>Citigroup Global Markets Inc was the financial adviser for Essendant, while J.P. Morgan advised Genuine Parts.</p>
<p>Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks climbed on Thursday as investors anticipated a strong earnings season and as U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that a military strike on Syria may not be imminent ratcheted down geopolitical worries.</p>
<p>The S&amp;P 500 has now recouped nearly all its losses from earlier this year.</p>
<p>Trump said in a tweet on Thursday that a possible attack on Syria could occur “very soon or not so soon at all,” easing fears of confrontation with Russia.</p>
<p>That lifted U.S. Treasury yields US10YT=RR, leading to a 1.8 percent increase in financial stocks .SPSY, which had the biggest percentage advance among the S&amp;P’s 11 major sectors.</p>
<p>The technology sector .SPLRCT rose 1.3 percent, adding the most gains to the S&amp;P.</p>
<p>“We’re hearing less talk of firing missiles and less talk of trade war,” said Michael Antonelli, managing director of institutional sales trading at Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. “Earnings are coming up and expectations are high.”</p>
<p>Strong quarterly results from BlackRock Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BLK.N" type="external">BLK.N</a>) and Delta Air Lines Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DAL.N" type="external">DAL.N</a>) added to the sanguine mood.</p>
<p>Delta topped profit estimates, sending its shares 2.9 percent higher and boosting other airline stocks.</p>
<p>BlackRock gained 1.5 percent after the asset manager’s quarterly profit rose more than expected.</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> Slideshow (3 Images)
<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>“People are looking forward to earnings season,” said Tracie McMillion, head of global asset allocation strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Market participants are not wanting to miss out if (earnings are) as good as the forecasts say they will be.”</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">.DJI</a> rose 293.6 points, or 1.21 percent, to 24,483.05, the S&amp;P 500 <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SPX" type="external">.SPX</a> gained 21.8 points, or 0.83 percent, to 2,663.99, and the Nasdaq Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.IXIC" type="external">.IXIC</a> added 71.22 points, or 1.01 percent, to 7,140.25.</p>
<p>Investor sentiment was also boosted by the weekly U.S. initial jobless claims report, which pointed to sustained labor market strength.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BLK.N" type="external">BlackRock Inc</a> 533.01 BLK.N New York Stock Exchange +7.70 (+1.47%) BLK.N DAL.N JPM.N C.N WFC.N
<p>Facebook Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">FB.O</a>) was a notable laggard among technology stocks, falling 1.5 percent following a 5.3 percent gain over the past two days when Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress on the social network’s data security.</p>
<p>Bed Bath &amp; Beyond Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BBBY.O" type="external">BBBY.O</a>) shares dived 20.0 percent after the company’s full-year profit forecast missed estimates.</p>
<p>Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE for a 1.20-to-1 ratio and on the Nasdaq, for a 1.84-to-1 ratio.</p>
<p>Volume on U.S. exchanges was 6.12 billion shares, compared to the 7.27 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru and Chuck Mikolajczak in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Leslie Adler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>HONG KONG/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Walmart Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WMT.N" type="external">WMT.N</a>) is likely to reach a deal to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart by the end of June in what could be the U.S. retail giant’s biggest acquisition of an online business, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.</p>
<p>Reuters reported last week that Walmart completed its due diligence on Flipkart and had made a proposal to buy 51 percent or more of the Indian company for between $10 billion to $12 billion.</p>
<p>A deal with Flipkart would step up Walmart’s battle with Amazon.com ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AMZN.O" type="external">AMZN.O</a>) for a bigger share of India’s fledgling e-commerce market, which Morgan Stanley estimates will be worth $200 billion in a decade. Local media have reported that Amazon is exploring a possible counter offer for Flipkart.</p>
<p>Both sources declined to be named as the talks are private.</p>
<p>Walmart will buy both new and existing Flipkart shares, with the new shares expected to value the Bengaluru-based firm at at least $18 billion, the sources said. The price for existing shares would value the firm at about $12 billion, one of the people said.</p>
<p>Japan’s SoftBank Group ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=9984.T" type="external">9984.T</a>), which owns roughly one-fifth of Flipkart via its Vision Fund, is unlikely to sell any of its shares due to the low price being offered for the existing shares, this source said.</p>
<p>Reuters has previously reported that early investors such as Tiger Global, Accel and Naspers will likely sell their entire stakes in Flipkart to Walmart if a deal is reached.</p>
<p>A deal is not yet finalised, and talks between Walmart, Flipkart and its investors are ongoing, one of the people said.</p>
<p>Flipkart also counts eBay ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=EBAY.O" type="external">EBAY.O</a>), Tencent Holdings ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=0700.HK" type="external">0700.HK</a>) and Microsoft Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=MSFT.O" type="external">MSFT.O</a>) among its investors.</p>
<p>Flipkart did not respond to a request for comment, a representative for Walmart in India declined comment while SoftBank said it doesn’t comment on speculation.</p> BIG INDIAN BATTLE
<p>For Walmart, the world’s largest retailer known for its superstores, a deal with Flipkart would open up the vast Indian market.</p>
<p>Walmart has for years tried to enter India but has remained confined to a ‘cash-and-carry’ wholesale business amid tough restrictions on foreign investment. It currently operates 21 such stores in India.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>By comparison, Amazon closely trails Flipkart, which along with its fashion units controls nearly 40 percent of India’s online retail market, according to estimates by researcher Forrester.</p>
<p>Flipkart’s investors are concerned that any deal with Amazon would run into regulatory hurdles as a combination would have more than 70 percent of India’s online retail market, one of the sources said.</p>
<p>Walmart’s push into e-commerce comes as Amazon has embraced offline retail, with an affiliate of the Seattle-based company picking up a $27.6 million stake in Indian retailer Shopper’s Stop Ltd ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SHOP.NS" type="external">SHOP.NS</a>).</p>
<p>In the United States, Amazon also bought high-end grocer Whole Foods Market Inc for $13.7 billion last year.</p>
<p>Walmart’s investment would give Flipkart not just additional funds to fight Amazon, but also arm it with a formidable ally with extensive experience in retailing, logistics and supply chain management.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WMT.N" type="external">Walmart Inc</a> 85.43 WMT.N New York Stock Exchange -0.48 (-0.56%) WMT.N AMZN.O 9984.T EBAY.O 0700.HK
<p>Former Amazon employees Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal founded Flipkart in 2007 in India’s tech hub of Bengaluru.</p>
<p>Like Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos, they began by selling books, but have diversified rapidly, including by selling smartphones, such as those made by China’s Xiaomi, through exclusive flash sales, and now compete with Amazon in almost all product categories.</p>
<p>Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Martin Howell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TSLA.O" type="external">TSLA.O</a>) is targeting November 2019 as the start of production for its Model Y sport utility vehicle, with production in China to begin two years later, two sources told Reuters this week, shedding some light on the electric vehicle maker’s next project that could tax its resources and capacity.</p> FILE PHOTO: A Tesla dealership is seen in West Drayton, just outside London, Britain, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo
<p>Reuters has learned the Silicon Valley company led by Chief Executive Elon Musk is accepting preliminary bids for supplier contracts on the Model Y, a compact crossover companion to the Model 3 sedan. Tesla has given suppliers scant details about the program and had not provided a production time frame, but has now indicated the vehicle would begin to be built at its Fremont, California, plant in November of next year, the two sources with knowledge of the supply chain said.</p>
<p>Tesla declined to comment.</p>
<p>The new Model Y details show that Tesla is pushing ahead on plans to build a new vehicle even as it struggles to produce the Model 3, which launched in July. Despite initially attracting about 500,000 advance orders in the form of refundable deposits, the sedan’s launch has been plagued by delays and manufacturing bottlenecks, postponing Tesla’s anticipated revenue stream and exacerbating a cash crunch for the money-losing company.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, Tesla tried to reassure investors, saying its weekly Model 3 output had doubled during the first quarter and that production rates would accelerate through the second quarter to 5,000 units per week, or about 250,000 vehicles per year.</p>
<p>Competitive bidding is a crucial early step in the complicated process of automotive manufacturing. After the automaker discloses its plans, suppliers compete based on factors including cost and technology.</p>
<p>Tesla issued to suppliers what is known as a “request for information,” or RFI, which gives a directional view of what will be needed.</p>
<p>With a new car model, automakers normally choose parts suppliers two to two-and-a-half years before the start of production. At about one-and-a-half years away, a November 2019 start date for the Model Y would be considered “aggressive, but possible,” said one of the sources. A shorter timeline is potentially feasible, the source said, as the Model Y will be built on the same platform as the Model 3.</p>
<p>Tesla is known for its aggressive timelines and high risk-tolerance in order to get cars to market quicker. To save time and cost, Tesla made the risky bet to skip a pre-production testing phase for the Model 3 in order to advance straight to production tooling, which is harder to fix if problems arise, as Reuters first reported last year.</p>
<p>1 MILLION MODEL Ys?</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TSLA.O" type="external">Tesla Inc</a> 294.08 TSLA.O Nasdaq -6.85 (-2.28%) TSLA.O
<p>The Model Y is just one of many projects in the pipeline for Tesla, which also launched a Tesla Semi and a new Roadster in recent months. It is spending to build out its Gigafactory battery factory in Nevada, where battery module assembly issues have contributed to Model 3 delays, and also expects to build a factory in China in the near future.</p>
<p>Tesla has said it will not need to raise additional funds this year. But Moody’s cited the likelihood of a capital raise of more than $2 billion in its downgrade of the company last month, spurred by concerns about cash reserves and Tesla’s ability to meet production targets. The company burned through $3.4 billion last year.</p>
<p>Without giving a time frame, Musk in February told analysts the company would aim for production capacity of 1 million Model Ys per year.</p>
<p>The two sources said suppliers could be estimating an annual production of 500,000 vehicles in the United States, with much lower volume in China, likely in the tens of thousands. Building 500,000 Model Ys per year would be the equivalent of what Musk has planned for total production in Fremont by the end of this year, although the company is nowhere near that volume.</p>
<p>Suppliers generally use automakers’ production targets to formulate a good guess on how many vehicles will actually be built, based on the individual automaker’s capability to execute and consumer demand. One of the sources said Tesla’s RFI was light on details compared with other automakers, and did not provide volume estimates for the Model Y.</p>
<p>Musk said in February that capital investments related to the SUV would begin toward the end of 2018. Tesla has said its current factory in Fremont could produce 10,000 vehicles a week - what the company hopes it will build in the Model 3 alone some time in 2018 - without the need for a new building, although some in the industry believe there is not enough room at the plant to support that volume.</p>
<p>Any major Model Y program would likely require a new facility, although low volume of the Model Y could be built on the existing Model 3 line, the sources said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Matthew Lewis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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Australian shares slip slightly on Wall Street pause; NZ little changed Genuine Parts to merge S.P. Richards business with Essendant Wall Street gains on earnings optimism, waning Syria jitters Exclusive: Walmart close to buying majority of India's Flipkart Exclusive: Tesla targets November 2019 for start of Model Y production - sources
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https://reuters.com/article/australia-stocks-midday/australian-shares-slip-slightly-on-wall-street-pause-nz-little-changed-idUSL3N1PE162
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2018-01-19
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Australian shares slip slightly on Wall Street pause; NZ little changed Genuine Parts to merge S.P. Richards business with Essendant Wall Street gains on earnings optimism, waning Syria jitters Exclusive: Walmart close to buying majority of India's Flipkart Exclusive: Tesla targets November 2019 for start of Model Y production - sources
<p>* Australia shares on track to end week lower</p>
<p>* Weak gold prices drag material stocks down</p>
<p>* New Zealand shares little changed by weak manufacturing data</p>
<p>By Christina Martin</p>
<p>Jan 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares inched down on Friday, following Wall Street which took a breather after a stretch of record highs, while gains in healthcare and consumer staples stocks kept the index afloat.</p>
<p>Wall Street fell on Thursday after a run of strong performances from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&amp;P 500 index.</p>
<p>Australia’s S&amp;P/ASX 200 index inched down 0.1 percent, or 5.4 points, to 6009.2 by 0113 GMT, on track to mark its second weekly loss. The benchmark ended flat in the previous session.</p>
<p>The materials sector was the biggest drag on the index, weighed down by gold stocks, which slipped for a fourth straight session, down as much as 1.5 percent.</p>
<p>While base metal prices were up on an upbeat performance from China’s industrial sector, gold prices were flat in a narrow range and under pressure from higher U.S. Treasury yields.</p>
<p>Newcrest Mining Ltd lost as much as 2.2 percent and hit its lowest in more than three weeks, while fellow gold miner Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd touched its lowest in more than five weeks, falling as much as 3.9 percent.</p>
<p>Output at BHP Billiton PLC’s Escondida mine in Chile, the largest copper mine in the world, fell 7.8 percent in 2017 versus the prior year because of a prolonged strike.</p>
<p>Rio Tinto also has a stake in the mine. BHP was flat, while Rio fell as much as 0.8 percent to the lowest in more than a week.</p>
<p>Real estate stocks also pulled the benchmark index down, with Gateway Lifestyle Group sliding as much as 2.9 percent and Iron Mountain Inc hitting its lowest in more than five months, sliding by as much as 2.7 percent.</p>
<p>U.S. home building fell more than expected in December, recording the biggest drop in just over a year, but the steep drop in groundbreaking activity will probably be temporary against the backdrop of a tightening labour market.</p>
<p>Financial stocks slipped, with three of the ‘Big Four’ banks losing between 0.2 percent and 0.4 percent. Commonwealth Bank of Australia inched up 0.2 percent.</p>
<p>Healthcare stocks and consumer staples kept the index afloat.</p>
<p>CSL Ltd added as much as 1.5 percent, hitting its highest in more than six weeks, while Wesfarmers Ltd rose as much as 1 percent.</p>
<p>“We had a negative Wall Street, a soft commodity complex, but this may be counterbalanced by a nice set of China GDP numbers and December Aussie labour market numbers yesterday,” said Emmanuel Ng, FX strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd.</p>
<p>“In addition, global risk appetite remains in risk-on territory. Overall, interest towards cyclicals look to remain intact.”</p>
<p>China’s gross domestic product grew 6.8 percent in fourth-quarter 2017 from a year earlier.</p>
<p>Australian job growth in December topped expectations to match the longest run of monthly gains on record, yet unemployment still edged up as more people looked for work -putting an unwelcome brake on wages and inflation.</p>
<p>New Zealand’s benchmark S&amp;P/NZX 50 index also traded flat, slightly dipping at 0.023 percent, or 1.93 points to 8274.6, but was on track to end the week higher.</p>
<p>Markets remained little changed after a survey showed manufacturing activity in New Zealand grew in December at its slowest pace in five years.</p>
<p>Material and telecom shares pulled on the index but were offset by industrials and healthcare stocks.</p>
<p>Reporting by Christina Martin in Bengaluru; Editing by Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Genuine Parts Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GPC.N" type="external">GPC.N</a>) said on Thursday it would spin off its wholesale distribution business S.P. Richards and merge it with Essendant ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=ESND.O" type="external">ESND.O</a>) in a tax-free transaction for shareholders, as it focuses on its industrial and auto parts businesses.</p>
<p>The combined company will have more products and resources, giving its customers - mainly independent dealers - a one-stop shop as they grapple with intense competition from e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AMZN.O" type="external">AMZN.O</a>) and big-box stores.</p>
<p>“This combination of our customer centric companies creates a stronger partner to support those dealers and help them to be more competitive with all the other options available to customers in the industry,” Essendant Chief Executive Officer Ric Phillips said on a call with analysts.</p>
<p>Essendant’s shares jumped 18 percent to $10.00, while those of Genuine Parts were up about 1 percent at $90.17 in morning trading.</p>
<p>Illinois-based Essendant is a wholesale distributor of workplace items including janitorial supplies, while Atlanta, Georgia-based S.P. Richards distributes products ranging from office furniture to school supplies.</p>
<p>The combined entity will be called Essendant and headed by Phillips. S.P. Richards CEO Rick Toppin will become chief operating officer of the new company. Essendant had a market capitalization of about $323.5 million as of Wednesday’s close.</p>
<p>Genuine Parts, one of the leading U.S. car parts distributors, said the deal implied a valuation of about $680 million for S.P. Richards.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GPC.N" type="external">Genuine Parts Co</a> 90.13 GPC.N New York Stock Exchange +0.47 (+0.52%) GPC.N ESND.O AMZN.O
<p>Genuine Parts will get $347 million in cash and its shareholders 51 percent of the newly-formed combined company. Structured as a Reverse Morris Trust deal, the transaction will be tax-free for the companies’ shareholders.</p>
<p>The company has been evaluating options for the S.P. Richards business, which has been pressured by weak demand for office supplies.</p>
<p>Essendant has also been hit as large customers source products directly from manufacturers. Its net sales declined 6.2 percent to $5.04 billion in 2017, while adjusted profit fell more than 50 percent.</p>
<p>Genuine Parts has been focusing on its auto parts and industrial businesses. Last year, the company completed a deal to buy London-based Alliance Automotive Group and took a stake in Australia’s Inenco Group.</p>
<p>Citigroup Global Markets Inc was the financial adviser for Essendant, while J.P. Morgan advised Genuine Parts.</p>
<p>Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks climbed on Thursday as investors anticipated a strong earnings season and as U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that a military strike on Syria may not be imminent ratcheted down geopolitical worries.</p>
<p>The S&amp;P 500 has now recouped nearly all its losses from earlier this year.</p>
<p>Trump said in a tweet on Thursday that a possible attack on Syria could occur “very soon or not so soon at all,” easing fears of confrontation with Russia.</p>
<p>That lifted U.S. Treasury yields US10YT=RR, leading to a 1.8 percent increase in financial stocks .SPSY, which had the biggest percentage advance among the S&amp;P’s 11 major sectors.</p>
<p>The technology sector .SPLRCT rose 1.3 percent, adding the most gains to the S&amp;P.</p>
<p>“We’re hearing less talk of firing missiles and less talk of trade war,” said Michael Antonelli, managing director of institutional sales trading at Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. “Earnings are coming up and expectations are high.”</p>
<p>Strong quarterly results from BlackRock Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BLK.N" type="external">BLK.N</a>) and Delta Air Lines Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DAL.N" type="external">DAL.N</a>) added to the sanguine mood.</p>
<p>Delta topped profit estimates, sending its shares 2.9 percent higher and boosting other airline stocks.</p>
<p>BlackRock gained 1.5 percent after the asset manager’s quarterly profit rose more than expected.</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> Slideshow (3 Images)
<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>“People are looking forward to earnings season,” said Tracie McMillion, head of global asset allocation strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Market participants are not wanting to miss out if (earnings are) as good as the forecasts say they will be.”</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">.DJI</a> rose 293.6 points, or 1.21 percent, to 24,483.05, the S&amp;P 500 <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SPX" type="external">.SPX</a> gained 21.8 points, or 0.83 percent, to 2,663.99, and the Nasdaq Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.IXIC" type="external">.IXIC</a> added 71.22 points, or 1.01 percent, to 7,140.25.</p>
<p>Investor sentiment was also boosted by the weekly U.S. initial jobless claims report, which pointed to sustained labor market strength.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BLK.N" type="external">BlackRock Inc</a> 533.01 BLK.N New York Stock Exchange +7.70 (+1.47%) BLK.N DAL.N JPM.N C.N WFC.N
<p>Facebook Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">FB.O</a>) was a notable laggard among technology stocks, falling 1.5 percent following a 5.3 percent gain over the past two days when Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress on the social network’s data security.</p>
<p>Bed Bath &amp; Beyond Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BBBY.O" type="external">BBBY.O</a>) shares dived 20.0 percent after the company’s full-year profit forecast missed estimates.</p>
<p>Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE for a 1.20-to-1 ratio and on the Nasdaq, for a 1.84-to-1 ratio.</p>
<p>Volume on U.S. exchanges was 6.12 billion shares, compared to the 7.27 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru and Chuck Mikolajczak in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Leslie Adler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>HONG KONG/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Walmart Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WMT.N" type="external">WMT.N</a>) is likely to reach a deal to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart by the end of June in what could be the U.S. retail giant’s biggest acquisition of an online business, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.</p>
<p>Reuters reported last week that Walmart completed its due diligence on Flipkart and had made a proposal to buy 51 percent or more of the Indian company for between $10 billion to $12 billion.</p>
<p>A deal with Flipkart would step up Walmart’s battle with Amazon.com ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AMZN.O" type="external">AMZN.O</a>) for a bigger share of India’s fledgling e-commerce market, which Morgan Stanley estimates will be worth $200 billion in a decade. Local media have reported that Amazon is exploring a possible counter offer for Flipkart.</p>
<p>Both sources declined to be named as the talks are private.</p>
<p>Walmart will buy both new and existing Flipkart shares, with the new shares expected to value the Bengaluru-based firm at at least $18 billion, the sources said. The price for existing shares would value the firm at about $12 billion, one of the people said.</p>
<p>Japan’s SoftBank Group ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=9984.T" type="external">9984.T</a>), which owns roughly one-fifth of Flipkart via its Vision Fund, is unlikely to sell any of its shares due to the low price being offered for the existing shares, this source said.</p>
<p>Reuters has previously reported that early investors such as Tiger Global, Accel and Naspers will likely sell their entire stakes in Flipkart to Walmart if a deal is reached.</p>
<p>A deal is not yet finalised, and talks between Walmart, Flipkart and its investors are ongoing, one of the people said.</p>
<p>Flipkart also counts eBay ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=EBAY.O" type="external">EBAY.O</a>), Tencent Holdings ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=0700.HK" type="external">0700.HK</a>) and Microsoft Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=MSFT.O" type="external">MSFT.O</a>) among its investors.</p>
<p>Flipkart did not respond to a request for comment, a representative for Walmart in India declined comment while SoftBank said it doesn’t comment on speculation.</p> BIG INDIAN BATTLE
<p>For Walmart, the world’s largest retailer known for its superstores, a deal with Flipkart would open up the vast Indian market.</p>
<p>Walmart has for years tried to enter India but has remained confined to a ‘cash-and-carry’ wholesale business amid tough restrictions on foreign investment. It currently operates 21 such stores in India.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>By comparison, Amazon closely trails Flipkart, which along with its fashion units controls nearly 40 percent of India’s online retail market, according to estimates by researcher Forrester.</p>
<p>Flipkart’s investors are concerned that any deal with Amazon would run into regulatory hurdles as a combination would have more than 70 percent of India’s online retail market, one of the sources said.</p>
<p>Walmart’s push into e-commerce comes as Amazon has embraced offline retail, with an affiliate of the Seattle-based company picking up a $27.6 million stake in Indian retailer Shopper’s Stop Ltd ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SHOP.NS" type="external">SHOP.NS</a>).</p>
<p>In the United States, Amazon also bought high-end grocer Whole Foods Market Inc for $13.7 billion last year.</p>
<p>Walmart’s investment would give Flipkart not just additional funds to fight Amazon, but also arm it with a formidable ally with extensive experience in retailing, logistics and supply chain management.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WMT.N" type="external">Walmart Inc</a> 85.43 WMT.N New York Stock Exchange -0.48 (-0.56%) WMT.N AMZN.O 9984.T EBAY.O 0700.HK
<p>Former Amazon employees Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal founded Flipkart in 2007 in India’s tech hub of Bengaluru.</p>
<p>Like Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos, they began by selling books, but have diversified rapidly, including by selling smartphones, such as those made by China’s Xiaomi, through exclusive flash sales, and now compete with Amazon in almost all product categories.</p>
<p>Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Martin Howell</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TSLA.O" type="external">TSLA.O</a>) is targeting November 2019 as the start of production for its Model Y sport utility vehicle, with production in China to begin two years later, two sources told Reuters this week, shedding some light on the electric vehicle maker’s next project that could tax its resources and capacity.</p> FILE PHOTO: A Tesla dealership is seen in West Drayton, just outside London, Britain, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo
<p>Reuters has learned the Silicon Valley company led by Chief Executive Elon Musk is accepting preliminary bids for supplier contracts on the Model Y, a compact crossover companion to the Model 3 sedan. Tesla has given suppliers scant details about the program and had not provided a production time frame, but has now indicated the vehicle would begin to be built at its Fremont, California, plant in November of next year, the two sources with knowledge of the supply chain said.</p>
<p>Tesla declined to comment.</p>
<p>The new Model Y details show that Tesla is pushing ahead on plans to build a new vehicle even as it struggles to produce the Model 3, which launched in July. Despite initially attracting about 500,000 advance orders in the form of refundable deposits, the sedan’s launch has been plagued by delays and manufacturing bottlenecks, postponing Tesla’s anticipated revenue stream and exacerbating a cash crunch for the money-losing company.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, Tesla tried to reassure investors, saying its weekly Model 3 output had doubled during the first quarter and that production rates would accelerate through the second quarter to 5,000 units per week, or about 250,000 vehicles per year.</p>
<p>Competitive bidding is a crucial early step in the complicated process of automotive manufacturing. After the automaker discloses its plans, suppliers compete based on factors including cost and technology.</p>
<p>Tesla issued to suppliers what is known as a “request for information,” or RFI, which gives a directional view of what will be needed.</p>
<p>With a new car model, automakers normally choose parts suppliers two to two-and-a-half years before the start of production. At about one-and-a-half years away, a November 2019 start date for the Model Y would be considered “aggressive, but possible,” said one of the sources. A shorter timeline is potentially feasible, the source said, as the Model Y will be built on the same platform as the Model 3.</p>
<p>Tesla is known for its aggressive timelines and high risk-tolerance in order to get cars to market quicker. To save time and cost, Tesla made the risky bet to skip a pre-production testing phase for the Model 3 in order to advance straight to production tooling, which is harder to fix if problems arise, as Reuters first reported last year.</p>
<p>1 MILLION MODEL Ys?</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TSLA.O" type="external">Tesla Inc</a> 294.08 TSLA.O Nasdaq -6.85 (-2.28%) TSLA.O
<p>The Model Y is just one of many projects in the pipeline for Tesla, which also launched a Tesla Semi and a new Roadster in recent months. It is spending to build out its Gigafactory battery factory in Nevada, where battery module assembly issues have contributed to Model 3 delays, and also expects to build a factory in China in the near future.</p>
<p>Tesla has said it will not need to raise additional funds this year. But Moody’s cited the likelihood of a capital raise of more than $2 billion in its downgrade of the company last month, spurred by concerns about cash reserves and Tesla’s ability to meet production targets. The company burned through $3.4 billion last year.</p>
<p>Without giving a time frame, Musk in February told analysts the company would aim for production capacity of 1 million Model Ys per year.</p>
<p>The two sources said suppliers could be estimating an annual production of 500,000 vehicles in the United States, with much lower volume in China, likely in the tens of thousands. Building 500,000 Model Ys per year would be the equivalent of what Musk has planned for total production in Fremont by the end of this year, although the company is nowhere near that volume.</p>
<p>Suppliers generally use automakers’ production targets to formulate a good guess on how many vehicles will actually be built, based on the individual automaker’s capability to execute and consumer demand. One of the sources said Tesla’s RFI was light on details compared with other automakers, and did not provide volume estimates for the Model Y.</p>
<p>Musk said in February that capital investments related to the SUV would begin toward the end of 2018. Tesla has said its current factory in Fremont could produce 10,000 vehicles a week - what the company hopes it will build in the Model 3 alone some time in 2018 - without the need for a new building, although some in the industry believe there is not enough room at the plant to support that volume.</p>
<p>Any major Model Y program would likely require a new facility, although low volume of the Model Y could be built on the existing Model 3 line, the sources said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Matthew Lewis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| 7,736 |
<p />
<p><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2006/07/06/susan-dudley/" type="external">Good catch</a> by Think Progress. The president is going to nominate Susan Dudley, a longtime opponent of federal regulations, to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which “manages the federal regulatory process.” Among other things, Think Progress finds, Dudley is an opponent of action on global warming, air bags in cars, and stronger regulations for arsenic in drinking water.</p>
<p>But okay, what does this position even mean? According to <a href="http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/npr/library/direct/orders/2646.html" type="external">this executive order</a>, OIRA is tasked with reviewing regulations in other federal agencies to make sure they comply with the president’s rules, “such as consideration of alternatives and analysis of impacts, both benefits and costs.” Now I can’t figure out what sort of impact Dudley could have on federal regulations from this perch, but it’s safe to say that the administration’s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1315-2004Aug14.html" type="external">ongoing</a> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3733-2004Aug15.html" type="external">effort</a> to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6462-2004Aug16.html" type="external">dismantle</a> the regulatory state will continue apace.</p>
<p />
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Attack on Federal Regulations Continues
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https://motherjones.com/politics/2006/07/attack-federal-regulations-continues/
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2006-07-07
| 4left
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Attack on Federal Regulations Continues
<p />
<p><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2006/07/06/susan-dudley/" type="external">Good catch</a> by Think Progress. The president is going to nominate Susan Dudley, a longtime opponent of federal regulations, to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which “manages the federal regulatory process.” Among other things, Think Progress finds, Dudley is an opponent of action on global warming, air bags in cars, and stronger regulations for arsenic in drinking water.</p>
<p>But okay, what does this position even mean? According to <a href="http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/npr/library/direct/orders/2646.html" type="external">this executive order</a>, OIRA is tasked with reviewing regulations in other federal agencies to make sure they comply with the president’s rules, “such as consideration of alternatives and analysis of impacts, both benefits and costs.” Now I can’t figure out what sort of impact Dudley could have on federal regulations from this perch, but it’s safe to say that the administration’s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1315-2004Aug14.html" type="external">ongoing</a> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3733-2004Aug15.html" type="external">effort</a> to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6462-2004Aug16.html" type="external">dismantle</a> the regulatory state will continue apace.</p>
<p />
| 7,737 |
<p>In the Appalachian foothills of Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta, the riverfront city of Rome serves as a regional hub for health care. Near Rome’s tree-lined historic downtown, there are two well-equipped acute care hospitals with a total of more than 530 beds. Two years ago, the Medical College of Georgia opened a satellite campus in the city.</p>
<p>But in Rome, 27 percent of &#160; <a href="https://www.census.gov/did/www/sahie/data/interactive/" type="external">adults</a>&#160;under 65 are uninsured, a rate that holds true across the state. Last year, the city’s two hospitals report spending more than $80 million delivering uncompensated care, often in the emergency room, where costs run high. Taxpayers and those with health insurance will end up paying for that care through government subsidies and higher premiums, industry experts say.</p>
<p>Rome’s dilemma is exactly the situation that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” was designed to fix — but that fix isn’t coming to Georgia.</p>
<p>The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act&#160;provides for expansion of insurance coverage for low-income and middle-class adults, with the goal of reducing the $41 billion spent covering uninsured care each year.</p>
<p>A key provision, set to kick in on Jan. 1, 2014, offers states federal funding to expand Medicaid coverage to all adults making up to 133 percent of the poverty line, or $25,975 for a family of three. In Georgia, over half of that group is uninsured.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" />But in the Deep South and Florida, Republican governors and state legislatures have turned down the funding, citing cost concerns and philosophical opposition to the safety net insurance program, which was <a href="http://blog.cms.gov/2013/07/30/medicaid-at-forty-eight/" type="external">signed into law on July 30, 1965</a>. In Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, the move will exclude 2.7 million low-income residents from Medicaid eligibility, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>“In Georgia, these people are the working poor,” said Dr. Leonard Reeves, a family physician in Rome who volunteers at the city’s privately-funded free clinic. “I had an uninsured patient in his late 30s who worked every day of his life, and one day he finally came in when he felt he couldn’t go on any more.”</p>
<p>Dr. Reeves diagnosed the man, who was married and worked part-time as a forklift operator, with diabetes, but it was too late for insulin. After years without basic treatment, his kidneys had failed, and he needed weekly dialysis treatments to stay alive.</p>
<p>“He’s now on disability,” said Dr. Reeves. “If he’d had that insurance, he’d still be paying into the tax rolls instead of taking from them. There’s an old saying — ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ And that’s exactly what we’re talking about here.”</p>
<p>Measuring Progress</p>
<p>Across the country, at least <a href="http://kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/state-activity-around-expanding-medicaid-under-the-affordable-care-act/#map" type="external">24 states plan to participate</a>&#160;in the Medicaid expansion, including 6 states with Republican governors. In those states, the federal government will pay 100 percent of the program’s costs for the first three years and at least 90 percent of costs beyond that. States can join at any time—and can also drop out without financial penalty before state contributions are required.</p>
<p>But after the <a href="http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/a-guide-to-the-supreme-courts-decision/" type="external">Supreme Court ruled last year</a> that Medicaid expansion would be optional for states, an opposition block of state Republican officials emerged. In the South, where <a href="http://www.jointcenter.org/research/the-deep-south-and-medicaid-expansion" type="external">polls suggest</a>&#160;a majority of residents support expanding Medicaid, elected officials have been especially resistant.</p>
<p>In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has been among the program’s most vocal opponents.&#160;“It seems that our federal government measures progress by how many Americans it can put onto public assistance programs,” Jindal&#160; <a href="http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/07/gov_bobby_jindal_why_i_opposed.html" type="external">wrote</a>&#160;in a recent op-ed. “We should measure success by reducing the number of people on public assistance.”</p>
<p>Louisiana — which tied with Mississippi for last place in the United Health Foundation’s 2012 state health rankings —&#160;currently limits Medicaid eligibility for working parents to 24 percent of the poverty level, equivalent to a single parent with one child making $3,722 a year.</p>
<p>An ‘Unbalanced Equation’</p>
<p>Although Medicaid pays doctors lower rates than private insurance, health care providers typically favor expanding the program.</p>
<p>“If states choose not to expand Medicaid, they are pretty much condemning a portion of the population to not having insurance,” said Dr. Reid Blackwelder, the president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians.</p>
<p>“That means they are not getting routine care and relying on the emergency room for treatment.”</p>
<p>Hospital emergency rooms are required to treat everyone, regardless of insurance status. In the Deep South and Florida, uninsured care costs more than $5.9 billion each year, according to federal reports and the states’ hospital associations.</p>
<p>“The Affordable Care Act’s equation was ‘more covered lives and less uncompensated care,’ ” said Gwen Combs, vice president for policy at the Mississippi Hospital Association.</p>
<p>In Mississippi, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant’s decision to refuse federal Medicaid expansion funds creates an “unbalanced equation,” Combs said. “We’re not going to have more covered lives.”</p>
<p>Last year, uncompensated care for Mississippi’s uninsured residents cost $488 million, says Combs.&#160;Although the federal government directly reimburses much of that cost, those payments are set to decrease, even if insurance coverage does not expand in Mississippi.</p>
<p>“These states are missing an opportunity to start shifting costs away from emergency rooms and toward wellness prevention,” said Dr. Blackwelder. “Every taxpayer in the state will pay for that.”</p>
<p>Medicaid’s cost to taxpayers has figured prominently in the fight over expanding the program. If they all participated in the expansion, the Deep South states and Florida could end up paying an additional total of $8.7 billion through 2022, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>Although the federal government would take on 100 percent of the expansion costs for three years, states would eventually pay up to 10 percent of the new coverage cost.</p>
<p>In his op-ed, Jindal cited projections that expanding coverage “could cost Louisiana taxpayers up to $1.7 billion over the first 10 years.”</p>
<p>But in Louisiana, where uninsured care already costs over $1 billion each year, the impact of Medicaid expansion is hard to predict. The <a href="http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/medicaid/docs/MdcdExpntnImpct_Mrch13.pdf" type="external">report</a>&#160;Jindal cites, from his own state health department, also projects that participating in expansion could net state taxpayers $367 million in savings over 10 years.</p>
<p>According to the report, the difference between the two scenarios — saving $367 million and spending $1.7 billion — hinges almost entirely on the program’s reimbursement rates, which are set by Louisiana’s state health department itself.</p>
<p>The Cost of Free Care</p>
<p>As the debate over Medicaid expansion continues, <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2012/uninsuredintheus/ib.shtml" type="external">about 48.6 million people</a> across the country are uninsured. For years, many have turned to a network of free or low-cost community clinics for basic primary care.</p>
<p>But although they’re free or low cost to patients, community clinics cost money to run. Dr. Gary Wiltz, the chair-elect of the National Association of Community Health Centers, runs the non-profit Teche Action Clinic in Louisiana’s bayou country. Half of the clinic patients are uninsured.</p>
<p>Thirty percent of the clinic’s budget comes from a federal grant, and most the rest from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.</p>
<p>“In those states where the governors have refused to take the money, our programs are being threatened,” Dr. Wiltz said of the nonprofit clinic model.</p>
<p>“It’s just incomprehensible that we would not take this in Louisiana, and it’s frustrating to be in a room with a patient and know that you could do more for them if you had the resources.”</p>
<p>The Georgia clinic where Dr. Reeves volunteers, the Free Clinic of Rome, is privately funded through faith-based organizations, a model some point to as a solution.</p>
<p>“It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Let the charities do it,’ “ said Dr. Reeves. “If a patient has asthma, I don’t have the equipment to do pulmonary function testing. If a woman comes in, I can’t do a Pap smear. That equipment belongs to the hospital.”</p>
<p>In Louisiana, state-run charity hospitals have long served the uninsured. Many have been privatized in recent years, a move that Dr. Wiltz says has led to months-long waits for specialist treatments.</p>
<p>“I’ve had patients die waiting to get worked up (by a specialist),” he said. “There are two death penalties in Louisiana — one in the criminal justice system, and one in the healthcare system.”</p>
<p>A Governor’s Duty</p>
<p>Florida is among the states with the most to gain through Medicaid expansion. Last year, the state’s 3.8 million uninsured residents cost hospitals more than $2.8 billion in uncompensated care, according to the Florida Hospital Association. Expanding Medicaid would cover about 1 million residents, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>In February, Republican Gov. Rick Scott, a former hospital executive, stunned observers by breaking ranks and announcing his support for Medicaid expansion in Florida. “While the federal government is committed to pay 100 percent of the cost, I cannot, in good conscience, deny Floridians the needed access to health care,” the governor said at the time.&#160; <a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Leaders in the Republican-controlled Florida House rejected, as a matter of principle, Scott’s proposal to accept the $51 billion in federal expansion funds, and the program remains stalled.</p>
<p>Like Florida, no state in the Deep South is taking expansion funding or creating a state-run exchange for consumers to purchase private insurance. The default federal exchanges open on Oct. 1, and federal officials stress that it’s not too late for states to accept Medicaid expansion funding.</p>
<p>The day after Scott’s announcement, Alabama’s governor, Republican Robert Bentley, reacted to the news with surprising candor in an <a href="http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/VideoNetwork/2186864993001/Governor-Robert-Bentley-talks-more-about-Medicaid-issues-?nclick_check=1" type="external">interview</a>&#160;with the Montgomery Advertiser.</p>
<p>“I’ve met with all of those governors,” he said. “They have to make decisions for their own states, but I do believe, as much as possible, we need to stand together dealing with the creation of state based exchanges.”</p>
<p>He added: “And we need to stand together on the Medicaid as long as we possibly can, because those two things are necessary in order to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And my goal is to make some changes in that law.”</p>
<p>___________</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Keith Griffith</a> is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. His work has appeared in Grid Magazine, Chicago Reader and other publications. On Twitter, he is&#160;@keithgriff.</p>
<p>2013 © Equal Voice for America’s Families Newspaper</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Affordable Care Act</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Alabama</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Georgia</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Health care</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Louisiana</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Medicaid expansion</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Mississippi</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Poverty</a>, <a href="" type="internal">South Carolina</a></p>
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Southern Leaders Opt to Exclude 2.7M From Health Care
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http://equalvoiceforfamilies.org/southern-leaders-opt-to-exclude-2-7m-from-health-care/
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Southern Leaders Opt to Exclude 2.7M From Health Care
<p>In the Appalachian foothills of Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta, the riverfront city of Rome serves as a regional hub for health care. Near Rome’s tree-lined historic downtown, there are two well-equipped acute care hospitals with a total of more than 530 beds. Two years ago, the Medical College of Georgia opened a satellite campus in the city.</p>
<p>But in Rome, 27 percent of &#160; <a href="https://www.census.gov/did/www/sahie/data/interactive/" type="external">adults</a>&#160;under 65 are uninsured, a rate that holds true across the state. Last year, the city’s two hospitals report spending more than $80 million delivering uncompensated care, often in the emergency room, where costs run high. Taxpayers and those with health insurance will end up paying for that care through government subsidies and higher premiums, industry experts say.</p>
<p>Rome’s dilemma is exactly the situation that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” was designed to fix — but that fix isn’t coming to Georgia.</p>
<p>The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act&#160;provides for expansion of insurance coverage for low-income and middle-class adults, with the goal of reducing the $41 billion spent covering uninsured care each year.</p>
<p>A key provision, set to kick in on Jan. 1, 2014, offers states federal funding to expand Medicaid coverage to all adults making up to 133 percent of the poverty line, or $25,975 for a family of three. In Georgia, over half of that group is uninsured.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" />But in the Deep South and Florida, Republican governors and state legislatures have turned down the funding, citing cost concerns and philosophical opposition to the safety net insurance program, which was <a href="http://blog.cms.gov/2013/07/30/medicaid-at-forty-eight/" type="external">signed into law on July 30, 1965</a>. In Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, the move will exclude 2.7 million low-income residents from Medicaid eligibility, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>“In Georgia, these people are the working poor,” said Dr. Leonard Reeves, a family physician in Rome who volunteers at the city’s privately-funded free clinic. “I had an uninsured patient in his late 30s who worked every day of his life, and one day he finally came in when he felt he couldn’t go on any more.”</p>
<p>Dr. Reeves diagnosed the man, who was married and worked part-time as a forklift operator, with diabetes, but it was too late for insulin. After years without basic treatment, his kidneys had failed, and he needed weekly dialysis treatments to stay alive.</p>
<p>“He’s now on disability,” said Dr. Reeves. “If he’d had that insurance, he’d still be paying into the tax rolls instead of taking from them. There’s an old saying — ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ And that’s exactly what we’re talking about here.”</p>
<p>Measuring Progress</p>
<p>Across the country, at least <a href="http://kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/state-activity-around-expanding-medicaid-under-the-affordable-care-act/#map" type="external">24 states plan to participate</a>&#160;in the Medicaid expansion, including 6 states with Republican governors. In those states, the federal government will pay 100 percent of the program’s costs for the first three years and at least 90 percent of costs beyond that. States can join at any time—and can also drop out without financial penalty before state contributions are required.</p>
<p>But after the <a href="http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/a-guide-to-the-supreme-courts-decision/" type="external">Supreme Court ruled last year</a> that Medicaid expansion would be optional for states, an opposition block of state Republican officials emerged. In the South, where <a href="http://www.jointcenter.org/research/the-deep-south-and-medicaid-expansion" type="external">polls suggest</a>&#160;a majority of residents support expanding Medicaid, elected officials have been especially resistant.</p>
<p>In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has been among the program’s most vocal opponents.&#160;“It seems that our federal government measures progress by how many Americans it can put onto public assistance programs,” Jindal&#160; <a href="http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/07/gov_bobby_jindal_why_i_opposed.html" type="external">wrote</a>&#160;in a recent op-ed. “We should measure success by reducing the number of people on public assistance.”</p>
<p>Louisiana — which tied with Mississippi for last place in the United Health Foundation’s 2012 state health rankings —&#160;currently limits Medicaid eligibility for working parents to 24 percent of the poverty level, equivalent to a single parent with one child making $3,722 a year.</p>
<p>An ‘Unbalanced Equation’</p>
<p>Although Medicaid pays doctors lower rates than private insurance, health care providers typically favor expanding the program.</p>
<p>“If states choose not to expand Medicaid, they are pretty much condemning a portion of the population to not having insurance,” said Dr. Reid Blackwelder, the president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians.</p>
<p>“That means they are not getting routine care and relying on the emergency room for treatment.”</p>
<p>Hospital emergency rooms are required to treat everyone, regardless of insurance status. In the Deep South and Florida, uninsured care costs more than $5.9 billion each year, according to federal reports and the states’ hospital associations.</p>
<p>“The Affordable Care Act’s equation was ‘more covered lives and less uncompensated care,’ ” said Gwen Combs, vice president for policy at the Mississippi Hospital Association.</p>
<p>In Mississippi, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant’s decision to refuse federal Medicaid expansion funds creates an “unbalanced equation,” Combs said. “We’re not going to have more covered lives.”</p>
<p>Last year, uncompensated care for Mississippi’s uninsured residents cost $488 million, says Combs.&#160;Although the federal government directly reimburses much of that cost, those payments are set to decrease, even if insurance coverage does not expand in Mississippi.</p>
<p>“These states are missing an opportunity to start shifting costs away from emergency rooms and toward wellness prevention,” said Dr. Blackwelder. “Every taxpayer in the state will pay for that.”</p>
<p>Medicaid’s cost to taxpayers has figured prominently in the fight over expanding the program. If they all participated in the expansion, the Deep South states and Florida could end up paying an additional total of $8.7 billion through 2022, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>Although the federal government would take on 100 percent of the expansion costs for three years, states would eventually pay up to 10 percent of the new coverage cost.</p>
<p>In his op-ed, Jindal cited projections that expanding coverage “could cost Louisiana taxpayers up to $1.7 billion over the first 10 years.”</p>
<p>But in Louisiana, where uninsured care already costs over $1 billion each year, the impact of Medicaid expansion is hard to predict. The <a href="http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/medicaid/docs/MdcdExpntnImpct_Mrch13.pdf" type="external">report</a>&#160;Jindal cites, from his own state health department, also projects that participating in expansion could net state taxpayers $367 million in savings over 10 years.</p>
<p>According to the report, the difference between the two scenarios — saving $367 million and spending $1.7 billion — hinges almost entirely on the program’s reimbursement rates, which are set by Louisiana’s state health department itself.</p>
<p>The Cost of Free Care</p>
<p>As the debate over Medicaid expansion continues, <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2012/uninsuredintheus/ib.shtml" type="external">about 48.6 million people</a> across the country are uninsured. For years, many have turned to a network of free or low-cost community clinics for basic primary care.</p>
<p>But although they’re free or low cost to patients, community clinics cost money to run. Dr. Gary Wiltz, the chair-elect of the National Association of Community Health Centers, runs the non-profit Teche Action Clinic in Louisiana’s bayou country. Half of the clinic patients are uninsured.</p>
<p>Thirty percent of the clinic’s budget comes from a federal grant, and most the rest from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.</p>
<p>“In those states where the governors have refused to take the money, our programs are being threatened,” Dr. Wiltz said of the nonprofit clinic model.</p>
<p>“It’s just incomprehensible that we would not take this in Louisiana, and it’s frustrating to be in a room with a patient and know that you could do more for them if you had the resources.”</p>
<p>The Georgia clinic where Dr. Reeves volunteers, the Free Clinic of Rome, is privately funded through faith-based organizations, a model some point to as a solution.</p>
<p>“It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Let the charities do it,’ “ said Dr. Reeves. “If a patient has asthma, I don’t have the equipment to do pulmonary function testing. If a woman comes in, I can’t do a Pap smear. That equipment belongs to the hospital.”</p>
<p>In Louisiana, state-run charity hospitals have long served the uninsured. Many have been privatized in recent years, a move that Dr. Wiltz says has led to months-long waits for specialist treatments.</p>
<p>“I’ve had patients die waiting to get worked up (by a specialist),” he said. “There are two death penalties in Louisiana — one in the criminal justice system, and one in the healthcare system.”</p>
<p>A Governor’s Duty</p>
<p>Florida is among the states with the most to gain through Medicaid expansion. Last year, the state’s 3.8 million uninsured residents cost hospitals more than $2.8 billion in uncompensated care, according to the Florida Hospital Association. Expanding Medicaid would cover about 1 million residents, according to the Urban Institute.</p>
<p>In February, Republican Gov. Rick Scott, a former hospital executive, stunned observers by breaking ranks and announcing his support for Medicaid expansion in Florida. “While the federal government is committed to pay 100 percent of the cost, I cannot, in good conscience, deny Floridians the needed access to health care,” the governor said at the time.&#160; <a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Leaders in the Republican-controlled Florida House rejected, as a matter of principle, Scott’s proposal to accept the $51 billion in federal expansion funds, and the program remains stalled.</p>
<p>Like Florida, no state in the Deep South is taking expansion funding or creating a state-run exchange for consumers to purchase private insurance. The default federal exchanges open on Oct. 1, and federal officials stress that it’s not too late for states to accept Medicaid expansion funding.</p>
<p>The day after Scott’s announcement, Alabama’s governor, Republican Robert Bentley, reacted to the news with surprising candor in an <a href="http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/VideoNetwork/2186864993001/Governor-Robert-Bentley-talks-more-about-Medicaid-issues-?nclick_check=1" type="external">interview</a>&#160;with the Montgomery Advertiser.</p>
<p>“I’ve met with all of those governors,” he said. “They have to make decisions for their own states, but I do believe, as much as possible, we need to stand together dealing with the creation of state based exchanges.”</p>
<p>He added: “And we need to stand together on the Medicaid as long as we possibly can, because those two things are necessary in order to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And my goal is to make some changes in that law.”</p>
<p>___________</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Keith Griffith</a> is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. His work has appeared in Grid Magazine, Chicago Reader and other publications. On Twitter, he is&#160;@keithgriff.</p>
<p>2013 © Equal Voice for America’s Families Newspaper</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Affordable Care Act</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Alabama</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Florida</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Georgia</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Health care</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Louisiana</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Medicaid expansion</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Mississippi</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Poverty</a>, <a href="" type="internal">South Carolina</a></p>
| 7,738 |
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<p>When word spread last week about the greatest cyberspace vulnerability in years, the aptly named Heartbleed vulnerability, the first question that many asked was "Did NSA know?" Because of the prior revelations about NSA activity, there is now a natural suspicion among many citizens that the NSA would be using such a weakness in the fabric of cyberspace to collect information. Bloomberg even reported that the NSA did know and had been exploiting the mistake in encryption. But actually no U.S. government agency was aware of the problem; they learned about it along with the rest of us. That is both reassuring and troubling.</p>
<p>The question remains, however, what if, in a similar case in the future, the NSA or some other government agency did learn about such a flaw in software? Should it be the NSA's decision to tell us about the problem? Should the government lean to offense, and use the vulnerability to create an exploit and collect information, or, instead, lean toward defense, alerting citizens and companies so that they can protect themselves from malicious actors who may also learn about the flaw?</p>
<p>Although for some, the answer comes easily, it is in our minds a difficult decision. The temptation to stockpile vulnerabilities for offense is easy to understand. After all, what if you could use a software glitch to destroy machines that Iran is using to make nuclear bomb material? Or perhaps we can use a mistake in coding to get inside al Qaeda's communications and learn about their next attack before it happens, perhaps in time to stop it. In those hypothetical cases, what is the U.S. Government's chief responsibility? To protect us from nuclear proliferation or terrorism? Or, to patch up software that might be running critical infrastructure such as our banks, stock markets, electric power grid, or transportation systems?</p>
<p>The President's Intelligence Review Group recommended earlier this year that the default decision, the assumption, should be to lean toward defense. (Disclosure: We were two of the group's five members.) The government, upon learning of a software vulnerability, should alert us and act quickly with the IT industry to fix the error. We reasoned that if the U.S. government learns about a software glitch, others will too, and it would be wrong to knowingly let U.S. citizens, companies and critical infrastructure be vulnerable to hackers and foreign intelligence cyber spies. Usually, it is the U.S. who has the most to lose when there is a hole in the fabric of cyberspace. We rely upon information technology systems and control networks more than any other economy or society, and the potential damage that could be done to our country from malicious hacking could be devastating.</p>
<p>We also recommended that there be the opportunity for rare exceptions to the rule. If the government learns about a vulnerability in some obscure piece of software, not widely present on U.S. critical networks but running on the systems of some real threat (such as al Qaeda or Iran's nuclear program), the president ought to be able to authorize for a limited time the use of that knowledge to collect intelligence or even to cause destruction of threatening hardware.</p>
<p>That decision, however, should not be the NSA's to make alone. Balancing the offense/defense equities should be a White House call, made after having heard from all sides of the issue. Those in the government who worry about defending critical, private sector networks (the departments of Treasury, Homeland Security, Energy, Transportation) should have the opportunity to make their case that it would be better to defend ourselves than to hoard our knowledge of a cyber problem to attack other nations' networks.</p>
<p>The reality is that there will be very few cases where a strong argument could be made for keeping a software vulnerability secret. Even then, the issue would be not whether to tell the American people about the cyberspace flaw, but how soon to tell. The president, according to a White House statement last week, has decided to accept our recommendation. The Obama administration announced that, with very rare exceptions, when the U.S. government learns of a software vulnerability, it will work with the software companies involved and with users to patch the mistake as quickly as possible. That lean toward defense is, we believe, the right answer.</p>
<p>Going further, it should be the basis for an international norm of behavior by all nations and institutions. We create a more secure and useful global Internet if other nations, including China and Russia, adopt and implement similar policies. Because they are unlikely to do so any time soon, the Obama administration should also step up its efforts to defend America's cyberspace from those who play by different rules.</p>
<p>Richard Clarke was a National Security official in the Bush, Clinton, and Bush administrations. Peter Swire was a White House official under Presidents Clinton and Obama, and now is a professor at the Scheller College of Business of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Both men served last year on the five-person Intelligence Review Group for President Obama.</p>
|
The NSA Shouldn't Stockpile Web Glitches
| true |
https://thedailybeast.com/the-nsa-shouldnt-stockpile-web-glitches
|
2018-10-03
| 4left
|
The NSA Shouldn't Stockpile Web Glitches
<p>When word spread last week about the greatest cyberspace vulnerability in years, the aptly named Heartbleed vulnerability, the first question that many asked was "Did NSA know?" Because of the prior revelations about NSA activity, there is now a natural suspicion among many citizens that the NSA would be using such a weakness in the fabric of cyberspace to collect information. Bloomberg even reported that the NSA did know and had been exploiting the mistake in encryption. But actually no U.S. government agency was aware of the problem; they learned about it along with the rest of us. That is both reassuring and troubling.</p>
<p>The question remains, however, what if, in a similar case in the future, the NSA or some other government agency did learn about such a flaw in software? Should it be the NSA's decision to tell us about the problem? Should the government lean to offense, and use the vulnerability to create an exploit and collect information, or, instead, lean toward defense, alerting citizens and companies so that they can protect themselves from malicious actors who may also learn about the flaw?</p>
<p>Although for some, the answer comes easily, it is in our minds a difficult decision. The temptation to stockpile vulnerabilities for offense is easy to understand. After all, what if you could use a software glitch to destroy machines that Iran is using to make nuclear bomb material? Or perhaps we can use a mistake in coding to get inside al Qaeda's communications and learn about their next attack before it happens, perhaps in time to stop it. In those hypothetical cases, what is the U.S. Government's chief responsibility? To protect us from nuclear proliferation or terrorism? Or, to patch up software that might be running critical infrastructure such as our banks, stock markets, electric power grid, or transportation systems?</p>
<p>The President's Intelligence Review Group recommended earlier this year that the default decision, the assumption, should be to lean toward defense. (Disclosure: We were two of the group's five members.) The government, upon learning of a software vulnerability, should alert us and act quickly with the IT industry to fix the error. We reasoned that if the U.S. government learns about a software glitch, others will too, and it would be wrong to knowingly let U.S. citizens, companies and critical infrastructure be vulnerable to hackers and foreign intelligence cyber spies. Usually, it is the U.S. who has the most to lose when there is a hole in the fabric of cyberspace. We rely upon information technology systems and control networks more than any other economy or society, and the potential damage that could be done to our country from malicious hacking could be devastating.</p>
<p>We also recommended that there be the opportunity for rare exceptions to the rule. If the government learns about a vulnerability in some obscure piece of software, not widely present on U.S. critical networks but running on the systems of some real threat (such as al Qaeda or Iran's nuclear program), the president ought to be able to authorize for a limited time the use of that knowledge to collect intelligence or even to cause destruction of threatening hardware.</p>
<p>That decision, however, should not be the NSA's to make alone. Balancing the offense/defense equities should be a White House call, made after having heard from all sides of the issue. Those in the government who worry about defending critical, private sector networks (the departments of Treasury, Homeland Security, Energy, Transportation) should have the opportunity to make their case that it would be better to defend ourselves than to hoard our knowledge of a cyber problem to attack other nations' networks.</p>
<p>The reality is that there will be very few cases where a strong argument could be made for keeping a software vulnerability secret. Even then, the issue would be not whether to tell the American people about the cyberspace flaw, but how soon to tell. The president, according to a White House statement last week, has decided to accept our recommendation. The Obama administration announced that, with very rare exceptions, when the U.S. government learns of a software vulnerability, it will work with the software companies involved and with users to patch the mistake as quickly as possible. That lean toward defense is, we believe, the right answer.</p>
<p>Going further, it should be the basis for an international norm of behavior by all nations and institutions. We create a more secure and useful global Internet if other nations, including China and Russia, adopt and implement similar policies. Because they are unlikely to do so any time soon, the Obama administration should also step up its efforts to defend America's cyberspace from those who play by different rules.</p>
<p>Richard Clarke was a National Security official in the Bush, Clinton, and Bush administrations. Peter Swire was a White House official under Presidents Clinton and Obama, and now is a professor at the Scheller College of Business of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Both men served last year on the five-person Intelligence Review Group for President Obama.</p>
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<p>SHIRLEY (MA)Boston Heraldby Franci Richardson Friday, October 17, 2003</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
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<p>The MCI-Shirley shakedown of 2000 that critics alleged was ``whitewashed'' by one of the three panel members probing ex-priest John J. Geoghan's murder has resurfaced with a lawsuit filed yesterday on behalf of 25 inmates who were injured.</p>
<p>Mark Reilly, a Department of Correction investigator appointed to the Geoghan panel by the state Department of Public Safety, found no fault with the way a special operations team conducted itself with inmates while looking for drugs and guns in 2000. But the lawsuit filed yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court alleges 25 inmates - 21 of them black - were abused by guards during a several-day ``free-for-all.''</p>
<p>``(The commander) would have a magnet and he'd put the magnet on top of the doorframe and that meant, `go in and get him' to the tactical team,'' said a former DOC employee who witnessed several hours of what he called a ``free-for-all'' beating.</p>
|
Suit alleges abuse during inmate shakedown
| false |
https://poynter.org/news/suit-alleges-abuse-during-inmate-shakedown
|
2003-10-17
| 2least
|
Suit alleges abuse during inmate shakedown
<p>SHIRLEY (MA)Boston Heraldby Franci Richardson Friday, October 17, 2003</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>The MCI-Shirley shakedown of 2000 that critics alleged was ``whitewashed'' by one of the three panel members probing ex-priest John J. Geoghan's murder has resurfaced with a lawsuit filed yesterday on behalf of 25 inmates who were injured.</p>
<p>Mark Reilly, a Department of Correction investigator appointed to the Geoghan panel by the state Department of Public Safety, found no fault with the way a special operations team conducted itself with inmates while looking for drugs and guns in 2000. But the lawsuit filed yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court alleges 25 inmates - 21 of them black - were abused by guards during a several-day ``free-for-all.''</p>
<p>``(The commander) would have a magnet and he'd put the magnet on top of the doorframe and that meant, `go in and get him' to the tactical team,'' said a former DOC employee who witnessed several hours of what he called a ``free-for-all'' beating.</p>
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<p>The TV ad by the Better New Mexico PAC is the first to attack Martinez head-on during the 2014 election season. Martinez began airing her own TV ads in early April to support her re-election bid.</p>
<p>The 2010 recordings, released last month by Mother Jones magazine, include a staff member making a derogatory comment about the English-speaking ability of then-House Speaker Ben Lujan, a Santa Fe Democrat.</p>
<p>"Susana Martinez is not the leader we thought she was," the ad narrator says. "? Behind closed doors, Susana Martinez played along when her staff laughed and shamed Spanish-speaking families, like mine."</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Martinez campaign spokesman Chris Sanchez fired back in response to a Journal question about the ad Thursday.</p>
<p>"This is a false ad run by an extreme dark money group that has a history of peddling fictional and misleading attacks against Gov. Martinez," Sanchez said.</p>
<p>ProgressNow Director Pat Davis said the ad is sponsored by a new affiliated PAC in an attempt to make the group's political spending more "transparent," meaning the PAC will report its sources of funding and spending. ProgressNow, under federal tax laws, is not required to report either.</p>
<p>DGA Impact: The effects of the Democratic Governors Association pulling out of the New Mexico governor race could be more costly than just the loss of direct contributions to the Democratic nominee.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, DGA Chairman Peter Shumlin outlined the states where he hoped Republican governors might be ousted by a Democrat in this year's elections, but he left New Mexico, where Gov. Susana Martinez apparently remains popular, off the list.</p>
<p>In 2010, the group backed Democratic nominee Diane Denish with $250,000 in contributions to Denish's campaign. But the role of the DGA in New Mexico went further. The group independently spent nearly $800,000 in New Mexico on media advertising, in addition to the $250,000 in direct contributions to Denish.</p>
<p>Democrats have said they're hopeful the DGA will reconsider whether to get involved in the New Mexico race after the party nominates its candidate in the June 3 primary election.</p>
<p>Contact James Monteleone at <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p />
<p />
|
Politics Notebook: Ad targets Martinez over recordings
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/393157/ad-targets-martine-zover-recordings.html
| 2least
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Politics Notebook: Ad targets Martinez over recordings
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The TV ad by the Better New Mexico PAC is the first to attack Martinez head-on during the 2014 election season. Martinez began airing her own TV ads in early April to support her re-election bid.</p>
<p>The 2010 recordings, released last month by Mother Jones magazine, include a staff member making a derogatory comment about the English-speaking ability of then-House Speaker Ben Lujan, a Santa Fe Democrat.</p>
<p>"Susana Martinez is not the leader we thought she was," the ad narrator says. "? Behind closed doors, Susana Martinez played along when her staff laughed and shamed Spanish-speaking families, like mine."</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Martinez campaign spokesman Chris Sanchez fired back in response to a Journal question about the ad Thursday.</p>
<p>"This is a false ad run by an extreme dark money group that has a history of peddling fictional and misleading attacks against Gov. Martinez," Sanchez said.</p>
<p>ProgressNow Director Pat Davis said the ad is sponsored by a new affiliated PAC in an attempt to make the group's political spending more "transparent," meaning the PAC will report its sources of funding and spending. ProgressNow, under federal tax laws, is not required to report either.</p>
<p>DGA Impact: The effects of the Democratic Governors Association pulling out of the New Mexico governor race could be more costly than just the loss of direct contributions to the Democratic nominee.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, DGA Chairman Peter Shumlin outlined the states where he hoped Republican governors might be ousted by a Democrat in this year's elections, but he left New Mexico, where Gov. Susana Martinez apparently remains popular, off the list.</p>
<p>In 2010, the group backed Democratic nominee Diane Denish with $250,000 in contributions to Denish's campaign. But the role of the DGA in New Mexico went further. The group independently spent nearly $800,000 in New Mexico on media advertising, in addition to the $250,000 in direct contributions to Denish.</p>
<p>Democrats have said they're hopeful the DGA will reconsider whether to get involved in the New Mexico race after the party nominates its candidate in the June 3 primary election.</p>
<p>Contact James Monteleone at <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p />
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| 7,741 |
|
<p>This piece <a href="http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/global_capitalism_in_one_country" type="external">also appears</a> in New Left Project’s excellent symposium, <a href="http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/discussion_node/global_capitalism_and_the_state" type="external">“Global Capitalism and the State</a>.”</p>
<p>Leo Panitch and Sam Gindin’s The Making of Global Capitalism is a landmark study of the construction and the evolution of the American capitalist empire. To my knowledge, it is the best in existence, wide-ranging in time as well as in space, perceptive, deeply informed, and sophisticatedly nuanced in its analyses.</p>
<p>Its analytical focus is “globalization and the state,” and its main general theoretical argument is that “states need to be placed at the center of the search for an explanation of the making of global capitalism.”&#160; This is, of course, a deliberately provocative statement, thrown into the face of the mainstream globalization discourse of the past quarter of a century, on the left as well as on the right. It is a very welcome re-focusing of our lenses, which I basically sympathize with. Apart from trying to convey to my Cambridge students the still crucial importance of nation-states in current world society, I have found reason to <a href="http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=a42328" type="external">take issue</a> with the “global cities” conception of a few cities “commanding” the world economy, increasingly detached from their state hinterlands.</p>
<p>However, there are some basic problems hidden in the Panitch-Gindin formulation. The first one is the meaning of “global capitalism,” i.e., the explanandum. It is nowhere defined and dated in the book, which makes any explanation of it rather foggy. &#160;The authors imply its emergence in the nineteenth century, as its first great crisis is located in the 1870s. But just two lines before that, on the same page (331), we are told that it took American capitalism and the American state “to make global capitalism a reality,” which points to some later date. And another few lines upwards on the same page, we are referred to the Communist Manifesto but then informed that it was only by the beginning of the twenty-first&#160;century that capitalist social relations had spread “over the entire surface of the globe.”</p>
<p>I think their central conceptual fuzziness reveals that the authors have not really thought through what kind of book they wanted to write. There is also a strange lacuna in this amply footnoted work. There is no mention at all of world system analysis, and of its pioneering author, Immanuel Wallerstein. The systemic analyses of Wallerstein and his followers may be criticized, may even be held surpassed, but they cannot seriously be ignored. After the Marxist classics of the three quarters of a century up to World War&#160;I, Wallerstein’s work was the beacon of critical studies of global capitalism.</p>
<p>The formulation of placing “states&#160;.&#160;.&#160;. at the center of the search for an explanation of the making of global capitalism” (emphasis added) is unfortunately elliptic in another way. Although the authors obviously do not mean it, their formulation as such leaves out the dynamics of capital and its interaction with states. On the other hand, whereas the general theoretical statement refers to “states” in plural, the book is actually almost exclusively about one state, the USA.</p>
<p>Panitch and Gindin have written a magnificent book about the American empire, interweaving analyses of US capitalism, of US state capacity development, US domestic politics, and US economic diplomacy, and highlighting the successful exports of American corporate institutions and American business law. They also make a convincing argument against the theorists of American economic decline. American corporations have a global dominance in the new “&#160;‘commanding heights’ of global capital accumulation,” from the high-tech of aerospace, computers, and healthcare equipment, to the management of consumption and debt, to retailing, finance, and business services.</p>
<p>The contribution of their book is stated in its subtitle, “the Political Economy of American Empire.” Because of the centrality of the USA, it is at the same time a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary global capitalism. But it is not a full-scale study of the “Making of Global Capitalism,” and from the uncertain theoretical formulations by two such experienced and theoretically well-formed authors, it may be suspected that the authors had not really intended to explain the making of global capitalism.</p>
<p>Once upon a time, there was a debate about whether socialism could be built in one country. It was concluded by force rather than by any Habermasian communicative action, but a good historian’s verdict might be that something important was indeed built — to be erased later — though something not identical to the Marxian notion of socialism. Now, Panitch and Gindin are arguing that global capitalism was built in and from one country. Again, we have in front of us an important historical construction which does not quite measure up to its own ideals.</p>
<p>The methodological point is that you cannot adequately understand and explain a totality, or a globality, from one of its parts, even if that part is the domineering one. To explain “how global capitalism came about” is a formidable task, and if Panitch and Gindin had embarked on it seriously they would not have been able to provide us now with their timely book on the American empire.</p>
<p>Such a task would have to start by engaging with the works of <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/Civilization_and_Capitalism_15th_18th_Ce.html?id=xMZI2QEer9QC&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Fernand Braudel</a> and <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Modern_World_System_I.html?id=JZqhKZ9ucc0C&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Immanuel Wallerstein</a>, and with the debate about the divergence of Asia and Europe — with <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/Asia_Before_Europe.html?id=cYY6AAAAIAAJ&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">K.&#160;N.&#160;Chaudhuri</a>, <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/regional-history-after-1500/why-europe-grew-rich-and-asia-did-not-global-economic-divergence-16001850" type="external">Prasannan Patthasarathi</a>, <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Great_Divergence.html?id=58A2wJmpvKgC&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Kenneth Pomeranz</a> and others.&#160; In recent times, it would have to come to grips with the ultimate failures of the Communist revolutions and with the limitations of the North Atlantic working-class movement, which did “march forward” for about a century. Making states central to explaining global capitalism must involve analyzing what happened in and to the state of the Soviet Union and of China. And all over the world, global capitalism is varying with state and societal forms, from the organized, strongly unionized Scandinavian welfare states to the free-wheeling chaos of Nigeria, or from the socially cohesive national development states of Japan and South Korea, to the social abyss separating the stunted lives of the poor in India from capitalist privilege.</p>
<p>With their US-state-centered focus Panitch and Gindin devote rather little space and effort to class conflict, although they certainly do not ignore it. And they may be somewhat too pessimistic, particularly in a global perspective, in their conclusion that “individualized consumerism” “became the main legacy of working-class struggles in the twentieth century.” They are likely to be right in assuming that the coming anti-capitalist struggles will require “very different movements and parties” from the socialist ones of the previous century. But I don’t think it should be excluded that new generations will find inspiration in the hopes, the aspirations, and the efforts of a more positively perceived socialist legacy, as well as valuable experiences to learn from.</p>
|
Global Capitalism in One Country?
| true |
http://jacobinmag.com/2013/07/global-capitalism-in-one-country/
|
2018-10-07
| 4left
|
Global Capitalism in One Country?
<p>This piece <a href="http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/global_capitalism_in_one_country" type="external">also appears</a> in New Left Project’s excellent symposium, <a href="http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/discussion_node/global_capitalism_and_the_state" type="external">“Global Capitalism and the State</a>.”</p>
<p>Leo Panitch and Sam Gindin’s The Making of Global Capitalism is a landmark study of the construction and the evolution of the American capitalist empire. To my knowledge, it is the best in existence, wide-ranging in time as well as in space, perceptive, deeply informed, and sophisticatedly nuanced in its analyses.</p>
<p>Its analytical focus is “globalization and the state,” and its main general theoretical argument is that “states need to be placed at the center of the search for an explanation of the making of global capitalism.”&#160; This is, of course, a deliberately provocative statement, thrown into the face of the mainstream globalization discourse of the past quarter of a century, on the left as well as on the right. It is a very welcome re-focusing of our lenses, which I basically sympathize with. Apart from trying to convey to my Cambridge students the still crucial importance of nation-states in current world society, I have found reason to <a href="http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=a42328" type="external">take issue</a> with the “global cities” conception of a few cities “commanding” the world economy, increasingly detached from their state hinterlands.</p>
<p>However, there are some basic problems hidden in the Panitch-Gindin formulation. The first one is the meaning of “global capitalism,” i.e., the explanandum. It is nowhere defined and dated in the book, which makes any explanation of it rather foggy. &#160;The authors imply its emergence in the nineteenth century, as its first great crisis is located in the 1870s. But just two lines before that, on the same page (331), we are told that it took American capitalism and the American state “to make global capitalism a reality,” which points to some later date. And another few lines upwards on the same page, we are referred to the Communist Manifesto but then informed that it was only by the beginning of the twenty-first&#160;century that capitalist social relations had spread “over the entire surface of the globe.”</p>
<p>I think their central conceptual fuzziness reveals that the authors have not really thought through what kind of book they wanted to write. There is also a strange lacuna in this amply footnoted work. There is no mention at all of world system analysis, and of its pioneering author, Immanuel Wallerstein. The systemic analyses of Wallerstein and his followers may be criticized, may even be held surpassed, but they cannot seriously be ignored. After the Marxist classics of the three quarters of a century up to World War&#160;I, Wallerstein’s work was the beacon of critical studies of global capitalism.</p>
<p>The formulation of placing “states&#160;.&#160;.&#160;. at the center of the search for an explanation of the making of global capitalism” (emphasis added) is unfortunately elliptic in another way. Although the authors obviously do not mean it, their formulation as such leaves out the dynamics of capital and its interaction with states. On the other hand, whereas the general theoretical statement refers to “states” in plural, the book is actually almost exclusively about one state, the USA.</p>
<p>Panitch and Gindin have written a magnificent book about the American empire, interweaving analyses of US capitalism, of US state capacity development, US domestic politics, and US economic diplomacy, and highlighting the successful exports of American corporate institutions and American business law. They also make a convincing argument against the theorists of American economic decline. American corporations have a global dominance in the new “&#160;‘commanding heights’ of global capital accumulation,” from the high-tech of aerospace, computers, and healthcare equipment, to the management of consumption and debt, to retailing, finance, and business services.</p>
<p>The contribution of their book is stated in its subtitle, “the Political Economy of American Empire.” Because of the centrality of the USA, it is at the same time a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary global capitalism. But it is not a full-scale study of the “Making of Global Capitalism,” and from the uncertain theoretical formulations by two such experienced and theoretically well-formed authors, it may be suspected that the authors had not really intended to explain the making of global capitalism.</p>
<p>Once upon a time, there was a debate about whether socialism could be built in one country. It was concluded by force rather than by any Habermasian communicative action, but a good historian’s verdict might be that something important was indeed built — to be erased later — though something not identical to the Marxian notion of socialism. Now, Panitch and Gindin are arguing that global capitalism was built in and from one country. Again, we have in front of us an important historical construction which does not quite measure up to its own ideals.</p>
<p>The methodological point is that you cannot adequately understand and explain a totality, or a globality, from one of its parts, even if that part is the domineering one. To explain “how global capitalism came about” is a formidable task, and if Panitch and Gindin had embarked on it seriously they would not have been able to provide us now with their timely book on the American empire.</p>
<p>Such a task would have to start by engaging with the works of <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/Civilization_and_Capitalism_15th_18th_Ce.html?id=xMZI2QEer9QC&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Fernand Braudel</a> and <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Modern_World_System_I.html?id=JZqhKZ9ucc0C&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Immanuel Wallerstein</a>, and with the debate about the divergence of Asia and Europe — with <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/Asia_Before_Europe.html?id=cYY6AAAAIAAJ&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">K.&#160;N.&#160;Chaudhuri</a>, <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/regional-history-after-1500/why-europe-grew-rich-and-asia-did-not-global-economic-divergence-16001850" type="external">Prasannan Patthasarathi</a>, <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Great_Divergence.html?id=58A2wJmpvKgC&amp;redir_esc=y" type="external">Kenneth Pomeranz</a> and others.&#160; In recent times, it would have to come to grips with the ultimate failures of the Communist revolutions and with the limitations of the North Atlantic working-class movement, which did “march forward” for about a century. Making states central to explaining global capitalism must involve analyzing what happened in and to the state of the Soviet Union and of China. And all over the world, global capitalism is varying with state and societal forms, from the organized, strongly unionized Scandinavian welfare states to the free-wheeling chaos of Nigeria, or from the socially cohesive national development states of Japan and South Korea, to the social abyss separating the stunted lives of the poor in India from capitalist privilege.</p>
<p>With their US-state-centered focus Panitch and Gindin devote rather little space and effort to class conflict, although they certainly do not ignore it. And they may be somewhat too pessimistic, particularly in a global perspective, in their conclusion that “individualized consumerism” “became the main legacy of working-class struggles in the twentieth century.” They are likely to be right in assuming that the coming anti-capitalist struggles will require “very different movements and parties” from the socialist ones of the previous century. But I don’t think it should be excluded that new generations will find inspiration in the hopes, the aspirations, and the efforts of a more positively perceived socialist legacy, as well as valuable experiences to learn from.</p>
| 7,742 |
<p>Last night’s Republican Presidential Debate in Arizona marked the 20th, and as some speculate, the last debate in the 2012 GOP primary race. Here’s how the debate was received in the social media world:</p>
<p>Leading up to the debate, there were high expectations for the candidates’ performances:</p>
<p>VIDEO: What To Expect At Tonight’s GOP Debate – Glen Walker reports <a href="https://t.co/dP6iApBu" type="external">bit.ly/xkR9AZ</a></p>
<p>— ktla (@ktla) <a href="https://twitter.com/ktla/status/172537589151178753" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>Prediction for tonight’s @ <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN" type="external">CNN</a> GOP debate: Mitt Romney will threaten to strap Rick Santorum to the roof of his car. <a href="https://t.co/Ju30LG98" type="external">on.cc.com/zVLcHa</a></p>
<p>— Indecision (@indecision) <a href="https://twitter.com/indecision/status/172371937870356480" type="external">February 22, 2012</a></p>
<p>Tonight’s ‘last shot’ GOP presidential debate: What to expect – <a href="https://t.co/EURc8nc4" type="external">trib.al/tWHRmg</a></p>
<p>— The Week (@TheWeek) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWeek/status/172394213504327681" type="external">February 22, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As we&#160; <a href="" type="internal">predicted yesterday</a>, the debate centered around the differences between&#160;front-runner&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Mitt Romney&#160;</a>and emerging leader&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Rick Santorum</a>, as they were strategically&#160;sandwiched in the center between neglected Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich.</p>
<p>SANTORUM v ROMNEY round 1 of the night: is on fiscal issues and the national debt. Love it. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523tcot" type="external">#tcot</a></p>
<p>— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/LisaDCNN/status/172489521357791232" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>And there was no shortage of coverage of the debate. Here are the highlights from last night:&#160;</p>
<p>John King asks Ron Paul: “You have a new television ad that labels [Santorum] a fake. Why?” Ron Paul replies: “Because he’s a fake.”</p>
<p>Newt Gingrich = “Cheerful”</p>
<p>— Tony Mui (@Tony_Mui) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tony_Mui/status/172728381484437504" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Did the final four live up to expectations?&#160;</p>
<p>Thinking maybe I should have given up GOP Debates for Lent.</p>
<p>— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/MHarrisPerry/status/172503102728044544" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523cnndebate" type="external">#cnndebate</a> WINNERS AND LOSERS Winner: Barack Obama. Loser: Anyone who watched.</p>
<p>— Andy Borowitz (@BorowitzReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorowitzReport/status/172515200744947712" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/23/cnn-republican-debate-live?newsfeed=true#block-20" type="external">9.04pm:</a>&#160;So far this debate is like watching three drunks trying to start a fight and falling over.</p>
<p>Rick <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523Santorum" type="external">#Santorum</a>’s missed opportunity at GOP debate <a href="https://t.co/4ptmzsrT" type="external">abcn.ws/xe5mjt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523TheNote" type="external">#TheNote</a> via @ <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelPFalcone" type="external">MichaelPFalcone</a> &amp; @ <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyEWalter" type="external">AmyEWalter</a></p>
<p>— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/172708573141417984" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>Nothing happening in this debate is going to help stop leaking Independents away from GOP that has occured in past month</p>
<p>— Joe Trippi (@JoeTrippi) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTrippi/status/172511619627220992" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
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The GOP Debate: Through the Social Media Lens
| false |
https://ivn.us/2012/02/23/the-gop-debate-through-the-social-media-lens-2/
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2012-02-23
| 2least
|
The GOP Debate: Through the Social Media Lens
<p>Last night’s Republican Presidential Debate in Arizona marked the 20th, and as some speculate, the last debate in the 2012 GOP primary race. Here’s how the debate was received in the social media world:</p>
<p>Leading up to the debate, there were high expectations for the candidates’ performances:</p>
<p>VIDEO: What To Expect At Tonight’s GOP Debate – Glen Walker reports <a href="https://t.co/dP6iApBu" type="external">bit.ly/xkR9AZ</a></p>
<p>— ktla (@ktla) <a href="https://twitter.com/ktla/status/172537589151178753" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>Prediction for tonight’s @ <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN" type="external">CNN</a> GOP debate: Mitt Romney will threaten to strap Rick Santorum to the roof of his car. <a href="https://t.co/Ju30LG98" type="external">on.cc.com/zVLcHa</a></p>
<p>— Indecision (@indecision) <a href="https://twitter.com/indecision/status/172371937870356480" type="external">February 22, 2012</a></p>
<p>Tonight’s ‘last shot’ GOP presidential debate: What to expect – <a href="https://t.co/EURc8nc4" type="external">trib.al/tWHRmg</a></p>
<p>— The Week (@TheWeek) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWeek/status/172394213504327681" type="external">February 22, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As we&#160; <a href="" type="internal">predicted yesterday</a>, the debate centered around the differences between&#160;front-runner&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Mitt Romney&#160;</a>and emerging leader&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Rick Santorum</a>, as they were strategically&#160;sandwiched in the center between neglected Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich.</p>
<p>SANTORUM v ROMNEY round 1 of the night: is on fiscal issues and the national debt. Love it. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523tcot" type="external">#tcot</a></p>
<p>— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/LisaDCNN/status/172489521357791232" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>And there was no shortage of coverage of the debate. Here are the highlights from last night:&#160;</p>
<p>John King asks Ron Paul: “You have a new television ad that labels [Santorum] a fake. Why?” Ron Paul replies: “Because he’s a fake.”</p>
<p>Newt Gingrich = “Cheerful”</p>
<p>— Tony Mui (@Tony_Mui) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tony_Mui/status/172728381484437504" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Did the final four live up to expectations?&#160;</p>
<p>Thinking maybe I should have given up GOP Debates for Lent.</p>
<p>— Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/MHarrisPerry/status/172503102728044544" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523cnndebate" type="external">#cnndebate</a> WINNERS AND LOSERS Winner: Barack Obama. Loser: Anyone who watched.</p>
<p>— Andy Borowitz (@BorowitzReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorowitzReport/status/172515200744947712" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/23/cnn-republican-debate-live?newsfeed=true#block-20" type="external">9.04pm:</a>&#160;So far this debate is like watching three drunks trying to start a fight and falling over.</p>
<p>Rick <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523Santorum" type="external">#Santorum</a>’s missed opportunity at GOP debate <a href="https://t.co/4ptmzsrT" type="external">abcn.ws/xe5mjt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523TheNote" type="external">#TheNote</a> via @ <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelPFalcone" type="external">MichaelPFalcone</a> &amp; @ <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyEWalter" type="external">AmyEWalter</a></p>
<p>— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/172708573141417984" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>Nothing happening in this debate is going to help stop leaking Independents away from GOP that has occured in past month</p>
<p>— Joe Trippi (@JoeTrippi) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTrippi/status/172511619627220992" type="external">February 23, 2012</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
| 7,743 |
<p>Go ahead, read the headline again. Mine is almost as bizarre as the original Associated Press piece, titled “ <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">How is Romney like 007? Both have money offshore</a>.” Giving us yet another example of the AP’s “ <a href="http://bit.ly/uRDBWv" type="external">New Distinctiveness</a>” in reporting, readers are offered a six-step tutorial on how to hide your money from the Feds. Clearly the intent of this article is to imply that that’s what GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney has done, but the AP doesn’t actually accuse Gov. Romney of any untoward financial activity, right? Read the lead sentence closely (emphasis added):</p>
<p />
<p>“Movie super spies James Bond and Jason Bourne use them. So does real-life U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who says he pays his taxes, and untold numbers of Americans who don’t.”</p>
<p>Through each step, the AP is pleased to report how criminals and tax dodgers use foreign (usually Swiss or Cayman like Romney) accounts to avoid the divine wrath of the Internal Revenue Service; but they neglect to offer legal examples for depositing. In “Step 1: Get a million dollars,” we are <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">advised</a>:</p>
<p>“How? There are essentially two ways — legally or illegally. For those with dirty cash to launder — drug traffickers, mobsters, smugglers, swindlers and such — offshore accounts hidden from the law are the obvious choice (skip to Step 5).”</p>
<p>Don’t hold your breath for the legal method of gaining wealth here. In “Step 2: Decide whether to tell the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. tax agency,” Americans (and therefore Romney) must choose whether to alert the Feds. If they do not, beware: “The government has landed some big fish — notably the largest Swiss bank, UBS AG — and tax cheats are getting scooped up in the net.”</p>
<p>In “Step 3: Look for legal ways to pare taxes,” the author removes any remaining shroud of unmotivated reporting by calling in the experts at <a href="http://www.ctj.org/about/background.php" type="external">Citizens for Tax Justice</a> (CTJ), a partisan interest group that has been a cheerleader for Stimulus I, the estate tax and Obamacare. The Associated Press quotes the CTJ, saying “There’s a thin line between tax avoidance and evasion…A lot of these transactions might not stand up in court if the IRS had the resources to pursue them.” Either way, Romney is a bad guy.</p>
<p>The AP continues to paint a dark picture of anyone holding an offshore account by trying to diagnose a motive in <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">Step 4</a>:</p>
<p>“Some people want to hide wealth from spouses or business partners; doctors worry about malpractice suits; others think creditors or the government might try to seize their assets…Wealthy residents of oppressive countries may feel safer with their savings elsewhere. Dictators, fearing revolt, often do, too.”</p>
<p>With a free press so willing to promote the expanded powers of the Internal Revenue Service, they might be right on the “oppressive countries” part.</p>
<p>The media must be working for an immediate narrative shift away from the Planned Parenthood/Komen/Obamacare/Catholic Church/contraception controversy that has put the organized Left on the defensive. At this point, attempts to shift back to class warfare themes are clearly on display. At least the AP restrained itself from mentioning the fact that Romney is <a href="http://bit.ly/scB2ow" type="external">Mormon</a> this time.</p>
|
AP likens Romney to “Drug-traffickers, mobsters, smugglers and swindlers”
| true |
http://aim.org/on-target-blog/ap-likens-romney-to-drug-traffickers-mobsters-smugglers-and-swindlers/
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2012-02-13
| 0right
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AP likens Romney to “Drug-traffickers, mobsters, smugglers and swindlers”
<p>Go ahead, read the headline again. Mine is almost as bizarre as the original Associated Press piece, titled “ <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">How is Romney like 007? Both have money offshore</a>.” Giving us yet another example of the AP’s “ <a href="http://bit.ly/uRDBWv" type="external">New Distinctiveness</a>” in reporting, readers are offered a six-step tutorial on how to hide your money from the Feds. Clearly the intent of this article is to imply that that’s what GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney has done, but the AP doesn’t actually accuse Gov. Romney of any untoward financial activity, right? Read the lead sentence closely (emphasis added):</p>
<p />
<p>“Movie super spies James Bond and Jason Bourne use them. So does real-life U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who says he pays his taxes, and untold numbers of Americans who don’t.”</p>
<p>Through each step, the AP is pleased to report how criminals and tax dodgers use foreign (usually Swiss or Cayman like Romney) accounts to avoid the divine wrath of the Internal Revenue Service; but they neglect to offer legal examples for depositing. In “Step 1: Get a million dollars,” we are <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">advised</a>:</p>
<p>“How? There are essentially two ways — legally or illegally. For those with dirty cash to launder — drug traffickers, mobsters, smugglers, swindlers and such — offshore accounts hidden from the law are the obvious choice (skip to Step 5).”</p>
<p>Don’t hold your breath for the legal method of gaining wealth here. In “Step 2: Decide whether to tell the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. tax agency,” Americans (and therefore Romney) must choose whether to alert the Feds. If they do not, beware: “The government has landed some big fish — notably the largest Swiss bank, UBS AG — and tax cheats are getting scooped up in the net.”</p>
<p>In “Step 3: Look for legal ways to pare taxes,” the author removes any remaining shroud of unmotivated reporting by calling in the experts at <a href="http://www.ctj.org/about/background.php" type="external">Citizens for Tax Justice</a> (CTJ), a partisan interest group that has been a cheerleader for Stimulus I, the estate tax and Obamacare. The Associated Press quotes the CTJ, saying “There’s a thin line between tax avoidance and evasion…A lot of these transactions might not stand up in court if the IRS had the resources to pursue them.” Either way, Romney is a bad guy.</p>
<p>The AP continues to paint a dark picture of anyone holding an offshore account by trying to diagnose a motive in <a href="http://bit.ly/AEcRfu" type="external">Step 4</a>:</p>
<p>“Some people want to hide wealth from spouses or business partners; doctors worry about malpractice suits; others think creditors or the government might try to seize their assets…Wealthy residents of oppressive countries may feel safer with their savings elsewhere. Dictators, fearing revolt, often do, too.”</p>
<p>With a free press so willing to promote the expanded powers of the Internal Revenue Service, they might be right on the “oppressive countries” part.</p>
<p>The media must be working for an immediate narrative shift away from the Planned Parenthood/Komen/Obamacare/Catholic Church/contraception controversy that has put the organized Left on the defensive. At this point, attempts to shift back to class warfare themes are clearly on display. At least the AP restrained itself from mentioning the fact that Romney is <a href="http://bit.ly/scB2ow" type="external">Mormon</a> this time.</p>
| 7,744 |
<p />
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MNTA) released third-quarter earnings on Wednesday. The drug company is producing solid sales for what it has to work with, but next year and beyond offer larger opportunities for investors to look forward to.</p>
<p>YOY = year over year. Data source: Company press release.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Craig Wheeler, Momenta's president and CEO, talked a little bit about the potential to license out M923 again, but hinted that investors shouldn't expect a deal anytime soon. "We will be evaluating all of our options for this program in the coming months, including potentially securing a new commercial partner. We have received multiple inquiries about the program, but our top priority right now is to work closely with Baxalta to ensure a smooth transition of all the ongoing work streams in order to keep the M923 program on track," he said.</p>
<p>Recently, Teva sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration recommending that the agency take a closer look at the analytic tests used to compare complex generics to the branded product, but Wheeler didn't sound worried. According to him, "I would have to put that in the category of absolutely no surprise to me. They have been very good and very consistent at putting new things in front of the agency and in front of anybody who will listen since we started this program probably 10 years ago."</p>
<p>Momenta looks like it can grow substantially in the coming years with the three-times weekly version of Copaxone hopefully launching in the beginning of next year, assuming Momenta gains FDA approval and the patent lawsuit goes its way.</p>
<p>Beyond next year, the biosimilar program is progressing with potential sales of M923 in 2018 and M834 in 2020.</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=2518&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/TMFBiologyFool/info.aspx" type="external">Brian Orelli Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. 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>
|
Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Continues Its Wait for Higher Sales
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/04/momenta-pharmaceuticals-inc-continues-its-wait-for-higher-sales.html
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2016-11-04
| 0right
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Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Continues Its Wait for Higher Sales
<p />
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MNTA) released third-quarter earnings on Wednesday. The drug company is producing solid sales for what it has to work with, but next year and beyond offer larger opportunities for investors to look forward to.</p>
<p>YOY = year over year. Data source: Company press release.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Craig Wheeler, Momenta's president and CEO, talked a little bit about the potential to license out M923 again, but hinted that investors shouldn't expect a deal anytime soon. "We will be evaluating all of our options for this program in the coming months, including potentially securing a new commercial partner. We have received multiple inquiries about the program, but our top priority right now is to work closely with Baxalta to ensure a smooth transition of all the ongoing work streams in order to keep the M923 program on track," he said.</p>
<p>Recently, Teva sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration recommending that the agency take a closer look at the analytic tests used to compare complex generics to the branded product, but Wheeler didn't sound worried. According to him, "I would have to put that in the category of absolutely no surprise to me. They have been very good and very consistent at putting new things in front of the agency and in front of anybody who will listen since we started this program probably 10 years ago."</p>
<p>Momenta looks like it can grow substantially in the coming years with the three-times weekly version of Copaxone hopefully launching in the beginning of next year, assuming Momenta gains FDA approval and the patent lawsuit goes its way.</p>
<p>Beyond next year, the biosimilar program is progressing with potential sales of M923 in 2018 and M834 in 2020.</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=2518&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/TMFBiologyFool/info.aspx" type="external">Brian Orelli Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. 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>
| 7,745 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>NAGEEZI (AP) — Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico is being recognized for its dark skies.</p>
<p>Park officials say Chaco’s natural nighttime darkness and commitment to reducing light pollution have led to its certification as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.</p>
<p>Chaco is the 12th park to receive the designation worldwide and only the fourth in the national park system.</p>
<p>The acting park superintendent, Larry Turk, says as light pollution becomes more common, people are seeking out places like Chaco so they can get a glimpse of the stars.</p>
<p>Due to Chaco’s remote location, the park’s night sky is nearly pristine.</p>
<p>Since 2002, technicians have been monitoring natural and human-introduced light levels at the park. A recent report says Chaco’s night sky remains among the darkest in the park system.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
|
Chaco national park recognized for night skies
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/254861/chaco-national-park-recognized-for-night-skies.html
| 2least
|
Chaco national park recognized for night skies
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>NAGEEZI (AP) — Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico is being recognized for its dark skies.</p>
<p>Park officials say Chaco’s natural nighttime darkness and commitment to reducing light pollution have led to its certification as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.</p>
<p>Chaco is the 12th park to receive the designation worldwide and only the fourth in the national park system.</p>
<p>The acting park superintendent, Larry Turk, says as light pollution becomes more common, people are seeking out places like Chaco so they can get a glimpse of the stars.</p>
<p>Due to Chaco’s remote location, the park’s night sky is nearly pristine.</p>
<p>Since 2002, technicians have been monitoring natural and human-introduced light levels at the park. A recent report says Chaco’s night sky remains among the darkest in the park system.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
| 7,746 |
|
<p>Janet Yellen has two meetings left as chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, and traders think they know exactly what she will do with interest rates. Fed-funds futures peg the chance of a quarter-point hike next month at 97%, with just a 5% chance of a further rise at her swan song in January.</p>
<p>Ms. Yellen has plenty of time to shake the complacency of markets, and she should. The best way is to become less predictable. An emergency Fed meeting on a Sunday could raise rates some random amount, say 0.07 percentage points. Even better, the Fed doesn't need to even issue a press release about it, let alone hold a press conference. Let the markets find out that the overnight borrowing rate has gone up when it, well, goes up.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Such talk is heresy for the modern central banker, and markets would hate it. But that is the point. Central banks have been coddling investors for years with transparency and forward guidance, to such an extent that the question of what policy makers will do has primacy over analysis of inflation and the economy.</p>
<p>Central bank openness and the unwillingness of policy makers to surprise investors was a powerful drug in the crisis, but leaks a slow poison into the markets. The result is that investors have piled on bad risks they would otherwise be unwilling to take on. It also degraded the quality of the signals markets send about the economy. Perhaps worst of all for central bankers, the transparency has conspicuously failed in its main job of getting investors to understand the policy process. Their magical aura is wavering, and the danger is the curtain is pulled back to reveal that mere economists control the monetary policy levers.</p>
<p>Each of these points is important. But there is also a question of timing. Central banks became more open about their plans for a sound monetary policy reason: they ran out of room to cut rates.</p>
<p>Back in 2004, the Fed worried that when it started raising rates from 1% a market panic could create economic troubles, and it didn't have much scope to respond by cutting rates further. Guiding the market about future policy succeeded in avoiding an upset like that of 1994, when unexpected rate increases rattled investors. In the wake of the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008 the Fed cut rates to 0%-0.25%, and had to switch to bond-buying instead of further rate-cutting. Public guidance about future rates became more explicit, giving central banks -- led by the Bank of Canada, then headed by Mark Carney, now governor of the Bank of England -- an extra tool to influence longer-dated borrowing costs.</p>
<p>The need for that extra tool is fading. The Fed last month took its first baby steps to cut the size of its bondholdings, while the European Central Bank is buying less. They should be thinking about how to back away from their crisis-era communication strategy too, but instead they're considering making it permanent.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Why to [sic] discard a monetary policy instrument that has proved to be effective?" asked ECB President Mario Draghi at a conference in Frankfurt this week.</p>
<p>"Draghi's a magician, he's tremendously good at manipulating the markets, " says Matthew Eagan, co-manager of the $13 billion Loomis Sayles Bond Fund in Boston. Yet, in the U.S. it's time to let the markets find their own levels, and as the European economy recovers, the same will hopefully soon be true for the ECB.</p>
<p>Forward guidance menaces markets mainly because it encourages risk taking, over and above that already encouraged by low rates. With hindsight, we can see how the predictability of Fed rate rises -- a quarter-point at every meeting from 2004 to 2006 -- freed financiers to pile on short-term leverage, with disastrous consequences. It isn't only the level of interest rates that matters.</p>
<p>Something similar has happened today. Low volatility has become a way of life, in part because central banks are so predictable, and it is encouraging more risk-taking. The danger is that any shock will be worse as a result -- and really big market disruptions help create recessions, as in 2001 and 2008.</p>
<p>Forward guidance also makes markets less useful as a gauge of what investors are thinking, and so less effective at allocating capital to the best effect in the economy.</p>
<p>"The more you try to influence market prices for your own ends the less informative market prices become," says Hyun Song Shin, head of research at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland.</p>
<p>In some ways this isn't the fault of the central banks, who have mostly explained that the guidance depends on what happens to inflation and the economy (after some embarrassing early mistakes, particularly from Mr. Carney). But investors want conviction, even when central banks spell out the uncertainty. The BOE is furthest ahead in explaining the uncertainty, but its prediction that there is a 90% chance that in three years inflation will be between roughly 4.5% and minus 0.5% is mostly ignored in favor of its central prediction of inflation just above 2%.</p>
<p>My suggestion of a small secret rate increase harks back to the pre-1994 era, when the Fed didn't announce its decisions until a month or later. Democratic accountability makes it hard for the Fed to adopt the "never explain, never excuse" maxim of former BOE Governor Montagu Norman. But for the health of the economy and their own credibility central bankers should try to break the markets' addiction to their words.</p>
<p>Write to James Mackintosh at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>November 16, 2017 10:12 ET (15:12 GMT)</p>
|
Streetwise: The Fed is Poisoning the Market. Here's the Antidote ---- By James Mackintosh
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/11/16/streetwise-fed-is-poisoning-market-heres-antidote-by-james-mackintosh.html
|
2017-11-16
| 0right
|
Streetwise: The Fed is Poisoning the Market. Here's the Antidote ---- By James Mackintosh
<p>Janet Yellen has two meetings left as chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, and traders think they know exactly what she will do with interest rates. Fed-funds futures peg the chance of a quarter-point hike next month at 97%, with just a 5% chance of a further rise at her swan song in January.</p>
<p>Ms. Yellen has plenty of time to shake the complacency of markets, and she should. The best way is to become less predictable. An emergency Fed meeting on a Sunday could raise rates some random amount, say 0.07 percentage points. Even better, the Fed doesn't need to even issue a press release about it, let alone hold a press conference. Let the markets find out that the overnight borrowing rate has gone up when it, well, goes up.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Such talk is heresy for the modern central banker, and markets would hate it. But that is the point. Central banks have been coddling investors for years with transparency and forward guidance, to such an extent that the question of what policy makers will do has primacy over analysis of inflation and the economy.</p>
<p>Central bank openness and the unwillingness of policy makers to surprise investors was a powerful drug in the crisis, but leaks a slow poison into the markets. The result is that investors have piled on bad risks they would otherwise be unwilling to take on. It also degraded the quality of the signals markets send about the economy. Perhaps worst of all for central bankers, the transparency has conspicuously failed in its main job of getting investors to understand the policy process. Their magical aura is wavering, and the danger is the curtain is pulled back to reveal that mere economists control the monetary policy levers.</p>
<p>Each of these points is important. But there is also a question of timing. Central banks became more open about their plans for a sound monetary policy reason: they ran out of room to cut rates.</p>
<p>Back in 2004, the Fed worried that when it started raising rates from 1% a market panic could create economic troubles, and it didn't have much scope to respond by cutting rates further. Guiding the market about future policy succeeded in avoiding an upset like that of 1994, when unexpected rate increases rattled investors. In the wake of the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008 the Fed cut rates to 0%-0.25%, and had to switch to bond-buying instead of further rate-cutting. Public guidance about future rates became more explicit, giving central banks -- led by the Bank of Canada, then headed by Mark Carney, now governor of the Bank of England -- an extra tool to influence longer-dated borrowing costs.</p>
<p>The need for that extra tool is fading. The Fed last month took its first baby steps to cut the size of its bondholdings, while the European Central Bank is buying less. They should be thinking about how to back away from their crisis-era communication strategy too, but instead they're considering making it permanent.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>"Why to [sic] discard a monetary policy instrument that has proved to be effective?" asked ECB President Mario Draghi at a conference in Frankfurt this week.</p>
<p>"Draghi's a magician, he's tremendously good at manipulating the markets, " says Matthew Eagan, co-manager of the $13 billion Loomis Sayles Bond Fund in Boston. Yet, in the U.S. it's time to let the markets find their own levels, and as the European economy recovers, the same will hopefully soon be true for the ECB.</p>
<p>Forward guidance menaces markets mainly because it encourages risk taking, over and above that already encouraged by low rates. With hindsight, we can see how the predictability of Fed rate rises -- a quarter-point at every meeting from 2004 to 2006 -- freed financiers to pile on short-term leverage, with disastrous consequences. It isn't only the level of interest rates that matters.</p>
<p>Something similar has happened today. Low volatility has become a way of life, in part because central banks are so predictable, and it is encouraging more risk-taking. The danger is that any shock will be worse as a result -- and really big market disruptions help create recessions, as in 2001 and 2008.</p>
<p>Forward guidance also makes markets less useful as a gauge of what investors are thinking, and so less effective at allocating capital to the best effect in the economy.</p>
<p>"The more you try to influence market prices for your own ends the less informative market prices become," says Hyun Song Shin, head of research at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland.</p>
<p>In some ways this isn't the fault of the central banks, who have mostly explained that the guidance depends on what happens to inflation and the economy (after some embarrassing early mistakes, particularly from Mr. Carney). But investors want conviction, even when central banks spell out the uncertainty. The BOE is furthest ahead in explaining the uncertainty, but its prediction that there is a 90% chance that in three years inflation will be between roughly 4.5% and minus 0.5% is mostly ignored in favor of its central prediction of inflation just above 2%.</p>
<p>My suggestion of a small secret rate increase harks back to the pre-1994 era, when the Fed didn't announce its decisions until a month or later. Democratic accountability makes it hard for the Fed to adopt the "never explain, never excuse" maxim of former BOE Governor Montagu Norman. But for the health of the economy and their own credibility central bankers should try to break the markets' addiction to their words.</p>
<p>Write to James Mackintosh at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>November 16, 2017 10:12 ET (15:12 GMT)</p>
| 7,747 |
<p><a href="http://theclimatedesk.org/" type="external" />I’m technically on vacation, but there’s an extremely important fight going on in the background right now, so I want to weigh in, even at the risk of irritating my long-suffering family.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal: Right now, two things are happening in parallel. The first is getting all the attention, but the second is, in practical terms, more significant. Yet the first may screw up the second. Let me explain.</p>
<p>The first thing is, Democrats in the Senate are now talking about passing a <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-06-21-is-a-utility-only-cap-and-trade-bill-worth-passing" type="external">limited cap-and-trade system that only covers electric utilities</a>. This is widely seen as a second-best measure, something short of an economy-wide system but better than no CO2 restrictions at all. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), among others, is working on legislative language for such a system (though he has said he’s skeptical it can get to 60 votes). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) is apparently going to <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-14-against-odds-democrats-will-bring-climate-bill-to-senate-floor/" type="external">go for it</a>, including such a system in the coming energy bill, and he’s deep in negotiation with various stakeholders about it.</p>
<p>The second thing is, EPA is working on a whole suite of new Clean Air Act regulations. I’m not talking about the much-discussed <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-15-everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-epa-greenhouse-gas-re" type="external">EPA regulation of greenhouse gases</a>—I mean tightened standards on traditional (“criteria”) air pollutants. The Clean Air Act dictates that EPA regularly revisit pollution standards and update them to reflect the best current science. Needless to say, that wasn’t done during the Bush years, so there’s a huge backlog of work. Every single criteria pollutant is being revisited. The upshot is, there are tons of new standards either recently released or on their way in the next year or so. (Also relevant are upcoming regulation of coal ash and tightened Clean Water Act standards.)</p>
<p>The utilities see an opening here. Their support will be crucial for getting the energy bill through the Senate. In exchange for their support, they are now asking to be exempted from the EPA’s new rules (as they are in Sen. Dick Lugar’s [R-Ind.] proposed energy bill). Darren Samuelsohn and Coral Davenport have a <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=D33FBE48-18FE-70B2-A8721949AAE06885" type="external">great story</a> today on the heated negotiations going on around this issue as we speak.</p>
<p>I’ve been planning a long post, or even series of posts (whee!), on this subject for a long time. There’s a lot of complex history and background that needs to be understood to really get what’s going on. But I’m on vacation, dammit, and I’m not going to start writing that post now.</p>
<p>Instead, let me just cut to the core point: A deal to exempt utilities from new Clean Air Act rules in exchange for their support for a utility-only cap-and-trade system would be a terrible deal. Terrible. I’ve resisted the repeated tendency of greens to say this or that compromise renders the climate bill “worse than nothing,” but this deal really would do that: it would make the bill worse than nothing. It would be a step backward, on both climate and health grounds. Any environmental group that supports such a deal should be scorned by progressives and cut off by progressive funders. (I’m extremely gratified to hear Samuelsohn report that green groups are, so far, holding firm on this.)</p>
<p>Why would it be so bad? Because the new Clean Air Act regulations are going to have bigger, faster, and more substantial effects on the power sector than any watered-down utility-only cap-and-trade system. Those regulations will eliminate more pollution, shut down more dirty coal plants, and avoid more greenhouse gases than a utility-only cap-and-trade system.</p>
<p>The power sector is terrified. After putting off needed investments in new, cleaner generation for years and years—aided and abetted by simpatico regulators in D.C.—all the sudden they’re going to have to start making those investments. And quickly! They might have to scramble, and innovate, and maybe even change their business models! Some of them might even have to…gasp…raise rates (which have been artificially suppressed for years)!</p>
<p>Utilities are extremely accustomed to their moldy old business models and practically allergic to innovation, so they’re reacting to the coming regulations with the same strategy they’ve always used: whining to politicians. They’re telling politicians that the regulations will force coal plant shutdowns faster than replacement generation can be found. There will be reliability issues. Brownouts! Puppies will freeze! Grandma will bake!</p>
<p>It’s bull—the same bull they’ve been peddling for years. If they get away with it, it will mark the true devolution of the climate bill into farce.</p>
<p>More, probably much more, when I’m back next week.</p>
<p>This <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-14-utilities-are-trying-to-pull-off-the-scam-of-the-decade/" type="external">post</a> was produced by <a href="http://www.grist.org/" type="external">Grist</a> as part of the <a href="http://theclimatedesk.org/" type="external">Climate Desk</a> collaboration.</p>
|
Utilities Are Trying to Pull Off the Scam of the Decade
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2010/07/utilities-are-trying-pull-scam-decade/
|
2010-07-16
| 4left
|
Utilities Are Trying to Pull Off the Scam of the Decade
<p><a href="http://theclimatedesk.org/" type="external" />I’m technically on vacation, but there’s an extremely important fight going on in the background right now, so I want to weigh in, even at the risk of irritating my long-suffering family.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal: Right now, two things are happening in parallel. The first is getting all the attention, but the second is, in practical terms, more significant. Yet the first may screw up the second. Let me explain.</p>
<p>The first thing is, Democrats in the Senate are now talking about passing a <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-06-21-is-a-utility-only-cap-and-trade-bill-worth-passing" type="external">limited cap-and-trade system that only covers electric utilities</a>. This is widely seen as a second-best measure, something short of an economy-wide system but better than no CO2 restrictions at all. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), among others, is working on legislative language for such a system (though he has said he’s skeptical it can get to 60 votes). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) is apparently going to <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-14-against-odds-democrats-will-bring-climate-bill-to-senate-floor/" type="external">go for it</a>, including such a system in the coming energy bill, and he’s deep in negotiation with various stakeholders about it.</p>
<p>The second thing is, EPA is working on a whole suite of new Clean Air Act regulations. I’m not talking about the much-discussed <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-15-everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-epa-greenhouse-gas-re" type="external">EPA regulation of greenhouse gases</a>—I mean tightened standards on traditional (“criteria”) air pollutants. The Clean Air Act dictates that EPA regularly revisit pollution standards and update them to reflect the best current science. Needless to say, that wasn’t done during the Bush years, so there’s a huge backlog of work. Every single criteria pollutant is being revisited. The upshot is, there are tons of new standards either recently released or on their way in the next year or so. (Also relevant are upcoming regulation of coal ash and tightened Clean Water Act standards.)</p>
<p>The utilities see an opening here. Their support will be crucial for getting the energy bill through the Senate. In exchange for their support, they are now asking to be exempted from the EPA’s new rules (as they are in Sen. Dick Lugar’s [R-Ind.] proposed energy bill). Darren Samuelsohn and Coral Davenport have a <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=D33FBE48-18FE-70B2-A8721949AAE06885" type="external">great story</a> today on the heated negotiations going on around this issue as we speak.</p>
<p>I’ve been planning a long post, or even series of posts (whee!), on this subject for a long time. There’s a lot of complex history and background that needs to be understood to really get what’s going on. But I’m on vacation, dammit, and I’m not going to start writing that post now.</p>
<p>Instead, let me just cut to the core point: A deal to exempt utilities from new Clean Air Act rules in exchange for their support for a utility-only cap-and-trade system would be a terrible deal. Terrible. I’ve resisted the repeated tendency of greens to say this or that compromise renders the climate bill “worse than nothing,” but this deal really would do that: it would make the bill worse than nothing. It would be a step backward, on both climate and health grounds. Any environmental group that supports such a deal should be scorned by progressives and cut off by progressive funders. (I’m extremely gratified to hear Samuelsohn report that green groups are, so far, holding firm on this.)</p>
<p>Why would it be so bad? Because the new Clean Air Act regulations are going to have bigger, faster, and more substantial effects on the power sector than any watered-down utility-only cap-and-trade system. Those regulations will eliminate more pollution, shut down more dirty coal plants, and avoid more greenhouse gases than a utility-only cap-and-trade system.</p>
<p>The power sector is terrified. After putting off needed investments in new, cleaner generation for years and years—aided and abetted by simpatico regulators in D.C.—all the sudden they’re going to have to start making those investments. And quickly! They might have to scramble, and innovate, and maybe even change their business models! Some of them might even have to…gasp…raise rates (which have been artificially suppressed for years)!</p>
<p>Utilities are extremely accustomed to their moldy old business models and practically allergic to innovation, so they’re reacting to the coming regulations with the same strategy they’ve always used: whining to politicians. They’re telling politicians that the regulations will force coal plant shutdowns faster than replacement generation can be found. There will be reliability issues. Brownouts! Puppies will freeze! Grandma will bake!</p>
<p>It’s bull—the same bull they’ve been peddling for years. If they get away with it, it will mark the true devolution of the climate bill into farce.</p>
<p>More, probably much more, when I’m back next week.</p>
<p>This <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-14-utilities-are-trying-to-pull-off-the-scam-of-the-decade/" type="external">post</a> was produced by <a href="http://www.grist.org/" type="external">Grist</a> as part of the <a href="http://theclimatedesk.org/" type="external">Climate Desk</a> collaboration.</p>
| 7,748 |
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Scarcely a day goes by that I do not receive an email from a self-proclaimed “progressive” organization soliciting contributions and asking for support and participation. Unfortunately most of these groups are tightly allied with, if not completely controlled by, the Democratic Party leadership and they toe the party line with a fidelity that would make an old Stalinist blush. The groups are legion: MoveOn, ACT, American Family Values, True Majority, etc. They raise many issues, the favorites being Social Security and (surprise!) electing Democrats in 2006. But one issue that is rarely mentioned is the war on Iraq. And although these groups will tell you that the war was a mistake, they are careful to state that now the U.S. cannot withdraw ­ at least not anytime soon. They are for “staying the course,” although they do not like to use those words. The giant fissure now separating these groups and their hawkish masters like Howard Dean, H. Clinton and John Kerry from genuine progressives and from a near majority of the American people is the issue of total withdrawal from Iraq, commencing at once.</p>
<p>Perhaps no organization is more illustrative of this kind of sell-out, and none more powerful, than MoveOn.org. Take a look at their web-site today (03/16/2005). You will find nothing about the upcoming actions on the weekend of March 19th, the second anniversary of the War, calling for withdrawal now. (There is an advertisment for an old documentary on Iraq done in 2003, but that is it. That is a long period of silence.) But the site is awash with items on the approved Democratic Party agenda. (It is pretty pathetic when the only possible victory these “progressives” can hope to claim is preservation of a program from the 1930’s. Hardly progress.)</p>
<p>But MoveOn is apparently feeling some heat. After <a href="http://www.antiwar.com/orig/solomon.php?articleid=5148" type="external">an incisive piece</a> by Norman Solomon exposing the pro-war stance of MoveOn, I received an unexpected email today. In it MoveOn calls on its contributors to participate in peace “vigils” sponsored by Sojournors. But Sojournors on its web-site does not call for total and prompt withdrawal from Iraq, only for “lasting peace and security in the region,” whatever that means. Sojournors is apparently intent on proving that you don’t have to be anti-war to be pro-peace. But that is not the worst of it. MoveOn wants to make sure its stance is not misinterpreted, saying: “The fundamental error of the invasion has left us, as a nation, with no opportunity for a quick fix.” “Quick fix” is MoveOn speak for prompt withdrawal.</p>
<p>Even more pathetic were the house parties organized by MoveOn nationwide last March 10. There were many younger people at the one I attended who were brought there by anger over the war in Iraq. And what did they confront ­ an organizing meeting where the word Iraq was mentioned only once over the webcast and that as something MoveOn would eventually address. To kick the meeting off, the webcast was addressed by Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, who is pro-war, anti-choice, anti-environment (siding with the mining interests in his state of Nevada) and the author of a constitutional amendment prohibiting flag burning. Some progressive! And then we were “organized” to call Senators to urge them to oppose Bush’s judicial nominations ­ a bit of political tone deafness in light of the fact that the second anniversary of the war comes in the same week when this action is being urged.</p>
<p>MoveOn’s fundamental problem is that it is not democratic. There is no effective way for members to communicate with the leadership. The leadership polls its members but only within certain guidelines. When they did their on-line primary which launched the candidacy of pro-war Howard Dean, they did not include Nader or any non-Democrats. In the on-line discussions one’s comments get lost in a fog of blog. And I have personally had my comments critical of the Democratic Party pulled from such a Discussion. MoveOn will either democratize or die as progressives understand that it is strictly a partisan organization.</p>
<p>But I fear that other “progressive” organizations are sliding into the same pro-war pit inhabited by MoveOn. For example, The Nation’s call for immediate withdrawal, at least in the last half year, has been minimal. It is noteworthy that both the Nation and the paleo-conservative magazine, The American Conservative, have opposed the war. But whereasThe Nation endorsed the pro-war John Kerry, the American Conservative refused to endorse the pro-war George Bush. So which magazine is principled and which merely partisan? (The American Conservative even did an extensive interview with the anti-war Ralph Nader leading up to the election whereas The Nation excoriated him and banished him from its pages.) And now leading up to the March 20th anniversary of the war, there is no clear call in The Nation this week to join the Out Now demonstrations. Hopefully, The Nation will change course, invite Nader’s contributions on the war and vigorously promote actions calling for U.S. withdrawal.</p>
<p>And sadly this slide to the Right includes the Greens (my party). At least The Greens are calling for immediate withdrawal and sponsoring the Out Now demonstrations this coming weekend. But they are hardly leveling a blistering critique at the Democratic Party for its pro-war stance ­ which is precisely what a political party like the Greens exists to do. Instead the Greens seem to be stalled in some kind of time warp where all that matters is the vote count in Ohio. Or take Air America Radio. Its anchor program, the Al Franken show, has not called for withdrawal or pointed even once to the complicity of the Democrats in the war. Franken, author of “Lies and the Lying Liars That Tell Them,” should know that a very powerful way of lying is by omission. Fortunately some other voices on Air America are not following the party line, calling instead for immediate withdrawal and promoting the Out Now demonstrations. And it is evident from the calls that many are fed up with the Democrats.</p>
<p>Beneath all this an anti-war movement is stirring. One can see it in organizations and coalitions like the one organizing the March in Fayettteville, NC, calling for the troops to be brought home now, in the town meetings in Vermont where 49 of 52 towns voted for withdrawal, in the anti-war movement in Washington, DC, which has been sparked into a fury of progressive activity following its work together with A.N.S.W.E.R on the anti-war demonstration at the Inaugural, and in the demonstrations at military recruitment centers. (To its credit, MichaelMoore.com tirelessly tracks these genuine anti-war efforts.)</p>
<p>So it is on to Fayetteville this weekend. Or if you cannot make Fayatteville then demonstrate locally ­ not at a phony vigil but at a genuine “Out Now” anti-war event. (See <a href="http://www.unitedforpeace.org/" type="external">www.unitedforpeace.org/</a>) Soon the misleadership must either change or lose its following.</p>
<p>JOHN WALSH can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
|
The Perfidy of the Democratic Party’s Puppets
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2005/03/18/the-perfidy-of-the-democratic-party-s-puppets/
|
2005-03-18
| 4left
|
The Perfidy of the Democratic Party’s Puppets
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Scarcely a day goes by that I do not receive an email from a self-proclaimed “progressive” organization soliciting contributions and asking for support and participation. Unfortunately most of these groups are tightly allied with, if not completely controlled by, the Democratic Party leadership and they toe the party line with a fidelity that would make an old Stalinist blush. The groups are legion: MoveOn, ACT, American Family Values, True Majority, etc. They raise many issues, the favorites being Social Security and (surprise!) electing Democrats in 2006. But one issue that is rarely mentioned is the war on Iraq. And although these groups will tell you that the war was a mistake, they are careful to state that now the U.S. cannot withdraw ­ at least not anytime soon. They are for “staying the course,” although they do not like to use those words. The giant fissure now separating these groups and their hawkish masters like Howard Dean, H. Clinton and John Kerry from genuine progressives and from a near majority of the American people is the issue of total withdrawal from Iraq, commencing at once.</p>
<p>Perhaps no organization is more illustrative of this kind of sell-out, and none more powerful, than MoveOn.org. Take a look at their web-site today (03/16/2005). You will find nothing about the upcoming actions on the weekend of March 19th, the second anniversary of the War, calling for withdrawal now. (There is an advertisment for an old documentary on Iraq done in 2003, but that is it. That is a long period of silence.) But the site is awash with items on the approved Democratic Party agenda. (It is pretty pathetic when the only possible victory these “progressives” can hope to claim is preservation of a program from the 1930’s. Hardly progress.)</p>
<p>But MoveOn is apparently feeling some heat. After <a href="http://www.antiwar.com/orig/solomon.php?articleid=5148" type="external">an incisive piece</a> by Norman Solomon exposing the pro-war stance of MoveOn, I received an unexpected email today. In it MoveOn calls on its contributors to participate in peace “vigils” sponsored by Sojournors. But Sojournors on its web-site does not call for total and prompt withdrawal from Iraq, only for “lasting peace and security in the region,” whatever that means. Sojournors is apparently intent on proving that you don’t have to be anti-war to be pro-peace. But that is not the worst of it. MoveOn wants to make sure its stance is not misinterpreted, saying: “The fundamental error of the invasion has left us, as a nation, with no opportunity for a quick fix.” “Quick fix” is MoveOn speak for prompt withdrawal.</p>
<p>Even more pathetic were the house parties organized by MoveOn nationwide last March 10. There were many younger people at the one I attended who were brought there by anger over the war in Iraq. And what did they confront ­ an organizing meeting where the word Iraq was mentioned only once over the webcast and that as something MoveOn would eventually address. To kick the meeting off, the webcast was addressed by Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, who is pro-war, anti-choice, anti-environment (siding with the mining interests in his state of Nevada) and the author of a constitutional amendment prohibiting flag burning. Some progressive! And then we were “organized” to call Senators to urge them to oppose Bush’s judicial nominations ­ a bit of political tone deafness in light of the fact that the second anniversary of the war comes in the same week when this action is being urged.</p>
<p>MoveOn’s fundamental problem is that it is not democratic. There is no effective way for members to communicate with the leadership. The leadership polls its members but only within certain guidelines. When they did their on-line primary which launched the candidacy of pro-war Howard Dean, they did not include Nader or any non-Democrats. In the on-line discussions one’s comments get lost in a fog of blog. And I have personally had my comments critical of the Democratic Party pulled from such a Discussion. MoveOn will either democratize or die as progressives understand that it is strictly a partisan organization.</p>
<p>But I fear that other “progressive” organizations are sliding into the same pro-war pit inhabited by MoveOn. For example, The Nation’s call for immediate withdrawal, at least in the last half year, has been minimal. It is noteworthy that both the Nation and the paleo-conservative magazine, The American Conservative, have opposed the war. But whereasThe Nation endorsed the pro-war John Kerry, the American Conservative refused to endorse the pro-war George Bush. So which magazine is principled and which merely partisan? (The American Conservative even did an extensive interview with the anti-war Ralph Nader leading up to the election whereas The Nation excoriated him and banished him from its pages.) And now leading up to the March 20th anniversary of the war, there is no clear call in The Nation this week to join the Out Now demonstrations. Hopefully, The Nation will change course, invite Nader’s contributions on the war and vigorously promote actions calling for U.S. withdrawal.</p>
<p>And sadly this slide to the Right includes the Greens (my party). At least The Greens are calling for immediate withdrawal and sponsoring the Out Now demonstrations this coming weekend. But they are hardly leveling a blistering critique at the Democratic Party for its pro-war stance ­ which is precisely what a political party like the Greens exists to do. Instead the Greens seem to be stalled in some kind of time warp where all that matters is the vote count in Ohio. Or take Air America Radio. Its anchor program, the Al Franken show, has not called for withdrawal or pointed even once to the complicity of the Democrats in the war. Franken, author of “Lies and the Lying Liars That Tell Them,” should know that a very powerful way of lying is by omission. Fortunately some other voices on Air America are not following the party line, calling instead for immediate withdrawal and promoting the Out Now demonstrations. And it is evident from the calls that many are fed up with the Democrats.</p>
<p>Beneath all this an anti-war movement is stirring. One can see it in organizations and coalitions like the one organizing the March in Fayettteville, NC, calling for the troops to be brought home now, in the town meetings in Vermont where 49 of 52 towns voted for withdrawal, in the anti-war movement in Washington, DC, which has been sparked into a fury of progressive activity following its work together with A.N.S.W.E.R on the anti-war demonstration at the Inaugural, and in the demonstrations at military recruitment centers. (To its credit, MichaelMoore.com tirelessly tracks these genuine anti-war efforts.)</p>
<p>So it is on to Fayetteville this weekend. Or if you cannot make Fayatteville then demonstrate locally ­ not at a phony vigil but at a genuine “Out Now” anti-war event. (See <a href="http://www.unitedforpeace.org/" type="external">www.unitedforpeace.org/</a>) Soon the misleadership must either change or lose its following.</p>
<p>JOHN WALSH can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 7,749 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>BEIRUT — The Syrian government took full control of Aleppo on Thursday for the first time in four years after the last opposition fighters and civilians were bused out of war-ravaged eastern districts, sealing the end of the rebellion’s most important stronghold.</p>
<p>The evacuations ended a brutal chapter in Syria’s nearly six-year civil war, allowing President Bashar Assad to regain full authority over the country’s largest city and former commercial powerhouse. It marked his most significant victory since an uprising against his family’s four-decade rule began in 2011.</p>
<p>The announcement was made via an army statement broadcast on Syrian state TV shortly after the last four buses carrying fighters left through the Ramousseh crossing.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Thanks to the blood of our heroic martyrs, the heroic deeds and sacrifices of our armed forces and the allied forces, and the steadfastness of our people, the General Command of the Army and the Armed Forces announces the return of security and stability to Aleppo,” an army general said in the statement.</p>
<p>Western Aleppo erupted in heavy celebratory gunfire, with Syrian TV showing uniformed soldiers and civilians shouting “Aleppo, Aleppo!” and “God, Syria and Bashar only!”</p>
<p>“No more east and west, Aleppo is back for all Aleppans,” said the Syrian TV correspondent, surrounded by people waving Syrian flags.</p>
<p>For Syria’s opposition, it was a crushing defeat that signaled the start of a new struggle to forge a way forward.</p>
<p>Ahmad al-Khatib, an opposition media activist who left the city before the siege, said the fall of Aleppo was a date “we’ll never forget and we will never forgive.”</p>
<p>“Let the world bear witness that Bashar Assad has killed and displaced and destroyed Aleppo, and he celebrates in his victory over the blood and offspring of Aleppo … with the agreement of the Arab and Western nations,” he posted on Twitter.</p>
<p>The ancient city had been divided into rebel and government parts since 2012, when rebels from the countryside swept in and took hold of eastern districts. That set the stage for more than four years of brutal fighting and government bombardment that laid waste to those neighborhoods.</p>
<p>The army statement said the victory in Aleppo is a “strategic transformation and a turning point in the war on terrorism and a deadly blow to the terrorist project and its supporters.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>It was a further incentive to keep fighting to “eradicate terrorism and restore security and stability to every span of the homeland,” it added.</p>
<p>Earlier in the day, Assad said his forces’ achievements in Aleppo are a “major step on the road to wiping out terrorism” and ending the civil war.</p>
<p>The rebel evacuations were set in motion after a months-long siege and Russian-backed military campaign. Years of resistance were stamped out in a relentless campaign over the past month that saw hospitals bombed, bodies left unburied and civilians killed by shells as they fled for safety.</p>
<p>The campaign targeted all remaining hospitals, knocking them out of service. Medical and food supplies ran out and fighters were left demoralized and abandoned by their regional allies.</p>
<p>Under a deal brokered by Russia and Turkey, tens of thousands of residents and fighters began evacuating to opposition-controlled areas in the surrounding countryside, a process that took a week.</p>
<p>More than 35,000 fighters and civilians were bused out, according to the United Nations. The ICRC said in a statement that more than 4,000 additional fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans and trucks since Wednesday.</p>
<p>The departure of the last convoy Thursday was a humiliating defeat for the opposition.</p>
<p>The rebels’ hold in Aleppo was a major point of pride, and at times the city seemed to be an invulnerable part of what was once a growing opposition-held patch of territory in the north.</p>
<p>The divided northern city has paid dearly as a central theater of the war. In the past month alone, hundreds of civilians were killed by intense bombardment of rebel-held zones.</p>
<p>A photo of 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh — confused and covered in dust and blood as he sat in an ambulance after being rescued in August from the rubble of a building — became a haunting image in the unforgiving struggle.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Philip Issa and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed reporting.</p>
|
Syrian government takes full control of Aleppo after 4 years
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/914056/last-group-to-be-evacuated-from-syrias-aleppo-within-hours.html
|
2016-12-22
| 2least
|
Syrian government takes full control of Aleppo after 4 years
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>BEIRUT — The Syrian government took full control of Aleppo on Thursday for the first time in four years after the last opposition fighters and civilians were bused out of war-ravaged eastern districts, sealing the end of the rebellion’s most important stronghold.</p>
<p>The evacuations ended a brutal chapter in Syria’s nearly six-year civil war, allowing President Bashar Assad to regain full authority over the country’s largest city and former commercial powerhouse. It marked his most significant victory since an uprising against his family’s four-decade rule began in 2011.</p>
<p>The announcement was made via an army statement broadcast on Syrian state TV shortly after the last four buses carrying fighters left through the Ramousseh crossing.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Thanks to the blood of our heroic martyrs, the heroic deeds and sacrifices of our armed forces and the allied forces, and the steadfastness of our people, the General Command of the Army and the Armed Forces announces the return of security and stability to Aleppo,” an army general said in the statement.</p>
<p>Western Aleppo erupted in heavy celebratory gunfire, with Syrian TV showing uniformed soldiers and civilians shouting “Aleppo, Aleppo!” and “God, Syria and Bashar only!”</p>
<p>“No more east and west, Aleppo is back for all Aleppans,” said the Syrian TV correspondent, surrounded by people waving Syrian flags.</p>
<p>For Syria’s opposition, it was a crushing defeat that signaled the start of a new struggle to forge a way forward.</p>
<p>Ahmad al-Khatib, an opposition media activist who left the city before the siege, said the fall of Aleppo was a date “we’ll never forget and we will never forgive.”</p>
<p>“Let the world bear witness that Bashar Assad has killed and displaced and destroyed Aleppo, and he celebrates in his victory over the blood and offspring of Aleppo … with the agreement of the Arab and Western nations,” he posted on Twitter.</p>
<p>The ancient city had been divided into rebel and government parts since 2012, when rebels from the countryside swept in and took hold of eastern districts. That set the stage for more than four years of brutal fighting and government bombardment that laid waste to those neighborhoods.</p>
<p>The army statement said the victory in Aleppo is a “strategic transformation and a turning point in the war on terrorism and a deadly blow to the terrorist project and its supporters.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>It was a further incentive to keep fighting to “eradicate terrorism and restore security and stability to every span of the homeland,” it added.</p>
<p>Earlier in the day, Assad said his forces’ achievements in Aleppo are a “major step on the road to wiping out terrorism” and ending the civil war.</p>
<p>The rebel evacuations were set in motion after a months-long siege and Russian-backed military campaign. Years of resistance were stamped out in a relentless campaign over the past month that saw hospitals bombed, bodies left unburied and civilians killed by shells as they fled for safety.</p>
<p>The campaign targeted all remaining hospitals, knocking them out of service. Medical and food supplies ran out and fighters were left demoralized and abandoned by their regional allies.</p>
<p>Under a deal brokered by Russia and Turkey, tens of thousands of residents and fighters began evacuating to opposition-controlled areas in the surrounding countryside, a process that took a week.</p>
<p>More than 35,000 fighters and civilians were bused out, according to the United Nations. The ICRC said in a statement that more than 4,000 additional fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans and trucks since Wednesday.</p>
<p>The departure of the last convoy Thursday was a humiliating defeat for the opposition.</p>
<p>The rebels’ hold in Aleppo was a major point of pride, and at times the city seemed to be an invulnerable part of what was once a growing opposition-held patch of territory in the north.</p>
<p>The divided northern city has paid dearly as a central theater of the war. In the past month alone, hundreds of civilians were killed by intense bombardment of rebel-held zones.</p>
<p>A photo of 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh — confused and covered in dust and blood as he sat in an ambulance after being rescued in August from the rubble of a building — became a haunting image in the unforgiving struggle.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Philip Issa and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed reporting.</p>
| 7,750 |
<p>The College Board <a href="" type="internal">announced sweeping changes to the SAT exam</a> today as well as new opportunities for students. While some question the overall value of the high-stakes exam, there is also mounting criticism as to whether students who can afford expensive SAT test preparation courses have an unfair advantage, especially given a strong correlation between family income level and test results.</p>
<p>College Board President David Coleman spoke with Education Correspondent Rehema Ellis about how the revamped SAT can help propel kids into college.</p>
<p>And Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, promises new, free SAT study materials will give students a competitive edge.</p>
<p />
|
New SAT Changes Aim to Level the Playing Field
| false |
http://nbcnews.com/nightly-news/new-sat-changes-aim-level-playing-field-n44496
|
2014-03-05
| 3left-center
|
New SAT Changes Aim to Level the Playing Field
<p>The College Board <a href="" type="internal">announced sweeping changes to the SAT exam</a> today as well as new opportunities for students. While some question the overall value of the high-stakes exam, there is also mounting criticism as to whether students who can afford expensive SAT test preparation courses have an unfair advantage, especially given a strong correlation between family income level and test results.</p>
<p>College Board President David Coleman spoke with Education Correspondent Rehema Ellis about how the revamped SAT can help propel kids into college.</p>
<p>And Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, promises new, free SAT study materials will give students a competitive edge.</p>
<p />
| 7,751 |
<p>By Greg Torode and Venus Wu</p>
<p>HONG KONG (Reuters) – Amid calls from Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing elite for sweeping new national security laws, government advisers and lawyers say the legislation is likely to be tougher than proposals shelved 14 years ago, raising fears about the city’s cherished freedoms.</p>
<p>Those demanding urgency for the long-delayed Article 23 are using a fledgling independence movement in the former British colony as justification – even though the independence debate would have been allowed when Article 23 was first proposed in 2003.</p>
<p>Lawyers, diplomats and activists fear the new pressure could lead to legal “overkill” in an open city already struggling with increased interference from Beijing’s Communist Party rulers.</p>
<p>“We can see an intolerance from the central authorities over any kind of independence discussion,” said Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong law school.</p>
<p>“In this atmosphere, there is a concern that we could end up with something that criminalizes even the advocacy of independence, something that goes much further and is tougher than the previous proposals.”</p>
<p>Kevin Yam, of Hong Kong’s Progressive Lawyers Group, said it was vital to win the argument against independence by persuasion and debate, rather than a sweeping new law that curbs freedoms.</p>
<p>“If the government goes too far, it will undoubtedly have a chilling impact on Hong Kong,” he said. “This is of great concern.”</p>
<p>PRESSURE MOUNTS</p>
<p>The government, in response to Reuters’ questions, did not provide information on when or how it would kick-start legislation, but said it “will seek to create a favorable social environment for the community to handle this constitutional obligation … in a positive manner.”</p>
<p>Hong Kong, a free-wheeling global financial hub, has been ruled under a “one country, two systems” formula since Britain handed it back to China in 1997, guaranteeing freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent judiciary and freedom of expression.</p>
<p>Those freedoms are outlined in the Basic Law, a mini-constitution that also demands the city pass its own law covering treason, secession and subversion against Beijing.</p>
<p>But many see Beijing increasingly involved in Hong Kong’s affairs, such as the shadowy detention in 2015 of five Hong Kong booksellers who sold gossipy material critical of Beijing, and a legal interpretation from the Chinese parliament that eventually led to the disqualification of six democratically elected lawmakers. The calls to enact Article 23 follow that pattern, they say.</p>
<p>Previous government proposals outlawed incitement to violence but sought to protect political debate. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest against Article 23 in 2003, forcing the government to shelve it. Months-long pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014 further heightened political sensitivities surrounding the legislation, and the government has not set a firm timetable to re-introduce it.</p>
<p>But now pressure is mounting on Hong Kong to push through the laws after mainland officials expressed concerns in both public and private meetings.</p>
<p>“POTENTIAL HAZARDS”</p>
<p>Senior Chinese parliamentarian Li Fei used a visit to Hong Kong last week to warn that Article 23 was a “duty that can’t be shirked” while the chief of China’s Liaison Office in the city also called for action.</p>
<p>“Many risks and potential hazards that would affect or even threaten national sovereignty, security and developmental interests have not been effectively eliminated or prevented,” Liaison Office chief and Communist Party Central Committee member Wang Zhimin told pro-establishment lawmakers, according to his office’s website.</p>
<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping took what some saw as a harder line on Hong Kong’s future during his visit in July to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover from the British. Challenges and threats to China’s sovereignty and power, or the use of Hong Kong as a base for infiltration and sabotage, were acts that crossed “the red line” and were “absolutely impermissible”, Xi said.</p>
<p>Two members of Hong Kong’s executive council – effectively the cabinet of leader Carrie Lam – have told Reuters that the 2003 bill would almost certainly have to be updated to reflect the fresh concerns.</p>
<p>The city’s independence movement, which has largely gone underground after most of its young leaders were charged for their roles in various protests, did not exist in 2003.</p>
<p>Executive Council member Regina Ip – who pushed the previous bill as Hong Kong’s then-security chief – said she could not say if the old proposals were sufficient in 2017.</p>
<p>“We must review any proposed legislation against the evolving security situation… that is only natural,” she said.</p>
<p>Her colleague and moderate democrat Ronny Tong said he believed, realistically, any new laws could draw the line at organized efforts to promote independence.</p>
<p>“If the last version were to be passed, in fact it would not stop … what is done by the students, because they are not advocating violence,” he said.</p>
<p>“Hong Kong people are getting more and more intolerant of Beijing, and they (Chinese rulers) don’t like that at all. Even short of independence, they feel that something needs to be done … to try to make people more respectful to Beijing.”</p>
|
Looming national security laws raise fresh fears for Hong Kong's freedoms
| false |
https://newsline.com/looming-national-security-laws-raise-fresh-fears-for-hong-kong039s-freedoms/
|
2017-11-24
| 1right-center
|
Looming national security laws raise fresh fears for Hong Kong's freedoms
<p>By Greg Torode and Venus Wu</p>
<p>HONG KONG (Reuters) – Amid calls from Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing elite for sweeping new national security laws, government advisers and lawyers say the legislation is likely to be tougher than proposals shelved 14 years ago, raising fears about the city’s cherished freedoms.</p>
<p>Those demanding urgency for the long-delayed Article 23 are using a fledgling independence movement in the former British colony as justification – even though the independence debate would have been allowed when Article 23 was first proposed in 2003.</p>
<p>Lawyers, diplomats and activists fear the new pressure could lead to legal “overkill” in an open city already struggling with increased interference from Beijing’s Communist Party rulers.</p>
<p>“We can see an intolerance from the central authorities over any kind of independence discussion,” said Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong law school.</p>
<p>“In this atmosphere, there is a concern that we could end up with something that criminalizes even the advocacy of independence, something that goes much further and is tougher than the previous proposals.”</p>
<p>Kevin Yam, of Hong Kong’s Progressive Lawyers Group, said it was vital to win the argument against independence by persuasion and debate, rather than a sweeping new law that curbs freedoms.</p>
<p>“If the government goes too far, it will undoubtedly have a chilling impact on Hong Kong,” he said. “This is of great concern.”</p>
<p>PRESSURE MOUNTS</p>
<p>The government, in response to Reuters’ questions, did not provide information on when or how it would kick-start legislation, but said it “will seek to create a favorable social environment for the community to handle this constitutional obligation … in a positive manner.”</p>
<p>Hong Kong, a free-wheeling global financial hub, has been ruled under a “one country, two systems” formula since Britain handed it back to China in 1997, guaranteeing freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent judiciary and freedom of expression.</p>
<p>Those freedoms are outlined in the Basic Law, a mini-constitution that also demands the city pass its own law covering treason, secession and subversion against Beijing.</p>
<p>But many see Beijing increasingly involved in Hong Kong’s affairs, such as the shadowy detention in 2015 of five Hong Kong booksellers who sold gossipy material critical of Beijing, and a legal interpretation from the Chinese parliament that eventually led to the disqualification of six democratically elected lawmakers. The calls to enact Article 23 follow that pattern, they say.</p>
<p>Previous government proposals outlawed incitement to violence but sought to protect political debate. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest against Article 23 in 2003, forcing the government to shelve it. Months-long pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014 further heightened political sensitivities surrounding the legislation, and the government has not set a firm timetable to re-introduce it.</p>
<p>But now pressure is mounting on Hong Kong to push through the laws after mainland officials expressed concerns in both public and private meetings.</p>
<p>“POTENTIAL HAZARDS”</p>
<p>Senior Chinese parliamentarian Li Fei used a visit to Hong Kong last week to warn that Article 23 was a “duty that can’t be shirked” while the chief of China’s Liaison Office in the city also called for action.</p>
<p>“Many risks and potential hazards that would affect or even threaten national sovereignty, security and developmental interests have not been effectively eliminated or prevented,” Liaison Office chief and Communist Party Central Committee member Wang Zhimin told pro-establishment lawmakers, according to his office’s website.</p>
<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping took what some saw as a harder line on Hong Kong’s future during his visit in July to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover from the British. Challenges and threats to China’s sovereignty and power, or the use of Hong Kong as a base for infiltration and sabotage, were acts that crossed “the red line” and were “absolutely impermissible”, Xi said.</p>
<p>Two members of Hong Kong’s executive council – effectively the cabinet of leader Carrie Lam – have told Reuters that the 2003 bill would almost certainly have to be updated to reflect the fresh concerns.</p>
<p>The city’s independence movement, which has largely gone underground after most of its young leaders were charged for their roles in various protests, did not exist in 2003.</p>
<p>Executive Council member Regina Ip – who pushed the previous bill as Hong Kong’s then-security chief – said she could not say if the old proposals were sufficient in 2017.</p>
<p>“We must review any proposed legislation against the evolving security situation… that is only natural,” she said.</p>
<p>Her colleague and moderate democrat Ronny Tong said he believed, realistically, any new laws could draw the line at organized efforts to promote independence.</p>
<p>“If the last version were to be passed, in fact it would not stop … what is done by the students, because they are not advocating violence,” he said.</p>
<p>“Hong Kong people are getting more and more intolerant of Beijing, and they (Chinese rulers) don’t like that at all. Even short of independence, they feel that something needs to be done … to try to make people more respectful to Beijing.”</p>
| 7,752 |
<p><a href="http://abc.go.com/watch-live" type="external">abc.go.com</a></p>
<p>Update: 9:45 p.m. PST: In the show’s final stretch, the political moments seemed to happen with about the same frequency as African-Americans were called onto the Oscar stage … as presenters. Louis Gossett Jr., Quincy Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Pharrell Williams, Abraham Attah and Morgan Freeman represented something missing from too many categories Sunday evening, not to mention Hollywood writ large.</p>
<p>If it isn’t clear by now what that might be, here’s a refresher, from <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/chris-rock-oscar-jokes" type="external">one</a> of host Chris Rock’s most controversial riffs from the broadcast:</p>
<p>Why are we protesting this Oscars? It’s the 88th Academy Awards, which means this ‘no black nominees’ thing happened at least 71 other times. You got to figure that it happened in the ’50s, in the ’60s. One of those years, Sidney [Poitier] didn’t put out a movie. I’m sure there were no black nominees some of those years, say ’62 or ’63. Black people did not protest. Why? Because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematography. When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary foreign short.</p>
<p />
<p>Entertainment Weekly <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/chris-rock-real-things-protest-oscars-joke" type="external">pointed out</a> after the fact that his joke didn’t land so well with everyone.</p>
<p>Any greatest-hits compendium of moments when the Dolby Theatre’s decked-out stage became a platform for political expression has to include “Spectre” singer and co-songwriter Sam Smith’s <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/oscars-2016-sam-smith-oscar-lgbt" type="external">dedication</a> of his best original song victory to the global LGBT community. “I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day,” Smith said. (To clarify Smith’s onstage reference, it’s worth noting that Ian McKellen recently <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/25/ian-mckellen-why-no-openly-gay-man-oscar-diversity-homophobia" type="external">wondered</a> why no openly gay man has ever won the best actor Oscar).</p>
<p>Two foreign films—Hungary’s “ <a href="http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/son-of-saul-is-2016-oscar-winner-for-foreign-language" type="external">Son of Saul</a>” (which took gold in the best foreign film category) and Pakistan’s “ <a href="http://oscar.go.com/nominees/documentary-short/a-girl-in-the-river-the-price-of-forgiveness" type="external">A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness</a>” (best short subject documentary)—zoomed in on forms of religious persecution. Vice President Joe Biden won a standing ovation by showing up to call for an end to sexual violence and to introduce Lady Gaga’s performance of “Til It Happens to You,” from the campus rape documentary “ <a href="" type="internal">The Hunting Ground.</a>“</p>
<p>Finally, the night’s biggest awards went to Alejandro Iñárritu, who bagged the best director Oscar for the second consecutive year, for his work on the grueling frontier thriller “The Revenant”; his star, Leonardo DiCaprio, as best actor; Brie Larson of “Room,” another cinematic confrontation with abuse, for best actress; and “Spotlight,” the tale of journalistic triumph, which was named best feature.</p>
<p>Iñárritu pointed out how the moment, along with his film, offered “a great opportunity for our generation to really liberate ourselves from all prejudice and … this tribal thinking.” DiCaprio, for whom his sixth nomination was evidently the charm, gestured at his own cause célèbre: global warming. “Climate change is the most urgent threat facing our entire species,” he intoned, warning, “we need to stop procrastinating.”</p>
<p>Rock grabbed the microphone for one last bid to make the 88th Academy Awards extravaganza a little less white, issuing a mass invitation to this summer’s BET Awards. His signoff? “Black Lives Matter!”</p>
<p>And scene.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a> * * *</p>
<p>Update: 7:37 p.m. PST: Politics continued to pop as the initial statuettes were passed out at the Oscars —“otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards,” as Rock joked—in the telecast’s special features, in Rock’s running commentary and in the awards themselves.</p>
<p>Rock built on his one-two punch of an opener with more <a href="http://time.com/4240618/oscars-2016-chris-rock-monologue-best-jokes/" type="external">zingers</a>, and the show’s creators ran with the race-based humor in slick and funny gag reels. One prefabricated clip recast African-American actors in title film roles or invented supporting roles not actually included in the originals. Whoopi Goldberg—herself a best actress winner for 1990’s supernatural romance “Ghost”—schooled Jennifer Lawrence’s domestic entrepreneur from “Joy.” “A black girl would have to invent the cure to cancer before they even give her a TV movie!” Goldberg cracked. Tracy Morgan stepped into Eddie Redmayne’s shoes in “The Danish Girl”—complete with a Danish pastry. Rock himself beamed in from Mars in lieu of “The Martian” star and Oscar nominee Matt Damon, asking to be brought home, but Kristen Wiig and Jeff Daniels decided “Black Astronaut” wasn’t worth the trouble or expense.</p>
<p>The Oscar producers’ decision to trot out actor-turned-Fox-News commentator Stacey Dash, who wished the crowd a “happy Black History Month,” was met with apparent confusion within the Dolby Theatre and a silent reaction from The Weeknd, one of the evening’s musical performers, that spoke volumes.</p>
<p>Swedish actor Alicia Vikander, who won accolades in two memorable roles last year—as a technological creation made by and for men in “Ex Machina” (see Carrie Rickey’s review of that film <a href="" type="internal">here</a>) and as the wife of transgender painter Lili Elbe in “The Danish Girl”—won the best supporting actress Oscar for the latter picture. “The Revenant” cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki raised the bar with his record-breaking third consecutive win, for “The Revenant,” following his win for “Birdman” last year and “Gravity” two years ago.</p>
<p>“Spotlight,” director Tom McCarthy’s spot-on portrayal of the dogged Boston Globe reporting team that exposed the Catholic Church’s incalculable abuses of children and power over decades in Boston and beyond, met prognosticators’ expectations with a best original screenplay win. Globe scribe Mike Rezendes, played by best supporting actor nominee Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight,” made a thumbs-up cameo after a shoutout from Rock.</p>
<p>“Mad Max: Fury Road,” director George Miller’s frenetic, apocalyptic big-screen nightmare shot through with ecological and feminist themes had, by press time, racked up six wins, sweeping technical categories such as sound mixing, sound editing, and makeup and hairstyling. In her acceptance speech, “Mad Max” costume designer and newly minted Academy Award-winner Jenny Beavan was played off the stage as she tried to talk about the movie’s politics.</p>
<p>The Weeknd later made the ceremony not quite #SoWhite as he took the stage to sing “Earned It” from a film with seriously questionable feminist credentials: “Fifty Shades of Grey.”</p>
<p>The biggest upset of the evening happened as the midpoint approached, when Mark Rylance won best supporting actor for his role as a standup secret agent in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War brow-knitter “Bridge of Spies.” Cue the boxing metaphors as Sylvester Stallone once again missed his chance to go home with a little gold sidekick for “Creed.”</p>
<p>We’d like to thank the Academy for keeping an updated list of Oscar winners <a href="http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/oscar-winners-2016-see-the-complete-list" type="external">on its website</a>.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a> * * *</p>
<p>Update: 6:22 p.m. PST: In his host gig at the Academy Awards, Chris Rock, comedian, actor and filmmaker, was in a hard place. This is the second consecutive year not one actor of color was nominated, a situation dubbed #OscarsSoWhite. Many prominent African-American actors and filmmakers—among them Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay and Spike Lee—elected not to come. Rock’s job was to comically criticize the academy he represented.</p>
<p>Rock strolled out onstage after a montage of 2016 films. ”I counted at least 15 black people in that montage,” he joked.</p>
<p>“Why are we protesting this Oscars?” he asked. “What happened this year? Everybody got mad. … Jada [Pinkett Smith] boycotting Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. … I wasn’t invited.” Then he winked and said, “This year’s ‘In Memoriam’ … it’s just gonna be black people that were shot by cops on their way to the movies.”</p>
<p>Rock did it. He criticized Hollywood’s racism by deflecting criticism of the academy. And it was the best, most politically pointed monologue in maybe forever.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Carrie Rickey</a> * * *</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2016" type="external">votes</a> are in. The <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/article/2016-oscar-predictions-20150312" type="external">predictions</a> are in. And in some people’s estimation, the <a href="http://mic.com/articles/135987/are-the-oscars-rigged-in-a-sense-yes" type="external">fix</a> is in.</p>
<p>Once again, members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are <a href="" type="internal">in hot water</a> for inspiring the #OscarsSoWhite online campaign by nominating an overwhelmingly Caucasian lineup of Oscar contenders. Hollywood’s systemic exclusion issues will affect the Academy Awards telecast’s ratings, as some 20 percent fewer African-American viewers will reportedly be watching this year.</p>
<p>But big money rides on the Oscars, so the show must go on—and as of Sunday evening, it went live on ABC.</p>
<p>Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs turned up on the red carpet for an interview with the network’s Robin Roberts. Skipping the usual chatter about designer dresses and shoes, Isaacs discussed her organization’s persistent problems with race and representation. She said that the academy has been “focused on more inclusion” within its ranks of about 7,000 members from all parts of the industry, who are obliged to serve as “ambassadors out into the entire motion picture industry and to make sure the conversation continues and that action is taken.”</p>
<p>Isaacs also claimed that the present push for diversification wasn’t just a response to #OscarsSoWhite or to the boycott of Sunday’s event by prominent African-American actors and directors such as Coogler and DuVernay. “We had been having these discussions and pulling together some initiatives for a while, for a few years now,” she said. “We are going to continue to take action and not just talk.”</p>
<p>Coogler and DuVernay will be focusing their energies on a different national quandary that is also heavily racially inflected (per the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-ways-to-boycott-oscars-diversity-20160226-story.html" type="external">Los Angeles Times</a>):</p>
<p>“Creed” director Ryan Coogler and “Selma” director Ava DuVernay will be in Flint, Mich., for a benefit aimed at supporting that city’s beleaguered residents as they suffer through an ongoing water crisis. Celebrities including singers Janelle Monae and Ledisi, actor Jesse Williams and comedian Hannibal Buress will also attend the event put on by Coogler’s artist-activist collective Blackout for Human Rights.</p>
<p>Though the event is happening on the same day as the Oscars, Coogler told Buzzfeed that the timing was merely coincidental. He said the date was chosen because it’s the final weekend of Black History Month.</p>
<p>The Times piece quoted above is packed with information about other ways activists from the entertainment community and beyond are protesting, organizing and calling for change in the business of show business.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Truthdig contributor, industry expert and film reviewer Carrie Rickey and Truthdig Senior Editor Kasia Anderson live-blog all evening, right here on this page. Also check out Truthdig’s <a href="https://twitter.com/Truthdig" type="external">Twitter feed</a> for tweets from Rickey and our staff. We’ll also post Rickey’s post-show wrapup following the conclusion of the telecast Sunday evening. Stay tuned.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a></p>
|
Live-Blog: Oscars 2016: In the Midst of Controversy, the Show Goes On (Updated)
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/live-blog-oscars-2016-in-the-midst-of-controversy-the-show-goes-on-updated/
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2016-02-29
| 4left
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Live-Blog: Oscars 2016: In the Midst of Controversy, the Show Goes On (Updated)
<p><a href="http://abc.go.com/watch-live" type="external">abc.go.com</a></p>
<p>Update: 9:45 p.m. PST: In the show’s final stretch, the political moments seemed to happen with about the same frequency as African-Americans were called onto the Oscar stage … as presenters. Louis Gossett Jr., Quincy Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Pharrell Williams, Abraham Attah and Morgan Freeman represented something missing from too many categories Sunday evening, not to mention Hollywood writ large.</p>
<p>If it isn’t clear by now what that might be, here’s a refresher, from <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/chris-rock-oscar-jokes" type="external">one</a> of host Chris Rock’s most controversial riffs from the broadcast:</p>
<p>Why are we protesting this Oscars? It’s the 88th Academy Awards, which means this ‘no black nominees’ thing happened at least 71 other times. You got to figure that it happened in the ’50s, in the ’60s. One of those years, Sidney [Poitier] didn’t put out a movie. I’m sure there were no black nominees some of those years, say ’62 or ’63. Black people did not protest. Why? Because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematography. When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary foreign short.</p>
<p />
<p>Entertainment Weekly <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/chris-rock-real-things-protest-oscars-joke" type="external">pointed out</a> after the fact that his joke didn’t land so well with everyone.</p>
<p>Any greatest-hits compendium of moments when the Dolby Theatre’s decked-out stage became a platform for political expression has to include “Spectre” singer and co-songwriter Sam Smith’s <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/28/oscars-2016-sam-smith-oscar-lgbt" type="external">dedication</a> of his best original song victory to the global LGBT community. “I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day,” Smith said. (To clarify Smith’s onstage reference, it’s worth noting that Ian McKellen recently <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/25/ian-mckellen-why-no-openly-gay-man-oscar-diversity-homophobia" type="external">wondered</a> why no openly gay man has ever won the best actor Oscar).</p>
<p>Two foreign films—Hungary’s “ <a href="http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/son-of-saul-is-2016-oscar-winner-for-foreign-language" type="external">Son of Saul</a>” (which took gold in the best foreign film category) and Pakistan’s “ <a href="http://oscar.go.com/nominees/documentary-short/a-girl-in-the-river-the-price-of-forgiveness" type="external">A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness</a>” (best short subject documentary)—zoomed in on forms of religious persecution. Vice President Joe Biden won a standing ovation by showing up to call for an end to sexual violence and to introduce Lady Gaga’s performance of “Til It Happens to You,” from the campus rape documentary “ <a href="" type="internal">The Hunting Ground.</a>“</p>
<p>Finally, the night’s biggest awards went to Alejandro Iñárritu, who bagged the best director Oscar for the second consecutive year, for his work on the grueling frontier thriller “The Revenant”; his star, Leonardo DiCaprio, as best actor; Brie Larson of “Room,” another cinematic confrontation with abuse, for best actress; and “Spotlight,” the tale of journalistic triumph, which was named best feature.</p>
<p>Iñárritu pointed out how the moment, along with his film, offered “a great opportunity for our generation to really liberate ourselves from all prejudice and … this tribal thinking.” DiCaprio, for whom his sixth nomination was evidently the charm, gestured at his own cause célèbre: global warming. “Climate change is the most urgent threat facing our entire species,” he intoned, warning, “we need to stop procrastinating.”</p>
<p>Rock grabbed the microphone for one last bid to make the 88th Academy Awards extravaganza a little less white, issuing a mass invitation to this summer’s BET Awards. His signoff? “Black Lives Matter!”</p>
<p>And scene.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a> * * *</p>
<p>Update: 7:37 p.m. PST: Politics continued to pop as the initial statuettes were passed out at the Oscars —“otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards,” as Rock joked—in the telecast’s special features, in Rock’s running commentary and in the awards themselves.</p>
<p>Rock built on his one-two punch of an opener with more <a href="http://time.com/4240618/oscars-2016-chris-rock-monologue-best-jokes/" type="external">zingers</a>, and the show’s creators ran with the race-based humor in slick and funny gag reels. One prefabricated clip recast African-American actors in title film roles or invented supporting roles not actually included in the originals. Whoopi Goldberg—herself a best actress winner for 1990’s supernatural romance “Ghost”—schooled Jennifer Lawrence’s domestic entrepreneur from “Joy.” “A black girl would have to invent the cure to cancer before they even give her a TV movie!” Goldberg cracked. Tracy Morgan stepped into Eddie Redmayne’s shoes in “The Danish Girl”—complete with a Danish pastry. Rock himself beamed in from Mars in lieu of “The Martian” star and Oscar nominee Matt Damon, asking to be brought home, but Kristen Wiig and Jeff Daniels decided “Black Astronaut” wasn’t worth the trouble or expense.</p>
<p>The Oscar producers’ decision to trot out actor-turned-Fox-News commentator Stacey Dash, who wished the crowd a “happy Black History Month,” was met with apparent confusion within the Dolby Theatre and a silent reaction from The Weeknd, one of the evening’s musical performers, that spoke volumes.</p>
<p>Swedish actor Alicia Vikander, who won accolades in two memorable roles last year—as a technological creation made by and for men in “Ex Machina” (see Carrie Rickey’s review of that film <a href="" type="internal">here</a>) and as the wife of transgender painter Lili Elbe in “The Danish Girl”—won the best supporting actress Oscar for the latter picture. “The Revenant” cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki raised the bar with his record-breaking third consecutive win, for “The Revenant,” following his win for “Birdman” last year and “Gravity” two years ago.</p>
<p>“Spotlight,” director Tom McCarthy’s spot-on portrayal of the dogged Boston Globe reporting team that exposed the Catholic Church’s incalculable abuses of children and power over decades in Boston and beyond, met prognosticators’ expectations with a best original screenplay win. Globe scribe Mike Rezendes, played by best supporting actor nominee Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight,” made a thumbs-up cameo after a shoutout from Rock.</p>
<p>“Mad Max: Fury Road,” director George Miller’s frenetic, apocalyptic big-screen nightmare shot through with ecological and feminist themes had, by press time, racked up six wins, sweeping technical categories such as sound mixing, sound editing, and makeup and hairstyling. In her acceptance speech, “Mad Max” costume designer and newly minted Academy Award-winner Jenny Beavan was played off the stage as she tried to talk about the movie’s politics.</p>
<p>The Weeknd later made the ceremony not quite #SoWhite as he took the stage to sing “Earned It” from a film with seriously questionable feminist credentials: “Fifty Shades of Grey.”</p>
<p>The biggest upset of the evening happened as the midpoint approached, when Mark Rylance won best supporting actor for his role as a standup secret agent in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War brow-knitter “Bridge of Spies.” Cue the boxing metaphors as Sylvester Stallone once again missed his chance to go home with a little gold sidekick for “Creed.”</p>
<p>We’d like to thank the Academy for keeping an updated list of Oscar winners <a href="http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/oscar-winners-2016-see-the-complete-list" type="external">on its website</a>.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a> * * *</p>
<p>Update: 6:22 p.m. PST: In his host gig at the Academy Awards, Chris Rock, comedian, actor and filmmaker, was in a hard place. This is the second consecutive year not one actor of color was nominated, a situation dubbed #OscarsSoWhite. Many prominent African-American actors and filmmakers—among them Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay and Spike Lee—elected not to come. Rock’s job was to comically criticize the academy he represented.</p>
<p>Rock strolled out onstage after a montage of 2016 films. ”I counted at least 15 black people in that montage,” he joked.</p>
<p>“Why are we protesting this Oscars?” he asked. “What happened this year? Everybody got mad. … Jada [Pinkett Smith] boycotting Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. … I wasn’t invited.” Then he winked and said, “This year’s ‘In Memoriam’ … it’s just gonna be black people that were shot by cops on their way to the movies.”</p>
<p>Rock did it. He criticized Hollywood’s racism by deflecting criticism of the academy. And it was the best, most politically pointed monologue in maybe forever.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Carrie Rickey</a> * * *</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2016" type="external">votes</a> are in. The <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/article/2016-oscar-predictions-20150312" type="external">predictions</a> are in. And in some people’s estimation, the <a href="http://mic.com/articles/135987/are-the-oscars-rigged-in-a-sense-yes" type="external">fix</a> is in.</p>
<p>Once again, members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are <a href="" type="internal">in hot water</a> for inspiring the #OscarsSoWhite online campaign by nominating an overwhelmingly Caucasian lineup of Oscar contenders. Hollywood’s systemic exclusion issues will affect the Academy Awards telecast’s ratings, as some 20 percent fewer African-American viewers will reportedly be watching this year.</p>
<p>But big money rides on the Oscars, so the show must go on—and as of Sunday evening, it went live on ABC.</p>
<p>Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs turned up on the red carpet for an interview with the network’s Robin Roberts. Skipping the usual chatter about designer dresses and shoes, Isaacs discussed her organization’s persistent problems with race and representation. She said that the academy has been “focused on more inclusion” within its ranks of about 7,000 members from all parts of the industry, who are obliged to serve as “ambassadors out into the entire motion picture industry and to make sure the conversation continues and that action is taken.”</p>
<p>Isaacs also claimed that the present push for diversification wasn’t just a response to #OscarsSoWhite or to the boycott of Sunday’s event by prominent African-American actors and directors such as Coogler and DuVernay. “We had been having these discussions and pulling together some initiatives for a while, for a few years now,” she said. “We are going to continue to take action and not just talk.”</p>
<p>Coogler and DuVernay will be focusing their energies on a different national quandary that is also heavily racially inflected (per the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-ways-to-boycott-oscars-diversity-20160226-story.html" type="external">Los Angeles Times</a>):</p>
<p>“Creed” director Ryan Coogler and “Selma” director Ava DuVernay will be in Flint, Mich., for a benefit aimed at supporting that city’s beleaguered residents as they suffer through an ongoing water crisis. Celebrities including singers Janelle Monae and Ledisi, actor Jesse Williams and comedian Hannibal Buress will also attend the event put on by Coogler’s artist-activist collective Blackout for Human Rights.</p>
<p>Though the event is happening on the same day as the Oscars, Coogler told Buzzfeed that the timing was merely coincidental. He said the date was chosen because it’s the final weekend of Black History Month.</p>
<p>The Times piece quoted above is packed with information about other ways activists from the entertainment community and beyond are protesting, organizing and calling for change in the business of show business.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Truthdig contributor, industry expert and film reviewer Carrie Rickey and Truthdig Senior Editor Kasia Anderson live-blog all evening, right here on this page. Also check out Truthdig’s <a href="https://twitter.com/Truthdig" type="external">Twitter feed</a> for tweets from Rickey and our staff. We’ll also post Rickey’s post-show wrapup following the conclusion of the telecast Sunday evening. Stay tuned.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Kasia Anderson</a></p>
| 7,753 |
<p>Every year in the United States a number of employees are fired for threatening other employees with violence.&#160; Even when the threat is considered “harmless” by everyone involved—fellow workers, witnesses, the employee being threatened—management treats it seriously.</p>
<p>Given the realities of today’s world, no one in authority risks downplaying a workplace threat.&#160; When it comes to “zero tolerance” thresholds, this is the gold standard.&#160; In virtually every instance, the employee gets fired.</p>
<p>Two generations ago, an angry person might threaten to punch you in the nose.&#160; Today, they say they’re going to “blow your bleeping head off.”&#160; Call it progress.&#160; Labor union reps—especially those in industrial settings—not only hear all sorts of weird and dramatic stuff, they receive their share of disturbing phone calls, including death threats.</p>
<p>While I’ve been threatened with lawsuits and challenged to the occasional fistfight, I’ve never had anyone ring me up and say they were going to kill me.&#160; However, I’ve known union officers who have had their lives threatened, and they all say it was an unpleasant experience.</p>
<p>A couple of weeks ago it was widely reported that AIG executives had been receiving anonymous death threats, presumably as a result of stories about their huge salaries and outrageous bonuses.&#160; These AIG executives dutifully reported the threats to the police and, in something of a surprise, also shared them with the media.</p>
<p>Arguably, unless you’ve experienced it firsthand—unless you’ve had someone threaten to kill you or your family—you can’t know how it feels.&#160; Even if you’re able, intellectually, to categorize the threats as “crank calls,” on some level they’re going to continue to gnaw at you.</p>
<p>That said, and as cynical as this will sound, we have to wonder if these AIG folks didn’t report these “death threats” as a means of seeking public sympathy—as a device to deflect criticism by sending the media off in a different direction.</p>
<p>After all, they had very few options.&#160; They couldn’t defend AIG’s conduct; they couldn’t laugh off the financial crisis; they couldn’t insist that, despite losses of billions of dollars, they were still entitled to hefty bonuses—at taxpayer expense.&#160; In truth, all that was left was to say, “Help!&#160; People want to kill me!”</p>
<p>Some years ago I was part of a union negotiating team that, after months of bargaining, called a strike.&#160; We shut the plant down at noon on a Monday, put 700 workers on the bricks, and stayed out for 57 difficult days, right in the middle of a hot, Southern California summer.&#160; It was tough.&#160; Any strike that lasts longer than five or six weeks is going to get hairy, and ours was no exception.</p>
<p>On about the 40th day (health insurance expired after a month), I began receiving telephone calls.&#160; While no one explicitly threatened to harm me or my family, they did say, “We know where you live.&#160; Don’t make us come there and do something we don’t want to do.”&#160; The words were uttered ominously.&#160; Moreover, many people did know where I lived.</p>
<p>But given the circumstances, I interpreted the calls not as threats, but as the product of frustration and desperation.&#160; Because no one (including the negotiators) had a clue as to when the strike would be over—and because tempers were short and nerves frayed, and people were being asked to walk picket in 100-degree heat—a disgruntled union member making a dumb phone call not only wasn’t out of the question, it almost made sense.</p>
<p>Also, hasn’t experience taught us that people who go to the trouble of making threats aren’t the ones who follow through on them?&#160; Typically, rattling someone’s cage by making a death threat is the full extent of their commitment.&#160; It’s the guy who never talks about it, the guy you’ve never heard from before, who presents the real danger.</p>
<p>That’s why when you read about people “snapping”—murdering half a dozen people, then killing themselves—you don’t hear witnesses say that they’d always suspected the guy would do something like this, or that the he’d always threatened to do it.&#160; Rather, you hear the opposite; people say what a nice guy he was, a quiet guy who kept to himself, and how this violent act was incomprehensible.</p>
<p>In real life, deranged people murder their bosses and co-workers; they murder their ex-lovers, their estranged wives, and their estranged wives’ boyfriends.&#160; They kill total strangers.&#160; They even assassinate presidents.&#160; What they don’t do is hunt down overpaid accountant executives who are responsible for raising our taxes and increasing the national debt.</p>
<p>Again, I’m not trivializing death threats.&#160; But I am suggesting that this whole AIG “death threat” story reeked from the very beginning.&#160; Bernie Madoff is still breathing air.&#160; That alone should tell us these AIG guys aren’t going to be touched.</p>
<p>DAVID MACARAY, a Los Angeles playwright (“Americana,” “Larva Boy”) and writer, was a former labor union rep.&#160; He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
|
AIG Plays the Sympathy Card
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2009/04/03/aig-plays-the-sympathy-card/
|
2009-04-03
| 4left
|
AIG Plays the Sympathy Card
<p>Every year in the United States a number of employees are fired for threatening other employees with violence.&#160; Even when the threat is considered “harmless” by everyone involved—fellow workers, witnesses, the employee being threatened—management treats it seriously.</p>
<p>Given the realities of today’s world, no one in authority risks downplaying a workplace threat.&#160; When it comes to “zero tolerance” thresholds, this is the gold standard.&#160; In virtually every instance, the employee gets fired.</p>
<p>Two generations ago, an angry person might threaten to punch you in the nose.&#160; Today, they say they’re going to “blow your bleeping head off.”&#160; Call it progress.&#160; Labor union reps—especially those in industrial settings—not only hear all sorts of weird and dramatic stuff, they receive their share of disturbing phone calls, including death threats.</p>
<p>While I’ve been threatened with lawsuits and challenged to the occasional fistfight, I’ve never had anyone ring me up and say they were going to kill me.&#160; However, I’ve known union officers who have had their lives threatened, and they all say it was an unpleasant experience.</p>
<p>A couple of weeks ago it was widely reported that AIG executives had been receiving anonymous death threats, presumably as a result of stories about their huge salaries and outrageous bonuses.&#160; These AIG executives dutifully reported the threats to the police and, in something of a surprise, also shared them with the media.</p>
<p>Arguably, unless you’ve experienced it firsthand—unless you’ve had someone threaten to kill you or your family—you can’t know how it feels.&#160; Even if you’re able, intellectually, to categorize the threats as “crank calls,” on some level they’re going to continue to gnaw at you.</p>
<p>That said, and as cynical as this will sound, we have to wonder if these AIG folks didn’t report these “death threats” as a means of seeking public sympathy—as a device to deflect criticism by sending the media off in a different direction.</p>
<p>After all, they had very few options.&#160; They couldn’t defend AIG’s conduct; they couldn’t laugh off the financial crisis; they couldn’t insist that, despite losses of billions of dollars, they were still entitled to hefty bonuses—at taxpayer expense.&#160; In truth, all that was left was to say, “Help!&#160; People want to kill me!”</p>
<p>Some years ago I was part of a union negotiating team that, after months of bargaining, called a strike.&#160; We shut the plant down at noon on a Monday, put 700 workers on the bricks, and stayed out for 57 difficult days, right in the middle of a hot, Southern California summer.&#160; It was tough.&#160; Any strike that lasts longer than five or six weeks is going to get hairy, and ours was no exception.</p>
<p>On about the 40th day (health insurance expired after a month), I began receiving telephone calls.&#160; While no one explicitly threatened to harm me or my family, they did say, “We know where you live.&#160; Don’t make us come there and do something we don’t want to do.”&#160; The words were uttered ominously.&#160; Moreover, many people did know where I lived.</p>
<p>But given the circumstances, I interpreted the calls not as threats, but as the product of frustration and desperation.&#160; Because no one (including the negotiators) had a clue as to when the strike would be over—and because tempers were short and nerves frayed, and people were being asked to walk picket in 100-degree heat—a disgruntled union member making a dumb phone call not only wasn’t out of the question, it almost made sense.</p>
<p>Also, hasn’t experience taught us that people who go to the trouble of making threats aren’t the ones who follow through on them?&#160; Typically, rattling someone’s cage by making a death threat is the full extent of their commitment.&#160; It’s the guy who never talks about it, the guy you’ve never heard from before, who presents the real danger.</p>
<p>That’s why when you read about people “snapping”—murdering half a dozen people, then killing themselves—you don’t hear witnesses say that they’d always suspected the guy would do something like this, or that the he’d always threatened to do it.&#160; Rather, you hear the opposite; people say what a nice guy he was, a quiet guy who kept to himself, and how this violent act was incomprehensible.</p>
<p>In real life, deranged people murder their bosses and co-workers; they murder their ex-lovers, their estranged wives, and their estranged wives’ boyfriends.&#160; They kill total strangers.&#160; They even assassinate presidents.&#160; What they don’t do is hunt down overpaid accountant executives who are responsible for raising our taxes and increasing the national debt.</p>
<p>Again, I’m not trivializing death threats.&#160; But I am suggesting that this whole AIG “death threat” story reeked from the very beginning.&#160; Bernie Madoff is still breathing air.&#160; That alone should tell us these AIG guys aren’t going to be touched.</p>
<p>DAVID MACARAY, a Los Angeles playwright (“Americana,” “Larva Boy”) and writer, was a former labor union rep.&#160; He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 7,754 |
<p>Left-wing CNN’s Pamela Brown and Evan Perez <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/02/politics/james-comey-fbi-reputation/" type="external">report</a> that their sources describe the Department of Justice (DoJ) as engaging in “politically driven” obstruction of the FBI’s investigations into corruption allegations relating to the Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton’s negligent handling of state secrets via her unauthorized private email server during her capacity as secretary of state.</p>
<p>Joining colleague Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday, Brown shared what she and Perez had learned from their sources.</p>
<p>"My colleague, Evan Perez and I, have spoken to more than a dozen officials and agents, and have learned that agents in the FBI wanted to aggressively investigate the Clinton Foundation several months ago. Earlier in the year, the Department of Justice told the FBI, essentially, ‘You don’t have enough evidence here for predication to get more tools, such as warrants and subpoenas. Go back and see what else you can dig up. We were told that after the Clinton email probe, initially wrapped up back in July, that those agents wanted to continue their work on the case, and again DoJ said, ‘You don’t have enough evidence here to really investigate.’ And so things are sort of on hold, but this has just sort of caused tensions to flare, and the FBI and Department of Justice, some of those agents feel like the roadblocks are politically driven.”</p>
<p>H/T Matthew Boyle at <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/02/validly-predicated-investigation-reports-prove-fbi-aggressively-investigating-clinton-foundation-potential-pay-play-crimes/" type="external">Breitbart</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvV8QvxS1w" type="external">GOP War Room</a></p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p>
|
CNN: DOJ 'Roadblocks' Of FBI's Clinton Foundation Investigation 'Politically Driven'
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/10466/cnn-doj-roadblocks-fbis-clinton-foundation-robert-kraychik
|
2016-11-02
| 0right
|
CNN: DOJ 'Roadblocks' Of FBI's Clinton Foundation Investigation 'Politically Driven'
<p>Left-wing CNN’s Pamela Brown and Evan Perez <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/02/politics/james-comey-fbi-reputation/" type="external">report</a> that their sources describe the Department of Justice (DoJ) as engaging in “politically driven” obstruction of the FBI’s investigations into corruption allegations relating to the Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton’s negligent handling of state secrets via her unauthorized private email server during her capacity as secretary of state.</p>
<p>Joining colleague Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday, Brown shared what she and Perez had learned from their sources.</p>
<p>"My colleague, Evan Perez and I, have spoken to more than a dozen officials and agents, and have learned that agents in the FBI wanted to aggressively investigate the Clinton Foundation several months ago. Earlier in the year, the Department of Justice told the FBI, essentially, ‘You don’t have enough evidence here for predication to get more tools, such as warrants and subpoenas. Go back and see what else you can dig up. We were told that after the Clinton email probe, initially wrapped up back in July, that those agents wanted to continue their work on the case, and again DoJ said, ‘You don’t have enough evidence here to really investigate.’ And so things are sort of on hold, but this has just sort of caused tensions to flare, and the FBI and Department of Justice, some of those agents feel like the roadblocks are politically driven.”</p>
<p>H/T Matthew Boyle at <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/02/validly-predicated-investigation-reports-prove-fbi-aggressively-investigating-clinton-foundation-potential-pay-play-crimes/" type="external">Breitbart</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvV8QvxS1w" type="external">GOP War Room</a></p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p>
| 7,755 |
<p />
<p>Photo: Wikimedia CommonsI recently picked up a copy of George R. Stewart’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Names-Land-Historical-Account-Place-Naming/dp/093853002X" type="external">Names on the Land</a>. It’s a fascinating account of the naming of America: How we got places like Mugfuzzle Flats, Coeur d’Alene, and Fort Worth, and (to put it in unsufferable press release-ese) what that says about us.</p>
<p>Among other things, we learn that the Senate debate over the naming of West Virgina briefly devolved into a discussion of whether Queen&#160;Elizabeth was, in fact, a virgin. And that before Congress settled on “Nevada”&#160;(over the superior and geographically relevant “Washoe”), there was a proposal to name it “Bullion,” after its only notable export.</p>
<p>The big revelation, though, is that despite all appearances to the contrary, “Oregon” is actually a misspelling of “Wisconsin.” Or rather, it’s a corruption of the original French corruption of the original Native American word. A somewhat erroneous 17th-century French explorer suggested that the Wisconsin River might lead all the way to the Pacific&#160;Ocean, so when the Americans finally got around to the Pacific Northwest, it seemed like a logical name. Here’s the process, according to Stewart:</p>
<p>Wisconsin &lt;— Ouisconsink —&gt; Ouariconsint —&gt;&#160;Ouaricon-sint —&gt; Ouaricon —&gt; Ourigan —&gt; Ouragon —&gt;&#160;Oregon</p>
<p>Simple enough, I guess. Anyways, this officially makes Oregon redundant. Perhaps Obama can address this in his State of the Union?*</p>
<p>*Update: No.</p>
<p />
|
Book Blogging: The States of Our Union Are Misspelled
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/states-our-union-arechronically-misspelled/
|
2011-01-26
| 4left
|
Book Blogging: The States of Our Union Are Misspelled
<p />
<p>Photo: Wikimedia CommonsI recently picked up a copy of George R. Stewart’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Names-Land-Historical-Account-Place-Naming/dp/093853002X" type="external">Names on the Land</a>. It’s a fascinating account of the naming of America: How we got places like Mugfuzzle Flats, Coeur d’Alene, and Fort Worth, and (to put it in unsufferable press release-ese) what that says about us.</p>
<p>Among other things, we learn that the Senate debate over the naming of West Virgina briefly devolved into a discussion of whether Queen&#160;Elizabeth was, in fact, a virgin. And that before Congress settled on “Nevada”&#160;(over the superior and geographically relevant “Washoe”), there was a proposal to name it “Bullion,” after its only notable export.</p>
<p>The big revelation, though, is that despite all appearances to the contrary, “Oregon” is actually a misspelling of “Wisconsin.” Or rather, it’s a corruption of the original French corruption of the original Native American word. A somewhat erroneous 17th-century French explorer suggested that the Wisconsin River might lead all the way to the Pacific&#160;Ocean, so when the Americans finally got around to the Pacific Northwest, it seemed like a logical name. Here’s the process, according to Stewart:</p>
<p>Wisconsin &lt;— Ouisconsink —&gt; Ouariconsint —&gt;&#160;Ouaricon-sint —&gt; Ouaricon —&gt; Ourigan —&gt; Ouragon —&gt;&#160;Oregon</p>
<p>Simple enough, I guess. Anyways, this officially makes Oregon redundant. Perhaps Obama can address this in his State of the Union?*</p>
<p>*Update: No.</p>
<p />
| 7,756 |
<p>By Frank Pingue</p>
<p>(Reuters) – South Korean Park Sung-hyun took full advantage of the ultimate mulligan by grabbing the first-round lead of the Evian Championship in France on Friday after bad weather wiped out her poor start a day earlier.</p>
<p>The U.S. Women’s Open champion mixed seven birdies with an eagle and bogey for an eight-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead over Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn in Evian-les-Bains.</p>
<p>Park made a nightmarish start to the women’s final major of the year on Thursday when she was six over through five holes in wind and rain but the LPGA wiped away first-round scores after a weather suspension and shortened the championship to 54 holes.</p>
<p>“When I usually don’t play well, I just try to do better and focus on the game, and that’s what I’m hoping for every round, and that’s what I’m going to keep on doing and focus on the game,” said Park.</p>
<p>The 23-year-old Korean, who began her quest for her third win of the season on the back nine at the Evian Resort Golf Club, went out in 30 with four birdies and a chip in for eagle at the par-five 13th hole.</p>
<p>“The distance was 25 meters, so I was deciding whether I’m going to do chipping or putting, and I think after I made the shot, I was surprised, as well,” Park said about her eagle.</p>
<p>Swede Anna Nordqvist and Australia’s Katherine Kirk were three shots back of Park while Women’s British Open champion Kim In-kyung, Jessica Korda and Marina Alex were a further shot back.</p>
<p>Korda, who was two under through eight holes in difficult conditions on Thursday, was pleased to return to a course that was much more playable.</p>
<p>“You can’t even compare. Yesterday the last couple holes we felt like we were playing in a hurricane,” said Korda.</p>
<p>“This golf course is not something that you want to come in with a low ball flight. You need to be able to hit it high to stop them in the right areas and so obviously today that was possible and yesterday was a bit tough.”</p>
<p>Defending champion Chun In-gee was seven shots back after mixing four birdies with three bogeys for a one-under-par 70.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p>
|
Golf: Park grabs first-round lead at Evian Championship
| false |
https://newsline.com/golf-park-grabs-first-round-lead-at-evian-championship/
|
2017-09-15
| 1right-center
|
Golf: Park grabs first-round lead at Evian Championship
<p>By Frank Pingue</p>
<p>(Reuters) – South Korean Park Sung-hyun took full advantage of the ultimate mulligan by grabbing the first-round lead of the Evian Championship in France on Friday after bad weather wiped out her poor start a day earlier.</p>
<p>The U.S. Women’s Open champion mixed seven birdies with an eagle and bogey for an eight-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead over Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn in Evian-les-Bains.</p>
<p>Park made a nightmarish start to the women’s final major of the year on Thursday when she was six over through five holes in wind and rain but the LPGA wiped away first-round scores after a weather suspension and shortened the championship to 54 holes.</p>
<p>“When I usually don’t play well, I just try to do better and focus on the game, and that’s what I’m hoping for every round, and that’s what I’m going to keep on doing and focus on the game,” said Park.</p>
<p>The 23-year-old Korean, who began her quest for her third win of the season on the back nine at the Evian Resort Golf Club, went out in 30 with four birdies and a chip in for eagle at the par-five 13th hole.</p>
<p>“The distance was 25 meters, so I was deciding whether I’m going to do chipping or putting, and I think after I made the shot, I was surprised, as well,” Park said about her eagle.</p>
<p>Swede Anna Nordqvist and Australia’s Katherine Kirk were three shots back of Park while Women’s British Open champion Kim In-kyung, Jessica Korda and Marina Alex were a further shot back.</p>
<p>Korda, who was two under through eight holes in difficult conditions on Thursday, was pleased to return to a course that was much more playable.</p>
<p>“You can’t even compare. Yesterday the last couple holes we felt like we were playing in a hurricane,” said Korda.</p>
<p>“This golf course is not something that you want to come in with a low ball flight. You need to be able to hit it high to stop them in the right areas and so obviously today that was possible and yesterday was a bit tough.”</p>
<p>Defending champion Chun In-gee was seven shots back after mixing four birdies with three bogeys for a one-under-par 70.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p>
| 7,757 |
<p>By Jason Edwards A few Christmases ago while celebrating with family in my childhood home, I got the distinct feeling that I had entered sacred space. To some extent, I almost always feel like that on these visits. Usually it happens with the sound of dead East Texas leaves crackling underfoot as I stroll across…</p>
|
A rare, sacred and necessary gift
| false |
https://baptistnews.com/article/a-rare-sacred-and-necessary-gift/
| 3left-center
|
A rare, sacred and necessary gift
<p>By Jason Edwards A few Christmases ago while celebrating with family in my childhood home, I got the distinct feeling that I had entered sacred space. To some extent, I almost always feel like that on these visits. Usually it happens with the sound of dead East Texas leaves crackling underfoot as I stroll across…</p>
| 7,758 |
|
<p>The online listing boasted apartments with the amenities of a midtown Manhattan hotel: coffee in the lobby, luggage storage, a 15-minute walk to Times Square.</p>
<p>But the arrangement was illegal, the city said in a lawsuit this week accusing the building's owners and operators of turning an apartment house into a hotel. The suit — one of three the city has filed amid a short-term rental boom in recent years — was filed Wednesday, a day after a City Council hearing spotlighted concerns about homes being rented out like hotel rooms.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>"Where the health and safety of New Yorkers and people visiting our city are put in jeopardy, we vigorously pursue enforcement," Elan Parra, the acting director of the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement, said in a statement Thursday. The office fields illegal-hotel complaints, which rose 62 percent last year to 1,150.</p>
<p>The building's management company, identified in the suit as U.S. Suite Management LLC and also known as Metro Apartments, said no one was immediately available Thursday to comment. A call to a man identified in court papers as a principal in the company wasn't immediately returned.</p>
<p>On Metro Apartments' website, units in the West 41st Street building were listed Thursday for about $130 a night for a studio or $220 for a one bedroom, with "hotel services and facilities" including a concierge and an airport shuttle. Inspectors say at least half and perhaps 80 percent of the 96 apartments are being rented as hotel rooms through Metro Apartments and various travel booking sites, according to the special enforcement office.</p>
<p>The suit said the building lacks a sprinkler system and other fire safety features required of hotels and that the flow of guests has posed a security risk and nuisance for permanent residents.</p>
<p>State law makes it generally illegal to rent an apartment for less than 30 days unless the apartment's resident also stays there.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Inspectors visited the building in September 2013 and cited fire code and other violations, and the owner was fined and ordered to stop the short-term rentals, the suit said. But inspections in May and three weeks ago found the problem continuing, and $26,000 in fines have gone unpaid, city officials said.</p>
<p>The suit seeks a court order halting the short-term rentals, plus more than $500,000 in damages and fines.</p>
<p>During a City Council hearing Tuesday, scores of proponents and critics held dueling demonstrations over short-term rentals on websites like Airbnb, which was not mentioned in the lawsuit.</p>
<p>Tenants complained their buildings have been overrun by tourists, but homeowners and others said the rentals are a financial lifeline in a city where a studio apartment can cost $2,000 a month.</p>
<p>San Francisco-based Airbnb says it has removed thousands of listings that violated New York laws and urges hosts everywhere to abide by local regulations.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Reach Jennifer Peltz on Twitter @ jennpeltz.</p>
|
Home as hotel: NYC sues over apartment building inspectors says was used as illegal hotel
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/01/23/home-as-hotel-nyc-sues-over-apartment-building-inspectors-says-was-used-as.html
|
2016-03-05
| 0right
|
Home as hotel: NYC sues over apartment building inspectors says was used as illegal hotel
<p>The online listing boasted apartments with the amenities of a midtown Manhattan hotel: coffee in the lobby, luggage storage, a 15-minute walk to Times Square.</p>
<p>But the arrangement was illegal, the city said in a lawsuit this week accusing the building's owners and operators of turning an apartment house into a hotel. The suit — one of three the city has filed amid a short-term rental boom in recent years — was filed Wednesday, a day after a City Council hearing spotlighted concerns about homes being rented out like hotel rooms.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>"Where the health and safety of New Yorkers and people visiting our city are put in jeopardy, we vigorously pursue enforcement," Elan Parra, the acting director of the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement, said in a statement Thursday. The office fields illegal-hotel complaints, which rose 62 percent last year to 1,150.</p>
<p>The building's management company, identified in the suit as U.S. Suite Management LLC and also known as Metro Apartments, said no one was immediately available Thursday to comment. A call to a man identified in court papers as a principal in the company wasn't immediately returned.</p>
<p>On Metro Apartments' website, units in the West 41st Street building were listed Thursday for about $130 a night for a studio or $220 for a one bedroom, with "hotel services and facilities" including a concierge and an airport shuttle. Inspectors say at least half and perhaps 80 percent of the 96 apartments are being rented as hotel rooms through Metro Apartments and various travel booking sites, according to the special enforcement office.</p>
<p>The suit said the building lacks a sprinkler system and other fire safety features required of hotels and that the flow of guests has posed a security risk and nuisance for permanent residents.</p>
<p>State law makes it generally illegal to rent an apartment for less than 30 days unless the apartment's resident also stays there.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Inspectors visited the building in September 2013 and cited fire code and other violations, and the owner was fined and ordered to stop the short-term rentals, the suit said. But inspections in May and three weeks ago found the problem continuing, and $26,000 in fines have gone unpaid, city officials said.</p>
<p>The suit seeks a court order halting the short-term rentals, plus more than $500,000 in damages and fines.</p>
<p>During a City Council hearing Tuesday, scores of proponents and critics held dueling demonstrations over short-term rentals on websites like Airbnb, which was not mentioned in the lawsuit.</p>
<p>Tenants complained their buildings have been overrun by tourists, but homeowners and others said the rentals are a financial lifeline in a city where a studio apartment can cost $2,000 a month.</p>
<p>San Francisco-based Airbnb says it has removed thousands of listings that violated New York laws and urges hosts everywhere to abide by local regulations.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Reach Jennifer Peltz on Twitter @ jennpeltz.</p>
| 7,759 |
<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ These Missouri lotteries were drawn Sunday:</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>9-2-6</p>
<p>(nine, two, six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-9-9</p>
<p>(nine, nine, nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-0-3</p>
<p>(one, eight, zero, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>5-8-7-0</p>
<p>(five, eight, seven, zero)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Show Me Cash</p>
<p>07-11-23-25-36</p>
<p>(seven, eleven, twenty-three, twenty-five, thirty-six)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $192,000</p>
<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ These Missouri lotteries were drawn Sunday:</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>9-2-6</p>
<p>(nine, two, six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-9-9</p>
<p>(nine, nine, nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-0-3</p>
<p>(one, eight, zero, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>5-8-7-0</p>
<p>(five, eight, seven, zero)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Show Me Cash</p>
<p>07-11-23-25-36</p>
<p>(seven, eleven, twenty-three, twenty-five, thirty-six)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $192,000</p>
|
MO Lottery
| false |
https://apnews.com/b261db27025b49ebb78b2f3ec58629a3
|
2018-01-08
| 2least
|
MO Lottery
<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ These Missouri lotteries were drawn Sunday:</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>9-2-6</p>
<p>(nine, two, six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-9-9</p>
<p>(nine, nine, nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-0-3</p>
<p>(one, eight, zero, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>5-8-7-0</p>
<p>(five, eight, seven, zero)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Show Me Cash</p>
<p>07-11-23-25-36</p>
<p>(seven, eleven, twenty-three, twenty-five, thirty-six)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $192,000</p>
<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ These Missouri lotteries were drawn Sunday:</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>9-2-6</p>
<p>(nine, two, six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Midday</p>
<p>9-9-9</p>
<p>(nine, nine, nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>1-8-0-3</p>
<p>(one, eight, zero, three)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Midday</p>
<p>5-8-7-0</p>
<p>(five, eight, seven, zero)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $40 million</p>
<p>Show Me Cash</p>
<p>07-11-23-25-36</p>
<p>(seven, eleven, twenty-three, twenty-five, thirty-six)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $192,000</p>
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — The nation’s only Latina governor made a quick visit to Texas to help lawmakers there celebrate Women’s History Month.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez’s office says the trip to Austin stemmed from an invitation from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He asked the two-term New Mexico governor to speak during an event Monday.</p>
<p>Martinez, a Republican, met with female Texas legislators and other state officials to discuss the importance of women in government.</p>
<p>New Mexico is above average at 30 percent when it comes to the number of women serving in the state Legislature. In neighboring Texas, only about 20 percent of the seats are held by women.</p>
<p>Overall, the National Conference of State Legislatures says the ratio of female legislators in the U.S. has increased only slightly over the past year.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — The nation’s only Latina governor made a quick visit to Texas to help lawmakers there celebrate Women’s History Month.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez’s office says the trip to Austin stemmed from an invitation from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He asked the two-term New Mexico governor to speak during an event Monday.</p>
<p>Martinez, a Republican, met with female Texas legislators and other state officials to discuss the importance of women in government.</p>
<p>New Mexico is above average at 30 percent when it comes to the number of women serving in the state Legislature. In neighboring Texas, only about 20 percent of the seats are held by women.</p>
<p>Overall, the National Conference of State Legislatures says the ratio of female legislators in the U.S. has increased only slightly over the past year.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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<p>Data published by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society show that Biogen, along with rival companies such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, haven't been shy about raising the list prices of these medicines. "Biogen Treads Tricky Path Between Politicians, Investors," at 10:43 a.m. EDT, in the third paragraph incorrectly included Roche Pharmaceuticals among the companies that have raised the list prices of their multiple sclerosis medicines.</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>August 18, 2017 19:04 ET (23:04 GMT)</p>
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Correction to Biogen Treads Tricky Path Between Politicians, Investors Article
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Correction to Biogen Treads Tricky Path Between Politicians, Investors Article
<p>Data published by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society show that Biogen, along with rival companies such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, haven't been shy about raising the list prices of these medicines. "Biogen Treads Tricky Path Between Politicians, Investors," at 10:43 a.m. EDT, in the third paragraph incorrectly included Roche Pharmaceuticals among the companies that have raised the list prices of their multiple sclerosis medicines.</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>August 18, 2017 19:04 ET (23:04 GMT)</p>
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<p>An old rowboat sits beside the retention pond on the grounds of the University of New Mexico North Golf Course, which will receive some 14 million gallons of water that will be reused to irrigate the course. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins praised the project and said that it came about through collaboration between the county, UNM, state lawmakers and the North Campus Neighborhood Association.</p>
<p>“That’s 14 million gallons that doesn’t get pumped from the aquifer to irrigate this beautiful golf course,” she said at the Friday afternoon news conference. “This is a major victory for sustainability and smart, proactive management of our critical water resources.”</p>
<p>The $500,000 project – paid for with state capital outlay dollars – has made it possible for UNM to reuse water being discarded from the university’s main Lomas chiller plant to irrigate the grass and other vegetation at the North Golf Course.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>UNM has already saved more than 1.5 million gallons of water since the project went online on April 17.</p>
<p>The plant uses chilled water and steam to cool and heat dozens of UNM buildings. About 14 million gallons of water were being purged into the city’s sewer system each year prior to this project coming online.</p>
<p>A pipeline now carries that water more than a half mile to a reservoir on the north end of the golf course for irrigation.</p>
<p>Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, said the project shows the rest of the state what can and should be done to make the most of the limited water that we have.</p>
<p>“Sustainability is an important part of what the University of New Mexico is doing and has been doing for the last few years,” said acting UNM President Chaouki Abdallah.</p>
<p>“This particular project demonstrates UNM’s commitment to conserve resources and to work in collaboration with our community, including Bernalillo County, the New Mexico Legislature and the neighborhood associations,” he added.</p>
<p>The golf course was protected as an urban open space through a 2012 agreement between UNM and the county. As part of that agreement, the county agreed to pay UNM $1.5 million to update the North Golf Course’s infrastructure, such as a new irrigation system and an improved running path. In return, UNM agreed to leave the golf course undeveloped for 15 years.</p>
<p>“This is a wonderful collaboration,” Hart Stebbins said. “I think this is a perfect example of your local government, local institutions actually listening to constituents, the people who live here, and getting together for partnerships to make things like this happen.”</p>
<p />
<p />
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<p />
<p>An old rowboat sits beside the retention pond on the grounds of the University of New Mexico North Golf Course, which will receive some 14 million gallons of water that will be reused to irrigate the course. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins praised the project and said that it came about through collaboration between the county, UNM, state lawmakers and the North Campus Neighborhood Association.</p>
<p>“That’s 14 million gallons that doesn’t get pumped from the aquifer to irrigate this beautiful golf course,” she said at the Friday afternoon news conference. “This is a major victory for sustainability and smart, proactive management of our critical water resources.”</p>
<p>The $500,000 project – paid for with state capital outlay dollars – has made it possible for UNM to reuse water being discarded from the university’s main Lomas chiller plant to irrigate the grass and other vegetation at the North Golf Course.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>UNM has already saved more than 1.5 million gallons of water since the project went online on April 17.</p>
<p>The plant uses chilled water and steam to cool and heat dozens of UNM buildings. About 14 million gallons of water were being purged into the city’s sewer system each year prior to this project coming online.</p>
<p>A pipeline now carries that water more than a half mile to a reservoir on the north end of the golf course for irrigation.</p>
<p>Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, said the project shows the rest of the state what can and should be done to make the most of the limited water that we have.</p>
<p>“Sustainability is an important part of what the University of New Mexico is doing and has been doing for the last few years,” said acting UNM President Chaouki Abdallah.</p>
<p>“This particular project demonstrates UNM’s commitment to conserve resources and to work in collaboration with our community, including Bernalillo County, the New Mexico Legislature and the neighborhood associations,” he added.</p>
<p>The golf course was protected as an urban open space through a 2012 agreement between UNM and the county. As part of that agreement, the county agreed to pay UNM $1.5 million to update the North Golf Course’s infrastructure, such as a new irrigation system and an improved running path. In return, UNM agreed to leave the golf course undeveloped for 15 years.</p>
<p>“This is a wonderful collaboration,” Hart Stebbins said. “I think this is a perfect example of your local government, local institutions actually listening to constituents, the people who live here, and getting together for partnerships to make things like this happen.”</p>
<p />
<p />
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<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Caroline_Wozniacki/" type="external">Caroline Wozniacki</a> found herself in a familiar position on Saturday after advancing to the final of her fifth WTA tournament of the season.</p>
<p>The top-seeded Dane ousted unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 to move to the championship match of the Ericsson Open in Bastad, Sweden.</p>
<p>“It’s a positive that I put myself in the situation where I’m in a fifth final,” said Wozniacki, who is still searching for her first championship of the year.</p>
<p>“I’m definitely going to try and make this one (count).”</p>
<p>Wozniacki will face seventh-seeded Czech Katerina Siniakova, who broke third-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on two occasions in each set to record a 6-2, 7-5 victory.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow, I’ll have to play aggressively, because she’s aggressive as well,” the 21-year-old Siniakova said. “I’ll need to counter, get a lot of balls back, but also serve and return well.”</p>
<p>Wozniacki saved four breaks points to claim the opening set before Mertens showed her resolve to win the second. Wozniacki rebounded by breaking her opponent three times in the third set to dismiss Mertens in two hours and seven minutes.</p>
<p>“It was a difficult match,” Wozniacki said. “(Mertens) played very well, aggressively in the wind and the sun was very low. It was a combination of those three factors that made it so tough, but I tried to hang in there and be aggressive. I served well when I needed to.”</p>
<p>Wozniacki advanced to three finals on hardcourts earlier in the season — Doha, Dubai, and Miami — before finishing runner-up to Karolina Pliskova for the second time in 2017 at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.</p>
<p>Siniakova overcame the rainy weather as well as a stern foe in Garcia to advance to her second straight tournament final at Bastad.</p>
<p>“It’s very tough, because you’re still waiting, but need to stay focused to be able to go on the court again,” Siniakova said. “I kept trying to focus on my game and I’m so happy I did it.”</p>
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Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki reaches fifth WTA final of year in Sweden
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2017-07-29
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Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki reaches fifth WTA final of year in Sweden
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Caroline_Wozniacki/" type="external">Caroline Wozniacki</a> found herself in a familiar position on Saturday after advancing to the final of her fifth WTA tournament of the season.</p>
<p>The top-seeded Dane ousted unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 to move to the championship match of the Ericsson Open in Bastad, Sweden.</p>
<p>“It’s a positive that I put myself in the situation where I’m in a fifth final,” said Wozniacki, who is still searching for her first championship of the year.</p>
<p>“I’m definitely going to try and make this one (count).”</p>
<p>Wozniacki will face seventh-seeded Czech Katerina Siniakova, who broke third-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on two occasions in each set to record a 6-2, 7-5 victory.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow, I’ll have to play aggressively, because she’s aggressive as well,” the 21-year-old Siniakova said. “I’ll need to counter, get a lot of balls back, but also serve and return well.”</p>
<p>Wozniacki saved four breaks points to claim the opening set before Mertens showed her resolve to win the second. Wozniacki rebounded by breaking her opponent three times in the third set to dismiss Mertens in two hours and seven minutes.</p>
<p>“It was a difficult match,” Wozniacki said. “(Mertens) played very well, aggressively in the wind and the sun was very low. It was a combination of those three factors that made it so tough, but I tried to hang in there and be aggressive. I served well when I needed to.”</p>
<p>Wozniacki advanced to three finals on hardcourts earlier in the season — Doha, Dubai, and Miami — before finishing runner-up to Karolina Pliskova for the second time in 2017 at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.</p>
<p>Siniakova overcame the rainy weather as well as a stern foe in Garcia to advance to her second straight tournament final at Bastad.</p>
<p>“It’s very tough, because you’re still waiting, but need to stay focused to be able to go on the court again,” Siniakova said. “I kept trying to focus on my game and I’m so happy I did it.”</p>
| 7,764 |
<p />
<p>Both of their company names appear on gas station signs around the country, but that's where the similarities between energy companiesSunoco LP(NYSE: SUN) andConocoPhillips(NYSE: COP) pretty much end. Conoco spun off its retail operations in 2012 to focus exclusively on oil and gas exploration and production, while Sunoco -- now a limited partnership controlled byEnergy Transfer Partners(NYSE: ETP) -- has moved exclusively into downstream operations, selling wholesale and retail gasoline.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Oh, there's one more similarity, too: Both stocks have been hit hard by current weak oil prices. So, let's see which one of these stocks looks like the better bargain today.</p>
<p>ConocoPhillips spun off its retail fuel business in 2012. Sunoco still has its retail business...for now. Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>While oil prices -- and energy sector stocks -- are down, a robust dividend can reward patient investors until the market starts to rebound. And it doesn't get more robust than Sunoco's incredible 10.9% current yield. That tops most companies in the sector, including the integrated majors, for whichRoyal Dutch Shell's current 7.2% dividend yield is best in class.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>It also absolutely blows away poor Conoco's lackluster 2.1% dividend yield, but it wasn't always that way. At the beginning of 2015, the companies' dividend yields were nearly identical, at 4.1%. But in 2016, with its debt load rising and oil prices slumping, Conoco slashed its quarterly dividend from $0.74/share to just $0.25/share.Sunoco held its dividend steady, even in the face of mounting debt.</p>
<p>We'll look at how that debt is affecting Sunoco, but with a yield more than five times higher than that of its competitor, Sunoco clearly comes out on top by this metric.</p>
<p>Winner: Sunoco</p>
<p>Neither company's balance sheet is pristine, and that's hardly a surprise in this weak oil market. Even the largest integrated oil companies likeExxonMobil and Shell have seen their debt loads rise as oil prices wreaked havoc on their bottom lines.But the question is how well the companies are managing the debt they've had to take on.</p>
<p>Sunoco's dividend yield isn't the only number that's much higher than Conoco's. Its debt-to-equity ratio is nearly 1.5, compared to Conoco's 0.4. Even for an energy company, that's astronomical. Sunoco has so much debt, in fact, that S&amp;P Global downgraded it to a BB- rating in January before its creditors finally stepped in and forced it to accept a debt reduction plan.</p>
<p>That plan, which only calls for the company to reduce its debt to 5.5 times its equity (down from 6.5 times equity in Q4 2016), is being augmented by a $300 million infusion of liquidity by Energy Transfer Equity, one of the other partnerships in the Energy Transfer family, and by the recent sale of 1,110 of Sunoco's convenience stores to 7-Eleven for $3.3 billion.</p>
<p>Management expects that this transaction will bring total debt down to about 4.5 to 4.75 times equity. That may be enough to satisfy the company's creditors, but it's still a lot of debt. Conoco's balance sheet seems downright tame by comparison.</p>
<p>Winner: ConocoPhillips</p>
<p>Dividends and current debt loads only tell us about where a company is today. Of more interest to investors should be where a company is going. And right now, these companies have charted very similar paths forward: trimming the fat.</p>
<p>For ConocoPhillips, that means focusing on oil drilling projects with a low breakeven point. The breakeven point for an oil producer is the price per barrel above which the company makes a profit. With oil prices hovering just above $50/barrel, that means companies are trying to invest in projects with breakeven points well below that threshold.</p>
<p>ConocoPhillips has done a pretty good job of this recently. It's begun getting out of the risky and expensive business of deepwater exploration. It's also cutting costs and has promised to trim its capital budget by 4% this year.In its Q4 earnings call, Executive Vice President Don Wallette suggested that the company's breakeven would be in the "high 40s" moving forward.</p>
<p>Sunoco, as I mentioned, has sold off 1,110 of its convenience stores to 7-Eleven, and it has plans to sell another 207, which would get it out of the convenience store business entirely, with the exception of a handful of high-margin Aloha Petroleum stores in Hawaii.However, it's received a15-year, fixed-rate take-or-pay fuel supply agreement from 7-Eleven as part of the deal. The agreement includes required growth components to deliver expanding volumes in future years, and it requires current Sunoco-branded stations to retain branded Sunoco fuel offerings.</p>
<p>This will make 7-Eleven the company's largest wholesale fuel customer, with 29% of overall wholesale volume. It also reduces Sunoco's capital needs and simplifies its business model. But even big positive changes are still big changes and inject a certain amount of risk into the business. It's a close call, but ConocoPhillips seems to have the clearer path forward at the moment.</p>
<p>Winner: ConocoPhillips</p>
<p>While Sunoco has a mouth-watering dividend and has taken some concrete steps to reduce its debt, the big changes it's making to its business and the fact that the debt is nowhere near eliminated make it a risky play at the moment. That's why ConocoPhillips, despite its smaller dividend and balance sheet problems of its own, is the better buy. However, smart investors should keep an eye on Sunoco as it transitions to a leaner business model. If Sunoco can manage the transition effectively, ConocoPhillips may not come out on top next time.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than SunocoWhen 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-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=82035d71-12b9-4043-80eb-af47cdad7417&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 Sunoco 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-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=82035d71-12b9-4043-80eb-af47cdad7417&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 April 3, 2017.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Truth2Power/info.aspx" type="external">John Bromels Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool recommends Royal Dutch Shell B. 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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Better Buy: Sunoco LP vs. ConocoPhillips
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2017-04-27
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Better Buy: Sunoco LP vs. ConocoPhillips
<p />
<p>Both of their company names appear on gas station signs around the country, but that's where the similarities between energy companiesSunoco LP(NYSE: SUN) andConocoPhillips(NYSE: COP) pretty much end. Conoco spun off its retail operations in 2012 to focus exclusively on oil and gas exploration and production, while Sunoco -- now a limited partnership controlled byEnergy Transfer Partners(NYSE: ETP) -- has moved exclusively into downstream operations, selling wholesale and retail gasoline.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Oh, there's one more similarity, too: Both stocks have been hit hard by current weak oil prices. So, let's see which one of these stocks looks like the better bargain today.</p>
<p>ConocoPhillips spun off its retail fuel business in 2012. Sunoco still has its retail business...for now. Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>While oil prices -- and energy sector stocks -- are down, a robust dividend can reward patient investors until the market starts to rebound. And it doesn't get more robust than Sunoco's incredible 10.9% current yield. That tops most companies in the sector, including the integrated majors, for whichRoyal Dutch Shell's current 7.2% dividend yield is best in class.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>It also absolutely blows away poor Conoco's lackluster 2.1% dividend yield, but it wasn't always that way. At the beginning of 2015, the companies' dividend yields were nearly identical, at 4.1%. But in 2016, with its debt load rising and oil prices slumping, Conoco slashed its quarterly dividend from $0.74/share to just $0.25/share.Sunoco held its dividend steady, even in the face of mounting debt.</p>
<p>We'll look at how that debt is affecting Sunoco, but with a yield more than five times higher than that of its competitor, Sunoco clearly comes out on top by this metric.</p>
<p>Winner: Sunoco</p>
<p>Neither company's balance sheet is pristine, and that's hardly a surprise in this weak oil market. Even the largest integrated oil companies likeExxonMobil and Shell have seen their debt loads rise as oil prices wreaked havoc on their bottom lines.But the question is how well the companies are managing the debt they've had to take on.</p>
<p>Sunoco's dividend yield isn't the only number that's much higher than Conoco's. Its debt-to-equity ratio is nearly 1.5, compared to Conoco's 0.4. Even for an energy company, that's astronomical. Sunoco has so much debt, in fact, that S&amp;P Global downgraded it to a BB- rating in January before its creditors finally stepped in and forced it to accept a debt reduction plan.</p>
<p>That plan, which only calls for the company to reduce its debt to 5.5 times its equity (down from 6.5 times equity in Q4 2016), is being augmented by a $300 million infusion of liquidity by Energy Transfer Equity, one of the other partnerships in the Energy Transfer family, and by the recent sale of 1,110 of Sunoco's convenience stores to 7-Eleven for $3.3 billion.</p>
<p>Management expects that this transaction will bring total debt down to about 4.5 to 4.75 times equity. That may be enough to satisfy the company's creditors, but it's still a lot of debt. Conoco's balance sheet seems downright tame by comparison.</p>
<p>Winner: ConocoPhillips</p>
<p>Dividends and current debt loads only tell us about where a company is today. Of more interest to investors should be where a company is going. And right now, these companies have charted very similar paths forward: trimming the fat.</p>
<p>For ConocoPhillips, that means focusing on oil drilling projects with a low breakeven point. The breakeven point for an oil producer is the price per barrel above which the company makes a profit. With oil prices hovering just above $50/barrel, that means companies are trying to invest in projects with breakeven points well below that threshold.</p>
<p>ConocoPhillips has done a pretty good job of this recently. It's begun getting out of the risky and expensive business of deepwater exploration. It's also cutting costs and has promised to trim its capital budget by 4% this year.In its Q4 earnings call, Executive Vice President Don Wallette suggested that the company's breakeven would be in the "high 40s" moving forward.</p>
<p>Sunoco, as I mentioned, has sold off 1,110 of its convenience stores to 7-Eleven, and it has plans to sell another 207, which would get it out of the convenience store business entirely, with the exception of a handful of high-margin Aloha Petroleum stores in Hawaii.However, it's received a15-year, fixed-rate take-or-pay fuel supply agreement from 7-Eleven as part of the deal. The agreement includes required growth components to deliver expanding volumes in future years, and it requires current Sunoco-branded stations to retain branded Sunoco fuel offerings.</p>
<p>This will make 7-Eleven the company's largest wholesale fuel customer, with 29% of overall wholesale volume. It also reduces Sunoco's capital needs and simplifies its business model. But even big positive changes are still big changes and inject a certain amount of risk into the business. It's a close call, but ConocoPhillips seems to have the clearer path forward at the moment.</p>
<p>Winner: ConocoPhillips</p>
<p>While Sunoco has a mouth-watering dividend and has taken some concrete steps to reduce its debt, the big changes it's making to its business and the fact that the debt is nowhere near eliminated make it a risky play at the moment. That's why ConocoPhillips, despite its smaller dividend and balance sheet problems of its own, is the better buy. However, smart investors should keep an eye on Sunoco as it transitions to a leaner business model. If Sunoco can manage the transition effectively, ConocoPhillips may not come out on top next time.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than SunocoWhen 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-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=82035d71-12b9-4043-80eb-af47cdad7417&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 Sunoco 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-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=82035d71-12b9-4043-80eb-af47cdad7417&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 April 3, 2017.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Truth2Power/info.aspx" type="external">John Bromels Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool recommends Royal Dutch Shell B. 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>
| 7,765 |
<p>CNN)On the morning of Donald Trump's inauguration, Keval Bhatt hunted through a closet in his parents' Virginia home for the darkest clothes he could find.</p>
<p>The 19-year-old didn't own much in black, the color he knew his fellow protesters would wear head to toe on the streets of Washington that day.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/19/politics/trump-inauguration-protests-womens-march/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="Police injured, more than 200 arrested at Trump inauguration protests in DC" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/08/europe/germany-g20-protests/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="Protesters flood streets of Hamburg as G20 wraps up" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-super-169.jpg" alt="Police and demonstrators clash in downtown Washington, on January 20, 2017, following the inauguration of President Donald Trump." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/01/world/may-day-celebrations-protests-around-world/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="May Day rallies turn violent as &amp;amp;#39;anarchists&amp;amp;#39; in one city throw smoke bombs, police say" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501205903-portland-may-day-protests-2-large-169.jpg" alt="Several arrested in Portland May Day protests" /&gt;</p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-super-169.jpg" alt="Police arrest a demonstrator during a protest on June 4, 2017, in Portland, Oregon." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-super-169.jpg" alt="Anti-fascist demonstrators confront pro-Trump demonstrators during a protest on June 4, 2017, in Portland, Oregon." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p />
|
Inside the Mind Games of the leftist Antifa movement
| false |
https://studionewsnetwork.com/news/inside-the-mind-games-of-the-leftist-antifa-movement/
|
2017-08-21
| 3left-center
|
Inside the Mind Games of the leftist Antifa movement
<p>CNN)On the morning of Donald Trump's inauguration, Keval Bhatt hunted through a closet in his parents' Virginia home for the darkest clothes he could find.</p>
<p>The 19-year-old didn't own much in black, the color he knew his fellow protesters would wear head to toe on the streets of Washington that day.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/19/politics/trump-inauguration-protests-womens-march/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="Police injured, more than 200 arrested at Trump inauguration protests in DC" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170119205507-deploraball-protest-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/08/europe/germany-g20-protests/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="Protesters flood streets of Hamburg as G20 wraps up" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170708083837-01-g20-protest-0708-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-super-169.jpg" alt="Police and demonstrators clash in downtown Washington, on January 20, 2017, following the inauguration of President Donald Trump." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120215922-19-trump-dc-protests-0120-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/01/world/may-day-celebrations-protests-around-world/index.html" type="external">&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-exlarge-169.jpg" alt="May Day rallies turn violent as &amp;amp;#39;anarchists&amp;amp;#39; in one city throw smoke bombs, police say" data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501160431-paris-protest-tease-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170501205903-portland-may-day-protests-2-large-169.jpg" alt="Several arrested in Portland May Day protests" /&gt;</p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-super-169.jpg" alt="Police arrest a demonstrator during a protest on June 4, 2017, in Portland, Oregon." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170604165014-03-portland-protest-0604-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p>&lt;img class="media__image media__image--responsive" src="https://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-super-169.jpg" alt="Anti-fascist demonstrators confront pro-Trump demonstrators during a protest on June 4, 2017, in Portland, Oregon." data-src-mini="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-small-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-medium-plus-169.jpg" data-src-small="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-large-169.jpg" data-src-medium="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-large="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-super-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-full-169.jpg" data-src-mini1x1="//i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170605042328-portland-protest-sign-05-small-11.jpg" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 308, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="mini xsmall small medium large" /&gt;</p>
<p />
| 7,766 |
<p>President Trump placed the third call to President Vladimir Putin of his time in office this Tuesday, and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/02/readout-president-donald-j-trumps-call-president-vladimir-putin-russian" type="external">the readout</a> of the call produced by the White House shows Trump as a man who is determined to appease the dictatorial Russian leader.</p>
<p>Trump and Putin reportedly discussed the potential for their respective countries to combine their efforts to end the ongoing Syrian Civil War, although what Trump doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge is that Putin has long since shown himself committed to anything but the cause of peace in Syria.</p>
<p>Putin’s regime has long backed the Assad government, even though the latter has carried out the execution of untold numbers of Syrian citizens. It’s easy for Putin to look the other way because hey, he likes oil.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, even though to suggest that Putin is a legitimate partner for peace in Syria is nothing other than a big joke, the White House’s readout of Trump’s Tuesday call with the Russian leader makes that very suggestion.</p>
<p>The readout states:</p>
<p>‘President Trump and President Putin agreed that the suffering in Syria has gone on for far too long and that all parties must do all they can to end the violence.&#160; The conversation was a very good one, and included the discussion of safe, or de-escalation, zones to achieve lasting peace for humanitarian and many other reasons.’</p>
<p>First of all, did Trump write this readout himself? If so, that would explain that bizarre grammatical structure of this thing.</p>
<p>“The conversation was a very good one.” What on earth does that mean?</p>
<p>White House Press Secretary didn’t even answer any questions about the call, seeing as he left the Tuesday White House press briefing before taking any actual questions.</p>
<p>A further statement in the White House readout indicates that Trump is serious about going along with Putin’s campaign of terror in Syria and elsewhere.</p>
<p>The readout, after the above passage, goes on to say: “[Trump and Putin]&#160;discussed at length working together to eradicate terrorism throughout the Middle East.”</p>
<p>For Putin, “eradicating terror” in the Middle East means raining bombs on the “terrorist” Syrians who have arisen against the Assad regime.</p>
<p>For Trump to go along with what is awful.</p>
<p>This call comes just a short time after the United States carried out a strike on a Syrian government airfield, something that heartily angered the Russians, seeing as they’re allied with the Syrian government.</p>
<p>Our strike didn’t accomplish much at all, and it was billed as “retaliation” for an earlier chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians that was widely believed to be the work of the Assad regime. Trump was allegedly personally moved by the images of dead and dying civilians that came out of that incident.</p>
<p>The White House says that “the United States will be sending a representative to the [Syrian] cease-fire talks in Astana, Kazakhstan on May 3-4.”</p>
<p>The Hill <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/331611-trump-putin-talk-syria-in-phone-call" type="external">adds</a> that Trump and Putin reportedly discussed setting up a “meeting tied to a Group of 20 summit meeting in Germany this summer.”</p>
<p>Featured Image via <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/676110382" type="external">&#160;MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images</a></p>
|
Trump Places Third Call To Putin Since Taking Office – Pledges Support Of Russia
| true |
http://bipartisanreport.com/2017/05/02/trump-places-third-call-to-putin-since-taking-office-pledges-support-of-russian/
|
2017-05-02
| 4left
|
Trump Places Third Call To Putin Since Taking Office – Pledges Support Of Russia
<p>President Trump placed the third call to President Vladimir Putin of his time in office this Tuesday, and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/02/readout-president-donald-j-trumps-call-president-vladimir-putin-russian" type="external">the readout</a> of the call produced by the White House shows Trump as a man who is determined to appease the dictatorial Russian leader.</p>
<p>Trump and Putin reportedly discussed the potential for their respective countries to combine their efforts to end the ongoing Syrian Civil War, although what Trump doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge is that Putin has long since shown himself committed to anything but the cause of peace in Syria.</p>
<p>Putin’s regime has long backed the Assad government, even though the latter has carried out the execution of untold numbers of Syrian citizens. It’s easy for Putin to look the other way because hey, he likes oil.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, even though to suggest that Putin is a legitimate partner for peace in Syria is nothing other than a big joke, the White House’s readout of Trump’s Tuesday call with the Russian leader makes that very suggestion.</p>
<p>The readout states:</p>
<p>‘President Trump and President Putin agreed that the suffering in Syria has gone on for far too long and that all parties must do all they can to end the violence.&#160; The conversation was a very good one, and included the discussion of safe, or de-escalation, zones to achieve lasting peace for humanitarian and many other reasons.’</p>
<p>First of all, did Trump write this readout himself? If so, that would explain that bizarre grammatical structure of this thing.</p>
<p>“The conversation was a very good one.” What on earth does that mean?</p>
<p>White House Press Secretary didn’t even answer any questions about the call, seeing as he left the Tuesday White House press briefing before taking any actual questions.</p>
<p>A further statement in the White House readout indicates that Trump is serious about going along with Putin’s campaign of terror in Syria and elsewhere.</p>
<p>The readout, after the above passage, goes on to say: “[Trump and Putin]&#160;discussed at length working together to eradicate terrorism throughout the Middle East.”</p>
<p>For Putin, “eradicating terror” in the Middle East means raining bombs on the “terrorist” Syrians who have arisen against the Assad regime.</p>
<p>For Trump to go along with what is awful.</p>
<p>This call comes just a short time after the United States carried out a strike on a Syrian government airfield, something that heartily angered the Russians, seeing as they’re allied with the Syrian government.</p>
<p>Our strike didn’t accomplish much at all, and it was billed as “retaliation” for an earlier chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians that was widely believed to be the work of the Assad regime. Trump was allegedly personally moved by the images of dead and dying civilians that came out of that incident.</p>
<p>The White House says that “the United States will be sending a representative to the [Syrian] cease-fire talks in Astana, Kazakhstan on May 3-4.”</p>
<p>The Hill <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/331611-trump-putin-talk-syria-in-phone-call" type="external">adds</a> that Trump and Putin reportedly discussed setting up a “meeting tied to a Group of 20 summit meeting in Germany this summer.”</p>
<p>Featured Image via <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/676110382" type="external">&#160;MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images</a></p>
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<p>Las Vegas, NV —&#160; <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/406651-campos-missing-updated-timeline/" type="external">(RT)</a>&#160;Jesus Campos, the Mandalay Bay security guard shot by gunman Stephen Paddock – who opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas – has reportedly vanished moments before he was scheduled to speak to the press.</p>
<p />
<p>Campos was booked for five interviews Thursday night, all of which were mysteriously canceled. As of Friday, his whereabouts are reportedly unknown.</p>
<p>ABC News journalist Stephanie Wash, who was present to interview Campos on Thursday night, tweeted that the guard had left before their interview.</p>
<p>“We were in a room &amp; we came out &amp; he was gone,”&#160;Wash tweeted late on Thursday, quoting David Hickey, president of the International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, which represents Campos.</p>
<p />
<p>Wash later tweeted that Campos’ whereabouts were&#160;“unknown.”</p>
<p />
<p>Campos was also scheduled to appear on Fox News, but Sean Hannity confirmed that Campos had “canceled.”</p>
<p />
<p>When investigative reporter Laura Loomer went to Campos’ house after it was reported that he canceled his interview with Hannity, she filmed a Periscope of a woman at the door, who told her that she was not allowed to talk.</p>
<p>“We can’t talk about stuff right now,”&#160;she said.&#160;“Sorry, I can’t talk right now.”</p>
<p />
<p>Loomer was met with armed security officers, who told her to leave the property.</p>
<p>“What I want to know is: who is preventing the family from talking? We have confirmation right now that there is a gag order on the family of Jesus Campos. If Jesus Campos is truly a hero, there is no reason he or his family wouldn’t be allowed to talk about what he saw and what he did,”&#160;Loomer said, according to&#160; <a href="http://gotnews.com/breaking-las-vegas-security-guard-cancels-seanhannity-whereabouts-unknown/" type="external">Got News</a>.</p>
<p>The reporter was also banned from attending a press conference held by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).</p>
<p />
<p>At the press conference, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo revised the timeline of events for the October 1 shooting for the second time.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Initially, police said that Campos arrived at Paddock’s door while the shooting was underway and diverted some of the gunfire away from concertgoers.</p>
<p>Campos was dispatched to the 32nd floor after a door alarm alerted the security team to an open door near Paddock’s suite. When he went to investigate, he came under fire and was struck in the leg. He retreated and notified his dispatcher about the shooter.The police changed their timeline last week when Lombardo announced that Campos had arrived six minutes before Paddock began firing into the crowd, leading many to question why police waited so long to respond.</p>
<p>On Thursday, MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mandalay Bay, released a statement to&#160;“correct some of the misinformation that has been reported.”</p>
<p>“We know that shots were being fired at the festival lot at the same time as, or within 40 seconds after, the time Jesus Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio,”&#160;MGM said in a statement obtained by the&#160; <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/11/mgm-resorts-disputes-las-vegas-police-timeline-shooting.html" type="external">Washington Post</a>.&#160;“Metro officers were together with armed Mandalay Bay security officers in the building when Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio.”</p>
<p>On Friday, Lombardo said that he was&#160;“very well aware of the MGM statement”&#160;and said that he was&#160;“not in conflict with their statement.”</p>
<p>Lombardo said that the time he provided was not inaccurate, but the&#160;“circumstances associated with it is inaccurate.”&#160;He said that the time came from a&#160;“human entry”&#160;in a security log.</p>
<p>In their statement, MGM said that the 21:59 time offered by Lombardo was inaccurate because it was&#160;“derived from a Mandalay Bay report manually created after the fact without the benefit of information we now have.”</p>
<p>Through their investigation, police have determined that Campos encountered a&#160;“barricaded door, adjacent to the suspect’s door at approximately 21:59.”</p>
<p>In order to reach the 32nd floor, Campos was required to descend to another level to make it to the door to which he was originally dispatched. After reaching the door, Campos was shot&#160;“in close proximity”&#160;to 22:05, Lombardo said.</p>
<p>The police still claim that Paddock began firing into the crowd at 22:05.</p>
<p>Lombardo said that the current timeline was confirmed through records from a call that Campos made on his cell phone after he was shot. He also said that police confirmed the timeline through security logs, Officer Campos himself, the LVMPD dispatch, interviews, body-worn cameras, hotel cameras, and private cameras.</p>
<p>“So the timeline associated to both of those sources have been verified,”&#160;Lombardo said.</p>
<p>“22:05, the number that was provided earlier in reference to the majority of fire, upon our community we still stand by that time and that was done by the combination of sources that I listed for you earlier,”Lombardo added.</p>
<p>The sheriff said officers arrived at Paddock’s suite at 22:17, around 12 minutes after the shooting began. He said that Paddock fired on the crowd for 10 minutes, and by the time police had arrived, the firing had ceased.</p>
<p />
<p>Lombardo added that investigators have spent&#160;“a great deal”&#160;of their time&#160;“preoccupied”&#160;on the timeline. He denied that there was any&#160;“conspiracy”&#160;between the FBI, LVMPD and MGM, adding that no one was&#160;“attempting to hide anything in reference to this investigation.”</p>
<p>“The dynamics and the size of this investigation requires us to go through voluminous amounts of information in order to draw an accurate picture. My attempt, like I stated earlier, is to give you that information, as I know it, unverified, to calm the public, not to establish a legal case,”&#160;Lombardo said, refusing to take questions from reporters.</p>
<p>He added that some of the information that he gave reporters on Friday might also change.</p>
<p>Lombardo also updated the number of victims injured in the shooting to 546. Of those victims, he said 501 have been discharged, meaning they were treated for their wounds and subsequently left the hospital. There are still 45 victims currently hospitalized.</p>
<p>The number of fatalities still stands at 59, including Paddock, Lombardo said, but added that this figure may rise.</p>
<p />
<p>Courtesy of <a href="http://thefreethoughtproject.com/security-guard-disappears-vegas/" type="external">The Free Thought Project</a></p>
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Security Guard & Key Witness in Vegas Shooting ‘Disappears’ as Official Story Falls Apart
| true |
http://dcclothesline.com/2017/10/16/security-guard-key-witness-in-vegas-shooting-disappears-as-official-story-falls-apart/
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2017-10-16
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Security Guard & Key Witness in Vegas Shooting ‘Disappears’ as Official Story Falls Apart
<p>Las Vegas, NV —&#160; <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/406651-campos-missing-updated-timeline/" type="external">(RT)</a>&#160;Jesus Campos, the Mandalay Bay security guard shot by gunman Stephen Paddock – who opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas – has reportedly vanished moments before he was scheduled to speak to the press.</p>
<p />
<p>Campos was booked for five interviews Thursday night, all of which were mysteriously canceled. As of Friday, his whereabouts are reportedly unknown.</p>
<p>ABC News journalist Stephanie Wash, who was present to interview Campos on Thursday night, tweeted that the guard had left before their interview.</p>
<p>“We were in a room &amp; we came out &amp; he was gone,”&#160;Wash tweeted late on Thursday, quoting David Hickey, president of the International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, which represents Campos.</p>
<p />
<p>Wash later tweeted that Campos’ whereabouts were&#160;“unknown.”</p>
<p />
<p>Campos was also scheduled to appear on Fox News, but Sean Hannity confirmed that Campos had “canceled.”</p>
<p />
<p>When investigative reporter Laura Loomer went to Campos’ house after it was reported that he canceled his interview with Hannity, she filmed a Periscope of a woman at the door, who told her that she was not allowed to talk.</p>
<p>“We can’t talk about stuff right now,”&#160;she said.&#160;“Sorry, I can’t talk right now.”</p>
<p />
<p>Loomer was met with armed security officers, who told her to leave the property.</p>
<p>“What I want to know is: who is preventing the family from talking? We have confirmation right now that there is a gag order on the family of Jesus Campos. If Jesus Campos is truly a hero, there is no reason he or his family wouldn’t be allowed to talk about what he saw and what he did,”&#160;Loomer said, according to&#160; <a href="http://gotnews.com/breaking-las-vegas-security-guard-cancels-seanhannity-whereabouts-unknown/" type="external">Got News</a>.</p>
<p>The reporter was also banned from attending a press conference held by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).</p>
<p />
<p>At the press conference, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo revised the timeline of events for the October 1 shooting for the second time.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Initially, police said that Campos arrived at Paddock’s door while the shooting was underway and diverted some of the gunfire away from concertgoers.</p>
<p>Campos was dispatched to the 32nd floor after a door alarm alerted the security team to an open door near Paddock’s suite. When he went to investigate, he came under fire and was struck in the leg. He retreated and notified his dispatcher about the shooter.The police changed their timeline last week when Lombardo announced that Campos had arrived six minutes before Paddock began firing into the crowd, leading many to question why police waited so long to respond.</p>
<p>On Thursday, MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mandalay Bay, released a statement to&#160;“correct some of the misinformation that has been reported.”</p>
<p>“We know that shots were being fired at the festival lot at the same time as, or within 40 seconds after, the time Jesus Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio,”&#160;MGM said in a statement obtained by the&#160; <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/11/mgm-resorts-disputes-las-vegas-police-timeline-shooting.html" type="external">Washington Post</a>.&#160;“Metro officers were together with armed Mandalay Bay security officers in the building when Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio.”</p>
<p>On Friday, Lombardo said that he was&#160;“very well aware of the MGM statement”&#160;and said that he was&#160;“not in conflict with their statement.”</p>
<p>Lombardo said that the time he provided was not inaccurate, but the&#160;“circumstances associated with it is inaccurate.”&#160;He said that the time came from a&#160;“human entry”&#160;in a security log.</p>
<p>In their statement, MGM said that the 21:59 time offered by Lombardo was inaccurate because it was&#160;“derived from a Mandalay Bay report manually created after the fact without the benefit of information we now have.”</p>
<p>Through their investigation, police have determined that Campos encountered a&#160;“barricaded door, adjacent to the suspect’s door at approximately 21:59.”</p>
<p>In order to reach the 32nd floor, Campos was required to descend to another level to make it to the door to which he was originally dispatched. After reaching the door, Campos was shot&#160;“in close proximity”&#160;to 22:05, Lombardo said.</p>
<p>The police still claim that Paddock began firing into the crowd at 22:05.</p>
<p>Lombardo said that the current timeline was confirmed through records from a call that Campos made on his cell phone after he was shot. He also said that police confirmed the timeline through security logs, Officer Campos himself, the LVMPD dispatch, interviews, body-worn cameras, hotel cameras, and private cameras.</p>
<p>“So the timeline associated to both of those sources have been verified,”&#160;Lombardo said.</p>
<p>“22:05, the number that was provided earlier in reference to the majority of fire, upon our community we still stand by that time and that was done by the combination of sources that I listed for you earlier,”Lombardo added.</p>
<p>The sheriff said officers arrived at Paddock’s suite at 22:17, around 12 minutes after the shooting began. He said that Paddock fired on the crowd for 10 minutes, and by the time police had arrived, the firing had ceased.</p>
<p />
<p>Lombardo added that investigators have spent&#160;“a great deal”&#160;of their time&#160;“preoccupied”&#160;on the timeline. He denied that there was any&#160;“conspiracy”&#160;between the FBI, LVMPD and MGM, adding that no one was&#160;“attempting to hide anything in reference to this investigation.”</p>
<p>“The dynamics and the size of this investigation requires us to go through voluminous amounts of information in order to draw an accurate picture. My attempt, like I stated earlier, is to give you that information, as I know it, unverified, to calm the public, not to establish a legal case,”&#160;Lombardo said, refusing to take questions from reporters.</p>
<p>He added that some of the information that he gave reporters on Friday might also change.</p>
<p>Lombardo also updated the number of victims injured in the shooting to 546. Of those victims, he said 501 have been discharged, meaning they were treated for their wounds and subsequently left the hospital. There are still 45 victims currently hospitalized.</p>
<p>The number of fatalities still stands at 59, including Paddock, Lombardo said, but added that this figure may rise.</p>
<p />
<p>Courtesy of <a href="http://thefreethoughtproject.com/security-guard-disappears-vegas/" type="external">The Free Thought Project</a></p>
<p />
<p />
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<p>If you were a student in 40-year-old Yokasta M's class, you might be dreading finals. The teacher at a school in Medellin, Columbia is accused of forcing students to have sex with her in exchange for good grades.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Credit: <a href="http://metro.co.uk" type="external">metro.co.uk</a></p>
<p />
<p>There's nothing like sticking to a woman your mom's age right? Victim's of the teacher's abuse said she would approach them on social media and then send explicit pictures of herself using WhatsApp. Mrs. M's (her full identity has not been revealed) explicit photos were leaked online by one of her students and now she is facing 40 years in prison and her husband wants a divorce.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Credit: <a href="http://metro.co.uk" type="external">metro.co.uk</a></p>
<p />
<p>The student who also shared an image with the teacher lying in a bed naked covered only by stuffed animals. The student wrote, "This is the teacher Yokasta, who tells us that she disapproves of us if we do not have relations with her." Other images show the woman in a bikini in sexually suggestive poses.</p>
<p />
<p>On Twitter:</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/ErvinProduction" type="external">@ErvinProduction</a></p>
<p>Tips? Info? Send me a message!</p>
<p />
<p>Source: <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/11/17/teacher-offered-pupils-good-grades-in-exchange-for-sex-7086117/" type="external">metro.co.uk/2017/11/17/teacher-offered-pupils-good-grades-in-exchange-for-sex-7086117</a></p>
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School of Life: Teacher Gives Students Good Grades in Exchange for Sex
| true |
http://thegoldwater.com/news/12259-School-of-Life-Teacher-Gives-Students-Good-Grades-in-Exchange-for-Sex
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2017-11-19
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School of Life: Teacher Gives Students Good Grades in Exchange for Sex
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>If you were a student in 40-year-old Yokasta M's class, you might be dreading finals. The teacher at a school in Medellin, Columbia is accused of forcing students to have sex with her in exchange for good grades.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Credit: <a href="http://metro.co.uk" type="external">metro.co.uk</a></p>
<p />
<p>There's nothing like sticking to a woman your mom's age right? Victim's of the teacher's abuse said she would approach them on social media and then send explicit pictures of herself using WhatsApp. Mrs. M's (her full identity has not been revealed) explicit photos were leaked online by one of her students and now she is facing 40 years in prison and her husband wants a divorce.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Credit: <a href="http://metro.co.uk" type="external">metro.co.uk</a></p>
<p />
<p>The student who also shared an image with the teacher lying in a bed naked covered only by stuffed animals. The student wrote, "This is the teacher Yokasta, who tells us that she disapproves of us if we do not have relations with her." Other images show the woman in a bikini in sexually suggestive poses.</p>
<p />
<p>On Twitter:</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/ErvinProduction" type="external">@ErvinProduction</a></p>
<p>Tips? Info? Send me a message!</p>
<p />
<p>Source: <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/11/17/teacher-offered-pupils-good-grades-in-exchange-for-sex-7086117/" type="external">metro.co.uk/2017/11/17/teacher-offered-pupils-good-grades-in-exchange-for-sex-7086117</a></p>
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<p>David Jesus Hernandez, 35 (MDC)</p>
<p>The man who attempted to kiss Victoria Martens five months before her grisly death had been arrested and charged in the high-profile kidnapping of a 4-year-old girl in 2013, according to attorneys representing Victoria’s grandparents.</p>
<p>Attorney Jason Bowles said the grandparents told him that David Jesus Hernandez, 35, was dating their daughter, Victoria’s mother, Michelle Martens, in March 2016. Victoria was 9 years old at the time.</p>
<p>It was during that period that a report from Martens reached the state’s Children, Youth and Families Department saying her boyfriend had attempted to kiss Victoria, said Gilbert Montaño, the mayor’s chief of staff. Martens also reported she had kicked the boyfriend out of the house, but she refused to give his name.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>CYFD forwarded a request for investigation to the Albuquerque Police Department. But because Martens had reported the allegation, and she said she kicked the boyfriend out, police didn’t investigate, Montaño said.</p>
<p>If they had investigated, Bowles said, they could have discovered her boyfriend was the same man who had previously been referenced in at least two alleged child sex assaults – although no charges were brought in either case – and in the 2013 kidnapping.</p>
<p>That, Bowles said, might have saved Victoria’s life.</p>
<p>Victoria Martens, 10 (Courtesy Martens family)</p>
<p>Police say that 10-year-old Victoria was raped, killed and dismembered in August 2016 by Martens’ boyfriend Fabian Gonzales and his cousin Jessica Kelley while Martens watched. All three face murder and other charges in her death.</p>
<p>“It’s really tragic in that sense,” he said. “Had [police] investigated it, [Victoria and her sibling] would have been out of the house.”</p>
<p>Bowles has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the grandparents, John and Pat Martens, who say police failure to investigate the CYFD complaint led to Victoria’s death. They want policy changes at the department along with compensation.</p>
<p>They say after filing their lawsuit, they learned about Hernandez’s past.</p>
<p>Hernandez could not be reached for comment Thursday. Michelle Martens’ defense attorney, Gary Mitchell, was unreachable as well.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Earlier charge dropped</p>
<p>According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, in May 2013 Hernandez grabbed a 4-year-old girl from an apartment complex near 12th and Menaul, forced her into his car and sped away.</p>
<p>The girl’s mother chased him across town before crashing into his car. The girl was pushed out of the car before the crash and was not hurt.</p>
<p>Hernandez fled on foot but the registration and a birth certificate in the car pointed to him as the suspect, according to the complaint. He turned himself in after a day-long manhunt.</p>
<p>The case was dismissed by prosecutors after a judge suppressed key evidence, including an interview with the child victim, because the state hadn’t turned it over to the defense. The case was refiled in 2015, but dismissed again after a judge determined Hernandez’s speedy trial rights had been violated.</p>
<p>T hat incident wasn’t the first time Hernandez had been accused of crimes against children.</p>
<p>In 2012, a female relative reported to police that 15 years before – when she was 5 – Hernandez, then about age 16, molested her and a male relative, who had since committed suicide. She said she was not interested in moving forward with criminal charges, but felt the incident was worth reporting, according to police records. He never faced charges connected to that report.</p>
<p>About two months after Victoria’s death, police documents show CYFD took Hernandez’s child away for at least 48 hours while investigating “living conditions and previous reports of possible sexual abuse.”</p>
<p>It’s unclear from the documents who the victim was in the possible sexual abuse.</p>
<p>Charges still possible</p>
<p>Hernandez could still face charges in connection to Victoria, since all the men named in Martens’ interviews with detectives are still being investigated by APD and the FBI’s child exploitation units, Montaño said.</p>
<p>In the hours after Victoria’s body was found, Martens told homicide detectives Hernandez had raped the girl “maybe twice” in the past, according to transcripts of the interviews.</p>
<p>She said she met him at a buybuy BABY – a baby supply store – where she trained him to work in the stroller department. They also lived in the same apartment complex near Irving and Golf Course NW, according to police reports.</p>
<p>Martens’ story changed frequently throughout her interviews. At one point she said Hernandez sexually assaulted Victoria and “that’s when I got rid of him.”</p>
<p>But later, she agrees with detectives when they ask if she met Hernandez and other men for the “sole purpose of having sex with your children.” She said she saw signs that was a thing he wanted to do.</p>
<p>In his interviews with police, Martens’ ex-boyfriend Jason Oetting, who had raised Victoria, also references Hernandez and said he had concerns about him.</p>
<p>“According to Michelle and Victoria, … David had tried to, uh, sneak his way into Victoria’s bedroom,” Oetting told detectives.</p>
<p>He said he was “irate” and that it was alarming, but that Martens had kicked Hernandez out.</p>
<p>APD criticized</p>
<p>Bowles also took issue with false statements APD had initially provided about the attempted kiss and the investigation.</p>
<p>APD spokespersons Fred Duran and Celina Espinoza had said detectives investigated the attempted kiss, but an investigation by the Civilian Police Oversight Agency found that was not true. They recommended Duran be suspended and Espinoza receive a letter of reprimand.</p>
<p>Montaño would not comment on why the two had provided false information, but said “the series of discussions and information provided is currently under investigation.”</p>
<p>“I think they must know what a huge tragic error they made not investigating this situation,” Bowles said. “It’s something we really need to look at.”</p>
<p>More from ABQJournal.com</p>
<p>The maternal grandparents of Victoria Martens, who was viciously raped, dismembered and set on fire last year, has filed a… continue reading »</p>
<p>More from ABQJournal.com</p>
<p>Police chief, others knew there was no follow-up of CYFD referral… continue reading »</p>
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Lawyers say Michelle Martens’ previous boyfriend tied to kidnapping
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https://abqjournal.com/1056831/lawyers-tie-martens-ex-to-earlier-kidnapping-case.html
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2017-09-01
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Lawyers say Michelle Martens’ previous boyfriend tied to kidnapping
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<p>David Jesus Hernandez, 35 (MDC)</p>
<p>The man who attempted to kiss Victoria Martens five months before her grisly death had been arrested and charged in the high-profile kidnapping of a 4-year-old girl in 2013, according to attorneys representing Victoria’s grandparents.</p>
<p>Attorney Jason Bowles said the grandparents told him that David Jesus Hernandez, 35, was dating their daughter, Victoria’s mother, Michelle Martens, in March 2016. Victoria was 9 years old at the time.</p>
<p>It was during that period that a report from Martens reached the state’s Children, Youth and Families Department saying her boyfriend had attempted to kiss Victoria, said Gilbert Montaño, the mayor’s chief of staff. Martens also reported she had kicked the boyfriend out of the house, but she refused to give his name.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>CYFD forwarded a request for investigation to the Albuquerque Police Department. But because Martens had reported the allegation, and she said she kicked the boyfriend out, police didn’t investigate, Montaño said.</p>
<p>If they had investigated, Bowles said, they could have discovered her boyfriend was the same man who had previously been referenced in at least two alleged child sex assaults – although no charges were brought in either case – and in the 2013 kidnapping.</p>
<p>That, Bowles said, might have saved Victoria’s life.</p>
<p>Victoria Martens, 10 (Courtesy Martens family)</p>
<p>Police say that 10-year-old Victoria was raped, killed and dismembered in August 2016 by Martens’ boyfriend Fabian Gonzales and his cousin Jessica Kelley while Martens watched. All three face murder and other charges in her death.</p>
<p>“It’s really tragic in that sense,” he said. “Had [police] investigated it, [Victoria and her sibling] would have been out of the house.”</p>
<p>Bowles has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the grandparents, John and Pat Martens, who say police failure to investigate the CYFD complaint led to Victoria’s death. They want policy changes at the department along with compensation.</p>
<p>They say after filing their lawsuit, they learned about Hernandez’s past.</p>
<p>Hernandez could not be reached for comment Thursday. Michelle Martens’ defense attorney, Gary Mitchell, was unreachable as well.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Earlier charge dropped</p>
<p>According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, in May 2013 Hernandez grabbed a 4-year-old girl from an apartment complex near 12th and Menaul, forced her into his car and sped away.</p>
<p>The girl’s mother chased him across town before crashing into his car. The girl was pushed out of the car before the crash and was not hurt.</p>
<p>Hernandez fled on foot but the registration and a birth certificate in the car pointed to him as the suspect, according to the complaint. He turned himself in after a day-long manhunt.</p>
<p>The case was dismissed by prosecutors after a judge suppressed key evidence, including an interview with the child victim, because the state hadn’t turned it over to the defense. The case was refiled in 2015, but dismissed again after a judge determined Hernandez’s speedy trial rights had been violated.</p>
<p>T hat incident wasn’t the first time Hernandez had been accused of crimes against children.</p>
<p>In 2012, a female relative reported to police that 15 years before – when she was 5 – Hernandez, then about age 16, molested her and a male relative, who had since committed suicide. She said she was not interested in moving forward with criminal charges, but felt the incident was worth reporting, according to police records. He never faced charges connected to that report.</p>
<p>About two months after Victoria’s death, police documents show CYFD took Hernandez’s child away for at least 48 hours while investigating “living conditions and previous reports of possible sexual abuse.”</p>
<p>It’s unclear from the documents who the victim was in the possible sexual abuse.</p>
<p>Charges still possible</p>
<p>Hernandez could still face charges in connection to Victoria, since all the men named in Martens’ interviews with detectives are still being investigated by APD and the FBI’s child exploitation units, Montaño said.</p>
<p>In the hours after Victoria’s body was found, Martens told homicide detectives Hernandez had raped the girl “maybe twice” in the past, according to transcripts of the interviews.</p>
<p>She said she met him at a buybuy BABY – a baby supply store – where she trained him to work in the stroller department. They also lived in the same apartment complex near Irving and Golf Course NW, according to police reports.</p>
<p>Martens’ story changed frequently throughout her interviews. At one point she said Hernandez sexually assaulted Victoria and “that’s when I got rid of him.”</p>
<p>But later, she agrees with detectives when they ask if she met Hernandez and other men for the “sole purpose of having sex with your children.” She said she saw signs that was a thing he wanted to do.</p>
<p>In his interviews with police, Martens’ ex-boyfriend Jason Oetting, who had raised Victoria, also references Hernandez and said he had concerns about him.</p>
<p>“According to Michelle and Victoria, … David had tried to, uh, sneak his way into Victoria’s bedroom,” Oetting told detectives.</p>
<p>He said he was “irate” and that it was alarming, but that Martens had kicked Hernandez out.</p>
<p>APD criticized</p>
<p>Bowles also took issue with false statements APD had initially provided about the attempted kiss and the investigation.</p>
<p>APD spokespersons Fred Duran and Celina Espinoza had said detectives investigated the attempted kiss, but an investigation by the Civilian Police Oversight Agency found that was not true. They recommended Duran be suspended and Espinoza receive a letter of reprimand.</p>
<p>Montaño would not comment on why the two had provided false information, but said “the series of discussions and information provided is currently under investigation.”</p>
<p>“I think they must know what a huge tragic error they made not investigating this situation,” Bowles said. “It’s something we really need to look at.”</p>
<p>More from ABQJournal.com</p>
<p>The maternal grandparents of Victoria Martens, who was viciously raped, dismembered and set on fire last year, has filed a… continue reading »</p>
<p>More from ABQJournal.com</p>
<p>Police chief, others knew there was no follow-up of CYFD referral… continue reading »</p>
<p />
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<p>Ferry services between the United States and Cuba were terminated in the early 1960s as a result of the Cuban revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. In December of this past year, the United States and Cuba announced plans to reconcile international relations after 54 years. Now, it seems the two countries are making good on their promises.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, a passenger ferry service was approved to run between the United States and Cuba. The Treasury Department issued licenses to operate to at least two US companies. Miami-based Baja Ferries USA was one of the agencies that obtained a license and is part of a major shipping group with many passenger and cargo operations, including on the west coast of Mexico. Another company with a license to operate a US-Cuba ferry service is the Peurto Rico-based company, America Cruise Ferries, according to a lawyer who expedited the license application for the company.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/07-May-2015/obama-administration-approves-cuba-ferry-service-licences" type="external">The Daily Times</a> reports that since the plans to mend relations between Cuba and the United States, there have been high level talks to get the first steps underway. “If all goes smoothly we could have things up and running by September,” said Joseph Hinson, vice president of Baja Ferries USA. Hinson went on to say that the company still needs to get approval from Cuban and Florida ports, but Robert Muse, a lawyer who represents Baja Ferries and specializes in Cuba sanctions says, “This is a further step in bringing Cuba and the United States closer together.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
|
Cuba-US ferry approved
| false |
http://natmonitor.com/2015/05/06/cuba-us-ferry-approved/
|
2015-05-06
| 3left-center
|
Cuba-US ferry approved
<p>Ferry services between the United States and Cuba were terminated in the early 1960s as a result of the Cuban revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. In December of this past year, the United States and Cuba announced plans to reconcile international relations after 54 years. Now, it seems the two countries are making good on their promises.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, a passenger ferry service was approved to run between the United States and Cuba. The Treasury Department issued licenses to operate to at least two US companies. Miami-based Baja Ferries USA was one of the agencies that obtained a license and is part of a major shipping group with many passenger and cargo operations, including on the west coast of Mexico. Another company with a license to operate a US-Cuba ferry service is the Peurto Rico-based company, America Cruise Ferries, according to a lawyer who expedited the license application for the company.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/07-May-2015/obama-administration-approves-cuba-ferry-service-licences" type="external">The Daily Times</a> reports that since the plans to mend relations between Cuba and the United States, there have been high level talks to get the first steps underway. “If all goes smoothly we could have things up and running by September,” said Joseph Hinson, vice president of Baja Ferries USA. Hinson went on to say that the company still needs to get approval from Cuban and Florida ports, but Robert Muse, a lawyer who represents Baja Ferries and specializes in Cuba sanctions says, “This is a further step in bringing Cuba and the United States closer together.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
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<p />
<p>The Pierce County coroner’s office said Wednesday that Benjamin Gran, 40, of Auburn, Washington, died of multiple traumatic injuries in the train wreck Monday.</p>
<p>Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Seattle, said the prosecutor was notified Wednesday of Gran’s death. Gran had been ordered to a lifetime of supervised release following a felony conviction for child pornography.</p>
<p>Gran had pleaded guilty and served two years in prison before his release in 2015. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.</p>
<p>Gran died on the maiden voyage of a faster train route between Seattle and Portland, Oregon.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Authorities are investigating the wreck and have said that the train was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone, derailing south of Seattle and toppling some cars on Interstate 5 below.</p>
<p>Dozens of others were hurt, some seriously.</p>
<p>Also killed in the train derailment were Jim Hamre, 61, and Zack Willhoite, 35. Hamre and Willhoite died of severe brain and skull injuries from blunt impact on the train.</p>
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3rd man killed in train wreck was convicted sex offender
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/1109122/3rd-man-killed-in-train-wreck-was-convicted-sex-offender.html
| 2least
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3rd man killed in train wreck was convicted sex offender
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<p />
<p>The Pierce County coroner’s office said Wednesday that Benjamin Gran, 40, of Auburn, Washington, died of multiple traumatic injuries in the train wreck Monday.</p>
<p>Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Seattle, said the prosecutor was notified Wednesday of Gran’s death. Gran had been ordered to a lifetime of supervised release following a felony conviction for child pornography.</p>
<p>Gran had pleaded guilty and served two years in prison before his release in 2015. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.</p>
<p>Gran died on the maiden voyage of a faster train route between Seattle and Portland, Oregon.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Authorities are investigating the wreck and have said that the train was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone, derailing south of Seattle and toppling some cars on Interstate 5 below.</p>
<p>Dozens of others were hurt, some seriously.</p>
<p>Also killed in the train derailment were Jim Hamre, 61, and Zack Willhoite, 35. Hamre and Willhoite died of severe brain and skull injuries from blunt impact on the train.</p>
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<p>PRAGUE (AP) — Romania midfielder Nicolae Stanciu has completed a transfer from Anderlecht to Sparta Prague.</p>
<p>The Czech club says the 24-year-old Stanciu has signed a contract through the 2020-21 season.</p>
<p>The clubs have not published financial details but media estimate Sparta paid about 4.5 million euros ($5.5 million) for the playmaker, the highest transfer fee for a player coming to the Czech league.</p>
<p>Stanciu went to Anderlecht in 2016 but rarely started recently.</p>
<p>He has played 19 matches for Romania, scoring six goals.</p>
<p>PRAGUE (AP) — Romania midfielder Nicolae Stanciu has completed a transfer from Anderlecht to Sparta Prague.</p>
<p>The Czech club says the 24-year-old Stanciu has signed a contract through the 2020-21 season.</p>
<p>The clubs have not published financial details but media estimate Sparta paid about 4.5 million euros ($5.5 million) for the playmaker, the highest transfer fee for a player coming to the Czech league.</p>
<p>Stanciu went to Anderlecht in 2016 but rarely started recently.</p>
<p>He has played 19 matches for Romania, scoring six goals.</p>
|
Romania midfielder Stanciu moves to Sparta from Anderlecht
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/caeb274088c240958f45fefab48e8efb
|
2018-01-23
| 2least
|
Romania midfielder Stanciu moves to Sparta from Anderlecht
<p>PRAGUE (AP) — Romania midfielder Nicolae Stanciu has completed a transfer from Anderlecht to Sparta Prague.</p>
<p>The Czech club says the 24-year-old Stanciu has signed a contract through the 2020-21 season.</p>
<p>The clubs have not published financial details but media estimate Sparta paid about 4.5 million euros ($5.5 million) for the playmaker, the highest transfer fee for a player coming to the Czech league.</p>
<p>Stanciu went to Anderlecht in 2016 but rarely started recently.</p>
<p>He has played 19 matches for Romania, scoring six goals.</p>
<p>PRAGUE (AP) — Romania midfielder Nicolae Stanciu has completed a transfer from Anderlecht to Sparta Prague.</p>
<p>The Czech club says the 24-year-old Stanciu has signed a contract through the 2020-21 season.</p>
<p>The clubs have not published financial details but media estimate Sparta paid about 4.5 million euros ($5.5 million) for the playmaker, the highest transfer fee for a player coming to the Czech league.</p>
<p>Stanciu went to Anderlecht in 2016 but rarely started recently.</p>
<p>He has played 19 matches for Romania, scoring six goals.</p>
| 7,773 |
<p>Frank Beamer and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mack_Brown/" type="external">Mack Brown</a> were among the 13 players and coaches selected to the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame on Monday.</p>
<p>The deep class also includes 1997 <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Heisman_Trophy/" type="external">Heisman Trophy</a> recipient <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Charles_Woodson/" type="external">Charles Woodson</a> of Michigan (1995-97) along with Miami safety <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Ed_Reed/" type="external">Ed Reed</a> (1998-2001) and Georgia Tech receiver <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Calvin_Johnson/" type="external">Calvin Johnson</a> (2004-06).</p>
<p>Also included in the 10-player, three-coach class are the following: Rice running back Trevor Cobb (1989-92); Penn State quarterback <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Kerry_Collins/" type="external">Kerry Collins</a> (1991-94); Montana quarterback Dave Dickenson (1992-95); Illinois linebacker Dana Howard (1991-94); Temple running back Paul Palmer (1983-86); Georgia offensive tackle Matt Stinchcomb (1995-98); Nebraska offensive lineman Aaron Taylor (1994-97) and former Austin College and Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma (1984-2010).</p>
<p>The class was unveiled in Atlanta, site of the College Football Playoff national championship game between Alabama and Georgia.</p>
<p>All honorees officially will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 4 in New York.</p>
<p>“We are extremely proud to announce the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” College Football Hall of Famer and National Football Foundation chairman Archie Manning said in a statement. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”</p>
<p>Brown won 244 games in a 30-year head coaching career at four schools that included 16 seasons and a national championship at Texas in 2005.</p>
<p>Beamer took over the Virginia Tech program in 1987 and led the Hokies to a BCS championship game appearance in 1999. His 280 victories rank sixth in FBS history.</p>
<p>Woodson, who won a national championship with the Wolverines in 1997, won the Walter Camp Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jim_Thorpe/" type="external">Jim Thorpe</a> Award in addition to the Heisman.</p>
<p>Reed played safety for the Hurricanes and aided in the club winning the national championship in 2001.</p>
<p>Johnson used his size to become the greatest receiver in Georgia Tech history. The Biletnikoff Award winner as the top receiver in 2006, Johnson still holds school records for receiving yards, touchdown receptions and total 100-yard games.</p>
<p>Cobb won the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Doak_Walker/" type="external">Doak Walker</a> as the country’s best running back and holds most of the Owls’ school rushing records.</p>
<p>Collins led the Nittany Lions to an unbeaten season in 1994 and finished fourth in the Heisman voting.</p>
<p>Dickenson earned the 1994 Division I-AA player of the year honors while Howard was the Butkus Award win that year as the best linebacker.</p>
<p>Palmer finished second in the Heisman voting in 1986, Stinchcomb was named the SEC’s most outstanding blocker in 1998 and Taylor was an offensive lineman on three Nebraska national championship teams.</p>
|
Frank Beamer, Mack Brown headline 2018 College Football Hall of Fame class
| false |
https://newsline.com/frank-beamer-mack-brown-headline-2018-college-football-hall-of-fame-class/
|
2018-01-08
| 1right-center
|
Frank Beamer, Mack Brown headline 2018 College Football Hall of Fame class
<p>Frank Beamer and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mack_Brown/" type="external">Mack Brown</a> were among the 13 players and coaches selected to the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame on Monday.</p>
<p>The deep class also includes 1997 <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Heisman_Trophy/" type="external">Heisman Trophy</a> recipient <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Charles_Woodson/" type="external">Charles Woodson</a> of Michigan (1995-97) along with Miami safety <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Ed_Reed/" type="external">Ed Reed</a> (1998-2001) and Georgia Tech receiver <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Calvin_Johnson/" type="external">Calvin Johnson</a> (2004-06).</p>
<p>Also included in the 10-player, three-coach class are the following: Rice running back Trevor Cobb (1989-92); Penn State quarterback <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Kerry_Collins/" type="external">Kerry Collins</a> (1991-94); Montana quarterback Dave Dickenson (1992-95); Illinois linebacker Dana Howard (1991-94); Temple running back Paul Palmer (1983-86); Georgia offensive tackle Matt Stinchcomb (1995-98); Nebraska offensive lineman Aaron Taylor (1994-97) and former Austin College and Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma (1984-2010).</p>
<p>The class was unveiled in Atlanta, site of the College Football Playoff national championship game between Alabama and Georgia.</p>
<p>All honorees officially will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 4 in New York.</p>
<p>“We are extremely proud to announce the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” College Football Hall of Famer and National Football Foundation chairman Archie Manning said in a statement. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”</p>
<p>Brown won 244 games in a 30-year head coaching career at four schools that included 16 seasons and a national championship at Texas in 2005.</p>
<p>Beamer took over the Virginia Tech program in 1987 and led the Hokies to a BCS championship game appearance in 1999. His 280 victories rank sixth in FBS history.</p>
<p>Woodson, who won a national championship with the Wolverines in 1997, won the Walter Camp Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jim_Thorpe/" type="external">Jim Thorpe</a> Award in addition to the Heisman.</p>
<p>Reed played safety for the Hurricanes and aided in the club winning the national championship in 2001.</p>
<p>Johnson used his size to become the greatest receiver in Georgia Tech history. The Biletnikoff Award winner as the top receiver in 2006, Johnson still holds school records for receiving yards, touchdown receptions and total 100-yard games.</p>
<p>Cobb won the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Doak_Walker/" type="external">Doak Walker</a> as the country’s best running back and holds most of the Owls’ school rushing records.</p>
<p>Collins led the Nittany Lions to an unbeaten season in 1994 and finished fourth in the Heisman voting.</p>
<p>Dickenson earned the 1994 Division I-AA player of the year honors while Howard was the Butkus Award win that year as the best linebacker.</p>
<p>Palmer finished second in the Heisman voting in 1986, Stinchcomb was named the SEC’s most outstanding blocker in 1998 and Taylor was an offensive lineman on three Nebraska national championship teams.</p>
| 7,774 |
<p>Californians like it hot.</p>
<p>In&#160;polling conducted by USC Dornsife and the Los Angeles Times, respondents confirmed some eye-opening facts about California’s appeal to its own residents — such as the primary importance of its largely snow-free climate. Although good weather has long been known as a point of pride among West Coasters, the continued economic uncertainty nibbling at Californians cast their appreciativeness in a darker, more politically interesting light.</p>
<p>The poll <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/living-in-california-is-no-longer-about-striking-it-rich-5413425" type="external">revealed</a>&#160;Californians like their climate far better than their fellow Golden Staters or their job prospects. While over 70 percent expressed a preference for their home state over any other, 69 percent attributed their continued residence to the weather.</p>
<p>As the LA Weekly <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/living-in-california-is-no-longer-about-striking-it-rich-5413425" type="external">observed</a>, that struck a sharp, unflattering contrast to the 18 percent who credited “family, friends and the people” of their state, or the 12 percent who said their “employment and earnings potential” kept them sticking around.</p>
<p>Perhaps even more remarkably, given California’s stereotype as a culturally and politically deep blue bastion, a scant 17 percent associated their decision to stay in-state with&#160;its&#160;“progressive atmosphere.” Despite a virtually unbroken string of legislative victories and dominance in the state’s congressional delegation, the poll suggested, Democrats have failed to produce political and economic outcomes that alone appeal&#160;enough to most of their voters to stop&#160;them from picking up stakes.</p>
<p>Indeed, according to the poll, some 25 percent of respondents admitted they were more likely than in the past to do just that — blaming cost of living, employment conditions, taxes and business climate, and government and politicians above all. All told, a whopping 42 percent said the next generation of Californians would find it worse off than today’s generations.</p>
<p>Some analysts who examine&#160;how&#160;Californians vote with their feet raised concerns the USC/Times poll appeared to reinforce. In a recent study, Carson Bruno, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, noted that California’s 0.9 percent population growth from July 2013 to July 2014 obscured&#160;the thinning-out&#160;of a specific and important demographic. Young middle-class professionals, he <a href="http://www.hoover.org/research/californias-migration-problem-good-luck-movin-cause-im-movin-out" type="external">explained</a>, were the most likely group&#160;to leave the state.</p>
<p>That exacerbated just the kind of economic trends that respondents in the USC/Times poll identified among&#160;their biggest reasons to relocate.</p>
<p>Californians’ difficulty in getting or staying ahead has been shown to correlate with another potentially problematic&#160;demographic trend — population stagnation. Over a period of 15 years, Bruno determined:</p>
<p>“California’s natural increases have fallen by over 18 percent, a direct result of the birth to death ratio falling over 13 percent to just two births for every death.</p>
<p>“And the shift has accelerated more recently. Since 2008-2009, births have fallen by an annual average of 2.1 percent and deaths have risen by an annual average of 1.2 percent; both rates are over twice as fast as the 1999-2000 to 2007-2008 period. This suggests that despite natural increases accounting for a larger share of California’s population growth (thanks to falling net migration), it is itself trending in the wrong direction.”</p>
<p>In other words, despite a massive budget and a world-class quality of climatological life, California appeared set to rely increasingly on immigration in order to drive economic and population growth. For a state where productivity, opportunity and economic inequality have dominated residents’ concerns, that prospect could&#160;sour them even more on their vision of the future.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Californians seemed exceptionally unwilling to consider fundamental changes to the political status quo.</p>
<p>As CalWatchdog.com previously <a href="" type="internal">observed</a>, the USC/Times respondents strongly affirmed their support for both Gov. Jerry Brown and for presumptive presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p>Brown’s&#160;26 percent unfavorable rating came in at less than half of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s&#160;at the close of his term in office, when 75 percent viewed him negatively.</p>
|
Love for CA rooted in climate, not politics
| false |
https://calwatchdog.com/2015/03/04/love-for-ca-rooted-in-climate-not-politics/
|
2018-03-20
| 3left-center
|
Love for CA rooted in climate, not politics
<p>Californians like it hot.</p>
<p>In&#160;polling conducted by USC Dornsife and the Los Angeles Times, respondents confirmed some eye-opening facts about California’s appeal to its own residents — such as the primary importance of its largely snow-free climate. Although good weather has long been known as a point of pride among West Coasters, the continued economic uncertainty nibbling at Californians cast their appreciativeness in a darker, more politically interesting light.</p>
<p>The poll <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/living-in-california-is-no-longer-about-striking-it-rich-5413425" type="external">revealed</a>&#160;Californians like their climate far better than their fellow Golden Staters or their job prospects. While over 70 percent expressed a preference for their home state over any other, 69 percent attributed their continued residence to the weather.</p>
<p>As the LA Weekly <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/living-in-california-is-no-longer-about-striking-it-rich-5413425" type="external">observed</a>, that struck a sharp, unflattering contrast to the 18 percent who credited “family, friends and the people” of their state, or the 12 percent who said their “employment and earnings potential” kept them sticking around.</p>
<p>Perhaps even more remarkably, given California’s stereotype as a culturally and politically deep blue bastion, a scant 17 percent associated their decision to stay in-state with&#160;its&#160;“progressive atmosphere.” Despite a virtually unbroken string of legislative victories and dominance in the state’s congressional delegation, the poll suggested, Democrats have failed to produce political and economic outcomes that alone appeal&#160;enough to most of their voters to stop&#160;them from picking up stakes.</p>
<p>Indeed, according to the poll, some 25 percent of respondents admitted they were more likely than in the past to do just that — blaming cost of living, employment conditions, taxes and business climate, and government and politicians above all. All told, a whopping 42 percent said the next generation of Californians would find it worse off than today’s generations.</p>
<p>Some analysts who examine&#160;how&#160;Californians vote with their feet raised concerns the USC/Times poll appeared to reinforce. In a recent study, Carson Bruno, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, noted that California’s 0.9 percent population growth from July 2013 to July 2014 obscured&#160;the thinning-out&#160;of a specific and important demographic. Young middle-class professionals, he <a href="http://www.hoover.org/research/californias-migration-problem-good-luck-movin-cause-im-movin-out" type="external">explained</a>, were the most likely group&#160;to leave the state.</p>
<p>That exacerbated just the kind of economic trends that respondents in the USC/Times poll identified among&#160;their biggest reasons to relocate.</p>
<p>Californians’ difficulty in getting or staying ahead has been shown to correlate with another potentially problematic&#160;demographic trend — population stagnation. Over a period of 15 years, Bruno determined:</p>
<p>“California’s natural increases have fallen by over 18 percent, a direct result of the birth to death ratio falling over 13 percent to just two births for every death.</p>
<p>“And the shift has accelerated more recently. Since 2008-2009, births have fallen by an annual average of 2.1 percent and deaths have risen by an annual average of 1.2 percent; both rates are over twice as fast as the 1999-2000 to 2007-2008 period. This suggests that despite natural increases accounting for a larger share of California’s population growth (thanks to falling net migration), it is itself trending in the wrong direction.”</p>
<p>In other words, despite a massive budget and a world-class quality of climatological life, California appeared set to rely increasingly on immigration in order to drive economic and population growth. For a state where productivity, opportunity and economic inequality have dominated residents’ concerns, that prospect could&#160;sour them even more on their vision of the future.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Californians seemed exceptionally unwilling to consider fundamental changes to the political status quo.</p>
<p>As CalWatchdog.com previously <a href="" type="internal">observed</a>, the USC/Times respondents strongly affirmed their support for both Gov. Jerry Brown and for presumptive presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p>Brown’s&#160;26 percent unfavorable rating came in at less than half of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s&#160;at the close of his term in office, when 75 percent viewed him negatively.</p>
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Interstate 25 will be closed in both directions this weekend to allow crews to build a new bridge across the interstate for pedestrians and cyclists, transportation officials said Wednesday.</p>
<p>Drivers also can expect overnight closures tonight on I-25 from 7 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Thursday. I-25 northbound will be closed from San Mateo to Paseo del Norte, and I-25 southbound will be closed at Paseo during those hours.</p>
<p>Both northbound and southbound I-25 will be closed at Paseo del Norte from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday, the state Department of Transportation said.</p>
<p>Workers plan to build a free-standing bridge that will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross I-25 just south of the Paseo bridge, agency spokesman Phil Gallegos said.</p>
<p>The bridge will feature a four-foot-wide pedestrian path and a separate eight-foot-wide bicycle path, Gallegos said. At each end of the bridge, pedestrians and cyclists will cross the frontage roads at signalized crosswalks, he said.</p>
<p>The $93 million Paseo/I-25 reconstruction project is about 85 percent complete with completion scheduled by Dec. 20, officials said.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
|
Pedestrian bridge construction will close I-25 this weekend
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/492003/pedestrian-bridge-construction-will-close-i-25-this-weekend.html
| 2least
|
Pedestrian bridge construction will close I-25 this weekend
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Interstate 25 will be closed in both directions this weekend to allow crews to build a new bridge across the interstate for pedestrians and cyclists, transportation officials said Wednesday.</p>
<p>Drivers also can expect overnight closures tonight on I-25 from 7 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Thursday. I-25 northbound will be closed from San Mateo to Paseo del Norte, and I-25 southbound will be closed at Paseo during those hours.</p>
<p>Both northbound and southbound I-25 will be closed at Paseo del Norte from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday, the state Department of Transportation said.</p>
<p>Workers plan to build a free-standing bridge that will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross I-25 just south of the Paseo bridge, agency spokesman Phil Gallegos said.</p>
<p>The bridge will feature a four-foot-wide pedestrian path and a separate eight-foot-wide bicycle path, Gallegos said. At each end of the bridge, pedestrians and cyclists will cross the frontage roads at signalized crosswalks, he said.</p>
<p>The $93 million Paseo/I-25 reconstruction project is about 85 percent complete with completion scheduled by Dec. 20, officials said.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
| 7,776 |
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<p />
<p>But Mattis soon demonstrated the enduring power of the military-industrial complex, as another retired general – President Dwight Eisenhower – famously called it.</p>
<p>Mattis joined the board of the nation’s fourth-largest defense contractor, General Dynamics, which paid him $276,000 in fees for his work, according to the most recent financial filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He also has a little more than $1 million in General Dynamics stock and options (based on Wednesday’s stock price), some of which he cannot cash in yet, according to Equilar, an executive and board-data provider.</p>
<p>Donald Trump ran for president on the theme of draining “the swamp” of Washington, a metaphor for doing battle with entrenched interests. But in Mattis, he has selected a defense secretary who embodies the revolving-door culture of Washington that Trump promised to end. Mattis has said he will forfeit or divest his various stock holdings. Last week, as he sailed through his confirmation hearing, not one senator asked him about his work with General Dynamics, or his time on the board of blood-testing company Theranos, where he was paid at least $150,000 in a period when the company’s labs and core technology were being questioned.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It would be rare to find any senior retired military officer who is not connected in some way to a military contractor,” said Christopher Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy at the libertarian Cato Institute. But, Preble said, “the fact that it did not come up in the hearing is disappointing. I think he should have been compelled to explain how he will comply with the ethics rules.”</p>
<p>Mattis will enter the Pentagon at a time when Trump has suggested increasing spending there by billions of dollars, a boon to defense contractors, including Mattis’ former employer. The company’s 2015 revenue was $31.5 billion, more than half of it from the federal government.</p>
<p>Allison Marre, a Mattis spokeswoman, said in an email that he has received a thorough briefing about the ethics rules and will abide by the one-year restriction against involving himself in decisions regarding General Dynamics. Mattis “has always fully complied with both the letter and the spirit of federal ethics laws and regulations,” Marre said. Asked whether a one-year restriction is long enough, she said, “The cooling off period is implemented precisely to avoid any suggested conflicts of interest.”</p>
<p>Lucy Ryan, a General Dynamics spokeswoman, said that the company will comply with all ethical guidelines set by the government.</p>
<p>Mattis said during his hearing that he had been “enjoying a full life west of the Rockies” and did not anticipate that he would be nominated to run the Pentagon. He accepted a fellowship with Stanford University’s conservative Hoover Institution, and received more than $420,000 combined in the past two years. In addition to his paid positions, he made more than $150,000 after retirement in a series of speeches to companies including Goldman Sachs and the defense firm Northrop Grumman.</p>
<p>Mattis joined the board of General Dynamics in August 2013. The company said in 2016 that his “demonstrated leadership and strategic skills make him well-equipped to advise on strategic opportunities and risks associated with our aerospace and defense businesses.”</p>
<p>General Dynamics’ most significant contract is for the Columbia-class submarine, a centerpiece of the Navy’s future. Twelve of the vessels have been commissioned at more than $2 billion each, and the construction of at least 16 more submarines has been approved. The company also sells the Pentagon an array of equipment including main battle tanks for the Army and destroyers for the Navy.</p>
<p>The outgoing defense secretary, Ashton Carter, resigned from positions with two firms in Silicon Valley after he was nominated to run the Pentagon in late 2014. He signed an agreement to avoid working with the company directly for two years but pushed the Pentagon more broadly to pursue ties in the technology hub.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dan Grazier, a fellow at the independent government watchdog Project On Government Oversight, said that while Mattis’s private work is not an “absolute disqualifier,” it is “troubling, and we want to make sure that all the regulations and laws are followed to the letter.” In particular, Grazier said, Mattis will need to avoid appearances that could be construed as favoritism when it comes to the Columbia-class submarine.</p>
<p>But Arnold Punaro, a retired two-star Marine Corps general and member of the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, said that with Mattis resigning from the General Dynamics board and divesting his stock in the company “it would be hard to make a case that there is a conflict” of interest. Mattis will not have any continuing financial interest in General Dynamics as defense secretary, Punaro noted. Any question about Mattis’ connections to the company, he said, are “a perception issue at best.”</p>
<p>Mattis’s work for the blood-testing firm Theranos has raised a different set of concerns – whether he did anything when troubles arose at the firm other than receive a paycheck that amounted to$150,000 in 2015 and an undisclosed amount for 2013, 2014 and 2016.</p>
<p>Mattis led U.S. Central Command in 2011 when he met an entrepreneur who had founded the blood-testing company. Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford University dropout, was more than three decades younger than Mattis, but she had big ideas about how her technology – a rapid, finger-stick blood test – could transform health care. Theranos imagined that its technology could have military uses, too, allowing medics to quickly run blood tests on wounded soldiers.</p>
<p>Holmes targeted Mattis to get support, sending him a message June 12, 2012, about the company’s regulatory certifications, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post.</p>
<p>Mattis responded that he was enthusiastic to see the blood-testing technology demonstrated in the battlefield.</p>
<p>“I’ve met with my various folks and we’re kicking this into overdrive to try to field your lab in the near term,” Mattis wrote. “Again, my thanks for what you’re doing and for your willingness to work with us on this. I’m convinced that your invention will be a game-changer for us and I want it to be given the opportunity for a demonstration in-theater soonest.”</p>
<p>That summer, Mattis got a demonstration of the Theranos technology in California.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a military regulatory and compliance official, Lt. Col. David Shoemaker, had met twice with Theranos as part of the process to vet the technology, according to internal emails and a white paper obtained by The Post. Shoemaker saw problems with the company’s regulatory strategy and got feedback from regulators that they also had concerns.</p>
<p>Holmes complained in an email to Mattis that Shoemaker had “communicated blatantly false information about our company” and asked him to assist in getting the facts straightened out with regulators.</p>
<p>Mattis forwarded the email internally, apparently frustrated by the delay in getting the battlefield demonstration going and asking what was going on.</p>
<p>“I have tried to get this device tested in theater asap, legally and ethically, and I need to know did this visit happen as related below and how do we overcome this new obstacle,” Mattis wrote.</p>
<p>In August 2012, Shoemaker traveled with the director of the office of in vitro diagnostics at the Food and Drug Administration to Tampa, where Central Command is based, to meet with Mattis and explain the regulatory problems with Theranos’s approach. The general was “disappointed that it has been almost a year since he first told his staff to make it happen,” according to the executive summary describing the meeting.</p>
<p>Shortly after Mattis retired from the military, he joined Theranos’s board, alongside other senior statesmen and people with military expertise. Members included two former secretaries of state, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, former U.S. senator Sam Nunn and former secretary of defense William Perry.</p>
<p>At first, while Mattis was on the board, Theranos was a darling of investors, valued at $9 billion. Holmes was featured on the covers of Forbes, Fortune and Inc. magazines, and she was compared to Apple founder Steve Jobs. She talked about how her technology could help start a revolution in health care in which consumers could seek out their own health information in a cheap and transparent way.</p>
<p>The company remained secretive about how its technology worked. A Wall Street Journal investigation in 2015 raised questions about whether its proprietary technology was being used for most of its tests, and whether the technology was accurate.</p>
<p>Since then, regulators uncovered a slew of compliance problems. Holmes was banned from owning or operating a clinical laboratory for two years – a decision the company has said it is appealing. Theranos has corrected test results, shut down its clinical labs and been slapped with lawsuits that it has said have no merit. The company is under investigation by the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California and the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the Wall Street Journal.</p>
<p>Throughout it all, Mattis’s role was a mystery, given that he was working with a private company. He remained on the board until December, when Trump nominated him to run the Pentagon. He has not said why he stayed with the company as it came under review by regulators, or whether he had any role in the problems or in seeking solutions.</p>
<p>Marre, the Mattis spokeswoman, said that “like any effective leader, General Mattis did not quit when allegations arose and instead worked with fellow board members to identify solutions.” Asked what Mattis did, she said “directors cannot legally discuss board conversations” and referred questions to Theranos.</p>
<p>The company declined to answer questions about the board’s roles and responsibilities. But as Theranos faces lawsuits, including one from a major investor, questions about Mattis’s role may become an issue.</p>
<p>“Our discovery [process] will also include what the board of directors knew and when they knew it and what they’ve done about it,” Reed Brodsky, a partner at Gibson, Dunn &amp; Crutcher who represents Partner Fund Management, a private investment firm that is suing Theranos, said during proceedings related to the lawsuit, according to a transcript.</p>
<p>Theranos said on its website that the suit is “without merit.”</p>
|
Pentagon nominee’s ties to firms a sign of revolving-door culture of Washington
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/931194/pentagon-nominees-ties-to-firms-a-sign-of-revolving-door-culture-of-washington.html
|
2017-01-19
| 2least
|
Pentagon nominee’s ties to firms a sign of revolving-door culture of Washington
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>But Mattis soon demonstrated the enduring power of the military-industrial complex, as another retired general – President Dwight Eisenhower – famously called it.</p>
<p>Mattis joined the board of the nation’s fourth-largest defense contractor, General Dynamics, which paid him $276,000 in fees for his work, according to the most recent financial filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He also has a little more than $1 million in General Dynamics stock and options (based on Wednesday’s stock price), some of which he cannot cash in yet, according to Equilar, an executive and board-data provider.</p>
<p>Donald Trump ran for president on the theme of draining “the swamp” of Washington, a metaphor for doing battle with entrenched interests. But in Mattis, he has selected a defense secretary who embodies the revolving-door culture of Washington that Trump promised to end. Mattis has said he will forfeit or divest his various stock holdings. Last week, as he sailed through his confirmation hearing, not one senator asked him about his work with General Dynamics, or his time on the board of blood-testing company Theranos, where he was paid at least $150,000 in a period when the company’s labs and core technology were being questioned.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“It would be rare to find any senior retired military officer who is not connected in some way to a military contractor,” said Christopher Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy at the libertarian Cato Institute. But, Preble said, “the fact that it did not come up in the hearing is disappointing. I think he should have been compelled to explain how he will comply with the ethics rules.”</p>
<p>Mattis will enter the Pentagon at a time when Trump has suggested increasing spending there by billions of dollars, a boon to defense contractors, including Mattis’ former employer. The company’s 2015 revenue was $31.5 billion, more than half of it from the federal government.</p>
<p>Allison Marre, a Mattis spokeswoman, said in an email that he has received a thorough briefing about the ethics rules and will abide by the one-year restriction against involving himself in decisions regarding General Dynamics. Mattis “has always fully complied with both the letter and the spirit of federal ethics laws and regulations,” Marre said. Asked whether a one-year restriction is long enough, she said, “The cooling off period is implemented precisely to avoid any suggested conflicts of interest.”</p>
<p>Lucy Ryan, a General Dynamics spokeswoman, said that the company will comply with all ethical guidelines set by the government.</p>
<p>Mattis said during his hearing that he had been “enjoying a full life west of the Rockies” and did not anticipate that he would be nominated to run the Pentagon. He accepted a fellowship with Stanford University’s conservative Hoover Institution, and received more than $420,000 combined in the past two years. In addition to his paid positions, he made more than $150,000 after retirement in a series of speeches to companies including Goldman Sachs and the defense firm Northrop Grumman.</p>
<p>Mattis joined the board of General Dynamics in August 2013. The company said in 2016 that his “demonstrated leadership and strategic skills make him well-equipped to advise on strategic opportunities and risks associated with our aerospace and defense businesses.”</p>
<p>General Dynamics’ most significant contract is for the Columbia-class submarine, a centerpiece of the Navy’s future. Twelve of the vessels have been commissioned at more than $2 billion each, and the construction of at least 16 more submarines has been approved. The company also sells the Pentagon an array of equipment including main battle tanks for the Army and destroyers for the Navy.</p>
<p>The outgoing defense secretary, Ashton Carter, resigned from positions with two firms in Silicon Valley after he was nominated to run the Pentagon in late 2014. He signed an agreement to avoid working with the company directly for two years but pushed the Pentagon more broadly to pursue ties in the technology hub.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Dan Grazier, a fellow at the independent government watchdog Project On Government Oversight, said that while Mattis’s private work is not an “absolute disqualifier,” it is “troubling, and we want to make sure that all the regulations and laws are followed to the letter.” In particular, Grazier said, Mattis will need to avoid appearances that could be construed as favoritism when it comes to the Columbia-class submarine.</p>
<p>But Arnold Punaro, a retired two-star Marine Corps general and member of the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, said that with Mattis resigning from the General Dynamics board and divesting his stock in the company “it would be hard to make a case that there is a conflict” of interest. Mattis will not have any continuing financial interest in General Dynamics as defense secretary, Punaro noted. Any question about Mattis’ connections to the company, he said, are “a perception issue at best.”</p>
<p>Mattis’s work for the blood-testing firm Theranos has raised a different set of concerns – whether he did anything when troubles arose at the firm other than receive a paycheck that amounted to$150,000 in 2015 and an undisclosed amount for 2013, 2014 and 2016.</p>
<p>Mattis led U.S. Central Command in 2011 when he met an entrepreneur who had founded the blood-testing company. Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford University dropout, was more than three decades younger than Mattis, but she had big ideas about how her technology – a rapid, finger-stick blood test – could transform health care. Theranos imagined that its technology could have military uses, too, allowing medics to quickly run blood tests on wounded soldiers.</p>
<p>Holmes targeted Mattis to get support, sending him a message June 12, 2012, about the company’s regulatory certifications, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post.</p>
<p>Mattis responded that he was enthusiastic to see the blood-testing technology demonstrated in the battlefield.</p>
<p>“I’ve met with my various folks and we’re kicking this into overdrive to try to field your lab in the near term,” Mattis wrote. “Again, my thanks for what you’re doing and for your willingness to work with us on this. I’m convinced that your invention will be a game-changer for us and I want it to be given the opportunity for a demonstration in-theater soonest.”</p>
<p>That summer, Mattis got a demonstration of the Theranos technology in California.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a military regulatory and compliance official, Lt. Col. David Shoemaker, had met twice with Theranos as part of the process to vet the technology, according to internal emails and a white paper obtained by The Post. Shoemaker saw problems with the company’s regulatory strategy and got feedback from regulators that they also had concerns.</p>
<p>Holmes complained in an email to Mattis that Shoemaker had “communicated blatantly false information about our company” and asked him to assist in getting the facts straightened out with regulators.</p>
<p>Mattis forwarded the email internally, apparently frustrated by the delay in getting the battlefield demonstration going and asking what was going on.</p>
<p>“I have tried to get this device tested in theater asap, legally and ethically, and I need to know did this visit happen as related below and how do we overcome this new obstacle,” Mattis wrote.</p>
<p>In August 2012, Shoemaker traveled with the director of the office of in vitro diagnostics at the Food and Drug Administration to Tampa, where Central Command is based, to meet with Mattis and explain the regulatory problems with Theranos’s approach. The general was “disappointed that it has been almost a year since he first told his staff to make it happen,” according to the executive summary describing the meeting.</p>
<p>Shortly after Mattis retired from the military, he joined Theranos’s board, alongside other senior statesmen and people with military expertise. Members included two former secretaries of state, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, former U.S. senator Sam Nunn and former secretary of defense William Perry.</p>
<p>At first, while Mattis was on the board, Theranos was a darling of investors, valued at $9 billion. Holmes was featured on the covers of Forbes, Fortune and Inc. magazines, and she was compared to Apple founder Steve Jobs. She talked about how her technology could help start a revolution in health care in which consumers could seek out their own health information in a cheap and transparent way.</p>
<p>The company remained secretive about how its technology worked. A Wall Street Journal investigation in 2015 raised questions about whether its proprietary technology was being used for most of its tests, and whether the technology was accurate.</p>
<p>Since then, regulators uncovered a slew of compliance problems. Holmes was banned from owning or operating a clinical laboratory for two years – a decision the company has said it is appealing. Theranos has corrected test results, shut down its clinical labs and been slapped with lawsuits that it has said have no merit. The company is under investigation by the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California and the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the Wall Street Journal.</p>
<p>Throughout it all, Mattis’s role was a mystery, given that he was working with a private company. He remained on the board until December, when Trump nominated him to run the Pentagon. He has not said why he stayed with the company as it came under review by regulators, or whether he had any role in the problems or in seeking solutions.</p>
<p>Marre, the Mattis spokeswoman, said that “like any effective leader, General Mattis did not quit when allegations arose and instead worked with fellow board members to identify solutions.” Asked what Mattis did, she said “directors cannot legally discuss board conversations” and referred questions to Theranos.</p>
<p>The company declined to answer questions about the board’s roles and responsibilities. But as Theranos faces lawsuits, including one from a major investor, questions about Mattis’s role may become an issue.</p>
<p>“Our discovery [process] will also include what the board of directors knew and when they knew it and what they’ve done about it,” Reed Brodsky, a partner at Gibson, Dunn &amp; Crutcher who represents Partner Fund Management, a private investment firm that is suing Theranos, said during proceedings related to the lawsuit, according to a transcript.</p>
<p>Theranos said on its website that the suit is “without merit.”</p>
| 7,777 |
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<p />
<p>Rancho la Paz, 45 minutes north of Santa Fe in El Guique, is the destination of hundreds of summer tourists, university students and schoolchildren interested in learning about traditional and innovative gardening techniques.</p>
<p>Rancho la Paz is the research farm for the Santa Fe-based organic seed company Seeds of Change, which was founded in 1989 to promote organic agriculture and save heirloom and traditional seed stock.</p>
<p>During its first seven years of business, Seeds of Change had a research farm adjacent to the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico. In 1996, the company purchased the 16-acre property in El Guique and relocated the research farm.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Crop rotation is practiced at the farm, which means only one-third of the land is put under cultivation each year. Cover crops that replenish nutrients to the soil are planted on the remaining two-thirds.</p>
<p>A 3,600-square-foot greenhouse provides a warm space for starting tomato, melon and squash plants in the early spring.</p>
<p>“What we do at the research farm is compare different varieties of the same plants to see how they grow and taste and make sure they are disease-resistant,” says farm research manager Richard Bernard.</p>
<p>The company partners with 40 organic farmers from California, Oregon and Washington who produce seed for it. Once a new variety is successfully grown by the seed farmer, seed is sent back to the research farm for further testing to make sure germination rates are good and the plants grow as expected.</p>
<p>Seed testing</p>
<p>Among the kinds of veggies that are tested are peppers, eggplants, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, onions, sweet corn and lettuce. The farm tests up to 150 varieties of tomatoes alone.</p>
<p>“Out of 100 new varieties that we test, 25 of them will make it into our catalog,” Bernard says.</p>
<p>Seeds of Change’s latest catalog contains 800 kinds of seeds for home gardeners and 400 varieties for commercial farmers.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Public tours inform visitors about all aspects of how the farm operates.</p>
<p>“Depending on the audience, the tours will be very general or more technical,” says Bernard. “Visitors should plan to spend about two and a half or three hours here.” Tour groups may be invited into the insectproof greenhouses, where a limited amount of seed is grown. Every visitor gets a chance to learn about the most effective ways to make compost and how the cover crop system works.</p>
<p>Watering system</p>
<p>The farm’s watering system is complex, involving two wells, a historic ditch and a water catchment system. Plants are watered in a variety of ways, depending on their needs and which delivery system is available to them.</p>
<p>“The well water is alkaline, which isn’t good for some plants,” Bernard says. “We use well water in the farmhouse and in the winter greenhouse. Our water catchment system is on the roof of the barn and can store up to 8,000 gallons of water. This water is collected during the monsoon season. We use our acequia rights when the ditch is open, beginning in the spring.”</p>
<p>College interns are hired every summer. They help the four-member staff take care of the farm during the busy growing season.</p>
<p>Interns are allowed to develop their own projects, too. One built a traveling chicken coop, which is shown during the tour. It is designed to move from field to field. The chickens provide a valuable service to the farm by removing weeds and grubs from the soil before planting and after the harvest.</p>
<p>Visitors also are invited to observe the development of a five-acre parcel that is being prepared for future use. This sandy section of land has been planted with a cover crop and will be grazed by sheep in an effort to improve the soil.</p>
<p>Gardeners who want to learn about sheet mulching, soil sculpting and rainwater harvesting can participate in permaculture classes offered at the farm by the Permaculture Institute of Santa Fe.</p>
<p>Class size is limited and there are fees. For information, visit <a href="http://seedsofchange.com" type="external">seedsofchange.com</a>.</p>
|
Organic company Seeds of Change cultivates research farm near Santa Fe
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/246996/organic-company-seeds-of-change-cultivates-research-farm-near-santa-fe.html
|
2013-10-01
| 2least
|
Organic company Seeds of Change cultivates research farm near Santa Fe
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Rancho la Paz, 45 minutes north of Santa Fe in El Guique, is the destination of hundreds of summer tourists, university students and schoolchildren interested in learning about traditional and innovative gardening techniques.</p>
<p>Rancho la Paz is the research farm for the Santa Fe-based organic seed company Seeds of Change, which was founded in 1989 to promote organic agriculture and save heirloom and traditional seed stock.</p>
<p>During its first seven years of business, Seeds of Change had a research farm adjacent to the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico. In 1996, the company purchased the 16-acre property in El Guique and relocated the research farm.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Crop rotation is practiced at the farm, which means only one-third of the land is put under cultivation each year. Cover crops that replenish nutrients to the soil are planted on the remaining two-thirds.</p>
<p>A 3,600-square-foot greenhouse provides a warm space for starting tomato, melon and squash plants in the early spring.</p>
<p>“What we do at the research farm is compare different varieties of the same plants to see how they grow and taste and make sure they are disease-resistant,” says farm research manager Richard Bernard.</p>
<p>The company partners with 40 organic farmers from California, Oregon and Washington who produce seed for it. Once a new variety is successfully grown by the seed farmer, seed is sent back to the research farm for further testing to make sure germination rates are good and the plants grow as expected.</p>
<p>Seed testing</p>
<p>Among the kinds of veggies that are tested are peppers, eggplants, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, onions, sweet corn and lettuce. The farm tests up to 150 varieties of tomatoes alone.</p>
<p>“Out of 100 new varieties that we test, 25 of them will make it into our catalog,” Bernard says.</p>
<p>Seeds of Change’s latest catalog contains 800 kinds of seeds for home gardeners and 400 varieties for commercial farmers.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Public tours inform visitors about all aspects of how the farm operates.</p>
<p>“Depending on the audience, the tours will be very general or more technical,” says Bernard. “Visitors should plan to spend about two and a half or three hours here.” Tour groups may be invited into the insectproof greenhouses, where a limited amount of seed is grown. Every visitor gets a chance to learn about the most effective ways to make compost and how the cover crop system works.</p>
<p>Watering system</p>
<p>The farm’s watering system is complex, involving two wells, a historic ditch and a water catchment system. Plants are watered in a variety of ways, depending on their needs and which delivery system is available to them.</p>
<p>“The well water is alkaline, which isn’t good for some plants,” Bernard says. “We use well water in the farmhouse and in the winter greenhouse. Our water catchment system is on the roof of the barn and can store up to 8,000 gallons of water. This water is collected during the monsoon season. We use our acequia rights when the ditch is open, beginning in the spring.”</p>
<p>College interns are hired every summer. They help the four-member staff take care of the farm during the busy growing season.</p>
<p>Interns are allowed to develop their own projects, too. One built a traveling chicken coop, which is shown during the tour. It is designed to move from field to field. The chickens provide a valuable service to the farm by removing weeds and grubs from the soil before planting and after the harvest.</p>
<p>Visitors also are invited to observe the development of a five-acre parcel that is being prepared for future use. This sandy section of land has been planted with a cover crop and will be grazed by sheep in an effort to improve the soil.</p>
<p>Gardeners who want to learn about sheet mulching, soil sculpting and rainwater harvesting can participate in permaculture classes offered at the farm by the Permaculture Institute of Santa Fe.</p>
<p>Class size is limited and there are fees. For information, visit <a href="http://seedsofchange.com" type="external">seedsofchange.com</a>.</p>
| 7,778 |
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<p />
<p>The event will feature 15 restaurants providing samples and three breweries offering their beers. Participants include ChocolateDude Candy Store and Coffee Shop, Flying Star Cafe, Gecko’s Bar &amp; Tapas, Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza, O’Niell’s Pub, Nob Hill Bar &amp; Grill, Slice Parlor, Shogun Japanese Restaurant, Zacatecas Tacos + Tequila, Bistronomy B2B, Kaktus Brewing Co. and Tractor Brewing Co.</p>
<p>The all-ages event, sponsored by Shamrock Foods, also will have music and shade tents. Proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish New Mexico. The ticket cost includes 15 tastes, and two beers or soft drinks for adults and five tastes and one soft drink for children.</p>
<p>“(Eventgoers) can come in and enjoy some good samples of food and beverage and be on their way and hopefully spend the rest of the afternoon in Nob Hill and stay and have dinner and stay and shop,” said Chris Smith, Nob Hill Mainstreet president.</p>
<p>The event, presented by Nob Hill Mainstreet, came to fruition when board members discussed the idea as a way to drive more traffic to Nob Hill in addition to Route 66 Summerfest on July 22, Nob Hill’s Enchanted Pet Parade and Fair on Sept. 30 and Shop and Stroll in December.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“(We’re) trying to add more signature events to keep people coming to the area through (Albuquerque Rapid Transit project) construction and make it an annual event,” Smith said. ” ‘Taste Of’ events are popular in a lot of different areas, and because of the high level of restaurants and dining places in Albuquerque, we thought it would be a great combination because so many people enjoy those things in Nob Hill already.”</p>
<p>The $119 million ART project will turn Central Avenue into a rapid transit corridor with a nine-mile stretch of bus-only lanes and bus stations. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.</p>
<p>“We have great places in Nob Hill, and we’re going to go full force in November when the construction is done,” Smith said. “It’s a challenging time, and we are very aware. It’s been hard on a lot of merchants.”</p>
<p />
<p />
|
Taste of Nob Hill features 15 restaurants, 3 breweries, live music
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/1002220/fine-flavors.html
| 2least
|
Taste of Nob Hill features 15 restaurants, 3 breweries, live music
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The event will feature 15 restaurants providing samples and three breweries offering their beers. Participants include ChocolateDude Candy Store and Coffee Shop, Flying Star Cafe, Gecko’s Bar &amp; Tapas, Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza, O’Niell’s Pub, Nob Hill Bar &amp; Grill, Slice Parlor, Shogun Japanese Restaurant, Zacatecas Tacos + Tequila, Bistronomy B2B, Kaktus Brewing Co. and Tractor Brewing Co.</p>
<p>The all-ages event, sponsored by Shamrock Foods, also will have music and shade tents. Proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish New Mexico. The ticket cost includes 15 tastes, and two beers or soft drinks for adults and five tastes and one soft drink for children.</p>
<p>“(Eventgoers) can come in and enjoy some good samples of food and beverage and be on their way and hopefully spend the rest of the afternoon in Nob Hill and stay and have dinner and stay and shop,” said Chris Smith, Nob Hill Mainstreet president.</p>
<p>The event, presented by Nob Hill Mainstreet, came to fruition when board members discussed the idea as a way to drive more traffic to Nob Hill in addition to Route 66 Summerfest on July 22, Nob Hill’s Enchanted Pet Parade and Fair on Sept. 30 and Shop and Stroll in December.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“(We’re) trying to add more signature events to keep people coming to the area through (Albuquerque Rapid Transit project) construction and make it an annual event,” Smith said. ” ‘Taste Of’ events are popular in a lot of different areas, and because of the high level of restaurants and dining places in Albuquerque, we thought it would be a great combination because so many people enjoy those things in Nob Hill already.”</p>
<p>The $119 million ART project will turn Central Avenue into a rapid transit corridor with a nine-mile stretch of bus-only lanes and bus stations. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.</p>
<p>“We have great places in Nob Hill, and we’re going to go full force in November when the construction is done,” Smith said. “It’s a challenging time, and we are very aware. It’s been hard on a lot of merchants.”</p>
<p />
<p />
| 7,779 |
|
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>How did we stoop so low?</p>
<p>As if Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo weren’t bad enough, the Bush administration has added another layer of shame to our national disgrace.</p>
<p>Dana Priest’s article “The CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons” paints a sobering picture of an administration that has abandoned any trace of integrity and completely run amok. The United States has become the number 1 exporter of torture in the world today with Bush serving as its foremost champion.</p>
<p>The article provides a window into the constellation of CIA prison camps that dot the globe like the myriad islands in the Pacific. Thousands of Muslim’s have been swept up in a global dragnet and dumped in secret gulags where they are subjected to the grueling regimen of beatings and torture. The camps were authorized by President Bush in an executive “finding” 6 days after Sept 11, that’s when, as one high-ranking official said, “The gloves came off”. It “gave the CIA broad authorization to disrupt terrorist activity, including permission to kill, capture and detain members of al Qaeda anywhere in the world.”</p>
<p>The result of Bush’s action was the development of “black sites” where the “disappeared” victims of American foreign policy could be held and treated with impunity. These prisoners have been abducted from sovereign nations, in clear violation of international law, tortured and, perhaps, killed, without any legal process in place to shield them from the arbitrary authority of US agents. How can any US citizen or American ally defend this capricious and lethal conduct?</p>
<p>“The top 30 al Qaeda prisoners exist in complete isolation from the outside world. Kept in dark, sometimes underground cells, they have no recognized legal rights, and no one outside the CIA is allowed to talk with or even see them, or to otherwise verify their well-being, said current and former and U.S. and foreign government and intelligence officials,” Priest states.</p>
<p>“Complete isolation”? “No legal rights”? “Underground cells”?</p>
<p>Again, we see the familiar pattern of an administration which refuses to be bound by either international law or common decency.</p>
<p>Ironically, Bush and co. have resurrected a number of the Soviet-era prisons in the Eastern block for their vile activities. How strange that the spawn of Ronald Reagan, arch-rival of the “evil empire”, would breathe new life into these relics of communist rule; throwing open the iron gates and putting them back to work.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Riga Gulag: Under New Management.”</p>
<p>Certainly, Dick Cheney would match up quite nicely with his antecedent, Joe Stalin. Cheney has become the administration’s foremost “advocate of torture” (Washington Post). He has made a straightforward appeal to members of Congress to continue to allow the “cruel, degrading and inhuman” treatment of prisoners even though it is in clear violation of US treaties banning torture and the Geneva Conventions. Many people now believe that Cheney’s impassioned plea to Congress has less to do with his heartfelt convictions and more to do with the fact that the bloody footprints for the abusive behavior leads straight to the VP’s front door. As Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, stated on NPR, “The Secretary of Defense, under cover of the Vice President’s office, began to authorize procedures within the armed forces that led to what we’ve seen. There was a visible audit trail from the Vice President’s office through the Secretary of Defense, down to commanders in the field.”</p>
<p>Clearly, Cheney’s present machinations in the Senate are just a way of concealing his role in creating the policy. There’s little doubt now of his culpability.</p>
<p>The political fallout from the abuse-scandal will linger for decades to come, tarnishing the image of the United States and undermining its claim of being a staunch defender of human rights. What began in metal containers in Afghanistan where Taliban suspects were asphyxiated in the broiling summer sun, led to the open-air cages in Guantanamo Bay where prisoners were callously exposed to the elements for nearly 4 months. The devolution of policy has produced a daisy-chain of rat-infested dungeons manned by CIA goons and bearing the imprimatur of the President of the United States. The war on terror has metastasized into a war OF terror producing its own toxic ethos that has infected every area of the body politic.</p>
<p>The Red Cross, the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have all provided documented evidence that the Bush administration is engaged in widespread prisoner abuse. The allegations are further corroborated by the eyewitness accounts of military personnel, former inmates, and even Abu Ghraib’s former-Commanding Officer, Gen. Janice Karpinski. There’s no doubt that cruel and unusual treatment of prisoners is administration policy or that the chain of command follows a straight path to the Oval Office.</p>
<p>The long catalogue of abominations and abuses begins and ends with George W. Bush. He’s the man in charge and that’s where the buck stops.</p>
<p>MIKE WHITNEY lives in Washington state. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
|
The United States of Torture
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2005/11/05/the-united-states-of-torture/
|
2005-11-05
| 4left
|
The United States of Torture
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>How did we stoop so low?</p>
<p>As if Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo weren’t bad enough, the Bush administration has added another layer of shame to our national disgrace.</p>
<p>Dana Priest’s article “The CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons” paints a sobering picture of an administration that has abandoned any trace of integrity and completely run amok. The United States has become the number 1 exporter of torture in the world today with Bush serving as its foremost champion.</p>
<p>The article provides a window into the constellation of CIA prison camps that dot the globe like the myriad islands in the Pacific. Thousands of Muslim’s have been swept up in a global dragnet and dumped in secret gulags where they are subjected to the grueling regimen of beatings and torture. The camps were authorized by President Bush in an executive “finding” 6 days after Sept 11, that’s when, as one high-ranking official said, “The gloves came off”. It “gave the CIA broad authorization to disrupt terrorist activity, including permission to kill, capture and detain members of al Qaeda anywhere in the world.”</p>
<p>The result of Bush’s action was the development of “black sites” where the “disappeared” victims of American foreign policy could be held and treated with impunity. These prisoners have been abducted from sovereign nations, in clear violation of international law, tortured and, perhaps, killed, without any legal process in place to shield them from the arbitrary authority of US agents. How can any US citizen or American ally defend this capricious and lethal conduct?</p>
<p>“The top 30 al Qaeda prisoners exist in complete isolation from the outside world. Kept in dark, sometimes underground cells, they have no recognized legal rights, and no one outside the CIA is allowed to talk with or even see them, or to otherwise verify their well-being, said current and former and U.S. and foreign government and intelligence officials,” Priest states.</p>
<p>“Complete isolation”? “No legal rights”? “Underground cells”?</p>
<p>Again, we see the familiar pattern of an administration which refuses to be bound by either international law or common decency.</p>
<p>Ironically, Bush and co. have resurrected a number of the Soviet-era prisons in the Eastern block for their vile activities. How strange that the spawn of Ronald Reagan, arch-rival of the “evil empire”, would breathe new life into these relics of communist rule; throwing open the iron gates and putting them back to work.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Riga Gulag: Under New Management.”</p>
<p>Certainly, Dick Cheney would match up quite nicely with his antecedent, Joe Stalin. Cheney has become the administration’s foremost “advocate of torture” (Washington Post). He has made a straightforward appeal to members of Congress to continue to allow the “cruel, degrading and inhuman” treatment of prisoners even though it is in clear violation of US treaties banning torture and the Geneva Conventions. Many people now believe that Cheney’s impassioned plea to Congress has less to do with his heartfelt convictions and more to do with the fact that the bloody footprints for the abusive behavior leads straight to the VP’s front door. As Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, stated on NPR, “The Secretary of Defense, under cover of the Vice President’s office, began to authorize procedures within the armed forces that led to what we’ve seen. There was a visible audit trail from the Vice President’s office through the Secretary of Defense, down to commanders in the field.”</p>
<p>Clearly, Cheney’s present machinations in the Senate are just a way of concealing his role in creating the policy. There’s little doubt now of his culpability.</p>
<p>The political fallout from the abuse-scandal will linger for decades to come, tarnishing the image of the United States and undermining its claim of being a staunch defender of human rights. What began in metal containers in Afghanistan where Taliban suspects were asphyxiated in the broiling summer sun, led to the open-air cages in Guantanamo Bay where prisoners were callously exposed to the elements for nearly 4 months. The devolution of policy has produced a daisy-chain of rat-infested dungeons manned by CIA goons and bearing the imprimatur of the President of the United States. The war on terror has metastasized into a war OF terror producing its own toxic ethos that has infected every area of the body politic.</p>
<p>The Red Cross, the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have all provided documented evidence that the Bush administration is engaged in widespread prisoner abuse. The allegations are further corroborated by the eyewitness accounts of military personnel, former inmates, and even Abu Ghraib’s former-Commanding Officer, Gen. Janice Karpinski. There’s no doubt that cruel and unusual treatment of prisoners is administration policy or that the chain of command follows a straight path to the Oval Office.</p>
<p>The long catalogue of abominations and abuses begins and ends with George W. Bush. He’s the man in charge and that’s where the buck stops.</p>
<p>MIKE WHITNEY lives in Washington state. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| 7,780 |
<p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">Washington Free Beacon Staff</a>May 8, 2012 1:11 pm</p>
<p>The White House Visitors Office requires that an unborn child—still residing in utero—must be counted as a full human being when its parents register for a White House tour, according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.</p>
<p>White House Visitors Office director Ellie Schafer sent an email to a Capitol Hill staffer Tuesday morning explaining the process for registering an unborn fetus for a White House tour:</p>
<p>We have received a number of calls regarding how to enter security information for a baby that has not yet been born.</p>
<p>Crazy as it may sound, you&#160;MUST&#160;include the baby in the overall count of guests in the tour. It’s an easy process.</p>
<p>LAST NAME: The family’s last name</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Update: The National Right to Life Committee <a href="http://www.nrlc.org/050812releaseWHVisitor.pdf" type="external">released a statement</a>&#160;on Tuesday afternoon about Shafer’s email, highlighting the fact that the "Obama White House recognizes [a] ‘baby that has not been born’ for White House security purposes, but tolerates legal abortion to [the] moment 
of birth in District of Columbia."</p>
|
No Birth Certificate Required
| true |
http://freebeacon.com/no-birth-certificate-required/
|
2012-05-08
| 0right
|
No Birth Certificate Required
<p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">Washington Free Beacon Staff</a>May 8, 2012 1:11 pm</p>
<p>The White House Visitors Office requires that an unborn child—still residing in utero—must be counted as a full human being when its parents register for a White House tour, according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.</p>
<p>White House Visitors Office director Ellie Schafer sent an email to a Capitol Hill staffer Tuesday morning explaining the process for registering an unborn fetus for a White House tour:</p>
<p>We have received a number of calls regarding how to enter security information for a baby that has not yet been born.</p>
<p>Crazy as it may sound, you&#160;MUST&#160;include the baby in the overall count of guests in the tour. It’s an easy process.</p>
<p>LAST NAME: The family’s last name</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Update: The National Right to Life Committee <a href="http://www.nrlc.org/050812releaseWHVisitor.pdf" type="external">released a statement</a>&#160;on Tuesday afternoon about Shafer’s email, highlighting the fact that the "Obama White House recognizes [a] ‘baby that has not been born’ for White House security purposes, but tolerates legal abortion to [the] moment 
of birth in District of Columbia."</p>
| 7,781 |
<p>PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — Greeted by sailors and flag-waving residents, a U.S. Navy destroyer damaged in a June collision that killed seven sailors arrived Friday for two years of repairs at a Mississippi shipyard.</p>
<p>The transport vessel Transshelf sailed up the Pascagoula River on Friday morning carrying the USS Fitzgerald. The June 17 collision with a Philippine-flagged container ship off Japan caved in parts of the Fitzgerald above and below the waterline. Water gushed into berthing compartments, killing the sailors. Its hull was punctured twice more in November as it was loaded aboard the Transshelf.</p>
<p>The Navy said Friday that it will take several days for the Transshelf to unload the Fitzgerald, which will be repaired by the 11,600 employees of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a unit of Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries.</p>
<p>"She's actually here and we're starting the long process of rebuilding her and getting her back to the fleet," said Cmdr. Garrett Miller, the ship's commanding officer.</p>
<p>The Fitzgerald's 58-member crew, including some who were aboard during the collision, will be based in Pascagoula for the next two years, overseeing the ship's repair and modernization.</p>
<p>Ingalls was chosen by the Navy to repair the ship in August and awarded an initial $63 million contract in December to rip out damaged areas. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer said in September that it could cost $600 million combined to repair the Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain, another destroyer that was damaged in August. The John S. McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore in August, killing 10 U.S. sailors.</p>
<p>It cost $250 million for 16 months of repairs for the USS Cole, a destroyer damaged by a bombing in Yemen in 2000. Repairs at Ingalls to the USS Stark, a frigate hit by Iraqi missiles in 1987, cost $90 million over 10 months.</p>
<p>The Navy says shipbuilders will have to repair or rebuild components including the ship's electronic warfare system, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generate and air conditioning system. The Navy says that it will use the opportunity to update the Fitzgerald, which had previously been scheduled for 2019. That will involve more work to the hull, mechanical and electrical systems, weapons and computers of the ship, which was built in 1995.</p>
<p>Work is expected to last into mid-2019, followed by months more of testing and trials.</p>
<p>The Navy announced Tuesday that it's seeking negligent homicide charges against four officers of the Fitzgerald at the time of the collision, including the then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson. That decision followed a series of investigations and reviews into the collisions involving the Fitzgerald and the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>Those reviews concluded that the incidents resulted from poor judgment, bad decision-making and widespread training and leadership failures by the commanders and crew who didn't quickly recognize and respond to unfolding emergencies. The Navy also seeks charges against the commanding officer of the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi.</p>
<p>PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — Greeted by sailors and flag-waving residents, a U.S. Navy destroyer damaged in a June collision that killed seven sailors arrived Friday for two years of repairs at a Mississippi shipyard.</p>
<p>The transport vessel Transshelf sailed up the Pascagoula River on Friday morning carrying the USS Fitzgerald. The June 17 collision with a Philippine-flagged container ship off Japan caved in parts of the Fitzgerald above and below the waterline. Water gushed into berthing compartments, killing the sailors. Its hull was punctured twice more in November as it was loaded aboard the Transshelf.</p>
<p>The Navy said Friday that it will take several days for the Transshelf to unload the Fitzgerald, which will be repaired by the 11,600 employees of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a unit of Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries.</p>
<p>"She's actually here and we're starting the long process of rebuilding her and getting her back to the fleet," said Cmdr. Garrett Miller, the ship's commanding officer.</p>
<p>The Fitzgerald's 58-member crew, including some who were aboard during the collision, will be based in Pascagoula for the next two years, overseeing the ship's repair and modernization.</p>
<p>Ingalls was chosen by the Navy to repair the ship in August and awarded an initial $63 million contract in December to rip out damaged areas. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer said in September that it could cost $600 million combined to repair the Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain, another destroyer that was damaged in August. The John S. McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore in August, killing 10 U.S. sailors.</p>
<p>It cost $250 million for 16 months of repairs for the USS Cole, a destroyer damaged by a bombing in Yemen in 2000. Repairs at Ingalls to the USS Stark, a frigate hit by Iraqi missiles in 1987, cost $90 million over 10 months.</p>
<p>The Navy says shipbuilders will have to repair or rebuild components including the ship's electronic warfare system, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generate and air conditioning system. The Navy says that it will use the opportunity to update the Fitzgerald, which had previously been scheduled for 2019. That will involve more work to the hull, mechanical and electrical systems, weapons and computers of the ship, which was built in 1995.</p>
<p>Work is expected to last into mid-2019, followed by months more of testing and trials.</p>
<p>The Navy announced Tuesday that it's seeking negligent homicide charges against four officers of the Fitzgerald at the time of the collision, including the then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson. That decision followed a series of investigations and reviews into the collisions involving the Fitzgerald and the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>Those reviews concluded that the incidents resulted from poor judgment, bad decision-making and widespread training and leadership failures by the commanders and crew who didn't quickly recognize and respond to unfolding emergencies. The Navy also seeks charges against the commanding officer of the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi.</p>
|
Damaged Navy ship arrives in Mississippi for repairs
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/c76881be18914d3395afcc71eb692af1
|
2018-01-19
| 2least
|
Damaged Navy ship arrives in Mississippi for repairs
<p>PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — Greeted by sailors and flag-waving residents, a U.S. Navy destroyer damaged in a June collision that killed seven sailors arrived Friday for two years of repairs at a Mississippi shipyard.</p>
<p>The transport vessel Transshelf sailed up the Pascagoula River on Friday morning carrying the USS Fitzgerald. The June 17 collision with a Philippine-flagged container ship off Japan caved in parts of the Fitzgerald above and below the waterline. Water gushed into berthing compartments, killing the sailors. Its hull was punctured twice more in November as it was loaded aboard the Transshelf.</p>
<p>The Navy said Friday that it will take several days for the Transshelf to unload the Fitzgerald, which will be repaired by the 11,600 employees of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a unit of Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries.</p>
<p>"She's actually here and we're starting the long process of rebuilding her and getting her back to the fleet," said Cmdr. Garrett Miller, the ship's commanding officer.</p>
<p>The Fitzgerald's 58-member crew, including some who were aboard during the collision, will be based in Pascagoula for the next two years, overseeing the ship's repair and modernization.</p>
<p>Ingalls was chosen by the Navy to repair the ship in August and awarded an initial $63 million contract in December to rip out damaged areas. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer said in September that it could cost $600 million combined to repair the Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain, another destroyer that was damaged in August. The John S. McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore in August, killing 10 U.S. sailors.</p>
<p>It cost $250 million for 16 months of repairs for the USS Cole, a destroyer damaged by a bombing in Yemen in 2000. Repairs at Ingalls to the USS Stark, a frigate hit by Iraqi missiles in 1987, cost $90 million over 10 months.</p>
<p>The Navy says shipbuilders will have to repair or rebuild components including the ship's electronic warfare system, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generate and air conditioning system. The Navy says that it will use the opportunity to update the Fitzgerald, which had previously been scheduled for 2019. That will involve more work to the hull, mechanical and electrical systems, weapons and computers of the ship, which was built in 1995.</p>
<p>Work is expected to last into mid-2019, followed by months more of testing and trials.</p>
<p>The Navy announced Tuesday that it's seeking negligent homicide charges against four officers of the Fitzgerald at the time of the collision, including the then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson. That decision followed a series of investigations and reviews into the collisions involving the Fitzgerald and the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>Those reviews concluded that the incidents resulted from poor judgment, bad decision-making and widespread training and leadership failures by the commanders and crew who didn't quickly recognize and respond to unfolding emergencies. The Navy also seeks charges against the commanding officer of the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi.</p>
<p>PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — Greeted by sailors and flag-waving residents, a U.S. Navy destroyer damaged in a June collision that killed seven sailors arrived Friday for two years of repairs at a Mississippi shipyard.</p>
<p>The transport vessel Transshelf sailed up the Pascagoula River on Friday morning carrying the USS Fitzgerald. The June 17 collision with a Philippine-flagged container ship off Japan caved in parts of the Fitzgerald above and below the waterline. Water gushed into berthing compartments, killing the sailors. Its hull was punctured twice more in November as it was loaded aboard the Transshelf.</p>
<p>The Navy said Friday that it will take several days for the Transshelf to unload the Fitzgerald, which will be repaired by the 11,600 employees of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a unit of Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries.</p>
<p>"She's actually here and we're starting the long process of rebuilding her and getting her back to the fleet," said Cmdr. Garrett Miller, the ship's commanding officer.</p>
<p>The Fitzgerald's 58-member crew, including some who were aboard during the collision, will be based in Pascagoula for the next two years, overseeing the ship's repair and modernization.</p>
<p>Ingalls was chosen by the Navy to repair the ship in August and awarded an initial $63 million contract in December to rip out damaged areas. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer said in September that it could cost $600 million combined to repair the Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain, another destroyer that was damaged in August. The John S. McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore in August, killing 10 U.S. sailors.</p>
<p>It cost $250 million for 16 months of repairs for the USS Cole, a destroyer damaged by a bombing in Yemen in 2000. Repairs at Ingalls to the USS Stark, a frigate hit by Iraqi missiles in 1987, cost $90 million over 10 months.</p>
<p>The Navy says shipbuilders will have to repair or rebuild components including the ship's electronic warfare system, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generate and air conditioning system. The Navy says that it will use the opportunity to update the Fitzgerald, which had previously been scheduled for 2019. That will involve more work to the hull, mechanical and electrical systems, weapons and computers of the ship, which was built in 1995.</p>
<p>Work is expected to last into mid-2019, followed by months more of testing and trials.</p>
<p>The Navy announced Tuesday that it's seeking negligent homicide charges against four officers of the Fitzgerald at the time of the collision, including the then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson. That decision followed a series of investigations and reviews into the collisions involving the Fitzgerald and the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>Those reviews concluded that the incidents resulted from poor judgment, bad decision-making and widespread training and leadership failures by the commanders and crew who didn't quickly recognize and respond to unfolding emergencies. The Navy also seeks charges against the commanding officer of the John S. McCain.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi.</p>
| 7,782 |
<p>Oil futures pulled back some in Asia on Thursday after an overnight rebound in which investors ultimately took a bullish view on weekly U.S. inventory data.</p>
<p>On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in September was recently down 0.3% at $49.44 a barrel in the Globex electronic session. October Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell 0.3% to $52.18.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Energy Information Administration reported a 1.5 million barrel drop in U.S. crude inventories last week, below analysts' expectations. However, "a strong increase in demand was enough to appease the bullish investors," said ANZ Bank. Refiners' capacity utilization jumped to 95.4% last week, the government also said.</p>
<p>This as market players globally continue await signs that the production caps led by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia are making notable dents into still-historically high global supplies. ANZ sees tightness coming in the fourth quarter, pushing oil prices into the high-$50s.</p>
<p>OPEC is set to hold a two-day meeting next week to review members' commitments to the production caps. Several smaller producers, such as Ecuador, have voiced their dissension, saying they don't have economic wherewithal to keep sidelining production.</p>
<p>Among refined products, September Nymex reformulated gasoline blendstock was recently down 0.4% at $1.6388 a gallon and diesel dropped the same, to $1.6515, but August gasoil rose 0.2% to $489.25 per metric ton.</p>
<p>Write to Biman Mukherji at [email protected]</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 03, 2017 00:23 ET (04:23 GMT)</p>
|
Oil Futures Ease in Asia After Overnight Rebound
| true |
http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/03/oil-futures-ease-in-asia-after-overnight-rebound.html
|
2017-08-03
| 0right
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Oil Futures Ease in Asia After Overnight Rebound
<p>Oil futures pulled back some in Asia on Thursday after an overnight rebound in which investors ultimately took a bullish view on weekly U.S. inventory data.</p>
<p>On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in September was recently down 0.3% at $49.44 a barrel in the Globex electronic session. October Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell 0.3% to $52.18.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Energy Information Administration reported a 1.5 million barrel drop in U.S. crude inventories last week, below analysts' expectations. However, "a strong increase in demand was enough to appease the bullish investors," said ANZ Bank. Refiners' capacity utilization jumped to 95.4% last week, the government also said.</p>
<p>This as market players globally continue await signs that the production caps led by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia are making notable dents into still-historically high global supplies. ANZ sees tightness coming in the fourth quarter, pushing oil prices into the high-$50s.</p>
<p>OPEC is set to hold a two-day meeting next week to review members' commitments to the production caps. Several smaller producers, such as Ecuador, have voiced their dissension, saying they don't have economic wherewithal to keep sidelining production.</p>
<p>Among refined products, September Nymex reformulated gasoline blendstock was recently down 0.4% at $1.6388 a gallon and diesel dropped the same, to $1.6515, but August gasoil rose 0.2% to $489.25 per metric ton.</p>
<p>Write to Biman Mukherji at [email protected]</p>
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<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 03, 2017 00:23 ET (04:23 GMT)</p>
| 7,783 |
<p>This article was originally published by <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/Robert-fisk-prosecuting-war-crimes-be-sure-to-read-the-small-print-2344725.html" type="external">The Independent</a>.</p>
<p>It’s good to see bad guys behind bars.</p>
<p>Especially if they’re convicted. Justice is better than revenge. And justice must be done for the relatives of the victims as well as for the dead. Part two of the Mubarak trial this month was a case in point. Egyptians want to know exactly who ordered the killing of innocent demonstrators. Who was to blame? And since the buck stops—or is meant to stop—at the president’s desk, how can Mubarak ultimately escape his just deserts? The same will apply to Gaddafi when—if?—we get him.</p>
<p>Ben Ali? Well, he’ll stay, presumably, in his Saudi exile—which is anyway as near as you can get to a death sentence—since his in-absentia trials in Tunis were travesties of justice. Bashar al-Assad? We shall see if we need him or not. Gadhafi? Probably better dead than sent to trial, because he would probably do a Milosevic, mock the court and die in custody. Please note that no tribunals have called for the princes and emirs of the Gulf, or the Plucky Little King of Jordan, or the weird President Bouteflika of Algeria and his henchmen, or the much creepier president of Iran, to be put on trial.</p>
<p />
<p>When we decided to keep Hirohito on his Japanese throne, we winnowed down the number of Japanese war criminals to be hanged. Oddly, it was Churchill who wanted the worst of the Nazis to be executed on the spot; it was Stalin who wanted a trial. But then again, Stalin wasn’t going to be accused of the mass murder of millions of Soviet citizens, was he?</p>
<p>It all depends, I think, on whether criminals are our friends (Stalin at the time) or our enemies (Hitler and his fellow Nazis), whether they have their future uses (the Japanese emperor) or whether we’ll get their wealth more easily if they are out of the way (Saddam and Gadhafi). The last two were or are wanted for killing “their own people”—in itself a strange expression since it suggests that killing people other than Iraqis or Libyans might not be so bad. In other words, civil war killers are just as likely to end up on the hangman’s noose.</p>
<p>Or are they? In Lebanon, for example, things aren’t that simple. While America would like to know who planned the bombing of its Beirut marine base in 1983, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, it has no war crime trials planned. Nor do the Lebanese. In fact, two amnesties for killers of the 1975-90 civil war specifically exempt all murderers from trial except those who killed religious or political leaders. An interesting distinction.</p>
<p>If your mum and dad were butchered by a crazed neighbour who happened to be of a different religion, the murderer will not go to court. If, however, he knocked off the local priest or imam, he has no immunity. Lebanon’s 1991 amnesty, for example—Article 3 for those who like to peek into legal inanities—stipulates that amnesties do not apply to those who commit “the assassination or attempted murder of religious dignitaries, political leaders, Arab and foreign diplomats”. Lebanese law, in other words, bestows more value on the life of a bigwig than a prole.</p>
<p>As the Lebanese jurist Nizar Saghiyé puts it: “We have to forget collective massacres, crimes against humanity, ordinary victims—only the murder of a leader is supposed to be punished.” When a Lebanese parliamentarian pointed out that this denied the constitution’s insistence on equality before the law, the Lebanese president declared that a politician was a “national symbol”. This also means that political leaders who have ordered torture and mass murder—of course, I meet them socially in Beirut today—are safe from prosecution. The killers of up to 150,000 Lebanese are also safe, unless they tried to knock off a bishop or a sayed or a warlord.</p>
<p>Just why civil wars are so cruel—and thus, surely, deserving of even more condign punishment—remains a legal mystery. In his preface to Aïda Kanafani-Zahar’s splendid analysis, Liban: La guerre et la mémoire (Lebanon: War and Remembrance), Antoine Garapon suggests that because love is the opposite of hate, the most fraternal of communities can become the most murderous: “The cheerful neighbourliness between the (religious) communities—which is the glory of Lebanon—becomes its hell.” Thus the Lebanese civil war was “a crime of passion”, he says. Kanafani-Zahar draws attention to the fact that the murder of Christian Maronite president-elect Bashir Gemayel in 1982 was followed only a few hours later by the massacre of up to 1,700 Sabra and Chatila camp Palestinians by Israel’s Phalangist allies (Gemayel being their now dead leader); yet only Gemayel’s assassination was referred to the Lebanese “Council of Justice”.</p>
<p>In Bosnia, criminals continue to be sought, although the war had much in common with the Lebanese conflict. Lebanese Christians usually supported the Croats (the Phalangists sent them weapons) while Arab Muslims naturally sympathised with the Bosnian Muslims. In Lebanon, however, there were official village “reconciliations”, attended by Muslim and Christian prelates and political leaders. Not so in Bosnia.</p>
<p>But justice? As long as the killers are alive—however old they are, however long ago their crimes were committed—justice would seem to be served by punishment. John Demjanjuk’s trial in Germany this year is a case in point. Reconciliations and amnesties are a postponement of justice in the hope that the victims’ relatives will die off and their descendants will lose all interest in the outrages of the past. Unlikely. Who now remembers the Armenians, Hitler asked? Millions of people, is my reply.</p>
<p />
|
Prosecuting War Crimes? Be Sure to Read the Fine Print
| true |
https://truthdig.com/articles/prosecuting-war-crimes-be-sure-to-read-the-fine-print/
|
2011-08-29
| 4left
|
Prosecuting War Crimes? Be Sure to Read the Fine Print
<p>This article was originally published by <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/Robert-fisk-prosecuting-war-crimes-be-sure-to-read-the-small-print-2344725.html" type="external">The Independent</a>.</p>
<p>It’s good to see bad guys behind bars.</p>
<p>Especially if they’re convicted. Justice is better than revenge. And justice must be done for the relatives of the victims as well as for the dead. Part two of the Mubarak trial this month was a case in point. Egyptians want to know exactly who ordered the killing of innocent demonstrators. Who was to blame? And since the buck stops—or is meant to stop—at the president’s desk, how can Mubarak ultimately escape his just deserts? The same will apply to Gaddafi when—if?—we get him.</p>
<p>Ben Ali? Well, he’ll stay, presumably, in his Saudi exile—which is anyway as near as you can get to a death sentence—since his in-absentia trials in Tunis were travesties of justice. Bashar al-Assad? We shall see if we need him or not. Gadhafi? Probably better dead than sent to trial, because he would probably do a Milosevic, mock the court and die in custody. Please note that no tribunals have called for the princes and emirs of the Gulf, or the Plucky Little King of Jordan, or the weird President Bouteflika of Algeria and his henchmen, or the much creepier president of Iran, to be put on trial.</p>
<p />
<p>When we decided to keep Hirohito on his Japanese throne, we winnowed down the number of Japanese war criminals to be hanged. Oddly, it was Churchill who wanted the worst of the Nazis to be executed on the spot; it was Stalin who wanted a trial. But then again, Stalin wasn’t going to be accused of the mass murder of millions of Soviet citizens, was he?</p>
<p>It all depends, I think, on whether criminals are our friends (Stalin at the time) or our enemies (Hitler and his fellow Nazis), whether they have their future uses (the Japanese emperor) or whether we’ll get their wealth more easily if they are out of the way (Saddam and Gadhafi). The last two were or are wanted for killing “their own people”—in itself a strange expression since it suggests that killing people other than Iraqis or Libyans might not be so bad. In other words, civil war killers are just as likely to end up on the hangman’s noose.</p>
<p>Or are they? In Lebanon, for example, things aren’t that simple. While America would like to know who planned the bombing of its Beirut marine base in 1983, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, it has no war crime trials planned. Nor do the Lebanese. In fact, two amnesties for killers of the 1975-90 civil war specifically exempt all murderers from trial except those who killed religious or political leaders. An interesting distinction.</p>
<p>If your mum and dad were butchered by a crazed neighbour who happened to be of a different religion, the murderer will not go to court. If, however, he knocked off the local priest or imam, he has no immunity. Lebanon’s 1991 amnesty, for example—Article 3 for those who like to peek into legal inanities—stipulates that amnesties do not apply to those who commit “the assassination or attempted murder of religious dignitaries, political leaders, Arab and foreign diplomats”. Lebanese law, in other words, bestows more value on the life of a bigwig than a prole.</p>
<p>As the Lebanese jurist Nizar Saghiyé puts it: “We have to forget collective massacres, crimes against humanity, ordinary victims—only the murder of a leader is supposed to be punished.” When a Lebanese parliamentarian pointed out that this denied the constitution’s insistence on equality before the law, the Lebanese president declared that a politician was a “national symbol”. This also means that political leaders who have ordered torture and mass murder—of course, I meet them socially in Beirut today—are safe from prosecution. The killers of up to 150,000 Lebanese are also safe, unless they tried to knock off a bishop or a sayed or a warlord.</p>
<p>Just why civil wars are so cruel—and thus, surely, deserving of even more condign punishment—remains a legal mystery. In his preface to Aïda Kanafani-Zahar’s splendid analysis, Liban: La guerre et la mémoire (Lebanon: War and Remembrance), Antoine Garapon suggests that because love is the opposite of hate, the most fraternal of communities can become the most murderous: “The cheerful neighbourliness between the (religious) communities—which is the glory of Lebanon—becomes its hell.” Thus the Lebanese civil war was “a crime of passion”, he says. Kanafani-Zahar draws attention to the fact that the murder of Christian Maronite president-elect Bashir Gemayel in 1982 was followed only a few hours later by the massacre of up to 1,700 Sabra and Chatila camp Palestinians by Israel’s Phalangist allies (Gemayel being their now dead leader); yet only Gemayel’s assassination was referred to the Lebanese “Council of Justice”.</p>
<p>In Bosnia, criminals continue to be sought, although the war had much in common with the Lebanese conflict. Lebanese Christians usually supported the Croats (the Phalangists sent them weapons) while Arab Muslims naturally sympathised with the Bosnian Muslims. In Lebanon, however, there were official village “reconciliations”, attended by Muslim and Christian prelates and political leaders. Not so in Bosnia.</p>
<p>But justice? As long as the killers are alive—however old they are, however long ago their crimes were committed—justice would seem to be served by punishment. John Demjanjuk’s trial in Germany this year is a case in point. Reconciliations and amnesties are a postponement of justice in the hope that the victims’ relatives will die off and their descendants will lose all interest in the outrages of the past. Unlikely. Who now remembers the Armenians, Hitler asked? Millions of people, is my reply.</p>
<p />
| 7,784 |
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Kimberly Morin</a> reports once again a homeowner protects themselves and once again home invaders don’t expect it.</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>According to CBS 46 News, three men broke into a Georgia home at 4:00 AM and certainly didn’t expect the homeowner to dare defend herself. Too bad for them, she did.</p>
<p>Breaking news updates and daily headlines from a news source you can trust.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-1″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>From <a href="http://www.cbs46.com/story/33109645/possible-suspect-in-alleged-home-invasion-shot-and-killed-by-homeowner" type="external">CBS 46</a>:</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>Gwinnett County Police Corporal Deon Washington tells CBS46 News that the suspect kicked in the door of the home and awoke the homeowner. After grabbing her handgun, the homeowner went to investigate and saw three males coming through the door.</p>
<p>The woman began firing and struck one of the suspects in the torso, killing him instantly. The suspects fired back while fleeing the scene.</p>
<p>Police are still looking for the other two men that invaded the woman’s home:</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-3″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>This is further evidence of WHY people own firearms. What would have happened had the woman not been armed? Right now, no one knows the intent of the three scum but at least of them was armed, most likely with an illegal firearm.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Democrats and some Republicans would still rather make it harder for homeowner such as this one to get a firearm for protection.</p>
<p>Hoplophobes would rather women be victims than survivors.</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>You can watch the news report here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cbs46.com" type="external">CBS46 News</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">ALERT: How To Be Sure To Continue Seeing Our Content On Facebook.</a></p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-5″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars][easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,google,pinterest,mail” counters=0 native=”no”][otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-2″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p>What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.</p>
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Conservative vs Liberal Women Summed Up In 2 Photos
| true |
http://thefederalistpapers.org/us/conservative-vs-liberal-women-summed-up-in-2-photos
| 0right
|
Conservative vs Liberal Women Summed Up In 2 Photos
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Kimberly Morin</a> reports once again a homeowner protects themselves and once again home invaders don’t expect it.</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>According to CBS 46 News, three men broke into a Georgia home at 4:00 AM and certainly didn’t expect the homeowner to dare defend herself. Too bad for them, she did.</p>
<p>Breaking news updates and daily headlines from a news source you can trust.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-1″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>From <a href="http://www.cbs46.com/story/33109645/possible-suspect-in-alleged-home-invasion-shot-and-killed-by-homeowner" type="external">CBS 46</a>:</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>Gwinnett County Police Corporal Deon Washington tells CBS46 News that the suspect kicked in the door of the home and awoke the homeowner. After grabbing her handgun, the homeowner went to investigate and saw three males coming through the door.</p>
<p>The woman began firing and struck one of the suspects in the torso, killing him instantly. The suspects fired back while fleeing the scene.</p>
<p>Police are still looking for the other two men that invaded the woman’s home:</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-3″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>This is further evidence of WHY people own firearms. What would have happened had the woman not been armed? Right now, no one knows the intent of the three scum but at least of them was armed, most likely with an illegal firearm.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Democrats and some Republicans would still rather make it harder for homeowner such as this one to get a firearm for protection.</p>
<p>Hoplophobes would rather women be victims than survivors.</p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>You can watch the news report here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cbs46.com" type="external">CBS46 News</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">ALERT: How To Be Sure To Continue Seeing Our Content On Facebook.</a></p>
<p>Advertisement - story continues below</p>
<p>[otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-5″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars][easy-share buttons=”facebook,twitter,google,pinterest,mail” counters=0 native=”no”][otw_shortcode_sidebars sidebar_id=”otw-sidebar-2″][/otw_shortcode_sidebars]</p>
<p>What do you think? Scroll down to comment below.</p>
| 7,785 |
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<p>QUEENS (NY)New York PostBy PHILIP MESSING, DENISE BUFFA and MARSHA KRANES&#160;October 10, 2003 --</p>
<p>Some of the $88,000 in cash a Queens priest allegedly skimmed from the collection boxes of a Long Island church was still stuffed in donor envelopes marked with the names of parishioners, police sources said yesterday.</p>
<p>Cops who counted the ungodly haul found in the Rev. John Johnston's Jackson Heights apartment said most of it was in small bills - all swiped from St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Bethpage, where the priest has celebrated Sunday Mass for the past 25 years.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>When cops asked Johnston, 64, about the loot, they said he told them, "That's my 401(k) plan."</p>
<p>The priest's alleged plundering, which went undetected for 25 years, is now under investigation by Nassau County police.</p>
<p>Also found in Johnston's apartment was an unlicensed gun, gay porn, and a large collection of Nazi relics, including helmets, daggers, medals, and busts of Hitler and his henchmen, sources said.</p>
|
PRIEST'S PILLAGE $HOCKER
| false |
https://poynter.org/news/priests-pillage-hocker
|
2003-10-10
| 2least
|
PRIEST'S PILLAGE $HOCKER
<p>QUEENS (NY)New York PostBy PHILIP MESSING, DENISE BUFFA and MARSHA KRANES&#160;October 10, 2003 --</p>
<p>Some of the $88,000 in cash a Queens priest allegedly skimmed from the collection boxes of a Long Island church was still stuffed in donor envelopes marked with the names of parishioners, police sources said yesterday.</p>
<p>Cops who counted the ungodly haul found in the Rev. John Johnston's Jackson Heights apartment said most of it was in small bills - all swiped from St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Bethpage, where the priest has celebrated Sunday Mass for the past 25 years.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>When cops asked Johnston, 64, about the loot, they said he told them, "That's my 401(k) plan."</p>
<p>The priest's alleged plundering, which went undetected for 25 years, is now under investigation by Nassau County police.</p>
<p>Also found in Johnston's apartment was an unlicensed gun, gay porn, and a large collection of Nazi relics, including helmets, daggers, medals, and busts of Hitler and his henchmen, sources said.</p>
| 7,786 |
<p>Moderates no longer decide American elections.</p>
<p>For decades, the electoral philosophy of major American political parties has been that he or she who wins the moderates wins the elections. And to a certain extent, that’s been true: from 1972 to 2012, only three presidential elections have seen a candidate win independents according to exit polls but lose the White House (Gerald Ford won <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/independents/data-presidential.html" type="external">54% of independents</a> in 1976 but lost to Jimmy Carter, John Kerry won independents 49% to 48% in 2004 but lost to George W. Bush, and Barack Obama <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-romney-independent-vote-polls-moderates-election-2012-11" type="external">lost independents</a> 50% to 45% but won re-election). It is worth noting that in two of those cases, an incumbent candidate won without winning independents. But it is also worth noting that this means that in two of the last three presidential election cycles, the candidate who won independents lost the presidency.</p>
<p>Fast forward to 2016. It’s clear that driving out the base is now the top priority for Democrats. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, fearful of losing her grip on the party base, is now moving swiftly to the hard left. This weekend, after endorsing President Obama’s gun grab and championing her support from Planned Parenthood, Hillary leapt into the socialist war on wealth by proposing what she termed, in Orwellian fashion, a “fair share surcharge” – otherwise known as a confiscatory tax on high-income earners. She explained that anybody who made more than $5 million in a year would be charged 4% extra, stating, “Right now we’re behind and we have to get the wealth and the corporations to pay their fair share.” Never mind that the top 1% of income earners already pay nearly half of all federal income taxes, and that the top 10% of earners make just 45% of all income but pay nearly 70% of all taxes. Nope, they’re still not paying their “fair share.” Thus they deserve a “surcharge.”</p>
<p>Hillary’s pandering to the far left.</p>
<p>And there’s a reason for that.</p>
<p>Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (Loonbag-Vermont) trolled the Clinton campaign by calling Clinton’s campaign manager out for his support of Sanders-esque ideas on nationalized healthcare:</p>
<p>If you ever want to work for a campaign that shares your values on health care, there's always room at Bernie 2016. <a href="https://t.co/sFhjtVhepF" type="external">https://t.co/sFhjtVhepF</a></p>
<p>Hillary has no good response. It’s just a question of how far to the left she feels the need to push in order to siphon off votes from Sanders, who now challenges her for the lead in both the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. And she’s not worried about the center of the country: she’s worried purely and simply about how to drive out her base.</p>
<p />
<p>Meanwhile, on the Republican side of the aisle, the establishment leadership looks to quash its own base. Yes, most of the establishment candidates are now making overtures to the right. But unlike Hillary, who has never sneered at Sanders supporters, the backers of Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Jeb Bush seem to get a personal high from bashing the supporters of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. They don’t seem to understand that the moderate voter matters less and less these days – if you don’t win your own base and drive them out to the polls in massive numbers, you’re unlikely to win.</p>
<p>Hillary gets that, which is why she has an advantage. The question is this: will the Republican establishment, which has indeed been pushed to the right by the grassroots – proof being former Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio – take yes for an answer from its own base?</p>
|
Moderates Do Not Decide Elections, And Hillary Knows It. Why Don't Republicans?
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/2517/moderates-do-not-decide-elections-and-hillary-ben-shapiro
|
2016-01-11
| 0right
|
Moderates Do Not Decide Elections, And Hillary Knows It. Why Don't Republicans?
<p>Moderates no longer decide American elections.</p>
<p>For decades, the electoral philosophy of major American political parties has been that he or she who wins the moderates wins the elections. And to a certain extent, that’s been true: from 1972 to 2012, only three presidential elections have seen a candidate win independents according to exit polls but lose the White House (Gerald Ford won <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/independents/data-presidential.html" type="external">54% of independents</a> in 1976 but lost to Jimmy Carter, John Kerry won independents 49% to 48% in 2004 but lost to George W. Bush, and Barack Obama <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-romney-independent-vote-polls-moderates-election-2012-11" type="external">lost independents</a> 50% to 45% but won re-election). It is worth noting that in two of those cases, an incumbent candidate won without winning independents. But it is also worth noting that this means that in two of the last three presidential election cycles, the candidate who won independents lost the presidency.</p>
<p>Fast forward to 2016. It’s clear that driving out the base is now the top priority for Democrats. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, fearful of losing her grip on the party base, is now moving swiftly to the hard left. This weekend, after endorsing President Obama’s gun grab and championing her support from Planned Parenthood, Hillary leapt into the socialist war on wealth by proposing what she termed, in Orwellian fashion, a “fair share surcharge” – otherwise known as a confiscatory tax on high-income earners. She explained that anybody who made more than $5 million in a year would be charged 4% extra, stating, “Right now we’re behind and we have to get the wealth and the corporations to pay their fair share.” Never mind that the top 1% of income earners already pay nearly half of all federal income taxes, and that the top 10% of earners make just 45% of all income but pay nearly 70% of all taxes. Nope, they’re still not paying their “fair share.” Thus they deserve a “surcharge.”</p>
<p>Hillary’s pandering to the far left.</p>
<p>And there’s a reason for that.</p>
<p>Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (Loonbag-Vermont) trolled the Clinton campaign by calling Clinton’s campaign manager out for his support of Sanders-esque ideas on nationalized healthcare:</p>
<p>If you ever want to work for a campaign that shares your values on health care, there's always room at Bernie 2016. <a href="https://t.co/sFhjtVhepF" type="external">https://t.co/sFhjtVhepF</a></p>
<p>Hillary has no good response. It’s just a question of how far to the left she feels the need to push in order to siphon off votes from Sanders, who now challenges her for the lead in both the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. And she’s not worried about the center of the country: she’s worried purely and simply about how to drive out her base.</p>
<p />
<p>Meanwhile, on the Republican side of the aisle, the establishment leadership looks to quash its own base. Yes, most of the establishment candidates are now making overtures to the right. But unlike Hillary, who has never sneered at Sanders supporters, the backers of Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Jeb Bush seem to get a personal high from bashing the supporters of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. They don’t seem to understand that the moderate voter matters less and less these days – if you don’t win your own base and drive them out to the polls in massive numbers, you’re unlikely to win.</p>
<p>Hillary gets that, which is why she has an advantage. The question is this: will the Republican establishment, which has indeed been pushed to the right by the grassroots – proof being former Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio – take yes for an answer from its own base?</p>
| 7,787 |
<p>Emerging from the recent national attention surrounding the state of New Jersey comes a familiar face, Newark Mayor and <a href="" type="internal">Twitter superstar</a> Cory Booker.&#160;Speculated by polling experts and journalists alike, his potential prospects moving forward include a possible bid for governor of New Jersey, placing him in position to challenge New Jersey favorite <a href="" type="internal">Chris Christie</a>.</p>
<p>“Remember, we have a state election in 2013 and the only Democrat who shows any oomph against … Christie, the hero of Hurricane Sandy, is Newark Mayor Cory Booker,” says Quinnipiac poll director Maurice Carroll.</p>
<p>Despite the “oomph-factor,” Booker trails Christie in <a href="http://www.politickernj.com/61275/quinnipiac-second-poll-week-shows-christie-beating-booker-double-digits" type="external">Quinnipiac’s poll</a>&#160;by eighteen percentage points. He maintains a very strong lead, however, on the social network Twitter.</p>
<p>What sets Booker apart is his incredible aptitude at navigating the social media world, specifically Twitter. With almost 1.3 million <a href="https://twitter.com/CoryBooker" type="external">followers</a>, Booker is regarded as a super-hero by those in his community, and a social media standard to which politicians nationwide should embody.</p>
<p>“Social media is a powerfully democratizing force that’s given rise from everything from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street,” says the Twitter superstar.&#160;</p>
<p>His secret? He actively responds to users and social mentions on the network, engaging with his constituents and those beyond his jurisdiction. His dedication to transparency and engagement can be seen by looking at his Twitter feed, which is flooded with personal responses, opinions, policy attitudes, and support. Some notable acts of transparency and readiness include the following tweets:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>On a less political level, the Newark mayor routinely posts inspiration quotes or advice for his followers. A tweet that read, “Be kind to one another. The energy we extend will always reflect the spirit we possess,” received 286 retweets and 97 favorites. Most politicians cannot even pay for that type of interaction.</p>
<p>During Hurricane Sandy, he was a valuable resource for news, updates, and support; responding to people in need of answers. He also personally took on responsibilities not typically required or expected of a mayor. Readily lending a helping hand, he invited users to message him directly for safety, medical, or roadside assistance.</p>
<p>His most recent Twitter triumph is his acceptance of a bet from a user, challenging him to live off of food stamps for a week. After engaging heavily with the user in a debate on the government’s role in helping those living in poverty, Booker accepted the challenge, tweeting:</p>
<p />
<p>It might, however, be more strategic for the social media savvy politician to set his sights on a Senate seat, as suggested by a recent Public Policy Polling <a href="http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/11/booker-could-win-senate-seat.html" type="external">study</a>. While New Jersey voters approve of current Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), New Jersey voters have voiced that they would prefer to see Booker as a candidate in 2014 over Lautenberg by a margin of fifty-nine to twenty-two.</p>
<p>If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that we will surely be notified of his political future in 140 characters or less.</p>
|
Newark Mayor Cory Booker Emerges as Potential Player in 2014
| false |
https://ivn.us/2012/11/30/newark-mayor-cory-booker-emerges-as-potential-player-in-2014/
|
2012-11-30
| 2least
|
Newark Mayor Cory Booker Emerges as Potential Player in 2014
<p>Emerging from the recent national attention surrounding the state of New Jersey comes a familiar face, Newark Mayor and <a href="" type="internal">Twitter superstar</a> Cory Booker.&#160;Speculated by polling experts and journalists alike, his potential prospects moving forward include a possible bid for governor of New Jersey, placing him in position to challenge New Jersey favorite <a href="" type="internal">Chris Christie</a>.</p>
<p>“Remember, we have a state election in 2013 and the only Democrat who shows any oomph against … Christie, the hero of Hurricane Sandy, is Newark Mayor Cory Booker,” says Quinnipiac poll director Maurice Carroll.</p>
<p>Despite the “oomph-factor,” Booker trails Christie in <a href="http://www.politickernj.com/61275/quinnipiac-second-poll-week-shows-christie-beating-booker-double-digits" type="external">Quinnipiac’s poll</a>&#160;by eighteen percentage points. He maintains a very strong lead, however, on the social network Twitter.</p>
<p>What sets Booker apart is his incredible aptitude at navigating the social media world, specifically Twitter. With almost 1.3 million <a href="https://twitter.com/CoryBooker" type="external">followers</a>, Booker is regarded as a super-hero by those in his community, and a social media standard to which politicians nationwide should embody.</p>
<p>“Social media is a powerfully democratizing force that’s given rise from everything from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street,” says the Twitter superstar.&#160;</p>
<p>His secret? He actively responds to users and social mentions on the network, engaging with his constituents and those beyond his jurisdiction. His dedication to transparency and engagement can be seen by looking at his Twitter feed, which is flooded with personal responses, opinions, policy attitudes, and support. Some notable acts of transparency and readiness include the following tweets:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>On a less political level, the Newark mayor routinely posts inspiration quotes or advice for his followers. A tweet that read, “Be kind to one another. The energy we extend will always reflect the spirit we possess,” received 286 retweets and 97 favorites. Most politicians cannot even pay for that type of interaction.</p>
<p>During Hurricane Sandy, he was a valuable resource for news, updates, and support; responding to people in need of answers. He also personally took on responsibilities not typically required or expected of a mayor. Readily lending a helping hand, he invited users to message him directly for safety, medical, or roadside assistance.</p>
<p>His most recent Twitter triumph is his acceptance of a bet from a user, challenging him to live off of food stamps for a week. After engaging heavily with the user in a debate on the government’s role in helping those living in poverty, Booker accepted the challenge, tweeting:</p>
<p />
<p>It might, however, be more strategic for the social media savvy politician to set his sights on a Senate seat, as suggested by a recent Public Policy Polling <a href="http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/11/booker-could-win-senate-seat.html" type="external">study</a>. While New Jersey voters approve of current Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), New Jersey voters have voiced that they would prefer to see Booker as a candidate in 2014 over Lautenberg by a margin of fifty-nine to twenty-two.</p>
<p>If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that we will surely be notified of his political future in 140 characters or less.</p>
| 7,788 |
<p>Will we forget Watergate so easily?</p>
<p>For the first time in 36 years, a general election will be held in the US in which neither the Republican nor the Democratic candidate will spend taxpayer funds to finance their campaigns, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/04/mitt-romney-public-financing-presidential-campaign-/1#.T5rkoL-Gupo" type="external">according to USA Today</a>.</p>
<p>Both President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican Nominee Mitt Romney will each forego $91.2 million in public funds in order to be able to raise hundreds of millions in private donations each, the news paper said.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120422/john-edwards-trial-begins-campaign-finance-charg" type="external">John Edwards trial begins in North Carolina on campaign finance charges</a></p>
<p>The US system of public financing of elections was created in 1976 as a reaction to the Watergate scandal, in which Richard Nixon's Committee for the Re-Election of the President was involved in money laundering and maintaining a slush fund used for criminal activities.</p>
<p>Public financing is seen as a means of lessening the effects of money in politics and insulating candidates from the relationships created by accepting private contributions.</p>
<p>The Associated Press <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/romney-campaign-fundraising-santorum_n_1451660.html?ref=elections-2012" type="external">reported Wednesday</a> that, after claiming the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney began intensive efforts to coordinate fundraising with the Republcian National Committee. Starting Wednesday, Romney was to begin aggressive fundraising in New York, <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/24/romney-to-hit-new-york-fundraising-circuit/" type="external">according to CNN</a>.</p>
<p>With the RNC and four state Republican parties, Romney plans to solicit individual contributions of up to $75,000, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/26/bloomberg_articlesM31ZSZ0YHQ0X01-M33YB.DTL" type="external">according to Bloomberg</a>. The New York Times <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/800-million-target-for-romney-campaign-and-republican-committee/" type="external">reports</a> that the goal is to raise $800 million for Romney and that his campaign estimates that a total of $1 billion will be spent in the effort to unseat Obama.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120217/israel-economy-gdp-debt-crisis" type="external">Has Israel's regional isolation helped protect its economy?</a></p>
<p>According to The Times, Republicans have suggested that Obama, who currently enjoys a 10-to-1 fundraising advantage over Romney, will raise as much as $1 billion for his own campaign.</p>
<p>Obama raised about $750 million for his first election, during which he broke a campaign pledge to use public funds, but his campaign has denied the Republicans? $1 billion estimate.</p>
|
Obama and Romney skip public campaign funds for the first time since Watergate
| false |
https://pri.org/stories/2012-04-27/obama-and-romney-skip-public-campaign-funds-first-time-watergate
|
2012-04-27
| 3left-center
|
Obama and Romney skip public campaign funds for the first time since Watergate
<p>Will we forget Watergate so easily?</p>
<p>For the first time in 36 years, a general election will be held in the US in which neither the Republican nor the Democratic candidate will spend taxpayer funds to finance their campaigns, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/04/mitt-romney-public-financing-presidential-campaign-/1#.T5rkoL-Gupo" type="external">according to USA Today</a>.</p>
<p>Both President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican Nominee Mitt Romney will each forego $91.2 million in public funds in order to be able to raise hundreds of millions in private donations each, the news paper said.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120422/john-edwards-trial-begins-campaign-finance-charg" type="external">John Edwards trial begins in North Carolina on campaign finance charges</a></p>
<p>The US system of public financing of elections was created in 1976 as a reaction to the Watergate scandal, in which Richard Nixon's Committee for the Re-Election of the President was involved in money laundering and maintaining a slush fund used for criminal activities.</p>
<p>Public financing is seen as a means of lessening the effects of money in politics and insulating candidates from the relationships created by accepting private contributions.</p>
<p>The Associated Press <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/romney-campaign-fundraising-santorum_n_1451660.html?ref=elections-2012" type="external">reported Wednesday</a> that, after claiming the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney began intensive efforts to coordinate fundraising with the Republcian National Committee. Starting Wednesday, Romney was to begin aggressive fundraising in New York, <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/24/romney-to-hit-new-york-fundraising-circuit/" type="external">according to CNN</a>.</p>
<p>With the RNC and four state Republican parties, Romney plans to solicit individual contributions of up to $75,000, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/26/bloomberg_articlesM31ZSZ0YHQ0X01-M33YB.DTL" type="external">according to Bloomberg</a>. The New York Times <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/800-million-target-for-romney-campaign-and-republican-committee/" type="external">reports</a> that the goal is to raise $800 million for Romney and that his campaign estimates that a total of $1 billion will be spent in the effort to unseat Obama.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/israel-and-palestine/120217/israel-economy-gdp-debt-crisis" type="external">Has Israel's regional isolation helped protect its economy?</a></p>
<p>According to The Times, Republicans have suggested that Obama, who currently enjoys a 10-to-1 fundraising advantage over Romney, will raise as much as $1 billion for his own campaign.</p>
<p>Obama raised about $750 million for his first election, during which he broke a campaign pledge to use public funds, but his campaign has denied the Republicans? $1 billion estimate.</p>
| 7,789 |
<p>As the cold war winds down questions arise: How much should the defense budget be cut, and what should be done with the money freed? What will be the effect of such cuts on an economy in which the share of manufacturing devoted to the military increased significantly in the 1980s?</p>
<p>One view is that of the conservative economist Herbert Stein, of the American Enterprise Institute, who argues against cuts in defense programs "until the size, durability and significance of the changes in Europe are clearer than they are now." (What must or can happen to convince such people that military</p>
<p />
|
A Peace Divided for the US Economy
| true |
https://dissentmagazine.org/article/a-peace-divided-for-the-us-economy
|
2018-10-06
| 4left
|
A Peace Divided for the US Economy
<p>As the cold war winds down questions arise: How much should the defense budget be cut, and what should be done with the money freed? What will be the effect of such cuts on an economy in which the share of manufacturing devoted to the military increased significantly in the 1980s?</p>
<p>One view is that of the conservative economist Herbert Stein, of the American Enterprise Institute, who argues against cuts in defense programs "until the size, durability and significance of the changes in Europe are clearer than they are now." (What must or can happen to convince such people that military</p>
<p />
| 7,790 |
<p>Published time: 14 Sep, 2017 09:56</p>
<p>Caracas has ordered oil traders to convert crude oil contracts into euro and not to pay or be paid in US dollars anymore, according to sources close to the matter as quoted by WSJ. The measure is aimed at bypassing US sanctions against the country.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/399283-venezuela-senators-oil-sanctions/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA reportedly asked joint venture partners to open euro accounts and to convert existing holdings into the European currency, the sources said.</p>
<p>Last month, the White House sanctioned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials after the election of a new legislative body to rewrite the country’s constitution.</p>
<p>The measure bans both US businesses and citizens from buying Venezuelan debt as well as from making any deals with PDVSA.</p>
<p>Caracas claimed the step as an attempt to embargo Venezuela, which is currently in the middle of an economic crisis.</p>
<p>“To fight against the economic blockade there will be a basket of currencies to liberate us from the dollar,” said the country’s Vice President Tareck El Aissami, as quoted by the media.</p>
<p>The US is Venezuela’s largest trading partner with 95 percent of the state’s revenues coming from oil exports, mostly to the US. Thus, switching the dominating currency may lead to increased transaction costs, according to analysts.</p>
|
Venezuela ditches dollar for oil payments to dodge US penalties
| false |
https://newsline.com/venezuela-ditches-dollar-for-oil-payments-to-dodge-us-penalties/
|
2017-09-14
| 1right-center
|
Venezuela ditches dollar for oil payments to dodge US penalties
<p>Published time: 14 Sep, 2017 09:56</p>
<p>Caracas has ordered oil traders to convert crude oil contracts into euro and not to pay or be paid in US dollars anymore, according to sources close to the matter as quoted by WSJ. The measure is aimed at bypassing US sanctions against the country.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/399283-venezuela-senators-oil-sanctions/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA reportedly asked joint venture partners to open euro accounts and to convert existing holdings into the European currency, the sources said.</p>
<p>Last month, the White House sanctioned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials after the election of a new legislative body to rewrite the country’s constitution.</p>
<p>The measure bans both US businesses and citizens from buying Venezuelan debt as well as from making any deals with PDVSA.</p>
<p>Caracas claimed the step as an attempt to embargo Venezuela, which is currently in the middle of an economic crisis.</p>
<p>“To fight against the economic blockade there will be a basket of currencies to liberate us from the dollar,” said the country’s Vice President Tareck El Aissami, as quoted by the media.</p>
<p>The US is Venezuela’s largest trading partner with 95 percent of the state’s revenues coming from oil exports, mostly to the US. Thus, switching the dominating currency may lead to increased transaction costs, according to analysts.</p>
| 7,791 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>New Mexico needs jobs, especially high-paying jobs. These jobs keep our sons and daughters here, and they stimulate our economy.</p>
<p>But again the state of New Mexico is losing a chance at high-paying jobs.</p>
<p>The recently released Bureau of Land Management draft environmental impact statement for the tri-county area that covers Dona Ana, Otero and Sierra counties defers action on fluid mineral leasing and development in the three counties. This effectively stops oil and gas drilling there for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The BLM states that the primary reason for this action is concern over Otero Mesa. Yet the draft EIS spreads that concern to all BLM-managed lands in the three counties.</p>
<p>That doesn’t make sense.</p>
<p>Oil and gas revenues alone fund over a third of our state budget. Potash, copper and uranium mining also provide millions of dollars to our state and thousands of jobs to New Mexico citizens.</p>
<p>The services New Mexicans need cannot be funded without utilizing revenues from these mineral resources, unless, as some suggest, we either raid the permanent fund or we raise taxes. Neither of these options is appealing or necessary.</p>
<p>Now though, just when we have a chance to improve our revenues and create jobs, our state is thumped again. This decision by the BLM potentially costs New Mexico millions of dollars, and Otero, Dona Ana and Sierra counties lose out on jobs and opportunities.</p>
<p>Otero Mesa itself can be responsibly developed. Its environment and the underlying water can be protected. Oil and gas development can be successfully integrated with existing ranching operations.</p>
<p>Oil and gas companies can again prove that they are able to work in demanding environments and effectively minimize the results of their presence. Current plans for the Bennett Ranch area on Otero Mesa call for wells to be drilled on 640 acre spacing. There will be a road to the well site, a pipeline leaving the site and the “Christmas tree” that controls the wellhead pressure.</p>
<p>Modern drilling operations and casing programs are designed to protect water sources and to leave a small footprint. Operators no longer use 1940s technology or equipment. They can develop these valuable resources without harming the environment.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The BLM already has the rules and regulations in place covering the Bennett Ranch area that allow for oil and gas development. The tri-county draft EIS can build on those rules, where needed, to provide for reasonable leasing and development opportunities.</p>
<p>The two existing wells on Otero Mesa were drilled over 15 years ago; it is hard to believe this issue remains unresolved.</p>
<p>While Gov. Bill Richardson may have successfully made Otero Mesa the centerpiece of his environmental agenda, he most certainly cost New Mexicans opportunities. New Mexico lost millions of dollars.</p>
<p>We need a different approach – one that benefits New Mexico.</p>
<p>The BLM should allow continued development on the Bennett Ranch area of Otero Mesa and it should not use the tri-county draft EIS to delay potential additional development.</p>
<p>This has gone on for far too long.</p>
|
BLM is delaying development
| false |
https://abqjournal.com/226599/blm-is-delaying-development.html
|
2013-07-28
| 2least
|
BLM is delaying development
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>New Mexico needs jobs, especially high-paying jobs. These jobs keep our sons and daughters here, and they stimulate our economy.</p>
<p>But again the state of New Mexico is losing a chance at high-paying jobs.</p>
<p>The recently released Bureau of Land Management draft environmental impact statement for the tri-county area that covers Dona Ana, Otero and Sierra counties defers action on fluid mineral leasing and development in the three counties. This effectively stops oil and gas drilling there for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The BLM states that the primary reason for this action is concern over Otero Mesa. Yet the draft EIS spreads that concern to all BLM-managed lands in the three counties.</p>
<p>That doesn’t make sense.</p>
<p>Oil and gas revenues alone fund over a third of our state budget. Potash, copper and uranium mining also provide millions of dollars to our state and thousands of jobs to New Mexico citizens.</p>
<p>The services New Mexicans need cannot be funded without utilizing revenues from these mineral resources, unless, as some suggest, we either raid the permanent fund or we raise taxes. Neither of these options is appealing or necessary.</p>
<p>Now though, just when we have a chance to improve our revenues and create jobs, our state is thumped again. This decision by the BLM potentially costs New Mexico millions of dollars, and Otero, Dona Ana and Sierra counties lose out on jobs and opportunities.</p>
<p>Otero Mesa itself can be responsibly developed. Its environment and the underlying water can be protected. Oil and gas development can be successfully integrated with existing ranching operations.</p>
<p>Oil and gas companies can again prove that they are able to work in demanding environments and effectively minimize the results of their presence. Current plans for the Bennett Ranch area on Otero Mesa call for wells to be drilled on 640 acre spacing. There will be a road to the well site, a pipeline leaving the site and the “Christmas tree” that controls the wellhead pressure.</p>
<p>Modern drilling operations and casing programs are designed to protect water sources and to leave a small footprint. Operators no longer use 1940s technology or equipment. They can develop these valuable resources without harming the environment.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The BLM already has the rules and regulations in place covering the Bennett Ranch area that allow for oil and gas development. The tri-county draft EIS can build on those rules, where needed, to provide for reasonable leasing and development opportunities.</p>
<p>The two existing wells on Otero Mesa were drilled over 15 years ago; it is hard to believe this issue remains unresolved.</p>
<p>While Gov. Bill Richardson may have successfully made Otero Mesa the centerpiece of his environmental agenda, he most certainly cost New Mexicans opportunities. New Mexico lost millions of dollars.</p>
<p>We need a different approach – one that benefits New Mexico.</p>
<p>The BLM should allow continued development on the Bennett Ranch area of Otero Mesa and it should not use the tri-county draft EIS to delay potential additional development.</p>
<p>This has gone on for far too long.</p>
| 7,792 |
<p>“… Detroit has redirected decades of consumer frustration with American automakers for their lackluster designs and poor quality into widespread resentment of rank-and-file auto workers for their company-paid health care and pensions. The automakers have tapped into middle-America’s deep-seated anxiety and insecurity with a not-so-subtle message: ‘If you don’t have a pension or any hint of job security, why should they?’”</p>
<p>Labor Notes, 11/19/08</p>
<p>It looks like the federal government won’t be rolling any of that near-trillion dollar bailout money to auto industry workers any time soon. There’s a warm bipartisan consensus that the real money needs to go to banksters, financial flim-flammers, and others who have seen neither blast furnace, nor paint booth.</p>
<p>The allegedly “liberal”&#160;Washington Post&#160;sternly warned lawmakers (11/8/08) that any loans to Detroit should war on workers. “Under court direction,” the Post maintained, “the firms (should) trim wages and benefits that far exceed those of non-union competitors, (and) reduce the burden (sic) of pension payments, which stands at $90 billion over the next decade….”</p>
<p>Suddenly, when it looked as though a few billion public dollars might be diverted away from tony suites to help sustain blue-collar types making a bargained-for living wage, responsible political/ media opinion recoiled in horror. The&#160;AP&#160; (11/18)&#160; reports rapid-onset “Bailout fatigue” in the congress. Even though candidates running as Democrats were recently elected in greater numbers than dead-ender Republicans, the announced mantra is&#160; now “continuity,” not change. Thus, if Republicans are opposed to something —like, say, living wages and unions — even if they lack the votes to prevail — they should get their way. So, it’s not at all clear that things will improve in the new year, even after the Ds start sharing their “power” with repudiated Rs. So much for Change.</p>
<p>Elite opinion sees Detroit as a “dinosaur” whose “day of reckoning” is at hand, according to the&#160;AP, which also quoted Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) as saying that , “The silence from the Democratic rank and file on this matter has been deafening.” There’s great enthusiasm for going after the wage and benefit packages gained by the United Auto Workers, and getting yet another round of “concessions” from its almost 400,000 members.</p>
<p>UAW President Ron Gettelfinger had a few thoughts on the matter, which the AP (surprisingly) printed. Noting the serial concessions already made, including the fratricidal two-tiered wage system agreed to just last year, “Gettelfinger bristled at calls for further sacrifices by his members.”</p>
<p>“Let’s go to AIG,” he said, “Bear Stearns, active and retired workers: Did anyone go in and ask them to give back wages and benefit levels?…What about the bond traders? Did anyone ask them? … Why should the UAW be any different?”</p>
<p>Brother Gettelfinger, of course, understands why the UAW is being targeted. Born of militant struggle, the union gained something like economic stability for its members —and others — through its power and its willingness to struggle. But the national guaranteed annual wage, government provided pensions and health care that former president Walter Reuther envisioned were long ago “pragmatically” bargained away. The UAW settled for living wages, with health care and reliable pension benefits as merely part of their employer-based compensation package. That worked for a while, and with the UAW as a model, workers in other sectors had their boats pulled forward by the Detroit oarsmen toiling, between contract negotiations, in what Reuther himself called their “gold-plated sweatshops.”</p>
<p>But the notoriously short-sighted executives at the commanding heights of US industry and commerce have long been opposed to economic rights for workers. In time they re-wrote the rules of the road. Deindustrializing the nation, union-busting, and pushing workers over the side became Job One. The business press exulted as even the once mighty UAW surrendered again and again. GM and the rest spun off their parts plants as non-union “enterprises” with UAW acquiescence in the name of “competitiveness” and “team play.” Today, starting pay at one of these shops is $14.50, about half the union scale.</p>
<p>Fun Fact: A “living wage” in southern Maine (no internet, no cable, no eating in restaurants, 5 year old car, basic phone service) is over $16 per hour.</p>
<p>Writing in&#160;Labor Notes, Mark Brenner and Jane Slaughter ask, “What will America look like if most workers earn Wal-Mart, instead of General Motors wages?” We’re well on our way to finding out of course.</p>
<p>To the UAW’s credit, it has lately rediscovered Reuther’s dream of national health insurance. According to&#160;Labor Notes, in return for its $1 billion in concessions last time, the union received a pledge from the Big Three to “pursue universal coverage” in Washington. Brenner /&#160; Slaughter point out that, “Canada’s single-payer system… (saves money) and (so) has spared most Ford and GM plants north of the border from the ax.”</p>
<p>Yet when GM’s CEO offered testimony to congress at a June hearing on the health care crisis, he never mentioned “universal coverage.” US business interests have long preferred to maintain the increasingly disastrous “private” employer-based health insurance regime. It’s a powerful, life-or-death weapon to be wielded against employees. GM is, like most business, more concerned with waging class war than with the long-term viability of American&#160; industry.</p>
<p>If the US has an industrial future, Detroit’s workers and legacy infrastructure must play a role. The UAW, and leaders like Walter Reuther had a vision of a tooled-up America, with human and economic rights for all. They labored toward a time when their members could live in dignity, based on building transportation machines. The bosses at GM and the rest took the industry into the tank, building Supremely Untenable Vehicles (SUVs).</p>
<p>In these post-rational, post-literate, post-industrial, “post-partisan,” post-carbon times, it’s an open question whether simple dignity is on-the-table any longer. But if it is, Reuther’s roadmap including social insurance, and a democratized work-life is the way forward — whether GM likes it or not.</p>
<p>RICHARD RHAMES is a dirt-farmer in Biddeford, Maine (just north of the Kennebunkport town line).</p>
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Walter and Me (and You)
| true |
https://counterpunch.org/2008/11/21/walter-and-me-and-you/
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2008-11-21
| 4left
|
Walter and Me (and You)
<p>“… Detroit has redirected decades of consumer frustration with American automakers for their lackluster designs and poor quality into widespread resentment of rank-and-file auto workers for their company-paid health care and pensions. The automakers have tapped into middle-America’s deep-seated anxiety and insecurity with a not-so-subtle message: ‘If you don’t have a pension or any hint of job security, why should they?’”</p>
<p>Labor Notes, 11/19/08</p>
<p>It looks like the federal government won’t be rolling any of that near-trillion dollar bailout money to auto industry workers any time soon. There’s a warm bipartisan consensus that the real money needs to go to banksters, financial flim-flammers, and others who have seen neither blast furnace, nor paint booth.</p>
<p>The allegedly “liberal”&#160;Washington Post&#160;sternly warned lawmakers (11/8/08) that any loans to Detroit should war on workers. “Under court direction,” the Post maintained, “the firms (should) trim wages and benefits that far exceed those of non-union competitors, (and) reduce the burden (sic) of pension payments, which stands at $90 billion over the next decade….”</p>
<p>Suddenly, when it looked as though a few billion public dollars might be diverted away from tony suites to help sustain blue-collar types making a bargained-for living wage, responsible political/ media opinion recoiled in horror. The&#160;AP&#160; (11/18)&#160; reports rapid-onset “Bailout fatigue” in the congress. Even though candidates running as Democrats were recently elected in greater numbers than dead-ender Republicans, the announced mantra is&#160; now “continuity,” not change. Thus, if Republicans are opposed to something —like, say, living wages and unions — even if they lack the votes to prevail — they should get their way. So, it’s not at all clear that things will improve in the new year, even after the Ds start sharing their “power” with repudiated Rs. So much for Change.</p>
<p>Elite opinion sees Detroit as a “dinosaur” whose “day of reckoning” is at hand, according to the&#160;AP, which also quoted Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) as saying that , “The silence from the Democratic rank and file on this matter has been deafening.” There’s great enthusiasm for going after the wage and benefit packages gained by the United Auto Workers, and getting yet another round of “concessions” from its almost 400,000 members.</p>
<p>UAW President Ron Gettelfinger had a few thoughts on the matter, which the AP (surprisingly) printed. Noting the serial concessions already made, including the fratricidal two-tiered wage system agreed to just last year, “Gettelfinger bristled at calls for further sacrifices by his members.”</p>
<p>“Let’s go to AIG,” he said, “Bear Stearns, active and retired workers: Did anyone go in and ask them to give back wages and benefit levels?…What about the bond traders? Did anyone ask them? … Why should the UAW be any different?”</p>
<p>Brother Gettelfinger, of course, understands why the UAW is being targeted. Born of militant struggle, the union gained something like economic stability for its members —and others — through its power and its willingness to struggle. But the national guaranteed annual wage, government provided pensions and health care that former president Walter Reuther envisioned were long ago “pragmatically” bargained away. The UAW settled for living wages, with health care and reliable pension benefits as merely part of their employer-based compensation package. That worked for a while, and with the UAW as a model, workers in other sectors had their boats pulled forward by the Detroit oarsmen toiling, between contract negotiations, in what Reuther himself called their “gold-plated sweatshops.”</p>
<p>But the notoriously short-sighted executives at the commanding heights of US industry and commerce have long been opposed to economic rights for workers. In time they re-wrote the rules of the road. Deindustrializing the nation, union-busting, and pushing workers over the side became Job One. The business press exulted as even the once mighty UAW surrendered again and again. GM and the rest spun off their parts plants as non-union “enterprises” with UAW acquiescence in the name of “competitiveness” and “team play.” Today, starting pay at one of these shops is $14.50, about half the union scale.</p>
<p>Fun Fact: A “living wage” in southern Maine (no internet, no cable, no eating in restaurants, 5 year old car, basic phone service) is over $16 per hour.</p>
<p>Writing in&#160;Labor Notes, Mark Brenner and Jane Slaughter ask, “What will America look like if most workers earn Wal-Mart, instead of General Motors wages?” We’re well on our way to finding out of course.</p>
<p>To the UAW’s credit, it has lately rediscovered Reuther’s dream of national health insurance. According to&#160;Labor Notes, in return for its $1 billion in concessions last time, the union received a pledge from the Big Three to “pursue universal coverage” in Washington. Brenner /&#160; Slaughter point out that, “Canada’s single-payer system… (saves money) and (so) has spared most Ford and GM plants north of the border from the ax.”</p>
<p>Yet when GM’s CEO offered testimony to congress at a June hearing on the health care crisis, he never mentioned “universal coverage.” US business interests have long preferred to maintain the increasingly disastrous “private” employer-based health insurance regime. It’s a powerful, life-or-death weapon to be wielded against employees. GM is, like most business, more concerned with waging class war than with the long-term viability of American&#160; industry.</p>
<p>If the US has an industrial future, Detroit’s workers and legacy infrastructure must play a role. The UAW, and leaders like Walter Reuther had a vision of a tooled-up America, with human and economic rights for all. They labored toward a time when their members could live in dignity, based on building transportation machines. The bosses at GM and the rest took the industry into the tank, building Supremely Untenable Vehicles (SUVs).</p>
<p>In these post-rational, post-literate, post-industrial, “post-partisan,” post-carbon times, it’s an open question whether simple dignity is on-the-table any longer. But if it is, Reuther’s roadmap including social insurance, and a democratized work-life is the way forward — whether GM likes it or not.</p>
<p>RICHARD RHAMES is a dirt-farmer in Biddeford, Maine (just north of the Kennebunkport town line).</p>
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| 7,793 |
<p>LONDON (AP) - Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal's rescue in stoppage time to clinch a 2-2 draw against Chelsea after conceding in an absorbing Premier League encounter on Wednesday.</p>
<p>All four goals came in the final half hour of a game that left third-place and defending champion Chelsea 16 points behind Manchester City and Arsenal 23 adrift of the leaders.</p>
<p>The deficit would have been even worse for the sixth-place hosts had Bellerin not redeemed himself. The right back's challenge on Eden Hazard had allowed the Chelsea winger to cancel out Jack Wilshere's opener in the 67th minute.</p>
<p>Marcos Alonso fired Chelsea in front in the 84th with his sixth goal of the season, but wasn't as meticulous back on defensive duties in the second minute of stoppage time. A headed clearance went straight to Bellerin, who leveled with a half-volley.</p>
<p>Chelsea was still pursuing the winner in the third minute of stoppage time when defender Davide Zappacosta struck the crossbar.</p>
<p>Had striker Alvaro Morata not missed so many chances this could have been a third consecutive win for Chelsea. Chelsea is becoming reliant on Alonso for goals, with the left-sided defender the team's second-highest scorer behind Morata.</p>
<p>On the night when Diego Costa scored on his return to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, the ferocious forward seems just what the champions have required at times.</p>
<p>Instead all Chelsea and Arsenal can realistically now achieve through the league is Champions League qualification. Even that could be beyond Arsene Wenger's side, with fourth place five points away.</p>
<p>Fortune wasn't on Arsenal's side against Chelsea.</p>
<p>Alexis Sanchez managed to hit both posts in the 16th - with the ball pinging from one side of the goal to the other without crossing the line. Then Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Alexandre Lacazette's low shot on the turn.</p>
<p>After Hazard and Alonso were denied by Petr Cech at the start of the second half, Courtois used his sprawling body to again thwart Lacazette.</p>
<p>Wilshere, who had been booked in the first half for a challenge on former Arsenal teammate Cesc Fabregas, was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card for diving just before scoring.</p>
<p>Wilshere stayed on the pitch and lit up the game by combining with Mesut Ozil before scoring an eye-catching goal, slamming a fierce shot off the left hand post and into the net. In an Arsenal career punctuated by injuries and a season on loan at Bournemouth, it was Wilshere's first league goal since May 2015.</p>
<p>Wilshere's good work was undone when Bellerin's high challenge on Hazard led to the equalizer from the spot.</p>
<p>"He's always very quick in the box," Bellerin said. "I saw the ball in the air and I tried to challenge for it. We both went for the ball at the same time."</p>
<p>Wenger was less diplomatic, calling it a farcical penalty.</p>
<p>"At the moment we have to face surprising decisions," Wenger said.</p>
<p>Cech was beaten again when Willian's cross-field pass reached Zappacosta on the right flank and a cross was aimed at Alonso, who got ahead of Shkodran Mustafi to turn the ball into the net.</p>
<p>But Bellerin still found time for his first league goal since last season.</p>
<p>"I'm happy with the goal but also happy with the reaction at the end of the game," he said. "It's non-stop football. We know whenever we play them it's always a hard game, there's always a lot of entertainment, always really hard, we work hard all week."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This version corrects the standings in the second paragraph and summary.</p>
<p>LONDON (AP) - Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal's rescue in stoppage time to clinch a 2-2 draw against Chelsea after conceding in an absorbing Premier League encounter on Wednesday.</p>
<p>All four goals came in the final half hour of a game that left third-place and defending champion Chelsea 16 points behind Manchester City and Arsenal 23 adrift of the leaders.</p>
<p>The deficit would have been even worse for the sixth-place hosts had Bellerin not redeemed himself. The right back's challenge on Eden Hazard had allowed the Chelsea winger to cancel out Jack Wilshere's opener in the 67th minute.</p>
<p>Marcos Alonso fired Chelsea in front in the 84th with his sixth goal of the season, but wasn't as meticulous back on defensive duties in the second minute of stoppage time. A headed clearance went straight to Bellerin, who leveled with a half-volley.</p>
<p>Chelsea was still pursuing the winner in the third minute of stoppage time when defender Davide Zappacosta struck the crossbar.</p>
<p>Had striker Alvaro Morata not missed so many chances this could have been a third consecutive win for Chelsea. Chelsea is becoming reliant on Alonso for goals, with the left-sided defender the team's second-highest scorer behind Morata.</p>
<p>On the night when Diego Costa scored on his return to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, the ferocious forward seems just what the champions have required at times.</p>
<p>Instead all Chelsea and Arsenal can realistically now achieve through the league is Champions League qualification. Even that could be beyond Arsene Wenger's side, with fourth place five points away.</p>
<p>Fortune wasn't on Arsenal's side against Chelsea.</p>
<p>Alexis Sanchez managed to hit both posts in the 16th - with the ball pinging from one side of the goal to the other without crossing the line. Then Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Alexandre Lacazette's low shot on the turn.</p>
<p>After Hazard and Alonso were denied by Petr Cech at the start of the second half, Courtois used his sprawling body to again thwart Lacazette.</p>
<p>Wilshere, who had been booked in the first half for a challenge on former Arsenal teammate Cesc Fabregas, was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card for diving just before scoring.</p>
<p>Wilshere stayed on the pitch and lit up the game by combining with Mesut Ozil before scoring an eye-catching goal, slamming a fierce shot off the left hand post and into the net. In an Arsenal career punctuated by injuries and a season on loan at Bournemouth, it was Wilshere's first league goal since May 2015.</p>
<p>Wilshere's good work was undone when Bellerin's high challenge on Hazard led to the equalizer from the spot.</p>
<p>"He's always very quick in the box," Bellerin said. "I saw the ball in the air and I tried to challenge for it. We both went for the ball at the same time."</p>
<p>Wenger was less diplomatic, calling it a farcical penalty.</p>
<p>"At the moment we have to face surprising decisions," Wenger said.</p>
<p>Cech was beaten again when Willian's cross-field pass reached Zappacosta on the right flank and a cross was aimed at Alonso, who got ahead of Shkodran Mustafi to turn the ball into the net.</p>
<p>But Bellerin still found time for his first league goal since last season.</p>
<p>"I'm happy with the goal but also happy with the reaction at the end of the game," he said. "It's non-stop football. We know whenever we play them it's always a hard game, there's always a lot of entertainment, always really hard, we work hard all week."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This version corrects the standings in the second paragraph and summary.</p>
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Bellerin rescues Arsenal by clinching 2-2 draw with Chelsea
| false |
https://apnews.com/amp/17682de735f346658bad4e6e09d2f8f8
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2018-01-04
| 2least
|
Bellerin rescues Arsenal by clinching 2-2 draw with Chelsea
<p>LONDON (AP) - Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal's rescue in stoppage time to clinch a 2-2 draw against Chelsea after conceding in an absorbing Premier League encounter on Wednesday.</p>
<p>All four goals came in the final half hour of a game that left third-place and defending champion Chelsea 16 points behind Manchester City and Arsenal 23 adrift of the leaders.</p>
<p>The deficit would have been even worse for the sixth-place hosts had Bellerin not redeemed himself. The right back's challenge on Eden Hazard had allowed the Chelsea winger to cancel out Jack Wilshere's opener in the 67th minute.</p>
<p>Marcos Alonso fired Chelsea in front in the 84th with his sixth goal of the season, but wasn't as meticulous back on defensive duties in the second minute of stoppage time. A headed clearance went straight to Bellerin, who leveled with a half-volley.</p>
<p>Chelsea was still pursuing the winner in the third minute of stoppage time when defender Davide Zappacosta struck the crossbar.</p>
<p>Had striker Alvaro Morata not missed so many chances this could have been a third consecutive win for Chelsea. Chelsea is becoming reliant on Alonso for goals, with the left-sided defender the team's second-highest scorer behind Morata.</p>
<p>On the night when Diego Costa scored on his return to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, the ferocious forward seems just what the champions have required at times.</p>
<p>Instead all Chelsea and Arsenal can realistically now achieve through the league is Champions League qualification. Even that could be beyond Arsene Wenger's side, with fourth place five points away.</p>
<p>Fortune wasn't on Arsenal's side against Chelsea.</p>
<p>Alexis Sanchez managed to hit both posts in the 16th - with the ball pinging from one side of the goal to the other without crossing the line. Then Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Alexandre Lacazette's low shot on the turn.</p>
<p>After Hazard and Alonso were denied by Petr Cech at the start of the second half, Courtois used his sprawling body to again thwart Lacazette.</p>
<p>Wilshere, who had been booked in the first half for a challenge on former Arsenal teammate Cesc Fabregas, was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card for diving just before scoring.</p>
<p>Wilshere stayed on the pitch and lit up the game by combining with Mesut Ozil before scoring an eye-catching goal, slamming a fierce shot off the left hand post and into the net. In an Arsenal career punctuated by injuries and a season on loan at Bournemouth, it was Wilshere's first league goal since May 2015.</p>
<p>Wilshere's good work was undone when Bellerin's high challenge on Hazard led to the equalizer from the spot.</p>
<p>"He's always very quick in the box," Bellerin said. "I saw the ball in the air and I tried to challenge for it. We both went for the ball at the same time."</p>
<p>Wenger was less diplomatic, calling it a farcical penalty.</p>
<p>"At the moment we have to face surprising decisions," Wenger said.</p>
<p>Cech was beaten again when Willian's cross-field pass reached Zappacosta on the right flank and a cross was aimed at Alonso, who got ahead of Shkodran Mustafi to turn the ball into the net.</p>
<p>But Bellerin still found time for his first league goal since last season.</p>
<p>"I'm happy with the goal but also happy with the reaction at the end of the game," he said. "It's non-stop football. We know whenever we play them it's always a hard game, there's always a lot of entertainment, always really hard, we work hard all week."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This version corrects the standings in the second paragraph and summary.</p>
<p>LONDON (AP) - Hector Bellerin came to Arsenal's rescue in stoppage time to clinch a 2-2 draw against Chelsea after conceding in an absorbing Premier League encounter on Wednesday.</p>
<p>All four goals came in the final half hour of a game that left third-place and defending champion Chelsea 16 points behind Manchester City and Arsenal 23 adrift of the leaders.</p>
<p>The deficit would have been even worse for the sixth-place hosts had Bellerin not redeemed himself. The right back's challenge on Eden Hazard had allowed the Chelsea winger to cancel out Jack Wilshere's opener in the 67th minute.</p>
<p>Marcos Alonso fired Chelsea in front in the 84th with his sixth goal of the season, but wasn't as meticulous back on defensive duties in the second minute of stoppage time. A headed clearance went straight to Bellerin, who leveled with a half-volley.</p>
<p>Chelsea was still pursuing the winner in the third minute of stoppage time when defender Davide Zappacosta struck the crossbar.</p>
<p>Had striker Alvaro Morata not missed so many chances this could have been a third consecutive win for Chelsea. Chelsea is becoming reliant on Alonso for goals, with the left-sided defender the team's second-highest scorer behind Morata.</p>
<p>On the night when Diego Costa scored on his return to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, the ferocious forward seems just what the champions have required at times.</p>
<p>Instead all Chelsea and Arsenal can realistically now achieve through the league is Champions League qualification. Even that could be beyond Arsene Wenger's side, with fourth place five points away.</p>
<p>Fortune wasn't on Arsenal's side against Chelsea.</p>
<p>Alexis Sanchez managed to hit both posts in the 16th - with the ball pinging from one side of the goal to the other without crossing the line. Then Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Alexandre Lacazette's low shot on the turn.</p>
<p>After Hazard and Alonso were denied by Petr Cech at the start of the second half, Courtois used his sprawling body to again thwart Lacazette.</p>
<p>Wilshere, who had been booked in the first half for a challenge on former Arsenal teammate Cesc Fabregas, was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card for diving just before scoring.</p>
<p>Wilshere stayed on the pitch and lit up the game by combining with Mesut Ozil before scoring an eye-catching goal, slamming a fierce shot off the left hand post and into the net. In an Arsenal career punctuated by injuries and a season on loan at Bournemouth, it was Wilshere's first league goal since May 2015.</p>
<p>Wilshere's good work was undone when Bellerin's high challenge on Hazard led to the equalizer from the spot.</p>
<p>"He's always very quick in the box," Bellerin said. "I saw the ball in the air and I tried to challenge for it. We both went for the ball at the same time."</p>
<p>Wenger was less diplomatic, calling it a farcical penalty.</p>
<p>"At the moment we have to face surprising decisions," Wenger said.</p>
<p>Cech was beaten again when Willian's cross-field pass reached Zappacosta on the right flank and a cross was aimed at Alonso, who got ahead of Shkodran Mustafi to turn the ball into the net.</p>
<p>But Bellerin still found time for his first league goal since last season.</p>
<p>"I'm happy with the goal but also happy with the reaction at the end of the game," he said. "It's non-stop football. We know whenever we play them it's always a hard game, there's always a lot of entertainment, always really hard, we work hard all week."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This version corrects the standings in the second paragraph and summary.</p>
| 7,794 |
<p>&lt;img class="wp-image-102272 alignright" alt="obama-gun-finger1" src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1.jpg" width="257" height="185" srcset="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1.jpg 334w, http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1-300x216.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px" /&gt; When the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported the economic impact of the firearms industry increased from $19 billion in 2008 to $31 billion in 2011, it became a running joke that President Barack Obama was the “gun salesman of the year” for 2012.</p>
<p>And the phenomenon was trending upward, as there were a record 1.5 million background checks requested in December 2011.</p>
<p>It’s hard to say how Obama may have felt about his faux-title, but he’s all but certain to retain it based on a Bloomberg News report Thursday that said U.S. gun makers “churned out a record number of firearms in 2012.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Shockwaves over Obama administration’s plan to put government monitors in newsrooms</a></p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/record-u-s-gun-production-as-obama-demonized-on-issue.html" type="external">Bloomberg News</a>:</p>
<p>More than 8.57 million guns were produced in 2012, up 31 percent from 6.54 million in 2011, according to <a href="https://www.atf.gov/sites/default/files/assets/pdf-files/afmer_2012_final_web_report_17jan2014.pdf" type="external">data released this week</a> by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which has been tracking the statistics since 1986.</p>
<p>Almost as many guns — 26.1 million — were produced during Democrat Barack Obama’s first term as president as during the entire eight-year presidency of his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush, the ATF data show.</p>
<p>The last sentence bears repeating — almost as many guns were produced during Obama’s first term as during Bush’s entire eight-year presidency. While Bloomberg tried to make the case that gun sales increase under all Democrat presidents, that stat is telling.</p>
<p>A few highlights:</p>
<p>Smith &amp; Wesson reported record sales of $588 million for the fiscal year that ended April 30, up 43 percent over 2012.</p>
<p>Sturm Ruger reported net sales of $506.4 million during the first nine months of 2013, a 45 percent jump from the same period in 2012.</p>
<p>Clearly, the Obama administration and its gun control mentality has been a boon to the gun industry.</p>
<p>“Barack Obama is the stimulus package for the firearms industry,” Dave Workman, senior editor of Gun Mag, told Bloomberg. “The greatest irony of the Obama administration is that the one industry that he may not have really liked to see healthy has become the healthiest industry in the United States.”</p>
<p>Even more ironic, it may be the gun industry that’s keeping the economy afloat.</p>
<p>According to The Washington Times, Lawrence Keane, a senior vice president for National Shooting Sports Foundation, said in 2012: “It’s fair to say, and the numbers demonstrate it, that our industry in a very poor economy is doing very well and is helping to lead the economic recovery.”</p>
<p>As for the gun salesman of the year, the industry may very well retire the award at the end of Obama’s second term.</p>
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Obama retains ‘gun salesman of the year’ title as industry sales continue to explode
| true |
http://bizpacreview.com/2014/02/21/obama-retains-gun-salesman-of-the-year-title-as-industry-sales-continue-to-explode-102184
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2014-02-21
| 0right
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Obama retains ‘gun salesman of the year’ title as industry sales continue to explode
<p>&lt;img class="wp-image-102272 alignright" alt="obama-gun-finger1" src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1.jpg" width="257" height="185" srcset="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1.jpg 334w, http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/obama-gun-finger1-300x216.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px" /&gt; When the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported the economic impact of the firearms industry increased from $19 billion in 2008 to $31 billion in 2011, it became a running joke that President Barack Obama was the “gun salesman of the year” for 2012.</p>
<p>And the phenomenon was trending upward, as there were a record 1.5 million background checks requested in December 2011.</p>
<p>It’s hard to say how Obama may have felt about his faux-title, but he’s all but certain to retain it based on a Bloomberg News report Thursday that said U.S. gun makers “churned out a record number of firearms in 2012.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Shockwaves over Obama administration’s plan to put government monitors in newsrooms</a></p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/record-u-s-gun-production-as-obama-demonized-on-issue.html" type="external">Bloomberg News</a>:</p>
<p>More than 8.57 million guns were produced in 2012, up 31 percent from 6.54 million in 2011, according to <a href="https://www.atf.gov/sites/default/files/assets/pdf-files/afmer_2012_final_web_report_17jan2014.pdf" type="external">data released this week</a> by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which has been tracking the statistics since 1986.</p>
<p>Almost as many guns — 26.1 million — were produced during Democrat Barack Obama’s first term as president as during the entire eight-year presidency of his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush, the ATF data show.</p>
<p>The last sentence bears repeating — almost as many guns were produced during Obama’s first term as during Bush’s entire eight-year presidency. While Bloomberg tried to make the case that gun sales increase under all Democrat presidents, that stat is telling.</p>
<p>A few highlights:</p>
<p>Smith &amp; Wesson reported record sales of $588 million for the fiscal year that ended April 30, up 43 percent over 2012.</p>
<p>Sturm Ruger reported net sales of $506.4 million during the first nine months of 2013, a 45 percent jump from the same period in 2012.</p>
<p>Clearly, the Obama administration and its gun control mentality has been a boon to the gun industry.</p>
<p>“Barack Obama is the stimulus package for the firearms industry,” Dave Workman, senior editor of Gun Mag, told Bloomberg. “The greatest irony of the Obama administration is that the one industry that he may not have really liked to see healthy has become the healthiest industry in the United States.”</p>
<p>Even more ironic, it may be the gun industry that’s keeping the economy afloat.</p>
<p>According to The Washington Times, Lawrence Keane, a senior vice president for National Shooting Sports Foundation, said in 2012: “It’s fair to say, and the numbers demonstrate it, that our industry in a very poor economy is doing very well and is helping to lead the economic recovery.”</p>
<p>As for the gun salesman of the year, the industry may very well retire the award at the end of Obama’s second term.</p>
| 7,795 |
<p />
<p>While serving as a state senator in Illinois, Barack Obama co-sponsored a bill to strengthen what some are calling that state’s version of the Stand Your Ground laws that have been subjected to controversy recently.</p>
<p>There are 30 states in addition to Florida have one version or another of Stand Your Ground laws on their books, with Illinois being one of them since at least 1961.</p>
<p>Less than a decade ago, Obama co-sponsored a bill to strengthen that statute. NRO reported:</p>
<p>But the Illinois Review says Obama didn’t seem to have any of those concerns when in 2004 he co-sponsored S.B.&#160;2386, which broadened the state’s Stand Your Ground&#160;law “by shielding the person who was attacked from being sued in civil court by perpetrators or their estates when a ’stand your ground’ defense is used in protecting his or her person, dwelling or other property.”</p>
<p>S.B. 2386 passed the Illinois state senate by a 56–0 vote on March 25, 2004. It sailed through the state house with only two “nay” votes. Both chambers were controlled by Democrats.</p>
<p>A recent&#160; <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/obama-strongly-supported-stand-your-ground-when-in-illinois-senate.html" type="external">Illinois Review</a>&#160;article included the following listing of the bill’s co-sponsors, as well as the final vote before the full senate.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Like Illinois, Florida’s Stand Your Ground sailed through the legislature with little opposition. It was approved unanimously in the senate and approved in the house by a 94-20 margin.</p>
<p>But left-leaning publication <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/07/22/no_president_obama_didn_t_support_a_stand_your_ground_law_in_illinois.html" type="external">Slate</a> was quick to point out that all justified force laws are not the same. David Weigel insisted&#160;co-sponsorship of the bill does not make Obama a hypocrite and offered the following to demonstrate the differences:</p>
<p>“Stand your ground” is substantively different than what Obama backed in Illinois. He backed a tweak to the “castle doctrine,” which reads like this.</p>
<p>A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent that he reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to prevent or terminate such other’s trespass on or other tortious or criminal interference with her real property (other than a dwelling) or personal property, lawfully in his possession or in the possession of another who is a member of his immediate family or household or of a person whose property he has a legal duty to protect.</p>
<p>“Stand your ground” takes the concept of the castle doctrine and turns it into a traveling force field of sorts. Here’s Florida’s language:</p>
<p>A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.</p>
<p>The Daily Caller recently noted that African-Americans successfully take advantage of Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws “at a rate far out of proportion to their presence in the state’s population, despite an assertion by Attorney General Eric Holder that repealing ’stand your ground’&#160;would help African Americans.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>[poll id=”73"]</p>
|
Obama co-sponsored 2004 bill to bolster justified force law
| true |
http://bizpacreview.com/2013/07/22/obama-co-sponsored-2004-bill-to-bolster-justified-force-law-80171
|
2013-07-22
| 0right
|
Obama co-sponsored 2004 bill to bolster justified force law
<p />
<p>While serving as a state senator in Illinois, Barack Obama co-sponsored a bill to strengthen what some are calling that state’s version of the Stand Your Ground laws that have been subjected to controversy recently.</p>
<p>There are 30 states in addition to Florida have one version or another of Stand Your Ground laws on their books, with Illinois being one of them since at least 1961.</p>
<p>Less than a decade ago, Obama co-sponsored a bill to strengthen that statute. NRO reported:</p>
<p>But the Illinois Review says Obama didn’t seem to have any of those concerns when in 2004 he co-sponsored S.B.&#160;2386, which broadened the state’s Stand Your Ground&#160;law “by shielding the person who was attacked from being sued in civil court by perpetrators or their estates when a ’stand your ground’ defense is used in protecting his or her person, dwelling or other property.”</p>
<p>S.B. 2386 passed the Illinois state senate by a 56–0 vote on March 25, 2004. It sailed through the state house with only two “nay” votes. Both chambers were controlled by Democrats.</p>
<p>A recent&#160; <a href="http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/obama-strongly-supported-stand-your-ground-when-in-illinois-senate.html" type="external">Illinois Review</a>&#160;article included the following listing of the bill’s co-sponsors, as well as the final vote before the full senate.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Like Illinois, Florida’s Stand Your Ground sailed through the legislature with little opposition. It was approved unanimously in the senate and approved in the house by a 94-20 margin.</p>
<p>But left-leaning publication <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/07/22/no_president_obama_didn_t_support_a_stand_your_ground_law_in_illinois.html" type="external">Slate</a> was quick to point out that all justified force laws are not the same. David Weigel insisted&#160;co-sponsorship of the bill does not make Obama a hypocrite and offered the following to demonstrate the differences:</p>
<p>“Stand your ground” is substantively different than what Obama backed in Illinois. He backed a tweak to the “castle doctrine,” which reads like this.</p>
<p>A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent that he reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to prevent or terminate such other’s trespass on or other tortious or criminal interference with her real property (other than a dwelling) or personal property, lawfully in his possession or in the possession of another who is a member of his immediate family or household or of a person whose property he has a legal duty to protect.</p>
<p>“Stand your ground” takes the concept of the castle doctrine and turns it into a traveling force field of sorts. Here’s Florida’s language:</p>
<p>A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.</p>
<p>The Daily Caller recently noted that African-Americans successfully take advantage of Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws “at a rate far out of proportion to their presence in the state’s population, despite an assertion by Attorney General Eric Holder that repealing ’stand your ground’&#160;would help African Americans.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>[poll id=”73"]</p>
| 7,796 |
<p>The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has been a source of concern for global warming alarmists who hysterically suggest that the melting of the glacier will cause a global catastrophe. But a new study has put forth an inconvenient truth for the alarmist crowd: ice loss from the Thwaites Glacier is slower than originally expected.</p>
<p>The study, conducted by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and UC Irvine, and published in the Geophysical Research Letters, used computer models of the Antarctic ice sheet and data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge on the Southern Ocean to determine that prior studies of the glacier had overstated ice loss by the glacier by 7% over the next 50 years.</p>
<p>The previous studies had two major flaws: they only focused on an ice sheet computer model and they assumed that the warm ocean water would cause cavities forming in the glacier to melt at the glacier's current melting rate. The problem with the latter assumption is that the water is unable to have as much reach in these tighter cavities, therefore the glacier melts at a slower rate. Hence, lower sea level rises.</p>
<p>The study also noted that increases in the sea level will be slower than the current rate even if ocean temperatures were to increase.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://phys.org/news/2017-06-thwaites-glacier-ice-loss-quickly.html" type="external">Phys.org</a>, the Thwaites Glacier is "nearly as large as the state of Washington," causing alarmists to cite it as a source of disastrously high sea levels. Some research has suggested that sea levels will increase by two feet over the next 200 to 900 years as a result of the melting glacier. Then there's <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/the-doomsday-glacier-w481260" type="external">this Rolling Stone article</a> suggesting that the melting of the Thwaites Glacier will cause significant parts of the world to be underwater:</p>
<p>The trouble with Thwaites, which is one of the largest glaciers on the planet, is that it's also what scientists call "a threshold system." That means instead of melting slowly like an ice cube on a summer day, it is more like a house of cards: It's stable until it is pushed too far, then it collapses. When a chunk of ice the size of Pennsylvania falls apart, that's a big problem. It won't happen overnight, but if we don't slow the warming of the planet, it could happen within decades. And its loss will destabilize the rest of the West Antarctic ice, and that will go too. Seas will rise about 10 feet in many parts of the world; in New York and Boston, because of the way gravity pushes water around the planet, the waters will rise even higher, as much as 13 feet. "West Antarctica could do to the coastlines of the world what Hurricane Sandy did in a few hours to New York City," explains Richard Alley, a geologist at Penn State University and arguably the most respected ice scientist in the world. "Except when the water comes in, it doesn't go away in a few hours – it stays."</p>
<p>With 10 to 13 feet of sea-level rise, most of South Florida is an underwater theme park, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's winter White House in West Palm Beach. In downtown Boston, about the only thing that's not underwater are those nice old houses up on Beacon Hill. In the Bay Area, everything below Highway 101 is gone, including the Googleplex; the Oakland and San Francisco airports are submerged, as is much of downtown below Montgomery Street and the Marina District. Even places that don't seem like they would be in trouble, such as Sacramento, smack in the middle of California, will be partially flooded by the Pacific Ocean swelling up into the Sacramento River. Galveston, Texas; Norfolk, Virginia; and New Orleans will be lost. In Washington, D.C., the shoreline will be just a few hundred yards from the White House.</p>
<p>And that's just the picture in the U.S. The rest of the world will be in as much trouble: Large parts of Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Lagos and London will be submerged. Egypt's Nile River Delta and much of southern Bangladesh will be underwater. The Marshall Islands and the Maldives will be coral reefs.</p>
<p>This is coming from the same magazine that had to <a href="" type="internal">retract a story</a> about a rape case at the University of Virginia due to the outlet's desire to advance the narrative of campus rape culture.</p>
<p>But the global warming alarmist hysteria coming from the likes of Rolling Stone is undermined by this new study showing that the glacier isn't melting as fast as expected. Even if the glacier is still on track to dissolve completely, then there is still plenty of time for mankind to adapt and to find solutions in the private sector that don't require the government to promote economic devastation.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/new-light-on-the-future-of-a-key-antarctic-glacier" type="external">Read more about the study here.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/bandlersbanter" type="external">Follow Aaron Bandler on Twitter.</a></p>
|
UH-OH: Ice Loss From Thwaites Glacier Slower Than Expected
| true |
https://dailywire.com/news/17160/uh-oh-ice-loss-thwaites-glacier-slower-expected-aaron-bandler
|
2017-06-05
| 0right
|
UH-OH: Ice Loss From Thwaites Glacier Slower Than Expected
<p>The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has been a source of concern for global warming alarmists who hysterically suggest that the melting of the glacier will cause a global catastrophe. But a new study has put forth an inconvenient truth for the alarmist crowd: ice loss from the Thwaites Glacier is slower than originally expected.</p>
<p>The study, conducted by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and UC Irvine, and published in the Geophysical Research Letters, used computer models of the Antarctic ice sheet and data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge on the Southern Ocean to determine that prior studies of the glacier had overstated ice loss by the glacier by 7% over the next 50 years.</p>
<p>The previous studies had two major flaws: they only focused on an ice sheet computer model and they assumed that the warm ocean water would cause cavities forming in the glacier to melt at the glacier's current melting rate. The problem with the latter assumption is that the water is unable to have as much reach in these tighter cavities, therefore the glacier melts at a slower rate. Hence, lower sea level rises.</p>
<p>The study also noted that increases in the sea level will be slower than the current rate even if ocean temperatures were to increase.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://phys.org/news/2017-06-thwaites-glacier-ice-loss-quickly.html" type="external">Phys.org</a>, the Thwaites Glacier is "nearly as large as the state of Washington," causing alarmists to cite it as a source of disastrously high sea levels. Some research has suggested that sea levels will increase by two feet over the next 200 to 900 years as a result of the melting glacier. Then there's <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/the-doomsday-glacier-w481260" type="external">this Rolling Stone article</a> suggesting that the melting of the Thwaites Glacier will cause significant parts of the world to be underwater:</p>
<p>The trouble with Thwaites, which is one of the largest glaciers on the planet, is that it's also what scientists call "a threshold system." That means instead of melting slowly like an ice cube on a summer day, it is more like a house of cards: It's stable until it is pushed too far, then it collapses. When a chunk of ice the size of Pennsylvania falls apart, that's a big problem. It won't happen overnight, but if we don't slow the warming of the planet, it could happen within decades. And its loss will destabilize the rest of the West Antarctic ice, and that will go too. Seas will rise about 10 feet in many parts of the world; in New York and Boston, because of the way gravity pushes water around the planet, the waters will rise even higher, as much as 13 feet. "West Antarctica could do to the coastlines of the world what Hurricane Sandy did in a few hours to New York City," explains Richard Alley, a geologist at Penn State University and arguably the most respected ice scientist in the world. "Except when the water comes in, it doesn't go away in a few hours – it stays."</p>
<p>With 10 to 13 feet of sea-level rise, most of South Florida is an underwater theme park, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's winter White House in West Palm Beach. In downtown Boston, about the only thing that's not underwater are those nice old houses up on Beacon Hill. In the Bay Area, everything below Highway 101 is gone, including the Googleplex; the Oakland and San Francisco airports are submerged, as is much of downtown below Montgomery Street and the Marina District. Even places that don't seem like they would be in trouble, such as Sacramento, smack in the middle of California, will be partially flooded by the Pacific Ocean swelling up into the Sacramento River. Galveston, Texas; Norfolk, Virginia; and New Orleans will be lost. In Washington, D.C., the shoreline will be just a few hundred yards from the White House.</p>
<p>And that's just the picture in the U.S. The rest of the world will be in as much trouble: Large parts of Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Lagos and London will be submerged. Egypt's Nile River Delta and much of southern Bangladesh will be underwater. The Marshall Islands and the Maldives will be coral reefs.</p>
<p>This is coming from the same magazine that had to <a href="" type="internal">retract a story</a> about a rape case at the University of Virginia due to the outlet's desire to advance the narrative of campus rape culture.</p>
<p>But the global warming alarmist hysteria coming from the likes of Rolling Stone is undermined by this new study showing that the glacier isn't melting as fast as expected. Even if the glacier is still on track to dissolve completely, then there is still plenty of time for mankind to adapt and to find solutions in the private sector that don't require the government to promote economic devastation.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/new-light-on-the-future-of-a-key-antarctic-glacier" type="external">Read more about the study here.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/bandlersbanter" type="external">Follow Aaron Bandler on Twitter.</a></p>
| 7,797 |
<p />
<p>Remember the “Larry King Live” show in 1993 on cell phones? David Reynard was the guest. He had filed a lawsuit against NEC, a cell phone operator, and other companies, alleging that his late wife’s brain tumor was caused in part by her use of a cell phone.</p>
<p>The Reynard’s lawsuit was dismissed in 1995, but Reynard’s appearance on the show created nationwide concern. At the time, there were 15 million Americans using cell phones.</p>
<p>The day after the “Larry King Live” show, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) went on the defensive. Industry executives said that there were thousands of studies that proved that wireless phones were safe. In fact, there were no such studies about cell phone safety.</p>
<p>But CTIA understood the basic reality of the situation, and so it decided to spend $27 million over the next six years on health studies.</p>
<p>They hired George Carlo, figuring he would be a perfect fit. Carlo is a public health scientist, who had a good track record as an industry researcher. Most of his clients over the years have been industry clients, and few have been disappointed with his work.</p>
<p>In 1994, Carlo began conducting studies to determine whether cell phones pose a health risk to consumers. Four times a year, Carlo would trudge over from his Dupont Circle office in Washington, D.C. to the offices of CTIA to debrief the CEOs of the major telephone and electronics firms that make up the $40 billion a year mobile phone industry. And things went well, until 1995.</p>
<p>In 1995, Carlo found that digital phones were interfering with cardiac pacemakers.</p>
<p>“We then conducted about $2.5 million worth of research to quantify that problem, and as a result, I had somewhat of a falling out with the industry,” Carlo told us this week. “They didn’t like that finding.” The industry cut off Carlo’s funding.</p>
<p>But through a process of negotiation, Carlo got back in. The industry would again fund his studies, but only if he agreed not to research the questions of defibrillators and digital phones, and of cell phones and automobile safety, and he could no longer work on a very extensive program to standardize the methodology for testing whether or not cell phones met industry-defined standards.</p>
<p>Carlo said that it took him two months to decide that he needed to continue the work, even under CTIA’s conditions, and so he did.</p>
<p>What he found may prove to be the cell phone industry’s worst nightmare.</p>
<p>He found that the risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of the auditory nerve that is well in range of the radiation coming from a phone’s antennae, was 50 percent higher in people who reported using cell phones for six years or more. Moreover, that relationship between the amount of cell phone use and this tumor appeared to follow a dose-response curve.</p>
<p>He found that the risk of rare neuro-epithelial tumors on the outside of the brain was more than doubled, a statistically significant increase, in cell phone users as compared to people who did not use cell phones.</p>
<p>He found that there appeared to be some correlation between brain tumors occurring on the right side of the head and use of the phone on the right side of the head.</p>
<p>And, most troubling, he found that laboratory studies looking at the ability of radiation from a phone’s antenna to cause functional genetic damage were definitely positive, and were following a dose-response curve.</p>
<p>Carlo said that he has repeatedly recommended that the industry take a proactive, public health approach on the issue, and inform consumers of his findings. He says that he uses a cell phone, but only with a headset.</p>
<p>“Alarmingly, indications are that some segments of the industry have ignored the scientific findings suggesting potential health effects, have repeatedly and falsely claimed that wireless phones are safe for all consumers, including children, and have created an illusion of responsible follow up by calling for and supporting more research,” Carlo wrote in a letter to top industry CEOs this month. “The most important measures of consumer protection are missing: complete and honest factual information to allow informed judgment by consumers about assumption of risk, the direct tracking and monitoring of what happens to consumers who use wireless phones, and the monitoring of changes in the technology that could impact health.”</p>
<p>Carlo is also troubled by a recent agreement between Elizabeth Jacobson, the person in charge of cell phone regulation at the Food and Drug Administration, and Thomas Wheeler, executive director of the CTIA. Under the agreement, CTIA will fund the FDA to do additional safety studies.</p>
<p>Carlo says that in 1994, Jacobson refused such a cooperative research agreement, because she didn’t think she could both collaborate with the industry and regulate it. (Jacobson, through a spokesperson, denies taking this position.)</p>
<p>“This arrangement is wrong, plain and simple,” Carlo told us. “The FDA’s behavior is appalling to me. The FDA seems to be more than willing to jump in bed with the industry. It is a blatantly arrogant attempt to join in a relationship that is a conflict of interest on its face. The reason it has not been criticized is that people don’t know about it. Consumers are being left out to dry.”</p>
<p>The FDA’s Russell Owen says that the FDA has not regulated cell phones because “we don’t have sufficient evidence to determine that there might be adverse health effects from cell phones.”</p>
<p>Sorry Mr. Owen, but in this instance, we agree with the industry’s guy. (That’s a scary thought.)</p>
<p>Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. Robert Weissman is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Multinational Monitor. They are co-authors of “ <a href="http://www.corporatepredators.org" type="external">Corporate Predators: The Hunt for MegaProfits and the Attack on Democracy</a>” (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1999).</p>
<p />
|
Cell Phone Nightmare Returns
| true |
https://motherjones.com/politics/1999/11/cell-phone-nightmare-returns/
|
1999-11-03
| 4left
|
Cell Phone Nightmare Returns
<p />
<p>Remember the “Larry King Live” show in 1993 on cell phones? David Reynard was the guest. He had filed a lawsuit against NEC, a cell phone operator, and other companies, alleging that his late wife’s brain tumor was caused in part by her use of a cell phone.</p>
<p>The Reynard’s lawsuit was dismissed in 1995, but Reynard’s appearance on the show created nationwide concern. At the time, there were 15 million Americans using cell phones.</p>
<p>The day after the “Larry King Live” show, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) went on the defensive. Industry executives said that there were thousands of studies that proved that wireless phones were safe. In fact, there were no such studies about cell phone safety.</p>
<p>But CTIA understood the basic reality of the situation, and so it decided to spend $27 million over the next six years on health studies.</p>
<p>They hired George Carlo, figuring he would be a perfect fit. Carlo is a public health scientist, who had a good track record as an industry researcher. Most of his clients over the years have been industry clients, and few have been disappointed with his work.</p>
<p>In 1994, Carlo began conducting studies to determine whether cell phones pose a health risk to consumers. Four times a year, Carlo would trudge over from his Dupont Circle office in Washington, D.C. to the offices of CTIA to debrief the CEOs of the major telephone and electronics firms that make up the $40 billion a year mobile phone industry. And things went well, until 1995.</p>
<p>In 1995, Carlo found that digital phones were interfering with cardiac pacemakers.</p>
<p>“We then conducted about $2.5 million worth of research to quantify that problem, and as a result, I had somewhat of a falling out with the industry,” Carlo told us this week. “They didn’t like that finding.” The industry cut off Carlo’s funding.</p>
<p>But through a process of negotiation, Carlo got back in. The industry would again fund his studies, but only if he agreed not to research the questions of defibrillators and digital phones, and of cell phones and automobile safety, and he could no longer work on a very extensive program to standardize the methodology for testing whether or not cell phones met industry-defined standards.</p>
<p>Carlo said that it took him two months to decide that he needed to continue the work, even under CTIA’s conditions, and so he did.</p>
<p>What he found may prove to be the cell phone industry’s worst nightmare.</p>
<p>He found that the risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of the auditory nerve that is well in range of the radiation coming from a phone’s antennae, was 50 percent higher in people who reported using cell phones for six years or more. Moreover, that relationship between the amount of cell phone use and this tumor appeared to follow a dose-response curve.</p>
<p>He found that the risk of rare neuro-epithelial tumors on the outside of the brain was more than doubled, a statistically significant increase, in cell phone users as compared to people who did not use cell phones.</p>
<p>He found that there appeared to be some correlation between brain tumors occurring on the right side of the head and use of the phone on the right side of the head.</p>
<p>And, most troubling, he found that laboratory studies looking at the ability of radiation from a phone’s antenna to cause functional genetic damage were definitely positive, and were following a dose-response curve.</p>
<p>Carlo said that he has repeatedly recommended that the industry take a proactive, public health approach on the issue, and inform consumers of his findings. He says that he uses a cell phone, but only with a headset.</p>
<p>“Alarmingly, indications are that some segments of the industry have ignored the scientific findings suggesting potential health effects, have repeatedly and falsely claimed that wireless phones are safe for all consumers, including children, and have created an illusion of responsible follow up by calling for and supporting more research,” Carlo wrote in a letter to top industry CEOs this month. “The most important measures of consumer protection are missing: complete and honest factual information to allow informed judgment by consumers about assumption of risk, the direct tracking and monitoring of what happens to consumers who use wireless phones, and the monitoring of changes in the technology that could impact health.”</p>
<p>Carlo is also troubled by a recent agreement between Elizabeth Jacobson, the person in charge of cell phone regulation at the Food and Drug Administration, and Thomas Wheeler, executive director of the CTIA. Under the agreement, CTIA will fund the FDA to do additional safety studies.</p>
<p>Carlo says that in 1994, Jacobson refused such a cooperative research agreement, because she didn’t think she could both collaborate with the industry and regulate it. (Jacobson, through a spokesperson, denies taking this position.)</p>
<p>“This arrangement is wrong, plain and simple,” Carlo told us. “The FDA’s behavior is appalling to me. The FDA seems to be more than willing to jump in bed with the industry. It is a blatantly arrogant attempt to join in a relationship that is a conflict of interest on its face. The reason it has not been criticized is that people don’t know about it. Consumers are being left out to dry.”</p>
<p>The FDA’s Russell Owen says that the FDA has not regulated cell phones because “we don’t have sufficient evidence to determine that there might be adverse health effects from cell phones.”</p>
<p>Sorry Mr. Owen, but in this instance, we agree with the industry’s guy. (That’s a scary thought.)</p>
<p>Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. Robert Weissman is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Multinational Monitor. They are co-authors of “ <a href="http://www.corporatepredators.org" type="external">Corporate Predators: The Hunt for MegaProfits and the Attack on Democracy</a>” (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1999).</p>
<p />
| 7,798 |
<p>More than 100,000 nonviolent former felons in Kentucky have regained the right to vote, following Gov. Steve Beshear’s executive order on Tuesday that supporters say will boost democracy at all levels in the commonwealth.</p>
<p>Families – as well as grassroots and legal advocates – celebrated a decade’s worth of campaigning and face-to-face meetings with elected officials in the state to help those who were incarcerated contribute again to their communities with their ballots.</p>
<p>Before the Tuesday announcement, Kentucky – along with Iowa and Florida – imposed a lifetime ban on voting for anyone who had a felony conviction, according to the <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/" type="external">Brennan Center for Justice</a>. That ban, supporters said, stifled people’s voices.</p>
<p>“Now, I can lead by example. I tell my nieces and nephews the importance of voting, but I could never vote myself,” Mantell Stevens, who helped lead the effort as a member of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC), said <a href="http://www.kftc.org/blog/voting-rights-action-gov-beshear-huge-win-healthy-democracy" type="external">in a blog post</a> from the organization.</p>
<p>“To be able to actually go and vote and to show them the importance of participating in democracy will mean so much to me.”</p>
<p>In 2000, Stevens lost his right to vote because of a drug possession charge, KFTC said. He spent a month in jail and three years on probation.&#160;On Tuesday, he posed with a photograph with Beshear to mark the grassroots win that was supported by several organizations, including the <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/rights-restoration-has-strong-bipartisan-support-kentucky" type="external">Brennan Center for Justice</a>, the ACLU of Kentucky and the Kentucky Council of Churches.</p>
<p>Tayna Fogle, another KFTC member, also welcomed the decision. After spending time in prison, she became <a href="" type="internal">a voting rights advocate</a> and worked on this campaign for years.</p>
<p>“This is about making sure that everyone in our communities has a say in the decisions affecting their lives. It’s about making sure that my neighbors have a say in who is on our school board, who is serving in local offices that affect our community,” she said in a blog post on the KFTC website.</p>
<p>The policy change occurred through an executive order because lawmakers in the Kentucky Senate had opposed the restoration since 2007, according to KFTC, a social justice organization. Since 2007, lawmakers in the Kentucky House of Representatives had supported the change. Beshear is about to leave office.</p>
<p>The executive order applies immediately to 140,000 nonviolent former felons who have served their incarceration, parole or probation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which is part of New York University School of Law. An additional 30,000 nonviolent former felons would regain the right to vote after they complete their sentences.</p>
<p>“Our work is not done. We will continue fighting for the voting rights of Kentuckians that Gov. Beshear’s policy does not address, and for the rights of Floridians and Iowans too,” the Brennan Center for Justice said in a statement.</p>
<p>For Stevens, Tuesday also served as a moment to see how grassroots advocacy succeeded in changing policy and boosting democracy in Kentucky.</p>
<p>“Sometimes it takes a lifetime to see change, but to see something like this manifest in my lifetime is amazing. This action and the work we did to get here is a part of Kentucky history. I am a part of Kentucky history. We are a part of Kentucky history. And, that is pretty awesome,” he said in a statement.</p>
<p>By the end of Tuesday, the Kentucky Department of Corrections had already posted&#160; <a href="http://corrections.ky.gov/communityinfo/Pages/Restoration-of-Civil-Rights.aspx" type="external">the application</a>&#160;on its website for people to regain their right to vote and hold elected office.</p>
<p>KFTC members say their next step is to make sure that the executive order becomes part of the commonwealth’s constitution.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">ACLU of Kentucky</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Brennan Center for Justice</a>, <a href="" type="internal">criminal justice reform</a>, <a href="" type="internal">democracy</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Gov. Steve Beshear</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Kentuckians for the Commonwealth</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Kentucky Council of Churches</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Mantell Stevens</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Restoring and Protecting Voting Rights</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Tayna Fogle</a></p>
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A Boost for Democracy, as Voting Rights Are Restored in Ky.
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http://equalvoiceforfamilies.org/a-boost-for-democracy-as-voting-rights-are-restored-in-kentucky/
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A Boost for Democracy, as Voting Rights Are Restored in Ky.
<p>More than 100,000 nonviolent former felons in Kentucky have regained the right to vote, following Gov. Steve Beshear’s executive order on Tuesday that supporters say will boost democracy at all levels in the commonwealth.</p>
<p>Families – as well as grassroots and legal advocates – celebrated a decade’s worth of campaigning and face-to-face meetings with elected officials in the state to help those who were incarcerated contribute again to their communities with their ballots.</p>
<p>Before the Tuesday announcement, Kentucky – along with Iowa and Florida – imposed a lifetime ban on voting for anyone who had a felony conviction, according to the <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/" type="external">Brennan Center for Justice</a>. That ban, supporters said, stifled people’s voices.</p>
<p>“Now, I can lead by example. I tell my nieces and nephews the importance of voting, but I could never vote myself,” Mantell Stevens, who helped lead the effort as a member of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC), said <a href="http://www.kftc.org/blog/voting-rights-action-gov-beshear-huge-win-healthy-democracy" type="external">in a blog post</a> from the organization.</p>
<p>“To be able to actually go and vote and to show them the importance of participating in democracy will mean so much to me.”</p>
<p>In 2000, Stevens lost his right to vote because of a drug possession charge, KFTC said. He spent a month in jail and three years on probation.&#160;On Tuesday, he posed with a photograph with Beshear to mark the grassroots win that was supported by several organizations, including the <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/rights-restoration-has-strong-bipartisan-support-kentucky" type="external">Brennan Center for Justice</a>, the ACLU of Kentucky and the Kentucky Council of Churches.</p>
<p>Tayna Fogle, another KFTC member, also welcomed the decision. After spending time in prison, she became <a href="" type="internal">a voting rights advocate</a> and worked on this campaign for years.</p>
<p>“This is about making sure that everyone in our communities has a say in the decisions affecting their lives. It’s about making sure that my neighbors have a say in who is on our school board, who is serving in local offices that affect our community,” she said in a blog post on the KFTC website.</p>
<p>The policy change occurred through an executive order because lawmakers in the Kentucky Senate had opposed the restoration since 2007, according to KFTC, a social justice organization. Since 2007, lawmakers in the Kentucky House of Representatives had supported the change. Beshear is about to leave office.</p>
<p>The executive order applies immediately to 140,000 nonviolent former felons who have served their incarceration, parole or probation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which is part of New York University School of Law. An additional 30,000 nonviolent former felons would regain the right to vote after they complete their sentences.</p>
<p>“Our work is not done. We will continue fighting for the voting rights of Kentuckians that Gov. Beshear’s policy does not address, and for the rights of Floridians and Iowans too,” the Brennan Center for Justice said in a statement.</p>
<p>For Stevens, Tuesday also served as a moment to see how grassroots advocacy succeeded in changing policy and boosting democracy in Kentucky.</p>
<p>“Sometimes it takes a lifetime to see change, but to see something like this manifest in my lifetime is amazing. This action and the work we did to get here is a part of Kentucky history. I am a part of Kentucky history. We are a part of Kentucky history. And, that is pretty awesome,” he said in a statement.</p>
<p>By the end of Tuesday, the Kentucky Department of Corrections had already posted&#160; <a href="http://corrections.ky.gov/communityinfo/Pages/Restoration-of-Civil-Rights.aspx" type="external">the application</a>&#160;on its website for people to regain their right to vote and hold elected office.</p>
<p>KFTC members say their next step is to make sure that the executive order becomes part of the commonwealth’s constitution.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">ACLU of Kentucky</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Brennan Center for Justice</a>, <a href="" type="internal">criminal justice reform</a>, <a href="" type="internal">democracy</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Gov. Steve Beshear</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Kentuckians for the Commonwealth</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Kentucky Council of Churches</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Mantell Stevens</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Restoring and Protecting Voting Rights</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Tayna Fogle</a></p>
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