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<p>Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli.&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/6239102964/sizes/m/in/photostream/"&gt;Gage Skidmore&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr</p>
<p>Virginia Attorney General <a href="" type="internal">Ken Cuccinelli</a>, who is running for governor this year, has a knack for controversy. He told state colleges they couldn’t include “sexual orientation” in their anti-discrimination policies. (Current Gov. Bob McDonnell <a href="http://articles.dailypress.com/2010-03-11/news/dp-local_wire-ga-anti-gay_0311mar11_1_sexual-orientation-discrimination-bob-mcdonnell" type="external">assured</a> the academy that no discrimination was tolerated.) He <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v465/n7295/full/465135b.html" type="external">led a witch hunt</a> against prominent climate scientist Michael Mann. (Cuccinelli is a <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/03/04/ken_cuccinelli_climate_change_denier_303241.html" type="external">climate change denier</a>.) He requested that the exposed left breast of Virtus, the Roman goddess adorning the state’s two-century-old seal, be brought in from the cold. (“Breastgate,” the affair was called.)</p>
<p>And now, the latest addition to the Cuccinelli canon. On Tuesday, Virginia Democrats released a video of Cuccinelli comparing the fight to end slavery to the anti-abortion movement. “Over time, the truth demonstrates its own rightness, and its own righteousness,” he said. “Our experience as a country has demonstrated that on one issue after another. Start right at the beginning: slavery. Today, abortion.”</p>
<p>Here’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA2deplbLxM" type="external">the video</a>, taken by a Democratic tracker in June 2012:</p>
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<p>Cuccinelli added: “History has shown us what the right position was, and those were issues that were attacked by people of faith aggressively to change the course of this country. We need to fight for the respect for life, not just for life but for respect for life. One leads to the other.”</p>
<p>A Cuccinelli spokeswoman <a href="http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/03/cuccinelli-links-fights-against-slavery-abortion-86438.html" type="external">told the Associated Press</a> the release of the video&#160;was an effort by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, the former head of the Democratic National Committee, to “run a contentious campaign that divides Virginia.”</p> | Virginia Gov. Candidate Ken Cuccinelli: Outlawing Slavery and Outlawing Abortion Are Part of the Same Fight | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2013/03/ken-cuccinelli-slavery-abortion-virginia-governor-election/ | 2013-03-20 | 4 |
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<p>Last weekend I walked into a café in my neighborhood that I frequent so much they know my name. One of the workers there saw me and said, in front of a few others, “Don’t look so happy. Did somebody die?”</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Oh my. It stopped me cold. In fact, someone had died. I felt tears welling, but so wanted to spare this woman’s feelings, so I said this:</p>
<p>“OK, I have to tell you this. Yes, someone did die. Someone I love very much. And my choice was to either burst into tears or just be honest with you.”</p>
<p>She was stricken and apologized profusely, so I quickly said, “It’s OK. I know you didn’t know. Actually, it’s kind of nice to know I’m usually so perky that you noticed the change today.”</p>
<p>Three days later, as I journaled with a cup of coffee in the café, this woman came up to me and asked how I’m doing. We had a short but warm conversation. I was so touched by that.</p>
<p>It struck me that I would never have handled this situation with compassion when I was younger. Even a few years ago it might have been iffy. But the very person who passed away this week helped soften my edges and was like a mirror showing me my capacity for love. He brought out my best self.</p>
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<p>So often when we hear about the lessons that come from death, we hear people admonish others to make sure they don’t go to bed mad or simply remember that each encounter could be your last. While that is sound advice, I do think if we look at our relationships more as a whole it might be more important to make sure we say what we feel on a regular basis.</p>
<p>What that does is make us adept at communicating, whether it’s tenderness, concern, anger, frustration or any of the endless emotions that come with living and loving. Knowing we can express, not to get something in return, but just to come from an authentic place within ourselves – that’s the real deal. That’s the blessing that feels like a thousand blessings when we wake up one day and they are gone.</p>
<p>Over a year ago a musically-inclined friend introduced me to a song by Jewel that I immediately loved and put on my <a href="" type="internal">iPod</a>. Written by her and Liz Rose, it’s called “Satisfied” and it speaks to this point so perfectly and poetically.</p>
<p>“If you love somebody/You better let it out/Don’t hold it back/While you’re trying to figure it out/Don’t be timid/Don’t be afraid to hurt/Run toward the flame/Run toward the fire/Hold on for all your worth/Cause the only real pain a heart can ever know/Is the sorrow of regret/When you don’t let your feelings show.”</p>
<p>The chorus that follows comes rushing at you in the most thoughtful and provocative way because Jewel sings it like it’s a plaintive cry and yet a searing challenge.</p>
<p>“So did you say it? Did you mean it? Did you lay it on the line? Did you make it count? Did you look ‘em in the eye? Did they feel it? Did you say it in time? Did you say it out loud?”</p>
<p>I’ve listened to this song so many times over the last year and enjoyed it so, but never did it give me such joy as this week when I realized that the answer to every single one of those questions with regard to my loved one was yes. Not just yes, but many yeses. Resounding yeses. Sure, last words also went through my head, but really what you wonder is if you left anything unsaid.</p>
<p>It is worth examining our relationships with significant others, friends, and family on a regular basis and checking in with ourselves on what would haunt us if they were suddenly gone. Who are you proud of? Happy for? Whose support do you appreciate? Who are you avoiding because you can’t talk about that one thing? Who do you think is beautiful? Extraordinary? Gifted? Unbearable? Foolish?</p>
<p>Tell them. Do it from a place of truth grounded in love.</p>
<p>“’Cause if you did hun/Then you lived some/That feeling inside/That’s called satisfied,” says Jewel.</p>
<p>It will ripple into every encounter of your life.</p>
<p>Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is <a href="http://www.nancola.com" type="external">www.nancola.com Opens a New Window.</a> and you can follow her on <a href="" type="internal">Twitter</a> @nancola. Please direct all questions/comments to <a href="http://mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected] Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Did You Say It in Time? Or Better Yet--Did You Say Anything? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/03/07/did-say-it-in-time.html | 2016-03-04 | 0 |
<p>1. Russian footage of air strike that took out over 200 jihadis:</p>
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<p>2. Unusual protest by migrants in Munich wearing grass skirts:</p>
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<p>3. Milan the latest city adding micro-borders, or “diversity-barriers,” to popular areas:</p>
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<p>4. Abu Sayyaf militants kill 9, wound 16 in Philippine village:</p>
<p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/abu-sayyaf-militants-kill-wound-16-philippines-49330320" type="external">Abu Sayyaf militants</a> killed nine people and wounded 16 others in an early morning attack Monday on a southern Philippine village which may have been in retaliation for a series of battle setbacks, officials said.</p>
<p>At least 20 Abu Sayyaf militants opened fire on villagers and burned five houses and a village hall in the attack on Tubigan village in Maluso town on Basilan island, military and police officials said. Among the dead were villagers and a militiaman.</p>
<p>Government militiamen were surprised by the dawn attack but later managed to put up resistance with extra troops and drive the attackers away after two hours of heavy fighting, the military said.</p>
<p>The militants fled and were being pursued by government forces.</p>
<p>The Philippine Islamic terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf, has sworn fealty to The Islamic State.</p>
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<p>5. Marseille terror: ISIS supporters CELEBRATE woman’s death as van rams bus shelters</p>
<p><a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/843860/marseille-terror-attack-isis-truck-bus-shelters" type="external">SICK Islamic State (ISIS) supporters</a>are celebrating after a woman died when a van ploughed into two bus shelters in Marseille this morning.</p>
<p>Supporters of the death cult took to Twitter to claim credit for the incident.</p>
<p>Two separate crashes occurred this morning in two locations in the French city, with police arresting a man after the second, fatal, collision.</p>
<p>While police said the 35-year-old suspect had "psychological issues", ISIS supporters have taken to social media to celebrate this morning’s events.</p>
<p>One message hailed the crash as a “lion attack”, while another said ‘the war has just begun’”.</p>
<p>6. SAS on alert for UK Bank Holiday terror attacks after “gathering high-level intelligence”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/843478/terror-sas-uk-bank-holiday-attacks-intelligence" type="external">Police hope to use a face recognition system</a> to spot suspects as thousands fill the streets for the Notting Hill Carnival next weekend.</p>
<p>They are also considering placing concrete and metal barriers around the carnival area for the first time to protect attendees.</p>
<p>Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow all have big events planned while airports are also expected to be busy as millions return from summer breaks.</p>
<p>A senior source said: “Intelligence in stopping attacks is paramount and it is the public who often report something that makes a major difference.’</p>
<p>7. Women in small Muslim sect say they have had FGM in Canada:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/fgm/2017/08/21/women-in-ismaili-muslim-sect-said-they-had-fgm-in-canada.html" type="external">The first research of its kind</a>to probe the practice within this tightly knit South Asian community, the study found that 80 per cent of Dawoodi Bohra women surveyed have undergone FGM and two of the study’s 18 Canadian participants said it happened within Canada’s borders.</p>
<p>8. Uber driver’s “sex attack victim had to comfort him when she said she had HIV”</p>
<p><a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/08/21/uber-drivers-sex-attack-victim-had-to-comfort-him-when-she-said-she-had-hiv-6867817/#ixzz4qQelu1O6" type="external">An Uber driver</a> who put his penis into a passenger’s mouth ‘freaked out’ when the victim told him she had HIV, a court heard.</p>
<p>Suleiman Abdirizak soaked his penis with water from a squash bottle and had to be calmed down by his victim, who reassured him he would be fine, it is claimed.</p>
<p>The 42-year-old, who has been charged with rape, had pulled into a dead end in east London and climbed into the back seat, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.</p>
<p>[…] Miss Morris said: ‘He got into the back and put his penis into her mouth. He said, ‘I’ll only drive you if you suck my dick’.</p>
<p>‘She told him a lie, she told him she had HIV to keep him away from her.'</p>
<p>9. Austria cracks down on foreign-funded mosques, madrasas</p>
<p><a href="http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/austria-cracks-down-foreign-funded-mosques-and-madrasas" type="external">“‘This is a very serious matter</a> where suspicions have been confirmed and investigations have been widened.’</p>
<p>The Austrian government has launched a major crackdown on foreign-funded Islamic organisations operating in the country. The Ministry of Education has initiated a complaint against an Islamic private school in Vienna. An investigation has raised the strong suspicion “that it is being run without any kind of registration,” Education Minister Sonja Hammerschmid said on Sunday. "Additionally, suspicions have been confirmed against other Islamic associations regarding the foreign-funding that is prohibited [under law].”</p>
<p>Due to modern Austria’s emergence out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included Muslim minorities of the Balkan region, Islam is subject to Islamgesetz, or the law regulating Islam. This almost century-old law was revised in 2015 and explicitly forbids mosques or Islamic groups from receiving foreign funding. Foreign-funded madrasas and mosques are often recruiting and training grounds for Jihadi groups in the West.”</p>
<p>10. India's top court: Instant divorce among Muslims unlawful</p>
<p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indias-top-court-instant-divorce-muslims-unlawful-49350838" type="external">India's Supreme Court on Tuesday</a> struck down the Muslim practice that allows men to instantly divorce their wives as unconstitutional.</p>
<p>The bench, comprising five senior judges of different faiths, deliberated for three months before issuing its order in response to petitions from seven Muslim women who had been divorced through the practice known as triple talaq.</p>
<p>Indian law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on NDTV that since the court deemed the practice unconstitutional there is no need for any further legislative action by the government.</p>
<p>The decision was widely lauded by women's rights activists as a step toward granting Muslim women greater equality and justice.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Top 10: Muslim women in Canada say they’ve undergone FGM; Milan installs “diversity barriers” | true | https://therebel.media/top_10_muslim_women_in_canada_say_they_ve_undergone_fgm | 2017-08-22 | 0 |
<p>How’s this for diversity of tactics? To the dismay of many of his cohorts, Occupier John Paul Thornton in Alabama is attempting to fight fire with fire by petitioning the Federal Election Commission for approval to form an Occupy Wall Street political action committee. If he succeeds, he’ll be eligible to raise as much dirty money as his corporate-backed opponents.</p>
<p>Says Thornton: “The thinking is, if Occupy is going to evolve and to become an actual political player, it needs to participate in major political games.” –ARK</p>
<p>Mother Jones:</p>
<p>Newly published FEC documents show Thornton requesting to establish his group as a super-PAC, the type of political outfit that can spend and raise unlimited money so long as they don’t coordinate with candidates. The documents list Occupy Wall Street as a “connected organization,” with a street address of “NONE AND EVERYWHERE” in the city of “ALL OF THEM.” Thornton wasn’t trying to be cheeky here, he says. Thornton says he plans to launch a website for the super-PAC soon. All he’s waiting for is the FEC’s blessing.</p>
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<p><a href="http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/02/occupy-wall-street-super-pac-thornton" type="external">Read more</a></p> | OWS Might Get a Super PAC | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/ows-might-get-a-super-pac/ | 2012-02-17 | 4 |
<p>Charlie Kirk‘s Twitter feed is pretty typical for a young Trump-supporting conservative. The founder of <a href="https://www.turningpoint.news/" type="external">Turning Point USA</a> tweets out lots of warnings about creeping socialism, people getting “free stuff” from government, evil atheists and their “blind faith,” the baby-killing machine Planned Parenthood, etc. He also isn’t a big fan of “the media”; you know, that all encompassing thing that’s mired in a giant conspiracy to take down President Trump.</p>
<p>This Saturday, Kirk expressed his displeasure with the liberal media complex for allegedly refusing to show pictures of Trump interacting with the children of Hurricane Harvey survivors in Houston. In Twitter post, he shared photos of Trump at the Houston Arena and lamented that they’re examples of pictures “the media will never show you.”</p>
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<p>Here’s the problem with that complaint: each of the pictures Kirk alleged were neglected were first published by the <a href="http://www.apnewsarchive.com/2017/Trump-y-la-primera-dama-Melania-Trump-visitan-a-v-ctimas-de-Harvey-en-Texas-y-Luisiana-/id-76e95588c6e7462992517b445d7a9feb" type="external">Associated Press</a>, followed by <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trump-returns-texas-meet-families-affected-harvey/story?id=49565259" type="external">ABC News</a>, MSNBC, <a href="http://www.politico.com/gallery/2017/09/02/trump-visit-harvey-victims-photos-002479?slide=0" type="external">POLITICO</a>, The New York Times, as well as other legacy media outlets.</p>
<p>It was a small detail that wasn’t lost on most people:</p>
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<p>“The media” deserves plenty of criticism, but some think there’s a conspiracy. Kirk’s post is a perfect example of how Trumpian attacks on the press just simply don’t add up.</p> | Guy shares Trump pics ‘the media will never show’ that he found in the media | true | http://deadstate.org/guy-shares-trump-pics-the-media-will-never-show-that-he-found-in-the-media/ | 2017-09-05 | 4 |
<p>The Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones locked arms and took a knee in unity before&#160;the National Anthem on Monday ahead of Dallas’ game against the Arizona Cardinals.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DallasCowboys?src=hash" type="external">#DallasCowboys</a> owner Jerry Jones takes a knee with his team ahead of the singing of the National Anthem during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DALvsAZ?src=hash" type="external">#DALvsAZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeTheKnee?src=hash" type="external">#TakeTheKnee</a> <a href="https://t.co/iImKU8ABGC" type="external">pic.twitter.com/iImKU8ABGC</a></p>
<p>— Andy Jacobsohn (@AndyJacobsohn) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyJacobsohn/status/912476270209916930" type="external">September 26, 2017</a></p>
<p>The protest came before the nationally televised “Monday Night Football” game on ESPN and was a result of the firestorm created by President Donald Trump last week when he said NFL players should be fired for kneeling during the National Anthem.</p>
<p>Jones, who told Fox Business on Sunday the anthem <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Dallas-Cowboys-Jerry-Jones-President-Donald-Trump-national-anthem/2017/09/24/id/815407/" type="external">was no time to stage a protest</a>, stood with his team in locked arms during the National Anthem.</p>
<p>Many NFL players over the weekend knelt during the anthem, and some teams opted to stay off the field. In the MLB, the Oakland Athletics’ Bruce Maxwell became the first professional baseball player to kneel during the “Star Spangled Banner.”</p>
<p>ESPN televised the National Anthem during the broadcast, which is something the network does not do during every “MNF” presentation. The crowd relentlessly booed Jones and the players while the knelt before the anthem, and the move was unexpected to many considering Jones’ support of Trump during the election.</p> | Jerry Jones, Cowboys Kneel Before National Anthem | false | https://newsline.com/jerry-jones-cowboys-kneel-before-national-anthem/ | 2017-09-25 | 1 |
<p>by D’Vera Cohn, Senior Writer, Pew Research Center</p>
<p>The Census Bureau today released <a href="http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/news_conferences/120610_demoanalysis.html" type="external">five sets of population estimates</a> for the nation as of April 1 — but not from the soon-to-be-released 2010 Census count. The estimates are based on an alternative measurement technique, called demographic analysis, that agency officials say employs plausible assumptions about population change. The demographic analysis estimates range from a low of 305.7 million to a high of 312.7 million. The first numbers from the 2010 Census, which will include a national population total and state totals for reapportionment purposes, will be released later this month.</p>
<p>At a news conference today, Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said the five different estimates all make “plausible assumptions.” The analysis will be among three major tools used by the bureau to evaluate the quality of the 2010 Census. The other two include quality measures such as mail return rates from the census itself, and a post-census quality-check survey for which results will be released in 2012.</p>
<p>The demographic analysis methodology is based mainly on use of birth, death, immigration and Medicare records since the 2000 Census. For the population under age 65, bureau officials subtracted the number of deaths from the number of births, added in immigration and subtracted emigration. For the population ages 65 and older, the analysis relied mainly on Medicare enrollment data, supplemented by estimates from the Current Population Survey of older Americans not enrolled in Medicare.</p>
<p>The data exercise sounds deceptively simple, but as this <a href="http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/20101206_da_paper.pdf" type="external">technical paper</a> demonstrates, Census Bureau experts had to make numerous choices based on sometimes-incomplete information. The release of five different sets of estimates reflects a lack of certainty about the data on which the estimates were based. Each of the five sets is based on a different estimate of net international migration over the past decade. The lowest and highest estimates also are based on different estimates of births, deaths and the 65-and-older population. The range of the estimates is 7 million people, of which 5 million is due to differing net immigration estimates, especially counts of unauthorized immigrants.</p>
<p>Bureau officials have used this alternative technique for decades to check the quality of the door-to-door census count, and to improve the accuracy of the annual population estimates between census counts. A decade ago, the bureau’s initial total derived by demographic analysis was markedly lower than its 2000 Census count — <a href="http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10210&amp;page=78" type="external">279.6 million, compared with 281.4 million</a>. A major reason was that demographic analysis had underestimated unauthorized immigration; there also were issues with birth statistics and race classification. For 2010, bureau officials attempted to improve their immigration estimates by analyzing data from the American Community Survey, which went fully operational in mid-decade, and by consulting outside experts.</p>
<p>In addition to the national population totals, the five series of estimates also include numbers for men and women, for each single year of age, for race groups (only black and non-black because of data limitations), and for the Hispanic population under age 20 (again, because of data limitations, the full Hispanic population was not estimated). There are no estimates for states or other geographic units below the national level, again because of limited data.</p>
<p>Although the estimates released today are not 2010 Census numbers, bureau officials will use them to help evaluate the quality of the census count. In particular, after detailed race, age and gender numbers from the census come out in 2011, demographers will examine any patterns of difference between the census counts and demographic analysis estimates to see how both measurements can be improved.</p>
<p>At a news conference, Groves emphasized that the estimates had been developed independently of the 2010 Census counts; the demographic analysis team was “sequestered,” he said, from the work on 2010 Census totals. The demographic analysis released today also was not based on the annual population estimates that use a similar methodology; the last national estimate said that as of July 2009, the U.S. population was <a href="http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb09-199.html" type="external">307 million</a>.</p>
<p>Read more about the Census at <a href="http://census.pewsocialtrends.org/" type="external">All things Census</a>.</p> | The 2010 U.S. Population Is … | false | http://pewresearch.org/2010/12/06/the-2010-us-population-is/ | 2010-12-06 | 2 |
<p>It is being vilified as a yarn, for plagiarism, for making up the Taliban threats. Frothing mouths are expressing anger over being cheated. Cheated about what? A chronicler who took liberties in the telling of his story or one who embezzled funds from the charity he set up?</p>
<p>Let us go beyond the mountain story. Greg Mortenson, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, wrote the bestselling ‘Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time’ based on his experiences with the tribals after having lost his way on a mountaineering expedition and landing up in Korphe, a Balti village. It is possible that he exaggerated bits of the anecdotes, but surely he did not know that the Central Asia Institute charity he set up to fund schools in the region would turn out to be a cash cow? If, as the reports now reveal, only 41 per cent of that money was utilised for the charity work and the rest went on his book marketing, then we need to use another route of inquiry. There is hypocrisy in the manner in which it was promoted; the author was following the good old altruism trail. The reality and deception lie between the lines.</p>
<p>One report stated: “President Obama was so impressed with the book that he donated $140,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize money to education ventures it spawned. The US military made it compulsory reading for personnel deployed in the Af-Pak theatre. American kids emptied their piggy banks to give to schools the author claimed to be building in Pakistan.”</p>
<p>Why was it made compulsory reading for army personnel and why humanise what is being demonised? Why did Barack Obama donate the money to this charity and not to any local one? Mortenson’s greater crime is one by default – of whitewashing the image of the US administration, even if to a small degree.</p>
<p>It has come to light that he was not kidnapped by the Taliban. In one of the photographs of 1996, his so-called kidnapper turns out to be Mansur Khan Mahsud, a research director of the FATA Research Center. After all these years, he now tells the Daily Beast that the author “just wanted to sell books because by 2006 everyone wanted to know about the Taliban and Waziristan…He thought this was a good chance to cash in”. Going by this argument, he too is cashing in after the expose. Did he not recognise himself earlier in the picture?</p>
<p>There are many organisations that work in those areas and if one writer has conjured up stories about Taliban intimidation it does not mean they are entirely untrue. It isn’t, in fact, just the Taliban. The government agencies too keep track. There have been cases of some activists being poisoned, of phone calls being tapped, of attempts at conversion. This I have first-hand knowledge of. But many of them also understand that they could be seen as suspect. There are some who admit that being do-gooders can be a pampered job profile where you don’t socialise with the locals beyond three cups of tea, and return to the UN club for your dance and drink evenings.</p>
<p>The Mortenson story, as opposed to Mortenson’s story, is not as unusual as it is made out to be. Misappropriating funds from charity is a known racket. In this case an individual has been exposed. What about the conniving methods by respectable people who ride on the philanthropy bandwagon in needy societies?</p>
<p>Lady Gaga’s bracelet for Japan’s tsunami victims is less devious than what the two Williams had been upto in India. Gates and Buffett made the idea of aid a business enterprise. It is a shame that they are sponging on the Indian economy while pretending to be “cheerleaders” for the game of giving. With evangelical fervour they went about tutoring Indian industrialists on philanthropy. In this manner they got to meet all the big honchos under one roof and make a sound investment, not just in the poverty sector but to further their own businesses back home.</p>
<p>Beneath the umbrella of donations, it is raining opportunities. Buffett, the third richest man in the world, even manages to get upfront about it: “India is now a logical destination for an investor. I am an enormous believer in global trade and the better the rest of the world economies do, the better the US economy will do.”</p>
<p>So insular is the attitude that while flashing sympathy he commented on the two recent world crises – in Libya and Japan – rather callously: “Of course it is a tragedy for the people who have lost their loved ones. But for trade these events are just an interruption. Business will go on and this will not slow down world economic growth.”</p>
<p>India’s poverty will work as a testing ground for experimental entrepreneurship and can also be a means of skirting bureaucratic stasis. Together with the vaccines, they will be pumped in “chewing gum and coca-cola”. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, has a stake in Wrigley and Coca-Cola.</p>
<p>Bill Gates follows a similar principle when he says, “Giving and making money has a lot of similarities.” It is, if seen in entrepreneurial terms. A minuscule portion of the growing individual wealth is channelised into a large nameless pool. But success is rarely shared by those who contribute directly and are seen as competitors.</p>
<p>It is easy to speak about the Third World black money that can be routed for such legitimate activities. Buffett made a startling comment, “A child receiving a vaccine is not going to question the source of the money.” This could well apply to those coming from outside as well.</p>
<p>The plans for healthcare may set dangerous precedents. Bill Gates has been travelling through the villages of Bihar and while talking to NGOs, there is an attempt to educate and train the people. The simple fact is that such training will be quite useless, not because the rural folks are resistant – most do not question – but because it will be open season for the multinational pharmaceutical industry to dump their medical waste on us. This is not new and banned drugs even in urban areas are still prescribed and sold in India.</p>
<p>In a shocking bit of news a while ago, four Indian public-funded national universities entered into a pact with Nestle for nutrition awareness programmes for adolescent school-going girls in government-run village schools. This was kept under wraps because it has come to light that there was a Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides that stated: “This MoU, its existence and all information exchanged between the parties under this MoU or during the negotiations preceding this MoU is confidential to them and may not be shared with a third party.”</p>
<p>When questioned on the basis of the Right to Information Act, the response from Nestle mentioned that the programme was”specially developed by scientists and experts to be used exclusively to carry out the set objectives of the MoU. The contents of the programme are of commercial and confidential nature and the disclosure of which may harm our competitive position.” It is amazing that public institutions are being utilised for such competitiveness.</p>
<p>Our societies are also pulled up by the international philanthropist communities for spending on religion – people are more interested in building temples or donating to shrines. But when a huge tragedy occurs, it is the local NGOs and people who join in to help without waiting – the earthquake and floods in Pakistan, the tsunami in India. Except for foreign agencies, the Samaritan business community prefers to seek areas where they can spread their wings. This too is proselytisation.</p>
<p>Perhaps, it would make sense to talk about a preacher from Oakland, California. Harold Camping, an 89-year-old former civil engineer, runs a $120 million Family Radio Network, a religious broadcasting organisation funded by donations from listeners. He now owns 66 stations in the US alone.</p>
<p>There are many kinds of stories to be told and as many subterfuges. Greg Mortenson’s charity will be examined. He has, however, only fabricated the truth a bit. The real fabricators are the ones who delude people into believing that while they are emptying their pockets their motives cannot be questioned. They are not selling books. They are buying obeisance, these altruistic colonisers.</p>
<p>FARZANA VERSEY is a Mumbai-based columnist and author of ‘A Journey Interrupted: Being Indian in Pakistan’. She can be reached at <a href="http://farzana-versey.blogspot.com/" type="external">http://farzana-versey.blogspot.com/</a></p>
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<p /> | Fabricated Philanthropy | true | https://counterpunch.org/2011/04/22/fabricated-philanthropy/ | 2011-04-22 | 4 |
<p>So, Hillary Clinton <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/26/politics/clinton-campaign-recount/" type="external">has now joined</a> the Jill Stein quixotic recount effort in swing states including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Campaign counsel Marc Elias announced that while the Clinton campaign had no evidence of hacking voting systems, they wanted to ensure the veracity of the vote: “Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides.” Stein is infamously launching a recount effort in an obvious effort to raise money for the Green Party.</p>
<p>So, what’s the goal here?</p>
<p>Not to overturn election results, clearly. But Ron Fournier of National Journal raises another awful possibility: “Raising doubts about legitimacy of election, even w/out overturning result, is part of Clinton’s plans to keep her options open for 2020…Make some calls. You’ll hear the same from her confidants.”</p>
<p>This would be best case scenario for Republicans. Hillary was a historically bad candidate. She was the first female major party candidate in history, and she was unable to pull away from a man who was caught on tape talking about grabbing women by the “p***y”; her husband was a president with significant blue collar appeal, and she lost the blue collar white vote in historic fashion; she didn’t even match Barack Obama’s numbers among Hispanics after Trump openly said a judge of Mexican descent couldn’t judge his case fairly; she relied on Hollywood glitz rather than on-the-ground campaigning and paid for it with the White House.</p>
<p>Hillary for re-election in 2020 would be incredible for Republicans. She’d be back, she’d be twice as annoying (which is almost mathematically impossible), and she’d have half the enthusiasm (again, almost mathematically impossible). Meanwhile, she’d suck all the oxygen out of the room, preventing other candidates from rising. Her corruption would ensure that any future Trump corruption would be negated as a campaign issue. Republicans should pray for more Hillary.</p>
<p>In a way, Hillary has no choice. Donations to the Clinton Foundation have plummeted since her loss, since there’s no pay if there’s no pay-for-play. What happens to her if she merely becomes a failed presidential candidate? Hillary needs access in order to sell it.</p>
<p>So watch for a Hillary comeback. We can only hope and pray that once again, Hillary’s ego drives her to new lows.</p> | Is Hillary Prepping For 2020? | true | https://dailywire.com/news/11127/hillary-prepping-2020-ben-shapiro | 2016-11-28 | 0 |
<p>FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) — Sleepy Hollow has the legend of the Headless Horseman. Does a community 150 miles farther up the Hudson River have a Headless Ranger buried in an unmarked cemetery from the 18th century?</p>
<p>In the middle of the Hudson sits Rogers Island, site of a 34-acre parcel considered the birthplace of today's U.S. Army Rangers. The town and village of Fort Edward had long sought purchase of the land and with its completion also gained control of an unmarked Colonial-era cemetery that could hold the remains of hundreds of people, including some of the famous frontier fighters known as Rogers' Rangers.</p>
<p>In 2006, a local couple who served as caretakers for the then-privately owned property uncovered seven human skeletons buried at the site, including one that was missing its skull. State archaeologist later determined the burials were likely part of cemetery dating back to the French and Indian War (1754-63), when Fort Edward was Britain's largest fortification in North America. The skeletons were reburied where they were found, and no excavations have been conducted at the site since.</p>
<p>But six weeks after closing on the decade-long effort to purchase the island property, local officials are starting to think about what's needed to turn the overgrown, undeveloped parcel into a public park that will draw tourists to this economically struggling riverside community 45 miles north of Albany.</p>
<p>The immediate plans will include trails and signage detailing Fort Edward's key role in the war that set the stage for the American Revolution. So far there have been no discussions on whether to leave the burial site alone or allow archaeologists to return and search for more graves.</p>
<p>"There's not going to be any digging right now," said Neal Orsini, a restaurant owner who serves on the town board. "I'm sure down the road there will be discussions about that. We just want to get a basic road map of how to move forward."</p>
<p>More than 250 years ago, Rogers Island was part of a sprawling British fortification that was home to more than 16,000 British and Colonial American soldiers and civilians, making it the third-largest city in the 13 colonies, behind only Philadelphia and Boston. The island, named for Maj. Robert Rogers of New Hampshire, was the base of operations for the frontiersmen he led on scouting and raiding missions in the northern forest.</p>
<p>In 1757, after a string of British military disasters, Rogers wrote his "Rules of Ranging," 28 guidelines for waging guerrilla warfare in the North American wilderness. They've since been revised and shortened to 19 by the Army Rangers, who still use them to train Ranger candidates at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Rangers consider Fort Edward, especially Rogers Island, to be hallowed ground.</p>
<p>State archaeologist Christina Rieth led the team that examined the skeletons after they were found eight years ago. She said all seven were intact, except one that was missing its skull. It couldn't be determined if that body was originally buried without its head, Rieth said.</p>
<p>None of the skeletons have been identified. If they are from the French and Indian War, it's likely they were either Colonial militiamen or British regulars, or possibly some of the hundreds of Rangers encamped at Fort Edward during the war, said David Starbuck, who has led archaeological digs here since the early 1990s but never found the cemetery.</p>
<p>"Very few French and Indian War cemeteries have been located," Starbuck said. "After years of archaeology on that island, we always wondered where the dead soldiers might be."</p>
<p>FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) — Sleepy Hollow has the legend of the Headless Horseman. Does a community 150 miles farther up the Hudson River have a Headless Ranger buried in an unmarked cemetery from the 18th century?</p>
<p>In the middle of the Hudson sits Rogers Island, site of a 34-acre parcel considered the birthplace of today's U.S. Army Rangers. The town and village of Fort Edward had long sought purchase of the land and with its completion also gained control of an unmarked Colonial-era cemetery that could hold the remains of hundreds of people, including some of the famous frontier fighters known as Rogers' Rangers.</p>
<p>In 2006, a local couple who served as caretakers for the then-privately owned property uncovered seven human skeletons buried at the site, including one that was missing its skull. State archaeologist later determined the burials were likely part of cemetery dating back to the French and Indian War (1754-63), when Fort Edward was Britain's largest fortification in North America. The skeletons were reburied where they were found, and no excavations have been conducted at the site since.</p>
<p>But six weeks after closing on the decade-long effort to purchase the island property, local officials are starting to think about what's needed to turn the overgrown, undeveloped parcel into a public park that will draw tourists to this economically struggling riverside community 45 miles north of Albany.</p>
<p>The immediate plans will include trails and signage detailing Fort Edward's key role in the war that set the stage for the American Revolution. So far there have been no discussions on whether to leave the burial site alone or allow archaeologists to return and search for more graves.</p>
<p>"There's not going to be any digging right now," said Neal Orsini, a restaurant owner who serves on the town board. "I'm sure down the road there will be discussions about that. We just want to get a basic road map of how to move forward."</p>
<p>More than 250 years ago, Rogers Island was part of a sprawling British fortification that was home to more than 16,000 British and Colonial American soldiers and civilians, making it the third-largest city in the 13 colonies, behind only Philadelphia and Boston. The island, named for Maj. Robert Rogers of New Hampshire, was the base of operations for the frontiersmen he led on scouting and raiding missions in the northern forest.</p>
<p>In 1757, after a string of British military disasters, Rogers wrote his "Rules of Ranging," 28 guidelines for waging guerrilla warfare in the North American wilderness. They've since been revised and shortened to 19 by the Army Rangers, who still use them to train Ranger candidates at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Rangers consider Fort Edward, especially Rogers Island, to be hallowed ground.</p>
<p>State archaeologist Christina Rieth led the team that examined the skeletons after they were found eight years ago. She said all seven were intact, except one that was missing its skull. It couldn't be determined if that body was originally buried without its head, Rieth said.</p>
<p>None of the skeletons have been identified. If they are from the French and Indian War, it's likely they were either Colonial militiamen or British regulars, or possibly some of the hundreds of Rangers encamped at Fort Edward during the war, said David Starbuck, who has led archaeological digs here since the early 1990s but never found the cemetery.</p>
<p>"Very few French and Indian War cemeteries have been located," Starbuck said. "After years of archaeology on that island, we always wondered where the dead soldiers might be."</p> | A Headless Ranger? Mystery at Colonial burial site | false | https://apnews.com/amp/5ca2fa6ac84440f1ab6a692d32304e0e | 2014-10-30 | 2 |
<p>There is a devoted congregation of Donald Trump cultists whose ability to discern fiction from reality is severely deficient. That’s why so many of them are oblivious to the fact that Trump lies multiple times nearly every time he speaks. And the lies are not merely innocent misstatements of fact. They are often so far removed from reality that only someone who has given up on the real world could believe him.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewsCorpse/posts/2113743078640476" type="external" /></p>
<p>The real tragedy of this is that some of those cultists are currently members of Congress. One them, Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan (Nutcase, OH), was interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday and demonstrated what a wholly consumed StormTrumper looks and acts like. Consider this exchange (video below):</p>
<p>Cooper: You’ve got to admit, this president has said things which are just demonstrably not true time and time again. The list is a very long one, almost on a daily basis. Jordan: I think Andrew McCabe has said things that weren’t true and was fired because of it. Cooper: So you’re very bold in calling out Andrew McCabe, not so bold on the president of the United States. You haven’t heard the president lie? Jordan: I’ve not heard the president … He’s always been square with me. Cooper: But what about the American people? Jordan: The American people elected him President of the United States. Cooper: But have you ever heard the president lie? That’s what I’m asking you. Jordan: I have not. And the American people feel like what the treatment he has received from the top… Cooper: I’m asking you, just yourself, have you heard the president lie? Jordan: I have not. Cooper: Really? So when the Washington Post counts <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2018/01/02/president-trump-has-made-1949-false-or-misleading-claims-over-347-days/" type="external">hundreds and hundreds</a> of times, none of those are believable to you? Jordan: I’ve not seen what the Washington Post reported.</p>
<p>Jordan has not seen anything that interferes with his preconceptions. And he is apparently unaware that Trump has been “honored” with PolitiFact’s “Lie of the Year” award twice – <a href="" type="internal">in 2015</a> for his accumulated misstatement of facts, and just last year <a href="" type="internal">in 2017</a> for repeatedly calling the Russian interference with the election a hoax.</p>
<p>Jordan went on to say that he doesn’t know of any incidence of Trump lying, but that everyone says things from time to time that are inaccurate. Which is not the same thing as lying. Cooper replied that if he ever said anything inaccurate he would note the error and apologize. Then he asked if Jordan ever heard Trump apologize. Jordan replied that “I don’t know that he’s said something wrong that he needs to apologize for.” That was right after he said that everyone one does it. So he must think that his Messiah Trump is the one infallible life form on the planet. Which, coincidentally, is the same <a href="" type="internal">vision of holiness</a> that Trump has of himself.</p>
<p>How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QSSMOES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00QSSMOES&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=newscorpsecom-20&amp;linkId=TLI6JC2OYE22MUTS" type="external">Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.</a> Available now at Amazon.</p>
<p /> | REALLY? Anderson Cooper Filets Wingnut Rep Who Never Heard Trump Tell a Lie | true | http://newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p%3D28079 | 4 |
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<p>A newly re-elected Gov. Rick Snyder is hoping to achieve his No. 1 unfinished priority - increasing taxes to improve the roads - before his second term even starts.</p>
<p>The Republican said Wednesday he will push lawmakers to approve a plan to permanently raise more money for transportation funding in their "lame-duck" session before year's end, when roughly a third of the Legislature turns over. A proposal to double fuel taxes came "very close" before stalling in June, he said, when Republicans and Democrats preparing for primary or general elections balked.</p>
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<p>"We have that constraint gone. So that framework is still there," Snyder told reporters. "So hopefully we can make progress and get it done because I'd still like to say, 'That was a first-term accomplishment.'"</p>
<p>Snyder had first called for legislative action on road funding three years ago. If nothing happens in November or December, the state Chamber of Commerce could consider backing a petition drive to force a legislative or statewide vote.</p>
<p>Michigan spends less per driver on roads than any other state. Yet is also has some of the country's highest taxes at the pump - the 6 percent sales tax is also applied to motor fuel but mostly goes to schools and local governments under the state constitution.</p>
<p>Flat per-gallon fuel taxes, 19 cents for gasoline, are faulted for declining state transportation revenue as people drive less and with more fuel-efficient vehicles.</p>
<p>Snyder acknowledged having "some concerns" about being able to enact a $1 billion-plus tax hike during the compressed late-year session in which legislators, particularly those subject to term limits, will have their own agendas, too. The House and Senate, where Republicans padded their majorities in Tuesday's election, have 12 scheduled voting days left this year.</p>
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<p>"Let's keeping working hard and let's try to get something done," Snyder said.</p>
<p>Lance Binoniemi, vice president of government affairs for the Michigan Infrastructure &amp; Transportation Association, said the construction trade group is hopeful that the governor's re-election results in a road-funding deal.</p>
<p>"We had some concerns that any major shake-ups from the election could potentially have had a negative impact on chances in lame duck. However, this issue has and always will be a bipartisan one so both side of the aisle will have to come together to find a solution," he said.</p>
<p>Also Wednesday, Snyder laid claim to a "strong mandate" for his second term despite winning by 4 percentage points, a narrower margin than his 18-point victory in 2010.</p>
<p>"I had to make some tough decisions. Everybody likes changes until it arrives, and then it's more challenging," said the governor, who also blamed negative campaign TV ads that criticized his record.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Eggert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00</p> | Snyder, citing 'strong mandate,' says his No. 1 priority is elusive road-funding solution | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/11/05/snyder-citing-strong-mandate-says-his-no-1-priority-is-elusive-road-funding.html | 2016-03-09 | 0 |
<p>Left-wing pundit Jennifer Rubin denied the existence of dominant left-wing and Democrat political biases across the American media landscape while simultaneously criticizing what she described as an inappropriate fusion of “hard news” and opinion at Fox News Channel.</p>
<p>Described as a “conservative blogger” by left-wing CNN and ideologically similar news outlets, Rubin joined Brian Stelter on Sunday’s Reliable Sources - a program ostensibly dedicated to examining the role of the media in politics - to express her views.</p>
<p>Rubin described the media’s heavy focus on Trump as a function of “the Donald Trump strategy,” adding that the Republican nominee intentionally brought the hostility of the media onto himself when “the coverage and the storyline [had] drifted to [Hillary Clinton] on to terms that might actually be beneficial [for Trump].”</p>
<p>According to Rubin, widespread left-wing bias generally supportive of Democrats is not a feature of the American media landscape. She added that “the news was quite negative for a very long period of time against Hillary” when “the FBI originally came out on the emails.”</p>
<p>“There is an ebb and flow” to news coverage along partisan lines, said Rubin, denying Democrat dominance within the media. She also rejected the assertion that the balance of American news media sought to tilt its coverage to benefit Clinton’s political fortune.</p>
<p>“Fox, for a long time has played this game of saying, ‘Well, we have our opinion shows: Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly. But then we have straight news from people like [Megyn Kelly] and Brit Hume,’” mocked Rubin.</p>
<p>Sean Hannity, said Rubin, should not be placed “behind a desk that looks like a news desk” with a “bug on it that says Fox News.” Such conduct, she added, conflated “real and hard news” with what she described as poor quality editorializing from Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. No explanation was provided as to what type of desk, if any, Hannity should have for himself and his guests.</p>
<p>Rubin is concerned that Fox News Channel's audience is incapable of distinguishing between the lines of "real news," "hard news," and opinion.</p>
<p>Watch Rubin make her case against Fox News Channel below.</p>
<p>Last week, Rubin <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/10/25/oreilly-tears-into-washpos-jennifer-rubin-for-five-straight-minutes-video/" type="external">challenged</a> O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor, accusing the Fox News Channel anchor of being too acquiescent with Trump.</p>
<p>Presenting left-wing opinion as fact is standard fare from left-wing and Democrat aligned media outlets such as The Washington Post, where Rubin writes <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/?utm_term=.1ab3f35ecf2c" type="external">Right Turn</a> while describing herself as a “conservative.”</p>
<p>Contextualization of news within neo-Marxist frameworks - class warfare and its subsets - is also standard fare from the usual suspects in left-wing media. Selection and/or omission of stories, facts, and personalities in order to push and reaffirm social, economic, historical, and political narratives are all part of the process.</p>
<p>The blending of opinion with “real news” and “hard news” is a classic strategy deployed by left-wing media outlets which operate upon a pretense of objectivity. To uninitiated political and media observers, left-wing and partisan Democrat advocacy is camouflaged as just-the-facts-ma’am news.</p>
<p>While there are degrees of opinion (some are more overt or shaded than others), the assertion that journalism can be conducted in an unbiased, objective, and entirely scientific manner is an illusion almost exclusively subscribed by journalists on the left. A lack of self-awareness or self-deception is necessary to believe that one can operate without biases. All journalism is predicated on and colored by the assumptions, axioms, standards, values, and perspectives subscribed to by its producers.</p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p> | 'Conservative' Rubin Denies Anti-Trump/Pro-Clinton Media Bias | true | https://dailywire.com/news/10341/conservative-rubin-denies-anti-trumppro-clinton-robert-kraychik | 2016-10-30 | 0 |
<p>Guest Editorial for Nov. 18</p>
<p>By Don Davidson</p>
<p>Don Davidson, who completed a term as president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, made these comments during his address to the BGAV annual meeting last week.</p>
<p>In 1954 Billy Graham went to England for a crusade. While there he was invited to visit with the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He nervously wondered beforehand: What do I talk about with arguably the greatest man of the 20th century? He didn't realize that, over at 10 Downing Street, Churchill was wondering a similar thing: What do I discuss with the famous American evangelist?</p>
<p>When the day arrived, Graham walked into the British leader's office and found him standing at the center of a long conference table, fingering an unlit cigar. Churchill said, “I am an old man, without any hope for the world. What hope do you have for the world, young man?” And Billy Graham then knew exactly what to talk about. Pulling a New Testament from his coat pocket, he said, “Mr. Prime Minister, my heart is filled with hope today.” And he shared with him the gospel of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>My heart is filled with hope today, too. And it is because of Jesus Christ. He is the only hope for our world. “Salvation is found in no one else. There is no other name under heaven, given to men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).</p>
<p>I recently talked with a young contractor, a builder of beautiful homes. He told me that he has always wanted to do what he is doing. Even when just a toddler he would drag a hammer (not a plastic one-a real one!) and screwdriver around the house. The kind of kid you'd love to have loose in your church nursery. “Don, I know that I am doing what I was born to do.” There's great joy in that. I can say the same. I believe that my purpose on this planet is to proclaim the gospel and bring people to the Savior.</p>
<p>But that's too big a job to attempt all alone. Or even through just my own church. I need partners. One hundred sixty years ago my church in Danville chose to join hands with the Baptist General Association of Virginia and fellow Baptists around the world. And we are still here.</p>
<p>Virginia Baptists are a diverse group, for sure. But I can tolerate a fair amount of diversity because I know something that maybe you do not know: Virginia Baptists love Jesus and are absolutely committed to being Christ followers. We have a heart for the lost, and “we've a story to tell to the nations.”</p>
<p>I wasn't always so sure about that-but I am now.</p>
<p>Fourteen years ago I was part of the last team to go to Tanzania in our partnership with that African nation. Everywhere I went I saw evidences of the Virginia Baptists who had gone before me: buildings constructed by our skilled laymen, churches established, and people won to Christ and baptized by our pastors. It did my heart good, and proud. Our people do care about the lost.</p>
<p>Every Tuesday for 10 years I sat across a lunch table from fellow local pastors, Lee Ellison, Bruce Wilson and a few others. We'd eat and talk. We became friends. They are identified as “moderates” while I am a self-proclaimed “conservative” but, interestingly, that kind of discussion did not come up much. They love Jesus, too, know the Bible at least as well as I do, and we each have all the same hopes and fears. It occurred to me: if we can get along in this small room, why can't we get along in a large room (like this)?</p>
<p>In recent years I have been in committee meetings in Richmond, often sitting across from Beth Fogg. Now there are things we haven't agreed on, but nothing touching a fundamental of our historic Christian faith. When I would see tears in her eyes as she told us about her children off around the world on mission trips, I knew that we shared a similar heartbeat. And I wondered: if we can look past relatively minor differences in this small room, why can't we do that in this larger room, and state?</p>
<p>Last month I flew across the Atlantic Ocean, strapped into my seat beside an “Arab extremist”- our own Faysal Shariff. I heard his passion and commitment to helping us win Virginia's growing Muslim population to Jesus Christ. And I'm glad to be on the same team with a man like him.</p>
<p>We often hear Amos 3:3 quoted, or misquoted: “Can two men walk together except they be agreed?” The better translation is this: “Can two men walk together unless they agree to do so?” And, obviously, the answer is “No.” But we can walk together if we want to, if we decide to try to do it.</p>
<p>That's how my marriage works, by the way. Audrey and I do not agree on everything, but we do agree on the big things and we are headed in the same direction in life. A little diversity makes my life with her more interesting and richer than it would otherwise be.</p>
<p>But Virginia Baptists: we are agreed! We agree that Jesus is Lord. That His Word is pure and true. That moral values are important and that we must stand up and be counted for righteousness. And that there is a world to reach-starting in your city, or your small town or my county.</p>
<p>I heard about an American businessman visiting India. According to the story, this western businessman observed an Indian man outside his office window, simply squatting beside the road. All day long, for several days, the man did nothing but sit.</p>
<p>This seemed strange to the American and finally he went outside to talk to the man. “Why do you squat out here all day? Have you nothing to do, nowhere to go?” he inquired. The Indian man replied that he, like most others in the nation, was Hindu by religion and that he believed in reincarnation. “I do not like my current life,” he said. “I have decided to sit this life out.”</p>
<p>Well, Christians don't believe that life goes in circles. It goes in a straight line. And this is the one earthly life we have. I am not going to just sit it out. I want to be fully engaged in the most important, consequential task of this or any generation. To advance the Redeemer's kingdom. And I encourage you to get up and do the same! Let's do it together, as partners.</p>
<p />
<p>The opinions expressed on this page are offered to help our readers reflect on issues critical in the life of a disciple of Christ. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Religious Herald.</p> | GUEST EDITORIAL: A heart full of hope | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/guesteditorialaheartfullofhope/ | 3 |
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<p>LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Angola’s former vice president has failed to appear at a Portuguese court where he was scheduled to stand trial for corruption.</p>
<p>Portuguese prosecutors accuse Manuel Vicente, the African country’s former deputy leader and one-time head of national oil company Sonangol, of corruption, money-laundering and forgery. They allege he paid a Portuguese magistrate to drop two investigations into alleged money-laundering and Angolan investments in Portugal.</p>
<p>Vicente’s lawyer, Rui Patricio, told reporters outside the Lisbon court Monday that his client believes he has immunity from prosecution because of his previous status.</p>
<p>The case has strained relations between Angola and its former colonial ruler, with Angola’s new president, Joao Lourenco, saying last month the accusation against Vicente was “offensive.”</p>
<p>International human rights groups have long accused Angola’s leadership of corruption.</p>
<p>LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Angola’s former vice president has failed to appear at a Portuguese court where he was scheduled to stand trial for corruption.</p>
<p>Portuguese prosecutors accuse Manuel Vicente, the African country’s former deputy leader and one-time head of national oil company Sonangol, of corruption, money-laundering and forgery. They allege he paid a Portuguese magistrate to drop two investigations into alleged money-laundering and Angolan investments in Portugal.</p>
<p>Vicente’s lawyer, Rui Patricio, told reporters outside the Lisbon court Monday that his client believes he has immunity from prosecution because of his previous status.</p>
<p>The case has strained relations between Angola and its former colonial ruler, with Angola’s new president, Joao Lourenco, saying last month the accusation against Vicente was “offensive.”</p>
<p>International human rights groups have long accused Angola’s leadership of corruption.</p> | Angola ex-vice president misses corruption trial in Portugal | false | https://apnews.com/c77d2617b06649acab28faa902876c06 | 2018-01-22 | 2 |
<p>When a car dealer offers to loan you the money to buy a car at zero interest, it gets your attention. Yet that cheap money might not be the best deal you can get.</p>
<p>Dealers can offer zero-percent financing through automakers' finance companies because, unlike banks, they make money on the sale of the car and don't need to rake in interest payments. Zero-percent financing offers have been common in the last four years as auto sales recovered from the recession while interest rates remained low, says Philip Reed, a senior editor of consumer advice at the car shopping site Edmunds.com.</p>
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<p>Not everyone will qualify. Zero-percent financing is generally reserved for those with the very best credit. Experian Automotive, which tracks auto loans, says 7 percent of new car loans had an interest rate of 1 percent or lower in the first quarter of this year. By comparison, 29 percent of new car loans had interest rates of 2.05 percent and below.</p>
<p>Before biting on the zero-percent financing, check for other deals such as cash-back offers. Fiat Chrysler, for example, currently has two offers for the 2015 Jeep Cherokee SUV: zero-percent financing for 60 months or a $2,000 rebate. Edmunds recommends taking the cash to reduce your total loan amount for the base all-wheel-drive model from $27,123 to $25,123. Even with a 2-percent interest rate, you'll wind up paying $440 per month with the cash deal. That compares to $452 per month with zero-percent financing.</p>
<p>Late summer is a particularly good time to scout for deals, and automakers will soon be trying to clear 2015 models off their lots. Ford is currently offering no-interest financing for up to 72 months on most of its cars and SUVs, while Toyota is offering zero-percent financing on the Camry and Prius sedans. Buyers can also get zero-percent financing on the Buick Enclave and Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs.</p>
<p>Here's some more advice on financing from the experts:</p>
<p>— HOW GOOD IS YOUR CREDIT?: According to Experian, new-car buyers who obtained interest rates of 1 percent or less had an average credit score of 754. For reference, that's considered "prime" credit; "super prime" scores go all the way up to 850. The average credit score for a new car buyer in the first quarter was 713, and the average interest rate was 4.7 percent. Reed says it's good to know your score before you go to the dealership. Even better: Get preapproved for a car loan through a bank or credit union before going to the dealership.</p>
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<p>"It puts you in a stronger position when you go into the finance room to say, 'I'm preapproved at 2.9 percent,'" he said. "They will try to beat that. Dealership financing can almost always beat banks and credit unions."</p>
<p>— DO THE MATH: Buyers can currently get zero-percent financing for 60 months on a 2015 Toyota Prius, or get $2,250 in cash. The cash-back offer will lower your monthly payments if you get an interest rate of 3 percent or lower, because even though you're paying more in interest, you lowered the overall price of the car. But if the rate is higher than 3 percent, zero-percent financing will lower your payments.</p>
<p>Down payments, regional incentive offers and the value of trade-ins can also affect the calculations. Calculators on sites like Edmunds.com and Autobytel.com let buyers crunch all the numbers. Manufacturers' Web sites list available incentives on every vehicle by ZIP code.</p>
<p>— SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS: Zero-percent deals are generally only available on a limited number of models in the showroom. So if you want certain options or premium models, they may not be available. KBB.com, a car shopping site, advises buyers to first negotiate the price. Once a buyer qualifies for zero-interest financing, the dealer is less inclined to haggle.</p> | Zero-percent financing turns heads, but car buyers who qualify still need to do the math | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/07/29/zero-percent-financing-turns-heads-but-car-buyers-who-qualify-still-need-to-do.html | 2016-03-05 | 0 |
<p>Renaissance 2010, Mayor Richard M. Daley’s signature effort to turn around failing schools, has kicked into gear amid leadership turnover both inside and outside the school system.</p>
<p>John Ayers, who as executive director of Leadership for Quality Education (LQE) was a leader in charter school law and development, tendered his resignation in December. Greg Richmond, who spearheaded charter school development inside the system, resigned in early February.</p>
<p>Multiple sources say both decided to quit after they saw significant parts of their portfolios moved elsewhere.</p>
<p>Instead of LQE, New Schools for Chicago, a new business-civic venture, will serve as the school system’s major external partner for Renaissance 2010, raising funds for and helping open new schools. New Schools for Chicago is based at the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, which launched LQE in the late 1980s.</p>
<p>Phyllis Martin, the executive director of another Civic Committee offshoot, the Financial Research and Advisory Committee (FRAC), began working with New Schools behind the scenes in November, and was tapped to lead it.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, within the Chicago Public Schools, a project team was put in place to oversee Renaissance start-ups, limiting the authority of Richmond’s team to the selection process. Lisa Schneider, who managed the public housing redevelopment plan for the Chicago Housing Authority, then joined CPS and led the short-lived Mid-South Initiative (another new schools effort that was bundled into Renaissance), was chosen to head the new team. Another key player on the team is Karen Daniels, a former Boston principal who joined CPS last summer to work on Mid-South.</p>
<p>Martin insists hiring a new project manager was not her doing, but says she thinks it is a good idea. “I’m sad that Greg’s leaving, [but] now you’re trying to do 100 schools,” says Martin. “It requires more than one person to make that happen.”</p>
<p>Richmond will leave his CPS post March 4 to become the full-time president of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, an organization he co-founded in 2000.</p>
<p>The leadership changes came on the heels of the first concrete actions under Renaissance 2010. Here are the highlights:</p>
<p>JAN. 18 New schools chosen. The School Board presents the first 18 schools to be opened under Renaissance 2010—seven charter schools, eight regular schools and three so-called “performance schools,” which will operate inside the system but with greater flexibility.</p>
<p>The charter community was surprised at a number of the board’s choices. Neither Perspectives nor Chicago International, charters often praised by the administration, won its bid to take over Uptown’s Arai Middle School. Instead, the board chose a team of Arai teachers who partnered with some faculty members at Best Practice High to open a performance school that will extend through 12th grade.</p>
<p>Ald. Helen Shiller, whose ward includes Arai, acknowledges that she is not a charter-school fan, but she says, “I went into this with a willingness to look into everything.” Shiller says she was “really turned off” by the charter applicants because she felt they were more concerned with promoting their philosophies and replicating their programs than with the particulars of the community and its children. “It was all about their philosophy, even before the children,” she says.</p>
<p>The Arai teacher team initially proposed a performance middle school, but the board insisted that the new school be a high school, says team member Chor Ng. Best Practice, one of the city’s first free-standing small schools, had fallen on hard times with changes in leadership.</p>
<p>Perspectives will continue to search for a site where a new school could open next fall, says Diana Shulla-Cose, who co-founded Perspectives and is spearheading its replication efforts. Since Perspectives is among the charters allowed to have multiple campuses, it could expand simply by getting board approval to amend its charter.</p>
<p>The seven new charters are broadly distributed across the city: three on the West Side, three on the South Side and one on the Northwest Side.</p>
<p>This pattern is in contrast to a December report by the Chicago Tribune, which identified five charters likely to make the cut, all but one of them on the West Side. Insiders speculate Mayor Richard M. Daley raised concerns about the geographic concentration, prompting the board to spread out the schools. In the end, only three of the five applicants named by the Tribune got charters.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, another school effort named in the Tribune article is still percolating. “We were pretty jarred by a news story that said we were about to be approved for a charter at Flower, when we were still in the application process,” says Lila Leff, executive director of Umoja Student Development Corporation.</p>
<p>Umoja’s school proposal is one of a number under consideration by the Flower Transition Advisory Council, which will make recommendations to Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan. Duncan decides which schools go to the board for approval.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, leaders of the small high schools that will be housed in the new Little Village facility are jousting with central office over whether to operate as a regular small schools or performance schools, which get greater flexibility in return for meeting standards set in a five-year contract. The local leaders want the new schools, which emerged from the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative, not Renaissance 2010, to be regular small schools, in part for financial reasons. (See related story)</p>
<p>JAN. 25 Charter failing. Meanwhile, one charter applicant that launched its program in September under the umbrella of another charter was falling apart. City as Classroom High School, which started the school year with 45 freshmen under the umbrella of the Youth Connection Charter School, failed to get a charter of its own and withdrew its application. At a Youth Connection Charter board meeting in late January, executive director Sheila Venson said the school was already losing students and might have to close before the end of the school year.</p>
<p>JAN 28. Closing guidelines. The School Board announced guidelines for closing schools under Renaissance 2010, addressing both academic and logistical issues. Elementary schools will be eligible for closing if they fall into all of these categories:</p>
<p>For the previous four years, fewer than 25 percent of students scored at or above national norms in reading on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS).</p>
<p>For the previous four years, fewer than 25 percent met standards on the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests.</p>
<p>Their average yearly gains in reading on the ITBS were less than nine months.</p>
<p>The school was on probation for more than one year.</p>
<p>The principal was in place for more than two years.</p>
<p>The school is located near a better-performing school that can accept students.</p>
<p>The criteria for high schools are the same except in the area of test scores and proximity to alternative attendance centers. For high schools, the test-score standard is fewer than 10 percent of students meeting standards on the Prairie State Achievement Test. And, while elementary school alternatives must be within safe walking distance, CPS does not specify how close alternative placements must be for high schools.</p>
<p>Moreover, schools that fall into all the categories would be spared if closing them would spell multiple moves for students within two years, as happened with other recent closings.</p>
<p>Senior policy advisor Lisa Scruggs says the guidelines reflect community concerns arising from previously announced closings and garnered through a public comment process that brought in more than 500 responses.</p>
<p>FEB. 1 School closings. The board announced that three elementary schools—Bunche on the South Side and Grant and Howland, both on the West Side—would be closed in June, and that Englewood High would stop taking in freshmen.</p>
<p>To contact Maureen Kelleher, call (312) 673-3882 or e-mail [email protected].</p> | First Renaissance schools chosen as charter leaders depart | false | http://chicagoreporter.com/first-renaissance-schools-chosen-charter-leaders-depart/ | 2005-07-29 | 3 |
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<p>ASPEN, Colo. - A man accused of robbing an Aspen marijuana shop of $11,000 worth of the drug has pleaded guilty to three felonies.</p>
<p>The Aspen Times reports ( <a href="http://goo.gl/J057yQ" type="external">http://goo.gl/J057yQ</a> ) 22-year-old Hayden May pleaded guilty Monday to robbery, theft and aggravated motor-vehicle theft. He faces between four and 12 years in prison when he is sentenced April 18.</p>
<p>Prosecutors say May approached employees at "Stash" with a hammer and apologized for being "desperate" before taking jars of marijuana from behind the counter July 28. Employees at the store had been friends with May and recognized him.</p>
<p>The next day, police spotted him in a stolen vehicle near St. Louis, but he refused to stop and led them on a chase that reached 100 mph.</p>
<p>May then crashed head-on into a police car, injuring an officer.</p>
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<p>Information from: The Aspen Times, <a href="http://www.aspentimes.com/" type="external">http://www.aspentimes.com/</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Man accused of robbing Aspen pot shop pleads guilty | false | https://abqjournal.com/737462/man-accused-of-robbing-aspen-pot-shop-pleads-guilty.html | 2 |
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<p>GALLUP, N.M. — Northwestern New Mexico will have its own veterans cemetery by 2019 thanks to state funding and a multi-million-dollar federal grant.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez and other officials gathered Wednesday in Gallup to mark the dedication of what will be the second of four proposed cemeteries for veterans who live in rural areas of the state.</p>
<p>Martinez says the effort started in 2013 is aimed at ensuring more veterans have a final resting place closer to home.</p>
<p>The Gallup cemetery will serve veterans of McKinley and Cibola counties, as well as communities in the Four Corners area, the Navajo Nation and area pueblos.</p>
<p>The first state veterans cemetery launched under the governor’s initiative is in Fort Stanton. It will open later this year. There are also plans for cemeteries in Angel Fire and Carlsbad.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | New Mexico governor dedicates new veterans cemetery | false | https://abqjournal.com/1083059/new-mexico-governor-dedicates-new-veterans-cemetery.html | 2 |
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<p>The Trump Administration announced new rules Friday that <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/10/06/trump-offer-broad-leway-employers-refuse-provide-birth-control-coverage-without-religious-reason/738869001/" type="external">expand the religious exemption</a>&#160;for employers who don’t want to provide insurance coverage for certain birth control methods due to moral objections.</p>
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<p>The rules are a roundabout away of eliminating Obamacare’s <a href="" type="internal">birth control</a> mandate, which required that all employers&#160;cover birth control for their workers without any co-payment. However, the Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that the law couldn’t require privately-owned businesses and corporations to offer insurance coverage for certain birth control methods they equate with abortion.</p>
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<p>The new rules allow&#160;any employer or insurer to stop covering contraceptive services of any kind if they have&#160;religious beliefs or moral convictions against covering birth control. It will be up to the states to determine how companies should make those decisions.</p>
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<p>Opponents of Obamacare’s birth control mandate, like Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, praised Trump’s decision.</p>
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<p>But for every one conservative in support of the decision, there are dozens of liberals losing their minds – and they’re acting like it’s the end of the world as we know it:</p>
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<p>And of course there were people drawing nonsensical comparisons to the perceived availability of guns:</p>
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<p>Guns, no restrictions. But birth control, yes, restrict it. Friggin’ disgusting!</p>
<p>— Karen (@KarenKoebel) <a href="https://twitter.com/KarenKoebel/status/916346352073809920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">October 6, 2017</a></p>
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<p>But my favorite is Sen. Al Franken’s hot take that women need birth control in order to make crucial life decisions:</p>
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<p>Here’s the thing: Many liberals seem to be under the impression that Trump is for the wholesale banning of birth control. He’s not. He’s simply giving private businesses the ability to opt out of providing birth control coverage on their insurance plans. Furthermore, just because Trump made the rule doesn’t mean that 62 million women will suddenly lose access to birth control; the states will have the final say on how the rule works. Additionally, there are several very large companies out there – like Pepsi and Exxon – that have been using pre-ACA plans that don’t cover birth control this entire time. In other words, Trump’s rule won’t have nearly the impact liberals think.</p>
<p>Do you think liberal outrage over Trump’s birth control exemption is overblown? Share your thoughts and comments below!</p>
<p /> | Trump Gives Private Employers Option To Drop Birth Control Coverage; Liberals Go Ballistic | true | http://thepoliticalinsider.com/donald-trump-birth-control/ | 2017-10-06 | 0 |
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<p>The top-seeded Warriors concluded their season in fine fashion, however, as they pummeled No. 3 Questa 10-3 in Thursday's Class 1A State Championship game at Isotopes Park. It was the 15th consecutive victory for Gateway Christian (18-4), which won its first state title since the program captured three straight blue trophies from 2006 to 2008.</p>
<p>"The beginning of the year we struggled a little bit," said Warriors coach Rick Rapp. "We made a bunch of errors in two tournaments and we played a tougher schedule - played some 2A schools. But they just believed in themselves, worked hard and I'm just so proud of our senior leadership."</p>
<p>The Warriors jumped all over Questa from the outset, when senior second baseman Jacob Moody hit a triple on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning. It would only get worse from there for the Wildcats (16-6).</p>
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<p>"That's what set the tone for the whole game," said Gateway Christian starting pitcher Alex King, who held Questa to six hits over seven innings.</p>
<p>Singles from Andrew Meeks and Chris Bonham would follow, giving the Warriors a 2-0 edge before King added an RBI to give his team a 3-0 lead after one stanza. Gateway Christian plated two more runs in the second inning, and Questa was never able to mount a significant threat.</p>
<p>"That kid (Questa starter Marcus Chavez) pitched seven innings yesterday for them," Rapp said. "I know he's a good pitcher, but that's tough for anybody to do. We just wanted to come out and be aggressive."</p>
<p>The Wildcats didn't do themselves any favors in the field, either, as five errors aided Mountainview Christian's cause. Particularly damaging was an errant toss by shortstop Zack Gallegos with the bases loaded in the fourth inning; all three base runners would score as a result to give the Warriors an 8-1 lead and essentially put the game on ice.</p>
<p>"They were in our way; we had to beat them," King said. "We played as a team, and we played hard."</p>
<p>CLASS 2A: No. 13 Dexter (12-17) knocked off eighth-seeded Lordsburg 6-5 on Thursday in the semifinals.</p>
<p>The Demons will play No. 2 Cobre (23-5), a 9-2 winner over NMMI, in today's championship game at 1 p.m. at Isotopes Park.</p>
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<p /> | Class 1A baseball: Gateway Christian finishes strong | false | https://abqjournal.com/401245/gateway-christian-finishes-strong.html | 2 |
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<p>sub-‘junc-tive, adj. 1. The subjunctive mood, the form of a verb denoting an action or state not as fact, but only as a conception of the mind. It is therefore used to express a wish, a command, or a contingent or hypothetical event. 2. Characteristic of what is expressed by the subjunctive mood.</p>
<p>It was snowing lightly in Jerusalem (by which I really mean if it were to be snowing lightly in Jerusalem), a side-driven windy snow late in the day when Ariel Sharon left the Knesset with his bodyguard, if he were to do so, and traveled the short distance by armored car to his home, and after a light dinner with wine and television went to bed somewhat early in the darkness with snow still rushing outside, a snow so fine and spare it would be evaporated by morning. Yet Ariel Sharon was not to wake in the morning, for sometime during the night, doctors would say, the fat-streaked heart in his massive chest stopped ticking, clogged to a stop with one last difficult lurch.</p>
<p>Maybe he felt the heart lurching to a stop in his sleep, maybe he was dreaming of being on a train in a European country of flat and bare fields and the train suddenly stopped for no reason on the tracks with a lurch and a squeak of metal and the great engine ceased to throb through the metal plating and he, alone at a linen-covered table in the dining car, in the act of lifting a forkful of salmon to his mouth, froze and stared out over the bleak dark landscape like the one painted by the Dutch landscape painters in Holland, and as he stared out he noticed that his heart was no longer throbbing and he dropped the fork in alarm and heard it clatter on the plate and saw a waiter, a napkin folded carefully over his forearm, approach him with a questioning smile, and that was the last thing he saw because he died.</p>
<p>But what if Ariel Sharon were not to die–what does that word mean, die, it’s imprecise and it yields no image and does not satisfy the yearning part of the mind, not to mention the body–but instead of dying were to leave the train in a surge of anxiety and a rush like the wings of a descending angel (I am thinking here of the angel that streaks down from Heaven like a flaming arrow towards the tent-sleeping Constantine in Piero della Francesca’s fresco-cycle “ <a href="http://keptar.demasz.hu/arthp/tours/arezzo/dream.htm" type="external">The Legend of the True Cross</a>“) and if his soul, Ariel Sharon’s pitying lost human scorched terror-faced soul, were to find itself translated, like a flash of wonderment, into the womb of a young woman in Bethlehem who happens to be (why not?) a Palestinian Arab.</p>
<p>And what if, about nine months later, this same young woman were to bleed to death in the agony of giving birth, because her taxi has not been permitted to pass through an Israeli checkpoint on the only road to the hospital–and what if the baby, a boy, were to survive his mother’s death only to die himself, ironically but quite plausibly, at the age of ten-and-a-half rushing down a Bethlehem street away from soldiers firing from beside a tank into a crowd of stone-throwers?</p>
<p>This, I believe, is where Sharon’s life really ends, or is at least where my subjunctive mood would end it: not on a train stopped in an obscure dream-landscape but on a light-drenched street where M-16 bullets are zipping and cracking against cement walls and Sharon, whose name is now Samir, whose face is dark, and whose fist holds a stone, is sprinting away from soldiers bulging in heavy equipment who are kneeling to take aim and then he feels a flash in his leg and goes sprawling and looks down to see his knee mangled by the spinning M-16 round and bits of flesh and a splash of arterial blood and he turns to face the soldiers who are still shooting and feels another flash, not of pain exactly but of amazement, as another bullet hits him in the chest and he is conscious of a high-pitched tone in his ears and his mouth tastes blood–nauseated, he spits a brilliant glob of it out onto the asphalt.</p>
<p>And now Samir remembers, with wonder, what he’d forgotten at birth or slightly before, namely that he is Ariel Sharon. In the seizure of this memory, the boy utters a cry–of longing, of horror, or perhaps of disgust. Then he leaps from the sprawled Arab body, leaps across miles and perhaps even across a span of continents to surge like lightning into the joyous womb of yet another young woman engulfed in the throes of love just seconds before the IDF soldier approaches and, with a shouted curse, squeezes off an entire clip of ammunition into his chest.</p>
<p>Andrew L. Wilson holds a G.E.D. from Memphis Adult Education Center, a B.A. in English literature from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in English literature from Boston College. He has worked as a busboy, dishwasher, waiter, cook, bartender, dogwalker, lottery ticket seller, consigliere, art mover and installer, house repairs contractor, bookstore clerk, office temp, book appraiser, office manager, teacher, proofreader, manuscript consultant, writer, journalist, and editor. His fiction, essays and poetry have appeared in small literary magazines in the United States, Europe, and Japan, most recently in Rosebud, where his story shares a cover billing with Stephen King. Last year he was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His interview with poet Derek Walcott appears in the Bedford/St. Martin’s anthology Stages of Drama. A story of his recently appeared in The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica 2, and was singled out for praise in press reviews. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>“The Death of Ariel Sharon” previously appeared in NEO [print] and on <a href="http://www.oznik.com/" type="external">oznik.com</a></p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | The Dying of Ariel Sharon | true | https://counterpunch.org/2006/01/07/the-dying-of-ariel-sharon/ | 2006-01-07 | 4 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Lawrence Nieto could have walked out of prison 10 years early in March due to a Corrections Department mistake — if he had complied with the conditions of his parole.</p>
<p>Nieto, 35, was mistakenly let out last winter, but was sent back to prison twice for violations and released before the Corrections Department realized in September it had made a mistake in allowing him out in the first place and kept him behind bars.</p>
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<p>Nieto is one of four men convicted of a gruesome quadruple murder at a cabin in Torreon in 1996. He was ordered to serve multiple life sentences for his part in the slayings, which left a 17-year-old-man and a 23-year-old woman dead. The woman’s two young boys were left inside the cabin and starved to death.</p>
<p>In 2007, Nieto was granted a new trial after attorneys found a video that suggested he had been compelled to confess to the murders by interrogators at the time. He was given a new sentence of 39 years.</p>
<p>The Corrections Department mistakenly calculated Nieto’s 39-year sentence based on his 1997 court file rather than the 2007 file. That lopped 10 years off the suspected gang member’s projected release date, department secretary Gregg Marcantel said in a Wednesday interview.</p>
<p>It was a new system of “certification” that alerted Corrections to its decades-old miscalculation. The system is a department effort to “stop the bleeding” of mistaken early and late releases of state prisoners, Marcantel said.</p>
<p>“Mr. Nieto has the misfortune of being the first person … to have his file reviewed by the new system,” he said.</p>
<p>The system aims to address the problems of complex and non-standardized “judgment and sentence” forms, which mandate a prisoner’s sentence but can be complicated because they come from judges all over the state. The new process centralizes all inmate releases and requires a stamp of approval from the department’s records bureau chief before an inmate can be released.</p>
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<p>This is a change from the past policy in which the staff at different prisons inconsistently interpreted inmate files, Marcantel said. Those files can exceed 1,000 pages and comprise judgment and sentences from different crimes at different times.</p>
<p>However, Nieto was caught only after having violated his parole, which gave Corrections staff a reason to review his file. Should Nieto or any other criminal be mistakenly released early and avoid conviction of another crime, Marcantel acknowledged, the criminal would stay free.</p>
<p>That’s not a likely scenario for Nieto or other violent criminals because they often re-offend, Marcantel said, so Corrections wants to focus on the criminals who pose the greatest threat.</p>
<p>He said Corrections is facing significant challenges transforming a department-wide culture he said was once driven more by emptying inmate beds than serving public safety. He said the department has plans to do a more comprehensive investigation into past early or late releases.</p>
<p>Nieto is slated to be released in 2022. — This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | Convict Behind Bars After Mistake | false | https://abqjournal.com/139363/convict-behind-bars-after-mistake.html | 2012-10-18 | 2 |
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<p>With the tax filing deadline rapidly approaching, countless Americans are already scrambling to gather their paperwork, dig up receipts, and get their returns in on time. If you're filing your taxes, we have some last-minute tips that can reduce what you owe the IRS and put more cash back in your pocket. From credits to deductions, we'll show you how to avoid audit trouble while maximizing your tax savings.</p>
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<p>One of the easiest ways to wind up on the dreaded IRS audit list is to hide the extra income you collect throughout the year. Any time you receive income, whether it's payment for a freelance job, a dividend check, or interest from your bank, you're required to report that income and pay taxes on it. In fact, you should <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/02/23/what-if-i-didnt-receive-a-1099.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">receive a 1099 form Opens a New Window.</a> from each issuer that pays you, and once you get those documents, make sure the information you enter on your return matches what's on each form. Because 1099s are also filed with the IRS, it's important that your numbers match what the agency is seeing. If they don't, you stand a good chance of getting audited.</p>
<p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.</p>
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<p>Tax deductions can save you money by excluding a portion of your income from taxes. There are numerous deductions available to tax filers, including the mortgage interest deduction, medical expense deduction, and deductions for charitable contributions. And while you absolutely should claim as many deductions as possible, you'll need to first check your records and make sure your numbers are 100% accurate. If, for example, you can't remember how much you spent on medical costs and guess at $10,000, that could raise a red flag. After all, what's the likelihood that your expenses for the year magically worked out to such a nice round number? You're far better off combing through your bank and credit card statements, adding up what you spent, and calling providers if necessary to fill in the remaining blanks.</p>
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<p>For over 31 years, Major Tillery has been a prisoner of the State.</p>
<p>Despite that extraordinary fact, he continues his battles, both in the prison for his health, and in the courts for his freedom.</p>
<p>Several weeks ago, Tillery filed a direct challenge to his criminal conviction, by arguing that a so-called “secret witness” was, in fact, a paid police informant who was given a get-out-of-jail-free card if he testified against Tillery.</p>
<p>Remember I mentioned, “paid?”</p>
<p>Well, yes–the witness was ‘paid’–but not in dollars. He was paid in sex!</p>
<p>In the spring of 1984, Robert Mickens was facing decades in prison on rape and robbery charges. After he testified against Tillery, however, his 25-year sentence became 5 years: probation!</p>
<p>And before he testified he was given an hour and a ½ private visit with his girlfriend–at the Homicide Squad room at the Police Roundhouse. (Another such witness was given another sweetheart deal–lie on Major, and get off!)</p>
<p>To a prisoner, some things are more important than money. Like sex!</p>
<p>In a verified document written in April, 2016, Mickens declares that he lied at trial, after being coached by the DAs and detectives on the case.</p>
<p>He lied to get out of jail–and because he could get with his girl.</p>
<p>Other men have done more for less.</p>
<p>Major’s 58-page Petition is a time machine back into a practice that was once common in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>In the 1980s and ’90s, the Police Roundhouse had become a whorehouse.</p>
<p>Major, now facing serious health challenges from his hepatitis C infection, stubborn skin rashes, and dangerous intestinal disorders, is still battling.</p>
<p>And the fight ain’t over.</p>
<p>For More Information, Go To: <a href="http://t.ymlp16.com/usmbaxaejjmeacamjwapaemjs/click.php" type="external">Justice4MajorTillery/blogspot</a></p> | Major Tillery Battles On | true | https://counterpunch.org/2016/08/01/major-tillery-battles-on/ | 2016-08-01 | 4 |
<p>On Thursday, Harvard University <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/11/4/soccer-suspended-scouting-report-harvard/" type="external">announced</a>their decision to suspend the men's soccer team for the remainder of the season in light of a "report" uncovering sexist remarks and the numerical rating of players on the Harvard women's soccer team based upon their sexual appeal.</p>
<p>The men's team is currently in first place in the Ivy League. If the team played this Saturday against Columbia and won, they would be granted an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. They will forfeit instead.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/11/4/soccer-suspended-scouting-report-harvard/" type="external">According</a>to The Harvard Crimson, there was an initial investigation into a Google Group document originated in 2012, in which men's players numerically rated the incoming freshmen based on their sexual attractiveness and granted a "hypothetical sexual position." Upon this investigation, the university found the sexism to be widespread, coming to the conclusion that the men's team would pay for their thoughts and words by suspending the rest of their season--post-season matches included.</p>
<p>In an email, Athletics Director Robert L. Scalise informed Harvard athletes about the suspension via email, explaining that the investigated sexism “appears to be more widespread across the team and has continued beyond 2012, including in 2016.”</p>
<p>“As a direct result of what Harvard Athletics has learned, we have decided to cancel the remainder of the 2016 men’s soccer season,” wrote Scalise. “The team will forfeit its remaining games and will decline any opportunity to achieve an Ivy League championship or to participate in the NCAA Tournament this year.”</p>
<p>The investigation into the 2012 document began last week, on University President Drew G. Faust's order. According to both Scalise and Faust, athletes on the men's soccer team "were not initially forthcoming about their involvement in the 'reports.'"</p>
<p>“The decision to cancel a season is serious and consequential, and reflects Harvard’s view that both the team’s behavior and the failure to be forthcoming when initially questioned are completely unacceptable, have no place at Harvard, and run counter to the mutual respect that is a core value of our community,” wrote Faust, in a statement.</p>
<p>Faust says she was "deeply distressed to learn that the appalling actions of the 2012 men’s soccer team were not isolated to one year or the actions of a few individuals.”</p>
<p>According to the Crimson, Scalisa has promised that the "Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response will work to 'further educate' the men’s soccer team specifically and student-athletes generally."</p>
<p>“Harvard Athletics has zero tolerance for this type of behavior,” added Scalise.</p>
<p>Pieter S. Lehrer, the men's soccer coach, said via a statement that he is "beyond disappointed that our season has ended in this way, but we respect the decision made by our administration.”</p>
<p>In a <a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/10/29/oped-soccer-report/" type="external">joint op-ed</a>, the six women who were "rated" in the men's sexist "scouting report" from 2012 addressed the athletes' "hurtful" actions, though they ended the piece offering their forgiveness.</p>
<p>"Having considered members of this team our close friends for the past four years, we are beyond hurt to realize these individuals could encourage, silently observe, or participate in this kind of behavior, and for more than four years have neglected to apologize until this week," wrote the female athletes.</p>
<p>"We have seen the 'scouting report' in its entirety. We know the fullest extent of its contents: the descriptions of our bodies, the numbers we were each assigned, and the comparison to each other and recruits in classes before us. This document attempts to pit us against one another, as if the judgment of a few men is sufficient to determine our worth. But, men, we know better than that. Eighteen years of soccer taught us that. Eighteen years—as successful, powerful, and undeniably brilliant female athletes - taught us that," they added.</p>
<p>The op-ed concludes: "Finally, to the men of Harvard Soccer and any future men who may lay claim to our bodies and choose to objectify us as sexual objects, in the words of one of us, we say together: 'I can offer you my forgiveness, which is—and forever will be—the only part of me that you can ever claim as yours.'"</p>
<p>“As a direct result of what Harvard Athletics has learned, we have decided to cancel the remainder of the 2016 men’s soccer season."</p>
<p>Harvard Athletics Director Robert L. Scalise</p>
<p>Since the Harvard announcement, social media has erupted with opinions on the move. Some are applauding the decision, but others are questioning how words, however distasteful, have ended a season of Harvard athletes. What will such thought crimes shut down next?</p> | Harvard Men’s Soccer Team Suspended For Rating Women’s Soccer Team On Sexual Appeal | true | https://dailywire.com/news/10504/harvard-mens-soccer-team-suspended-rating-womens-amanda-prestigiacomo | 2016-11-04 | 0 |
<p>DuPont and Chemours will pay nearly $671 million to settle thousands of lawsuits related to the release of a chemical from a plant in West Virginia more than a decade ago.</p>
<p>Chemours was spun off from DuPont two years ago.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>More than 3,500 federal and state lawsuits allege that the DuPont Co. Washington Works plant, near Parkersburg, West Virginia, had dumped perfluorooctanoic acid into the Ohio River, contaminating the local drinking water and causing illness and disease, including cancer. Perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as C8, is used to make Teflon.</p>
<p>DuPont says it will pay half of the settlement and the other half will be paid by The Chemours Co. The settlement covers all pending claims and those in which jury verdicts had been rendered. Both companies deny any wrongdoing.</p>
<p>DuPont, based in Wilmington, Delaware, said it shut down operations involving perfluorooctanoic acid more than a decade ago at the plant in West Virginia. DuPont and Chemours also have an agreement to cover any future liabilities related to the release of the chemical.</p>
<p>DuPont is in the midst of closing its $62 billion merger with Dow Chemical, which has been approved by shareholders of both companies. The deal had been expected to close in late 2016, but is still under review by regulators.</p>
<p>If approved, Dow and DuPont plan to split into three separate companies, one focusing on agriculture, one on material science and one on specialty products.</p> | DuPont, Chemours to pay $671M in chemical leak case | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/13/dupont-chemours-to-pay-671m-in-chemical-leak-case.html | 2017-02-13 | 0 |
<p>It is official: George Ryan is now a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. Francis A. Boyle announced “I have today filed the Nomination by fax with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. StopCapitalPunishment.org will now focus its efforts on promoting and lobbying on behalf of Governor Ryan to be awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.”</p>
<p>Francis A. Boyle, Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, a member of the Campaign to nominate George H. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize made good on his promise by completing and filing the nomination papers recommending ex Governor Ryan of Illinois for the Nobel Peace Prize late yesterday.</p>
<p>Professor Boyle noted that “By exposing the inhumanity of capital punishment in the United States, George H. Ryan has, in the words of Alfred Nobel, “conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.””</p>
<p>The reasons to which Boyle referred are well documented and many. The highlights are the moratorium on the death penalty that Ryan declared in 2000, culminating with his courageous and historic exonerations of January 10th and the commutation of all the remaining Illinois death row prisoner’s sentences on January 11th, just two days before he officially left office.</p>
<p>Ryan’s actions have been the subject of both praise and bitter attack. But one thing is certain; the future of the Death Penalty in the United States has been irrevocably changed. George W. Bush who presided over the execution of more people in Texas than any other Governor in history – 156 souls by actual count – was rarely or ever questioned about this in his run for the Presidency. In the aftermath of George Ryan’s groundbreaking action it is hard to imagine this ever happening again.</p>
<p>Phone: 1-217-333-7954</p>
<p>Fax: 1-217-244-1478</p>
<p>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>Website: <a href="http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/" type="external">http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Governor Ryan Nominated for Nobel Prize | true | https://counterpunch.org/2003/01/17/governor-ryan-nominated-for-nobel-prize/ | 2003-01-17 | 4 |
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<p>The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, both Democrats, and U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M.</p>
<p>Parts of New Mexico, including Bernalillo, Guadalupe, Otero, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and San Miguel counties and the Pueblos of Acoma and Santo Domingo – between July 27 and Aug. 5 – experienced severe storms and flooding that damaged roads, bridges, a dam structure and other infrastructure.</p>
<p>New Mexico asked for public assistance, including: funding for debris removal; emergency protective measures; and repairs to damaged roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, utilities and parks and recreation facilities, the delegation said in a news release.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez’s letter requesting the declaration, dated Sept. 29, said the damages resulting from these storms have currently been assessed at $3.93 million.</p>
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<p>The greatest overall damage occurred at the Acoma Pueblo, where access to the backcountry was cut off for residents and users.</p>
<p>Extreme weather conditions last month also caused significant damage in southeastern New Mexico. The lawmakers said they will continue to support recovery efforts for areas of the state impacted by more recent storms and flooding, upon submission of disaster declaration requests.</p>
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<p /> | Quick disaster relief action urged | false | https://abqjournal.com/473288/quick-disaster-relief-action-urged.html | 2 |
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<p>Clearly, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump hates Fox News' Megyn Kelly because she has refused to fawn all over the real estate mogul, instead opting to keep her integrity by asking Trump tough questions. In any case, since the truth is relative to the frontrunner’s feelings, here are just seven of the moronic reasons Trump insists are legitimate motives for hating the successful Fox News anchor.</p>
<p>That woman who hosts the <a href="https://www.rawstory.com/2016/03/megyn-kelly-i-dont-need-to-interview-trump-for-the-sake-of-my-ratings/" type="external">second-highest-rated show in all of cable news</a>, the one who has her law degree? Yeah, she’s a “bimbo” according to Donald J. Trump—the man with the “ <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/17/donald-trump-i-consult-myself-on-foreign-policy-be/" type="external">very good brain</a>.”</p>
<p>Mr. Trump re-tweeted a Trump-stumper who called the host a “bimbo” on January 28: “And this is the bimbo that's asking presidential questions?” read the tweet.</p>
<p>In true Trumpian-fashion, the real estate mogul tweeted out, just one day prior, that he would never call Kelly a “bimbo” because it was “politically incorrect.” (Or rude, whichever.)</p>
<p>I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead I will only call her a lightweight reporter!</p>
<p>Uh, okay?</p>
<p>Here are some findings from <a href="http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/we-investigated-her-legal-background-and-attorney-megyn-kellys-no-bimbo/" type="external">Law Newz</a> to support the truth that Kelly is no “bimbo” after all:</p>
<p>Megyn Kelly is no bimbo in the legal or any other sense of the word. In fact, her law professor told LawNewz.com that she was brilliant and a rising star. A partner at her former high-profile law firm called her a legal “perfectionist.”</p>
<p>“She was an absolutely terrific student, thoughtful and based upon her academic abilities, I always thought she was going to be the next great female trial lawyer in the United States,” said Michael Hutter, one of Kelly’s professors at Albany Law School.</p>
<p>“Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore. Talks about me at 43% but never mentions that there are four people in race. With two people, big &amp; over!” tweeted out Trump last week.</p>
<p>Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore. Talks about me at 43% but never mentions that there are four people in race. With two people, big &amp; over!</p>
<p>We’re not sure which Trump called Kelly “Crazy Megyn,” to be honest. It could have been the one who said there are <a href="" type="internal">two Donald Trumps</a>, or maybe it was the other Donald Trump who said there is only one Donald Trump? This is all still unclear.</p>
<p>The man who assured the public that there is " <a href="" type="internal">no problem</a>" with his penis size on a live broadcasting presidential debate stage says Kelly is “not very” “professional.” Let that sink in for a moment.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews" type="external">@FoxNews</a> trio, especially <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly" type="external">@megynkelly</a>, was not very good or professional!</p>
<p>Complaining, as always, Trump told CNN host Don Lemon that Kelly was a “lightweight,” adding that she was “not very tough, and not very sharp, she’s zippo” with regard to her supposedly-biased moderating performance at the Republican presidential debate. Backing up his claim, Trump said that Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”</p>
<p>According to Mr. Trump, Kelly is a terrible debate moderator and a “lightweight” despite the fact that he previously praised her for her moderating skills, deeming them even better than the almighty Trump’s, according to the real estate mogul back in 2012.</p>
<p>Here's one of Trump's tweets listing reasons why he could not possibly attend another Republican debate hosted by Fox News and "lightweight" Kelly.</p>
<p>It was the childishly written &amp; taunting PR statement by Fox that made me not do the debate, more so than lightweight reporter, <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly" type="external">@megynkelly</a>.</p>
<p>And here’s a completely opposite tune coming from Trump in 2012: “Do you really think that you’re a better moderator than I am?” asked Kelly. Trump sweet-talked, “No, I could never beat you. That wouldn’t even be close. There would be no contest. You have done a great job by the way, and I mean it.”</p>
<p>. <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly" type="external">@megynkelly</a> recently said that she can’t be wooed by Trump. She is so average in every way, who the hell wants to woo her!</p>
<p>Okay, this one is probably good news for Kelly. Forget everything else, who wants to be wooed by a man who is insecure about his small hands?</p>
<p>On Sunday, Trump took to Twitter to cry about how much of a meanie Kelly is; she's supposedly “highly overrated” and “constantly” saying “bad things” about Trump.</p>
<p>So the highly overrated anchor, <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly" type="external">@megynkelly</a>, is allowed to constantly say bad things about me on her show, but I can't fight back? Wrong!</p>
<p>Kelly has been more than fair in her reporting to Trump; the "highly overrated" anchor who, as mentioned above, has the second-highest rated cable news show on TV, consistently reports favorable facts about the real estate mogul, despite his relentless assaults on her.</p>
<p>Here are just two examples from Kelly's Twitter feed:</p>
<p>“If you asked why they’re there, 8 out of 10 would say ‘to make America Great Again.’” - <a href="https://twitter.com/RichLowry" type="external">@RichLowry</a> on SLC Trump rally <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KellyFile?src=hash" type="external">#KellyFile</a></p>
<p>“You may not agree with him, but he’s talking about what American families talk about.” - <a href="https://twitter.com/scottpbrown" type="external">@ScottPBrown</a> on Trump’s rhetoric <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KellyFile?src=hash" type="external">#KellyFile</a></p> | 7 Moronic Reasons Why Donald Trump Hates Megyn Kelly | true | https://dailywire.com/news/4258/7-moronic-reasons-why-donald-trump-hates-megyn-amanda-prestigiacomo | 2016-03-21 | 0 |
<p>Washington, D.C., riot police swept away much of one of the last remaining Occupy encampments early Saturday morning, clearing McPherson Square of tents banned under area rules while leaving those that met regulations. Six protesters were arrested, but Occupiers are still permitted to demonstrate at all hours.</p>
<p>View more photos of the cleanup taken by D.C.-based photographer Andrew Bossi <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisbossi/6826671769/in/photostream" type="external">here</a>. –ARK</p>
<p>AP at The Guardian:</p>
<p>Dozens have been camped since 1 October in McPherson Square, just blocks from the White House. Similar to the New York protesters, who strategically occupied a park near Wall Street to highlight their campaign against economic inequalities, the District of Columbia group selected a space along Washington’s K Street – home to some of the nation’s most powerful lobbying firms.</p>
<p />
<p>On Saturday, the police used barricades to cordon off sections of McPherson Square, a park under federal jurisdiction, checked tents for mattresses and sleeping bags, and sifted through piles of garbage and other belongings. Some wore yellow and white biohazard suits to guard against diseases identified at the site in recent weeks.</p>
<p>By mid-day police had arrested six people, including four protesters who refused to move from beneath a statue and two others for crossing a police line.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/04/police-raid-occupy-camp-washington?newsfeed=true" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Police Give Occupy D.C. a Tidying | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/police-give-occupy-d-c-a-tidying/ | 2012-02-06 | 4 |
<p>Dec. 2 (UPI) — Britain’s National Cyber Security Center warned all government agencies of “a risk to national security” if they use Russian-based Kaspersky Lab anti-virus software.</p>
<p>The chief executive of the agency sent a letter to all permanent secretaries that was publicly released Saturday, saying Russia has the intent “to target UK central government and the UK’s critical national infrastructure” though the software company.</p>
<p>Ciaran Martin said “for systems processing information classified SECRET and above, a Russia-based provider should never be used,” <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/02/europe/uk-russia-anti-virus-software-intl/index.html" type="external">CNN reported</a>.</p>
<p>“We need to be vigilant to the risk that an AV product under the control of a hostile actor could extract sensitive data from that network, or indeed cause damage to the network itself,” he said. “That’s why the country of origin matters.”</p>
<p>The agency’s technical director, Ian Levy, said he saw “no compelling case at present to extend that advice to wider public sector, more general enterprises, or individuals.”</p>
<p>“Whatever you do, don’t panic,” Levy said. “We really don’t want people doing things like ripping out Kaspersky software at large, as it makes little sense.”</p>
<p>Martin said he was in talks with Kaspersky Lab to “develop a framework that we and others can independently verify.”</p>
<p>The company, based in Moscow, denies “unethical ties or affiliations with any government, including Russia” and “has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts.”</p>
<p>Eugene Kaspersky, the CEO of the company, told <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/british-government-warned-over-kaspersky-russian-anti-virus-software-11152445" type="external">Sky News</a> in October his company had a “strong relationship” with Russian cyber police but they never engaged in espionage activities.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/US-govt-bans-use-of-cybersecurity-products-from-Russian-company-Kaspersky/7251505324363/" type="external">In September</a>, the Department of Homeland Security ordered U.S. government agencies to remove any products from Kaspersky Lab because of security concerns.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/Kaspersky-says-it-obtained-NSA-files-but-not-deliberately/6641510842437/" type="external">Last month</a>, the company confirmed it extracted sensitive files from a U.S. National Security Agency worker’s computer, but said it wasn’t a deliberate move. The company investigated after The Wall Street Journal on Oct. 5 reported Russian hackers spied on the U.S. government using Kaspersky software to find and steal classified files on the NSA contractor’s home computer.</p>
<p>Later, The New York Times reported that Israel alerted the United States that Kaspersky software was being used for espionage.</p> | Agency warns U.K. officials not to use Kaspersky anti-virus software | false | https://newsline.com/agency-warns-u-k-officials-not-to-use-kaspersky-anti-virus-software/ | 2017-12-02 | 1 |
<p>Massey Energy Corp., owner of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia where at least 25 miners were killed April 5 in a methane gas explosion, apparently arranged for and purchased disability compensation insurance coverage only a month before the disaster, according to one source with inside knowledge about the company’s risk management operations.</p>
<p>Prior to that, the company, known for its aggressive challenges to workers’ comp claims, was self-insured for workers compensation.</p>
<p>But given the number of safety violations at its mines–there were 53 in March alone, 495 in 2009 and 1300 since 2005, at just the Upper Big Branch Mine and 2,074 over the past year at other mines owned by Massey across the Appalachian region–perhaps the money spent buying insurance to cover workers’ injury claims might have been better spent fixing chronic problems with methane gas build-ups in the mine. Then again, maybe the company felt that violation citations were no big deal–it has reportedly challenged two out of three instead of fixing them as a matter of course.</p>
<p>The company certainly has not shown particularly good judgement when it comes to its insurance decisions. Last year, despite noting in its annual report that its operations were “subject to certain events and conditions that could disrupt operations, including fires and explosions,” Massey Energy decided not to purchase business interruption insurance, according to Business Week magazine. With some analysts suggesting that the accident at the big West Virginia mine, where metalurgical coal used in the production of steel is extracted, could lead to a shutdown of that mine, and to a nearly 50% loss in overall corporate earnings this year, that decision could prove costly to Massey investors. The ratings agency Standard &amp; Poors earlier this week placed the company, which already sports a junk-bond-level BB- credit rating, on watch for a downgrade, citing lost production, the “workers’ compensation liability and any impact potential lawsuits brought against the company may have.”</p>
<p>The accident could also prove costly for Massey CEO Don Blankenship, who only recently had the performance pay portion of his compensation package upped significantly by the company’s board of directors from $900,000 in 2009 to $1.5 million for 2010 and 2011. Blankenship reportedly would also be in line to receive 81,500 Massey shares if certain performance targets are met for the year, and another 32,250 shares if a second set of targets are met. Among the performance areas considered are financial results, sales volume, and safety performance, all of which are likely to be problematic this year in the wake of the West Virginia disaster.</p>
<p>Blankenship, a local boy who made good and became the first non Massey family member to head the giant mining firm, has been aggressively anti-union, as has the entire company. A bitter strike by the United Mineworkers in 1984-85, in which the company, backed by the Reagan administration, brought in scab workers and hired private armed guards backed by West Virginia State Troopers to harass and intimidate unionized workers, lead to a breaking of the union at the company, which is now largely non-union, and across the country.</p>
<p>A call to Massey asking for comment had gone unanswered as of this posting.</p>
<p>DAVE LINDORFF is a Philadelphia-based journalist and columnist. His latest book is “ <a href="" type="internal">The Case for Impeachment</a>” (St. Martin’s Press, 2006 and now available in paperback). He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="http://greentags.bigcartel.com/" type="external">WORDS THAT STICK</a></p>
<p /> | Flirting With Disaster | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/04/09/flirting-with-disaster/ | 2010-04-09 | 4 |
<p>Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Angels?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">#Angels</a> released the following statement regarding Shohei Ohtani: <a href="https://t.co/IpDTJnfIie" type="external">pic.twitter.com/IpDTJnfIie</a></p>
<p>– Angels (@Angels) <a href="https://twitter.com/Angels/status/939239236514955264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">December 8, 2017</a></p>
<p>Japenese two-way star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to sign with the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Los-Angeles-Angels/" type="external">Los Angeles Angels</a>, his agent said Friday.</p>
<p>The Angels won Ohtani’s services over competition from the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Chicago-Cubs/" type="external">Chicago Cubs</a>, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Texas_Rangers/" type="external">Texas Rangers</a>, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Los-Angeles-Dodgers/" type="external">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/San-Diego-Padres/" type="external">San Diego Padres</a>, <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/San-Francisco-Giants/" type="external">San Francisco Giants</a> and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Seattle-Mariners/" type="external">Seattle Mariners</a>.</p>
<p>“Shohei is humbled and flattered by all the time and effort that so many teams put into their presentations and sincerely thanks them for their professionalism,” agent Nez Balelo said in a statement. “In the end, he felt a strong connection with the Angels and believes they can best help him reach his goals in Major League Baseball.”</p>
<p>Ohtani was put up for bid by the Pacific League’s Hippon Ham Fighters for the maximum $20 million posting fee. He had until Dec. 22 to agree to a major league deal.</p>
<p>The Angels had $2.315 million of international bonus pool money to spend toward Ohtani’s offer.</p>
<p>“We are honored Shohei Ohtani has decided to join the Angels Organization,” the team said in a statememt. “We felt a unique connectivity with him throughout the process and are excited he will become an Angel. This is a special time for Angels fans, the Ohtani family, and Nez Balelo and the team at Creative Artists Agency.”</p>
<p>Ohtani, who throws right-handed and bats left-handed, plans to be both a pitcher and an outfielder with the Angels. He went 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA in five seasons as a pitcher in Japan, and batted .286 with 48 homers and a .500 slugging percentage.</p>
<p>Balelo said Ohtani was deeply involved in the decision-making and broke down the pros and cons of each team’s pitch.</p>
<p>“He read every page of every presentation and listened to every word in each meeting, and he was so impressed that it was not an easy choice,” Balelo said. “While there has been much speculation about what would drive Shohei’s decision, what mattered to him most wasn’t market size, time zone or league but that he felt a true bond with the Angels.</p>
<p>“He sees this as the best environment to develop and reach the next level and attain his career goals.”</p> | Los Angeles Angels win Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes | false | https://newsline.com/los-angeles-angels-win-shohei-ohtani-sweepstakes/ | 2017-12-08 | 1 |
<p>The furor over the fate of the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” or DACA program offers further evidence, as if we needed it, that Washington has lost the knack for spotting opportunities for governing.</p>
<p>Politico&#160; <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/03/trump-dreamers-immigration-daca-immigrants-242301" type="external">reports</a>&#160;that President Trump intends very soon to announce that he’ll be ending DACA—the constitutionally dubious Obama-era executive action that gave work permits (and therefore pseudo-legal status and a path to permanence) to illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and have grown up here. Apparently, though, the president will announce a six-month delay in the implementation of this decision, to allow Congress some time to act.</p>
<p>This news is being interpreted by many champions of the immigrants in question (they are often called “dreamers,” even though, unlike almost all other immigrants, they did not come here in pursuit of any dream of their own but were brought by their parents) as further evidence of Trump’s malevolence and cold-heartedness. But this decision, and particularly the six-month delay, actually strikes me as evidence of the president’s half-heartedness about this subject, and maybe even a desire to avoid deporting people whose presence here illegally is plainly not their fault and who stand to contribute a lot to our country.</p>
<p>The question of DACA and the “dreamers” is generally being treated as a kind of heightened and exaggerated form of the broader immigration debate. But I think it’s actually an exception to the rule of that debate. In a functional politics, the situation Trump is responding to, and even the halting way he is responding to it, would be treated as an obvious opportunity for targeted progress by all sides, not another mess.</p>
<p>It’s an opportunity because this controversy presents an unusual facet of the enormously contentious public debate over immigration: There is some real softness on this particular question (the ultimate status of the “dreamers,” not the constitutionality of Obama’s power grab) among a fair number of immigration restrictionists, including President Trump himself. But at the same time this is a particularly sensitive and important question for many immigration permissivists, including leading Democrats and some leading Republicans. So the restrictionists are willing to compromise and the permissivists are willing to pay a price. That’s a huge opening for a deal—an opening to trade some legal status for the “dreamers” for some modest but meaningful concession from the permissivists to the restrictionists.</p>
<p>What kind of concession? It would need to offer a mirror image of the concession the restrictionists would be making, so it would need to be something the permissivists oppose in principle but could live with in practice but that at the same time most restrictionists consider very important as a substantive matter. The natural candidate is funding for the border wall President Trump wants. A deal like that would also resolve the looming budget impasse, which nearly everyone in Congress wants to avoid but which the president seems intent on marching into (and looks reasonably likely to fumble in his way).</p>
<p>The mechanism for such a deal could be straightforward. The House already has wall funding included in its appropriations language for the coming fiscal year. It could add to the same bill something like the&#160; <a href="https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr1468/BILLS-115hr1468ih.xml" type="external">Curbelo-Tillis language</a>&#160;(giving legal status to “dreamers” who meet certain conditions)&#160;and put it to a vote.</p>
<p>Because the two sides of the immigration debate value the wall question and the “dreamers” question very differently, a deal could actually have real appeal to both sides while it keeps the government open. For those drawn to the approach to immigration that Trump ran on last year (presumably including Trump himself), such a deal would neutralize the opposition’s strongest political weapon, would shift the balance of who’s taking hostages in the budget fight and who’s offering a compromise solution, and would also pressure Democrats to help Trump keep a key promise that could reduce illegal border crossings—all in return for a policy change that many restrictionists consider justifiable. For immigration permissivists, it would formalize DACA and secure it with bipartisan backing while (for the Democrats among them) forcing Republicans to effectively legitimize an Obama action they opposed, and all in return for funding a construction project they detest for basically aesthetic and symbolic reasons.</p>
<p>A similar case, without the budget impasse angle, could be made for trading some status for the “dreamers” for universal e-verify, for instance. I’d prefer that as a substantive matter although its political appeal (and its likely appeal to Trump) may not be as great. Other concessions are also easily imaginable.</p>
<p>In fact, the fight over the “dreamers” presents some pretty obvious opportunities for a deal. But can Washington still make deals these days? And can the author of&#160;The Art of the Deal?</p>
<p>Yuval Levin is the Hertog Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.</p> | A DACA Deal | false | https://eppc.org/publications/a-daca-deal/ | 1 |
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<p>About 90% of drug candidates that enter clinical trials never make it to market. That brutal fact makes the small-cap biotech sector a tough place for investors to put their money to work.</p>
<p>However, one way investors can increase their odds of success is to watch where big pharma companies are putting their own money. After all, if a deep-pocketed drugmaker with massive expertise likes a small biotech enough to throw tens of millions of dollars at it, that should indicate the company is worthy of a closer look.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That's why I think retail investors should get to know Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: HALO). This commercial-stage biotech has developed an innovative product that makes other drugs more effective. As a result, Halozyme has been able to attract capital from a who's who of pharmaceutical giants that includes Roche, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Eli Lilly, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.</p>
<p>So how does the technology work&#160;and what is the opportunity ahead for investors? To answer these questions I reached out to Jim Mazzalo, Halozyme's vice president of investor relations. Below are some highlights from our conversation (which have been lightly edited for clarity).</p>
<p>I first asked Jim to provide us an overview of the science that underpins Halozyme's technology. (Please note that ENHANZE is the name for the company's drug development platform, and that PEGPH20 is the company's lead clinical compound.)</p>
<p>In essence, Halozyme discovered that its enzyme can be used to alter certain&#160;microenvironments in the body. That allows other drugs to be absorbed more easily, which can increase their effectiveness.</p>
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<p>Halozyme created <a href="http://www.halozyme.com/technology-and-products/technology/enhanze-technology/default.aspx" type="external">a great video Opens a New Window.</a> that illustrates how the rHuPh20 enzyme works, but here's a nice visual that helps to show what PEGPH20 can do to the microenvironment around a cancerous tumor.</p>
<p>Next, I asked Jim to explain the clinical benefits of the company's technology.</p>
<p>Given these clinical benefits, Halozyme has decided to take a two-pronged approach to growing its business.</p>
<p>First, Halozyme reaches out to big pharma companies to convince them to co-develop drugs using the company's ENHANZE platform. Halozyme has had a lot of success with this strategy, and it now counts many big pharma companies as partners. These deals are wonderful for Halozyme because they often come with tens of millions in upfront payments (or, in some cases, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/14/why-halozyme-therapeutics-inc-is-soaring-today.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=40667690-9961-11e7-9bae-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">more than a hundred million Opens a New Window.</a>) plus the potential for the company to earn milestone payments and royalties down the road.</p>
<p>What's more, Halozyme now offers its partners (and potential partners) proof that the ENHANZE platform actually works: The company has already crossed the finish line with a handful of products that came out of its early partnered programs.</p>
<p>Next, I asked Jim for an&#160;overview of the drugs that have already made it to market using its technology:</p>
<p>What's so exciting about those seven licensing agreements is that they potentially cover 46 additional targets. This means that Halozyme has the potential to pull in a huge amount in milestone payments (and royalties) in the years ahead if the drugs work out.</p>
<p>So how big is this opportunity for Halozyme?</p>
<p>That's a big number, especially when compared to Halozyme's current market cap of $2.3 billion.</p>
<p>While the ENHANZE platform provides investors with reasons to be bullish, the company has a second pillar of growth: its PEGPH20 compound. Here's what Jim had to say about it:</p>
<p>The trial he's referring to, called HALO-301, is studying PEGPH20 in combination with Celgene's Abraxane and&#160;gemcitabine in treating pancreatic cancer. Halozyme has high hopes because&#160;data from a phase 2 study showed that adding PEGPH20 to an Abraxane and&#160;Gemzar&#160;regimine <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/01/05/why-halozyme-therapeutics-inc-is-rising-today.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=40667690-9961-11e7-9bae-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">nearly doubled Opens a New Window.</a> progression-free survival rates in patients who displayed high levels of hyaluronan.</p>
<p>What is the revenue potential of&#160;PEGPH20 if the trial is a success? While it's still a guessing game at this point, some analysts believe that peak sales of&#160;PEGPH20 could reach $1.5 billion in pancreatic cancer.</p>
<p>To add even more fuel&#160;to the fire, Halozyme has several phase 1 trials running that are studying PEGPH20's potential to improve treatments for lung cancer, breast cancer, and more. Needless to say, success in any of those indications could potentially move that peak sales number much higher.</p>
<p>While Halozyme's marketed products provide the company with several revenue streams, it is worth noting that the company is still losing money. That's not unexpected given Halozyme's status as a small-cap biotech and the large number of trials that it's running, but this is a certainly a risk investors need to consider.</p>
<p>Thankfully, the company recently offered some good news on this front. At the start of the year, management had estimated that its&#160;yearly cash burn would&#160;be around $80 million for the full year 2017. However, thanks to the company's recently announced&#160;partnership deals with Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb, that forecast was recently changed to a positive operating cash flow of&#160;$50 million to $60 million for the year.</p>
<p>Taking it all in, Halozyme expects to end 2017 with a cash balance between $380 million to $395 million. That should be enough capital to provide the company with several years of runway.</p>
<p>Between its ENHANZE platform and PEGPH20, I think investors have plenty of reasons to bullish about&#160;Halozyme's future. I'm also encouraged by the fact that it has already proven its technology by crossing the finish line with a handful of products. That puts this company on much firmer footing than the average small-cap biotech.</p>
<p>While Halozyme is far from completely safe, I think that there is enough upside potential here to compensate investors for the risk. That's why the stock is a buy in my book.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Halozyme TherapeuticsWhen 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>
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<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTypeoh/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=40667690-9961-11e7-9bae-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Brian Feroldi Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Celgene. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Celgene and Johnson &amp; Johnson. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=40667690-9961-11e7-9bae-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 1 Great Biotech Stock You Have Never Heard Of | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/09/29/1-great-biotech-stock-have-never-heard.html | 2017-09-29 | 0 |
<p>CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — Long after saturation media coverage is over, disaster survivors carry on, with or without outside help, often with the kind of inspiring courage and resilience that we see in the Boston Marathon bombing survivors.</p>
<p>We also see this courage and resilience in survivors elsewhere, like in my country, Pakistan, where such violence is all too frequent. In Pakistan, however, there is no long-term institutional support, no organized follow-up for bomb blast survivors.</p>
<p>In contrast, it is inspiring to see young people doggedly supporting survivors that were on a bus targeted last Jan. 21.</p>
<p>The bus was full of families returning to Quetta, Balochistan from a pilgrimage in Iran, when it was hit at Mastung, a border town in western Pakistan. The attack immediately killed 22 of the bus’ 51 passengers. Others died later.</p>
<p>Those who survived, like the Boston Marathon survivors, live with bereavement and permanent injuries, including loss of limbs.</p>
<p>Nasrin Bibi lost her only daughter, 20-year-old Sadaf. Kauser Ali’s wife and 19-year-old daughter, Kaniz, died. The chubby-cheeked 11-year-old Ibhtihaj and his brother Meraj, 18, lost their mother, grandmother and two sisters: Farwa, 19 and Ridha, 10. Former bodybuilder Sadaat Hussain, 37, who was also Mr. Pakistan 2003, is paralyzed from the waist down. Zakir Hussain, 23, is a double amputee.</p>
<p>In Cambridge, where I moved from Karachi three years ago, I’ve been in touch with some of them.</p>
<p>Sadaat Hussain, former Mr. Pakistan, now paralyzed from the waist down. (Beena Sarwar/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>The link between such attacks in Pakistan and America is the perpetrators’ adherence to the extremist Wahabi brand of Islam originating from Saudi Arabia, which began in the 1980s when the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia turned the Afghans’ nationalist war against Soviet occupation into a “jihad” or Islamic holy war.</p>
<p>The “mujahideen” that were indoctrinated, armed and trained to fight the “Godless Communists” later morphed into the Taliban and various splinter groups. Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda found a convergence with them after the first Gulf War.</p>
<p>The connection to the attack in Mastung is that the bus passengers were Hazaras, a distinct ethnic group originating in central Afghanistan that follows Shia (Shi’ite) Islam.</p>
<p>The militants see Shias as heretics and, since the 1990s, have killed some 4,000 in Pakistan, including 1,400 Hazaras. In fact, one of the Taliban’s first targets in Afghanistan was the Hazaras.</p>
<p>Some of the survivors of the Mastung bus attack were taken first to a hospital in Quetta, and then later moved to the best private hospital in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial hub and largest city. Like Boston, residents of this multi-ethnic megalopolis came in droves to show support, with blood donations, gifts, hand-made cards and more.</p>
<p>The informal group of youngsters I’ve been in touch with emerged from among these volunteers.</p>
<p>Mastung blast survivors Mehrin, Ibtihaj and Meraj, with volunteers at the hospital in Karachi, February 24, 2014. (Beena Sarwar/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Arriving at the hospital one day, they learnt that the survivors were being discharged. The volunteers – two of them just 19-years-old – spontaneously accompanied them in the ambulances taking them to different parts of the city where they would stay until their return to Quetta.</p>
<p>“We couldn’t just leave them on their own in a strange city,” Anas Mallick, a 19-year-old college student told me.</p>
<p>Besides Anas, the group comprises six other young men and women – another 19-year-old college student, Zain Ali, and students and professionals Zoya Naqvi, and Shagufta Abbas, Fahad Umar, Shumail Zaidi and Sheema Ghani, mostly in their early twenties.</p>
<p>When Zakir’s right leg was amputated, Anas and Fahad stayed overnight in the hospital, arranging for blood and other needs. Doctors had hoped to save his left leg but it had to amputate it some days later.</p>
<p>Zakir, a soft-spoken general store owner, had travelled alone for the pilgrimage, leaving his pregnant wife in Quetta. “I wish those who carry out these bombings would understand that they're humans and so are we," Zakir told me on Skype, demonstrating a cheerful smile and stoic courage a day after his amputation.</p>
<p>Like the other survivors, he didn’t have a wheelchair after being discharged from the hospital. The young volunteers raised the money and bought five wheelchairs the next day.</p>
<p>They regularly visited the survivors, accompanied them to medical follow-ups, bought groceries, and took them out to eat, shop and sightsee. They raised money to fly the survivors back for medical follow-ups in Karachi and are now looking at long-term needs, like eye-surgery to restore the long-distance vision of Kauser Ali, a poet. His face is pockmarked with the scars from shrapnel, which has been surgically removed, some fragments embedded so deep that they initially went undetected.</p>
<p>Doctors at CMH Quetta were unable to locate these glass pieces that AKUH doctors extracted from Kauser Ali’s face on January 28, 2014. (Beena Sarwar/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>They want to buy a rickshaw for Sadaat Hussain, the body builder, to enable him to earn a living. He is the sole breadwinner for his family, but he is not able to work his two jobs, as a gardener by day and guard at night.</p>
<p>While he was still in the hospital, his family, strapped for money, sold his motorcycle, since he can no longer ride it.</p>
<p>It was Anas who got me to Skype with the survivors, trying to show them they are not alone, not forgotten.</p>
<p>Talking to Ibtihaj later when he was back in Quetta, I couldn’t bring myself to discuss his losses. Instead, I showed him our cat and recited a nursery rhyme my daughter used to like. It made him laugh.</p>
<p>This plucky little boy has become the public face of the survivors, whose stories activists are keeping alive through social media. Photos of Ibtihaj in the hospital, his head bandaged, flashing a grin and a victory sign went viral. So did pictures of Ibtihaj and Ridha making cheeky faces, smiling, pulling each other’s cheeks, sticking out their tongues.</p>
<p>Ridha and Ibtihaj in happier times. (Beena Sarwar/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>An “Ibtihaj fans” Facebook page is regularly updated with his and the other survivors’ progress.</p>
<p>Anas got the two surviving college students on twitter – Ibtihaj’s brother <a href="http://twitter.com/meraj_hazara" type="external">Meraj</a>, and Kauser Ali’s surviving daughter <a href="http://twitter.com/MehrinKauser" type="external">Mehrin</a>. Mehrin, a 20-year-old zoology student, told me she wants to be a doctor.</p>
<p>“Sometimes when I’m alone, I think why did they do this to us?”</p>
<p>Despite their difficulties, like the Boston Marathon survivors, the Mastung bus blast survivors refuse to be crushed. Here’s to their spirit, to those who are helping them retain it, and to all those who fight hatred with love.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/beenasarwar" type="external">Beena Sarwar</a> is a journalist, artist and filmmaker from Pakistan focusing on human rights, gender, media and peace. She is currently the Pakistan editor of the Aman ki Asha (Hope for Peace) initiative that aims to develop peace between the countries of India and Pakistan.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p />
<p>This piece is part of a new GlobalPost Special Reports/Commentary initiative supported by the Ford Foundation called "VOICES." The mission of VOICES is to present the ideas and opinions of those who are less frequently heard in the media, including women, people of color, sexual minorities, citizens of the developing world and young people. These voices will consistently discuss topics important to GlobalPost Special Reports including human rights, religious issues, global health, economic inequality and democracies in transition.</p> | Boston and Mastung, Pakistan: Two cities where love is stronger than terror | false | https://pri.org/stories/2014-04-15/boston-and-mastung-pakistan-two-cities-where-love-stronger-terror | 2014-04-15 | 3 |
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<p>Between hedge fund moguls Steven A. Cohen and Raj Rajaratnam, and banking giants Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Citigroup (NYSE:C) and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), the Securities and Exchange Commission could raise enough money in fines to fund itself for a full year.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The question is ... why doesn’t it?</p>
<p>In March, CR Intrinsic Investors, an affiliate of Cohen’s massive SAC Capital Advisors hedge fund, agreed to pay more than $600 million to settle insider trading charges filed against it by the SEC. The deal requires CR Intrinsic to pay $275 million in disgorgement to be returned to investors hurt by the schemes alleged, another $275 million in penalties that will go straight to the U.S. Treasury, and another $52 million in interest. <a href="" type="internal">The deal is awaiting final approval by a judge who has questioned its propriety.&#160;</a></p>
<p>Either way, whether the deal is approved or not, the SEC, which is charged with regulating the vast U.S. securities markets, will get nothing. Not a dime.</p>
<p>“Securing large fines makes for great headlines but failing to give the money back to those who have been negatively impacted is simply backwards.”</p>
<p>Other eye-opening SEC settlements in recent years include: a 2009 deal worth $92.8 million that settled insider-trading charges against now-jailed Galleon Group founder Rajaratnam; a $550 million deal reached by Goldman related to allegations the bank defrauded investors, and a JPMorgan settlement worth $154 million tied to similar charges, both reached in 2010; and a Citigroup deal in 2011 in which the bank agreed to pay $285 million, also related to fraud allegations.</p>
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<p>All told those five settlements come to $1.683 billion, slightly more than the $1.674 billion the SEC recently requested for its 2014 budget.</p>
<p>And Nasdaq OMX Group (NYSE: NDAQ), parent company of the Nasdaq stock market, may be next in line for a hefty fine. The electronic stock market is reportedly eyeing a $10 million &#160;settlement with the SEC in connection with Nasdaq's botched handling of the Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) initial public offering a year ago, according to a Wall Street Journal report.</p>
<p>Those settlements are merely the most high-profile of scores of deals reached each year by the SEC. Consider that since 2009, according to the SEC, the agency has collected $2.68 billion in “total penalties, disgorgement and other monetary relief” from firms whose alleged wrong-doings contributed in one way or another to the financial crisis.</p>
<p>Again, none of that money stayed at the SEC.</p>
<p>Each year the SEC tends to collect more money for the federal government than it gets back in funding. 2011 was a particularly busy 12 months for the agency: regulators filed 735 enforcement actions – a record year – while obtaining more than $2.8 billion in penalties and disgorgement. All with a 2011 budget of just under $1.2 billion.</p>
<p>Self-Funding Vs. Congressional Appropriations</p>
<p>In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008-2009 and the Dodd-Frank banking reform bill that arose from that crisis, the SEC has seen its responsibilities greatly enhanced. Not least, Congress wants the agency (along with its futures counterpart, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission) to keep a closer eye on the massive derivatives markets where much of the trouble started back in 2008.</p>
<p>To cover the costs of their new broadened responsibilities many market participants have sought to have funding for the SEC shifted away from an annual Congressional appropriation to something called self-funding, which means the agency would pay for itself using the myriad administrative and transaction fees paid to the SEC each year by members of the securities industry.</p>
<p>Indeed, the SEC could potentially fund itself each year using just those fees and without ever using the fines and penalties it assesses to various miscreants.</p>
<p>Among the influential groups in favor of self-funding for the SEC is the Systemic Risk Council, whose members include former SEC Chairman William Donaldson and former CFTC Chair Brooksley Born. In a recent open letter, the two argued that the difference between self-funding and the Congressional appropriations process is “enormous.”</p>
<p>“Self-funding helps agencies hire and retain good staff and insulates them from political pressure exerted by the deep-pocketed institutions they regulate. It also allows them to make and implement strategic decisions to adapt to changing markets and build needed information technology to become more effective and efficient, all which require multiyear budget certainty. The SEC and CFTC have none of these advantages,” the two former regulators wrote.</p>
<p>Also on board for self-funding is the American Bar Association: “In light of the dramatically expanded responsibilities and mandates that the Dodd-Frank Act has imposed on the SEC and CFTC … we consider it urgent and crucially important for Congress to further re-examine its approach to funding these agencies in order to provide them with stable and more predictable sources of revenue. Therefore the ABA strongly favors authorizing self-funding of these agencies to achieve these objectives,” the group wrote in a 2012 letter to Congressional lawmakers.</p>
<p>The ABA noted that other primary U.S. regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, cover their own budgets through self-funding.</p>
<p>SEC Fines Should Be Returned to Harmed Investors</p>
<p>The ABA collected some stats of its own: from 2005 to 2009, the SEC took in about $7.4 billion is transaction and registration fees that went directly to the U.S. Treasury. Meanwhile, Congress appropriated just $4.5 billion for the SEC’s budgets during that period.</p>
<p>“Notably, these amounts are wholly apart from the enormous sums of money that (the SEC) collects in its enforcement cases – which we do not believe should be included in any self-funding mechanism,” the ABA wrote.</p>
<p>The argument against the SEC using penalties and fines to cover its budget is that it would create an obvious and potentially frightening conflict of interest: in theory in order to increase its budget, SEC regulators could aggressively ramp up their caseloads for no other reason than to stuff their coffers.</p>
<p>That hypothetical doesn’t bother Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago attorney who often represents investors in securities cases involving allegations of fraud.</p>
<p>“I’m a fan of self-funding,” Stoltmann said. “I think it really provides a great incentive for a government agency to be aggressive in pursuing wrongdoers. And this is exactly the sort of shot in the arm the SEC needs.”</p>
<p>That said, Stoltmann believes fines and penalties, whenever possible, should be repaid to investors hurt by the schemes investigated by the SEC.</p>
<p>“The sole purpose of this money needs to be compensation of the victims,” he said. &#160;“Securing large fines makes for great headlines but failing to give the money back to those who have been negatively impacted is simply backwards.”</p> | SEC: Self-Funding Vs. Congressional Appropriations | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2013/05/16/sec-self-funding-vs-congressional-appropriations.html | 2016-03-02 | 0 |
<p>By Saud Mahsud</p>
<p>DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – A suspected U.S. drone strike on Thursday targeted a hideout of the Haqqani militant network along Pakistan’s mountainous border with Afghanistan, killing four people, officials said.</p>
<p>If confirmed, it would be the fourth such U.S. strike inside Pakistan since President Donald Trump took office in January.</p>
<p>Two Pakistani intelligence officials and a local government officer said an unmanned aerial vehicle dropped two missiles on a compound housing militants under the command of a senior network commander, Abdur Rasheed Haqqani.</p>
<p>Villagers initially reported a blast in the Upper Kurram area to authorities, said one of the officials, adding, “We got it from our informant later that it was a U.S. drone strike that targeted Haqqanis.”</p>
<p>It was not clear if the commander was among those killed, added the officials, who sought anonymity as the issue is a sensitive one.</p>
<p>Trump’s new strategy for the Afghanistan war calls for a tougher stance with Pakistan against militants such as the Haqqani network who have bases inside Pakistan.</p>
<p>Since the Afghan policy review, the U.S. has been pushing Islamabad for decisive action against the Haqqani network militants, who are notorious for using Pakistani soil to launch attacks against American-led NATO troops in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>Islamabad denies the allegations, and, instead, blames Kabul for not taking out militants who use Afghan territory as a base for attacks on targets in Pakistan.</p>
<p>Pakistan has been facing a deadly Islamist militancy for more than a decade. Gunmen attacked a minority Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Islamabad, the capital, on Wednesday, killing two people.</p>
<p>Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, a Sunni sectarian group linked with militant group Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the mosque attack.</p>
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<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> | Suspected U.S. drone targets Haqqani militants in Pakistan, killing four | false | https://newsline.com/suspected-u-s-drone-targets-haqqani-militants-in-pakistan-killing-four/ | 2017-11-30 | 1 |
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<p>FILE – In this Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, file photo, container ships wait to be off-loaded at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif. The contract that keeps workers on the job at 29 West Coast ports expires on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Both sides have said not to expect a deal, and that they will continue to bargain. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES — The contract that keeps thousands of dockworkers on the job at ports from San Diego to Seattle expired Tuesday afternoon, but both sides pledged to continue negotiations without a disruption in the billions of dollars of trade that crosses the West Coast waterfront.</p>
<p>The union which represents dockworkers and the association which represents shipping lines and terminal operators at 29 ports issued a joint statement saying that while the current six-year contract will not be extended, both sides will keep talking — and working.</p>
<p>“Cargo will keep moving, and normal operations will continue at the ports until an agreement can be reached between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union,” the two groups said.</p>
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<p>The expiration without a deal was not a surprise. Indeed, no resolution is expected for weeks, with tough issues including whether workers should shoulder more of the hefty cost of health care yet to be resolved.</p>
<p>As talks drag out, jitters will grow among the companies that last year imported or exported nearly $900 billion worth of cargo through West Coast ports.</p>
<p>The union and maritime association acknowledged that labor peace is essential to keeping those ports competitive, especially with larger vessels able to sail from Asia directly to large East Coast markets once an expansion of the Panama Canal is completed.</p>
<p>“Both sides understand the strategic importance of the ports to the local, regional and U.S. economies, and are mindful of the need to finalize a new coast-wide contract as soon as possible to ensure continuing confidence in the West Coast ports and avoid any disruption to the jobs and commerce they support,” the joint statement said.</p>
<p>In 2002 as negotiations reached an impasse, employers locked dockworkers out for 10 days, costing the U.S. economy an estimated $1 billion each day. The economic damage from a work stoppage now would be about $2 billion per day, according to a recent analysis by groups representing retailers and manufacturers.</p>
<p>“If operations are shuttered for an extended period, the detrimental economic impact would be significant and widespread,” wrote the authors of the report, which was issued last week and commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation.</p>
<p>Aside from health care, other issues on the bargaining table include what jobs will remain under union control, the introduction of technology that could eliminate the need for some jobs, and workplace safety.</p>
<p>Both sides are abiding by a media blackout and not publicly discussing any progress at the bargaining table. Negotiations began in mid-May in San Francisco, where both the union and maritime association are based.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Contact Justin Pritchard at https://twitter.com/lalanewsman</p> | Dockworkers’ contract expires, but trade continues | false | https://abqjournal.com/424069/dockworkers-contract-expires-but-trade-continues.html | 2 |
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<p>Hamas claims they have scored a major victory in their war against Israel by capturing their top spy. Who happened to be a dolphin.</p>
<p>No, we are not making this up.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-claims-to-nab-israeli-spy-dolphin/" type="external">The Times of Israel</a> reports Hamas has made the claim of capturing the sea mammal, but Israel has not commented on the incident or confirmed that they actually have dolphin spies. The Times provides more details on what must have been a harrowing sea battle:</p>
<p>The dolphin was said to have been equipped with "spying equipment" including cameras.</p>
<p>It was captured off the Gaza coast by the naval unit of the Hamas military brigades, the radio report said.</p>
<p>The capture was made several weeks ago.</p>
<p>The Israeli Navy maintains a fleet of Dolphin class submarines. But the Army Radio report made clear that Hamas was talking about a mammal, not a boat.</p>
<p>Actually, this incident may finally cause many American liberals to now support Israel. Imagine the uproar if Hamas tortures and beheads the dolphin. They will finally have a cute animal to sympathize over, because God knows, dropping missiles on Israeli neighborhoods and setting off bombs on Israeli buses doesn't upset them one bit.</p>
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<p /> | Say it ain't so, Flipper! Hamas captures Israel's dolphin spy | true | http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/say-it-aint-so-flipper-hamas-captures-israels-dolphin-spy/ | 0 |
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<p>The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting in Richmond, Virginia, stayed true to its tradition of being to the right of the Supreme Court in the decision handed down on September 13, 2004, in the case of the United States vs. Zacarias Moussaoui.</p>
<p>The prosecution of Moussaoui in the Alexandria, Virginia federal court has been a tortured one–not in the sense of physically abusing the defendant, but in the prosecutor’s abuse of the law and legal process.</p>
<p>When we last wrote about this case several months ago, trial Judge Leonie Brinkema had finally caved in to the government’s insistence that national security precluded them from producing “enemy combatant witnesses for Moussaoui’s lawyers to question”, either in pretrial depositions or at the trial of the case. The government claims that to do so would risk the witnesses, intelligence value and even put the nation at risk of another terrorist attack.</p>
<p>So, Brinkema ordered that the government could not seek the death penalty against Moussaoui because she had determined from the government’s own reports of what the witnesses would say, that they might testify in a way that would negate a finding that Moussaoui was involved in the September 11 terrorist attacks.</p>
<p>If you listened to news reports about this ruling, you probably only heard that the appellate court ruled that Moussaoui could send written questions to the witnesses. He could use their answers to his questions at his trial if he chose. Of course, the government could produce its own version of witness statements. (Any guess as to which party would have the best testimony?) It was not widely reported that the court overruled Brinkema,s order about the death penalty.</p>
<p>Every American who thinks the judiciary is a co-equal branch of government that will protect its citizens from overreaching and illegal executive power ought to read the appellate opinion. The court buys the “war on terror” excuse, and backs off from interfering with the executive conduct of war. We should not, indeed we must not, it says, argue when the government tells us that it is withholding evidence in order to protect us.</p>
<p>To his credit, Judge Gregory dissented to the part of the majority opinion that put the death penalty back in play. Accepting the prosecutors’ arguments about protecting national security, he still thought it a little unfair that a man could be put to death when his sixth amendment right to confront and cross-examine witnesses was so obviously violated.</p>
<p>Ah, but we live in different times. The Fourth Circuit agreed with the government’s insistence on throwing out the rule book–the Constitution and the Rules of Criminal Procedure. The government does not have to produce its game plan in the form of normal discovery. Its team of prosecutors can audible all the way to the end zone of the death house. The court stopped short of throwing in the towel and discarding all of its yellow flags. Perhaps it will throw down one or two for you someday, the way it has for Moussaoui. But the penalties for the government violation of the rules are meager–like a five-yard penalty for an unsportsmanlike conduct play that ought to get the government players ejected from the game.</p>
<p>The opinion admits that it the court is going out of its way to make the close calls all in favor of the government. With officials like these on the field, Moussaoui’s legal team must surely be casting an eye to officials in the booth.</p>
<p>Instant replay before a full panel of justices, perhaps? Maybe, but a petition for a rehearing en banc is likely to turn out like it did for Yaser Hamdi. The full panel went even further than the three-judge court in marching to the war drums of President Bush.</p>
<p>Ultimately, Moussaoui may appeal to the ultimate arbiter–the Supreme Court, the NFL of the judiciary branch. Perhaps it will have a more measured response to the game as it is being played in Alexandria. Maybe it will have some thought for the future of the game if the rules are allowed to be ad hoc and arbitrary.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court told this very appellate court that it went too far in the case of Yaser Hamdi, allowing as how he ought to have a lawyer and be able at the minimum to have his day in court. And now, Hamdi is going to be released, in exchange for his giving up U.S. citizenship and returning to Saudi Arabia. Prosecutors count on Americans, short memory span to not recall their dire predictions, even to the Supreme Court earlier this year, that Hamdi was a grave threat to national security.</p>
<p>Maybe the Supreme Court will step in for Zacarias Moussaoui–and all of us–and hold the government to the decency and fair play demanded by the Constitution. It bears repeating that what the prosecutors do to Moussaoui, with the court’s blessing, they will do to the rest of us.</p>
<p>It will only be a matter of time.</p>
<p>ELAINE CASSEL practices law in Virginia and the District of Columbia, teaches law and psychology, and follows the Bush regime’s dismantling of the Constitution at <a href="" type="internal">Civil Liberties Watch</a>. Her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1556525559/counterpunchmaga" type="external">The War on Civil Liberties: How Bush and Ashcroft Have Dismantled the Bill of Rights</a>, will be published by Lawrence Hill this summer. She can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | Ask Your Questions; Prepare to Die | true | https://counterpunch.org/2004/09/21/ask-your-questions-prepare-to-die/ | 2004-09-21 | 4 |
<p>Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday that he is “disappointed” with the nuclear deal made Saturday between Western nations and Iran, and he voiced his intention to enact further sanctions.</p>
<p>“I am disappointed by the terms of the agreement between Iran and the P5+1 nations because it does not seem proportional,” Schumer said in a written statement. He added that the agreement does not sufficiently reduce the country’s nuclear capabilities, a view that makes a push for more sanctions by the Senate likely in December.</p>
<p>Talking Points Memo <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/schumer-senate-likely-to-push-additional-iran-sanctions-in-december" type="external">reports</a>:</p>
<p>“Iran simply freezes its nuclear capabilities while we reduce the sanctions,” he said. “This disproportionality of this agreement makes it more likely that Democrats and Republicans will join together and pass additional sanctions when we return in December. I intend to discuss that possibility with my colleagues.”</p>
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<p>Schumer said that reducing sanctions in Iran will not provide enough incentive for Iran to halt its nuclear weapons program.</p>
<p>“It was strong sanctions, not the goodness of the hearts of the Iranian leaders, that brought Iran to the table, and any reduction relieves the psychological pressure of future sanctions and gives them hope that they will be able to gain nuclear weapon capability while further sanctions are reduced,” he said. “A fairer agreement would have coupled a reduction in sanctions with a proportionate reduction in Iranian nuclear capability.”</p>
<p>Schumer is a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobby that favors the policies of the current Israeli leadership, including and especially its belligerent attitude toward Iran. The organization has “ <a href="http://www.aipac.org/learn/resources/aipac-publications/publication?pubpath=PolicyPolitics/Press/AIPAC%20Statements/2013/05/AIPAC%20Applauds%20New%20Iran%20Sanctions" type="external">applauded</a>” the sanctions that make life hell for many Iranians and that may be lifted as a result of the new deal.</p>
<p>— Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Alexander Reed Kelly</a>.</p> | N.Y. Congressman: Iran Deal Makes Additional Sanctions 'More Likely' | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/n-y-congressman-iran-deal-makes-additional-sanctions-more-likely/ | 2013-11-25 | 4 |
<p>Google CEO Sundar Pichai decided to cancel a planned town hall meeting about gender and diversity because some of the company’s employees were concerned for their safety.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/8/10/16128380/google-cancels-all-hands-meeting-controversy-memo" type="external">Recode reported</a> Pichai sent out an email Thursday that postponed the meeting to a later date with a different format. It was set up after a Google employee wrote a memo that suggested women could not be as successful as men in the tech industry because of biological reasons. That employee was later <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Google-fires-author-memo/2017/08/07/id/806368/" type="external">fired for violating the company’s code</a> of conduct.</p>
<p>Pichai wrote Thursday the company will explore alternate formats for hearing its employees’ concerns regarding gender and diversity.</p>
<p>“We had hoped to have a frank, open discussion [Thursday], as we always do, to bring us together and move forward,” Pichai wrote. “But our Dory questions appeared externally this afternoon, and on some websites, Googlers are now being named personally. Googlers are writing in, concerned about their safety and worried they may be ‘outed’ publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall.</p>
<p>“In recognition of Googlers’ concerns, we need to step back and create a better set of conditions for us to have the discussion. So, in the coming days, we will find several forums to gather and engage with Googlers, where people can feel comfortable to speak freely. We’ll share details soon.”</p>
<p>The employee who was fired <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/aug/08/google-employee-fired-diversity-row-considers-legal-action-james-damore" type="external">has threatened legal action</a> against the company for dismissing him after he expressed his views.</p> | Google Cancels Gender, Diversity Meeting Over Safety Concerns | false | https://newsline.com/google-cancels-gender-diversity-meeting-over-safety-concerns/ | 2017-08-10 | 1 |
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<p>The May payroll jobs report released June 2 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms the jobs pattern for the 21st century US economy: employment growth is limited to domestic services.</p>
<p>In May the economy created only 67,000 private sector jobs. Job estimates for the previous two months were reduced by 37,000.</p>
<p>The new jobs are as follows: professional and business services, 27,000; education and health services, 41,000; waitresses and bartenders, 10,000. Manufacturing lost 14,000 jobs.</p>
<p>Total hours worked in the private sector declined in May. Manufacturing hours worked are 6.6 percent less than when the recovery began four and one-half years ago.</p>
<p>American economists and policymakers are in denial about the effect of jobs offshoring on US employment. Corporate lobbyists have purchased fraudulent studies from economists that claim offshoring results in more US employment rather than less. The same lobbyists have spread disinformation that the US does not graduate enough engineers and that they must import foreigners on work visas. Lobbyists are currently pushing, as part of the immigration bill, an expansion in annual H-1B work visas from 65,000 to 115,000.</p>
<p>The alleged “shortage” of US engineering graduates is inconsistent with reports from Duke University that 30 to 40 percent of students in its master’s of engineering management program accept jobs outside the profession. About one-third of engineering graduates from MIT go into careers outside their field. Job outsourcing and work visas for foreign engineers are reducing career opportunities for American engineering graduates and, also, reducing salary scales.</p>
<p>When employers allege a shortage of engineers, they mean that there is a shortage of American graduates who will work for the low salaries that foreigners will accept. Americans are simply being forced out of the engineering professions by jobs outsourcing and the importation of foreigners on work visas. Corporate lobbyists and their hired economists are destroying the American engineering professions.</p>
<p>American engineering is also under pressure because corporations have moved manufacturing offshore. Design, research and development are now following manufacturing offshore. A country that doesn’t make things doesn’t need engineers and designers. Corporations that have moved manufacturing offshore fund R&amp;D in the countries where their plants have been relocated.</p>
<p>Engineering curriculums are demanding. The rewards to the effort are being squeezed out by jobs offshoring and work visas. If the current policy continues of substituting foreign engineers for American engineers, the profession will die in the US.</p>
<p>PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. He was Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review. He is coauthor of <a href="" type="internal">The Tyranny of Good Intentions.</a>He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | The Death of US Engineering | true | https://counterpunch.org/2006/06/06/the-death-of-us-engineering/ | 2006-06-06 | 4 |
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<p>The city has shelled out more than $120,000 as part of a civil settlement to men arrested in 2010 for feeding homeless people Downtown.</p>
<p>Alfonso Hernandez and two others were feeding homeless people on the Fourth Street Mall in September 2010 when officers approached them demanding to see a permit.</p>
<p>When they refused, they were arrested and booked on counts including inciting a riot, refusing to obey an officer, resisting arrest and failure to have a required permit.</p>
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<p>After a year of legal battles, the charges were dismissed, but not before each of the men filed civil rights lawsuits. Hernandez’s lawsuit claims First and Fourth Amendment violations</p>
<p>Hernandez received a $45,000 settlement from the suit, which was settled last week, and his two partners each received $40,000. Hernandez says the city got off easy.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, he said the settlement should let others know that they should not worry about feeding the needy.</p>
<p>“This should send a message out that they can exercise their faith freely,” Hernandez said Saturday. “They don’t have to worry about the city hassling them.”</p>
<p>In a statement from Mayor Richard Berry’s office, a spokeswoman said he appreciates Hernandez and other faith-based groups’ compulsion to help the homeless. However, the spokeswoman said, the city also has a responsibility to look out for small businesses who might feel gathered homeless people hurt their business.</p>
<p>“There are small business owners who have concerns that the feeding activities by local groups disrupt their ability run their businesses,” spokeswoman Dayna Gardner said in the statement. “The Mayor will continue working to strike a balance between the needs of those who serve the homeless and the small business community.”</p>
<p>Hernandez pointed out that his group handed out food on Sundays when no Fourth Street Mall businesses are open.</p>
<p>The group will continue feeding homeless people on Sundays, he said.</p>
<p>Hernandez said he’ll use the money as a tithe to his church, for gifts and for taxes, and he’ll distribute the rest “as widely as possible.”</p>
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<p /> | Homeless food case costs Albuquerque $120,000 | false | https://abqjournal.com/245721/homeless-food-case-costs-city-120000.html | 2013-08-12 | 2 |
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<p>Actor and songwriter Paul Williams, who is the president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or ASCAP, confirmed for The Associated Press that his brother Mentor Williams died Wednesday morning after battling lung cancer.</p>
<p>Paul Williams, who is 76, said he was with his brother when he died at home in northern New Mexico.</p>
<p>“It seemed the closer we got to his death the more absolute joy he claimed to feel,” the elder Williams said. “He was an amazingly kind, big-hearted cowboy.”</p>
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<p>Mentor Williams’ “Drift Away” was sung by pop artist Dobie Gray in 1973 and reached No. 5 on the Billboard charts that year.</p>
<p>Gray, who died in 2011, had prior hits, including the 1964 pop song “In-Crowd,” but had been in desperate need of another break in the early 1970s after reaching a lull in his career.</p>
<p>He teamed up with Williams. The songwriter had produced “Drift Away” for another artist but it didn’t pan out.</p>
<p>“He took a singer who the music industry had kind of considered yesterday’s news and he cut a classic album with him,” Paul Williams said.</p>
<p>With Gray’s soulful delivery and the signature line in the chorus (“Give me the beat, boys, free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock ‘n’ roll, and drift away”), the song quickly became a hit. It not only became a radio mainstay for decades but a remake by Uncle Kracker in 2003 re-introduced the song to a new generation.</p>
<p>A year after Gray’s version came out, Williams produced the album “Feelings,” which included the songs “Sunday Driver” and “L.A. Cowboy.”</p>
<p>Williams also worked on movie soundtracks. For the 1979 “Muppet Movie,” he mixed and engineered the tune “Rainbow Connection,” which was written by his older brother. In the movie, Kermit the Frog sings the sentimental song by a swamp.</p>
<p>“I asked him to come in and to mix the album for me,” Paul Williams said. “All of a sudden, it was this crisp wonderful recording with Kermit singing about rainbows.”</p>
<p>Williams, who went to high school in Albuquerque, made his home in Taos, a picturesque mountain and ski town. He had been drawn to the area for its natural beauty, culture and cuisine, his brother said.</p>
<p>Memorial services for Williams in Taos and Nashville will be planned at a later date, his brother said.</p> | Mentor Williams, ‘Drift Away’ songwriter from Taos, dead at 70 | false | https://abqjournal.com/892487/mentor-williams-drift-away-songwriter-dead-at-70.html | 2016-11-18 | 2 |
<p>AutoZone Inc, the largest U.S. auto parts retailer, reported a better-than-expected 7 percent rise in quarterly profit as demand for repairs improves.</p>
<p>A warmer-than-usual winter in 2012 resulted in less wear and tear on vehicles, leading to fewer repairs.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>AutoZone's performance has been weaker than some of its rivals due to its larger exposure to the do-it-yourself market, which has not recovered as fast as commercial repair. The company does not get any revenue from auto repair services.</p>
<p>Sales at stores open for at least a year rose 0.9 percent. Memphis, Tennessee-based AutoZone had more than 4,800 stores in the United States as at Aug. 31.</p>
<p>Rival O'Reilly Automotive Inc reported a 4.6 percent rise in third-quarter same-store sales in October.</p>
<p>AutoZone's net income rose to $218.1 million, or $6.29 per share, in the first quarter ended Nov. 23, from $203.5 million, or $5.41 per share, a year earlier.</p>
<p>Revenue rose 5 percent to $2.09 billion.</p>
<p>Analysts on average expected first-quarter earnings of $6.28 per share on revenue of $2.10 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.</p>
<p>AutoZone's shares closed at $457.34 on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. They have risen almost a third in the past 12 months, outperforming the S&amp;P 500 index.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | AutoZone Profit Beats Estimates Due To Higher Repairs | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/12/10/autozone-profit-beats-estimates-due-to-higher-repairs.html | 2016-01-26 | 0 |
<p>An ambitious districtwide effort to overhaul high schools is in limbo.</p>
<p>After a three-year rollout that spanned 43 schools—just shy of the target of 50—there are no schools in the pipeline for next year. Previously, schools were selected each spring to adopt the beefed up curricula that underpin High School Transformation.</p>
<p>Funding for the project, some $80 million ($20 million from the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation), has nearly run out, leaving a cash-strapped CPS to foot the bill. Weeks ago, funding for a long-planned evaluation of the project was pulled. Gates spokesman Chris Williams declined to comment on whether the foundation will fund the project in the future.</p>
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<p>An ambitious districtwide effort to overhaul high schools is in limbo.</p>
<p>After a three-year rollout that spanned 43 schools—just shy of the target of 50—there are no schools in the pipeline for next year. Previously, schools were selected each spring to adopt the beefed up curricula that underpin High School Transformation.</p>
<p>Funding for the project, some $80 million ($20 million from the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation), has nearly run out, leaving a cash-strapped CPS to foot the bill. Weeks ago, funding for a long-planned evaluation of the project was pulled. Gates spokesman Chris Williams declined to comment on whether the foundation will fund the project in the future.&#160;</p>
<p>Even district officials have shown signs they don’t believe the process is working fast enough. Two of the original transformation high schools have been tagged for turnaround, a schoolwide reform that involves making all teachers reapply for their jobs, and sometimes, replacing the principal. Last year, Mose Vines was handed over to Academy for Urban School Leadership to manage; this year, Fenger is being turned around by CPS officials.</p>
<p>Yet central administrators insist that High School Transformation is not dead.</p>
<p>Every high school is part of the transformation process, says Karen Boran, who manages the curricular efforts related to high school transformation. Boran’s statement is in line with what district officials began saying about a year ago about High School Transformation including a broad range of efforts and not being a specific plan.</p>
<p>For instance, some turnaround high schools have picked up transformation’s rigorous core subject curriculum, dubbed IDS, she points out. (It’s unclear, though, whether Fenger will do so.)</p>
<p>Meanwhile, two principals working at the first group of transformation high schools say they are quietly evaluating whether the rigorous core subject curriculum, which include materials and intense training for teachers, has made any difference.</p>
<p>Initial data suggests that impact has been limited. The freshmen on-track rate has gone down in 8 of the original 14 transformation high schools, according to a Catalyst analysis of data.</p>
<p>ACT scores are crucial for transformation high schools this year, as those that have been in the program the longest will learn how whether the revamped academics will raise 11th graders’ performance.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>Soon, high school transformation will slide under CEO Ron Huberman’s performance management microscope, which requires specific goals be set and deciding what data will be evaluated, says Boran. Other more amorphous elements of the transformation project include smoothing students’ transition from 8th grade to high school, attracting better principals and providing more in-school support for students.</p>
<p>Boran says the project has been retooled on an ongoing basis and she believes it will stand up to close scrutiny. “I say bring it on.”</p>
<p /> | Putting the brakes on high school transformation | false | http://chicagoreporter.com/putting-brakes-high-school-transformation/ | 2009-04-28 | 3 |
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<p>My problem is, the daughter got evicted, and all of a sudden she brought her belongings to the house. She didn’t ask or anything, she just showed up with the five kids and they are driving me up the wall. I already have two adolescent kids, so seven ain’t heaven.</p>
<p>I have tried to talk with my wife, but she doesn’t listen. I’m fed up, Abby, and I’m looking for other accommodations. They have been here for two weeks and – by the way – my sons are now in school while her five are running wild in the house. Am I wrong for leaving? – NEEDS MY OWN SPACE</p>
<p>DEAR NEEDS: Not in my book. Your mistake was in letting your wife’s daughter’s eviction become your problem. I don’t know whose name is on the lease or title to your place, but it’s time to discuss this with an attorney. If you don’t, you may have more trouble getting the woman and her brood out of there in the future.</p>
<p>DEAR ABBY: My friend whom I have known since we were 8-year-olds (we’re now in our 50s) is driving me bonkers. She has started drinking a lot and hanging out with younger people and dating younger guys. I have loaned her quite a bit of money because she can barely get by. I don’t drink, and I hate seeing what she’s doing to herself. I think she is having trouble with the aging process.</p>
<p>She has now started to embarrass me when she drinks in public. She doesn’t handle it well and relies on me to get her out of sticky situations. I’m really tired of all this. I have told her how I feel, but she knows I’ll come to her rescue. – TIRED GUARDIAN ANGEL</p>
<p>DEAR TIRED: Draw the line. Tell her you are her friend, but not her chaperone, and you will socialize with her only if she limits her intake to nonalcoholic beverages. One of the signs of alcoholism is when the drinking interferes with the drinker’s relationships – and clearly, this is what’s happening. Do not allow her to continue making her drinking your problem because you cannot control it. Only she can do that.</p>
<p>DEAR ABBY: At holiday time, my husband’s family takes a photo of all the brothers and sisters and insists that the spouses not be included in the photo. The first time it happened, I thought it was rude, but after 40 years, I have gotten used to it. However, my daughter-in-law, who is new to the family, was hurt by it. Am I wrong in thinking this is rude? – IN OR OUT OF THE PICTURE</p>
<p>DEAR IN OR OUT: I don’t think you’re wrong. When people are excluded, they don’t feel accepted as part of the family – and they’re right. Are more photos taken that include all family members including husbands, wives and children? And if not, why would the spouses tolerate it for 40 years without speaking up?</p>
<p>Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.</p>
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<p /> | DEAR ABBY: Man’s house isn’t big enough for wife’s many grandchildren | false | https://abqjournal.com/869240/headline-here.html | 2 |
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<p>New RepublicRyan Lizza got 15 White House reporters to help him compile the list. He writes: "Despite the swelling ranks of SCTTWH, interviews revealed that there is indeed a core membership that might be called the Usual Suspects: a cadre of lobbyists, congressmen, ex-officials, and other hangers-on who seem to be programmed into every cell phone on the White House beat."</p> | A guide to the secret society of sources close to the WH | false | https://poynter.org/news/guide-secret-society-sources-close-wh | 2005-08-04 | 2 |
<p>The NFL needs to switch their slogan #TAKEAKNEE to #TAKEASEAT, beg their fans to forgive them for disrespecting the flag, and focus their energy on getting fans to return to games, or risk seeing their stadiums turn into ghost towns.</p>
<p>Over the last year, the NFL's viewership and ratings have sunk to <a href="" type="internal">dismal levels</a>, with polls showing that only 46% now view the NFL positively. Compare that to four years ago when the NFL's approval rating stood at a comfortable 64%.</p>
<p>Halfway through the season, the NFL has shown no signs of improvement. Players kneeling during the National Anthem with no repercussions have taken a toll, as ticket sales and images from games demonstrate.</p>
<p>Here are a few shots from this weekend from games that, regardless of the appeal or lack thereof of the matchups, were far more empty than the NFL is used to seeing pre-#TAKEAKNEE:</p>
<p>The San Francisco 49ers — where the #TAKEAKNEE controversy originated when Colin Kaepernick declared that he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color" — appears to have it the worst. No surprise though, considering the team now has a record of 0-9.</p> | #TAKEASEAT: NFL Stadiums Are Turning Into Ghost Towns | true | https://dailywire.com/news/23208/takeaseat-nfl-stadiums-are-turning-ghost-towns-paul-bois | 2017-11-06 | 0 |
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<p>Right now Danni Williams and Alexa Romano are go-to seniors.</p>
<p>Clovis’ Williams and La Cueva’s Romano came up clutch in back-to-back games at Rio Rancho High’s Mel Otero Invitational on Thursday. Each scored 20 points and sparked a fourth-quarter rally to help their respective teams advance to a showdown in today’s semifinals at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>Danni Williams scored 20 points for Clovis in a victory over Roswell at the Mel Otero Invitational. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>The Texas A&amp;M-bound Williams netted six straight points midway through the fourth quarter as the Wildcats (5-1) finally put away stubborn Roswell (4-1), 43-31. The Coyotes had trimmed an 11-point deficit to 33-27 before Williams swished a 3-pointer and followed with a three-point play.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Romano, who has signed to play at Stanford next season, lifted La Cueva (4-1) out of a six-point hole in the final quarter of a 52-49 victory over Carlsbad (2-2). The Cavegirls led 47-41 with less than five minutes remaining, but Romano scored eight of the Bears’ final 11 points, including hitting four straight free throws in the final 25 seconds.</p>
<p>“It is nice having go-to players,” Clovis coach Jeff Reed said. “Romano does for La Cueva what Danni does for us, and they’re both really tough to stop. When they go head to head, it really is something special.”</p>
<p>Williams and Romano have more in common than Division I scholarships and go-to roles for their respective high school teams. They were longtime club teammates for New Mexico-Texas Heat Elite and have developed a close friendship.</p>
<p>There’s a rivalry involved, too, and Williams has gotten the better of it thus far. Clovis has won three straight meetings against La Cueva over the past three seasons.</p>
<p>Depending on what happens at this season’s state tournament, today’s game could be the last head-to-head prep battle between the two standout guards.</p>
<p>“It’ll be fun,” Williams said. “Alexa and I were roommates for four years in club ball, so we know each other really well. We can get after each other pretty good on the court and it’s all good-natured.”</p>
<p>Williams was recently named a second-team member of the MaxPreps Preseason All-American Girls Basketball team. However, she’ll have to carry a heavier scoring load than usual this season for a young Clovis squad.</p>
<p>“That’s OK,” Williams said. “It’ll be good for me.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In La Cueva’s win, Romano hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 25 seconds left and the Bears completed the comeback over the Cavegirls.</p>
<p>Rylan Gonsalez, who had a game-high 21 points, hit a driving layup to give Carlsbad a 49-48 lead with less than a minute left, and the Cavegirls got the ball back after a La Cueva miss. But the Bears forced a turnover and Romano capitalized.</p>
<p>JOE ARMIJO CLASSIC: Host Albuquerque Academy, along with Los Lunas, Española Valley and Mayfield reached today’s semifinals.</p>
<p>The Chargers, who got nine points from Sophie Long in their 44-33 win over West Mesa, meet Los Lunas at 4:45 p.m. The Tigers outlasted Los Alamos 61-59 on Jordan Holland’s late game-winner.</p>
<p>At 3 p.m., the Trojans face the Sundevils. Española Valley was down 16 to Hope Christian at halftime before rallying for a 60-58 victory. Mayfield shredded Atrisco Heritage 52-16.</p>
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<p /> | Clovis, La Cueva stars to collide | false | https://abqjournal.com/510586/clovis-la-cueva-stars-to-collide.html | 2 |
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<p>PepsiCo Inc., which owns Cheetos, Fritos, Tostitos and other snacks, found success last year after teaming up with Taco Bell to create Dorito-flavored taco shells. And it has since been looking to dream up other restaurant dishes featuring its popular snacks.</p>
<p>The company announced Thursday that it struck a deal to serve its drinks at Buffalo Wild Wings, picking a significant client from beverage rival Coca-Cola Co. Notably, however, PepsiCo also said it would work with the sports-centric chain to create “unique menu offerings.”</p>
<p>During a trip to PepsiCo’s food innovation lab, Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith said in an interview that she was shown several dishes that might be a hit with the chain’s customers. For example, Doritos as a crunchy topping for wings or tenders, or even just offering potato chips as a side dish.</p>
<p>Additionally, Smith said she was shown ideas for salad dressings and sandwich and chicken wing sauces that incorporate PepsiCo’s colas, including Mountain Dew.</p>
<p>“I don’t think it will be in the next 12 months, but we’ll possibly start testing after a year or 18 months,” she said, noting that considerable research and planning would be needed to bring the offerings to the company’s more than 975 U.S. locations.</p>
<p>More broadly, PepsiCo clearly sees the idea of incorporating its snacks into menus as a major opportunity. Pizza Hut, for instance, has also looked at ways to team up with Frito-Lay snacks, according to a representative. Pizza Hut is owned by Yum Brands, which is also the parent company of Taco Bell and KFC.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Over at Taco Bell, Doritos Locos Tacos have been and a considerable sales driver, boosting the fortunes of both PepsiCo and Yum. Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed has noted that a major advantage of the Doritos Locos Tacos is that nobody can replicate them — their success is largely tied to the popularity the Doritos brand.</p>
<p>The latest partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings reflects PepsiCo’s push to use the strength of its snacks business to bolster its beverage business, which has long trailed Coca-Cola. That campaign comes as PepsiCo fights off calls to split its drinks and snacks unit. PepsiCo has responded to the calls for a split by touting a “Power of One” marketing campaign that features one of its snacks with one of its drinks.</p>
<p>A representative for PepsiCo wasn’t immediately available for comment.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Follow Candice Choi at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/candicechoi" type="external">www.twitter.com/candicechoi</a></p> | Are more Doritos-flavored foods on the way? | false | https://abqjournal.com/318670/are-more-doritos-flavored-foods-on-the-way.html | 2 |
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<p>Throughout the country, immigrant families and their friends are on the road this week, traveling and telling their stories to add their voice to the immigration debate. The “Keeping Families Together” national bus tour is expected to visit 19 states, 90 cities, and cover 20,000 miles.</p>
<p>Attitudes on immigration are softening. The fiery opposition of just a couple of years ago is giving way to opposing views on the details of how the pathway to citizenship will look.</p>
<p>A bipartisan group of eight senators has laid out a series of principles for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for immigrants as long as security along the U.S.-Mexico border is strengthened.</p>
<p>For those taking part in the national bus tour this week, a pathway to citizenship and a plan to reunite families were the priorities.</p>
<p><a href="http://promiseaz.org/" type="external">Promise Arizona</a> rolls off a four-day tour starting in Phoenix on Wednesday.</p>
<p>“It’s time to end the suffering that immigrant families are facing under our nation’s current policy,” Petra Falcon, executive director of Promise Arizona, said. “It’s time we replace it with a system that respects the social and economic contributions of millions of immigrant families.”</p>
<p>More than 500 families are taking part in regional bus tours across the country, according to Fair Immigration Reform Movement.</p>
<p>The California tour will stop in Sacramento, San Jose, Modesto, Hanford, Bakersfield, Visalia, Los Angeles, Apple Valley, Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Brea, and Valencia. Their itinerary includes a meeting with Quakers who will break bread with families from <a href="" type="internal">Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanas en Norteaméricad</a>and the <a href="" type="internal">Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.</a></p>
<p>In Washington state the tour started in Vancouver, Wash. on Tuesday with <a href="http://weareoneamerica.org/" type="external">OneAmerica</a> and continues through Seattle, Wenatchee, Yakima, Tri-Cities, and before winding up in Walla Walla on Saturday to meet up buses full of immigrant families and allies from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.</p>
<p>In Florida, two vans will travel across Central and South parts of the state The caravan riders will include undocumented families, farm workers and Dreamers who will share their stories and visit immigrant communities in Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Broward and Homestead.</p>
<p>“The moment has come for a new immigration system that includes and not excludes, that continues to honor our values of family unity and opportunity,” said María Rodriguez, executive director for the <a href="http://floridaimmigrant.org/" type="external">Florida Immigrant Coalition.</a></p>
<p>The tour kicked off in Florida just as former Gov. Jeb Bush made media rounds, talking about his new book “Immigration Wars,” which includes his proposal that lawmakers should grant citizen status to undocumented immigrants, “as long as they agree to plead guilty to a crime of illegal entry and pay restitution.”</p>
<p>Bush softened the statement from the book, saying he could support a pathway to citizenship for immigrants as long as it didn’t create an incentive for people to come to the U.S. without documents.</p>
<p>His views contrast sharply with a bipartisan group of eight senators. They have laid out a series of principles for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for immigrants as long as security along the U.S.-Mexico border is strengthened.</p>
<p>Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a member of the bipartisan group, said Bush’s proposal “caught me off guard and it undercuts what we’re trying to do.” He said the pathway to citizenship is favored by the public and crucial to passage in the Senate.</p>
<p>Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., another member of the group, told reporters on Monday that he was “a bit perplexed” and “disappointed” to learn of Bush’s approach in the book.</p>
<p>Supporters who can’t join the bus tour can ride along virtually, using a <a href="http://www.keepingfamiliestogether.net/" type="external">Facebook integration tool</a> that allows families, friends, and leaders from across the country to hop on the bus.</p>
<p>Here are some of the stories represented on the buses:</p>
<p>Hilario – He is a U.S. citizen, son of undocumented parents. When he was three years old, his entire family was deported to Mexico where he couldn’t get his full education.</p>
<p>“When I got back to the United States, realizing I had every right to be here, I saw how many families in the U.S. were separated because of deportations like the one I experienced,” Hilario said.</p>
<p>Paula – “My husband was detained while at work three months ago. Now, he has a deportation order. He’s not a criminal. He’s the head of our household and we have six kids. Three of them qualify for Deferred Action. We’ve lived here for 14 years, pay taxes and own a home. We just want to stay. What they’re doing to parents is not fair.</p>
<p>“We did not come to hurt anyone; we came to help the country’s economy. All we do is work. This is my kids’ country; they’re not familiar with Mexico. There’s no future for them in Mexico.”</p>
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<p>Equal Voice News reporter Kathy Mulady and Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this article.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Contact author</a></p>
<p>&#160;&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Bus</a>, <a href="" type="internal">CHIRLA</a>, <a href="" type="internal">COFEM</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Falcon</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Families</a>, <a href="" type="internal">FIRM</a>, <a href="" type="internal">OneAmerica</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Promise Arizona</a>, <a href="" type="internal">stories</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Tour</a></p> | Family Stories Tour Rolls Out to Educate on Immigration | true | http://equalvoiceforfamilies.org/family-stories-tour-rolls-out-to-educate-on-immigration/ | 4 |
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<p>Agony in Darfur</p>
<p>As the Darfur conflict in western Sudan approaches the two-year mark, it is clear that the international community is unwilling to provide either the diplomatic resources or material assistance that might halt what has become massive genocide by attrition. The gradual deployment of an African Union force of 3,500 troops for monitoring purposes is woefully inadequate to the crisis, but international refusal to entertain more ambitious plans for intervention has led to excessive and disingenuous celebration of this very modest achievement. Expediency rules in Washington, at the UN in New York, within the European Union, and within the African Union itself. Coupled with the intensive lobbying for a policy of "non-interference" by the Arab League, such expediency ensures that far too much of Darfur's future will resemble its present.</p>
<p>More than three hundred thousand had died by December 2004, and a monthly mortality rate of thirty thousand human beings was accelerating. Disease and malnutrition overtook violence as the leading causes of death in midsummer 2004, but this must not obscure the most basic fact of Khartoum's conduct of the war. The National Islamic Front regime has engaged in a genocidal policy of relentless, systematic destruction of the agricultural means of survival for the African tribal groups in Darfur. The present "humanitarian" crisis is not the collateral damage of war, but an engineered famine and health catastrophe, similar in many ways to the deadly famine deliberately precipitated by Khartoum in the southern Bahr el-Ghazal Province in 1998. The complete blockade of humanitarian aid to the Nuba Mountains region in Kordofan Province, commencing in 1992, offers yet another clear point of historical reference.</p>
<p>Though it has been clear that Khartoum will not relent in its current genocidal ambitions until confronted with unambiguous and serious consequences, the international community has not accepted this fundamental truth publicly. Doing so would put into sharp focus the hopelessly dysfunctional nature of the UN Security Council in dealing with issues relating to Sudan. The primary obstacle to effective UN action is China, which has repeatedly threatened to use its veto to block any sanctions measure directed against Khartoum. To be sure, China has several important allies (Russia and Pakistan most notably), but it is China's perceived national interest that dominates the political calculus at the UN.</p>
<p>The Chinese economy has a voracious appetite for offshore petroleum, and consumption of imported oil has more than doubled in the last five years. China has the dominant stake in Sudan's two oil-producing consortia and views Sudan policy almost exclusively through the lens of petroleum needs. It is hardly surprising that following the September passage of a second, weaker Security Council resolution on Darfur (which merely talks of considering the possibility ...</p>
<p /> | Genocide by Attrition | true | https://dissentmagazine.org/article/genocide-by-attrition | 2018-10-03 | 4 |
<p>President Obama blitzed the networks Tuesday to say “I screwed up.” Three of Obama’s high-profile nominees had failed to pay all the taxes they owed. Two were forced to withdraw from consideration earlier Tuesday. The president said he wanted to “send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules—you know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes.”</p>
<p>For those keeping score at home, it took President Bush nearly eight years to admit making a mistake. It took Obama less than a month.</p>
<p>NBC:</p>
<p>AP via Google:</p>
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<p>“It’s important for this administration to send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules — you know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes,” Obama said near the end of a day of jarring developments, little more than 24 hours after he had said he was “absolutely” committed to Daschle’s confirmation.</p>
<p>“I’m frustrated with myself, with our team. … I’m here on television saying I screwed up,” Obama said on NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams.” He repeated virtually the same words in interviews with other TV anchors.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSEXRWcihmCtG0rVFmKH8b7pW1-QD964ECQG0" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Obama Takes Responsibility for Nominee Mess | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/obama-takes-responsibility-for-nominee-mess/ | 2009-02-04 | 4 |
<p>PHILIPPINESSun StarBy Karlon N. RamaCEBU -- The complaint for acts of lasciviousness against former Basilica del Sto. Niño rector Fr. Apolinario "Jing" Mejorada was thrown out by the prosecutor's office. The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor, in a resolution dated June 9, 2003, decided to dismiss the case, pointing out that the complainant was out for "extortion." Upon review, City Prosecutor Jose Pedrosa reversed the findings of Associate Prosecuting Attorney Rogelio del Prado, who originally recommended that the priest be charged with allegedly sexually abusing former altar boy Michal Gatchalian. Pedrosa instead upheld the comments submitted by the office's reviewing prosecutor Nicolas Sellon, who described the complainant as having gone "money hunting" in running after Mejorada.</p> | Fr. Jing cleared of sex rap: �money hunt� | false | https://poynter.org/news/fr-jing-cleared-sex-rap-money-hunt | 2003-06-09 | 2 |
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<p>Specter, who announced in late August that he was battling cancer, died at his home in Philadelphia from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, said his son Shanin. Over the years, Arlen Specter had fought two previous bouts with Hodgkin lymphoma, overcome a brain tumor and survived cardiac arrest following bypass surgery.</p>
<p>Specter rose to prominence in the 1960s as an aggressive Philadelphia prosecutor and as an assistant counsel to the Warren Commission, developing the single-bullet theory that posited just one bullet struck both President Kennedy and Texas Gov. John Connally — an assumption critical to the argument that presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. The theory remains controversial and was the focus of Oliver Stone’s 1991 movie “JFK.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In 1987, Specter helped thwart the Supreme Court nomination of former federal appeals Judge Robert H. Bork — earning him conservative enemies who still bitterly refer to such rejections as being “borked.”</p>
<p>But four years later, Specter was criticized by liberals for his tough questioning of Anita Hill at Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court nomination hearings and for accusing her of committing “flat-out perjury.” The nationally televised interrogation incensed women’s groups and nearly cost him his seat in 1992.</p>
<p>Specter, who had battled cancer, was Pennsylvania’s longest-serving senator when Democrats picked then-U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak over him in the 2010 primary, despite Specter’s endorsements by President Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders. Sestak lost Specter’s seat to conservative Republican Rep. Pat Toomey by 2 percentage points.</p>
<p>A political moderate, Specter was swept into the Senate in the Reagan landslide of 1980.</p>
<p>He took credit for helping to defeat President Clinton’s national health care plan — the complexities of which he highlighted in a gigantic chart that hung on his office wall for years afterward — and helped lead the investigation into Gulf War syndrome, the name given to a collection of symptoms experienced by veterans of the war that include fatigue, memory loss, pain and difficulty sleeping. Following the Iran-Contra scandal, he pushed legislation that created the inspectors general of the CIA.</p>
<p>As a senior member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, Specter pushed for increased funding for stem-cell research, breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, and supported several labor-backed initiatives in a GOP-led Congress. He also doggedly sought federal funds for local projects in his home state.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Specter was not shy about bucking fellow Republicans.</p>
<p>In 1995, he launched a presidential bid, denouncing religious conservatives as the “fringe” that plays too large a role in setting the party’s agenda. Specter, who was Jewish, bowed out before the first primary because of lackluster fundraising.</p>
<p>Despite his tireless campaigning, Specter’s irascible independence caught up with him in 2004. Specter barely survived a GOP primary challenge by Toomey by 17,000 votes of more than 1.4 million cast. He went on to easily win the general election with the help of organized labor, a traditionally Democratic constituency.</p>
<p>Specter startled fellow senators in April 2009 when he announced he was switching to the Democratic side, saying he found himself “increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy.” Earlier in the year, he had been one of only three Republicans in Congress — and the only one facing re-election in 2010 — who voted for President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus bill.</p>
<p>He also said he had concluded that his chance of defeating a GOP challenger in the 2010 party primary was bleak. But he said the Democrats couldn’t count on him to be “an automatic 60th vote” to give the party a filibuster-proof majority.</p>
<p>Specter outspent Sestak, a retired Navy vice admiral, but Sestak attacked him as a political opportunist who switched parties to save his job. A memorable campaign ad used Specter’s own words against him: “My change in party will enable me to be re-elected.”</p>
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<p>Specter was diagnosed in 2005 with stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Announcing the diagnosis with his trademark doggedness, Specter said: “I have beaten a brain tumor, bypass heart surgery and many tough political opponents and I’m going to beat this, too.”</p>
<p>He wrote of his struggle in a 2008 book, “Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate,” saying he wanted to let others facing similar crises “ought to know they are not alone.”</p>
<p>Cancer handed him “a stark look at mortality” and an “added sense of humility,” Specter told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Intellectual and stubborn, Specter played squash nearly every day into his mid-70s and liked to unwind with a martini or two at night. He took the lead on a wide spectrum of issues and was no stranger to controversy.</p>
<p>Born in Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 12, 1930, Specter spent summers toiling in his father’s junkyard in Russell, Kan., where he knew another future senator — Bob Dole. The junkyard thrived during World War II, allowing Specter’s father to send his four children to college.</p>
<p>Specter left Kansas for college in 1947 because the University of Kansas, where his best friends were headed, did not have Jewish fraternities. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1951 and Yale law school in 1956. He served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1953.</p>
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<p>Friends say his childhood circumstances made him determined, tough and independent-minded. Specter considered his father’s triumphs the embodiment of the American dream, a fulfillment that friends say drove him to a career in public life.</p>
<p>He entered politics as a Democrat in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, when he was an assistant district attorney who sent six Teamsters officials to jail for union corruption.</p>
<p>After working on the Warren Commission, he returned to Philadelphia and challenged his boss, James Crumlish, for district attorney in 1965. Specter ran as a Republican and was derided by Crumlish as “Benedict Arlen.” But Crumlish lost to his protege by 36,000 votes.</p>
<p>It was to be the last time until 1980 that Specter would win an election to higher office, despite three attempts — a 1967 bid for Philadelphia mayor, a 1976 loss to John Heinz for Senate and a 1978 defeat by Dick Thornburgh for governor.</p>
<p>Specter lost re-election as district attorney in 1973 and went into private practice. Among his most notorious clients as a private attorney was Ira Einhorn, a Philadelphia counterculture celebrity who killed his girlfriend in 1977.</p>
<p>Finally, in 1980, Specter won the Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Richard Schweiker, defeating former Pittsburgh Mayor Pete Flaherty.</p>
<p>After leaving the Senate in January 2011, the University of Pennsylvania Law School announced Specter would teach a course about Congress’ relationship with the Supreme Court, and Maryland Public Television launched a political-affairs show hosted by the former senator.</p>
<p>A funeral was scheduled for Tuesday in Penn Valley, Pa., and will be open to the public, followed by burial in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.</p>
<p>He is survived by his wife, Joan, and two sons, Shanin and Steve, and four granddaughters.</p> | BREAKING: Former Senator Arlen Specter Dead at the Age of 82 | false | https://abqjournal.com/138648/breaking-former-senator-arlen-specter-dead-at-the-age-of-82.html | 2 |
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<p>Disclaimer:Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. All CFDs (stocks, indexes, futures) and Forex prices are not provided by exchanges but rather by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual market price, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Therefore Fusion Media doesn`t bear any responsibility for any trading losses you might incur as a result of using this data.</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> | Russia studying U.S. diplomatic decision | false | https://newsline.com/russia-studying-u-s-diplomatic-decision/ | 2017-09-01 | 1 |
<p>The chain of violence and corruption that connects the United States with Iraq includes an airport in the west of Ireland. For more than two years, as reported previously in Counterpunch, the Irish peace movement has been trying to break the chain. Having failed, so far, to do that, campaigners now hope to turn Shannon Airport into the weakest link.</p>
<p>A group of activists, including several of the ‘Pitstop Ploughshares’ who face trial next month for their ‘disarmament’ of a US Navy plane in 2003, have called for American military war resisters to seek official refuge while their planes refuel and they are let wander through the lounges of this relatively small civilian airport.</p>
<p>Ireland is said to be a neutral country: it is not, in any case, a member of NATO, nor was its inclusion in the Coalition of the Willing ever frankly admitted either by US or Irish government officials. However, its facilities have played a considerable and growing role in the US war and occupation. Last year, 158,549 US troops passed through the airport on 1,502 flights ­ mainly civilian charter aircraft. Those troop numbers were 26 per cent higher than in 2003. In addition, Irish officials granted permission for 753 military aircraft to land, and 816 aircraft carrying munitions.</p>
<p>The invitation for some of these troops effectively to desert comes from members of the Irish parliament and even a former Irish army commandant, Ed Horgan — who made it clear he wouldn’t make such a suggestion lightly. And those making the call realise that it is not abstract rhetoric: it is estimated that more than 5,500 soldiers have left their ‘duties’ in the current wars, including highly publicised cases like the imprisoned Camilio Mejia, the exiled Jeremy Hinzman (seeking refuge in Canada) and Kevin Benderman, seeking conscientious-objector status after 10 years in the army because of what he witnessed on his first tour of duty in Iraq.</p>
<p>Irish and international law on refugees makes it clear that soldiers are not excluded from making asylum applications, which can be made to any Irish police officer (Garda) or immigration official. Soldiers who face being forced to obey “unlawful orders” are explicitly mentioned in the refugee statutes. The Geneva Conventions state that soldiers need not perform duties that offend their political, religious or moral principles.</p>
<p>“American soldiers are being required to commit acts so gratuitously offensive to themselves and their families that they will never be able to speak of them,” said activist Michael Birmingham, who has spent much of the last two years in Iraq, as well as meeting soldiers who have returned home to the US.</p>
<p>The activists are working to ensure that the ‘invitation’ to Ireland becomes widely known among US soldiers — and that Irish officials at Shannon Airport perform as the law requires them to do in giving individuals the right to have their asylum claims heard. Any soldiers who do make a claim will find a supportive network of legal and logistical support in Ireland.</p>
<p>Damien Moran, one of the Pitstop Ploughshares, said: “The offer of sanctuary in Ireland is deeply rooted in our traditions of neutrality and hospitality.”</p>
<p>HARRY BROWNE lectures in Dublin Institute of Technology and writes for Village magazine. He can be contacted at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p> | Soldiers: Seek Asylum in Ireland | true | https://counterpunch.org/2005/02/08/soldiers-seek-asylum-in-ireland/ | 2005-02-08 | 4 |
<p>Cal Watchdog managing editor <a href="" type="internal">John Seiler</a> and I were among the pundits who got a telephone budget briefing from Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday afternoon. I was disappointed but unsurprised to hear that the governor is still 1,000 percent on the bullet-train bandwagon.</p>
<p>In the aftermath of Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny’s <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/nov/25/local/la-me-ln-judge-blocks-state-funding-bullet-train-20131125" type="external">November ruling</a> that the project did not have a legal business plan or adequate environmental reviews, California High Speed Rail Authority officials were bizarrely dismissive. But the governor said little.</p>
<p>That was in sharp contrast to what happened after Kenny’s preliminary ruling in August, when Brown loudly joined in the rail authority’s <a href="http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/08/19/gov-brown-says-judges-ruling-wont-stop-bullet-train-project/" type="external">campaign of belittlement</a>. That didn’t happen after Kenny’s final ruling.</p>
<p>But Jerry was back in spin mode Thursday. He told me the project’s finances were “on solid ground” — and that no “major hurdles” loomed.</p>
<p>Groan.</p>
<p>The bullet train is $25 billion short of a legal business plan. Jerry’s antidote: contributing $250 million a year of AB 32 pollution-credit auction funds.</p>
<p>$250,000,000 / $25,000,000,000 = 1.0 percent.</p>
<p>He is seriously arguing that giving the rail authority 1 percent of its funding shortfall next budget year addresses the project’s funding nightmare.</p>
<p>As John McEnroe would say, you cannot be serious. As Dick Enberg would say, oh, my. As Redd Foxx would say, bleep bleep BLEEPING bleep.</p> | Brown still on loony, increasingly lonely bullet-train bandwagon | false | https://calwatchdog.com/2014/01/10/brown-still-on-the-loony-increasingly-lonely-bullet-train-bandwagon/ | 2018-01-20 | 3 |
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<p>The continued absence of federal prisoners from the Sandoval County Detention Center could mean county taxpayers have to bear the full $7.5 million cost of running the facility, jail director Al Casamento told county commissioners Thursday.</p>
<p>If federal prisoners — and the reimbursement the county receives for housing them— return quickly, the cost will be $4 million, Casamento said.</p>
<p>The U.S. Marshal’s Office pulled prisoners from the detention center in March last year following three suicides, two of them federal prisoners.</p>
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<p>The jail, which houses up to 386 prisoners, was averaging between 150 to 170 federal prisoners daily at a reimbursement rate of $67 per inmate.</p>
<p>Since the prisoners were pulled, the jail has worked with federal authorities to revamp procedures, including beefing up mental health care and suicide watch protocols, Casamento said in a presentation to commissioners.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the county hired a consultant with PRE-OFDT Certification Services to help the detention center meet the federal requirements.</p>
<p>Casamento said the consultant will brief commissioners this week.</p>
<p>ALAMOGORDO — The Lincoln National Forest will be imposing fire restrictions on the Guadalupe Ranger District in southeastern New Mexico starting today.</p>
<p>The Stage II restrictions will prohibit campfires as well as wood, coal and charcoal stoves and the use of fireworks. Smoking will be allowed only inside buildings or vehicles. Welding or the use of any torch with an open flame will also be prohibited.</p>
<p>Officials said the fire danger rating for the forest’s Smokey Bear and Sacramento ranger districts has been elevated to “high” but no restrictions are in place for those areas.</p>
<p>Officials say the forest’s fire staff will continue to monitor conditions.</p>
<p>The latest drought forecast issued by the federal government on Thursday shows the southeastern corner of the state is dealing with moderate to severe drought conditions. — This article appeared on page B6 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | Around New Mexico | false | https://abqjournal.com/191120/191120.html | 2013-04-21 | 2 |
<p />
<p>Given the choice of spending a chunk of your cash on a sleekly designed sofa or a weekend vacation with friends, which would you choose?</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>If your goal is to be happier about your purchase in the long-term -- not just in that fleeting moment after you click "add to cart" -- go with the vacation, says Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton.</p>
<p>"Every purchase we make means that we're giving up some other purchase," says Norton, who co-wrote the book "Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending" with fellow happiness guru Elizabeth Dunn, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.</p>
<p>Too often, people spend what little money they have in ways that research shows won't make them happier, he says. They'll spring for a designer piece of furniture that will eventually just collect dust, for example, or spend more of their income on a bigger house miles away from where they work.</p>
<p>What people should do instead, says Norton, is think more deeply about where their money goes and save their cash for purchases that really do increase happiness -- such as unique experiences that can be savored and shared.</p>
<p>To make sure you're maximizing the amount of happiness you can get from the money you have, ask yourself: What can you do to get the most joy out of the cash you have on hand?</p>
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<p>"It's a mindset that really takes some practice to develop," says Norton. To start, Norton and Dunn came up with five concrete ways you can spend more intelligently and increase your happiness, rather than subtract from it.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p>Here's more of what they learned while researching their book.</p>
<p>Q: One of the central themes of the book is that we can use the money we have to influence how we feel. So does money really buy happiness, if we spend it right?&#160;</p>
<p>A: That's right. I think that we often use our money to try to make ourselves feel better. We buy a bunch of stuff or we eat a lot of food. But it turns out that those things don't work. [In the book] we try to say: Here are some different and better ways to get more happiness out of your money.</p>
<p>Q: You've been researching this for a while. What inspired you to look more closely at how money impacts happiness?</p>
<p>A: We started thinking about this funny thing where many people who have a lot of money seem to be very unhappy. And it seemed strange. Because if you were happy when you were younger and then you had more money, why would you be less happy? In the end, we said: Maybe it's not so much about how much money you have, but what you do with the money that you have. Maybe, for people who are wealthy and unhappy, it's not that the money couldn't make them happy. It's just whatever they're doing with it doesn't seem to be working. Let's study that.</p>
<p>Q: What else surprised you in your research?</p>
<p>A: I think one of the key things that we found is that people's intuitions are all wrong. So, if we asked people: 'What would make you happier? Spending money on this? Or spending money on that?' They very often pick the thing that research shows is not going to make them that much happier. So we're fighting against intuitions that people have that are, in some sense, really, really wrong.</p>
<p>Q: Have your findings changed the way you personally spend?</p>
<p>A: They have, actually. One of the principles that I think is hardest for people -- and by people, I mean me -- to put into practice is the idea that we call "make it a treat." Whatever you like the best in life, take a week off from it and come back to it and it will be so much better and so much more amazing. I try to do that with the things that I really like the best. So, if you love having a latte everyday -- yes, it's going to be great every day you have one. But if you make yourself take a week off, the one that you have the following Monday will be so much better. You'll be so excited for it that you'll get more happiness out of that purchase.</p>
<p>Q: Is there anything else that you still personally struggle with when you're trying to follow through with the principles in your book?&#160;</p>
<p>A: Always. I think we constantly want things right away, and we also would rather not pay for them right now. What you really should do is make yourself pay for things way in advance and then wait for them. Our culture now is really all about getting things right away whenever we want them -- whether it's buying things on iTunes, downloading books on the Kindle or getting things next-day shipping. And all of that seems to make sense from a rational standpoint, which is that faster is better. But faster isn't always better for happiness, and it's difficult to always remind yourself that sometimes waiting for things can make you happier.</p>
<p>Q: Credit cards are one of the biggest culprits in encouraging people to consume now and pay later. Do you still use cards yourself?&#160;</p>
<p>A: Sometimes there are purchases that we absolutely need to make. So it certainly isn't the case that it's always bad to have credit card debt. I have shifted to try and pay for things upfront, for sure. But again, sometimes things in life come up that we have to put on our cards.</p>
<p>Q: You spoke earlier about how money can influence happiness, but it can also undermine it. What are some of the other ways that we spend money that can make us feel worse than we otherwise would?&#160;</p>
<p>A: Retail therapy. I think that a very intuitively appealing idea is that if I feel bad about anything, one way to fill that gap is to buy stuff. Even if I feel bad about, you know, my friend said something hurtful to me, instead of doing something about that feeling, I go and buy a TV. And I'll feel better while I'm buying the TV because we do like to buy things in the moment. But the TV is not going to make me any happier in my life. And it's also really not a very good substitute for social connection with friends. Instead, what we encourage people to do is to use your money to create more social connections. [For example,] taking a friend out to lunch is a way to do something nice for someone, but also get some "friend time" with someone, which we know is really important for your happiness.</p>
<p>Q: Time is an important theme in this book as well. You write that another way that we tend to mismanage our money is by buying things that eat up our time.</p>
<p>A: That's absolutely right. The classic case of this is buying a house in the suburbs. It seems amazing, so of course we would like to have a nicer house or a nicer apartment or a nicer condo. But very often, in order to do that, we have to move farther from our place of work. So we're thinking: 'Wow! I'm going to spend so much amazing time in this new house that I bought, in this backyard, and we're going to be barbecuing and swimming in the pool and it'll be such an amazing, happy life.' And you forget that, actually, what you're going to do is everyday of your life spend two hours in traffic commuting all the way from that house to your job and back. Yes, you're going back to your nice house and your family. But after you've been in traffic, angry for an hour, it's very unlikely that you're going to be really happy when you get home.</p>
<p>Q: What are some of the ways that we can use our disposable income to better manage our time? For example, you write about some of the convenience purchases that we can make, such as a vacuum cleaner that will do our vacuuming for us.&#160;</p>
<p>A: Think about the things you hate doing most in life. Luckily for us, businesses often develop products to try to help us with those. For example, if you hate vacuuming and you can buy a Roomba, which will vacuum your house for you automatically, you might say, 'I have a vacuum cleaner. I can't really afford buying a Roomba and it's a bit of a frivolous purchase.' But if you think about, for example, all the money you spend on coffee each week -- imagine if you gave coffee up for a month and saved $4 every single day. Now, the coffee isn't really going to make you that much happier. We can show that in our research. If you gave that up and got a Roomba -- if you hate vacuuming -- you are going to increase your happiness over the course of that month. The things that seem frivolous can actually make perfect sense because there are other things we're buying that, in fact, are frivolous in terms of impacting our own happiness.</p>
<p>Q: According to your research, one thing that makes us feel like we actually have more time -- and so makes us happier -- is helping others. What about spending money on others?</p>
<p>A: If you want to be a happier person, one of the best ways to do it is to be nice to other people. If we force people in our research to spend money on themselves or spend money on other people, we see time and time again that spending money on other people makes you happier than using that same money on yourself.</p>
<p>Q: Is there anything else people can do with their money that may influence their day-to-day happiness?</p>
<p>A: There's a lot of research now that suggests that experiences are a much bigger source of happiness than material things. And if you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. Because imagine you have a vacation coming up in two weeks. You're really looking forward to that vacation. You're sitting in your cubicle. It's snowing out and you're fantasizing about the beach in two weeks. Those two weeks of anticipation for that experience is an enormous source of excitement in itself. You look forward to vacation much more than you look forward to buying a TV. Then, the vacation itself is much more fun than watching TV, in part because, on vacation, you often are with someone else, which is good for your happiness. Then, if you think about after that experience is over, we remember experiences and we look back at pictures and we reminisce and we get happy all over again. We very rarely reminisce about the moment that we bought our TV.</p>
<p>See related: <a href="http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/8-emotional-spending-triggers-1580.php?aid=52aae854" type="external">Know the 8 emotional spending triggers</a>, <a href="http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/avis-cardella-qa-spent-memoir-shopping-addict-author-1278.php?aid=52aae854" type="external">QA: Avis Cordella writes on overcoming shopping addiction</a></p> | How to Spend Money to Buy Happiness | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/06/20/how-to-spend-money-to-buy-happiness.html | 2016-03-06 | 0 |
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<p>ST. LOUIS (AP) — An engineering student at Saint Louis University did too well on a class assignment to build a toy gun, creating a model so realistic that it prompted a campus-wide lockdown and hunt for a possible shooting suspect.</p>
<p>The private, Catholic university in Missouri warned all students to shelter in place for hours Wednesday afternoon and evacuated a residence hall after reports of a man with a gun on campus and shots fired.</p>
<p>Police and university officials eventually tracked the source of the scare to a toy gun. Students in the Aerospace and Mechanical “Engineering Manufacturing Procedures” class had been assigned to build a toy rubber band gun.</p>
<p>“At least one student created a very realistic toy gun and openly carried it into his residence hall,” the university said in a statement.</p>
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<p>It is asking all of the students to bring the toy guns in closed containers to a university office Thursday, where they will be destroyed.</p>
<p>“This is the first time toy guns have been made in this class, and it will be the last,” the university said.</p>
<p>It is too early to say if anyone will be disciplined over the incident, university spokesman Jeff Fowler said.</p>
<p><a href="#92852282-e35a-4016-bec7-2cb5a5a727e3" type="external">© 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</a> Learn more about our <a href="http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/privacy" type="external">Privacy Policy</a> and <a href="http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/terms" type="external">Terms of Use</a>.</p> | Class assignment to build toy gun sparks university lockdown | false | https://abqjournal.com/998219/class-assignment-to-build-toy-gun-sparks-university-lockdown.html | 2017-05-03 | 2 |
<p>Washington and its willing mouthpieces in the media have for years been trying to sell us the preposterous war in Afghanistan. While they attempt to convince us that the war is predicated on a faultless military logic and moral wisdom, it remains in fact a tragic adventure with no decipherable objectives, and involving several countries, private contractors, and all sorts of firms seeking to make a quick buck.</p>
<p>The intellectual cowardice of some should not blind the majority to the fact that the war in Afghanistan is morally indefensible and militarily unwinnable.</p>
<p>The decision of the US to continue with its brutal military adventurism in Afghanistan can only be understood in terms of its limited and highly selfish political logic.</p>
<p>Let us start by ruling out some of the ridiculous assumptions that have permeated this war since it began in 2001. First, we were told that the war was aimed at eliminating al-Qaida. However, a retied CIA Station Chief who has served in the Middle East and as Chief of the Counterterrorism Staff, has claimed that, “al-Qaida is finished in Afghanistan.” He further argued that, “the Obama administration, like its predecessor, claims we are fighting terrorism there. That is simply not true. It is a pure counterinsurgency issue.”</p>
<p>Indeed, even the most ardent war hawks are exerting little effort to delineate the link between Taliban and al-Qaida. If the link is infused, it is readily unleashed to demonstrate al-Qaida’s links to Pakistan’s tribal areas, thus urging ‘action’ in that part of the country, and not in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>Thanks to the random military ‘strategy’ of the US and its allies, al-Qaida has spread in all sorts of directions and branched off to many al-Qaida offshoots in various parts of the world. Without a centralized leadership in the military sense, al-Qaida inspired groups and individuals now are now working for localized sets of objectives and respond to different stimuli.</p>
<p>So if it’s not al-Qaida that is inspiring the awesome, although largely futile firepower and military surges in Afghanistan, then what is? This is where the idealists come in. They talk of nation-building, Western-style democracy, regional security and so on. Some of them genuinely mean what they say, and some don’t believe the present military surges and Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s rural area fight to the death will yield its intended results. Still, they contribute to the illusion that good intentions – starting with the initial hype about saving Afghani women, then ‘liberation’ from foreign terrorists, then democracy and nation-building, and so on – had anything to do with this bloody war. With their insistence on using such positive terminology, they continue to provide Washington’s political elites – and Kabul’s as well – with the benefit of the doubt that while we may disagree with their methods, we still trust their overall intentions.</p>
<p>It behooves those democracy-inspired, nation-building enthusiasts to remember that Washington has done much to stifle genuine democracy movements around the world since its occupation of Afghanistan in 2001. Palestine and Lebanon remain the most obvious examples. As for nation-building, compare the astronomical amounts invested in financing the destructive war in Afghanistan and to prop up the corrupt puppet regime in Kabul, to the miniscule sums devoted to enhancing the country’s stone-aged economic infrastructure. The US military budget for this year is set to exceed $693 billion, not counting the $42 billion set aside for Homeland Security. According to CostofWar.com, the financial cost of war in Afghanistan alone has exceeded the $256 billion; both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are approaching the $1 trillion threshold.</p>
<p>The war in Afghanistan cannot possibly be defended on any moral grounds. The official death count of Afghani civilians in 2009 is estimated at 2,412. The actual death toll is probably far, far higher, as polls do not account for the many more who perished in distance villages across the south and east, areas that are not accessible to outsiders. The death of these innocent people alone should silence the few who still speak of ethics and morality in relation to the disastrous war.</p>
<p>But not everyone is so overtly misguided in their assessment of the war. Some fully understand that the war in Afghanistan is a self-seeking, political and strategic venture. Still, they giddily welcome it, including one Con Coughlin whose recent article in The Telegraph was tellingly entitled, ‘India and Pakistan must bury the hatchet for the Taliban to be crushed.’</p>
<p>The India-Pakistan rapprochement is seen as beneficial only insofar as its potential to ‘crush’ someone else. And considering that that someone else is not a band of aimless terrorists, but a well-grounded, grass-roots, popular insurgency, the price of that “crushing” is likely to be tens of thousands of innocent people. Coughlin uses the same haughty and generalized language of “militant Islamist groups” to be crushed, failing to understand or appreciate the distinctiveness of each and every situation, whether in Afghanistan, Pakistan or anywhere else. Instead, Coughlin nonchalantly expresses concern about the danger these militants pose to “the survival of the ruling classes” in Islamabad. What a compelling reason to get Richard Holbrooke, Washington’s special envoy to the region all fired up over the need to preserve the survival of the ruling classes, not just in Islamabad, but in Kabul and Delhi as well.</p>
<p>The war in Afghanistan has turned into find-an-objective-as-you-go military march to nowhere. It is proving futile and indefensible on every ground, be it political or military or moral. Moreover, as Haviland Smith concluded in his grim assessment, “it doesn’t really matter that we think of ourselves as benevolent liberators, it only matters that Afghans think of us as foreigners occupiers.” When will we all face up to this reality?</p>
<p>RAMZY BAROUD is editor of <a href="http://www.PalestineChronicle.com" type="external">PalestineChronicle.com</a>. His work has been published in many newspapers and journals worldwide. His latest book is <a href="" type="internal">The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People’s Struggle</a> (Pluto Press, London). His newbook is, “ <a href="" type="internal">My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story</a>” (Pluto Press, London).</p>
<p /> | Flexible Objectives in Afghan War | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/03/05/flexible-objectives-in-afghan-war/ | 2010-03-05 | 4 |
<p>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:</p>
<p>07-23-32-43-45</p>
<p>(seven, twenty-three, thirty-two, forty-three, forty-five)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $236,500</p>
<p>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:</p>
<p>07-23-32-43-45</p>
<p>(seven, twenty-three, thirty-two, forty-three, forty-five)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $236,500</p> | Winning numbers drawn in 'Cash 5' game | false | https://apnews.com/amp/706ef54483764b3999dde8d77f592302 | 2018-01-16 | 2 |
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<p>Article by Cecilia Meis</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>People accidentally swallow eight spiders every year in their sleep. Although debunked numerous times, this myth remains the most widely circulated "fact" of the 21st century, according to the National Institute of Arachnological Research.</p>
<p>Did you believe me? Because I just lied to you.</p>
<p>Proving such a statement would be tedious. Also, a quick internet search would reveal that the National Institute of Arachnological Research doesn't exist.</p>
<p>Why do myths persist despite published research proving their opposites? Because somewhere in your memory, you've stored something that sounds familiar. It might have been a sibling trying to scare you. You might have a mild spider phobia. You might have read it in a 1993 article by Lisa Holst, who, ironically, was trying to demonstrate why people readily accept "facts" shared through email chains. The myth triggers an emotional rather than a skeptical response.</p>
<p>It can be dangerous to rely on your gut, or what&#160; <a href="http://observer.com/2017/09/what-is-system-1-thinking-and-how-do-you-do-it/" type="external">psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls Opens a New Window.</a> "System 1" thinking: automatic judgments that stem from associations stored in the memory. This type of thinking develops over time as people attempt to make sense of seemingly random events that occur around them. The more we make sense of our environments, the more control –&#160; <a href="http://www.success.com/article/7-solutions-for-the-control-freak" type="external">or perceived control Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;– we have over our lives.</p>
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<p>But our guts can lead us astray. Our biases can drive us to focus on the wrong information or seek information that matches rather than challenges what we already believe.</p>
<p>To build your rational-thinking skills, ask yourself these questions:</p>
<p>1. What Would I Say to a Friend?</p>
<p>Create space between your thoughts and feelings. You can do that by pretending to give <a href="https://www.recruiter.com/careeradvice/" type="external">advice Opens a New Window.</a> to a friend, which allows your brain to switch from rumination to problem-solving. The more highly charged the situation, the more you need to separate yourself from your momentary feelings. Recent studies <a href="http://www.success.com/blog/28-ways-keeping-a-daily-journal-could-change-your-life" type="external">have found that journaling Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;in the third person allows you to evaluate yourself and your situations more clearly and thoughtfully.</p>
<p>2. <a href="http://www.success.com/article/think-slow-and-other-tricks-for-better-problem-solving" type="external">What Are Three Possible Outcomes? Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Uncertainty is terrifying. It's easier and less stressful to imagine a single outcome, so we do. Instead, researchers say you should imagine multiple outcomes to improve your accuracy and logical thinking.</p>
<p>If you're imagining the possible success of your business in five years, come up with three figures that&#160;predict&#160;your level of success: high, medium, and low. Your high and low numbers should be improbable but not unrealistic. This approach helps you avoid being blindsided by extremes on either end&#160;by planing for their possibility.</p>
<p>3. What Is the Counterargument to This Decision or Belief?</p>
<p>We like to be right. We like for others to agree with our decisions or beliefs. However, when we think with our System 1 minds, we're often blind to other options or perspectives. Use the following tips to frame counterarguments that will help you assess your position more rationally:</p>
<p>- Be generous in your research and genuinely thoughtful when building a counterargument.</p>
<p>- Shift your motive from "winning" to "gaining value." Julia Galef, cofounder of the <a href="http://www.rationality.org/about/mission" type="external">Center for Applied Rationality Opens a New Window.</a>, says this allows her to imagine a scenario where she never loses, because one of her options will likely help her succeed.</p>
<p>- List the points of agreement between both arguments.</p>
<p>- Compare both arguments side by side, as if someone else wrote them.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.success.com/article/6-mindset-shifts-that-will-improve-your-life" type="external">Shifting your mindset Opens a New Window.</a> to someone else's view isn't easy. Galef advises using mindfulness techniques to identify when your emotions are running high – particularly when someone is challenging your beliefs. Focus on seeking the truth rather than on winning.</p>
<p>4. Why Am I Attached to This Decision or Belief?</p>
<p>People often cling to irrational beliefs because they're attached to their identities. Maybe your spouse says an alternate route is faster than the one you've always taken. You overreact, maybe because you think your spouse is insulting your intelligence. Researchers say your sense of self-worth is a significant factor in rational thinking.</p>
<p>One study found that when people feel positively about themselves, they're more likely to accept uncomfortable facts. Before looking at information that challenges your beliefs, write down your top three qualities and recall examples of each. Explain your reaction so your spouse knows how to better present alternatives in the future.</p>
<p>5. Is This Too Good to Be True?</p>
<p>Your mom was right: Information that sounds too good to be true often is. Generic or flowery language&#160;can cover factual inconsistencies.</p>
<p>For example,&#160;Colgate found trouble after claiming more than 80 percent of dentists recommended&#160;its brand. What the company failed to mention was that those dentists recommended Colgate along with other brands.</p>
<p>Pay special attention to the words&#160;a claim uses – "recommended" versus "preferred," for example. Also watch for averages without context and whether&#160;a claim seems completely one-sided. If it feels too good (or bad), it probably is, so dig a little deeper.</p>
<p>6. Is This Harmful?</p>
<p>Seeking truth is important, but so is knowing when <a href="http://www.success.com/blog/8-things-successful-people-never-waste-time-doing" type="external">you shouldn't waste your time Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;challenging meaningless falsehoods.</p>
<p>For example, during a casual conversation at a networking event, someone might tell you they hold the record for the most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes in the state of Georgia. Before you whip out your best "according to" voice, ask yourself if this lie is harmful. The claim, though potentially false, doesn't affect anyone except Georgia's actual hot-dog-eating champion, but only if that winner is relying on sponsorship funding from people at the same networking event.</p>
<p>If you're planning to work with this person, maybe you should determine whether they're a compulsive liar. Otherwise, smile, nod and politely exit the conversation.</p>
<p>–</p>
<p>Rational thinking requires removing emotional responses, checking biases, and considering other options before trying to convince your grandmother that she's eaten 680 spiders in her life.</p>
<p>By the way, according to Bill Shear, former president of the American Arachnological Society, "Spiders regard us much like they'd regard a big rock." It looks like you're safe.</p>
<p>Look it up if you don't believe me.</p>
<p>Versions of this article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.success.com/article/ask-these-6-questions-to-make-rational-decisions?utm_campaign=link%20exchangeutm_medium=syndicationutm_source=Recruiterutm_term=Recruiter" type="external">SUCCESS.com Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;and in the October 2017 issue of <a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-october-2017-brendon-burchard.html?_ga=2.14897974.1635327730.1505663077-1193436915.1465829578" type="external">SUCCESS Magazine Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Cecilia Meis is the integrated content editor for SUCCESS magazine and SUCCESS.com. She recently earned a bachelor's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism. A Kansas City native, Cecilia enjoys sand volleyball, new stationery, and a heaping plate of burnt ends.</p> | Ask These 6 Questions to Make Rational Decisions | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/11/10/ask-these-6-questions-to-make-rational-decisions.html | 2017-11-14 | 0 |
<p>Dec. 30 (UPI) — Erica Garner, the daughter of Eric Garner, who was killed in a chokehold by a New York Police Department officer in 2014, died Saturday after a heart attack.</p>
<p>“She passed away this morning,” a tweet posted to <a href="https://twitter.com/es_snipes/status/947114329064787968" type="external">Erica Garner’s Twitter account</a> by family members Saturday morning read. “The reports are real. We didn’t deserve her.”</p>
<p>“Her heart was bigger than the world,” another tweet posted to her account read. “She cared when most people wouldn’t have. She was good. She only pursued right, no matter what.”</p>
<p>The 27-year-old mother of an 8-year-old girl and 4-month old boy had a heart attack on <a href="https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/12/25/Daughter-of-NYPD-chokehold-victim-in-coma-after-heart-attack/4521514217750/" type="external">Dec. 23</a> and was on life support in a Brooklyn hospital.</p>
<p>A message posted on her Twitter account said she had brain damage “from lack of oxygen while in cardiac arrest.”</p>
<p>“She was a warrior, she was a fighter and we didn’t pull the plug on her,” Esaw Snipes, Erica Garner’s mother, said to the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/erica-garner-daughter-police-chokehold-victim-dies-article-1.3727554" type="external">New York Daily News</a>. “She left on her own terms.”</p>
<p>Snipes said the cardiac arrest was brought on by an asthma attack.</p>
<p>She also had a heart attack after giving birth to a boy named after her father in August.</p>
<p>Doctors said the pregnancy had put a strain on her heart, which doctors discovered was enlarged, her mother, Snipes, said</p>
<p>Erica Garner became a victim’s advocate after her father, 43, died when he was placed in a chokehold by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in 2014 over the alleged sale of untaxed cigarettes on Staten Island.</p>
<p>A Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo. In September, the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board recommended the NYPD discipline Pantaleo because he used a banned chokehold while trying to arrest Garner.</p> | Daughter of NYPD chokehold victim dies | false | https://newsline.com/daughter-of-nypd-chokehold-victim-dies/ | 2017-12-30 | 1 |
<p>AP</p>
<p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">Jack Heretik</a> October 6, 2016 6:12 pm</p>
<p>FBI files reveal the existence of missing boxes containing Hillary Clinton’s emails as well as allegations of evidence tampering in the Clinton email scandal.</p>
<p>Two bankers boxes containing printouts of&#160;Clinton’s&#160;emails have gone missing, Fox News <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/10/06/fbi-files-reveal-missing-email-boxes-in-clinton-case-allegations-evidence-tampering.html" type="external">reported</a>. Initially there were 14 boxes at an office used by Clinton and her associates&#160;in northwest Washington, D.C. Two were missing when State Department employees went to take custody of&#160;the boxes.</p>
<p>The details about the boxes are contained in&#160; <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/10/06/pages-40-44-fbi-probe-into-clinton-emails.html" type="external">five pages of the FBI file</a>–with a staggering 111 redactions–that summarize the statements of a State Department witness who worked in the "Office of Information Programs and Services (IPS)." The employee told the FBI that, "Initially, IPS officials were told there were 14 bankers boxes of former Secretary of State Hillary CLINTON’s emails at CLINTON’s Friendship Heights office."&#160;Friendship Heights is a neighborhood that straddles the Northwest neighborhood of the District of Columbia and Maryland.</p>
<p>The State Department witness further explained to the FBI that "on or about December 5, 2014, IPS personnel picked up only 12 bankers boxes of CLINTON’s emails from Williams &amp; Connolly."</p>
<p>The officials were not sure if the boxes "were consolidated or what could have happened to the two other boxes.</p>
<p>A senior State Department official, Patrick Kennedy, reportedly told&#160;employees under his charge to change markings on the emails&#160;so that the public and&#160;Congress would not know they were redacted because they contained classified information, Fox News reported.</p>
<p>In the same Aug. 18, 2015, interview, on page 42, the State Department witness also told the FBI there was a deliberate effort to change sensitive Clinton emails bearing the "B(1)" code–used in the Freedom of Information Act review process to identify classified information–to the category of "B-5." That category covers Executive Branch deliberations, "interagency or intra-agency communications including attorney client privileges," and makes material exempt from public release.</p>
<p>Over five pages of the single-spaced summary notes, the witness, whose name is redacted, alleges Clinton’s team which included Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy played classification games to confuse and obfuscate the formal FOIA review process.</p>
<p>"(Redacted) believed there was interference with the formal FOIA review process. Specifically, STATE’s Near East Affairs Bureau upgraded several of CLINTON’s emails to a classified level with a B(1) release exemption. (Redacted) along with (redacted) attorney, Office of Legal Counsel called STATE's Near East Affairs Bureau and told them they could use a B(5) exemption on an upgraded email to protect it instead of the B(1) exemption."</p>
<p>In early May 2015, the witness reported, "… KENNEDY held a closed-door meeting with (redacted) and (redacted) DOJ’s Office of Information Programs where KENNEDY pointedly asked (redacted) to change the FBI’s classification determination regarding one of CLINTON’s emails, which the FBI considered classified.&#160;The email was related to FBI counter-terrorism operations."</p>
<p>Many of the emails sent through Clinton's private server were marked classified retroactively, but FBI Director James Comey still <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/politics/comey-clinton-prosecutors/" type="external">said</a>&#160;that Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of classified information as secretary of state.</p> | FBI Files Reveal Missing Boxes of Clinton Emails | true | http://freebeacon.com/politics/fbi-files-reveal-missing-boxes/ | 2016-10-06 | 0 |
<p>ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) The attorneys general for New York and Minnesota are suing the Trump administration for abruptly cutting off federal funding for health care coverage for more than 800,000 low-income residents in the two states.</p>
<p>New York's Eric Schneiderman and Minnesota's Lori Swanson announced Friday that the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court accuses the Department of Health and Human Services of withholding more than $1 billion.</p>
<p>The majority of the recipients — more than 700,000 — are in New York state, while most of the funding — $1 billion-plus — went to New York. Minnesota has about 87,000 recipients in the program and received $130 million per year.</p>
<p>The states are the only two with the program created under the Affordable Care Act. Swanson and Schneiderman are both Democrats.</p> | Minnesota, NY sue feds over cuts to state health care plans | false | http://valleynewslive.com/content/news/Minnesota-NY-sue-feds-over-cuts-to-state-health-care-plans-471296764.html | 2018-10-05 | 1 |
<p>This week, HTC dropped the price for its high-end virtual reality (VR) headset and controllers by $200. The company's Vive VR headset now costs $599 -- still $200 more than the Rift headset from&#160;Facebook's (NASDAQ: FB) Oculus. Oculus dropped its headset price several weeks ago, and now that HTC&#160;(NASDAQOTH: HTCKF) has followed in its footsteps, it's pretty clear that most consumers aren't quite ready to adopt high-end VR hardware just yet.</p>
<p>So what does this mean for investors betting on VR's growth? You'll be glad to know that despite these price drops, the VR market remains relatively unchanged.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Virtual reality could be worth up to $48.5 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, but despite its potential, many companies have been very realistic about how long it will take for VR to take off. For example, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/technology/mark-zuckerberg-oculus-trial-virtual-reality-facebook.html?ref=business&amp;_r=0" type="external">said earlier this year Opens a New Window.</a>: "I don't think that good virtual reality is fully there yet. It's going to take 5 or 10 more years of development before we get to where we all want to go."</p>
<p>If Facebook's being patient after it purchased Oculus for $3 billion, then investors should know they'll need to be patient as this market matures as well.</p>
<p>In addition, graphics-processor maker NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) said last year that <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/17/6-point-checklist-for-investing-in-virtual-reality.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=f3ed1196-88f5-11e7-bddc-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just 1% of PCs Opens a New Window.</a> being sold at the time were VR-ready. The percentage has probably gone up since then, but the fact remains that the vast majority of PC users still don't have a computer with the processing power that the Vive and Rift require.</p>
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<p>Instead of being concerned about falling hardware VR prices, investors should be more interested in the software that these companies are investing in. Great software, and not hardware, will be the key to getting VR to reach its full potential.</p>
<p>Facebook already knows this, and that's why the company earlier this year launched its Facebook Spaces app, which allows users to create a digital avatar of themselves to chat with friends in a VR space.</p>
<p>Facebook also heavily invested in its own cinematic VR division, called Oculus Story Studio, that created content for the Rift headsets. However, Facebook shuttered the studio back in May and will instead focus on investing its already-committed $250 million to bringing more content to its headsets, just not by developing it internally.&#160;&#160;While investors shouldn't worry about this shift just yet, they certainly should be looking to see how well Facebook executes its content strategy by partnering with other content developers.</p>
<p>HTC and Facebook may have dropped their hardware prices in response to the success that Sony (NYSE: SNE) has had in pairing its PlayStation VR headset and controllers with games made for its PS4 console. Sony has already sold 1 million VR headsets just 10 months after it hit the shelves, and the success of its PS4 -- more than 60 million sold to date -- means Sony can likely expect more VR headset sales going forward.</p>
<p>Sony not only has the advantage of marketing its headset to gamers who are already interested in interactive content, but its VR headset can be had for just $350. With that price, and a growing list of PS4 games available on the company's VR headset, Sony has found its own niche in the VR space.</p>
<p>Finally, neither HTC nor Facebook makes any significant revenue from its VR hardware sales, so the price cuts (or temporary price cut, in Facebook's case) won't change a thing for either of the companies' bottom lines. Investors should focus their attention on how these companies are investing in building out more VR content.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, IDC research analyst Jitesh Ubrani <a href="http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS42707617&amp;pageType=PRINTFRIENDLY" type="external">said Opens a New Window.</a>: "With plenty of headset options already in the market and even more coming soon, hardware isn't the issue. The bigger challenge is the slow growth in content that appeals to a mass audience, combined with the confusion associated with a lack of cross-platform support."</p>
<p>In short, Facebook and HTC need to <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/17/6-point-checklist-for-investing-in-virtual-reality.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=f3ed1196-88f5-11e7-bddc-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">get the software platforms right Opens a New Window.</a> before we'll see significant hardware sales. There's still plenty of time to do that, but in the meantime Sony is taking its VR content advantage and running with it.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than FacebookWhen 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>
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<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=95cee49c-71cf-42e3-be55-2c4e11ecba44&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=f3ed1196-88f5-11e7-bddc-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFNewsie/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=f3ed1196-88f5-11e7-bddc-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Chris Neiger Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=f3ed1196-88f5-11e7-bddc-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Facebook and HTC Have Slashed VR Hardware Prices -- Should Investors Be Worried? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/08/27/facebook-and-htc-have-slashed-vr-hardware-prices-should-investors-be-worried.html | 2017-08-27 | 0 |
<p>HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — For some of the law enforcement agencies that agreed to be on A&amp;E Network’s real-time police show “Live PD,” the goal of being more transparent with their profession under increasing scrutiny clashed with concerns over public image.</p>
<p>Police departments in Bridgeport, Connecticut; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Streetsboro, Ohio, decided not to renew their contracts to be on the program since it premiered in October 2016 as some local government leaders concluded the national spotlight on criminal activity overshadowed the positive things happening in their hometowns.</p>
<p>Another department, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, ended its run on the show in August, saying deputies needed a break from the cameras.</p>
<p>The show, which airs Friday and Saturday nights, has live camera crews following officers in several police departments as they patrol. There is a delay of five to 20 minutes to prevent the airing of disturbing content or the release of information that could compromise investigations, the show’s producers say.</p>
<p>“As the debate over the policing of America continues to be a part of the daily conversation across the nation, Live PD viewers get unfettered and unfiltered live access inside a variety of the country’s busiest police forces, both urban and rural, and the communities they patrol on a typical night,” the show’s website says.</p>
<p>In Bridgeport, officials were pleased the program showed the hard work and bravery of city police officers, but complaints started rolling in from businesses, the University of Bridgeport and others interested in attracting people and investments to Connecticut’s largest city, said Av Harris, a spokesman for Mayor Joe Ganim.</p>
<p>“If that’s the only thing that’s being publicized nationally about our city, it can have a negative impact,” he said. “We don’t have the Travel Channel doing anything on how wonderful all our economic development projects are.”</p>
<p>Bridgeport, a city with pockets of deep poverty that saw homicides double to 23 last year, left the show in December 2016, less than two months after the series began.</p>
<p>During the city’s short run on the program, a police sergeant was arrested on a domestic violence charge, which was later dismissed, shortly after she appeared on an episode warning viewers about the dangers of domestic violence. Two people shown on the show later filed lawsuits accusing police of brutality.</p>
<p>Another sergeant responding to a call involving a dead baby was shown breaking down in his cruiser as he talked about it afterward, which drew media coverage and praise on social media for showing officers’ sensitive sides.</p>
<p>Feedback from most of the two dozen police departments that have appeared on the show has been positive, said Dan Cesareo, creator and executive producer of “Live PD.”</p>
<p>“Our only goal is to document policing across America,” said Cesareo, president of Big Fish Entertainment. “We very much are very neutral in terms of what we’re showing.”</p>
<p>Concerns about the show appear to be mostly political and not coming from police officials, said Dan Abrams, the program’s host.</p>
<p>“Putting a lens on the day-to-day work that police officers do is important. And some of it isn’t pretty,” Abrams said. “I think the notion that it is a bad thing is actually the wrong way to look at it. ... You can say that the crimes that occurred are bad.”</p>
<p>In Ohio, Streetsboro police left “Live PD” in November after appearing in six episodes.</p>
<p>Chief Darin Powers said that while it was good for the public to see what his officers do, there were manpower and overtime issues because officers with “Live PD” crews with them didn’t have room in their cruisers to transport suspects.</p>
<p>And local officials became worried about the city’s image.</p>
<p>“I personally thought it portrayed our city in a negative light,” said John Ruediger, city council president. “I think every city has its share of problems, and I don’t think it’s always best to highlight those issues. I was personally concerned that any kid featured on the show could end up bullied ... especially if their parent is on the show doing something bad.”</p>
<p>But in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where police have been doing “Live PD” since April, the public response has been overwhelmingly positive, said Assistant Chief Michael McVoy.</p>
<p>“For us, it’s humanizing the badge, No. 1,” he said. “For every 1,000 positive comments or likes or social media hits or fuzzy, warm feelings we get from across the country, there are always five or 10 that say, ‘Hey. Why are you arresting this guy for marijuana possession?’ Stuff like that. Some people don’t see eye to eye with what we do.”</p>
<p>HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — For some of the law enforcement agencies that agreed to be on A&amp;E Network’s real-time police show “Live PD,” the goal of being more transparent with their profession under increasing scrutiny clashed with concerns over public image.</p>
<p>Police departments in Bridgeport, Connecticut; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Streetsboro, Ohio, decided not to renew their contracts to be on the program since it premiered in October 2016 as some local government leaders concluded the national spotlight on criminal activity overshadowed the positive things happening in their hometowns.</p>
<p>Another department, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, ended its run on the show in August, saying deputies needed a break from the cameras.</p>
<p>The show, which airs Friday and Saturday nights, has live camera crews following officers in several police departments as they patrol. There is a delay of five to 20 minutes to prevent the airing of disturbing content or the release of information that could compromise investigations, the show’s producers say.</p>
<p>“As the debate over the policing of America continues to be a part of the daily conversation across the nation, Live PD viewers get unfettered and unfiltered live access inside a variety of the country’s busiest police forces, both urban and rural, and the communities they patrol on a typical night,” the show’s website says.</p>
<p>In Bridgeport, officials were pleased the program showed the hard work and bravery of city police officers, but complaints started rolling in from businesses, the University of Bridgeport and others interested in attracting people and investments to Connecticut’s largest city, said Av Harris, a spokesman for Mayor Joe Ganim.</p>
<p>“If that’s the only thing that’s being publicized nationally about our city, it can have a negative impact,” he said. “We don’t have the Travel Channel doing anything on how wonderful all our economic development projects are.”</p>
<p>Bridgeport, a city with pockets of deep poverty that saw homicides double to 23 last year, left the show in December 2016, less than two months after the series began.</p>
<p>During the city’s short run on the program, a police sergeant was arrested on a domestic violence charge, which was later dismissed, shortly after she appeared on an episode warning viewers about the dangers of domestic violence. Two people shown on the show later filed lawsuits accusing police of brutality.</p>
<p>Another sergeant responding to a call involving a dead baby was shown breaking down in his cruiser as he talked about it afterward, which drew media coverage and praise on social media for showing officers’ sensitive sides.</p>
<p>Feedback from most of the two dozen police departments that have appeared on the show has been positive, said Dan Cesareo, creator and executive producer of “Live PD.”</p>
<p>“Our only goal is to document policing across America,” said Cesareo, president of Big Fish Entertainment. “We very much are very neutral in terms of what we’re showing.”</p>
<p>Concerns about the show appear to be mostly political and not coming from police officials, said Dan Abrams, the program’s host.</p>
<p>“Putting a lens on the day-to-day work that police officers do is important. And some of it isn’t pretty,” Abrams said. “I think the notion that it is a bad thing is actually the wrong way to look at it. ... You can say that the crimes that occurred are bad.”</p>
<p>In Ohio, Streetsboro police left “Live PD” in November after appearing in six episodes.</p>
<p>Chief Darin Powers said that while it was good for the public to see what his officers do, there were manpower and overtime issues because officers with “Live PD” crews with them didn’t have room in their cruisers to transport suspects.</p>
<p>And local officials became worried about the city’s image.</p>
<p>“I personally thought it portrayed our city in a negative light,” said John Ruediger, city council president. “I think every city has its share of problems, and I don’t think it’s always best to highlight those issues. I was personally concerned that any kid featured on the show could end up bullied ... especially if their parent is on the show doing something bad.”</p>
<p>But in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where police have been doing “Live PD” since April, the public response has been overwhelmingly positive, said Assistant Chief Michael McVoy.</p>
<p>“For us, it’s humanizing the badge, No. 1,” he said. “For every 1,000 positive comments or likes or social media hits or fuzzy, warm feelings we get from across the country, there are always five or 10 that say, ‘Hey. Why are you arresting this guy for marijuana possession?’ Stuff like that. Some people don’t see eye to eye with what we do.”</p> | Image problem? Some cities end their role in A&E’s ‘Live PD’ | false | https://apnews.com/4946268499a94f549ea48d69483be220 | 2018-01-15 | 2 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rory Ogle, who represented the Far Northeast Heights in the state Legislature from 2003 to 2005, died on Saturday at the age of 58.</p>
<p>He died of pneumonia complicated by a bacterial infection, said Janice Arnold-Jones, a friend who served with Ogle in the state Legislature.</p>
<p>Services will be held on Friday at 9:30 a.m. at French Funeral Home, 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE. Interment will take place at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.</p>
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<p>Ogle, a Republican, decided not to seek re-election after one term because he was facing domestic violence charges. He pleaded no contest to the charges, which stemmed from a 2004 incident in which he was accused of throwing a headboard and mop at his then-wife, injuring her arm.</p>
<p>Jimmie Hall, who took Ogle’s seat in the state Legislature, said his biggest concern was “about the taxpayer’s dollar being spent where it ought to be spent.”</p>
<p>In 2004, Ogle questioned the purchase of a state airplane by then Gov.-Bill Richardson’s administration. The attorney general issued an opinion, upon Ogle’s request, that the plan to use $4 million in road funds to purchase the plane was unlawful.</p>
<p>“He really was a stickler for making sure the rules were consistently applied,” Arnold-Jones said.</p>
<p>He also pushed for stronger meth-related penalties, drumming up support by telling reporters a personal story about family members who may have cooked meth around children.</p>
<p>Ogle was very active in county politics, frequently volunteering to knock on doors, run errands or write op-eds, said Christopher Collins, chairman of the Republican Party of Bernalillo County.</p>
<p>“He was the kind of person who would volunteer time and his energy to help out and there was never a quid pro quo or anything like that,” Collins said.</p>
<p>Ogle graduated from Heidelberg High School in Germany and the University of Northern Colorado. He attended The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and then served as a captain in the U.S. Army.</p>
<p>Later, he worked as a defense contractor with SAIC.</p>
<p>He was dedicated to his son, John, Arnold-Jones said. He was an avid Denver Broncos fan, a student of history and politics and devoted to his pets, according to his obituary.</p>
<p>He is survived by his son, John Elliot Stermer Ogle, his mother, Gwen Ogle and brother, Kirk David Ogle. — This article appeared on page C4 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | Ex-legislator ‘stickler’ for rules and taxpayer money | false | https://abqjournal.com/168637/exlegislator-stickler-for-rules-and-taxpayer-money.html | 2013-02-14 | 2 |
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<p>Bad science and bunk studies are everywhere, but when they are paired with Fox News, there’s no telling how far they can spread. The latest example of Fox citing bad science is their claim that casual marijuana use “may come with some not-so-casual side effects.”</p>
<p>What are those side effects? Fox says that young adults – not developing adolescents – develop schizophrenic brain patters with only one use of marijuana per week. Fox reports in their typically faux “Fair and Balanced” manner, as follows:</p>
<p>For the first time, researchers at Northwestern University have analyzed the relationship between casual use of marijuana and brain changes – and found that young adults who used cannabis just once or twice a week showed significant abnormalities in two important brain structures.</p>
<p>The study’s findings, to be published Wednesday in the&#160;Journal of Neuroscience, are similar to those of past research linking chronic, long-term marijuana use with mental illness and changes in brain development.</p>
<p>Let’s take a look at this study. Dr. Hans Breiter, the co-senior study author, said&#160;“There were abnormalities in their working memory, which is fundamental to everything you do. When you make judgments or decisions, plan things, do mathematics – anything you do always involves working memory. &#160;It’s one of the core fundamental aspects of our brains that we use every day. &#160;So given those findings, we decided we need to look at casual, recreational use.”</p>
<p>Sounds pretty scary, right? Let’s take a look at Dr. Breiter’s sample size:&#160;20 marijuana users and 20 control subjects.</p>
<p>That’s right, the study reached these conclusions using a ridiculously small sample size. A survey size that small is statistically meaningless. This is not science.</p>
<p>Still, Breiter admits his goal is to reverse the growing trend of decriminalizing marijuana. That is what Fox apparently considers: “Fair and Balanced”, a “study” with a ridiculously small sample size, purporting to be quantitative in nature, co-authored by someone with an admitted bias against the substance he is studying.</p>
<p>(Article by M.B. David)</p> | Fox New Cites Bunk Study To Promote ‘Refer Madness’ Pseudoscience | true | http://politicalblindspot.com/fox-new-cites-bunk-study-to-promote-refer-madness-pseudoscience/ | 2014-04-15 | 4 |
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<p>By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press Writer MANAMA, Bahrain (AP)--An ignited propane gas tank caused an explosion outside the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet base in Bahrain on Monday night, shattering windows at nearby houses but injuring no one, officials said.</p>
<p>At the Pentagon, a senior military official said protesters ignited the tank about one-quarter to one-half mile from the base.</p>
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<p /> | Blast Outside U.S. Navy Base in Bahrain | false | https://poynter.org/news/blast-outside-us-navy-base-bahrain | 2003-03-24 | 2 |
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<p>Several of Elon Musk's performance milestones were related to launching Model X. Image source: Tesla.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>With Tesla's annual shareholder meeting just around the corner on May 31, the electric automaker has recently filed its annual proxy statement with the SEC. Among other things like propositions to vote on, proxy statements always contain useful information for investors regarding executive compensation.</p>
<p>Like many founder CEOs, Elon Musk doesn't take home much in the way of base salary. Still, he's making his way toward a massive payday.</p>
<p>10 more years! 10 more years!Musk's base salary last year was $37,584, and he received no additional compensation from Tesla in 2015, equity grants or otherwise. But way back in 2012, Tesla's board gave musk a large long-term, performance-based equity grant, consisting of options that allow Musk to purchase upwards of 5.3 million shares at an exercise price of $31.17 per share. With share prices trading in the neighborhood of $250, the in-the-money value of those options is now worth approximately $1.15 billion.</p>
<p>However, the 2012 grant would only vest in 10 equal tranches contingent upon the completion of performance milestones combined with gains in Tesla's market capitalization. Musk has 10 years to complete all 10 milestones, and Tesla's market cap must be at least $43.2 billion eventually in order for the grant to fully vest. Tesla's market cap is currently $32.7 billion.</p>
<p>Here are the 10 operational milestones, of which half have been completed:</p>
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<p>Tesla has already achieved seven of the market cap requirements, and 2.6 million of these options have now vested. Musk has not yet exercised any options from this particular grant.</p>
<p>All eyes on Model 3As you can see, the performance milestones are all centered around growing Tesla's unit volumes, and delivering the Model X and Model 3. The company has now launched Model X, and cumulative vehicle deliveries as of the first quarter are now over 125,000, including Roadster, Model S, and Model X. Full-year 2016 guidance calls for deliveries of up to 90,000, which would bring Tesla right to the 200,000 cumulative threshold -- and another milestone for Musk.</p>
<p>The Model 3 that Musk unveiled last month was the Alpha prototype. Other than the margin goal, the rest of Musk's payday depends on successfully launching Model 3.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/20/elon-musk-is-halfway-to-a-massive-tesla-motors-pay.aspx" type="external">Elon Musk Is Halfway to a Massive Tesla Motors Payday Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFNewCow/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Evan Niu, CFA Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Tesla Motors, andhas the following options: long January 2018 $180 calls on Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Elon Musk Is Halfway to a Massive Tesla Motors Payday | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/04/20/elon-musk-is-halfway-to-massive-tesla-motors-payday.html | 2016-04-20 | 0 |
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<p>FILE - In this April 1, 2015 file photo, Mary Small, right, looks up at the barren terrain in Sequoia National Park as she and other backcountry skiers hike back from Pear Lake cabin. A year after an annual backcountry skiing trip in Sequoia National Park was nearly browned out by California's historic drought, a group of friends find satisfaction in the snowier conditions. Snow survey results due on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, will provide official word on whether El Nino has delivered the promised drought-busting blow. (AP Photo/Brian Melley, File)</p>
<p>SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - We were gliding downhill along a river buried in snow, our skis skimming a thin layer of fresh powder toward the setting sun and a wall of darkening clouds.</p>
<p>In minutes, gray fog enveloped the granite peaks and frosty pine trees lining the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. Flurries began to fall.</p>
<p>A year ago, our annual ski trip to a remote cabin in Sequoia National Park was nearly browned out by California's historic drought. But this time, it was as if we had awakened in a white dream. Snow had returned the way we remembered it.</p>
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<p>The state's snow survey results will provide the official word Wednesday on whether El Nino has delivered the drought-busting blow promised a year after authorities ordered water rationing, homeowners tore up lawns and farmers came under fire for soaking their crops.</p>
<p>When conditions were dry, we trudged up a dirt-and-rock trail for miles, carrying heavy skis and boots strapped to our packs. Now we buckled up and stepped into our bindings for a shuffle up a white carpet between tall pines and firs.</p>
<p>Four miles and a couple thousand feet of elevation gain later, we stood atop a feature known as "The Hump" and were greeted with a view of majestic peaks cloaked in snow rather than a sea of exposed gray rock.</p>
<p>In California, snow isn't just for skiers.</p>
<p>The 400-mile-long Sierra Nevada, Spanish for snow-covered mountains, is the state's main source of water. Winter precipitation is frozen as snowpack, which thaws in spring and flows through streams and rivers to reservoirs in the foothills below.</p>
<p>The depth of snow affects everything from how many acres of rice, cotton and beans are planted to how much electricity dams can produce to whether you should think twice about flushing your toilet.</p>
<p>The snowpack appears to have recovered significantly considering how dire it was last year, with snow lingering only at the highest elevations or on north slopes or patches of forest shaded from the sun. All signs are that the state is above average, but the southern Sierra that is home to this park has not fared as well.</p>
<p>At the trailhead at 7,200 feet above sea level, we didn't find large snowbanks that typically line the parking lot, and snow was patchy in the woods where it had been hit by sun or melted by lower-elevation rains.</p>
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<p>We learned last year that it's hard to have a ski trip without snow. We were forced to tote heavy, unwieldy packs up the hiking trail that meandered around rocks and fallen logs. Skis poked 3 feet overhead from our packs and snagged branches that halted progress.</p>
<p>Snow made all the difference this year, and we were able to step into our skis after hiking about a half-mile. The landscape had virtually been graded for easy travel. Boulders and downed trees were softened into gentle-looking bumps and lumps, allowing a more direct approach. Instead of skirting a lake that had begun to melt last year, we resumed our normal shortcut across the ice.</p>
<p>If last year's experience had brought the drought into clear focus, this year reminded this group of close friends that a backcountry ski adventure is always at the mercy of Mother Nature.</p>
<p>Each year brings challenges. Storms roll in, and powder can be too deep or pose an avalanche hazard. Snow melted under blue skies on warm days can freeze overnight and remain icy if temperatures drop or clouds appear.</p>
<p>So this year, in many ways, was no different than previous years since we first trekked here in 2001.</p>
<p>We arrived under sunny skies with good spring skiing conditions in the offing, only to find that clouds and possibly snow or rain were on the way.</p>
<p>Fog and low clouds forced us to turn back from an ambitious climb to find a new ski run the first day. When we headed for a familiar slope, we found conditions that had softened earlier in the day had firmed up under colder temperatures and cloud cover, making for a rougher run.</p>
<p>Just over an inch of snow fell overnight, creating dreaded "dust on crust" conditions. We holed up for the morning in the rustic cabin that serves as a summer ranger station, waiting for it to warm up a bit before heading out for a long trek east for an expansive view of the Sierra crest where jagged peaks soar above 13,000 feet.</p>
<p>When we turned back, the undulating landscape that rolls from the barren alpine area known as The Tablelands offered a peaceful cruise along the Marble Fork.</p>
<p>It wasn't the exhilarating skiing we usually seek, but it felt magical as we passed from the golden hue of sunset through an inky cloud scattering light snow and then rounded a corner and dropped to the hut, making wide turns.</p> | In California backcountry, skiers find satisfying snow | false | https://abqjournal.com/748091/in-california-backcountry-skiers-find-satisfying-snow.html | 2 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />When the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) website began having problems upon its rollout, you just had to know Republicans would force some kind of hearings. &#160;After all, they’ve built their defense against “Obamacare” almost entirely on lies since its inception, and now they finally had something factual to use against the healthcare law.</p>
<p>During these hearings earlier today,&#160; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/24/pallone-house-health-care-hearing-a-monkey-court/" type="external">Texas Republican Representative Joe Barton began to try to perpetuate the idea that the Marketplace website wasn’t compliant with HIPAA standards</a>.</p>
<p>The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is what regulates privacy concerns in the health care industry.</p>
<p>Well, as someone who’s signed up for health insurance through the Marketplace, I can attest that at no time does the website ask for&#160;any&#160;personal health information. &#160;It will ask about your identity, some income questions, residency information and a few other questions that just get your account set up and ready to choose your insurance plan. &#160;There aren’t any questions during the process about your personal health information for one very simple fact—pre-existing conditions no longer matter. &#160;Therefore, those types of questions no longer need to be asked. &#160;It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out.</p>
<p>This is a fact Representative Barton is well aware of, and if he’s not, then he has no business questioning anyone about the healthcare law.</p>
<p>But even knowing these facts, it didn’t stop Mr. Barton from using these hearings as yet another platform for right-wing fear mongering against the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>Upon listening to this propaganda by Rep. Barton, New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone Jr. had apparently had enough. &#160;He unleashed on his Republican counterpart, which prompted a fairly heated back and forth between the two representatives:</p>
<p>Pallone: “I started out in my opening statement saying there was no legitimacy to this hearing, and the last line of the questioning certainly confirms that. &#160;HIPAA only applies when there’s health information being provided. &#160;That’s not in play here today. No health information is required in the application process. &#160;And why is that? Because pre-existing conditions don’t matter. &#160;So once again, here we have my Republican colleagues trying to scare everybody…”</p>
<p>Barton: “Will the gentleman yield?”</p>
<p>Pallone: “No, I will not yield to this monkey court or whatever this thing is.”</p>
<p>Barton: “This is not a monkey court. &#160;Protecting American citizens is a legitimate concern of this committee.”</p>
<p>Pallone: “There is no health information in the process. &#160;You’re asked about your address, your date of birth. &#160;You are not asked health information. &#160;So why are we going down this path? &#160;Because you are trying to scare people so they don’t apply, and so therefore the legislation gets delayed, or the Affordable Care Act gets defunded, or it’s repealed. &#160;That’s all it is, hoping people won’t apply.”</p>
<p>And Pallone is exactly right. &#160;There’s absolutely no health information requested during the process of signing up in the Marketplace. &#160;Anyone who’s trying to perpetuate the myth that there is, is obviously trying to stir up fear based on blatant lies.</p>
<p>Then again, that’s been the entire Republican campaign against “Obamacare.” &#160;It’s been one blatant lie after another and it appears they’re going to use these hearings as another stage to try to fear monger even further.</p>
<p>I just hope there are more members of Congress like Rep. Pallone who are willing to call these lies out as they’re happening.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Trying to "Prove" His Lie Against "Obamacare," Texas Rep. Barton Debunks Himself on Facebook Page</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Ted Cruz Gets Asked Hard Question by Fox News, Makes a Fool Out of Himself with his Answer</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Insurance Execs Embarrass Republicans During Hearing by Debunking Key Anti-ACA Talking Point</a></p>
<p>0 Facebook comments</p> | Democratic Rep. Blasts GOP Lies During “Obamacare” Hearings, “I Will Not Yield to This Monkey Court” | true | http://forwardprogressives.com/democratic-rep-blasts-gop-lies-during-obamacare-hearings-i-will-not-yield-to-this-monkey-court/ | 2013-10-24 | 4 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Health officials have discovered a new germ in Eastern Europe that is related to the dreaded smallpox and monkeypox viruses but so far seems far less threatening.</p>
<p>The germ caused two cattle herders to suffer fever, swollen lymph nodes, and painful boils on their hands and arms in 2013. It happened in a rural area in the country of Georgia. They recovered in a matter of weeks. A third case in a cattle owner in 2010 was later discovered.</p>
<p>The new virus has been named Akhmeta after the area where it was first detected. A report on the virus by health officials in Georgia and the United States was published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.</p>
<p>It doesn’t seem to be a public health threat, and likely was around for many years before it was identified, said Dr. Donald “D.A.” Henderson. He is a renowned smallpox expert at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the Akhmeta virus research.</p>
<p>The new germ is from a group of viruses that cause cowpox, monkeypox and smallpox, which have similar symptoms including boils.</p>
<p>“The good news is that it seems less severe” than monkeypox and smallpox, said Dr. Neil Vora of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lead author of the new report.</p>
<p>It is most similar to cowpox, a rarely-seen disease. Cowpox has been in Europe for centuries, and health officials have been on the lookout for cowpox-like diseases in Georgia and nearby countries, Vora said.</p>
<p>Monkeypox, also rare but sometimes fatal, has been seen mainly in Africa. Smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases in history before a global vaccination campaign led to its eradication 35 years ago.</p>
<p>Scientists think the new virus spreads through contact with infected animals, not person-to-person. The three Georgia infections are believed to be from cows, but the cows probably got it from smaller animals, Vora said.</p>
<p>The researchers trapped small animals in the area and found signs of possible past infection in the blood of three shrews and nine rodents.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online:</p>
<p>Journal: <a href="http://www.nejm.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.nejm.org" type="external">http://www.nejm.org</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Health officials have discovered a new germ in Eastern Europe that is related to the dreaded smallpox and monkeypox viruses but so far seems far less threatening.</p>
<p>The germ caused two cattle herders to suffer fever, swollen lymph nodes, and painful boils on their hands and arms in 2013. It happened in a rural area in the country of Georgia. They recovered in a matter of weeks. A third case in a cattle owner in 2010 was later discovered.</p>
<p>The new virus has been named Akhmeta after the area where it was first detected. A report on the virus by health officials in Georgia and the United States was published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.</p>
<p>It doesn’t seem to be a public health threat, and likely was around for many years before it was identified, said Dr. Donald “D.A.” Henderson. He is a renowned smallpox expert at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the Akhmeta virus research.</p>
<p>The new germ is from a group of viruses that cause cowpox, monkeypox and smallpox, which have similar symptoms including boils.</p>
<p>“The good news is that it seems less severe” than monkeypox and smallpox, said Dr. Neil Vora of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lead author of the new report.</p>
<p>It is most similar to cowpox, a rarely-seen disease. Cowpox has been in Europe for centuries, and health officials have been on the lookout for cowpox-like diseases in Georgia and nearby countries, Vora said.</p>
<p>Monkeypox, also rare but sometimes fatal, has been seen mainly in Africa. Smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases in history before a global vaccination campaign led to its eradication 35 years ago.</p>
<p>Scientists think the new virus spreads through contact with infected animals, not person-to-person. The three Georgia infections are believed to be from cows, but the cows probably got it from smaller animals, Vora said.</p>
<p>The researchers trapped small animals in the area and found signs of possible past infection in the blood of three shrews and nine rodents.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online:</p>
<p>Journal: <a href="http://www.nejm.org" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.nejm.org" type="external">http://www.nejm.org</a></p> | New pox discovered in Eastern Europe, but not deadly | false | https://apnews.com/49336369f87a46419b34aebf4ba1f6ce | 2015-03-25 | 2 |
<p>by The Associated Press</p>
<p>ATLANTA (AP) — The NAACP is urging people to wear white and hold anti-Trump signs on Monday. Another group says demonstrators will "take a knee" before the big game to protest <a href="http://wjla.com/news/nation-world/president-trump-reportedly-planning-to-attend-georgia-atlanta-college-football-game" type="external">President Donald Trump's visit to Atlanta</a>.</p>
<p>Atlanta police and the U.S. Secret Service say they worked with the Secret Service on preparations for months before the College Football Championship game between Alabama and Georgia.</p>
<p>The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said Sunday that wearing white is meant to mock the "snowflake" label Trump's supporters use to describe their opponents.</p>
<p>Another group, Refuse Fascism ATL, says that before kickoff, they'll "take a knee against Trump" outside CNN's world headquarters, in solidarity with athletes who have knelt during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice.</p> | NAACP and anti-fascists plan to protest Trump in Atlanta | false | https://circa.com/story/2018/01/07/nation/naacp-and-anti-fascists-plan-to-protest-trump-in-atlanta | 2018-01-08 | 1 |
<p>Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE:TXN) said Monday after the market closed that it will acquire National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM) for $25 a share, or approximately $6.5 billion, in an all-cash offer.</p>
<p>The offer represents a 78% premium to National Semi’s closing price on Monday of $14.07.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The two chip makers, both of which specialize in analog semiconductors, will benefit from an increased sales team that TI called “10 times larger” than National’s current team, and will offer an expanded analog portfolio of “unmatched depth and breadth,” Rich Templeton, TI’s chairman and chief executive officer, said in a joint statement from the companies.</p>
<p>The statement boasted of National Semi’s dominance in the industrial power market, and noted that when the deal closes, analog semiconductor sales will represent nearly 50% of TI’s revenue. TI said it will also benefit from National’s manufacturing locations in Maine, Scotland and Malaysia, which will remain in operation.</p>
<p>"Our two companies complement each other very well," said Don Macleod, National Semi's chief executive officer, in a statement. "TI has much greater scale in the marketplace, with its larger portfolio of products and its large global sales force. This provides a platform to enhance National's strong and highly profitable analog capability, power management in particular, leading to meaningful growth."</p>
<p>Both companies’ boards have approved the deal and they expect the transaction to close in the next six to nine months.</p>
<p>Shares of Texas Instruments fell a fraction of 1% in Monday’s session, closing at $34.11 before falling 2.3% in after-hours trading. National Semiconductor’s shares fell 16 cents on Monday to close the day at $14.07, before rallying more than 70% on news of the acquisition, after the bell.</p> | Texas Instruments to Buy National Semi for $6.5B | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2011/04/04/texas-instruments-buy-national-semi-65b.html | 2016-03-04 | 0 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal">U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill</a> tonight announced her support of marriage equality, just days before the <a href="" type="internal">Supreme Court</a> will hear two landmark marriage cases on <a href="" type="internal">DOMA</a> and Prop 8. The 59-year old Democrat serving <a href="" type="internal">Missouri</a> who recently won re-election over a challenge by then-Congressman <a href="" type="internal">Todd Akin</a>, quoted the Bible in an exceptionally eloquent statement made on <a href="http://clairecmc.tumblr.com/post/46209857472/and-now-abide-faith-hope-love-these-three-but-the" type="external">Tumblr</a> — half of Tumblr’s visitor base is reported to be under 25. 81 percent&#160;of so-called “Generation Y” adults support same-sex marriage.</p>
<p>Akin lost to McCaskill but managed to get 39 percent of the vote in the conservative state. McCaskill received almost 55 percent after Akin’s “legitimate rape” comments sunk his campaign.</p>
<p>“ <a href="http://clairecmc.tumblr.com/post/46209857472/and-now-abide-faith-hope-love-these-three-but-the" type="external">And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13</a>,” McCaskill’s Tumblr post is titled.</p>
<p>“My views on this subject have changed over time,” the Democrat serving Missouri writes tonight, “but as many of my gay and lesbian friends, colleagues and staff embrace long term committed relationships, I find myself unable to look them in the eye without honestly confronting this uncomfortable inequality.”</p>
<p>Senator McCaskill represents a very conservative state of only six million people — less than the population of New York City — and is one of only three Democrats in the Missouri congressional delegation, while there are seven Republicans, including Senator Roy Blount.</p>
<p>“Supporting marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples is simply the right thing to do for our country, a country founded on the principals of liberty and equality,” McCaskill writes, adding:</p>
<p>“Good people disagree with me. On the other hand, my children have a hard time understanding why this is even controversial. I think history will agree with my children.”</p>
<p>McCaskill’s Tumblr bio reads:</p>
<p>A fourth generation Missourian who represents Missouri in the United States Senate. I’m a Democrat, but also a moderate, who irritates folks of both parties with some regularity.</p>
<p>The Senator from the “show-me state” also posted the announcement to Twitter but not to Facebook or to her government website, indicating a smartly-targeted campaign counting on news being spread through those who support her decision, upwards to those who may not.</p>
<p>McCaskill is known to be a smartly strategic politician — a must for a Democrat in Missouri, a state that used to be considered a bellwether, or swing state, choosing most presidents. But in 2008 Missouri voted for McCain, and in 2012 voted for Romney by ten points, indicating a large swing in the population to the right.</p>
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">Claire McCaskill</a>, <a href="" type="internal">democrat</a>, <a href="" type="internal">DOMA</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Facebook</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Gay Marriage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Marriage Equality</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Missouri</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Prop 8</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Same-Sex Marriage</a>, <a href="" type="internal">SCOTUS</a>, <a href="" type="internal">senator</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Social Media</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Support</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Supreme Court</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Tumblr</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Twitter</a></p>
<p>Friends:</p>
<p>We invite you to <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001whLQo73KzGhEjdskYG07rHNy_XoDDkSBBO4INZHx6oD9kfp2yeeQAJeMQUu9oTviZa0VEl5k0rNiLifxlZsOFScMz8rVGmIaN-FFOO3GTKc%3D" type="external">sign up for our new mailing list</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheNewCivilRightsMovement&amp;amp;loc=en_US" type="external">subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email</a> or <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thenewcivilrightsmovement" type="external">RSS</a>.</p>
<p>Also, please&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Civil-Rights-Movement/358168880614" type="external">like us on Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/gaycivilrights" type="external">follow us on Twitter</a>!</p> | Claire McCaskill Strategically Announces Marriage Equality Support In Bible-Based Message | true | http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/claire-mccaskill-strategically-announces-marriage-equality-support-in-bible-based-message/politics/2013/03/24/63162 | 2013-03-24 | 4 |
<p>Boston PhoenixDick Gordon, host of "The Connection" on public radio (it goes off the air tomorrow), wonders if he generated resentment because he declined to participate in WBUR's on-air fundraisers. "I tried it a couple of times. I sucked at it," he tells Mark Jurkowitz, adding that asking for dollars on the air "diminishes the person who you’re hiring as a journalist.... I don’t have a fundraising patter. I’m not that kind of person.... You just pick up a sense of resentment that you’re not pulling your weight in the fundraising." &gt; <a href="http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=96528" type="external">Radio reporter fired after sending complaint e-mail to entire staff (BH)</a></p> | Gordon has "about 4000 theories" re radio show cancellation | false | https://poynter.org/news/gordon-has-about-4000-theories-re-radio-show-cancellation | 2005-08-04 | 2 |
<p>Check out 1:49 for the "cultural origins" theory. At 4:02 the queen asks a bunch of economists why they didn't see the market crash coming, and we look at the insane profits for financiers at 9:58.</p>
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<p>You know what always saved long-term problems? Short-term solutions. They're cheap, easy, and always seem to be just a day away from solving everything. Sadly, a lot of people actually believe that. Check out this video for a more comprehensive analysis of the world's failing economy than you're likely to get from all the talking points in the entire world. Skip to 4:59 for an awesome breakdown of why capitalism was especially susceptible to crashing.</p> | An Honest Look At Why The World Is In Debt | true | http://upworthy.com/an-honest-look-at-why-the-world-is-in-debt | 2018-10-10 | 4 |
<p>If Indiana state Rep. Jim Lucas had his way, journalists would be required to register with state police in order to report the news.</p>
<p>Lucas, a Republican who has represented Indiana&#160;House District 69 since 2012, has officially drafted a bill that would require journalists to become licensed by registering with&#160;Indiana State Police, prior to entering their field. According to <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/12/trump-slams-media-indiana-lawmaker-jim-lucas-threatens-license-johas-drafted-bill-license-journalist/757157001/" type="external">The Indianapolis Star</a>, “Journalists would be fingerprinted as part of the process and would have to pay a $75 fee for a lifetime license.”</p>
<p>Anyone with a record of domestic battery or felony convictions would be barred from receiving a permit. The Star noted that the draft is essentially identical to the state’s handgun permit laws. In an interview with ThinkProgress on Friday, Lucas noted that he had drafted it that way intentionally.</p>
<p>“If you’re okay licensing my Second Amendment right, what’s wrong with licensing your First Amendment right?” Lucas asked in a statement to the Star. “If I was as irresponsible with my handgun as the media has been with their keyboard, I’d probably be in jail.”</p>
<p>Speaking with ThinkProgress, Lucas insisted that his bill — which he said was ready to be introduced if need be — held other sectors of society to the same standards as pro-gun advocates. “It’s surprising the hypocrisy [this bill] has exposed…all the way around,” he said, referring to the backlash it had received.</p>
<p>Lucas’ comments echo President Trump’s aggressive rhetoric regarding the press and media in general, to which he often refers as “fake news.” Lucas, for his part, has boasted that his bill could set a precedent for the president himself.</p>
<p>“I’m a year ahead of President Trump on this,” he said.</p>
<p>The effort may not go very far, as Lucas has admitted he may never introduce the bill — largely seen as a political maneuver meant to stir up controversy, rather than real policy — on the state House floor. “It depends on you guys.&#160;It depends on how egregious and irresponsible you are between now and then,” he said in a statement to the Star.</p>
<p>When pressed by ThinkProgress on that comment, Lucas clarified, “It depends on if I see the media continue to distort things. …Turnabout is fair play.”</p>
<p>Lucas has a long history of making over-the-top statements and generating controversy. A staunch proponent of gun rights, Lucas wrote a fiery op-ed in 2014 criticizing gun control efforts and praising the NRA. “Laws can do only a few things,” <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/01/28/nra-protects-americans-right-to-protect-themselves/4967581/" type="external">he wrote</a>. “Foremost, they work only for those who obey them. Second, they can make ‘criminals’ out of peaceful people who do no harm.”</p>
<p>As the Star noted, Lucas has also routinely found himself in hot water over social media gaffes, including an incident in December 2016 in which he posted a <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/24/domestic-violence-advocate-criticizes-indiana-lawmakers-facebook-memes/96982864/" type="external">Facebook meme</a> that featured a woman in a car trunk. “Wanna know who loves you more your wife or your dog? Lock them both in your trunk and see who’s happy to see you when let them out,” the meme read. Lucas later apologized and said he “guarantee[d] that’s not going to happen again.”</p>
<p><a href="http://fox59.com/2017/01/23/indiana-lawmaker-criticized-for-sharing-meme-showing-protestor-being-sprayed-by-police/" type="external">In January</a>, Lucas was forced to answer once again for a separate meme he had posted just one day after the Women’s March on Washington. The meme featured a female protester being sprayed directly in the face with pepper spray and was captioned, “Participation trophies now in liquid form.” Lucas captioned the post, “Today’s giggle….”</p>
<p>Lucas’ latest move, drafting legislation targeting the press, has drawn similar condemnation.</p>
<p>“Every so often legislators try to introduce these types of bills as attention-grabbing stunts,”&#160;Andrew Seaman, ethics committee chairman for the Society of Professional Journalists, told the Star this week. “The truth is that there are already a number of restrictions on the First Amendment. We have libel laws, copyright laws and countless others that rein in the speech and press rights under the First Amendment.”</p>
<p>In a statement to the outlet,&#160;Gregg Leslie, legal defense director for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, added, “The obvious problem is that it means the government gets to decide who gets to practice journalism.”</p>
<p>The maneuver comes amid escalating tensions between the media and President Trump, who sees the free press as more of an annoyance than an crucial arm of society. Specifically, Trump has come under fire in recent days for criticizing journalists and news outlets who he claims “write whatever they want.”</p>
<p>“It’s frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write, and people should look into it,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “I mean, I’ve seen tremendously dishonest press. It’s not even a question of distortion. …And then they have their sources that don’t exist.”</p>
<p>He added that “the press should speak more honestly.”</p>
<p>On Wednesday evening, Trump doubled down, suggesting that news outlets who were critical of him should have their “licenses” revoked. (Media outlets are not required carry licenses in order to report the news.)</p>
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<p>“Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked,” <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/918267396493922304" type="external">he tweeted</a>. “Not fair to public!”</p>
<p>On that count, Lucas seemed to agree, telling ThinkProgress on Friday, “If people feel pulling a license [is necessary], then…the door is open to that.”</p>
<p>This article has been updated with comments from Indiana state Rep. Jim Lucas.</p> | ‘I’m a year ahead of Trump on this’: Indiana Republican wants journalists to register with police | true | https://thinkprogress.org/indiana-lawmaker-journalists-permit-be239c9e6e7b/ | 2017-10-13 | 4 |
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<p>Walgreens said Friday that it fielded a request for additional information beyond what the companies have already been required to provide under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Walgreens said it expected the request.</p>
<p>A former Justice Department attorney said regulators ask for more information when their initial review of a deal suggests that there are "serious competitive concerns."</p>
<p>"I think it's a big deal," said Allen Grunes, who led merger investigations as an antitrust attorney with the Justice Department. Grunes is a co-founder and attorney at the Konkurrenz Group in Washington and is not connected to this case.</p>
<p>Walgreens said in a brief statement that the companies still expect to close their deal in the second half of next year. Spokesman Michael Polzin declined to comment when asked whether the company has any concerns about the acquisition passing regulatory review.</p>
<p>The request for additional information is not a sign the deal is doomed. Regulators could do nothing, or they might challenge the acquisition or ask the companies to shed some stores. Health insurers Anthem Inc. and Aetna Inc. also have received requests for more information regarding their respective, pending acquisitions of rivals Cigna Corp. and Humana Inc.</p>
<p>Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. runs 8,173 U.S. stores, while Rite Aid Corp. has around 4,600. Walgreens has said that Rite Aid's presence in the Northeast and Southern California will help the combined company cover the entire United States.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The drugstore chain also told investors after announcing the deal in late October that the agreement calls for divesting up to 1,000 stores if required by regulators. But the company also said it believes it will probably have to get rid of less than half that number.</p>
<p>Grunes said regulators don't take these requests for additional information lightly because they generally cost companies millions of dollars to fulfill. He said they often involve requests for more information on business and pricing plans, contracts with suppliers and customers and documentation of expected savings from a deal, among many other things.</p>
<p>"It's generally a major undertaking," he said.</p>
<p>Shares of Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. fell 2.6 percent, or $2.20, to $81.22 in afternoon trading Friday while broader indexes fell more than 1 percent. Shares of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid Corp. fell 5 cents to $7.82.</p>
<p>Walgreens shares have slipped 7 percent, as of Thursday's close, since the day before the companies announced their deal, while Rite Aid's stock has jumped 30 percent.</p> | Regulators want more details about Walgreens-Rite Aid deal | false | https://abqjournal.com/689784/regulators-want-more-details-about-walgreens-rite-aid-deal.html | 2015-12-11 | 2 |
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<p>Unusually cool weather made the heated North Shore Pool seem quite attractive, and the presence of several humans also enjoying the warm waters only made the pool more interesting. What it didn't know was that the humans were competing in a Saint Petersburg Aquatics meet.</p>
<p>Much to the amusement of onlookers, the bird began taking a leisurely swim right in the middle of the competition. The pelican shifted lanes several times to avoid collision before growing frustrated enough to abandon the water altogether.</p>
<p>Reactions to the avian participant varied, with observers either concerned or entertained. Timekeeper Elena Cano took pictures and video of the bird's second dip during the 200 IM race, but admits to being more worried about poop than any potential interruptions.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://thecomeback.com/blog/general/pelican-lands-water-swim-meet-florida-racers-keep-swimming.html" type="external">United Press International</a>, the race ended soon after the pelican move to drier ground without any complications. Afterwards, one participant who swam right past the bird typified the swimmers' responses by asking Cano "Bird? What bird?"</p>
<p>Perhaps it was no coincidence that out of the many birds attending the Florida event, a pelican would be the one going for the swim. The St. Pete Masters team posted a video of the visitor on their Facebook page, commenting that their mascot (also a pelican) had attended the event.</p>
<p>Further inspired by the incident, <a href="" type="external">Swimming World</a> tweeted a copy the team's video commenting that nothing will stop a dedicated swimmer. Portions of the video have gone viral, turning the unsuspecting bird into an internet sensation.</p>
<p>Originally covered by the <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/bizarre/pelican-dives-in-during-north-shore-swim-meet/2262548" type="external">Tama Bay Times</a>, the story has gained the attention of news outlets from <a href="http://thecomeback.com/blog/general/pelican-lands-water-swim-meet-florida-racers-keep-swimming.html" type="external">The Comeback</a> to <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/video/watch-a-pelican-interrupt-a-swimming-meet-in-hilarious-fashion-012716" type="external">Fox Sports</a>. Many swimmers across the country have since expressed through social media their envy at not having birds participate in their own meets.</p>
<p>Yet this is not the first time Florida wildlife has decided to share human creature comforts this year. Only five days prior, a <a href="" type="external">crocodile</a> took a dip in an Islamorada pool and was escorted away by police.</p> | Pelican Becomes Celebrity After Crashing Swim Meet | true | http://offthemainpage.com/2016/02/02/pelican-becomes-celebrity-after-crashing-swim-meet/ | 2016-02-02 | 4 |
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<p>The girls race from 9:15 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. The initial boys race begins at 12:05 p.m., with the final race (Class 1A boys) set for 2:05 p.m. The 5A races are 11 a.m. (girls) and 1:35 p.m. (boys).</p>
<p>Boys</p>
<p>Cleveland’s boys have won the last two state titles in 5A, but it’s Rio Rancho’s depth and consistent pack times that could give the Rams a slight edge Saturday.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The Storm, led by District 1-5A champion Aaron Flores and Jared Mayoral, has two runners who should finish top 10. A less flashy Rio Rancho squad, led by Devin Paredes and Caleb Eppes, has been the steadier team, however.</p>
<p>Still, Rio Rancho beat Cleveland by just one point at last week’s District 1-5A championships.</p>
<p>From the metro area, Eldorado’s Taylor Potter, the District 2-5A champion, could push the Storm duo, and Cibola also has a strong pair in Frankie Scorfina and Chris Harlow.</p>
<p>Eldorado and La Cueva are also expected to contend for team trophies Saturday.</p>
<p>CLASS 4A: While Los Alamos has bagged the last two state titles, Albuquerque Academy looks to be the favorite this weekend. The Chargers have two runners who should contend at the top: Kyle Carrozza – the metro champion and winner at UNM – plus Kevin Wyss.</p>
<p>Belen’s Aaron Valenquela and Jared Garcia are all-state caliber for the Eagles. Los Alamos’ Colin Hemez is expected to challenge for a victory Saturday, as well.</p>
<p>CLASS 3A: Jereme Santistevan of Pojoaque Valley is one of the biggest favorites this year in any race as he defends his state title from a year ago. The Elks are looking for a third straight blue trophy.</p>
<p>CLASS 2A: Laguna Acoma ran to victory last year, the Hawks’ third consecutive year with a state championship. Augustus Cuch of Laguna is among the favorites individually.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>CLASS 1A: Cimarron is the defending state champion.</p>
<p>Girls</p>
<p>CLASS 5A: Eldorado’s girls, stacked with as much talent as any school in any classification, are the prohibitive favorite to repeat as state champions in 5A and earn the school’s fourth title in a five-year span.</p>
<p>La Cueva, Rio Rancho and Volcano Vista are among the teams hoping to push Eldorado.</p>
<p>Individually, Eagles senior Crissey Amberg won prestige events at UNM and the Albuquerque metro meet, and ran second to St. Pius’ Kelli Reagan at Rio Rancho’s Jamboree.</p>
<p>Crissey Amberg and her identical twin, Cassey, along with teammate Jessie Hix, should all be in the hunt. And since Eldorado’s girls soccer team could also be playing in the state finals on Saturday, Hix could be trying for two state titles on that day.</p>
<p>Hix last week won the 2-5A title, with Crissey and Cassey Amberg second and third in the standings.</p>
<p>Other local contenders include Rio Rancho’s Molly Klein (the District 1-5A champion), Cleveland’s Britney Lovato, Cibola’s Kim Chapman and Volcano Vista’s Rebecca Castillo and Sierra Quiñones.</p>
<p>CLASS 4A: St. Pius’ Reagan has enjoyed a strong season from start to finish, and won on this Rio Rancho course just three weeks ago at the Jamboree, as did Pojoaque’s Santistevan.</p>
<p>Sartans teammate Julie Giannini has been one of 4A’s most steady performers, and others to watch locally include Cameren Kristensen and Erin Archibeck from Albuquerque Academy, plus Arena Lewis from Belen and Camilla Orozco from Valencia.</p>
<p>Los Alamos is the defending team champion.</p>
<p>CLASS 3A: Rachel Fleddermann of Sandia Prep was the 2012 state champ in 3A, with Shiprock as the team champ.</p>
<p>CLASS 2A: Jackie Katzman of Bosque School is perhaps the strongest challenger from the metro area this season. Navajo Prep is the defending state champion.</p>
<p>CLASS 1A: Jemez Valley won the inaugural 1A state title last November.</p>
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<p /> | Prep cross-country: Rams look to overtake Storm | false | https://abqjournal.com/296766/rams-look-to-overtake-storm.html | 2013-11-08 | 2 |
<p>Documentaries are snarling little beasts of art, birthed in passionate fits and sustained by brass and vision as the years wear on and the filmmakers find themselves traveling a long, winding road. &#160;</p>
<p>Our road extended over 10 years with curves and potholes, grief and joy. When Sally Sussman, (director/writer/producer), and her husband and old friend, Anthony Morina (producer), heard me mention how I’d always wanted to return to Istanbul, magical city of my youthful adventures and misadventures where I’d been sentenced to life in prison for smuggling hashish, it rang a bell in Sally’s storyteller mind. Knowing the enormous impact Midnight Express had on the culture, she suggested we make a doc <a href="" type="internal">about Billy Hayes returning to Turkey</a>, using that vehicle to tell a larger story about the power of film and how Midnight Express adversely affected a country—Turkey—and its people. It sounded bizarre enough for me, and I told her she could talk to anyone about anything and I didn’t want to see any footage until she was finished.</p>
<p>We soon discovered that getting back into Turkey was going to be as hard as getting out.</p>
<p>I wanted to return to set the record straight about the differences between my real story and the movie Midnight Express. Because the film was skewed so heavily against the Turks, I became a hated man in Turkey, mostly for the infamous courtroom speech where my character, being sentenced to life in prison, shouts <a href="" type="internal">Oliver Stone’s angry words</a>, cursing out the nation of Turkey and vowing to “fuck all their sons and daughters.” What I actually said in the courtroom to the judge holding my life in his hands was that I couldn’t agree with them, all I could do was forgive them. Big difference. But “fuck their sons and daughters” is what the world has heard for the last 40 years since the film was released.</p>
<p>Our attempts to obtain a visa for me were repeatedly rejected. I was an escaped convict/drug smuggler who’d had an Interpol warrant issued by Turkey for his arrest, and now that I want to return to Turkey they don’t want me back. I’m officially labeled persona non grata. Oh, the irony.</p>
<p>Sally had a long list of people she wanted to interview—including my friends and family, members of the creative team that made the movie, various Turkish officials and other Turks for their side of the issue. She followed me around for years onto sets as I worked as an actor, and as the economic pressure grew, we knew that if I couldn’t get back into Turkey, the guts would be missing from this doc.</p>
<p>It was two years of rejections from Turkey. Then a friend <a href="" type="internal">led us to Ahmet Ertegun</a>, founder of Atlantic Records and one of the most famous Turks in the world. This gracious gentleman saw that our aim was true and agreed to become our champion in the cause of my revisiting Turkey. We felt for the first time that we could actually get there. But when Ahmet fell backstage at a Rolling Stones concert, went into a coma and died, our hopes died with him.</p>
<p>I let go of my dream of returning to Turkey and the documentary was dead. Then out of the blue I got a call from a man named Farhat, who told me he’s with the Turkish National Police (the Turkish equivalent of the FBI) and wanted to speak about bringing me back to Istanbul. I was floored to say the least, seeing as we had tried for more than two years. He explained that some of his TNP colleagues had seen an old interview on YouTube where I’d expressed my feelings about the Turks and my desire to return to Istanbul. Farhat told me his organization was hosting an international conference on global security in Istanbul and this event would be the perfect opportunity for me to talk to the Turkish people. Despite warnings from my family and friends, including my lawyer, who felt the invitation was a trap and that they would arrest me the moment I stepped off the plane, I decided to take the chance.&#160;</p>
<p>With three days’ notice, Sally, Tony, and I headed for Istanbul with no idea what to expect once we arrived. As we discovered, this was a very risky move for the Turkish National Police but they felt it was time for their country to move beyond the stigma of Midnight Express, which they had grown up with. To me, it fulfilled my dream of going back to Turkey. My message of healing and forgiveness will be heard, and hopefully help Turkey move past the horrific images of the movie.</p>
<p>Sitting beside Sally and Tony on the 9:15 p.m. Air France jet that thundered down the runway and lifted into the dark night sky, I traveled back into my past—to the pain and joy of my youth. Last time I flew to Istanbul, I was 23 years old and thought I was invincible, that the world was mine. Until it all came crashing down.</p>
<p>Touching down on Turkish soil for the first time in 32 years, I was greeted by smiling young TNP officers, all excited to shake my hand, welcome me back, saying they’ve heard about me since they were kids. As I was kept in a small room alone with the cops while they explained my visa to the flummoxed immigration officer, I have a flash of the day in 1970 when I was arrested, my arms piled with hash plaques and cops on both sides of me, lining up for a photo like big-game hunters. Then I was the captured prize; now I’m some semi-legendary, mythological figure returning from the past.</p>
<p>Four dreamlike days passed as I spoke to the Turkish people via a lively press conference, and visited places from my youth—like the fabled Pudding Shoppe where I first scored my hash. The owner came out to meet us and told me, thanks to the publicity from my book and the movie, the Pudding Shoppe was the only business in Turkey to benefit from Midnight Express. His family became so successful that they bought the hotel next door. That warmed my heart, considering so much of the Turkish economy was damaged by the movie.&#160;</p>
<p>Billy Hayes walks around Istanbul in 'Midnight Return'</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>We then visited the Istanbul city jail where I spent my first terrifying night. Walking through what is now a five-star Four Seasons Hotel, I couldn’t believe what was once considered hell was now a paragon of luxury. No doubt Turkey had changed significantly. The next day I was able to slowly circle around outside the tall gray walls of Sagmalcilar Prison, where I spent more than four years. I stopped to look up over the barbed wire at the barred cellblock windows from where I once peered down at this very street. Eventually, I descended into the grimy basement of the long-abandoned Bakirköy Hospital, Section 13 for the Criminally Insane. Truly the most bizarre place I have ever been, I got myself committed there in an effort to escape in 1972—a place I never, ever expected to see again. Circling the infamous pillar in the middle of the room as the inmates did all day long brought back all the terrifying moments I had experienced, and you can see my ashen face as I come out of there, no doubt traumatized by the memories.&#160;</p>
<p>When my one-man show, <a href="" type="internal">Riding the Midnight Express With Billy Hayes</a>, played at the Barrow Street Theater in Manhattan in 2014, prominent members of the Turkish-American community came to see it, and suddenly, their hatred toward me evaporated. They later invited me to raise the Turkish flag above Wall Street for the annual commemoration of the founding of the Turkish Republic, attended by the consul general and other Turkish officials. Talk about coming full circle! Sally finally had the ending for her documentary.</p>
<p>In May 2016, I find myself on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival with my wife Wendy by my side, 39 years after we met there in 1978 at the world premiere of Midnight Express. Now we’re here for the world premiere screening of Sally’s documentary: Midnight Return: The Story of Billy Hayes and Turkey. Thierry Frémaux, head of the festival and luminary of French cinema, greeted us himself, congratulating Sally and Tony, our long-suffering, ever-steady producer, and Sean Fanton, our editor and co-producer. He playfully pats me down under the arms, and our howls of laughter set the tone for the next four days. We are thrilled to be here; for me and Wendy, it’s a dream come true.</p>
<p>But the postscript to our story is not a happy one for our friends at the Turkish National Police. Like hundreds of journalists, teachers, lawyers, and other professionals, they have been purged in the recent authoritarian crackdown by Turkey’s current government after a failed coup in 2015. Our main bodyguard and friend sits in prison, with no charges against him. His boss was forced to escape with his family into Greece, following the exact route I had taken all those long years ago. I offer geçmiş olsun to them and to my other friends in Turkey.</p>
<p>A last bit of irony: I’m now back in the cannabis world, 50 years after my initial foray, promoting the legal use of this plant around which my fate has so inexorably twined. I wish my dad was still around—the look on his face would be priceless.</p>
<p>Infamous drug smuggler and prison escapee whose experience in a Turkish prison was the basis of the hit cult film, Midnight Express, Billy Hayes recounts his story and his shocking return to Turkey in a new feature documentary, Midnight Return: The Story of Billy Hayes and Turkey, available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon on March 23.&#160;&#160;</p> | ‘Midnight Express’ Hash Smuggler Billy Hayes on His Remorseful Return to Turkey | true | https://thedailybeast.com/midnight-express-billy-hayes-on-his-remorseful-return-to-turkey | 2018-10-03 | 4 |
<p>At times like these, it is easy to look back and appreciate real courage and leadership. That is why today, we celebrate the 69th birthday of the man whose determination and character led a nation through its darkest hour, and continues to inspire us today. The video below is a reminder of a time, not long ago, when the Oval Office was home to a man who put God, family, and country ahead of everything else. Happy Birthday to former President George W. Bush!</p>
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<p /> | Happy birthday to our last great President: George W. Bush! | true | http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/happy-birthday-to-our-last-great-president-george-w-bush/ | 0 |
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<p>Nissan’s distinctively styled Murano crossover utility vehicle enters the 2013 model year largely unchanged. <a href="" type="internal" />With its sweeping, sculptural lines and bold, bulging wheel arches, the Murano makes a unique statement. And its smooth, powerful on-the-road performance backs it up. Its strong, 3.5-liter V-6, linked to a slick continuously variable automatic transmission, provides plenty of get-up-and-go. Nissan’s latest CVT-equipped offerings confirm the company is at the forefront of gearless transmission development. Unlike some competitors’ CVTs, this one responds to driver input immediately but without the annoying propensity of some to keep the engine at overly high revs. Most of the time, it simply feels like any really good automatic transmission. Add in a suspension tuned for surprisingly nimble handling, precise speed-sensitive steering and powerful four-wheel disc brakes, and Murano’s fun-to-drive factor puts it in the top tier of its class for those seeking a dollop of sport in their CUV. <a href="" type="internal" />Fortunately, that doesn’t mean putting up with a stiff, punishing ride: Murano glides along the interstate with impressive poise and quiet. Inside, there’s generous room for five. Driver and front passenger are&#160; ensconced in well-shaped, luxuriously supportive bucket seats. Three rear-seat riders are treated to abundant room for heads and legs, abetted by reclining seatbacks. Cabin materials are all first-rate and meticulously assembled for a quality ambiance. Unlike so many modern vehicles, Murano’s switchgear and technology features are highly intuitive, well-placed and easy to operate. And kudos to Nissan for installing large gauges that can be easily read at a glance in bright daylight or at night.</p>
<p>Our mid-level SV tester came nicely equipped with the welcome addition of a new-for-2013 Value Package ($2,270) that added a hard-drive navigation system with touch screen and voice recognition; an upgraded Bose audio system with dual subwoofers for added bass kick; and a power liftgate. A couple of demerits: The swoopy styling of the rear-side windows reduces visibility out the back, making lane changes a bit tricky; and cargo room, even with the rear seats folded flat, seems a little tight compared to some rivals. As a final bonus, though, Murano is quite happy imbibing regular-grade fuel, although premium provides a bit more power.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | High-style 2013 Nissan Murano comfortable, sporty | false | https://abqjournal.com/152648/high-style-2013-nissan-murano-comfortable-sporty.html | 2012-12-15 | 2 |
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<p>The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits dropped more than expected last week to its lowest level in four months, a possible sign that hiring could pick up in July.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 334,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday.</p>
<p>Readings for jobless claims can be volatile in July because many factories close to retool during the period, and it is difficult for the government to adjust the data for seasonal swings because the shutdown schedule varies from year to year.</p>
<p>Still, a four-week average of new claims, which smooths out volatility, fell 5,250 from a week earlier.</p>
<p>The data reinforces the view that the labor market is weathering this year's tax hikes and federal budget cuts, which appeared to drag heavily on economic growth during the first half of the year.</p>
<p>Indeed, Thursday's claims data was drawn from the same survey week in which the Labor Department polls employers to estimate how many jobs the economy added during the full month.</p>
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<p>Compared to the same survey week in June, the four-week average was 0.7 percent lower last week.</p>
<p>A Labor Department analyst said there was nothing unusual in the data and that no states had provided estimates.</p>
<p>Economists polled by Reuters had expected first-time applications to fall to 345,000 last week. Claims for the prior week were revised to show 2,000 fewer applications received than previously reported.</p>
<p>The U.S. labor market has shown signs of strength in recent weeks, with 195,000 jobs added to payrolls in June. This has fueled expectations the Federal Reserve will start winding down its massive stimulus program as early as September.</p>
<p>At the same time, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said this week the Fed would only begin withdrawing its support if the economy improves as much as policymakers expect.</p>
<p>The claims report showed the number of people still receiving benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid rose 91,000 to 3.1 million in the week ended July 6.</p> | Jobless Claims Take Bigger-Than-Expected Fall | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2013/07/18/jobless-claims-take-bigger-than-expected-fall.html | 2016-03-02 | 0 |
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<p>APS says it has reassigned its former chief financial officer Don Moya to the newly created position in the wake of the blowup that led to the resignation and buyout of newly hired Superintendent Luis Valentino.</p>
<p>According to an APS job description - presumably written or approved by the same Human Resources Department that hasn't done background checks on a couple thousand employees - the position's main focus would be advising the superintendent about system-wide initiatives and major programs in areas such as finance, risk management, human resources and special education. Well, that clears things up.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, the position offers exactly the same pay and benefits as Moya's CFO position.</p>
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<p>Moya rejected the offer - his attorney says it's a demotion. But no break for the taxpayers there as Moya has never left the APS payroll - either because he was on paid administrative leave or now, medical leave. He had been put on paid administrative leave in August after his blowup with Valentino.</p>
<p>The former CFO was at the epicenter of events that spiraled out of control after he and Valentino clashed over proposed audits of information technology and the finance and human resources departments.</p>
<p>His attorney claims APS is demoting him in retaliation for his lawsuit against the district. Moya says he was a whistleblower raising conflict-of-interest concerns over the IT audit that he claimed then Deputy Superintendent Jason Martinez was trying to direct to a Denver company.</p>
<p>APS disputes that and says the possible RFP Moya objected to was already off the table because the district and the company had agreed the job wasn't a good fit.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Valentino accidently sent Moya a text message intended for Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera in which the superintendent expressed his intention to "go after" the CFO for "running roughshot." Moya then disseminated the text and was put on leave.</p>
<p>When all the dust settled, Martinez was gone - it was discovered that he had been avoiding a background check because he was facing child sex abuse and other charges in Colorado - and Valentino had resigned in an $80,000 buyout deal approved by the Board of Education.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the district commissioned a 265-page investigative report that paints Moya as a chief architect - of pettiness, dysfunction and vicious infighting while on the CFO job. The report also blames Valentino for not correcting unprofessional behavior by staff, especially Moya and Martinez. Also, state Attorney General Hector Balderas released a report blasting the district for having thousands of people working without background checks.</p>
<p>It appears this was one toxic stew brewing at taxpayers' and students' expense.</p>
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<p>The district's report also detailed questionable spending, including more than $850,000 for remodeling and furniture for Moya's suite of offices - his attorney says it wasn't just his offices - and a new Dodge Charger purchased through the APS Police Department with funds allocated for police vehicles.</p>
<p>Moya's attorney claims the car was given to Moya. By whom would be an obvious question. Moya is hardly a police officer and it's ridiculous to suggest the CFO needs a car, let alone a hot one, to deal with emergency accounting issues in the district.</p>
<p>It's no wonder Moya resisted an audit of his department.</p>
<p>But creating a phony "architect" job for someone who is suing you, and who the report paints as one of the most disruptive forces in the district, doesn't solve the problem at hand. Which is what to do with Don Moya.</p>
<p>But if APS follows its longstanding pattern of throwing money at personnel problems instead of fixing them, we have an idea of what to expect.</p>
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p>
<p /> | Editorial: You don't need an architect to clean house at APS | false | https://abqjournal.com/696811/you-dont-need-an-architect-to-clean-house-at-aps.html | 2 |
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<p>Both federal judges who have enjoined the order – Derrick Watson in Hawaii and Theodore Chuang in Maryland – concluded that it was appropriate to consider statements of Trump and his surrogates, and that those statements, made both before and after inauguration, doomed the order by showing that it was designed to target Muslims. But the Trump administration insists that judges cannot consider the purpose of those who drafted and promulgated the order. Last week, several conservative judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, dissenting from that court’s refusal to reconsider its decision invalidating the first travel ban, backed the Trump administration’s view. Who is right?</p>
<p>The issue is central because the executive order itself does not expressly cite Islam as a justification, but Trump and his aides and advisers could not have been clearer that the order is designed to effectuate the Muslim ban that Trump repeatedly promised during the campaign and after. If one looks only at the order, the government argues, it must be upheld, because it bars entry not of Muslims as such, but only of the nationals of six countries whose populations just happen to be between 90.7 percent and 99.8 percent Muslim. The government does not even try to argue that the order can survive anestablishment-clause challenge if one considers the statements of Trump and his agents, and the history of its adoption.</p>
<p>The question is made difficult by the fact that there are two apparently contradictory lines of relevant judicial precedent that have never yet met. On the one hand, the court’s establishment-clause jurisprudence provides that the validity of a government action turns on its purpose, which is determined by whether a reasonable observer, aware of all the relevant facts and circumstances, would deem the government to be targeting a specific religion. Even formally neutral laws are invalid if context makes clear that they are aimed to favor or disfavor a particular religion. Accordingly, the court has directed that judges must not “turn a blind eye to the context in which [the] policy arose,” and has considered statements made in town hearings, and the manner in which laws have been adopted and implemented – evidence outside the text of a law or order itself.</p>
<p>In immigration, however, the government argues that as long as the order is “facially legitimate and bona fide,” it cannot be struck down, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. The Supreme Court has applied that deferential standard to U.S. citizens’ challenges to the exclusion of a communist economist, Ernest Mandel, who had violated the terms of his visa on an earlier visit, and to a law providing different immigration benefits to foreign children of unwed U.S. citizen mothers than to the foreign children of unwed U.S. citizen fathers.</p>
<p>The Trump administration says these cases mean the courts can never look behind an immigration executive order. On this theory, the courts would have to uphold the executive order even if Trump, upon signing it, had announced, “I do this to make crystal clear that Christianity is America’s official religion, and that Islam has no place here.”</p>
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<p>That cannot be right. The establishment clause demands that the government remain neutral as between religious denominations, and makes no exception for border control. If it violates the establishment clause to put up the Ten Commandments in a courthouse because doing so impermissibly mixes politics and religion and makes non- adherents feel marginalized, surely a national immigration policy designed to bar Muslims does as well. And the effect of the government’s action hinges on more than the four corners of a document, but on its purpose, which must be and always has been gleaned from the surrounding circumstances.</p>
<p>So does the immigration or the establishment-clause test govern? The answer should depend on the nature of the government’s action. Deference is proper when the political branches draw customary and “bona fide” immigration lines, especially when there is no suggestion of an improper purpose. It makes sense to defer to immigration decisions based on family ties or adherence to visa conditions, because it is next to impossible to regulate immigration without drawing such lines. But the Trump administration has advanced no reason immigration law should be a tool for denigrating religion.</p>
<p>Establishing religion has never been a proper goal of immigration law – or any law. Targeting Islam violates the rights of Americans, whatever form it takes; there is no justification for giving the government a pass because it is regulating the border. When Trump signed the first travel ban, he said, “We all know what that means.” We do, indeed. And judges, no less than the rest of us, must not blind themselves to what “we all know.”</p>
<p>– – –</p>
<p>Cole is national legal director of the ACLU, which along with the National Immigration Law Center is representing the plaintiffs in the Maryland case challenging the travel ban.</p> | Why judges must consider the travel ban’s intent | false | https://abqjournal.com/975391/why-judges-must-consider-the-travel-bans-intent.html | 2 |
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<p>Senator Jim Webb has called the military-organized trips American politicians take to Iraq <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/15/webb-v-graham/" type="external">“dog-and-pony shows.”</a> Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Bob Corker (R-TN) must have seen one hell of a show earlier this week, because they’re declaring “clear success, province by province” after just <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/22/10-hours-success/" type="external">a half day in country</a>.</p>
<p>Yup. The Tennessee duo spent 10-14 hours of their four day trip actually in Iraq. Yet Alexander felt comfortable saying, “There are probably seven provinces where enough progress has been made to involve Iraqis in their own security.”</p>
<p>The good news, amidst all this disingenuousness, is that both Senators seemed to think things were going so well in Iraq that we could start reducing the number of soldiers there. I’m smelling a positive <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2007/08/5183_white_house_to.html" type="external">September report</a>, followed by Republicans claiming it’s time to start shuffling troops home. Bush will claim we have grand obligations to Iraq, but will reduce troops in time to kill the Democrats’ biggest 2008 advantage.</p>
<p /> | GOP Senators Need Only Half Day in Iraq to Declare Significant Progress | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2007/08/gop-senators-need-only-half-day-iraq-declare-significant-progress/ | 2007-08-23 | 4 |
<p>Los Angeles City Hall. ( <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kansas_sebastian/3484592049/" type="external">Kansas Sebastian / CC 2.0</a>)</p>
<p>Los Angeles City Council members have been vocal about their opposition to many of the Trump administration’s new policies, and a series of moves made by the council this week reinforced the city’s progressive opposition.</p>
<p>First, on Tuesday, an L.A. City Council committee heard testimony from people who had been detained at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as a result of President Trump’s travel ban. <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20170207/la-council-members-hear-of-horrendous-conditions-for-detainees-at-lax" type="external">Los Angeles Daily News reported</a>:</p>
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<p>Jennie Pasquarella, director of immigrants’ rights for the American Civil Liberties Union of California, told the committee overseeing LAX that, in one instance, a green card holder who had her 10-month-old baby in a cold room “didn’t have access to baby food,” and the baby later became “very ill” with a fever.</p>
<p>Another woman detained said she only had access to a vending machine that was a quarter full and which required her to have money to access it, Pasquarella told the Innovation, Grants, Technology, Commerce and Trade Committee at Los Angeles City Hall.</p>
<p>Many council members were shocked, the Daily News notes. Councilman Bob Blumenfield was reportedly “appalled” by the “horrendous conditions people were put through by our government.”</p>
<p>However, one group was notably absent from Tuesday’s hearing: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP.)</p>
<p>“We did invite them and they directed us to their website,” Blumenfield stated, <a href="http://laist.com/2017/02/07/lax_mtg.php" type="external">according to LAist</a>.</p>
<p>Tuesday’s hearing culminated in a number of recommendations that will proceed to the full city council. LAist reported:</p>
<p>The City Council committee ultimately decided to recommend that the airport look into ways to engage the Red Cross in the future. Their motion, which still needs to be adopted by the full council, also recommends that the airport look into a number of avenues of preparation for similar situations that might arise, including ways to provide food and water to detainees in CBP custody, as well as access to counsel. The motion also recommended the establishment of protocol that would give airport officials the ability to inspect CBP holding areas.</p>
<p>“I’m appalled by the way you were treated and I’m sorry for that on behalf of the government, even though we don’t represent the federal government,” Blumenfield told one traveler who gave testimony. “It’s awful and not the way it should be.”</p>
<p>Los Angeles continued to handle issues brought about by the new Trump administration Wednesday, when the full city council unanimously voted on a measure to protect citizens from being forced to provide their religious affiliation. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-immigration-registry-20170208-story.html" type="external">The Los Angeles Times reported</a>:</p>
<p>The City Council voted unanimously to ask city attorneys to write a new law prohibiting the city’s nearly 47,000 employees from registering individuals based on their religion or spiritual faith or participating in other discriminatory behavior.</p>
<p>Trump’s immigration policies and his statements on creating watchlists or registries have sparked criticisms and concerns in some corners.</p>
<p>This new motion also “instructs the Los Angeles Police Department and city attorney to report on their efforts to respond to hate crimes and ensure the safety of Muslim Americans, immigrants and others in minority communities,” added the Times.</p>
<p>Los Angeles has been a hub of resistance against the Trump administration since he took office. Hundreds of thousands of Angelenos <a href="" type="internal">took to the streets</a> to rally against the new administration, and the city’s government has since created new laws to protect minorities and immigrants in the city.</p>
<p>Los Angeles, along with San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif., are all committed to remaining “ <a href="http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/tns-trump-california-defund.html" type="external">sanctuary cities</a>” and have threatened to go to court if that status is challenged by the Trump administration.</p>
<p>The Los Angeles City Council also “ <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/la-defiant-as-trump-orders-halt-of-federal-cash-to-sanctuary-cities-7859370" type="external">recently voted</a> to create an immigrant advocate’s office” to “hire a City Hall legal adviser with immigration expertise who also could help immigrants avoid the kind of mass deportation promised by Trump.”</p>
<p>Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian, who proposed the motion to shield against religious discrimination, zeroed in on the city’s progressive ideals when explaining the need for such legislation.</p>
<p>“It’s important for the city to get ahead of this,” <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-immigration-registry-20170208-story.html" type="external">he said</a>, “and say, ‘We’re not going to stand for this.’ ”</p> | Los Angeles City Council Prepares Defenses Against Trump’s Policies | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/los-angeles-city-council-prepares-defenses-against-trumps-policies/ | 2017-02-10 | 4 |
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<p>My eyes are still aching from exposure to the abundance of bleached hair and sunburned flesh&#160;— and I only saw the <a href="" type="internal">photographs</a>&#160;— but our 60-day legislative session is just halfway through and onward the non-celebrities must trudge.</p>
<p>We have bill numbers to talk about and a moviemaking threat from Arizona. You can read about Dog lighting up the Roundhouse&#160; <a href="" type="internal">here</a>. I’ve got to move on.</p>
<p>Today, in fact, is the halfway point of the 60-day session and the formal cutoff for introduction of legislation.</p>
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<p>It seems the 70 members of the House and the 42 members of the Senate are on their usual pace of introducing 1,200 to 1,300 bills.</p>
<p>I’m not counting memorials and resolutions, in their various forms, which can jack up the total volume of legislation to 1,500 or 1,700 individual introductions.</p>
<p>By the close of the floor session Wednesday, House members had introduced 582 bills.</p>
<p>Our senators might be fewer but are no less prolific when it comes to great ideas: They had introduced 534 bills by recess time Wednesday.</p>
<p>Does this mean all these bills will be passed? No.</p>
<p>For the last 60-day session, in 2011, the passage rate of some 1,200 bills was 24 percent.</p>
<p>As for that <a href="" type="internal">threat from Arizona,</a> its legislature is in session, too, and lawmakers there are eyeing incentives their New Mexico counterparts are offering to film companies to locate productions in the Land of Enchantment.</p>
<p>The Arizona folks are thinking about reviving their own incentives to draw business back.</p>
<p>Dog, by the way, apparently has expended most of his TV show-making bounty in Hawaii and Colorado.</p> | At the Roundhouse: Dogging a bounty of bills | false | https://abqjournal.com/168827/at-the-roundhouse-dogging-a-bounty-of-bills.html | 2013-02-14 | 2 |
<p>What would you tweet if given full control over your country’s official Twitter account? In a project called Curators of Sweden, the official Twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/sweden" type="external">@Sweden</a>&#160;is handed off directly to the country’s citizens. Each week, a new Swede is given the opportunity to freely tweet whatever comes to mind.</p>
<p>While the project has been going on for 24 weeks, it made national&#160;headlines yesterday when a 27 year old mother of two, Sonja,&#160;was publicly ridiculed for her comments on Jewish and gay people. Since then, her tweets have been the talk of the nation, causing many to criticize Sweden’s strategy.</p>
<p>The Social Media Manager at Visitsweden <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2012/06/12/sweden-stands-by-twitter-strategy-despite-controversy/" type="external">defends</a> the project, telling the Wall Street Journal:</p>
<p>“It’s very important for us to let everyone take a unique viewpoint. Every one of our curators is there with a different perspective.” – Tommy Sollén</p>
<p>The Twitter community reacted with outrage, yet the number of people following the account skyrocketed from 34,000 to roughly 46,000 followers.</p>
<p>And censorship is out of the question.</p>
<p>“You cannot look at any specific tweet, you can only judge a curator on the whole week…How else are you going to show the multi-faceted people that Sweden is composed of?”&#160; – Tommy Sollén</p>
<p>Whether or not you agree with the reasoning behind the social media experiment, it’s hard to deny that Sonja is doing her part in sharing a very “unique” viewpoint:</p>
<p>The dinner was horrible. It felt like eating your way through a shaved vikings chest, while he’s trying to kill you.</p>
<p>— @sweden / Sonja (@sweden) <a href="https://twitter.com/sweden/status/212940657206099968" type="external">June 13, 2012</a></p>
<p>So, what would you tweet if given full access to the official United States Twitter account?</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Also, check out the&#160; <a href="http://storify.com/wsj/sweden-s-official-twitter-account" type="external">Wall Street Journal</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="http://storify.com/mashable/sweden-twitter-experiment-goes-awry" type="external">Mashable</a>&#160;for some&#160;great social media curations of @Sweden’s most controversial tweets!</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Social Media Experiment Gone Wrong? | false | https://ivn.us/2012/06/13/social-media-experiment-gone-wrong/ | 2012-06-13 | 2 |
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<p>ENMR-Plateau Telephone Cooperative has been awarded a $16.5 million federal grant to be used to improve broadband access in New Mexico and Texas, U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall announced.</p>
<p>The New Mexico Democrats said in a news release that the project to offer affordable middle-mile broadband service plans to directly connect 287 community institutions to broadband, with as many as 115,000 people and 3,800 businesses expected to benefit.</p>
<p>The news release said funding for the grant comes from stimulus money.</p>
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<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | ENMR-Plateau Telephone Cooperative Gets Federal Grant | false | https://abqjournal.com/8949/enmr-plateau-telephone-cooperative-gets-federal-grant.html | 2 |
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