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<p>Just in time for the holidays, Kiev has limited access to credit cards and bank accounts, and promised to cut off funds for hospitals and schools.</p>
<p>More from <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/26/ukraine-banks-suspend-services-pro-russia-donetsk" type="external">The Guardian</a>:</p>
<p>Ukraine’s government has begun cutting off payments and banking services to areas of the country under the control of pro-Russian rebels, in a further sign that Kiev has given up trying to control the territory.</p>
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<p>[…] Ukraine’s government has also said it will stop funding social services such as schools and hospitals in areas it does not control.</p>
<p>[…] “What this means in reality is the confiscation of the pensions and benefits of our veterans, pensioners, disabled people and mothers … It is an attempt to end civilised life in the Donbass region,” said the Donetsk People’s Republic in an official statement. “We think there are no legal reasons not to pay money from the budget to people based in the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics. People living on our territories have the same rights as other citizens of Ukraine.”</p>
<p>Rebels seem to want it both ways, declaring independence from the central government, but demanding continued financial support. Of course it’s ordinary people who suffer as a result of the ongoing feud between Kiev, the breakaway regions of the Donbass, and Moscow.</p>
<p>— Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Peter Z. Scheer</a></p> | Ukraine Cuts Financial Ties to Rebel Territories | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/ukraine-cuts-financial-ties-to-rebel-territories/ | 2014-11-27 | 4 |
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<p>Windows chief Steven Sinofsky has <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20110523/now-appearing-d9-microsofts-windows-president-steven-sinofsky/" type="external">just been confirmed Opens a New Window.</a> to appear at the ninth D: AllThingsDigital conference next week, and the <a href="http://www.winrumors.com/microsofts-steven-sinofsky-to-demo-windows-8-at-d9-conference/" type="external">smart odds Opens a New Window.</a> are that he'll use the high-profile event to give the public its first view of Windows 8, the next version of Microsoft's operating system.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Microsoft</a> is doing a lot of work to optimize Windows 8 for tablets, including <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intel-exec-spills-the-beans-on-microsofts-tablet-plans-2011-5" type="external">porting it to the ARM processors Opens a New Window.</a>used in most tablets (and smartphones) today, and creating a touch user interface that has started to leak out in some <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/first-shots-of-windows-8-tablet-interface-actually-look-pretty-cool-2011-4" type="external">screenshots Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>The timing matches what a source told us earlier this year -- that Windows 8 would be shown to the public <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-wants-to-show-windows-for-tablets-by-june-2011-2" type="external">before the end Opens a New Window.</a> of Microsoft's fiscal year on June 30 -- and Microsoft has debuted other products like the Surface computer at D in past years.</p>
<p>Based on past Windows release cycles, the mainline version of Windows 8 probably won't ship until late 2012 at the earliest. But some reports, including a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dell-is-betting-tablet-strategy-on-android-leaked-roadmaps-show-2011-2" type="external">leaked roadmap from Dell Opens a New Window.</a>, have suggested that Microsoft is trying to ship the tablet version earlier -- perhaps as soon as this year.</p>
<p>More from Business Insider:</p> | Windows 8 Could Make its Public Debut Next Week | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2011/05/23/windows-8-make-public-debut-week.html | 2016-03-04 | 0 |
<p>The mainstream media is all agog over claims by congressional Democrats that they were called names and spat upon as they walked byTea Party protestors yesterday on Capitol Hill.&#160; Yet as this video shows there appears to be no evidence that this did indeed occur calling into question the accuracy of the inital reports.</p>
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<p>ABC News' report on the incident showed Rep. Cleaver berating a protestor but no video evidence that he wa spat on.&#160; Also they showed Barney Frank walking through a crowd and said that someone used the anti-gay F word though it wasn't recorded on the video.&#160;</p>
<p>Also the report shows Pelosi walking hand in hand with John Lewis as they went to vote comparing it to the civil rights marches of yore as if health care should be a part of the constitution. Was this a show or what?</p>
<p>NBC's Andrea Mitchell repeated the charges without any video or audio evidence and interviewed Rep. Elijiah Cummings (R-MD) saying that the whole protest was orchestrated forgetting for a minute what his own Democrat colleagues had done on Saturday.</p>
<p>One question that needs to be asked is why these Reps were walking outside to begin with when they could have easily taken the undergorund tunnel.&#160; One possible reason is that they were looking to get a reaction from the crowd and when that didn't occur they manufactured one.&#160;</p>
<p>Maybe there is some video footage corroborating the Democrats charges, but until it surfaces the mainstream press should make it clear to the public that this is only hearsay at best and reflects their own bias against the Tea Party movement.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Did the Media Muff Story On Racist Tea Party Protestors? | true | http://aim.org/don-irvine-blog/did-the-media-muff-story-on-racist-tea-party-protestors/ | 2010-03-21 | 0 |
<p>An inmate at the Central Jail Complex at the sheriff's headquarters in Santa Ana, California, in 2009. Michael Goulding/Zuma</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>It was after dark on a Monday last December, and Nicole Albrecht, 33, waited barefoot in a booking cell at Santa Ana City Jail in Orange County, California. She wasn’t new to the jail: She’d first been detained in 2014, after coming to the United States from her native Germany and overstaying her visa. That day, though, she’d been out for a court hearing for her immigration case, and on her way back inside three female officers had ordered her to remove her socks and shoes so they could search her. But when they’d demanded she take off the rest of her clothes, she’d refused.</p>
<p>“I felt completely humiliated. It was disgusting to me,” she later told me in a phone interview. Albrecht had tried to get the officers to read an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) manual she’d brought back from court, <a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2011/searches_of_detainees.pdf" type="external">stating</a> that the jail could not make her strip unless it believed she was hiding contraband, like a weapon or drugs. But instead they’d pulled her arms behind her back, handcuffing them and leading her, still barefoot, to the booking cell downstairs.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://www.endisolation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CIVIC_Complaint_SACJ.pdf" type="external">complaint</a> filed to local and federal authorities this week, guards then said that if Albrecht refused to be subject to a search, they would hold her there all night—without food or a bed, she says—and they’d transfer her the next morning to another facility. Afraid to move farther away from her attorney and her husband, a US citizen based in Los Angeles, she finally agreed to peel off her clothing.</p>
<p>Albrecht is one of 31 women who say they have been subject to illegal strip searches at the Santa Ana jail while in the custody of ICE, which has a contract with the city of Santa Ana to detain them there. Their complaint, filed by the advocacy group <a href="http://www.endisolation.org/" type="external">Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement</a> (CIVIC) to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security on Monday, says strip searches have been conducted at the jail “without reasonable suspicion, sometimes by members of the opposite gender, in view of other detainees, [and] in unsanitary conditions.”</p>
<p>The women argue that they routinely undergo strip searches after returning from court hearings or meetings with their attorneys. “These searches are conducted under a blanket policy, practice, or custom,” the complaint says. It alleges that some women were required to strip down while menstruating, causing them to bleed on the floor. In some cases, it adds, multiple women returning from court at the same time were searched in front of each other, rather than in private, as federal law requires. (The jail denies that women have ever been searched at the same time in view of one another.)</p>
<p>In response to the allegations of illegal searches, Christina Holland, the Santa Ana jail administrator, says, “If they’re here as a federal individual and they’re going to be housed in our facility, before they go upstairs they’re likely going to be strip searched.” She says it doesn’t matter whether a detainee has committed a crime or merely a civil violation, like overstaying a visa—but adds that the strip searches are not a “blanket policy,” and that each case is determined individually. She cites a 2012 Supreme Court case, <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2011/10-945" type="external">Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders</a>, which states that jails can strip search anyone who is arrested, even for minor offenses, before he or she is admitted.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.law.virginia.edu/lawweb/faculty.nsf/fhpbi/1165630" type="external">Brandon Garrett</a>, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law who is not involved in the complaint, says it’s not clear whether the Florence ruling would also apply to immigrant detainees. “These people are not being detained for any criminal offense, yet they are being kept in a jail—it raises real constitutional questions,” he says.</p>
<p>The Santa Ana jail’s own <a href="" type="internal">policy</a> states that officers can only conduct these searches if there’s “reasonable suspicion”—like fresh needle marks, tobacco odor, or a “level of nervousness”—”to believe the arrestee is concealing a weapon or contraband.” According to this policy, a “professional appointment,” like a court hearing or an unsupervised meeting with a lawyer, is grounds for reasonable suspicion. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2011/pbnds2011.pdf" type="external">ICE standards</a> state that “unless there is a specific and articulable suspicion that contraband has been transferred to a detainee,” he or she should not be strip searched after meeting with an attorney.</p>
<p>Nearly half of those represented by the complaint are transgender women immigrants, many of whom say they were forced to undergo strip searches by male officers. One of these detainees says officers “pointed at her in a mocking manner” after ordering her to lift her penis.</p>
<p>Strip searches must be conducted by a guard who’s the same gender as the detainee, according to ICE standards and the <a href="http://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act-prea" type="external">Prison Rape Elimination Act</a>, a federal law. According to the CIVIC complaint, the jail’s policy seems to “conflate gender identity and sex.”</p>
<p>“We strip search according to the biology of the individual,” says Holland. “They may feel they are female and identify as female, but legally we have to conduct searches in accordance with the law,” including California’s penal code.</p>
<p>The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)—which also applies to jails housing immigrants—does not specify whether a male or female officer should search a transgender woman detainee. <a href="http://www.nccdglobal.org/about-us/staff/michela-bowman" type="external">Michela Bowman</a>, a co-director of the <a href="http://www.prearesourcecenter.org/" type="external">National PREA Resource Center</a>, notes that the PREA standards “absolutely do not” mandate that such a search be conducted by “staff of the same biological sex or anatomy.” Instead, she says, “they require transgender inmates’ needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis,” with the option of asking the detainee to identify whether he or she would feel more comfortable with a male or female officer.</p>
<p>“For many transgender immigration detainees—many of whom are asylum seekers fleeing violence in their home country—this experience can be extremely traumatizing,” Derek Murray, a Justice Department-certified <a href="http://www.prearesourcecenter.org/audit/list-of-certified-auditors" type="external">auditor</a> for PREA standards, says of the strip searches. He notes that the humiliation of trans people is pervasive in jails, detention centers, and youth centers across the country.</p>
<p>Last year, ICE put out a <a href="https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/wp-content/uploads/documents/Document/2015/TransgenderCareMemorandum.pdf" type="external">memo</a> urging respect for the gender identity of transgender detainees. Lori Haley, an ICE spokeswoman, told Mother Jones that ICE standards “specify that cross-gender [strip] searches shall not be conducted unless staff of the same gender is unavailable.”</p>
<p>ICE says the CIVIC complaint about strip searches in Santa Ana “will be referred to the appropriate entity for further investigation.” In response to my questions about the allegations in the complaint, the agency stated that it has “a zero tolerance policy for any kind of abusive or inappropriate behavior in its facilities and takes any allegations of such mistreatment very seriously…In instances where misconduct by custodial personnel is substantiated, prompt and appropriate action will be taken.”</p>
<p>The accusations of illegal strip searches come at a time of heightened scrutiny on immigrant detention facilities across the country. Starting in October last year, hundreds of immigrants and asylum seekers nationwide went on <a href="" type="internal">hunger strike</a> to protest what they describe as abusive treatment and long periods in detention facilities, where they have been forced to stay as they fight their cases in front of US judges.</p>
<p>“Folks who are in immigration detention are there on a civil detention, not for suspicion of committing any crime,” says Tasha Hill of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, which signed onto CIVIC’s complaint. “They’re basically incarcerated for failing to fill out the proper paperwork. And these strip searches are incredibly humiliating, frightening, and can cause flashbacks and PTSD—and therefore should be used judiciously rather than as a blanket policy.”</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Immigrant Women Complain of “Disturbing” Strip Searches | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/dozens-immigrant-detainees-say-theyve-been-illegally-strip-searched-california/ | 2016-01-29 | 4 |
<p>The two Iranian brothers, Kamiar and Arash Alaei, have shaken up Iran's HIV/AIDS program.&#160; Their programs focus on needle transmission, but also they deal with sexual issues.</p>
<p>Kamiar Alaei said, "We have not to judge about our clients.&#160; We ask them, "If you have sex it is better that you have safe sex, so we don't judge who is your partners, it is homosexual or heterosexual."</p>
<p>His brother Arash Alaei said, "They are coming anonymously.&#160; We don't need their I.D. and we have hotline for their questions."&#160; These quotes were from a 2006 interview.</p>
<p>Their work has given Iran one of the best AIDS prevention and treatment programs in the world according to the World Health Organization.&#160; Today however they're in jail according to human rights groups.&#160; On December 31st the brothers were charged with seeking to overthrow the Iranian government.</p>
<p>"Iran has charged that they were trying to foment a velvet revolution through some of their international travel work.&#160; So they have cited some of their trips to AIDS conferences around the world as not a mode of public health outreach, but in fact as a way to recruit people to overthrow the government," says Sarah Kalloch, a spokesperson for Physicians for Human Rights.&#160;&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>"Physicians for Human Rights believes that they are absolutely innocent of these charges as do the thousands of people around the world who have worked with them.&#160; They are, in fact, the most incredible ambassadors and diplomats for Iran.&#160; They love their country, they celebrate the food and the culture and the history and especially the dance.&#160; I heard Arash is a very good dancer.&#160; And so we believe these to be patently false and in fact their lawyer has not had access to much of the evidence that the government is claiming in this case."&#160;</p>
<p>The Alaei doctors have been working openly for years to stem the spread of HIV in Iran and often it seemed that they pushed the envelope of propriety, at least in the eyes of the Iranian government.&#160; Contradicting Iranian government statements that homosexuality doesn't exist in the country, positing the intravenous drug use in the country.</p>
<p>"We think, and we hope that the Iranian government should in fact be incredibly thrilled by the work that they have done.&#160; They have put Iran on the map in terms of HIV prevention and treatment."</p>
<p>"The world needs the expertise coming out of Iran in terms of harm reduction programs.&#160; Iran has the best programs on this in the world.&#160; The United States needs information on this, Russia, all over the world we need their expertise.&#160; And to imprison Kamiar and Arash for sharing their expertise, for sharing scientific knowledge coming out of Iran is really tragic.</p>
<p>"There are certainly a great number of Iranian physicians and nurses and medical personnel who are doing great work.&#160; And the Alaeis' are part of a wonderful system; however what we are afraid of is that this arrest will put a chilling effect on every kind of public health exchange coming out of Iran.&#160; And in fact, some of the most renowned world leaders on HIV/AIDS have spoken out in support of the Alaeis and have encouraged Iran to release them," says Kalloch.</p>
<p>PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. "The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.</p>
<p>More <a href="" type="internal">"The World."</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | AIDS doctors arrested in Iran | false | https://pri.org/stories/2009-01-20/aids-doctors-arrested-iran | 2009-01-20 | 3 |
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<p>Sgt. Tyler Clausing, a truck driver with Company E, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, hooks up a trailer to a Palletized Load System truck after dark, on June 11, 2010, at Camp Khalid, Iraq. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/4711691384/" type="external">Photo via</a> the US Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod.</p> | We’re Still at War: Photo of the Day for June 25, 2010 | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2010/06/were-still-war-photo-day-june-25-2010/ | 2010-06-25 | 4 |
<p>If you're like most people, you could use more income. With U.S. salary and wage growth continuing to barely outpace inflation, it's prudent to look for ways to augment your paychecks.</p>
<p>One sensible way to do that is by investing in dividend-paying stocks. First, dividends are generally taxed at a lower level than your wages. For <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/qualified-dividends-vs-ordinary-dividends.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">qualified dividends Opens a New Window.</a>(which most of yours are likely to be), the tax rate is 20%, while the marginal tax rates on added wages can run <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/04/your-guide-to-tax-brackets-in-2017.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">as high as 39.6% Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Second, dividend stocks are relatively attractive in the current low-yield interest rate environment. Right now, the 10-year U.S. Treasury <a href="https://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/what-is-a-bond.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">bond Opens a New Window.</a> yields 2.4% and the average 5-year <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/07/14/what-is-a-cd-and-how-should-you-use-one.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">certificate of deposit Opens a New Window.</a> pays 1.5%, while the broader S&amp;P 500 currently has a dividend yield of 1.9%.</p>
<p>Third, in recent history, dividend stocks have the best track record of outperforming inflation. Over the last year, the S&amp;P 500 has increased its cumulative dividend payout by 6.9%, more than double the pace of wage increases. Many fixed-income products have higher current yields but do not increase their annual payouts, and <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/the-effects-of-inflation-on-the-bond-market.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">inflation can eat into income-based returns Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>One of the most basic techniques of&#160;income investing is to purchase high-yielding&#160;dividend stocks. The <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/dividend-yield.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">dividend yield Opens a New Window.</a> is simply the ratio of the current price per share of a company to the dividends per share paid out over the past 12 months. The logic behind buying high-yield stocks is simple: As a shareholder, you are entitled to the dividend, so paying the lowest cost for the largest relative dividends (i.e., the highest yields) would seem to be preferable.</p>
<p>However, this may be one of the more dangerous ideas in investing. There are a few significant risks with using dividend yield as your primary criterion for making an investment decision. While it's smart to evaluate a company's past dividend payouts, investors should put more emphasis on how probable it is that the company will be able to continue them.</p>
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<p>When a large segment of investors become skeptical of a company's prospects due to industry changes, poor management, or economic conditions, they will sell their shares of the company. This depresses the stock price, which has the perverse effect of making the dividend yield more attractive in the short run. This is referred to as a&#160; <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/05/stay-away-this-dividend-stock-is-a-yield-trap.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">yield trap Opens a New Window.</a>: If&#160; (or more likely) when the company eventually cuts its dividend payout, the factor that induced you to buy it will be gone. Recently, this was the case with General Electric, which cut its dividend from $0.96 per share to $0.48 per share, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/11/13/general-electric-slashes-dividend-in-half-3-reason.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">a 50% decrease Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>That said, high-yielding stocks of companies that can turn things around often outperform the greater stock market as investors recognize them to be safer prospects with outsize yields.</p>
<p>A mistake many investors make when evaluating a company's ability to pay its dividend is using the common <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/what-is-the-payout-ratio.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">dividend payout ratio Opens a New Window.</a> (dividends per share/net income per share) and the dividend yield as their only evaluative metrics. However, dividends are paid from cash generation, which can vastly differ from accounting earnings in both the short and long terms. The main discrepancy between net income, (aka, accounting earnings) and cash-flow generation <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/09/24/reconciling-net-income-to-free-cash-flow.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">is depreciation Opens a New Window.</a>, as this is not a cash expense but rather a method of expensing costs of long-term assets like factories or buildings.</p>
<p>A much better measure of a company's ability to continue to pay (or raise) its dividend is the free-cash-flow payout ratio, which replaces net income with the <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2005/12/29/foolish-fundamentals-free-cash-flow.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free-cash flow Opens a New Window.</a> (cash from operations minus capital expenditures). This measures the true cash the company is generating versus what it's paying out to shareholders. Additionally, it's a good idea to pay attention to a company's net cash position, as companies with a lot of cash can continue to pay their dividends even the event of temporary operational weaknesses.</p>
<p>Within the S&amp;P 500, the current top-yielding stock is CenturyLink. The company's core businesses are in the competitive broadband and telecommunications industries, and it owns a lot of assets in the declining wireline subsegment. CenturyLink does not have the scale of larger competitors like AT&amp;T, Charter Communications, Comcast, and Verizon. Investors continue to have low expectations about its ability to continue servicing the dividend.</p>
<p>Recently, the company completed its acquisition of Level 3 Communications, a business and government focused service provider, which should give&#160;CenturyLink significant scale that it can use to <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/22/centurylinks-new-succession-plan-is-very-good-news.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">focus on the enterprise Opens a New Window.</a>. Management has made defending its dividend a priority, as <a href="http://news.centurylink.com/CenturyLink-declares-quarterly-cash-dividend-1" type="external">CEO Glen Post III noted: Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Like CenturyLink, Macy's is also facing questions about its business model. The department store chain's stock fell more than 50% over the last year, and many investors are quite skeptical of how the business model of traditional retail with fare under intense competition from e-commerce players like Amazon. In the last two years, more than 20 retailers have filed for bankruptcy protection, including Sports Authority, Toys R' Us, and Payless ShoeSource.</p>
<p>Many analysts have tried to predict which chain with be next to drop, but my colleague <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/11/01/why-im-not-worried-about-a-macys-inc-dividend-cut.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Adam Levine-Weinberg Opens a New Window.</a> feels it won't be Macy's. He argues that its cash flow can support its dividend, at least in the near term; free cash flow is roughly double what the company paid out in dividends last year. The company is in the midst of restructuring the business, selling less-productive assets to pay down debt and increase operating margins. If the company executes on those plans successfully, investors could strongly benefit, given the current exceedingly bearish outlook the market has on it.</p>
<p>In a recurring theme, the third highest-yielding stock in the S&amp;P 500 also faces questions related to its business model. Seagate Technology is a large manufacturer of hard disk drives (HDDs). However, most computers now use solid-state drives (SSDs) for storage, as their performance is better and HDD's cost advantage continues to shrink. Last year, Seagate's primary contender Western Digital acquired SanDisk to pivot to SSD manufacturing, while Seagate remains mostly tethered to HDD technology.</p>
<p>Seagate's shares rallied after it reported <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/23/why-seagate-stock-popped-17-today.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">third-quarter earnings Opens a New Window.</a>. Sales fell 6%, but the company has been cutting its expenses as well, which helped it produce earnings per share growth. However, the company reported a year-over-year free cash flow decline of 75%, which is a metric long-term income investors should strongly consider before buying shares for the dividend.</p>
<p>Everybody wants more income, but it's important to avoid taking unwise risks. Looking for high dividend yields is a good starting point, but on its own, its a poor strategy for picking stocks to deliver long-term income. Do your proper due diligence, and evaluate a company's cash flow, its economic environment, and the probability of a dividend cut before you buy its shares.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than Macy'sWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=218ff27e-c79c-43e8-af9b-76fbf974fee6&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Macy's wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=218ff27e-c79c-43e8-af9b-76fbf974fee6&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-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 November 6, 2017</p>
<p>John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFJcar/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Jamal Carnette, CFA Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of AT&amp;T, CenturyLink, and General Electric. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, ONEOK, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;referring_guid=d046daf6-c8b5-11e7-b81d-0050569d4be0&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | What Investors Need to Know About High-Yield Stocks | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/11/21/what-investors-need-to-know-about-high-yield-stocks.html | 2017-11-21 | 0 |
<p />
<p>There are plenty of reasons your tax return could get audited, and many are beyond your control. For example, if you have some unusually large but legitimate deductions, the IRS may want to take a closer look just to be sure. However, there are some mistakes people make that can trigger audits as well, and many of these are 100% avoidable. Here are three mistakes commonly made by investors that could get your tax return audited by the IRS.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Not reporting taxable retirement account distributionsIt's fairly common knowledge that distributions from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s are counted as taxable income, so make sure you report it all. Granted, if your retirement savings produce a large portion of your income, it's tough to forget about it on your tax return. However, there are some situations where a retirement withdrawal could legitimately slip your mind.</p>
<p>For example, the IRS allows a one-time $10,000 early distribution from an IRA to be used toward a first-time home purchase. What many (especially younger) investors fail to realize is that even though you don't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty on the distribution, it is still taxable and must be claimed as income on your return, if you received a deduction when you made the IRA contribution.</p>
<p>All distributions from retirement accounts (even IRA funds that you intend to roll over) are reported to the IRS on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099r.pdf" type="external">Form 1099-R</a>, and if the numbers don't match up to what you claim on your return, an audit could be in your future.</p>
<p>Mathematical and numerical errorsSure, mathematical errors are not an investor-specific problem, but investors have more calculations to do than the average taxpayer, and more numbers means more potential for mistakes.</p>
<p>Here's the point to keep in mind: Virtually all of the tax information you receive is also sent to the IRS. So the IRS knows how much dividend income your investments generated, how much your capital gains were for the year, and the interest income you received.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Further, I'm not talking about basic math errors, such as calculating your capital gains tax liability incorrectly. The vast majority of people use tax-prep software, which takes care of your calculations. However, the software has no way of detecting when wrong numbers are entered, or when things you need to add by hand are incorrect. For example, if you earned $5,000 in dividend income and accidentally type in $500, the IRS's paperwork and your tax return won't match up and it could trigger an audit.</p>
<p>Violating the wash-sale ruleIt's a common practice, and a perfectly legal one, to sell losing investments to offset some of your capital gains or ordinary income -- a process known as " <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/11/07/tax-loss-harvesting-can-boost-your-2015-refund-if.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">tax-loss harvesting</a>." The IRS allows this, and even if you don't have capital gains to offset, investment losses can reduce your taxable income by as much as $3,000.</p>
<p>A word of caution: When doing so, be careful not to violate the wash-sale rule. Basically, this rule says that if you sell a stock at a loss, and then buy a "substantially identical" stock within 30 days of the sale, you are not allowed to claim the loss in your taxes. Instead, you simply add the loss to the cost of the new purchase.</p>
<p>For example, let's say that you bought 50 shares of a certain stock for $100 a year ago, and the shares are currently trading at $80. If you sell the shares, you can claim the $1,000 loss on your taxes. However, if you buy your 50 shares back for $80 each a week later, you can no longer claim the loss -- the $1,000 loss simply carries over to the new trade.</p>
<p>Since the IRS can see the tax documents sent by your brokerage (see the pattern here?), trying to claim a loss in a wash sale is good way to invite an audit.</p>
<p>There are plenty of other ways to get auditedIn addition to these investor-specific tax mistakes, there are many other ways you can bring on a tax audit. For example, if your deductions are unusually high, it could trigger an audit of your entire tax return. The same can be said for deductions with high potential for abuse, such as the home office deduction or business use of a vehicle. And, some tax returns are simply selected at random.</p>
<p>The point is that there is always a chance of an audit, so your goal should be to make it as error-free as possible right from the start.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/28/3-tax-mistakes-that-can-get-investors-audited-by-t.aspx" type="external">3 Tax Mistakes That Can Get Investors Audited by the IRS</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p>Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> | 3 Tax Mistakes That Can Get Investors Audited by the IRS | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/02/28/3-tax-mistakes-that-can-get-investors-audited-by-irs.html | 2016-03-27 | 0 |
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<p>New Mexico saw a spike in the number of people living in poverty last year and maintained the nation’s second-highest percentage, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers released Thursday.</p>
<p>Census figures indicate that 21.9 percent of New Mexico residents lived in poverty last year, roughly 22,000 more people than in 2012.</p>
<p>That’s a jump from 20.8 percent.</p>
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<p>Nationally, the rate was 15.8 percent in 2013 compared with 15.9 percent the year before.</p>
<p>Only Mississippi had a poverty rate higher than New Mexico in 2013 with 24 percent of that state’s residents living in poverty.</p>
<p>In addition, New Mexico joined New Jersey and Washington as the three states that experienced increases in both the number and percentage of people in poverty between 2012 and 2013.</p>
<p>The numbers come just weeks after Tesla Motors Inc. announced it would build a battery factory in Nevada instead of New Mexico and months after state lawmakers failed to come up with a compromise on an early childhood program in the state.</p>
<p>“It’s a crisis,” said Javier Benavidez, executive director of the Albuquerque-based SouthWest Organizing Project, an anti-poverty organization. “Our public policies that nibble at the edges aren’t cutting it.”</p>
<p>Benavidez said elected officials needed to come up with more bold solutions to fight poverty in the state.</p>
<p>Veronica Garcia, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, said she believed that state lawmakers were too focused on offering tax cuts to attract businesses rather than pushing for programs like expanding early children education.</p>
<p>Behind the new state numbers, Garcia said, are the untold stories of poverty’s effect.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“These numbers don’t show the hunger, the toxic stress, the drug abuse and the homeless that result from poverty,” she said.</p>
<p>The official poverty level is based on a government calculation that includes only income before tax deductions. It excludes capital gains or accumulated wealth, such as home ownership.</p>
<p>Census figures also show the median income in New Mexico rose slightly from year to year: from $43,423 in 2013 to $43,872 from last year.</p>
<p>The median income in the U.S. rose from $51,915 in 2012 to $52,250 in 2013.</p>
<p>New Mexico also has the highest percentage of Hispanic residents, 47 percent, in the nation, Census numbers show.</p>
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<p /> | Poverty rate increases to 21.9% in New Mexico | false | https://abqjournal.com/464712/poverty-rate-increases-to-219-in-new-mexico.html | 2 |
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<p>The soldiers of the US 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division hollered as they made their way into Kuwait. “We won,” they claimed. “It’s over.”</p>
<p>But what exactly did they win?</p>
<p>And is the war really over?</p>
<p>It seems we are once again walking into the same trap, the same nonsensical assumptions of wars won, missions accomplished, troops withdrawn, and jolly soldiers carrying cardboard signs of heart-warming messages like “Lindsay &amp; Austin … Dad’s coming home.”</p>
<p>While much of the media is focused on the logistics of the misleading withdrawal of the “last combat brigade” from Iraq on August 19 – some accentuating the fact that the withdrawal is happening two weeks ahead of the August 31 deadline – most of us are guilty of forgetting Iraq and its people. When the economy began to take center stage, we completely dropped the war off our list of grievances.</p>
<p>But this is not about memory, or a way of honoring the dead and feeling compassion for the living. Forgetting wars leads to a complete polarization of discourses, thus allowing the crafters of war to sell the public whatever suits their interests and stratagems.</p>
<p>In an August 22 Washington Post article entitled “Five myths about the Iraq troop withdrawal”, Kenneth M Pollack unravels the first “myth”: “As of this month, the United States no longer has combat troops in Iran.” Pollack claims this idea is “not even close” because “roughly 50,000 American military personnel remain in Iraq, and the majority are still combat troops – they’re just named something else. The major units still in Iraq will no longer be called “brigade combat teams” and instead will be called “advisory and assistance brigades”. But a rose by any other name is still a rose, and the differences in brigade structure and personnel are minimal.</p>
<p>So what if the US army downgrades its military presence in Iraq and re-labels over 50,000 remaining soldiers? Will the US military now stop chasing after perceived terrorist threats? Will it concede an inch of its unchallenged control over Iraqi skies? Will it relinquish power over the country’s self-serving political elite? Will it give up its influence over every relevant aspect of life in the country, from the now autonomous Kurdish region in the north all the way to the border with Kuwait in the south, which the jubilant soldiers crossed while hollering the shrieks of victory?</p>
<p>The Iraq war has been one of the most well-controlled wars the US has ever fought, in terms of its language and discourse. Even those opposed to the war tend to be misguided as to their reasons: “Iraqis need to take charge of their own country”; “Iraq is a sectarian society and America cannot rectify that”; “It is not possible to create a Western-style democracy in Iraq”; “It’s a good thing Saddam Hussein was taken down, but the US should have left straight after”. These ideas might be described as “anti-war”, but they are all based on fallacious assumptions that were fed to us by the same recycled official and media rhetoric.</p>
<p>It’s no wonder that the so-called anti-war movement waned significantly after the election of President Barack Obama. The new president merely shifted military priorities from Iraq to Afghanistan. His government is now re-branding the Iraq war, although maintaining the interventionist spirit behind it. It makes perfect sense that the US State Department is now the one in charge of the future mission in Iraq. The occupation of Iraq, while it promises much violence and blood, is now a political scheme. It requires good public relations.</p>
<p>The State Department will now supervise future violence in Iraq, which is likely to increase in coming months due to the ongoing political standoff and heightened sectarian divisions. An attack blamed on al-Qaeda in an Iraqi army recruitment center on August 17 claimed 61 lives and wounded many. “Iraqi officials say July saw the deaths of more than 500 people, including 396 civilians, making it the deadliest month for more than two years,” reported Robert Tait in Radio Free Europe.</p>
<p>Since the March elections, Iraq has had no government. The political rift in the country, even among the ruling Shi’ite groups, is large and widening. The disaffected Sunnis have been humiliated and collectively abused because of the misguided claim that they were favored by Saddam. Hate is brewing and the country’s internal affairs are being handled jointly by some of the most corrupt politicians the world has ever known.</p>
<p>Washington understands that it needs to deliver on some of Obama’s many campaign promises before the November elections. Thus the re-branding campaign, which could hide the fact that the US has no real intention of removing itself from the Iraq’s military or political milieus. But since the current number of military personnel might not be enough to handle the deepening security chaos in the country, the new caretakers at the State Department are playing with numbers.</p>
<p>“State Department spokesman P J Crowley said [a] plan would bring to some 7,000 the total security contractors employed by the government in Iraq, where since the 2003 US invasion private security firms have often been accused of acting above the law,” according to Reuters.</p>
<p>It’s important that we understand the number game is just a game. Many colonial powers in the past controlled their colonies through the use of local forces and minimal direct involvement. Those of us oppose the Iraq war should do so based on the guiding principle that foreign invasions, occupations and interventions in sovereign countries’ affairs are a direct violation of international law. It is precisely the interventionist mindset that must be confronted, challenged, and rejected.</p>
<p>While it is a good thing that that thousands of American dads are now coming home, we must also remember that hundreds of thousands of Iraqi moms and dads never did. Millions of refugees from the US-led invasion are still circling the country and the Middle East.</p>
<p>War is not about numbers and dates. It’s about people, their rights, their freedom and their future. Re-branding the army and the war will provide none of this for grief-stricken and vulnerable Iraqis.</p>
<p>The fact is, no one has won this war. And the occupation is anything but over.</p> | Rebranding Iraq | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/08/30/rebranding-iraq/ | 2010-08-30 | 4 |
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<p>Put this in the “creative marketing” file. Bliss Spa is offering an <a href="http://www.blissworld.com/promos/bem/WB_023_9_farewell_bush/" type="external">inauguration special</a>, 20 percent off Brazilian bikini waxes for ladies who want to say “ <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2008/12/11473_how_would_you_s.html" type="external">farewell to Bush</a>” in more ways than one. I think I’ll pass on Bliss’s “presidential transition savings,” but I speak for my uterus and myself when I say that we’re <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2008/11/10942_abortion_access_bush_last_minute.html" type="external">truly pleased</a> to see the last of Bush’s presidency.</p>
<p /> | Saying Goodbye to Bush… Literally | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2009/01/saying-goodbye-bush-literally/ | 2009-01-16 | 4 |
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<p>A chronic wasting disease is spreading quickly through Canada’s domesicated elk populations, forcing a Canadian agency to order 1,700 of the animals slaughtered.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p><a href="/mustreads/121600.html" type="external">12/16 – This is your sperm on drugs</a></p>
<p><a href="/mustreads/121500.html" type="external">12/15 – Michael, Tiger, and Osama</a></p>
<p><a href="/mustreads/121400.html" type="external">12/14 – Bye-bye bubble wrap</a></p>
<p><a href="/mustreads/121300.html" type="external">12/13 – Poor prey for people parts</a></p>
<p>The elk were being bred on Saskatchewan farms for human consumption of their meat and immature antlers, used for a health-food supplement known as “velvet antler.”</p>
<p>The order comes in the wake of a directive from the World Health Organization stating that products from any animal carrying anything resembling mad-cow disease must not be consumed.</p>
<p /> | Canada kills 1,700 ‘mad elk’ | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2000/12/canada-kills-1700-mad-elk/ | 2000-12-19 | 4 |
<p>MOSCOW, Russia — When crowds of protesters first flooded the streets of Moscow in December 2011 chanting “Putin is a thief!” they probably had in mind rigged elections, budgetary funds and natural resources, to name a few concerns.</p>
<p>Certainly not a Super Bowl ring.</p>
<p>But billionaire and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is no ordinary, disenfranchised middle-class protester. So when he reportedly claimed last Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin swiped one of his Super Bowl rings during a meeting in St. Petersburg in 2005, the world — and the Kremlin — quickly took notice.</p>
<p>“I put my hand out and he put [the ring] in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out,” the New York Post reported Kraft as telling an audience at a New York City gala.</p>
<p>Although it was unclear from Kraft’s comments whether he intended to accuse Putin of outright theft, he did seem to expect the ring back.</p>
<p>Either way, the ring, which commemorates the Patriots’ close 24-21 win that year against the Philadelphia Eagles, now sits in the Kremlin library.</p>
<p>Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, long used to fielding questions about Putin ranging from the embarrassing to the absurd, spent the better part of his past two days batting down the rumor, claiming Kraft’s $25,000 ring was in fact a gift.</p>
<p>“I was standing 20 centimeters away from [Kraft] and Mr. Putin and saw and heard how Mr. Kraft gave this ring as a gift,” he told CNN on Monday.</p>
<p>Putin has even offered to buy Kraft a new ring as a replacement, according to Peskov. The spokesman also gently suggested Kraft should see a shrink.</p>
<p>“All that talk about some kind of pressure that was exerted on [Kraft] should be the subject of a detailed talk with psychoanalysts, I think,” he said Sunday in Northern Ireland ahead of a G8 summit.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/130614/moscow-us-syria-chemical-weapons-report" type="external">Moscow rebukes US over Syria chemical weapons report</a></p>
<p>Call it what you will — lost in translation, a cultural misunderstanding, or just another one of those awkward moments — but one thing is for certain: Kraft seems to know how to mend geopolitical fences.</p>
<p>Back in 2005, he reportedly took White House advice to release a statement claiming the ring was indeed a gift.</p>
<p>Now, apparently upon noticing the hullabaloo his statement on Thursday caused, Kraft rushed to correct himself.</p>
<p>"It's a humorous, anecdotal story that Robert re-tells for laughs,” Stacey James, Kraft’s spokesman, told NFL.com on Sunday. “He loves that his ring is at the Kremlin and, as he stated back in 2005, he continues to have great respect for Russia and the leadership of President Putin."</p>
<p>"In particular, he credits President Putin for modernizing the Russian economy," she added.</p>
<p>Not exactly accurate for a country consistently admonished for its heavy dependence on oil, but all that’s awkward ends awkwardly.</p> | No, actually, Kraft loves Putin! | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-06-18/no-actually-kraft-loves-putin | 2013-06-18 | 3 |
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<p>Tonight, the Sundance Channel debuts <a href="http://www.sundancechannel.com/onepunk/" type="external">“One Punk Under God,”</a> a documentary series that follows Jay Bakker, the son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Since his parents’ PTL ministry collapsed in the late ’80s, Bakker hit the bottle, got a ton of tattoos, sobered up, rediscovered God, and became a preacher. He’s now spreading the word from a <a href="http://www.revolutionnyc.com/" type="external">Brooklyn storefront</a>, but it’s a distinctly different message from the one we’re used to hearing from megachurches and televangelists. I recently talked to Bakker about his philosophy, his decision to become a “gay-affirming” church, and what tricks of the trade he picked up from his parents. Check it out <a href="" type="internal">here</a>.</p>
<p /> | Jay Bakker’s Quiet Revolution | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2006/12/jay-bakkers-quiet-revolution/ | 2006-12-13 | 4 |
<p>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) _ These Oregon lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Lucky Lines</p>
<p>01-06-11-14-FREE-19-21-28-31</p>
<p>(one, six, eleven, fourteen, FREE, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $39,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $343 million</p>
<p>Megabucks</p>
<p>11-13-15-35-44-47</p>
<p>(eleven, thirteen, fifteen, thirty-five, forty-four, forty-seven)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $5.9 million</p>
<p>Pick 4 10PM</p>
<p>8-3-8-1</p>
<p>(eight, three, eight, one)</p>
<p>Pick 4 1PM</p>
<p>0-1-9-0</p>
<p>(zero, one, nine, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 4 4PM</p>
<p>0-7-6-6</p>
<p>(zero, seven, six, six)</p>
<p>Pick 4 7PM</p>
<p>0-4-8-7</p>
<p>(zero, four, eight, seven)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>28-36-41-51-58, Powerball: 24, Power Play: 2</p>
<p>(twenty-eight, thirty-six, forty-one, fifty-one, fifty-eight; Powerball: twenty-four; Power Play: two)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $384 million</p>
<p>Win for Life</p>
<p>36-49-55-71</p>
<p>(thirty-six, forty-nine, fifty-five, seventy-one)</p>
<p>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) _ These Oregon lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Lucky Lines</p>
<p>01-06-11-14-FREE-19-21-28-31</p>
<p>(one, six, eleven, fourteen, FREE, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $39,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $343 million</p>
<p>Megabucks</p>
<p>11-13-15-35-44-47</p>
<p>(eleven, thirteen, fifteen, thirty-five, forty-four, forty-seven)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $5.9 million</p>
<p>Pick 4 10PM</p>
<p>8-3-8-1</p>
<p>(eight, three, eight, one)</p>
<p>Pick 4 1PM</p>
<p>0-1-9-0</p>
<p>(zero, one, nine, zero)</p>
<p>Pick 4 4PM</p>
<p>0-7-6-6</p>
<p>(zero, seven, six, six)</p>
<p>Pick 4 7PM</p>
<p>0-4-8-7</p>
<p>(zero, four, eight, seven)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>28-36-41-51-58, Powerball: 24, Power Play: 2</p>
<p>(twenty-eight, thirty-six, forty-one, fifty-one, fifty-eight; Powerball: twenty-four; Power Play: two)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $384 million</p>
<p>Win for Life</p>
<p>36-49-55-71</p>
<p>(thirty-six, forty-nine, fifty-five, seventy-one)</p> | OR Lottery | false | https://apnews.com/amp/9ab52948c5144b6887b4fc7cc75d9493 | 2017-12-31 | 2 |
<p>Mexico's US-trained marines <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-navy-catches-founder-zetas-drug-cartel-002004727.html" type="external">nabbed</a> one of the founders of the Zetas cartel on Monday, a valiant effort, to be sure.</p>
<p>But also one that underscores how badly this drug war is going.&#160;</p>
<p>Raul Lucio Hernandez Lechuga, known as "El Lucky," was picked up in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, where the Zetas have been clashing with a proxy of their main foe, the Sinaloa cartel.&#160;</p>
<p>The Mexican government counts this as a win. President Felipe Calderon, who leaves office in July and is eager to ensure his legacy isn't one of failure, tweeted the news. he has claimed that <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16153481" type="external">22 of the 37 most-wanted drug lords</a> have now been killed or captured.</p>
<p>Yet the violence doesn't seem to have declined. So what's going on?</p>
<p>The US, meanwhile, is waging a similar, nebulous war against al Qaeda, a global terrorist group. Recently President Barack Obama said that the US had killed or captured <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/08/143356742/obama-ask-osama-bin-laden-if-im-an-appeaser?ft=1&amp;f=1014&amp;sc=tw" type="external">22 out of 30</a> top al Qaeda leaders.</p>
<p>The president, per <a href="" type="external">NPR</a>:</p>
<p>"Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al-Qaida leaders who've been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement. Or whoever's left out there. Ask them about that."&#160;</p>
<p>Bragging aside, the US has put a major dent in the terror network. Their capacity for large-scale attacks appears to be, for now, seriously diminished.</p>
<p>But the drug cartels have something the terrorists don't: money.&#160;</p>
<p>Al Qaeda draws people, and funding, through their self-destructive ideology. The Arab Spring has brought new ideas that don't involve explosions, and a sense of hope and possibility that doesn't provide fertile ground for terrorism.</p>
<p>The cartels operate like massive corporations, with built-in deniability for their top brass, and extensive networks of employees. You can't eliminate them by killing off the chief executives.&#160;</p>
<p>As long as there are billions to be made selling drugs, someone will find a way to do it. So the&#160;Whack-a-Mole continues.&#160;</p>
<p>It's not surprising that the line of critics in Calderon's policy has grown larger over time, or that one of the leading opposition candidates in Mexico has promised to take the troops <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/mexico/111116/calderon-drug-war-lopez-obrador-pena-nieto" type="external">out of the battle entirely</a>.</p>
<p>Even Calderon himself has talked about <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/que-pasa/legalization-debate-first-pot-now-coke" type="external">legalizing marijuana</a>, at least, to curb drug-traffickers' profits. But that's a long way off.&#160;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the drug war drones on.</p> | Another Zetas cartel leader captured... | false | https://pri.org/stories/2011-12-13/another-zetas-cartel-leader-captured | 2011-12-13 | 3 |
<p>As Russian authorities prepare for next month's Sochi Winter Olympics, a sweep for militants led to a shootout in which three Russian servicemen and four gunmen were killed.</p>
<p>Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAC) said in a statement that a group of militants had been trapped in a house in the village of Karlanyurt in the Dagestan region of the North Caucasus. Five officers were also wounded in what a spokesman called a special operation.</p>
<p>One of the dead gunmen was a man accused of carrying out a car bomb attack in the city of Pyatigorsk late last year which killed three people, they added.</p>
<p>Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala, is about 620 km (385 miles) east of Sochi. The mostly Muslim region is plagued by bombings and shootings that mainly target police and state officials as part of the militants' fight to create an Islamist state.</p>
<p>Russia in on high alert following two suicide bombings in southern Russia last month that fuelled security concerns before the Olympics, which Islamist militants waging an insurgency in the North Caucasus have threatened to attack.</p>
<p>President Vladimir Putin has staked a lot of personal and political prestige on the success of the Games, which open on February 7, and has put security forces on combat alert in Sochi.</p>
<p>Reuters</p> | Sochi Security: 7 Die in Pre-Olympic Sweep of Russia Militants | false | http://nbcnews.com/storyline/sochi-olympics/sochi-security-7-die-pre-olympic-sweep-russia-militants-n9721 | 2014-01-15 | 3 |
<p />
<p>First and foremost, we must remember that the prosecutor in the Zimmerman case did not charge George Zimmerman until public outcry was so great that they, for all intents and purposes, had to make an arrest.</p>
<p>The prosecutor, of course, is the same who has charged, tried and convicted <a href="http://politicalblindspot.org/the-verdict-is-in-no-right-for-african-american-woman-to-stand-her-ground/" type="external">Marissa Alexander, an African American woman, for 20 years in prison</a>… Why? For firing warning shots at her domestic abuser. She was denied a “Stand Your Ground” defense, a defense which Zimmerman did not even need to invoke (and which his defense did not).</p>
<p>Jarvis DeBerry breaks down six essential proofs from a legal insider, that the prosecution, which has repeatedly denied African American “Stand Your Ground” defenses, and which did not even want to prosecute George Zimmerman, threw the case, so that Zimmerman would experience only a temporary inconvenience, before being set free and having his murder weapon returned to him, so that he could kill again if he believes it necessary.</p>
<p>1) Prosecutors didn’t demand a change of venue. The recusal of the Seminole County district attorney and multiple judges from that county is proof that the case was a political hot potato and that there was a fear that there would be negative political ramifications following a Zimmerman conviction. Therefore, the state should have moved to have the venue changed.</p>
<p>2) They let jurors they didn’t want stay. Prosecutors tried but failed to have two jurors removed for cause. They could have had those two removed anyway by using their peremptory challenges, but instead, they let them stay on. Here’s a discussion at Slate Magazine about&#160; <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/07/zimmerman_trial_juror_b37_why_did_prosecutors_let_her_on_the_trayvon_martin.html" type="external">Juror B-37 in particular and the peculiar decision by prosecutors not to have her removed</a>. A day after the trial she reportedly contacted a literary agent to “write” a book about the trial. But after social-media outrage, that&#160; <a href="http://www.uproxx.com/webculture/2013/07/persistent-tweeter-ends-juror-b37s-book-deal/" type="external">literary agent has now decided against the deal</a>.</p>
<p>3) They didn’t fight to get a single man on the jury. This, my source said, is prosecuting 101. In a fatal fight between men, you fight to get men on the jury. Men are more likely to convict.</p>
<p>4) Rachel Jeantel was poorly prepared. The lawyer said he’s dealt with witnesses from age 6 to 85 and has had to rely on witnesses who had no more than a second-grade education.&#160; <a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/06/trayvon_martins_friend_ends_te.html" type="external">Jeantel, a close friend of Martin</a>, and the closest thing the state had to a star witness, was on the phone with him as he was being followed by Zimmerman. At times she seemed hostile to the questioning and her demeanor was all but certain, my source said, to turn off a jury that was reportedly five white women and a Latina. “We made ’em into witnesses,” my source said of those folks who came with shortcomings. “That’s called preparation.”</p>
<p>5) Prosecutors played for the jury a television interview that Zimmerman gave to Fox News’ Sean Hannity. The defense wouldn’t have been permitted to play that tape if they’d asked, he said, “so what’s the prosecution playing it for?” Didn’t prosecutors play the tape to highlight Zimmerman’s inconsistencies? I asked. Those inconsistencies were “microscopic,” he said. He said he was taught that “if it hurts your case, let the other guy do it.” But in this case, the defense wouldn’t have been able to do it because, he said,&#160; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaua8aAUpOs" type="external">the tape was clearly hearsay</a>&#160;and not subject to cross-examination.</p>
<p>6) A Sanford police officer who was asked if he believed Zimmerman’s story of self-defense was allowed to answer yes without the prosecution objecting. Witnesses should not be permitted to offer an opinion on the credibility of other witnesses or other evidence. The next day prosecutors asked the judge to strike that portion of the investigator’s testimony, and she complied. But why did the prosecution sit quietly as the question was asked and answered?</p>
<p>The State of Florida let George Zimmerman literally get away with murder (or at least manslaughter). SPREAD THE WORD about how the prosecution threw the case!</p>
<p>READ MORE &gt;&gt;</p> | More Evidence that the Zimmerman PROSECUTORS Deliberately Threw the Case | true | http://politicalblindspot.com/more-evidence-that-the-zimmerman-prosecutors-deliberately-threw-the-case/?fb_source%3Dpubv1 | 2013-07-16 | 4 |
<p>US stocks closed at a one-month high today ahead of the Greek election that many see as crucial to its future in the euro zone.</p>
<p>Investors piled into stocks on expectations that central bankers around the world are ready to work together to keep money flowing should there be any turmoil following the vote, <a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20120615-us-stocks-surge-ahead-crucial-greek-vote?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter" type="external">Agence France-Presse reported.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120615-712921.html" type="external">According to the Wall Street Journal,</a>European Central Bank President Mario Draghi indicated the central bank was ready to open the credit valves, while the Bank of England announced plans to pump more liquidity into the country's banking system.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/120615/gordon-brown-g20-summit-eurozone-crisis" type="external">&#160;Gordon Brown: G20 summit is the 'last chance' to save the eurozone</a></p>
<p>The Standard &amp; Poor's 500 index rose one percent to 1,342.84, its highest since May 11, <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/us-stocks-rise-as-central-bank-hopes-20120616-20g6n.html" type="external">Bloomberg reported.</a></p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 115.26 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 12,767.17 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq finished at 2,872.80, up 36.47 points, or 1.3 percent.</p>
<p>But sharemarket gains were hampered by ongoing concerns about the stricken Spanish banking system and the ramifications of a possible Greek exit from the euro zone.</p>
<p>Disappointing US economic data also weighed on sentiment, <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/15/markets-usa-stocks-idUKL1E8HFHAX20120615" type="external">Reuters added.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18460523" type="external">According to the BBC,</a> US factory production fell 0.4 percent last month after increasing 0.7 percent in April, as carmakers cut output for the first time in six months.</p>
<p><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/15/markets-usa-stocks-idUKL1E8HFHAX20120615" type="external">Reuters said</a> other data indicated consumer sentiment fell to a six-month low in June. &#160;</p> | US stocks surge ahead of Greek election | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-06-16/us-stocks-surge-ahead-greek-election | 2012-06-16 | 3 |
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<p>This undated photo provided by the Prince George's County Police Department shows officer Jacai Colson, a 4-year veteran of the Maryland county's police force. A gunman fired outside a Maryland police station on Sunday, March 13, 2016, prompting a gun battle that killed Colson and wounded the suspect, authorities said. (Prince George's County Police Department via AP)</p>
<p>CHEVERLY, Md. - The Latest on charges against three brothers accused in a shootout at a Maryland police station that left an officer dead from friendly fire, according to police (all times local):</p>
<p>11:40 a.m.</p>
<p>The legal guardian for a man accused in a shootout at a Maryland police station that led to a police officer's death from friendly fire says the man was diagnosed as bipolar and received Social Security disability payments.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Forty-year-old Hyacinth Tucker took over as legal guardian for 22-year-old Michael Ford when Ford was 16. That's when Tucker says Ford's mother kicked him out of the house. Tucker tells The Associated Press that Ford was homeless for a while and had brushes with the law.</p>
<p>Tucker says she spoke to Ford last week, when he told her he wanted to talk in person. She says he came by her house on Saturday but she wasn't home. The shootout at the police station occurred Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>11 a.m.</p>
<p>Two brothers who filmed another brother shooting at drivers and police officers outside a Maryland police station will appear in court Wednesday for a bond review hearing.</p>
<p>A spokesman for the Prince George's County Office of the State's Attorney, John Erzen, says Malik and Elijah Ford each face 15 charges related to Sunday's shooting outside a Prince George's County police station in which an undercover officer was killed.</p>
<p>Police say the two brothers recorded the attack on their cellphones as a third brother, Michael Ford, began the gunfight. The charges against them include multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder.</p>
<p>Michael Ford is still hospitalized and has not been charged, but Cpl. Harry Bond said once he is released, he would be transferred to the Department of Corrections.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Erzen says prosecutors will ask at Wednesday's hearing that 21-year-old Malik Ford and 18-year-old Elijah Ford continue to be held without bond.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>4:15 a.m.</p>
<p>Police say they may never be able to satisfactorily explain why a man with a death wish shot at drivers and officers outside a police station in suburban Maryland while his brothers filmed the firefight on their cellphones.</p>
<p>Undercover narcotics officer Jacai Colson was killed in Sunday's gunfight outside the station in Prince George's County, wounded by a bullet fired by one of his colleagues.</p>
<p>Prince George's County police Chief Hank Stawinski said Monday he couldn't explain the "frightening" actions of the shooter or his two brothers.</p>
<p>Police say the gunman, 22-year-old Michael Ford, dictated a "last will and testament" just minutes before his brothers drove him to the station.</p>
<p>Ford was hospitalized but expected to survive. The chief says all three brothers were arrested and will face dozens of charges.</p> | The Latest: Guardian: Man accused in police shootout bipolar | false | https://abqjournal.com/740830/the-latest-guardian-man-accused-in-police-shootout-bipolar.html | 2 |
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<p>What a spectacle Washington has become! Democrats fall over themselves capitulating to Republicans, expressly as with Obama’s “compromise” on taxes or, more often, preemptively; while establishment Republicans, fearing the wrath of their useful idiots, capitulate to Tea Partiers, who therefore call the shots. Such democracy as we have had has always been a tenuous achievement thanks to institutions that make it difficult for the will of the people to prevail, and thanks to the inequalities generated by our barely regulated capitalist system. Thus America has always been more of a plutocracy, where moneyed interests rule, than a democracy, where the people rule. Lately, benighted plutocrats have turned their affairs over to their most deluded servants, conjuring up the prospect of a full-fledged kakistocracy, a regime where the least able and most foolish among us control the state.</p>
<p>What makes this possible are the many disempowered voters who are impervious to reason and indifferent to facts; people who fervently believe, for example, that the way to stick it to the Wall Street schemers and gamblers who do them harm is to funnel wealth their way, immiserating themselves along with almost everyone else in the process. Still, to their credit, these “folks” (Obama’s word for everybody not richer than sin) are angry, as they have every reason to be. “If the fool would persist in his folly,” declares one of William Blake’s “proverbs of hell,” “he would become wise.” Blake also wrote that “the tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.” The benighted women and men who identify with the Tea Party exude folly and wrath. They are not necessarily lost causes. But they have a long way to go before their rage transcends their delusions, and a great deal of folly to work through. Meanwhile, there is a grave danger that the movement they comprise will take a more classically fascistic turn.</p>
<p>[As I write these words, it is still not clear whether yesterday’s massacre in Tucson, where Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, is a an opening salvo of a collective movement exerting its “second amendment rights” Tea Party style or whether it is just what happens in a gun culture when deranged individuals overload on talk radio and Fox News.]</p>
<p>Obama apologists have a long way to go too, but their folly is of a different kind. They are like abused spouses who hold on to the belief that their abuser is a “good man” (read “progressive”) despite everything. That delusion seldom turns out well for victims of spousal abuse and it will not turn out well in this case either.</p>
<p>Plutocrats almost always prefer Republicans to Democrats. But in 2008, because the Bush-Cheney administration had led them to the brink of ruin and because the Republicans fielded a dunce and a gun-toting, God fearing nincompoop against the Obama-Biden ticket, the pillars of American capitalism, some of them anyway, were willing to fulfill Bill Clinton’s dream - to abandon the GOP for the Democrats. Not any more.</p>
<p>Why their change of heart? After all, in Barack Obama, they got what they bargained for. Republicans may be better than Democrats at redistributing wealth upwards, though Obama is no slouch. But when it comes to undoing our feeble welfare state institutions and breaking the back of the labor movement, Democrats do it better. Case in point: Bill Clinton. Perhaps Republicans would, on balance, be even more corporate friendly than Obama has been, but hardly enough to matter. Notwithstanding the pronouncements of liberal poseurs and pundits of the Howard Dean and Chris Matthews variety or the whacky perceptions of William Daley, Obama’s next chief of staff and also finance capital’s (and Big Pharma’s and Telecom’s and the Chamber of Commerce’s) main man, Obama started out at the center-right, not the left, and has been moving rightward ever since. Nevertheless, the plutocrats have concluded that they’re better off with their traditional flunkies. Why?</p>
<p>The short answer is because Obama is a hapless leader. Despite his many gifts and uncommon intelligence, he allowed Republicans, dumb as they are, to outmaneuver him at every turn. He was easy prey to an obdurate foe. So what if the Nobel Laureate’s stewardship of the empire and its wars is of a piece with George Bush’s after 2006 or if the Constitutional law professor’s assault on traditional liberties and the rule of law rivals his predecessors’. So what if his team of Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Chase operatives has taken up where George Bush’s left off, opening up the taxpayers’ coffers for the benefit of their banker buddies. Provided she or he is not totally bonkers, a Republican can do it better.</p>
<p>No doubt. But the calculations of our greediest capitalists hardly make the belief that Obama is a beleaguered “progressive” up against insurmountable odds any less delusional. Apart from a few vacuous speeches given during the campaign and in the first months of his administration, is there any evidence for that belief at all? The problem is not that Obama hasn’t advanced a vision of a qualitatively better society as a true progressive would or even that his reforms, though beneficial, enhance plutocratic power. It is that he has done almost nothing to restore the minimal decencies that preceded America’s Reaganite turn. Is there any reason to think that he would if he could? Like Obama’s enemies, his apologists think so; they continue to believe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Obama is a progressive at heart.</p>
<p>This is the thinking of victims of abuse who stand by their abuser no matter what; the thinking of those for whom the only defense is no offense at all. Organized labor is a case in point. Although they were promised little - basically just the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a reform nearly as milquetoast as Obama’s health care reforms — no one has worked harder to elect Democrats. Yet, from Day One, Obama, continuing Bush’s teach-for-tests-and-thinking-be-damned (mis)education reforms - rebranded, of course, and polished over — took aim at teachers’ unions. His next move was to license the Republican-Tea Party assault on what remains of the labor movement, and to legitimize their anti-deficit nostrums, by freezing the salaries of federal workers, even as he turned over billions to bankers and acquiesced in massive tax breaks for the rich. Now even “good Democrats” like Andrew Cuomo and Jerry Brown are following suit. Is there any question why, with “progressives” like these, Republicans, smelling blood, have taken aim at public employees and their unions? And yet labor is still there for Obama!</p>
<p>A year and a half ago, Democrats could easily have pushed EFCA through. They could have gotten better health care and Wall Street reforms too, along with much else. They might even have been able to quash Bush’s wars before they became Obama’s. But either Obama was too “bipartisan” and aloof to bother or else he was happy enough with the way things were. At this point, this is a distinction without a difference. And it is why today, in the aftermath of the “shellacking” Democrats took in the mid-term elections, Obama has let the Republican-Tea Party make the deficit the issue, and why its remediable causes, our endless (counter-productive) wars and our savage inequalities, are not part of the “discussion” on deficit reduction. As Republicans, take aim at Social Security and Medicare and at ‘discretionary spending’ - in other words, at the good things our government does - expect Obama to go along. He is now setting the stage - loading up his self-declared “centrist” administration with a gaggle of tried and true “pro-business” Clinton hands who, like Obama himself, are basically of one mind with Obama’s electoral rivals.</p>
<p>The time is therefore past due for everyone whose head is screwed on right, everyone less “centrist” (rightist) than Howard Dean and Chris Matthews and hizzoner the mayor’s son to set this bipartisan nonsense aside, and to face the world as it is. The Republicans are a malign force of nature. There is no working with them. Moreover, the folly of Obama apologists, unlike the Tea Partiers’, has no chance of turning into its opposite — for what sustains it is not correctable misinformation fueled with justifiable rage but cowardice and obtuseness and, above all, self-deception. It cannot be transformed; it can only be rejected and replaced.</p>
<p>Republican ineptitude made possible the historical opportunity Obama squandered, and there is already evidence, after just a few days of Republican rule in the House, that the kakistocrats running the show will continue to provide Democrats with fresh opportunities. If they are buffoonish enough, maybe even the plutocrats will come back on board - fearing to entrust their affairs to the likes of a Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann. In short, Obama has an excellent chance in 2012.</p>
<p>But that’s hardly the point. Except for party hacks, like the ones leaving the administration and the ones now taking their place, what matters is not who wins elections, even when, as is likely in 2012, there is a clear lesser evil. What matters is how policy goes. For that, what happens in the streets matters more than who the incumbents of political offices may be. Remember: it was civil society in turmoil that led even Richard Nixon, heinous as he was, to do more good on the home front than any of the Democratic presidents who followed him.</p>
<p>As long as Obama apologists stand by their man in the way that abuse victims stand by theirs, as long as they subordinate their interests to the conventional view of how best to enhance his electoral prospects, the kakistocrats will remain in charge. The world cannot wait for Tea Party supporters to outgrow their folly as per Blake’s proverb. There is already too much hell to pay. It is therefore urgent that Obama apologists be disabused of their delusions and that those who remain steadfastly recalcitrant be marginalized by the real partisans of “change.”</p>
<p>ANDREW LEVINE is a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, the author most recently of THE AMERICAN IDEOLOGY (Routledge) and <a href="" type="internal">POLITICAL KEY WORDS</a> (Blackwell) as well as of many other books and articles in political philosophy. He was a Professor (philosophy) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Research Professor (philosophy) at the University of Maryland-College Park.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> | Shared Delusions | true | https://counterpunch.org/2011/01/10/shared-delusions/ | 2011-01-10 | 4 |
<p>JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Zambia is set to vaccinate one million people in its capital against cholera as a deadly outbreak grows.</p>
<p>The World Health Organization says doses of the cholera vaccine have been delivered to the impoverished southern African nation as fears spread in Lusaka.</p>
<p>Zambia's health ministry says 58 of the 63 countrywide deaths in the cholera outbreak that began in early October have occurred in the capital. Of the 2,672 cases across the country, 2,558 have been in Lusaka.</p>
<p>Cholera is an acute diarrheal and bacterial infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Just hours after being infected, vomiting and diarrhea cause severe dehydration that can kill without rapid intervention.</p>
<p>JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Zambia is set to vaccinate one million people in its capital against cholera as a deadly outbreak grows.</p>
<p>The World Health Organization says doses of the cholera vaccine have been delivered to the impoverished southern African nation as fears spread in Lusaka.</p>
<p>Zambia's health ministry says 58 of the 63 countrywide deaths in the cholera outbreak that began in early October have occurred in the capital. Of the 2,672 cases across the country, 2,558 have been in Lusaka.</p>
<p>Cholera is an acute diarrheal and bacterial infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Just hours after being infected, vomiting and diarrhea cause severe dehydration that can kill without rapid intervention.</p> | Zambia to vaccinate 1 million against cholera amid outbreak | false | https://apnews.com/amp/70b00c9633b34fb1819e372b5d1199a4 | 2018-01-11 | 2 |
<p />
<p>Irwin Lipkin, one of Bernard Madoff's longest-serving employees, was sentenced to six months in prison on Wednesday for falsifying records that helped the imprisoned fraudster carry out his multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The sentencing before U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan marked the end of the criminal case stemming from the fraud, more than six years after Madoff's arrest sent shockwaves through Wall Street.</p>
<p>Lipkin, 77, was the Madoff firm's controller, and worked there from 1964 to 1998. He was the last of 15 defendants to be sentenced. Madoff, also 77, is serving a 150-year prison term after pleading guilty in 2009 to masterminding the scheme, estimated to have cost investors $17 billion in principal.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)</p> | Final Madoff Defendant Sentenced to Six Months in Prison | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/08/05/final-madoff-defendant-sentenced-to-six-months-in-prison-1277939818.html | 2016-03-06 | 0 |
<p>It was two months ago when Driton Maliqi first began to keep a pillow and blanket in the back seat of his car, when it began to get too cold to sleep outside.</p>
<p>“It was summer here,” he says, thinking back on when the number of refugees and migrants making their way through Macedonia spiked from a trickle to thousands a day.&#160;</p>
<p>With no help from the government or aid groups, Maliqi’s mosque organized a small group of volunteers to help people in search of safety and stability in the European Union. The volunteers set up tables at the main train station along Macedonia’s border with Serbia to hand out food, warm clothing and give directions.&#160;</p>
<p>These days, Maliqi calls his car his office. It’s where he makes calls, holds meetings, eats and sleeps.</p>
<p>“We don’t have [a] bathroom or shower,” he says, laughing, “but there are some wet wipes!”</p>
<p>The approach of winter weather is making the already difficult journey for migrants more treacherous. Aid groups are scrambling to respond, but in Macedonia, Muslim Albanian groups, like Maliqi’s, mostly organized by mosques, were the first to respond. And they remain the most organized.&#160;</p>
<p>Before the migrant and refugee crisis, Maliqi was doing doctoral work in political science, spending his nights and weekends at home with his wife and young daughter.&#160;</p>
<p>Now, he’s only home a few times a week to grab a change of clothes or a nap. He spends most of his time at a train station where the thousands of refugees and migrants dropped off every day must then cross over into Serbia on foot.</p>
<p>As people climb down from overpacked trains, the scene is chaotic. People are tired and confused, and in the confusion families are easily separated.</p>
<p>“Slowly! Slowly!” yell some of the volunteers, as crowds rush a table of free soup, bananas and water bottles. Most of the volunteers here have never done any kind of humanitarian work before, but quite a few of them speak some Arabic because of their religious education.</p>
<p>One volunteer says “Salam Aleikum” to a Syrian family waiting for soup. He later explains in Arabic how to walk from here to the Serbian registration center.&#160;</p>
<p>Macedonia is one of the poorest countries that these migrants and refugees will pass through as they travel to the heart of the European Union. The five kilometer walk across the border into Serbia is along a dirt path that’s pitch black at night.</p>
<p>“Oh my God, when I came first time here I’m getting so mad. It’s dangerous!” says Zico Zahcheri, an imposing middle aged man helping out from the local mosque. He holds a flash light to help light the way: “Every 500 meters we have people with a light.”</p>
<p>And as the weather worsens, the volunteers are handing out blankets, hats and gloves, as few people are prepared for the cold.</p>
<p>Maliqi says he’s worried about the winter. Not only are the needs growing, but donations are starting to drop off. He adds that the government isn’t providing much help and donor fatigue is setting in.&#160;</p>
<p>“Yes, I’m thinking about that,” he says, sounding tired. “Some of [the refugees and migrant are just wearing] T-shirts. We give some clothes, but that’s nothing ...&#160;outside from the train they are shaking.”&#160;</p>
<p>After the rush, Maliqi and another volunteer, Mare Bojkovska, who served in the Macedonian military in Afghanistan, settle into one of the more tedious parts of their job: waiting for the next train. The two have developed a warm rapport after all the hours they’ve spent together over the past few months.&#160;</p>
<p>Maliqi explains that one of the reasons Macedonia’s Albanian community has stepped up to help refugees and migrants is because, for them, being forced out of your home by violence isn’t a foreign concept; it’s a recent memory.</p>
<p>"I was in the 7th grade for the Kosovo war,” he says. “Today they are refugees, but tomorrow maybe we are — we as Albanians, we were refugees. We had conflict in our country.&#160;People, they just wanted to leave and to escape.”</p>
<p>But Maliqi says the work he’s doing here comes more from a humanitarian impulse than from religious kinship with Muslim refugees. And his co-volunteer, Bojkovska, isn’t Muslim or religious in anyway. She says she just wanted to help, and that she had never even been inside a mosque before the crisis.&#160;</p>
<p>But they both describe what they’re doing here as a calling, almost an obsession.&#160;</p>
<p>“You can’t describe the feeling when you help people,” Bojkovska says, calling the work almost addictive. Often she’ll leave after the first evening train to go home, but only gets so far before a text message or a phone call pulls her back.</p>
<p>By 2 a.m., almost all of the big humanitarian groups have gone for the day. The only people left are the volunteers from local mosques. The next train is set to arrive just before 3.&#160;</p>
<p>In the back of Maliqi’s car, half buried beneath blankets, water bottles, flashlights and a megaphone are a set of text books from his Ph.D. program. The next semester begins in January, but that’s also when the weather here will be at its worst. As things stand now, Maliqi says he can’t imagine returning to school.&#160;</p> | Volunteers light the way for refugees crossing through Macedonia | false | https://pri.org/stories/2015-11-04/volunteers-light-way-refugees-crossing-through-macedonia | 2015-11-04 | 3 |
<p>Remember when Donald Trump claimed his intelligence was greater than virtually everyone’s?</p>
<p>Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure,it's not your fault</p>
<p>Not so fast, Albert Einstein. Trump, ever impressed with himself and fancying himself the genius of his age, was fooled into retweeting a quote from the brutal Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Gawker’s Ashley Feinberg created a Twitter bot last December titled ilduce2016 using quotes from the writings and speeches of Mussolini but attributing them to Trump.</p>
<p>As Gawker <a href="http://gawker.com/how-we-fooled-donald-trump-into-retweeting-benito-musso-1761795039" type="external">wrote</a>:</p>
<p>It has tweeted solely at Donald Trump, multiple times a day, since December 2015. Our Fascist bot was anything but subtle. It was, after all, directly named after Mussolini. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/28/donald-trump-retweets-post-likening-him-to-mussolini/?smid=tw-nytpolitics&amp;smtyp=cur&amp;_r=0" type="external">The New York Times today</a>swiftly recognized that it was a parody account. At the time of the account’s creation, Gawker Media Executive Editor John Cook expressed some concern that the joke behind the account was far too obvious, and wouldn’t trick anyone but a complete idiot. Today, Donald Trump proved him—and all of us—right.</p>
<p>What Gawker referred to was Trump retweeting this:</p>
<p>" <a href="https://twitter.com/ilduce2016" type="external">@ilduce2016</a>: “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” – <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump" type="external">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeAmericaGreatAgain?src=hash" type="external">#MakeAmericaGreatAgain</a>"</p>
<p>When Trump was <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-dismisses-his-retweet-of-a-mussolini-quote-what-difference-does-it-make/" type="external">questioned</a> by Chuck Todd about his retweet on Meet The Press, he blathered, “It’s okay to know it’s Mussolini. Look, Mussolini was Mussolini. It’s okay to––it’s a very good quote. It’s a very interesting quote, and I know––I saw it. I saw it. I know who said it, but what difference does it make whether it’s Mussolini or somebody else?”</p>
<p>Todd persisted: “Do you want to be associated with a fascist?”</p>
<p>Trump weakly replied: “No, I want to be associated with interesting quotes.”</p> | Trump Retweets Mussolini, Doesn’t Care | true | https://dailywire.com/news/3764/trump-retweets-mussolini-doesnt-care-hank-berrien | 2016-02-29 | 0 |
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<p>By failing to receive blessing from the <a href="" type="internal">Federal Reserve</a> to return cash to shareholders, Citigroup (NYSE:C) and its management team separated themselves in a negative fashion from most of their peers.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>While the financial conglomerate suffered a post-stress test hangover on Wednesday, few believe the disappointing results alone will scuttle the banking giant’s lengthy comeback trail.</p>
<p>“They’ve come a long way from where they were in 2008. I don’t see this as necessarily a smack down of them. It’s a mixed bag of news,” said David Yermack, a finance professor at the NYU School of Business.</p>
<p>Late Tuesday the Fed said Citi’s capital action plan would leave it just below the crucial 5% level of Tier 1 common capital ratio, leaving the bank among just four of 19 that didn’t receive central-bank approval.</p>
<p>While Citi squabbles with those who say it “failed” the Fed-mandated stress tests, the disclosure can hardly be spun as good news.</p>
<p>That’s especially true because <a href="" type="internal">JPMorgan Chase</a> (NYSE:JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and a slew of rival banks indisputably passed the tests with flying colors and topped it off by unveiling plans to sharply hike their dividends.</p>
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<p>“I don’t think investors are really giving much credence to their protests. You had a standardized test where everybody was looked at in a similar fashion,” Matt <a href="" type="internal">McCormick</a> of Bahl &amp; Gaynor Investment Counsel told FOX Business. “From an investment standpoint, why bet on somebody who has to prove a negative? Why not bet on somebody who is already exceeding?”</p>
<p>With that in mind, <a href="" type="internal">Wall Street</a> bid Citigroup’s shares 3.5% lower to $35.18 on Wednesday, though that left them above their Monday close of $34.29. By contrast, the KBW banking ETF rallied more than 1% and the Dow flirted with new multiyear highs. The pullback ate into Citi's 2012 surge of nearly 40%.</p>
<p>Citing the stress-test results, analysts at JPMorgan downgraded Citi to “neutral” from “overweight” Wednesday morning.</p>
<p>“We think this denial also hurts management credibility,” JPMorgan wrote in the note, placing the blame squarely on the C-Suite, which is led by <a href="" type="internal">Vikram Pandit</a>.</p>
<p>A credibility problem is never something Wall Street executives want to deal with as it can hamstring their interactions with shareholders, analysts and government overseers alike (see: Dick Fuld).</p>
<p>Citigroup’s rejected capital request also seems to hint at some of the high-risk attitudes that helped get banks like Citi into trouble before the crisis erupted.</p>
<p>“In our view, management was aggressive in its capital request given the still unstable operating environment. We view this negatively in terms of the firm's overall risk tolerance,” analysts at Standard &amp; Poor’s wrote in a note.</p>
<p>But Yermack said rather than focusing on the stress tests, shareholders should be pleased with the job that Pandit has done since becoming CEO in 2007.</p>
<p>“At first, he didn’t look like he was going to last six months on the job and it didn’t look like the firm itself was going to survive,” said Yermack.</p>
<p>With the help of billions of dollars of taxpayer aid, Pandit has led Citi back from the brink of collapse and worked to restore investor confidence in the company. He has also spearheaded an enormous effort to shed Citi’s non-core assets and bolster its previously-tattered balance sheet.</p>
<p>“Perhaps his true skill is at negotiating generous bailouts, but for the shareholders of Citigroup that’s a very valuable skill to have,” said Yermack. “Pandit has really exceeded expectations and couldn’t possibly be viewed as being in any kind of trouble because of this report...I think he deserves a lot of credit for holding the fort.”</p>
<p>Likewise, Dick Bove, a veteran banking analyst at Rochdale Securities, urged investors not to read too much into the Fed rejection of Citi’s capital plans, noting the dire economic scenario the tests spell out.</p>
<p>“We’re not in a depression. We’re not in a situation remotely close to a depression. Therefore, to assume that if in a depression Citigroup didn’t get 5% after the dividend payment…affects their business today makes no sense whatsoever,” Bove told FOX Business.</p>
<p>For the most part, the markets seem to be seconding that opinion.</p>
<p>Citi’s 3% slide is hardly severe -- it actually matched a retreat for Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) -- and so far no other major analysts have downgraded their ratings on the stock.</p>
<p>And while Citi’s stock price slipped, so did the cost to insure its debt, a sign of increased confidence. According to Markit, the cost to insure $10 million of Citi bonds against default receded to $202,000 on Wednesday, down 3.8% decline from Tuesday and 12% from March 6.</p> | Don't Panic Over Citi's Stress-Test Dud | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/03/14/dont-panic-over-citis-stress-test-dud.html | 2016-03-05 | 0 |
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<p>Abby, his politicizing grates on my nerves and raises my blood pressure, but I don't know how to tell him that I find his comments to be unprofessional. If I change dentists, I could possibly encounter the same problem, especially in this area of the country.</p>
<p>Should I discuss it with him and hope he doesn't start withholding anesthetic or charging extra out of spite? I'm not sure how to handle this because I have dental issues and need a good dentist who will see me when I need him. Help! - OPEN WIDE IN VIRGINIA</p>
<p>DEAR OPEN WIDE: It shouldn't be necessary to reveal your political affiliation to your dentist. All you have to say is that there are some subjects that you find stressful, and among them are current events, so he should please refrain from bringing them up while you're in his chair because it upsets you and raises your blood pressure.</p>
<p>P.S. If you feel you need more novocaine, ASK for some.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>DEAR ABBY: My husband and I - as well as our close friends - are having a disagreement and would like your expert advice. There is a nice man who is blind and who frequently sells brooms and other objects in our neighborhood. Other people who have their own disabilities do the same.</p>
<p>I find myself making kindhearted donations to these individuals and declining to take their goods. My husband thinks we should accept the goods so we are not making a "pity" donation. I have the best intentions. Please clarify this for us, once and for all. - BEST INTENTIONS IN INDIANA</p>
<p>DEAR BEST INTENTIONS: I'm not sure I agree with your husband. If you have already purchased what the man is selling and don't need to replace it, but would like to make a donation, I see no reason to take anything you won't use. Give the person a small donation, wish him a good day and keep your closets clutter-free. Sometimes less is more.</p>
<p>DEAR ABBY: I have been married three times. My first two husbands were unfaithful and the third was bipolar. I have finally found the man of my dreams and we recently became engaged. There is just one small problem. He has two house dogs he loves dearly and doesn't want to part with, and I refuse to have dogs in my house. Our marriage is on hold because of this. What should I do? - STICKLER IN NORTH CAROLINA</p>
<p>DEAR STICKLER: If you are unable to share this man with his house pets, then realize that although he may be the man of your dreams, you are not the woman for him, and let him go.</p>
<p>Contact Dear Abby at <a href="http://www.DearAbby.com" type="external">www.DearAbby.com</a> or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.</p>
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<p /> | DEAR ABBY: Dentist's politics are bad for patient's blood pressure | false | https://abqjournal.com/749340/headline.html | 2 |
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<p>Do some of the Republican claims you’ve heard about the stimulus bill sound too awful to be true? We find a few that are wildly exaggerated or downright false.</p>
<p>Don’t look to us to defend any particular item in the bill, or to criticize it. We will, however, call out politicians for delivering trumped-up descriptions of the bill’s contents.</p>
<p>The partisan fight over the $787 billion stimulus bill signed into law by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17, also known as the <a href="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&amp;docid=f:h1enr.txt.pdf" type="external">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009</a>, rages on, with some Republican governors even vowing not to take all the funds to which their states are entitled.</p>
<p>There are serious concerns about this measure from serious people, conservative and liberal alike. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012802938.html?hpid=opinionsbox1" type="external">Harvard economist Martin Feldstein</a>, for example, a Republican who endorsed the idea of a stimulus, calls it an "$800 billion mistake," saying its spending measures are the wrong ones to "do much for employment."&#160; <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100241766" type="external">University of Texas economist James Galbraith</a>, a liberal, predicts that the stimulus is too small to “really have an impact” and thinks larger steps will be necessary. The bipartisan Concord Coalition worries that "[c]ommitting to large and persistent deficit spending beyond the recession – even for apparently worthy purposes – would be detrimental to longer-term economic growth through reduced national saving." And as <a href="" type="internal">we pointed out in our Feb. 13 article</a>, "Stimulus Bill Bravado," President Obama’s claim that the bill will produce millions of jobs rests on unusually uncertain economic assumptions.</p>
<p>However, many Republicans have been focusing their critiques not on the big issues, but on blaming the Democrats for allegedly stuffing the legislation with that lip-smacking, crowd-agitating snack of heathens: pork! As we detail below, some prominent claims of porcine characteristics are either untrue or wildly exaggerated.</p>
<p>[TET ]</p>
<p>Announcer: Congress just spent nearly $800 billion of your money. How much is that? Well, suppose you spent one million dollars every single day starting from the day Jesus was born – and kept spending through today. A million dollars a day for more than two thousand years. You would still have spent less money than Congress just did.</p>
<p>So what did you get? Economists say most of the money won’t help this year. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says the plan will actually hurt the economy in the long run.</p>
<p>On Screen: Billions for Pork and Pet Projects. Golf Carts. Fish Hatcheries. Remodeled Federal Offices. Announcer: And what about the billions wasted on pork and pet projects? On Screen: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).</p>
<p>Announcer: Congressional Liberals say:</p>
<p>Schumer: Let me say this, to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little tiny, yes, porky amendments – the American people really don’t care.</p>
<p>Announcer: Is this change you can believe in? Tell Congress to stop the wasteful spending. [/TET]</p>
<p>What Would Jesus Spend?</p>
<p>Back on the scene is a group that made a splash in the 2008 election with <a href="" type="internal">an ad tying Obama</a> to former Weather Underground radical Bill Ayers. (We <a href="" type="internal">wrote</a> about Obama and Ayers back in October.) After <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/23/nation/na-simmons23" type="external">disclosing</a>at one point that most of its funds came from a Republican billionaire Texan, Harold Simmons, it has managed to keep its funding sources confidential.The group says its <a href="http://www.americanissuesproject.org/" type="external">new ad will be running</a> on FOX News, CNN, CNN Headline News, CNBC and FOX Business Network. The ad gets some things right. It’s correct, for example, that the stimulus package totals more than you would get by spending $1 million a day since the birth of Christ (2009 x 365 x 1 million = $733.3 billion).</p>
<p>And there is some truth&#160;– though not a lot&#160;– to the ad’s claim that the Congressional Budget Office says the bill "will actually hurt the economy in the long run." What the CBO said in a <a href="http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/96xx/doc9619/Gregg.pdf" type="external">Feb. 4 letter to Republican Sen. Judd Gregg</a> of New Hampshire was this:</p>
<p>CBO, Feb. 4: [T]he Senate legislation would reduce output slightly in the long run, CBO estimates, as would other similar proposals. The principal channel for this effect is that the legislation would result in an increase in government debt. To the extent that people hold their wealth as government bonds rather than in a form that can be used to finance private investment, the increased debt would tend to reduce the stock of productive capital. In economic parlance, the debt would “crowd out” private investment.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>But what the ad omits is that the CBO also said, in the same letter, that productive government investment could lead to increased output and that overall, the effect on output down the road would be quite small:</p>
<p>CBO, Feb. 4: Including the effects of both crowding out of private investment (which would reduce output in the long run) and possibly productive government investment (which could increase output), CBO estimates that by 2019 the Senate legislation would reduce GDP by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent on net. H.R. 1, as passed by the House, would have similar long-run effects.</p>
<p>Not for Golfers</p>
<p>The ad then turns to what the narrator claims is "the billions wasted on pork and pet projects," while examples of these supposedly wasteful ventures appear on the screen, including "golf carts." Now there’s something to raise a skeptical taxpayer’s hackles – the prospect of a fleet of golf carts to zip members of Congress and other government officials around the links for their weekly nine holes.</p>
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>But there’s nothing at all in the bill about golf carts. What is part of the stimulus package is $300 million for the acquisition of government vehicles with better fuel economy than the current fleet:</p>
<p>The "electric vehicles" mentioned in the legislation could include what are known as "neighborhood electric vehicles." Though described by some as " <a href="http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/02112009/news/politics/congress_hopping_carts_154496.htm" type="external">streamlined golf carts</a>," NEVs are not actually for golfers. They are vehicles that can go up to 25 mph and are powered by batteries that plug into electrical outlets to recharge, thereby emitting no carbon dioxide. Some do resemble golf carts; others look more like mini-cars.&#160;</p>
<p>As it turns out, NEVs are nothing new for the federal government. It already has hundreds of them deployed around the country, says General Services Administration spokesman Bob Lesino, including on military bases and at the government’s <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW&amp;contentId=24515" type="external">Solar Park</a> in Denver, a collection of government facilities that are powered partly with solar energy. In fact, the U.S. Army announced last month that it will lease <a href="http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2009/01/12/15707-army-announces-historic-electric-vehicle-lease/" type="external">4,000 NEVs</a> over the next two years. According to the Army, the NEVs cost just $460 per year to power, versus $1,200 for a conventional gasoline-fed vehicle. The military is even working on developing hybrid vehicles that could be used on the battlefield.</p>
<p>The stimulus bill requires that the government come up with a plan within 90 days to replace its current fleet of vehicles with more fuel-efficient cars. Then it must spend the $300 million for hybrids, plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles (not just NEVs) by Sept. 30, 2011.</p>
<p>Fish Hatcheries</p>
<p>The AIP ad next mentions "fish hatcheries" as part of the alleged lard in the bill. There is money in the stimulus legislation for fish hatcheries, part of $165 million given to the Department of Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for “national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries and for high priority habitat restoration projects.” According to the USFWS Web site, the <a href="http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/nfhs/overview.htm" type="external">National Fish Hatchery System</a> works on a number of habitat restoration projects including the recovery of fish listed as endangered species, the restoration of native aquatic populations, as well as providing fish to the National Wildlife Refuges. But contrary to some <a href="http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30822" type="external">conservative</a> <a href="http://mcconnell.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=308277&amp;start=1" type="external">characterizations</a> of the $165 million, Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Josh Winchell told us that the money "is not just for hatcheries." Winchell explained that these "resource management" funds could also be used for maintenance work like roofing and plumbing, as well as other projects. No specific projects have been identified for funding thus far.</p>
<p>So, there is no telling how much of that amount will actually be used for work on fish hatcheries. Interior Department spokesman Frank Quimby told us: "We have no specific information at this point." Winchell said that the emphasis would be on funding projects that create the most jobs in the shortest amount of time and provide value over a long period.</p>
<p>According to an Interior Department <a href="http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/022009.html" type="external">press release</a>, the agency is developing a Web page through <a href="http://www.recovery.gov/" type="external">Recovery.gov</a> for the public and will begin providing detailed information on its efforts by March 3.</p>
<p>Remodeled Offices</p>
<p>The AIP ad also mentions money for "remodeled federal offices," which is seriously misleading. The bill allots $5.5 billion to the Federal Buildings Fund of the Public Buildings Service, of which $4.5 billion is reserved for converting GSA facilities to "High-Performance Green Buildings." <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&amp;P=&amp;channelId=-24825&amp;contentType=GSA_BASIC&amp;contentId=25806" type="external">According to</a> GSA’s acting administrator, Paul F. Prouty, this will allow the agency to comply with laws requiring it to reduce energy and fossil fuel consumption. Plans for making the buildings more environmentally friendly include thicker insulation, more efficient windows, dual flush toilets and LED lighting in parking garages – small changes, but GSA owns about <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_BASIC&amp;contentId=10262" type="external">1,500 properties</a> that would need to be updated. They also have bigger plans, such as installing energy-producing roofs and intelligent lighting systems.</p>
<p>Officials at the General Services Administration, the PBS’ parent, declined to discuss their proposed projects with us, because they are still finalizing plans. So we can’t say how much of the remaining $1 billion will go for new construction, and how much might go for upgrading existing government offices. But for the most part, the ad’s claim can be considered true only to the extent that anyone considers such things as weatherstripping and added insulation to be "remodeling."</p>
<p>For the record, a GSA <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&amp;P=&amp;channelId=-24825&amp;contentType=GSA_BASIC&amp;contentId=25806" type="external">press release</a> on Feb. 20 quoted Anthony Costa, acting commissioner of PBS, explaining why an investment in federal buildings belongs in the stimulus bill. “We can help stimulate the economy by getting money flowing to the building industries – to construction workers, electricians, plumbers, air conditioning mechanics, carpenters, architects, and engineers,” Costa said. PBS owns and leases <a href="http://www.iolp.gsa.gov/iolp/NationalMap.asp" type="external">buildings</a> and <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW&amp;contentId=19578" type="external">historic properties</a> all over the U.S., meaning that the FBF appropriation could potentially provide jobs throughout the country.</p>
<p>Levitating Trains</p>
<p>A number of congressional Republicans, including Reps. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), <a href="http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090217/OPINION01/902170304" type="external">Thaddeus McCotter</a> (Mich.), <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=818C04CE-18FE-70B2-A8E73DEB70CA0F58" type="external">Candice Miller</a> (Mich.), and Sens. <a href="http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&amp;subsectionID=1&amp;articleID=29955" type="external">John McCain</a> (Ariz.) and <a href="http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&amp;PressRelease_id=721725fe-c3eb-75e3-f9cc-85df704205b4" type="external">Jim DeMint</a> (S.C.), have accused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, of inserting an $8 billion "earmark" into the stimulus bill for a levitating train from Disneyland to Las Vegas. That’s a major distortion. No money is specifically set aside for such a train.</p>
<p>What the bill contains is <a href="http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/hr1_legtext_cr.pdf" type="external">$8 billion</a> in funding for unspecified high speed rail projects&#160;(skip to p. 237 for the relevant section). The money is to be allocated by the secretary of transportation. A DOT spokesperson told us that it is “premature to speculate” about what exactly will be funded. Even vigilant pork-busting budget watchdogs agree that the "levitating train earmark" charge is without merit:&#160;Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan group that scours legislation for earmarks, told us that there is "no way that this provision is an earmark for Sen. Reid."In truth, “levitating” trains really do exist&#160;– but they are properly called maglev trains, and they are high-tech marvels. The technology uses electromagnets to lift the train off the tracks. That reduces friction and allows trains to reach extremely high speeds; in 2003, an experimental Japanese maglev train reached a record speed of <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031202.gtmaglevdec2/BNStory/International/" type="external">581 kilometers (or about 361 miles) per hour</a>. Here it is in action:</p>
<p>&lt;iframe width="425" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/VuSrLvCVoVk&amp;amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;</p>
<p>Officials in both Nevada and California, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons (both Republicans) have agreed to back a maglev train between Anaheim (home of Disneyland) and Las Vegas. In June 2008, Reid did help to secure <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/dec/22/governors-agree-back-fast-train/" type="external">$45 million</a> for an environmental study of the proposed route.</p>
<p>It’s possible the Anaheim-Las Vegas project will receive some of the stimulus funds, though how much remains uncertain. It’s not even clear how much Reid expects will go to it. On Feb. 12, the Associated Press <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96A51G80&amp;show_article=1" type="external">reported</a> that a statement from Reid’s office bragged that the Anaheim-Las Vegas project could receive what AP called "a big chunk of the money." But The Washington Post&#160; later <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/12/AR2009021203502.html" type="external">quoted</a> a Reid spokesman as&#160;saying that while the project is “eligible" for funding, the transportation secretary, Ray LaHood – a former Republican congressman – "will have complete flexibility as to which program he uses to allocate the funds." We asked Reid’s office to explain the discrepancy – "big chunk" or merely "eligible" – but we received no response.</p>
<p>In any case, the weaker statement is more in line with the actual <a href="http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/hr1_legtext_cr.pdf" type="external">text of the legislation</a>:&#160;</p>
<p>American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Within 60 days of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a strategic plan that describes how the Secretary will use the funding provided under this heading to improve and deploy high speed passenger rail systems.</p>
<p>Is this pork? Taxpayers for Common Sense’s Ehrich Zimmermann told us: "Nothing about the bill indicates that maglev has a higher priority than other types of high speed rail."&#160;That is the DOT’s view as well. A&#160;spokesperson for the DOT told us: "The Secretary of Transportation is developing a comprehensive plan over the next 60 days to ensure the allocated high-speed rail funds are spent on projects that will have the highest-impact across the country."</p>
<p>The L.A.-to-Vegas project may well be under consideration for funding; according to&#160;a <a href="http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/ARRA%20FAQ%20022309%20FINAL.pdf" type="external">FAQ</a> posted on the Federal Railroad Administration’s Web site, maglev projects are eligible for funding under ARRA.&#160;But that same FAQ also points to a <a href="http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/RRdev/maglev-sep05.pdf" type="external">2005 Railroad Administration report</a> to Congress that found that outside of the heavily populated northeast corridor (roughly D.C. through Boston) and a 527-mile section along California’s coast, maglev’s&#160;costs exceeded its benefits. That implies that the proposed Disneyland-to-Las Vegas route doesn’t make economic sense to the FRA.</p>
<p>We can’t predict the future, and it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that the Republican who is Obama’s transportation secretary will decide to devote the entire $8 billion to a project that is nowhere near shovel-ready and that the Federal Railroad Administration says is not cost-effective&#160;– all for the benefit of the Democratic majority leader. But we wouldn’t bet on it.</p>
<p>Of Dog Parks and Frisbee Golf</p>
<p>There are several more supposedly frivolous, not-so-stimulative projects that Republican members of Congress have criticized for being part of the economic recovery act. None of them are actually mentioned in the legislation, either.</p>
<p>In a form letter to constituents (e-mailed to one of our readers on Feb. 20), Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota claimed that the bill (now law) "contains a huge amount of spending on many things that are unrelated to saving or creating jobs." He said that it "will fund requests such as $2 million for neon signs in Las Vegas, $4.5 million for an eco park featuring butterfly gardens and gopher tortoises, $500,000 for a dog park, $3 million for a municipal golf course clubhouse, $886,000 for a 36-hole disc golf course, $1.8 million for replacement tennis courts, $6 million for three aquatic centers with water slides … the list goes on and on."</p>
<p>None of these projects are specified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In fact, golf courses, and many other recreational projects, simply can’t get funding under the law, which stipulates:</p>
<p>ARRA: Sec. 1604: None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used by any State or local government, or any private entity, for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The items Paulsen cites instead are taken from a lengthy wish list of infrastructure projects that the U.S. Conference of Mayors says are “ready to go” and could be funded quickly with federal dollars. The <a href="http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/documents/mser-report-200901.pdf" type="external">mayors’ report</a>, dated Jan. 17, was compiled to demonstrate to Congress that localities should get a good amount of whatever stimulus money was approved, according to the city of Austin, Texas. In other words, the mayors were lobbying for federal money to come to them. The seven projects Paulsen singles out for ridicule are among 18,750 that the Conference of Mayors compiled through four surveys of U.S. cities conducted over three months. In an e-mail, the Conference of Mayors tells us that "we didn’t make any editing to the information [cities] provided us," adding that these were just examples and that "the Government will decide what to fund, not us."</p>
<p>All of Paulsen’s picks are also in a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123369271403544637.html" type="external">Wall Street Journal article</a> highlighting these seemingly less-than-necessary requests. The Journal said "the bulk of proposals are roads, sewers and similar projects." But "some localities," it noted, "are using a kitchen-sink strategy."</p>
<p>That was indeed the strategy of Chula Vista, Calif., which listed more than 50 projects totaling half a billion dollars, including one historic property project that actually needed a kitchen sink. “We threw everything that was shovel ready onto a list and submitted it to the Conference of Mayors,” says Chula Vista Director of Communications Liz Pursell, adding that "we did throw on the kitchen sink."</p>
<p>Chula Vista also included a $500,000 dog park as a project worthy of possible federal funding, but Pursell says it “was never a priority” on the stimulus list and any of the proposed projects still would need to be vetted by the city council. So far Chula Vista hasn’t received a penny of stimulus funds.</p>
<p>The city of Austin said it could use $886,000 for a 36-hole “disc golf course” (that’s a <a href="http://www.pdga.com/" type="external">Frisbee disc golf</a>course), according to the Conference of Mayor’s report. But Austin government relations officer John Hrncir told us that he didn’t think the project would qualify for any funding under the ARRA. “And regardless,” he said, “I don’t think it will be on the list of city priorities.”</p>
<p>On its Web site, the city of Austin <a href="http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/stimulus/" type="external">goes into greater detail</a> of how this "disc golf course" seemed to be on a list of requests for stimulus money. It says that in October the Conference of Mayors asked cities for a list of "ready-to-go" projects. The city says that it didn’t have time to prioritize any of the projects, which "were not necessarily intended to be submitted to any federal agency for funding."</p>
<p>Austin has compiled another, more serious list of programs that it believes actually could receive stimulus funds. That one was submitted to Texas’ Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), which, according to the city, has said the only projects likely to get federal funds through ARRA are transportation improvement projects.</p>
<p>A Paulsen aide admitted to us that no funds are specifically allocated for the projects the congressman mentioned in his letter.&#160; "We didn’t say they were in the bill," said Legislative Assistant Desiree Westby. But "inappropriate requests such as these will be considered for funding." Maybe so, but Paulsen’s letter didn’t say they would be "considered," he said they "will" be funded.&#160;</p>
<p>— by Viveca Novak, Joe Miller, Lori Robertson, Jess Henig and D’Angelo Gore</p>
<p>Prouty, Paul F. " <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&amp;channelId=-24821&amp;P=S&amp;contentId=25783&amp;contentType=GSA_BASIC" type="external">General Services Administration’s Contribution to Our Nation’s Economic Recovery</a>." 11 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>General Services Administration. " <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&amp;P=&amp;channelId=-24825&amp;contentType=GSA_BASIC&amp;contentId=25806" type="external">GSA Plans for Recovery Act Funding Increase</a>." 20 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>111th Congress. <a href="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&amp;docid=f:h1enr.txt.pdf" type="external">H.R. 1</a>, as passed by Congress, Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Earle, Geoff. “ <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/02112009/news/politics/congress_hopping_carts_154496.htm" type="external">Congress $hopping Carts</a>.” New York Post, 11 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Elmendorf, Douglas W. <a href="http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/96xx/doc9619/Gregg.pdf" type="external">Letter to Sen. Judd Gregg</a>. Congressional Budget Office, 4 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p><a href="http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/PDFgate.cgi?WAISdocID=416809479997+6+2+0&amp;WAISaction=retrieve" type="external">Congressional Record</a> 10 Feb. 2009: S2042.</p>
<p>“ <a href="http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2009/01/12/15707-army-announces-historic-electric-vehicle-lease/" type="external">Army Announces Historic Electric Vehicle Lease</a>.” News release, U.S. Army. 12 Jan. 2009.</p>
<p>U.S. Conference of Mayors. <a href="http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/documents/mser-report-200901.pdf" type="external">“ ‘Ready to Go’: Jobs and Infrastructure Projects</a>." America’s Mayors Report to the Nation on Projects to Strengthen Metro Economies and Create Jobs Now, 17 Jan. 2009.</p>
<p>Levitz, Jennifer and Philip Shishkin. “ <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123369271403544637.html" type="external">Stimulus Brings Out City Wish Lists: Neon for Vegas, Harleys for Shreveport</a>.” Wall Street Journal, 4 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/stimulus/" type="external">The Federal Stimulus Bill</a>. City of Austin, Texas, Web site, accessed 24 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>City of Chula Vista, Calif. “ <a href="http://www.ci.chula-vista.ca.us/MajorProjects/Budget/PDF/CV_EcoStim2009.pdf" type="external">Economic Stimulus Proposal</a>,” 18 Dec. 2008.</p>
<p>Interview with Liz Pursell, director of communications, city of Chula Vista, Calif, 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Interview with John Hrncir, government relations officer, city of Austin, Texas, 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Interview with Erich Zimmermann, senior policy analyist, Taxpayers for Common Sense, 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Interview with Bob Lesino, spokesman, U.S. General Services Administration, 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Eggen, Dan and Nakashima, Ellen. " <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/12/AR2009021203502.html" type="external">Despite Pledges, Package Has Some Pork.</a>" 13 Feb. 2009. Washington Post. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Federal Railroad Administration. " <a href="http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/ARRA%20FAQ%20022309%20FINAL.pdf" type="external">Rail Programs Funded Under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009: FAQ.</a>" 23 Feb. 2009. U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Railroad Administration. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Federal Railroad Administration. " <a href="http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/RRdev/maglev-sep05.pdf" type="external">Report to Congress: Costs and Benefits of Magnetic Levitation.</a>" Sept. 2005. U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Railroad Administration. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Rogers, David. " <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=818C04CE-18FE-70B2-A8E73DEB70CA0F58" type="external">Obama plots huge railroad expansion.</a>" 17 Feb. 2009. Politico. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Schwartz, David McGrath. " <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/dec/22/governors-agree-back-fast-train/" type="external">Governors agree to back fast train.</a>" 22 Dec. 2008. The Las Vegas Sun. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>Taylor, Andrew. " <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96A51G80&amp;show_article=1" type="external">Economic Stimulus Package on Track for Final Votes.</a>" 12 Feb. 2009. Associated Press. 23 Feb. 2009.</p>
<p>U.S. Department of Interior. “ <a href="http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/022009.html" type="external">Salazar Begins Rapid, Responsible Implementation of Interior’s $3 Billion in Economic Recovery Plan.</a>” News Release, 20 Feb. 2009</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | GOP Stimulus Myths | false | https://factcheck.org/2009/02/gop-stimulus-myths/ | 2009-02-24 | 2 |
<p>Rage on,&#160;Emily… please!</p>
<p>If this is how Emily Ratajkowski is going to react every time she’s unhappy with the actions of President Donald Trump, millions of men and a fair number of women can’t wait until the next time the president upsets her.</p>
<p>The 26-year-old model posted&#160;a topless photo of herself on Instagram Saturday before taking on Trump, who rolled back late last week the Obamacare birth control mandate requiring employers to&#160;provide free FDA-approved contraception, to include religious institutions.</p>
<p>Ratajkowski, wearing only a bottom, is seen grabbing her disheveled brown hair while crossing her arms over her bare breasts.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ85sl8FqM-/" type="external">A post shared by Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata)</a> on Oct 7, 2017 at 8:19am PDT</p>
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<p>Ratajkowski followed the attention grabbing photo with a&#160;black and white image from what looks to be women in the 60s protesting for equal rights.</p>
<p>“A woman’s right to birth control should not be based on her income. Birth control is healthcare, healthcare is a civil right #mybodymychoice,” the accompanying caption read.</p>
<p>And the more Ratajkowski chooses to expose her body, the more attention she can expect — just ask the Kardashians.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">VIDEO: Football fans belt out ‘new fight song’ in honor of Tom Petty and it’s a giant middle finger to the NFL</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ88c-QlJBT/" type="external">A woman’s right to birth control should not be based on her income. Birth control is healthcare, healthcare is a civil right #mybodymychoice</a></p>
<p>A post shared by Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) on Oct 7, 2017 at 8:43am PDT</p>
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<p><a href="" type="internal">VP Pence walks out of game as NFL players kneel: ‘I don’t think it’s too much to ask …’</a></p> | Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski shares topless photo before taking on Trump | true | http://bizpacreview.com/2017/10/08/supermodel-emily-ratajkowski-shares-topless-photo-taking-trump-545940 | 2017-10-08 | 0 |
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<p>Brown, who capped a successful career with the University of New Mexico women's basketball team last March, will try her skills professionally in Italy's A1 Series women's basketball league this season. She's signed to play with Milan's Paddy Power Sesto San Giovanni and is more than excited about the opportunity.</p>
<p>"I've heard great things about the league in Italy and I'm chasing my dreams," Brown said between numerous sets of jump shots at UNM's Davalos Center on Saturday. "I'm hoping to make New Mexico, (Lobo coach Yvonne) Sanchez and my friends and family proud."</p>
<p>Brown earned first team All-Mountain West honors last season for the Lobos, averaging a team-best 15 points per game. The 5-foot-10 guard from Clovis also earned a Master's degree in sports administration in June, but wants to give pro basketball a shot before settiling into the other side of sports.</p>
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<p>Brown attended a WNBA combine in April and conceded she came back to New Mexico a bit disheartened.</p>
<p>"It was kind of rough," Brown said, "but people kept reminding me that so few players make the WNBA. Some of the best players in the world play in Europe, too, so my agent looked into it and things started falling into place."</p>
<p>As it turned out, Brown's trip to Italy with UNM last summer helped smooth the process. A journalist friend of the Sesto San Giovanni team's general manager had seen Brown and the Lobos play during their Italian excursion.</p>
<p>"That definitely helped me," Brown said, "and it tells me this was meant to be. I can't believe that's just a coincidence."</p>
<p>Sanchez agreed.</p>
<p>"Teesh really played well when we were over there," she said. "I'm so glad this worked out for her and I know she'll represent our program amazingly well."</p>
<p>Brown is the only American on her team's roster, though one teammate has dual American-Italian citizenship and has been conversing with Brown via social media. Brown is working to learn some basic Italian but said she's not overly concerned about fitting in overseas.</p>
<p>"My dad was in the Air Force," she said, "so we traveled all over the world when I was a kid. Between that and going to Italy last year, I feel pretty good about it."</p>
<p>Some of the UNM gear she amassed during her collegiate career might continue to serve, as well, Brown said with a laugh.</p>
<p>"Their team colors are red and black," she said, "so I won't have to stray too far from what I'm comfortable with."</p>
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<p /> | Brown to chase dreams in Italy | false | https://abqjournal.com/633657/brown-to-chase-dreams-in-italy.html | 2 |
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<p>Slowly, one by one, the Rio Rancho Rams filed out of the visitors locker room at Eldorado High School, most of them with moist eyes.</p>
<p>The Rams, who battled through an endless array of injuries and maladies throughout the 2012-13 season, were ousted from the Class 5A girls state basketball tournament on Friday night, 63-48, at No. 7 seed Eldorado.</p>
<p>No. 10 seed Rio Rancho finishes 12-17, a record that is deceiving as the Rams played one of the hardest schedules of any 5A program, including seven games against the teams seeded 1-2-3 in this year’s 5A playoffs.</p>
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<p>“I can’t believe it’s over,” senior guard Ally Salata said, her eyes damp. “At the sound of that buzzer, my heart just dropped.”</p>
<p>The 10th-seeded Rams played with the Eagles for three quarters.</p>
<p>It was a six-minute stretch to open the second quarter that separated the teams.</p>
<p>Eldorado had a 15-0 run to begin that quarter after Rio Rancho led 11-10 after the opening eight minutes.</p>
<p>Rio Rancho coach Pat Puentes burned a couple of timeouts and tried to find a solution to Eldorado’s momentum, but was unable to stop the Eagles’ rush.</p>
<p>“We came out with so much energy,” Puentes said. “It took us a while to get that second wind.”</p>
<p>Puentes said Eldorado’s pressure defense, and Rio Rancho’s tired legs, combined to produce this loss.</p>
<p>“We were trying to dig in and stop it,” Puentes said.</p>
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<p>Still, Puentes said the Rams’ seniors are leaving the program in far better shape than when they arrived.</p>
<p>The last three years, he said, Rio Rancho has improved from a No. 14 seed in Class 5A, to a No. 13, and this March to a No. 10.</p>
<p>Four seniors will graduate, but there are a handful of key players returning, led by all-purpose guard Deanna Lucero.</p>
<p>“I realize as a coach you’re trying to get your team to play their best basketball at the end of the year, and we were,” Puentes said. “It just wasn’t good enough today.”</p>
<p>Salata’s final game saw her score 16 points.</p>
<p>MAYFIELD 56, CLEVELAND 33: In Las Cruces, the Storm’s season also came to an end Friday night, as the second-seeded Trojans led big early and rolled into the quarterfinals where they will face Eldorado.</p>
<p>No. 15 seed Cleveland (9-18) was in trouble early when starting point guard Karlie Peck picked up two fouls in the first 32 seconds, Storm coach Felicia Boatman said in a telephone interview after the game.</p>
<p>“They pressured us the whole time,” Boatman said. “We couldn’t score. We couldn’t get it going on that end. We just couldn’t do anything with the ball.”</p>
<p>Boatman said that despite the team’s record, it was a fulfilling season.</p>
<p>“I’m very proud of our team,” she said. “They worked hard even though things weren’t going right. They just kept working and working.</p>
<p>“They came to practice every day and worked their tails off and things didn’t always fall their way. We didn’t have a lot of wins, but this was one of the most beneficial seasons in the sense of growing because they worked so hard.”</p>
<p>While the Cleveland/Rio Rancho half of District 1-5A turns in equipment, the other half — No. 3 Cibola and No. 6 Volcano Vista — advance to play each other in Tuesday’s quarterfinals at the Santa Ana Star Center.</p>
<p>The Cougars rallied in the fourth quarter to beat No. 14 Oñate 47-34, while the sixth-seeded Hawks needed overtime to eliminate No. 11 Sandia 52-46.</p>
<p>Rio Rancho’s boys and Bernalillo’s boys have first-round playoff games.</p>
<p>The 16th-seeded Rams are at No. 1 Eldorado at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>The winner faces either No. 4 Clovis or No. 5 Valley in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at the Pit.</p>
<p>The Spartans, seeded No. 4 in Class 4A, play host to 13th-seeded Artesia at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>The winner advances to the 4A quarterfinals Wednesday, also at the Pit.</p> | Rio Rancho, Cleveland seasons come to an end | false | https://abqjournal.com/176589/rio-rancho-cleveland-seasons-come-to-an-end.html | 2013-03-09 | 2 |
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<p>The proposal, from freshman Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, would let 16-and 17-year-olds vote in school board elections, which are often held on school campuses and where presumably these young voters would not be influenced by teachers and school staff to cast ballots for certain candidates for extra credit.</p>
<p>And while it might provide for a lesson on civics – Adrian Carver, co-director of the New Mexico Youth Alliance, argues it will “create lifelong, civically engaged voters” – it won’t address the core problem of low turnout among already-registered voters age 18 and beyond. In this month’s Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education election, just 6,567 people voted out of an eligible 174,969. To rectify that, lawmakers need to take another run at changing the state Constitution to combine school elections, where often voters have just a single race or issue to consider, with other nonpartisan elections.</p>
<p>A reform that would have placed school contests on the same ballot as other nonpartisan races garnered nearly 58 percent of 440,000 votes in November and would have passed had it not required more than a simple majority; changing this section of the constitution requires three-fourths approval.</p>
<p>Martinez is right that having just 3.7 percent of registered voters cast ballots in an APS election – and no votes in a Hagerman school election, not even by candidates – “is an embarrassment, and it requires drastic action.” But his action raises more problems than it solves. As Rep. Dianne Hamilton, R-Silver City, says, rather than voting, students should be “trying to get their parents out” to cast ballots.</p>
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<p>Lawmakers would do better to revise the outdated constitutional language that separates school elections from other contests – because back in the day that’s the only time womenfolk could vote – and make casting a ballot more than a one-race exercise or class assignment.</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: Timing, not voter age, the school-election problem | false | https://abqjournal.com/544493/timing-not-voter-age-the-schoolelection-problem.html | 2 |
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<p>Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello on the condition of the island after Hurricane Maria and the debt crisis.</p>
<p>Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosello discussed the economic state of the island, as it continues its road to recovery following the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“Our short-term liquidity problems are even beyond any consideration of discussing payments to the debt,” Rosello said during an interview with Melissa Francis on FOX Business’ “After the Bell” on Thursday.</p>
<p>President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested the island’s debt—more than $70 billion—would need to be wiped out, which caused a stir in the municipal bond market.</p>
<p>“We have to look at their whole debt structure,” Trump told Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera. “You know, they owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street. And we're going to have to wipe that out. You're going to say goodbye to that, I don't know if it's Goldman Sachs but whoever it is, you can wave goodbye to that.”</p>
<p>The administration, including Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, later clarified the president’s comments.</p>
<p>“In regards to the statements made by the president, that’s his opinion,” Rosello said. “We are already in Puerto Rico what’s called the Title III proceeding, a judicial proceeding. Part of that proceeding is to sit down and have a conversation, negotiations with the bondholders. And as soon as possible, I’m sure those proceedings will continue.”</p>
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<p>Though struggling post-hurricane, the governor said the territory doesn’t expect aid to come strictly from the federal government, and the situation is “not a call for a bailout.”</p>
<p>“Certainly the federal government needs to play their part because even though, before the storm, we were doing everything—we were working, we were starting to get liquidity,” Rosello said. “Similar to Florida, similar to Texas, the federal government needs to react equally to the needs of the people of Puerto Rico.”</p>
<p>One of the major issues the island currently faces is a lack of power. Two weeks after Hurricane Maria, <a href="http://status.pr/" type="external">only 9% of residents have power Opens a New Window.</a>, according to data from Puerto Rico’s government, due to the damaging effects the storm had on the already- delicate electrical grid.</p>
<p>“We’re working with the [Army] Corps of Engineers to rebuild that, but we’re also opening it up for the private sector to submit proposals,” Rosello said.</p> | Puerto Rico Gov.: Puerto Rico needs equal Federal response | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/10/06/puerto-rico-gov-puerto-rico-needs-equal-federal-response.html | 2017-10-06 | 0 |
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<p>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — When Air Force Academy cadets march in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural parade following President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing in ceremony they will be obeying an unfamiliar command.</p>
<p>The Gazette of Colorado Springs reported ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2iu7YDJ" type="external">http://bit.ly/2iu7YDJ</a> ) Monday that due to the location of the presidential reviewing stand, cadets will have to turn left to salute the new commander in chief. Most cadets have been trained to respond to the command “eyes right” — the usual location for military reviewing stands where cadets turn to honor their superiors.</p>
<p>Air Force cadets have marched in the inaugural parade for every president since Dwight Eisenhower in 1957. On Friday, the Air Force Academy cadets will be joined by formations from their sister schools, the Military Academy and the Naval Academy.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Gazette, <a href="http://www.gazette.com" type="external">http://www.gazette.com</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Air Force cadets to hear unfamiliar command at inauguration | false | https://abqjournal.com/928747/air-force-cadets-to-hear-unfamiliar-command-at-inauguration.html | 2 |
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<p>Submitting a tax return typically means taking a huge weight off your shoulder. But not everyone gets to file a return and call it a day. Each year, the IRS rejects countless returns for a variety of reasons, and if yours contains a major error, you'll need to address it quickly.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That said, having a tax return rejected is no reason to panic. As long as you fix your mistake and resubmit your return in time, you'll avoid problems with the IRS.</p>
<p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.</p>
<p>Tax return rejections are typically the result of typos or math errors. The IRS doesn't tend to reject returns that fail to report income; rather, it rejects returns that contain mistakes such as incorrect Social Security numbers or taxpayer names. (That's right -- it's not unheard of for a tax preparer to misspell a client's name or, worse yet, for a taxpayer to misspell his or her own name.)</p>
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<p>The good news about rejected tax returns is that correcting them is generally very simple. If your return is rejected, the IRS will send you a notice informing you not just of the rejection, but of the issue that led to it. If you've filed your return online, you'll need to log in to access information on how to fix the problem, and from there, it's usually a simple matter of resubmitting the right information.</p>
<p>In fact, some people have their tax returns rejected multiple times before they finally get it right. Though filing a return over and over again isn't ideal, rest assured that you can technically resubmit as many times as necessary until your return is accepted.</p>
<p>There are a number of reasons why a tax return might get rejected, the most popular of which include:</p>
<p>Most of these issues are fairly easy to fix, but it sometimes happens that the IRS has the wrong information on file. For example, it could be that you entered the correct Social Security number, but the IRS won't recognize it because its data is skewed. If you find that your tax return is rejected repeatedly for the same error, and you're certain you haven't made a mistake, you'll most likely need to file a paper return and include an explanation, along with proof of your assertion. (In the case of a Social Security number mismatch, you might include a copy of your Social Security card or other records verifying that your information is correct.)</p>
<p>If you do receive notice of a rejected tax return after the filing deadline, it's important that you act quickly. As long as you resubmit your return electronically within five days of being informed of a rejection, you won't face a late filing penalty. If you can't or don't want to correct your return online, you get 10 days to resubmit it by mail.</p>
<p>Tax return rejections happen more often than you'd think, so don't worry if yours is sent back. That said, you can avoid having your return rejected by double checking the information you enter on your original form. Sometimes, all it takes is a quick proofreading session to avoid a hassle down the line.</p>
<p>The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | What Happens if I Have My Tax Return Rejected? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/03/10/what-happens-if-have-my-tax-return-rejected.html | 2017-03-17 | 0 |
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<p>It was only a matter of time. Remember those <a href="http://shotnottaken.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/pack-break-topps-enduring-freedom/%20" type="external">Operation Enduring Freedom trading cards</a> that Topps put out in 2001? And who could forget those <a href="http://collectibles.about.com/library/weekly/aa041503a.htm%20" type="external">Iraq’s Most Wanted</a> trading cards released by the Pentagon back in the halcyon days of 2003. There’s a card for everything nowadays. During the Clinton years, I even wrote a little piece for Mother Jones on colorful infectious disease trading cards the CDC was handing out to children—ebola, plague, meningitis and all of that fun stuff. (Sorry, it’s not online.) So it comes as little surprise that the Center for Constitutional Rights has come up with its own <a href="http://tortureteam.org/" type="external">Torture Team</a> collectibles.</p>
<p>You can order up hard copies of the Torture Team cards—10 for free; all 20 for $5—but if you’re just browsing, CCR has created a neat Flash widget to display them online. Check out George W. and Condi, along with Cheney and his evil sidekick <a href="" type="internal">David “the Shadow” Addington</a>, arguably the most ruthless driver of <a href="" type="internal">Bush-era torture</a> policies and, according to a media quote on the card, “the most powerful man you’ve never heard of.” Don’t forget White House <a href="" type="internal">legal pariahs</a> like <a href="" type="internal">John Yoo</a> and <a href="" type="internal">Jay Bybee</a>. Or the brass—former Pentagon top dogs like Don Rumsfeld, Guantanamo CO Geoffrey Miller (who helped involve <a href="" type="internal">doctors in torture</a>) and the Iraq-bungling <a href="" type="internal">Douglas Feith</a>. You can click to flip the cards and reveal each player’s basic stats, along with fun tidbits and quotes in their own words. (Feith: “Removal of clothing doesn’t mean naked.”)</p>
<p>Best of all, if you want to add your two cents, the site lets you sign up as part of “Team Justice” and create your own card, complete with your photo and whatever you care to say about the patriotic activities of the Torture Team. The mind reels with the possibilities. Somehow, though, I don’t think Topps is gonna greelight this one. It doesn’t package well enough with bubble gum.</p>
<p>Follow Michael Mechanic on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MichaelMechanic" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p /> | Free Torture Trading Cards! | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/hey-kids-free-torture-trading-cards/ | 2009-09-02 | 4 |
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<p>The cobbled streets around the walled compound have been the scene of prayer protests and violent clashes in the past week between Palestinians and Israeli police.</p>
<p>Reporters and camera crews have flocked to the area to cover the events — even as wary tourists stayed away.</p>
<p>The site is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, or home of biblical Temples destroyed in antiquity, and is the holiest site in Judaism. Known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, it is the third holiest site of Islam and houses the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosques.</p>
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<p>After Israel installed metal detectors following an attack there earlier this month that killed two police officers, Muslim worshippers boycotted the shrine, staging instead protest prayers on the street outside. And though Israel this week dismantled the metal detectors, the Muslims say they will not return until Israel removes the new railings and cameras that have been installed.</p>
<p>But as a tense quiet returned to the compound, it is slowly becoming the focus of another controversy — one between Israeli police and the news media.</p>
<p>Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Wednesday that “journalists are being prevented from coming in those specific areas where there have been disturbances and riots.” According to Rosenfeld, the decision was made by the Jerusalem police district.</p>
<p>It was the first formal acknowledgement that media were being banned from the area near the contested site.</p>
<p>Reporters have complained this week that they were being preventing from covering the unrest around the shrine while tourists were able to freely move about the city and film with their mobile phones.</p>
<p>An Associated Press cameraman was told by police on Wednesday that he couldn’t enter the Old City and was ordered to keep back a hundred meters (yards) from the gateway.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, video uploaded to Twitter by an Israeli Channel 10 journalist trying to report from outside the Ottoman-era Old City walls also showed police ordering camera crews to leave the area.</p>
<p>The Foreign Press Association said journalists have been shoved and that this has created “a dangerous situation” where accredited journalists were blocked from doing their jobs.</p>
<p>“This appears to be a kind of innovative censorship that is surprising in a country that prides itself on press freedom,” the association said.</p> | Jerusalem’s Old City: Tourists welcome, media not so much | false | https://abqjournal.com/1038568/jerusalems-old-city-tourists-welcome-media-not-so-much.html | 2017-07-26 | 2 |
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<p>CONVERSE COUNTY, Wyo. (AP) — It happens about once a month here, on the barren foothills of one of America’s green-energy boomtowns: A soaring golden eagle slams into a wind farm’s spinning turbine and falls, mangled and lifeless, to the ground.</p>
<p>Killing these iconic birds is not just an irreplaceable loss for a vulnerable species. It’s also a federal crime, a charge that the Obama administration has used to prosecute oil companies when birds drown in their waste pits, and power companies when birds are electrocuted by their power lines.</p>
<p>But the administration has never fined or prosecuted a wind-energy company, even those that flout the law repeatedly. Instead, the government is shielding the industry from liability and helping keep the scope of the deaths secret.</p>
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<p>Wind power, a pollution-free energy intended to ease global warming, is a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s energy plan. His administration has championed a $1 billion-a-year tax break to the industry that has nearly doubled the amount of wind power in his first term.</p>
<p>But like the oil industry under President George W. Bush, lobbyists and executives have used their favored status to help steer U.S. energy policy.</p>
<p>The result is a green industry that’s allowed to do not-so-green things. It kills protected species with impunity and conceals the environmental consequences of sprawling wind farms.</p>
<p>More than 573,000 birds are killed by the country’s wind farms each year, including 83,000 hunting birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles, according to an estimate published in March in the peer-reviewed Wildlife Society Bulletin.</p>
<p>Getting precise figures is impossible because many companies aren’t required to disclose how many birds they kill. And when they do, experts say, the data can be unreliable.</p>
<p>When companies voluntarily report deaths, the Obama administration in many cases refuses to make the information public, saying it belongs to the energy companies or that revealing it would expose trade secrets or implicate ongoing enforcement investigations.</p>
<p>Nearly all the birds being killed are protected under federal environmental laws, which prosecutors have used to generate tens of millions of dollars in fines and settlements from businesses, including oil and gas companies, over the past five years.</p>
<p>“We are all responsible for protecting our wildlife, even the largest of corporations,” Colorado U.S. Attorney David M. Gaouette said in 2009 when announcing Exxon Mobil had pleaded guilty and would pay $600,000 for killing 85 birds in five states, including Wyoming.</p>
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<p>The large death toll at wind farms shows how the renewable energy rush comes with its own environmental consequences, trade-offs the Obama administration is willing to make in the name of cleaner energy.</p>
<p>“It is the rationale that we have to get off of carbon, we have to get off of fossil fuels, that allows them to justify this,” said Tom Dougherty, a long-time environmentalist who worked for nearly 20 years for the National Wildlife Federation in the West, until his retirement in 2008. “But at what cost? In this case, the cost is too high.”</p>
<p>The Obama administration has refused to accept that cost when the fossil-fuel industry is to blame. The BP oil company was fined $100 million for killing and harming migratory birds during the 2010 Gulf oil spill. And PacifiCorp, which operates coal plants in Wyoming, paid more than $10.5 million in 2009 for electrocuting 232 eagles along power lines and at its substations.</p>
<p>But PacifiCorp also operates wind farms in the state, where at least 20 eagles have been found dead in recent years, according to corporate surveys submitted to the federal government and obtained by The Associated Press. They’ve neither been fined nor prosecuted. A spokesman for PacifiCorp, which is a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. of Des Moines, Iowa, said that’s because its turbines may not be to blame.</p>
<p>“What it boils down to is this: If you electrocute an eagle, that is bad, but if you chop it to pieces, that is OK,” said Tim Eicher, a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforcement agent based in Cody, who helped prosecute the PacifiCorp power line case.</p>
<p>By not enforcing the law, the administration provides little incentive for companies to build wind farms where there are fewer birds. And while companies already operating turbines are supposed to avoid killing birds, in reality there’s little they can do once the windmills are spinning.</p>
<p>Wind farms are clusters of turbines as tall as 30-story buildings, with spinning rotors the size of jetliners. Though the blades appear to move slowly, they can reach speeds up to 170 mph at the tips, creating tornado-like vortexes.</p>
<p>Flying eagles behave like drivers texting on their cellphones; they don’t look up. As they scan for food, they don’t notice the industrial turbine blades until it’s too late.</p>
<p>The rehabilitation coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, Michael Tincher, said he euthanized two golden eagles found starving and near death near wind farms. Both had injuries he’d never seen before: One of their wings appeared to be twisted off.</p>
<p>“There is nothing in the evolution of eagles that would come near to describing a wind turbine. There has never been an opportunity to adapt to that sort of threat,” said Grainger Hunt, an eagle expert who researches the U.S. wind-power industry’s deadliest location, a northern California area known as Altamont Pass. Wind farms built there decades ago kill more than 60 per year.</p>
<p>Eagle deaths have forced the Obama administration into a difficult choice between its unbridled support for wind energy and enforcing environmental laws that could slow the industry’s growth.</p>
<p>Former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, in an interview with the AP before his departure, denied any preferential treatment for wind. Interior Department officials said that criminal prosecution, regardless of the industry, is always a “last resort.”</p>
<p>“There’s still additional work to be done with eagles and other avian species, but we are working on it very hard,” Salazar said. “We will get to the right balance.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Obama administration has proposed a rule that would give wind-energy companies potentially decades of shelter from prosecution for killing eagles. The regulation is currently under review at the White House.</p>
<p>The proposal, made at the urging of the wind-energy industry, would allow companies to apply for 30-year permits to kill a set number of bald or golden eagles. Previously, companies were only eligible for five-year permits.</p>
<p>In exchange for the longer timetable, companies agree that if they kill more eagles than allowed, the government could require them to make changes. But the administration recently said it would cap how much a company could be forced to spend on finding ways to reduce the number of eagles its facility is killing.</p>
<p>The Obama administration said the longer permit was needed to “facilitate responsible development of renewable energy” while “continuing to protect eagles.”</p>
<p>That’s because without a long-term authorization to kill eagles, investors are less likely to finance an industry that’s violating the law.</p>
<p>Typically, the government would be forced to study the environmental effects of such a regulation before implementing it. In this case, though, the Obama administration avoided a full review, saying the policy was nothing more than an “administrative change.”</p>
<p>“It’s basically guaranteeing a black box for 30 years, and they’re saying ‘trust us for oversight.’ This is not the path forward,” said Katie Umekubo, a renewable energy attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council and a former lawyer for the Fish and Wildlife Service. In private meetings with industry and government leaders in recent months, environmental groups have argued that the 30-year permit needed an in-depth environmental review.</p>
<p>The tactics have created an unexpected rift between the administration and major environmental groups favoring green energy that, until the eagle rule, had often been on the same side as the wind industry.</p>
<p>Those conservation groups that have been critical of the administration’s stance from the start, such as the American Bird Conservancy, have often been cut out of the behind-the-scenes discussions and struggled to obtain information on bird deaths at wind farms.</p>
<p>“There are no seats at the exclusive decision-making table for groups that want the wind industry to be held accountable for the birds it kills,” said Kelly Fuller, who works on wind issues for the group.</p>
<p>The eagle rule is not the first time the administration has made concessions for the wind-energy industry.</p>
<p>Last year, over objections from some of its own wildlife investigators and biologists, the Interior Department updated its guidelines and provided more cover for wind companies that violate the law.</p>
<p>The administration and some environmentalists say that was the only way to exact some oversight over an industry that operates almost exclusively on private land and generates no pollution, and therefore is exposed to little environmental regulation.</p>
<p>Under both the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the death of a single bird without a permit is illegal.</p>
<p>But under the Obama administration’s new guidelines, wind-energy companies — and only wind-energy companies — are held to a different standard. Their facilities don’t face additional scrutiny until they have a “significant adverse impact” on wildlife or habitat. But under both bird protection laws, any impact has to be addressed.</p>
<p>The rare exception for one industry substantially weakened the government’s ability to enforce the law and ignited controversy inside the Interior Department.</p>
<p>“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not do this for the electric utility industry or other industries,” Kevin Kritz, a government wildlife biologist in the Rocky Mountain region wrote in government records in September 2011. “Other industries will want to be judged on a similar standard.”</p>
<p>Experts working for the agency in California and Nevada wrote in government records in June 2011 that the new federal guidelines should be considered as though they were put together by corporations, since they “accommodate the renewable energy industry’s proposals, without due accountability.”</p>
<p>The Obama administration, however, repeatedly overruled its experts at the Fish and Wildlife Service. In the end, the wind-energy industry, which was part of the committee that drafted and edited the guidelines, got almost everything it wanted.</p>
<p>“Clearly, there was a bias to wind energy in their favor because they are a renewable source of energy, and justifiably so,” said Rob Manes, who runs the Kansas office for The Nature Conservancy and who served on the committee. “We need renewable energy in this country.”</p>
<p>The government also declared that senior officials in Washington, many of whom are political appointees, must approve any wind-farm prosecution. Normally, law-enforcement agents in the field have the authority to file charges with federal attorneys.</p>
<p>While all big cases are typically cleared through headquarters, such a blanket policy has never been applied to an entire industry, former officials said.</p>
<p>“It’s over,” Eicher said. “You’ll never see a prosecution now.”</p>
<p>Not so, says the Fish and Wildlife Service. It said it is investigating 18 bird-death cases involving wind-power facilities, and seven have been referred to the Justice Department. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined to discuss the status of those cases.</p>
<p>Dan Ashe, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s director, in an interview Monday with The Associated Press said his agency always made it clear to wind companies that if they kill birds they would still be liable.</p>
<p>“We are not allowing them to do it. They do it,” he said of the bird deaths. “And we will successfully prosecute wind companies if they are in significant noncompliance.”</p>
<p>But officials acknowledge that their priority is cooperating with companies before wind farms are built to encourage them to be put where they won’t harm birds. Once they are built, there is little companies can do except shut down turbines or remove them — and that means reducing the amount of electricity they generate and violating deals struck with companies purchasing their electricity.</p>
<p>By contrast, there are easy fixes for oil companies and companies operating power lines to stop killing birds. The government often requests companies take such steps before it decides to prosecute.</p>
<p>“We just can’t be bringing a criminal case against a company that is up and running if there is not a solution,” said Jill Birchell, head of the Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement office in California and Nevada. “We can fine them, but that doesn’t help eagles.”</p>
<p>In the meantime, birds continue to die. The golden eagle population in the West, prior to the wind energy boom, was declining so much that the government’s conservation goal in 2009 was not to allow the eagle population to decrease by a single bird.</p>
<p>The reason boils down to biology. Eagles take five years to reach the age when they can reproduce, and often they only produce one chick a year.</p>
<p>In its defense, the wind-energy industry points out that more eagles are killed each year by cars, electrocutions and poisoning than by turbines.</p>
<p>Ashe noted that the government doesn’t require other industrial facilities to disclose the numbers of birds they kill.</p>
<p>Documents and emails obtained by the AP offer glimpses of the problem: 14 deaths at seven facilities in California, five each in New Mexico and Oregon, one in Washington state and another in Nevada, where an eagle was found with a hole in its neck, exposing the bone.</p>
<p>Unlike the estimates, these are hard numbers, proof of deaths, the beginnings of a mosaic revealing the problem.</p>
<p>One of the deadliest places in the country for golden eagles is Wyoming, where federal officials said wind farms have killed more than four dozen golden eagles since 2009, predominantly in the southeastern part of the state. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the figures.</p>
<p>The Interior Department recently approved construction of the nation’s largest wind farm in Wyoming, with what would be 1,000 turbines. The federal government predicts that project, which was analyzed because it was on federal land, would kill 46 to 64 eagles each year.</p>
<p>At a different facility, Duke Energy’s Top of the World wind farm, a 17,000-acre site with 110 turbines located about 35 miles east of Casper, 10 eagles have been killed in the first two years of operation. It is the deadliest of Duke’s 15 wind power plants for eagles.</p>
<p>The company’s environmental director for renewable energy, Tim Hayes, said Duke is doing all it can, not only because it wants to fix the problem but because it could reduce the company’s liability. Two of the company’s wind farms in Wyoming — Top of the World and Campbell Hill — are under investigation by the federal government for the deaths of golden eagles and other birds, according to a report the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week. The report was filed after the AP visited a Duke facility in Wyoming and asked senior executives about the deaths.</p>
<p>Duke encourages workers to drive slower so as not to scare eagles from their roosts. They remove dead animals that eagles eat. And they’ve removed rock piles where the bird’s prey lives. They also keep internal data on every dead bird in order to determine whether these efforts are working. The company is also testing radar technology to detect eagles and is considering blaring loud noises to prevent the birds from flying into danger.</p>
<p>The only other option is shutting off the turbines when eagles approach. And even that method hasn’t been scientifically proven to work.</p>
<p>At Top of the World, Duke shut down 13 turbines for a week in March, often the deadliest time for eagles. The experiment, the company says, paid off. Not a single eagle was killed that month.</p>
<p>Hayes says the company has repeatedly sought a permit from the federal government to kill eagles legally, but was told it was killing too many to qualify.</p>
<p>When an eagle is killed, Duke employees are also prohibited by law from removing the carcass.</p>
<p>Each death is a tiny crime scene. So workers walk out underneath the spinning rotors and cover the dead bird with a tarp. It lies there, protected from scavengers but decaying underneath its shroud, until someone from the government comes to get it.</p> | Wind farms get a pass on eagle deaths | false | https://abqjournal.com/198819/wind-farms-get-a-pass-on-eagle-deaths.html | 2013-05-14 | 2 |
<p>Dearest Donald,</p>
<p>My old buddy James Dobson says you are a baby Christian who recently accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. ¡Felicitaciones! Who am I to question the conviction of your heart or the resolve of your newfound faith? So I’ll let Jesus do so.</p>
<p>One day, a certain CEO came to Jesus asking him, “Good teacher, what must I do to be saved, how can I obtain eternal life?” Jesus responded by reminding the CEO of God’s commandments. Although this particular CEO gloated about making money when the real estate market crashed, forcing many to lose their homes, was engaged in multiple infidelities and declared multiple bankruptcies so taxpayers could increase his net worth — still, in his own mind he saw himself as hugely pious.</p>
<p>Unlike Dobson, Jesus does not provide the response commonly given in modern Christianity. He does not invite the young CEO to repent of his sins, asking that he accept Jesus into his life as a personal, individualistic Savior. No doubt, having a wealthy CEO profess Christianity can provide financial resources to carry out conservative political ends. But rather than simply accepting the young man as a follower, Jesus, out of love for him, tells the young CEO to sell all and distribute the proceeds to the poor. Only then can he follow Jesus. But when the CEO heard this, the price to pay was too high, so he left full of sadness.</p>
<p>Looking at him, Jesus proclaimed how difficult it is for the rich to enter the reign of God (Luke 18:18-23). A faith solely based on individual belief and disconnected from public responsibilities and actions allows all rich young rulers in our time to claim to be followers and disciples of Jesus without costing them anything. Nevertheless, Jesus determines salvation by how the rich interact with the poor.</p>
<p>Jesus’ pronouncement asks way too much, so to soften the blow, many ministers today interpret the text assuring us that Jesus really didn’t mean to give away everything to the poor. Rather, Jesus was dealing with the specific sin of this particular person. It was his riches that held him back from following Jesus. For others, it might be their jobs, their hobbies, or even their families. Whatever it is that we do not want to give up, that stands in the way of following Jesus is what we must be willing to offer up. And the emphasis is on the willing. We don’t actually have to give anything up, just be willing to do so. Hence, Jesus’ words are so watered down that his interaction with the rich CEO loses all potency.</p>
<p>Anyone who claims power and privilege forfeits his or her claim to God’s eschatological promise, just like the rich young ruler. God’s reign is not promised to those who are oppressors or benefit from oppressive structures, no matter how “good” they may be or which commandments they keep. Believing in Jesus is insufficient for obtaining salvation. Jesus forces the rich young man, as well as all who are rich today, to move beyond an abstract belief in Jesus to a material response to those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, alien, sick, and incarcerated.</p>
<p>Even though the Gospel of Luke fails to show how the rich young man was responsible for the plight of the poor, or even if he enriched himself at their expense. Because he is rich, he automatically becomes linked to their poverty. To ignore the cry of those who are marginalized is to deny Jesus’ message, regardless of whether or not we confess our belief in Jesus and proclaim his name with our lips. The author of Luke must have known many would read this passage in such a way as to ignore Jesus’ radical call. So in response, Luke gives us, in the very next chapter, the story of Zacchaeus.</p>
<p>While the righteous rich young ruler did not, the despised tax collector Zacchaeus did. As Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus, who was the chief tax collector, making him a very wealthy man, wanted a glimpse. Tax collectors of the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus were despised by the Jewish common folk. They were perceived as unsaved, unclean publicans because they interacted with the Gentile Roman colonial overseers. These publicans squeezed as much taxes as possible from the people. Jewish tax collectors were stigmatized in their time the way many today would stigmatize pimps. No self-respectable Jew would eat, let alone associate, with a tax collector, the perceived scum of the earth.</p>
<p>Being a short man, Zacchaeus was unable to get a good view of Jesus, so he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. Although a popular children song about Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree exists, few recall the significance of this event. For when Jesus came to the spot where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and told him that tonight he would stay at his house. The oppressive activities of Zacchaeus are not condoned by Jesus, but compassion, not condemnation, is offered. By recognizing the tax collector’s humanity, grace makes salvation possible.</p>
<p>The grace and loving compassion shown Zacchaeus by Jesus was immediately manifested in his actions toward the poor, for Zacchaeus decided — then and there — to give half of his possessions to the poor, and from those he cheated, to repay fourfold. Jesus responds by proclaiming that on this day, salvation entered Zacchaeus’ house (Luke 19:1-10)! In effect, Jesus links the salvation of oppressors to the actions they take toward the oppressed. Salvation entered Zacchaeus’ house when God’s grace was manifested in actions toward the poor, when Zacchaeus publically died to the power and privilege that had supported his lifestyle. Zacchaeus, unlike the rich young ruler Luke depicts in the previous chapter, recognizes what Adam Clayton Powell Sr., the renowned and dynamic pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, called “cheap grace,” a concept eventually learned by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. God’s grace devoid of a praxis-based, justice-seeking response indicates a lack of salvation.</p>
<p>Now, Donald, assuming you have taken your first step toward eternity, let me, as a new brother in Christ, encourage you not to follow the example of the rich young ruler who assumed that some profession of faith, minus praxis, is all that is required to be a disciple of Christ. Remembering the words of James, the brother of Jesus — faith without works is dead. I look forward to witnessing how you will follow Zacchaeus’ example in working out your salvation in fear and trembling. ’Till then,</p>
<p>Sincerely yours, Miguelito</p>
<p>Related opinion:</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">The American Way(s) of Life</a>, by Bill Leonard</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">The gift of Donald Trump: uniting a diverse constituency</a>, by Kyndall Rae Rothaus</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">When religion turns hateful, it loses its moral voice</a>, by Molly T. Marshall</p>
<p>Related news:</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Southern Baptists named to Trump advisory team</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Bill Clinton says ‘Make America Great Again’ code for turning back clock on civil rights</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Embrace ‘extremist’ Christianity to counter hate, ministers say</a></p> | An open letter to Donald Trump on his recent Christian conversion | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/an-open-letter-to-donald-trump-on-his-recent-christian-conversion/ | 3 |
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<p>And the couple’s daughter complains that police have expressed suspicion of her and her husband in the slayings, while at the same time officials put them in touch with a company to clean up the crime scene before all evidence might have been gathered.</p>
<p>Cherie Ortiz-Rios, who discovered two of the bodies, said when officers arrived at her parents’ house that day, she and her husband Jesse Rios separately were asked what they did with the gun used to kill the trio.</p>
<p>Police initially believed that Lloyd Ortiz, 55; his wife Dixie Ortiz, 53; and their adopted son Steven Ortiz, 21; had been shot in the head, but autopsy reports two days later showed that they had died from blunt-force trauma to the head.</p>
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<p>Steven Ortiz had been hit 17 times, Lloyd Ortiz had been hit seven, and Dixie Ortiz had been hit twice.</p>
<p>About 14 hours after police searched the house, according to Ortiz-Rios and her husband, the state medical examiner’s office recommended some companies that clean up crime scenes.</p>
<p>Cleaning crews arrived the evening after the killings and were there when state police, who had just learned that the three had died of blunt-force trauma, returned to look for the murder weapon.</p>
<p>Several items, including carpeting from the bedroom, were already in a biohazard bag, according to a written report by agent Bryan Waller.</p>
<p>Jesse Rios said the house should have been sealed for three days until the weapon was found. “They could’ve found a lot more evidence,” he said.</p>
<p>But state police Chief Robert Shilling, who said the case remains the No. 1 priority of the department’s investigations bureau in northern New Mexico, said police don’t think they lost any forensic evidence.</p>
<p>Shilling also said that neither of the couple has been named as a suspect in the June 19, 2011, killings. He did say that investigators have conducted more than 120 interviews across four states, collected mountains of evidence and executed 10 search warrants. Despite their efforts, no arrests have been made, no suspects have been named and police still don’t know the motive in the killings.</p>
<p>Police did say that money did not appear to be involved since Lloyd Ortiz’s wallet was found on the kitchen counter and two safes containing more than $80,000 were undisturbed.</p>
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<p>The case file has numerous reports about events that preceded the crime, but none have led to an arrest.</p>
<p>The file includes information about a 16-year-old boy who lived with the Ortiz family before they kicked him out, accusing him of stealing marijuana. In an interview, the boy – who reportedly was involved with a gang – told police that he lost contact with the family “after he got blamed for stuff he did not do.”</p>
<p>Three weeks before the killing, Ortiz-Rios’ daughter, Catalina Rios, told police that a gang member unrelated to the 16-year-old had shown her a gun and threatened to kill her family.</p>
<p>Some police reports say that the Ortiz family may have been selling drugs, but Ortiz-Rios denied those claims, saying that her brother had a prescription for medical marijuana.</p>
<p>A police report said 17 marijuana plants were found at the home.</p>
<p>Ortiz-Rios and her husband said they last saw her parents and brother two days before they were killed and had planned on spending Father’s Day with them.</p>
<p>Ortiz-Rios was cooking an enchilada dinner for her father and went over to the house to tell him that it was almost ready.</p>
<p>When she found the doors locked and no one answered, she let herself in with an extra key and saw two of the bodies before running out of the house and calling 911.</p>
<p>Ortiz-Rios criticized the police investigation, saying that interviews with family members, neighbors and friends have centered on her and her husband from the beginning.</p>
<p>Angela Spinks, the Ortiz’s other daughter, said that she talks to police about once a week but gets few answers.</p>
<p>“I do feel we have to give them more of a chance to see where they are on this,” she said. But “I do know the longer it takes, probably the worse it gets. I don’t know what evidence they have. They have not shared that with us, and I don’t know if they can or if they are just lying to me.”</p>
<p>Shilling said police have done their best.</p>
<p>“We’ve made a very concerted effort over the last year to remain in constant communication with family members in trying to address concerns or questions,” he said.</p>
<p>Shilling urged members of the public who may have any information about the killings to come forward, no matter how innocuous they think it might be.</p>
<p>“One thing we’ve learned throughout modern-day policing is that a year from now, two, three years from now, one piece of critical information may come up that breaks the case wide open,” he said.</p> | Daughter Who Found Slain Family Upset by Police | false | https://abqjournal.com/113542/daughter-who-found-slain-family-upset-by-police.html | 2012-06-19 | 2 |
<p>LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Independence Party on Sunday suspended the membership of the girlfriend of the party's leader after she reportedly made racist remarks about Prince Harry's fiancee, American actress Meghan Markle.</p>
<p>In a statement, Jo Marney apologized for the "shocking language" she used in a series of text messages to a friend, but said her words had been "taken out of context."</p>
<p>The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the 25-year-old Marney, who describes herself as a model and actor, made offensive comments about Markle and black people, including calling them "ugly."</p>
<p>UKIP leader Henry Bolton said Marney's membership in the party, known for its anti-European Union stance, was suspended immediately. Marney doesn't hold an official post in the party.</p>
<p>Markle, who will wed Harry in May, has spoken publicly and written about being proudly biracial, and also about how it affected her acting career.</p>
<p>Last year, Harry criticized some media reports and online comments for drawing negative attention to Markle's African-American heritage.</p>
<p>The prince issued a strongly worded statement condemning the "outright sexism and racism" in some comments about Markle, and said some articles with "racial undertones" crossed the line.</p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Independence Party on Sunday suspended the membership of the girlfriend of the party's leader after she reportedly made racist remarks about Prince Harry's fiancee, American actress Meghan Markle.</p>
<p>In a statement, Jo Marney apologized for the "shocking language" she used in a series of text messages to a friend, but said her words had been "taken out of context."</p>
<p>The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the 25-year-old Marney, who describes herself as a model and actor, made offensive comments about Markle and black people, including calling them "ugly."</p>
<p>UKIP leader Henry Bolton said Marney's membership in the party, known for its anti-European Union stance, was suspended immediately. Marney doesn't hold an official post in the party.</p>
<p>Markle, who will wed Harry in May, has spoken publicly and written about being proudly biracial, and also about how it affected her acting career.</p>
<p>Last year, Harry criticized some media reports and online comments for drawing negative attention to Markle's African-American heritage.</p>
<p>The prince issued a strongly worded statement condemning the "outright sexism and racism" in some comments about Markle, and said some articles with "racial undertones" crossed the line.</p> | UK party suspends leader's girlfriend over Markle remarks | false | https://apnews.com/amp/49af89ffa9da4fe2b99ee222c5945052 | 2018-01-14 | 2 |
<p>Under federal law, school districts must provide fee waivers, free lunches and any other assistance homeless students might need to attend school. Districts must also immediately enroll homeless students and make sure they know they can enroll in their original school.</p>
<p>The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act of 1987 became part of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. Illinois has its own law, the Education for Homeless Children Act of 1994, which includes specific procedures for resolving any disputes that arise.</p>
<p>In 1992 the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless filed a lawsuit against Chicago Public Schools stemming from provisions in the federal and state law. The suit was settled in 1997 with a consent decree governing how CPS will provide services to homeless students. The coalition went back to court in 1999 alleging the district was not complying with the decree; that case was settled in 2000.</p>
<p>According to Rene Heybach, attorney for the Chicago Coalition, the decree requires the district to:</p>
<p>Provide transportation for homeless students to their schools of origin. Busing is provided for students in 6th grade and younger; older students receive CTA fare cards.</p>
<p>Ensure that students receive appropriate fee waivers;</p>
<p>Provide tutoring for those in need. Rivera says her office’s tutoring program currently serves about 300 students at 13 schools.</p>
<p>Train the homeless liaisons and clerks at schools, as well as principals, to serve homeless students.</p>
<p>Inform families of the services available to them and of their right to dispute.</p>
<p>Although the consent decree does not specifically require it, Pat Rivera, manager of CPS’ Homeless Education Program, says the system also refers families to public aid programs if needed; offers parent education in shelters; and works to find donations of books, school supplies and clothing.</p> | Law, consent decree require student services | false | http://chicagoreporter.com/law-consent-decree-require-student-services/ | 2005-08-10 | 3 |
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<p>Any company that depends on an inside sales force to drive revenue knows that your business lives or dies on how well they convert leads. Whether salespeople use phone calls or emails to follow up with prospects, the single largest driver of lead conversion is how quickly action is taken, a new study shows.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The simple act of placing a phone call to a new prospect within a minute of when a lead comes in can increase the likelihood of conversion by nearly four times (391 percent), according to a study of data on almost 3.5 million leads from more than 300 companies. The analysis was conducted by Leads360, a provider of cloud-based lead management and <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1414-automated-marketing-social-media.html" type="external">sales automation Opens a New Window.</a> solutions.</p>
<p>Each minute a salesperson waits to make the first call can greatly reduce the chances of ever converting the prospect, the study found. If the first phone call is made an hour after a lead, the likelihood of conversion falls to only 36 percent. If an entire day lapses, the likelihood of conversion plummets to 17 percent.</p>
<p>Persistence also pays — up to a point, the study found. &#160;In the case of <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1173-conquer-fear-selling.html" type="external">calling prospects Opens a New Window.</a>, six times is the magic number. Ninety-three percent of all converted leads are reached by the sixth call attempt; after that, efforts quickly enter the world of diminishing returns. Only 7 percent of all leads that eventually convert are reached for the first time after seven or more calls.</p>
<p>Knowing when to make those six calls will affect conversion rates, the study found. While making the first call within one minute is the gold standard for which companies should strive, the study found that prospects contacted on a second call attempt made 30 to 60 minutes after lead generation had a higher conversion rate than any other half-hour period following the initial call.</p>
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<p>The use of email as an adjunct to phone outreach can have a very positive effect of the ability of your inside sales staff to contact and convert prospects, the study found. Prospects who also receive emails have a 16 percent higher chance to be contacted by phone,</p>
<p>As with phone calls, though, the <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1152-computer-monitors-productivity.html" type="external">law of diminishing returns Opens a New Window.</a> also applies to follow-up by email. The conversion rate for leads that were sent more than five email messages prior to reaching the prospect was 36 percent lower than the conversion rate for leads reached after the first five email messages.</p>
<p>Combing the highest performing phone and email strategies is the sweet spot for inside sales success, Leads360 said. Used together, they can result in a conversion gain of 128 percent, the study found.</p>
<p>Reach BusinessNewsDaily senior writer Ned Smith at&#160; <a href="http://mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected] Opens a New Window.</a>. Follow him on Twitter @nedbsmith.We're also on&#160; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessNewsDaily" type="external">Facebook Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;&amp;&#160; <a href="https://plus.google.com/113390396142026041164" type="external">Google+ Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Early Bird Converts Leads to Sales | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/12/07/early-bird-converts-leads-to-sales.html | 2016-03-23 | 0 |
<p>Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellman on the fight against the Zika virus and the key goals of the foundation.</p>
<p>The World Health Organization warned people living in Zika-affected countries to delay plans to get pregnant due to the virus’ potential impact on babies.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“I think it’s a good warning and I very much respect that the WHO came out that way,” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellman told the FOX Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.</p>
<p>Desmond-Hellman explained why the fight against Zika is such a priority for the Foundation.</p>
<p>“One of our big areas of focus is infectious diseases, particularly the ones that affect the poor, so Zika is the kind of thing that we care deeply about.&#160; The issue with Zika virus is that in many people it’s a mild illness, not something to worry about.&#160; But the problem with Zika is if pregnant women get Zika virus, their babies can have a significant, severe, birth defect,” said Desmond-Hellman.</p>
<p>According to Desmond-Hellman, the Foundation has been supporting a unique approach to stopping mosquitoes’ spread of Zika.</p>
<p>“It turns out that there is a bacteria, a harmless bacteria, called Wolbachia,” Desmond-Hellman continued, “The concept here is that the mosquitos get infected with this harmless bacteria and it interferes with them transmitting Zika.”</p>
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<p>The Foundation’s fight against infectious diseases has not been a solo effort, it has set up programs to boost collaboration with the private sector in the battle against viruses such as Zika.</p>
<p>“We have tools to go to a company and say, “Look, if you work on Zika, if you work on Malaria with the charitable intent, we’ll invest in your company, we’ll give you a grant, we can do what’s called a volume guarantee to backstop their capital or use tiered pricing where they can have different prices in richer countries or poorer countries and in using these tools we can collaborate with private industry to get them to work on the causes we care about,” Desmond-Hellman said.</p>
<p>Desmond-Hellman warned that the U.S. needs to be prepared as the summer mosquito season approaches.</p>
<p>“It’s extremely important as summer approaches in the United States, that we not get complacent about Zika and the mosquitos, so far there’s been no mosquito born transmission of Zika in the U.S.&#160; There’s been travelers infected and there’s been sexual transmission, but we need to be ready for Zika this summer,” said Desmond-Hellman.</p>
<p>Desmond-Hellman then discussed the Foundation itself, its giving pledge and the importance of giving to the issues important to you.</p>
<p>“Promise your wealth to the world, that you’ll give away at least half of your wealth during your life.&#160;&#160; We believe that other people may or may not care about the same things we care about, but all giving is good,” Desmond-Hellman said.</p>
<p>Desmond-Hellman then explained the concept of precision public health and how it can help tackle some of the health challenges globally.</p>
<p>“Precision public health is our ability to tap into these precise tools like genetic sequencing, big data, self-monitoring, the power of computing today and use that to tackle illnesses like HIV, like malaria, like cervical cancer that effect communities that often involve the poor, so we can get the right interventions to populations in the right geography.&#160; It’s a much more poor-friendly way to think about it,” said Desmond-Hellman.</p> | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Teams With Private Sector to Fight Zika | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/06/10/bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation-teams-with-private-sector-to-fight-zika.html | 2016-06-10 | 0 |
<p>A Detroit mother pleaded guilty Monday to killing two of her children and <a href="" type="internal">placing their bodies in a deep freezer</a> in her home.</p>
<p>Mitchelle Blair, 36, has openly admitted to killing her daughter, 13-year-old Stoni Blair, and son, 9-year-old Stephen Berry. She was arrested in March after deputies who evicted her from her apartment found the children's bodies.</p>
<p>"I don't regret none of this," Blair told the judge Monday, reported the Associated Press. "I don't feel no remorse for the death of those demons."</p>
<p>The kids were sexually assaulting her 8-year-old son, she added.</p>
<p>Blair said she abused the two kids, beating them and suffocating them. She had set out to kill Stoni, but didn't think what she was doing to Stephen would kill him. Police believe one child was killed in 2012, and one was killed in 2013.</p>
<p>RELATED: <a href="" type="internal">Detroit Mother Mitchelle Blair: I Want to Plead Guilty to Killing Kids</a></p>
<p>Blair faces life in prison without parole and will be sentenced July 17. She has said that if Michigan had the death penalty, she would accept it.</p>
<p>Mental health experts found her competent to stand trial. She was charged with murder, torture and child abuse.</p>
<p>Separately, authorities are seeking to cut off Blair's parental rights to her 8-year-old son and her 17-year-old daughter. They also are trying to end the parental rights of their fathers, who they say owe thousands in child support.</p>
<p>Related: <a href="" type="internal">Mom Who Alleged Put Dead Kids in Freezer Flips Off Court</a></p>
<p>In a videotape played during a hearing in those cases, her surviving son told a social worker that he was whipped with a cord and that his sister was hit with a hammer.</p> | Detroit Mother Pleads Guilty to Killing Two Kids Found in Freezer | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/detroit-mother-pleads-guilty-killing-two-kids-found-freezer-n383741 | 2015-06-29 | 3 |
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<p>&#160;The&#160;University of New Mexico baseball team team’s 15-player class includes four New Mexicans and is “one of the better recruiting classes in New Mexico history,” coach Ray Birmingham said in a statement released on Friday.</p>
<p>” I tip my hat to Coach (Ken) Jacome and his recruiting efforts,” Birmingham said. “He has done a super job bringing in good talent. Now we just have to sweat losing some guys to the MLB Draft.”</p>
<p>Jacome is the team’s recruiting coordinator.</p>
<p>A list of signees:</p>
<p>Cole Anderson (R/R) – OF Rocky Mountain HS – Wellington, CO – 5-10/175</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he hit .494 (42-85) with 14 RBIs, 37 runs, &#160;14 doubles,&#160; a triple, three home runs, 13 steals, a .575 OBP, a .788 SLG and a 1.362 OPS to earn First Team All-State (5A) by Denver Post for state champs … was the team’s leadoff hitter and led 5A in runs … also named to USA Today‘s All-Colorado Baseball Team … in three years has hit .548 (54-118) with 26 RBIs, 57 runs, 15 doubles, three triples, three homers, 20 stolen bases, a .543 OBP, a .711 SLG, and a 1.255 OPS … played with incoming freshmen Carl Stajduhar and Tyler Stevens in high school … plays club ball for Rocky Mountain Legion.</p>
<p>“Cole is a great athlete,” Jacome said. “He’s a plus, plus runner with tremendous bat speed. He has a chance to hit&#160;andhit with power in addition to being one of the best runners on the team.”</p>
<p>Austin Bell (L/L) – OF – La Cueva HS – Albuquerque, NM – 5-9/175</p>
<p>As a junior hit. 403, slugged .687 and stole 12 bases to earn All-District honors for the state champions … named to the 5A State All-Tournament Team … earned All-State Academic honors and was a state finalist for Wendy’s High School Heisman … plays for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy.</p>
<p>&#160;“He comes from a winning program and plays for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy,” Jacome said. “He’s another good runner that can really hit. He has a chance to hit for a high average and defend very well at any outfield position.”</p>
<p>Aaron Corral (R/R) – INF – Capistrano Valley Christian HS – Riverside, CA – 5-10/170</p>
<p>In three years on varsity has hit .281 (50-178) in 65 games … has recorded 25 RBIs and scored 35 runs … has seven doubles, one triple and one homer with 17 steals … as a junior in 2014 hit .304 … named First Team All-League as a sophomore in 2013 … homered in the PerfectGame WWBA National Championship Tournament … plays club ball for OC Extreme and the Colton Nighthawks.</p>
<p>&#160;“Aaron is a middle infielder that can really defend,” Jacome said. “He has really good bat speed with a chance to hit for a high average. On top of that he’s a very good runner.”</p>
<p>Fernando Fernandez-Beltran (L/L) – LHP – NMJC – Quebec, Canada – 6-0/185</p>
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<p>Went 4-1 with a team-leading 3.28 ERA in 49.1 innings over 12 appearances (nine starts) for the Thunderbirds … struck out 44 batters on the year … tossed one complete game and held opponents to a .257 batting average against as NMJC won the WJCAC with a 28-8 league record … named a Texas-New Mexico Junior College All-Star … played for Team Canada … drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 27th round of the MLB Draft out of high school.</p>
<p>&#160;“Fernando is the real deal,” pitching coach Dan Spencer said. “He has great pitchability, and he’s really mature. He can start or pitch out of the pen. He should be an immediate impact guy for us. He’s also a great student.”</p>
<p>Austin Isenhart (L/L) – LHP – Glendora HS – San Dimas, CA – 6-0/185</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he went 1-1 with a 1.94 ERA in 21.2 innings … struck out 24 and held opponents to a .215 batting average … was 7-3 with a 2.25 ERA for Glendora’s JV squad in 2013 … hurled 46.2 innings over 11 appearances and struck out 62 versus just 11 walks … plays club ball for the So Cal Cardinals.</p>
<p>&#160;“He sits about 85-86 (mph) with a real curve,” said Spencer. “He throws it for strikes. He’ll be given the chance to be a lefty specialist at first, but he could be a starter by the end because he has a good changeup. We’re very excited to have him.”</p>
<p>Jared Mang (R/R) – INF – Los Alamos HS – Los Alamos, NM – 5-10/190</p>
<p>Named the Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year after batting .605 with 35 runs, 44 RBIs and a pair of home runs while leading the Hilltoppers to the 4A quarterfinals as a junior in 2014 … stole 21 bases and slugged .926 … was also dominant on the mound going 8-2 with a 1.01 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 55.2 innings … other honors include being named Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention in both 2013 and 2014 and to the ABCA/Rawlings High School Region 7 All-Region Team (only player from New Mexico) … back-to-back District 2-4A Player of the Year … also an excellent student with a 3.84 GPA and member of National Honor Society …plays for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy.</p>
<p>“Where do you start?” Jacome said. “He can play second or third and he’s a big-time hitter. He’ll be drafted pretty high next June. He’s a great baserunner and a super athlete that plays multiple sports but is now concentrating on baseball. We’ll look for him to play a lot as a freshman.”</p>
<p>Erick Migueles (L/R) – OF – Canyon Del Oro HS – Tucson, AZ – 6-0/180</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he hit .520 (39-75) with 47 RBIs, five doubles, three triples and 12 home runs … also walked 21 times to boast a .633 OBP … slugged 1.146 and recorded a 1.780 OPS to earn First Team All-Southern Arizona honors and Perfect Game 2014 Underclass Honorable Mention … played in the Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament and plays club ball for the Yankees Scout Team.</p>
<p>&#160;“Erick has big-time power,” Jacome said. “He has a plus arm in the outfield and plays for probably the best high school team in Arizona. They have seven players that signed with Division I schools. He has a chance to hit in the middle of the order for us as a freshman.”</p>
<p>Gage O’Brien (R/R) – RHP – Catalina Foothills HS – Tucson, AZ – 6-3/180</p>
<p>In two seasons of varsity has gone 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in 13 appearances, including a 2.33 ERA as a sophomore in 2013 … has struck out 22 in 23.2 innings and limited opponents to a .222 batting average against … plays club ball for 520 Elite as well as Yankees Scout Team.</p>
<p>“He’s a big-bodied righty with a real curveball,” Spencer said. “He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but he jumped on the scene late in the summer and is long and athletic. He has a good chance to have a great breaking ball.”</p>
<p>Andrew Pratt (R/R) – C – La Cueva HS – Albuquerque, NM – 6-2/205</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he hit .458 with 38 RBIs and eight homers … allowed only two base stealers all season … named All-District, All-Metro, All-State, a Second Team Louisville Slugger HS All-American, and First Team catcher on USA Today All-USA New Mexico Team … plays for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy.</p>
<p>&#160;“He profiles behind the plate,” Spencer said. “He’s big and strong with a good arm. We’re very excited to get him because he offers the whole package as a catcher. We think he’s going to add a lot of depth to the position.”</p>
<p>Peyton Remy (R/R) – RHP – Legend HS – Parker, CO – 6-2/180</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he struck out 39 in eight appearances … struck out four and allowed just one run in 3.0 innings at the 2014 Area Code Games … also played in the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship Tournament in Jupiter, Fla. … went 5-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 10 appearances (seven starts) as a sophomore in 2013 … struck out 48 and walked just 18 in 37.0 IP … limited opponents to a .200 batting average against and a .314 OBP … also hit .292 as a sophomore when playing third … plays club ball for the Colorado Slammers.</p>
<p>&#160;“He has the best arm in the 2015 Colorado class,” Spencer said. “He’s a really good athlete with a quick arm. He’ll sit 90-91 with solid secondary stuff. He’s athletic like Preston Ryan. It might take him a year to put it all together, but he has very exciting stuff.”</p>
<p>Donnie Sands (R/R) – INF/RHP – Salpointe HS – Tucson, AZ – 6-2/190</p>
<p>As a junior in 2014 he hit .415 (27-65) with 22 RBIs, 22 runs, 11 doubles, one triple, three home runs, five stolen bases, a .466 OBP, a .753 SLG, and a 1.220 OPS … also made four appearances on the mound and went 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA … started twice and completed both games … also recorded one save and struck out 20 in 11 innings … held opponents to a .100 batting average against and a .167 OBP … originally from Albuquerque … played with O’Brien for 520 Elite and Yankees Scout Team.</p>
<p>&#160;“He’s a very good athlete with a good arm,” said Spencer. “We’re looking at him as a two-way player, but he has the body type and arm strength to help on the mound right away.”</p>
<p>Jacome agreed saying, “He’s going to be drafted pretty high. He has a chance to be an impact guy right away as a middle-of-the-order hitter. He’ll also probably throw a lot of innings as a freshman.”</p>
<p>Austin Treadwell (R/R) – OF/RHP – Eldorado HS – Albuquerque, NM – 6-3/200</p>
<p>Named 2014 5A All-State and All-Metro as OF after hitting .330 (29-88) with 24 RBIs, eight doubles, a triple, three homers, a .545 SLG, and a .923 OPS … was also superb on the mound with a 3-2 record and a 5.09 ERA in 22 innings … struck out 20 and held opponents to a .225 batting average … &#160;played in the Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament and was named a Perfect Game 2014 Underclass Honorable Mention … in two years on varsity he has hit .303 (47-155) with 37 RBIs, 15 doubles, one triple, five homers, a .509 SLG and a .899 OPS … on the mound he is 6-4 with a 5.66 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 50.2 innings … pls for Albuquerque Baseball Academy.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;“His best tool is his arm,” Spencer said. “He’s raw, but his stuff is very good and solid. He’ll get better the more he pitches. I really want him on the mound.”</p>
<p>Christian Tripp (R/R) – RHP – Klein HS – Spring, TX – 6-6/200</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As a junior recorded a 1.765 ERA in 45.2 innings going 5-3 … also hit .365 with 1 home run and 29 RBIs … earned First Team All-District 13-5A and helped lead team to playoffs in 2014 … named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2014 17U Perfect Game BCS Finals in Fort Myers, FL. … also named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2013 16U Perfect Game BCS Finals in Fort Myers, FL. … 2014 PG Underclass Honorable Mention … plays club ball for the Houston Banditos.</p>
<p>&#160;“He’s a big boy with a high, three-quarters arm slot,” Spencer said. “He’s a sinkerballer with a nice curve. He doesn’t throw that hard right now, but we think he will. We love his athleticism and his frame, and he has faced good high school and summer competition in Texas.”</p>
<p>Jacob Westerman (R/R) – INF – Ballard HS – Seattle, WA – 6-3/185</p>
<p>Has hit .350 (42-120) in three years on varsity … hit .333 (20-60) in 20 games as a junior in 2014 to earn Second Team All-League in KINGO 4A …&#160; hit .367 (22-60) in 21 games as a sophomore in 2013 … shows good patience with 20 walks and a career .451 OBP … has also stolen 15 bases … an excellent fielder, only made one error his sophomore season … plays club ball for Boys of Summer Seattle.</p>
<p>&#160;“He’s a tall, fast infielder,” said Spencer. “He can really run. He’ll be able to stay in the infield and play just about anwhere. He’s a high-end athlete that will have a chance to hit for high average.”</p>
<p>Jaylyn Whitehead (L/L) – LHP – Olympia HS – Ocoee, FL – 6-0/160</p>
<p>Helped the Titans to a 25-3 record and a No. 7 national ranking by posting a 2-0 record with a 1.17 ERA. Held opponents to a .143 BAA and a .250 OBP … plays club ball for CFBL Mizuno.</p>
<p>“He’s very smooth with a lot of skill,” said Spencer. “He’s long and loose. He reminds me of a Tom Glavine-type. He’ll definitely pitch as a freshman. He’ll be a guy as he grows into his body. He came to our camps and really wanted to be a Lobo. We’re thrilled to have him.”​</p> | Lobos announce baseball signees | false | https://abqjournal.com/499975/lobos-announce-baseball-signees.html | 2 |
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<p>By Melissa Kravitz / <a href="http://www.alternet.org/food/why-farmers-markets-are-critical-food-security-environment-and-public-health" type="external">AlterNet</a></p>
<p>Ending food insecurity may be as easy as supporting your local farmers market. In advance of <a href="http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/2016/home/en/" type="external">World Food Day</a> on October 16, American Farmland Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes environmentally sound farming practices, named its <a href="http://markets.farmland.org" type="external">top farmers markets</a> in the nation, many of which are based in warmer, southern states like Florida and Virginia. But no matter what region you live in, farmers markets and small farms are essential to community health.</p>
<p>“Small family farms have been shown to be the most effective, per acre, at ecological stewardship, biodiversity and production of nutrition,” said Severine von Tscharner Fleming, founder of <a href="http://www.thegreenhorns.net/category/about/aboutus/" type="external">The Greenhorns</a>, a non-profit group working to support a new generation of young farmers. “Small family farms employ more workers, supporting the local economy and rural prosperity … and can adapt and change with the market demands or shifts in climate,” she argues.</p>
<p>Rather than massive monoculture farms, which may vend millions of pounds of corn to be turned into animal feed or sugary cereal, smaller farms grow a variety of products—and it’s in the farmers’ best interest to treat their land sustainably (i.e., not decimate the soil with toxic pesticides and fertilizers),as well as treat their animals better than corporations.</p>
<p />
<p>While factory farms may produce a higher quantity of food, the “more is better” logic is not particularly relevant to our public health concerns—or our economy. “The current ‘more production’ orientation is so outdated and unresponsive to our current needs that it is causing its own problems, particularly for our environment and natural resources,” according to a 2012 United Nations report, “ <a href="http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_sd21st/21_pdf/agriculture_and_food_the_future_of_sustainability_web.pdf" type="external">Food and Agriculture: The future of sustainability</a>.” The report suggests a significant investment in small- and medium-sized farms to improve the overall health and viability of our food system worldwide.</p>
<p>By not using massive industrial farming and irrigation equipment, small farms better maintain the quality of our soil, air and water, which, from a public health standpoint, is pretty essential to our daily well-being. In contrast, explained von Tscharner Fleming, “large scale agribusiness landscapes not only degrade soil and water quality in the short term, reducing the biological health of the soil ecosystem, but also make them much more vulnerable to disease and drought, to crisis and collapse.”</p>
<p>Moreover, small farmers can have closer connections to particular needs of a community and “have an investment in community health,” said Juliet Sims, program manager at the Prevention Institute, a community health nonprofit based in Oakland, California. “We see support for small and mid-size farmers to engage in sustainable food production as a critical component of a sustainable food system that allows us to be food secure in the future.”</p>
<p>The USDA’s most recent <a href="https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/pdfs/scientific-report-of-the-2015-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committee.pdf" type="external">Scientific Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory</a> committee emphasizes the importance of fresh, unprocessed whole foods in American diets. “A diet higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in calories and animal-based foods is more health-promoting and is associated with less environmental impact than is the current U.S. diet,” the report states.</p>
<p>The key to reducing greenhouse gases and improving our overall health with better food options? You guessed it: Small farms. In its hundred-plus pages of research, the USDA reiterates the importance of local agriculture to improve long-term food security. “Access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe food is an essential element of food security,” the report states. “A sustainable diet ensures this access for both the current population and future.”</p>
<p>And this isn’t just a research theory—supporting local agriculture works.</p>
<p>“Farmers markets and farm stands can really improve the diets of community members who are food insecure,” Sims said. For example, in 2015 the California Nutrition Incentives Act created financial incentives for <a href="http://marketmatch.org" type="external">CalFresh</a> (the equivalent of SNAP benefits) to match dollars spent on produce at farmers markets. Every CalFresh dollar spent on produce earns a matching dollar to spend on produce, which has “dramatically increased people’s intake of fruits and vegetables, often produced more sustainably and locally,” Sims explained. In Davis, the Market Match program has increased farmers market purchases <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article81451527.html" type="external">by almost 300 percent</a>, building the local economy while simultaneously improving the health of the community.</p>
<p>Of course, those not part of CalFresh or SNAP programs can support local agriculture by shopping at farmers markets, subscribing to CSAs and local farm cooperatives. Even those in urban settings can get in on the small farm purchasing, with services like FreshDirect delivering CSA boxes directly to New York City stoops. Sites like <a href="https://www.overstock.com/Farmers-Market/44/store.html" type="external">Overstock</a> have also started delivering locally-grown produce and countless local initiatives by region bring the farmers market online and make it easier than ever to support local farms.</p>
<p>“We need to protect our remaining small farms, as teaching facilities, as places for ecological education and recreation, as reserves of biodiversity and rare animal breeds, as functional farm systems as a buffer against urban growth,” said von Tscharner Fleming.</p>
<p>So how do you support this imperative to long-term food security? “It’s really about changing our policy to connect consumers with small farmers,” Sims said. This policy change can occur in a number of ways, from “addressing the farm bill to making sure we have more grants and loans to small farmers and farmers of color and making sure we support farmers who are farming sustainable fruits and vegetables.”</p>
<p>Policy change will be what brings local farm systems work to scale and this can be done at the local level, by getting involved with your local food policy council, thinking about state level policies that can support bringing in locally sourced food into schools and work places and, of course, by supporting your neighborhood farmers market.</p> | Why Farmers Markets Are Critical to Food Security, the Environment and Public Health | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/why-farmers-markets-are-critical-to-food-security-the-environment-and-public-health/ | 2016-10-12 | 4 |
<p>A look at the AP Municipal Bond Index for Friday, Nov. 10:</p>
<p>BIGGEST MOVER: One-year bonds. Yield increased 10 basis points over the last week to 1.15 percent.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>TWO-YEAR: Yield increased 2 basis points to 1.26 percent. The two-year/10-year spread is 100 basis points, down from 110 basis points a week ago. The two-year/30-year spread is 153 basis points, down from 165 basis points a week ago.</p>
<p>10-YEAR: Yield increased 2 basis points to 2.26 percent, compared with 2.40 percent for a 10-year Treasury. The gap between 10-year municipal bonds and Treasurys has been widening over the last week. It was 4 basis points on Nov. 3. The 10-year/30-year spread for municipal bonds is 53 basis points.</p>
<p>30-YEAR: Yield increased by 3 basis points to 2.79 percent, compared with 2.88 percent for a 30-year Treasury.</p>
<p>_____</p>
<p>AP created this story using data from Municipal Bond Information Services and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Learn more about the AP Municipal Bond Index at http://mbis.com/</p> | Muni bond Friday update: 10-year yield rises | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/10/06/muni-bond-friday-update-10-year-yield-rises.html | 2017-11-11 | 0 |
<p>Every year, think tanks, auditors, investigators, and even Uncle Sam’s own Government Accountability Office crank out report after report concluding the same thing – too many federal government programs are inefficient, costly, ineffective or all of the above.</p>
<p>And yet every year, these conclusions are largely ignored.&#160; As a consequence, the federal government unnecessarily wastes billions of dollars a year while many government programs continue to operate without concrete goals or standards for success.&#160;</p>
<p>Well, I want to put an end to that and save your hard-earned tax dollars from waste – while also protecting middle class priorities.</p>
<p>That's why Republican Senator Mark Kirk and I recently partnered to put forth the Government Transformation Act, which has been incorporated into No Labels’ Make Government Work! initiative that was unveiled late last month.&#160;</p>
<p>Our common sense bill establishes a new bipartisan Commission for Government Transformation, which would oversee and affect the transformation of various federal government programs and functions so they will be more economical, efficient, and effective.&#160;</p>
<p>The Commission would feature seven members – appointed by the President and the leadership of both parties in the House and the Senate – and a dedicated expert staff that would review all activities of government and develop specific legislative recommendations.</p>
<p>Numerous facets of the federal government’s operations demand reform, and the Commission would examine issues including: government management practices, financial controls, the&#160;alignment of specific programs with strategic goals and the elimination of failed programs.&#160;</p>
<p>Any recommendations from the Commission would be sent to Congress for a simple up or down vote.&#160;</p>
<p>The plan would save taxpayers billions of dollars by rooting out government waste and eliminating duplicative programs, and at the same time making sure that the important services that middle class families rely on are protected.</p>
<p>To give you just one example, the federal government has 47 job training programs, 44 of which overlap. By consolidating these programs, we can save tens of billions of dollars while not affecting their quality.&#160;</p>
<p>My bipartisan bill attacks government waste and helps ensure government programs are more economical, efficient, and effective.</p>
<p>I think this is a common sense idea that Democrats and Republicans can both agree on.</p>
<p>Congresswoman Cheri Bustos represents Illinois' 17th Congressional District and is a member of No Labels and a Congressional Problem Solver.&#160; She lives in East Moline with her husband, Gerry.&#160; They have three grown sons.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | A common sense, bipartisan approach to cutting government waste | false | https://nolabels.org/blog/a-common-sense-bipartisan-approach-to-cutting-government-waste/ | 2013-08-15 | 2 |
<p>Nov. 15 (UPI) — BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair has been awarded $139.8 million to repair and modernize the USS Tortuga LSD-46, a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship.</p>
<p>The deal, announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense, is classified as a firm-fixed-price contract, meaning, BAE Systems will not be reimbursed for potential additional costs while executing the contract.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the USS Tortuga participated in the 23rd annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT, exercise series between the Royal Thai Navy and the U.S. Navy and <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Marine_Corps/" type="external">Marine Corps</a> in Sattahip, Thailand, which seeks to strengthen partnerships between naval forces across South and Southeast Asia.</p>
<p>In 2013, the USS Tortuga underwent a “hull swap,” or ship rotation, with the USS Ashland LSD-48. The hull swap is part of the Navy’s long-range plan to replace older naval ships assigned to forward deployed naval forces with newer or more capable ships that have undergone modifications and upgrades.</p>
<p>The deal between the Navy and BAE Systems has options attached to the contract which if exercised could bring the totality of the contract to more than $183.7 million.</p>
<p>Work on the contract will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by May 2019.</p>
<p>Officials say Navy fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds, along with Navy fiscal 2018 and other procurement funds of over $139.8 million will be obligated at time of award. Over $112.5 million of the funding will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.</p> | BAE awarded contract to repair, modernize USS Tortuga | false | https://newsline.com/bae-awarded-contract-to-repair-modernize-uss-tortuga/ | 2017-11-15 | 1 |
<p>On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated released its new cover: America’s top athletes lined up, arm in arm with top sports executives, to protest President Trump.</p>
<p>No Colin Kaepernick here, of course — that would undermine the Leftist media narrative that Trump’s comments had nothing to do with protesting the national anthem and flag, and were a sort of formless critique of the First Amendment generally (Trump’s comments were bad enough on the First Amendment without loading the case in ridiculous fashion). Furthermore, the lineup seems somewhat weird: there’s NFL CEO Roger Goodell standing alongside Steph Curry and LeBron James; Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars; Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr; Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks; Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics; Aaron Rodgers; Cameron Jordan of the New Orleans Saints; and Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks. Most of these people didn’t kneel for the anthem with Kaepernick. They simply expressed disdain for President Trump for his comments without condemning Kaepernick’s underlying behavior.</p>
<p>So the sports world is now united against Trump, but unwilling to condemn kneeling for the national anthem. If this is somehow supposed to represent a victory for the sports world, it isn’t — it’s another example of the polarization of culture. Hollywood already inhabits its own bubble, where people cheer each other for the bravery of slapping Trump supporters while <a href="" type="internal">refusing to consider dates with them</a>. Now the sports world is joining in.</p>
<p>All of which means that sports will pay the same way Hollywood has for its overt and ridiculous biases. Americans don’t like being insulted for their politics. I was a subscriber to Sports Illustrated for nearly two decades; I dropped my subscription to the magazine in 2015 after yet another story about Caitlyn Jenner, a figure who hadn’t been athletically important since before my birth. Millions of Americans feel the same way. If athletes unite politically — and if they’re perceived to do so not for some larger purpose, but merely to slap at Trump — that’s not going to redound to their benefit.</p>
<p>Trump knows that, which is why he picked this fight. But it’s also worth noting that the cultural left doesn’t even seem to understand its own vulnerability here. They’re acting as though Trump will lose support because Steph Curry doesn’t like him. That’s asinine. Trump won because he fought what conservatives perceive to be a monolithic and dominant leftist entertainment-media culture. Making that culture more monolithic helps Trump by lending credence to his complaints.</p> | RIDICULOUS: 'Sports Illustrated' Launches Cover Celebrating 'Sports United' Against Trump | true | https://dailywire.com/news/21564/ridiculous-sports-illustrated-launches-cover-ben-shapiro | 2017-09-26 | 0 |
<p>Justice Scalia voted with the majority as the Supreme Court today struck down Arizona’s Proposition 200, the voter-approved law that would have required anyone wanting to use the Federal “Motor Voter” registration form, to first prove their citizenship. Writing for the majority, Justice Scalia said that federal law: “precludes Arizona from requiring a federal form applicant to submit information beyond that required by the form itself.”</p>
<p>LOOK: <a href="" type="internal">Tea Party Senator Ted Cruz To Add Unconstitutional Poison Pill Voter ID To Immigration Reform</a></p>
<p>Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, who usually side with Justice Scalia, both dissented from the decision, making Scalia’s position all the more surprising. Justice Thomas wrote the dissent, saying the Constitution “authorizes states to determine the qualifications of voters in federal elections, which necessarily includes the related power to determine whether those qualifications are satisfied.”</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>The 1993 Federal Motor Voter Law allows people to register to vote when they get their driver’s licenses. Arizona objected to the part of that law that allows an applicant to use a mail-in postcard, requiring them to sign “on penalty of perjury” that they are a citizen. Proposition 200, passed by popular vote in 2004, required an applicant to show proof of citizenship before being given a mail in card.</p>
<p>Kathy McKee, who led the fight to have Proposition 200 put on the 2009 ballot was outraged at the Court’s decision. “To even suggest that the honor system works, really?” She reacted. “You have to prove who you are just to use your charge card now.”</p>
<p>Opponents of Proposition 200 claim at least 31,000 potential voters who could easily have registered before Proposition 200, were blocked from voting after its passage in 2004. Nina Perales, lead council for the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona which challenged the new restrictions, told reporters “Today’s decision sends a strong message that states cannot block their citizens from registering to vote by superimposing burdensome paperwork requirements on top of federal law. The Supreme Court has affirmed that all U.S. citizens have the right to register to vote using the national postcard, regardless of the state in which they live.”</p>
<p>The ruling will also strike down similar provisions in Georgia, Kansas, Alabama and Tennessee, and halt the progress of bills requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote from advancing in 12 other states.</p>
<p>Justice Scalia’s photo is from his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-Antonin-Scalia/268743133929" type="external">Facebook page</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Jean Ann Esselink</a> is a straight friend to the gay community. Proud and loud Liberal. Closet writer of political fiction. Black sheep agnostic Democrat from a conservative Catholic family. Living in Northern Oakland County Michigan with Puck the Wonder Beagle.</p>
<p>Follow me on Twitter as <a href="https://twitter.com/Uncucumbered" type="external">@Uncucumbered</a> or friend me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/uncucumbered" type="external">Facebook</a>.</p>
<p>Tagged as: <a href="" type="internal">Arizona</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Clarence Thomas</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Justice Scalia</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Motor Voter</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Proposition 200</a>, <a href="" type="internal">samuel alito</a>, <a href="" type="internal">Supreme Court</a>, <a href="" type="internal">voter ID</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> | Supreme Court Strikes Down Arizona’s ‘Prove You’re A Citizen First’ Voter Law | true | http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/supreme-court-strikes-down-arizonas-prove-youre-a-citizen-first-voter-law/legal-issues/2013/06/17/68857 | 2013-06-17 | 4 |
<p>Sept. 15 (UPI) — A new survey shows both Democratic and Republican voters rank healthcare as the most important issue for Congress to address before the end of the year — but for different reasons.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015e-7bce-d079-a3fe-7bce31540000" type="external">In the Politico/Harvard poll</a>, healthcare topped the agenda for constituents of both parties. Among Republican voters, 54 percent agreed it was “an extremely important priority” to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act — something the GOP-controlled Congress has so far failed to do. Just 18 percent of Democrats and 21 percent of independents agreed.</p>
<p>Among Democratic voters, 51 percent rated lowering prescription drug costs as extremely important — the highest number of 10 issues included in the survey. That sentiment was shared by 30 percent of GOP voters and 36 percent of independents.</p>
<p>Another issue facing Congress, the ongoing investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, divides voters along party lines. Forty-four percent of Democrats said the probes were extremely important, but only 1-in-10 Republicans and 18 percent of independents agreed.</p>
<p>Support for a border wall to limit illegal immigration, one of President <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Donald_Trump/" type="external">Donald Trump</a>‘s signature campaign promises, had little fervent support among voters in any of the three groups. Among Republicans, 28 percent said building the wall was extremely important. Only 6 percent of Democrats and independents agreed.</p>
<p>The poll was conducted from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3 and surveyed 1,016 adults. It carries a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.</p> | Healthcare still tops voters' to-do lists, poll shows | false | https://newsline.com/healthcare-still-tops-voters039-to-do-lists-poll-shows/ | 2017-09-15 | 1 |
<p />
<p>Nike's new self-lacing shoe innovation, which it calls adaptive lacing, is more than a gimmick. It has potential to represent a major new platform in athletic footwear. Even more, it highlights the company's culture of relentlessly innovating and leading. Here's what investors need to know about the new innovation -- and why it matters.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Nike HyperAdapt 1.0. Image source: Nike.</p>
<p>Introducing HyperAdapt 1.0"Innovation at Nike is not about dreaming of tomorrow. It's about accelerating toward it," said Nike shoe designer Tinker Hatfield in a post about the new innovation on the company's website. "We're able to anticipate the needs of athletes because we know them better than anybody. Sometimes, we deliver a reality before others have even begun to imagine it."</p>
<p>Nike's new HyperAdapt 1.0 platform for adaptive lacing certainly fits into the definition of an innovation ahead of its time.</p>
<p>The technology works simply. When a foot is placed in the shoe, the heel will hit a sensor, triggering laces to automatically tighten. Buttons on each side enable athletes to loosen or tighten the automatic fit.</p>
<p>"You can adjust it until it's perfect," explained Nike Senior Innovator Tiffany Beers, who is the project's technical lead.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The micro adjustments enabled by the shoe will make possible a precise fit that couldn't be achieved by lacing them the traditional way.</p>
<p>Nike detailed the importance of these "micro-adjustments":</p>
<p>Further into the future, the company envisions this automatic lacing platform evolving into one providing "tailored-to-the-moment custom fit," in which the shoe "senses what the body needs" and makes adjustments in real-time.</p>
<p>A culture of innovation Nike's move to launch HyperAdapt is worth investor attention. Not only could innovations like these serve to drive sales and help the company maintain its pricing power, but -- perhaps more importantly -- it highlights Nike's view of further runway in footwear overall. With automatic lacing, the company is completely breaking the rules of one of history's most important elements of footwear, and its making shoes more important in achieving an athletic edge.</p>
<p>Image source: Nike.</p>
<p>To drive home just how important this innovation is, and how representative it is of the way the company thinks about footwear, Beers emphasized that it's not just a product -- "It's a platform." Further defining what Beers meant by "platform," she said it is "something that helps envision a world in which product changes as the athlete changes."</p>
<p>Or, as Hatfield said in the company's post about the new platform: "In the future, product will come alive."</p>
<p>HyperAdapt is likely just a baby step in what will become a long and important evolution of the continual marriage of footwear and technology.</p>
<p>Any key innovation for the company in footwear is important news for Nike investors. Footwear is the company's largest segment, accounting for about 60% of revenue.</p>
<p>It's the company's drive to set standards in footwear that has got the company to where it is today, and it's this edge that will keep it leading the industry for years to come.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/16/nike-inc-in-the-future-product-will-come-alive.aspx" type="external">Nike Inc.: "In the Future, Product Will Come Alive." Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDanielSparks/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Sparks Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Nike. 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> | Nike Inc.: "In the Future, Product Will Come Alive." | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/03/16/nike-inc-in-future-product-will-come-alive.html | 2016-03-16 | 0 |
<p>Three Muslim men were arrested and charged with terrorism-related offenses after a series of overnight raids on Saturday.</p>
<p>The raids followed a <a href="" type="internal">dire warning</a> issued by Belgian intelligence earlier this week, predicting an “imminent” Islamic terror attack.</p>
<p>Police raided the homes of countless Muslim men, ultimately detaining a handful of persons of interest for questioning. Authorities later released nine men after intense questioning.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/us-europe-attacks-belgium-idINKCN0Z406J" type="external">Reuters</a>, “three Belgian nationals identified as 27-year-old Samir C., 40-year-old Moustapha B., and 29-year-old Jawad B., were charged with ‘having attempted to commit a terrorist murder and for participation in the activities of a terrorist group,’ the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.”</p>
<p>Saturday afternoon’s Belgium v. Ireland match in Brussels may have been targeted by Islamic terrorists, according to Belgian media reports. Thousands of fans from all over Europe poured into France, Belgium and nearby states for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament.</p>
<p />
<p>Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel attempted to reassure the public over the weekend, claiming that all necessary security precautions are being taken in anticipation of the major sporting event. "We want to continue living normally," Michel <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/us-europe-attacks-belgium-idINKCN0Z406J" type="external">said</a>, after spearheading a security meeting with top intelligence committees. "The situation is under control."</p>
<p>He continued:</p>
<p>We are extremely vigilant, we are monitoring the situation hour by hour and we will continue with determination the fight against extremism, radicalization and terrorism.</p>
<p>Police will continue to conduct security sweeps in the coming days, searching for anything and anybody that may look suspicious.</p>
<p /> | Muslim Men Arrested/Charged In Belgium; Soccer Tournament Possible Target | true | https://dailywire.com/news/6720/muslim-men-arrestedcharged-belgium-soccer-michael-qazvini | 2016-06-19 | 0 |
<p>Kuwait City.</p>
<p>Three months after the US-led “intervention” in Iraq, the automobile has leaped to the top of the wish lists of the liberated peoples of Iraq. For those opponents of the war that cried that the war itself was waged on behalf of the fuel that powers the internal combustion engine, it will be of no consolation to see how quickly the automobile has been in driving the new economy that is busy revving in to life in the towns and cities of Iraq.</p>
<p>When I first came to Kuwait over three years ago, I purchased my first car: a 1984 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, a 5 Litre V8 hulk of car that is still ubiquitous on the dusty highways of Kuwait. For just over a $1000, I thought it was a bargain, especially when you compare the price of petrol and insurance to Ireland, where the very thought of running such an automobile would be enough to bring out the wrath of an environmentalist and a smile to the face of the inland revenue.</p>
<p>Three years down the line, two failed MoTs (Ministry of Transport certification) later, it was time for us to part. The only problem was that it is impossible to sell a car in Kuwait if the vehicle is not registered and certified. I had been avoiding the issue for some time, until the stubbornness of two would-be dynasties met somewhere in a holistic universe to my own personal benefit once again.</p>
<p>The war on/in/for (take your pick) Iraq had already allowed me to attend the wedding of friend back in Ireland due a temporary evacuation order from my employer and now it seemed that it would facilitate the removal of a quintessential example of Detroit mechanized excess from outside my apartment, that had been busy collecting dust for a nearly a year.</p>
<p>Two days ago, while leafing through the classified section of The Kuwait Times, I found an unexpected answer to my prayers -We buy Chevrolet Cars, all models 1980-2003. One phone call later and I was in business, heading to Andalus, an area of Kuwait city off the beaten track for most foreigners in this country. There I met Hamad, a bedoun (literally without [papers]), one of the 125,000 stateless Arabs living in Kuwait, sometimes for as long two generations, but as yet without full citizenship.</p>
<p>After a quick bout of negotiation (that he excelled at far better than I) we came to a deal: 200 Kuwaiti Dinars ($600) and he would assist me with the paperwork. The later was indeed a major selling point. I pointed out the registration had expired due to a failed emissions test, but he told me this was not a problem. The car was not destined for Kuwait, but 200 km to the north, in Basra, Iraq.</p>
<p>Once business was out of the way, Hamad invited me in to his office where a thick Turkish coffee and a Marlboro Red completed the transaction. Being invited for coffee (as opposed to tea) is a much more magnanimous gesture in Arab societies, and can also be interpreted as an invitation to converse, an art in which the people here excel and revel in. He told me a little about his business, and how former Iraqi governmental employees are presently being paid $500 a month by the US authority administrating Iraq. This sudden influx of cash had generated a huge demand for a range of products, and top of the list it seems are cars, of all makes, shapes and sizes.</p>
<p>As I looked outside, and took in the long sky blue lines of a my first car, I was struck by how iconic certain things can become: these huge cars epitomizing the American car industry, and possibly the society as a whole in the 70’s and 80’s; large, powerful, prone to excess, slightly garish, great in straight lines but not so nimble taking corners or negotiating tricky terrain. While at the same it managed to go even further, embodying the oil-fuelled wealth and status of Kuwait during the same time, when it could claim to be the wealthiest country on the planet in relation to GDP per capita.</p>
<p>What about Iraq? Is there any significance to both the US and Kuwait sending such emblematic icons, though now worn and aged, to a once foresworn enemy?</p>
<p>As I put the money in my pocket and took a taxi home, there was at least one that sprung to mind. For both Hamad and myself, someone else’s adversity had provided us with opportunities, and both of us seemed pretty pleased with the result.</p>
<p>RAYMOND BARRETT can be reached at: <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | From Detroit to Basra | true | https://counterpunch.org/2003/07/16/from-detroit-to-basra/ | 2003-07-16 | 4 |
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<p>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A man charged with fatally shooting three people and injuring nine more at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs says he’s been forcibly medicated at the state psychiatric hospital.</p>
<p>Robert Lewis Dear Jr. made the claim Tuesday while entering a courtroom for a hearing. It wasn’t immediately clear if it was true.</p>
<p>The Gazette ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2eOcz1i" type="external">http://bit.ly/2eOcz1i</a> ) reports that Dear’s attorney said the forced medication issue was addressed at a previously unannounced hearing last week in Pueblo, home of the Colorado Mental Health Institute. Attorneys for both sides declined to discuss what happened.</p>
<p>Dear has been held at the hospital since May, when a judge ruled he wasn’t fit to continue his legal proceedings.</p>
<p>Tuesday’s hearing dealt mostly with motions about access to documents. Another hearing is set for Nov. 17.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Gazette, <a href="http://www.gazette.com" type="external">http://www.gazette.com</a></p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Planned Parenthood gunman says he’s been forcibly medicated | false | https://abqjournal.com/869916/planned-parenthood-gunman-says-hes-been-forcibly-medicated.html | 2016-10-18 | 2 |
<p>"Gays in the Military" A book by Vincent Cianni</p>
<p>In 1993 President Bill Clinton introduced the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy, a compromise in response to Ronald Reagan's 1982 Defense Department directive in which Reagan declared, "homosexuality is incompatible with military service."</p>
<p>Both of these restrictive and misguided policies were based on fear and ignorance, denying willing and able homosexual American men and women equal opportunity to achieve their potential in the U.S. armed forces.</p>
<p>"Gays in the Military," a book by photojournalist Vincent Cianni, examines the struggles of homosexual men and women while serving before, during and after DADT, which was repealed in 2011, and the impact the ban had on their lives and careers.</p>
<p />
<p>His 53 compelling black and white portraits, accompanied by poignant personal testimonies, put a human face to those who were forced to keep their sexual orientation hidden from families, co-workers and friends.</p>
<p>Cianni's intimate photos erase the sexual deviant stereotype. The faces shown here could be your grandfather, mother, brother, daughter, neighbor or teacher.</p>
<p>These people are highly skilled, patriotic, well educated and deemed competent enough to be placed in charge of ballistic missiles and receive high security clearances.</p>
<p>"Gays in the Military" is an honest, in-depth look into the lives of homosexual service members who were mistreated, harassed and denied basic human rights. Their experiences left me bewildered as to how anyone willing to serve and die for his or her country could be treated so appallingly. Navy Petty Officer Joseph Rocha, for example, was hosed down, left in a dog kennel filled with feces and forced to eat dog food.</p>
<p>Inspired by a 2009 radio interview featuring the mother of Pvt. Nathanael Bodon talking lovingly and supportively about her son who had been discharged from the Army while in Iraq under DADT, Cianni reached out to her and her son. That meeting was the first of more than a hundred, as Cianni embarked on a three-year journey across America on a series of road trips, interviewing gays and lesbians who served in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard.</p>
<p>A photography instructor at Parsons The New School for Design and the International Center of Photography in New York City, Cianni was drawn to this project not only because he is gay, but also because it aligned with his previous work exploring issues of social justice, community, unfair treatment and human right abuses.</p>
<p>His book can be seen as a visual addendum, continuing the narrative initiated with Nathaniel Frank's "Unfriendly Fire." Published in 2009, Frank's analysis of DADT discussed how specific cases, such as the discharge of valuable Arabic translators who turned out to be gay, weakened and morally damaged U.S. forces.</p>
<p>The biggest challenge for Cianni was gaining the trust of his subjects. Having lived under a constant threat of being outed or remembering the experience of being betrayed by their own unit or superior officers whom they had confided in, they were weary and guarded.</p>
<p>By conducting interviews in the comfort of their own homes, Cianni was able to put these men and women at ease. They were able to safely and truthfully tell their side of the story for the first time without fear of retribution.</p>
<p>Cianni took their portraits immediately after their conversations, capturing their authentic selves, stripped of pretenses and lies. Long suppressed pain and inner turmoil are often present in the images, simmering just beneath the surface. The emotion and vulnerability of having revisited horrific and degrading situations are also evident. So is the relief of releasing their burdens.</p>
<p>Some posed in the safety of shadows. Couples clung together. Others emanated ambiguity, looking away from the camera. Several proudly wore their dress uniforms and fatigues. American flags, medals and military commendations decorated the backgrounds.</p>
<p>The age range spans 60 years, from active duty to reserves and retirees. They fought in Okinawa in WWII, during the Cold War, in Vietnam, Kuwait and in Fallujah during the Iraq War.</p>
<p>The ways in which these men and women's homosexuality was discovered are as diverse as their socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and military ranks.</p>
<p>Many were harassed and ridiculed while others were given a second chance to remain if they kept their mouth shut or denied their sexuality. Some fought charges and won reinstatement. A handful bravely came out with grand fanfare on national television. Others left of their own volition. Years of tortured personal relationships, celibacy and constant denial of their true identity took its toll resulting in mental anguish, often on top of post-traumatic stress disorder.</p>
<p>For those who forged their way to retirement without being outed, it wasn't easy.</p>
<p>Rear Adm. Alan Steinman learned to repress his sexuality early on, joining the Coast Guard in 1972. "I loved my job, I lived the mission of the Coast Guard - and never regretted a single day," he wrote in his essay. When commissioned as an officer he found a female companion to accompany him to social gatherings. When he retired after 25 years of service, Steinman wanted to finally live his life openly and honestly as a gay man. At 52 he was exploring his sexuality and the gay culture as if he were a teenager. Professionally, he still felt the pressure to be in the closet. He finally came out on the 10th anniversary of DADT.Others were not so lucky. Army Majors Vonda Todd and Mary Harris came under scrutiny when administrators discovered their shared home address and health insurance beneficiary forms. And Airman Matt McCary, singled out by a co-worker, was arrested and discharged within five days with no investigation.</p>
<p>U.S. Air Force Maj. Mike Almy, a decorated airman, was deployed to the Middle East four times between 1993 and 2006. It was during one of those tours that someone stumbled upon one of his private emails to a boyfriend and reported him to the squadron commander. A search was initiated of 500 of Almy's emails looking for further incriminating evidence. A few emails were deemed damaging as applicable under DADT. Almy didn't learn about the investigation until six weeks later. After refusing to answer any questions, his security clearance was suspended and part of his pay was revoked before he was formally discharged and escorted off the base 16 months later.</p>
<p>"In the middle of the Iraq War, during the height of the insurgency, they were searching for private emails to see if someone has violated DADT," wrote Almy, who was suicidal and suffered from depression years after being relieved of his duties.</p>
<p>With the assistance of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Almy, along with plaintiffs Petty Officer Jace Daniels and U.S.A.F. Staff Sgt. Anthony Loverde, filed a lawsuit in December 2010, challenging the constitutionality of their discharges. All three men wished to return to active duty. After being discharged twice, both Daniels and Loverde were reinstated. Almy eventually settled with the Department of Defense last year.</p>
<p>These cases, along with countless others, reveal inconsistencies, loopholes, absurdities and deception in obtaining information to expel service members and bar them from lifetime benefits, leading to economic hardships and untreated PTSD.</p>
<p>Steinman reminds us that DADT was rooted in assumptions that the mere "presence of a gay, lesbian or bisexual service member would degrade unit morale, unit cohesion and combat readiness" - a statement unsupported by any academic studies.</p>
<p>With the legalization of same-sex marriage, and more gays and lesbians serving openly without reproach, the Department of Defense initiated a study in 2010 that remarkably concluded that "gays and lesbians could serve openly without compromising military morale or operational effectiveness."</p>
<p>Cianni's work is unflinching, necessary and courageous. His book is a relevant document of civil and human rights violations in the U.S. military.</p>
<p>The brave men and woman interviewed for "Gays in the Military" were just a few of the warriors on the front lines of this particular battle, paving the way for future generations to serve their country openly and freely. This book is their record.</p>
<p>The project will be archived at Duke University as part of the history of the LGBT community.</p>
<p /> | Gays in the Military | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/gays-in-the-military/ | 2014-07-04 | 4 |
<p>President Barack Obama following remarks on immigration reform in 2011Flickr/White House</p>
<p>Speaking to an audience in Las Vegas, President Barack Obama made his case for immigration reform Tuesday, invoking the idea of America as a nation of immigrants and saying he believed Republicans were truly committed to getting reform done.</p>
<p>“It’s easy for the discussion to take on a feeling of ‘us’ versus ‘them,'” Obama said. “A lot of folks forget that most of ‘us’ used to be ‘them.'”</p>
<p>Obama’s proposal resembles, to a large degree, <a href="" type="internal">the one put forth by the bipartisan Senate “Gang of Eight” Monday</a>. It proposes adding more resources for immigration enforcement and border security, a mandatory employment verification system, and a path to citizenship—what critics will call “amnesty,” but that the White House has referred to as “earned citizenship.” Like the Senate bill, undocumented immigrants on temporary legal status while they are “going to the back of the line” to apply for citizenship would not be eligible for federal benefits.</p>
<p>On these broad principles, the Senate and the White House are in agreement; but, of course, the details matter, and there are key differences:</p>
<p>The two variables that are likeliest to cause friction between the White House and Congress are security requirements on the path to citizenship and the length of the path to citizenship itself. This afternoon on the Senate floor, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), one of the Republican members of the “Gang of Eight,” warned Obama: “If this endeavor becomes a bidding war to see who can come up with the easiest, quickest, and cheapest pathway to a green card possible, this thing is not going to go well.” The clear implication is that despite bipartisan agreement on a path to citizenship, Rubio—and by extension, other Republicans currently supporting a reform push—could easily withdraw their support, based on how that path is paved.&#160;</p>
<p>Obama made it clear that if the Senate bill fails, he won’t simply be giving up. “If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion,” Obama said. “I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away.”</p>
<p>Here’s the speech:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
<p /> | Obama Lays Out His Pitch for Immigration Reform | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/obama-makes-his-immigration-reform-pitch/ | 2013-01-29 | 4 |
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<p />
<p>Vermont Teddy Bear® Aims to Dominate Valentine’s Day with Fifty Shades of Grey® Bear (Photo: Business Wire)</p>
<p>“I’ll just say it. We’re obsessed with Grey,” says Bill Shouldice, CEO, Vermont Teddy Bear. “Our entire team is thrilled to announce the Fifty Shades of Grey Bear – not only to the millions of fans excited to see Fifty Shades on the big screen, but for anyone who really wants to impress their Valentine this year. It’s sure to be one of our most popular Valentine’s Day Bears.”</p>
<p>Like the seductive male protagonist, Christian Grey, the limited-edition Fifty Shades of Grey Bear wears a gray silk suit and tie and has smoldering eyes. He even comes with a mask and mini handcuffs. No contract required.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Available exclusively at VermontTeddyBear.com, the Fifty Shades of Grey Bear retails for $89.99. Handcrafted in Vermont and guaranteed for life, he can be ordered online at VermontTeddyBear.com or by calling 1-800-829-BEAR (2327).</p>
<p>About Vermont Teddy Bear</p>
<p>Vermonter John Sortino dreamt up Vermont Teddy Bear in 1981. Inspired to bring the American tradition back to its roots, he started handcrafting Bears and selling them to family friends. By 1983, Sortino was selling at an open-air market in Burlington, Vermont.</p>
<p>Some 30 years and 5-million Bears later, Vermont Teddy Bear continues to fulfill Sortino’s legacy. In fact, it’s the only manufacturer that handcrafts all of its 15-inch Bears in Vermont, USA – using the silkiest fur it can get its paws on and faux-suede paw pads. All Bears, BIG and small are filled with 100% recycled stuffing and guaranteed for life. Orders can be placed at VermontTeddyBear.com, by calling 1.800.828.BEAR (2327) or via mail-order catalog.</p>
<p>Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150128005675/en/" type="external">http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150128005675/en/</a></p>
<p>CONTACT: Vermont Teddy Bear Media Contact:</p>
<p>Savarese Communications</p>
<p>Janine Savarese, 732-978-4809</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>M:&#160;908-461-5767</p>
<p>[email protected]</p>
<p>KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA VERMONT</p>
<p>INDUSTRY KEYWORD: WOMEN OTHER CONSUMER ENTERTAINMENT FILM &amp; MOTION PICTURES RETAIL COMMUNICATIONS BOOKS PUBLISHING SPECIALTY CONSUMER GAY &amp; LESBIAN MEN</p>
<p>SOURCE: Vermont Teddy Bear</p>
<p>Copyright Business Wire 2015</p>
<p>PUB: 01/28/2015 09:00 AM/DISC: 01/28/2015 09:00 AM</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150128005675/en" type="external">http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150128005675/en</a></p> | Vermont Teddy Bear® Aims to Dominate Valentine’s Day with Fifty Shades of Grey® Bear | false | https://abqjournal.com/532807/vermont-teddy-bear-aims-to-dominate-valentines-day-with-fifty-shades-of-grey-bear.html | 2 |
|
<p>The New York City Council is clashing with Mayor Bill de Blasio as it pushes something rare for the liberal legislative body: a tax cut.</p>
<p>Amid a rise in retail closures, a bipartisan majority of council members now supports legislation to roll back a 54-year-old tax on Manhattan's commercial businesses.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The effort has put Mr. de Blasio, who has been wary of the idea, on the defensive versus Democratic City Council members, with whom he is generally aligned. The council coalition now has enough members' backing the bill to override a mayoral veto if it comes to that.</p>
<p>"Manhattan retail is in crisis," said Councilman Daniel Garodnick, a Democrat representing Manhattan's East side who sponsored the bill. "We cannot wait any longer."</p>
<p>The legislation was enacted in 1963 but attracted growing attention during the past few months as the city grapples with a string of retail closings, mirroring a national trend.</p>
<p>Retailers have announced 5,630 major store closures in the U.S. this year, a 175% increase over the same period last year, according to an Aug. 18 report from Fung Global Retail &amp; Technology, a retail think tank.</p>
<p>Empty storefronts are increasingly visible in the streets of Manhattan. A mid-year report from real-estate firm Cushman &amp; Wakefield shows Manhattan retail markets are asking less for rents in once bustling retail markets such as SoHo and Times Square.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Mr. Gardonick's legislation would modify a roughly 4% tax on annual commercial rents of at least $250,000 for Manhattan tenants below 96th Street. It proposes raising the threshold at which the tax kicks in to $500,000.</p>
<p>The city's taxes typically are controlled by the state, but the commercial-rent tax, instituted in 1963 as the city's economy floundered, is controlled by the city.</p>
<p>Mr. de Blasio has expressed concerns about losing city revenue since Republican President Donald Trump took office this year and proposed cuts. The mayor's office said Mr. de Blasio is finding other ways to help small businesses succeed, including reducing fines against them and connecting them with city funding.</p>
<p>"[G]iven the uncertainty about the federal budget, health care and tax reform, we don't feel it's the right time to take major action on the commercial rent tax," said Freddi Goldstein, a mayoral spokeswoman.</p>
<p>The council has estimated the tax cut would cost the city $55 million in revenue and suggested making it up through savings.</p>
<p>Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, a Democrat, is often allied with the mayor but has gone up against him on certain issues when the council clashed with his agenda.</p>
<p>She will decide if the bill gets a vote before she is term-limited out of the council next year.</p>
<p>"Council members have expressed strong interest in moving forward with the [bill] and it is under close review," said Robin Levine, Ms. Mark-Viverito's spokeswoman.</p>
<p>The council bill now has 41 sponsors, more than the two-thirds of the council's 51 members required to override a mayoral veto. Mr. de Blasio has never suffered a veto override from the council, and it would be a stinging rebuke in his election year.</p>
<p>His Republican challenger, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, said she supports the legislation.</p>
<p>Write to Mike Vilensky at [email protected]</p>
<p>The New York City Council is clashing with Mayor Bill de Blasio as it pushes something rare for the liberal legislative body: a tax cut.</p>
<p>Amid a rise in retail closures, a bipartisan majority of council members now supports legislation to roll back a 54-year-old tax on Manhattan's commercial businesses.</p>
<p>The effort has put Mr. de Blasio, who has been wary of the idea, on the defensive versus Democratic City Council members, with whom he is generally aligned. The council coalition now has enough members backing the bill to override a mayoral veto if it comes to that.</p>
<p>"Manhattan retail is in crisis," said Councilman Daniel Garodnick, a Democrat representing Manhattan's East side who sponsored the bill. "We cannot wait any longer."</p>
<p>Mr. Garodnick's legislation was enacted in 2015 but has attracted growing attention over the past few months as the city grapples with a string of retail closings, mirroring a national trend.</p>
<p>Major U.S. retailers have announced 5,630 store closures in the U.S. this year, a 175% increase over the same period last year, according to an Aug. 18 report from Fung Global Retail &amp; Technology, a retail think tank.</p>
<p>Empty storefronts are increasingly visible in the streets of Manhattan. A mid-year report from real-estate firm Cushman &amp; Wakefield shows Manhattan retail markets are asking less for rents in once bustling retail markets like SoHo and Times Square.</p>
<p>Mr. Gardonick's legislation would modify a roughly 4% tax on annual commercial rents of at least $250,000 for Manhattan tenants below 96th Street until Murray Street. It proposes raising the threshold at which the tax kicks in to $500,000.</p>
<p>The city's taxes are typically controlled by the state, but the commercial rent tax, instituted in 1963 as the city's economy floundered, is controlled by the city.</p>
<p>Mr. de Blasio has expressed concerns about losing city revenue since Republican President Donald Trump took office this year and proposed cuts. The mayor's office said Mr. de Blasio is finding other ways to help small businesses succeed, including reducing fines against them and connecting them with city funding.</p>
<p>"[G]iven the uncertainty about the federal budget, health care and tax reform, we don't feel it's the right time to take major action on the commercial rent tax," said Freddi Goldstein, a mayoral spokeswoman.</p>
<p>The council has estimated the tax cut would cost the city $55 million in revenue and suggested making it up through savings.</p>
<p>Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, a Democrat, is often allied with the mayor but has gone up against him on certain issues when the council clashed with his agenda.</p>
<p>She will decide if the bill gets a vote before she is term-limited out of the council next year.</p>
<p>"Council members have expressed strong interest in moving forward with the [bill] and it is under close review," said Robin Levine, Ms. Mark-Viverito's spokeswoman.</p>
<p>The council bill now has 41 sponsors, more than the two-thirds of the council's 51 members required to override a mayoral veto. Mr. de Blasio has never suffered a veto override from the council, and it would be a stinging rebuke in his election year.</p>
<p>His Republican challenger, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, said she supports the legislation.</p>
<p>Write to Mike Vilensky at [email protected]</p>
<p>The New York City Council is clashing with Mayor Bill de Blasio as it pushes something rare for the liberal legislative body: a tax cut.</p>
<p>Amid a rise in retail closures, a bipartisan majority of council members now support legislation to roll back a 54-year-old tax on Manhattan's commercial businesses.</p>
<p>The effort has put the Democratic mayor, who has been wary of the idea, on the defensive against Democratic City Council members, with whom he is generally aligned. The council coalition now has enough members backing the bill to override a mayoral veto if it comes to that.</p>
<p>"Manhattan retail is in crisis," said Councilman Daniel Garodnick, a Democrat representing Manhattan's East Side who introduced the bill. "We cannot wait any longer."</p>
<p>Mr. Garodnick's legislation was first proposed in 2015 but has attracted growing attention over the past few months as the city grapples with a string of retail closings, mirroring a national trend.</p>
<p>Major U.S. retailers have announced 5,630 store closures in the U.S. this year, a 175% increase over the same period last year, according to an Aug. 18 report from Fung Global Retail &amp; Technology, a retail think tank.</p>
<p>Empty storefronts are increasingly visible on the streets of Manhattan. A midyear report from real-estate firm Cushman &amp; Wakefield shows Manhattan retail markets are asking less for rents in once-bustling retail markets like SoHo and Times Square.</p>
<p>The current tax of roughly 4% applies to commercial tenants below 96th Street, with a section of lower Manhattan exempted, paying $250,000 or more in annual rent. Mr. Garodnick's legislation would raise the threshold at which the tax kicks in to $500,000.</p>
<p>The city's taxes are typically controlled by the state, but the commercial rent tax, instituted in 1963 as the city's economy floundered, is controlled by the city.</p>
<p>Mr. de Blasio has expressed concerns about losing city revenue since Republican President Donald Trump took office this year and proposed cuts. The mayor's office said Mr. de Blasio is finding other ways to help small businesses succeed, including reducing fines against them and connecting them with city funding.</p>
<p>"[G]iven the uncertainty about the federal budget, health care and tax reform, we don't feel it's the right time to take major action on the commercial rent tax," said Freddi Goldstein, a mayoral spokeswoman, in an email.</p>
<p>The council has estimated the tax cut would cost the city $55 million in revenue and suggested making it up through savings.</p>
<p>Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, a Democrat, is often allied with the mayor but has gone up against him on certain issues when the council clashed with his agenda. She will decide if the bill gets a vote before term limits force her off the council next year.</p>
<p>"Council members have expressed strong interest in moving forward with the [bill] and it is under close review," said Robin Levine, Ms. Mark-Viverito's spokeswoman.</p>
<p>The council bill now has 41 sponsors, more than the two-thirds of the council's 51 members required to override a mayoral veto. Mr. de Blasio has never suffered a veto override from the council, and it would be a stinging rebuke as he seeks re-election this year. His Republican challenger, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, said she supports the legislation.</p>
<p>Write to Mike Vilensky at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 21, 2017 20:50 ET (00:50 GMT)</p> | Proposed Tax Cut for Businesses Puts Mayor de Blasio at Odds With His Party--Update | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/21/proposed-tax-cut-for-businesses-puts-mayor-de-blasio-at-odds-with-his-party.html | 2017-08-21 | 0 |
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<p>About 20 area residents and Santa Fe County La Bajada Ranch Steering Committee members met inside the ranch’s stone-and-wood-frame foreman’s house tucked beneath the rolling hills of piñon, cottonwoods and icy riparian creeks and ponds in southern La Cienega.</p>
<p>Santa Fe County bought the 470-acre property from The Ranch at Santa Fe Canyon for $7 million in 2009.</p>
<p>The ranch still owns several hundred adjacent acres. The commission has never made a decision on what, if anything, to do with the property.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The former cattle ranch contains about 55 centuries-old pueblo archaeological sites, 38 of which are considered significant, committee member Peter Weiss said. The county wants to develop at least part of the property to recoup taxpayers’ investment, he said.</p>
<p>“The county bought it as a way to forestall any development on the property,” he said. “People won’t know what we can do here until they see+ it. This is part of the La Cienega watershed.”</p>
<p>Some of the ideas suggested include the creation of an educational center, a national monument, an RV campground, a youth camp and a retreat site, committee member Claire Fulenwider said.</p>
<p>Most area residents seemed resigned to some kind of development.</p>
<p>“We never, ever said they couldn’t develop the property, but they needed to develop the property according to the community plan and water rights,” said Carl Dickens, president of the La Cienega Valley Association.</p>
<p>The county recently capped development to a maximum 54 homes, he added.</p>
<p>“I want to see as much of it preserved as possible,” Dickens continued, “with the understanding that some of it may be developed. But if it is developed, we want to make sure it fits into the community.”</p>
<p>Dickens has spotted elk, deer and bobcats in the area, as well as both redtail and Cooper’s hawks and falcons.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“My wife has seen a bald eagle,” he added.</p>
<p>José Varela of La Cieneguilla said his family has lived in the area for 14 generations.</p>
<p>“It could have a subdivision that wouldn’t take up the entire property, but would leave some preserved,” he said.</p>
<p>La Cienega’s Paul Murray was more adamant.</p>
<p>“I would like the whole area to be either a preserve or overseen by the BLM,” he said, ” – no residential development at all.</p>
<p>“There just isn’t the infrastructure, particularly water, to support much more,” he continued. “We need to be very careful with our resources.”</p>
<p>Lifetime La Cienega resident J.J. Gonzales said he would accept an education center or retreat site with limited development and open space.</p>
<p>“There’s a beautiful creek here and there’s a lot of historic places,” he said. “The beauty is that it’s a very historic area. This was a route on the Camino Real.”</p>
<p>The property was originally part of the Mesita de Juana Lopez Land Grant, he added. “That was granted by the king of Spain to some of the old families of La Cienega – the Romeros and their descendants.”</p>
<p>Gene Bostwick, also of La Cienega, said he’d like to see as much of the land preserved as possible, with some commemoration of its historical significance, whether it be through a museum or a marker.</p>
<p>“I’d like to see the agriculture and ranching tradition preserved here,” he continued. “There’s evidence of farming going back 1,000 years.”</p>
<p /> | La Bajada Ranch still lacks property plan | false | https://abqjournal.com/312171/la-bajada-ranch-still-lacks-property-plan.html | 2 |
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<p>Youth Pride Day (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)</p>
<p>The Youth Pride Alliance held the 20th annual Youth Pride Day at Dupont Circle on May 14, 2016. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Chris Dyer</a> <a href="" type="internal">David Grosso</a> <a href="" type="internal">lgbt youth</a> <a href="" type="internal">LGBTQ youth</a> <a href="" type="internal">Pride 2016</a> <a href="" type="internal">SMYAL</a> <a href="" type="internal">Trevor Project</a> <a href="" type="internal">Youth Pride</a> <a href="" type="internal">Youth Pride Alliance</a> <a href="" type="internal">Youth Pride Day</a></p> | PHOTOS: Youth Pride 2016 | false | http://washingtonblade.com/2016/05/14/photos-youth-pride-2016/ | 3 |
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<p>(The Economic Collapse) – The Percentage Of Self-Employed Americans Is At A Record Low. The percentage of Americans that are working for themselves has never been lower in the history of the United States.&#160; Once upon a time, the United States was a paradise for entrepreneurs and small businesses, but now the control freak bureaucrats that dominate our society have created a system that absolutely eviscerates them.</p>
<p>This is very unfortunate, because by murdering small business, the bureaucrats are destroying the primary engine of job growth in this country.&#160; One of the big reasons why there are not enough jobs in America today is because small business creation is way down.&#160; As I mentioned yesterday, entrepreneurs and small businesses are being absolutely devastated by rules, regulations, red tape and by oppressive levels of taxation.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">SPECIAL: Join the Tea Party REVOLUTION! The Obama Regime must be dismantled!</a></p>
<p>If anyone doubts that small business in the United States is dying, just look at the charts below.&#160; Sadly, this is what the bureaucrats that run things want.&#160; They don’t want us to be independent of the system.&#160; Instead, they are much more comfortable when as many of us as possible are heavily dependent on the system in one way or another.&#160; If all of us have to go running to the government or to one of the big corporations for a job, then we are much easier to control.&#160; But as the control freaks continue to construct their bureaucratic utopia, they are also killing off what once made the U.S. economy so great.</p>
<p>The number of unincorporated self-employed Americans has dropped back to levels that we have not seen since the mid-1980s even though our population has increased by tens of millions of people since that time… &#160; From 1970 to the mid-1990s the number of unincorporated self-employed Americans rose steadily.&#160; But in the mid-1990s it began to level off and now it is falling rapidly.</p>
<p>The percentage of self-employed Americans as a share of non-farm employment has dropped.&#160; In other words, those that work on farms are excluded from this chart.&#160; The percentage of self-employed Americans was fairly stable between 1970 and 1990, but since 1990 it has been steadily eroding and it has now reached a level never seen before… &#160; At this point, only about 7 percent of non-farm workers are self-employed.&#160; That is depressingly low.&#160; That means that an overwhelming majority of those that are employed in America are working for the system in one capacity or another. &#160; But isn’t that what we pound into the heads of our children these days?</p>
<p>We teach them to work hard in school so that they can “get a good job” when they grow up.&#160; From a very early age we train our children to plug themselves into the system. &#160; Not that working for someone else is wrong.&#160; Of course not.&#160; It is just that we are not fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship in America today.&#160; In fact, we seem to be doing everything that we can to kill it off. &#160; In a previous article, I detailed how the number of new businesses (and the number of jobs those businesses create) has been steadily declining.&#160; In particular, this decline has accelerated dramatically under the Obama administration.</p>
<p>According to an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data performed by economist Tim Kane, the following is how the decline in the number of startup jobs per 1000 Americans breaks down by presidential administration…</p>
<p>Bush Sr.: 11.3</p>
<p>Clinton: 11.2</p>
<p>Bush Jr.: 10.8</p>
<p>Obama: 7.8</p>
<p>Is that a good trend or a bad trend? It doesn’t take an advanced degree in economics to figure out where things are going. &#160; Kane speculated about why we are witnessing such a decline in his paper… &#160; There is anecdotal evidence that the U.S. policy environment has become inadvertently hostile to entrepreneurial employment. At the federal level, high taxes and higher uncertainty about taxes are undoubtedly inhibiting entrepreneurship, but to what degree is unknown. The dominant factor may be new regulations on labor.</p>
<p>The passage of the Affordable Care Act is creating a sweeping alteration of the regulatory environment that directly changes how employers engage their workforces, and it will be some time until those changes are understood by employers or scholars. Separately, there has been a federal crackdown since 2009 by the Internal Revenue Service on U.S. employers that hire U.S. workers as independent contractors rather than employees, raising the question of mandatory benefits.</p>
<p>New firms tend to use part-time and contract staffing rather than full-time employees during the startup stage. According to Labor Department data, the typical American today only takes home 70 percent of compensation as pay, while the rest is absorbed by the spiraling cost of benefits (e.g., health insurance). The dilemma for U.S. policy is that an American entrepreneur has zero tax or regulatory burden when hiring a consultant/contractor who resides abroad. But that same employer is subject to paperwork, taxation, and possible IRS harassment if employing U.S.-based contractors. Finally, there has been a steady barrier erected to entrepreneurs at the local policy level.</p>
<p>Brink Lindsey points out in his book Human Capitalism that the rise of occupational licensing is destroying startup opportunities for poor and middle class Americans. &#160; In my previous article, I also pointed out some of the other statistics that show that small business in America is dying…</p>
<p>-According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. economy lost more than 220,000 small businesses during the last recession.</p>
<p>-As a share of the population, the percentage of Americans that are self-employed fell by more than 20 percent between 1991 and 2010.</p>
<p>-As a share of the population, the percentage of “new entrepreneurs and business owners” dropped by a staggering 53 percent between 1977 and 2010.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is a crisis that has taken decades to develop and that there are not any easy solutions for.&#160; But there are certain factors that should be addressed immediately.&#160; The following are some of the things that are contributing to the murder of self-employment and small business in America…</p>
<p>#1 Taxes: The IRS seems to especially enjoy tormenting entrepreneurs and small businesses.&#160; In fact, things have gotten so bad that even late night talk show hosts are joking about it.&#160; Recently, NBC Tonight Show host Jay Leno joked that if Barack Obama really wanted to close down Guantanamo Bay, he should “do what he always does: declare it a small business and tax it out of existence”</p>
<p>#2 Ridiculous Regulations: If you have ever tried to start a small business, you probably know how frustrating it can be dealing with government red tape.&#160; In particular, the federal government has burdened our small businesses with gigantic mountains of rules and regulations and it gets worse with each passing day.</p>
<p>#3 State Governments That Are Openly Hostile To Business: A perfect example of this is the state of California.&#160; In 2011, the state of California ranked 50th out of all 50 states in new business creation, and yet they just continue to pass more legislation that hurts small businesses.</p>
<p>#4 Obamacare: Our broken healthcare system is a tremendous burden on small businesses, and Obamacare is going to make things much worse.</p>
<p>#5 The One World Trade Agenda: In many industries, U.S. small businesses simply cannot compete against products made by workers that are being paid slave labor wages on the other side of the globe.</p>
<p>#6 Predator Corporations: Time after time we have seen corporate giants extract huge tax breaks and other enormous concessions from local officials which give them an overwhelming advantage.&#160; But once the corporate giant moves into town, many of the existing small businesses find that they cannot compete and are forced to shut down.</p>
<p>#7 Our Corrupt Political System: On the national level, elections are almost always won by the politician that raises the most money.&#160; Our politicians know that their careers depend on raising money, so they tend to be very good to those that they get big money from.</p>
<p>There is a reason why big corporations spend billions of dollars on campaign contributions and lobbying.&#160; They do it because it works.&#160; Over the decades, the big corporations have been able to shift the rules of the game massively in their favor, and this has been to the detriment of entrepreneurs and small businesses. http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/they-are-murdering-small-business-the-percentage-of-self-employed-americans-is-at-a-record-low</p>
<p>TeaParty.org sums it up this way: Small business is very difficlut for the government to control. Therefore, it must be captured or destroyed, unfortunatly the destroy point of view is working very well.</p>
<p>TeaParty.org contributed to this article.</p> | Obama Administration is Murdering Small Business | true | http://teaparty.org/obama-administration-is-murdering-small-business-the-percentage-of-self-employed-americans-is-at-a-record-low-23748/ | 0 |
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<p>Antonia Juhasz is an oil and energy analyst, author, and journalist. She is the editor of three Alternative annual reports for Chevron and the author of three books on the oil industry including The Tyranny of Oil , and most recently, Black Tide: the Devastating Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill . Website: http://antoniajuhasz.net/ Twitter: #AntoniaJuhasz</p>
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<p /> PAUL JAY, SENIOR EDITOR, TRNN: Welcome to The Real News Network. I'm Paul Jay in Washington. And there's a lot of debate going on in Washington about whether or not US troops really should be getting out of Iraq at the end of this year, which they're supposed to, according to the forces agreement they have with the Iraqi government. And there's various voices saying maybe the Iraqi government should invite the US to stay on longer, and there's lots of discussion about maybe the US shouldn't want to stay on longer, and including, I guess, the most obvious reason (don't hold your breath), its oil. Now joining us to talk about Iraq and just where things are with the Iraqi oil industry and who ended up owning the oil anyway is Antonia Juhasz. Antonia is the author of the book The Tyranny of Oil, and she joins us from San Francisco. Thanks for joining us again.
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<p />ANTONIA JUHASZ, AUTHOR: Thanks for having me.
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<p />JAY: So let's--before we get into this debate in the US foreign policy circles, let's just catch up. My last kind of recollection of following this story is that the oil law, which you'll tell us more about, didn't pass, but there's a lot of oil being pumped. So who owns what's being pumped, and where are things at with the oil law?
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<p />JUHASZ: Yeah, there's been a long, very public fight, first started by the Bush administration, on behest of the oil companies that basically operated both within and without of the administration to utilize the invasion of Iraq as a way to open up Iraq to Western oil companies, which haven't been able to operate in Iraq since the 1970s nationalizations. And there were two methods that were pursued to do that. One was to get the Iraqis to pass a new national law, the Iraq oil law, that would lock in guaranteed market access, under incredibly lucrative terms to foreign companies, to foreign companies--basically, transition Iraq from a nationalized oil system to an all but privatized system. The fight over that law has been very public, and there has been great opposition to it by Iraqi parliamentarians, oil workers unions, civil society groups, people all around the world. And that battle is ongoing. At this very moment, the Iraqi Parliament is still debating trying to get law through, and still has been unable to do so. While that public process has gone on, a much quieter process has proceeded, which is a contracting process, a series of rounds opening up, contract by contract, new oil fields in Iraq to foreign companies. And this process has taken place using contract terms that are essentially the same as what is in the law, but in--contract by contract.
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<p />JAY: The law that they couldn't get passed through the Iraqi Parliament.
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<p />JUHASZ: That's right.
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<p />JAY: They're just doing it, they being the Maliki government.
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<p />JUHASZ: That's right.
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<p />JAY: And under what legal basis are they signing the contracts?
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<p />JUHASZ: That the central government has always had the legal authority to sign oil contracts. This was started under Saddam Hussain and continued into the new administration, the post-Hussein administration. Certainly there are parliamentarians who argue that the contracts aren't legal unless they go through the Parliament. But based on the existing law put in place by Saddam Hussein, the contracts seem to be legal, although there is dispute over this.
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<p />JAY: Okay. So just to be really clear for all of us, there's kind of two basic ways a country can deal with its oil. It could have a national oil company, like in Saudi Arabia, where the national oil company goes--it pumps the oil and then sells it to whoever wants to buy it on the world market, or you let oil companies directly own the oil, and they take it to the world market. Is that right?
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<p />JUHASZ: Yes, but there's a lot in between. And even Saudi Arabia, for example, while it has a nationalized oil company, it partners with foreign oil companies regularly on technical contracts when it needs assistance. It partners with foreign companies for two- to three-year terms whenever it feels that it needs the help. And that's one model, and it's certainly the model most commonly used throughout the Middle East. The model that's now being used in Iraq is not full privatization, meaning that the private companies outright own the oil, do all the producing, own every piece of it, but rather a incredibly rare hybrid that's really only using about 12 percent of the world's oil, which gives the foreign oil companies a great deal of ownership, authority, and long-term twenty-year contracts, compared to the two in the technical service ones I discussed; allows them to come into the country, produce the oil themselves, and have a tremendous amount of control over profits and decision-making. Now, under those terms, ExxonMobil is now producing in Iraq for the first time in 30 years. BP is producing in Iraq, Shell, Occidental--another US oil company. And these companies gained this access, really, unknown, I think, to most Americans and most Westerners, as well as many people within Iraq.
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<p />JAY: Now, there's--a story's been broken in the business pages in the last few weeks about a new venture capital fund of some sort run by Nat Rothschild and Tony Hayward, the former head of BP. And they just bought into an Iraqi oil company. [Can you] tell us a bit about that deal? And is that kind of typical of what's going on?
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<p />JUHASZ: Well, it's sadly not surprising. Tony Hayward and BP were very aggressive in lobbying the British government to make sure that BP in particular got a slice of the pie, and worked to make sure that Iraq was open to foreign oil companies. I think some would go even further and say that BP lobbied to actually get the British to engage in the invasion. I don't have proof of that, but people have certainly argued that. But at a minimum, we must clearly have proof--really, put forward by an amazing researcher, Greg Muttitt, in London, that executives at BP directly lobbied the British government to make sure that when contracts were handed out in Iraq, that they would get a piece of the pie. And in fact BP was the very first oil company to get a post-invasion production contract in Iraq. Now, Hayward, of course, got kicked out of BP because of his role in the largest oil spill in world history, the Gulf oil disaster, but that didn't stop Hayward from cashing in on all his hard work while he was at BP. He simply went out and bought an oil company, a Turkish oil company that was already operating in Kurdistan, and now he's cashing in on his work in Iraq.
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<p />JAY: So where is this likely to go now? I mean, is this quasi-limbo of the law going to continue, and, in other words, they continue privatization without a law to do it? What's happening in the Iraqi Parliament about all of this?
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<p />JUHASZ: Well, there's two things that are happening right now. In January, there is a new negotiating round that is going to take place for new contracts in Iraq. This is going to be a massive negotiating round. Every oil company in the world is set to participate. It's a massive selloff of Iraqi oil. That is set to happen, of course, in January, which is just at the same time when the US occupation is technically supposed to end. It's one of the reasons why few of us think that the occupation actually will end, and why, you know, even if a sizable amount of US troops do actually leave, that the large--enormous number, 100,000-plus, of private military contractors will stay. But at the same time, as this contracting round is getting ready to take place, the fight over the oil law is still taking place. And one of the places where this fight is most aggressive is between the Kurds in the north and the central Iraqi government, because the Kurds want to control their oil, and the central Iraqi government wants to control the oil. It's a lot of oil. And the Kurds have really played a strong role in stopping the oil laws, as currently drafted, from going through. So, you know, all of this, the fight over the law, the contracting negotiation rounds, is, of course, all playing into the discussion of whether US troops will stay or they will go. And certainly one reason why some would argue that they should stay is to protect US and Western oil companies and their interests.
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<p />JAY: Well, in a piece you--an op-ed you wrote, or a letter to The Washington Post, you quote Meghan O'Sullivan, a former adviser to the Bush administration, who wrote a piece straightforwardly saying US should stay in order to secure Iraqi oil. What was that argument she gives, and how did you respond to it?
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<p />JUHASZ: Yeah. Meghan O'Sullivan was one of the key Bush administration officials in Iraq throughout the war. One of the things that she did was work on the oil law and on the oil sector in Iraq. And she wrote a very lengthy op-ed in The Washington Post which made several arguments for maintaining the occupation beyond the deadline, which is supposed to be at the end of this year. But she said, you know, but probably the most important reason why US troops should stay is because of Iraq's oil and maintaining security and access to that oil. And I was fairly astounded, personally, to see that argument just--the honesty on--you know, to have in The Washington Post [incompr.] finally just written, you know, this is the reason why we think troops should be in Iraq, and to have that level of honesty put forward was very refreshing. And so in response I wrote a letter to be editor, which The Post published, thanking Ms. O'Sullivan for her honesty, and then saying, you know, this may be a reason why some think troops should be in Iraq, but frankly, the American public doesn't buy that argument and never has. We have never thought that we should have our troops kill and die for oil. And beyond that, it's illegal. There's no international law that supports the idea of a military being utilized in a foreign country to control access to that country's oil. There's only very strict guidelines under legal occupation, and that's if you're direct--for self-defense, immediate self-defense of your country from another.
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<p />JAY: Now, some people have suggested that in spite of all the--what they call blood and treasure, which is a phrase that always makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck, that you can compare people's lives with the funds to fund the war. But at any rate, that--in fact, the US oil companies have done nearly as well, both in terms of not getting the oil law they wanted, and getting the contracts they wanted, that a lot of the major early contracts went to China, and that there's such anti-American sentiment in Iraq right now that that may continue. What's the state of that?
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<p />JUHASZ: Well, the major Western companies that have gotten contracts have partnered with Chinese companies. That's how they got them. And so ExxonMobil is partnering with CNPC, the Chinese national oil company, with its contract. And that's typical, that we're seeing the Western companies partnering with companies from countries that are more friendly and on better relations with Iraq, so that they could get in, and that there were many Western oil companies that were shut out of these early negotiating rounds. And I think the reason for that is, as you say, there is a tremendous anti-Western sentiment, and in particular a sentiment against Western oil companies producing in Iraq, because that's what the circumstances were before the nationalizations [incompr.] the Western oil companies owned Iraq's oil and controlled it very much to the detriment of Iraq and its own economic development. That's why the nationalizations took place and the companies were kicked out. And so there's a tremendous opposition within Iraq to the war being a means through which those companies come back in. That said, several of those companies are now back in. The biggest, in fact, are back in--Exxon, BP, Shell--and the rest of the companies are trying to get back in. And we'll see what happens in this next negotiating round. But I think the reason why the contracts went--didn't go to many of the Western oil companies is also because the terms of the contracts, as I said, are so favorable to the foreign companies, to the detriment of Iraq's economic development, that I think a way for the central government to try and gain sway or, you know, get this process through without too much internal upset was to give the contracts to companies from countries that have a better relationship with Iraq.
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<p />JAY: Like China, and who acts a bit like a stalking horse, then, for the Western oil companies.
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<p />JUHASZ: Yeah.
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<p />JAY: Thanks very much for joining us.
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<p />JUHASZ: Thanks for having me.
<p />
<p />JAY: And thank you for joining us on The Real News Network.
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<p />End of Transcript
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<p />DISCLAIMER: Please note that transcripts for The Real News Network are typed from a recording of the program. TRNN cannot guarantee their complete accuracy. | Will US Stay in Iraq To Protect Oil Interest? | true | http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D31%26Itemid%3D74%26jumival%3D7418 | 2011-10-07 | 4 |
<p>CINCINNATI (AP) — Together they served a combined total of 112 years in the fire service.</p>
<p>On Dec. 31 the long, storied careers of Richard “Rosie” Rose, 83, and Matt Rose, 58, end as they both retire.</p>
<p>The elder Rose, a 70-year fire service veteran, said his father, Louis Rose, served over 20 years with the Madeira Fire Department starting around 1940. By the age of 14, Rose said he was a junior fireman tagging along with his dad to the fire station.</p>
<p>“The grown-ups had their kids around the fire department,” he recalled. “We would load hose and wash equipment, all that good stuff.”</p>
<p>His fire service briefly stopped when he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954. When he returned four years later, he signed on with the Loveland Fire Department.</p>
<p>The proverbial apple didn’t fall far from the tree with Matt Rose’s own fire service career beginning much like his father’s. The whole family is service-oriented, military and fire, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s just like old school; your family stays together. It’s part of your life,” he said of fire service. “You get used to Christmas and holidays in the firehouse. “We’re a big family when it comes down to it. It takes a special person.”</p>
<p>Matt Rose, a 42-year fire service veteran, recalled his very first run. It was 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, 1974, his birthday. He was with the Goshen Fire Department serving with his dad. From Goshen, the father and son moved to Loveland Symmes Fire Department.</p>
<p>They are finishing their careers with the Stonelick Township Fire Department where Matt Rose was named the township’s first full-time fire chief in 2009. Richard Rose retires from Stonelick Township as the assistant fire chief and a Stonelick volunteer.</p>
<p>They’ve seen a lot over the years. Richard Rose was with Loveland during the big fire in 1972 that gutted the historic city hall/fire station, built in 1888.</p>
<p>“I was upstairs in the second story when the firehouse went down in Loveland,” he said. “Luckily I wasn’t banged up. I slid with the floor. I was shook up and stiff. I was lucky.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been involved with so much, I could write the book,” Matt Rose said. From structure fires to car accidents, he said he remembers them all.</p>
<p>One of the toughest runs he recalls involved the drowning death of the twin toddlers of retired Loveland-Symmes Fire Chief James Hunter.</p>
<p>“That still bothers me,” he said.</p>
<p>Retirement comes for the men as Matt Rose faces health challenges — cancer. He’s beat it once, he said, and he’s optimistic he can do it again.</p>
<p>“It’s gotten to the point before I hurt somebody or put myself in a predicament, it’s time to pass the torch on,” Rose said.</p>
<p>Firefighting remains his passion, however.</p>
<p>“I’m like little kids in a candy store that can’t get enough,” he said. “I’m always the first one in and 98 percent of the time I’m the last one out of the house.”</p>
<p>Ahead of their retirement, family and friends surprised the men with a celebration of their careers at the Clermont County Fairgrounds in Owensville. A representative from Congressman Rob Portman’s office presented the men with a flag that had flown over the nation’s Capitol.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH" type="external" /> <a href="http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH" type="external">http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, <a href="http://www.enquirer.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.enquirer.com" type="external">http://www.enquirer.com</a></p>
<p>CINCINNATI (AP) — Together they served a combined total of 112 years in the fire service.</p>
<p>On Dec. 31 the long, storied careers of Richard “Rosie” Rose, 83, and Matt Rose, 58, end as they both retire.</p>
<p>The elder Rose, a 70-year fire service veteran, said his father, Louis Rose, served over 20 years with the Madeira Fire Department starting around 1940. By the age of 14, Rose said he was a junior fireman tagging along with his dad to the fire station.</p>
<p>“The grown-ups had their kids around the fire department,” he recalled. “We would load hose and wash equipment, all that good stuff.”</p>
<p>His fire service briefly stopped when he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954. When he returned four years later, he signed on with the Loveland Fire Department.</p>
<p>The proverbial apple didn’t fall far from the tree with Matt Rose’s own fire service career beginning much like his father’s. The whole family is service-oriented, military and fire, he said.</p>
<p>“It’s just like old school; your family stays together. It’s part of your life,” he said of fire service. “You get used to Christmas and holidays in the firehouse. “We’re a big family when it comes down to it. It takes a special person.”</p>
<p>Matt Rose, a 42-year fire service veteran, recalled his very first run. It was 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, 1974, his birthday. He was with the Goshen Fire Department serving with his dad. From Goshen, the father and son moved to Loveland Symmes Fire Department.</p>
<p>They are finishing their careers with the Stonelick Township Fire Department where Matt Rose was named the township’s first full-time fire chief in 2009. Richard Rose retires from Stonelick Township as the assistant fire chief and a Stonelick volunteer.</p>
<p>They’ve seen a lot over the years. Richard Rose was with Loveland during the big fire in 1972 that gutted the historic city hall/fire station, built in 1888.</p>
<p>“I was upstairs in the second story when the firehouse went down in Loveland,” he said. “Luckily I wasn’t banged up. I slid with the floor. I was shook up and stiff. I was lucky.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been involved with so much, I could write the book,” Matt Rose said. From structure fires to car accidents, he said he remembers them all.</p>
<p>One of the toughest runs he recalls involved the drowning death of the twin toddlers of retired Loveland-Symmes Fire Chief James Hunter.</p>
<p>“That still bothers me,” he said.</p>
<p>Retirement comes for the men as Matt Rose faces health challenges — cancer. He’s beat it once, he said, and he’s optimistic he can do it again.</p>
<p>“It’s gotten to the point before I hurt somebody or put myself in a predicament, it’s time to pass the torch on,” Rose said.</p>
<p>Firefighting remains his passion, however.</p>
<p>“I’m like little kids in a candy store that can’t get enough,” he said. “I’m always the first one in and 98 percent of the time I’m the last one out of the house.”</p>
<p>Ahead of their retirement, family and friends surprised the men with a celebration of their careers at the Clermont County Fairgrounds in Owensville. A representative from Congressman Rob Portman’s office presented the men with a flag that had flown over the nation’s Capitol.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online: <a href="http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH" type="external" /> <a href="http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH" type="external">http://cin.ci/2CoRfbH</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, <a href="http://www.enquirer.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.enquirer.com" type="external">http://www.enquirer.com</a></p> | Father, son both retire from Ohio fire department | false | https://apnews.com/cdb7d9fd581845adb9c29abe6c1877bb | 2018-01-01 | 2 |
<p>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will attend the company's investment roadshow Monday as the social media giant gears up for a highly anticipated initial public offering later this month, FOX Business reported.</p>
<p>The company will showcase the impending deal to institutional investors during the roadshow, which was due to kick off Monday in New York.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Last week Facebook said it set the price range for its initial public offering at $28 to $35 a share, in a landmark deal that would raise as much as $13.6 billion for the social network and insiders.</p>
<p>The preliminary price range would value the company at $77 billion to $96 billion. It puts the social network on track to become the most valuable US web company at the time of an IPO, exceeding Google Inc.'s $23 billion valuation in 2004. It would also put Facebook just behind the market capitalization of Amazon.com Inc. and ahead of other technology giants like Hewlett-Packard Co.</p>
<p>Facebook's expected share price could climb higher in the coming days, depending on demand seen by the firm's investment bankers following the roadshow.</p> | Facebook CEO Zuckerberg to Attend IPO Roadshow Kickoff: Report | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/05/07/facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-to-attend-ipo-roadshow-kickoff-report.html | 2016-03-03 | 0 |
<p>WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A key Senate committee on Wednesday voted to advance the nomination of Alex Azar, a former drug industry executive and lobbyist whom President Donald Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services.</p>
<p>The Senate Finance Committee voted 15-12 to advance Azar's nomination with all but one Democrat opposing. To receive final confirmation Azar will have to receive a majority vote in the 100-seat Senate, which Republicans control with 51 seats.</p>
<p>Azar will be charged with overseeing the Trump administration's efforts to weaken the Affordable Care Act, former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement commonly called Obamacare, and its response to the opioid epidemic, among a slew of other issues. (Reporting By Yasmeen Abutaleb Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took an unnecessary charter flight in June that cost taxpayers over $12,000, the Interior Department's internal watchdog said on Monday - travel linked to his visit to a professional hockey team in Nevada.</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke testifies in front of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. March 13, 2018. REUTERS/Eric Thayer
<p>The report from the department's Office of Inspector General came amid mounting pressure on Trump Cabinet officials over their ethics and spending habits while in office.</p>
<p>"We determined that Zinke's use of chartered flights in fiscal year (FY) 2017 generally followed relevant law, policy, rules, and regulations," the report said.</p>
<p>"We found, however, that a $12,375 chartered flight he took in June 2017 after speaking at the developmental camp for the Golden Knights, a professional hockey team based in Las Vegas, Nevada, could have been avoided," it added.</p>
<p>The National Hockey League team is owned by Bill Foley, a donor to Zinke's congressional campaigns. The Interior Department has said Zinke's speech did not violate any laws, rules or regulations.</p>
<p>Zinke has defended his use of noncommercial aircraft as necessary for reaching the remote parts of the country that his department oversees.</p>
<p>He has also taken heat for other spending, including the repair of a door in his office that cost nearly $140,000.</p>
<p>Other Cabinet members have also been scrutinized.</p>
<p>The U.S. Government Accountability office on Monday said the Environmental Protection Agency violated spending laws when it installed a $43,000 soundproof booth for agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.</p>
<p>Writing by Richard Valdmanis; editing by Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders will introduce a bill on Tuesday that would fine opioid drug manufacturers for deceptive marketing and implement the harshest penalties yet on drugmakers found responsible for contributing to the drug epidemic.</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) arrives for the weekly Republican senate caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 4, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
<p>Sanders, an independent who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, said the bill aimed to hold opioid manufacturers accountable for their role in the epidemic and force them to help pay for the crisis, which the White House Council of Economic Advisers has estimated cost more than $500 billion in 2015.</p>
<p>The legislation, called the Opioid Crisis Accountability Act of 2018, would ban marketing that falsely suggests an opioid does not have addictive qualities or risks and would fine companies that are found liable for contributing to the epidemic $7.8 billion.</p>
<p>Companies that violate the marketing provision would be fined 25 percent of the profits from their opioid products.</p>
<p>The legislation would also create criminal liability for top executives of pharmaceutical companies that are found to have contributed to the epidemic.</p>
<p>"At a time when local, state and federal government are spending many billions of dollars a year, those people will be held accountable and asked to contribute to help us address the crisis," Sanders said in an interview. "It shouldn't just be the taxpayer that has to pay for the damage that they did."</p>
<p>The bill does not yet have any co-sponsors, and with Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, it is unlikely to move forward anytime soon.</p>
<p>More than 63,600 people died because of drug overdoses in 2016, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>
<p>Congress has held several hearings on the opioid crisis in recent months and recently appropriated billions of dollars to address the epidemic. It is considering dozens of bills to address the crisis, but the legislation so far has been fairly limited in scope, including bills that address government policies and authorize the creation of grant programs.</p>
<p>Several states, including Ohio and Kentucky - among the hardest hit by drug addiction - have filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers for fueling the epidemic.</p>
<p>"The real legal struggles have taken place at the state level," Sanders said. "It seems to me that it's appropriate to take that fight ... here to the federal government."</p>
<p>Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Peter Cooney</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that an immigration law requiring the deportation of noncitizens who commit felonies is unlawfully vague in a decision that could limit the Trump administration's ability to step up the removal of immigrants with criminal records.</p> FILE PHOTO: Police officers stand in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, U.S., January 19, 2018. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/File Photo
<p>The court, in a 5-4 ruling, sided with convicted California burglar James Garcia Dimaya, a legal immigrant from the Philippines. They upheld a 2015 lower court ruling that the Immigration and Nationality Act provision requiring Dimaya's deportation created uncertainty over which crimes may be considered violent, risking arbitrary enforcement in violation of the U.S. Constitution.</p>
<p>Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBUX.O" type="external">SBUX.O</a>) Chief Executive Kevin Johnson hopes to meet with the two black men arrested at one of its Philadelphia cafes last week to apologize for the incident, which has sparked accusations of racial profiling at the coffee chain.</p>
<p>The men, who had not made a purchase, were handcuffed and arrested for trespassing on Thursday after a store manager called 911 and reported them for refusing to leave. Witnesses said the men were calmly sitting in the cafe and in a widely viewed video, some patrons asked police whether they were targeted because they are black.</p>
<p>Police released the men, who were not charged.</p>
<p>"The circumstances surrounding the incident and the outcome in our store on Thursday were reprehensible ... they were wrong," Johnson told ABC's Good Morning America on Monday, amid protests and calls for a boycott on social media.</p> Slideshow (16 Images)
<p>The female manager who reported the men to police has left the company, a Starbucks representative said.</p>
<p>The incident came at a time when the company is grappling with flat traffic and lackluster sales growth at its more than 14,000 U.S. cafes. It is a high-profile public relations test for Johnson, a former technology executive who took the helm at Starbucks roughly a year ago.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SBUX.O" type="external">Starbucks Corp</a> 59.875 SBUX.O Nasdaq +0.44 (+0.75%) SBUX.O
<p>Johnson, who was interviewed from Philadelphia, said it was "completely inappropriate to engage the police." He added that Starbucks would conduct training to prevent unconscious bias.</p>
<p>Representatives for the two men could not immediately be reached.</p>
<p>Protesters crowded the store that was the scene of the arrest on Monday morning. It was closed at around midday. More protests and a news conference are expected in the afternoon.</p>
<p>The Reverend Mark Tyler, part of an interfaith group organizing a protest on Monday afternoon, said he had not heard reports of similar issues at other area Starbucks. Still, he said, "the idea of black people being unwanted in downtown Philadelphia is not new ... this is the underbelly of gentrification."</p>
<p>Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; editing by Susan Thomas and Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | Key U.S. Senate committee advances Azar nomination for HHS secretary U.S. Interior chief's $12,000 charter flight 'could have been avoided': watchdog Senator Sanders introducing bill targeting opioid manufacturers Supreme Court restricts deportations of immigrant felons Starbucks CEO says arrests of two black men 'reprehensible' | false | https://reuters.com/article/usa-healthcare-azar/key-us-senate-committee-advances-azar-nomination-for-hhs-secretary-idUSL1N1PC1T4 | 2018-01-17 | 2 |
<p>It’s a gun standoff like in a Quentin Tarantino movie — barrels pointed but nothing resolved for now. That’s why gun law in California&#160;and the rest of America&#160;won’t be standardized anytime soon.</p>
<p>This month, the U.S. Supreme Court&#160; <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-declines-to-review-new-jerseys-handgun-permit-law/2014/05/05/25f0fcd6-d457-11e3-95d3-3bcd77cd4e11_story.html" type="external">declined</a> to take up the issue.&#160;On appeal was a New Jersey case, <a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/drake-v-jerejian/" type="external">Drake v. Jerejian,</a>&#160;about a state law requiring&#160;a “justifiable need” to&#160;obtain a gun permit.</p>
<p>New Jersey’s “justifiable need” standard was narrow and strict. It <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/05/05/high-court-nixes-nj-appeal-on-gun-rights-in-public" type="external">required</a> would-be buyers to prove they faced “specific threats or previous attacks” that demonstrated a “special danger” to their lives “that cannot be avoided by other means.”</p>
<p>But rather than affirming or striking down the law, the Supreme Court stayed away from the case — without commenting as to why.</p>
<p>Previous rulings still stand.&#160;In&#160;District of <a href="http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2007/2007_07_290" type="external">Columbia v. Heller</a>, decided in 2008, the justices affirmed&#160;a constitutional right to purchase arms for&#160;personal use, including self-defense in the home. In <a href="http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2009/2009_08_1521" type="external">McDonald v. Chicago</a>, decided two years later, the Court also affirmed that this right applied equally to gun laws adopted by state and federal governments.</p>
<p>Since then, however, lower courts have been forced to consider what kinds of regulations&#160;pass the Heller test — and which don’t. As a result, gun law in California has reached&#160;a standoff.</p>
<p>California’s legal confusion involves not only “ <a href="http://www.usacarry.com/articles/concealed-carry/" type="external">concealed carry</a>” laws, which allow someone to hide a gun on his person. They also concern “ <a href="http://www.opencarry.org/" type="external">open carry</a>” laws, in which a gun is displayed openly, so people can see it.</p>
<p>Three years ago, lawmakers <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_144_bill_20110601_amended_sen_v97.html" type="external">passed</a> Assembly Bill 144, which made it a misdemeanor to openly carry a firearm. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill.</p>
<p>After that, gun owners focused their interest on “concealed carry” permits. Under California&#160;law, county sheriffs determine how those&#160;permits are granted. In general, until now, urban county sheriffs have placed stiff limits on the permits, while more rural counties have been generous handing out the privilege.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/content/view.php?pk_id=0000000722" type="external">Peruta v. County of San Diego</a>, however, in February the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals considered a lawsuit against San Diego County, which required applicants for a Concealed Carry Weapon license to demonstrate “good cause.” The court&#160; <a href="http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/content/view.php?pk_id=0000000722" type="external">ruled</a> that this CCW requirement&#160;violated the Second Amendment, essentially mandating concealed-carry permits for any law-abiding person after taking a gun-safety course.</p>
<p>The final outcome of the Peruta case is not entirely certain. On May 1,&#160;the 9th Circuit&#160; <a href="http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/general/2014/05/01/10-56971%20-%20Order.pdf" type="external">ordered&#160;</a>the sheriff to clarify his status on appeal.</p>
<p>If the 9th Circuit continues in its course, it&#160;sets up a conflict between two circuit courts:&#160;Back East, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld&#160;the state regulations in the Drake case. But out here in California the 9th Circuit struck down San Diego County’s regulations.</p>
<p>It’s not constitutionally clear how those two rulings square with one another. Commonly, but not always, the Supreme Court acts to clarify clashing Circuit Court opinions.</p>
<p>But for now,&#160;California counties, activists and citizens are facing the rush for gun permits. In Orange County and surrounding areas, applications for concealed carry permits have surged. In the two months since the Peruta ruling, the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/us/politics/in-california-a-fevered-rush-for-gun-permits.html?_r=1" type="external">reported</a>, some&#160;4,000 residents have applied. That’s more than&#160;eight times the&#160;typical annual figure.</p>
<p>The Times noted&#160;California Attorney General Kamala Harris told the court she sees the ruling as a threat to public safety. In the absence of higher court action, however, Harris&#160;is largely limited to talk.</p>
<p>Moreover, Harris is running for re-election this year. <a href="http://kamalaharris.org/issues/transnational_gangs/" type="external">According to her campaign website</a>, controlling guns is part of her strategy of combating gangs. It also appeals to the liberal “base” that forms the core of her financial and political support.</p>
<p>She also is a likely candidate for governor in 2018, when term limits would force Gov. Jerry Brown to retire if he’s re-elected in 2014. Anti-gun constituencies are crucial to any Democratic candidate for governor.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a 2012 report from the Congressional Research Office <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32842.pdf" type="external">indicated</a>&#160;that, from 1994 to 2009, Americans bought more than 100 million new firearms — and&#160;gun-related murder rates dropped nearly in half.</p>
<p>The Peruta ruling is already influencing lawmakers elsewhere.&#160;The Senate in the territory of Guam, for instance, recently <a href="http://www.guns.com/2014/05/10/shall-issue-legislation-passes-in-guam-cites-peruta-case-as-reason/" type="external">passed</a> a bill requiring police to grant concealed-carry permits to qualified applicants. That takes away the Guam Police Department’s ability to&#160;withhold permits, as it often has in the past.</p>
<p>Although Guam is far afield from the mainland United States, the Peruta ruling ensures that&#160;Second Amendment advocates have the legislative momentum, even where anti-gun groups are strong. At least for now.</p> | CA joins national gun standoff | false | https://calwatchdog.com/2014/05/14/ca-gun-laws-may-soon-shift/ | 2018-05-20 | 3 |
<p>&lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wasserl%C3%A4ufer_bei_der_Paarung_crop.jpg"&gt;Markus Gayda/Wikimedia Commons&lt;/a&gt;</p>
<p />
<p>“Sex Week” wrapped up last Friday over at science writer Carl Zimmer’s blog <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/" type="external">The Loom</a>, and a titillating week it was. Each post delved into the seedy underbelly of a species’ funky reproductive habits.</p>
<p>The three cases of animal sex that Zimmer discusses revolve around Darwin’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_selection" type="external">principle</a> of sexual selection, which argues that certain aesthetic ornaments within a given species evolve to connote the biological fitness of individuals—think the elegant flair of a male peacock’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pfau_imponierend.jpg" type="external">feathers</a>, or the bright face and backside of a <a href="http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/arts/photography/equiptechniq/taditionfilm/whatsort/mandrill.jpg" type="external">male mandrill</a> (though these secondary sex characteristics are most often pronounced in the male of a given species, it can occur in females, too—see the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Hyena#Reproduction_and_development" type="external">spotted hyena</a> or the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish#Reproduction" type="external">anglerfish</a>). It could be easy for deceitful members of a species to adopt these fitness markers without the mojo to back it up and trick their way into the gene pool. To avoid this situation, perhaps it takes too much time and energy for the weak ones to fake it: the widely accepted (or at least discussed) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handicap_principle" type="external">Handicap Principle</a> states that these sexual signals take an enormous amount of resources to produce and that only the “strongest” individuals, the ones with the most energy to spare, can afford such an investment. This keeps individuals honest and a species strong.</p>
<p>Below, a look at Zimmer’s (re)productive discussions. Be sure to read his <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/07/30/darwin-sex-and-dada/" type="external">last post</a> on the arbitrariness of desire, and let us know if you have any interesting animal copulation stories to share. And if you find your reproduction education still lacking, be sure to watch at least one of Isabella Rosselini’s jaw-dropping “Green Porno” narratives ( <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BckqviVaWl0" type="external">here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-V621BxHZQ" type="external">here</a>).</p>
<p>Yeast</p>
<p>Sex (that is, two fungi mating with one another) is but one way that <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/07/26/gonna-have-a-fungal-good-time-with-apologies-to-james-brown/" type="external">yeast reproduce</a>. The one-cell organisms can clone itself through a process known as budding—the micro equivalent of, say, a little version of you popping out of your side. But when yeast does mate, it relies on pheromones to do so—the micro equivalent, of, say, producing natural cologne. It turns out that the sexual displays of these microscopic organisms fit in line with the peacock feathers and mandrill buttocks of the Handicap Principle: the stronger the pheromone signal a yeast cell exudes, the more likely the opposite mating type is to be attracted to it; and the stronger the chemical release, the bigger the sacrifice in viability. So for a yeast cell to strut its stuff, it needs the viability to do so.</p>
<p>Mormyrid Fish</p>
<p>The mormyrids are a family of a couple of hundred species of fish native to Africa that discharge <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/07/28/sex-week-continued-when-love-shocks/" type="external">electrical fields</a>. This rather unique feature holds a variety of purposes, including communicating with one another and hunting for prey in total darkness. But, this being a round-up of Sex Week, let’s get to the juicy bits—mormyrids after dark (literally—much of their lives are spent in the twilight of deep waters). The males from each species produce a unique electrical pulse that females can detect, allowing females to tend toward mating with the same species. Within a species of mormyrids, known as the bulldog fish, there is evidence of intraspecies sexual selection. Females seem to prefer males that produce longer electrical pulses, and in a bizarre display of courtship, butt heads with the male dozens of times before releasing their eggs. The longer pulses put males at greater risk of being eaten by predators, and the extra time invested is yet another example of what Zimmer refers to as the “honest advertisement from desirable males” that defines the Handicap Principle.</p>
<p>Water Striders</p>
<p>And now we get to the dark side of animal reproduction: <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/07/29/sex-week-those-water-strider-blues/" type="external">water striders</a>. These are the bugs you’ve seen skating about the surface of a lake or stream. They seem so innocent, and perhaps magical: they can, after all, walk on water. But when it comes to passing along one’s genes, all is not harmonious: the males sneakily force themselves onto the females and force copulation. Zimmer points out that this is the case with many species, and is a function of the number of males, with relatively large amounts of sperm, competing to fertilize the females, with relatively few eggs. When it’s copulation time, the male water strider forces himself onto a female, who fights with all her might to throw him off. If he is able to successfully insert his phallus, he puffs it up so that it is more difficult to remove. He then holds on for dear life as the female wrestles with him, sometimes for up to 12 hours. It turns out that, while hyperaggressive behavior may help an individual reproduce, as a species trait it is less than ideal—the females shy away from such displays of unruliness and thus reproduce less. It is in the species’ interest, then, to remain aggressive, but not overly so.</p>
<p /> | Green Porno, Carl Zimmer Edition | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2010/08/carl-zimmer-discover-sex-week/ | 2010-08-04 | 4 |
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<p />
<p>The hiring of Josh Kredit as the chamber’s top lawyer comes after Mesnard chose Goldwater Institute vice president Michael Hunter as his chief of staff following his election as speaker by majority Republicans last month.</p>
<p>Kredit is currently general counsel and vice president of policy for the Center for Arizona Policy, a group that opposes gay marriage and abortion and promotes religious freedom. The group has written anti-abortion, school choice and other legislation in recent years and is a powerful force among Republican lawmakers.</p>
<p>Mesnard said Tuesday that he’s building a conservative staff to support a conservative Republican caucus.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“I think that Josh offers a wealth of policy and legal experience, that’s why I chose him. His values line up with the values of the caucus,” Mesnard said.</p>
<p>Along with Kredit and Hunter, Mesnard’s other staff picks include at least two other previous Goldwater Institute employees, a former Americans for Prosperity staffer and an attorney who worked for national Republican groups and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.</p>
<p>Mesnard pointed to Hunter as an example of someone who can serve at multiple jobs and be beholden only to his current employer. He noted that he served as a Senate staffer when the Senate was at odds with former Gov. Janet Brewer, then worked for her before heading to Goldwater, which was taking on Brewer over her Medicaid expansion plan. Kredit will do the same, he said.</p>
<p>“If for instance we were to do something that the Center for Arizona Policy was against or not do something they wanted to see, Josh will be there advising and advocating the Republican caucus’s agenda, not the CAP agenda,” he said.</p>
<p>Democratic Rep. Rebecca Rios, the minority leader, said the list of staffers announced Monday evening left her thinking ‘Oh boy, here we go.”</p>
<p>“I got through with the article and I realized all right, he’s assembled a very conservative cast, but this is a conservative caucus, the Republican caucus, so I wasn’t really surprised,” she said. “I am concerned with a Trump presidency that perhaps there will be a Trump effect here in the Arizona Legislature and we’ll see a more emboldened conservative group that is pushing anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ legislation.”</p>
<p>Center for Arizona Policy president Cathi Herrod praised the hire.</p>
<p>“Josh is among a long list of extraordinary team members who God has used at CAP and then moved on to continue his work elsewhere,” she said in a news release.</p>
<p>Kredit helped pushed anti-abortion laws through the Legislature in his five years at CAP, and criticized the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision legalizing gay marriage, saying that the court “disregarded the democratic process by stripping all Americans of their ability to debate and decide marriage policy.</p> | New Arizona House speaker hires anti-abortion group’s lawyer | false | https://abqjournal.com/903383/new-arizona-house-speaker-hires-anti-abortion-groups-lawyer.html | 2 |
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<p>Deere (NYSE:DE) revealed on Wednesday a stronger-than-expected 3.7% rise in fiscal first-quarter earnings amid double-digit sales growth, prompting the farm equipment maker to slightly boost its sales forecast.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Despite the upbeat earnings and rosier view, shares of the Moline, Ill.-based company slumped more than 3%.</p>
<p>Deere said it earned $532.9 million, or $1.30 a share, last quarter, compared with a profit of $513.7 million, or $1.20 a share, a year earlier. Analysts had called for EPS of $1.24.</p>
<p>Revenue jumped 11% to $6.77 billion, solidly topping forecasts from analysts for $6.5 billion.</p>
<p>“By completing another quarter of record performance, John Deere has started 2012 on a strong note," CEO Samuel Allen said in a statement. "These results are evidence of the skillful execution of our operating and marketing plans.”</p>
<p>Deere said equipment sales in the U.S. and Canada gained 5% last quarter. Outside of those regions, sales soared 21%.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, Deere slightly upped its fiscal 2012 net income projection to $3.28 billion from $3.2 billion, but maintained its view for a 15% rise in sales.</p>
<p>“Our substantial investment in new products and additional capacity puts Deere on a sound footing to respond to further improvement in key markets that are in the early stages of recovery," Allen said.</p>
<p>Shares of Deere slid 3.21% to $86.18 Wednesday morning, eating into their 2012 rally of about 15%.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | Deere Beats the Street, Raises Forecast | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/02/15/deere-beats-street-raises-forecast.html | 2016-01-26 | 0 |
<p>SULAIMANIA, Iraq – A top Kurdish counter-terrorism official said Monday he was 99 percent sure that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was alive and located south of the Syrian city of Raqqa, despite reports that he had been killed.</p>
<p>“Baghdadi is definitely alive. He is not dead. We have information that he is alive. We believe 99 percent he is alive,” Lahur Talabany told Reuters in an interview.</p>
<p>“Don’t forget his roots go back to al Qaeda days in Iraq. He was hiding from security services. He knows what he is doing.”</p>
<p>The secretive Islamic State leader has frequently been reported killed or wounded since he climbed up to the pulpit of a mosque in Mosul in 2014 and declared a caliphate with himself the leader of all Muslims.</p>
<p>After leading his fighters on a sweep through northern Iraq, Baghdadi attempted to create a self-sustaining modern-day caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria.</p>
<p>He is now a man on the run, but still a cunning foe, said Talabany, who as part of the international coalition against Islamic State has been at the forefront of efforts to track Baghdadi down.</p>
<p>“He is not an easy figure. He has years of experience in hiding and getting away from the security services,” Talabany said.</p>
<p>“The territory they control right now, still to this day, is very tough territory. It is still not the end of the game for ISIL. Even though they have lost almost all of Mosul and they are getting ready to lose Raqqa as well.”</p>
<p>Iraqi security forces have ended three years of Islamic State rule in the Iraqi city of Mosul, and the group is under growing pressure in Raqqa – former strongholds in the militants’ crumbling caliphate.</p>
<p>Talabany said Islamic State was now shifting tactics despite low morale and it would take three or four years to eliminate the group as it takes to the mountains and deserts to stage hit and run attacks and unleash suicide bombers.</p>
<p>“They are getting ready for a different fight I think. We have a lot tougher days ahead of us than people think. “Al Qaeda on steroids,” said Talabany.</p>
<p>“We saw why they were smarter. Al Qaeda never controlled any territory. They will be smarter.”</p>
<p>Numerous reports suggesting that Baghdadi had been killed have raised questions about who might replace him as head of a diverse group comprised of Iraqis and other Arabs as well as hardcore foreign fighters.</p>
<p>Iraqi intelligence officers who served under Saddam Hussein have been described as the military strategists instrumental in creating an Islamic State reign of terror.</p>
<p>Talabany said it was hard to know which top Baghdadi aides were alive or dead, but he believes most of the leadership is in Syria, south of Raqqa.</p>
<p>A younger generation of Saddam’s former allies were expected to take key positions.</p>
<p>“These are the people in line,” he said. “The younger generation is always more dangerous.”</p>
<p>Security services face the daunting challenge of breaking up sleeper cells, typically made up of two facilitators and two operators.</p>
<p>“You don’t need a lot of guys to set a bomb off. We continue to bust these sleeper cells,” said Talabany.</p>
<p>“Everybody we capture was getting ready to set up to carry out attacks in the region.”</p>
<p>Talabany left Iraq when he was a 12-year-old boy, at a time when Saddam Hussein was oppressing the Kurds. His relatives were waging a guerrilla campaign from mountain hideouts.</p>
<p>Asked to compare the challenges then compared to those now as Islamic State tries to recover and sectarian tensions threaten Iraq’s security, he said:</p>
<p>“We have a lot more freedom now. But the problems are a lot tougher.”</p> | Official: Islamic State's Baghdadi Almost Certainly Alive | false | https://newsline.com/official-islamic-states-baghdadi-almost-certainly-alive/ | 2017-07-17 | 1 |
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<p>It’s now six weeks into the most recent Gaza conflict that has proven to be immune to cease-fires. Now, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing tremendous pressure in the Knesset and in the security services for a criminal investigation into a leak of a document that reveals that Israel has been planning to reoccupy Gaza all along.</p>
<p>The leak occurred back in early August. A top-secret military briefing was delivered in late July or early August to Israel’s eight-member security Cabinet.</p>
<p>There were more than a dozen people present, and it is believed by the Netanyahu administration that at least one of them had a motive to leak the military’s analysis. But strangest of all, the prime suspect, according to reporters who have spoken to participants, is now looking like Netanyahu himself.</p>
<p>“Every political reporter that you ask will confirm to you that this leak came from the prime minister’s office,” a senior correspondent, Ben Caspit of the right-wing daily Ma’ariv said on August 6, the day after the leak was first reported on local Israeli Channel 2 News.</p>
<p>Since then, the same leak has hit nearly every other Israeli news outlet.</p>
<p>The leak tells us a great deal about the Gaza campaign and what the intentions were behind it. It also highlights the sharp divisions within the Israeli leadership as to how to respond to Hamas.</p>
<p>The topic of the briefing specifically was the challenge of reoccupying Gaza and disarming Hamas through such an occupation. The briefing explained that after taking over, Israel would certainly face violent chaos for several more years until the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet are able to get an intelligence network in place and thereafter “stabilize Israeli rule.”</p>
<p>The briefing acknowledge that IDF soldiers will face a high risk of kidnapping throughout the span of these years.</p>
<p>On August 5, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni stormed out of a Cabinet meeting after hearing the leaked report, “stormed back in” to confront Netanyahu. She demanded that every Cabinet member be given a polygraph test.</p>
<p>There are several theories about who is responsible for the leak. Those who think Netanyahu is behind it think that he wanted to create the appearance that the army forced him keep military options “limited.”</p>
<p>Others believe the leaker wasn’t Netanyahu at all. The most well-known Haaretz military analyst Amir Oren, said that “One branch of the defense establishment suspects that the mole’s last name rhymes with the name of a certain country with which Netanyahu is obsessed.” This would suggestion that either Erdan or Lieberman are behind the leak, as both rhyme with “Iran.”</p> | Secret Document Leaked Saying Israel Planned To Reoccupy Gaza All Along | true | http://politicalblindspot.com/secret-document-leaked-saying-israel-planned-to-reoccupy-gaza-all-along/ | 2014-08-22 | 4 |
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<p>FILE - In this Wednesday, June 24, 2015 file photo, Philadelphia's Archbishop Charles Chaput, right, stands next to Pope Francis as they pose for a photo with a delegation from Philadelphia at the end of the pontiff's weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Pope Francis will be traveling to Philadelphia in September to attend the World Meeting of Families. Chaput, the meeting's host, is moving to limit lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Roman Catholics as they try to lobby for a broader role in the event. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)</p>
<p>The World Meeting of Families, the central religious event of Pope Francis' first visit to the United States, is intended to convey a message of love and joy as it seeks to promote church teaching on marriage. Yet four weeks away from its opening in Philadelphia, friction is mounting as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Roman Catholics lobby for a broader role in the event and organizers move to limit them.</p>
<p>The tensions surrounding the gathering will pose a real-world test of the pope's approach that emphasizes compassion and welcome while upholding Catholic doctrine that marriage is only between a man and a woman.</p>
<p>The only speakers specifically addressing LGBT issues at the Sept. 22-27 conference are a celibate gay man and his mother. Gays and lesbians can attend the meeting as individuals, but groups supporting gay marriage were denied exhibit space and other official options for presenting their views.</p>
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<p>"We don't want to provide a platform at the meeting for people to lobby for positions contrary to the life of our church," said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, the meeting's host.</p>
<p>Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, an advocacy group for LGBT Catholics, said Chaput and other U.S. bishops "are putting their heads in the sand."</p>
<p>"They see LGBT issues as a problem to contain rather than to explore," DeBernardo said. "The entire Catholic community in the U.S. is having a discussion on this now. Why can't the World Meeting of Families?"</p>
<p>To counter the official message, New Ways Ministry and several allied groups have scheduled various programs - including a workshop on gender identity - to coincide with the Meeting of Families. The initial plan called for the programs to be held at a Catholic church in Philadelphia, but the LGBT groups said the church's pastor rescinded the invitation at the urging of Chaput's office. The LGBT groups said the events will be relocated to a nearby Methodist church.</p>
<p>Another area of contention is the status of openly gay employees at Catholic institutions in the U.S. Dozens of people have reported losing their jobs at such workplaces since 2010 over their same-sex relationships or support for gay marriage and gay rights, including Margie Winters, a married gay teacher dismissed in June by a Catholic school in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>The World Meeting of Families is a triennial Vatican-backed event, held seven times previously starting in 1994 with the goal of strengthening marriage and families. The Philadelphia meeting will be the first in the United States.</p>
<p>The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, noting in an interview with The Associated Press that gay marriage is now "the law of our land," said: "How the pope will deal with that, I think it might be one of the issues of nontraditional marriage that he speaks about or he alludes to."</p>
<p>He cited Francis' views on "marriage situations where people are under stress" - because of divorce, or violence in the family, or where single parents are raising children. "So if we look at what he has said in so many previous occasions about extending the generosity and mercy of the church to these different situations, that's where I think he'll come down," Hackett said.</p>
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<p>More than two years into his papacy, Francis has disappointed some conservative American Catholics by not speaking about church teaching on marriage as frequently as his predecessors. Instead, he has emphasized compassion over defending the church on divisive social issues as he tries to bring back Catholics who have left the fold.</p>
<p>In 2013, he seemed to extend that attitude to gays when he responded to a question about a purportedly gay priest by saying, "If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?" However, Francis has also affirmed that same-sex relationships and marriages are contrary to church teaching.</p>
<p>Still, nearly 4 in 10 Catholics surveyed by the Public Religion Research Institute and Religion News Service mistakenly believe Francis supports allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. The survey of 1,331 U.S. adults, released Tuesday, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.</p>
<p>While in Philadelphia, the pope is scheduled to visit an outdoor Festival of Families on Sept. 26 and celebrate Mass the next day at the conclusion of the Meeting of Families.</p>
<p>Among the more than 15,000 Catholics registered for the meeting are 22 people representing LGBT families on behalf of a coalition called Equally Blessed. Though no official speakers will convey their viewpoints, they hope to engage in conversations with other attendees.</p>
<p>Among them is Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of the LGBT Catholic group Dignity USA. She'll attend with her wife and two daughters.</p>
<p>"We want to be a visible presence, with the message that LGBT families are part of the church," said Duddy-Burke. "I would expect most people who are coming have LGBT family members - Most of them are going to recognize that what the church teaches is harmful."</p>
<p>The Equally Blessed contingent also includes Delfin Bautista, a transgender activist who runs the LGBT Center at Ohio University, and Bautista's husband, Jason Hernandez, and Bautista's 64-year-old mother, Rebeca del Cristo. Formerly disapproving of homosexuality, she's now active in gay-rights causes and wears a rainbow pin to Mass in Miami.</p>
<p>Bautista, who was sent as a youth to reparative therapy that aims to change sexual orientation, hopes the family can sway attitudes at the Philadelphia meeting simply by telling their story.</p>
<p>"We are just as Catholic and just as much a family as any other family," Bautista said.</p>
<p>Among the conservative Catholic groups that have been allocated exhibit space at the meeting is Courage International, which describes its core mission as trying to help people with same-sex attractions lead chaste lives.</p>
<p>Courage has come under criticism from gay-rights activists for supporting the option of reparative therapy for gays and lesbians. The Rev. Philip Bochanski, the group's associate director, said Courage does not advocate such therapy but respects the right of individuals to pursue it if they feel it's appropriate</p>
<p>Of the more than 70 speeches and presentations on the official Meeting of Families schedule, only one explicitly addresses gay and lesbian issues. It's a joint presentation by a celibate gay Catholic, Ron Belgau, and his mother, Beverly Belgau, addressing how Catholic families can respond when a family member comes out as gay.</p>
<p>Ron Belgau, who teaches at St. Louis University while pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy, is co-founder of a blog called Spiritual Friendship that seeks to promote celibacy as an admirable option for gay Christians.</p>
<p>Belgau said he believes a majority of U.S. Catholics now support same-sex marriage, which became legal in all 50 states under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June.</p>
<p>He doesn't expect the church to change its teaching, but suggests there might be ways to make gay couples feel more welcome - comparable to engagement in the church by many Catholics who use birth control or have been divorced.</p>
<p>"I've always thought the Catholic Church should be as welcoming as it can be to people, even if they're not fully following the church's teaching," Belgau said.</p>
<p>Another speaker will be Douglas Farrow, a professor of Christian thought at McGill University in Montreal. He has written extensively about what he perceives as the harmful consequences of legalizing same-sex marriage, and says the Catholic Church needs to remain firm, but not antagonistic, in promoting its vision of heterosexual marriage.</p>
<p>"Of course there is room for improvement in the way the church responds to its people," Farrow said. "The church in America needs to be more thoroughly comfortable in its own theological skin - in order to be more comfortable in these conversations that are so fraught about what marriage is."</p>
<p>Ken Gavin, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, expressed hope that differences on LGBT issues would not spark animosity.</p>
<p>"It is very much possible to show Christian charity and love for all even if you disagree with their point of view," he said in an email.</p>
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<p>Associated Press writers Nicole Winfield in Rome and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this story.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Crary on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/CraryAP" type="external">http://twitter.com/CraryAP</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Online:</p>
<p>World Meeting of Families: <a href="http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/" type="external">http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/</a></p>
<p>Equally Blessed: <a href="http://equally-blessed.org/" type="external">http://equally-blessed.org/</a></p> | Ahead of pope's visit to US, some friction over LGBT issues | false | https://abqjournal.com/634000/ahead-of-popes-visit-to-us-some-friction-over-lgbt-issues.html | 2 |
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<p>As local police departments cut personnel due to excessive spending and budgetary restrictions, cities all across America are&#160; <a href="http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/large-cities-all-over-america-are-degenerating-into-gang-infested-war-zones" type="external">rapidly degenerating</a>&#160;into gang infested war zones.</p>
<p>In the city of Chicago, which has been one of the hardest hit during the opening stages of a greater depression sweeping the country, law enforcement officials&#160; <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/domestic-warzone-like-tribal-warfare-in-iraq-cops-outnumbered-500-to-1_07122012" type="external">compared the situation on the ground</a>&#160;to the kind of tribal warfare one might see in places like Iraq. With law and order breaking down, residents of the city have been caught in the middle. The crime wave has gotten so bad, in fact, that earlier this year the Chicago PD&#160; <a href="http://rt.com/usa/chicago-police-longer-crime-505/" type="external">announced a new response plan</a>, or rather, a NON-response plan, wherein police will not even show up at crime scenes unless someone has been critically injured or the perpetrator is still on the scene.</p>
<p>This, of course, has been a boon for criminals looking to take advantage of the situation. And earlier this week they did just that.</p>
<p>Unbelievable surveillance video captured flash mobs dashing into store after store and running out with armloads and sometimes entire racks of sporting goods.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>It’s like a next-generation flash mob. Originally, flash mob referred to a group of people doing a performance to draw attention to something in a positive way. The term gave way to a more sinister motive.</p>
<p>“They used to just be fun. They used to just be positive and now, I don’t know, it seems to have turned into something negative,” said one shopper.</p>
<p>No one was hurt in the three incidents, though it’s clear the mob stops for no one.</p>
<p>Some city&#160; <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/chicago-officials-call-for-military-intervention-martial-law_04262010" type="external">officials in Chicago have even appealed</a>&#160;to the state and federal government for help, recently calling for martial law to be declared and for the military to intervene.</p>
<p>This is the state of affairs in the U.S., and the organized crime waves are spreading.</p>
<p>Residents in suburbs of Oakland and Houston have been&#160; <a href="http://www.thedailysheeple.com/desperate-citizens-hire-private-security-to-fill-void-left-by-police_102013" type="external">forced to hire private security teams</a>&#160;to help maintain law and order in their neighborhoods, while millions of Americans across the country are arming up in those jurisdictions that allow firearms ownership.</p>
<p>Chicago, it seems, is an example of what happens when law and order breaks down and residents have no way of protecting themselves because of restrictive gun laws.</p>
<p>A look at the surveillance footage above shows how indiscriminately a large mob of individuals behaves. As Tess Pennington notes in her&#160; <a href="http://readynutrition.com/resources/are-you-ready-series-flash-mobs_09032013/" type="external">preparedness series on Flash Mobs</a>, if you ever encounter a flash mob threat, remember who you are dealing with:</p>
<p>For the most part the participants of these mobs are urban delinquents whose only goal is to steal and cause violence.</p>
<p>The recent events in Chicago involve teens and young adults looking to steal apparel.</p>
<p>What happens when these groups finally realize they can get a lot more than that?</p>
<p>It’s only a matter of time before the contagion spreads to more serious criminal elements that will target individuals directly in the form of flash mob robberies in places like subway cars, banks, or jewelry stores. And as their efforts go unchecked by police, they will likely increase in scope and violence.</p>
<p>In 2011, a&#160; <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/rise-of-the-mob-wisconsin-fairgoers-attacked-violently-beaten_08052011" type="external">large flash mob targeted patrons</a>&#160;of the Wisconsin State Fair. Witnesses report that the racially motivated mob involving hundreds of individuals was, “attacking everybody for no reason whatsoever.” Most of the victims were white.</p>
<p>We’ve already seen how quickly these mobs works and how violent they can be. Once it starts it can’t be stopped.</p>
<p>Now imagine what it will look like when these people can no longer afford to purchase basic essentials like food.</p>
<p>Mac Slavo is the Editor of <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/next-generation-flash-mobs-when-law-and-order-breaks-down_11072013" type="external">SHTFplan.com</a></p>
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<p /> | Next-Generation Flash Mobs: The Breakdown of Law & Order | true | http://dcclothesline.com/2013/11/08/next-generation-flash-mobs-breakdown-law-order/ | 2013-11-08 | 0 |
<p>Muslim conservatives are <a href="http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061120-064212-3658r" type="external">calling for the ouster</a> of Egypt's culture minister after he told an interviewer that the practice of women wearing veils is a regressive act.</p>
<p>AFP:</p>
<p>CAIRO - A political and religious storm sparked by Egypt's culture minister criticizing the ever-growing popularity of the Islamic veil snowballed Sunday into a fully fledged national affair.</p>
<p>Three days after Farouk Hosni described as "regressive" the increasing practice of wearing the veil, calls for his ouster mounted and debates on Muslim conservatism in the Arab world's most populous country intensified.</p>
<p />
<p>Sources in parliament said that 80 lawmakers - both from Hosni's ruling National Democratic Party and opposition movements - demanded an urgent debate over the minister's comments.</p>
<p>"There was an age when our mothers went to university and worked without the veil. It is in that spirit that we grew up. So why this regression," the minister asked in an interview published November 16 in the independent Al Masri Al Yom daily.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061120-064212-3658r" type="external">Link</a></p> | Egypt Erupts After Minister Criticizes Veil | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/egypt-erupts-after-minister-criticizes-veil/ | 2006-11-24 | 4 |
<p>By Ernest Scheyder</p>
<p>HOUSTON (Reuters) – U.S. oil and gas producer Hess Corp (N:) is cutting hundreds of employees and streamlining operations as it battles an activist shareholder agitating for higher margins, according to two sources familiar with the matter.</p>
<p>Most of the cuts, which could start as early as Tuesday and continue throughout the week, are centered in offices in Houston, which holds the company’s highest concentration of workers.</p>
<p>Lorrie Hecker, a Hess spokeswoman, confirmed the cuts, saying about 300 workers, or about 13 percent of the company’s workforce, would be let go.</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> | Hess to cut hundreds of workers as it battles activist investor-sources | false | https://newsline.com/hess-to-cut-hundreds-of-workers-as-it-battles-activist-investor-sources/ | 2018-01-16 | 1 |
<p>Jan 16 (Reuters) - MetLife Inc:</p> * METLIFE ANNOUNCES PLANNED MERGER OF TWO SUBSIDIARIES
<p>* METLIFE INC - "INTENDS TO MERGE SUBSIDIARY, GENERAL AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, INTO ANOTHER SUBSIDIARY, METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY"</p>
<p>* METLIFE - METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE AS SURVIVING ENTITY AFTER MERGER; MERGED ENTITY WILL BE DOMICILED IN NEBRASKA Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. has opened a probe into alleged coordination by AT&amp;T Inc, Verizon Communications and a telecommunications standards organization to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers, a person briefed on the matter said on Friday.</p> FILE PHOTO: An AT&amp;T logo is pictured in Pasadena, California, U.S., January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
<p>Verizon and AT&amp;T acknowledged the government probe and said they were working with regulators.</p>
<p>At issue is a technology that could make carriers' business more volatile. Called eSIM, it allows consumers to switch wireless providers without having to insert a new physical SIM card, an identifying microchip. That makes it easier to compare wireless networks and easily select a new service when desired.</p>
<p>Verizon called the probe "much ado about nothing," adding that it has been working with the Justice Department for several months "regarding the inquiry," according to spokesman Rich Young.</p>
<p>The New York Times reported on Friday that the Justice Department had opened an investigation about five months ago after at least one device maker and one wireless carrier filed formal complaints with the Justice Department.</p>
<p>The Justice Department sent demands to AT&amp;T, Verizon and the GSMA, an industry standards-setting group, on efforts to thwart eSIM.</p>
<p>Apple Inc and other equipment makers have complained to the Justice Department about wireless carrier practices related to eSIM technology, two sources familiar with the matter said. Apple declined to comment.</p>
<p>"The reality is that we have a difference of opinion with a couple of phone equipment manufacturers regarding the development of e-SIM standards. Nothing more," Verizon's Young said.</p>
<p>An AT&amp;T spokesman said in an email: "Along with other GSMA members, we have provided information to the government in response to their requests and will continue to work proactively within GSMA, including with those who might disagree with the proposed standards."</p>
<p>News of the probe comes at a critical time for AT&amp;T which is being sued by the Justice Department to stop its deal to buy media company Time Warner Inc.</p>
<p>The U.S. government has argued in a trial that is nearing completion that the proposed deal would spur AT&amp;T to charge its pay TV rivals more for Time Warner content.</p>
<p>However, Judge Richard Leon, who will decide if AT&amp;T will be allowed to buy Time Warner, is unlikely to consider a report of potential wrongdoing by the wireless giant because it is irrelevant to the merger trial under way in Washington, said Seth Bloom, a veteran of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.</p>
<p>The Department of Justice and the GSMA, the telecommunications standard setting group, declined to comment on news of the investigation.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Verizon logo is seen on the side of a truck in New York City, U.S., October 13, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
<p>Shares of AT&amp;T and Verizon dipped after the initial Times report, with AT&amp;T closing down 0.4 percent at $34.67, and Verizon ending off 1.1 percent, at $47.90.</p>
<p>The person briefed on the matter told Reuters that other wireless operators potentially received inquiries from the government.</p>
<p>It is common practice for the Justice Department to send CIDs, the civil equivalent of a subpoena, to all major players in the industry because the agency wants evidence from companies that allegedly participate in any conspiracy as well as those outside of it, according to Ethan Glass, a former trial attorney with the Justice Department now at the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart &amp; Sullivan LLP.</p>
<p>The source said the Obama administration had investigated similar claims in 2016 but did not take any action.</p>
<p>Consumer advocates learned in February that Verizon was apparently planning to lock phones as an anti-theft measure, and later were told by industry participants that Verizon was working with AT&amp;T in hopes of convincing the GSMA to create a standard for locking the phones, according to Harold Feld, a senior vice president at Public Knowledge.</p>
<p>Consumer advocates support the idea of an electronic SIM card, which is in the process of being rolled out, since it allows phone owners to bargain hunt and contract with any network or to shift networks easily while traveling, said Feld.</p>
<p>"I am very happy that the DOJ is taking its job as a cop on the beat very seriously," said Feld.</p>
<p>Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru, Sheila Dang in New York and David Shepardson and Diane Bartz in Washington; Writing by Chris Sanders; Editing by Dan Grebler, Peter Henderson and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - SunTrust Banks Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=STI.N" type="external">STI.N</a>) said on Friday it discovered that a former employee may have attempted to download some information on nearly 1.5 million clients and share it with a criminal third-party.</p>
<p>The company said it believes the information included names and account balances, but not personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers, account numbers, pins, user IDs, passwords or driver's license numbers.</p>
<p>The Atlanta, Georgia-based regional bank's shares fell 0.5 percent to $66.69.</p>
<p>Chief Executive Officer William Rogers brought the incident to light on a post-earnings call with analysts on Friday. He said the attempt to download client information was made six to eight weeks ago.</p>
<p>"We began our own internal investigation and through that process, approximately 6 to 8 weeks ago, we discovered that the former employee attempted to download client information," Rogers said.</p>
<p>No significant fraudulent activity has been identified, Rogers said.</p>
<p>A SunTrust spokeswoman, Sue Mallino, refused to disclose the location of the branch where the employee attempted to steal data. She also declined to disclose the identity of the criminal third-party and said the matter was under investigation.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=STI.N" type="external">SunTrust Banks Inc</a> 66.84 STI.N New York Stock Exchange -0.19 (-0.28%) STI.N
<p>SunTrust also said that as of last week, it believed the stolen information had not left the bank.</p>
<p>Rogers said this was not a data breach, adding the employee was not authorized to get that level of information, and that the company was reviewing its systems and capabilities.</p>
<p>In a press release shortly after the call, the bank said it was proactively notifying the 1.5 million affected clients that certain information, such as address, phone number and certain account balances may have been exposed, and said it is working with outside experts and coordinating with law enforcement on the matter.</p>
<p>"While management appears to be proactively addressing the data issue, we expect a degree of uncertainty to persist as the duration, breadth, and financial impact of any related investigations (both internal and external) are not yet known," Evercore analysts wrote in a client note.</p>
<p>The incident will not result in any material impact to earnings, the bank said.</p>
<p>SunTrust said it will offer identity protection services to all of its clients free of charge, not just those potentially impacted.</p>
<p>SunTrust reported a 36 percent rise in quarterly profit helped by a rise in net interest income and lower expenses.</p>
<p>Reporting By Aparajita Saxena and Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON/JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump accused OPEC on Friday of "artificially" boosting oil prices, drawing rebukes from some of the world's top energy exporters.</p>
<p>"Looks like OPEC is at it again. With record amounts of Oil all over the place, including the fully loaded ships at sea. Oil prices are artificially Very High! No good and will not be accepted!" Trump wrote on Twitter.</p>
<p>It was unclear what triggered the tweet, Trump's first mention of OPEC on social media during his term.</p>
<p>U.S. oil prices are near a three-year high, at close to $70 a barrel, and have been rising since OPEC and non-OPEC producers including Russia cut supply in January 2017 to end a global oil glut and price collapse.</p>
<p>Trump's tweet came shortly after officials from top oil exporter Saudi Arabia said they would like to see prices climb even higher and that they were still far from their goal of ending the supply glut.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-usa-trump-oil-opec/trumps-tweet-gatecrashes-opecs-celebration-idUSKBN1HR2OA" type="external">Trump's tweet gatecrashes OPEC's celebration</a>
<p>The cartel is expected to restrain supply through the end of this year, and possibly into 2019.</p>
<p>Three Saudi officials told Reuters this week they would be happy to see oil hit $80 or $100 a barrel. Higher prices drive up gasoline prices for motorists worldwide and rising energy costs feed inflation. But higher oil prices have also benefited the U.S. energy industry, feeding rapid growth in output from shale fields. U.S. oil output is at record levels.</p>
<p>Despite Trump's comments, oil benchmarks ended the day modestly higher, rebounding from early losses.</p>
<p>Several members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries responded to the tweet, saying prices were not artificially inflated.</p>
<p>Delegates at an OPEC/non-OPEC monitoring committee meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia said oil prices were higher partially because of global political tensions, mentioning sanctions on Venezuela, threats to the Iran nuclear agreement, strikes on Syria and saber-rattling over North Korea.</p>
<p>OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo said the output cut agreement halted the collapse in global oil prices, and is "on course to restore stability on a sustainable basis in the interest of producers, consumers and the global economy."</p>
<p>"We don't have any price objective in OPEC, and not in this joint endeavor with non-OPEC," Barkindo said on Friday, in response to Trump's tweet.</p>
<p>The group is next slated to meet in June to discuss output policy. Ministers from both Iraq and the United Arab Emirates also disagreed with Trump on Friday, with Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi saying prices are "not very high" and that the market is stabilizing.</p>
<p>Trump gave no details on what action his administration might take regarding oil or OPEC, and the White House did not respond to elaborate on the issue on the record.</p>
<p>"We have a difficult time seeing how OPEC would in any way be swayed here in terms of changing course, in terms of policy," said Michael Tran, commodity strategist at RBC.</p>
<p>OPEC's output fell in March to an 11-month low, according to a Reuters survey. The cartel has targeted the five-year average of inventories in 35 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries as a barometer for the deal's success.</p>
<p>As of mid-April, those inventories were 2.85 billion barrels, or 43 million more than the five-year average; a year ago, it was 268 million barrels above that benchmark.</p>
<p>This week, crude futures benchmarks Brent LCOc1 and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) CLc1 hit their highest since November 2014, with Brent touching $74.75 and U.S. crude $69.56 per barrel. [O/R]</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump departs the White House for a trip to Miami, Florida, in Washington D.C., U.S. April 16, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
<p>That has raised fuel costs, with average U.S. prices for gasoline hitting $2.75 a gallon on Wednesday, according to motorist advocacy group AAA, up more than 30 cents from a year earlier and at their highest since July 2015.</p>
<p>Trump is "just trying to relate to his base when it comes to the retail gasoline prices, so he's blaming OPEC for this," said Josh Graves, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago.</p>
<p>Beyond OPEC's supply management, crude prices have been supported by expectations that Washington will re-introduce sanctions on OPEC-member Iran, and might expand sanctions against Venezuela after that country's presidential election next month.</p>
<p>"If one concern about reinstating sanctions on Iranian oil is the impact that it could have on oil prices, then it could be a preemptive measure to blame OPEC instead," said Antoine Halff, senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.</p>
<p>Hedge funds and other speculators hold a record level of bullish bets on Brent, on expectations of further price rises.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>The U.S. government cannot legally influence oil prices other than through releasing oil from its strategic reserve which it does occasionally.</p>
<p>This year's budget agreement includes the sale of about 100 million barrels of crude oil - about 15 percent of the reserve - as U.S. oil production recently hit a record at more than 10 million barrels a day. That release is not related to high oil prices, and analysts said it signaled Washington was not concerned about the potential for future global shortages.</p>
<p>"Washington has fully given up this idea of scarcity. You don't get to the point of selling your strategic reserves to balance your budget if you think the world is short," said Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London and Stephanie Kelly, Ayenat Mersie and Scott DiSavino in New York, and Roberta Rampton in West Palm Beach, Florida; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Simon Webb and Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's ZTE Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=0763.HK" type="external">0763.HK</a>) ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=000063.SZ" type="external">000063.SZ</a>) said on Friday that a U.S. ban on selling parts and software to the company was unfair and threatens its survival, and the mobile phone and telecommunications equipment maker vowed to safeguard its interests through all legal means.</p> The logo of China's ZTE Corp is seen on a building in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China April 19, 2018. Picture taken April 19, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer
<p>The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, or BIS, this week banned American companies from selling to ZTE for seven years, saying the Chinese company had broken a settlement agreement with repeated false statements.</p>
<p>"It is unacceptable that BIS insists on unfairly imposing the most severe penalty on ZTE even before the completion of investigation of facts," ZTE said in its first response since the ban was announced.</p>
<p>"The denial order will not only severely impact the survival and development of ZTE, but will also cause damages to all partners of ZTE including a large number of U.S. companies," the statement said.</p>
<p>ZTE said it regards compliance as the cornerstone of its strategy, invested $50 million in export control compliance projects in 2017 and plans to invest more this year.</p>
<p>A senior U.S. Commerce Department official told Reuters earlier this week that it is unlikely to lift the ban.</p>
<p>"There is no provision currently for that to occur," the official said, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.</p>
<p>One U.S. attorney who declined to be named because the firm has clients with interests in the case described the ban as "a death sentence" for ZTE.</p>
<p>When sanctions reach this level, U.S. courts generally do not second guess a decision from the executive branch, said the attorney.</p>
<p>The Commerce Department has an appeals process for companies to try to get off the list, but it is unclear whether that would be available to ZTE because the case had been previously subject to a settlement, according to people familiar with the matter.</p> The inside of a ZTE smart phone is pictured in this illustration taken April 17, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/Illustration
<p>Even so, ZTE would have little recourse in the near term because appeals would have to be approved by the BIS, the same agency that issued the ban.</p>
<p>Companies must submit appeals to a committee that would issue a ruling within 30 days, according to the agency's website.</p>
<p>ZTE's best chance would be if U.S. companies choose to lobby the Trump administration to lift the ban to save their business with ZTE, said Adams Lee, an international trade attorney at Harris Bricken.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=0763.HK" type="external">ZTE Corp</a> 25.6 0763.HK Hong Kong Stock -- (--%) 0763.HK 000063.SZ BABA.N TRADE WAR
<p>The ban has escalated U.S.-China tensions after the two nations threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars in tariffs, fanning worries of a full-blown trade war.</p>
<p>In China, there has been a patriotic backlash with an outpouring of support for ZTE on social media and most domestic newspapers have chosen to put the lion's share of the blame for ZTE's troubles on the country's heavy reliance on foreign semiconductors.</p>
<p>ZTE chairman Yin Yimin told domestic media on Friday at its Shenzhen headquarters that the firm would increase research and development.</p>
<p>"Relying on oneself is better than relying on others," state media Xinhua quoted Yin as saying.</p>
<p>E-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BABA.N" type="external">BABA.N</a>) said on Friday it had acquired a Chinese chipmaker, underlining its commitment to driving chip-industry development.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the U.S. government is considering using an emergency law to restrict Chinese investments in sensitive U.S. technologies, a senior Treasury official said on Thursday.</p>
<p>Trade in ZTE shares has been suspended since Tuesday. As of Monday's close, they were worth some $19 billion.</p>
<p>Reporting by Anne Marie Roantree and Sijia Jiang in Hong Kong; additional reporting by Sheila Dang in New York; editing by Edwina Gibbs, Christopher Cushing, Jim Finkle and Cynthia Osterman</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | BRIEF-MetLife Intends To Merge Two Subsidiaries U.S. said to investigate AT&T, Verizon over wireless collusion claim: source SunTrust says ex-employee may have shared info on 1.5 million clients Trump rails against high oil prices, OPEC pushes back China's ZTE slams U.S. ban, says company's survival at risk | false | https://reuters.com/article/brief-metlife-intends-to-merge-two-subsi/brief-metlife-intends-to-merge-two-subsidiaries-idUSFWN1PB1BG | 2018-01-16 | 2 |
<p />
<p>Even though major corporations are sticking with the NFL through the scandal, some smaller businesses are cutting even marginal ties with the NFL and its players. Many of the players who knelt are feeling the backlash, including notable fan favorites like All-Pro linebacker Von Miller of the Denver Broncos.</p>
<p>After Miller took a knee this past Sunday, he lost plenty of shine off of his public image. He even lost an endorsement deal with a Denver-area car dealership, which pulled its ads featuring Miller from local television stations. Miller’s contract with the business is up for renewal, but the dealership has indicated they will likely cut ties with him over the incident.</p>
<p>As a result of his actions before the game, Phil Long dealership asked CBS4 and other television stations to stop airing their ads featuring Von Miller. The general manager of Phil Long Ford in Denver told CBS4’s Rick Sallinger that Miller has not been fired, but instead they are changing some advertising.</p>
<p>A full statement from Phil Long Dealerships is below.</p>
<p>Last season, for his protests, Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall lost sponsorship deals. Marshall knelt again Sunday before the game.</p>
<p>Marshall was later honored by Harvard for his stance on social injustice.</p>
<p>Phil Long Dealerships Statement:</p>
<p>We are evaluating the events of the weekend. It is important to state that we haven’t fired Von. We are in the middle of contract renewal and this weekend’s events remind us that sometimes we feel that we best represent ourselves. We support Von and his first amendment rights, we know Von and he’s a good person. He donated a police car to his hometown police dept. All that notwithstanding when we bring in celebrities to represent us we run the risk of being misrepresented.</p>
<p>We, like millions of Americans are concerned and will respond consistently with our values as a proud American company founded by a war hero (Phil Long). While we can’t control the actions of others we can be responsible for how we support our nation and community. That is why, years ago, our principal owner, Jay Cimino, founded the Mount Carmel Veteran’s Service center, and is supported by all Phil Long Dealerships. We support this cause not just with our words, but financially as well, and it is serving hundreds of veterans in need right here in Colorado. This would be a great time for our community to show support for our military community by supporting this cause or others that continue to serve them after they serve us. https://veteranscenter.org/</p>
<p>This is the first year Miler has participated in protests. Last year, his teammate, Brandon Marshall, knelt during the anthem. As a result, he lost several endorsement deals.</p>
<p>CenturyLink sent out a statement on Monday stating that the company respects Marshall’s decision not to stand during the national anthem but that “whatever issues we face, we also occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to our common bond as a nation.”</p>
<p>“In our view, the national anthem is one of those moments,” the statement reads.</p>
<p>On Friday, Air Force Credit Union announced they were ending their partnership with Marshall.</p>
<p>On Monday afternoon Marshall confirmed the news when speaking with reporters. He also told CBS4 he plans to continue to kneel during “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the start of Broncos games. Marshall said his action is a protest of injustice against African-Americans and other minorities in American society, and it follows the similar action of San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Marshall was a college teammate of Kaepernick’s at Nevada.</p>
<p>As the NFL boycott continues to take shape, we will likely begin to see more endorsement deals ending, as fans shift their focus from entire teams to the individual NFL player.</p> | NFL Players Who Protest the National Anthem Are Losing Their Endorsement Deals | true | http://silenceisconsent.net/nfl-players-protest-national-anthem-losing-endorsement-deals/ | 2018-03-04 | 0 |
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<p>"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Castillo told county commissioners after they adopted a resolution calling for the hike at their meeting Thursday.</p>
<p>But tears started welling in the eyes of the single mother of two when she found out the increase was only for 1.5 percent, not the 4.5 percent union representatives had hoped for.</p>
<p>"We haven't seen a pay raise for two years," she said. "We're overworked and underpaid. I have to rotate my bills and was at the Roadrunner Food Bank yesterday to get a food box just to get a little bit of the necessities."</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The commission, in approving the fiscal 2016 budget, authorized a 1.5 percent pay increase for all administrative employees who earn $50,000 or less annually.</p>
<p>"We can only do what's in the budget," said District 4 Commissioner Glenn Walters.</p>
<p>But union officials said the commission needs to do more.</p>
<p>"We have the second-highest paid county manager in the state of New Mexico," said David Griffith, president of New Mexico Coalition of Public Safety Officers.</p>
<p>He added that Sandoval County detention workers are some of "the lowest paid" employees in the region.</p>
<p>County documents show County Manager Phillip Rios' annual salary is $143,000. The same position in Santa Fe and Bernalillo counties is paid $176,000 and $175,000, respectively.</p>
<p>In regard to detention workers' salaries, Griffith said those employees start at $13.23 per hour, or about $27,500 annually. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty threshold for a family of four is $24,230.</p>
<p>Detention officer Scott Fitzwater said there's a high turnover rate among officers due to long hours and low pay for an often dangerous job. He said he and his coworkers regularly work eight- to 16-hour shifts.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>While Griffith said the 4.5 percent hike was negotiated in 2012, the commission's Dec. 10 vote finalizes the issue for the fiscal year at hand. The increase goes into effect Dec. 19.</p>
<p>Magistrate move delayed</p>
<p>Plans to move the magistrate court in the county were put on hold for now.</p>
<p>A request to adopt an ordinance authorizing a loan agreement for up to $8 million to finance construction of the court facility was removed from the Dec. 9 agenda.</p>
<p>Rios said the necessary ordinance's wording is being finalized and it will be presented to the commission in the future.</p>
<p>Landfill fees</p>
<p>In a unanimous vote commissioners approved a measure to keep the current landfill use rate of $4.75 the same for Sandoval County non-commercial residential users, raise it to $5.75 for non-residential, non-commercial customers and give the Public Works Department the authority to negotiate the rates on commercial contracts.</p>
<p>Before approving the action, Walters introduced the amendment to keep the residential rate at $4.75. If that fee had been raised by 50 cents under an earlier proposal, the residential fees would have generated an increase of $12,000.</p>
<p>"If it's only going to be $12,000 for the rest of the year we need to analyze that a little bit more," Walters said. "But, I think we're headed in the right direction."</p>
<p>County officials said the current rate changes for all users will be posted on the county website at <a href="http://www.sandovalcounty.com" type="external">sandovalcounty.com</a>.</p>
<p /> | Sandoval County should do more on pay increase, detention officers say | false | https://abqjournal.com/690301/sandoval-county-meeting-it.html | 2 |
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<p>Aug. 17 (UPI) — Twin Peaks and The Mindy Project alum Joy Nash has signed on to star in AMC’s adaptation of Sarai Walker’s 2015 novel, Dietland.</p>
<p>“Nash plays Plum Kettle, obese all her life and preparing for lap band surgery when her world is upturned by two rival feminist factions,” explained a synopsis from the cable network. “Caught between old ideas and radical new extremes, Plum must decide for herself what it means to be a revolutionary as the ‘war of the sexes’ becomes literal.”</p>
<p>Marti Noxon will be the beauty-industry drama’s executive producer, writer and showrunner. She will also direct multiple episodes of the co-production between AMC Studios and Skydance Television.</p>
<p>The 10-episode, first season is scheduled to debut in 2018.</p>
<p>“Joy is everything I hoped we’d find in our leading woman — beautiful, smart and blazing with talent,” said Noxon in a statement. “When she auditioned the whole room was electrified. I can’t wait for the world to meet her Plum.”</p> | Joy Nash to play Plum Kettle in AMC's 'Dietland' | false | https://newsline.com/joy-nash-to-play-plum-kettle-in-amcs-dietland/ | 2017-08-17 | 1 |
<p>In Tuesday's GOP presidential primary debate, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio battled it out over immigration. Rubio, who continues to be weighed down by his participation in the so-called " <a href="http://icirr.org/content/details-senate-gang-eight-immigration-reform-proposal" type="external">Gang of Eight</a>" immigration reform deal, <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/12/16/do-not-intend-how-three-words-from-cruz-on-illegal-immigration-set-off-conservative-alarm-bells/" type="external">swiped Cruz</a> for what he said was his hypocritical support of legalization for some already illegally in the country.</p>
<p>Rubio accused Cruz of supporting a 500% increase in the number of H1b guest worker visas as well as doubling the number of green cards. At the end of sparring match, Rubio tried to put Cruz on the spot over whether he will support any form of legalization, saying, "Just rule it out."</p>
<p>"I have never supported legalization, and I do not intend to support legalization," said Cruz, who has generally been the one on the offensive on immigration out of the two.</p>
<p>Rubio, who has been hard to trying to do damage control on the issue over the months, explained during the debate that he supported offering green cards to some illegal immigrants after an appropriate probationary period.</p>
<p>Several conservatives suggested online that Cruz's "slippery" response that he does not "intend" to support legalization provided him a convenient way out in the future:</p>
<p>"Do not intend" from Cruz was very weak language.</p>
<p>"I do not intend to favor legalization." Cruz slippery here. He did propose it. On camera. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash" type="external">#GOPDebate</a></p>
<p>The real question is will Cruz's conservative base interpret this as deliberate equivocation or just poorly chosen phrasing?</p>
<p>H/t <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/12/16/do-not-intend-how-three-words-from-cruz-on-illegal-immigration-set-off-conservative-alarm-bells/" type="external">The Blaze</a>.</p> | Did Cruz Just Blow Himself Up with His Base on Immigration? | true | https://dailywire.com/news/1906/did-cruz-just-blow-himself-his-base-immigration-james-barrett | 2015-12-16 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Not long ago, he represented R.J. Reynolds on the front lines of its war against proposed smoking restrictions and taxes on tobacco products. Today he insists his name not be used, given all the threats he has received for championing the cause of the tobacco giant. Besides, he says, he signed a confidentiality statement.</p>
<p>Secrecy aside, his mission, he says, was to help assemble the nation of smokers into something that would pass for a grassroots movement capable of fending off regulation, excise taxes, and any other threat to RJR’s bottom line. A “field coordinator,” he was one of some two dozen assigned to hold the line in their respective regions of the country.</p>
<p>Each region, in fact, had a genuine popular uprising made up of legislators, physicians, consumers, parents–all decrying the death and disease wrought by cigarettes. RJR’s response, far from merely providing information to a voluntary movement of smokers’ rights advocates, sounds more like conscription. Sometimes he had to contact hundreds of smokers to field a ragtag army of 20 or 30 people for a smokers’ rights meeting. He likens it to the old Marxist practice of party-building, one cell at a time.</p>
<p>“You try not to ever let your link be known,” he says. “If your name never pops up in the paper, you’re doing your job.” The more the smokers’ rights movement could be presented as a spontaneous grassroots movement independent of the tobacco industry and its obvious vested economic interests, the greater the movement’s credibility and chances for success. For this, RJR paid him handsomely–more than $60,000 a year plus hefty bonuses. Not bad for part-time work.</p>
<p>But when he fought anti-tobacco measures directly, outright legislative victories were few and far between. Often he had to settle for delaying the opposition, putting up roadblocks in what seemed the inexorable advance of the forces arrayed against those who manufacture, sell, and use cigarettes.</p>
<p /> | Fakin’ It | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/1996/05/fakin-it/ | 2018-05-01 | 4 |
<p><a href="" type="internal" />The <a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20121130-strauss-kahn-diallo-settle-court-sex-case-new-york" type="external">French press</a> is reporting that the former IMF chief will be settling out of court with Nafissitou Diallo, the NYC based hotel maid who has pursued a case against him for sexual assault, if she drops the civil suit–to the tune of 6 million.</p>
<p>“Details of the deal, which comes after prosecutors dropped related criminal charges last year, weren’t immediately known and likely will be veiled by a confidentiality agreement. That could prevent the two from speaking publicly about a May 2011 encounter that she called a brutally sudden attack and he termed a consensual “moral failing.”</p>
<p>Lawyers for Strauss-Kahn and the housekeeper, Nafissatou Diallo, made the as-yet-unsigned agreement within recent days, with Bronx Supreme Court Justice Douglas McKeon facilitating that and a separate agreement to end another lawsuit Diallo filed against the New York Post, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private agreement. A court date is expected next week, though the day wasn’t set, the person said.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="external">via the AP</a></p>
<p>As we know, Diallo has <a href="" type="internal">&#160;had an uphill battle</a>&#160;when the initial charges were dismissed&#160;when&#160;prosecutors, “ <a href="http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2011/07/01/there-are-no-perfect-accusers/" type="external">received information</a>&#160;about Diallo’s past which resulted in a&#160; <a href="http://www.newser.com/story/122478/dominique-strauss-kahns-accuser-was-a-prostitute-says-new-york-post.html" type="external">media shitstorm</a>&#160; <a href="" type="internal">of victim-blaming</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="" type="internal">blatant misinformation</a>&#160;about her and the report itself,” as Vanessa put it.</p>
<p>Jorge Rivas has more at <a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/08/judge_dismisses_sexual_assault_charges_against_strauss-kahn.html" type="external">Colorlines.</a></p> | Breaking: Dominique Strauss-Kahn to settle out of court with Nafissitou Diallo | true | http://feministing.com/2012/11/30/breaking-dominique-strauss-kahn-to-settle-out-of-court-with-diallo/ | 4 |
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<p>FRISCO, Texas (Valley News Live) -- Bryan Shepherd is just a few years removed from being a player on the Bison team and now he's on the other side as a coach.</p>
<p>Valley News Live Sports Director Beth Hoole catches up with the first year coach to see his contributions to the Bison.</p> | Road to Frisco: Shepherd's impact on the corners | false | http://valleynewslive.com/content/sports/Road-to-Frisco-Shepherds-impact-on-the-corners-468204343.html | 2018-10-05 | 1 |
<p>Rep. Stephen Alford speaking at a weekend legislative coffee session with constituents.</p>
<p>Living in a completely red state like Kansas leaves one in a state of constant nervousness when a particularly idiotic politician blurts out something racist like “the character and makeup–their genetics and that” in reference to why marijuana was made illegal in the 1930’s. Stephen Alford, a Kansas representative from Ulysses, a farmer, made this comment to elderly-man-whitesplain how these negros just can’t handle the marijuana. One sees the comment, and you are saying to yourself “please don’t be from Kansas, please don’t be from Kansas…… “Oh shit. He’s of course from Kansas. The state of my birth , Missouri, gives us guys who say things like women can shut down pregnancies in the event of rape (we can also cause crop failure, and sometimes you need to swim witches to make sure this isn’t going on). And next door to Missouri, here in Kansas, this flaming dotard made this comment to an obliging group which didn’t even let out audible sighs (or screams) when he uttered it.</p>
<p>Who is this Stephen Alford? Well, one can access the <a href="https://farm.ewg.org" type="external">EWG Farm Subsidy Database</a> and insert that farmer/representative’s name and……well, I”ll be! $1,253,427.28 were received as subsidies to that fellow over the time period of ‘95-’16. I wonder what he did with all that government largesse? I’m relieved that as a white elderly man who knows the evils of weed—that he didn’t partake in that vice with that money from the US taxpayer. If he’s like a whole lot of other white dudes in his demographic……. maybe he indulged in some hillbilly heroin–that vice mired in white tragedy, disproportionately hitting the melanin-lacking community. Or perhaps he used it to indulge in some good old American gun-nuttery. If black individuals can’t handle the availability of legal weed, perhaps the demographic Mr. Alford finds himself in shouldn’t be allowed near guns/bullets, female co-workers…..? These guys seem to have some issues with things like, oh, you know, mass shootings and harassment. Of course, Alford wasn’t citing anything besides 1930’s racists who everyone knows aren’t a good source for anything but ambrosia recipes.</p>
<p>It’s perhaps not so astounding that a white farmer from SW Kansas–an area with perhaps some Hispanic individuals, but probably no black voters, would hold antiquated views, but the fact that there is this smarmy let me explain how the world works to you coming from a guy with his hand in the government till in so many ways…..it’s obscene. The lack of empathy is seen as a weakness in many of these red areas. That’s why buffoons like this get elected. They talk tough about “The Other”. The notion of mutual aid falls on deaf ears, but they are always the exception in times of their own personal need. It’s Ayn Rand on Medicare + steroids. And as if it’s not enough to lack empathy, there’s a general revulsion towards gaining knowledge over the lifetime. These men spring from the womb already knowing all they need to know–that they are, and have been, the recipients of a privilege. It permeates everything about them. It’s a privilege that allows them to denigrate huge swaths of the population who have suffered untold affronts to their humanity. All the while doing this in a state of perpetual ignorance, benefiting from the specific aid their kind put in place to cushion lives like their own.</p>
<p>In a strangely related issue–I’m always confused how in the tech world, it is assumed that your phone will be improved each year, your computer will process more items and quicker–but there is no expectation that we will see similar improvement in the lives of our citizens. No path of progress. We have a sterile technological ability to improve devices, but an improvement in alleviating the suffering of others is considered to be impossible. We’ve seen productivity soar and wages stagnate or diminish. The stories perpetuated even on the so called liberal media, celebrate Dickensian “success” stories–kids who escaped poverty by a magical blend of smarts, and luck. The narrative is never one that questions the very design of a society that allows for childhood poverty, homelessness, medical bankruptcies or even death from not being able to afford life saving items like insulin. We all have Star Trek type devices in our hands, but these problems continue to spiral out of control because we haven’t as a society looked at anything more sublime, more beautiful than a linear pursuit of wealth, consumerism and often simple survival for those in the lowest socioeconomic status.</p>
<p>I watched a documentary about a young man, James Freeman–he was intent on suicide if he couldn’t heal himself from the ravages of upper middle class expectations and depression. He went to another country and immersed himself in traditions otherworldly in comparison to his upbringing. It was a fascinating story, but what left me in awe was his emergence at the end when he said he now “looks at the world and doesn’t see matter devoid of spirit”–he sees life in everything, “and an intelligence through the cosmos greater than humans can comprehend.”Compare that thought with,…..ahem, them negros can’s handle the MJ. What kind of thoughts do we need to be having as a society to propel us towards something other than misery and low level pettiness? Our well being, micro and macro depend on a shift.</p>
<p>The Stephen Alfords of the world need to be discarded to the subsidized grain bins of history. The future, if there is one, can not be led by idiots who achieve a status– not through merit, skill or an abiding concern for others. And we should have legalized marijuana, of course.</p> | Welfare Cowboys and Weed | true | https://counterpunch.org/2018/01/11/welfare-cowboys-and-weed/ | 2018-01-11 | 4 |
<p>MILWAUKEE (AP) — A former Milwaukee police officer who was acquitted last year in a fatal shooting that sparked two nights of riots pleaded guilty Thursday to soliciting prostitution in an unrelated sexual assault case that could have sent him to prison for decades.</p>
<p>Under the deal with Dominique Heaggan-Brown, prosecutors dropped the most serious charges of second-degree sexual assault — felonies that by themselves carried decades-long maximum prison sentences if convicted. He pleaded guilty to three counts of soliciting prostitution and two counts of obtaining someone’s image without their consent and he pleaded no contest to one count of false imprisonment.</p>
<p>He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 20.</p>
<p>A trial was scheduled next month and the plea agreement means the victims won’t have to testify in open court, said Erin Michelle Karshen, a Milwaukee assistant district attorney. She said the victims were OK with the plea deal.</p>
<p>“These amendments save those victims from being publicly identified and most importantly from having to testify in a public courtroom but still provides what the state believes is an adequate prison exposure,” she said.</p>
<p>Heaggan-Brown, 26, was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit with chains around his waist and feet and appeared relaxed throughout the proceedings. He spoke little besides answering the judge’s questions about whether he understood the agreement. He said no one was forcing him to plead guilty.</p>
<p>In June, a jury acquitted Heaggan-Brown for killing 23-year-old Sylville Smith after a brief foot chase on Aug. 13, 2016. Smith was armed, but prosecutors who charged Heaggan-Brown with first-degree reckless homicide argued the officer was unjustified in using deadly force because Smith was throwing his gun over a fence.</p>
<p>Heaggan-Brown’s attorneys, however, said their client made a split-second decision to defend himself. Smith was black, as is Heaggan-Brown. The shooting in the predominantly African-American neighborhood where it happened stirred the long-held distrust in police by minorities in the city.</p>
<p>Police stood by Heaggan-Brown’s decision to shoot Smith, but Chief Edward Flynn fired him when the sexual assault allegations surfaced.</p>
<p>One of the sexual assault charges stemmed from an incident that happened one day after Smith’s shooting. The victim told police Heaggan-Brown assaulted him after a night of drinking at a bar where they watched coverage of the ongoing riots.</p>
<p>Using photographs and other data from the officer’s cellphone, prosecutors determined Heaggan-Brown sexually assaulted another unconscious victim in July 2016. Prosecutors say Heaggan-Brown also photographed that victim naked without the person’s consent.</p>
<p>Data from the cellphone also led prosecutors to charge Heaggan-Brown with soliciting prostitutes.</p>
<p>MILWAUKEE (AP) — A former Milwaukee police officer who was acquitted last year in a fatal shooting that sparked two nights of riots pleaded guilty Thursday to soliciting prostitution in an unrelated sexual assault case that could have sent him to prison for decades.</p>
<p>Under the deal with Dominique Heaggan-Brown, prosecutors dropped the most serious charges of second-degree sexual assault — felonies that by themselves carried decades-long maximum prison sentences if convicted. He pleaded guilty to three counts of soliciting prostitution and two counts of obtaining someone’s image without their consent and he pleaded no contest to one count of false imprisonment.</p>
<p>He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 20.</p>
<p>A trial was scheduled next month and the plea agreement means the victims won’t have to testify in open court, said Erin Michelle Karshen, a Milwaukee assistant district attorney. She said the victims were OK with the plea deal.</p>
<p>“These amendments save those victims from being publicly identified and most importantly from having to testify in a public courtroom but still provides what the state believes is an adequate prison exposure,” she said.</p>
<p>Heaggan-Brown, 26, was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit with chains around his waist and feet and appeared relaxed throughout the proceedings. He spoke little besides answering the judge’s questions about whether he understood the agreement. He said no one was forcing him to plead guilty.</p>
<p>In June, a jury acquitted Heaggan-Brown for killing 23-year-old Sylville Smith after a brief foot chase on Aug. 13, 2016. Smith was armed, but prosecutors who charged Heaggan-Brown with first-degree reckless homicide argued the officer was unjustified in using deadly force because Smith was throwing his gun over a fence.</p>
<p>Heaggan-Brown’s attorneys, however, said their client made a split-second decision to defend himself. Smith was black, as is Heaggan-Brown. The shooting in the predominantly African-American neighborhood where it happened stirred the long-held distrust in police by minorities in the city.</p>
<p>Police stood by Heaggan-Brown’s decision to shoot Smith, but Chief Edward Flynn fired him when the sexual assault allegations surfaced.</p>
<p>One of the sexual assault charges stemmed from an incident that happened one day after Smith’s shooting. The victim told police Heaggan-Brown assaulted him after a night of drinking at a bar where they watched coverage of the ongoing riots.</p>
<p>Using photographs and other data from the officer’s cellphone, prosecutors determined Heaggan-Brown sexually assaulted another unconscious victim in July 2016. Prosecutors say Heaggan-Brown also photographed that victim naked without the person’s consent.</p>
<p>Data from the cellphone also led prosecutors to charge Heaggan-Brown with soliciting prostitutes.</p> | Ex-Milwaukee cop pleads guilty to soliciting prostitution | false | https://apnews.com/83c27659f8d94bc4ab48dc2f077a3f2a | 2018-01-18 | 2 |
<p>A California sheriff’s deputy is feeling the sting of humiliation after he attempted to shoot a fenced-in dog, but failed, succeeding only in shooting himself.</p>
<p>The deputy was rushed to the hospital after his failed attempt to execute an innocent dog.</p>
<p>The deputy, who works with the Riverside County Court Services Division, was reportedly serving an eviction notice at a Riverside home on Wednesday at around 2p.m. when a “ <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/04/16/sheriffs-deputy-hospitalized-after-accidentally-shooting-himself-in-leg/" type="external">large dog</a>” approached him.</p>
<p><a href="http://filmingcops.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/largedog.jpg" type="external">&lt;img class="size-full wp-image-2327 visible animated" src="https://filmingcops.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/largedog.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px" alt="Children relieved their friendly dog wasn't killed." width="620" height="329" /&gt;</a></p>
<p>Children relieved their friendly dog wasn’t killed.</p>
<p>Police say the pit bull, who can be seen in footage shot by&#160; <a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Sheriffs-Deputy-Accidentally-Shoots-Himself/255584201" type="external">Los Angeles NBC affiliate KNBC</a>&#160;being playful and friendly with several children, attacked the officer, forcing him to draw his weapon.</p>
<p>“A large pit bull breed dog attacked the deputy,” an investigator told KNBC.</p>
<p>“In defense of himself, he fired one round at the dog and inadvertently struck himself in the leg.”</p>
<p>The dog’s owner, Jorge Rodriguez, says his dog never attacked.</p>
<p>The officer got scared and unfortunately pulled his gun and he shot himself,” Rodriguez says.</p>
<p>“He was in pain, man, I feel sorry for the officer.”</p>
<p>The officer sustained non-life threatening injuries and is being treated at the Riverside Community hospital.</p>
<p>Reports say the Department of Animal Services won’t take action against the dog as she was legally within a fenced enclosure.</p>
<p>No word on whether the officer will be investigated for&#160; <a href="http://blog.ctnews.com/connecticutpostings/2014/02/11/bridgeport-cop-arrested/" type="external">mishandling his firearm</a>.</p> | Cop Tries to Shoot Dog, Ends Up Shooting Himself | false | https://studionewsnetwork.com/police-news/cop-tries-shoot-dog-ends-shooting/ | 2017-12-11 | 3 |
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<p>U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware said Thursday that he doesn’t expect to issue a restraining order that Democrats sought ahead of Tuesday’s election.</p>
<p>But Boulware said he won’t issue a final ruling until a hearing Friday afternoon about whether another defendant, Roger Stone Jr., and his group called “Stop the Steal” are encouraging what Democrats call “vigilante voter intimidation.”</p>
<p>Similar claims have been made in lawsuits filed in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arizona.</p>
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<p>At a four-hour proceeding in Phoenix on Thursday, Stone’s attorney said Democrats have not produced evidence that his client or “Stop the Steal” is intimidating voters.</p>
<p>“My client is engaging in legal First Amendment speech,” attorney Paul Jensen told U.S. District Judge John Tuchi.</p>
<p>The Democrats allege that Trump’s calls to supporters to show up at the polls to prevent voter fraud is a call to illegal intimidation tactics. They say Stone is organizing volunteer poll watchers to confront voters.</p>
<p>The chairman of the Arizona Republican Party testified that the party helped train certified poll watchers and told them to avoid confronting voters inside polling locations and not to intimidate voters. Chairman Robert Graham acknowledged that they are encouraged to follow those they suspect of illegally dropping off multiple ballots out of the polling place to photograph them.</p>
<p>The attorney for Arizona Democrats, Mike Gottlieb, urged Tuchi to issue an injunction blocking what he called illegal tactics.</p>
<p>“This is an election unlike any other where the candidate has gone around the country and implored his supporters to engage in aggressive poll watching,” Gottlieb said.</p>
<p>But lawyers for Trump and the state GOP said there’s no reason for what Tuchi himself called “pretty extraordinary relief.”</p>
<p>“The law doesn’t really allow for an injunction based on their mere speculation that someone may hear something somewhere and come to a state and harass voters,” Trump attorney Tim La Sota said.</p>
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<p>Boulware’s comments came after Nevada’s top Trump election-day operations chief testified that on Thursday morning he sent emails to the more than 100 people he had trained as poll-watchers about rules they have to follow if they challenge a voter’s eligibility.</p>
<p>The judge acknowledged that Trump campaign official Jesse Law’s emailed instructions essentially pre-empted the remedy he would have considered if he found evidence of intentional omissions in training for poll-watchers.</p>
<p>“There doesn’t seem to be a basis at this point to issue a temporary restraining order,” Boulware told attorneys for the state Democratic party and a lawyer representing both the Nevada Republican Party and the Trump campaign.</p>
<p>He also told attorneys for the Democratic and Republican parties that he wasn’t convinced there was a firm link between Trump and Stone or between the campaign and the state party.</p>
<p>But in a nod to what the judge called “unique and special enthusiasm in this election,” he said he’ll keep time open Tuesday to hear any reports that might emerge about voter harassment at the polls.</p>
<p>The lawsuits target state Republican parties, Trump’s campaign, Stone and “Stop the Steal,” which is organizing what it calls “citizen journalists” and “poll watchers.”</p>
<p>The Trump campaign says the lawsuits are long on rhetoric and short on substance and designed to distract from Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s troubles.</p>
<p>The lawsuits cite provisions of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that prohibit intimidating or threatening voters.</p>
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<p>Ritter reported from Las Vegas.</p> | Judge: No evidence of voter intimidation from Trump workers | false | https://abqjournal.com/882201/judge-no-evidence-of-voter-intimidation-from-trump-workers.html | 2 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />It's no secret that <a href="" type="internal">Jeb Bush is going to run for president</a> in 2016. The fact that this is looking more and more like a reality never ceases to amaze me. Not because he's running, but because he's just another "Mitt Romney" candidate for the Republican party. What I mean by that is that the GOP knows that the rest of the field is going to be comprised of nothing but unelectable right-wing radicals, so they're rushing toward the "only electable" candidate they can find.</p>
<p>That's the exact same no-win situation they put themselves in during the lead-up to the 2012 election.</p>
<p>We all know the last twelve years a Bush occupied the White House didn't work out so well for the country as a whole, so Jeb has already got that working against him.&#160;But more specifically&#160;it's the legacy left by his brother, George W. Bush, that's really going to <a href="" type="internal">cast a huge shadow over his campaign</a>.</p>
<p>And rightfully so. They're&#160;family, so it's completely reasonable for millions of Americans to worry that he might make some of the <a href="" type="internal">same mistakes his brother made</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>The problem is,&#160;Jeb doesn't want to "talk about the past." No, seriously, <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-wars-afghanistan-iraq" type="external">that's apparently the position he's trying to take</a> to avoid being linked to the disaster that was his brother's presidency.</p>
<p>"I won't talk about the past," Bush said. "I'll talk about the future. If I'm in the process of considering the possibility of running, it's not about re-litigating anything in the past. It's about trying to create a set of ideas and principles that will help us move forward."</p>
<p>Sorry, but that's never going to happen. A part of him running for president is going to be linked to his brother's presidency - period. If he doesn't want to talk about that, then he shouldn't run. Taking the coward's way out by spouting some ridiculous "let's not talk about the past" line is pathetic. That's a cop-out, pure and simple.</p>
<p>But the hypocrisy shown here by Jeb is glaring. The only reason why he's even considered a front-runner for the GOP nomination is because of his last name. But that's also the same last name, and family legacy, he's apparently going to attempt to pretend doesn't have any impact on who he would be as president.</p>
<p>He can't have it both ways. He can't be put into a position to be a leading candidate for president because of his last name, then try to run away <a href="" type="internal">from all of the baggage that comes along with it</a>. If he doesn't want to answer questions about his brother, or his family legacy in general, then he shouldn't run for president.</p>
<p>It's really that simple.</p>
<p>But if this is the strategy he's planning to try to use going forward while hoping to avoid being linked to his brother, he's in for a rude awakening. All that's going to do is make him look as if he's admitting that his brother was a failure, that he's trying to hide something and that he's too spineless to stand up for his own family.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal">If Liberals Don't Wake Up, We're Going to Have Another Bush in the White House</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Jeb Bush Absolutely Embarrasses Himself During First Foreign Policy Speech</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Jeb Bush Just Criticized President Obama - For Being Too Intelligent</a></p>
<p>0 Facebook comments</p> | Jeb Bush Takes Cowardly Stance in Desperate Attempt to Distance Himself From His Brother | true | http://forwardprogressives.com/jeb-bush-takes-cowardly-stance-desperate-attempt-distance-brother/ | 2015-02-15 | 4 |
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<p>Kellogg Company (NYSE:K) announced Thursday its current CEO is stepping down and has unanimously elected the president and CEO of Nature’s Bounty, Steven A. Cahillane, to take the helm at the package food giant.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The new transition will be effective early next month after the current CEO John A. Bryant announced his plans to retire. Bryant, who spent 20 years with Kellogg’s, will continue to serve as executive chairman of the board until March 15, 2018.</p>
<p>Cahillane has lead Nature’s Bounty, a specialty retailer of health and wellness products since 2014, and has been very successfully in aligning the company with key health and wellness trends as well as establishing a thriving e-commerce division, which is something Kellogg’s needs.</p>
<p>The food giant, like most of its peers (General Mills), has seen lower sales, especially in North America, as consumers’ demand for packaged foods is leading to lower volumes.</p>
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<p>Last quarter, the company’s sales fell 2% but despite that, Kellogg’s has managed to improve its profitability thanks to its restructuring initiatives aimed at reducing costs.</p>
<p>Prior to Nature’s Bounty, Cahillane also spent seven years with The Coca-Cola Co., (NYSE:KO) and eight years with AB InBev (NYSE:BUD), the world’s largest brewing company. At Coca-Cola, he most recently served as president of Coca-Cola Americas where he significantly improved performance, achieving record revenues and delivering consistent market share gains, the company said.</p> | Kellogg taps vitamin executive as next CEO | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/28/kellogg-taps-vitamin-executive-as-next-ceo.html | 2017-09-28 | 0 |
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<p>“Lango is like emoji on steroids,” says Lango US Vice President Jen Grenz, when describing the Israeli-based company’s new app.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>With the launch this Tuesday of its reimagined app, Grenz says the company hopes to reinvent the picture-based text message as we know it.</p>
<p>“There’s only one image per message,” says Grenz, and unlike traditional emoji, in which users need to scroll through pages of images to select the right one, Lango automatically recommends an image for you, based on the information in your text.</p>
<p>Lango also offers branded images, like Paul Frank monkeys, My Little Pony characters and NFL-themed drawings, going beyond the range of many other texting apps.</p>
<p>Grenz stresses the “unique, funny, ironic” editorial voice of the images; each day, the app’s design team will publish new, ripped-from-the-headlines designs, she says.</p>
<p>“The app is a little more high-brow and mature” compared to other text apps that focus on adding images, says Grenz. “It’s for someone who cares about social headlines,” she adds.</p>
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<p>The re-launched app is also kicking off the company’s name change; Grenz says she was instrumental in getting the company’s Tel Aviv-based executive team to take the “Z” off the harder-to-pronounce Zlango. Previously, the Lango platform was used for a white-label app in Asia directed at phone operators.</p>
<p>Lango has secured three rounds of funding worth approximately $25 million total, says Grenz.</p>
<p>“Long term [strategically thinking], brands could possibly bid on words,” so that the selected emoticon represents a company and/or brand, says Grenz, with regard to how Lango plans to monetize the app down the road.</p> | A Texting App Markets Itself as ‘Emoji on Steroids’ | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2013/03/15/texting-app-markets-itself-as-emoji-on-steroids.html | 2016-03-22 | 0 |
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<p>Specifically, the proposed legislation would bar nonunion employees in both the private and public sectors from having to pay union fees as a condition of their employment. Such fees can currently be mandated in workplaces covered by collective bargaining agreements.</p>
<p>The bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Dennis Roch, R-Logan, said the measure would spur economic development by making the state more desirable to businesses.</p>
<p>He also said the bill is not aimed primarily at weakening labor unions, a charge that opponents have levied.</p>
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<p>“The choice needs to be in the hands of the worker, not the union,” Roch said Tuesday. “The goal is to create a climate that helps to engender job creation.”</p>
<p>Union leaders and top-ranking Democratic legislators have vowed to fight right-to-work legislation during the coming 60-day legislative session, which starts Jan. 20.</p>
<p>Carter Bundy, political and legislative director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union in New Mexico, has disputed the suggestion that New Mexico’s lack of a right-to-work law has hampered the state’s attempts to lure out-of-state corporations, such as Tesla Motors.</p>
<p>“This is just an attempt by out-of-state corporate billionaires to tell New Mexicans how to run their state,” Bundy told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a separate right-to-work bill that would affect only private-sector workers has been pre-filed in the Senate. That measure’s sponsor, Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, has also proposed legislation that would end state government’s practice of deducting union dues, or fees, from employee paychecks on behalf of unions.</p>
<p>The renewed push for right-to-work legislation was prompted by a GOP takeover of the House for the first time in 60 years. Right-to-work proposals have faltered in the Legislature in recent years, and approved legislation was vetoed in 1979 and 1981.</p>
<p>Based on the November general election results, Republicans now hold a 37-33 majority in the chamber. However, Democrats still hold an advantage in the Senate, and top-ranking Democratic senators have voiced opposition to right-to-work legislation.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez, who just began her second term in office, has voiced support for such legislation, though she did not make it a key part of her first-term legislative agenda.</p>
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<p /> | Right-to-work bills front and center in session | false | https://abqjournal.com/522289/righttowork-bills-front-and-center-in-session.html | 2 |
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<p>WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are considering a trigger that would automatically increase taxes if their sweeping legislation fails to generate as much revenue as they expect. It’s an effort to mollify deficit hawks who worry that tax cuts for businesses and individuals will add to the nation’s already mounting debt.</p>
<p>The effort comes as a second Republican senator, Steve Daines of Montana, announced Monday that he opposes the tax bill in its current form. Previously, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he opposed the bill, leaving Senate Republicans no room for error as they hope to vote on the bill this week.</p>
<p>Both senators complained that the tax bill favors large corporations over small businesses. Republicans have only two votes to spare in the Senate, where they hold a 52-48 edge and anticipate Vice President Mike Pence breaking a tie.</p>
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<p>At the White House, President Donald Trump maintained that the bill would help all Americans.</p>
<p>“I think it’s going to benefit everybody,” the president said. “It’s going to mostly benefit people looking for jobs more than anything else, because we’re giving great incentives.”</p>
<p>Senate Republicans indicated that they still had a way to go to secure the votes.</p>
<p>“We’re making progress, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. But we’re not there yet,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. Pressed on timing, he said the expectation is a vote this week.</p>
<p>A new congressional estimate says the Senate tax bill would add $1.4 trillion to the budget deficit over the next decade. But GOP leaders dispute the estimate, saying tax cuts will spur economic growth, reducing the hit on the deficit.</p>
<p>Many economists disagree with such optimistic projections. The trigger would be a way for senators to test their economic assumptions, with real consequences if they are wrong.</p>
<p>“Do we have realistic numbers and is there a backstop in the process just in case we don’t?” asked Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.</p>
<p>“We should build in the ‘What if?’ What if this doesn’t work?” Lankford said. “What changes might be needed in the tax code in the days ahead to be able to adjust in what scenario?”</p>
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<p>Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the Trump administration and Senate Republican leaders are open to some kind of a trigger to increase revenues if the tax plan falls short.</p>
<p>Neither Corker nor Lankford spelled out exactly how the trigger would work, noting that senators are still working on the proposal. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said the trigger is possible. But, he added, the proposal could run afoul of the Senate’s byzantine budget rules.</p>
<p>Trump and Senate Republicans scrambled Monday to make changes to the bill in an effort to win over holdout GOP senators and pass a tax package by the end of the year. Corker said he spoke to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and economic adviser Gary Cohn throughout the weekend, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was at his Senate office on Monday.</p>
<p>“Very possible,” Corker said when asked if he might vote “no” in the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday if the revenue issue isn’t settled. “It’s important for me to know we’ve got this resolved,” he said.</p>
<p>Johnson told Wisconsin reporters on Monday, “If we develop a fix prior to committee, I’ll probably support it, but if we don’t I’ll vote against it.”</p>
<p>Trump and Senate leaders are trying to balance competing demands. While some senators fear the package’s debt consequences, others want more generous tax breaks for businesses. In a boost for the legislation, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he would back the measure.</p>
<p>Trump hosted Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee at the White House on Monday. GOP leaders were still trying to round up the votes in the Senate to pass the bill.</p>
<p>Whatever the Senate passes must be reconciled with the House version of the tax bill.</p>
<p>Trump suggested he is open to making unspecified changes to the way millions of “pass-through” businesses are taxed, a sticking point for some lawmakers. These are businesses in which profits are passed onto the owners, who report the income on their individual tax returns. The vast majority of U.S. businesses, big and small, are taxed this way.</p>
<p>Both Daines and Johnson said the current bill doesn’t cut business taxes enough for these types of partnerships and corporations. Johnson gets substantial income from such companies, including a manufacturer he helped found in Wisconsin and a commercial real estate company, according to his financial disclosure statements.</p>
<p>Johnson said Trump has assured lawmakers there will be changes. Trump is to travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to lobby Republican senators personally.</p>
<p>The overall tax package blends a sharp reduction in top corporate and business tax rates with more modest relief for individuals.</p>
<p>In signaling his support, Paul wrote in an op-ed on Fox News: “I’m not getting everything I want — far from it. But I’ve been immersed in this process. I’ve fought for and received major changes for the better — and I plan to vote for this bill as it stands right now.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor, Ken Thomas and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.</p> | Senators consider automatic tax hikes if revenue falls short | false | https://abqjournal.com/1098362/trump-senate-republicans-scramble-to-change-tax-plan.html | 2017-11-27 | 2 |
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<p>Perno is a New Mexico native with experience at refined kitchens from Vail, Colo., to San Francisco and recently at Nob Hill’s Scalo. He heeded the local and seasonal tug from Los Poblanos several years ago, dazzling overnight guests ever since. Recently, the inn’s dining room began to offer tables to the public four nights a week, making for the most understated – and underrated – local restaurant opening in recent memory.</p>
<p>Seasonal barely begins to describe this menu. Last fall, one could sup on delights like roasted eggplant or oven-dried pink tomatoes. Now in spring, we instead contemplate beets tinged with vinegar and served with cured pork, part of the Monticello Feature Plate ($14), an homage to New Mexico’s own (and only) 12-year, cask-aged balsamic vinegar from the small town of Monticello. The Tender Greens salad ($8) is a tumble of Tucumcari feta, toasted pepitas and orange-poppy vinaigrette. There are perhaps two other places in the city to get a salad this mouth-wateringly good; regular readers should know exactly of where I speak.</p>
<p>Take a relaxing breath while the first courses are still a vibrant memory, gazing around the farm-chic room serving both visiting families and intimate couples. By now the sun might be setting, casting a pink hue upon the Sandias on the horizon, and your table’s wine glasses should be put to use – the selections here are unusual, paired to the food and (mostly) affordable.</p>
<p>On the refreshingly short list of mains you’ll still find much to tempt the tongue. The menu depends on what is in season and flawless handling of those ingredients, so the entirety of the dishes from starters to desserts numbers less than a dozen. Handcrafted pasta accompanies the current vegetarian entree, but we immediately pounced on a Maple Brined Pork Chop ($30) augmented with green chile hash and barely-sweet onion chutney. It’s tender, it’s salty, it’s wonderful. The smaller and sultry Leg of Lamb ($28) held sway for lamb aficionados with perfectly glazed carrots and a red-wine reduction drizzled over all.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A very hungry person could put away either of these entrees, but it is a challenge if one has already had salad and has an eye towards dessert – take some home and enjoy another go tomorrow.</p>
<p>Tonight is still here and you must try the Chocolate Pavé ($8), a dense flourless cake flavored with both Earl Grey tea and candied orange. The featured sweet appeared as a Pot de Crème ($8) so rich even my sweet tooth couldn’t finish the last few bites.</p>
<p>This dining room should be at the top of your list before summer is over.</p> | Partake in local spring-to-fall bounty | false | https://abqjournal.com/192585/partake-in-local-springtofall-bounty.html | 2013-04-26 | 2 |
<p>MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Officials with Vermont Emergency Management are going to be helping communities affected by a series of rain and wind storms in October apply for federal disaster aid.</p>
<p>Mandatory briefings for officials from affected cities, towns and public utilities are being held this week.</p>
<p>Communities and public utilities in Addison, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Washington and Windham could be eligible for assistance to help pay for repairs following storms of Oct. 29 and 30.</p>
<p>The Public Assistance disaster declaration allows eligible groups to receive 75 percent federal reimbursement for eligible repairs including power restoration, debris removal and repairs to public roads, bridges and other infrastructure.</p>
<p>Briefings are being held Tuesday through Friday in different parts of the state.</p>
<p>MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Officials with Vermont Emergency Management are going to be helping communities affected by a series of rain and wind storms in October apply for federal disaster aid.</p>
<p>Mandatory briefings for officials from affected cities, towns and public utilities are being held this week.</p>
<p>Communities and public utilities in Addison, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Washington and Windham could be eligible for assistance to help pay for repairs following storms of Oct. 29 and 30.</p>
<p>The Public Assistance disaster declaration allows eligible groups to receive 75 percent federal reimbursement for eligible repairs including power restoration, debris removal and repairs to public roads, bridges and other infrastructure.</p>
<p>Briefings are being held Tuesday through Friday in different parts of the state.</p> | Briefings to be held to explain disaster application process | false | https://apnews.com/d2c6eda765a340acaf54d663676e2f18 | 2018-01-08 | 2 |
<p />
<p>In Flint, Michigan&#160;children&#160;… and their families, too … have been systematically poisoned by water adulterated with high levels of lead as the result of the state’s gross negligence and wanton disregard of the health, safety and welfare of the people.</p>
<p>The overseer of Flint, a state Emergency Manager appointed by the Governor to manage the city and acting under this authority, made the determination to cut the city budget by changing the source of water from Detroit to a local river. The state’s manager made this shift in the water source apparently without regard and indifferent to the corrosive impact that the acidic river had on the pipes that began to deliver lead-permeated water to the trusting, unsuspecting local families of Flint. Local residents drank it, bathed in it, cooked with it, brushed their teeth with it, and now they are suffering serious nerve, brain, skin and other maladies that are caused by lead poisoning and other adulterating elements in the water.</p>
<p>Having caused the problem in the first place, the Governor and manager moved way too slowly and with a negligible sense of urgency to address this calamity until the Flint Mayor declared an emergency and the gross errors in judgment by the state became a national embarrassment on the national nightly news.</p>
<p>We are grassroots community and labor organizations that work for environmental justice, effective public education, living wages and fair working conditions, just development policies and accountable governance. Our constituencies are people of low-wealth. Our communities are made up of African-descendent, Latino and Indigenous people in the U.S. South and Southwest.</p>
<p>We are appalled! Flint, Michigan is a city with a majority of African-descendent people, and one that has suffered from corporate disinvestment that has left over forty percent of the city’s residents living in poverty.</p>
<p>We note that, over the past decade and more, Michigan’s answer to poverty and accompanying fiscal crises in communities subjected to corporate disinvestment has been the imposition of autocratic rule on those communities by the State Government. Like several other predominantly Black cities in Michigan, Flint residents were subjected to undemocratic, authoritarian rule by an Emergency Manager appointed by and directly accountable to Michigan’s Governor Rick Snyder.</p>
<p>It was within the context of that regime that the decision was made – ostensibly in the name of saving money – to make the Flint River the source of the city’s municipal water delivered to homes, public spaces and businesses. Since that time in April of 2014, Flint residents have been exposed to heavy metals including high concentrations of lead, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria delivered to them via their public water.</p>
<p>Following many months of increasing public concern and, finally, the declaration of a State of Emergency by the new Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, Governor Snyder responded by firing his head of Environmental Quality, issuing an apology, appealing to the federal government, and attempting to spread the blame on the state bureaucracy.</p>
<p>Mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, grandparents, sisters and brothers wonder what the Governor, the State of Michigan and now, the Federal Government will propose to do to alleviate the infrastructure crisis in Flint and the long-term human damage that has resulted. Governor Snyder and his administration bear direct responsibility for both. Indeed, the Governor and others face the specter that they could be found criminally negligent in this matter.</p>
<p>There is another critical question: How do we address the infrastructure crisis throughout the United States? As in Flint, this issue disproportionately burdens communities of people of color and of low-wealth. This is not simply a question of failure of public investment. It reflects a deep structural problem that threatens to create future public health disasters.</p>
<p>The&#160;deeper message of Flint&#160;goes beyond the dangers of human error or even negligence, and beyond the actions of state governments that would facilitate the impoverishment of our people. It is about a crisis in the U.S. that threatens the lives and well-being of a growing majority of the population.</p>
<p>The neoliberal model of development that underlies the strategic political policies in Michigan that led to this crisis has as its cornerstone the privatization of public resources and public services. This model is supported by both major political parties and bankrolled by those who have accumulated tremendous wealth at the direct expense of people of color and of low-wealth.</p>
<p>It is a mode of development that is rooted in the systematic undermining of the right to democratic participation by limiting the capacity of local people to impact the formation and implementation of public policy … whether in Flint, across the US, or in other parts of the world. The same forces that have made the Flint disaster possible are the same ones that are bent on privatizing public water supplies and preventing a just resolution to the growing world climate disaster.</p>
<p>We stand in solidarity with the people of Flint, who are on the frontlines of the struggle for democracy. We share their struggle for democracy and for a transition to a just society that more fully values human life and development.</p>
<p>Originally posted at&#160; <a href="http://sxswexp.org/we-are-all-flint/" type="external">http://sxswexp.org/we-are-all-flint/</a>.</p>
<p><a href="/filter/tips" type="external">More information about formatting options</a></p> | We Are All Flint | true | http://newpol.org/content/we-are-all-flint | 2016-01-28 | 4 |
<p>CAIRO, Egypt — There was a terrible sense of deja vu for Egypt when at least 22 people were killed during clashes with security forces outside a soccer stadium on Sunday.</p>
<p>Witnesses said that most died from suffocation or were crushed in the stampede that followed when security forces fired tear gas to disperse spectators who were trying to force their way into the match between local teams Zamalek and Enppi.</p>
<p>Videos of the incident show fans wedged between large coils of barbed wire reinforced with metal to form a kind of cage and police firing tear gas at them.</p>
<p>Egypt has been here before. Sunday’s violence brought the death toll for soccer fans killed at games to nearly a hundred in three years. The worst instance came on Feb. 1, 2012, when 74 fans were killed at a match in the canal city of Port Said.</p>
<p>The league was suspended for a year after those deaths. When it resumed, games were played in empty stadiums. Again this week, the Egyptian domestic soccer league was suspended until further notice following the deaths on Sunday.</p>
<p>Egypt’s Ultras have a long history of confrontations with the police. Like their counterparts in Europe, where the rowdy soccer fan culture originates, they often use fireworks, are loud and at times get unruly.</p>
<p>Since they emerged in Egypt in 2007 they have often clashed with police. They say their experience confronting security forces and Egypt’s notorious police brutality led to their prominent role in the 2011 revolution.</p>
<p>In response to Sunday’s violence, the Ministry of the Interior spokesman Hani Abdel Latif said he “refused to hold the Interior Ministry responsible” for the killings. The Ministry said in its official statement that “large numbers of ticketless fans tried to storm the stadium, which caused security forces to prevent them from damaging the stadium facilities.”</p>
<p>Not all of those killed during the clashes were Ultras. The youngest victim was a 14-year-old girl, according to the Forensic Medical Authority.</p>
<p>The White Knights, a prominent group of Zamalek Ultras, called it a “premeditated massacre.”</p>
<p>Political clashes</p>
<p>But clashes between the police and the Ultras are not simply a matter of containing rowdy soccer fans.</p>
<p>“Most of the incidents that have involved the Ultras, and there have been numerous, have really been the equivalent of clashes between demonstrators and security forces,” says James Dorsey, co-director of the Institute of Fan Culture at the University of Wuerzburg and editor of the blog “The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer.”</p>
<p>“In a country, whether under the Mubarak regime or the Sisi regime, that tolerates no uncontrolled public space,” he says, the claiming of public space is “inherently political.”</p>
<p>He adds that the relationship between the Ultras and the police has long been tense.</p>
<p>“Animosity between the security forces and the Ultras is mutual and whether it’s Ultras or others, intervention by security forces produces victims in ways that it shouldn’t and that has to do with the failure to restructure or reform the security forces,” says Dorsey.</p>
<p>Egypt's 2011 revolution and the associated violence left hundreds dead in clashes with Egypt’s security forces.&#160;</p>
<p>“[I]n the last four years police violence and crimes by the security apparatus, committed with full impunity, have reached levels unknown in Egypt’s modern history,” Egypt’s leading rights groups said in a joint statement on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Poor training</p>
<p>Some say that poor training for police, many of them conscripts, is partly to blame — but that’s not the whole story.</p>
<p>"Training has always been really bad, it’s not necessarily getting any worse, but it’s not improving and there is a normalization of higher levels of violence and loss of life," says Karim Ennarah, security sector researcher with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.</p>
<p>When fired at close range, in large quantities or in a confined space, tear gas can be lethal.</p>
<p>"The key thing is you shouldn't fire it directly into a crowd or into a closed space,” says Ennarah. “It's supposedly a dispersal weapon and if it's fired and there's nowhere to get out there's a high probability of asphyxiation, and it's not like the police has no experience with that."</p>
<p>Thirty-seven prisoners were killed in August of 2013 when officers fired tear gas into a police van outside of Abu Zaabal prison. The case resulted in one of few convictions of police for their role in the deaths of protesters over the last four years, but the sentences were overturned and a retrial is now ongoing.</p> | Why do so many Egyptian soccer fans die in confrontations with police? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2015-02-11/why-do-so-many-egyptian-soccer-fans-die-confrontations-police | 2015-02-11 | 3 |
<p>A story I read years ago culminated with the protagonist holed up in a cheap hotel in the Balkans, listening unwillingly through the paper-thin wall as the man in the room next door beat his wife. As he pummeled her, she cried again and again, “Balkan! Balkan!” “Balkan,” it seems, may be a term of opprobrium even in the Balkans.</p>
<p>Few episodes in American history have been more Balkan than our late war there. In case the folly of the war in Iraq and the futility of the war in Afghanistan have caused us to forget, the Clinton administration bombed Serbia for almost three months, for reasons no one quite remembers. Somewhere around 5,000 Serbian civilians were killed, and much of an already poor country’s economic infrastructure was wrecked. As usual, the bombing had virtually no effect on military targets.</p>
<p>The Serbs caved when the Russians pulled the rug out from under them and NATO dropped its most extreme demands. NATO could have gotten the same deal with no bombing, had the initial ultimatum to Serbia not been written to make acceptance impossible (Operation Franz Ferdinand?).</p>
<p>The truce, which is the most one can get in Balkan wars, required Serbian forces to evacuate Serbs’ ancestral homeland, Kosovo. That turned Kosovo’s remaining Serbian civilians over to the tender mercies of the Albanians, who promptly ethnically cleansed most of them while NATO forces stood by. Serbia did not renounce its claim to Kosovo; no Serbian government could do that and survive.</p>
<p>Now, it seems, our distinguished secretary of state, Madame Clinton, wishes to revisit the scene of the crime. Perhaps looking about for something more promising than fighting Pashtuns, she is rumored to want another round with the Serbs. The demands, this time, are to be Serbian recognition of Kosovo’s “independence” (Kosovo is not a country and never has been; there are no Kosovars, only Serbs and Albanians who live in Kosovo) and the destruction of Republika Serbska, the Serbian portion of Bosnia. The effects would be to de-legitimize the current moderate Serbian government and drive the remaining Serbs in Kosovo and Bosnia out as refugees.</p>
<p>Only people as shallow and self-absorbed as the Clintons could want to mess around in the Balkans. Talk about smoking in the powder magazine. The potential for disaster is always high, and the effects can spread, as the unpleasantness between 1914 and 1918 might remind us.</p>
<p>In fact, the two previous rounds of Balkan fighting and American and NATO meddling have left unstable situations needing only a spark to erupt. Bosnia is a hothouse creation, a figment of the globalist elite’s imagination. Like Oakland, there is no there there. It is a Croat-Muslim “federation” neither party accepts. The Croats want out, and the Muslims want to cut the Croats’ throats. All that keeps the lid on is the money that pours from the foreign troops who occupy the place.</p>
<p>Kosovo remains a festering boil, home to jihadists, drug distribution networks, and other 4GW elements of every sort. Serbia won’t give it up, and the Albanians will not rest until every Serb is gone or dead and every Serbian church or cultural monument is obliterated.</p>
<p>Mrs. Clinton wants to push America’s nose back into this beehive, or so the rumor mill in Washington has it. We must pray that adults somewhere in the Obama administration won’t let the children again set fire to the house so they can roast marshmallows over the embers. A few folks who, unlike the Clintons, know something of Balkan history are sponsoring a conference on Capitol Hill on May 27 to urge we let sleeping dragons lie. Let’s hope that for once someone listens.</p>
<p>WILLIAM S. LIND, expressing his own personal opinion, is Director for the Center for Cultural Conservatism for the Free Congress Foundation.</p> | Back to the Balkans | true | https://counterpunch.org/2009/05/13/back-to-the-balkans/ | 2009-05-13 | 4 |
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