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<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday morning’s drawing of the Tennessee Lottery’s “Cash 3 Morning” game were:</p>
<p>8-8-3, Lucky Sum: 19</p>
<p>(eight, eight, three; Lucky Sum: nineteen)</p>
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday morning’s drawing of the Tennessee Lottery’s “Cash 3 Morning” game were:</p>
<p>8-8-3, Lucky Sum: 19</p>
<p>(eight, eight, three; Lucky Sum: nineteen)</p> | Winning numbers drawn in ‘Cash 3 Morning’ game | false | https://apnews.com/5eac792e1282449cb6e8ca366c4c6c7d | 2018-01-18 | 2 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government shutdown had an instant impact on two of the world's top tourist destinations: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.</p>
<p>The National Park Service announced that both New York sites would be closed Saturday "due to a lapse in appropriations." Late Friday, the U.S. Senate failed to approve legislation to keep the government from shutting down after the midnight deadline.</p>
<p>The park service said the closure of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island was effective immediately and until further notice. Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed to find the money to reopen the Statue of Liberty as soon as possible, but it remained closed Saturday.</p>
<p>"I didn't expect this," said Anabell Coredor, who had bought six tickets for her family to visit the famed sights. "We came all the way from Miami for this."</p>
<p>It was their only chance, since they had to travel home later Saturday.</p>
<p>For ticket refunds, visitors were told to contact the private Statue Cruises company that runs ferries from lower Manhattan to the statue and Ellis Island, the historic entry point in New York Harbor for immigrants to the United States that is now a museum.</p>
<p>The ferry company honored ticket holders for a cruise in the bay — to at least see Lady Liberty from afar. Many declined.</p>
<p>"To get this close where you can see them, and the government shuts them down — that's very, very frustrating," said Dan O'Meara, a firefighter from Fresno, California, who is descended from an Irish immigrant family that entered through Ellis Island. "But now, we're not allowed to go out there and see it."</p>
<p>O'Meara was in New York working as part of a team helping to train fellow New York firefighters in hazardous materials. Free for the weekend, he remained land-bound, with some bitter comments about the government.</p>
<p>"You have to blame Trump and the Republicans for allowing the shutdown, and they shouldn't get paid," O'Meara said. "After all, working people who are out of jobs are not getting paid."</p>
<p>Also not earning money was Statue Cruises, which charges $18.50 per ticket to see the statue dedicated in 1886 as a gift from France. On normal days, as many as 3,000 people board the ferries to take a close look, said Rafael Abreu, spokesman for the ferry company whose offices are on Ellis Island. During the shutdown, at least half of the daily $55,000 or so in revenue would be lost.</p>
<p>On Saturday at the Manhattan ferry dock, Abreu said, "there was confusion and surprise — that the government had shut down, especially among the international visitors. They were shocked by this concept."</p>
<p>Saturday was also the last chance to see Liberty and Ellis islands for Mike Van Kirk, an accountant from Phoenix, who had to leave Saturday after a three-day visit with his wife. They were told Friday that tickets to see the statue were available, only to arrive in lower Manhattan the next morning and learn none was being sold.</p>
<p>"We're definitely disappointed," he said "I guess we'll just walk around now and go see anything's that's not government."</p>
<p>Cuomo called the statue "a symbol of America" whose closure reflects a government trying "to kick our immigrants."</p>
<p>"I'm volunteering that the state will pay to keep the Statue of Liberty open because it is the symbol of our nation," said Cuomo, adding that a precise plan is in the works.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press radio correspondent Julie Walker contributed to this report.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Online:</p>
<p>For refunds: <a href="https://www.statuecruises.com/refunds" type="external">https://www.statuecruises.com/refunds</a></p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government shutdown had an instant impact on two of the world's top tourist destinations: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.</p>
<p>The National Park Service announced that both New York sites would be closed Saturday "due to a lapse in appropriations." Late Friday, the U.S. Senate failed to approve legislation to keep the government from shutting down after the midnight deadline.</p>
<p>The park service said the closure of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island was effective immediately and until further notice. Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed to find the money to reopen the Statue of Liberty as soon as possible, but it remained closed Saturday.</p>
<p>"I didn't expect this," said Anabell Coredor, who had bought six tickets for her family to visit the famed sights. "We came all the way from Miami for this."</p>
<p>It was their only chance, since they had to travel home later Saturday.</p>
<p>For ticket refunds, visitors were told to contact the private Statue Cruises company that runs ferries from lower Manhattan to the statue and Ellis Island, the historic entry point in New York Harbor for immigrants to the United States that is now a museum.</p>
<p>The ferry company honored ticket holders for a cruise in the bay — to at least see Lady Liberty from afar. Many declined.</p>
<p>"To get this close where you can see them, and the government shuts them down — that's very, very frustrating," said Dan O'Meara, a firefighter from Fresno, California, who is descended from an Irish immigrant family that entered through Ellis Island. "But now, we're not allowed to go out there and see it."</p>
<p>O'Meara was in New York working as part of a team helping to train fellow New York firefighters in hazardous materials. Free for the weekend, he remained land-bound, with some bitter comments about the government.</p>
<p>"You have to blame Trump and the Republicans for allowing the shutdown, and they shouldn't get paid," O'Meara said. "After all, working people who are out of jobs are not getting paid."</p>
<p>Also not earning money was Statue Cruises, which charges $18.50 per ticket to see the statue dedicated in 1886 as a gift from France. On normal days, as many as 3,000 people board the ferries to take a close look, said Rafael Abreu, spokesman for the ferry company whose offices are on Ellis Island. During the shutdown, at least half of the daily $55,000 or so in revenue would be lost.</p>
<p>On Saturday at the Manhattan ferry dock, Abreu said, "there was confusion and surprise — that the government had shut down, especially among the international visitors. They were shocked by this concept."</p>
<p>Saturday was also the last chance to see Liberty and Ellis islands for Mike Van Kirk, an accountant from Phoenix, who had to leave Saturday after a three-day visit with his wife. They were told Friday that tickets to see the statue were available, only to arrive in lower Manhattan the next morning and learn none was being sold.</p>
<p>"We're definitely disappointed," he said "I guess we'll just walk around now and go see anything's that's not government."</p>
<p>Cuomo called the statue "a symbol of America" whose closure reflects a government trying "to kick our immigrants."</p>
<p>"I'm volunteering that the state will pay to keep the Statue of Liberty open because it is the symbol of our nation," said Cuomo, adding that a precise plan is in the works.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press radio correspondent Julie Walker contributed to this report.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>Online:</p>
<p>For refunds: <a href="https://www.statuecruises.com/refunds" type="external">https://www.statuecruises.com/refunds</a></p> | Shutdown forces closure of Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island | false | https://apnews.com/amp/51f89c6e51c849aba00759171bbf4dd9 | 2018-01-21 | 2 |
<p>BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's military acknowledged Wednesday that its security forces and Buddhist villagers killed 10 Rohingya Muslims whose bodies were found in a mass grave in a village in troubled Rakhine state.</p>
<p>The public admission of wrongdoing is the military's first since it launched "clearance operations" against ethnic Rohingya in August, prompting more than 650,000 to flee into neighboring Bangladesh in what the United Nations has called "ethnic cleansing."</p>
<p>A statement on the military commander-in-chief's Facebook page said the Rohingya found in the mass grave had threatened Buddhist villagers and were killed in retaliation.</p>
<p>The U.N. and other groups accuse the military of widespread atrocities against Rohingya, including killings, rapes and the burning of homes. But the military has insisted that there has been no wrongdoing by any security forces.</p>
<p>The government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar has refused to accept Rohingya Muslims as a minority group, even though they have lived in the country for generations. They are widely called "Bengalis" and are accused of migrating illegally from Bangladesh.</p>
<p>Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship in 1982, denying them almost all rights and rendering them stateless.</p>
<p>The 10 bodies were found in December in a mass grave near a cemetery in Inn Din village.</p>
<p>"It is true that both the villagers and security forces admitted they killed the 10 Bengali terrorists," the military statement said. "The army will take charge of those who are responsible for the killings and who broke the rules of engagement. This incident happened because ethnic Buddhist villagers were threatened and provoked by the terrorists."</p>
<p>BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's military acknowledged Wednesday that its security forces and Buddhist villagers killed 10 Rohingya Muslims whose bodies were found in a mass grave in a village in troubled Rakhine state.</p>
<p>The public admission of wrongdoing is the military's first since it launched "clearance operations" against ethnic Rohingya in August, prompting more than 650,000 to flee into neighboring Bangladesh in what the United Nations has called "ethnic cleansing."</p>
<p>A statement on the military commander-in-chief's Facebook page said the Rohingya found in the mass grave had threatened Buddhist villagers and were killed in retaliation.</p>
<p>The U.N. and other groups accuse the military of widespread atrocities against Rohingya, including killings, rapes and the burning of homes. But the military has insisted that there has been no wrongdoing by any security forces.</p>
<p>The government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar has refused to accept Rohingya Muslims as a minority group, even though they have lived in the country for generations. They are widely called "Bengalis" and are accused of migrating illegally from Bangladesh.</p>
<p>Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship in 1982, denying them almost all rights and rendering them stateless.</p>
<p>The 10 bodies were found in December in a mass grave near a cemetery in Inn Din village.</p>
<p>"It is true that both the villagers and security forces admitted they killed the 10 Bengali terrorists," the military statement said. "The army will take charge of those who are responsible for the killings and who broke the rules of engagement. This incident happened because ethnic Buddhist villagers were threatened and provoked by the terrorists."</p> | Myanmar: Soldiers, villagers killed Rohingya in mass grave | false | https://apnews.com/amp/d7c682637f8644b5a85d78284fe7bc3f | 2018-01-10 | 2 |
<p />
<p>On Saturday, Warner Todd Huston, a conservative contributor at&#160; <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/author/warner-todd-huston/" type="external">Breitbart.com</a>, said that someone in his neighborhood has targeted his home and his car with vandalism, going so far as to set the interior of his car on fire.</p>
<p>“At first I thought it was just random vandals as the attacks were penny-ante nonsense, but now I am pretty sure it is being done by someone who knows I am a conservative writer who has a body of work stretching back to 2001 and they are trying to intimidate me,” he wrote at <a href="http://www.publiusforum.com/2017/10/07/home-car-vandalized-im-conservative-writer/" type="external">Publius’ Forum</a>.</p>
<p>He continued:</p>
<p>It started early this year when a flag was pulled off my flag staff and left ripped and in pieces on my lawn.</p>
<p>I replaced the flag imagining it was just local punks acting tough. Weeks later that new flag disappeared.</p>
<p>That’s twice.</p>
<p>Then my garage door was egged.</p>
<p>That is three times.</p>
<p>At first, he thought it was just a case of punks being punks. &#160;But then it got a bit more personal.</p>
<p>“On the night of July 1, the U.S. Army flag that I fly in honor of my son who is in the service was scorched and on it was written in marker ‘die dogs,'” he said. &#160;“This was a bit more threatening and more specific than just mindless destruction. It seemed directly aimed at the U.S. military and me personally.”</p>
<p>On September 24, someone egged his garage door a second time and wrote “racist” on one of the metal panels.</p>
<p>“Naturally, as a conservative writer, I write on subjects such as Islam and immigration. they are topics that would goad most liberals to call me such a name. I also have frequently had political yard signs in my yard for the more conservative candidates in my area. So, my home is well known (or at least easily known) as a place where a conservative Republican lives,” he said.</p>
<p>After the second attack on his garage, Huston began to wonder if&#160;someone was targeting him because of what he does for a living.</p>
<p>“As an aside,” he wrote, “I have no troubles with my immediate neighbors. In fact, our neighbors across the street had been on an extended visit to Mexico for the last several months and the neighbors right behind us just moved in and weren’t even here for much of this vandalism. The other neighbors are two elderly neighbors and a recently arrived middle eastern family I haven’t even really met. I have had no cross words with any of them.”</p>
<p>But, he said, early Saturday morning, things went into high gear:</p>
<p>At about 1 AM or so on Saturday morning, I was awakened by a noise outside my home. I can’t really say what the noise was as it woke me from a deep sleep. It was just a shout that awoke me. I looked at my window and saw what struck me as a strange light outside. So, I went to the front door…</p>
<p>And saw my car interior on fire…</p>
<p>The surface of my passenger seat was set aflame and the entire interior of the car destroyed. Fortunately it isn’t a new car (it’s a 1999 Oldsmobile 88). But unfortunately, because it is so old I never put it on comprehensive coverage leaving it only at liability coverage. So, insurance won’t cover this destruction and I am now without a car.</p>
<p>Naturally the police became involved, but they say they won’t classify it as arson because they don’t have any evidence to show for it. A plastic pop bottle and cap was left inside by who ever did this. It smelled of gas to me.</p>
<p>Police wondered if he smoked in the car, but Huston said he doesn’t smoke cigarettes and only occasionally smokes a cigar, but NEVER in a car.</p>
<p>“So, there is nothing that should have set my car on fire 7 hours after I last drove it,” he said. “Also, it was the surface of the seats that went up in flames. Nothing electrical any where near the burn zone.”</p>
<p>Huston said he “firmly” believes these attacks are motivated by his writing.</p>
<p>“This is the tolerant left in action. They are trying to intimidate me,” he said. &#160;“I will not be silenced.”</p>
<p>His son set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/vandals-burned-my-dads-car" type="external">GoFundMe</a> campaign to help replace the destroyed car. &#160;That campaign, which can be seen <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/vandals-burned-my-dads-car" type="external">here</a>, reads:</p>
<p>My dad, Warner Todd Huston, has been working to improve the United States for over a decade with his writing, but now he is faced with a crisis after vandals attacked his home and — most shockingly — now set his car on fire all because he dares to speak out about his conservative principles.</p>
<p>The two times I served overseas, my dad&#160;was there for me and my wife and kids and now I want to be there for him. When I was in Iraq he took in my children and wife and never charged me a cent (He did this for my younger brother’s family, too). He has been a wonderful father and grandfather.</p>
<p>And he’s been writing to bring America back to where it needs to be since early 2001, He has been on Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, on dozens of radio shows here in the U.S. and in the UK, and he has been on literally hundreds of websites, as well as in magazines, and newspapers.</p>
<p>But now, he needs our help. His car was set ablaze by vandals who have been systematically targeting his house all because he dares to write and speak his conscience. This is what it’s like for a conservative to live in a blue state like Illinois.</p>
<p>According to the GoFundMe campaign, Huston still owes $3,000 on the car.</p>
<p>Liberalism, as I first said in February 2011, is an ideology of rage and hate. &#160;Sadly, liberals prove that assertion correct on just about any given day.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a>&#160;page, please go&#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a>&#160;and do so.</p>
<p>And if you’re as concerned about online censorship as we are, go <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Banned-Facebook-Enables-Militant-Islamic/dp/1944212221/" type="external">here</a> and order this book (Remember, half of what we earn will be <a href="" type="internal">donated to Hurricane Harvey relief</a>):</p> | Conservative Breitbart contributor targeted with vandalism; Political motive suspected | true | http://conservativefiringline.com/conservative-breitbart-contributor-targeted-vandalism-political-motive-suspected/ | 2017-10-09 | 0 |
<p>Israel has publicly denied that it has a nuclear program and pointed to the fact that India and Pakistan, two countries with announced nuclear programs, were not criticized in the document but have also not yet signed the nonproliferation treaty. –JCL</p>
<p>The BBC:</p>
<p>Israel says it will not take part in a conference aimed at achieving a nuclear-arms free Middle East, proposed at a UN meeting in New York.</p>
<p>Nearly 200 nations, signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), backed plans for the meeting in 2012.</p>
<p />
<p>In a document agreed at the talks, Israel was singled out for criticism.</p>
<p>Israel, which has not signed the NPT, dismissed the document as “deeply flawed” and “hypocritical”.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10191339.stm" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Israel: No to Middle East Nuke Talks | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/israel-no-to-middle-east-nuke-talks/ | 2010-05-30 | 4 |
<p>The Houston Astros first basement, Yuri Gurriel, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/10/28/yuli-gurriel-suspension-world-series-2018-yu-darvish/810015001/" type="external">narrowly avoided being booted</a> from the World Series after he made a racist gesture and used a Spanish-language slur for "little Chinese guy," against Japanese-born Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Yu Darvish.</p>
<p>Gurriel won't be suspended for the World Series, but he will be suspended for five games — without pay — when baseball returns next spring. He will also receive "sensitivity training" and will make an apology to Darvish.</p>
<p>"There is complete unanimity — me, my office, both owners, both clubs, and the (union) — that there is no place in our game for the behavior like we witnessed last night," Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement late Friday. "There is no explanation that makes that type of behavior excusable."</p>
<p>"Mr. Gurriel quickly realized last night that his behavior was wrong. I met with him today. He reiterated that remorse and he assured me that he will offer a private apology to Mr. Darvish," Manfred continued.</p>
<p>Gurriel made an informal attempt at an apology Saturday night. “Yesterday I was commenting that I’d never had any success against Darvish, and the gesture was saying that I wish he would look at me like one of them (Japanese players) and maybe he’d throw me an easy pitch so I can do something. At no point did I mean that in an offensive way. On the contrary, I’ve always had a lot of respect for them.’’</p>
<p>Darvish was surprisingly kind, telling media that he felt Gurriel's gesture was "disrespectful," also suggested that players could consider the incident a "learning experience" and move on — perhaps his conciliatory mood was helped by the fact that the Astros led the series 2-1 before Los Angeles tied it up Saturday night.</p> | Astros' First Baseman SUSPENDED For Racist Gesture During World Series Game | true | https://dailywire.com/news/22897/astros-first-baseman-suspended-racist-gesture-emily-zanotti | 2017-10-29 | 0 |
<p>COLUMBIA, La. (AP) — Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a deadly fire at a home in north Louisiana last Friday.</p>
<p>The state fire marshal’s office said in a news release Wednesday that firefighters found the body of 48-year-old Rebecca Dianne Baugh after they entered the home in Columbia.</p>
<p>The release says an autopsy indicates the woman died from smoke inhalation.</p>
<p>The fire marshal’s office says the home didn’t have any functioning smoke alarms.</p>
<p>COLUMBIA, La. (AP) — Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a deadly fire at a home in north Louisiana last Friday.</p>
<p>The state fire marshal’s office said in a news release Wednesday that firefighters found the body of 48-year-old Rebecca Dianne Baugh after they entered the home in Columbia.</p>
<p>The release says an autopsy indicates the woman died from smoke inhalation.</p>
<p>The fire marshal’s office says the home didn’t have any functioning smoke alarms.</p> | Woman dies in fire at north Louisiana home | false | https://apnews.com/c8ab4b74eab24d9aa60a91818bdde633 | 2017-12-27 | 2 |
<p>The box office Force is with Disney-Lucasfilm’s <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/star-wars-the-last-jedi-movie-review-roundup-1202637534/" type="external">“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,”</a> which is heading for more than $200 million at 4,232 North American sites in its opening weekend, early estimates showed Friday.</p>
<p>The tentpole opened with $45 million on Thursday night — the <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/star-wars-the-last-jedi-box-office-opening-thursday-1202641978/" type="external">second-largest Thursday night preview</a> gross ever in North America, trailing only the $57 million for “ <a href="http://variety.com/t/star-wars/" type="external">Star Wars</a>: The Force Awakens” two years ago. The total for Friday (which includes Thursday night) should wind up in the $95 million to $98 million range, followed by as much as $60 million on Saturday and somewhere around $45 million to $48 million on Sunday.</p>
<p>That would mean <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review-rian-johnson-1202635597/" type="external">“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”</a> will become only the fourth movie to top $200 million domestically in its opening frame, joining 2015’s “The Force Awakens” at $248.8 million, 2015’s “Jurassic World” with $208.8 million, and 2012’s “The Avengers” with $207.4 million. It will finish the weekend far above the “ <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/disney-awards-power-player-fox-1202638518/" type="external">Star Wars</a>” spinoff “Rogue One,” which opened with $155.1 million on the same weekend a year ago.</p>
<p>The stellar performance comes a day after Disney announced it was <a href="http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-merger-deal-52-4-billion-merger-1202631242/" type="external">spending $52.4 billion to acquire 21st Century Fox</a>&#160;assets — a move that will make the company the undisputed leader in box office share in coming years.</p>
<p>Domestic tracking for “ <a href="http://variety.com/t/star-wars-the-last-jedi/" type="external">Star Wars: The Last Jedi</a>” has remained in the $200 million range since Nov. 22, when first estimates emerged. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” wound up its domestic run with a record-setting $936.7 million and $2.07 billion worldwide. “Rogue One” went on to gross $532.2 million by the end of its domestic run and $1.03 billion worldwide.</p>
<p>Directed by <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/podcasts/playback-podcast-rian-johnson-star-wars-the-last-jedi-1202639894/" type="external">Rian Johnson</a>, “ <a href="http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/adam-driver-burn-this-broadway-1202640123/" type="external">Star Wars: The Last Jedi</a>” picks up where “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” left off. It stars returning cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Andy Serkis. The new stars include Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro.</p>
<p>Fox is counter-programming with its animated family comedy “ <a href="http://variety.com/t/ferdinand/" type="external">Ferdinand</a>” — opening at 3,621 locations in North America amid expectations of a $15 million debut. The movie is based on the children’s book “The Story of <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/spotlight/from-lego-batman-to-ferdinand-to-boss-baby-these-actors-inspire-the-animators-1202638288/" type="external">Ferdinand</a>” and directed by Carlos Saldanha, with John Cena voicing the Spanish bull who doesn’t want to fight.</p>
<p>Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” should lead the rest of the pack this weekend with about $7 million in its fourth frame, enough to lift the animated musical to nearly $149 million.</p> | ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Speeds Toward $200 Million-Plus Weekend in the U.S. | false | https://newsline.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-speeds-toward-200-million-plus-weekend-in-the-u-s/ | 2017-12-15 | 1 |
<p>Scientists in Spain may have found the answer to increasing one's lifespan.</p>
<p>Researchers at the National Cancer Research Centre in Spain used gene therapy to successfully extend the lifespan of mice by an average of 24 percent, according to <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1757-4684/homepage/pr_34.htm" type="external">a new study</a>.</p>
<p>The scientists treated two groups, one-year-old and two-year-old mice, with gene therapy and found that the younger mice lived 24 percent longer while the older mice lived 13 percent longer.</p>
<p>"Gene therapy is typically thought of as a way to deliver genes into cells to correct genetic defects or diseases," said Maria Blasco, director of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, <a href="http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=32844&amp;news_channel_id=143&amp;channel_id=143" type="external">according to QMI</a>.</p>
<p>"However, if we consider that ageing is, at least in part, the consequence of defective gene function, gene therapy is also a valid strategy to delay ageing or to increase lifespan."&#160;</p>
<p>Read more on GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/science/120502/red-wine-anti-aging-properties-shown-new-study" type="external">Red wine anti-aging properties shown in new study</a></p>
<p>The study saw researchers induce the animals' cells to produce telomerase, an enzyme that helps to maintain the physical structure of the ends of chromosomes, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/trending/2012/05/15/new_gene_therapy_treatment_increases_mice_lifespan_24_percent.html" type="external">reported Slate</a>.</p>
<p>"Our results show that telomerase gene therapy is not only a viable anti-ageing intervention but it also has remarkably beneficial effects on health and fitness without increasing the incidence of cancer," she said, according <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/health-features/63384-gene-therapy-dramatically-extends-mouse-lifespan" type="external">to TG Daily</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/gene-therapy-extends-mice-lifespan-by-up-to-24_16977.html" type="external">Zee News</a> <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/gene-therapy-extends-mice-lifespan-by-up-to-24_16977.html" type="external">reported</a> that the therapy improved the animal's health by delaying age-related diseases and improving coordination.</p>
<p>The therapy even improved insulin-resistance.</p>
<p>The study was published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1757-4684" type="external">EMBO Molecular Medicine</a>. &#160;</p> | Scientists may have found the key to a longer life | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-05-15/scientists-may-have-found-key-longer-life | 2012-05-15 | 3 |
<p>FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely appeared on CBS’ “This Morning” to discuss our annual article on some of the biggest political whoppers of the year. For the first time in our 12 years, we conferred the title “King of Whoppers” on a single individual: businessman Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Trump&#160;wasn’t the only one telling whoppers, of course. But, as we wrote, Trump “stands out not only for the sheer number of his factually false claims, but also for his brazen refusals to admit error when proven wrong.” He dominated our annual article on political whoppers.</p>
<p>The CBS interview aired Dec. 30 and can be found <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/elections-2016-biggest-lies-fact-checking-candidates-donald-trump-hillary-clinton/" type="external">here</a>. It is based on our article “ <a href="" type="internal">The ‘King of Whoppers’: Donald Trump.</a>“</p> | The Whoppers of 2015 | false | https://factcheck.org/2016/01/the-whoppers-of-2015/ | 2016-01-05 | 2 |
<p>. <a href="" type="internal" />.</p>
<p>How many more accidental shootings because of the presence of a gun, intentional shootings because of the presence of a gun, or convenient shootings because of the presence of gun must America continue to endure. The NRA says guns do not kill. They are absolutely right.Good people and bad people with guns kill.</p>
<p>CNN reports that on Thursday an eight year old kid intentionally killed his elderly caregiver after playing a violent video game. He killed Marie Smothers, his 87 year old grandmother in a Slaughter, Louisiana mobile home park. She was pronounced dead at the scene.</p>
<p>"By accounts of relatives of the victim, as well as friends of the family, the victim and the juvenile had a normal, loving, relationship and even shared the same bedroom," the sheriff's department said.</p>
<p>The gun belonged to Smothers, WBRZ reported. <a href="http://www.wafb.com/story/23242078/investigators-believe-8-year-old-intentionally-killed-90-year-old-woman#at_pco=cfd-1.0" type="external">CNN affiliate WAFB</a> reported that a man identifying himself as the boy's father also said the gun belongs to Smothers.</p>
<p>Although the boy initially told investigators that he accidentally shot the woman while playing with a firearm, the probe led authorities to believe he "intentionally shot Mrs. Smothers in the back of the head as she sat in her living room watching television," the sheriff's department statement said.</p>
<p>The boy won't face charges. Under Louisiana law, a child under 10 is exempt from criminal responsibility. [ <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/25/us/louisiana-boy-kills-grandmother/index.html?on.cnn=1&amp;hpt=hp_t2" type="external">Source</a>]</p>
<p>The sheriff’s department press release implies that playing the Play Station III ‘Grand Theft Auto’ may have influenced the boys actions. No one knows where the grandmother had the guns stored.</p>
<p>It is a known fact that the presence of guns in a home increases the likelihood of someone in that home being injured or killed by a gun either by accident, homicide, or suicide. Moreover, there is absolutely no credible evidence that having a gun in the home reduces ones risk of being a victim of crime.</p>
<p>This fact is so incontrovertible that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians urge parents to <a href="http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/12/health-risk-having-gun-home" type="external">remove ALL guns from their homes</a>. It does not say to store safely or to store guns unloaded. It says they should not be in the home, period.</p>
<p>One must wonder if politicians and citizens will be more proactive given the recent rash of gun incidences. Just last week a fully AK-47 armed gunman with over 500 rounds was <a href="http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/22/antoinette-tuff-stops-school-massacre/" type="external">subdued by the love and kindness of Antoinette Tuff</a>, a bookkeeper at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Lithonia, GA.</p>
<p>Next week there will be a test. Two Colorado Democratic <a href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/22/20141305-colorado-voters-oppose-recalling-two-democratic-state-senators-but-against-new-gun-law" type="external">state senators are being recalled</a> for supporting a tough new gun law. Both the margin of victory or defeat of the recall effort will tell if the <a href="" type="internal">perceived influence of the NRA</a> is valid. They are spending buckets of cash for that recall.</p>
<p>This young boy is now a killer. Who is to be blamed? Blame must be placed on every politician and American citizen who refuses to acknowledge the reality that guns are no different than any other potentially lethal product that must be strictly regulated and in some circumstances outlawed.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal" /> LIKE My <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/EgbertoWilliescom/181893712536" type="external">Facebook Page</a> – Visit My Blog: <a href="http://www.EgbertoWillies.com" type="external">EgbertoWillies.com</a></p> | Guns Don’t Kill–8 Year Old Boy With A Gun Did (VIDEO) | true | http://egbertowillies.com/2013/08/25/guns-dont-kill8-year-old-boy-gun-video/?fb_source%3Dpubv1 | 2013-08-25 | 4 |
<p />
<p>Doctors on scene were <a href="http://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_05_23/en/index.html" type="external">mumbling about this</a> when it happened. Now researchers at the <a href="http://www.fhcrc.org/about/ne/news/2007/08/28/avian_flu.html" type="external">Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center</a> confirm that the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus spread between a small number of people within a family in Indonesia in 2006. Using a computerized disease-transmission model that took into account the number of infected cases, the number of people potentially exposed, and the viral-incubation period, the researchers produced the first statistical confirmation of humans contracting the disease from each other rather than from infected birds.</p>
<p>The cluster contained a chain of infection involving a 10-year-old boy who probably caught the virus from his 37-year-old aunt, who had been exposed to dead poultry and chicken feces, the presumed source of infection. The boy then probably passed the virus to his father—a possibility supported by genetic sequencing. Other person-to-person transmissions in the cluster were backed up with statistical data. All but one of the flu victims died, and all had had sustained close contact with other ill family members prior to getting sick—a factor crucial for transmission of this particular flu strain.</p>
<p>“The containment strategy [quarantine] was implemented late in the game, so it could have been just luck that the virus burned out,” said lead author Ira M. Longini Jr. “It went two generations and then just stopped, but it could have gotten out of control. The world really may have dodged a bullet with that one, and the next time we might not be so lucky.”</p>
<p>The researchers estimate the risk of one infected person passing it to another to be 29 percent—a level of infectiousness similar to seasonal influenza A in the United States. They also assessed another large avian-flu cluster in eastern Turkey with eight infected people in 2006, four of whom died. In this case, there was no statistical evidence of human-to-human transmission—though that was most likely due to a lack of sufficient data. “There probably was person-to-person spread there as well but we couldn’t get all the information we needed for the analysis,” said author, Yang Yang.</p>
<p>After near hysteria, the media’s gone Rip Van Winkle on this one. Not a good idea. The problem has not gone away. <a href="http://julia.whitty.googlepages.com/home" type="external">JULIA WHITTY</a></p>
<p /> | Study Confirms Human-To-Human Spread Of Avian-Flu | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2007/08/study-confirms-human-human-spread-avian-flu/ | 2007-08-30 | 4 |
<p>SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the recovery from deadly California mudslides (all times local):</p>
<p>4 p.m.</p>
<p>A state senator from Santa Barbara is introducing legislation that seeks to ensure that insurance companies cover damage from devastating mudslides.</p>
<p>Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson said Tuesday that questions remain about whether fire insurance policies will cover the damage, which was caused by torrential rains in an area that had just burned. Some worry that insurers will refuse to pay claims for customers who don’t have optional flood insurance.</p>
<p>SB917 would require insurers to pay for damages caused by landslides triggered by wildfires or other covered disasters.</p>
<p>Jackson says some insurers are being noncommittal about whether they’ll pay claims. It’s unclear how many customers are affected.</p>
<p>Jackson says the powerful mudslides destroyed almost 10 percent of the homes in Montecito. Twenty-one people were killed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10 a.m.</p>
<p>A report finds that in the days before mudslides devastated California neighborhoods, officials released conflicting evacuation orders that left some hard-hit neighborhoods out of the warning zone.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-montecito-mud-20180123-htmlstory.html" type="external">Los Angeles Times</a> reports Tuesday that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office posted on its website and Facebook a list of voluntary and mandatory evacuation areas for Montecito. A separate map on the county’s website included a larger voluntary evacuation zone that included homes not covered by the sheriff’s list.</p>
<p>The Times says of the 21 people killed, at least a dozen lived in areas that were covered by the county’s evacuation map but not included in the sheriff’s warnings.</p>
<p>Officials acknowledged the discrepancy while emphasizing other measures used to warn residents of the approaching storm — including emails, social media alerts, press releases and even deputies going door to door.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>5:30 a.m.</p>
<p>Authorities are lifting some evacuation orders for Southern California neighborhoods near where powerful mudslides destroyed homes and killed 21 people.</p>
<p>Santa Barbara County officials say residents of certain areas on the western edge of Montecito will be allowed to return at midday Tuesday.</p>
<p>Utilities may still be out and a boil water notice remains in effect.</p>
<p>Large swaths of the coastal town will remain evacuated as crews continue to remove mud and boulders and rebuild drainage pipes and power lines.</p>
<p>Officials said over the weekend that it would be a gradual process getting residents back into homes.</p>
<p>Gov. Jerry Brown declared Monday a “Day of Remembrance of the Montecito Mudslides” and ordered flags flown at half-staff over the state Capitol.</p>
<p>A 17-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl remain missing.</p>
<p>SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the recovery from deadly California mudslides (all times local):</p>
<p>4 p.m.</p>
<p>A state senator from Santa Barbara is introducing legislation that seeks to ensure that insurance companies cover damage from devastating mudslides.</p>
<p>Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson said Tuesday that questions remain about whether fire insurance policies will cover the damage, which was caused by torrential rains in an area that had just burned. Some worry that insurers will refuse to pay claims for customers who don’t have optional flood insurance.</p>
<p>SB917 would require insurers to pay for damages caused by landslides triggered by wildfires or other covered disasters.</p>
<p>Jackson says some insurers are being noncommittal about whether they’ll pay claims. It’s unclear how many customers are affected.</p>
<p>Jackson says the powerful mudslides destroyed almost 10 percent of the homes in Montecito. Twenty-one people were killed.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10 a.m.</p>
<p>A report finds that in the days before mudslides devastated California neighborhoods, officials released conflicting evacuation orders that left some hard-hit neighborhoods out of the warning zone.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-montecito-mud-20180123-htmlstory.html" type="external">Los Angeles Times</a> reports Tuesday that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office posted on its website and Facebook a list of voluntary and mandatory evacuation areas for Montecito. A separate map on the county’s website included a larger voluntary evacuation zone that included homes not covered by the sheriff’s list.</p>
<p>The Times says of the 21 people killed, at least a dozen lived in areas that were covered by the county’s evacuation map but not included in the sheriff’s warnings.</p>
<p>Officials acknowledged the discrepancy while emphasizing other measures used to warn residents of the approaching storm — including emails, social media alerts, press releases and even deputies going door to door.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>5:30 a.m.</p>
<p>Authorities are lifting some evacuation orders for Southern California neighborhoods near where powerful mudslides destroyed homes and killed 21 people.</p>
<p>Santa Barbara County officials say residents of certain areas on the western edge of Montecito will be allowed to return at midday Tuesday.</p>
<p>Utilities may still be out and a boil water notice remains in effect.</p>
<p>Large swaths of the coastal town will remain evacuated as crews continue to remove mud and boulders and rebuild drainage pipes and power lines.</p>
<p>Officials said over the weekend that it would be a gradual process getting residents back into homes.</p>
<p>Gov. Jerry Brown declared Monday a “Day of Remembrance of the Montecito Mudslides” and ordered flags flown at half-staff over the state Capitol.</p>
<p>A 17-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl remain missing.</p> | The Latest: Bill would require insurers to pay for mudslides | false | https://apnews.com/81a8cd30ed904a6a99b428e1c7a64797 | 2018-01-24 | 2 |
<p>Albert Ziganshin/Shutterstock</p>
<p />
<p>The Clinton campaign keeps teasing real-life Fox Mulders with hints that a Hillary Clinton presidency would reveal the truth about what the government knows about extra terrestrials and unidentified flying objects.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/i-team-clinton-aide-seeks-ufo-files" type="external">an interview with a Las Vegas TV station</a> published Tuesday, Clinton campaign chairman&#160;and longtime Washington, DC, power broker John Podesta said that he has pressed Clinton to “get to the bottom of” of what the federal government knows about aliens and “unexplained aerial phenomena”—ET enthusiasts’ preferred term for UFO sightings. <a href="#correction" type="external">*</a>&#160;“I’ve talked to Hillary about that, this is a little bit of a cause of mine which is that people really want to know what the government knows, and there are still classified files that could be declassified,” Podesta said during a campaign stop.</p>
<p>The interview <a href="" type="internal">comes a few months</a> after Clinton told a reporter in New Hampshire that she thinks “we maybe have been [visited already],” and that she might get to the bottom of the alien-visitation question by sending a task force to Nevada’s Area 51. Most media framed the comments as a joke, but Podesta said that this issue should be treated more seriously. “I think I’ve convinced her that we need an effort to kind of go look at that and declassify as much we can so that people have their legitimate questions answered and more attention and more discussion about unexplained aerial phenomena can happen without people who are in public life who are serious about this being ridiculed.”</p>
<p>Podesta is a longtime advocate of increased government transparency on extraterrestrial issues. A huge X-Files fan, he called himself a “curious skeptic” when he wrote the forward to Leslie Kean’s book <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=g2bqkPkPwA8C&amp;pg=PP11&amp;lpg=PP11&amp;dq=#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false" type="external">UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record.</a> “It’s time to find out what the truth really is that’s out there,” he wrote.</p>
<p>Aspiring First Spouse and former President Bill Clinton told Jimmy Kimmel in 2014 that he had people “look at the records of Area 51 to make sure there wasn’t an alien down there,” and also had “all the Roswell papers reviewed.” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSMhNk8wSng" type="external">In 1995</a> Clinton said that “as far as he knows,” it wasn’t an alien space craft that crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. If the Air Force had recovered something of that nature, “they didn’t tell me about it either, and I want to know.”</p>
<p>Answers are still out there, according to Podesta. “I think the American people can handle the truth about this,” he said.</p>
<p>Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to John Podesta as the Clinton campaign’s manager when, in fact, he’s the campaign chairman.</p>
<p /> | Clinton Campaign Manager Says Release All the Documents! (About UFOs) | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2016/03/hillary-clinton-podesta-aliens-ufos/ | 2016-03-03 | 4 |
<p>photobank.kiev.ua/&lt;a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/index-in.mhtml"&gt;Shutterstock&lt;/a&gt;</p>
<p />
<p>Maybe money can buy happiness—if your bank comes with a therapist.</p>
<p>The unhappy Scrooge McDucks of the world no longer have to rely on their butlers, congressmen, yacht bartenders, or <a href="http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/04/obama-campaign-mocks-romneys-car-elevators-120020.html" type="external">car-elevator</a> repair men to help them deal with the challenges of immense wealth. Big banks are now standing ready to help the superrich cope, with psychological “wealth counseling” services galore.&#160;</p>
<p>In 2006, Jamie Traeger-Muney became the first psychologist to ever be hired by a bank to work directly with customers when Wells Fargo brought her on to counsel those with upwards of $50 million. A “wealth psychologist” of 15 years, Traeger-Muney now trains others like her,&#160; <a href="http://www.wealthlegacygroup.net/about_us/index.php" type="external">advising</a> counselors in the private-wealth management divisions of banks like&#160; <a href="http://ascent.usbank.com/" type="external">U.S. Bank</a> and <a href="https://www.abbotdowning.com/" type="external">Wells Fargo</a>,&#160;brokerage firms including <a href="http://www.smithbarney.com/products_services/wealth_management/" type="external">Morgan Stanley Smith Barney</a> and <a href="http://wealthmanagement.ml.com/wm/pages/Home.aspx?referrer=mlcom" type="external">Merrill Lynch</a>, and philanthropic organizations.</p>
<p>“Wealth is still a taboo in our culture,” Traeger-Muney says.</p>
<p>That can make some rich folks very sensitive—so much so that certain words have been dropped from bank therapists’ lexicons. John Warnick, a consultant who trains U.S. Bank financial advisers in positive psychology and works independently with families and financial professionals, avoids the awkward term “wealthy” altogether. “I choose to call them legacy families,” he says.</p>
<p>Rich people sometimes seek therapy to cope with the idea of providing trusts for their kids, says Amy Zehnder, a psychologist and “Senior Wealth Dynamics Coach” who counsels people with $25 million plus at U.S. Bank’s Ascent Private Capital Management. Some wealthy parents are afraid that if they give their children trusts, the kids might end up spoiled—or worse, waste the money, Zehnder says. She argues that her workshops, which have titles like “Responsible Wealth Ownership” and “Real Colors: Understanding Temperaments,” can help clans “keep control of their money for multiple generations.”</p>
<p>It’s not just old money that haunts rich folks’ psyches. The newly loaded often suffer from Sudden Wealth Syndrome ( <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;q=cache:gN2QcixVFZwJ:https://www.wellsfargo.com/downloads/pdf/familywealth/SpendingTimeOnSuddenWealth.pdf+wells+fargo+therapy+for+wealthy&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us&amp;pid=bl&amp;srcid=ADGEESjoc4xptyeCwJhX7k61vEkJ5F5RVVlMfEamitvszJEEk4jB1hT3DudoNJo98PLp75YEZyPM2zzM-Y7dQwbGQSrNkZRaYwGYsoWx1REdG5UOr8YkSnQr_TJKKiHh37aSBv6hrTy1&amp;sig=AHIEtbQLbYtAg26eWPjGmvV4Os9pQo3stw&amp;pli=1" type="external">SWS</a>), which has symptoms that may include alienation, denial, guilt, and spending sprees.&#160;“When you leapfrog from one socioeconomic position to the next, if you can’t speak openly about…the challenges, that’s when issues start to happen,” says Traeger-Muney, who has created a program called the “Rich Life Portfolio” that helps people break habits&#160;that developed in their families’ pasts.</p>
<p>Although wealth counseling has existed for years, the 2008 financial crisis really sent the aristocracy sprinting for the therapist’s chair. The <a href="http://www.at.capgemini.com/m/at/tl/World_Wealth_Report_2010.pdf" type="external">2010 Capgemini/Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report</a>, a survey that takes the pulse of zillionaires around the world, found that after the crisis, spooked clients were demanding “specialized advice.” Financial advisers must “truly understand the emotional aspects of client behavior,” the report warned.</p>
<p>Susan Bradley, the founder of the <a href="http://suddenmoney.com/" type="external">Sudden Money Institute</a>, which teaches financial professionals to focus on the soft side of money, says Occupy Wall Street isn’t causing many restless nights for her well-to-do clients. She says most people with wealth dismissed them and “got into the Newt Gingrich ‘take a bath and get a job’ kind of stuff.”&#160;</p>
<p>Traeger-Muney has noticed the opposite. “Any time there’s an outside focus on wealth,” it’s not fun for the wealthy, she says. Heirs, she adds, have it the worst: “They feel like they’re in this 1 percent position. They get bad press from people who make fun of them. It feels like their worst nightmare coming true: the idea that they’re now responsible for other people’s unhappiness and lack of wealth, when they didn’t ask for [their millions].”</p>
<p>Ultimately, having lots of money shouldn’t be cause for alarm. “There’s a difference between money causing problems and a lack of ability to explore feelings around money,” Traeger-Muney says. “That’s what leads to psychological issues.” She just tries to get her clients to acknowledge the fact that they’re rolling in dough and learn how to enjoy it.&#160;“What would life be like if they didn’t have any restraints and could really create what they wanted?”</p>
<p>Just imagine.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>This article has been updated.</p>
<p /> | Sad About Being in the 1 Percent? There’s a Therapist for That. | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2012/04/bank-therapy-super-rich-occupy-wall-street/ | 2012-04-10 | 4 |
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Annapolis photographer Jay Fleming thought he'd get a few shots on Tangier Island and be on his way back home. Instead, he found himself stuck on the ice-locked 1.2-square-mile Tangier in the middle of a National Guard emergency supply drop and the island's old ice tradition.</p>
<p>Fleming said he took a charter plane on Jan. 3 into the island 12 miles off the coast of Virginia to see the icy Chesapeake Bay surrounding it. Upon landing, he learned ice had locked the island off from land, making it inaccessible to boats. With no charter planes heading out until the next week, Fleming was stuck with only two things to do: point and shoot.</p>
<p>On Saturday, Fleming captured the Virginia National Guard picking up and delivering food, mail and medicine to the island via two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Six aviation crew soldiers picked up supplies from Crisfield, Maryland, two times to make deliveries to the island, according to National Guard spokesman A.A. "Cotton" Puryear.</p>
<p>The last time the National Guard had to send Black Hawks with supplies to Tangier was February 2015 after the island became ice-locked in the wake of Winter Storm Octavia, according to Puryear.</p>
<p>Fleming captured the silhouette of Tangier Island Mayor James "Ooker" Eskridge being handed supplies from a National Guard officer as the sun set over the ice behind them. He also shot tugboat captain and Tangier native Jeff Crockett unloading supplies from the Black Hawks. Fleming said Crockett came back to the island specifically to be iced-in and hunt waterfowl.</p>
<p>Fleming also witnessed the revival of a Tangier tradition he says islanders hadn't seen for at least 40 years. More than 100 people ice skated, sledded and socialized as old boat parts burned in a bonfire atop the ice at Jobs Cove Sunday night.</p>
<p>Fleming reported winds more than 60 miles per hour on Thursday, and shot drifts of dry snow blanketing cars. He also said that watermen's work boats were "locked in" and unable to get out to dredge oysters, putting those who make Tangier's main source of income out of work for more than a week. Fellow photographer Carol Pruitt Moore, who housed Fleming, said she remembers the freeze of 2015 that brought in the National Guard, but says the 2018 freeze has been much more intense. She said she walked half a mile on the ice on Monday.</p>
<p>"I don't think it (2015) was to this extent. The ice is very thick and hard. It's pretty solid," Moore said. "I'm ready for this party to end. My grandchildren got to experience something they may never experience again, and they had a blast. But I'm over the snow. I'm over the ice. I'm over it."</p>
<p>Moore said that while the ice surrounding the island is thick, so is the skin of its people.</p>
<p>"This is not a crisis. There's plenty of food in Tangier," she said. "The grocery store was running out of milk, bread and eggs, but we learn to prepare for such times like this. Neighbors help each other out. I have three freezers full of food."</p>
<p>Fleming said that while he was initially stuck, he decided to spend a couple more days on the island after charters started flying out on Sunday.</p>
<p>"I was here without a way of leaving, but I didn't really want to leave," he said. "I wouldn't say 'stranded' would be a good word to describe my situation. I've been staying with my friends here and probably eating better than I do at home."</p>
<p>He'll fly out on Tuesday, and says boats are expected to get out of their slips on Wednesday. He says the shots from his stay will be part of his new book, "Island Life," which is set to release in 2020. The second printing of his first book, Working the Water, is nearly sold out, according to Fleming.</p>
<p>"Island Life" will be a photographic illustration of life on Smith and Tangier Islands. Both of the Chesapeake Bay's inhabited offshore islands are only accessible by boat or plane.</p>
<p>"As the crow flies, Tangier and Smith Island aren't really that far from Annapolis, but they maintain different ways of life as offshore islands," Fleming said. "People really have to plan ahead to get through times like this. These islands have been inhabited for hundreds of years and the residents have unique ways of life that do not exist anywhere else."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Capital, <a href="http://www.capitalgazette.com/" type="external">http://www.capitalgazette.com/</a></p>
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Annapolis photographer Jay Fleming thought he'd get a few shots on Tangier Island and be on his way back home. Instead, he found himself stuck on the ice-locked 1.2-square-mile Tangier in the middle of a National Guard emergency supply drop and the island's old ice tradition.</p>
<p>Fleming said he took a charter plane on Jan. 3 into the island 12 miles off the coast of Virginia to see the icy Chesapeake Bay surrounding it. Upon landing, he learned ice had locked the island off from land, making it inaccessible to boats. With no charter planes heading out until the next week, Fleming was stuck with only two things to do: point and shoot.</p>
<p>On Saturday, Fleming captured the Virginia National Guard picking up and delivering food, mail and medicine to the island via two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Six aviation crew soldiers picked up supplies from Crisfield, Maryland, two times to make deliveries to the island, according to National Guard spokesman A.A. "Cotton" Puryear.</p>
<p>The last time the National Guard had to send Black Hawks with supplies to Tangier was February 2015 after the island became ice-locked in the wake of Winter Storm Octavia, according to Puryear.</p>
<p>Fleming captured the silhouette of Tangier Island Mayor James "Ooker" Eskridge being handed supplies from a National Guard officer as the sun set over the ice behind them. He also shot tugboat captain and Tangier native Jeff Crockett unloading supplies from the Black Hawks. Fleming said Crockett came back to the island specifically to be iced-in and hunt waterfowl.</p>
<p>Fleming also witnessed the revival of a Tangier tradition he says islanders hadn't seen for at least 40 years. More than 100 people ice skated, sledded and socialized as old boat parts burned in a bonfire atop the ice at Jobs Cove Sunday night.</p>
<p>Fleming reported winds more than 60 miles per hour on Thursday, and shot drifts of dry snow blanketing cars. He also said that watermen's work boats were "locked in" and unable to get out to dredge oysters, putting those who make Tangier's main source of income out of work for more than a week. Fellow photographer Carol Pruitt Moore, who housed Fleming, said she remembers the freeze of 2015 that brought in the National Guard, but says the 2018 freeze has been much more intense. She said she walked half a mile on the ice on Monday.</p>
<p>"I don't think it (2015) was to this extent. The ice is very thick and hard. It's pretty solid," Moore said. "I'm ready for this party to end. My grandchildren got to experience something they may never experience again, and they had a blast. But I'm over the snow. I'm over the ice. I'm over it."</p>
<p>Moore said that while the ice surrounding the island is thick, so is the skin of its people.</p>
<p>"This is not a crisis. There's plenty of food in Tangier," she said. "The grocery store was running out of milk, bread and eggs, but we learn to prepare for such times like this. Neighbors help each other out. I have three freezers full of food."</p>
<p>Fleming said that while he was initially stuck, he decided to spend a couple more days on the island after charters started flying out on Sunday.</p>
<p>"I was here without a way of leaving, but I didn't really want to leave," he said. "I wouldn't say 'stranded' would be a good word to describe my situation. I've been staying with my friends here and probably eating better than I do at home."</p>
<p>He'll fly out on Tuesday, and says boats are expected to get out of their slips on Wednesday. He says the shots from his stay will be part of his new book, "Island Life," which is set to release in 2020. The second printing of his first book, Working the Water, is nearly sold out, according to Fleming.</p>
<p>"Island Life" will be a photographic illustration of life on Smith and Tangier Islands. Both of the Chesapeake Bay's inhabited offshore islands are only accessible by boat or plane.</p>
<p>"As the crow flies, Tangier and Smith Island aren't really that far from Annapolis, but they maintain different ways of life as offshore islands," Fleming said. "People really have to plan ahead to get through times like this. These islands have been inhabited for hundreds of years and the residents have unique ways of life that do not exist anywhere else."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Capital, <a href="http://www.capitalgazette.com/" type="external">http://www.capitalgazette.com/</a></p> | Maryland photographer stuck on icebound Virginia island | false | https://apnews.com/amp/1bf70dacf4f54c81b159927fc9b4503e | 2018-01-13 | 2 |
<p>No, there weren't any "boos" -- that was the traditional greeting of "Bruuuce!" <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/bruce-springsteen-jimmy-fallon-sing-chris-christie-bridge-scandal-article-1.1580143" type="external">New York Daily News:</a></p>
<p>The most popular New Jersey export took a moment to chime in on his state's current events with song — and he did it with a little help from Jimmy Fallon. Bruce Springsteen stopped by "Late Night" on Tuesday night, and joined the comedian in a reworked version of his song "Born to Run," spoofing the Fort Lee, N.J., bridge scandal currently plaguing Gov. Chris Christie.</p>
<p>The new song, titled "Gov. Christie Traffic Jam," started with Fallon — dressed as Springsteen — singing about being stuck on the George Washington Bridge for hours. He was soon joined by the real Boss. "You've got Wall Street masters stuck cheek-to-cheek with blue-collar truckers," the legendary rocker, 64, sang. "And I really gotta take a leak."</p>
<p>In true Springsteen fashion, the funny address to Christie frequently referenced the "working man." By the end of their parody, Fallon and Springsteen had the audience laughing and cheering, but maybe not everybody shared the sentiment on the "Bridgegate" scandal — towards the end, it sounded like they may have garnered a few boos.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/radio-or-not?utm_campaign=ustre-am&amp;utm_source=ustre-am&amp;utm_medium=social" type="external">H/t Nicole Sandler.</a></p> | Guess Bruce Springsteen And Chris Christie Aren't BFFs Anymore | true | http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/i-guess-bruce-springsteen-and-chris | 2014-01-15 | 4 |
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<p>Nokia touts video recording in new Lumia phoneThis undated handout photo provided by Nokia shows the company's new Windows phone that promises enhanced video-recording capabilities.The new Lumia Icon sports four microphones, compared with the one or two typically found in smartphones. The two on the front are activated when making phone calls, while the two on the rear are used when taking video, to better capture sound coming from the subjects. (AP Photo/Nokia)</p>
<p>NEW YORK - Nokia is selling a new Windows phone that promises enhanced video-recording capabilities.</p>
<p>The new Lumia Icon sports four microphones, compared with the one or two typically found in smartphones. The two on the front are activated when making phone calls, while the two on the rear are used when taking video - to better capture sound coming from the subjects.</p>
<p>The Icon takes video in 1080p high-definition resolution as well as still images of up to 19 megapixels. The resolution for still images isn't as sharp as the 38-megapixel maximum on Nokia's flagship Lumia 1020, but that allows the Icon camera to be flatter, without a protruding lens.</p>
<p>Nokia is one of the main companies making phones based on Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 system. The system is growing in use, but it lags iPhones and Android devices in market share. Many apps come to iPhones and Android devices first.</p>
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<p>Microsoft Corp. is trying to boost its Windows Phone system as sales of traditional personal computers decline. Microsoft is buying Nokia's phone business and patent rights for $7.3 billion in a deal expected to be completed by the end of March.</p>
<p>The Lumia Icon will be available starting Feb. 20 through Verizon Wireless for $200 with a two-year service contract, or $550 without.</p>
<p>The Icon is similar to Nokia Corp.?s Lumia 1520, except its screen measures just 5 inches diagonally, compared with 6 inches on the 1520. The 1520 is available only through AT&amp;T.</p>
<p>The Icon supports wireless re-charging and works with a variety of charging mats and other accessories sold separately.</p> | Nokia touts video recording in new Lumia phone | false | https://abqjournal.com/352024/nokia-touts-video-recording-in-new-lumia-phone.html | 2 |
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<p />
<p>Oil fell almost 2 percent on Tuesday, retreating from one-year highs, after mixed responses by Russian oil industry officials toward an OPEC call for all major crude producers to cut output.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The International Energy Agency, the energy watchdog of the West, also said it was unclear how rapidly global oil supply could fall in line with demand even if Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed on a steep cut.</p>
<p>"Net, we find that an agreement to cut production, while increasingly likely, remains premature given the high supply uncertainty in 2017 and would prove self-defeating if it were to target sustainably higher oil prices," analysts at Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs said in a note.</p>
<p>A crude glut has forced prices down from mid-2014 highs above $100 a barrel.</p>
<p>Brent crude oil was down $1, or 1.9 percent, at $52.14 a barrel by 11:42 a.m. EDT (1541 GMT), off the one-year high of $53.73 hit on Monday.</p>
<p>U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped 90 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $50.45.</p>
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<p>Global oil industry officials in Istanbul for the World Energy Conference issued a raft of statements on OPEC's first planned production cut in eight years.</p>
<p>The energy ministers of Saudi Arabia and Russia intend to hold further consultations in Riyadh after the Istanbul meeting, the Saudi energy ministry said in a statement.</p>
<p>Igor Sechin, Russia's most influential oil executive and the head of Rosneft, told Reuters in an interview his company will not cut or freeze oil production as part of a possible agreement with OPEC.</p>
<p>The previous day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said an output freeze or even a production cut were likely the only right decisions to maintain energy sector stability.</p>
<p>Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the base-case scenario for Russia would be to leave current output unchanged.</p>
<p>OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo said any deal to freeze oil production was likely to be reviewed after six months.</p>
<p>OPEC, which groups Saudi Arabia with big oil producers such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait and Nigeria and Venezuela, aims to cut 700,000 barrels per day of its production, bringing output to 32.5-33.0 million bpd by its next policy meeting in Vienna on Nov. 30.</p>
<p>OPEC has asked non-OPEC producers besides Russia to contribute with cuts too, although the United States, the world's No. 1 oil producer, will not be part of the plan.</p>
<p>Analysts worry that if crude prices maintain their recent upward momentum, production of U.S. shale oil, crimped this year by prices as low as nearly $26 a barrel, will begin to increase again. (By Barani Krishnan; Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in LONDON and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; Editing by Greg Mahlich and Clive McKeef)</p> | Oil Down on Mixed Russian Response to OPEC | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/10/11/oil-down-on-mixed-russian-response-to-opec.html | 2016-10-11 | 0 |
<p>As investigators gather information about the Boston marathon bombing suspects, one focus is whether the suspects were influenced by online militant websites. Host Marco Werman talks with Rita Katz of SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors radical jihadist websites.</p>
<p>Katz said her organization discovered that the internet played a important role for at least one of the brothers — Tamerlan Tsarnaev. He had a YouTube account that was linked to several Jihadi and Islamic radical sites, Katz said.</p>
<p>His younger brother, Dzhokhar, doesn't appear to have any radical postings. Katz said his pages were of a normal American teenager compared to his older brother.</p>
<p>These days, according to Katz, anyone can get access to these militant websites. "You don't have to go to any training camps to get influenced" when you can get the same access to the internet.</p> | Boston Bombing Suspects and Online Radical Jihad Videos | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-04-23/boston-bombing-suspects-and-online-radical-jihad-videos | 2013-04-23 | 3 |
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<p>RIO RANCHO – The city of Rio Rancho has three finalists for the police chief position, the Rio Rancho Observer reported.</p>
<p>City spokesman Peter Wells told the Observer that candidates Daniel Busken, Michael Geier and Craig Junginger were being invited for in-person interviews at the end of the month. A selection committee composed of City Manager Keith Riesberg and other city employees chose the three from among seven semi-finalists, after an eighth, Michael Reid, withdrew from consideration, Wells said.</p>
<p>Former Police Chief Robert Boone retired at the end of November. More than 80 people applied to fill his position.</p>
<p>According to the Observer report, Busken has served as Greenville, Texas, police chief since 2010, having held the position previously in Madison, Ala., and Crystal City, Mo. He is completing his second master’s degree.</p>
<p>Geier, an Albuquerque police commander, has worked with that department since 1994. He served with the Wilmette Police Department in Illinois for 20 years before coming to Albuquerque. He has a master’s in administration of justice.</p>
<p>Junginger is the Gresham, Ore., police chief. Before beginning that job five years ago, he worked with Huntington Beach Police Department in California for 23 years. He has a master’s degree in emergency services administration.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Top 3 police chief candidates named | false | https://abqjournal.com/335015/top-3-police-chief-candidates-named.html | 2 |
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<p>Iridium Communications says its next two launches of new-generation satellites will use refurbished SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage boosters that have flown previously.</p>
<p>The announcement Thursday is another step in SpaceX's effort to reduce launch costs.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The company has launched a few used boosters and is trying to expand acceptance of reusability across the industry.</p>
<p>Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has had successful landings of Falcon 9 first stages after launches from both coasts.</p>
<p>Iridium is in the midst of seven launches to replace its satellite fleet that provides global mobile voice and data communications.</p>
<p>The McLean, Virginia, company says insurers confirmed there is no increase in premiums for "flight-proven" rocket use.</p>
<p>Thirty new satellites are in orbit and the fourth launch is scheduled for Dec. 22 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.</p> | Iridium to rely on used SpaceX boosters for next 2 launches | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/10/19/iridium-to-rely-on-used-spacex-boosters-for-next-2-launches.html | 2017-10-19 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Nobody is perfect, not even those companies that get high ratings from the socially responsible business sector. But it’s clear that some are better than others in the way they balance the bottom line with their responsibilities to employees and their communities. In creating a list of the top 20 of these companies, journalist Milton Moskowitz does a balancing act of his own, weighing their track records in charitable giving, fair labor practices, progressive benefits, sound environmental practices, and, last but not least, satisfied employees.</p>
<p>The Allstate Corp. Northbrook, Ill. Employees: 49,100. Founded: 1931. Sales: $24.2 billion (1996). Publicly owned. The insurance company has been actively working to improve coverage in low-income neighborhoods after complaints about discrimination. In the past 10 years the percentage of female and minority officers has shot up, and more than half the employees are women. Opened a new on-site childcare center at headquarters.</p>
<p>Ben &amp; Jerry’s Homemade Inc. Waterbury, Vt. Employees: 700. Founded: 1978. Sales: $167.2 million (1996). Publicly owned. The ice cream maker insists on a double bottom line: financial and social performance. Targets 7.5 percent of pretax earnings to charity; supports affordable housing for low-income families; and composts factory waste. Known for innovative approaches (conducting a write-in campaign for CEO) but came under fire for acting like the corporate bullies it once criticized and raising its cap on CEO earnings. Employees get free pints of ice cream.</p>
<p>Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, Mass. Employees: 8,535. Founded: 1915; merged with Deaconess in 1996. Privately owned. Beth Israel was the first organization outside the manufacturing sector to embrace the Scanlon gainsharing plan, under which employee teams submit ideas for improvement and share monetarily in productivity gains. Nurses take responsibility for overall patient care. On-site childcare center.</p>
<p>Donnelly Corp. Holland, Mich. Employees: 5,000. Founded: 1905. Sales: $439.6 million (1996). Publicly owned. The maker of rearview mirrors and windows for cars is organized along the lines of a representative government, giving power to employees who share in the rewards through the Scanlon gainsharing plan (see Beth Israel, above). Donnelly retrains workers whose jobs have been automated.</p>
<p>Federal Express Corp. Memphis, Tenn. Employees: 127,000. Founded: 1971. Sales: $10.3 billion (1996). Publicly owned. The workforce of the world’s largest all-cargo airline has expanded from 84,000 to 127,000 in the past five years. While FedEx has been mired in a dispute with pilots and has been accused of using lobbying muscle to influence federal regulations, it also has the strongest maltreatment process in American business. Employees with complaints are guaranteed fair treatment: If their issue goes to company trial, they get to choose three of the five jurors.</p>
<p>Fel-Pro Inc. Skokie, Ill. Employees: 2,300. Founded: 1918. Sales: $350 million (1996). Privately owned. Gasket maker has benefits that just won’t quit. Employees’ newborns get $1,000 savings bonds; school-age kids get practically free tutoring; and college-bound offspring get a hefty scholarship. The company gives away more than 5 percent of pretax earnings. Plus: low-cost, on-site childcare and free income tax preparation.</p>
<p>Herman Miller Inc. Zeeland, Mich. Employees: 6,984. Founded: 1923. Sales: $1.3 billion (1996). Publicly owned. The value-driven furniture maker that invented the office cubicle places a high priority on its employees. Admitted to handling recent layoffs poorly and replaced top managers. The company will only use tropical woods that come from sustained-yield forests (i.e., no Honduran mahogany) and insists that all facilities devote 50 percent of land to green space.</p>
<p>Hewlett-Packard Co. Palo Alto, Calif. Employees: 112,800. Founded: 1939. Sales: $38.4 billion (1996). Publicly owned. As the godfather of Silicon Valley, H-P set the tone for the high-tech industry’s progressive employee policies — with flexible schedules, casual dress, openness to employee dissent, and a commitment to advancing women.</p>
<p>IBM Armonk, N.Y. Employees: 240,615. Founded: 1911. Sales: $76 billion (1996). Publicly owned. No. 1 crusader in the business world for establishment of programs that help workers balance family and career responsibilities, including flexible work hours, leaves of absence, childcare and elder-care referral services, and financial planning. Owns Lotus, long the social responsibility leader in the computer industry.</p>
<p>Johnson &amp; Johnson New Brunswick, N.J. Employees: 89,300. Founded: 1886. Sales: $21.6 billion (1996). Publicly owned. Widely admired for doing the right thing, as dictated by its “Credo,” a formal statement of responsibilities to customers, employees, community, and shareholders — in that order. Biggest corporate supporter of Head Start programs. Has four childcare centers operating at different sites. Fitness centers at every site.</p>
<p>Johnson Wax Racine, Wis. Employees: 12,000. Founded: 1886. Sales: approx. $4 billion (1996). Privately owned. Still owned by the same family that started the company, Johnson Wax makes a slew of reliable household products while maintaining ethical and environmental standards that put other firms to shame. It has rarely, if ever, laid off any employees.</p>
<p>Merck &amp; Co. Inc. Whitehouse Station, N.J. Employees: 49,100. Founded: 1891. Sales: $19.8 billion (1996). Privately owned. In the forefront of research for agents to combat hypertension, asthma, and AIDS. Has long told employees to “put patients first” and profits will follow. Five women in top management ranks. Merck gives away $125 million in drugs annually, including drugs to cure river blindness among people in Africa and Central and South America. Gave $20 million to United Negro College Fund over 10 years for scholarships in biomedical research.</p>
<p>Odwalla Inc. Half Moon Bay, Calif. Employees: 520. Founded: 1980. Sales: $59.2 million (1996). Publicly owned. Premier squeezer of juices did everything right last year when confronted with E. coli contamination of apple juice. Came to the support of victims, publicly acknowledged responsibility, offered no-questions-asked refunds. Truck fleet runs on compressed natural gas. Odwalla aids farming families in California’s Central Valley and has scholarship funds for women.</p>
<p>Patagonia Ventura, Calif. Employees: 700. Founded: 1973. Sales: $154 million (1996). Privately owned. The most rabid protector of the environment in the business world. Contributes 1 percent of sales or 10 percent of pretax profits (whichever is greater) to environmental groups. Pays employees to work one month in an environmental organization. Uses only organically grown cotton. Half the employees — and more than half of management — are women.</p>
<p>Quad/Graphics Inc. Pewaukee, Wis. Employees: 9,300. Founded: 1971. Sales: $1 billion (1995). Privately owned. One of the nation’s top five printers, Quad operates 16 facilities and prints about 400 magazine titles including Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, and Mother Jones. Three Wisconsin plants have childcare centers open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Two also have full-scale medical clinics. Allocates 5 percent of pretax profits for charity. In 1994 developed an ecofriendly ink.</p>
<p>Sara Lee Corp. Chicago, Ill. Employees: 135,300. Founded: 1939. Sales: $18.6 billion (1996). Publicly owned. The food and clothing maker boasts high-ranking women (chief financial officer, general counsel) and African-Americans (heads of Playtex Apparel and Gallo Salame units). Contributes 2 percent of pretax profits to charity; earmarks 25 percent of giving to organizations serving the disadvantaged.</p>
<p>SAS Institute Cary, N.C. Employees: 3,000. Founded: 1976. Sales: $562 million (1995). Privately owned. Software developer goes out of its way to take care of employees at its headquarters, with three childcare centers, fitness center, fully staffed medical clinic, and award-winning cafeteria. The childcare centers look after nearly 500 children of employees and SAS subsidizes the cost.</p>
<p>Shorebank Corp. Chicago, Ill. Employees: 500. Founded: 1972. Privately owned. South Shore Bank of Chicago invented the idea of community development banking back in 1973. President Clinton used it as inspiration for a national community development banking fund. Close to 4 percent of pretax earnings go to charity.</p>
<p>Southwest Airlines Co. Dallas, Texas. Employees: 22,944. Founded: 1971. Sales: $9.6 billion (1996). Publicly owned. The seventh-largest airline in the U.S., Southwest was ranked first in airline quality by a University of Nebraska/Wichita State University survey and also has the best safety record in the industry. Zany CEO likes to keep employees in good humor — an attendant explaining a delayed departure from San Francisco airport: “Please excuse the delay, but the machine that destroys the handles on your luggage is in need of repair.”</p>
<p>Whole Foods Market Inc. Austin, Texas. Employees: 9,848. Founded: 1980. Sales: $892 million (1996). Publicly owned. Nation’s largest purveyor of natural foods has brought organic produce into the mainstream. Employees are referred to as “team members” and no one makes more than eight times the average salary of a full-time team member. CEO’s pay in 1996: $197,000. Contributes minimum of 5 percent of after-tax profits to charity.</p>
<p /> | 20 Better Places to Work | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/1997/07/20-better-places-work/ | 2018-07-01 | 4 |
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<p />
<p>Valedictorian&#160;for Rio Rancho High</p>
<p>Age: 18</p>
<p>Where will you attend college? I will attend the University of New Mexico.</p>
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<p>What will you study? I have been accepted into the BA/MD (Bachelor of Arts to Doctor of Medicine) program. (The university admits only 28 New Mexico graduates to the program each year from an average of 140 applicants.) I will study biochemistry for four years and then go into medical school for the next four years. I would like to be a doctor.</p>
<p>What motivated you to work so hard? My parents have always worked really hard. They were immigrants from Vietnam and I was a first generation American. Seeing them succeed has made me want to work hard.</p>
<p>What are your plans for the summer? I will be working for Los Alamos National Laboratory doing research work. I applied for a scholarship they have. After I interviewed for the scholarship, they offered me a job.</p>
<p>Name a historical figure who has influenced you. Why? Albert Einstein is one of the most influential historical figures. He is the epitome of scientific genius, however his wisdom extends far beyond the realm of physics. He once asserted, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” He teaches open-mindedness in interacting with others and that approach is essential to my outlook on the world around me. Not everyone can be judged by the same standards.</p>
<p>Salutatorian&#160;for Rio Rancho High</p>
<p>Age: 17</p>
<p>Where will you attend college? I’m going to the University of New Mexico.</p>
<p>What will you study? I’m going to major in biology. I have been accepted into the BA/MD program. It saves a spot in the medical program after I complete my bachelor’s. You have to pass the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) after you complete a bachelor’s degree and you are automatically accepted. I eventually want to be a doctor. I have been working with geriatrics a lot.</p>
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<p>What motivated you to work so hard? Well my parents did a lot of breathing down my neck. I had a goal for myself my freshman year to be in the top two because I knew I could do it. I just put my mind to it. (Patel is the son of RRPS board member Divyesh Patel.)</p>
<p>What are your plans for the summer? Probably hang out with some of my friends before we head off in different directions. I’m going to probably do some running. We are going on a cruise to Honduras, Belize and Mexico.</p>
<p>Name a historical figure who has influenced you. Why? Abraham Lincoln because he stood firm in his beliefs even in the national spotlight. He stood for what was right morally but tried to be objective. He thought of the greater good of everybody not just for himself.</p>
<p>Valedictorian&#160;for V. Sue Cleveland High</p>
<p>Age: 19 this month. I missed a year of school when I was in elementary school.</p>
<p>Where will you attend college? The University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz. $1,000 academic scholarship from the school.</p>
<p>What will you study? Video game art and animation. I have a great interest in video games and I’m an artist. My top favorite video games are Pokémon, Halo and gears of war. I have an Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo DS.</p>
<p>What are your plans for the summer? I’m moving to Arizona with my older sister, who is 37. She has been living there. I want to get all settled down.</p>
<p>What motivated you to work so hard? I always wanted to go to a good college. In my house, getting an education is the most important thing.</p>
<p>Name a historical figure who has influenced you. Why? My nephew, even though he is not a historical figure. He’s a little younger than me. He’s all about video games and someday I thought I would make a video game for him.</p>
<p>Salutatorian&#160;for V. Sue Cleveland High</p>
<p>Age: 18</p>
<p>Where will you attend college? Baylor University in Waco, Texas.</p>
<p>What will you study? Psychology and criminology.</p>
<p>What are your plans for the summer? This summer, my goal is to make money through house-sitting, but still spend a lot of time with my friends. I want to get ready for college, but I also want to make sure I enjoy the next couple months.</p>
<p>What motivated you to work so hard? I don’t know that I never necessarily decided to work hard, it was just something I did. Doing well in school came pretty naturally to me. I knew I was capable of getting straight A’s, so I never let myself settle for anything less.</p>
<p>Name a historical figure who has influenced you. Why? I’m not quite sure he can be called “historical” considering he only died in 1991, but I’ve always been fond of Dr. Seuss. He was a guy who a lot of people probably thought was crazy, and maybe he was, but he made a name for himself by doing what he loved and by being excessively weird. As the weird geeky type, I respect that. My favorite quote from him would have to be “We are all a little weird and life is a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”</p>
<p /> | Graduates talk about their future | false | https://abqjournal.com/200435/graduates-talk-about-their-future.html | 2013-05-18 | 2 |
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Since the late 2008/early 2009 crash, the nation’s largest banks have experienced tremendous growth, reported substantial profits, and been able to pay back billions in TARP loans.&#160; On Main St, however, a far more sobering reality exists.&#160;</p>
<p>Effective unemployment has risen to 16.5%, foreclosures have skyrocketed, a record number of Americans are on food stamps, personal and corporate bankruptcies continue to explode, and over 250 small to medium sized banks have failed.&#160;</p>
<p>Now, Elizabeth Warren, Chairwoman of TARP’s Congressional Oversight Panel, is reporting that small banks are barely treading water, while the gap between the “Too Big to Fail” and small-medium sized banks has widened even further since the economic crisis hit almost three years ago.&#160;</p>
<p>Antonia Oprita, of CNBC, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/id/38240086" type="external">writes</a>:&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; “One in seven small banks that took TARP money has already missed a dividend payment, and fewer than 10 percent have repaid the amount back to taxpayers, a Congressional Oversight Panel report released Wednesday showed.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Small banks and big banks did not “look like each other” even before the need for the bailout and “in a post-TARP world, they look even less like each other,” Warren said.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; “I think that the problem is that small banks needed a different program… small banks serve an important function in this economy, they disproportionally are the banks that lend the money to small businesses,” she said.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Warren estimated that 15 percent of the smaller banks cannot make the payments under TARP.”&#160;</p>
<p>Warren’s assessment is spot on.&#160; Since 2003, the five biggest banking institutions <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704349304575115842815972162.html" type="external">now hold 40%</a> of the nation’s deposits, compared to 24%.&#160; With billions in taxpayer dollars, Bank of America gobbled up Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia, and JPMorgan Chase swallowed up Bear Stearns since the onset of the economic crisis.&#160;</p>
<p>But, while the behemoth banking institutions are relatively thriving, top industry analyst Meredith Whitney has predicted that as many as 1,000 small banks may end up going extinct over the next couple of years as stimulus runs dry and commercial real estate further deteriorates.&#160; Yet, these are the banks that are critical in providing small business loans, as Warren rightly points out.&#160;</p>
<p>The truth is, America’s economic infrastructure and all-important banking sector have become grossly distorted since the $700 billion Wall St bailout.&#160; Main St is suffering, small banks are hanging on by a thread, and the big banks have engorged themselves on government favors, taxpayer money, and preferential treatment from the Federal Reserve.&#160;</p>
<p>Leading trends forecaster Gerald Celente really did sum it up best when describing the current state of affairs in America:&#160; <a href="http://caivn.org/article/2010/06/25/harvard-princeton-yale-bullets-bombs-and-banks" type="external">Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Bullets, Bombs, and Banks</a>.&#160; As he’s said, Wall St. has hijacked D.C., the nation’s “Too Big to Fails” have become a corporate oligopoly, and America’s system of free-market capitalism has devolved into a form of fascism, defined as the merger of corporate and state interests.&#160;</p>
<p>Simply put, the numbers don’t lie.&#160; TARP didn’t loosen the credit market, jump start business lending, or rescue the “Little Guy”.&#160; It simply rewarded reckless gambling and enriched the “biggest of the big”.&#160;</p>
<p>And who do we have to thank for this current state of affairs?&#160;</p>
<p>None other than Obama, Bush, and the Republicrat corporatists in Congress.</p> | “Too Big to Fail” banks thrive, while small banks suffer | false | https://ivn.us/2010/07/16/too-big-fail-banks-thrive-while-small-banks-suffer/ | 2010-07-16 | 2 |
<p />
<p>On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced an unprecedented fine against BP’s Alaskan division for spilling 5,078 barrels of oil from a pipeline in 2006. Yes, that other big oil spill problem BP had before they trashed the Gulf of Mexico. The fine—$25 million—is the highest civil per-barrel penalty to date.</p>
<p>It works out to $4,923 for each barrel of oil the company spilled—which is higher than the standard penalty, the EPA explains, because it also includes fees for violating both the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. The maximum fine is usually $4,300 per barrel for Clean Water Act violations, imposed when a company is found grossly negligent for a spill. The agreement, hashed out by the EPA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, also requires BP to set up a $60 million system-wide pipeline integrity management program.</p>
<p>The question for me is whether this fine sets a precedent for BP’s other big spill. The company dumped 4.9 million barrels of crude if the Gulf. If the company is deemed grossly negligent in the disaster, BP <a href="" type="internal">could face</a> up to $21 billion fines for Clean Water Act violations alone. Then there’s the Natural Resources Damage Assessment process, in which the feds <a href="" type="internal">survey the damage to ecosystems</a> and levy a fee for restoration to the responsible party. That’s on top of the $20 billion in compensation for residents and businesses that BP already agreed to put into an escrow account.</p>
<p>All told, it could add up to quite a bit for BP if the government is aggressive in its penalties. But whether the government will be <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/dec/16/bp-deepwater-lawsuit-eric-holder" type="external">is still an open question</a>.</p>
<p /> | Feds Fine BP Big Time—For Alaskan Spill | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/05/bp-fined-alaska-pipeline-oil/ | 2011-05-04 | 4 |
<p>Cocoa futures fell Monday after hitting six-month highs last week as more sunshine is expected for the world's largest cocoa grower, adding to concerns about a global surplus.</p>
<p>Cocoa for December delivery was down 2.1% to settle at $2,044 a ton on the ICE Futures U.S. exchange. The contract closed at $2,097 a ton early last week, the highest settlement since April.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Wire services in Ivory Coast were reporting that increased sunshine was expected to boost the nascent main crop despite heavy rains that continued last week in most of the cocoa-growing regions in the country.</p>
<p>Prices of cocoa have been moving in a narrow range for the past few months. While signs of improving demand had nudged up prices from time to time, many money managers were betting on a record output and looking to short the market whenever prices hit $2,100 a ton, said Peter Mooses, senior market strategist at RJO Futures.</p>
<p>Cocoa traders are awaiting the release of the third quarter North American cocoa grindings, which is expected to be out on Thursday. This will be the latest sign of how global demand has responded to the lower prices of cocoa, traders said.</p>
<p>Ivory Coast officially kicked off the 2017-2018 season on Oct. 1, with a government guaranteed price for farmers of 700 CFA francs ($1.26) per kilogram, well below growers' expectations.</p>
<p>In Ghana, the government decided to keep the price it pays cocoa farmers unchanged at 7,600 cedis ($1,735) per metric ton for the 2017-18 season, according to Reuters. Analysts say the price gap between the two countries will fuel illicit bean trafficking.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Traders were looking ahead to the 2018 season, expecting a drop in production after weak earnings this year constrained the income farmers will have to invest in next year's cocoa crops.</p>
<p>Raw sugar for March was off 1.6% to close at 14.18 cents a pound, arabica coffee was down 2.1% to $1.2375 a pound, frozen concentrated orange juice for November rose 0.5% to end at $1.5235 a pound, and December cotton lost 1.6% to 67.53 cents a pound.</p>
<p>Write to Carolyn Cui at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>October 16, 2017 15:18 ET (19:18 GMT)</p> | Cocoa Futures Fall on Fears of Surplus | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/10/16/cocoa-futures-fall-on-fears-surplus0.html | 2017-10-16 | 0 |
<p>TIDMTSCO</p>
<p>FORM 8.3</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY</p>
<p>A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE</p>
<p>Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")</p>
<p>1. KEY INFORMATION</p>
<p>(a) Full name of discloser: Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. ("Dimensional"), in</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>its capacity as investment manager and on behalf its</p>
<p>affiliates who are also investment managers. Dimensional</p>
<p>and its affiliates expressly disclaim beneficial ownership</p>
<p>of the shares described in this form 8.3</p>
<p>(b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions</p>
<p>disclosed, if different from 1(a):</p>
<p>The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient.</p>
<p>For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries</p>
<p>must be named.</p>
<p>(c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant Tesco Plc</p>
<p>securities this form relates: (GB0008847096)</p>
<p>Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree</p>
<p>(d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree,</p>
<p>state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:</p>
<p>(e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: 30 January 2018</p>
<p>For an opening position disclosure, state the latest</p>
<p>practicable date prior to the disclosure</p>
<p>(f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the YES</p>
<p>discloser making disclosures in respect of any other If YES, specify which:</p>
<p>party to the offer? Booker Group Plc</p>
<p>If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state (GB00B01TND91)</p>
<p>"N/A"</p>
<p>2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE</p>
<p>If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than</p>
<p>one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c),</p>
<p>copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of</p>
<p>relevant security.</p>
<p>(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of</p>
<p>the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the</p>
<p>dealing (if any)</p>
<p>Class of relevant security: 5p Ordinary Shares</p>
<p>Short</p>
<p>Interests positions</p>
<p>Number % Number %</p>
<p>(1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 45,536,399* 0.56</p>
<p>(2) Cash-settled derivatives:</p>
<p>(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options)</p>
<p>and agreements to purchase/sell:</p>
<p>TOTAL: 45,536,399 0.56</p>
<p>*Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. and / or its affiliates do not control</p>
<p>voting discretion for 308,537 shares.</p>
<p>All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.</p>
<p>Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded</p>
<p>options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should</p>
<p>be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).</p>
<p>(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors'</p>
<p>and other employee options)</p>
<p>Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription</p>
<p>right exists:</p>
<p>Details, including nature of the rights concerned</p>
<p>and relevant percentages:</p>
<p>3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE</p>
<p>Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant</p>
<p>securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b),</p>
<p>(c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant</p>
<p>security dealt in.</p>
<p>The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.</p>
<p>(a) Purchases and sales</p>
<p>Class of relevant Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit</p>
<p>security</p>
<p>Ordinary shares Purchase 9,192 GBP 2.1052</p>
<p>(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions</p>
<p>Class of Product description Nature of dealing Number of Price</p>
<p>relevant e.g. CFD e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing reference per</p>
<p>security a long/short position securities unit</p>
<p>(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)</p>
<p>(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying</p>
<p>Class of Product Writing, Number of Exercise Type Expiry Option</p>
<p>relevant description purchasing, securities price e.g. American, European etc. date money</p>
<p>security e.g. call selling, to which per paid/</p>
<p>option varying option unit received</p>
<p>etc. relates per</p>
<p>unit</p>
<p>(ii) Exercise</p>
<p>Class of Product description Exercising/ Number of Exercise</p>
<p>relevant e.g. call option exercised securities price per</p>
<p>security against unit</p>
<p>(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)</p>
<p>Class of Nature of dealing Details Price per unit</p>
<p>relevant e.g. subscription, conversion (if</p>
<p>security applicable)</p>
<p>4. OTHER INFORMATION</p>
<p>(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements</p>
<p>Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or</p>
<p>any agreement or understanding, formal or informal,</p>
<p>relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement</p>
<p>to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the</p>
<p>person making the disclosure and any party to the</p>
<p>offer or any person acting in concert with a party</p>
<p>to the offer:</p>
<p>Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should</p>
<p>not be included. If there are no such agreements,</p>
<p>arrangements or understandings, state "none"</p>
<p>(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to</p>
<p>options or derivatives</p>
<p>Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding,</p>
<p>formal or informal, between the person making the</p>
<p>disclosure and any other person relating to:</p>
<p>(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under</p>
<p>any option; or</p>
<p>(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal</p>
<p>of any relevant securities to which any derivative</p>
<p>is referenced:</p>
<p>If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings,</p>
<p>state "none"</p>
<p>(c) Attachments</p>
<p>Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO</p>
<p>Date of disclosure: 31 January 2018</p>
<p>Contact name: Joann Kong</p>
<p>Telephone number: 020 3033 4876</p>
<p>Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory</p>
<p>Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at</p>
<p>[email protected]. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is</p>
<p>available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure</p>
<p>requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.</p>
<p>The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at</p>
<p>www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.</p>
<p>This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf</p>
<p>of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.</p>
<p>The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely</p>
<p>responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information</p>
<p>contained therein.</p>
<p>Source: Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. via Globenewswire</p>
<p>https://www.dimensional.com/</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>January 31, 2018 05:36 ET (10:36 GMT)</p> | Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. : Form 8.3 - Tesco Plc - Ordinary Shares | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/11/22/dimensional-fund-advisors-ltd-dimensional-fund-advisors-ltd-form-8-3-tesco-plc-ordinary-shares.html | 2018-01-31 | 0 |
<p>With a red carpet dyed black by actresses dressed in a color-coordinated statement, the Golden Globes were transformed into an A-list expression of female empowerment in the post-Harvey Weinstein era. Oprah Winfrey led the charge.</p>
<p>"For too long women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men," said Winfrey, accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. "But their time is up. Their time is up!"</p>
<p />
<p>More than any award handed out Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, Winfrey's speech, which was greeted by a rousing, ongoing standing ovation, encapsulated the "Me Too" mood at an atypically powerful Golden Globes. The night — usually one reserved for more carefree partying — served as Hollywood's fullest response yet to the sexual harassment scandals that have roiled the film industry and laid bare its gender inequalities.</p>
<p>"A new day is on the horizon!" promised Winfrey, who noted she was the first black woman to be given the honor.</p>
<p>With a cutting stare, presenter Natalie Portman followed Winfrey's speech by introducing, as she said, "the all-male" nominees for best director.</p>
<p>The movie that many believe speaks most directly to the current moment — "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," about a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter — emerged as the night's top film. It won best picture, drama, best actress, drama, for Frances McDormand, best supporting actor for Sam Rockwell and best screenplay for writer-director Martin McDonagh.</p>
<p />
<p>Accepting her award, McDormand granted she was befuddled at the identities of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but gave them credit. "At least they managed to elect a female president," she said. She added that the evening indeed had a special feeling.</p>
<p>"Trust me, the women in this room tonight are not here for the food," said McDormand.</p>
<p>Host Seth Meyers opened the night by diving straight into material about the sex scandals. "Good evening ladies and remaining gentlemen," he began. In punchlines on Weinstein — "the elephant not in the room" — Kevin Spacey and Hollywood's deeper gender biases, Meyers scored laughs throughout the ballroom, and maybe a sense of release.</p>
<p>"For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won't be terrifying to hear your name read out loud," said Meyers.</p>
<p>The first award of the night, perhaps fittingly, went to one of Hollywood's most powerful women: Nicole Kidman, for her performance in HBO's "The Big Little Lies," a series she and Reese Witherspoon also produced. Kidman chalked the win up to "the power of women."</p>
<p>"Big Little Lies" won a leading four awards, including best limited series and best supporting actress for Laura Dern. Like seven other female stars, Dern walked the red carpet with a women's rights activist as part of an effort to keep the Globes spotlight trained on sexual harassment. Dern was joined by farmworker advocate Monica Ramirez, Michelle Williams with "Me Too" founder Tarana Burke, and Meryl Streep with domestic worker advocate Ai-jen Poo.</p>
<p>"May we teach all of our children that speaking out without fear of retribution is our new North Star," said Dern, accepting her Globe.</p>
<p>Other winners continued the theme. Amazon's recently debuted "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," about a 1950s housewife who takes up stand-up comedy, won best TV series comedy, and best actress for Rachel Brosnahan. Elisabeth Moss, accepting an award for her performance in Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale," movingly dedicated her award to Margaret Atwood, whose book the show is based on. "The Handmaid's Tale" later added the award for best TV series, drama.</p>
<p>"We no longer live in the blank white spaces at the edge of print," said Moss, referencing Atwood's prose. "We no longer live in the gaps between the stories. We are the stories in print and we are writing the stories ourselves."</p>
<p>Hollywood's awards season is seen as wide open. And though the Globes have little correlation with the Oscars, a handful of movies came away with big wins.</p>
<p>Greta Gerwig's mother-daughter tale "Lady Bird" won best picture, comedy or musical, and best actress honors for Saoirse Ronan. Guillermo del Toro's Cold War-era fantasy "The Shape of Water" won for its score and del Toro's directing. The emotional Mexican-born filmmaker wiped back tears and managed to quiet the music that urged him off.</p>
<p>Notably left empty-handed were Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk," Jordan Peele's horror sensation "Get Out" and Steven Spielberg's "The Post," starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. At the top of the show, Meyers alluded to Spielberg's film's awards-season bona fides, feigned to present an armful of Globes before the show even started.</p>
<p>The Globes had long been the stomping grounds of disgraced mogul Weinstein, whose downfall precipitated allegations against James Toback, Spacey and many others. Weinstein presided over two decades of Globes winners and was well-known for his savvy manipulation of the 89-member press association.</p>
<p>Though it bills itself as Hollywood's biggest party, the Golden Globes struck a slightly more formal, Oscar-like tone, complete with moments of appreciation for movie legends. Kirk Douglas, 101, appearing with his daughter-in-law, Catherin Zeta-Jones, received a warm standing ovation.</p>
<p>Best actor in a comedy or musical went to James Franco for his performance as the infamous "The Room" filmmaker Tommy Wiseau. Franco dragged his co-star and brother, Dave, to the stage and called up Wiseau. When the Wiseau, wearing his trademark sunglasses, got to the stage, he moved for the microphone before Franco turned him back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Franco as the audience chuckled.</p>
<p>Gary Oldman, considered by some to be the best actor front runner, won for his Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour," edging out newcomer Timothee Chalamet ("Call Me By Your Name") and Hanks.</p>
<p>Best foreign language film went to Germany's "In the Fade." Allison Janney took best supporting actress in a comedy for the Tonya Harding tale "I, Tonya." Aziz Ansari took best actor in a comedy series for his Netflix show "Master of None."</p>
<p>Best animated film went to the Pixar release "Coco." Pixar co-founder John Lasseter is taking a "six-month sabbatical" after acknowledging "missteps" in his workplace behavior. Backstage, "Coco" director Lee Unkrich was asked about changes at Pixar. "We can all be better," he said. "We have been taking steps and continue to move forward to create art."</p>
<p>Sunday night's black-clad demonstration was promoted by the recently formed Time's Up: an initiative of hundreds of women in the entertainment industry —including Streep, Williams, Dern and Winfrey — who have banded together to advocate for gender parity in executive ranks and provide legal defense aid for sexual harassment victims.</p>
<p>Ashley Judd, the first big name to go on record with her Weinstein experience, and Salma Hayek, who last month penned an op-ed about her nightmare with Weinstein, arrived together.</p>
<p>Just about everyone, woman and man, celebrity and red-carpet reporter, was dressed in black, many of them wearing a Time's Up pin. "This Is Us" star Chris Sullivan even sported black fingernails. Later, his co-star Sterling K. Brown won for best drama actor. Brown, the first black man to win the category, thanked "This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman.</p>
<p>"You wrote a role for a black man that can only be played by a black man," said Brown. "I'm being seen for who I am."</p>
<p>Though the atmosphere was still buoyant and positive, the usually superficial red carpet had unusual exchanges. While being interviewed live on E!, Debra Messing called out the network for allegedly not paying its female hosts the same as its male hosts. E!'s Catt Sadler recently departed after she said she learned she was making about half the pay of her male counterpart, Jason Kennedy.</p>
<p>It was just another illustration of how the "MeToo" reckoning that has plowed through Hollywood has upended awards season. Among the nominees Sunday was Christopher Plummer, who was brought in at the last minute to erase Spacey from "All the Money in the World."</p>
<p>But the night belonged to women. Even Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, marking the 25th anniversary of "Thelma &amp; Louise," were brought in as much-cheered presenters.</p>
<p>Said Davis with thick irony: "They love that we fixed everything."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Andrew Dalton and Lindsey Bahr contributed to his report from Beverly Hills.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p>
<p>With a red carpet dyed black by actresses dressed in a color-coordinated statement, the Golden Globes were transformed into an A-list expression of female empowerment in the post-Harvey Weinstein era. Oprah Winfrey led the charge.</p>
<p>"For too long women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men," said Winfrey, accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. "But their time is up. Their time is up!"</p>
<p />
<p>More than any award handed out Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, Winfrey's speech, which was greeted by a rousing, ongoing standing ovation, encapsulated the "Me Too" mood at an atypically powerful Golden Globes. The night — usually one reserved for more carefree partying — served as Hollywood's fullest response yet to the sexual harassment scandals that have roiled the film industry and laid bare its gender inequalities.</p>
<p>"A new day is on the horizon!" promised Winfrey, who noted she was the first black woman to be given the honor.</p>
<p>With a cutting stare, presenter Natalie Portman followed Winfrey's speech by introducing, as she said, "the all-male" nominees for best director.</p>
<p>The movie that many believe speaks most directly to the current moment — "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," about a mother avenging the rape and murder of her daughter — emerged as the night's top film. It won best picture, drama, best actress, drama, for Frances McDormand, best supporting actor for Sam Rockwell and best screenplay for writer-director Martin McDonagh.</p>
<p />
<p>Accepting her award, McDormand granted she was befuddled at the identities of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but gave them credit. "At least they managed to elect a female president," she said. She added that the evening indeed had a special feeling.</p>
<p>"Trust me, the women in this room tonight are not here for the food," said McDormand.</p>
<p>Host Seth Meyers opened the night by diving straight into material about the sex scandals. "Good evening ladies and remaining gentlemen," he began. In punchlines on Weinstein — "the elephant not in the room" — Kevin Spacey and Hollywood's deeper gender biases, Meyers scored laughs throughout the ballroom, and maybe a sense of release.</p>
<p>"For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won't be terrifying to hear your name read out loud," said Meyers.</p>
<p>The first award of the night, perhaps fittingly, went to one of Hollywood's most powerful women: Nicole Kidman, for her performance in HBO's "The Big Little Lies," a series she and Reese Witherspoon also produced. Kidman chalked the win up to "the power of women."</p>
<p>"Big Little Lies" won a leading four awards, including best limited series and best supporting actress for Laura Dern. Like seven other female stars, Dern walked the red carpet with a women's rights activist as part of an effort to keep the Globes spotlight trained on sexual harassment. Dern was joined by farmworker advocate Monica Ramirez, Michelle Williams with "Me Too" founder Tarana Burke, and Meryl Streep with domestic worker advocate Ai-jen Poo.</p>
<p>"May we teach all of our children that speaking out without fear of retribution is our new North Star," said Dern, accepting her Globe.</p>
<p>Other winners continued the theme. Amazon's recently debuted "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," about a 1950s housewife who takes up stand-up comedy, won best TV series comedy, and best actress for Rachel Brosnahan. Elisabeth Moss, accepting an award for her performance in Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale," movingly dedicated her award to Margaret Atwood, whose book the show is based on. "The Handmaid's Tale" later added the award for best TV series, drama.</p>
<p>"We no longer live in the blank white spaces at the edge of print," said Moss, referencing Atwood's prose. "We no longer live in the gaps between the stories. We are the stories in print and we are writing the stories ourselves."</p>
<p>Hollywood's awards season is seen as wide open. And though the Globes have little correlation with the Oscars, a handful of movies came away with big wins.</p>
<p>Greta Gerwig's mother-daughter tale "Lady Bird" won best picture, comedy or musical, and best actress honors for Saoirse Ronan. Guillermo del Toro's Cold War-era fantasy "The Shape of Water" won for its score and del Toro's directing. The emotional Mexican-born filmmaker wiped back tears and managed to quiet the music that urged him off.</p>
<p>Notably left empty-handed were Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk," Jordan Peele's horror sensation "Get Out" and Steven Spielberg's "The Post," starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. At the top of the show, Meyers alluded to Spielberg's film's awards-season bona fides, feigned to present an armful of Globes before the show even started.</p>
<p>The Globes had long been the stomping grounds of disgraced mogul Weinstein, whose downfall precipitated allegations against James Toback, Spacey and many others. Weinstein presided over two decades of Globes winners and was well-known for his savvy manipulation of the 89-member press association.</p>
<p>Though it bills itself as Hollywood's biggest party, the Golden Globes struck a slightly more formal, Oscar-like tone, complete with moments of appreciation for movie legends. Kirk Douglas, 101, appearing with his daughter-in-law, Catherin Zeta-Jones, received a warm standing ovation.</p>
<p>Best actor in a comedy or musical went to James Franco for his performance as the infamous "The Room" filmmaker Tommy Wiseau. Franco dragged his co-star and brother, Dave, to the stage and called up Wiseau. When the Wiseau, wearing his trademark sunglasses, got to the stage, he moved for the microphone before Franco turned him back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Franco as the audience chuckled.</p>
<p>Gary Oldman, considered by some to be the best actor front runner, won for his Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour," edging out newcomer Timothee Chalamet ("Call Me By Your Name") and Hanks.</p>
<p>Best foreign language film went to Germany's "In the Fade." Allison Janney took best supporting actress in a comedy for the Tonya Harding tale "I, Tonya." Aziz Ansari took best actor in a comedy series for his Netflix show "Master of None."</p>
<p>Best animated film went to the Pixar release "Coco." Pixar co-founder John Lasseter is taking a "six-month sabbatical" after acknowledging "missteps" in his workplace behavior. Backstage, "Coco" director Lee Unkrich was asked about changes at Pixar. "We can all be better," he said. "We have been taking steps and continue to move forward to create art."</p>
<p>Sunday night's black-clad demonstration was promoted by the recently formed Time's Up: an initiative of hundreds of women in the entertainment industry —including Streep, Williams, Dern and Winfrey — who have banded together to advocate for gender parity in executive ranks and provide legal defense aid for sexual harassment victims.</p>
<p>Ashley Judd, the first big name to go on record with her Weinstein experience, and Salma Hayek, who last month penned an op-ed about her nightmare with Weinstein, arrived together.</p>
<p>Just about everyone, woman and man, celebrity and red-carpet reporter, was dressed in black, many of them wearing a Time's Up pin. "This Is Us" star Chris Sullivan even sported black fingernails. Later, his co-star Sterling K. Brown won for best drama actor. Brown, the first black man to win the category, thanked "This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman.</p>
<p>"You wrote a role for a black man that can only be played by a black man," said Brown. "I'm being seen for who I am."</p>
<p>Though the atmosphere was still buoyant and positive, the usually superficial red carpet had unusual exchanges. While being interviewed live on E!, Debra Messing called out the network for allegedly not paying its female hosts the same as its male hosts. E!'s Catt Sadler recently departed after she said she learned she was making about half the pay of her male counterpart, Jason Kennedy.</p>
<p>It was just another illustration of how the "MeToo" reckoning that has plowed through Hollywood has upended awards season. Among the nominees Sunday was Christopher Plummer, who was brought in at the last minute to erase Spacey from "All the Money in the World."</p>
<p>But the night belonged to women. Even Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, marking the 25th anniversary of "Thelma &amp; Louise," were brought in as much-cheered presenters.</p>
<p>Said Davis with thick irony: "They love that we fixed everything."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Andrew Dalton and Lindsey Bahr contributed to his report from Beverly Hills.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For full coverage of awards season, visit: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason</a></p> | Oprah, 'Three Billboards' triumph at black-draped Globes | false | https://apnews.com/amp/0485cb5861a14730a237ae3ff967b11d | 2018-01-08 | 2 |
<p />
<p>Twitter Inc said in a lawsuit on Thursday that it had received a demand from U.S. officials for records that could reveal the user behind an account opposed to President Donald Trump and that it was challenging the demand in court.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The lawsuit over the account @ALT_uscis, claimed to be run by federal immigration employees, was filed in federal court in San Francisco, where Twitter is based.</p>
<p>Following Trump's inauguration in January, anonymous Twitter feeds voicing concerns at more than a dozen U.S. government agencies appeared to challenge the president's views on climate change and other issues.</p>
<p>"The rights of free speech afforded Twitter���s users and Twitter itself under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution include a right to disseminate such anonymous or pseudonymous political speech," Twitter said in the lawsuit.</p>
<p>The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is a defendant in the lawsuit, declined to comment on pending litigation.</p>
<p>The company said it received an administrative summons last month demanding that it provide records related to the account. The acronym CIS refers to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the account's description refers to itself as "immigration resistance."</p>
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<p>The social media company has a history of challenging other government demands for information on its users, including a 2012 demand from New York prosecutors about an Occupy Wall Street protester.</p>
<p>(Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker)</p> | Twitter Sues U.S. Over Demand for Records on Anti-Trump Account | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/04/06/twitter-sues-us-over-demand-for-records-on-anti-trump-account.html | 2017-04-07 | 0 |
<p>A <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jlwnAWy8oRt5SN5XWRPu7h2eBTIQ?docId=CNG.787930529cb0f756929e6bf9bf0e5d8e.e1" type="external">suicide attack</a> on an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/world/asia/15afghan.html?_r=1" type="external">Afghanistan</a> governor's compound in the province of <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/suicide-bombers-attack-afghan-governors-compound-22-dead/article2128984/" type="external">Parwan</a>, north of Kabul, has killed 22 people, according to the Associated Press.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/insurgents-attack-afghan-governors-compound-killing-at-least-20/2011/08/14/gIQAtD5fEJ_story.html" type="external">suicide bombing</a> and gunfire assault in the Parwan provincial capital, Charikar, took place just after 11 a.m., interrupting a meeting of local police and intelligence heads, as well as international advisors including U.S. military officials.</p>
<p>Charikar is about 30 miles north of Kabul, and Parwan province is home to <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/suicide-bombers-attack-afghan-governors-compound-22-dead/article2128984/" type="external">Bagram Airfield</a>, a base for U.S. and NATO troops, the AP says.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/pakistan/110813/police-and-cia-search-kidnapped-american-pakistan" type="external">More from GlobalPost: Police search for kidnapped American in Pakistan</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan/110811/afghanistan-peace-talks-derailed" type="external">More from GlobalPost: Afghanistan peace talks go quiet</a></p>
<p>The governor of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14520520" type="external">Parwan province</a>, Abdul Basir Salangi, told media that up to six suicide bombers had stormed the compound in an attack that lasted at least an hour, the BBC reports.</p>
<p>A suicide car bomb was detonated, after which militants broke into the compound.</p>
<p>In addition to the 22 people killed in the attack, at least 35 were wounded, some of them seriously. The governor was unharmed as were the visiting U.S. military officials.</p>
<p>While Parwan is considered a relatively peaceful region of Afghanistan. security at the governor's compound had been reinforced after a recent attempt to kill Salangi.</p>
<p>Salangi is a prominent anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban resistance commander, and an ally of <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jlwnAWy8oRt5SN5XWRPu7h2eBTIQ?docId=CNG.787930529cb0f756929e6bf9bf0e5d8e.e1" type="external">President Hamid Karzai</a>, Agence France-Presse says.</p>
<p>The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack on the governor's compound.</p>
<p>Zabihullah Mujahed, a Taliban spokesman, told AFP that the attack was carried out "by our suicide and devout fighters.?</p>
<p>President Karzai condemned the attack in a statement released a few hours after the incident.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Suicide bombers attack Afghan governor's compound, killing 22 (UPDATES) | false | https://pri.org/stories/2011-08-14/suicide-bombers-attack-afghan-governors-compound-killing-22-updates | 2011-08-14 | 3 |
<p>Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.</p>
<p>Tuesday, <a href="" type="internal">30 women cloaked in blood-red capes</a>, <a href="" type="internal">their faces obscured by white wings</a>, crowded outside the Capitol building to protest the Senate GOP's health care bill, <a href="" type="internal">the Better Care Reconciliation Act.</a></p>
<p>The women were volunteers for Planned Parenthood who traveled from New York to Washington, D.C, <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/339690-women-stage-handmaids-tale-inspired-protest-outside-capitol" type="external">The Hill reported.</a> Their stark appearances were modeled after the characters of <a href="" type="internal">Margaret Atwood's</a> <a href="" type="internal">The Handmaid's Tale.</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">In the dystopian novel,</a> which inspired a new Hulu show by the same name, women (?handmaids?) living under a <a href="" type="internal">totalitarian regime</a> in America are forced to bear children for wealthier couples who cannot conceive.</p>
<p>Protesters dressed in the handmaid's restrictive uniform have been spotted across the country in an effort to draw attention to the proposed bill, which would be <a href="" type="internal">a nightmare for women</a> and would would cause <a href="" type="internal">15 million</a> people to lose health care in the next year alone.</p>
<p>Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts' communications director Fern Whyland says the bill would be "the worst bill for women in generations and decimate women's health care. It's a health care bill with no health care."</p>
<p>This protest was staged by Planned Parenthood to protest the GOP healthcare bill <a href="https://t.co/zIcaYjo9GD" type="external">pic.twitter.com/zIcaYjo9GD</a></p> | ?Handmaid's Tale? Protesters Descend on the Capitol to Protest Senate GOP's Health Care Bill | true | https://thedailybeast.com/handmaids-tale-protesters-descend-on-the-capitol-to-protest-senate-gops-health-care-bill | 2018-10-03 | 4 |
<p>Ogling British drivers were found to be a menace to the roads in a new study by a UK insurance company.</p>
<p>The study concluded that motorists distracted by the opposite sex (men and women) cause over 2500 crashes everyday, equalling nearly one million per year.</p>
<p>Rates of accidents caused by pervy drivers naturally spike during summer months when men and women are wearing less attire, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188191/Ogling-drivers-cause-nearly-million-crashes-year.html" type="external">reported the Daily Mail</a>.</p>
<p>"The number of crashes caused in this way have not changed year on year so drivers obviously are not learning to keep their eyes on the road," said Matt Owen, a rep for&#160; <a href="http://www.directline.com/" type="external">Direct Line insurance</a> that released the study, <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Ogling-drivers-cause-one-million-crashes-in-UK-every-year/articleshow/15511746.cms" type="external">said PTI</a>.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/rich-teens-tweets-are-security-threat-billionaires" type="external">Rich teens' tweets are security threat for billionaires</a></p>
<p>The study also made a number of fascinating findings.</p>
<p>Some sixty percent of men admitted to being distracted by attractive women while driving and 17 percent said they knew their actions were dangerous.</p>
<p>Women's answers were more coy.</p>
<p>Only 12 percent said they looked lustfully after men from their driver's seat, <a href="http://www.caradvice.com.au/186513/perving-on-pedestrians-proves-precarious-study/" type="external">reported Car Advice</a>.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Ogling British drivers cause a million accidents per year (VIDEO) | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-08-16/ogling-british-drivers-cause-million-accidents-year-video | 2012-08-16 | 3 |
<p>The New York Times continues to beclown itself as <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewklavan/status/788789832986210304" type="external">a former newspaper</a>, as they epically screwed up a climate change story and won't apologize for it.</p>
<p>Earlier in the week, <a href="" type="internal">the Times published a report on climate change</a> that predicted pending Armageddon; they claimed that the report was leaked to them out of fear that the Trump administration wouldn't let the report see the light of day.</p>
<p>There was just one problem: the report was already publicly available.</p>
<p>The report that the Times had uploaded to their site was a "third order draft" that had been available to the public since January; they initially swapped the third order draft with a "fifth order draft" that's slated for release in 2018 without issuing an update or correction. There's little difference between the two drafts. They eventually did issue the following correction on Wednesday:</p>
<p>An article on Tuesday about a sweeping federal climate change report referred incorrectly to the availability of the report. While it was not widely publicized, the report was uploaded by the nonprofit Internet Archive in January; it was not first made public by The New York Times.</p>
<p>Despite the correction, the Times refuses to apologize for their egregious error.</p>
<p>"We were just not aware that somebody involved in the report had put a draft on this nonprofit Internet site," Elizabeth Bumiller, the New York Times Washington Bureau Chief, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/08/09/new-york-times-guilty-of-large-screw-up-on-climate-change-story/?tid=pm_pop&amp;utm_term=.61ea9009d6f0" type="external">The Washington Post</a>. "It was not a well-known site to us and the point is that the people who shared the draft with us were not aware of it either. That doesn't change the larger point that scientists were worried that the government wouldn't approve the report or release it through normal channels."</p>
<p>This appears to be the <a href="" type="internal">"fake, but accurate"</a> excuse, but even then Bumiller's "larger point" is inaccurate because <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/09/nyt-admits-its-front-page-climate-change-article-was-wrong/" type="external">four of the report's co-authors are unaware of any efforts by the Trump administration to conceal the report from the public</a>.</p>
<p>In other words, The New York Times has been busted for yet again perpetuating fake news.</p>
<p>This latest fiasco has been <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/09/heres-a-list-of-the-5-biggest-ny-times-screw-ups-this-year/" type="external">one of the many massive screw-ups that the Times has committed in 2017</a>. No wonder <a href="" type="internal">their profits have been plummeting</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tim-graham/2017/08/10/we-just-didnt-know-ny-times-wont-take-responsibility-its-error" type="external">H/T:</a> Newsbusters</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/bandlersbanter" type="external">Follow Aaron Bandler on Twitter.</a></p> | 'New York Times' Screwed Up A Climate Change Story. Now They Won't Apologize. | true | https://dailywire.com/news/19600/new-york-times-screwed-climate-change-story-now-aaron-bandler | 2017-08-10 | 0 |
<p>San Francisco ChronicleMartin Nolan writes: "When some ink-stained wretch brags of how he wheedled a scintillating quote out of a political consultant or snagged that late-breaking recipe, Harry of Arabia will show up." ON GERALDO RIVERA: "Had anyone else jeopardized troop movements, the flag-wearing, flag-waving cable network would have called him Benedict Arnold. Geraldo's departure was a satisfying moment for those who dislike stunts and slanted news." &gt; <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;u=/ap/20030420/ap_on_en_tv/ap_on_tv_embeds_1" type="external">NBC's Reid says embedding experience exceeded expectations (AP)</a> &gt; <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1050666931318261.xml" type="external">Erlich: Embedded reporters are Pentagon stenographers (Oregonian)</a> &gt; <a href="http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/3834023.html" type="external">Gyllenhaal: Pentagon's embed policy proved a masterstroke (Star Trib)</a> &gt; <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53896-2003Apr18.html" type="external">McCarthy: News orgs embedded militarists for one-version news (WP)</a></p> | Claim: Embeds will enjoy high status among newsroom peers | false | https://poynter.org/news/claim-embeds-will-enjoy-high-status-among-newsroom-peers | 2003-04-21 | 2 |
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — Sixteen people went through a graduation ceremony at Santa Fe Community College on Wednesday. It would have been 17, but one person didn’t attend because they had already reported to their new job, paying $100,000 a year in the oil and gas industry.</p>
<p>“That’s what it’s all about: jobs. Right?” asked Pablo Sedillo, who was there representing U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman at the graduation of SFCC’s first class of environmental technicians.</p>
<p>The group had received competency certificates for completing an intensive six-week course in hazardous waste operations and emergency response, first aid, CPR and incident command.</p>
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<p>Sedillo received a rousing response in the affirmative from the group, who themselves represented many ilks — men and women of Anglo, Hispanic, Native American and African-American heritage.</p>
<p>They all entered the program with one thing in common, said Ann Black, associate dean for economic and workforce development.</p>
<p>“Everybody in the program either is unemployed or were in the process of being laid off and from low-income families,” she said. “A lot of them came through the Department of Workforce Solutions and were chosen based on their ability to participate and complete the program and had a desire to work in the field.”</p>
<p>The course came at no cost to the students and some were even paid a $200 stipend to help cover travel costs.</p>
<p>Black said the program was made possible by a $300,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and funds leveraged through the Department of Energy and the Workforce Investment Act. The money will be used to fund two additional programs. One, in partnership with New Mexico Highland’s University’s Forest and Watershed Institute, covers forestry technician training and begins in January. The other is technician training for environmental cleanup and investigation and starts in March.</p>
<p>After receiving their certificates, students were invited to speak, and nearly everyone did. One after another stepped to the podium and turned to the guests, which in addition to Sedillo included representatives from U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján and the Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council, and appealed to them to continue funding the program.</p>
<p>Just as many thanked their instructor, Janet Kerley, who was largely responsible for developing the curriculum.</p>
<p>Afterward, the graduates celebrated with cupcakes and punch.</p>
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<p>“My brain is overloaded. They cram two years of instruction into a six-week course,” quipped Jerry Lucero, who at 53 was the oldest in the graduating class. “We got 40 hours of training in hazardous waste operations, learned sample testing, testing for sewage plants, underground storage, New Mexico water laws. … It was intensive, but I enjoyed it.”</p>
<p>Lucero, a native of Taos now living in Rio Rancho, said he used to work as an inspector for a weatherization program, but lost his job due to budget cuts. He’s been taking various courses in the past year, but is hoping the one he just graduated from will be the last.</p>
<p>“It has opened a lot of doors,” he said. “I’ve had four interviews already and have another one with DOT in Roswell on Monday.”</p>
<p>At 18, Ryan Hamburg was the youngest grad.</p>
<p>“I just got my GED and was looking for job opportunities,” said the Pojoaque native. “My cousin told me about this and the potential for job placement in the environmental field. I wasn’t prepared for it initially, but now it’s starting to come together.”</p>
<p>Hamburg said he’s going to continue to look for jobs and may try to get into the forestry program in January. “It depends on how my job search goes,” he said.</p>
<p>Juliana Lujan is one of a handful of women who completed the program. She’s also one of a half-dozen Native Americans in the group, hailing from Taos Pueblo.</p>
<p>A former elementary school teacher, she’s now pursuing other career opportunities.</p>
<p>“I’m just trying to keep moving forward, and I’m looking for something that has to do with the environment,” she said. “There are all sorts of avenues in the field, like water treatment or municipal solid waste. I’m trying to decide which way to go.”</p>
<p>Another woman, Colette Kubichan, earned cheers for her remarks at the podium following the ceremony.</p>
<p>“Thank you for putting this grant together,” she said, turning to the invited guests. “I hope the elected officials will keep this funding. It gave us all an education that we didn’t have to go into debt for.”</p> | Good Job Outlook for Grads | false | https://abqjournal.com/139380/good-job-outlook-for-grads.html | 2012-10-18 | 2 |
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon’s drawing of the Florida Lottery’s “Pick 5 Midday” game were:</p>
<p>9-0-8-0-5</p>
<p>(nine, zero, eight, zero, five)</p>
<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon’s drawing of the Florida Lottery’s “Pick 5 Midday” game were:</p>
<p>9-0-8-0-5</p>
<p>(nine, zero, eight, zero, five)</p> | Winning numbers drawn in ‘Pick 5 Midday’ game | false | https://apnews.com/cf9d547939c545d6a484b9d601501f76 | 2018-01-09 | 2 |
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<p>Crowdfunding – the practice of startups raising small amounts of money online in order to fund their new businesses -- is currently not legal due to securities laws from the 1930s. Supporters argue that legalization would be a positive for the economy, allowing new companies to "go public" online and letting investors buy a stake of these businesses via the Web and social media.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>In November, the House of Representatives passed the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act which would allow startups to sell securities via the Internet. President Obama has shown support for the measure as well, but there are two separate bills regarding the funding method stuck in the Senate. A lot of questions have been raised regarding investor security when it comes to using technology to seed business ideas.</p>
<p>So what do entrepreneurs think about this model of raising capital? Here's what our small businesses of the day had to say.</p>
<p><a href="http://mamamahoneycreations.com/" type="external">Mama Mahoney Creations Opens a New Window.</a>, Denver, Colo.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Mama Mahoney Creations Opens a New Window.</a> founder Janice Mahoney, who sells her handmade bags online, said she likes the idea behind crowdfunding and feels it could be a great way for small companies to raise funds for their businesses. Her business has been open since 2008 and is starting to take off, so having access to extra capital through a solution like crowdfunding would allow her to expand more quickly, as the cost of hiring even one employee is great for a small company.</p>
<p>However, she shares legislators' concerns regarding investor protection, she said. Laying a solid foundation for crowdfunding before it takes off is crucial to the model's success, she said.</p>
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<p>"Being a responsible company myself, I would want to know that there are safeguards out there for investors," Mahoney said. "In order for the program to be successful, there needs to be some regulation as to who can ask for these funds. That way, the investor has peace of mind that the companies have met a standard minimum requirement or at the very least, all of their information is on the table so that the investor can make an informed decision."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.VillainAccessories.com" type="external">Villain Accessories Opens a New Window.</a>, San Francisco</p>
<p>Brandi Collins, owner of <a href="" type="internal">Villain Accessories Opens a New Window.</a>, said she has always believed big business would never take small businesses seriously until small companies stopped spending our money with them and started relying on our own communities.&#160;Crowdfunding is a way to do just that, however there are major roadblocks for small businesses before this can get off the ground.</p>
<p>"What I find to be very convenient is that for centuries man borrowed from friends and families to get their business and research going and only now when small business has a real chance to utilize the Internet to bypass banks who will lose out on millions of dollars in interest and potentially give real competition to big business that it has suddenly become an issue about 'protecting the investor,'" Collins said.</p>
<p>Investors that want to put money into burgeoning businesses should always proceed with caution, as this is a basic principle in commerce, she said.</p>
<p>"Without a warranty the buyer takes the risk. This applies to any person who is a would-be investor in any situation, be it in a start-up company or new condo properties just as much as it applies to a would be investor on KickStarter, <a href="http://etrade.com/" type="external">Etrade.com Opens a New Window.</a> and come the day any type of social media," Collins said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.charmeddesign.com" type="external">Charmed Design, Opens a New Window.</a> New Haven, Conn.</p>
<p>Charmed Design owner <a href="" type="internal">Lori Cohn Opens a New Window.</a>, who sells her handmade jewelry online, said she is pro crowdfunding. This legislation would provide startups the opportunity to access capital in a stalling economy, Cohn said. She does want to see some more investor protection added to the bill before it becomes law, however, Cohn said it does give more people the chance and incentive to invest, who would otherwise not be able or interested.</p>
<p>"Many startups don't require huge amounts of capital to get started, but rather small amounts from more people," she said.&#160; "As a solo entrepreneur, having access to legal crowdfunding would allow me to grow in a way I presently cannot. As an example, I was recently approached by an online outfit who wanted to place an order so substantial it could have taken my business to the next level. Given the time frame, and specifically because I don't have access to capital I had to refuse the order.</p>
<p>"If crowdfunding had been available not only would my business have benefited but I could have offered employment to others and given a good return to investors."</p> | Small Businesses Weigh In: Should Crowdfunding Be Legal? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/02/17/small-businesses-weigh-in-should-crowdfunding-be-legal.html | 2016-03-23 | 0 |
<p>MANILA, Philippines — A blaze gutted a slipper and flip-flop factory killing at least 58 people, authorities said Thursday.</p>
<p>Sparks from a welding machine set ablaze flammable chemicals near the main entrance of the two-story factory on the outskirts of Manila on Wednesday, triggering a huge explosion, followed by billows of black smoke and flames.</p>
<p>"Definitely there will be charges here, because people died," Philippine National Police acting director Leonardo Espina said.</p>
<p>Arson investigators have gone to the site to help city police in the probe, he added.</p>
<p>Factory owner Veato Ang said about 200 to 300 people worked in the plant, which made flip-flops and slippers for Kentex Manufacturing Inc.</p>
<p>Identifying the victims will be a difficult task, said Dionesio Candido, whose 19-year-old daughter was among the factory workers.</p>
<p>"I entered the building because I thought I might still be able to identify the remains," the 62-year-old added.</p>
<p>Candido saw four piles of charred bones and skulls, with the victims appearing to be hugging each other.</p>
<p>"When I saw them, (I felt) any parent or sibling would not be able to identify the victims," he said.</p>
<p>The fire reflects poor occupational health and safety standards that are a challenge for Southeast Asia's fastest growing nation to tackle, analysts say.</p> | Philippines Factory Blaze Kills At Least 58 People | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/world/philippines-factory-blaze-kills-least-58-people-n358676 | 2015-05-14 | 3 |
<p>Analysis &amp; Opinions - Al-Monitor</p>
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<p>The Non-Aligned Movement summit August 26–31 will be a diplomatic coup for Iran, write Abbas Maleki and Kaveh Afrasiabi, bolstering its international clout and "inalienable right" to enrich uranium. Though many governments have reacted negatively to the Tehran summit, the authors call for a more nuanced Western approach.</p>
<p /> | Why West Should Curb Hostility To Non-Aligned Summit in Tehran | false | http://belfercenter.org/publication/why-west-should-curb-hostility-non-aligned-summit-tehran | 2012-08-20 | 2 |
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<p>Cleveland High junior Dominique Galloway has qualified for an LPGA Tour event that begins on April 30. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>She already looked like she had the makings of a future LPGA player.</p>
<p>Now, Cleveland High School junior Dominique Galloway is.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, Galloway came in second in a 24-player qualifier to grab one of two available spots in the LPGA Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout in Irving, Texas, from April 30-May 3.</p>
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<p>“It just feels great,” said Galloway, the two-time state high school champion. “It was a last-minute deal, but I wanted to give it a try. It worked out.”</p>
<p>Galloway, who has given a verbal commitment to play at the University of Texas, said she heard about the event from Longhorns golf coach Ryan Murphy. Galloway got her registration in the day it closed and flew with her mother, Monica, to Dallas on Sunday. She practiced that day, but things didn’t go well.</p>
<p>“I was really struggling that day,” she said. “I just hit the ball so bad. So I called my coach (Albuquerque pro) Rob Lowry. I’ve been working with him since I was really young, and he knows my swing so well. It was something simple, and he fixed it over the phone.”</p>
<p>Galloway said the course was closed Monday, but when she went back for another practice round Tuesday, “I felt great. Rob just had me move the ball up a little in my stance, and I was playing really well. I told my mom that I felt really confident about my chances.”</p>
<p>The top qualifier shot a 67 and Galloway shot 72 – one stroke better than the third-place finisher.</p>
<p>“The girl who finished one back was playing two holes behind me,” Galloway said. “I actually thought she was tied with me when I finished, so I started chipping and putting to practice for a playoff. Then my mom came running over to me and was screaming, ‘You made it. You made it.’</p>
<p>“It really feels unbelievable, but I’m so excited that I’m going to be playing in the same event as players like Michelle Wie and Stacy Lewis. It should be a great experience.”</p>
<p />
<p /> | Cleveland High’s Galloway to play in LPGA event | false | https://abqjournal.com/554631/galloway-to-play-in-lpga-event.html | 2 |
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<p>A fear mongering attack on NYC Harm Reduction was launched this week in regards to a two-year-old pamphlet distributed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) that details how to reduce the harm of injecting drugs. This attack not only ignores scientific evidence, but also threatens to undermine the proven public health policies of harm reduction. The brochure – “Take Charge Take Care” – is directed toward the city’s residents who inject drugs and those at risk of doing so, and it serves the critical purpose of reducing disease transmission, preventing overdoses and saving lives.</p>
<p>Mayor Mike Bloomberg defended the pamphlet saying that while no one should use hard drugs, the city has an obligation to diminish the risks for those who do. “It’s certainly not in the interest of society to have you get HIV/AIDS,” he said</p>
<p>For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other prestigious public health organizations have recommended that persons who inject drugs follow the types of practices discussed in the NYC pamphlet to reduce their risk of harm. New York City has been a model for implementing successful harm reduction efforts that place effective public health interventions above political posturing. Any move to eliminate or reduce access to these programs would put individuals, their families and communities at risk for HIV/AIDS transmissions and other infectious diseases.</p>
<p>Those attacking the pamphlet are out of touch with the reality of the HIV/AIDS crisis among people who inject drugs.</p>
<p>“The Health Department’s booklet is solidly grounded in science and public health,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “But the same cannot be said of the irresponsible comments by John Gilbride [Drug Enforcement Administration], Bridget Brennan [special narcotics prosecutor of New York City] and Peter Vallone, Jr. [D-Queens, NYC City Council]. These sorts of reckless statements by top level city and federal law enforcement agents need to be repudiated by their superiors in city and federal government.”</p>
<p>For 20 years, harm reduction education has been a vital part of comprehensive public health strategies that reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C and enhance the health of all New Yorkers. Since the introduction of harm reduction practices in New York City, HIV/AIDS transmission rates among people who inject drugs have decreased by an astonishing 80 percent. The NYC DOHMH should be commended for its leadership and innovative practices to ensure that those at risk due to injection drug use minimize the harm to themselves and their communities.</p>
<p>Criticism of the NYC pamphlet also flies in the face of recent federal moves embracing harm reduction policies. Last month, President Obama signed into law a measure that lifts a decades-old ban on states using their share of federal HIV/AIDS prevention money to fund syringe exchange programs, which have been shown to reduce the transmission of disease. Public policy should be guided by facts, not drug war propaganda</p>
<p>ANTHONY PAPA is the author of <a href="" type="internal">15 Years to Life: How I Painted My Way to Freedom</a> and Communications Specialist for <a href="http://www.drugpolicy.org/" type="external">Drug Policy Alliance</a>. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | Return of the Fear Mongers | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/01/06/return-of-the-fear-mongers/ | 2010-01-06 | 4 |
<p>Investing.com – The Aussie fell after mixed China trade data on Friday as imports came in lower than expected and weighed on the demand outlook from Australia’s top trade partner.</p>
<p>fell 0.15% to 0.7880, while dipped 0.01% to 111.26.</p>
<p>China reported trade data for December with up 10.9%, compared to a gain of 9.1% seen, posted a 4.5% rise, compared to a 13.0% increase expected and the came in at $54.69 billion surplus, compared to surplus of $37 billion seen.</p>
<p>The , which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies,fell 0.11% to 91.56.</p>
<p>Overnight, the dollar fell against other currencies on Thursday after disappointing U.S. economic data.</p>
<p>The greenback was hit after reports showed that U.S. producer prices unexpectedly fell in December, the first drop in almost one-and-a-half years, while initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose last week.</p>
<p>The Labor Department reported that its producer price index slipped 0.1% last month, the first decline since August 2016.</p>
<p>A separate report showed that initial claims for unemployment benefits increased by 11,000 to 261,000 last week, the highest level since late September.</p>
<p>The euro strengthened after the minutes of the European Central Bank’s December meeting said officials could consider a gradual shift in policy guidance from early 2018.</p>
<p>Any changes to the bank’s guidance would likely be seen by investors as an indication that policymakers are preparing to start winding down their bond buying stimulus program.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p> | Forex – Aussie Dips On Weaker Than Seen Imports From China In December | false | https://newsline.com/forex-aussie-dips-on-weaker-than-seen-imports-from-china-in-december/ | 2018-01-12 | 1 |
<p>A new bidder has emerged with a $9.3 billion offer for power-transmission company Oncor that could wrest it from a deal with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.</p>
<p>The bidder's existence emerged in a late-scheduled court hearing on Friday, but the identity wasn't revealed, the people said. It was referred to as a large strategic company, the people said. The information came out as hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. was attempting to learn more about the bid in its efforts to block the Berkshire deal, the people said.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>A new offer would be the latest twist in the long-running saga of the fate of Energy Future Holdings Corp., the former TXU, which owns Oncor and has been in bankruptcy. Elliott is its largest creditor and was trying to organize its own restructuring.</p>
<p>Elliott is seeking to depose executives of Energy Future over the new bid, raising concerns the company could block a higher offer to push through Berkshire's deal, the people said.</p>
<p>Mr. Buffett's Berkshire had struck a deal to buy Oncor in a $9 billion deal last month. Elliott had sought to challenge Berkshire's deal by cobbling together one of its own, although the details of where that bid stands are unclear.</p>
<p>After months of amassing debt of Energy Future Holdings Corp., Elliott bought a strategic slice of notes that would ensure its ability to block the deal, people familiar with the matter said.</p>
<p>Berkshire has said it would walk away if its buyout offer wasn't approved next week. Paul Singer's Elliott says if Berkshire walks, Elliott will have an easier time raising money for a better deal for Oncor.</p>
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<p>The fight for Oncor was set to come to a head Monday, a judge is scheduled to decide whether to greenlight Berkshire's $9 billion takeover offer. Before the emergence of a third bidder, the choice was between Berkshire, which has financing in place and the favor of regulators, and Elliott, which has been working to put together a rival deal that it says is worth hundreds of millions of dollars more for creditors.</p>
<p>Berkshire says Elliott hasn't shown it can line up the money to buy Oncor, and the hedge fund likely can't get approval from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, even if it does get the financing.</p>
<p>Energy Future has been stuck in bankruptcy since April 2014, and two earlier attempts to sell Oncor -- to Hunt Consolidated Inc. of Texas and Florida's NextEra Energy Inc. -- foundered due to action by Texas energy regulators. With money running short, Energy Future can't afford another failed deal for the business, its crown jewel.</p>
<p>Write to David Benoit at [email protected] and Dana Mattioli at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>August 18, 2017 15:12 ET (19:12 GMT)</p> | Third Bidder Emerges for Energy Future's Oncor -- Update | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/18/third-bidder-emerges-for-energy-futures-oncor-update.html | 2017-08-18 | 0 |
<p>According to multiple reports, Barack Obama has settled on Eric Holder as his attorney general. So who is he? Holder has been a deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration, a U.S. attorney, a judge, a prominent Washington lawyer and one of the advisers responsible for Obama’s VP vetting. He would be the first black attorney general and happens to rock a fairly impressive mustache.</p>
<p>AP via Google:</p>
<p>Washington attorney Eric Holder is President-elect Barack Obama’s top choice to be the next attorney general and aides have gone so far as to ask senators whether he would be confirmed, an Obama official and people close to the matter said Tuesday.</p>
<p>Holder, a former U.S. attorney who served as the No. 2 official in the Justice Department under President Bill Clinton, would be the nation’s first black attorney general.</p>
<p />
<p>An Obama official and two Democrats in touch with the transition team confirmed that Holder is Obama’s top choice but the Obama official said the decision has not been finalized.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOoY9mFQWfGjLmdHH4GI5QKhne0wD94HKBSO0" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Obama Taps Clinton Vet for Attorney General | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/obama-taps-clinton-vet-for-attorney-general/ | 2008-11-19 | 4 |
<p>SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A homeless man has been charged with killing former 1960s soul singer Betty Jane Willis during an attempted rape.</p>
<p>Twenty-two-year-old Rosendo Xo Pec was charged Wednesday with murder with special circumstances and could face the death penalty.</p>
<p>It's unclear whether he has an attorney.</p>
<p>The 76-year-old Willis recorded the 1960s songs "Someday You'll Need My Love," "Act Naturally" and "Take My Heart."</p>
<p>She was living on the street when she was attacked shortly after 4 a.m. on New Year's Day.</p>
<p>Prosecutors say she was sleeping in a strip mall parking lot in Santa Ana when Pec began sexually assaulting her.</p>
<p>When she screamed for help, prosecutors say Pec repeatedly punched her in the head and choked her to stop her screams.</p>
<p>She died at the scene.</p>
<p>SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A homeless man has been charged with killing former 1960s soul singer Betty Jane Willis during an attempted rape.</p>
<p>Twenty-two-year-old Rosendo Xo Pec was charged Wednesday with murder with special circumstances and could face the death penalty.</p>
<p>It's unclear whether he has an attorney.</p>
<p>The 76-year-old Willis recorded the 1960s songs "Someday You'll Need My Love," "Act Naturally" and "Take My Heart."</p>
<p>She was living on the street when she was attacked shortly after 4 a.m. on New Year's Day.</p>
<p>Prosecutors say she was sleeping in a strip mall parking lot in Santa Ana when Pec began sexually assaulting her.</p>
<p>When she screamed for help, prosecutors say Pec repeatedly punched her in the head and choked her to stop her screams.</p>
<p>She died at the scene.</p> | Homeless man charged with killing ex-60s soul singer | false | https://apnews.com/2d94d5862a004ca2a6c9779bdaf51660 | 2018-01-04 | 2 |
<p>Bill Wilson</p>
<p>There is a consistent theme in the conversations I have with clergy and laity alike about what frustrates or challenges them most. Without a doubt it is staff.</p>
<p>Every pastor’s gathering in which we ask for issues that need attention inevitably leads to a conversation about some aspect of staff. Nearly every lay person who calls ends up needing help with a staff situation.</p>
<p>This epidemic of conflict and frustration holds true regardless of denominational affiliation, theological orientation, worship style, size and location.</p>
<p>I recently conversed with a leadership team from a very large church (staff in the dozens) and their primary concern was staff communication/conflict. Later that week, the pastor of a small church pulled me aside at a meeting to voice concern about an issue with his only other staff member, who was part-time and his wife!</p>
<p>Dozens of books, workshops, coaching, degree programs and the like are devoted to this specific area of congregational life. Why then, is it the part of congregational life that seems to be chronically ill?</p>
<p>As with any complex issue, there are no simple answers. Flawed human beings attempting to do divine work in an increasingly secular culture with limited resources is a start.</p>
<p>Congregational models that seem imported from another era without adapting to a changing landscape don’t help. Neither do leadership styles copied from corporate culture rather than built upon spiritual values. Too often our staff cultures mirror the disharmony and dysfunction of our culture rather than transform it with a vibrant alternative.</p>
<p>So, where do we start with a healthy alternative for congregational staff?</p>
<p>At the Center for Congregational Health, we base our conversations in this realm on our conviction that healthy congregations/staffs/Christians engage in at least four consistent practices. We call them the Four C’s:</p>
<p>They constantly clarify identity and mission.</p>
<p>They manage conflict in a proactive and redemptive fashion.</p>
<p>They communicate clearly, regularly and honestly.</p>
<p>They build authentic community intentionally.</p>
<p>When a staff practices these four habits, they produce higher levels of satisfaction, effectiveness and genuine leadership. When they fail to pay attention to any of the four, dysfunction is the result.</p>
<p>By the way, the first of the four is the most indispensible. It is the most internal and difficult to observe and quantify. It is the easiest to skip. It is the one we are tempted to assume is self-evident. It is also the one most frequently missing. Without it, you invite confusion and frustration into your life, your staff, and the life of your congregation.</p>
<p>Clarity of mission and vision for a staff member starts with a sense of personal and individual divine call. Your primary motive for ministry matters. If working at a church is simply a job, a way to make money, work out your unmet needs, impress your grandmother or anything other than your response to God’s personal and profound call upon your life, then you will find ministry to be a source of constant frustration.</p>
<p>Even then, the life of a divinely called minister is by definition a challenging journey to bring hope and life into the hard and difficult places of life. Along with bringing deep joy and satisfaction, it will cause you to doubt your sanity, your calling and your faith. Without clarity around his or her personal call, any minister is a candidate for a host of missteps.</p>
<p>The same is true for a staff team.</p>
<p>Being clear about why you are on the journey, where your congregation is headed and what the objective of your congregation actually is will prove indispensible. When the mission and vision is fuzzy or unfocused, staff discord is imminent. When the mission and vision is lacking, others will supply it, and it will usually be self-serving rather than kingdom-serving. When mission and vision is incongruent with a church’s DNA or the biblical witness, then conflict will erupt.</p>
<p>Before a staff worries about programs, strategies or creative ideas for being relevant, they need to get clear about the deeper question of clarity of purpose. Healthy staffs spend concentrated and regular time clarifying not only the broad mission of the Church, but the specific call of their church in their time and place of service. While it is easy to trot out the Great Commandments and Great Commission, what we are talking about is a deeper understanding and articulation of what those mean in your ZIP code.</p>
<p>Healthy staffs quickly learn that such conversations must include the congregation if they are to be sustainable and truly shared. Once substantial clarity is reached in the larger community, staff members can assume their roles and goals based upon this shared vision of the future.</p>
<p>Let’s start with this antidote for the epidemic of staff conflict: clarify your mission and vision.</p> | Curbing staff conflict | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/curbing-staff-conflict/ | 3 |
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<p>MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — Nearly 5 million gallons of sewage spilled into the ocean on California’s Central Coast after a filter at a water treatment plant got clogged and the computer system failed to sound an alarm, an official said Monday, forcing several popular beaches to close.</p>
<p>The spill at the facility in the city of Marina started Friday night and an operator stopped it about eight hours later on Saturday morning, Monterey One Water general manager Paul Sciuto said.</p>
<p>“A number of alarms did not get to the operator because of a computer communications’ failure, but we still don’t know what caused it,” he said.</p>
<p>Environmental health officials closed at least seven beaches, many with silvery sands or rocky outcrops that offer beautiful vistas and are busy with surfers, dog walkers and picnickers. They sit in a peninsula that includes the towns of Pebble Beach, Monterey and Carmel, which attract tourists and golfers from around the world.</p>
<p>Among the most popular is Lovers Point, a popular wedding spot that is also used for fishing, swimming and water sports.</p>
<p>Lab samples were taken Sunday to determine if the area about 110 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco is safe, and results are expected Monday, Sciuto said.</p>
<p>If it rains in the area, Monterey County said it will send an advisory for all areabeaches, advising people not to have contact with ocean water for three days after a storm even if lab results come back negative for contaminants.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Monterey County Herald, <a href="http://www.montereyherald.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.montereyherald.com" type="external">http://www.montereyherald.com</a></p>
<p>MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — Nearly 5 million gallons of sewage spilled into the ocean on California’s Central Coast after a filter at a water treatment plant got clogged and the computer system failed to sound an alarm, an official said Monday, forcing several popular beaches to close.</p>
<p>The spill at the facility in the city of Marina started Friday night and an operator stopped it about eight hours later on Saturday morning, Monterey One Water general manager Paul Sciuto said.</p>
<p>“A number of alarms did not get to the operator because of a computer communications’ failure, but we still don’t know what caused it,” he said.</p>
<p>Environmental health officials closed at least seven beaches, many with silvery sands or rocky outcrops that offer beautiful vistas and are busy with surfers, dog walkers and picnickers. They sit in a peninsula that includes the towns of Pebble Beach, Monterey and Carmel, which attract tourists and golfers from around the world.</p>
<p>Among the most popular is Lovers Point, a popular wedding spot that is also used for fishing, swimming and water sports.</p>
<p>Lab samples were taken Sunday to determine if the area about 110 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco is safe, and results are expected Monday, Sciuto said.</p>
<p>If it rains in the area, Monterey County said it will send an advisory for all areabeaches, advising people not to have contact with ocean water for three days after a storm even if lab results come back negative for contaminants.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: The Monterey County Herald, <a href="http://www.montereyherald.com" type="external" /> <a href="http://www.montereyherald.com" type="external">http://www.montereyherald.com</a></p> | Sewage spill shuts beaches along California’s Central Coast | false | https://apnews.com/29c0a9019d6a4bdbb3db937175829f6e | 2018-01-22 | 2 |
<p>Harmani Osbi still holds her three front baby teeth in her hand after they came out on Tuesday. There’s only one problem. They weren’t supposed to come out anytime soon. According to the girl’s mother, they were yanked out by a worker at her school.</p>
<p>“She should be getting the support that she needs,” said Harmani’s mother, Tomeka Speller. “Not getting attacked in the classroom.”</p>
<p>Harmani, 7, attends a class for children with behavioral issues at the Solis Cohen Elementary School in Northeast Philadelphia. Speller sa <a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/video/#!/news/local/Girl's-Teeth-Yanked-Out/246257281" type="external">ys her daughter was chewing on her sweater</a> and refused to stop when a specially trained school therapeutic worker told her to. Speller says the worker then forcefully pulled out the sweater, yanking out the girl’s three front teeth.</p>
<p>“She used excessive force,” Speller said. “She just said, ‘I’m not having this today' and she yanked it out. Just because you’re having a bad day does not mean you’re going to mistreat my child!”</p>
<p>School district officials reviewed witness statements and are now filing a complaint with police and the Department of Human Services.</p>
<p>“It’s a shocking incident,” said Philadelphia School District spokesman Fernando Gallard. “Now we have to make sure that it never happens again. We expect much more than this from a professional.”</p>
<p>A spokesperson for the Children's Crisis Treatment Center, where the worker was contracted and employed, released a statement on the alleged incident.</p>
<p>"At CCTC we take pride in providing a safe environment in which the health and well-being of our children is the top priority," said the spokesperson. "As is our policy, the individual has been suspended pending an investigation."</p>
<p>Speller wants the worker gone from the school for good however.</p>
<p>“I want her fired,” she said. “She does not need to be working with children.”</p>
<p>—David Chang, <a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/School-Worker-Accused-of-Yanking-Girls-Teeth-Out-246241321.html" type="external">NBC Philadelphia</a></p> | School Worker Accused of Yanking 7-Year-Old Girl’s Teeth Out | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/us-news/school-worker-accused-yanking-7-year-old-girls-teeth-out-n34231 | 2014-02-20 | 3 |
<p>With all the chaos taking place at the White House, it would be easy for someone to forget that President Trump has&#160;still&#160;not released his tax returns. With the exception of the <a href="http://bipartisan-report.com/2017/03/14/just-in-rachel-maddow-releases-donald-trumps-tax-returns-get-ready-video/" type="external">2005 forms</a> that were leaked to Rachel Maddow, the American people have no idea how much money the president has made or&#160;how much he really owes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.economist.com/Trumptranscript" type="external">The Economist</a> addressed this&#160;issue during an interview with President Trump that was published on Thursday.</p>
<p>During the interview, which included Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Hope Hicks, the White house director of strategic communication, and Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, Trump was asked if he would be willing to release his returns as part of a deal with Democrats to get his tax plan passed.</p>
<p>After waffling a bit, the president said that he “doubts it.”</p>
<p>‘I don’t know. That’s a very interesting question. I doubt it. I doubt it. Because they’re not going to…nobody cares about my tax return except for the reporters. Oh, at some point I’ll release them. Maybe I’ll release them after I’m finished because I’m very proud of them actually. I did a good job.’</p>
<p>At this point, Hope Hicks jumped in to say that Trump would release the returns “once the audit is over.”</p>
<p>The president, though, had a different idea. He followed Hicks’s comment up by saying that he “might release them after [he’s] out of office.”</p>
<p>After this remark, Hicks and Mnuchin both tried to redirect the conversation by talking about the positive aspects of Trump’s tax plan. However, Trump was hellbent on making sure the interviewer knew he is still under “routine audit.”</p>
<p>‘By the way, so as you know I’m under routine audit, so they’re not going to be done. But you know, at a certain point, that’s something I will consider. But I would never consider it as part of a deal.’</p>
<p>Even after the interviewer acknowledged that they’ve&#160;“got&#160;that,” Trump continued on, adding again that the only people who really care about his returns are reporters.</p>
<p>‘I would never do it. That would be…I think that would be unfair to the deal. It would be disrespectful of the importance of this deal. Because the only people that find that important are the reporters.’</p>
<p>The interviewer responded by pointing out that “the Democrats say it’s important.”</p>
<p>Unable to argue with that, Trump changed course to say that he “got elected without” releasing his returns.</p>
<p>‘Well, don’t forget I got elected without it. Somebody said, “Oh but you have to do it,” I said, “Look where I am.” I was, you know, I was out front, I was asked that question, every debate, I said, you know, I’m under routine audit.’</p>
<p>It has already been <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/02/26/468278769/fact-check-donald-trump-cant-release-his-taxes-while-being-audited" type="external">explained</a> that Trump can absolutely release his tax returns while he is under audit. Furthermore, he can insist all he wants that nobody cares about his returns except reporters, but, as the tweets below indicate, that is truly not the case.</p>
<p>We MUST have Trump's taxes now! Our national security depends on it!</p>
<p>DONALD TRUMP PRODUCE YOUR TAX RETURNS NOW! <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS" type="external">@potus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump" type="external">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/Sa2brGoiPV" type="external">pic.twitter.com/Sa2brGoiPV</a></p>
<p>— Fernando O (@Southpaw253) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southpaw253/status/862664913247928321" type="external">May 11, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>"nobody cares about my tax returns but reporters"</p>
<p>Just shows how out of touch Trump is with what Americans think/want.</p>
<p>— JulieS (@jaxcarys) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaxcarys/status/862657129244762112" type="external">May 11, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>Trump now suggests to The Economist that he MAY release his tax returns AFTER he leaves the White House. Seriously–who falls for this?</p>
<p>— Terry Moran (@TerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerryMoran/status/862668928585269248" type="external">May 11, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>Featured image via&#160; <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/669987800" type="external">MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images</a>.</p> | JUST IN: Trump Makes Tax Return Announcement That Will Make Your Blood Boil | true | http://bipartisanreport.com/2017/05/11/just-in-trump-makes-tax-return-announcement-that-will-make-your-blood-boil/ | 2017-05-11 | 4 |
<p>Brent crude oil steadied below $111 a barrel on Thursday as nervous investors watched talks to avert a U.S. budget crisis that could push the world's biggest economy back into recession.</p>
<p>U.S. President Barack Obama cut short his Christmas holiday to try to agree a deal with Republican lawmakers to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" - billions of dollars of tax hikes and spending cuts due to take effect next week.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Economists say any deal is likely to involve big cuts in the government budget and a reduction in consumer spending power, which would be expected to dampen demand in the world's largest oil market. But almost any deal would be better than none.</p>
<p>Brokers said few investors wished to make large bets on the direction of oil prices until the U.S. budget talks were concluded or at a time when seasonal holidays were keeping traded volumes low.</p>
<p>"We continue to find it difficult to have a directional position in a low volume environment in front of the fiscal cliff uncertainty," said Olivier Jacob, energy market consultant at Petromatrix in Zug, Switzerland.</p>
<p>Brent was down 17 cents at $110.90 per barrel by 1330 GMT, after gaining 2 percent in the previous session. U.S. crude gained 20 cents to $91.18, after rising to a nine-week high on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Bank of America-Merrill Lynch analysts said in a report a U.S. budget deal might only come at the last moment:</p>
<p>"While markets have vacillated between optimism and pessimism over the prospects for a compromise, we expect a deal only at the last minute, with lots of decisions delayed into the New Year and austerity of roughly 2 percent of GDP."</p>
<p>Oil rose in early trade in the wake of Japanese stocks, which hit an 18-month high after the country's new prime minister said beating deflation and weakening the yen were his top priorities.</p>
<p>Japan's government will pursue bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and a growth strategy to encourage private investment, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.</p>
<p>Worries over supplies from the Middle East revived after security forces in the United Arab Emirates arrested a cell of UAE and Saudi Arabian citizens which they said was planning to carry out militant attacks in both countries and other states.</p>
<p>The region holds some of the world's largest oil fields and unrest in the area often triggers supply concerns.</p>
<p>Also supporting prices were expectations that U.S. crude stockpiles may have decreased last week as refiners kept inventories low for year-end tax purposes.</p>
<p>Crude stocks may have dropped by 1.9 million barrels in the week ended Dec. 21, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute will be released on Thursday, while numbers from the Energy Information Administration will be out on Friday, a day later than usual, because of the Christmas holiday. (Additional reporting by Ramya Venugopal in Singapore; Editing by Anthony Barker)</p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | Oil Prices Steady After Big Rally | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/12/27/oil-prices-steady-after-big-rally.html | 2016-01-26 | 0 |
<p>Retired general Stanley McChrystal says there’s not much difference between challenges on the battlefield and day-to-day issues in the workplace.</p>
<p>His insight from years of experience – chronicled in his new book, “Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World,” – is “relevant for people who face a complex environment,” he told NBC’s Chuck Todd in a PRESS Pass interview.</p>
<p>McChrystal described evolving threats to United States national security, not the least of which is ISIS. He cited the wide usage of cell phones and the internet – both of which ISIS has been relying upon to spread propaganda and reel in new American recruits – as a big reason for the rise of the terrorist group.</p>
<p>McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, also said the U.S. has “built a habit of getting into wars.”</p>
<p>“I think it circles back around to empathy before you go to war with someone or strike someone it’s important to understand how they are going to feel about it,” he told Todd. “We sometimes say if we bomb someone that’s going to scare them or cause them to quit, but that’s not the track record.</p>
<p>In the interview, McChrystal delivered a warning about the dangers of increased unmanned aerial vehicle usage in combat, arguing that the use of drones could desensitize the public to the casualties of war.</p>
<p>“The danger for lowering the threshold for warlike activities and having them antiseptic is a danger they become too easy and too casual,” he said. “If there is not a cost and a risk associated, you might do things that have an unintended cost.”</p>
<p>-- Connor Joseph</p> | Gen. McChrystal on Navigating Threats in a Complex World | false | http://nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/gen-mcchrystal-navigating-threats-complex-world-n366906 | 2015-05-29 | 3 |
<p>Truthdig salutes Ray McGovern, the 27-year CIA veteran who articulated the outrage of a nation by publicly and heroically challenging Donald Rumsfeld’s lies about Iraqi WMD at an Atlanta public forum on May 4.</p>
<p>The populist hero is our Truthdigger of the Week.</p>
<p>You can follow any of the links below to get a full picture of the man, the encounter and the dust-up he left in his wake.</p>
<p>But if you want a little dessert before eating your vegetables, check out McGovern’s account of a cheeky piece of anti-Rumsfeld propaganda he came upon at the Atlanta forum. It was distributed by <a href="http://worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=1491&amp;Itemid=184" type="external">The World Can’t Wait</a>, an organization dedicated to driving President Bush from office.</p>
<p />
<p>“[W]hen I walked into the place, I wrangled a ticket very surreptitiously. I was met with this little blurb on Donald Rumsfeld, and as I read it, I had to chuckle. It says:</p>
<p>There’s going to be a question-and-answer period, but please adhere to these guidelines. Refrain from using the word ‘lie’ in relation to the war in Iraq. Do not question the secretary’s personal responsibility for torture. And please don’t discuss first use of nuclear weapons against Iran. If you violate these guidelines, you’ll be immediately removed from the auditorium, flown to an undesignated prison location somewhere in Eastern Europe and tortured. Thank you for your cooperation. The World Can’t Wait.</p>
<p>A wonderful, wonderful group. Those were the folks that spoke up and tried to brace Donald Rumsfeld with the lies and their charges of him being — and he is, arguably — a war criminal. And we shouldn’t shy away from saying that.”</p>
<p /> | Truthdigger of the Week: Ray McGovern | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/truthdigger-of-the-week-ray-mcgovern-2/ | 2006-05-06 | 4 |
<p />
<p>The holiday season is a key period for large retailers, and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN), in particular, has wanted to show investors that it could bounce back from poor conditions earlier in 2016. Yet holiday performance from many retailers has been poor, and coming into Thursday's fourth-quarter financial report, Nordstrom investors weren't sure whether the company would be able to deliver the growth they wanted to see. The high-end department-store chain was able to top its own expectations, but its outlook for the coming year wasn't quite as strong as most investors foresaw.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Let's take a closer look at Nordstrom to see how it did, and what lies ahead for the retailer in the coming year.</p>
<p>Image source: Nordstrom.</p>
<p>Nordstrom's fourth-quarter results showed the opportunities and challenges that the retail industry faces right now. Total revenue was up 3%, to $4.32 billion, but that was slightly less than the 4% growth rate that most investors had expected to see. Net income of $201 million was up 12% from year-ago levels, and the resulting $1.15 per share in earnings matched the consensus forecast. Yet after making allowances for extraordinary items, Nordstrom reported adjusted earnings of $1.37 per share.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Yet even with the headline numbers looking reasonably good, Nordstrom had to deal with some headwinds. Comparable sales for the quarter were down 0.9%, closing the fiscal year with a 0.4% overall decline in comps. That was disappointing after better performance in previous quarters.</p>
<p>Nordstrom continued to see greater difficulties in its premium namesake brand. The Nordstrom brand saw comparable sales fall 2.7%, leading to a 1.1% drop in segment revenue. Strength in women's apparel and beauty weren't enough to pull the overall company's number higher, and the East was the best region geographically. However, the discount Nordstrom Rack concept kept doing well. Revenue was up double-digit percentages for the quarter, and comparable-store sales were up 4.3%.</p>
<p>Nordstrom worked hard to try to squeeze as much profit as it could from its sales. Gross profit margin climbed more than a full percentage point, to 36%, and Nordstrom said that it had strong inventory execution and reduced the amount of competitive markdowns it had to use during the period. Lower overhead costs also contributed to bottom-line performance.</p>
<p>Expansion will remain a key component of Nordstrom's growth in the future. The retailer said that it will concentrate on its Nordstrom Rack concept for most of its store openings in fiscal 2017, with only one brand-new premium store opening in Toronto and two Nordstrom relocations in California. By contrast, 15 new Nordstrom Rack stores will open in areas across the country.</p>
<p>Yet Nordstrom's fiscal 2017 guidance wasn't entirely positive in the eyes of some investors. The company expects a 3% to 4% increase in net sales during the year, and it believes that comparable sales will remain flat compared to 2016 levels. Earnings of $2.75 to $3 per share would be slightly below the current consensus estimate for $3.06 per share, reflecting Nordstrom's difficulty predicting how well it might be able to rebound if industry conditions improve.</p>
<p>Investors can also take heart in the fact that Nordstrom is aggressively buying back shares. The retailer spent $189 million to buy back about 4 million shares during the quarter, and has $1 billion left under its current authorizations. That amounts to nearly 15% of Nordstrom's current market capitalization, showing just how serious the company is about its positive reputation.</p>
<p>Nordstrom investors were fairly pleased with the results, and the stock climbed about 2.5% in after-hours trading following the announcement. Still, Nordstrom has a lot of work left to do in order to shore up the health of its fundamental business for the foreseeable future. Without more favorable conditions going forward, Nordstrom could find it difficult to sustain the growth that investors will want to see in the long run.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than NordstromWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
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<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=19ba3023-dba5-4e69-92b1-af9470403a88&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Nordstrom. 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> | Nordstrom Closes a Record Sales Year, Sees Earnings Falling in 2017 | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/23/nordstrom-closes-record-sales-year-sees-earnings-falling-in-2017.html | 2017-03-16 | 0 |
<p>CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia's Department of Health and Human Resources says the state is facing growing numbers of children going in foster care and a shortage of workers in child protective services.</p>
<p>Addressing the state Senate Finance Committee, Deputy Secretary Jeremiah Samples says the issue is driven by the state's drug crisis.</p>
<p>Department data show 6,290 children in foster care in October, about 1,000 more than the year before and 3,000 more than three years earlier.</p>
<p>The department says it is "a child welfare crisis" with 83 percent of open child abuse and neglect cases involving drugs.</p>
<p>Samples tells lawmakers they have been unable to adequately find placements.</p>
<p>The department has proposed using some excess Medicaid funding to increase funding for child services.</p>
<p>CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia's Department of Health and Human Resources says the state is facing growing numbers of children going in foster care and a shortage of workers in child protective services.</p>
<p>Addressing the state Senate Finance Committee, Deputy Secretary Jeremiah Samples says the issue is driven by the state's drug crisis.</p>
<p>Department data show 6,290 children in foster care in October, about 1,000 more than the year before and 3,000 more than three years earlier.</p>
<p>The department says it is "a child welfare crisis" with 83 percent of open child abuse and neglect cases involving drugs.</p>
<p>Samples tells lawmakers they have been unable to adequately find placements.</p>
<p>The department has proposed using some excess Medicaid funding to increase funding for child services.</p> | Drugs blamed for West Virginia 'child welfare crisis' | false | https://apnews.com/amp/7f76d1fbb1af45179613dfa908c4c1df | 2018-01-24 | 2 |
<p>Sen. Bernie Sanders claimed that “the cause of” the spike in earthquakes in Oklahoma “is fracking.” But it’s more complicated than that.</p>
<p>The cause involves many&#160;factors — primarily increased wastewater disposal from all oil and gas operations, including from fracking. Other factors include Oklahoma’s geology and high oil prices.</p>
<p>Sanders, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?421719-1/epa-nominee-scott-pruitt-testifies-confirmation-hearing&amp;start=9340" type="external">brought up the rise of earthquakes in Oklahoma</a>&#160;during&#160;the confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, who’s currently Oklahoma’s attorney general. The hearing was held by the&#160;Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, which <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/317515-gop-changes-rules-to-push-through-epa-pick-despite-dem-boycott" type="external">approved</a> the nomination on Feb. 2 without any Democratic support.</p>
<p>Sanders, Jan. 18:&#160;Can you tell me, as I think all of us know, Oklahoma has been subjected to a record-breaking number of earthquakes. Scientists in Oklahoma — or scientists say that Oklahoma’s almost certain to have more earthquakes, with heightened risk of a large quake, probable, to endure for a decade, and that the cause of this is fracking. Can you point me, picking up on Senator Harris’ discussion with you, can you point me to any opinion that you wrote, any enforcement actions you took against the companies that were injecting waste fracking water?</p>
<p>We’ll get to Pruitt’s answer to Sanders’ question about enforcement actions later, but first we’ll explain what scientists know about the rise in earthquakes in Oklahoma and the&#160;causes behind it.</p>
<p>Starting roughly in 2009, the central U.S. has experienced a “dramatic increase in seismicity,” or the frequency of earthquakes, <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">says the U.S. Geological Survey</a>.</p>
<p>Between 1973 and 2008, the region had an average of 24 earthquakes per year that measured 3.0 or higher in&#160;magnitude. Between 2009 and 2014,&#160;the&#160;number of those earthquakes increased to 193 per year on average. Scientists concentrate on earthquakes of magnitude 3.0&#160;or more because earthquakes of lower magnitudes <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mag_vs_int.php" type="external">often can’t be felt</a>.</p>
<p>Oklahoma, in particular, has experienced a similar, if not more severe, trend.</p>
<p>Between 2000 to&#160;2008, the number of 3.0 or higher earthquakes reached&#160;no more than three per year, <a href="http://www.jakewalter.net/" type="external">Jacob Walter</a>, a seismologist <a href="http://www.ou.edu/content/ogs/staff.html" type="external">with the Oklahoma Geological Survey</a>,&#160;told us in an email. In 2009, that number&#160;jumped to 20&#160;earthquakes, only to increase to 67&#160;in 2011. The largest spike&#160;occurred between 2013 and 2014, from 110 to 579&#160;earthquakes. So far, seismicity in the state has peaked at 903 earthquakes in 2015, with 2016 coming in&#160;at&#160;623.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">U.S. Geological Survey</a> and&#160; <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/345/6195/448.full" type="external">independent</a> scientists both say&#160;wastewater disposal, not the process of fracking, is primarily&#160;responsible for the quakes in Oklahoma.</p>
<p><a href="https://www2.usgs.gov/hydraulic_fracturing/" type="external">Fracking</a>, or hydraulic fracturing,&#160;is a method used to&#160;obtain natural gas and oil from&#160;rock formations underground. The process involves&#160; <a href="https://www.propublica.org/special/hydraulic-fracturing-national" type="external">injecting</a>&#160;water, sand and various chemicals into drilling wells at high pressure, releasing oil and gas that would otherwise be difficult to retrieve.</p>
<p><a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">Wastewater</a>, on the other hand, is the byproduct of all oil and gas operations, including from fracking. This water&#160;is&#160;injected deep underground and left there permanently.</p>
<p>In a 2015 review&#160; <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">article</a>&#160;published in the journal Seismological Research Letters,&#160; <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/justin-rubinstein?qt-staff_profile_science_products=3#qt-staff_profile_science_products" type="external">Justin L. Rubinstein</a>, the deputy chief of the&#160; <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced" type="external">USGS Induced Seismicity Project</a>, and a colleague explain that fracking fluid comprises 10 percent or less of the total wastewater&#160;from oil and gas operations in Oklahoma.</p>
<p>The other 90 percent&#160;is “produced water,” which is “brine from ancient oceans that was entrapped in the rocks” along with the oil and gas, they write. When oil and gas is recovered, the produced water is recovered with it. “Virtually all oil wells” extract&#160;produced water, regardless of whether or not they’re fracked, the authors said.</p>
<p>Wastewater disposal is not only “responsible for the vast majority of the increase” in earthquakes in the central U.S., but also “the largest and most-damaging” induced, or human-caused, earthquakes, the authors concluded. The process of fracking, on the other hand, “is directly causing a small percentage of the felt-induced earthquakes observed in the United States,” they added.</p>
<p>In fact, <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/345/6195/448.full" type="external">multiple studies</a> have found evidence to suggest that wastewater disposal, not the process of fracking, induced Oklahoma’s second worst earthquake to date, which&#160;carried a <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/magnitudes-oklahoma-earthquakes-shift-upward" type="external">magnitude of 5.7</a>. The epicenter of the quake was located&#160;near Prague, a small town&#160;that’s&#160; <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Oklahoma+City,+OK/Prague,+OK+74864/@35.5291764,-97.3710316,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87ad8a547ef8d281:0x33a21274d14f3a9d!2m2!1d-97.5164276!2d35.4675602!1m5!1m1!1s0x87b3e91412bb0455:0xbaa1935d2f69e48f!2m2!1d-96.6850174!2d35.4867368!3e0" type="external">about an hour</a> outside of Oklahoma City, and occurred on Nov. 6, 2011. The state’s worst earthquake to date&#160; <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/magnitudes-oklahoma-earthquakes-shift-upward" type="external">occurred</a> on Sept. 3, 2016, at a magnitude of 5.8.</p>
<p>But what’s the <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">mechanism</a> by which&#160;fluid injection causes earthquakes?</p>
<p>As water&#160;is injected underground, the pressure within the pores of rock underground increases. If that pressure increase reaches a <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/glossary/?term=fault" type="external">fault line</a>, or a crack&#160;in the earth’s crust where rocks on each side of the crack have moved past each other (see image to left), the pressure, or stress, holding the fault in position lowers. This then reduces the friction between the two rocks, making them more likely to slip. A slip at a fault line is the process by which <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php" type="external">all earthquakes occur</a>, that is, both induced and natural quakes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ou.edu/ogs/staff/boak_jeremy.html" type="external">Jeremy Boak</a>, the director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey, compared the mechanism to an air hockey table, in <a href="http://energyfuse.org/about-us/" type="external">an interview</a> with <a href="http://energyfuse.org/about-us/" type="external">The Fuse</a>, a project of Securing America’s Future Energy, which advocates “reducing America’s dependence on oil.”</p>
<p>Boak&#160;explained that without the air pressure&#160;coming from underneath the table, the hockey puck movement is hindered by&#160;friction. But with the air pressure, the puck&#160;slides on the table easily. Fault lines slip because of increased fluid pressure in a similar way, he said.</p>
<p>But why do disposal wells, compared with fracking, cause more felt earthquakes?</p>
<p>The answer lies in the length of time that disposal wells operate and&#160;the quantity of water that’s injected into them. The fracking process takes “a few hours to a few days,” while wastewater disposal wells “operate for years or decades,” Rubinstein and his colleague explain in their 2015 <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">review</a>. Consequently, in just a few months, wastewater disposal wells “will greatly exceed the volumes injected by even the largest hydraulic-fracturing operations,” they write.</p>
<p>In short, because wastewater disposal wells&#160;inject considerably more fluid underground and operate for longer periods, they contribute more to lowering the pressure at fault lines, which suggests&#160;that they are more likely to induce earthquakes than fracking.</p>
<p>To be clear, this <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">doesn’t mean</a> fracking can’t&#160;cause earthquakes, only&#160;that&#160;the evidence suggests&#160;the process causes less earthquakes of lesser magnitude than wastewater disposal. This&#160;also <a href="https://profile.usgs.gov/myscience/upload_folder/ci2015Jun1012005755600Induced_EQs_Review.pdf" type="external">doesn’t mean</a> that all wastewater disposal causes earthquakes. A multitude of geological factors must be in place for fluid injection to induce felt earthquakes, including large enough faults (the larger the fault, the larger the quake) and pathways for fluid to reach fault lines.&#160;And these geological factors are in place in the regions of Oklahoma where oil and gas companies have disposed of high amounts of wastewater.</p>
<p>However, we did ask two experts if they thought fracking could indirectly be blamed for the uptick in produced water&#160;from oil and gas exploration.</p>
<p>According to the Energy Information Administration, fracking, in combination with horizontal drilling, has led to a substantial&#160;increase in the production of <a href="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=25372" type="external">oil</a> and <a href="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=26112" type="external">natural gas</a> in the U.S. as a whole.</p>
<p>As its name suggests, <a href="" type="internal">horizontal drilling</a>&#160;(see image to right) enables a&#160;single well to&#160;cross&#160;through a larger&#160;portion of a&#160;fuel&#160;reservoir and, consequently, extract&#160;more&#160;fuel.</p>
<p>Rubinstein, at USGS, said&#160;in an email that&#160;the “increase in produced water is a result of industry beginning to exploit [reservoirs]&#160;like the Mississippi Lime that are ‘low-cut,’&#160;i.e. have a high water to oil ratio.”&#160;</p>
<p><a href="http://oilindependents.org/the-mississippian-lime-not-new-but-reinvented/" type="external">According to the Independent Petroleum Association of America</a>,&#160;which represents independent oil and gas producers,&#160;the Mississippi Lime reservoir, which actually spans Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas, has been conventionally developed, that is, not developed with horizontal drilling and fracking, for “more than 50 years.”&#160;However, horizontal drilling and fracking have recently led to a boom in production in the Mississippi Lime,&#160; <a href="http://oilindependents.org/the-mississippian-lime-not-new-but-reinvented/" type="external">multiple</a> <a href="" type="internal">sources</a> <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1486315/000146970914000215/ex99_1apg.htm" type="external">say</a>.</p>
<p>Still, Rubinstein said&#160;fracking and horizontal drilling were not&#160;indirect causes of the induced earthquakes, in his opinion. But “the boom in produced water (and thus induced earthquakes) would not have happened without” these technologies for economic reasons, he added.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/mark-zoback" type="external">Mark Zoback</a>, a geophysicist at Stanford who has <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/5/e1500195" type="external">researched</a> the relationship between wastewater disposal and earthquakes in Oklahoma, also pointed to high oil prices&#160;as the reason for exploitation of these “low cut” reservoirs.</p>
<p>“The reason why so much produced saltwater ‘suddenly’ needed to be disposed of in Oklahoma was mostly caused by $100&#160;[per barrel] oil price,” he said&#160;in an email. “At this price, some oil companies chose to develop already-known formations like the Mississippi limestone, which produces tremendous amounts of saltwater along with oil.” At such a high price, companies&#160;“could still make money after separating and disposing of tremendous quantities of water,” he added.&#160;</p>
<p>Oil prices <a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/markets/crude-oil.aspx?timeframe=10y" type="external">peaked</a> in 2008 at around $140 per barrel and hovered around $100 per barrel between 2011 and 2014. Since 2015, the oil prices haven’t surpassed $60 per barrel.&#160;“When the oil price dropped, much of the Mississippi Lime production was curtailed,” said Zoback.&#160;</p>
<p>As for Pruitt’s response to Sanders’ question about what actions the Oklahoma attorney general “took against the companies that were injecting waste fracking water,”&#160;the senator&#160; <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?421719-1/epa-nominee-scott-pruitt-testifies-confirmation-hearing&amp;start=9340" type="external">failed to let</a>the nominee respond fully on many occasions. Later on during the hearing, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?421719-101/epa-nominee-scott-pruitt-testifies-confirmation-hearing&amp;start=2605" type="external">asked</a> Pruitt a similar question, to which Pruitt gave a longer&#160;response.</p>
<p>Cardin, Jan. 18: In your state, I know there were a lot of earthquakes. There’ve been talk about how, whether these earthquakes were motivated by the fracking activities or not. How well have the states regulated fracking and where do you see the federal role should be in protecting our environment from fracking? …</p>
<p>Pruitt: With response to the seismic issue that you’re talking about, the earthquakes in Oklahoma, the Corporation Commission has actually declared off limits certain drilling activity in hot spots already. They’ve taken a very aggressive approach. And I too share their concern. I’ve been in conversation with the commissioners at the Corporation Commission. That’s who has jurisdiction in this matter. And they have taken, again, very meaningful steps to declare off limits certain drilling activity to try to see if it will help reduce the number of earthquakes happening in Oklahoma, and it has helped.</p>
<p>The Oklahoma Corporation Commission did take measures to reduce induced earthquakes in <a href="http://www.occeweb.com/News/2016/02-16-16WesternRegionalPlan.pdf" type="external">February</a> and <a href="http://www.occeweb.com/News/2016/03-07-16ADVISORY-AOI,%20VOLUME%20REDUCTION.pdf" type="external">March</a> of last year, namely by&#160;reducing the amount of wastewater injected into the ground in Central and Western Oklahoma&#160;by 40 percent by May 2016, compared with 2014 levels. Scientists do&#160;believe this reduction has and will help.</p>
<p>Zoback and a colleague published a <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/11/e1601542.full" type="external">paper</a> in the journal Science Advances in November 2016 that evaluated the effect of the reduced injection rates on seismicity. Using statistical models, the researchers predicted that magnitude&#160;3.0 or greater&#160;earthquakes in Oklahoma, “as well as the probability of potentially damaging larger events, should significantly decrease by the end of 2016 and approach historic levels within a few years.” But they cautioned that “the occurrence of potentially damaging earthquakes cannot be ruled out during the next few years.”</p>
<p>So far, “the decrease in seismicity rate is still following the decline we predicted in the paper,” Zoback told us.&#160;As we already noted, the state did see 623 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in 2016, compared with 907 in 2015, but that’s still way above&#160;the three or less earthquakes&#160;the state experienced per year between 2000 and 2008.</p>
<p>In December, the Corporation Commission also <a href="http://www.occeweb.com/News/2016/12-20-16SCOOP-STACK.pdf" type="external">issued guidelines</a>&#160;for fracking in certain regions of Oklahoma while announcing “new, major operations” of oil and gas development in those areas. In the press release, Boak of the Oklahoma Geological Survey said that research at his agency showed that “some … small earthquakes” in these regions “might have been related to hydraulic fracturing.”</p>
<p>Boak, Dec. 20:&#160;While the data indicates that seismicity related to [these regions]&#160;would be far less frequent and much lower in magnitude than the activity we are addressing in the main earthquake region of the state that has been linked to wastewater disposal, we have enough information to develop a plan aimed at reducing the risk of these smaller events as operations commence.</p>
<p>Sanders oversimplified the issue when he said, “Scientists say that Oklahoma’s almost certain to have more earthquakes, with heightened risk of a large quake, probable, to endure for a decade, and that the cause of this is fracking.”&#160;The cause of the induced earthquakes&#160;involves many&#160;factors — primarily increased wastewater disposal from oil and gas operations, but also Oklahoma’s unique geology, horizontal drilling and fracking technologies, and high oil prices. Scientists also&#160;say the risk of larger quakes has been reduced because state regulators have instituted&#160;a 40 percent reduction in wastewater disposal.</p>
<p>Editor’s Note: SciCheck is made possible by a grant from the Stanton Foundation.</p> | Sanders and Pruitt Rumble Over Earthquakes | false | https://factcheck.org/2017/02/sanders-and-pruitt-rumble-over-earthquakes/ | 2017-02-03 | 2 |
<p />
<p>The stock market continued to ascend on Tuesday, sending the Dow and S&amp;P 500 up through new milestone levels. Stocks tend to perform fairly well near major U.S. holidays, and enthusiasm about the future prospects for the U.S. economy have outweighed any concerns about future uncertainty regarding the geopolitical and macroeconomic situation. Even with major market benchmarks gaining on the day, some stocks still fell, and Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY), CF Industries (NYSE: CF), and FireEye (NASDAQ: FEYE) were among the worst performers on the day. Below, we'll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so poorly.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Image source: Dycom Industries.</p>
<p>Dycom Industries plunged 20% after reporting its fiscal first-quarter financial results. The provider of specialty contracting services for corporate telecommunications and utility customers seemed to post fairly solid results, including a 21% rise in contract revenues and net income that climbed by two-thirds from year-ago levels. Yet investors reacted negatively to future-looking news, which included statements that one of its customers has "modified its plans" in such a way as to cut full-year revenue projections by $80 million and contract backlogs by more than $400 million. In addition, the company cut its outlook for one of its recently acquired units, leading to more than $200 million in backlog cuts. Those amounts add up to just over a tenth of the company's current backlog of just over $5.2 billion, but Dycom shareholders clearly worry that further deterioration could be lying in wait for the company in the near future.</p>
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<p>CF Industries dropped 5% in the wake of getting a downgrade from analysts at RBC Capital Markets. The analyst company moved CF from sector perform to underperform, arguing that recent increases in prices for nitrogen-based fertilizers aren't likely to continue at their current pace, pointing to further capacity coming online in response to strong gains. If the commodity fertilizer markets don't cooperate, then CF Industries could see a direct hit to its earnings, thwarting those who had hoped that the long drought in the fertilizer industry might be coming to an end. For now, investors in CF can expect substantial volatility as market participants try to parse out the likely course of fertilizer prices over the next year or so.</p>
<p>Finally, FireEye fell more than 5%. The cybersecurity specialist got a negative assessment from analysts at Goldman Sachs, with comments that point to greater difficulty in capturing the huge opportunity in the space than investors currently believe. Moreover, despite the likelihood of consolidation in the cybersecurity industry, Goldman's analyst team isn't quite as optimistic as some other investors about the prospects for FireEye becoming an acquisition target. In response, the analyst moved the rating on the stock from neutral to sell, but with the caveat that if cyber-related attacks start to ramp up again and become larger in scope, FireEye could easily take advantage of increased demand for its services and have more success in getting contracts to cover major clients in the government and private sectors.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early, in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000138&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable&amp;ftm_pit=6450&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends FireEye. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Why Dycom Industries, CF Industries, and FireEye Slumped Today | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/22/why-dycom-industries-cf-industries-and-fireeye-slumped-today.html | 2016-11-22 | 0 |
<p>CHICAGO — The <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Pittsburgh_Steelers/" type="external">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> will remain in their locker room during the national anthem prior to their game against the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Chicago_Bears/" type="external">Chicago Bears</a> on Sunday at Soldier Field in response to President <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Donald_Trump/" type="external">Donald Trump</a>‘s comments.</p>
<p>Steelers coach <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mike_Tomlin/" type="external">Mike Tomlin</a> told CBS Sports that the choice to keep his team off the field during the anthem was not to be disrespectful. He said the decision was made to “remove ourselves from the circumstance” because “people shouldn’t have to choose.”</p>
<p>“These are very divisive times times for our country,” Tomlin said in the interview with CBS. “For us as a <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/John_Walker/" type="external">football</a> team, it’s about remaining solid.”</p> | Pittsburgh Steelers to remain in locker room during national anthem in response to Donald Trump | false | https://newsline.com/pittsburgh-steelers-to-remain-in-locker-room-during-national-anthem-in-response-to-donald-trump/ | 2017-09-24 | 1 |
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<p>St. Michael’s coach Joey Fernandez works with his players during practice a year ago. (T.S. Last/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>Plenty of trail dirt will accumulate on the St. Michael’s High School football team’s bus this season as the Horsemen enter a new district that sends them into the state’s southern heartland.</p>
<p>Rather than bopping around northern New Mexico facing the same old local foes with district bragging rights on the line, St. Mike’s instead will saddle up and gallop off to meet Portales and New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell.</p>
<p>“It’s going to be tough, playing in a new district, playing some new teams that we haven’t really seen before,” coach Joey Fernandez said. “They’re new teams that are very competitive. But playing the southern teams I think is going to up our game a little bit.”</p>
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<p>The Horsemen, who went 10-1 last season, still will see traditional rivals like Santa Fe and Robertson, but “we’re going to take them in stride so that when we hit district, hopefully we’re hitting on all cylinders and we can start playing some good ball, because it’s going to be a tough district.”</p>
<p>The players are actually looking forward to seeing some different color jerseys for a change.</p>
<p>Nathanyal Leyba lifts a weight, with help from Jared Bierig as he prepares for the season as a returning starter with St. Mike’s football team. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>“I like our new district,” said senior wide out/defensive back Julio Garcia. “We get to travel a little more and we get a couple more Friday night games. I think it’s a nice little change for us. I think it will be nice to see some different teams this year.”</p>
<p>Horsemen fans will be seeing some new faces on the field, as well as four seniors – three of whom are two-way starters – who comprise the bulk of the returning starters.</p>
<p>“With this team, we have a lot of inexperience,” Fernandez said. “We’re fairly young. We do have some seniors, but they’re mostly inexperienced. But I expect us to be competitive every game and to play the best that we can.”</p>
<p>Of course, with a team that is usually among the title contenders every season, the players know that merely being competitive is not going to cut it.</p>
<p>“We have a lot of expectations, being undefeated in the regular season last year,” said senior running back Nathanyal Leyba, who also plays the defensive line and linebacker. “When it comes down to it, you take it one step at a time. If we mess up – and everyone is going to make mistakes – it’s up to that one person to make it up.”</p>
<p>And with the new district, the Horsemen will face new challenges.</p>
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<p>“I’m not going to say that we’re better than everybody because we’re not,” Leyba said. “There’s no team that’s different or better than anybody. Our success gives us confidence, but we’re going to work just as hard this next season to produce more talent.”</p>
<p>Leyba (5-11, 180) will be running behind a pair of strong, senior two-way linemen in Chad McNamera (6-0, 230) and Antonio Garcia (6-0, 185). But the rest of the offense will be something of a work in progress, Fernandez said.</p>
<p>“It’s all going to depend on each and every game what each team gives us,” he said. “The running game is ahead right now because of that experience. But we have a couple of good quarterbacks that we can work behind also.”</p>
<p>And Fernandez said he fully expects the newcomers to settle into a groove fairly quickly.</p>
<p>“The experience isn’t there right now but, after a few weeks, after the first couple of games, they’re going to learn what we expect and will start playing the type of ball that we expect, also,” he said.</p>
<p>And while all the talk of new foes is one thing, there are old rivalries the returning players are looking forward to renewing.</p>
<p>“There are teams like Santa Fe High that we really want to play, also our game against Robertson,” Julio Garcia said of the Cardinals, who knocked St. Mike’s out of the playoffs last season. “We want to play them again and hopefully beat them. We want to avenge our playoff loss.”</p>
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<p /> | New district, new foes, but old rivalries will still be renewed | false | https://abqjournal.com/434978/new-district-new-foes-but-old-rivalries-will-still-be-renewed.html | 2 |
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<p>One of the most prevalent themes throughout the Wired Business Conference was diversity and inclusion in tech. At this point, the lack of gender and racial diversity in Silicon Valley is a regular topic of conversation, and one that every big tech company ( <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489534,00.asp" type="external">Apple Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2485227,00.asp" type="external">Google Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493561,00.asp" type="external">Facebook Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474749,00.asp" type="external">Intel Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2469780,00.asp" type="external">Microsoft Opens a New Window.</a>, and <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497241,00.asp" type="external">Twitter Opens a New Window.</a>, to name a few) have attempted to tackle. But there are still mountains of work to go.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>As Erica Baker, Senior Engineer at <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2477507,00.asp" type="external">Slack Opens a New Window.</a>, put it during her conference keynote, inequality is everyone's problem. Before joining the red-hot <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489110,00.asp" type="external">business collaboration Opens a New Window.</a> start-up, Baker was a longtime Google employee and the woman behind the famous secret <a href="http://qz.com/458615/theres-reportedly-a-big-secret-spreadsheet-where-google-employees-share-their-salaries/" type="external">salary spreadsheet Opens a New Window.</a> addressing pay inequality at the search giant.</p>
<p>"I am not just a woman, I'm not just black person. The experiences I have are of black women, and that intersectionality is the theory that racism and sexism play against each other and with each other in ways that need to be addressed together," said Baker.</p>
<p>Sr. Slack Engineer Erica Baker</p>
<p>Diversity issues in tech, Baker explained, can be as subtle as a new Snapchat makeup filter not having an option for African-American complexions. Trace that back, she said, and you may find there wasn't a black person in the board room or on the engineering team when that design decision was made.</p>
<p>Tech is still overwhelmingly white and male, and it's a topic that makes people uncomfortable because they don't know what they can do. The first step, Baker said, is to get comfortable being uncomfortable.</p>
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<p>"Right now, I can recommend increasing empathy. Empathy is the first step toward understanding how people are really feeling in your company," said Baker. "Put yourself in the shoes of the only black man or only Latina woman in the room being asked to represent their entire race or gender, and then you can begin to understand the pressure they're under. To make good progress in these discussions we need to recognize it's going to be uncomfortable for a while."</p>
<p>Diversity in the Board Room One of the places diversity can make the biggest difference to a tech company's culture, decision-making, and bottom line is on the executive team and the board. A panel entitled "Boss Ladies" put <a href="https://theboardlist.com/" type="external">theboardlist Opens a New Window.</a> and <a href="https://www.joyus.com/" type="external">Joyus Opens a New Window.</a> founder Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, venture capital veteran and <a href="http://www.bbgventures.com/" type="external">BBG Ventures Opens a New Window.</a> President and Managing Partner Susan Lyne, and <a href="https://www.mindbodyonline.com/" type="external">Mindbody Opens a New Window.</a> CEO Rick Stollmeyer onstage to talk about the diversity challenges start-ups and established tech companies face, and where their respective companies and ventures have succeeded.</p>
<p>Cassidy is an established, successful Silicon Valley executive who's worked at places like Amazon, Google, and VC firm Accel Partners. In <a href="https://medium.com/@sukhindersinghcassidy/introducing-the-boardlist-1d7bf3adcb05#.1lmdbfsg2" type="external">launching Opens a New Window.</a> theboardlist last year, she aimed to create a <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article/345220/6-amazing-things-microsoft-could-do-with-linkedin-like" type="external">LinkedIn Opens a New Window.</a> curated professional marketplace of vetted and recommended female executives and entrepreneurs. CEOs, executives, and VCs can browse theboardlist to find capable and experienced female board members to join new <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/startups" type="external">start-ups Opens a New Window.</a> receiving funding or apply to be an endorser.</p>
<p>"We're trying to create a private, high-end, and highly vetted LinkedIn," said Cassidy. "If five people you know nominated this woman, all of a sudden she's in your network."</p>
<p>From second on left: Cassidy, Lyne, and Stollmeyer</p>
<p>Lyne approaches tech diversity with a similar mindset. After spending decades in media and commerce, Lyne's BBG Ventures only invests in tech start-ups with at least one female founder. Lyne said that when it comes to the start-up pitches she's sat through over the years, women pitch businesses, while men tend to pitch "unicorns."</p>
<p>"A lot of CEOs and public companies are coming around to the fact that they need to put females on the board. All the research that's been done says the more diverse boards with more women on them end up with higher performing companies," said Lyne. "The results are better, the stock is higher, and it's logical. If you have a room full of people who think alike and have similar backgrounds, you may not wind up making the best decisions."</p>
<p>Mindbody is one of theboardlist's biggest success stories. Through the platform, Stollmeyer was able to fill two of its board seats with experienced female executives: Katherine Blair Christie, former Cisco CMO, and Gail Goodman, former CEO of <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2453354,00.asp" type="external">email marketing Opens a New Window.</a> platform <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474133,00.asp" type="external">Constant Contact Opens a New Window.</a>. The company's general counsel, corporate secretary, and compliance officer, Kimberly Lytikainen, has also served in legal positions at Pivotal Software and Nvidia.</p>
<p>Stollmeyer said start-ups need to think about the variety and depth of skills they need on a board.</p>
<p>"We focused on the qualities we needed, and with Sukhinder's help, we were able to find them," she said. "It wasn't that hard. It was just about making that commitment and daring to make that criteria. The best leaders are comfortable in their own skin, and it's being comfortable in who you are that produces the most effective leadership. Gender doesn't matter."</p>
<p>For Lyne, the biggest change she's seen during her time in the tech industry is that diversity is now actually on the agenda.</p>
<p>"It didn't make sense to me that companies were not trying to recruit great executives who knew the company and know the end-user well," said Lyne.</p>
<p>A Woman In the Driver's Seat</p>
<p>GM CEO Mary Barra</p>
<p>For definitive proof of Lyne's sentiment, look no further than General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who appeared onstage earlier in the day. Barra is the first CEO of a major global automobile manufacturer, taking over the role in 2014, but Barra's been working for and around GM her entire life.</p>
<p>Barra's father worked in manufacturing at Pontiac for almost 40 years. She started working for GM at age 18 in 1980, in various administrative and engineering positions at the company's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant. Barra worked her way up over the next three and a half decades to roles including VP of global manufacturing engineering, VP of global human resources, and EVP of global product development.</p>
<p>At Wired, Barra discussed GM's 200-mile-range <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497560,00.asp" type="external">2017 Chevy Bolt EV Opens a New Window.</a>, self-driving cars, and what GM's <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497397,00.asp" type="external">$500 million investment in Lyft Opens a New Window.</a> says about its vision for autonomous vehicles.</p>
<p>In talking about how GM's corporate culture has changed over the years and where the company is going, Barra inevitably touched on the decades-worth of experience and know-how she distills from the top down. She knows her company better than anyone.</p>
<p>"When you look at a vehicle, we're integrating 30,000 parts into a supply base. I'm a second-generation lifer at GM, and I know we have great people in this company," said Barra. "To really get to know how to make a great vehicle, it takes a couple generations. We have that kind of expertise, and now we're partnering with people bringing in new skill sets and technology giving them the freedom to go do. Our culture welcomes the challenge."</p>
<p>This article <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/news/345371/how-to-tackle-techs-diversity-problem" type="external">originally appeared Opens a New Window.</a> on <a href="http://www.pcmag.com" type="external">PCMag.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | How to Tackle Tech's Diversity Problem | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/06/17/how-to-tackle-tech-diversity-problem.html | 2016-06-17 | 0 |
<p>Former General Otto Perez Molina is <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-04/perez-iron-fist-election-pledge-may-deepen-guatemala-drug-war.html" type="external">expected</a> to win Guatemala's presidential runoff on Sunday on a platform that promises a tough stance on drug cartels.</p>
<p>The drug war has come to Guatemala, heightening insecurity and violence as powerful Mexican cartels vie for control of the country's drug-smuggling routes. The vast majority of murders go unsolved in the country, and people want a return to stability.</p>
<p>Perez has vowed to wield an "Iron Fist" against the drug gangs, earning him the nickname and a strong lead over his opponent, Congressman Manuel Baldizon.</p>
<p>But the former general has raised concerns among pro-democracy advocates who don't want to see a military man back in control. Guatemala only 15 years ago finished a bloody civil war that cost as many as 200,000 lives. The military was accused of abuses during that time.</p>
<p>Perez has said he wasn't involved. GlobalPost explored his past in a video during the first vote. It's worth watching if you missed it: &#160;</p> | Can the "Iron Fist" end the drug war? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2011-11-04/can-iron-fist-end-drug-war | 2011-11-04 | 3 |
<p>The Latest on the testimony of Wells Fargo's CEO before the Senate Banking Committee (all times local):</p>
<p>11 a.m.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Wells Fargo CEO is promising action to assist any customers who were hurt by having accounts opened without their permission to meet sales quotas.</p>
<p>John Stumpf told the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday the bank will contact all deposit customers in the U.S., including those who already had fees refunded, to invite them to review their accounts with their banker.</p>
<p>Regulators fined San Francisco-based Wells Fargo $185 million earlier this month. Some 5,300 Wells Fargo employees have been fired and the bank has said it will end all product sales targets for all retail banking employees.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10:45 a.m.</p>
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<p>A Republican senator says it would be "malpractice" if Wells Fargo doesn't institute any compensation clawbacks after allegations that employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet aggressive sales targets.</p>
<p>Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee spoke at a Banking Committee hearing on Tuesday where Wells Fargo Chief Executive John Stumpf is testifying.</p>
<p>Wells Fargo has in place executive compensation clawback provisions that the board could implement.</p>
<p>Stumpf has said the company's board "has the tools to hold senior leadership accountable," including himself and Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of the retail banking business.</p>
<p>Tolstedt announced in July her retirement from the bank this year. Tolstedt is expected to leave with as much as $125 million in salary, stock options and other compensation.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10:30 a.m.</p>
<p>The CEO of Wells Fargo says he committed to addressing "unethical sales practices" at the bank as he speaks before a congressional panel about allegations that employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet aggressive sales targets.</p>
<p>Chief Executive John Stumpf said Tuesday the Wells Fargo board is "actively engaged" on the issue and that the board "has the tools to hold senior leadership accountable, including me and Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of our retail banking business."</p>
<p>Wells Fargo has in place executive compensation clawback provisions that the board could implement.</p>
<p>Tolstedt announced in July her retirement from the bank this year. Tolstedt is expected to leave with as much as $125 million in salary, stock options and other compensation.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10:15 a.m.</p>
<p>The CEO of Wells Fargo says he is "deeply sorry" as he speaks before a congressional panel about allegations that employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet aggressive sales targets.</p>
<p>Chief Executive John Stumpf said Tuesday he accepts full responsibility for what occurred and the bank should have done more sooner to address any misconduct.</p>
<p>Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said as the hearing began that there are many unanswered questions, including when the misconduct started, how much top executives knew about it and why did federal regulators wait until this year to crack down.</p>
<p>Regulators fined San Francisco-based Wells Fargo $185 million earlier this month. Some 5,300 Wells Fargo employees have been fired.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>10 a.m.</p>
<p>The CEO of embattled Wells Fargo has appeared to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on the scandal over allegations that employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet aggressive sales targets.</p>
<p>According to prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Chief Executive John Stumpf plans to say he is "deeply sorry" the bank failed to meet its responsibility to customers and didn't act sooner to stem "this unacceptable activity."</p>
<p>Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., says there are many unanswered questions, including when the misconduct started, how much top executives knew about it and why did federal regulators wait until this year to crack down.</p>
<p>He says, "If there ever were a textbook case of consumers needing protection, this was it."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>1 a.m.</p>
<p>The CEO of Wells Fargo plans to apologize before a congressional panel for betraying customers' trust in a scandal over allegations that employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet aggressive sales targets.</p>
<p>In prepared testimony obtained by The Associated Press, Chief Executive John Stumpf says he is "deeply sorry" the bank failed to meet its responsibility to customers and didn't act sooner to stem what he called "this unacceptable activity."</p>
<p>He testifies Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee.</p>
<p>Regulators fined San Francisco-based Wells Fargo $185 million earlier this month. Some 5,300 Wells Fargo employees have been fired.</p> | The Latest: Wells Fargo CEO promises help for customers | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/09/20/latest-wells-fargo-ceo-promises-help-for-customers.html | 2016-09-20 | 0 |
<p>The trend of geographical location is coming to Facebook. “Places,” the new feature to be implemented in coming weeks, will allow Facebook users to phone home not only their personal information and consumer preferences but their actual physical location to their friends (and advertisers).</p>
<p>Reuters:</p>
<p>Facebook’s 500 million-plus users will soon be able to track friends’ whereabouts across the United States, as the world’s largest Internet social network adds technology to increasingly tie its virtual world to everyday life.</p>
<p>The new “Places” feature — which begins rolling out on Wednesday to some users and goes nationwide within weeks — is touted as a tool to help users share where they are, figure out who is in the vicinity, and check out happenings and services within the same locale.</p>
<p />
<p>The addition of so-called location services to Facebook — a move that industry observers have speculated about for months — opens new revenue opportunities for the company, but also presents it with delicate privacy challenges.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67I1A320100819" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Location, Location, Location | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/location-location-location/ | 2010-08-19 | 4 |
<p />
<p>The Washington Post‘s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/29/AR2005062902792.html?sub=AR" type="external">front-page account</a> of Bush’s public-opinion specialists is quite fascinating—and depressing. Why couldn’t the president just level with the public in his speech the other night and explain what, exactly, our goals in Iraq are and how he plans to achieve them? Well, because expert upon expert has told him that that’s just not very important for building popular support during wartime. Apparently it’s far more important, poll-wise, to be “resolute” and not show any signs of pessimism than it is to be honest and practical. Sadly, it really does seem we get the leaders we deserve.</p>
<p /> | Clap Louder! | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2005/06/clap-louder/ | 2005-06-30 | 4 |
<p>If you really hate Donald Trump, you don’t protest at his rallies, or tweet something vitriolic; you invent a machine that prints out Trump’s tweets and then burns them.</p>
<p>David Neevel, who lives in the Netherlands, is an inventor who “hosted a web series called Practically Useful, in which he invented complicated ways to simplify daily tasks,” as <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/03/29/meet_david_neevel_creator_of_the_robot_that_burns_trump_tweets.html" type="external">Slate</a> reports. His <a href="http://davidneevel.com" type="external">website</a> features all sorts of inventions, including his famed <a href="http://davidneevel.com/2013/06/05/the-penis-drawing-machine/" type="external">penis-drawing machine</a> and his <a href="http://davidneevel.com/2013/03/05/oreo-separator/" type="external">Oreo-separating machine</a>.</p>
<p>On a Twitter account titled <a href="https://twitter.com/burnedyourtweet" type="external">Burned Your Tweet</a>, a video shows Neevel’s contraption, which prints out a page containing Trump’s tweet, seizes it, lights it on fire, then plunks it in an ashtray to burn itself to ashes.</p>
<p>In an interview with Slate, Neevel spoke about his motivation for building his machine. He said he built it for himself, adding, “I thought this was a nice way to just kind of make a comment on it and dismiss at least the Twitter aspect of what's going on. It seems like that's how people are picking it up, too: just a nice kind of ritual of dismissal of something unpleasant.”</p>
<p>Neevel explained how the machine works:</p>
<p>Every 15 seconds, it looks on Twitter for a new tweet from Trump, and if it finds that, then that's the trigger. Now, what it does is it sends me an email and lets me know it has a tweet that it's ready to burn. And then I get to it as soon as I can. When I was testing it, I would have it go automatically. It would find a tweet, and turn itself on and burn it. But until I have a really fireproof place to keep it, I wanna have some eyes on it while it's setting fires.</p>
<p>Asked why the machine had become so popular, Neevel responded, “I think people are looking for a way to acknowledge this [political situation] without it being totally disheartening and discouraging, and I think this is a way of doing that. The realities of what's going on are pretty rough, but completely shutting down and turning it off doesn't feel right, either. So some middle ground of still being aware and still keeping a sense of humor is a nice place to find if we can.”</p>
<p>There are, of course, some logistical problems: “I'm trying to find the right place to have a fire start at odd hours. I'm a few time zones away, so a lot of his tweets come in right in the middle of the night.”</p>
<p>Slate concluded with this question: ‘Did you ever have moments when you wondered why you were putting in so much work for this?”</p>
<p>Neevel answered, “It beats reading his tweets all day.”</p> | This Inventor Hates Trump. So He Built A Machine To Print Trump’s Tweets And Burn Them With Fire. | true | https://dailywire.com/news/14984/inventor-hates-trump-so-he-built-machine-print-hank-berrien | 2017-03-31 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Well, here's some good news: Many baby boomers who retired within the last five years are surprisingly satisfied.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>A new national survey by T. Rowe Price shows that many recent retirees who have 401(k)s and/or rollover IRAs have created substantial nest eggs and report they are both financially and emotionally sound.</p>
<p>The research for the Baltimore-based money manager targeted 1,500 individuals who have one or more work-related retirement accounts such as a 401(k), IRA and the like.</p>
<p>Because of access to workplace savings plans, this is a relatively wealthy subset of the baby boomer generation, with median net assets of almost $500,000 (investable assets plus real estate minus debt).</p>
<p>Still, there was wide divergence.</p>
<p>The key differentiator is marital status. Compared to singles, married couples tend to be both more satisfied with retirement in general and more financially secure. The latter is not surprising considering the high workforce participation of baby boomer women, many of whom also had the opportunity to participate in a 401(k) plan. Nearly half of married couples reported having $500,000-$2.5 million in assets; 52% of singles had net assets of between $50,000-500,000.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>As senior manager Anne Coveny, points out, boomers are the first generation to have access to defined contribution (DC) plans for most of their careers. Unlike the pensions their parents may have received, employees with DC plans are required to make contributions as well as decide how their accounts are invested. Instead of receiving a fixed amount of income for life, those who retire with defined contribution plans must continue to manage their asset allocation as well as determine how much income they can safely withdraw. Many experts have expressed concern that most are not up to the task.</p>
<p>As the leading edge of this generation moves into their mid-60s, “they’re just starting to depend on defined contribution assets for their retirement income,” says Coveny. “We wanted to know how they are managing [their finances] early into retirement.”</p>
<p>The answer? So far, so good.</p>
<p>Ninety percent of these recently-retired households say they are very or somewhat satisfied with retirement.</p>
<p>Although boomers have been type-cast as avid consumers, on average, this group is having no problem existing on one-third less income than when they were working. What's more, 85% agree that “I don’t need to spend as much as I did before I retired to be satisfied.” In fact, nearly 60% say they are living as well or better.</p>
<p>Coveny takes this as an encouraging sign. “This group has an average of 2.8 years in retirement and they have adjusted very quickly.”</p>
<p>Even among these relatively-wealthy retirees, Social Security represents the largest single source of their retirement income, averaging 43% of the total. “Social Security is crucial to people,” says Coveny. Traditional defined benefit (pension) income is the second-biggest source 19%. &#160;The rest comes from retirement accounts, personal savings and work. Yes, work. Though retired from a primary career, one-in-five new “retirees” is working full or part-time.</p>
<p>Minding Their Savings</p>
<p>They are also being careful about drawing down their retirement assets. The median annual withdrawal was 4%- in line with what financial advisors often recommend. Still, 29% withdrew just 1% or less. “They’re thinking, ‘This balance has to last a long time,’” says Coveny.</p>
<p>Significantly, 60% say they prefer to reduce their income to adjust for swings in the financial markets rather than continue to withdraw a fixed amount from their retirement account. In other words, this new crop of retirees understands they need to be flexible in order to preserve their assets.</p>
<p>"They would rather dynamically manage their spending to preserve their account balance than maintain a constant income. This is different for this generation. Older generations were probably more interested in having a steady income," Coveny says.</p>
<p>Younger and Warier</p>
<p>In addition to recent retirees, the T. Rowe Price survey also polled one thousand pre-retirees, age 50 and up, to get a sense of how confident they are about entering retirement. Possibly because the unknown is always a bit scary, this group is decidedly more worried about how they will fare financially. They are more likely to expect that they will have to reduce their standard of living and will struggle to cover healthcare expenses.</p>
<p>On average, this group intends to work until age 68. Eighty percent will delay taking Social Security until they are at least full retirement age and eligible for 100% of their benefit. A third plan to wait until age 70 when, thanks to delayed retirement credits, their benefit will be at least 32% larger. (Just one-in-five will start as soon as possible at age 62.)</p>
<p>All in all, this survey is a strong testament to the value of workplace retirement plans such as 401(k)s. &#160;It shows that individuals are willing and able to save for their own retirement if provided a way to easily and automatically contribute to a savings plan. And that the education that employers and investment firms provide participants- about contributing regularly, investing in a diversified manner, thinking long-term and being cautious when taking withdrawals- does sink in. “Helping people save in 401(k)s feels like the right thing to do,” says Coveny.</p>
<p>Still, these newly-hatched retirees are exactly that--relatively young and several years away from the age when serious health issues begin to develop. It would be interesting and insightful to check in with them 10 years from now to see how they’re faring.</p> | Surprise: Retirement is Better than Expected | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2014/08/25/surprise-retirement-is-better-than-expected.html | 2016-03-06 | 0 |
<p>The notion of international trade in health care may seem strange. The issue may also seem far removed from the current policy preoccupations in Washington. However, we believe it is finally time trade played a central role in the current debt debate.</p>
<p>One of the basic facts that the congressional super committee must confront is that the debt problem is not excessive current deficits, but rather a problem with the longer-term budget. And the main reason for the large projected deficits well into the future is the growth in health care costs. Public sector programs like Medicare and Medicaid will be increasingly unaffordable. The health care system must be reformed — no easy task.</p>
<p>President Obama and Congress sought to do it last year. But it remains to be seen how much the Affordable Care Act will accomplish, if Congress even allows it to take effect. With the future uncertain, anything that we can do to contain costs significantly in other ways must be exploited. We have a partial solution: medical trade, or allowing Americans to take advantage of different forms of international transactions in medical services. The fact that medical care of comparable quality is available at much lower prices elsewhere in the world can be used to rein in costs in the United States.</p>
<p>The idea holds remarkable promise. Here’s how it could work:</p>
<p>Patients go overseas for major medical procedures: Modern medical facilities in Thailand, India and other countries would allow patients to have procedures such as heart bypass surgery for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars less than in U.S. facilities.</p>
<p>Medicare and Medicaid could allow patients to use such facilities. The savings to these programs could be split between the patient and the government. This might mean tens of thousands of dollars for both, even after covering travel costs.</p>
<p>Buy into other countries’ health care systems: Many retirees have family or emotional ties to other countries. They can be given the option to use their Medicare to buy into the health care systems of Canada, Germany or whatever country they choose.</p>
<p>In effect, the money that the U.S. government would have spent on the beneficiary’s Medicare would instead be paid to another country’s government so that it would provide medical care. The difference in the cost of care, which could run into tens of thousands of dollars a year, would be split between the U.S. government and the beneficiary.</p>
<p>Import doctors: The United States could benefit by making it easier for foreign physicians to practice in the United States. This could be done with greater standardization and transparency in testing procedures. Foreign doctors would still have to meet U.S. standards, but they could train and test for a license in their home countries. A greater supply of doctors would reduce physicians’ compensation in the United States — and bring it closer to the levels in other wealthy countries.</p>
<p>This would also ease the other problem with last year’s health reform law: While it brings almost all people into insurance coverage, it doesn’t do enough to ensure that those people will find medical personnel who will treat them!</p>
<p>Medical trade where we “export” patients and “import” doctors — just two ways of exploiting medical trade — may seem a strange way to fix the U.S. health care system. But it is clearly an important avenue that has so far not been taken seriously.</p>
<p>We are used to the notion that competition generated by trade helps consumers and disciplines producers. For example, Japanese competition led to lower car prices and better quality; although people can differ on how they view its impact in lowering wages for domestic auto workers. International competition can have the same effect on the health care industry. It offers a route around the political power of the health care industry that may succeed in making health care in the United States affordable.</p>
<p>Dean Baker&#160;is the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR). He is the author of&#160; <a href="http://p3books.com/falseprofits/" type="external">False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy</a>&#160;. He also has a blog, ” Beat the Press ,” where he discusses the media’s coverage of economic issues.</p>
<p>Jagdish Bhagwati is University Professor of Economics and Law at Columbia University.</p>
<p>A &#160;version of this article was published by&#160; <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/" type="external">The Guardian</a>.</p> | The International Trade in Health Care | true | https://counterpunch.org/2011/09/20/the-international-trade-in-health-care/ | 2011-09-20 | 4 |
<p>Jan. 8 (UPI) — Tax collections taken from oil and gas production in shale-rich Oklahoma last year were about 50 percent higher than 2016, state data show.</p>
<p>According to the federal government, Oklahoma holds about 4 percent of total U.S. petroleum reserves and accounts for about 5 percent of total oil production. Of the 100 largest natural gas fields in the United States, 14 of them are in Oklahoma.</p>
<p>A downturn in the energy market that reached bottom in early 2016 with a price of crude oil below $30 per barrel left the Oklahoma economy in shambles. In a year-end report, State Treasurer Ken Miller said gross tax receipts were higher in 2017 in every sector, when compared with the previous year.</p>
<p>“What a difference a year can make,” he said in <a href="http://www.education.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=222&amp;article_id=39253" type="external">a statement</a>. “At this time last year, calendar year gross receipts were down by more than 7 percent with every major revenue stream showing contraction.”</p>
<p>Total tax receipts into the state reached $11.45 billion last year, beating the 2016 collection by $667.6 million. For December, oil and gas production brought in $56.2 million, up 42.7 percent from the same month in 2015. For the year, gross production taxes yielded $537.2 million, up 53.4 percent from 2015.</p>
<p>It’s an election year in 2018 for Oklahoma and a term limit for Gov. <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mary-Fallin/" type="external">Mary Fallin</a> means a crowded field for the dozen or so candidates who will inherit a looming budget crisis for the shale-rich state.</p>
<p>Fallin <a href="https://www.upi.com/Shale-rich-Oklahoma-to-try-again-on-closing-a-budget-gap/7661512735501/" type="external">in December</a> said there’s a hole in the budget of about $111 million because of loss in revenue from a cigarette tax. As a result of lingering fiscal problems, the governor said the state department of health and state department of human services are faced with cuts early in 2018.</p>
<p>Fallin last year vetoed most of House Bill 1019X, legislation aimed at fixing the state budget, because it came “perilously close” to wiping out the state’s available one-time funds and savings.</p>
<p>The bill called for tens of millions of dollars in cuts to state agencies, but leaned in part on an increase in the gross production tax on legacy oil and gas wells from 4 to 7 percent. The oil and gas tax measure was met with criticism by those working in and supporting the energy sector in the state.</p>
<p>The state’s general fund receives less than half of the gross tax receipts, which Miller said this year “show across-the-board growth with an encouraging trend line.”</p>
<p>State data were published Friday.</p> | Oklahoma oil and gas production tax receipts indicate recovery | false | https://newsline.com/oklahoma-oil-and-gas-production-tax-receipts-indicate-recovery/ | 2018-01-08 | 1 |
<p>Stephen Curry bombed in four 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Golden State Warriors rallied from a halftime deficit with a 37-point explosion en route to a 123-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in Oakland, Calif.</p>
<p>Curry finished with eight 3-pointers and 32 points, helping the Warriors win for a 10th straight time this season in the next game following a loss.</p>
<p>The Warriors were beaten 116-108 at Houston in their previous game Saturday.</p>
<p>Michael Beasley had 21 points and Courtney Lee 20 for the Knicks, who were playing without star Kristaps Porzingis, out due to a sore left knee.</p>
<p>Before the game, Porzingis was named to his first NBA All-Star team when the reserves for the Feb. 17 contest were announced. Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Draymond Green also earned spots as reserves, joining previously selected starters Curry and Kevin Durant.</p>
<p>The Knicks led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter and held a 60-58 halftime advantage before Curry propelled the Warriors toward their seventh straight win over New York.</p>
<p>Golden State’s Zaza Pachulia had seven of his 13 points in the third quarter and Green six of his 12, helping Golden State take as many as a 14-point lead before coasting home.</p>
<p>Durant contributed 14 points and a game-high 14 assists to the win before getting his league-leading fourth ejection for arguing a call late in the contest.</p>
<p>In recording the 10th win in their last 12 games, the Warriors shot 55.4 percent from the field and 43.3 percent (13-for-30) on 3-pointers.</p>
<p>Enes Kanter had 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, Jarrett Jack added 13 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. 11 for the Knicks, who lost their second straight.</p>
<p>Lee missed his first free throw of the game, snapping his streak of consecutive makes at 52. The run equaled Curry’s NBA season-best streak from earlier this year.</p>
<p>New York fell to 2-3 on the fifth of seven stops on their 12-day trip brought about by the Grammys taking over Madison Square Garden in preparation for Sunday’s show.</p>
<p>The Knicks lost despite shooting 51.8 percent from the field.</p>
<p>—Field Level Media</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Naomi Osaka continued her stunning run of form with a 6-3 6-2 victory over 23-times grand slam champion Serena Williams in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, the latest big win for the 20-year-old Japanese player.</p> Mar 21, 2018; Key Biscayne, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates after winning the first set against Serena Williams of the United States (not pictured) on day two of the Miami Open at Tennis Center at Crandon Park. Osaka won 6-3, 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
<p>Osaka backed up last week’s Indian Wells title triumph with a brilliant display in the eagerly-anticipated showdown on a day when former number one Victoria Azarenka also triumphed, while American Amanda Anisimova withdrew with an ankle injury.</p>
<p>The match, their first career meeting, remained on serve in the first set until the world number 22 forced break point opportunities at 3-3 and took advantage when the American was unable to deal with a blistering backhand at her feet.</p>
<p>Osaka was able to break Williams again after a back-and-forth deuce battle to take the first set, with her big serve and relentless return game proving even stronger in the second as she broke to move 3-1 ahead and never looked back.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-tennis-miami-matteksands/mattek-sands-loses-on-comeback-but-earns-warm-applause-idUSKBN1GX3C5" type="external">Mattek-Sands loses on comeback but earns warm applause</a>
<p>The end of the contest was anti-climatic when an ugly unforced error by Williams, who hit a wide open forehand long, sent Osaka into a second round showdown against world number four Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.</p>
<p>“I was extremely nervous coming on to the court. I don’t know if anybody knows this but Serena is my favorite player,” Osaka said in an on-court interview.</p>
<p>“So just playing against her is kind of like a dream for me. I’m very grateful I was able to play her and it is even better that I was able to win.”</p>
<p>The 36-year-old Williams, playing her fourth match since the birth of her first child in September, is still working her way back into form and although she demonstrated her trademark power, she struggled to move smoothly around the court.</p> Mar 21, 2018; Key Biscayne, FL, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan (L) shakes hands with Serena Williams of the United States (R) after their match on day two of the Miami Open at Tennis Center at Crandon Park. Osaka won 6-3, 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
<p>Osaka looked fresh despite having played seven matches in Indian Wells to capture her first career title on Sunday.</p>
<p>Some felt it was unfair that the Miami Open allowed the now unseeded Williams, an eight-times champion at the tournament, to play Osaka in the first round.</p> Slideshow (5 Images)
<p>“Serena should have a special seeding, but also the (women’s governing body) WTA should use the most current ranking,” tennis commentator and former world number one Lindsay Davenport said on the Tennis Channel.</p>
<p>“The men do it. It’s too big a tournament to have something like this happen.”</p>
<p>Osaka’s win was her latest against one of the biggest names in the sport, coming hot on the heels of victories over former grand slam champion Maria Sharapova, fifth seed Karolina Pliskova and world number one Simona Halep in Indian Wells.</p>
<p>Three-times Miami champion Azarenka, in just her second tournament since taking an eight-month break to focus on a custody battle, showed good form in beating American Catherine Bellis 6-3 6-0.</p>
<p>“I’m happy that I’m playing,” the Belarusian said. “I don’t want to be over-the-moon happy, because I’m still in the tournament, and I want to continue to reach any heights and new goals.”</p>
<p>Anisimova injured an ankle during her first-round win on Tuesday and the 16-year-old was unable to front up again a day later for her scheduled match against third seeded Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza.</p>
<p>Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles and Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by John O'Brien</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>EditorsNote: rewords second graf; adds new 12th graf</p>
<p>LeBron James hit two free throws with 7.8 seconds left and finished with 35 points, 17 assists and seven rebounds to lead the host Cleveland Cavaliers to a 132-129 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.</p>
<p>Kevin Love scored 23 points, including a 3-pointer with 27.5 seconds left to put Cleveland up 128-124, and added 12 rebounds. George Hill had 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting for the Cavaliers, who won their third straight and posted a fourth victory in five games.</p>
<p>“I told you guys how much I missed him, how much this team missed him,” James said on ESPN of Love and his big 3-pointer off a James assist. “Somebody I can always rely on because of all of the things that we’ve been through.</p>
<p>“So when I drove the lane, I seen Serge (Ibaka) ... knowing Serge’s tendency is to come block shots, I knew that I was going to have (Love) in that short corner, and he knocked it down.”</p>
<p>Kyle Lowry had 24 points and DeMar DeRozan had 21 to lead the Raptors, who came into the game winners of 19 of 21 but have now lost two of three.</p>
<p>After a high-scoring first quarter in which the teams combined for 80 points, with Cleveland claiming a 42-38 lead, the Raptors dominated the second frame, 41-22, to take a 79-64 halftime lead. Just when Toronto thought it had the game in the bag, though, the Cavaliers owned the third quarter, 34-20, and went into the fourth trailing 99-98.</p>
<p>The teams traded leads in the fourth quarter but Cleveland seized control late and DeRozan missed a long 3-point attempt as time expired to give the Cavaliers an important win.</p>
<p>Cleveland relied heavily on its offense in the win, shooting 60 percent from the field, 63 percent from 3-point range and 82 percent on free throws to outmatch a Raptors squad that shot 54 percent.</p>
<p>James was asked if he knows what the roster is capable of.</p>
<p>“No, I don’t,” he said. “But we’re working our tail off to keep this ship above sea level, above the water.</p>
<p>“If we continue to play like we did tonight, even with all the injuries, even with all the adversity, even with the lost ones of some of our brothers’ family, we’ll be OK.”</p>
<p>Cleveland was without Kyle Korver, whose brother Kirk died at age 27 on Tuesday after an illness.</p>
<p>The Cavaliers’ starting five shot a combined 38 of 61 from the field, with Jeff Green adding 15 points and Jose Calderon chipping in 14. And James didn’t commit a turnover to go with his 17 assists.</p>
<p>Toronto got a big game from its bench, which combined to score 48 points. Jakob Poeltl had 17 points and eight rebounds, Fred VanVleet added 16 points, and Delon Wright scored 12 points.</p>
<p>After their brief two-game road trip, the Raptors return home for three games, starting Friday with a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.</p>
<p>Cleveland concludes its three-game homestand on Friday against the NBA’s worst team, the Phoenix Suns, before heading on the road for three.</p>
<p>—Field Level Media</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BERLIN (Reuters) - Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will train with Borussia Dortmund on Friday as the retired Jamaican sprinter fulfils his ambition to workout with a major professional soccer team, the German club said on Thursday.</p> FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Hublot Match of Friendship - Congress Center, Basel, Switzerland - March 21, 2018 Usain Bolt of Team Jose Mourinho in action with Roberto Carlos of Team Diego Maradona REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
<p>The training session will be open to the public, with the world record holder in the 100 and 200 meters, who retired last year, a major crowd puller.</p>
<p>Dortmund, who share the same sponsor in Puma as Bolt, expect a large crowd to attend the session. However, they warned fans that there was only limited space.</p>
<p>The 31-year-old Bolt, an eight-times Olympic gold medalist and a big football fan, had announced his intention to train with Dortmund in January. He confirmed on Thursday he would be taking part.</p>
<p>“BVB, get ready for Friday,” he said on Twitter.</p>
<p>Bolt is a Manchester United supporter and jokingly said after a charity match on Thursday that he hoped his Dortmund appearance would lead to a contract with the Premier League club.</p>
<p>Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha Sarkar</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Britain’s Anthony Joshua says his next opponent, WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, is a more well-rounded fighter than Deontay Wilder and does not appear overly impressed with the WBC belt holder’s recent win over Luis Ortiz.</p> Boxing - Anthony Joshua Media Session - Sheffield, Britain - March 21, 2018 Anthony Joshua and trainer Robert McCracken during the media session Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
<p>Joshua holds the WBA, IBF and IBO crowns and boasts a perfect 20-0 record. The 28-year-old has exchanged jibes with American Wilder, who has won all 40 of his fights.</p>
<p>But while many boxing fans are talking up a clash between the two, Joshua says he is looking no further than New Zealander Parker.</p>
<p>“Parker is a better all-rounder,” Joshua told reporters at his training camp. “He has a good left hook, right hand, he wings a right to the body, he likes a left hook to the body. I haven’t seen Wilder throw that many body shots.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>“Wilder relies on the right hand. There has never been one champion in the heavyweight division that relied solely on power and one punch ... Parker has an all-round game. That is what makes it a dangerous fight.”</p>
<p>Wilder retained his title with a win against Ortiz this month but Joshua was not dazzled by his rival’s victory over the 38-year-old Cuban.</p>
<p>“When he won, I just thought he’s supposed to do that,” Joshua said, adding, “... by my 40th fight, no one should be giving me problems. By my 40th fight, I should be a seasoned professional.”</p>
<p>Joshua will fight Parker at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on March 31.</p>
<p>Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | Curry scores 32 as Warriors rally past Knicks Red-hot Osaka powers past Serena in Miami LeBron, Love power Cavs over East-leading Toronto Sprint king Bolt to get his Dortmund trial on Friday Boxing: Parker a bigger all-round threat than Wilder, says Joshua | false | https://reuters.com/article/basketball-nba-gsw-nyk-recap/curry-scores-32-as-warriors-rally-past-knicks-idUSMTZEE1O1QCRMC | 2018-01-24 | 2 |
<p>A Year of Designer Shoes What might sound like a fashionista fantasy is actually reality. Luxury online retailer Net-a-Porter recently announced a shoe subscription service that ships members a pair of brand-new designer shoes of their choosing every month for a full year. Members also get one-on-one styling advice from the retailer’s fashion advisors, the chance to pre-reserve their favorite styles and express shipping. Cost: $10,000 for 12 months of designer-shoe deliveries. Find out more at http://www.net-a-porter.com/ Photo courtesy of Net-a-Porter.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | Six Swanky Subscription-Style Gifts | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2010/12/02/swanky-subscription-style-gifts.html | 2017-02-08 | 0 |
<p>Election Day 2016 is less than 80 days away. Those remaining bullish on healthcare stocks and exchange-traded funds probably wish election day would come and go sooner than that, because the sector remains fertile ground for election year rhetoric.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Health Care SPDR (ETF) (NYSE:XLV) is up 4.2 percent year-to-date, a decent showing all things considered, but mediocre compared to other sector ETFs and XLV's own recent annual performances. Biotechnology ETFs have, until recently been laggards, too. For example, the SPDR S&amp;P Biotech (ETF) (NYSE:XBI) is down 9.4 percent year-to-date.</p>
<p>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/08/8376213/uranium-etf-maybe-not-radioactive" type="external">Uranium ETF: Maybe Not Radioactive Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Biotech's laggard status is plaguing diversified healthcare ETFs such as XLV, because those funds often allocate 20 percent or more of their weight to biotech stocks. In most cases, only pharmaceuticals stocks, another group that has not been immune to election year chatter, outweigh biotech in standard healthcare ETFs.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The sector that could potentially be affected the most by policy divergences between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is health carenamely, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, according to <a href="http://blog.spdrs.com/post/in-todays-market-it-may-pay-to-be-a-contrarian" type="external">State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Healthcare ETFs have recently shown signs of shaking off the election year jitters. Over the past 90 days, XLV is higher by 7.4 percent while XBI is up 16 percent. While it is not always clear which candidate the broader market prefers, data make it clear the healthcare sector, if it could display emotion, would express concern about Clinton.</p>
<p>Data confirm as much. Since the start of this year, XLV's underlying index, the S&amp;P Health Care Select Sector Index, has had an inverse relationship to Clinton's polling numbers. Although most polls still show her ahead of Republican rival Trump, Clinton's numbers have weakened enough over the past six or seven weeks to lend a hand in XLV's rebound.</p>
<p>Swings in health care sector sentiment between now and the November presidential election could create opportunities for contrarian investors to watch the polls and give their portfolio a small tilt toward or against the health care sectorpotentially creating an outsized boost in overall portfolio returns, added SSgA.</p>
<p>Investors, to this point, are proving reluctant to make pre-election contrarian bets on healthcare ETFs. Since the start of the current quarter, XLV has added $11.3 million in new assets while XBI, the third-largest biotech ETF, has lost $85.6 million in assets.</p>
<p>Do you have ideas for articles/interviews you'd like to see more of on Benzinga? Please email <a href="http://mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected] Opens a New Window.</a> with your best article ideas. One person will be randomly selected to win a $20 Amazon gift card!</p>
<p>2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.</p> | It Could Be An Interesting Ride For Healthcare ETFs | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/08/23/it-could-be-interesting-ride-for-healthcare-etfs.html | 2016-08-23 | 0 |
<p>Prince was pretty fierce when it came to his online image. He and his team would go to great lengths to make sure what got on the web was what he wanted to be there.</p>
<p>Nancy Baym, a researcher at Microsoft Research, remembers how far Prince and his team went to control his online presence.</p>
<p>"He was issuing take-down notices for photographs that fans had posted of tattoos of his face that they had on their body,” she recalls, “so people were posting photos of their&#160;own&#160;tattoos, their&#160;own&#160;body with his image and he would send take-down notices.”</p>
<p>His fans were reminded of this after his sudden death on Thursday. Many wanted to mourn the pop icon by streaming his music for free. But they had a hard time finding it.</p>
<p>Prince doesn't have an official station with a comprehensive list of his songs&#160;on YouTube or Vevo. Last summer, he&#160; <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/02/prince-pulls-music-from-all-streaming-services-except-tidal" type="external">said no to all streaming services</a>&#160;except Tidal.</p>
<p>Baym believes that Prince simply wanted to keep control of his image and music.&#160;</p>
<p>“He clearly wanted to control every image of him that was circulating, every sound he made that was circulating, where things were, how they were presented,” she says.</p>
<p>Yet, she adds, for all Prince's policing of his image and art, fans all over the globe continued to love him.</p>
<p>“Common wisdom would have you believe that if you [pull your music offline] you’re doomed," explains Baym. "But it didn’t seem to affect his popularity at all,&#160;which is a credit to the strength of his music and the power of his connection with the audience.”</p>
<p>Baym adds that what Prince did might have even contributed to his popularity.</p>
<p>"You could probably make a&#160;case that it helped make him even more mysterious and enigmatic in ways that had appeal," she says.</p>
<p>It's not clear yet how much Prince's team will be able to keep control of the pop star's&#160;online presence now that he has died.</p>
<p>But one thing is for sure: The fans who truly love him&#160;will find a way to hear his music.</p>
<p>A previous version of this story misspelled&#160;Nancy Baym's name.</p> | Prince went to some astounding lengths to protect his music — and his image | false | https://pri.org/stories/2016-04-22/prince-went-some-astounding-lengths-protect-his-music-and-his-image | 2016-04-22 | 3 |
<p>Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head Saturday, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GabrielleGiffords" type="external">Facebook</a>lists her favorite quote as this line from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, - let us strive on to finish the work we are in, - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."</p>
<p>Sadly relevant given the day's events, and the fate of the author of those moving words.</p>
<p>The full text of Lincoln's speech can be read <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres32.html" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>The full quote, which Giffords condensed for her page, is:</p>
<p />
<p>With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.</p> | Gabrielle Giffords' Favorite Quote | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/gabrielle-giffords-favorite-quote/ | 2011-01-09 | 4 |
<p>Iraq’s recent election was supposed to remove Nouri al-Maliki from power, but the prime minister, sounding rather like a Bond villain, declared “the game is still very much on.” Now a governmental commission created to keep Baathists out of public life says that on the night before the election it banned six candidates who went on to win.</p>
<p>Guess that’s what happens when George W. Bush, that model of a participant in free and fair elections, is your liberator and <a href="http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=128357" type="external">sponsor</a>. — PZS</p>
<p>The Guardian:</p>
<p>The body, known as the Accountability and Justice Commission, played a prominent role in the lead-up to the election in March, outlawing dozens of candidates and sparking fears of another mass Sunni boycott, as well as concerns that it had a political agenda. The six candidates were banned on the eve of the election.</p>
<p />
<p>Ali Faisal al-Lami, the commission’s head, who was a losing Shia contender in the poll, refused today to reveal their names. However, it is understood that at least three hail from the Iraqiya party of Ayad Allawi, whose slender two-seat victory over rival Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister before the election, gave him the stronger claim on forming a government.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/29/iraq-election-banned-candidates" type="external">Read more</a></p> | They Don’t Build Democracies Like They Used To | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/they-dont-build-democracies-like-they-used-to/ | 2010-03-30 | 4 |
<p>By Franque Thompson</p>
<p>BATTLE CREEK, Mich. ( <a href="http://wwmt.com/news/local/family-of-doctor-detained-by-ice-denounce-child-abuse-allegations" type="external">WWMT</a>) — Child abuse allegations might have been what triggered a Kalamazoo doctor's arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On Wednesday, Lukasz Niec's wife and close friend visited the doctor at the Calhoun County Jail for 40 minutes.</p>
<p>To denounce the accusations, Niec's wife, Rachelle Burkart-Niec, showed Newschannel 3 a copy of a charging request from the Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney. The documents are dated from October 2017. She said someone filed the claims against Niec in July 2017, after his daughter was found with a bruise.</p>
<p>“It says warrant denied. There is no reasonable likelihood of conviction” Burkart-Niec said Wednesday, after her second visit with her husband.</p>
<p>“That charge, that CPS allegation, has been reviewed by the Michigan State Police and he has been found innocent of that,” Niec’s friend and colleague Penny Rathburn said.</p>
<p>Burkart-Niec said because the case had no merit, her husband and his supporters are now asking for a significant review of the immigration laws in his case.</p>
<p>“Lukasz is a legal immigrant and a lot of these immigrants are illegal immigrants," Rathburn said. "So, I think it's such a different story that it's hard to compare and contrast them."</p>
<p>Niec moved to the United States with his family from Poland when he was 3. His wife said they renewed his Polish passport and permanent green card.</p>
<p>“They were always told that permanent green card was permanent residency. So, we haven't asked him 'do you want to be a citizen?' ” Bukart-Niec said. “We did renew his Polish passport, we did renew his permanent green card. That took us going to the Polish embassy a number of times and an interpreter. And so, we got document after document completed and final.”</p>
<p>Niec said he was home alone when three ICE agents knocked on his front door.</p>
<p>“At first, I thought it was a joke, you know. They were like 'can we come in?' And then they asked me if there were any guns in the house. I have a few shotguns upstairs and I go 'yes,’" Lukasz Niec said from jail during a Newschannel 3 exclusive phone interview. “They put the cuffs on me and said we are arresting you. We have a warrant and we are taking you in. Where's your green card, where's your passport. I said my green card is in the kitchen and my passport is in my office.”</p>
<p>The Bronson Healthcare doctor said that since his arrest, he’s unsure of what’s ahead.</p>
<p>“I'm not sure of anything. I mean, I don't know what's going to happen, it's kind of hard to say. I've talked to other people in worse situations than me and they were able to get off,” Niec said.</p>
<p>His wife and colleague said they left Wednesday’s visit with a little bit of good news, explaining that Niec could face an immigration judge sooner than expected. Niec’s attorney originally told him it was possible to see a judge Feb. 7.</p>
<p>“His case may have been moved up to Friday for hearing to the immigration judge, so he is a little more hopeful now,” Rathburn said.</p>
<p>Niec has been held at the Calhoun County Jail since Jan. 16. In a statement from ICE agents, they said he had 18 encounters with law enforcement - including two misdemeanor convictions from 1992. Newschannel 3 obtained court documents showing that many of those encounters involved speeding tickets.</p>
<p>“Administrations are getting stricter, government is getting stricter. But to jump back to a person this far back - I'm guessing there'd be a lot more people,” Niec said.</p>
<p>While behind bars, Niec said his attorney has been working hard on efforts toward his release.</p>
<p>“I think he's pretty confident he's going to come through in the long run, but timing wise he's not sure,” Niec said.</p>
<p />
<p>His wife said his time in jail is affecting their family.</p>
<p>“I said 'I need you at home to be a dad with me. So we can be parents.’ Our kid is skipping papers because this is so hard on her,” Burkart-Niec said.</p>
<p>His wife said it's been hard on Niec, too, as he shared stories of others in jail also at risk of deportation.</p>
<p>“He's almost more heartbroken for the people around him than he is for himself,” Burkart-Niec said.</p>
<p>“That is the Lukasz Niec that we know," Rathburn said. "He is the most empathetic person. While he's behind bars he's concerned about the other people there.”</p>
<p>ICE agents said a permanent resident can be deported if there are two or more convictions for a crime involving moral turpitude. Niec's family said he's humbled by the support he's seen across the country. They're asking more people to investigate immigration laws and support reform.</p> | Family of doctor detained by ICE denounces child abuse allegations | false | https://circa.com/story/2018/01/25/nation/lukasz-niec-family-of-doctor-detained-by-ice-denounces-child-abuse-allegations | 2018-01-25 | 1 |
<p>Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom via ZUMA</p>
<p />
<p>In a unexpected move, FBI director James Comey was fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Trump said he was acting on the advice of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and sent the following letter to Comey.</p>
<p>Mother Jones will have more on this developing story.</p>
<p />
<p /> | BREAKING: FBI Director James Comey Fired | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2017/05/breaking-fbi-director-james-comey-fired/ | 2017-05-09 | 4 |
<p />
<p>Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn said on Wednesday that BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK), the world's largest asset manager, was an "extremely dangerous" company because of the prevalence of its exchange-traded fund products, which Icahn deems illiquid.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>"I think BlackRock is an extremely dangerous company," Icahn said at the CNBC Institutional Investor Delivering Alpha Conference in New York. He said he was concerned about the amount of money invested in high-yield ETFs, which he called "overpriced."</p>
<p>Larry Fink, chief executive of BlackRock, said Icahn's characterizations of ETFs were "dead wrong" and that the index funds were just "a tool to buy exposure."</p>
<p>(Reporting by Sam Forgione; Editing by Chris Reese)</p> | Carl Icahn Says BlackRock a 'Dangerous' Company, Cites ETF Concerns | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2015/07/15/carl-icahn-says-blackrock-dangerous-company-cites-etf-concerns.html | 2016-03-05 | 0 |
<p>Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Tuesday said Donald Trump, “doesn’t like to fire people,” when asked about the president’s public criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.</p>
<p>“I think Donald Trump doesn’t like to fire people, period,” Gingrich told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto. “Second, he’s communicated his unhappiness, but he hasn’t communicated, I think, a final decision.”</p>
<p>Trump last week slammed Sessions for recusing himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/politics/trump-interview-sessions-russia.html" type="external">telling The New York Times</a> he never would have appointed him had he known he would do that. The president took another swipe at the attorney general Monday morning, calling him “our beleaguered A.G.” in a tweet.</p>
<p>Gingrich did not agree with the president’s tactics.</p>
<p>“This was one of his most loyal supporters,” Gingrich said. “I think the president was wrong to go about it the way he’s doing it, and I don’t think it, frankly, helps him. I think it creates turmoil for everybody who’s for Trump, and there’s confusion about what’s going to happen next. I also think it’s a story that’s not yet finished, and I wouldn’t rush to judgment on it.”</p> | Gingrich: Trump 'Doesn't Like to Fire People, Period' | false | https://newsline.com/gingrich-trump-doesnt-like-to-fire-people-period/ | 2017-07-25 | 1 |
<p>BEIJING — China is set to finish part of its controversial building program on the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said in a surprise announcement on Tuesday.</p>
<p>“The land reclamation project on some stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands will be completed in the upcoming days,” China’s new Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement on the ministry’s website, using the Chinese name for the Spratly islands.</p>
<p>China's claim of most of the South China Sea — a strategic maritime lane with rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil deposits — has pitted it against Taiwan and some Southeast Asian neighbors with competing claims, some of which are friends or allies of the United States.</p>
<p>Tuesday's statement repeated claims that the new islands would help with environmental protection, maritime research and disaster relief, in addition to having a military purpose.</p>
<p>Related: <a href="" type="internal">South China Sea Spat: Pentagon Chief Hits Out at Beijing</a></p>
<p>While the U.S. has declared neutrality on the territorial disputes, it has vowed to protect "freedom of navigation" and expressed concern over about Beijing's rapid reclamation effort around several reefs in the Spratly archipelago.</p>
<p>Just over two weeks ago, the U.S. stepped up its criticism of China's reclamation work.</p>
<p>Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders and experts on May 31 that Beijing's push in the South China Sea was out of step with international rules and that the U.S. opposed “any further militarization” of the disputed island.</p>
<p>Related: <a href="" type="internal">U.S., China Clash Over South China Sea Disputes</a></p>
<p>Despite complaints from the U.S. and others, Beijing is unlikely to change course, according to Edward Schwarck, Asia fellow at British defense think tank RUSI.</p>
<p>"China has demonstrated its resolve that regardless of what the United States does it will not cease with these activities," he said. At the same time, Tuesday's announcement may also be an attempt to be more open about its actions in the area.</p>
<p>"You could see this as a demonstration of resolve," Schwarck said. "But it could also be an attempt at transparency."</p> | Spratly Spat: China Says Set to Finish ‘Some’ Land Reclamation in South China Sea | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/world/spratly-spat-beijing-says-set-finish-land-reclamation-south-china-n376206 | 2015-06-16 | 3 |
<p>On Tuesday, irrelevant Republican candidate Lindsey Graham chimed into Trumpmania, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/politics/lindsey-graham-donald-trump-go-to-hell-ted-cruz/index.html" type="external">telling</a> CNN, “You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell!”</p>
<p>Those are big words for somebody <a href="http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-gop-primary" type="external">currently polling at 0%</a> across the country.</p>
<p>Graham was apparently referencing Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” and taking a dig at the GOP frontrunner’s admittedly controversial “ <a href="" type="internal">ban Muslims</a>” policy proposal. Ironically, Graham’s interjection comes from the same place as Trump’s unconventional plan: electoral desperation.</p>
<p>As The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro <a href="" type="internal">noted</a>, “Donald Trump is losing in Iowa. That can mean only one thing: it’s time to trot out a headline-grabbing, nonsensical policy proposal.”</p>
<p>Sen. Ted Cruz’s insurgency in Iowa blindsided Trump, prompting a knee-jerk reaction to bolster support. “A <a href="http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/de240398-df23-47b6-8470-91977d38b749.pdf" type="external">poll released today</a> by Monmouth University shows Sen. Ted Cruz (TX) taking the lead among likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers. 24% of those polled said they will likely support Cruz in the Republican contest,” <a href="" type="internal">reported</a> The Daily Wire’s Robert Kraychik.</p>
<p>While Graham’s outburst reeks of political opportunism, other, more electorally well-positioned GOP candidates, offered incisive critiques of Trump’s “ <a href="" type="internal">absurd</a>” proposal.</p>
<p>In fact, Iowa frontrunner Ted Cruz showed why he may be gaining traction with conservative voters, when he meticulously laid out his own plan without falling into the petty trap of Lindsey Graham-style histrionics.</p>
<p>“You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell!”</p>
<p>Lindsay Graham</p>
<p>“No, that is not my policy," <a href="" type="internal">stated</a> Cruz "I believe the focus should focus on radical Islamic terrorism, and we need to be directly focused on threats to the United States. We need a commander in chief that perceives what the threat is and that targets all of our resources to protecting this nation against radical Islamic terrorism."</p> | Graham: Tell Trump to ‘Go To Hell’ | true | https://dailywire.com/news/1698/graham-tell-trump-go-hell-michael-qazvini | 2015-12-08 | 0 |
<p>SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ These Illinois lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>16-19-33-34-44-49, Extra Shot: 4</p>
<p>(sixteen, nineteen, thirty-three, thirty-four, forty-four, forty-nine; Extra Shot: four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $18 million</p>
<p>LuckyDay Lotto Midday</p>
<p>05-10-24-37-43</p>
<p>(five, ten, twenty-four, thirty-seven, forty-three)</p>
<p>Pick Three-Midday</p>
<p>1-4-3, Fireball: 5</p>
<p>(one, four, three; Fireball: five)</p>
<p>Pick Three-Evening</p>
<p>2-1-1, Fireball: 3</p>
<p>(two, one, one; Fireball: three)</p>
<p>Pick Four-Midday</p>
<p>9-9-1-1, Fireball: 4</p>
<p>(nine, nine, one, one; Fireball: four)</p>
<p>Pick Four-Evening</p>
<p>9-5-9-2, Fireball: 9</p>
<p>(nine, five, nine, two; Fireball: nine)</p>
<p>Lucky Day Lotto</p>
<p>02-14-18-33-34</p>
<p>(two, fourteen, eighteen, thirty-three, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $100,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $343 million</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>SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ These Illinois lotteries were drawn Saturday:</p>
<p>Lotto</p>
<p>16-19-33-34-44-49, Extra Shot: 4</p>
<p>(sixteen, nineteen, thirty-three, thirty-four, forty-four, forty-nine; Extra Shot: four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $18 million</p>
<p>LuckyDay Lotto Midday</p>
<p>05-10-24-37-43</p>
<p>(five, ten, twenty-four, thirty-seven, forty-three)</p>
<p>Pick Three-Midday</p>
<p>1-4-3, Fireball: 5</p>
<p>(one, four, three; Fireball: five)</p>
<p>Pick Three-Evening</p>
<p>2-1-1, Fireball: 3</p>
<p>(two, one, one; Fireball: three)</p>
<p>Pick Four-Midday</p>
<p>9-9-1-1, Fireball: 4</p>
<p>(nine, nine, one, one; Fireball: four)</p>
<p>Pick Four-Evening</p>
<p>9-5-9-2, Fireball: 9</p>
<p>(nine, five, nine, two; Fireball: nine)</p>
<p>Lucky Day Lotto</p>
<p>02-14-18-33-34</p>
<p>(two, fourteen, eighteen, thirty-three, thirty-four)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $100,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $343 million</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> | IL Lottery | false | https://apnews.com/amp/732608f60bc94f7eaaeed3c23a9f6d2a | 2017-12-31 | 2 |
<p>As San Bernardino mourned the loss of 14 innocent Americans, the Regressive Left and its liberal affiliates bemoaned the fact that Tashfeen Malik, female jihadist, Islamic terrorist, cold-blooded murderer, that Tashfeen Malik, and her lovely visage, was shown on several media outlets...wearing a burqa. This “offensive” act sent earthquakes down the fault lines of the Left’s safe-spaces, with social justice warriors characterizing the image as disrespectful.</p>
<p>Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera “journalist” Hashem Said erupted in rage, ironically reinforcing the soft bigotry of low expectations, in which the Left doesn’t expect Muslims to adhere to the same standards of civil discourse as the rest of the normative society. While Said tweeted his anger for the sycophantic Left to enjoy, he later decided to take down his rant. Here’s a screenshot of Said’s bizarre tirade:</p>
<p>After pushback and ridicule on social media, Said decided to take down his post, issuing a back-handed apology:</p>
<p>To everyone who is offended: I apologize for not being more clear. I meant it could be offensive to the family.. 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/vPwLIXgWZf" type="external">https://t.co/vPwLIXgWZf</a></p>
<p>..and even if you don't agree, that's fine. But the family isn't on trial here. Apologies for any offense given though. 2/2</p>
<p>The Sunni-extremist friendly abyss of Al-Jazeera was not the only place where the grave offense of Malik’s burqa-clad image galvanized a flurry of feelings and emotions.</p>
<p>As The Daily Wire’s Amanda Prestigiacomo <a href="" type="internal">reported</a>, MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry “and one of her panelists, Linda Sarsour of the Arab American Association of New York, lamented over how disturbing and ‘outrageous’ it was for New York Times to have posted pictures of the killers' apartment and a picture of the female terrorist with her hijab on since this somehow this is misleading or misrepresentative of what terrorism actually ‘looks like.’ Somehow?”</p>
<p>The perverse cultural relativism of the Regressive Left privileges the supposed feelings of what is perceived to be a monolithic community over the lives of human beings, lost senselessly to terrorist violence.</p>
<p>The perverse cultural relativism of the Regressive Left privileges the supposed feelings of what is perceived to be a monolithic community over the lives of human beings, lost senselessly to terrorist violence. The misguided Left’s personification of “the community” comes at the expense of living, breathing individuals. In an effort to pardon an idea, a religion, or an ideology, the Left comes dangerously close to condoning human slaughter.</p>
<p>Islam has nothing to do with terrorism but you must respect the Islamic culture of the terrorist. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SmartTake?src=hash" type="external">#SmartTake</a></p> | Apparently, It’s Now Disrespectful To Show Pictures of Terrorists In Their Chosen Religious Clothing | true | https://dailywire.com/news/1695/apparently-its-now-disrespectful-show-pictures-joshua-yasmeh | 2015-12-08 | 0 |
<p>Next week, Oscar Pistorius – the Paralympic sprinter who became the first amputee to compete in track at the Olympics – goes on trial for murder in his native South Africa.</p>
<p>The coming courtroom drama is already being compared to the American trial of O.J. Simpson. Like Simpson, Pistorius is an acclaimed sportsman and celebrity who regularly graced tabloid covers even before the tragic shooting.</p>
<p>His trial will be broadcast on live television in South Africa – including on a new 24-hour channel launched exclusively to cover the event.</p>
<p>Certain facts of the case are undisputed. On Valentine’s Day last year, Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, the model Reeva Steenkamp, inside his home in Pretoria. He fired four bullets through a closed bathroom door, hitting Steenkamp in the head, hip, and shoulder.</p>
<p>What is not clear is why Pistorius shot her. He claims he awoke in the night, heard noise in the bathroom, and – mistaking Steenkamp for an intruder – fired through the door.</p>
<p>Prosecutors say Pistorius shot her intentionally after an argument inside his heavily fortified home.</p>
<p>Now, with the trial about to begin, South Africans are trying to figure out what to make of their hero’s tragic story – and what it says about South Africa.</p>
<p>To some, the tale speaks to the problem of domestic violence.</p>
<p>“Men [in South Africa] feel they have the right to deal with women in a violent way,” says Tanya Charles, a spokesperson for Sonke Gender Justice, an organization that aims to reduce gender-based violence.</p>
<p>“This is not an unusual story, this is how men are behaving [in our country],” she says. According to her organization, South Africa has the world’s highest rates of gender-based and sexual violence.</p>
<p>Charles says it is important not to judge Pistorius before the trial begins. But even if he is found not guilty, his story will still reflect a culture where men pull the trigger far too quickly, she says.</p>
<p>“We have a man who allegedly wakes up to the sound of disturbance, and the only way [he] can deal with an intruder is to shoot them immediately, without finding alternative ways of resolving conflict,” Charles says. She believes South African men are raised to think they must protect their homes using any means necessary.</p>
<p>Other observers say the Pistorius case reflects another of South Africa’s social problems. “It speaks to the fear that the middle class have around crime,” says Nomfundo Mogapi, a psychologist and program manager at the Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in Johannesburg.</p>
<p>Mogapi says Pistorius may well have believed that there was an intruder in his home because break-ins are common in South Africa. But she says crime statistics are misleading, because the vast majority of victims live in poor neighborhoods.</p>
<p>Mogapi says well-to-do South Africans often overestimate the risk of a break-in at their homes. And she says the media perpetuates misconceptions about the danger by only reporting certain kinds of crime. “The stories that we hear [in the media] tend to magnify the victimhood of the middle class,” she says.</p>
<p>Allan Storey, national chairperson of the advocacy group Gun Free South Africa, says there is another lesson to be drawn from the Pistorius tragedy. At heart, he says, the problem is guns. “We’re a very violent society, and what guns do is ratchet that violence up,” he says.</p>
<p>Storey says if Pistorius had not been armed with a gun, even if he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder, the incident would not have been fatal. Storey says the moral of the tragedy is that South Africa should have fewer guns, and better compliance with existing gun laws.</p>
<p>His organization is lobbying authorities to crack down on illegal firearms (an estimated 2,000 guns go missing each month in South Africa) and is trying to convince legal gun owners to give up their weapons.</p>
<p>“If we can reduce the amount of guns in society, gun violence is automatically reduced,” Storey says.</p>
<p>These three advocates may disagree on what lessons should be drawn from the Oscar Pistorius case. But there is one thing they all agree on: Before he shot his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius was a symbol of hope and the power of the human spirit.</p>
<p>Now, as his trial begins, he will be transformed into a symbol of something else. The question is, what?</p> | South Africans search for a moral in the tragic tale of Oscar Pistorius | false | https://pri.org/stories/2014-02-28/south-africans-search-moral-tragic-tale-oscar-pistorius | 2014-02-28 | 3 |
<p>HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:</p>
<p>8-0-0, Wild: 8</p>
<p>(eight, zero, zero; Wild: eight)</p>
<p>HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:</p>
<p>8-0-0, Wild: 8</p>
<p>(eight, zero, zero; Wild: eight)</p> | Winning numbers drawn in 'Pick 3 Day' game | false | https://apnews.com/amp/d389f5455c5d4d33ac95abe3cf826926 | 2018-01-04 | 2 |
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<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Medicare isn't exactly in the best financial condition -- in fact, it's expected to run out of cash reserves in a little over a decade. However, Medicare isn't as "broke" as you may have heard, and it's important to separate fact from fiction. Here's what you need to know about the current state of Medicare, what would happen if it ran out of money, and what could be done to fix it.</p>
<p>Medicare provides health coverage for more than 55 million beneficiaries as of 2015 -- virtually all of the retired 65-and-over population. Enrollment is projected to reach 64 million by 2020 and 80 million by 2030 as baby boomers retire.</p>
<p>Nearly half of beneficiaries have three or more chronic conditions, and they rely heavily on Medicare to afford essential medical services. Many beneficiaries have limited means to pay for healthcare expenses themselves: 48% of the elderly population is considered "economically vulnerable" with incomes lower than twice the federal poverty line.</p>
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<p>It's fair to say that our senior citizens need Medicare.</p>
<p>The Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund had $197.3 billion in reserves at the end of 2015. Hospital Insurance expenditures were about $278.8 billion in 2015, the vast majority of which was financed by payroll taxes and interest earned on the trust fund's reserves. Just $3.5 billion of the expenses came from the redemption of reserves.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the Medicare Hospital Insurance program is actually expected to operate at a small surplus from 2016 through 2020. After that time, deficits are projected to resume for the foreseeable future, and reserve redemptions will again be necessary to meet the program's costs.</p>
<p>I examined the reasons for the projected deficit in <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/06/04/the-most-important-medicare-chart-you-will-ever-se.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">another article Opens a New Window.</a>, but in a nutshell, Americans are aging rapidly, and not enough people are paying into the system to take care of the number of people expected to start receiving benefits over the coming decades.</p>
<p>The 2016 Medicare Trustees' Report projects that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be completely depleted by 2028 -- two years earlier than originally projected.</p>
<p>It's important to mention that this trust fund only covers Medicare Part A, which helps pay for hospital stays, home health services, skilled nursing facilities, and hospice care. There is another Medicare trust fund known as the Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, or SMI. This pays for Parts B and D, which cover physician stays and other services, as well as prescription drug coverage for those who have voluntarily enrolled.</p>
<p>Since this trust fund is financed through beneficiary premiums and general revenues, not payroll taxes, it will remain adequately financed for the foreseeable future. So, when we're talking about the Medicare funding problem, we're only referring to Hospital Insurance (Part A).</p>
<p>If the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund runs out of money, then the incoming tax revenue will still be enough to cover 87% of the program's costs. So, as a worst-case scenario, a 13% cut in Medicare Hospital Insurance expenses would be necessary.</p>
<p>That said, a 13% cut would be a big deal to retirees. If the beneficiary has to pay an additional 13% out of pocket, then that could mean spending thousands more on a hospital stay, for example. As is, Medicare beneficiaries already spend more than $3,000 out of pocket on healthcare expenses each year on average. So, to be perfectly clear, this would be a major problem.</p>
<p>The projected Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund's 75-year projected actuarial deficit is 0.73% of taxable payroll. In other words, by raising the Medicare tax rate from the current rate of 2.9% (1.45% each for employers and employees) to 3.63% (1.815% each), and maintaining the additional Medicare taxes on high earners and certain investment income, the program would be fine for another 75 years.</p>
<p>This would represent an increase of about 25% in the Medicare taxes paid by most Americans, but it wouldn't be an unprecedented increase. In fact, in 1981, the Medicare tax rate was increased from 1.05% to 1.3% -- a 24% jump.</p>
<p>It's also worth mentioning that a tax increase wouldn't be the only way we could fix Medicare's funding shortfall. For one thing, the age of eligibility could be increased to 66 and then gradually to 67, in line with the Social Security full retirement age. About 16% of the Medicare population was between 65 and 67 in 2010, so this could have a big impact. We could also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which is currently prohibited. Or we could implement some combination of a tax increase and other fixes.</p>
<p>Medicare isn't in the best financial shape right now, but we still have 12 years before anything would have to change, benefit-wise. Hopefully, lawmakers won't wait until the last minute to solve the problem, but if history is any indicator, some sort of fix will be made -- even if it's only temporary -- because Americans rely on Medicare.</p>
<p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | 5 Must-Know Facts About Medicare | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/09/10/5-must-know-facts-about-medicare.html | 2016-09-10 | 0 |
<p>A recent Consortium on Chicago School Research study <a href="http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/content/publications.php?pub_id=137" type="external">painted a dire picture</a> for the vast majority of special education students who, as freshmen, fall off-track to graduate on time. The report also sheds light on another group: Students who are not even on their school’s radar as needing extra help.</p>
<p />
<p>&#160; A recent Consortium on Chicago School Research study painted a dire picture for the vast majority of special education students who, as freshmen, fall off-track to graduate on time. The report also sheds light on another group: Students who are not even on their school’s radar as needing extra help.</p>
<p>Researchers decided to look at the path of students who enter high school two years behind grade level in both reading and math. Some of these students should have been in special education, but, for one reason or another, never were identified as having specific needs. Others are slower learners, or could have some outside issue that is complicating their learning, like mobility or excessive absenteeism.</p>
<p>These students also were never placed in one of the district’s Achievement Academies, the small schools within eight large high schools that are reserved for overage students who failed 8th grade.</p>
<p>Although the number of students is not large—only about 2.5 percent of incoming 2004 freshmen—these young people had, in very real terms, “fallen through the cracks,” says Julia Gwynne, one of the authors of the study, which was done in conjunction with the National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research.</p>
<p>The poor outcomes surprised even the researchers.</p>
<p>Students two years behind grade level had a D average and failed more than four courses each semester during their freshman year (one-third of all their courses). They missed between three and four weeks of school each semester. Only about one in three of these students ended their freshman year on-track to graduate; students are considered on-track if they earn at least five course credits and no more than one F per semester in a core course.</p>
<p>Five years later, barely one in four of these off-track students earned a high school diploma. Districtwide, the graduation rate is about 50 percent.</p>
<p>“We had not anticipated how poorly they performed,” Gwynne says. “They were among the worst tier of students.”</p>
<p>Another interesting thing to note is that the majority of these students are black and female. Meanwhile, black boys dominate the numbers of students who are identified with learning disabilities. &#160; Gwyne says that perhaps girls don’t cause as much trouble and therefore don’t elicit the attention that could lead to their being diagnosed with a learning disability. “The thinking is that they are more likely to fly below the radar,” she says.</p>
<p>Consortium researchers analyzed test scores for incoming freshmen from 2004, in order to establish a cohort of students two years below grade level. The numbers of students in that category had increased slightly since 2001, although now it is difficult to tell whether the numbers have leveled off.</p>
<p>Researchers also delved into the question of why so many students—particularly those with learning disabilities, emotional disorders and those two years behind—fall off-track. Nearly half of students with learning disabilities, and 62 percent of those with emotional disorders, fall off-track.</p>
<p>Several factors are at play, including the generally lower quality of the schools attended by the students, their performance in 8th grade and high mobility.</p>
<p>But once they reach high school, these young people struggle with two of the most important things: showing up to class on a regular basis and studying effectively.</p>
<p>The research “suggests that they put in a lot of hours studying, but they aren’t taking as much away from it,” Gwyne says. “It suggests that they would benefit from help understanding how to study.”</p>
<p>The big elephant in the room (and I always say this) was absenteeism. Students with emotional disabilities were absent on average 20 days a semester; those two years behind grade level averaged 14 days absent; and those with learning disabilities, 12 days.</p>
<p>Absenteeism is a big problem in high schools in general, but it’s surprising that special education students are gone so many days, if only because they should have some extra support that regular students do not. These students are, after all, part of someone’s caseload and only 20 students are allowed in high school special education classes.</p>
<p>But Deborah Duskey, the director of special education for Chicago Public Schools, says that it is the role of every teacher, regular and special education alike, to reach out to students who are not in school. The only place where chronic absences might be paid extra attention is in annual meetings on a student’s Individual Education Plan, or IEP, which involves special education caseworkers, parents and teachers.</p>
<p>Because out-of-school suspension shows up as an absence, some of these high numbers might be due to punishment, Gwyne says. Figuring out why these students don’t come to school more regularly is the next step.</p>
<p>Some students aren’t, and shouldn’t be, in special education because they only learn more slowly than other students, Duskey says.</p>
<p>But Duskey says that students who are behind benefit in particular by being in classes with special education students who have a teacher or aide assigned to them. She also says that they should be placed in a process called Response to Intervention, which allows students to receive extra help and avoid being identified as learning-disabled.</p>
<p>A new initiative by Duskey’s department could also help these students. The initiative is focused on teaching high school teachers how to teach reading. The ability to read and understand grade-level content is an essential for high school students, but many freshmen have below-level reading skills.</p>
<p>“We want to help the teachers,” Duskey says. “They are struggling with what to do with these students.”</p> | A bleaker-than-expected outlook for Chicago freshmen who are most behind | false | http://chicagoreporter.com/bleaker-expected-outlook-chicago-freshmen-who-are-most-behind/ | 2010-01-04 | 3 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />On Friday, a man from Sweden said that he received word that his ex-girlfriend was sexually molested by nine Muslim migrants in broad daylight.&#160; He posted a video on Twitter, which was also posted to Vidmax (Warning: Strong language):</p>
<p />
<p>Here’s the video posted to Vidmax, and there’s a lot of expletives and strong language:</p>
<p>He also posted a message he translated into English:</p>
<p />
<p>A post at <a href="http://hiddenamericans.com/politics/swede-a-few-hours-ago-my-ex-girlfriend-was-molested-by-nine-migrants-the-politicians-of-europe-are-destroying-our-societies/" type="external">Hidden Americans</a> notes:</p>
<p>The Arabic gang-rape ‘Taharrush’ phenomenon which sees women surrounded by groups of men in crowds and sexually assaulted… and has now spread to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3395390/The-Arabic-gang-rape-Taharrush-phenomenon-sees-women-surrounded-groups-men-crowds-sexually-assaulted-spread-Europe.html" type="external">Sweden</a>. The stories of gang rape coming out of Sweden have grown <a href="http://www.allenbwest.com/ashleyedwardson/mainstream-media-wont-tell-you-why-sweden-is-now-rape-capital-of-the-west" type="external">exponentially</a> since they flooded the country with Muslim immigrants.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>The ‘progressives’ and liberals are destroying the western world. They constantly push sob stories to allow massive amounts of unvetted refugees from the Muslim world. Sweden, is the feminist capital of the world and they don’t give care about importing a rape culture into their country that is actively raping their women.</p>
<p>A post at the <a href="http://therightscoop.com/my-ex-was-just-assaulted-by-9-migrants-during-lunch/" type="external">Right Scoop</a> adds:&#160; “…I would take this all with a skeptical eye until there is further confirmation, but given what we’ve seen from other migrants, I wouldn’t be surprised…”</p>
<p>For those who doubt this is happening, consider the following report from <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/07/28/migrant-sex-attacker-hate-sweden/" type="external">Breitbart</a>, posted on Thursday:</p>
<p>The victim of a man who allegedly sexually harassed four women has told a local newspaper that the migrant told them that he hates Sweden and is only there so that he can “f*** Swedish girls”.</p>
<p>In a central square in Vimmerby, in the early hours of Sunday morning, four women were approached by a migrant shouting abuse, who then pulled his trousers down in front of them.</p>
<p>The man started to follow the young women and when they asked him to stop, telling him they felt uncomfortable with his behaviour, the 27 year old became aggressive. One of the women told the Dagens Vimmerby that, after becoming agitated, the migrant then began screaming that he hates Sweden and telling them that he’s only in the country to “f*** Swedish girls” and spend their money.</p>
<p>He was found and arrested&#160;for indecent exposure and sexual harassment after he&#160;urinated on a bench.&#160; It turns out he had previously received a deportation order.</p>
<p>Just think — Hillary Clinton wants to bring tens of thousands of these migrants into the United States…</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<p>If you haven’t checked out and liked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">Facebook</a> page, please go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConservativeFiringLine?fref=ts" type="external">here</a> and do so.</p> | Video: Man says ex-girlfriend sexually molested by nine Muslim migrants in Sweden | true | http://conservativefiringline.com/video-man-says-ex-girlfriend-sexually-molested-nine-muslim-migrants-sweden/ | 2016-07-30 | 0 |
<p>Published time: 15 Sep, 2017 15:18Edited time: 15 Sep, 2017 15:27</p>
<p>British police have drafted in a pair of FBI-trained cyber dogs to help bring pedophiles to justice.</p>
<p>The dogs are trained to track down hard drives that officers can then examine to see if they contain indecent child images.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/uk/359290-sperm-sniffing-police-dog/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Tweed, an 18-month-old springer spaniel, and his Labrador companion Rob, have been specifically trained to sniff out chemicals used to cool memory chips in computer technology.</p>
<p>While they are currently with Devon and Cornwall police, they are set to help more forces across the country.</p>
<p>Essex Police have already successfully used Tweed to sniff out items during a raid this week.</p>
<p>Police Constable Jan Simpson said: “We will not tolerate those committing this heinous crime and, using all the tools available to us including specialist resources such as Tweed, we will continue to root out those committing these offences and bring them to justice.</p>
<p>“If you are taking, viewing, downloading or distributing indecent images of children, then it is only a matter of time before you can expect us to knock on your door,” the PC said, according to the Telegraph.</p>
<p>“We are very grateful to Devon and Cornwall Police for allowing Tweed to provide invaluable support.”</p> | Dogs trained by FBI to sniff out pedophiles join British police force | false | https://newsline.com/dogs-trained-by-fbi-to-sniff-out-pedophiles-join-british-police-force/ | 2017-09-15 | 1 |
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<p>Image Source: Motley Fool.</p>
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<p>What:Shares ofBob Evans Farms, Inc. lost 15% in June as the casual dining chain delivered an underwhelming fourth-quarter earnings report and outlook for fiscal 2017. Looking at the chart below, you can see that the stock dropped 9% on June 15, the day of the report, and continued to fall after that.</p>
<p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/BOBE" type="external">BOBE</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>So what:The company said comparable sales slipped 3% in the past quarter, the fourth consecutive quarterly decline in that key metric, and adjusted per-share profit fell from $0.56 a year ago to $0.48. That still beat expectations at $0.43, however.</p>
<p>Despite the sell-off and sliding comparable sales, CEO Saed Mohseni noted that the company's packaged foods division, which sells meat products like sausage and bacon, had "an excellent year," and said the restaurant business made important strides toward enhancing the guest experience, such as a new menu rollout expected in August.</p>
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<p>Now what:The primary reason the stock got hammered seemed to be a disappointing outlook for fiscal 2017. Management projected same-store sales from negative low-single digits to flat, and an adjusted EPS of $2.00-$2.15, below analyst expectations of $2.20 at the time.</p>
<p>While the restaurant side of the business continues to struggle, the packaged food division has been a much needed bright spot. Operating income from Foods nearly doubled to $71 million, contributing more than twice the operating income from Restaurants despite much lower sales.</p>
<p>Investor Thomas Sandell, who owns a third of the board, has been pushing for a separation of the two segments. Though management shows no signs of entertaining such an idea, if the two segments' results continue to move in opposite directions, a spinoff is more likely to happen.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/07/why-bob-evans-farms-inc-stock-slipped-15-last-mont.aspx" type="external">Why Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Stock Slipped 15% Last Month Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFHobo/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Jeremy Bowman Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bob Evans Farms. 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> | Why Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Stock Slipped 15% Last Month | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/07/07/why-bob-evans-farms-inc-stock-slipped-15-last-month.html | 2016-07-07 | 0 |
<p>I am responding to the letter of Raylene Harton from the May 25, 2006 issue of Religious Herald. She says that she is not upset about the book or movie “The Da Vinci Code.” She says that, “God does not need to be defended,” yet we are told in Scripture to “contend earnestly for the faith.” The bottom line for me as a Christian is this: Jesus Christ is my God, Savior, King and Best Friend. I wouldn't read a novel or watch a movie that assassinated the character of my mother, brothers, or other family members … so why in the world would I want to see or read “entertainment” that mocks my Best Friend?!</p>
<p>Ms. Harton says, “much of the rhetoric I am reading and hearing on TV attacking Brown makes Christians sound silly and defensive.” Is it “silly” to speak out against a work of heresy? The apostle Peter warned us that in the last days, scoffers would come. As Christians, we ought to stand up for the character of the Lord, instead of plunking down $10 for a movie ticket that supports the makers of this heresy!</p>
<p>David Parker, Chatham</p> | Mocking Jesus | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/mockingjesus/ | 3 |
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<p>A new private sector initiative announced Wednesday will provide at least $450 million in commercial financing to the three West African countries hardest hit by Ebola to promote trade, investment and employment.</p>
<p>The International Finance Corporation, which is part of the World Bank Group, announced that the package will include $250 million in rapid response projects and at least $200 million in investment projects to support the economic recovery of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea after the Ebola outbreak is controlled.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The announcement coincides with the U.N. Development Program's release of a study on the socio-economic impact of the outbreak, which found that the governments of the three countries need $328 million to be able to function at pre-crisis levels. The study said the shortfalls are caused by increased spending to tackle Ebola and the slowdown of economic activity in fields such as tourism, mining and trade.</p>
<p>"Ebola is a humanitarian crisis first and foremost, but it's also an economic disaster for Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone," World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said in a statement. "That's why in addition to our emergency aid, we will do all we can to help support the private sector in these countries to build back their business."</p>
<p>IFC, the largest global development institution that focuses exclusively on the private sector, said its initiative includes a $75 million Ebola Emergency Liquidity Facility to fund critical imports for the Ebola-affected countries, including energy, food and agricultural commodities and manufactured goods.</p>
<p>IFC said its board approved the rapid response program last week. It will initially be available to six IFC client banks and could be expanded to additional banks.</p>
<p>Jin Yong Cai, IFC executive vice president and CEO, said the corporation "will find and create opportunities to encourage private investors to play a large role in the recovery of markets directly and indirectly affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa."</p>
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<p>The UNDP study found that because of Ebola, government expenses have risen about 30 percent in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and fiscal deficits in the three countries are rising. In addition, Liberia has sacrificed $20 million worth of infrastructure improvements and Sierra Leone has sacrificed $16 million worth since the beginning of the crisis, it said.</p>
<p>In Liberia, half the mining and agricultural concessions have reduced their activities, UNDP said. In northeast Guinea, exports of fruit and vegetables to neighboring countries have dropped 90 percent, and in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, nearly all bars, restaurants and nightclubs have closed. That has forced the country's largest brewery to scale down operations, culminating in a loss of 24,000 jobs in the supply chain.</p>
<p>The financial constraints have forced the three countries to resort to domestic and international borrowing, and they have already taken financial packages from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, UNDP said.</p>
<p>UNDP's Africa regional director, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, said the crisis has taken a toll on budgets and reduced the ability of the three governments to invest in critical areas such as health and education.</p>
<p>"We need to make sure that the Ebola outbreak does not lead to socio-economic collapse," Dieye said in a statement. "These countries were heavily reliant on aid but beginning to see healthy rates of economic growth and opportunities for business, economic diversification and domestic resource mobilization. We need to avoid a situation where these countries increase their dependence on external sources of financing."</p> | Hardest-hit Ebola countries to get $450 million in commercial financing to revive economies | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/11/05/hardest-hit-ebola-countries-to-get-450-million-in-commercial-financing-to.html | 2016-03-09 | 0 |
<p>With the Manhattan office market showing signs of softening, some analysts are expressing more concern about the leasing outlook for one of the most high profile new developments in the city: SL Green Realty's 1.7 million square foot tower next to Grand Central Terminal.</p>
<p>The building -- named One Vanderbilt -- has announced only one office deal, a 200,000 square foot lease with TD Bank, a subsidiary of Toronto-Dominion Bank.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>SL Green, New York's largest office landlord, plans to start laying steel in June and is optimistic it will do a lot more leasing by 2022 when it is scheduled to be completed.</p>
<p>But SL Green jarred some analysts when it advised them recently against anticipating leasing until next year. That "kind of reset expectations," according to Craig Mailman, an analyst with KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.</p>
<p>It is also not clear that SL Green will be able to hit the average rents of $150 a square foot the real-estate investment trust has told Wall Street it expects. Some think that is ambitious. Average asking rents in Midtown in the first quarter were $80.45 a square foot, essentially unchanged from 12 months earlier, according to CBRE Group Inc.</p>
<p>On a conference call with analysts to discuss first-quarter earnings last week, SL Green chief executive Marc Holliday continued to voice optimism. While average rents are in the $80 range, he pointed out that "there were many, many deals done at levels of $125 a foot and higher over the past 12 months."</p>
<p>He also pointed out that SL Green doesn't "need" $150 a square foot rents for the project to be successful. "Need is a funny word," he said.</p>
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<p>Mr. Holliday said a rent of $135 a square foot would still produce a yield of over 6% "which is still actually quite high." At $150, the yield would be 7.1%, "fairly extraordinary for a building of this size and quality."</p>
<p>SL Green earlier this year announced it had sold a 27.6% stake in One Vanderbilt to the National Pension Service of Korea and a 1.4% interest to Hines Interest LP. That deal still leaves 71% of the project with SL Green, Mr. Holliday acknowledged on last week's call.</p>
<p>But he pointed out that "With the $525 million equity commitment that we now have in the project, combined with the $1.5 billion of construction financing, which is locked and loaded, our future equity commitment to the project between now and 2020 is less than $100 million a year."</p>
<p>Responding to Mr. Mailman's remark, an SL Green spokesman said Tuesday: "We corrected analyst expectations to reflect our consistent expectation that leasing beyond the TD Bank anchor tenancy would begin in earnest starting in 2018."</p>
<p>Write to Peter Grant at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>April 25, 2017 18:04 ET (22:04 GMT)</p> | Concern Over Manhattan's One Vanderbilt Project Grows -- Update | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/04/25/concern-over-manhattans-one-vanderbilt-project-grows-update.html | 2017-04-25 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Daimler's Freightliner is one of the largest truck brands in the world. Image source: Daimler.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>This is bad news for investors in trucking companies PACCAR Inc. and Cummins Inc. . In a surprising move, automotive giant Daimler's truck unit, Daimler Trucks, slashed its outlook some days ago, projecting its 2016 sales and operating profits to be "significantly" lower than 2015. Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, head of the Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses divisions, explained why:</p>
<p>Daimler's warnings are hard to ignore as it is the world's largesttruck manufacturer. In fact, going by Daimler's observations about some of the key global truck markets, it appears that immense pressure could be building up on PACCAR's and Cummins' top lines. Click the slideshow below to know more.</p>
<p><a href="//www.slideshare.net/TheMotleyFool/daimler-trucks-slashes-outlook-why-cummins-inc-and-paccar-inc-need-to-worry" type="external">Daimler Trucks Slashes Outlook: Why Cummins Inc. and PACCAR Inc. Need to Worry Opens a New Window.</a> from</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/05/31/daimler-trucks-slashes-outlook-why-cummins-inc-and.aspx" type="external">Daimler Trucks Slashes Outlook: Why Cummins Inc. and PACCAR Inc. Need to Worry Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Neha Chamaria Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Cummins and PACCAR. 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>
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<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> | Daimler Trucks Slashes Outlook: Why Cummins Inc. and PACCAR Inc. Need to Worry | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/05/31/daimler-trucks-slashes-outlook-why-cummins-inc-and-paccar-inc-need-to-worry.html | 2016-05-31 | 0 |
<p>Nothing like a super smart girl to put a little fire in your belly when you’re struggling to get motivated on a Monday morning.&#160;Anala Beevers of New Orleans, who was recently invited to join MENSA,&#160;learned the alphabet when she was four months old, got numbers down at 18 months, and&#160;knows the location and capital of all the states. This girl is going places.</p>
<p><a href="http://jezebel.com/this-four-year-old-girl-genius-is-smarter-than-you-are-947190468" type="external">Via Jezebel.</a></p> | Be inspired by this 4-year-old genius | true | http://feministing.com/2013/07/29/be-inspired-by-this-4-year-old-genius/ | 4 |
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<p />
<p>Nutrisystem had a better-than expected first quarter, which sent its share price soaring. The company closed April at $22.02 before moving steadily up in May on the strength of its earnings report to finish May at $27.14, a 23% change, according to data provided by <a href="https://www.capitaliq.com/home.aspx" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Image source: <a href="https://ycharts.com/" type="external">YCharts.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>What: The weight loss brand had a great Q1, reporting an 18% top-line increase while also saying it was on track to achieve its third consecutive year of double-digit revenue growth. The company raised its forecast for the full year. It now expects 2016 revenue in the range of $517 to $532 million, compared to the previous prediction of $505 to $525 million, while it forecasts earnings per share (EPS) between $1.03 and $1.13, up from a range of $0.95 to $1.05.CEO Dawn Zier discussed the results in Nutrisystem's first quarter <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nutrisystem-announces-first-quarter-2016-200500813.html" type="external">earnings release Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>So what: Nutrisystem has been a steady performer while rival Weight Watchers (NYSE: WTW) has been much less consistent.That may be because while Weight Watchers has been caught up in the excitement of Oprah Winfrey buying a stake in the company, Nutrisystem has steadily focused on results, product mix, and customer satisfaction.</p>
<p>The company has also consistently spent on product development, with plans for a summer 2017 version of its South Beach Diet and continued refinement of its Shake360 brand.</p>
<p>Now what: The company must continue to sustain their success, which it has shown the ability to do well. CFOMike Monahan also discussedplans for a share buyback program.</p>
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<p>Nutrisystem clearly has a plan, and it has steadily executed it rather than going for a short-term fix. That suggests the company should be able to deliver on its promises during the rest of 2016.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/12/why-did-nutrisystem-inc-gain-23-in-may.aspx" type="external">Why Did Nutrisystem Inc. Gain 23% in May? Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Dankline/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Daniel Kline Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. He would enjoy a shake, but probably not the weight loss kind (which is what he should be having). The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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> | Why Did Nutrisystem Inc. Gain 23% in May? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/06/12/why-did-nutrisystem-inc-gain-23-in-may.html | 2016-06-12 | 0 |
<p>Paper - Harvard Project on Climate Agreements, Belfer Center</p>
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<p>The Paris Agreement is a breakthrough in multilateral efforts to address the threat of global climate change. For the first time, an international agreement to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions includes contributions from all of the major-emitting countries—and, indeed, a large majority of the countries of the world. In addition, the Agreement includes a dynamic feature through which mitigation commitments can be strengthened over time.</p>
<p>While the Agreement sets forth an innovative and potentially effective policy architecture, a great deal remains to be done to elaborate the accord—to formulate the many rules and guidelines required and to specify more precise means of implementation. Governments, other stakeholders, and researchers also need to think about constraints on the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement—and identify organizations and processes that could complement the Agreement and the UNFCCC process more broadly.</p>
<p>The Harvard Project on Climate Agreements hosted <a href="http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/26833" type="external">a research workshop at the Harvard Kennedy School on July 14–15, 2016</a>, the purpose of which was to identify options for elaborating and implementing the Paris Agreement—and to identify policies and institutions that might complement or supplement the Paris-Agreement regime. Participants included twenty-three of the world's leading researchers focusing on climate-change policy, representing the disciplines of economics, political science, international relations, and legal scholarship. They are based in Argentina, Belgium, China, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. (An agenda and list of participants is included near the end of this volume.)</p>
<p>Participants subsequently prepared the briefs that are included in this volume, based largely on their presentations at the workshop, addressing opportunities for—and challenges to—elaborating, implementing, and complementing the Paris Agreement. These briefs are organized in five sections: enhancing mitigation ambition, elaborating the Agreement's transparency mechanism, advancing market mechanisms (in and out of the Agreement), exploring complementary processes and institutions, and financing mitigation and adaptation. Each brief provides a summary in the form of several key points, and a compilation of the key points is provided after this preface. The briefs are designed to be readily accessible—and, it is hoped, useful—to negotiators and policy makers, as they consider how to elaborate the Paris Agreement in order to realize its potential to effectively address global climate change.</p>
<p /> | The Paris Agreement and Beyond: International Climate Change Policy Post-2020 | false | http://belfercenter.org/publication/paris-agreement-and-beyond-international-climate-change-policy-post-2020 | 2016-10-01 | 2 |
<p>RUSH: I’m gonna tell you something. This Obama character is showing everybody what low character in high office is all about. This spiking the football two days in a row, actually three, over getting Bin Laden. You know, there’s only one guy who said we shouldn’t go get Bin Laden. You know who it was? It was Biden. Vice President Biden. I have the story. It was an ABC News story, and it’s from January 30th of 2012: “Joe Biden Advised Against the Osama Bin Laden Raid.”</p>
<p />
<p>Not Mitt Romney. Not John McCain. Not Jimmy Carter. Joe Biden is the only guy that said: Don’t go get Bin Laden. And Obama’s out there ticking off everybody with this. So, you know, we are our choices, folks. Barack Hussein Obama chose to figuratively parade <a href="" type="internal">Osama Bin Laden’s</a>dead body around the public square in an attempt to bring singular glory to himself. How pathetic. The guy they had to drag off the golf course. The UK Daily Mail, there’s all kinds of blog stories today, Internet stories with the picture of that great group of courageous heroes in the Situation Room watching the raid take place.</p>
<p>The only person in that room who looks like she’s even emotionally involved at all is Mrs. Clinton. She’s got her mouth covered by her hand. Her eyes are wide open. It’s almost like she saw Bill come home at six o’clock at night for the first time in a long time. She can’t believe it. Everybody else is just sitting there staring, and Obama is slumped down, he’s sitting lower in his chair than anybody in the room. They hustled him in from the golf course, they put a “I’m president” jacket on him. He’s got his white golf shirt buttoned up to the top underneath it, and he’s looking there. “Yes, Mr. President, this is a video feed of a military operation taking place that Mr. McRaven authorized two weeks ago that we decided to just go ahead and do it,” is what that picture looks like. And this is Obama’s kickoff to his campaign for reelection.</p>
<p>Now, there is no better way to illustrate an utter lack of judgment and character than how the president is behaving. This is shameful. And for two, maybe three, days in a row now suggesting that Romney would not have had the guts to pull the trigger and lying — well, taking as out of context as possible Romney’s comments about getting Bin Laden versus the entire War on Terror. A decade of courage, sacrifice, cooperation, coordination, investigation, brains, and discipline on the part of the US military, the Special Ops, the CIA interrogators, the entire intelligence community, has been exploited now for the personal gain of one small man who had the easiest job in this long chain of command.</p>
<p>Of all the people involved in the War on Terror, which this president was totally opposed to as a senator, this one guy had the easiest job of all of the people in this chain, from the boots on the ground to the intel people, to the CIA interrogators. You know, it’s arguable, had Obama’s policies regarding interrogation at Guantanamo Bay or at CIA black sites, secret prisons, had Obama’s policies been in force, we may not have ever gotten <a href="" type="internal">Bin Laden</a>. That’s the real irony here. There was one man, there was a courier, one person who carried messages to and from Osama Bin Laden from that luxurious hideout in Pakistan. The identity of that courier was uncovered by CIA interrogators using enhanced techniques opposed by Obama. It wasn’t waterboarding. I don’t know what the techniques were. Had it not been for the policies put in place by Bush-Cheney. And by the way, it’s impossible to talk about this honestly and not have it sound political.</p>
<p>I am doing my best to have this not sound political. But the Bush-Cheney policies of enhanced interrogation and the conduct of the War on Terror in general led to the identity of the courier and his location, which led to Osama’s location. And if Obama’s policies as articulated during the Iraq war — all of his opposition to Petraeus, his opposition to enhanced techniques of interrogation — had been in place we probably would not have gotten Bin Laden. That’s the irony here. So the guy with the easiest job and the least qualified in any room he walks into is now beating his chest and spiking the football, and criticizing the very policies that he opposed. And now running around and saying that Romney is gutless and wouldn’t have had the guts to pull the trigger.</p>
<p>I have a great story here, by the way. ABC News. A Republican focus group and a Democrat focus group organization went out and talked to Walmart moms. And Walmart moms don’t care about this. Now, Walmart moms, according to this story, are a very important voting bloc. They are of a certain age. They are a certain income level. They have a certain number of kids, and there are a lot of them. And they don’t care. Only 11% of them, I think, care about this. They all care about the economy. And so the story from ABC is how none of this Obama stuff on Bin Laden is gonna penetrate and get through to them ’cause they don’t care. He’s blowing it. But it’s all he’s got to hang his hat on. ‘Cause he can’t run around and convince these Walmart moms that the economy is gonna get better if we just keep doing what we’re doing. They know it isn’t.</p>
<p>So Obama’s out there trying, folks, to call himself or have us think of him as a hero. For doing something that if Bush or Cheney had done, Obama probably woulda called ’em war criminals. That’s another real irony. If Bush and Cheney had found Osama Bin Laden and he was exactly where he was and they sent the SEALs in there and they got ’em exactly the way they did, and there were no pictures, and then Bin Laden was buried at sea, and there’s no real evidence other than we gotta take everybody’s word for it, Obama and Pelosi and Harry Reid and Hillary Clinton and the whole bunch of ’em would be accusing Bush and Cheney of lying for political purposes. They’d say, “Where’s the proof?” And they would accuse him if it did happen of them being war criminals.</p>
<p>The ironies here are multiple and frequent. To give the go-ahead, to take out an unsuspecting terrorist with the best SEAL Team America has, that’s what Obama wants the credit for. And he wasn’t even the man in charge of the actual operation. That was the guy named <a href="" type="internal">McRaven.</a> We had the details of that story for you yesterday. But Obama can’t help it. He’s a narcissist, world revolves around him, as you know. And so he has to put the spotlight on himself. Which is wrong. This is like a guy who gives money to charity only for the press release that accompanies it and maybe gets his name on the medical building that they name after him for giving them money. The guy that does everything for public consumption, does everything for public notice, for public approval, not because of the genuineness of the act.</p>
<p>Remember, my friends, it was a few years ago, 2008, one week prior to the election, Charlie Rose and Tom Brokaw spent an entire show telling each other how they didn’t know who the guy they couldn’t wait to be president was. They didn’t know anything about him. (imitating Rose and Brokaw) “I don’t know what books he’s read. I don’t know who his mentors are. It’s a good question. It’s an important question. And who are the people in his inner circle? Well, we don’t know, Charlie.” It was an hour of, “We don’t know who Obama is, but, boy, it’s gonna be historical if we elect him.” Well, now we know who Barack Obama is. Insecure is at least one thing. Some people on the left say that Obama’s likable, cool. I’ve always thought he was cold. And I, El Rushbo, am on record saying that early on.</p>
<p>Yeah, Obama would be running around saying, “Osama wasn’t Mirandized! You sent the SEALs in there and they didn’t read him his rights!” That’s what they’d be doing. It’s what Occupy Wall Street would be doing. I see desperation here — sad desperation — with unlimited funds and enablers doing everything they can to make him feel good about himself. That’s what’s going on here. I’ll tell you, folks, you know this as well as I do. “Needy” and “selfish” are not attractive features. Needy and selfish. I don’t know about you, but needy, selfish, and complaining are off-putting to me. I don’t know how to deal with it. I really don’t.</p>
<p />
<p>People complain. Obama’s always complaining about what Bush left him. “The mess was worse than anybody knew,” whatever it is. I don’t know how to deal with people who complain. I don’t know what to say to ’em. I don’t know whether to be sympathetic, ’cause that doesn’t accomplish anything. I don’t know what to do when people start whining and moaning and complaining about stuff because it never gets anything done. So I don’t know what to do; I don’t know how to deal with it. Needy, selfish, whining, complaining? Not attractive. And when they are traits being exhibited by people in positions of responsibility, it’s not attractive.</p>
<p>So, you know the old adage: “When your opponent is in the process of destroying himself, you get out of the way and let it happen.” It’s an old adage here on talk radio: “If the caller’s making a fool of himself, get out of the way and let it happen.” There’s another version: “When your opponent is drowning, throw him an anvil!” I kind of like that one. “When your opponent is drowning, throw him an anvil!”</p>
<p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p>
<p>RUSH: Weren’t we told that we needed to close down Club Gitmo because it was a recruitment tool for the terrorists? That’s right. And who was it that told us that? Why, none other than Senator Barack Obama and Presidential Candidate Barack Obama! He said we had to shut down Club Gitmo. Weren’t we told that using enhanced interrogation is a recruitment tool for the terrorists, and that’s what we were doing? And, of course, that means we were helping terrorists recruit members.</p>
<p>Weren’t we told that we had to bury Osama Bin Laden at sea because his grave might be used as a recruiting tool for terrorists, and we couldn’t allow him to be martyred in that way? And weren’t we told, ladies and gentlemen, that the government could not release the photos of the body of Osama Bin Laden because the photos would be used as a recruiting tool for terrorists? Yup. We were told, just like the liberals in every instance of a crime, “If we go after the perpetrator, it’s gonna make the perpetrator and his friends even madder.</p>
<p>“We don’t want to do that! We don’t want to celebrate victory over these guys, don’t want to put ’em in Club Gitmo. It’s just gonna make ’em madder, make ’em more committed and it’s gonna recruit more terrorists,” right? Well, isn’t Obama’s campaign ad where he brags about killing Osama a recruiting tool for terrorists? Using his own definition, isn’t his endless crowing about killing Bin Laden a recruiting tool? Isn’t dancing on Bin Laden’s grave and beating his chest and going, “Ahhhhh-ah-ah-ah!” like Tarzan did a recruiting tool?</p>
<p>So are some “recruiting tools” for terrorists worse than others?</p>
<p>Is there a way we can learn to figure this out?</p>
<p />
<p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p>
<p>RUSH: Let’s go to the audio sound bites, ladies and gentlemen. This is yesterday afternoon at the White House. Obama and the Japanese Prime Minister held a joint press conference, and there was a question from the Chicago Tribune’s Washington Bureau Chief Christi Parsons.</p>
<p>Here’s the question (impression): “We’re coming up on the one year anniversary of the killing of Bin Laden. I’m wondering if you would share some thoughts on that anniversary. And I also wanted to mention that your likely opponent said, ‘Anybody would have made that call, even Jimmy Carter.’ So I am curious: What would you say about that? And, Mr. Prime Minister, I wonder if you could reflect from an international perspective if the US is playing it right in marking this anniversary or if you might advise against excessive celebration.”</p>
<p>Now, does somebody want to try to tell me that that’s not a setup? Does somebody want to tell me that’s not a planted question? What…? We just lost satellite on DVR 1. That means probably had 14 power failures at home just in the last ten minutes. We have rugged weather out there. We’ve got 45-mile-an-hour sustained winds out there on the beach. After the second power failure last night, I found out that Florida Power &amp; Light was out trying to get branches off of power lines. I initially blamed them, but then it kept happening long after they left, so it couldn’t have been them.</p>
<p>Anyway, here’s Obama answering that setup, planted question. Listen to this…</p>
<p>OBAMA: I hardly think that you’ve seen any “excessive celebration” taking place here.</p>
<p>RUSH: Really?</p>
<p>OBAMA: As far as, uhhh my personal role and what other folks would do, I’d just recommend that everybody take a look people’s previous statements in terms of whether they thought it was appropriate to go into Pok-ee-stahn and take out Bin Laden. I said that I’d go after Bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did it! If there are others who have said one thing and now suggest they’d do something else, then, uhh, I’d go ahead and let them explain it.</p>
<p>RUSH: “Pok-ee-stahn.” You know, this is such an obvious attempt here to take what Romney said out of context. It was during a Republican debate, I believe, and what Romney essentially said was that he disagreed with the Democrats that the definition of the War on Terror was whether or not we got one man: Bin Laden. And the War on Terror, the money spent would be much better spent on the broader conflict than throwing millions and gazillions or whatever into getting one guy.</p>
<p>And the reason Romney said it is because Democrats like Obama, since 2004 and 2005, have been claiming failure in the War on Terror ’cause he didn’t get Bin Laden! Do you find it interesting, a year after Bin Laden is found and taken out, Obama last week announces the end of the War on Terror? (interruption) Snerdley did not know that. He’d been so busy screening calls he hadn’t heard that. But we had clearly been told last week by the regime that the War on Terror was over and the next day there was a story, front page one of the newspapers, about another drone strike and drone policy.</p>
<p>I said, “Why are we still flying drones if the war on terror is over? Why is Al-Qaeda still killing people? Why is the Muslim Brotherhood here and doing what they’re doing in Egypt and wanting permission to have sex with their <a href="" type="internal">dead wives for six hours after she dies?</a> Why, if War on Terror is over?” And the War on Terror is over ’cause the Democrats always defined it as Osama Bin Laden being killed. Folks, this is infantile. This is childish immaturity that answer that Obama gave. “Well, anybody just go look at the record. Take a look at people’s previous statements in terms of what they thought was appropriate to go into Pok-ee-stahn.”</p>
<p>It’s PAK-eh-stan!</p>
<p>“Pakistan” is the way Americans say it!</p>
<p>Pakistan!</p>
<p>I’m tired hearing “Pok-ee-stahn” every damn day!</p>
<p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p>
<p>RUSH: Here’s the story, and there’s much more to it than was reported about the War on Terror is over. It was from the National Journal last week, and here’s what the story said. “‘The War on Terror is over,’ one senior State Department official who works on Mideast issues told me.” This is whoever wrote this piece. “‘Now that we have killed most of al Qaida, now that people have come to see legitimate means of expression –‘” What the hell is that? That’s the Arab Spring. We got a State Department official saying the Arab Spring, that’s a legitimate means of expression, “people who once might have gone into al Qaida see an opportunity for a legitimate Islamism.” This is a State Department official in explaining why the War on Terror was over.</p>
<p>“Now that we have killed most of al Qaida, now that people have come to see legitimate means of expression,” the Arab Spring, “people who once might have gone into al Qaida see an opportunity for a legitimate Islamism,” which is the Muslim Brotherhood. So the War on Terror is over. Got Bin Laden. That’s what this State Department official is saying. He’s saying the Arab Spring has ended the War on Terror, when he says people who once mighta gone into Al-Qaeda see an opportunity for a legitimate Islamism. In other words, we have made it so that these Muslim extremists can gain power without even having to fight for it. Just join the Muslim Brotherhood. They don’t have to go and join Al-Qaeda now, become terrorists.</p>
<p>The Arab Spring has made it possible for Muslim extremists to gain power without even having to fight for it. Well, I mean they had to do their little revolution. They had CNN’s Nic Robertson out there in the square interviewing guys about how important Obama’s role was. But that’s it, that’s the Obama administration, the War on Terror is over, they got Osama, and Al-Qaeda’s dead, and the Muslim Brotherhood is alive, and that’s why it’s over. We’re still gonna fly some drones, ah, just ’cause we have the fuel. That’s exactly right. It’s no different than Al Armendariz at EPA. (paraphrasing) “We’re gonna crucify any successful oil and gas company.” Mr. Snerdley is aghast at the naivete and the rose-colored glasses. That’s exactly who would populate every agency, bureau, cabinet department. That’s who they are. They’re nothing but idealists, utopian theorists. That’s who’s there. Led by Mrs. Clinton, another Alinskyite.</p>
<p>Now, Romney was on CBS This Morning with Charlie Rose. See, here’s how it works. Obama says, (paraphrasing) “Romney wouldn’t even have pulled the trigger.” Okay, so that becomes the narrative. Romney wouldn’ta pulled the trigger. So now we gotta go get Romney and say, “Why won’t you pull the trigger?” Not will you, but why won’t you? Obama has established you wouldn’t pull the trigger, you wouldn’t go get Obama. Why not? It’s like our parody of James Carville going on Larry King saying Ken Starr is from Mars. And rather say, “You’re an idiot, Carville.” Larry King in our parody says, “Ken Starr, are you really from Mars? How did you get here?” So Obama says Romney wouldn’t pull the trigger. Now Charlie Rose dutifully says, “Why wouldn’t you pull the trigger? How would you characterize that ad? And do you believe it was a politicization of the president’s decision that was unfair and should not have been done?”</p>
<p>ROMNEY: He has every right to take credit for him having to order that attack. At the same time, I think it was very disappointing for the president to try and make this a political item by suggesting that I wouldn’t have ordered such a raid. Of course I would have. Any thinking American would have ordered exactly the same thing. But, of course, you give the president the credit for the fact that he did so.</p>
<p>RUSH: No! That’s not gonna get you a single vote. “But of course we gotta give the president –” no, no, no, no, no. The president got his credit a year ago. You stay on message here. You throw the anvil. So Charlie Rose wasn’t through. (imitating Rose) “Well, how do you know you would have? How do you know you would have pulled the trigger? You’re Mitt Romney, you had a Swiss bank account, you look like you grew up in the fifties and still live then, and your wife, ha, what makes you think you’d pull the trigger?” I’m making it up, but that’s what’s in his mind. ” How do you know you would have? Because within that room, at the time of that decision, evidently people who were there say, there was an argument not to do it that way, to do it a different way. And it may have come from the secretary of defense, or even the secretary of state –” The only guy that didn’t want to do it in that room was Biden. Yeah, he was in the room. So here’s Romney’s answer to <a href="" type="internal" />“How do you know you would have pulled the trigger?”</p>
<p>ROMNEY: The idea to try and politicize this is really disappointing. Let’s not make the capture or killing of Osama Bin Laden a politically divisive event. There were plenty of differences between President Obama and myself. But let’s not make up ones based on, well, he might not have done this. This is — it’s disappointing, and it’s unfortunate, and I think it’s taking an event that really brought America together that was the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people and enormous sacrifice.</p>
<p>RUSH: Yeah.</p>
<p>ROMNEY: And some people who put their lives very much on the line. Let’s not use this as a political football.</p>
<p>ROSE: And that’s what the president is doing and his campaign team?</p>
<p>ROMNEY: I think them taking credit for the right decision —</p>
<p>RUSH: Right.</p>
<p>ROMNEY: — is entirely appropriate.</p>
<p>RUSH: Right.</p>
<p>ROMNEY: I think trying to attack me on that basis is disappointing and the wrong course.</p>
<p>RUSH: Remember the 2008 presidential campaign, there was a very prominent person who didn’t think Obama would be able to pull the trigger, and that was Mrs. Clinton. Remember her 3 a.m. phone call ad? “Who do you want answering the phone at 3 a.m.?” We all said, “Hillary. So you can tell Bill how to get home.” But that was a good ad, “Who do you want answering the phone at 3 a.m.?” And all the reports on this say the “go” decision had been in the works for two weeks, that it took a little while to lobby him to actually give the order to go.</p> | Obama: Low Character in High Office | true | http://rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/05/01/obama_low_character_in_high_office | 2012-05-01 | 0 |
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Puerto Rico would get substantial debt relief and other new aid to help it recover from destruction inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September, under legislation unveiled on Tuesday by leading liberals in the U.S. Senate.</p>
<p>Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, called for a new “emergency credit facility” of up to $57.2 billion for Puerto Rico and $5 billion for the Virgin Islands, according to a summary of the bill.</p>
<p>The bill would also extend the deadline for individuals to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.</p>
<p>The legislation cannot advance without the support of Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the Senate.</p>
<p>Congressional Republicans and the Trump administration have approved some $51 billion in aid to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and U.S. states hit by hurricanes and wildfires, with a new round expected to be approved in December.</p>
<p>The effort has been criticized as lackluster by many Democrats in Congress, with large swaths of Puerto Rico still without power and clean water.</p>
<p>Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello is seeking more than $94 billion in disaster recovery aid, including $31.1 billion for housing and $17.8 billion to rebuild and bolster the power grid.</p>
<p>The legislation would put Congress on record in support of relieving Puerto Rico’s $72 billion debt. The island has a further $50 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.</p>
<p>Kenneth Mapp, governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, said the island had requested $7.5 billion to cover uninsured hurricane-related damages to the public sector.</p>
<p>The hurricanes devastated the island’s healthcare sector, destroying two already struggling hospitals. Mapp also asked for a waiver to use $226 million in unspent Medicaid funding provided under Obamacare. The island was unable to spend the money because the local government could not provide its share of matching funds.</p>
<p>The Sanders-Warren plan would also restore the U.S. minimum wage for certain young workers in Puerto Rico, open some federal food and nutrition programs to the two territories and improve benefits under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.</p>
<p>The legislation as well would provide more federal aid for rebuilding Puerto Rico’s electric grid, with an emphasis on beefing up solar, wind and other “clean” energy capabilities.</p>
<p />
<p>Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.</p> | U.S. Senate liberals propose new steps for Puerto Rico recovery | false | https://newsline.com/u-s-senate-liberals-propose-new-steps-for-puerto-rico-recovery/ | 2017-11-28 | 1 |
<p>&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahmadhammoudphotography/5410375058/in/photostream/"&gt;Ahmad Hammoud&lt;/a&gt;/Flickr</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com" type="external" />This <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175351/tomgram%3A_engelhardt%2C_goodbye_to_all_that/" type="external">story</a> first appeared on the <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/" type="external">TomDispatch</a> website.</p>
<p>As we’ve watched the dramatic events in the Middle East, you would hardly know that we had a thing to do with them. Oh yes, in the name of its War on Terror, Washington had for years backed most of the thuggish governments now under siege or anxious that they may be next in line to hear from their people. When it came to Egypt in particular, there was initially much polite (and hypocritical) discussion in the media about how our “interests” and our “values” were in conflict, about how far the US should back off its support for the Mubarak regime, and about what a <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/31/eveningnews/main7303481.shtml" type="external">“tightrope”</a> the Obama administration was walking. While the president and his officials flailed, the mildest of questions were raised about how much we should chide our erstwhile allies, or encourage the massed protestors, and about whether we should “take sides” (as though we hadn’t done so decisively over the last decades).</p>
<p>With popular cries for “democracy” and “freedom” sweeping through the Middle East, it’s curious to note that the Bush-era’s now-infamous “democracy agenda” has been nowhere in sight. In its brief and disastrous life, it was used as a battering ram for regimes Washington loathed and offered as a soft pillow of future possibility to those it loved.</p>
<p>Still, make no mistake, there’s a story in a Washington <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-01-29/egypt-protests-historic-discussions-at-the-white-house/" type="external">stunned</a> and <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703445904576118502819408990.html" type="external">“blindsided,”</a> in an administration visibly <a href="http://www.juancole.com/2011/02/mubarak-defies-a-humiliated-america-emulating-netanyahu.html" type="external">toothless</a> and in disarray as well as dismayed over the potential loss of its Egyptian ally, “the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/world/middleeast/31israel.html" type="external">keystone</a> of its Middle Eastern policy,” that’s so big it should knock your socks off. And make no mistake: part of the spectacle of the moment lies in watching that other great power of the Cold War era finally head ever so slowly and reluctantly for the exits. You know the one I’m talking about. In 1991, when the Soviet Union disappeared and the United States found itself the last superpower standing, Washington mistook that for a victory most rare. In the years that followed, in a paroxysm of self-satisfaction and amid clouds of self-congratulation, its leaders would attempt nothing less than to establish a global Pax Americana. Their breathtaking ambitions would leave hubris in the shade.</p>
<p>The results, it’s now clear, were no less breathtaking, even if disastrously so. Almost 20 years after the lesser superpower of the Cold War left the world stage, the “victor” is now lurching down the declinist slope, this time as the other defeated power of the Cold War era.</p>
<p>So don’t mark the end of the Cold War in 1991 as our conventional histories do. Mark it in the early days of 2011, and consider the events of this moment a symbolic goodbye-to-all-that for the planet’s “sole superpower.”</p>
<p>The proximate cause of Washington’s defeat is a threatened collapse of its imperial position in a region that, ever since President Jimmy Carter proclaimed his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine" type="external">Carter Doctrine</a> in 1980, has been considered the crucible of global power, the place where, above all, the Great Game must be played out. Today, “people power” is shaking the “pillars” of the American position in the Middle East, while—despite the staggering levels of military might the Pentagon still has <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175321/tomgram%3A_nick_turse,_off-base_america__" type="external">embedded in the area</a>—the Obama administration has found itself standing by helplessly in grim confusion.</p>
<p>As a spectacle of imperial power on the decline, we haven’t seen anything like it since 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. Then, too, people power stunned the world. It swept like lightning across the satellite states of Eastern Europe, those “pillars” of the old Soviet empire, most of which had (as in the Middle East today) seemed quiescent for years.</p>
<p>It was an invigorating time. After all, such moments often don’t come once in a life, no less twice in 20 years. If you don’t happen to be in Washington, the present moment is proving no less remarkable, unpredictable, and earthshaking than its predecessor.</p>
<p>Make no mistake, either (though you wouldn’t guess it from recent reportage): these two moments of people power are inextricably linked. Think of it this way: as we witness the <a href="http://www.lewrockwell.com/margolis/margolis225.html" type="external">true denouement</a> of the Cold War, it’s already clear that the “victor” in that titanic struggle, like the Soviet Union before it, mined its own positions and then was forced to watch with shock, awe, and dismay as those mines went off.</p>
<p>Among the most admirable aspects of the Soviet collapse was the decision of its remarkable leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, not to call the Red Army out of its barracks, as previous Soviet leaders had done in East Germany in 1953, Hungary in 1956, and Prague in 1968. Gorbachev’s conscious (and courageous) choice to let the empire collapse rather than employ violence to try to halt the course of events remains historically little short of unique.</p>
<p>Today, after almost two decades of exuberant imperial impunity, Washington finds itself in an uncomfortably unraveling situation. Think of it as a kind of slo-mo Gorbachev moment— <a href="http://www.truth-out.org/the-arab-world-is-fire67410" type="external">without a Gorbachev</a> in sight.</p>
<p>What we’re dealing with here is, in a sense, the story of two “abroads.” In 1990, in the wake of a disastrous war in Afghanistan, in the midst of a people’s revolt, the Russians lost what they came to call their “near abroad,” the lands from Eastern Europe to Central Asia that had made up the Soviet Empire. The US, being the wealthier and stronger of the two Cold War superpowers, had something the Soviets never possessed. Call it a “far abroad.” Now, in the midst of another draining, disastrous Afghan war, in the face of another people’s revolt, a critical part of its far abroad is being shaken to its roots.</p>
<p>In the Middle East, the two pillars of American imperial power and control have long been Egypt and Saudi Arabia—along, of course, with obdurate Israel and little Jordan. In previous eras, the chosen bulwarks of “stability” and “moderation,” terms much favored in Washington, had been the Shah of Iran in the 1960s and 1970s (and you remember his fate), and Saddam Hussein in the 1980s (and you remember his fate, too). In the larger region the Bush administration liked to call “the Greater Middle East” or “the arc of instability,” another key pillar has been Pakistan, a country now in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/04/world/asia/04pakistan.html" type="external">destabilization mode</a> under the pressure of a disastrous American war in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>And yet, without a Gorbachevian bone in its body, the Obama administration has still been hamstrung. While negotiating madly behind the scenes to retain power and influence in Egypt, it is not likely to call the troops out of the barracks. American military intervention remains essentially inconceivable. Don’t wait for Washington to send paratroopers to the Suez Canal as those fading imperial powers France and England tried to do in 1956. It won’t happen. Washington is too drained by years of war and economic bad times for that.</p>
<p>Facing genuine shock and awe (the people’s version), the Obama administration has been shaken. It has shown itself to be weak, <a href="http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/01/29/weiss_egypt_scared&amp;source=newsletter&amp;utm_source=contactology&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Salon_Daily%20Newsletter%20%28Not%20Premium%29_7_30_110" type="external">visibly fearful</a>, at a loss for what to do, and always several steps behind developing events. Count on one thing: its officials are already undoubtedly worried about a domestic political future in which the question (never good for Democrats) could be: Who lost the Middle East? In the meantime, their oh-so-solemn, <a href="http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/post_leadership/2011/01/egypt-obama-communication-highwire.html?hpid=topnews" type="external">carefully calibrated statements</a>, still in command mode, couched in imperial-speak, and focused on what client states in the Middle East must do, might as well be spoken to the wind. Like the Cheshire Cat’s grin, only the rhetoric of the last decades seems to be left.</p>
<p>The question is: How did this happen? And the answer, in part, is: blame it on the way the Cold War officially ended, the mood of unparalleled hubris in which the United States emerged from it, and the unilaterialist path its leaders chose in its wake.</p>
<p>Let’s do a little reviewing.</p>
<p>Second-Wave Unilateralism</p>
<p>When the Soviet Union dissolved, Washington was stunned—the collapse was unexpected despite all the signs that something monumental was afoot—and then thrilled. The Cold War was over and we had won. Our mighty adversary had disappeared from the face of the Earth.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for terms like “sole superpower” and “hyperpower” to crop up, or for dreams of a global Pax Americana to take shape amid talk about how our power and glory would outshine even the <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/time/2001/03/05/doctrine.html" type="external">Roman</a> and British empires. The conclusion that victory—as in World War II—would have its benefits, that the world was now our oyster, led to two waves of American “unilateralism” or go-it-alone-ism that essentially drove the car of state directly toward the nearest cliff and helped prepare the way for the sudden eruption of people power in the Middle East.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608460711/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external" />The second of those waves began with the fateful post-9/11 decision of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and company to “drain the global swamp” (as they <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,175599,00.html" type="external">put</a> it <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1357781/US-asks-Nato-for-help-in-draining-the-swamp-of-global-terrorism.html" type="external">within days</a> of the attacks in New York and Washington). They would, that is, pursue al-Qaeda (and whomever else they decided to label an enemy) by full military means. That included the invasion of Afghanistan and the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5369198.stm" type="external">issuing</a> of a with-us-or-against-us diktat to Pakistan, which <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article647188.ece" type="external">reportedly included</a> the threat to bomb that country “back to the Stone Age.” It also involved a <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175336/tomgram%3A_engelhardt,_war_is_a_drug/" type="external">full-scale militarization</a>, Pentagonization, and privatization of American foreign policy, and above all else, the crushing of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and the occupation of his country. All that and more came to be associated with the term “unilateralism,” with the idea that US military power was so overwhelming Washington could simply go it alone in the world with any “coalition of the billing” it might muster and still get exactly what it wanted.</p>
<p>That second wave of unilateralism, now largely relegated to the memory hole of history by the mainstream media, helped pave the way for the upheavals in Tunisia, Egypt, and possibly elsewhere. As a start, from Pakistan to North Africa, the Bush administration’s Global War on Terror, along with its support for thuggish rule in the name of fighting al-Qaeda, helped radicalize the region. (Remember, for instance, that while Washington was pouring billions of dollars into the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/04/egypt-arms-trade" type="external">American-equipped Egyptian Army</a> and the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/world/middleeast/30military.html" type="external">American-trained Egyptian officer corps</a>, Bush administration officials were delighted to enlist the Mubarak regime as War on Terror warriors, <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/01/30-2" type="external">using Egypt’s jails</a> as places to torture terror suspects <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/7789/tom_engelhardt_the_spies_who_came_in_from_the_hot_tub" type="external">rendered</a> off any streets anywhere.)</p>
<p>In the process, by sweeping an area from North Africa to the Chinese border that it dubbed the Greater Middle East into that War on Terror, the Bush administration undoubtedly gave the region a new-found sense of unity, a feeling that the fate of its disparate parts was somehow bound together.</p>
<p>In addition, Bush’s top officials, <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/101850/bush_s_faith_and_the_middle_east_aflame" type="external">fundamentalists all</a> when it came to US military might and delusional fantasists when it came to what that military could accomplish, had immense power at its command: the power to destroy. They gave that power the snappy label “shock and awe,” and then used it to blow a hole in the heart of the Middle East by invading Iraq. In the process, they put that land, already on the ropes, onto life support.</p>
<p>It’s never really come off. In the wars, civil and guerrilla, set off by the American invasion and occupation, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/22/true-civilian-body-count-iraq" type="external">hundreds of thousands</a> of Iraqis undoubtedly <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/datablog/interactive/2010/oct/23/wikileaks-iraq-deaths-map" type="external">died</a> and <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174892/michael_schwartz_iraq%27s_tidal_wave_of_misery" type="external">millions</a> were sent into exile abroad or in their own land. Today, Iraq remains a barely breathing carcass of a nation, unable to deliver something as simple as electricity to its <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013000404.html?hpid=topnews" type="external">restive</a> people or pump enough oil to pay for the disaster.</p>
<p>At the same time, the Bush administration sat on its hands while Israel had its way, taking Palestinian lands via its settlement policies and blowing its own hole in <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/106273/air_war_barbarity_and_the_middle_east" type="external">southern Lebanon</a> with American backing (and weaponry) in the summer of 2006, and a smaller hole of utter devastation through Gaza in 2009. In other words, from Lebanon to Pakistan, the Greater Middle East was destabilized and radicalized.</p>
<p>The acts of Bush’s officials couldn’t have been rasher, or more destructive. They managed, for instance, to turn Afghanistan into the globe’s <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175225/alfred_mccoy_afghanistan_as_a_drug_war" type="external">foremost narco-state</a>, even as they gave new life to the Taliban—no small miracle for a movement that, in 2001, had lost any vestige of popularity. Most crucial of all, they and the Obama adminsitration after them spread the war irrevocably to populous, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013004136.html" type="external">nuclear-armed</a> Pakistan.</p>
<p>To their mad plans and projects, you can trace, at least in part, the rise to power of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza (the only significant result of Bush’s “democracy agenda,” since Iraq’s elections arrived, despite Bush administration opposition, <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0120/p01s04-woiq.html" type="external">due to</a> the prestige of Ayatollah Ali Sistani). You can credit them with an Iran-allied Shiite government in Iraq and a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, as well as the growth of a version of the Taliban in the Pakistani tribal borderlands. You can also credit them with the disorganization and impoverishment of the region. In summary, when the Bush unilateralists took control of the car of state, they souped it up, armed it to the teeth, and sent it careening off to catastrophe.</p>
<p>How hollow the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/18/opinion/things-to-come.html" type="external">neocon quip</a> of 2003 now rings: “Everyone wants to go to Baghdad. Real men want to go to Tehran.” But remember as well that, however much the Bush administration accomplished (in a manner of speaking), there was a wave of unilateralism, no less significant, that preceded it.</p>
<p>Our Financial Jihadis</p>
<p>Though we all know this first wave well, we don’t usually think of it as “unilateralist,” or in terms of the Middle East at all, or speak about it in the same breath with the Bush administration and its neocon supporters. I’m talking about the globalists, sometimes called the neoliberals, who were let loose to do their damnedest in the good times of the post-Cold-War Clinton years. They, too, were dreamy about organizing the planet and about another kind of American power that was never going to end: economic power. (And, of course, they would be called back to power in Washington in the Obama years to run the US economy into the ground yet again.) They believed deeply that we were the economic superpower of the ages, and they were eager to create their own version of a Pax Americana. Intent on homogenizing the world by bringing American economic power to bear on it, their version of shock-and-awe tactics involved calling in institutions like the International Monetary Fund to discipline developing countries into a profitable kind of poverty and misery.</p>
<p>In the end, as they gleefully sliced and diced subprime mortgages, they drove a different kind of hole through the world. They were financial jihadis with their own style of shock-and-awe tactics and they, too, proved deeply destructive, even if in a different way. The irony was that, in the economic meltdown of 2008, they finally took down the global economy they had helped “unify.” And that occured just as the second wave of unilateralists were facing the endgame of their dreams of global domination. In the process, for instance, Egypt, the most populous of Arab countries, was <a href="http://www.alternet.org/story/149793/" type="external">economically neoliberalized</a> and—except for a small elite who made out like the bandits they were— <a href="http://www.juancole.com/2011/01/egypts-class-conflict.html" type="external">impoverished</a>.</p>
<p>Talk about “creative destruction”! The two waves of American unilateralists nearly took down the planet. They let loose demons of every sort, even as they ensured that the world’s first experience of a sole superpower would prove short indeed. Heap onto the rubble they left behind the global disaster of <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175345/tomgram%3A_michael_klare%2C_resource_revolts/" type="external">rising prices</a> for the basics— <a href="http://climateprogress.org/2011/01/30/egyptian-tunisian-riots-food-prices-extreme-weather-and-high-oil-prices/" type="external">food</a> and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/31/egypt-turmoil-pushes-oil-over-100-dollars" type="external">fuel</a>—and you have a situation so combustible that no one should have been surprised when a <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175346/tomgram%3A_juan_cole%2C_american_policy_on_the_brink/" type="external">Tunisian match</a> lit it aflame.</p>
<p>That this moment began in the Greater Middle East should be no surprise either. That it might not end there should not be ruled out. This looks like, but may not be, an “Islamic” moment. If the second wave of American unilateralists ensured that this would start as a Middle Eastern phenomenon, conditions for people’s-power movements exist elsewhere as well.</p>
<p>The Gates of Hell</p>
<p>Nobody today remembers how, in September 2004, Amr Musa, the head of the Arab League, <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0914-01.htm" type="external">described</a> the post-invasion Iraqi situation. “The gates of hell,” he said, “are open in Iraq.” This was not the sort of language we were used to hearing in the US, no matter what you felt about the war. It read—and probably still reads—like an over-the-top metaphor, but it could as easily be taken as a realistic depiction of what happened not just in Iraq, but in the Greater Middle East and, to some extent, in the world.</p>
<p>Our unilateralists twice drove blithely through those gates, imagining that they were the gates to paradise. The results are now clear for all to see.</p>
<p>And don’t forget, the gates of hell remain open. Keep your eyes on at least two places, starting with Saudi Arabia, about which practically no one is yet writing, though one of these days its situation could turn out to be shakier than now imagined. Certainly, whoever controls the Saudi stock market thought so, because as the situation grew more tumultuous in Egypt, Saudi stocks took a <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-29/saudi-arabian-stocks-tumble-most-in-eight-months-as-egyptians-defy-curfew.html" type="external">nosedive</a>. With Saudi Arabia, you couldn’t get more basic when it comes to US policy or the fate of the planet, given the amount of oil still under its desert sands. And then don’t forget the potentially most frightening country of all, Pakistan, where the final gasp of America’s military unilateralists is <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175336/tomgram%3A_engelhardt,_war_is_a_drug/" type="external">still playing itself out</a> as if on a reel of film that just won’t end.</p>
<p>Yes, the Obama administration may squeeze by in the region for a while. Perhaps the Egyptian high command—half of which seems to have been in Washington at the moment the you-know-what hit the fan in their own country—will take over and perhaps they will suppress people power again for a period. Who knows?</p>
<p>One thing is clear inside the gates of hell: whatever wild flowers or weeds turn out to be capable of growing in the soil tilled so assiduously by the victors of 1991, Pax Americana proved to be a Pox Americana for the region and the world.</p>
<p>Tom Engelhardt, co-founder of the <a href="http://www.americanempireproject.com/" type="external">American Empire Project</a>, runs the Nation Institute’s <a href="../../" type="external">TomDispatch.com</a>. His latest book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608460711/ref=nosim/?tag=tomdispatch-20" type="external">The American Way of War: How Bush’s Wars Became Obama’s</a> (Haymarket Books). You can catch him discussing war American-style and that book in a Timothy MacBain TomCast video by clicking <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/videonation#p/a/u/0/GLHgTnxXyns" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>[Note for TomDispatch Readers: Paul Woodward of the <a href="http://warincontext.org/" type="external">War in Context</a> website has been offering remarkable ongoing coverage of the fast developing story in Egypt and the Middle East (including striking visuals and video clips). Not surprisingly, the updates and analysis of Juan Cole at his <a href="http://www.juancole.com/" type="external">Informed Comment</a> blog has been invaluable, as has been the collecting of relevant reporting at <a href="http://www.antiwar.com/" type="external">Antiwar.com</a>. For three provocative pieces on the Obama administration and developing events, you might check out Jonathan Schell on the <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/158193/revolutionary-moment" type="external">US government versus people power</a>, Gareth Porter on why the US <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/01/31-9" type="external">clings to an illusory quest</a>for dominance in the Middle East, and Eric Margolis on <a href="http://www.lewrockwell.com/margolis/margolis225.html" type="external">America’s crumbling Mideast Raj</a>.]</p> | The Middle East’s Pox Americana | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/american-role-in-egypt/ | 2011-02-08 | 4 |
<p>From left, Audre Lorde and Mel Boozer (Photo of Lorde by K. Kendall courtesy of Flickr; Washington Blade photo of Boozer by Lisa Keen)</p>
<p>In honor of Black History Month, the Washington Blade is profiling two figures in the LGBT rights movement who may not be as well known as other LGBT historic figures.</p>
<p>But many activists familiar with LGBT rights developments from the 1980s through the early 1990s agree that D.C. gay activist Melvin Boozer and lesbian feminist writer, poet, and political activist Audre Lorde made important contributions to LGBT equality.</p>
<p>Audre Lorde (Photo by Rooturu; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)</p>
<p>Born in New York City in 1934 as a child of West Indian immigrants, Audre Lorde became interested in poetry in her early teens, with her first published poem appearing in Seventeen Magazine when she was still in high school, according to author Joan Martin, co-contributor to the book Black Women Writers (1950-1980): A Critical Evaluation.</p>
<p>Martin and others familiar with Lorde’s early years said Lorde embraced poetry a medium for expressing her strong advocacy for social justice causes, including the movements for African American, women’s, LGBT, and immigrants’ rights.</p>
<p>The author of 15 books of poetry and prose, Lorde was designated Poet Laureate of New York State from 1991 to 1993.</p>
<p>She graduated from New York’s Hunter College High School, a secondary school for intellectually gifted students, in 1951. A University of Illinois biographical paper on Lorde says she confirmed her identity as both a lesbian and a poet in 1954 during a year as a student at the National University of Mexico.</p>
<p>After returning to New York Lorde graduated from Hunter College in 1959 and soon became active in the gay culture of Greenwich Village. A short time later she attended Columbia University, where she received a master’s degree in Library Science in 1961.</p>
<p>A short time later, while working as a librarian, she married attorney Edwin Rollins and had two children, Elizabeth and Jonathan, before the couple divorced in 1970. During that period Lorde took the position of writer-in-residence at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, where she led workshops with her undergraduate students on issues of civil rights.</p>
<p>Also during that period she completed a book of poems called Cables to Rage. In 1984, Lorde began a position as visiting professor at the Free University in Berlin, Germany, where, among other things, she helped organize civil rights efforts among Afro-German women.</p>
<p>Lorde also became known for elegant prose writing in addition to poetry. Among her most noteworthy works, her biographers have said, was “The Cancer Journals,” a moving personal account of her struggle with breast cancer and her self-described confrontation with the possibility of death.</p>
<p>“For Lorde, self-expression and self-discovery are never ends in themselves,” wrote author Ana Louise Keating in the Journal of Homosexuality. “Because she sees her desire to comprehend her battle with cancer as ‘part of a continuum of women’s work, of reclaiming this earth and or power,’ she is confident that her self-explorations will empower her readers,” Keating said.</p>
<p>Also considered noteworthy in her writing career was the release of her 1982 novel “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name,” which her publisher called a “biomythography, combining elements of history, biography and myth.”</p>
<p>The following year Lorde received national attention in the LGBT and the wider community when she was selected as a speaker at the 20th anniversary commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington organized by Martin Luther King Jr.</p>
<p>Black LGBT groups that participated in the 1983 event selected Lorde to be a speaker before organizers of the event agreed to allow an out LGBT person to speak at the mass gathering on the National Mall.</p>
<p>The organizers reportedly reversed their initial refusal to allow an LGBT speaker after D.C. gay activists Phil Pannell, Mel Boozer, and Ray Melrose, among others, staged a sit-in at the Capitol Hill office of then-D.C. Congressional Del. Walter Fauntroy, who opposed an LGBT speaker. Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King’s wife, reportedly told the organizers she wanted Lorde to be one of the speakers.</p>
<p>“In her three-minute speech, Lorde challenged the audience to broaden its thoughts on social justice and to be inclusive to everyone,” said writer Phillip Zonkel, who gave an account of Lorde’s speech in a biographical paper on Lorde.</p>
<p>“Audre said, ‘There’s a war on classism, homophobia, ageism, racism, sexism,’” Zonkel wrote. “We need everyone to fight this war. You’re not going to include us? Are we not black enough?” he quoted Lorde as saying.</p>
<p>Activists familiar with the 1983 event said Lorde’s speech had an important impact on many mainline civil rights leaders and activists who, up until that time, had little or no direct interaction with an out African-American lesbian or gay man involved in the civil rights movement.</p>
<p>“She consistently challenged racism, sexism, classism and homophobia, serving as a catalyst for change within and among social movements, in which she herself participated,” said filmmaker Jennifer Abod, who in 2012 produced a biographical video on Lorde called “The Vision of Audre Lorde.”</p>
<p>Lorde died in 1992 from the breast cancer that she fought and wrote about widely through her poetry and prose.</p>
<p>Mel Boozer on the floor of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 13, 1980. (Washington Blade archive photo by Lisa M. Keen)</p>
<p>Melvin Boozer began what friends and fellow activists say was a relatively short but highly effective tenure as an LGBT rights leader with national stature in 1979, when he was elected president of the then-Gay Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>Boozer, who grew up in D.C. and graduated salutatorian of his class at Dunbar High School, received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and later received a Ph.D. at Yale University in sociology. Around the time he became involved in gay rights activities in D.C. he became a professor of sociology at the University of Maryland.</p>
<p>During his two-year tenure as GAA president, where he had the distinction of becoming the first African American to serve as president, Boozer is credited with playing an important role in advancing a number of important local LGBT rights efforts. Among them was the passage by the D.C. City Council of a Sexual Assault Reform Act, which repealed the city’s sodomy law.</p>
<p>Boozer emerged as a strong critic of Congress a short time later, when, under pressure from conservative groups, Congress voted to overturn the sodomy repeal measure.</p>
<p>Other projects Boozer helped to advance was GLAA’s successful campaign to secure approval for GLAA, as the first LGBT group, to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in memory of both LGBT people and all others who lost their lives in military service.</p>
<p>Also under Boozer’s tenure, GLAA won a court fight for the right to place posters promoting LGBT equality in the city’s Metro buses.</p>
<p>Following his tenure at GAA, which later became the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, Boozer became director of the National Gay Task Force’s D.C. office and subsequently president of the newly formed Langston Hughes-Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, which represented LGBT Democrats.</p>
<p>In October of 1979, Boozer marched in the first national March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.</p>
<p>One year later, Boozer greatly expanded his LGBT rights efforts to the national stage when he became a speaker at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York. Gay Democratic activists, in an effort to increase the visibility of gay rights efforts, startled many attending the convention by invoking a party rule that allowed them to place Boozer’s name in nomination for Vice President of the United States.</p>
<p>Although they never expected Boozer would win the nomination, the activists moved ahead with the effort to enable Boozer to address the full convention as a prospective nominee. In a moving speech from the convention’s main rostrum, Boozer gave a personal account of how he had experienced anti-gay prejudice.</p>
<p>“Would you ask me how I dare to compare the civil rights struggle with the struggle for lesbian and gay rights?” Boozer told more than 1,000 delegates and others attending the convention.</p>
<p>“I can compare them and I do compare them, because I know what it means to be called a ‘nigger’ and I know what it means to be called a ‘faggot,’ and I understand the differences in the marrow of my bones,” he said. “And I can sum up that difference in one word: none.”</p>
<p>Boozer’s speech drew widespread praise within LGBT circles and among many of the delegates attending the convention, which eventually nominated Walter Mondale as the vice presidential candidate and Jimmy Carter, the incumbent president, as the 1980 Democratic nominee for re-election.</p>
<p>A biography of Boozer by D.C.’s Rainbow History Project says Boozer’s ascent as a gay rights figure came at a time of “great social, intellectual and political ferment in D.C.’s African American gay community.” The biography notes that Boozer played an important role in the expanding visibility and prominence of African-Americans gays and lesbians in D.C. politics at that time.</p>
<p>In the last year of his life in early 1987 then-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry and members of the D.C. Council honored Boozer for his contributions to the LGBT community and to the city as a whole.</p>
<p>Boozer died of complications associated with AIDS on March 6, 1987.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">african american</a> <a href="" type="internal">Audre Lorde</a> <a href="" type="internal">Black History Month</a> <a href="" type="internal">Black Women Writers (1950-1980): A Critical Evaluation</a> <a href="" type="internal">Columbia University</a> <a href="" type="internal">Coretta Scott King</a> <a href="" type="internal">D.C.</a> <a href="" type="internal">D.C. City Council</a> <a href="" type="internal">Democratic National Convention</a> <a href="" type="internal">Dunbar High School</a> <a href="" type="internal">Edwin Rollins</a> <a href="" type="internal">GAA</a> <a href="" type="internal">Greenwich Village</a> <a href="" type="internal">Hunter College</a> <a href="" type="internal">Hunter College High School</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jennifer Abod</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joan Martin</a> <a href="" type="internal">LGBT</a> <a href="" type="internal">Mel Boozer</a> <a href="" type="internal">Melvin Boozer</a> <a href="" type="internal">National University of Mexico</a> <a href="" type="internal">Phil Pannell</a> <a href="" type="internal">Phillip Zonkel</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ray Melrose</a> <a href="" type="internal">Seventeen Magazine</a> <a href="" type="internal">Sexual Assault Reform Act</a> <a href="" type="internal">University of Illinois</a> <a href="" type="internal">Walter Fauntroy</a> <a href="" type="internal">Yale University</a></p> | Honoring contributions of Audre Lorde, Melvin Boozer | false | http://washingtonblade.com/2017/02/24/honoring-contributions-audre-lorde-melvin-boozer/ | 3 |
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