text
stringlengths 0
127k
| title
stringlengths 0
777
| hyperpartisan
bool 2
classes | url
stringlengths 26
278
| published_at
stringlengths 0
10
| bias
int64 0
4
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<p>ST. LOUIS (AP) - Carter Hutton isn't playing like a backup goalie for the St. Louis Blues. He's playing like one of the game's best.</p>
<p>Paul Stastny broke a third-period tie with his eighth goal of the season, Hutton continued his hot play in goal and St. Louis beat the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Alexander Steen also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight. Hutton made 32 saves, including two tough stops early in the third while the game was tied.</p>
<p>"Some of the saves he's making, probably the last three games, he's got six that should be in the top 10 this year," Steen said. "He's been outstanding for us."</p>
<p>Hutton, making his third straight start in place of starter Jake Allen, earned his eighth win of the season and is 12-3 in his last 15 starts.</p>
<p>"If I play once every two weeks or three games in a row, it doesn't matter to me," Hutton said. "I just try to compete and go hard. No matter who's in net we're going to pull the weight around here."</p>
<p>Erik Haula scored for Vegas, which had its NHL expansion record eight-game winning streak snapped. Marc-Andre Fleury made 37 saves but lost for the first time in six starts.</p>
<p>Stastny's first goal in 12 games gave the Blues a 2-1 lead at 5:58 of the third period. Stastny poked in his own rebound after Fleury lost sight of it.</p>
<p>"When I shot it, I didn't know where it went because it was more of a reaction," Stastny said. "Sometimes you get all the good chances and it's the ones like that that go in."</p>
<p>Fleury didn't realize the puck trickled past him and was sitting on the goal line when Stastny poked it in.</p>
<p>"I thought I had it and I think a teammate told me I had it too so. ... it just squeaked by I'm sure," Fleury said. "It's disappointing when it's that type of goal that goes in."</p>
<p>Steen gave the Blues a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. It was his second goal in 23 games and his first non-empty-net goal since Nov. 16 at Edmonton.</p>
<p>The tally also tied Steen with Keith Tkachuk for eighth on the Blues' career points list with 427.</p>
<p>Fleury kept Vegas within a goal by making several saves during a prolonged flurry by Steen's line early in the second period.</p>
<p>Haula tied it on a one-timer from James Neal midway through the second. A check from former Blue David Perron created the turnover that led to the Vegas goal.</p>
<p>"We didn't play a bad game, we just weren't good enough to win it and we had some good chances at the end of the game," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. "Hutton made some real key saves."</p>
<p>Hutton kept the game tied with a glove save on Neal early in the third period. He then ranged way out of the crease to stall Alex Tuch's potential breakaway.</p>
<p>"If you hesitate you're lost there," Hutton said. "One of those I had a read at it. ... I knew I had to beat him. I'm just glad he kind of slowed up instead of burying me."</p>
<p>Hutton also stood tall late, making four saves in the game's final minute as the Golden Knights made a final push with the extra attacker.</p>
<p>"I think Hutts was big for us," Stastny said. "Made the initial stops, made the rebound stops and had a couple big stops on a couple scrambles. At the end there he was cool, calm and collected like he always is."</p>
<p>NOTES: This was the first-ever meeting between the Blues and the Golden Knights at Scottrade Center. ... The Golden Knights signed C Jonathan Marchessault to a six-year contract extension worth $30 million on Wednesday. ... The Golden Knights scratched C Ryan Carpenter, L Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and D Brad Hunt. ... The Blues scratched R Chris Thorburn, D Vince Dunn and C Oskar Sundqvist.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Golden Knights: Play at Chicago on Friday night.</p>
<p>Blues: Play at Philadelphia on Saturday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP hockey: <a href="" type="internal" /> <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p>
<p>ST. LOUIS (AP) - Carter Hutton isn't playing like a backup goalie for the St. Louis Blues. He's playing like one of the game's best.</p>
<p>Paul Stastny broke a third-period tie with his eighth goal of the season, Hutton continued his hot play in goal and St. Louis beat the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Alexander Steen also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight. Hutton made 32 saves, including two tough stops early in the third while the game was tied.</p>
<p>"Some of the saves he's making, probably the last three games, he's got six that should be in the top 10 this year," Steen said. "He's been outstanding for us."</p>
<p>Hutton, making his third straight start in place of starter Jake Allen, earned his eighth win of the season and is 12-3 in his last 15 starts.</p>
<p>"If I play once every two weeks or three games in a row, it doesn't matter to me," Hutton said. "I just try to compete and go hard. No matter who's in net we're going to pull the weight around here."</p>
<p>Erik Haula scored for Vegas, which had its NHL expansion record eight-game winning streak snapped. Marc-Andre Fleury made 37 saves but lost for the first time in six starts.</p>
<p>Stastny's first goal in 12 games gave the Blues a 2-1 lead at 5:58 of the third period. Stastny poked in his own rebound after Fleury lost sight of it.</p>
<p>"When I shot it, I didn't know where it went because it was more of a reaction," Stastny said. "Sometimes you get all the good chances and it's the ones like that that go in."</p>
<p>Fleury didn't realize the puck trickled past him and was sitting on the goal line when Stastny poked it in.</p>
<p>"I thought I had it and I think a teammate told me I had it too so. ... it just squeaked by I'm sure," Fleury said. "It's disappointing when it's that type of goal that goes in."</p>
<p>Steen gave the Blues a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. It was his second goal in 23 games and his first non-empty-net goal since Nov. 16 at Edmonton.</p>
<p>The tally also tied Steen with Keith Tkachuk for eighth on the Blues' career points list with 427.</p>
<p>Fleury kept Vegas within a goal by making several saves during a prolonged flurry by Steen's line early in the second period.</p>
<p>Haula tied it on a one-timer from James Neal midway through the second. A check from former Blue David Perron created the turnover that led to the Vegas goal.</p>
<p>"We didn't play a bad game, we just weren't good enough to win it and we had some good chances at the end of the game," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. "Hutton made some real key saves."</p>
<p>Hutton kept the game tied with a glove save on Neal early in the third period. He then ranged way out of the crease to stall Alex Tuch's potential breakaway.</p>
<p>"If you hesitate you're lost there," Hutton said. "One of those I had a read at it. ... I knew I had to beat him. I'm just glad he kind of slowed up instead of burying me."</p>
<p>Hutton also stood tall late, making four saves in the game's final minute as the Golden Knights made a final push with the extra attacker.</p>
<p>"I think Hutts was big for us," Stastny said. "Made the initial stops, made the rebound stops and had a couple big stops on a couple scrambles. At the end there he was cool, calm and collected like he always is."</p>
<p>NOTES: This was the first-ever meeting between the Blues and the Golden Knights at Scottrade Center. ... The Golden Knights signed C Jonathan Marchessault to a six-year contract extension worth $30 million on Wednesday. ... The Golden Knights scratched C Ryan Carpenter, L Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and D Brad Hunt. ... The Blues scratched R Chris Thorburn, D Vince Dunn and C Oskar Sundqvist.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Golden Knights: Play at Chicago on Friday night.</p>
<p>Blues: Play at Philadelphia on Saturday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP hockey: <a href="" type="internal" /> <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</a></p> | Stastny, Steen score to lift Blues over Golden Knights 2-1 | false | https://apnews.com/e48a4aa935204a6eab283bfe2443b32c | 2018-01-05 | 2 |
<p>Jan 17 (Reuters) -</p>
<p>* SURVEYMONKEY IS EXPECTED TO GO PUBLIC LATER THIS YEAR- RECODE, CITING SOURCES?? Source text : <a href="http://bit.ly" type="external">bit.ly</a></p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that an immigration statute requiring the deportation of noncitizens who commit felonies is unlawfully vague in a decision that could limit the Trump administration's ability to step up the removal of immigrants with criminal records.</p> FILE PHOTO: Police officers stand in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, U.S., January 19, 2018. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/File Photo
<p>The court, in a 5-4 ruling in which President Donald Trump's conservative appointee Neil Gorsuch joined the court's four liberal justices, sided with convicted California burglar James Garcia Dimaya, a legal immigrant from the Philippines.</p>
<p>The court upheld a 2015 lower court ruling that the Immigration and Nationality Act provision requiring Dimaya's deportation created uncertainty over which crimes may be considered violent, risking arbitrary enforcement in violation of the U.S. Constitution.</p>
<p>The ruling helps clarify the criminal acts for which legal immigrants may be expelled at a time of intense focus on immigration issues in the United States as Trump seeks to increase deportations of immigrants who have committed crimes.</p>
<p>Liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote the court's ruling, delivering a setback to the Trump administration, which had defended the law at issue.</p>
<p>"Vague laws invite arbitrary power," Gorsuch wrote in a concurring opinion, adding that the American colonies in the 18th century cited vague English law like the crime of treason as among the reasons for the American revolution.</p>
<p>"Today's vague laws may not be as invidious, but they can invite the exercise of arbitrary power all the same - by leaving the people in the dark about what the law demands and allowing prosecutors and courts to make it up," Gorsuch added.</p>
<p>Dimaya came to the United States from the Philippines as a legal permanent resident in 1992 at age 13. He lived in the San Francisco Bay area.</p>
<p>Federal authorities ordered Dimaya deported after he was convicted in two California home burglaries, in 2007 and 2009, though neither crime involved violence. He received a two-year prison sentence for each conviction.</p>
<p>In 2010, the government sought to deport Dimaya. The Justice Department's Board of Immigration Appeals, an administrative body that applies immigration laws, refused to cancel his expulsion because the relevant law defined burglary as a "crime of violence."</p>
<p>In the federal criminal code, a "crime of violence" includes offenses in which force either was used or carried a "substantial risk" that it would be used.</p>
<p>The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2015 that the definition as applied to legal immigrants was so vague that it violated their rights to due process of law under the U.S. Constitution. The language of the law could lead arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement, that court said.</p>
<p>The appeals court relied on a decision that same year by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found that a similar provision in a federal criminal sentencing law was overly broad.</p>
<p>The federal government appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the U.S. Congress had reasonably identified a category of crimes that carry the risk of violence, and suggested that the justices should defer to the immigration authorities.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on Oct. 2, the first day of its current nine-month term. It initially heard arguments in January 2017 when the nine-seat court was one justice short, but decided in June after Gorsuch brought the court to full strength to have the case re-argued.</p>
<p>Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May apologized to 12 Caribbean nations on Tuesday for immigration officials' harsh treatment of people from those countries who migrated to Britain as children after World War Two.</p> Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May hosts a meeting with leaders and representatives of Caribbean countries, at 10 Downing Street in London April 17, 2018. Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via Reuters
<p>The "Windrush generation" were invited to Britain to plug labor shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, but some of their descendants have been caught up in a tightening of immigration rules overseen by May in 2012 when she was interior minister.</p>
<p>Some people have been wrongly labeled illegal immigrants, asked to provide documentary evidence of their life in Britain they had never previously been required to keep, and in some cases denied rights, detained and threatened with deportation.</p>
<p>"I want to apologize to you today because we are genuinely sorry for any anxiety that has been caused," May told leaders and diplomats from the Caribbean countries, who were in London for a summit of Commonwealth heads of government.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-britain-chogm-windrush-spokesman/britain-expresses-regret-to-12-caribbean-nations-over-windrush-residents-idUSKBN1HO1F6" type="external">Britain expresses regret to 12 Caribbean nations over 'Windrush' residents</a>
<p>The scandal over the mistreatment of people from what were once British colonies has cast a shadow over the summit, which is supposed to strengthen Britain's ties to fellow Commonwealth countries as it prepares to leave the European Union.</p>
<p>Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness highlighted the issue at a plenary session of the summit, drawing cheers from his fellow leaders as he said the Windrush generation had enriched Britain and contributed to society.</p>
<p>"Now these persons are not able to claim their place as citizens," he said. May was on stage as he spoke, having delivered her own speech just before.</p>
<p>Named after a ship that brought migrants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands in 1948, the Windrush generation enjoyed a special status, but that has been eroded over the years by successive immigration reforms.</p> ?NATIONAL DISGRACE?
<p>After an outcry caused by coverage in British media of people who had lost jobs or been denied healthcare because of unwarranted doubts over their rights, the government set up a dedicated team at the interior ministry to solve cases.</p>
<p>"We would also like to reassure you that there will be no removals or detention as part of any assistance to help these citizens get their proper documentation in place," wrote Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, to Caribbean foreign ministers and ambassadors.</p>
<p>There was confusion over whether any Windrush descendants had already been deported after Nokes and other ministers gave conflicting details on Monday.</p>
<p>"We have no information, we do not know of any cases where somebody has been deported who is in this category," Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington said on Tuesday.</p>
<p>David Lammy, a member of parliament from the opposition Labour Party who has argued passionately for justice for the Windrush migrants, tweeted that he had just received a call from an elderly mother whose son was due to be deported on Wednesday.</p> Leaders and representatives of Caribbean countries attend a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street in London April 17, 2018. Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via Reuters
<p>"This is a national disgrace," he said. "What is going (on) makes me ashamed of our great country."</p>
<p>Later on, Lammy tweeted again that he had received a call from Nokes who had informed him that the deportation had been halted and the case would be reviewed.</p>
<p>Although the government has described the problems facing Windrush individuals as a result of bureaucratic bungling, critics such as Lammy have said the situation stems from the Conservative government's hostility towards immigrants.</p>
<p>May's six-year tenure at the interior ministry was marked by a determination to reduce immigration numbers, a goal she has continued to emphasize as prime minister and in Brexit negotiations.</p>
<p>In 2013, her ministry sent vans around multicultural neighborhoods instructing illegal immigrants to "Go Home or Face Arrest".</p>
<p>Reporting by Estelle Shirbon and William James; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Alison Williams</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's drive to build a large power-generating turbine to lessen its dependence on Western technology has suffered a major set-back after a prototype broke beyond repair, two sources familiar with the project told Reuters.</p>
<p>In the past few years Russia has imported the large-capacity gas turbines required to run modern power stations from firms such as Siemens, GE and Alstom.</p>
<p>After Western sanctions were imposed on Russia over the conflict with Ukraine four years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged officials to replace imported technology with home-grown substitutes in energy, software, aerospace and medicine.</p>
<p>The mishap with the 110 Megawatt turbine, a capacity large enough to power a sizeable town, underlines the technical challenges.</p>
<p>Testing was underway on a prototype 110 MW turbine at the Saturn engineering plant in Rybinsk, central Russia, in December last year according to one of the two sources, who are both in the energy sector and familiar with the results of the tests.</p>
<p>"The turbine fell apart," said the first source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. "They tried to repair it in time for March, but they did not manage it."</p>
<p>March was the target date for completion of tests on the turbine. Putin, in power since 1999, won a second consecutive term in an election on March 18.</p>
<p>The first source, and a second source, both said it was not possible to rebuild the prototype turbine and the project would have to start again with new equipment.</p>
<p>"The turbine broke up," said the second source, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. "There's no turbine, that's it."</p> ?NOT FATAL?
<p>Without any home-grown equivalents, Russia should in most cases still be able to buy turbines from Western suppliers, but U.S. and European Union sanctions have made it harder to import Western power technology under certain circumstances.</p>
<p>Last year Russia clandestinely delivered turbines made by Siemens to a power station in Crimea, which is subject to sanctions, and the European Union retaliated by imposing extra sanctions on officials and companies involved in the operation.</p>
<p>Set-backs to the domestic turbine program could hamper the modernization of power generation if growing tensions with Western states result in tighter sanctions since Russia's modernization plan is focused on using gas turbines.</p>
<p>The technical hitch also carries a potential political cost: Putin has publicly trumpeted progress in replacing Western technology imports, so any failures will jar with the picture of success he has painted.</p>
<p>The new turbine is being developed by a consortium of ODK, a unit of state-owned conglomerate Rostec that owns the Saturn factory where the testing was being conducted, Russian state technology firm RUSNANO, and state energy firm InterRAO.</p>
<p>In a statement, ODK said one of the mechanisms of the prototype turbine had malfunctioned. It said that would delay work on the project, but could be fixed. "It is not fatal for the project." It said set-backs were to be expected since this was a pioneering project for Russia.</p>
<p>RUSNANO acknowledged there had been an accident but gave no details. It said it remained committed to the turbine project and expects it will be completed. InterRAO declined to comment.</p>
<p>Russia's Trade and Industry Ministry, which oversees the machine-building sector, declined to comment and referred questions to Rostec.</p> WESTERN SANCTIONS
<p>Large capacity gas turbines have been in use around the world for years but their construction is tricky to perfect.</p>
<p>Because they operate at extremely high speeds and high temperatures, they need to be engineered to very precise standards and they use sophisticated electronic control systems to make sure that they operate efficiently.</p>
<p>For many years Russia made no major investment in developing the technology because it was able to import the turbines or the know-how to produce them. A scheme started in the 1990s to develop a large-capacity turbine produced prototypes but they did not go into production.</p>
<p>At a meeting in Russia's second city of Saint Petersburg in May last year, chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said a 110 MW turbine had been developed and testing should be completed by March 2018.</p>
<p>"This is the first Russian produced powerful machine with 100-percent domestic manufacture and it will, of course, help us to completely substitute purchases of foreign equipment of this capacity," Novak told the meeting. His ministry did not respond to questions on Tuesday about the set-back.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; writing by Christian Lowe; editing by Philippa Fletcher</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army began preparatory shelling for an assault on the last area outside its control near Damascus on Tuesday, a commander in the pro-government alliance said, building on its recent capture of the major suburb of eastern Ghouta.</p> Members of Syrian police sit at a damaged building at the city of Douma, Damascus, Syria April 16, 2018. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho
<p>Recovering the Yarmouk camp and neighboring areas located south of the city would give President Bashar al-Assad complete control over Syria's capital, further consolidating his grip on power.</p>
<p>Yarmouk, Syria's biggest camp for Palestinian refugees since the mid-20th century, has been under the control of Islamic State fighters for several years. Although the vast majority of residents have fled, the United Nations says thousands remain.</p>
<p>Assad has benefited from Russian air power since 2015 to regain large swathes of Syria, putting him in his strongest position since the early months of the seven-year-old war.</p>
<p>The war has killed more than 500,000 people and has drawn in regional and global powers. The United States, Britain and France launched their first coordinated strikes against Assad's government on Saturday in retaliation for what they say was a poison gas attack on April 7 that killed scores of residents in Douma, the last town in the eastern Ghouta to fall.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-germany/merkel-putin-agree-must-focus-on-political-process-for-syria-germany-idUSKBN1HO1KQ" type="external">Merkel, Putin agree must focus on political process for Syria: Germany</a>
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey/erdogan-rouhani-agree-to-maintain-turkey-iran-russia-cooperation-in-syria-idUSKBN1HO1VG" type="external">Erdogan, Rouhani agree to maintain Turkey, Iran, Russia cooperation in Syria</a>
<p>The Western missiles destroyed three targets that had been evacuated in advance, but did nothing to alter the wider course of the war, leaving Assad's Russian-backed forces still on the offensive with the goal of recapturing the entire country.</p>
<p>Damascus and Moscow have both denied using poison gas and have broadcast statements from hospital workers in Douma - which medical aid groups operating in rebel areas have dismissed as propaganda - saying that no chemical attack took place.</p>
<p>A team of international chemical weapons inspectors that arrived in Damascus on Friday has still not visited Douma to gather evidence, though Russia said it would do so on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Syrian state media reported that missiles had again targeted an airbase overnight, but a commander in the regional military alliance backing the government later told Reuters it was a false alarm.</p>
<p>The commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new offensive would target Islamic State and Nusra Front militants in Yarmouk camp and al-Hajar al-Aswad district. Rebels in the adjoining Beit Sahm area would withdraw on buses through an agreement with the government, the commander said.</p> ASSAULT
<p>A government media tour on Monday of Douma, the biggest town in the former rebel enclave of eastern Ghouta just outside Damascus, revealed severe destruction and the plight of residents who had survived years of siege.</p>
<p>The assault on eastern Ghouta began in February and ended in government victory on Saturday when rebels withdrew from the town, hours after the Western countries were finished with their air strikes on buildings they said were used to research or store chemical weapons and equipment.</p>
<p>Each of the rebel groups controlling areas of eastern Ghouta eventually agreed surrender deals that involved withdrawal to opposition-held areas of northwestern Syria including Idlib.</p>
<p>After the recapture of eastern Ghouta, Assad still has several smaller pockets of ground to recover from rebels, as well as two major areas they hold in the northwest and southwest.</p>
<p>Besides the pocket south of Damascus, rebels still hold besieged enclaves in the town of Dumayr northeast of Damascus, in the Eastern Qalamoun mountains nearby, and around Rastan north of Homs.</p>
<p>The pro-government commander said the army had prepared for military action in the Eastern Qalamoun, but that Russia was working on the militants' withdrawal without a battle. State television said on Tuesday that rebels in Dumayr had also agreed to withdraw.</p>
<p>In northwest Syria, the largest area still held by rebels, a government assault could bring Damascus into confrontation with Turkey, which has set up a string of military observation posts in the area.</p>
<p>Ali Akbar Velayati, a top Iranian official, said during a visit to Damascus last week that he hoped that the army would soon regain Idlib and areas of eastern Syria now held by an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias backed by Washington.</p>
<p>Reporting by Laila Bassam, additional reporting by Dahlia Nehme; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Peter Graff</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | BRIEF-Surveymonkey Expected To Go Public Later This Year- Recode Supreme Court restricts deportations of immigrant felons May apologizes to Caribbean countries for UK treatment of post-war migrants Exclusive: Russia's drive to replace Western power technology hits snag Assad prepares to assault last rebel enclave near Damascus | false | https://reuters.com/article/brief-surveymonkey-expected-to-go-public/brief-surveymonkey-expected-to-go-public-later-this-year-recode-idUSFWN1PC1BQ | 2018-01-17 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Last week, Martinez issued an executive order requiring state agencies to allow their workers to take up to eight hours of annual paid leave - depending on how many children they have - to attend school conferences.</p>
<p>In the order, Martinez described parent-teacher conferences as a way for parents to become "informed and involved" in their children's education.</p>
<p>However, Connie Derr, executive director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union in New Mexico, said the Martinez administration has, in negotiations for a new state collective bargaining agreement, sought to limit the ability of parents to attend such conferences.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>"AFSCME would like to believe that the governor has evolved in her thinking on the issue, but it is clearly a political move," said Derr. But she also said the recent order was a "good change."</p>
<p>In response, state Personnel Office General Counsel Randi Johnson said there were discussions in 2011 - around the beginning of negotiations for a new contract - about whether employee leave time policies should be changed, altered or removed.</p>
<p>But Johnson said those discussions were driven by a desire to ensure employees were not improperly using such leave time.</p>
<p>"The Governor's Office has been consistent and clear that it supports parent-teacher conference leave, and simply feels processes should be in place to ensure that it's not abused," Johnson said in an email.</p>
<p>The state's previous collective bargaining agreement expired at the end of 2011 but is still in place until a new one can be hammered out.</p>
<p>Under that contract, only state employees who are union members are explicitly allowed to take time off for parent-teacher conferences. They can use unpaid leave or accrued "comp" time to cover time spent away from work.</p>
<p>Martinez's executive order, which took effect immediately upon being signed, applies to all state employees, regardless of whether they are union members.</p>
<p>The Republican governor also urged businesses statewide to enact similar policies.</p>
<p>The new executive order is a "good change," Derr said, since it will not require employees to use their personal leave or sacrifice pay in order to take part in parent-teacher conferences.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Gov. Martinez accused of policy reversal | false | https://abqjournal.com/404883/official-denies-leave-policy-reversal-claim.html | 2014-05-23 | 2 |
<p>When it comes to saving tax dollars, Washington keeps dropping the ball, at least according to Sen. James Lankford.</p>
<p>The Oklahoma Republican released his annual <a href="https://www.lankford.senate.gov/fumbles" type="external">"Federal Fumbles" report</a> on Monday, which highlights 100 examples of wasteful federal spending.</p>
<p>“Our $20 trillion national debt will continue to increase until we implement spending cuts, government reforms, and create a healthy economy. This Federal Fumbles report provides commonsense examples of ways to limit our spending and fix government inefficiency,” Lankford said in a statement.</p>
<p>In total, the report found over $400 billion in wasteful federal spending.</p>
<p>Here are five examples from the report:</p>
<p>1. Missing military equipment</p>
<p>The Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General released a <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2017/May/08/2001774206/-1/-1/1/DODIG-2016-134.pdf" type="external">report</a> last year, which found the DOD was unable to keep track of more than $1 billion in equipment.</p>
<p>Items like Humvees, small arms, mortars and other weapons meant for forces in Iraq could not be tracked. The DOD couldn't confirm that the items had made it to the region, they had no way of knowing that it actually made it in to the hands of Iraqi forces.</p>
<p>"Before allocating funds in the future, Congress should work with the DOD to put in place a system to track equipment from purchase to transfer and every step in between. There should also be consequences for those who do not follow procedures, especially when the result is lost equipment valued at more than $1 billion of your tax dollars," Lankford said in the report.</p>
<p />
<p>2. Paying for weight loss</p>
<p>Over the last five years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has spent $1.6 million on research to discover that people will lose more weight if they are paid to shed the pounds.</p>
<p>Researched divided participants into three groups. The first group was given direct financial compensation, members of the second group were entered into a lottery system to incentive weight loss and members of the third group were given daily encouragement, but no financial compensation.</p>
<p>The results of the study have not yet been published, but NIH did a similar study in 2008, which found that the group of people who were paid lost more weight.</p>
<p>"Why the NIH funded this research in the first place is unknown. The average American could have told them that financial incentives work," Lankford said.</p>
<p>3. One-billion dollar trolley</p>
<p>Late in 2016, The Department of Transportation announced a $1.04 billion grant to expand the city of San Diego's trolley services by 10.9 miles. That adds up to about $100 million per mile. The expanded trolley service is expected to be operational by 2021.</p>
<p>However, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, that $1 billion could have paid to pave 100 to 250 new miles of four-lane highways anywhere in the U.S.</p>
<p>4. Federal grazing deficit</p>
<p>Ranchers can graze their cattle on federally owned land for a small fee, which is meant to help cover the cost to maintain the land, but the federal government is drastically undercharging ranchers, according to Lankford's report.</p>
<p>The nationwide federal grazing fee is set at $1.87 per head of cattle. By comparison, a rancher in Oklahoma or Texas pay $8 to $23 for their cattle to graze on private land.</p>
<p>In Fiscal Year 2015, the federal government spent $91.6 million to administer the federal grazing program, but only earned $14.5 million in grazing fees, leaving taxpayers to make up the difference.</p>
<p>Lankford argued that the federal government "should not be in the business of unfairly passing on the costs of maintaining federal grazing lands to the American taxpayer."</p>
<p />
<p>5. Parked cars</p>
<p>The federal government spent about $1.6 billion to purchase around 64,500 passenger cars, trucks and vehicles over four years. In just one year, Fiscal Year 2015, federal agencies spent $3.4 billion to maintain and operate 450,000 vehicles already owned by the government.</p>
<p>The Government Accountability Office conducted a review of three federal agency vehicle purchasing programs and found there's no way of knowing if the cars are actually being used, or just sitting in a parking lot.</p>
<p>Check out more stories from Circa:</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">A triumph over hate: Meet the former skinhead behind 'American History X'</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">We got a sneak preview of Christmas at the Trump White House</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Could net neutrality repeal mean fewer people will be able to read Trump's tweets?</a></p> | This senator found 100 examples of wasteful federal spending. Here are five of them. | false | https://circa.com/story/2017/11/27/politics/james-lankford-finds-100-examples-of-wasteful-spending | 2017-11-28 | 1 |
<p>Hit drama series, “ <a href="http://variety.com/t/orphan-black/" type="external">Orphan Black</a>” has been the subject of a format deal, which sees the show remade in Japan. It will be the first iteration of the show since the <a href="http://variety.com/t/bbc-america/" type="external">BBC America</a> version.</p>
<p>The Japanese version “ <a href="http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/orphan-black-series-finale-recap-1202524001/" type="external">Orphan Black</a> – 7 Genes” is produced by Telepack for free to air broadcaster Tokai TV. Starring, South Korean actress and singer <a href="http://variety.com/t/kang-ji-young/" type="external">Kang Ji-Young</a> as Sara Aoyama, it will premiere on Fuji Television this coming weekend (Dec. 2).</p>
<p>The original “Orphan Black” series&#160;was&#160;produced by Temple Street, a division of Boat Rocker Studios, in association with <a href="http://variety.com/2017/tv/global/bbc-america-mark-gatiss-queers-1202520875/" type="external">BBC America</a> and Space. It was co-created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director.</p>
<p>Licensing and the format rights are handled by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Japanese version was announced at the <a href="http://variety.com/t/asia-tv-forum/" type="external">Asia TV Forum</a> in Singapore.</p>
<p>“7 Genes”&#160;tells the story of how Sara Aoyama, a broke and desperate single mother who wishes to live with her daughter Moe in peace, witnesses the shocking suicide of a woman who looks just like her. When she decides to steal the woman’s identity to run away from her problems, she is a genetically identical clone.</p>
<p>“This is a truly challenging project from the casting of the lead actress to getting the cinematography and post-production right. The original BBC America ‘Orphan Black’&#160;drama has been well received by audiences worldwide, there is pressure to do the series justice, but there is also an excitement in producing a Japanese version of a global hit, ” said Keisuke Matsumoto, producer at Tokai TV.</p>
<p>“’Orphan Black’&#160;has won multiple awards and has been seen in over 170 territories around the world. We are confident that the series will resonate with audiences in Japan, South Korea, and the rest of Asia where (Kang) is well-known,” said Soojin Chung, GM of BBC Worldwide in North East Asia.</p> | ATF: BBC America’s ‘Orphan Black’ Remade for Japan | false | https://newsline.com/atf-bbc-americas-orphan-black-remade-for-japan/ | 2017-11-29 | 1 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>PLANO, Texas — Police in at least four northeastern Dallas suburbs say they’re trying to determine what prevented people from being able to make emergency 911 calls.</p>
<p>Service to Garland, Wylie, Plano (PLAY’-noh) and Rowlett (row-LET’) had been restored by 3 p.m. Monday after problems arose earlier in the morning.</p>
<p>Plano officials say some T-Mobile customers were able to call 911 but were not being heard when a dispatcher answers.</p>
<p>Rowlett police say its 911 problem appeared to involve callers using various carriers.</p>
<p>Dallas has had its own problems with 911 communications, including early this year. The city has contended with staffing shortages and technological problems that have resulted at times in hundreds of callers being placed on hold.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Police in at least 4 Dallas suburbs contend with 911 woes | false | https://abqjournal.com/1040867/police-in-at-least-2-dallas-suburbs-contend-with-911-woes.html | 2017-07-31 | 2 |
<p>nicolas genin / Flickr ( <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en" type="external">CC-BY-SA</a>)</p>
<p>Controversy and Oliver Stone have never been strange bedfellows. He courted it with movies like “JFK,” “Nixon” and “Natural Born Killers,” and last week, he made headlines in the unlikely milieu of <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/" type="external">Comic-Con</a>, where he spoke about the dangers of surveillance capitalism and “Pokémon Go.” While his admonitions drew ample eye-rolling, Stone’s points about domestic spying and surveillance capitalism are not to be dismissed as paranoid conspiracy theory.</p>
<p>The term “ <a href="http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/debatten/the-digital-debate/shoshana-zuboff-secrets-of-surveillance-capitalism-14103616.html" type="external">surveillance capitalism</a>,” coined by <a href="http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6582" type="external">Shoshana Zuboff</a>, a Harvard Business School professor, in her essay “ <a href="http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=49122" type="external">Big Other: Surveillance Capitalism and the Prospects of an Information Civilization</a>,” has been described as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/02/google-microsoft-pact-antitrust-surveillance-capitalism" type="external">monetization of behavioral data</a> acquired through surveillance and sold for premium prices. Since the <a href="https://sensortower.com/blog/pokemon-go-50-million-downloads" type="external">release of “Pokémon Go</a>,” the popular, location-based, augmented-reality mobile game has come under scrutiny for requesting wide-ranging <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/pokemon-go-gotta-catch-all-your-personal-data/" type="external">permissions on users’ devices</a> that have since been scaled back. In addition, Niantic, the game’s developer, has been asked by some in Congress to explain its <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/us-congress-asks-niantic-about-pokemon-gos-mobile-data-usage-21449117/" type="external">data-gathering techniques</a>.</p>
<p>“You’ll see a new form of a robot society where they will know how you behave,” Stone said at Comic-Con. “And then they’ll make a mock-up that matches how you behave and leads you into a certain kind of behavior. It’s what they call totalitarianism.”</p>
<p />
<p>Pretty heady stuff for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay" type="external">cosplay crowd</a>, which was more interested in hearing Joseph Gordon-Levitt talk about getting the voice of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/edward-snowden" type="external">Edward Snowden</a> down for his performance in Stone’s latest, “ <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3774114/" type="external">Snowden,</a>” which will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September and open in theaters on Sept. 16.</p>
<p>Shailene Woodley plays Snowden’s girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, who moved to Moscow to be with him. Melissa Leo stars as filmmaker Laura Poitras, and Zachary Quinto plays Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian journalist who broke the story.</p>
<p>READ: <a href="" type="internal">A Conversation on Privacy With Noam Chomsky, Glenn Greenwald and Edward Snowden</a></p>
<p>“No one has seen, in the history of the world, things like Google, ever. It’s the biggest, new, fastest-growing business ever. And they have invested a huge amount of money into what surveillance is, data-mining,” Stone warned the crowd. “They’re data-mining every single person in this room for information as to what you’re buying, what you like, about all your behavior.”</p>
<p>When Stone was asked why he seems to court controversy with his movies, he suggested controversy had a way of finding him rather than the other way around. In this case, he was approached by Snowden’s human rights lawyer, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/world/europe/snowdens-lawyer-comes-with-high-profile-and-kremlin-ties.html" type="external">Anatoly Kucherena</a>. Though hesitant at first, Stone couldn’t resist taking a meeting in Moscow with the former National Security Agency contractor.</p>
<p>“Getting to know him, him trusting this process, he was not particularly interested in a movie,” Stone said of his subject, adding that he keeps a close eye on the movement to reform surveillance, which reached a milestone last year with the passage of the <a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/issue/usa-freedom-act/" type="external">USA Freedom Act</a>, curtailing NSA and FBI authority. “I met him all the time under conditions of secrecy. And I found him to be going through a painful period, and I found him to be very resolute and very strong. He was only 29 years old when he did this enormous thing.”</p>
<p>While Stone had trepidation about again taking on a controversial subject, he quickly found he wasn’t alone. Not one studio in Hollywood was interested in financing the movie. Whether it was the touchy nature of the subject or the fact that this type of film has been long out of fashion at the studios is anybody’s guess.</p>
<p>“Self-censorship is a huge issue in this country, and it blocks so much of the truth from coming out,” he concluded. As he told an audience earlier this year at Sun Valley, he decided to take the production to Germany to <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oliver-stone-reveals-clandestine-meetings-873770" type="external">avoid the prying eyes of the NSA</a>, and, no doubt, for his German and French investors to take advantage of tax incentives.</p>
<p>“They’ve been through the Stasi, World War II, the Communists after World War II and Gestapo during the war. They have a respect for privacy, really strong. And they are big supporters of Snowden,” he said of his German hosts.</p>
<p>Less supportive have been film distributors in getting “Snowden” to market. But <a href="http://www.openroadfilms.com/" type="external">Open Road</a>, the company behind last year’s Oscar winner “Spotlight,” will show the movie in U.S. theaters and some 20 foreign territories around the world. Needless to say, the NSA and CIA have little interest in supporting the film, even though box-office hits like “Argo”—about the rescue of American hostages from Iran—and “Zero Dark Thirty”—about the hunt for Osama bin Laden—both received ample access to CIA experts to <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nick-schous-new-book-spooked-911308" type="external">help craft stories</a> and fudge the facts in order to make the agency look heroic.</p>
<p>Instead, Snowden himself consulted on the script—co-written by Stone and Kieran Fitzgerald and based on Greenwald’s book, “No Place to Hide”—providing technical NSA and CIA procedures and lingo. “Ed told us he feels that they’re obviously going to hate the movie,” Stone said about the NSA. “But he thinks that it’s a seed, and many people [working there] feel more in the middle about what they’re doing.”</p>
<p>Following Poitras’ Oscar-winning documentary, “Citizenfour,” Stone’s movie can only be a chapter in the ongoing Snowden saga. The famed whistleblower continues to live in exile, working remotely with activists writing what Stone called a “constitution of the internet” and revealing to the world only some of what he learned during his time at the NSA and CIA.</p>
<p>“He’s still a mystery,” Stone said. “There are things we don’t know, and there are things he will, one day, hopefully reveal in a book of his own.”</p> | Oliver Stone Warns Against Surveillance Capitalism and 'Pokémon Go' | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/oliver-stone-warns-against-surveillance-capitalism-and-pokemon-go/ | 2016-07-28 | 4 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Brock Osweiler struggled in his first start since returning to the team and the NFL’s top-ranked defense was dominated by Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles.</p>
<p>With Trevor Siemian on the bench, Osweiler took his turn and threw a pair of costly interceptions .</p>
<p>But despite all their troubles on offense, the Broncos still had their defense going strong.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Until Sunday.</p>
<p>Wentz tossed four touchdown passes, Corey Clement had three scores, and the Eagles routed Denver 51-23.</p>
<p>The Broncos (3-5) hadn’t allowed 30 points in a game this season, nor any TD runs. They gave up 31 points in the first half and two scores on the ground.</p>
<p>The last time the Broncos allowed more points, they beat the Cowboys 51-48 on Oct. 6, 2013. But Peyton Manning isn’t around anymore.</p>
<p>“We had a great week of practice in all three phases and had a great plan, so obviously I missed something this week,” coach Vance Joseph said.</p>
<p>Osweiler was 19 of 38 for 208 yards and one TD. He took three sacks, threw two picks and hardly looked like the answer.</p>
<p>Two years ago, Osweiler was 5-2 as a starter filling in for Manning. He returned to the bench as Manning and the defense led the Broncos to a Super Bowl victory.</p>
<p>Osweiler then signed a big contract with the Texans after that season and went 9-7 in 2016, including 1-1 in the playoffs. He was traded to Cleveland, released and came back to Denver as Siemian’s backup.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Once Paxton Lynch is ready to play, Osweiler could be carrying a clipboard once again.</p>
<p>“Every player plays to be the starter,” Osweiler said. “I would love to be the starter. This game isn’t going to discourage me and I’m going to work hard to clean up these problems and get us back in the win column.”</p>
<p>Joseph wouldn’t commit to Osweiler starting against New England (6-2) next Sunday night.</p>
<p>“I have to go back and watch the tape and see how the game was played from that position before I make any decisions,” Joseph said.</p>
<p>The biggest surprise was the way Philadelphia dismantled Denver’s defense. Then again, Wentz and the Eagles (8-1) have been doing it all season.</p>
<p>“We played a great offense,” Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “They are probably the best offense we have seen and that is what happened.”</p>
<p>The lone bright spot for Denver’s defense came after Wentz left the game. Von Miller had a strip-sack on Nick Foles, Brandon Marshall recovered it and ran 19 yards for a TD.</p>
<p>Another positive for the Broncos was kicker Brandon McManus, who played on the same field in college for Temple. McManus kicked field goals of 52, 53 and 24 yards. He was only 10 for 15 coming in and 8 for 17 in his career beyond 50.</p>
<p>“We’re at the midway mark,” Joseph said. “We have to coach better and play better, and it starts with me.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: <a href="http://www.pro32.ap.org" type="external">http://www.pro32.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi</p> | Brock Osweiler struggles, Broncos routed by Eagles 51-23 | false | https://abqjournal.com/1088498/brock-osweiler-struggles-broncos-routed-by-eagles-51-23.html | 2017-11-05 | 2 |
<p>A growing number of Americans want Republicans to quit their efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, and instead try for a bill that has bipartisan support, a new <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/20/politics/health-care-poll-abandon-repeal-replace/index.html" type="external">CNN/SSRS poll&#160;reveals.</a></p>
<p>In the poll, conducted between July 14-18 among a random national sample of 1,019 adults, 35 percent said they want President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to give up their repeal/replace plans, up from 23 percent in a March survey.</p>
<p>Most favor some sort of repeal, but preferences are moving away from repealing the law and enacting replacements concurrently:</p>
<p>The increases in abandoning repeal efforts are coming from groups that are not central to the GOP base, including younger adults, people with lower incomes, and non-whites, all who have become more supportive of leaving Obamacare alone.</p>
<p>About half of those polled said they think it’s likely Trump and congressional Republicans will reach a repeal and replace measure, down from 58 percent in March, but above the 41 percent who think the Affordable Care Act will be repealed and replaced.</p>
<p>In other numbers:</p>
<p>The survey’s’ margin of error was plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.</p> | CNN/SSRS Poll: More People Want GOP to Quit ACA Repeal/Replace Efforts | false | https://newsline.com/cnnssrs-poll-more-people-want-gop-to-quit-aca-repealreplace-efforts/ | 2017-07-20 | 1 |
<p />
<p>Investing in restaurant stocks can be remarkably profitable, especially for investors who buy high-growth companies in the restaurant sector at opportunistic prices. For different reasons, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG), Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK), and Zoe's Kitchen (NYSE: ZOES) are all under considerable selling pressure lately, and the three companies are attractive candidates for investors hunting for bargains among the best restaurant stocks.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Back in August 2015, Chipotle stock was trading as high as $750 per share. At the time of this writing, shares of the fast-casual burrito chain are trading near their 12-month low, in the neighborhood of $365 per unit. The food-safety scare that hit its restaurants last year is having a considerable impact on Chipotle's financial performance.</p>
<p>Image source: The Motley Fool.</p>
<p>Chipotle reported a 14.8% decline in revenue during the third quarter of 2016, to $1 billion. Comparable-store sales fell 20.1% year over year, while comparable traffic declined 13.4% from the third quarter of 2015. The company is still making money, but restaurant-level operating margin declined by more than half, from 28.3% to 14.1%. When looking at these numbers, it's easy to understand why investors in Chipotle are going through so much pain.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>On the other hand, the following chart that the company provided in its earnings release shows that revenue trends are starting to stabilize. It's far too early to say that Chipotle is out of the woods yet, but the worst could already be over.</p>
<p>Image source: Chipotle Mexican Grill.</p>
<p>Other companies in the restaurant sector have fully recovered from similar setbacks related to food safety, and Chipotle is doing its part, undertaking a massive effort to regain customer trust. Among other initiatives, the company has completely revamped its food-safety program, while also betting on new menu items and aggressive promotions to bring customers back to the stores.</p>
<p>Chipotle is planning to open 195 to 210 new restaurants in 2017, and management believes that comparable restaurant sales will increase in the high single digits versus 2016 levels next year. If the company can in fact deliver in accordance with guidance, jump-starting revenue growth could be a powerful return driver for Chipotle stock in the mid-term.</p>
<p>Successful innovation isn't just about doing new and unexpected things. Shake Shack, for instance, has a classic and traditional menu based on hamburgers, hot dogs, and shakes, but it differentiates its offering from the competition by offering fresher and more natural ingredients. Shake Shackis particularly popular among millennials, a key demographic group in the industry.</p>
<p>Shake Shack stock is down by 40% from its highs of the past year, which is mostly due to investors' disappointment with slowing same-store sales at the better-burger restaurant chain. The company registered a 4.5% increase in "same-Shack sales" last quarter, a material deceleration versus a 9.9% increase in the previous quarter.</p>
<p>Image source: Shake Shack.</p>
<p>However, investors may be missing the big picture if they put too much weight on comparable sales figures. Shake Shack only includes in same-Shack sales the stores that have been opene for more than two years. Since the company is expanding its store base at full speed, this approach can materially underestimate overall revenue growth.</p>
<p>When looking at total sales, things are much more exciting, total revenue amounted to $66.5 million last quarter, growing by 37.2% over the same period in the prior year. In a sign of confidence, management also raised its revenue guidance for the full fiscal year 2016, from a range of $245 million to $249 million to a new range of $253 million to $256 million. The company generates extraordinary profitability: Restaurant-level operating margin was at a record high 30.8% last quarter.</p>
<p>Zoe's Kitchen reported sales figures below Wall Street forecasts last quarter. Since the stock is priced for demanding growth expectations, the market was rather unforgiving in its reaction to the earnings report, and Zoe's Kitchen stock has fallen by a staggering 37% in the past year.</p>
<p>It's never nice seeing financial performance coming in below the company's own guidance, but the numbers don't look too dismal when analyzed in a broader context. Total revenue at Zoe's Kitchen grew 21.7%, to $66.3 million last quarter, while comparable restaurant sales jumped 4% year over. According to data from Black Box Intelligence, comparable-store sales across the restaurant industry declined 1% in the third quarter of 2016, so Zoe's Kitchen is significantly outperforming most competitors.</p>
<p>Image source: Zoe's Kitchen.</p>
<p>Zoe's Kitchen specializes in fresh, preservative, and additive-free Mediterranean dishes. Many consumers are increasingly conscious about the health implications of nutrition, and Mediterranean food is generally considered much healthier than other food choices, so the company is well positioned in relation to industry trends.</p>
<p>Zoe's Kitchen currently has 183 company-owned restaurants and three franchised locations, and management believes it has enough room for 1,600 stores in the U.S. over the long term. Even if it could take considerable time for Zoe's Kitchen to reach such scale, the company still has abundant room for expansion over the years ahead.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2667&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/acardenal/info.aspx" type="external">Andrs Cardenal Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill and Zoe's Kitchen. 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> | 3 Beaten-Down Restaurant Stocks for Contrarian Investors | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/02/3-beaten-down-restaurant-stocks-for-contrarian-investors.html | 2016-11-02 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Opko Health's (NASDAQ: OPK) billionaire CEO, Phillip Frost, has been busy. The legendary healthcare entrepreneur -- best known for selling his IVAX Labs to Teva Pharmaceutical for $7.4 billion in 2006 -- ison a spending spree that he hopes will make Opko Health into a major player in biopharma and specialty diagnostics. Investorsshould start enjoying the benefits of his efforts next year, so let's take a closer look at this company.</p>
<p>Over the past five years, Frost has orchestrated a series of deals to acquire the rights to medicines that he thinks could be needle-movers.</p>
<p>The first of those drugs,Varubi, won approval last fall and in 2017, Opko Health may begin receiving its first meaningful royalties on Varubi's sales.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Frost bought Varubi, a drug that treats chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), from Schering-Plough in 2009 and shortly thereafter, he licensed rights to Varubi toTesaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRO), a fledgling biotech run by Lonnie Moulder, the person behind the CINV top-seller Aloxi.</p>
<p>As part of that deal, Moulder agreed that Tesaro would pay Opko Health up to$121 million in milestone payments, plus tiered double-digit royalties on any sales.</p>
<p>So far, Varubi sales aren't all that meaningful, butthere's reason to think Varubi could have nine-figure potential. Initially, Varubi's approval was for an oral dose, however, CINV drugs that work similarly to Varubi are dosed via IV most of the time. An IV formulation of Varubi could win a FDA green light next spring, so there's a chance that revenue from that formulation begins benefiting Opko Health's financials beginning next summer.</p>
<p>Opko Health thinks that theaddressable market for Varubi is worth $1 billion, and given that Emend -- a drug that competes head-to-head against Varubi -- hauled in $535 million last year, there's reason for optimism.</p>
<p>An even bigger opportunity for Opko Health next year may be the launch of its wholly owned vitamin D prohormone, Rayaldee. Rayaldee notched an FDA go-ahead for use in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients this past summer and Frost plans to begin selling it this quarter.</p>
<p>The market for vitamin D replacement in CKD patients is potentially massive. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 20 million Americans may have CKD and given that cases typically occur in patients over 60, aging baby boomers mean that many patients are going to require treatment that could result in vitamin D insufficiency.</p>
<p>Initially, Rayaldee can be used in patients with stage 3 or 4 CKD, but studies are ongoing evaluating its potential in stage 5 patients, too. Onlytime will tell if Rayaldee resonates with prescribers, but if it does, it could move Opko Health's needle. Zemplar, a vitamin D boosting drug used to treat CKD patients, saw peak sales of more than $1 billion before losing patent protection.</p>
<p>Rayaldee could similarly be a big success overseas. Opko Health licensed ex-U.S. rights toVifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma in May and as part of that arrangement, VFMCRP could pay Opko Health up to $282 million, plus tiered double-digit royalties, if Rayaldee is approved in Europe, and elsewhere.</p>
<p>The coming year should also give investors greater insight into the potential to leverage Frost's$1.4 billion acquisition of Bio-Reference Labs last year. In Q2, Bio-Reference Labs sales totaled $260 million and Frost hopes Bio-Reference Labs' relationships can drive demand for Opko Health's 4KScore prostate cancer test and its Claros 1 in-office diagnostic system.The 4KScore is the only blood test proven to accurately identify risk for aggressive prostate cancer, but demand for it has so far been unimpressive. Bio-Reference could also help boost demand for Opko Health'sClaros 1 in-office diagnostic system. A PSA and testosterone test for Claros 1 could launch by the end of 2017 and early in 2018, respectively.</p>
<p>Investors will also find out soon if Opko Health'shGH-CTP could be a big seller. The drug is a long-lasting version of human growth hormone that can be dosed weekly, rather than daily. The market for human growth hormone is worth $3 billion annually and growing, and results from a phase 3 trial evaluating hGH-CTP in adults are expected soon.</p>
<p>Opko Health has already licensed rights to hGH-CTP toPfizer(NYSE: PFE),and if the phase 3 results are positive, then an FDA filing for approval could be in the works next year. If eventually approved, Pfizer could pay Opko Health milestones, plus royalties. Importantly, a success in adults could indicate hGH-CTP could similarly benefit children. If studies already under way show it benefits younger patients, then Pfizer has agreed to splitprofits with Opko Health on both hGH-CTP and Genotropin, Pfizer's own best-selling human growth hormone.</p>
<p>Overall, there are a number of reasons why Opko Health's shares could move higher or lower next year, so investors will want to pay particularly close attention to this company over the coming quarters.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2518&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/EBCapitalMarkets/info.aspx" type="external">Todd Campbell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned.Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may have positions in the companies mentioned.Like this article? Follow him onTwitter where he goes by the handle <a href="https://twitter.com/ebcapital" type="external">@ebcapital Opens a New Window.</a>to see more articles like this.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=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> | Is Opko Health On the Cusp of a Big Year? | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/10/14/is-opko-health-on-cusp-big-year.html | 2016-10-14 | 0 |
<p>The U.S. stock market is opening modestly higher ahead of a key policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.</p>
<p>The Dow Jones industrial average rose 70 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,140 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Standard &amp; Poor's 500 index gained eight points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,981. The Nasdaq composite climbed six points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,556.</p>
<p>Fed policymakers conclude a two-day meeting later Wednesday. Traders will be watching for any signs that the Fed is considering raising interest rates.</p>
<p>The price of oil fell 89 cents to $55.04 a barrel in New York.</p>
<p>Bond prices fell slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.07 percent.</p> | US market indexes open slightly higher ahead of latest Fed policy meeting | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/12/17/us-market-indexes-open-slightly-higher-ahead-latest-fed-policy-meeting.html | 2016-03-06 | 0 |
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Confused by the complex assortment of fund choices? I can help.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Funds are generally broken down into two categories,index funds and mutual funds. These terms are used colloquially to refer to the underlying goals of each fund type.</p>
<p>Index funds can be mutual funds or ETFs that track an index, such as the S&amp;P 500 Index.Mutual funds typically refers to actively managed funds that seek better performance than a market index from professional stock picking.The types of funds can be summarized by the table below.</p>
<p>Data source: Average fees from the Investment Company Institute.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>The difference largely comes down to the goals of the fund. By definition, an index fund simply seeks to generate returns that are equal to the returns of an index minus fees. For example, theVanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO)is designed to track the returns of the S&amp;P 500 Index, which is generally made up of 500 stocks that represent the American economy and stock market at large.</p>
<p>Instead of employing analysts to find good stocks, the Vanguard fund simply buys the 500 stocks in the S&amp;P 500 index and holds them in proportion to their importance in the index. Matching an index is naturally very inexpensive, which allows Vanguard to pass on the lower costs in the form of lower fees. The Vanguard fund's historical performance approximates that of the S&amp;P 500 Index, minus the fund's annual fee of 0.05% of assets.</p>
<p>Data source: Morningstar.</p>
<p>There are, of course, all kinds of index funds. Index funds that track the S&amp;P 500 (large-cap stocks), Russell 2000 ( <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/02/best-small-cap-etfs.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">small-cap stocks Opens a New Window.</a>), and the <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/29/5-reasons-to-buy-the-vanguard-total-stock-market-e.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Total Stock Market Index Opens a New Window.</a> (all stocks in the United States) are the most popular. But index funds can also track "niche" indexes, like <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/19/the-3-best-silver-etfs.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">silver mining stocks Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/15/the-3-best-dividend-etfs.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">dividend-paying stocks Opens a New Window.</a>, or even something as far out as Nigerian stocks. (Most retirement plans only allow you to invest in simple plain-vanilla index funds, however.)</p>
<p>Actively managed mutual funds employ professional stock pickers and aim to generate market-beating performance. These funds can be categorized as having a higher cost of ownership due to the additional overhead expense associated with paying for professional stock analysts.</p>
<p>The Investment Company Institute found that the average actively managed stock fund carried an expense ratio of 0.84% of assets in 2015, compared to index funds' average expense ratios of just 0.11% of assets annually.</p>
<p>A common argument in favor of actively managed mutual funds is that they can outperform stock market indexes by picking good investments. Indeed, star managers such as Peter Lynch crushed the performance of the stock market average over their lengthy careers. But for every market-beating manager, there are several more managers who underperform.</p>
<p>An analysis by Morningstar in 2015 found that fewer than 22% of large-cap stock funds beat the market over the 10-year period from 2005 to the end of 2014. Fees, of course, play the primary role in underperformance. Fewer than 10% of the highest-cost large cap stock funds beat the market, while nearly 30% of the lowest-cost large cap funds did so.</p>
<p>The primary takeaway is that actively managed funds have a very high bar standing in the way of market-beating performance. Since 1871, the S&amp;P 500 Index has returned about 9% annually. Thus, with an average fee of 0.84%, an actively managed mutual fund would need to generate a 9.84% annual return just to match the returns of an unmanaged stock market index.</p>
<p>Some actively managed mutual funds will earn their pay and generate returns that beat the market average over the next five-, 10-, and 20-year periods. But picking these funds is more difficult than it may seem, and basic laws of mathematics tell us that fewer than half will achieve market-beating returns after fees are taken into consideration.For this reason, the average investor is perhaps better served to simply take the average return minus a very small fee by investing in an index fund over an actively managed mutual fund.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2759&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/TMFValueMagnet/info.aspx" type="external">Jordan Wathen Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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=isiedilnk018048&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Index Funds vs. Mutual Funds | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/08/27/index-funds-vs-mutual-funds.html | 2016-08-27 | 0 |
<p>Just across the river from Detroit sits Windsor, Ontario, Canada's car capitol. The serious problems that plague the Big Three auto makers in the U.S. have seeped across to Canada too. Already some of the automakers have closed factories and GM is shutting down its factory in just over a year. Windsor has fallen on hard times and it now has the highest unemployment rate of any city in Canada. It's no surprise that some of the loudest calls for help for the auto industry are coming from Windsor. The mayor of Windsor says the auto industry is indispensible and should receive public funds. 85% of cars made in Canada are sold in the U.S., and that heavy dependence on the American market has many in the Canadian auto industry calling for equal assistance for what the U.S. companies might receive. This Canadian auto maker representative says the Canadian government has failed to perceive how serious this issue is. The Canadian government is considering some form of assistance but not everyone is lining up for it. In Canada, Toyota and Honda are doing very well these days and they actually experienced increases in sales this past month. This professor says the Japanese companies are doing better in part because of sheer luck and mainly has to do with the turn in the market to smaller vehicles, which the Japanese car companies specialize more in. and that bright spot in Canada's auto sector has helped some of the thousands of Canadians affected by the slowdowns in Detroit.</p> | US automakers struggle in Canada too | false | https://pri.org/stories/2008-11-14/us-automakers-struggle-canada-too | 2008-11-14 | 3 |
<p>(Refiles to fix typo in 8th paragraph)</p>
<p>* Graphic: World FX rates in 2017 <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh</a></p>
<p>By Saikat Chatterjee</p>
<p>LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The euro fell nearly half a percent on Wednesday after rocketing to a fresh three-year high above $1.23 as some investors ramped up bullish bets about the currency, though concerns voiced by policymakers this week damped broader optimism.</p>
<p>Reflecting the apparent disquiet among some ECB policymakers about the euro's vigour, a remark by European Central Bank policymaker Ewald Nowotny that the euro's recent strength against the U.S. dollar is "not helpful" encouraged a bout of profit-taking before a policy meeting next week.</p>
<p>"The euro's strength will cause some concerns to the ECB and it will definitely complicate their policymaking thinking, and some investors are taking profits after the recent rally," said Adam Cole, chief FX strategist at RBC Capital Markets in London.</p>
<p>Overall dollar weakness and growing optimism about the outlook of the European economy in 2018 has lent fresh legs to the euro's rally after it gained more than 10 percent last year.</p>
<p>But the speed of the rise in the opening days of 2018 - up more than three percent in the last two weeks - has invited comment from ECB officials this week, highlighting some growing concerns, according to analysts.</p>
<p>In an interview to an Italian daily la Repubblica, Vitor Constancio, the vice president of the European Central Bank, said he did not rule out that monetary policy would still continue to be "very accommodating for a long time".</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Jens Weidmann, Germany's representative on the ECB's policymaking body said it would be "appropriate" for the European Central Bank to stop its bond purchases, due to run at least until September.</p>
<p>"The ECB is playing the good cop and the bad cop in terms of their comments over the euro but there is no doubt the currency's rally has sowed the seeds of uncertainty in the minds of ECB policymakers," said Viraj Patel, an FX strategist at ING in London.</p>
<p>A Reuters source-based story on Tuesday reported that the ECB is unlikely to ditch a pledge to keep buying bonds at next week's meeting.</p>
<p>The single currency rose to a session high of $1.2323 against the dollar in Asian trading before falling 0.44 percent to stand at $1.2210.</p>
<p>For euro bulls, these are key levels for a couple of reasons. Unlike in summer 2017, when positioning was not as stretched and valuations were still reasonably attractive, current levels are not as supportive for the single currency.</p>
<p>Latest positioning data showed that net long euro positions are at a record high while both ECB and IMF valuation metrics show the euro is only about 6-7 percent currently, compared to more than 12 percent before the French elections last year.</p>
<p>Morgan Stanley strategists said in a daily note that as long as inflation expectations are met and growth remains strong, the euro's strength will be tolerated by the ECB.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Canada's central bank is widely expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points and take the benchmark borrowing cost to 1.25 percent. Analyst expect the BoC to raise rates as many as three times in 2018.</p>
<p>The Australian dollar rose 0.1 percent to $0.7970 and the New Zealand dollar dipped 0.1 percent to $0.7260 .</p>
<p>For Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets</p>
<p>Reporting by Saikat Chatterjee, Editing by William Maclean</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's media regulator opened seven investigations into Russian news channel RT, saying it had found an increase in programs which may have breached impartiality rules since a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy last month.</p> Vehicles of Russian state-controlled broadcaster Russia Today (RT) are seen at Red Square in central Moscow, Russia March 18, 2018. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo
<p>The poisoning, which Britain blamed on Russia, prompted the biggest Western expulsions of diplomats since the height of the Cold War. Russia has denied any involvement and suggested Britain carried out the attack to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.</p>
<p>Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of agents to Britain's foreign spy service, was found slumped unconscious on a bench in the city of Salisbury along with his daughter Yulia on March 4.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-britain-russia-rt/russias-rt-says-editorial-approach-has-not-changed-since-ex-spy-poisoning-idUSKBN1HP1LF" type="external">Russia's RT says editorial approach has not changed since ex-spy poisoning</a>
<a href="/article/us-britain-russia-skripal-rt/boss-of-russias-rt-cracks-joke-about-british-watchdogs-probe-idUSKBN1HP1N0" type="external">Boss of Russia's RT cracks joke about British watchdog's probe</a>
<p>After British Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of being behind the poisoning, Britain's media regulator Ofcom warned that RT producer TV Novosti could lose its right to broadcast in Britain if it failed its "fit and proper" test.</p>
<p>"Since the events in Salisbury, we have observed a significant increase in the number of programs on the RT service that warrant investigation as potential breaches of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code," Ofcom said.</p>
<p>Russia has warned that every British media outlet will be kicked out if Britain shuts down RT, a channel launched in 2005 and financed by the Russian state to project what it says is a Russian viewpoint on major global events.</p>
<p>Ofcom is investigating seven RT programs for breaching impartiality on both the Skripal affair and events in Syria.</p>
<p>But Ofcom, which is independent of the government, also said there was a high threshold for finding that a broadcaster was not fit to hold a license. Previously, it has revoked licences for hardcore pornography and material that could incite terrorist crimes.</p>
<p>"Until recently, TV Novosti's overall compliance record has not been materially out of line with other broadcasters," Ofcom said.</p>
<p>Amid claim and counter-claim over the first known offensive use of such a nerve agent on European soil since World War Two, both sides have accused media organizations in each country of spreading government lies about the affair.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Russian Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko can be seen in a television camera viewfinder as he addresses the media at a news conference in the official Russian Ambassador's residence in central London, Britain, April 5, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/File Photo
<p>"Our editorial approach has not changed since the events in Salisbury, and we will be directly addressing this matter with the regulator," Anna Belkina, a spokeswoman for RT, said by email.</p>
<p>"We are pleased to see that Ofcom has acknowledged RT's compliance record has been in line with other broadcasters - putting to bed any of the salacious political statements and challenges made against our channel," Belkina said.</p>
<p>Russian officials say RT is a way for Moscow to compete with the dominance of global media companies based in the United States and Britain which they say offer a particular view of the world.</p>
<p>Critics say RT, which broadcasts news in English, Arabic and Spanish, is the propaganda arm of the Russian state whose aim is to undermine confidence in Western institutions.</p>
<p>In a post on Twitter, RT's editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan described the investigation by the British broadcasting watchdog and added the quip: "I reply immediately: the cat, it wasn't us."</p>
<p>That appeared to be a reference to Skripal's cat, which was put down by British authorities after being found in his home in Salisbury.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Richard Balmforth</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - World equity markets climbed to approach a four-week high on Wednesday, as investors' appetite for the riskier asset was boosted by upbeat earnings from companies in Europe and the United States.</p> The German share price index, DAX board, is seen at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, March 21, 2018. REUTERS/Tilman Blasshofer
<p>The U.S. dollar clung to gains amid fading concerns over a global trade war, while a reported decline in U.S. crude inventories and the possibility of supply disruptions pushed oil prices higher. [L3N1RV2M2]</p>
<p>MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe was up 0.56 percent, the highest since March 21, and on track for a third straight session of gains.</p>
<p>The index was supported by a higher open on Wall Street on Wednesday, following the latest batch of earnings. Morgan Stanley shares rose 3 percent after the bank reported a 40 percent jump in quarterly profit, driven by its trading business.</p>
<p>"Earnings continue to progress on the positive side and commodities are also on the rise, that should give the markets another boost," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York.</p>
<p>Investors appeared to be focusing on fundamentals after weeks dominated by geopolitical tensions.</p>
<p>"The safety trade that we have experienced seems to have ended," said Cardillo.</p>
<p>Shares of International Business Machines Corp tumbled 7.3 percent after its profit margins fell short of Wall Street expectations.</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 12.93 points, or 0.05 percent, to 24,799.56, the S&amp;P 500 gained 9.17 points, or 0.34 percent, to 2,715.56 and the Nasdaq Composite added 25.05 points, or 0.34 percent, to 7,306.15.</p>
<p>European shares firmed amid strong company results, including those from French food group Danone, private healthcare provider Mediclinic and Dutch oil and chemical storage company Vopak.</p>
<p>Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 0.32 percent at 1,496.62.</p>
<p>The U.S. dollar held steady versus a basket of major currencies as solid company results and fading concerns about a trade war helped keep a lid on safe-haven demand for the greenback.</p>
<p>The dollar found support from relatively stronger economic data than those seen in Europe and other developed markets.</p>
<p>The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was 0.07 percent higher at 89.58.</p>
<p>Trading across U.S. government bond maturities was range-bound on Wednesday, with yields little changed in spite of gains in the equity market.</p>
<p>"The reaction in the bond market seems to be a lot more muted relative to the big moves we've seen in the equities rally in the past few sessions. Generally, the bond market seems to be under-reacting to both the sell-off and the rally," said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale in New York.</p>
<p>The U.S. 10-year note was down 9/32 in price to yield 2.8469 percent, up from a yield of 2.814 percent on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Oil extended gains, rising more than $1 on a reported decline in U.S. crude inventories and after sources signaled top exporter Saudi Arabia wants to see the crude price closer to $100 a barrel.</p>
<p>Brent crude oil futures were 1.9 percent higher at $72.95 a barrel, while U.S. WTI crude futures were up 2.2 percent at $68.06.</p>
<p>Gold prices rose to a one-week high on technical trading and as the dollar held steady. Spot gold was up 0.3 percent at $1,351.01 an ounce.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Kate Duguid in NEW YORK, Sruthi Shankar in BENGALURU; Editing by Bernadette Baum</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ANKARA (Reuters) - Early elections will decrease uncertainties and bring forth opportunities to speed up reforms, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Wednesday, after President Tayyip Erdogan called snap presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24.</p>
<p>"With early elections, uncertainties will decrease, opportunity to speed up reforms will be born, a new and strong governing system will be realized," Simsek said on Twitter.</p>
<p>Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Alison Williams</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's main opposition party on Wednesday called for an immediate end to a state of emergency imposed in the wake of a 2016 coup attempt, after President Tayyip Erdogan declared presidential and parliamentary elections would be brought forward by more than a year.</p>
<p>"The state of emergency needs to be lifted immediately, there cannot be an election under emergency rule. The country needs to brought out of the emergency rule regime starting today," Republican People's Party (CHP) spokesman Bulent Tezcan said.</p>
<p>Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections will be brought forward to June 24.</p>
<p>Reporting by Gulsen Solaker and Tuvan Gumrukcu</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | REFILE-FOREX-Euro drops after hitting a 3-year high on ECB talk Russia's RT faces seven investigations in Britain over broadcasts since Skripal case Global stocks near four-week highs, supported by corporate earnings Turkey's Simsek says early election to decrease uncertainty, speed up reforms Turkish main opposition calls for end of emergency rule after early election announcement | false | https://reuters.com/article/global-forex/refile-forex-euro-drops-after-hitting-a-3-year-high-on-ecb-talk-idUSL3N1PC3UB | 2018-01-17 | 2 |
<p><a href="http://wp.me/p3bwni-9K9" type="external">21st Century Wire</a> says…</p>
<p>Here’s an excellent holiday music mix put together by Jazz On The Tube – featuring all the greats like Ray, Dean, Frank and many more.</p>
<p>Enjoy your Christmas Day wherever you are…</p>
<p />
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/jazz-on-the-tube-radio/merry-christmas-from-jazz-on-the-tube.html" type="external">Jazz On The Tube</a>&#160;(via Brasscheck TV)</p>
<p>What do Louis Armstong, Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington, Kenny Burrell, and Nancy Wilson have in common?&#160;They’ve all recorded beautiful Christmas music. And they all appear in the Jazz on the Tube Christmas special.&#160;Thanks to everyone for a great year and wishing you and your loved ones the best for the coming one. (Sorry for the darn commercials. You can manually shorten most of them and eliminate others.)&#160;– Ken McCarthy Founder, Jazz on the Tube– Lester Perkins&#160;Playlist…1. ‘Merry Christmas Baby’ 1979 – Ray Charles&#160;2. What Christmas Means to Me – Stevie Wonder&#160;3. Joy to the world- Nat King Cole&#160;4. White Christmas &amp; Silent Night – Dinah Washington/Ella Fitzgerald5. Please Come Home For Christmas – Charles Brown6. Xmas&#160;in New Orleans &amp; Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Louis Armstrong &amp; Billie Holiday.7. O Christmas Tree – Aretha Franklin&#160;8. White Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald&#160;9. Merry Christmas Baby &amp; Please Come Home For Christmas – Charles Brown&#160;10. Ole Santa &amp; Christmas Night In Harlem – Dinah Washington/Louis Armstrong&#160;11. The Night Before Christmas – Louis Armstrong&#160;12. Sleigh Ride – Ella Fitzgerald&#160;13. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! – Ella Fitzgerald14. One Little Christmas Tree – Stevie Wonder&#160;15. White Christmas – Kenny Burrell16. Let It Snow, let It Snow, Let It Snow – Frank Sinatra&#160;17. Frosty The Snowman – Ella Fitzgerald&#160;18. Have yourself a merry little Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald&#160;19. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve – Nancy Wilson&#160;20. Merry Christmas from JazzontheTubecom&#160;</p>
<p>READ MORE CHRISTMAS STORIES AT: <a href="" type="internal">21st Century Wire Xmas Files</a></p>
<p>–</p> | A 21st Century Christmas Jazz Mix | true | http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/12/25/a-21st-century-christmas-jazz-mix/ | 2014-12-25 | 4 |
<p>On Wednesday's New Day, CNN’s Chris Cuomo pushed the narrative of foreigners - in which he conflated both lawful and unlawful immigrants in the country - as less criminalistic than citizens.</p>
<p>Cuomo asserted as axiomatic the assertion that non-citizen immigrants - between whom he refused to differentiate between legal and illegal - commit less crimes than citizens on a per capita basis:</p>
<p>"[Donald Trump] did still go to fear last night [on the issue of immigration], and it still doesn’t match the facts. He called it ‘lawless chaos.’ That is not what the immigrant reality is on our criminal justice system, here. They commit fewer crimes per capita than citizens, and if you wanna round up the ‘bad hombres,’ you got a lot more rapists and killer who are citizens than immigrants. How does that play?"</p>
<p>"Isn't [Donald Trump] making it harder for himself by continuing this fallacy that the immigrants in this country are this base of 'lawless chaos'? Those were his words, last night. The statistics just don't bear it out. Yes, you have people who are in this country illegally who commit crimes and need to be thrown out. Nobody disputes that. But he created a notion of an environment of unsafety for Americans that is just not borne out in reality."</p>
<p>The above-mentioned narrative’s origins are years-old, although it has enjoyed a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/us/trump-illegal-immigrants-crime.html" type="external">recent</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/02/surprise-donald-trump-is-wrong-about-immigrants-and-crime/?utm_term=.860e1ff8f224" type="external">resurgence</a> following widespread repetition across <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/06/immigrants-and-crime/486884/" type="external">left-wing</a> and <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/truth-vs-perception-crime-rates-immigrants/" type="external">Democrat-aligned</a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-bersani-piquero-immigrant-crime-20160906-snap-story.html" type="external">news</a> <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/illegal-immigrants-and-crime-how-big-a-problem-is-crime-committed-by-immigrants/" type="external">media</a> <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jul/14/gary-johnson/mexican-immigrants-more-law-abiding/" type="external">outlets</a> as a response to growing calls for enforcement of immigration controls associated with the ascendance of President Donald Trump. Cuomo leads his audience to believe that more immigration - both legal and illegal - somehow reduces the prevalence of crime.</p>
<p>Cuomo also misleadingly editorialized Trump's comments about "lawless chaos" during his Tuesday address to Congress, claiming that the president was wholly denigrating immigrants.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/" type="external">American Immigration Council</a> (AIC) - a left-wing organization <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/guide-immigration-accountability-executive-action" type="external">advocating widespread amnesty</a> for foreigners illegally in the country while <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/the-cost-of-immigration-enforcement-and-border-security" type="external">lamenting the cost</a> of immigration enforcement and border security - <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/criminalization-immigration-united-states" type="external">claims</a> that “immigrants are less likely to be criminals than the native-born.” The AIC’s evidence is circumstantial, pointing to two concurrent trends between 1990 and 2013: 1. a precipitous decline in rates of violent crime, and 2. precipitous increases in both the volume and proportion of the total population composed of both lawful and unlawful immigrants.</p>
<p>Critical observers should note the following while examining the above-mentioned analysis from AIC: correlation does not equate to causation, violent crime is a narrow category of total crime (of which some categories increased between 1990 and 2013), and the federal government essentially neglects to maintain data on the nationalities (or legal status of foreigners in the homeland) of incarcerated felons or the broader population of convicted criminals.</p>
<p>A 2015 <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2015-crime-statistics" type="external">press release</a> from the FBI indicates certain increases in crime relative to 2014:</p>
<p>In 2015, there were an estimated 1,197,704 violent crimes. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter increased 10.8 percent when compared with estimates from 2014.</p>
<p>Rape and aggravated assault increased 6.3 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively, while robbery increased 1.4 percent.</p>
<p />
<p>As Ann Coulter <a href="http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2015-07-15.html" type="external">noted in 2015</a>: “Inasmuch as the vast majority of post-1970 immigrants -- legal immigrants -- are poor, non-white and come from countries with far worse crime rates than our own, that's at least counterintuitive.”</p>
<p>All of CNN's news media personalities use the term "undocumented" to qualify foreigners illegally in the country.</p>
<p>Cuomo presents himself as an objective and non-partisan news media personality. CNN similarly presents itself as an objective and non-partisan news media outlet.</p>
<p>Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p> | Cuomo Lies About Foreigner/Citizen Crime Stats | true | https://dailywire.com/news/13997/cuomo-lies-about-foreignercitizen-crime-stats-robert-kraychik | 2017-03-01 | 0 |
<p>Houston (Reuters) - Oil prices ended down on Friday and broke a four-week winning streak after a rally that had taken benchmarks to three-year highs, as investors sold positions on re-emerging U.S. production concerns.</p> FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past a pump jack on an oil field owned by Bashneft in Bashkortostan, Russia, January 28, 2015. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/File Photo
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell 70 cents, or 1 percent, to settle at $68.61 a barrel after hitting a session low of $68.28. On Monday, they hit their highest since December 2014 at $70.37.</p>
<p>U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 settled at $63.37 a barrel, down 58 cents, or 0.9 percent. WTI marked a December-2014 peak of $64.89 a barrel on Tuesday.</p>
<p>On a weekly basis, Brent settled 1.8 percent lower while WTI was down 1.5 percent.</p>
<p>“We had such a meteoric rise in the oil market recently and we were overbought quite a bit. This is the first time we’ve taken a breath,” said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.</p>
<p>“The pullback in relationship to the recent run-up is still very modest,” he added.</p>
<p>The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its monthly report that global oil stocks have tightened substantially, aided by OPEC cuts, demand growth and Venezuelan production hitting near 30-year lows.</p>
<p>But it warned that rapidly increasing production in the United States could threaten market balancing.</p>
<p>“Explosive growth in the U.S. and substantial gains in Canada and Brazil will far outweigh potentially steep declines in Venezuela and Mexico,” the IEA said of 2018 production.</p>
<p>The energy watchdog forecast U.S. supply growth will push its output past 10 million barrels per day (bpd), overtaking Saudi Arabia and rivaling Russia.</p>
<p>U.S. crude oil production C-OUT-T-EIA rose nearly 300,000 bpd to 9.75 million bpd last week, according to government data. [EIA/S]</p>
<p>The U.S. oil rig count, an indicator of future production, fell by five this week but at 747, was still much higher than the 551 rigs a year ago, according to General Electric Co’s ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GE.N" type="external">GE.N</a>) Baker Hughes energy services firm. [RIG/U] RIG-OL-USA-BHI</p>
<p>“The drop in the rig count should place a little bit of doubt about the IEA’s forecast of explosive growth. People are starting to really question the validity of demand,” Flynn said.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GE.N" type="external">General Electric Co</a> 13.28 GE.N New York Stock Exchange -- (--%) GE.N
<p>Overall, however, oil prices remain well supported, and most analysts do not expect steep declines.</p>
<p>Hedge funds have been increasing long positions steadily on expectations that tightening supply will keep prices buoyant. Money managers raised their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in New York and London by 40,855 contracts to 541,990 in the week to Jan. 16, a record high, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said.</p>
<p>In a separate report, Intercontinental Exchange Inc said speculators trimmed positions in Brent in the week to Jan. 16 from a record the week before, dropping 3,357 contracts to 570,795.</p>
<p>The main price driver has been a production cut by major producers led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia since January last year.</p>
<p>The supply cuts, scheduled to last throughout 2018, were aimed at tightening the market to prop up prices.</p>
<p>Even in the United States, not part of the pact to curb output, crude inventories fell 6.9 million barrels last week to 412.65 million barrels, the lowest seasonal level in three years and below the five-year average marker around 420 million barrels.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Libby George in London, Henning Gloystein in Singapore and Jane Chung in SEOUL; Editing by Marguerita Choy</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAO PAULO (Reuters) - China’s move to slap tariffs on U.S. farm products sent Brazil soy premiums surging to historic highs on expectations of higher export demand on Wednesday, but traders and analysts warned that Latin America could not entirely replace U.S. production.</p> FILE PHOTO: Workers harvest soybeans in a farm in the city of Primavera do Leste in the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso January 29, 2013. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker/File photo
<p>China responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to impose $50 billion in tariffs on its goods by announcing tariffs of equal value on U.S. imports, including a wide range of agricultural products.</p>
<p>Goods produced in South America made the list, including soy, beef, tobacco, cotton and frozen orange juice.</p>
<p>That raised the prospect that China would seek to shift large parts of its agricultural sourcing from the United States to the region. Alternate global suppliers of goods ranging from televisions to vaccines could be unexpected beneficiaries of Trump’s policies.</p> FILE PHOTO: A truck is loaded with soybeans in a farm in the city of Primavera do Leste in the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso February 7, 2013. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker/File photo
<p>Already record high premiums for Brazilian soy over Chicago prices were driven up 37 percent in response, the biggest one-day increase since January 2017.</p>
<p>“I have never seen a premium this high in history, this in a way will more than compensate for the bloodbath in Chicago,” said Aedson Pereira, an analyst at IEG-FNP, a subsidiary of Informa Economics.</p>
<p>Chicago soybeans futures contracts for May delivery fell 2 percent, closing at around $10.15 per bushel, retracing some losses after a 5 percent plunge.</p>
<p>But Latin America does not produce enough to compensate fully for U.S. output - and that may help push China and the United States to settle the dispute, according to Pereira and other analysts.</p>
<p>Brazil already sells roughly 75 percent of its soybean exports to China and with increasing domestic demand is unlikely to be able to free up much more for export.</p>
<p>“Even if Brazil sells its entire export volume to China, the Asian country would be short of 30 million tonnes,” said one Brazil-based analyst, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak to the media.</p> FILE PHOTO: A close-up photo shows soy plants in a farm in Sao Desiderio, Bahia state, Brazil March 21, 2018. REUTERS/Roberto Samora
<p>South America’s other top producer Argentina already sent almost 90 percent of its 7.3 million soybeans to China last year, while smaller Paraguay does not have diplomatic relations with China.</p>
<p>The outlook for soybean prices was already robust after Argentina supplies took a hit from drought, while China’s demand has continued to rise.</p>
<p>Rodrigo Oliveira, chief strategist of Agro Financeira, a small trading and hedging firm based in the state of Tocantins, said his firm was looking to take advantage, buying up more Brazilian soybeans compared to last year.</p>
<p>“When China is going to buy from Brazilian trading (firms), they will have to pay us the Brazilian premium,” said Oliveira. “This is going to be huge for Brazilian soybean prices.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Ana Mano and Roberto Samora; Additional reporting by Maximilian Heath and Nicolas Misculin in BUENOS AIRES, Daniela Desantis in ASUNCION, Karl Plume in CHICAGO and Jose Roberto Gomes in SAO PAULO; Writing by Jake Spring, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BERLIN (Reuters) - A decline in diesel-car sales in Germany accelerated in March, the first month after a court ruled that cities can ban vehicles to tackle pollution.</p>
<p>Sales of diesel-powered cars in Europe’s largest auto market plunged by a quarter last month, Germany’s KBA automotive watchdog said on Wednesday, after declining 19.5 percent in February and 17.6 percent in January.</p>
<p>Germany’s top administrative court ruled in February that cities have the right to ban the most polluting diesel vehicles as they struggle to improve air quality damaged by nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, known to cause respiratory disease.</p>
<p>To stem the plunge in diesel sales, carmakers including Volkswagen ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=VOWG_p.DE" type="external">VOWG_p.DE</a>) and Daimler have extended incentives for buyers of new diesel cars.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=VOWG_p.DE" type="external">Volkswagen AG</a> 165.5 VOWG_p.DE Xetra +4.00 (+2.48%) VOWG_p.DE
<p>But fears among drivers of possible restrictions and short supplies of vehicles with the latest Euro 6d generation of diesel engines will weigh on sales in coming months, analysts said.</p>
<p>“For the time being, new diesel sales will not recover,” Peter Fuss, a senior partner and automotive specialist in concultancy EY’s German practice, said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>“Rather, the downtrend looks set to continue in coming months,” Fuss added, predicting the share of diesels of Germany’s overall auto market would sink towards 25 percent from the current 31 percent.</p>
<p>A global backlash against diesel cars broke out after Volkswagen (VW) admitted in 2015 to cheating U.S. exhaust tests. The scandal has spread across the industry and boosted investment in electric vehicles.</p>
<p>The KBA also said total registrations in Germany fell 3.4 percent to 347,433 passenger cars, because of two fewer selling days, though first-quarter registrations increased 4 percent to 878,611 vehicles, confirming what an auto industry source told Reuters.</p>
<p>Sales in Spain were up 2.1 percent in March but fell 5.8 percent in Italy, with diesel registrations continuing their decline in both markets, according to analysts.</p>
<p>Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Maria Sheahan and David Holmes</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - It took China just 11 hours to retaliate against the United States for proposing tariffs on some 1,300 Chinese products, but Chinese officials are holding back on taking aim at their largest American import: government debt.</p>
<p>In a tit-for-tat response to the Trump administration’s plan for 25 percent duties on $50 billion of Chinese imports, China hit back with its own list of similar duties on key American imports including soybeans, planes, cars, beef and chemicals. But officials signaled no interest for now in bringing their vast holdings of U.S. Treasuries to the fight.</p>
<p>China held around $1.17 trillion of Treasuries as of the end of January, making it the largest of America's foreign creditors and the No. 2 overall owner of U.S. government bonds after the Federal Reserve. Any move by China to chop its Treasury portfolio could inflict significant harm on U.S. finances and global investors, driving bond yields higher and making it more costly to finance the federal government.(Graphic: Top U.S. trade partners &amp; foreign holders of Treasuries - <a href="http://reut.rs/2CUqQB0" type="external">reut.rs/2CUqQB0</a>)</p>
<a href="http://reut.rs/2CUqQB0" type="external" />
<p>Jeffrey Gundlach, the chief executive of DoubleLine Capital LP, said China can use its Treasury holdings as leverage, but only if they keep holding them.</p>
<p>“It is more effective as a threat. If they sell, they have no threat,” said Gundlach, known as Wall Street’s Bond King.</p>
<p>“It would only escalate the situation and eliminate their leverage.”</p>
<p>Prices on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes slipped on Wednesday, giving back earlier gains on the trade news. Their yield edged up to about 2.81 percent Wednesday afternoon.</p>
<p>China’s Treasury holdings have dipped in recent months, declining by about $30 billion from $1.20 trillion last August, and they are down about 11 percent from their record high above $1.3 trillion in late 2013, according to U.S government data. In all, foreign governments own $4 trillion, or more than a quarter, of the $14.7 trillion in Treasury securities outstanding.</p>
<p>Asked by a reporter on Wednesday if China would reduce its U.S. Treasury holdings in retaliation, Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao reiterated China’s long-standing policy regarding its foreign exchange reserves, saying it is a responsible investor and that it will safeguard their value.</p>
<p>China’s foreign exchange reserves, the world’s largest, stood at about $3.13 trillion at the end of February, with roughly a third of it held in Treasuries.</p>
<p>“If they wanted to pull the nuclear switch, if they committed to dumping Treasuries, it would have an immediate and temporary impact on money markets in the United States,” said Jeff Klingelhofer, a portfolio manager who oversees more than $6 billion at Thornburg Investment Management Inc. “But I think it is a bigger hit to the sustainability of what they’re trying to accomplish.”</p>
<p>Brad Setser, senior fellow for international economics&#160;at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said China can sell Treasuries and buy lower-yielding European or Japanese debt.</p>
<p>But the effect would likely be to strengthen the yuan against the dollar, weakening the relative desirability of its exports, analysts said. The sale could also tank the value of the Treasuries China retains, with nothing to show for the aggression.</p>
<p>More likely, if China wanted to turn up the heat it would let the yuan depreciate against the U.S. dollar, according to CFR’s Setser, a move that could kneecap the Trump administration’s goal of jump-starting U.S. manufacturing. The yuan weakened by about 0.25 percent on Wednesday but remains near its strongest in two and a half years.</p>
<p>Even if the likelihood of a change in Chinese policy regarding its Treasuries portfolio remains low, investors are sensitive to the risk any big shift would pose to world financial markets, where Treasuries are a global benchmark asset.</p>
<p>A January report that China might halt its purchases of Treasuries forced yields higher, but China disputed the news and said it was only diversifying its foreign exchange reserves to safeguard their value.</p>
<p>Reporting by Kate Duguid and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Dan Burns and James Dalgleish</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street’s three major indexes staged a comeback to close around 1 percent higher on Wednesday as investors turned their focus to earnings and away from a trade conflict between the United States and China that wreaked havoc in earlier trading.</p>
<p>After investors fled equities in the morning due to proposed retaliatory tariffs from China, their concerns about a potential trade war eased by the afternoon after Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the administration was in a “negotiation” with China rather than a trade war.</p>
<p>Investors said they were comforted by the fact that any tariffs would not take effect immediately, if at all. Strategists also cited the S&amp;P’s bounce above a key technical support level and said they expect equities to rise further around the first quarter earnings season, due to start in mid-April.</p>
<p>“We’re starting to feel that while markets hate uncertainty, Trump’s bark is worse than his bite when it comes to trade,” said Robert Phipps, a director at Per Stirling Capital Management in Austin, Texas.</p>
<p>“It’s earnings that’s going to lift us off this bottom. It wouldn’t shock me if we chopped around sideways for a little bit before earnings season ... The trade stuff is really a side show. We’re waiting for real economic data like the jobs report Friday and for earnings. For now it’s going to be all about the technicals,” he said.</p>
<p>The S&amp;P opened below its 200-day moving average, a key technical level, but inched above it as the session progressed, and by afternoon was in positive territory.</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">.DJI</a> rose 230.94 points, or 0.96 percent, to close at 24,264.30, the S&amp;P 500 <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SPX" type="external">.SPX</a> gained 30.24 points, or 1.16 percent, to 2,644.69 and the Nasdaq Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.IXIC" type="external">.IXIC</a> added 100.83 points, or 1.45 percent, to 7,042.11.</p>
<p>The turnaround marked the first time the S&amp;P had showed gains for two consecutive days since early March.</p>
<p>Despite big swings in stocks, trading activity in U.S. equity options was muted as expectations for strong corporate earnings quelled the urge to load up on contracts that benefit from a surge in market volatility. The Cboe Volatility Index .VIX, the most widely followed barometer of expected near-term volatility for the S&amp;P 500, closed down 1.04 points at 20.06.</p>
<p>The technology sector .SPLRCT rose 1.4 percent with only two of its stocks ending the day in negative territory including Facebook Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">FB.O</a>), which was pummeled after news its chief executive would testify in Congress over a data privacy scandal. It too closed well off its session low with a 0.6 percent drop to $155.10.</p> Slideshow (7 Images)
<p>Boeing ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BA.N" type="external">BA.N</a>) was the biggest drag on the Dow due to its exposure to China, and ended the day well off its session lows with a 1 percent decline to $327.44 after falling as low as $311.88.</p>
<p>Farm machinery company Deere &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DE.N" type="external">DE.N</a>) ended down 2.9 percent at $148.57 as it could be hurt by China tariffs if its customers’ exports are curbed.</p>
<p>After being a laggard for much of the session, the S&amp;P 500’s industrials sector .SPLRCI turned positive late in the day to close 0.4 percent higher.</p>
<p>Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 2.19-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 2.95-to-1 ratio favored advancers.</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">Dow Jones &amp; Company Inc</a> 24264.3 .DJI Dow Jones Indexes +230.94 (+0.96%) .DJI .SPX .IXIC FB.O BA.N
<p>The S&amp;P 500 posted one new 52-week high and eight new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 40 new highs and 94 new lows.</p>
<p>Volume on U.S. exchanges was 7.04 billion shares, compared with the 7.3 billion average for the last 20 trading days.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed and Herbert Lash in New York and Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Patrick Graham and James Dalgleish</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | Oil prices fall as rally falters on growing U.S. output concerns Brazil soy exporters set to win big from U.S.-China trade spat German diesel car sales plunge steepens in March China, holding Treasuries, keeps 'nuclear option' in U.S. trade war Wall Street closes higher as China tariff fears ease | false | https://reuters.com/article/us-global-oil/oil-prices-fall-as-rally-falters-on-growing-us-output-concerns-idUSKBN1F805C | 2018-01-19 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The board of directors of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange, BeWellNM, is inviting public comment on its plans to be financially sustainable once federal grant funding is no longer available.</p>
<p>The board is proposing to introduce assessments —which could be a percentage of insurance premiums— on insurance issuers to cover the cost of running the health exchange’s recently opened consumer advice center, a website, and outreach and marketing efforts to educate residents throughout the state about health insurance available through the exchange under the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>“The question is, which insurers?” said J.R. Damron, chairman of the health exchange board. “That’s why we’re asking the public to give comment during this period.”</p>
<p>The health exchange was established by the Legislature in 2013. It&#160; offers people who are not covered by private health insurance, or some other form of insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid, can shop, compare prices and purchase insurance coverage through the exchange.</p>
<p>Federal grants funded start up costs for BeWellNM, the exchange for individual health insurance, and the Small Business Health Options (SHOP). Both operations must be financially self-sustainable on Jan. 1, 2016.</p>
<p>Members of the public, brokers and insurance issuers can study a draft of the proposals developed by the board on the health exchange website, www.nmhix.com</p>
<p>Members of the public can submit written comments in person or by email until Dec. 19. They can also attend the health exchange board meeting on Dec. 19 at the Santa Fe Courtyard Marriott, 3347 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, where the board will hold a hearing and take public comment consider final action on the proposed amendments. The time of the meeting will be posted on the health exchange website closer to the date.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Health exchange seeks comment on financial plan | false | https://abqjournal.com/502363/health-exchange-seeks-comment-on-financial-plan.html | 2 |
|
<p />
<p>Special rights for Muslims. <a href="https://freedomoutpost.com/2014/09/maxine-waters-believes-americans-bigots-opposing-sharia-law/" type="external">Islamic law in America</a>.</p>
<p>On Wednesday a glaring case of sharia occurred in Tennessee. A police officer allowed a car full of Saudi Arabians to drive away with a dead baby in the trunk so as not to be "disrespectful" towards Muslims.</p>
<p>The vehicle, which had paper tags and a registration violation, contained three Saudi Arabians with Saudi drivers licenses, who told the officer that they had a dead child in the trunk, prepared for an Islamic burial at a mosque in Franklin.</p>
<p>Millersville Police Chief David Hindman told News 2 that the officer, "not wanting to be disrespectful to the men or their faith, let the car drive away without checking the trunk to see if their story was true." The cop also failed to take the names of the Saudi men or any information from their identification documents. It was also subsequently confirmed that there isn't even a mosque in Franklin.</p>
<p>Apparently, it was a family transporting a dead baby, but the dereliction of duty and flouting of law enforcement norms because they were Muslims is dangerous and shocking.</p>
<p>Millersville PD: Father had permit to transport fetus By&#160; <a href="http://wkrn.com/2014/12/10/millersville-police-looking-for-car-dead-baby-after-traffic-stop/" type="external">WKRN</a>&#160;web staff, December 10, 2014, Updated: December 11, 2014</p>
<p>MILLERSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - A father stopped on Interstate 65 in Robertson County Wednesday afternoon had a permit to transport the 15-week-old fetus he reported was in the trunk of his car, Millersville Police Chief David Hindman said in a news conference Thursday afternoon.</p>
<p>Hindman said the mother miscarried at 15 weeks on December 7 at a hospital in Bowling Green, Ky., and the parents were given the permit from the coroner's office. The father and two other men, all from Saudi Arabia, were transporting the baby to a mosque in Williamson County for an Islamic burial ceremony when they were stopped in Millersville.</p>
<p />
<p>A language barrier prevented him from showing the officer the permit, Chief Hindman said Thursday. "What they told the officer is their baby had died. They had processed the body according to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OPAFGL4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00OPAFGL4&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;linkId=D35HY5PCEIGTXXFJ" type="external">Muslim faith</a>," he explained.</p>
<p>Hindman said the officer, not wanting to interfere with a Muslim religious burial ceremony, decided at that time not to cause a scene with the family in the midst of their mourning, and to let the vehicle go on to bury their child.</p>
<p>While the officer is five months new to the job, the chief says he stands by his employee. "I stand by my officer and he will continue to be with us here at Millersville police," he said.</p>
<p>Chief Hindeman called the incident very rare, but said he does plan to create a new policy in order to deal with similar scenarios in the future.</p>
<p><a href="http://pamelageller.com/2014/12/tenn-police-allows-saudis-with-dead-baby-in-trunk-to-drive-away-for-fear-of-offending-muslims.html/" type="external">Source</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;field-keywords=pamela%20geller&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apamela%20geller&amp;sprefix=pamela%20ge%2Caps&amp;tag=freedomoutpos-20&amp;url=search-alias%3Daps" type="external">Pamela Geller's commitment to freedom from jihad and Shariah shines forth in her books</a></p> | TN Cops Allow Muslims with Dead Baby in Trunk to Drive Away for Fear of Offending Them | true | https://freedomforce.com/muslims-dead-baby-trunk-allowed-drive-away-tennessee-cops-fear-offending-muslims/ | 2014-12-14 | 0 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>The Guava Tree Cafe is moving to a new location in Nob Hill near Central and Richmond.</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Guava Tree Café has pulled up its University-area roots and is moving to Nob Hill.</p>
<p>The popular restaurant known for sandwiches and Latin American offerings should reopen near Central and Richmond next week, owners say.</p>
<p>The new site – 118 Richmond NE – offers about twice as much space as the restaurant’s original spot, ample parking and “just … a better location,” said Maricarmen Pijem, who owns Guava Tree with husband Diego Barbosa.</p>
<p>Guava Tree Café opened in the fall of 2010 at 216 Yale SE. It closed there last week.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Owners have spent the past six months readying the new place, which previously had been office space, Pijem said.</p>
<p>As part of the move, the owners plan to gradually expand into dinner hours, she said.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Guava Tree moving to Nob Hill location | false | https://abqjournal.com/432494/guava-tree-moving-to-nob-hill-location.html | 2 |
|
<p />
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Shares of Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL), a mid-cap biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drugs, dipped 17% in October, based on data from <a href="https://www.spcapitaliq.com/" type="external">S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a>. The reason for the drop can likely be traced to two factors.</p>
<p>Image source: Bristol-Myers Squibb.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>To begin with, Exelixis is still facing a bit of a September hangover after it and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) announced potentially disappointing phase 1 data at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting. While there were some bright spots, the focus seemed to be that nine of 24 patients had to receive a dose reduction because of adverse events in urothelial and genital cancer studies. A lower dose isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it works, but it raised eyebrows among investors that perhaps a combination between Bristol-Myers' Opdivo and Exelixis' Cabometyx may not be as successful, or as safe, as once thought. If Exelixis were able to successfully combine with Opdivo to provide objective responses, it could expand far beyond its expected labels and garner even more market share in second-line renal cell carcinoma.</p>
<p>The second issue for Exelixis is broader in focus. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have brought up drug pricing as an issue that needs fixing, with Clinton taking the more hard-lined stance of the two. If Clinton were elected and got her proposals through Congress, it's possible there could be out-of-pocket spending limits for consumers on a monthly basis for certain drugs and that patent exclusivity periods on branded drugs could be shortened. Just the potential for this to happen, even though they're merely proposals at this point, seems to be weighing heavily on the entire biotech industry.</p>
<p>I believe it's important for investors to put Exelixis' October move into context. Despite falling 17% during the month, shares of the Exelixis are up an impressive 117% year to date through Monday, Nov. 7. Exelixis is also readying to reap the benefits of commercializing Cabometyx and could start turning a profit as early as next year.</p>
<p>Image source: Exelixis.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the company gave investors every reason to be excited with the full release of its phase 2 CABOSUN data. At a 20.8-month follow-up, Cabometyx demonstrated a statistically significant 31% reduction in the rate of disease progression or death compared to the placebo in first-line renal cell carcinoma. Median progression-free survival was 8.2 months for the Cabometyx arm compared to 5.6 months for Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) Sutent, the current standard-of-care. Objective response rate also improved to 46% compared to 18% for Sutent. Lastly, at the 22.8-month follow-up, median overall survival for Cabometyx was 30.3 months, compared with 21.8 months for Sutent. Long story short, Sutent -- which brings in over a billion dollars annually for Pfizer -- may soon be on its way out if Cabometyx shines in phase 3 trials.</p>
<p>As a long-term shareholder in Exelixis, I clearly have some bias in my belief that its valuation should head higher. However, with CABOSUN shining, Cabomeytx sales readying to explode in second-line renal cell carcinoma, and the CELESTIAL trial for hepatocellular carcinoma continuing based on the recommendation of the independent data monitoring committee, the bullish thesis is well represented.</p>
<p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;ftm_pit=2518&amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFUltraLong/info.aspx" type="external">Sean Williams Opens a New Window.</a>owns shares of Exelixis, but has no material interest in any other companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name <a href="http://caps.fool.com/player/tmfultralong.aspx" type="external">TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/TMFUltraLong" type="external">@TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Exelixis. 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> | 2 Reasons Exelixis, Inc. Dove 17% in October, and 1 Excuse to Be Excited | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/11/07/2-reasons-exelixis-inc-dove-17-in-october-and-1-excuse-to-be-excited.html | 2016-11-07 | 0 |
<p>When news emerged that Donald Trump had chosen former Texas governor Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy, journalists everywhere were blessed with the opportunity to remind readers of his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uvmKnFY4uk" type="external">“oops” moment</a>, when during a GOP primary debate Perry violated one of the basic rules of public speaking: Never list how many points you’re going to make unless you have them written in front of you. The moment, which deserves a close watch, is a study in Twain’s maxim that “against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand.” Not even Rick Perry’s practiced Texan machismo. It begins with Perry turning his substantial torso towards the candidate adjacent to him onstage, by chance the comparatively diminutive (and for some reason smirking) Ron Paul. Gesturing&#160;theatrically and summoning up all his authority, Perry declares in uncertain terms: “I will tell you, it is three agencies of government, when I get there, that are gone.” Extending a finger for each of the cabinet departments on the chopping block, he continues: “Commerce, Education, and the, um…What’s the third one there?” The next minute or so, as Perry smiles sheepishly while the moderators alternate&#160;between helping him and asking if he really can’t remember the third one, is&#160;a scene of&#160;cringe-inducing (almost Office-esque) comedy; it is also a gratifying sight of unearned authority laid low. In this moment, the video is good for a grim laugh, since the agency Perry couldn’t remember is the one he’s now been chosen to head.</p>
<p>As <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-trump.html?smid=tw-share&amp;_r=0" type="external">a deadpan report in The New York Times</a> strongly suggests, it is entirely possible that neither Trump nor Perry has any idea what the Energy Department does. “Texas is rich in energy resources, and Mr. Perry is an enthusiastic supporter of extracting them. But it is not clear how that experience would translate into leading the Energy Department,” the Times&#160;notes, &#160;pointing out that “[d]espite its name,” much of the department’s business has less to do with drill-baby-drill and more to do with nuclear weapons. (To drive home the point, the report quotes a former senator who calls the selection of Perry “perplexing” and who also notes, surely with no particular individual in mind, that “very few people understand” the nature of the position.)</p>
<p>However, that doesn’t mean Perry is without experience for the job. Anybody seeking to understand his record on nuclear issues should revisit Charles Homans’s <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/102778/harold-simmons-campaign-donor-2012-gop" type="external">masterful 2012 profile</a> of Harold Simmons, a Texas billionaire who, around February 2012, was, according to FEC filings, the largest single donor in American politics. That level of spending was made possible in part by Simmons’s fabulously successful effort, over nearly a decade, to rewrite Texas law and secure permission for a private company he had taken over to store nuclear waste in the state.</p>
<p>Starting in the mid-1990s, Simmons began to acquire shares in a company called Waste Control Specialists, which was seeking to build a nuclear waste depository outside the tiny town of Andrews. At the time, as Homans explains, Texas law did not allow private companies to operate nuclear waste dumps—but after a massive lobbying and donation push spearheaded by Simmons, and made possible by his political connections (he evidently assured associates of ties to Perry and other leading politicians), the legislature changed the law. “Then we got another law passed that said they can only issue one license,” Simmons explained to a reporter in 2006. “Of course, we were the only ones that applied.”</p>
<p>As Homans shows, after the initial fight to change the law, the regulatory hurdles proved mild in comparison. This, even after an analysis found that the site in Andrews “came worryingly close to several groundwater deposits, including the Ogallala Aquifer—the largest underground water system in North America and, possibly, the world.” One source of groundwater might be as close as 14 feet from the radioactive waste site. After state experts recommended&#160;rejecting the license, Glenn Shankle, the head of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved it anyway.</p>
<p>Texas-based reporters, who have been sounding the alarm about these practices to little national notice, might find that their valuable work is about to become newly prominent. As one 2009 report <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/perry-tightens-his-grip-on-tceq/" type="external">put it</a>: “In Gov. Perry’s almost nine years in office, he has achieved close to a 100% success rate in appointing TCEQ commissioners who go out of their way to side with ‘customers’ – as TCEQ refers to the polluting industries they regulate – over citizens and the environment.” Shankle, the report noted, frequently overruled recommendations from his technical staff even though he “had no formal training in environmental policy or science-based regulation” himself. That conspicuous lack of qualification, fortunately, would matter less in his new job. &#160;As you probably could have guessed, shortly after approving the license for the nuclear site, “Shankle left the agency and went to work as a&#160; <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/blog/?p=1317" type="external">lobbyist</a>&#160;for that company, Waste Control Specialists, which is owned by Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons&#160;and&#160;major donor to Rick Perry’s campaign and other Republicans.” The ground by the aquifer may be filled with radioactive waste, but hey, at least the swamp is drained.</p> | The Return of Rick Perry | true | http://democracyjournal.org/arguments/the-return-of-rick-perry/ | 2016-12-15 | 4 |
<p>By Alan Fram / Associated Press</p>
<p><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-213858364/stock-photo-calculating-income-tax-return-with-folded-cash-on-a-table.html?src=var2jQnTA8SE7FiiDhyHTQ-3-69" type="external">Arina P Habich / Shutterstock</a></p>
<p>WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans steered toward a potential showdown vote on their long-awaited health care bill next week, despite indications that they’ve yet to solidify the 50 GOP votes they’ll need to avert an embarrassing defeat.</p>
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he expected to have a draft of the bill ready Thursday. The measure would peel away much of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul and leave government with a more limited role in providing coverage and helping people afford it.</p>
<p />
<p>“We have to act, and we are,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.</p>
<p>Later, he simply chortled when asked if he was confident the measure would pass, a victory that would elude him if just three of the 52 GOP senators voted no.</p>
<p>McConnell’s ability to assess and line up votes is considered masterful, and he’s eager to pass legislation fulfilling a keystone campaign promise of President Donald Trump and countless GOP congressional candidates. But underscoring the uncertainty he faces, senators from both ends of his party’s spectrum were grumbling about the bill’s expected contents and the clandestine way it’s being crafted.</p>
<p>“It’s apparently being written by a small handful of staffers for members of the Republican leadership,” said conservative Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, using a Facebook video for an unusually public swipe at GOP leaders.</p>
<p>Though a member of the 13-senator working group McConnell had tasked with piecing legislation together, Lee said he’s not seen the emerging bill and “whole-heartedly” shares the frustration of constituents unhappy over the secrecy. He said senators should have seen the measure “weeks ago” if the chamber is voting next week, the goal of top Republicans.</p>
<p>That echoed Democrats’ lambasting of McConnell for writing the wide-ranging legislation in closed-door meetings. They unanimously oppose the GOP bill but lack the votes to defeat it. They fear McConnell will jam the legislation through the Senate with little debate, limiting their chance to scrutinize the bill and whip up opposition against it.</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard of a more radical or a more reckless process,” said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.</p>
<p>Aides and lobbyists said they expected the GOP bill to provide health care tax credits linked to people’s incomes, not their ages like the House-passed measure, and impose spending limits on the growth of the federal-state Medicaid program for the poor that would tighten further by the mid-2020s. Another possibility was letting states drop some coverage requirements Obama’s law imposes on insurers, they said.</p>
<p>They said unresolved questions included how to make sure the subsidies can’t be used for policies that provide abortions and how fast they can repeal tax boosts Obama levied on high earners and medical companies to finance his statute’s expanded coverage.</p>
<p>The No. 3 Senate GOP leader, John Thune of South Dakota, said Republicans were moving toward phasing out Obama’s enlargement of Medicaid to additional low-income people over five or six years. That might satisfy Republican senators from states that expanded their programs, but conservatives have wanted to halt the extra expenditures quickly.</p>
<p>Though McConnell did not schedule the vote for next week, some Republicans said they believed he would hold it either way. A loss would be a major blow for Trump and congressional Republicans, but it would let GOP senators take a definitive stance on the issue and let Republicans move on to other priorities like tax cuts.</p>
<p>“The leadership has made it clear we’re going to vote,” Thune said. “Hopefully we’ll have 50 votes when that time comes.”</p>
<p>At the White House, spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump “clearly wants a bill that has heart.” A week ago, Trump called the version the House approved last month “mean.” Spicer offered no specifics but said Trump wants the Senate to “strengthen it, to make it more affordable, more accessible.”</p>
<p>Besides Lee, two other conservatives were also complaining.</p>
<p>Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Republican plan does “not yet” do enough to reduce premiums, a key GOP goal, and said it needed to go further in easing Obama’s coverage requirements. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said it would be “a non-starter” if the developing bill’s subsidies are as large as Obama’s.</p>
<p>Moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she didn’t know how she’d vote, saying, “What is the deal we have? I have no idea what the deal is.”</p>
<p>She’s opposed conservative efforts to include language barring federal payments to Planned Parenthood, a group many Republicans abhor because it provides abortions.</p>
<p>AP reporters Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Andrew Taylor, Erica Werner and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.</p> | Senate Steers Toward Showdown Vote on Health Bill Next Week | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/senate-steers-toward-showdown-vote-on-health-bill-next-week/ | 2017-06-21 | 4 |
<p>HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>03-14-22-33-41</p>
<p>(three, fourteen, twenty-two, thirty-three, forty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $300,000</p>
<p>Cash4Life</p>
<p>26-36-42-58-60, Cash Ball: 1</p>
<p>(twenty-six, thirty-six, forty-two, fifty-eight, sixty; Cash Ball: one)</p>
<p>Match 6 Lotto</p>
<p>02-07-12-29-30-31</p>
<p>(two, seven, twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $650,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Day</p>
<p>6-2, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(six, two; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>3-6, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(three, six; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Day</p>
<p>3-9-0, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(three, nine, zero; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-5-5, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(two, five, five; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Day</p>
<p>4-5-2-8, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(four, five, two, eight; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>2-8-2-1, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(two, eight, two, one; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Day</p>
<p>9-4-2-3-6, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(nine, four, two, three, six; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>3-6-8-6-6, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(three, six, eight, six, six; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>Treasure Hunt</p>
<p>03-12-13-22-23</p>
<p>(three, twelve, thirteen, twenty-two, twenty-three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $10,000</p>
<p>HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn Thursday:</p>
<p>Cash 5</p>
<p>03-14-22-33-41</p>
<p>(three, fourteen, twenty-two, thirty-three, forty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $300,000</p>
<p>Cash4Life</p>
<p>26-36-42-58-60, Cash Ball: 1</p>
<p>(twenty-six, thirty-six, forty-two, fifty-eight, sixty; Cash Ball: one)</p>
<p>Match 6 Lotto</p>
<p>02-07-12-29-30-31</p>
<p>(two, seven, twelve, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $650,000</p>
<p>Mega Millions</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $55 million</p>
<p>Pick 2 Day</p>
<p>6-2, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(six, two; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 2 Evening</p>
<p>3-6, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(three, six; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Day</p>
<p>3-9-0, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(three, nine, zero; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 3 Evening</p>
<p>2-5-5, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(two, five, five; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Day</p>
<p>4-5-2-8, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(four, five, two, eight; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 4 Evening</p>
<p>2-8-2-1, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(two, eight, two, one; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Day</p>
<p>9-4-2-3-6, Wild: 9</p>
<p>(nine, four, two, three, six; Wild: nine)</p>
<p>Pick 5 Evening</p>
<p>3-6-8-6-6, Wild: 6</p>
<p>(three, six, eight, six, six; Wild: six)</p>
<p>Powerball</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $78 million</p>
<p>Treasure Hunt</p>
<p>03-12-13-22-23</p>
<p>(three, twelve, thirteen, twenty-two, twenty-three)</p>
<p>Estimated jackpot: $10,000</p> | PA Lottery | false | https://apnews.com/amp/45667983da734e33835c623ae32abffb | 2018-01-19 | 2 |
<p />
<p>The silver market performed reasonably well in 2016, with the price of the precious metal picking up more than $2 to close the year at $15.88 per ounce. That in turn helped boost the prospects for silver-tracking investments like the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV). But as much as investors appreciated the gains, they were a far cry from the highs above $20 per ounce that silver posted earlier in the year. Looking forward to the coming year, investors want to see the price of silver in 2017 climb back toward the $20 mark, but those who follow the silver market aren't sure just how much progress the metal can make. Below, we'll look at what could move the price of silver in 2017.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<p>The main difficulty that many people have in assessing the silver market is that it acts like a hybrid, showing characteristics of both precious and industrial metals. On one hand, even at prices that are less than 2% of the price of gold, silver is still roughly 100 times as costly as copper, putting silver in a gray area in the middle of the price spectrum. Historically, traders have seen silver as a precious metal, and many mines produce both gold and silver, further associating them in the minds of investors.</p>
<p>Yet in large part, silver is much more subject to supply and demand considerations than gold. Silver gets used in a wide variety of industrial applications, and that subjects it to the normal demand fluctuations of the global economic business cycle. In addition, mined supply of new silver plays a role in setting its price, along with the willingness of those who have stockpiled silver for investment or personal use to bring it back into the market when prices rise.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Even with those countervailing factors, silver traded largely in line with its precious metal counterparts during 2016. After a big gain linked to an early year stock market decline in 2016 and prospects for a potential collapse in the energy markets, silver climbed to its highest levels by mid-year. However, the final boost from the U.K. Brexit vote to leave the European Union didn't lead to the economic chaos that some had predicted. By the second half of the year, excitement about silver waned, and fears of higher interest rates sent silver prices down more than $4 per ounce from their highest levels of the year.</p>
<p>Source: Analyst projections via Kitco.</p>
<p>As you can see above, there are two distinct camps among those following the silver market. Some believe that better conditions in the market will lead to substantial gains, while others see the current malaise lasting throughout 2017.</p>
<p>Most of those who are bullish about silver prices in 2017 point to silver's capacity to decouple from the precious metals markets. In particular, excitement about silver's industrial demand could be the driver for higher prices in the minds of some.</p>
<p>Helping to support that view are the latest calls from President-elect Donald Trump for greater spending on infrastructure and construction. If the U.S. moves forward with initiatives that are successful in driving greater activity on those fronts, then the use of silver could increase. At the same time, many expect that silver mining activity will fall in 2017 from year-ago levels, continuing a longer-term trend. Even with prices having bounced from their lowest levels, they're still not high enough to make miners feel particularly enthusiastic about boosting production.</p>
<p>However, those who are negative on the prospects for silver prices in 2017 point out that the factors that traditionally hurt precious metals markets are poised to become stronger during the year. Late-year dollar strength in 2016 has typically pushed gold and silver prices lower. Moreover, with many expecting multiple interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve in 2017, the costs of holding positions in silver bullion are likely to rise from their rock-bottom levels of the past several years.</p>
<p>Also, the supply and demand factors that theoretically drive silver prices haven't always matched up in the short run. Supply deficits in production of mined silver have been regular occurrences for most of the past 15 years, but that hasn't prevented the silver market from having wild volatility swings over that time period.</p>
<p>Just about the only certainty with silver prices in 2017 is that they're likely to feature substantial moves in both directions, as investors try to figure out changes in geopolitical and macroeconomic factors affecting the market. That might stop the forward momentum that silver generated in 2016, but it could also create opportunities for those who have higher hopes for silver's prospects in the long run.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than iShares Silver Trust When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=9395aa6f-a2df-454f-8bc9-4d032ba3ca24&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks</a> for investors to buy right now... and iShares Silver Trust wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=9395aa6f-a2df-454f-8bc9-4d032ba3ca24&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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</a>.</p> | Price of Silver in 2017: Why It Could Bounce Higher | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/01/22/price-silver-in-2017-why-it-could-bounce-higher.html | 2017-01-22 | 0 |
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Hilton Ruiz: <a href="" type="internal">Enchantment</a> (Arabesque)</p>
<p>New York-born pianist Hilton Ruiz was a child prodigy, performing at Carnegie Hall in 1960 at the age of 8. Over the next decade, Ruiz apprenticed with Joe Newman and Freddie Hubbard, before forming a fruitful association with the iconic Rashaan Roland Kirk. After Kirk’s death, Ruiz went on to lead his own bands, becoming one of the most gifted and innovative players of Latin and Cuban jazz. Earlier this week, Ruiz was mugged and severely beaten in the head as he left a bar on Bourbon Street. He now lies in a coma in a New Orleans hospital. The NO police, perhaps the worst crop in a nation of corrupt cops, have not launched an investigation into the near-fatal beating and initially reported that he had simply “fallen” on the sidewalk and smashed his skull. Like most musicians, Ruiz has only limited health insurance and his wife Aida is pleading for financial help in this time of crisis. Please wire transfer money to the below bank account. She wants people to call her when they have sent something so she will know that it’s there.</p>
<p>Aida Ruiz Chase Bank ACCT #: 711211359 ROUTING # 065400137</p>
<p>Her Phone # 201-925-6416 (Please leave message if she doesn’t answer)</p>
<p>Desmond Dekker: <a href="" type="internal">Rockin’ Steady</a> (Rhino)</p>
<p>The King of Ska and Rock Steady music, Desmond Dekker died this week at the age of 65. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Dekker’s sweet voice and jubilant music laid the foundations for reggae and served as a running soundtrack for the Rude Boy culture. Dekker’s “Israelites” still stands as one of the greatest singles of the 1960s. His cover of Jimmy Cliff’s “You Can Get It If You Really Want It” is more biting than Cliff’s own version and landed on the soundtrack to The Harder They Come. Dekker became close friends with Paul McCartney, who immortalized him in “Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da.” In the late 1970s, Dekker’s rough brand of ska was rediscovered by The Clash and other Brit punk bands who merged ska dubs with punk angst in the so-called Two Tone movement. Unfortunately the punk movement didn’t lead to a resurrection of Dekker’s career. He was forced into bankruptcy in 1984 and lived a hard existence for the remainder of his life. Stands with Toots, Marley, Cliff and Tosh as one of the giants of the Jamaican sound.</p>
<p>Roxy Music: <a href="" type="internal">Country Life</a> (Virgin)</p>
<p>Lives up to its album cover. And then some.</p>
<p>Anne McCou: <a href="" type="internal">Roll</a> (Messenger)</p>
<p>Anne McCou writes sharply observed and caustic folk-rock songs, a kind of Canadian Lucinda Williams. McCou’s song “Stupid” is as challenging as anything Williams, a self-proclaimed poet, has ever written. But that’s where the comparison ends, because unlike Williams McCou has a supple voice and she has enough chops as a guitar-slinger to not only cover Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” but attack it.</p>
<p>Dave Alvin: <a href="" type="internal">Way of the West</a> (Yep Rock)</p>
<p>Roots guitarist Dave Alvin covers some of his favorite California songwriters, from Jackson Browne and Brian Wilson to John Fogerty and Jerry Garcia, improving on most of them. The highlight of the set is his haunting, almost ethereal, cover of Merle Haggard’s “Kern River”</p>
<p>Gato Barbieri: <a href="" type="internal">Last Tango in Paris</a> (Varese Sarabande)</p>
<p>Word comes that Bernardo Bertolucci is directing a film of Bel Canto, the curious romance novel about music and revolution in an unnamed South American country that sounds a lot like Alberto Fujimori’s Peru. One hopes that Bertolucci once again calls upon the Argentinean sax-player Gato Barbieri to score the film (and offers even a tiny role to Maria Schneider). Long before the recent craze for Latin music, Barbieri was crafting sultry, after hours jazz that sounds both erotic and slightly dangerous. Pass the butter …</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Dead Kennedys: <a href="" type="internal">Frankenchrist</a> (Manifesto)</p>
<p>And you thought the Da Vinci Code got under the skin of the fundies…Will “ <a href="" type="internal">Stars and Stripes of Corruption</a>” ever seem archaic? Here’s to you congressmen Cunningham, DeLay, Ney and Jefferson …</p>
<p>JEFFREY ST. CLAIR’s music writings (as well as CPers Ron Jacobs, David Vest and Daniel Wolff) can be found in <a href="http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/CounterPunch/CP_Books.html" type="external">Serpents in the Garden</a>. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | CounterPunch Playlist | true | https://counterpunch.org/2006/05/27/counterpunch-playlist-2/ | 2006-05-27 | 4 |
<p>For more than a week, the State of Israel has closed all the crossing points that connect the Gaza Strip with the rest of the territory and suspended the supplying of energy, water, fuel, food and medicines, leaving the Palestinian population of 1.5 million people on the brink of disaster.</p>
<p>On January 23, around half a million desperate Palestinians, in search of food and basic goods, knocked down the wall erected by the Mubarak government, that separates the Gaza Strip from Egypt.</p>
<p>The situation is so extreme that in some countries like Jordan, mobilizations have taken place to repudiate this crime against the Palestinian people, by demanding the breaking off of relations with the State of Israel. This method of collective punishment, worthy of totalitarian regimes and armies of occupation, that has the approval of the US, the European Union, the Arab regimes, and the Palestinian government of Mahmud Abbas, servant of the State of Israel and imperialism, is used regularly by the Zionist state to subject the Palestinian resistance and make it yield. Shelling by the Israeli army against the civilian population and murdering the leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other radical organizations are in addition to this.</p>
<p>In June 2007, Palestinian President Abbas tried to put an end to the Hamas government, elected in January 2006. After a brief confrontation, forces loyal to Abbas left the Gaza Strip, that remained under the government of Hamas. Since then, the blockade and isolation of this small territory has been reinforced, with aim of forcing the government to fall. In addition, the Egyptian government of Hosni Mubarak closed the border with Gaza.</p>
<p>Olmert's government launched this new offensive with impunity, a few days after the visit of George Bush to the region to renew conversations between Abbas and Israel for the establishment of a supposed "Palestinian State." This shows once more that the Zionist state and the US, with the complicity of the "international community" and the Arab governments, and the help of al Fatah, are again resorting to terror and collective punishment to defeat the resistance of the Palestinian people and to force them to renounce their basic right to national self-determination and accept living in ghettos under the colonial domination of the racist State of Israel.</p>
<p>Solidarity by workers and the oppressed with the Palestinian people, who are again being subjected to the barbarous attack of the terrorist State of Israel, is needed more than ever.</p>
<p>Transaltion by Y Mikah</p> | Down with the siege of Gaza! | true | https://leftvoice.org/Down-with-the-siege-of-Gaza | 2008-02-10 | 4 |
<p>Oct. 6 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Nate is moving quickly northwest toward the Gulf of Mexico — after devastating parts of Central America — the National Hurricane Center said Friday.</p>
<p>In its <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/060842.shtml" type="external">4 a.m. CDT advisory</a> Friday, the NHC said Nate was located about 60 miles east-southeast of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and 275 miles south-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico. It’s moving northwest at 14 mph.</p>
<p>Nate has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, forecasters said. The storm has been deadly in parts of Central America, <a href="https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/10/05/Tropical-Storm-Nate-kills-at-least-11-in-Central-America-several-more-missing/6561507252476/?utm_source=fp&amp;utm_campaign=ls&amp;utm_medium=1" type="external">killing more than 20</a>.</p>
<p>In its forecast, the NHC said Nate is moving quickly toward the northwest Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.</p>
<p>A hurricane watch has been issued for several locations near the coast in Mississippi and Louisiana, including the New Orleans metropolitan area.</p>
<p>The storm will move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea Friday and reach the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula early Friday evening, forecasters said. Nate is then expected to move into the southern Gulf of Mexico late Friday and approach the northern Gulf coast Saturday evening.</p>
<p>The NHC said U.S. Gulf Coast states are expected to receive between 3 and 6 inches of rain, with 12 inches possible in isolated parts.</p>
<p>Including Nate, there have been 13 tropical storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes so far this season.</p> | Tropical Storm Nate moving quickly toward Gulf of Mexico | false | https://newsline.com/tropical-storm-nate-moving-quickly-toward-gulf-of-mexico/ | 2017-10-06 | 1 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>NEW YORK — Fitbit, whose devices encourage people to walk 10,000 steps each day, now wants to put them to sleep as well.</p>
<p>The company said data collected by the millions of Fitbit trackers in use show that people are averaging less than seven hours of sleep a night, the amount recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the Zs people do get aren’t necessarily the right kind of sleep.</p>
<p>So Fitbit will offer deeper sleep tracking on some of its devices. Fitbits already track how much sleep people get and use sensors to measure periods of being awake or restless while in bed. Now, using a built-in heart-rate monitor, the devices will break sleep into clinically defined stages.</p>
<p>For example, about a quarter of sleep is supposed to consist of the rapid-eye movement, or REM, phase. This is when dreams occur, and scientists believe it’s important for improving memory. Fitbit says devices with this new Sleep Stages feature will be able to measure whether you get enough REM sleep.</p>
<p>Fitbit also announced an updated version of its Alta tracker. The new version has heart rate monitoring and seven days of battery life. The Alta HR goes on sale in a few weeks for about $150. Fitbit will start taking orders on Monday. Existing Charge 2 and Blaze devices will get the sleep feature through free software updates.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>One of Fitbit’s chief competitors, the Apple Watch, doesn’t come with sleep tracking, as it needs a nightly recharge. Other fitness trackers and smartwatches do offer sleep tracking with varying degrees of depth and accuracy, but the sleep capabilities often take a backseat to features for running, cycling and other exercise.</p>
<p>According to research firm IDC , Fitbit is the leading seller of wearable devices, but it’s facing a steep decline because most of its sales are in the U.S., where many people who want a fitness tracker already have one. Pushing capabilities beyond exercise could help Fitbit appeal to people whose fitness routines are already stable.</p>
<p>“We really want our users to think about sleep as being as important as your activity,” said Christina Kothari, senior product marketing manager at Fitbit.</p>
<p>All Fitbits will offer recommendations through the Fitbit app on ways to improve sleep. For example, if you get more sleep on weekends, Fitbit might suggest that you’re not getting enough during the week. Or if sleep quality improves after exercise, the app might suggest more workouts.</p>
<p>Ultimately, San Francisco-based Fitbit hopes to personalize recommendations on how much sleep you need rather than rely on general guidelines from studies, said Shelten Yuen, Fitbit’s vice president of research and development. Some might need more, others less, and Yuen said Fitbit can tell based on signs such as increased heart rate and fatigue.</p> | Fitbit tracks your steps; now it wants to chart your Zs, too | false | https://abqjournal.com/962697/fitbit-tracks-your-steps-now-it-wants-to-chart-your-zs-too.html | 2017-03-06 | 2 |
<p>MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin's spokesman says contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's leader have taken place outside the public eye, but Kiev denies any meetings were held.</p>
<p>Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not specify on Sunday how many contacts the Russian president has had with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko or when the last one took place.</p>
<p>The Interfax news agency later cited Ukraine's presidential office as saying there have been no bilateral meetings since the 2015 signing of the Minsk agreement, aimed at ending the war in eastern Ukraine with Russia-backed separatists.</p>
<p>Putin and Petroshenko met in Berlin in the fall of 2016 as part of a four-way summit on resolving the conflict.</p>
<p>Russian news agencies quote Peskov saying: "Such meetings take place, but we don't report about them."</p>
<p>MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin's spokesman says contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's leader have taken place outside the public eye, but Kiev denies any meetings were held.</p>
<p>Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not specify on Sunday how many contacts the Russian president has had with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko or when the last one took place.</p>
<p>The Interfax news agency later cited Ukraine's presidential office as saying there have been no bilateral meetings since the 2015 signing of the Minsk agreement, aimed at ending the war in eastern Ukraine with Russia-backed separatists.</p>
<p>Putin and Petroshenko met in Berlin in the fall of 2016 as part of a four-way summit on resolving the conflict.</p>
<p>Russian news agencies quote Peskov saying: "Such meetings take place, but we don't report about them."</p> | Kremlin: Putin, Ukraine leader meet unannounced; Kiev denies | false | https://apnews.com/amp/9376c89d6c2f48e8befa8a184275e5d4 | 2018-01-21 | 2 |
<p>NEW YORK — J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer in the second inning Friday night and Justin Nicolino earned his second straight win with five solid innings as the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Miami-Marlins/" type="external">Miami Marlins</a> beat the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/New-York-Mets/" type="external">New York Mets</a> 3-1 at Citi Field.</p>
<p>Marcell Ozuna lofted a sacrifice fly in the third for the Marlins (59-61), who have won six of seven to move within two games of .500 for the first time since they were 12-14 on May 3.</p>
<p>Marlins right fielder <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Giancarlo-Stanton/" type="external">Giancarlo Stanton</a>, whose six-game home run streak was snapped in Miami’s previous game Wednesday, went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks. Stanton leads the majors with 44 homers.</p>
<p>The Mets (53-67) have lost five straight to fall 14 games below .500 for the first time since they finished the 2013 season at 74-88.</p>
<p>Nicolino (2-1) allowed one run on six hits and no walks while striking out one as he won consecutive starts for the first time since April 27-May 3, 2016. Four relievers combined to limit the Mets to one hit the rest of the way, with <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Brad_Ziegler/" type="external">Brad Ziegler</a> earning his fifth save with a perfect ninth.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Wilmer-Flores/" type="external">Wilmer Flores</a> had an RBI single for the Mets while <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Asdrubal_Cabrera/" type="external">Asdrubal Cabrera</a> and Amed Rosario each had two hits. Rosario added a stolen base.</p>
<p>Rookie right-hander Chris Flexen (2-2) took the loss after allowing the three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out one over 5 1/3 innings.</p>
<p>The Marlins went ahead 2-0 in the second when Ozuna drew a leadoff walk before Realmuto hit a two-run homer to left field.</p>
<p>Another walk led to a run in the third for the Marlins, when Stanton walked with one out, went to third on Christian Yelich’s double and trotted home on Ozuna’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field.</p>
<p>The Mets pulled within 3-1 in the third, when Juan Lagares and Cabrera each hit one-out singles. Lagares advanced to third on a fly out by Yoenis Cespedes and scored on Flores’ single to left.</p>
<p>NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 53 minutes by rain. … The matchup of Marlins LHP Justin Nicolino and Mets RHP Chris Flexen marked just the third time this season both starters in a game pitched at least five innings and recorded one strikeout or fewer. It also happened in a Marlins- <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/San-Francisco-Giants/" type="external">San Francisco Giants</a> game on Monday and an <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Atlanta-Braves/" type="external">Atlanta Braves</a>– <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Pittsburgh-Pirates/" type="external">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> game on May 25. … Mets IF Wilmer Flores returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sore left oblique. … Marlins LHP Wei-Yin Chen (left elbow) threw a two-inning simulated game Friday.</p> | Miami Marlins deal New York Mets their fifth straight loss | false | https://newsline.com/miami-marlins-deal-new-york-mets-their-fifth-straight-loss/ | 2017-08-19 | 1 |
<p>My wife and I brought home Rhodes, our first child, four months ago. Here's what I remember most about those first weeks: the smell of his skin and breath as he slept on my chest in our bed—small, warm, and fragile, like an egg. I breathed in the scent of the newest life I’d ever encountered as he slept.</p>
<p>He wasn’t undersized, but still I marveled at how tiny these newest of humans come. We, the most dominating creatures on Earth, start out so helpless and red and beautiful. I knew, as he lay curled against my heart, that I would do anything to protect him, love him, and bring him up right in the world.</p>
<p>Last month, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-india-hangings-20130914,0,6139574.story" type="external">four men in India</a> were sentenced to death for a rape and murder of such brutality it can scarcely be believed. The week prior, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/09/09/2590771/vanderbilt-rape-case/" type="external">four Vanderbilt University football players</a> were charged with raping an unconscious woman (much like last year's events in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steubenville_High_School_rape_case" type="external">Steubenville, Ohio</a>). And during the previous spring, just before Rhodes was born, Ariel Castro was arrested in Cleveland for imprisoning three women—kidnapped as young girls—in his house for ten years.</p>
<p>These and similar stories constantly fill our network news, cable opinion shows, newspapers, social media, blogs... It's nearly impossible to avoid stories of violence, rape, and domination. Living rightly is hard enough on your own, and now I must raise a son to do so in a world that is, in part, characterized by men's violence against women.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4LkrQCyIz8" type="external">Louis CK sums it up best</a>: "There is no greater threat to women than men. We are the number one threat to women. Globally and historically, we’re the number one cause of injury and mayhem to women." And I worry that he’s right.</p>
<p>Now that I am a father, this question constantly sits before me: How do I raise a son of compassion and dignity? A man who respects women?</p>
<p>Early on during our pregnancy, my wife and I discussed whether we preferred to raise a boy or a girl. It was completely beyond our control, but the conversation stuck with me: boy or girl? &#160;We've created a world of great beauty as well as great terror. Would I rather send a young man into it, or a young woman?</p>
<p>As I awaited our child, my awareness of news about sexual violence reached new heights, and influenced how I thought about raising a boy or a girl.</p>
<p>A girl, my early thinking followed, could be protected. I worried about her safety, but I thought I could shelter her from the particular threats made against young women.</p>
<p>But a boy, that really scared me. &#160;Boys are the particular threat to young women. If we had a boy, we would have to raise a man. And what kind of man would he be?</p>
<p>I have difficulty imagining my infant son as anything other than the innocent person he is today. My assumption is this: I’ll be a good dad and he’ll be a good boy. But I cannot see the future. I love him and want him to love others, to be kind, to be aware of his actions, and to treat people with respect. I want him to learn from the men who have chosen these things instead of power and abuse.</p>
<p>"It’s endemic."</p>
<p>That's Ed Heisler, executive director of <a href="http://menaspeacemakers.org/" type="external">Men as Peacemakers</a>, speaking about the <a href="http://www.wfmn.org/research/2010Reports/2010SWGM_FullReport.pdf" type="external">statistics</a> on sexual violence and domestic abuse.</p>
<p>"It is the social air that youth are breathing as they’re growing up," he told me. "The media, the athletic environment, the jeans, the adults who market the jeans, the parents, the teachers that we have in school, the religious leaders—all create an environment that normalizes the domination and the control of women." He chose the right word: endemic. "It’s been that way for some time and will remain that way until something in the social environment changes."</p>
<p>Men as Peacemakers was founded in Duluth, Minn., after the community was rocked by a series of murders committed by men in the 1990s. When citizens gathered to discuss addressing violence in their city, most of them were women. This concerned some of the men in the community, who convened a retreat with 55 men from the area to discuss their roles and responsibilities when it came to alleviating violence. One of the initiatives born of the meeting was Men as Peacemakers, whose mission is to teach men and boys that there are alternatives to violence, and that violence is unacceptable.</p>
<p>I had called Heisler with an honest question: How do I raise my son to be a man who will do his part, too, to change the social environment that subjugates women?</p>
<p>Men as Peacemakers attempts to counter this environment by embedding its role models and mentors throughout the community. For example, The Best Party Model, a program in coordination with with College of St. Scholastica, attempts to reshape the party culture in America to one that is safe and equitable for women. They do this by placing mentors in schools, colleges, youth organizations, and other places where young people can have honest conversations about sexuality and partying. And it turns out that language and conversation have a lot to do with shaping young men's attitudes toward women.</p>
<p>I mentioned an anecdote from this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. During Microsoft’s demo for the new Xbox One, the male player and emcee gave a virtual gaming beatdown to a female player before a live audience, telling her, " <a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/06/microsoft-e3-rape-joke/66092/" type="external">Just let it happen. It’ll be over soon</a>."</p>
<p>In a culture where dominance and abusive rhetoric are socially permitted (video gaming), this is dominating language—and the language we use matters. Language can both empower and objectify. (Just compare the results of " <a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&amp;tbm=isch&amp;source=hp&amp;biw=1152&amp;bih=579&amp;q=college+women&amp;oq=college+women&amp;gs_l=img.3..0l10.1327.2893.0.3238.13.11.0.1.1.0.99.611.11.11.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..1.12.615.ky0ZkkWRezc#q=college+women&amp;tbm=isch&amp;imgdii=_" type="external">college women</a>" to that of " <a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&amp;tbm=isch&amp;source=hp&amp;biw=1152&amp;bih=579&amp;q=college+women&amp;oq=college+women&amp;gs_l=img.3..0l10.1327.2893.0.3238.13.11.0.1.1.0.99.611.11.11.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..1.12.615.ky0ZkkWRezc#q=college+girls&amp;tbm=isch&amp;imgdii=_" type="external">college girls</a>" in a Google Image search, and you get the point).</p>
<p>The Champions Initiative, another Men as Peacemakers initiative, pairs college athletes with youth and works directly with athletic associations and coaches to ensure that the prevention of violence against women is part of these associations' missions.</p>
<p>Since the Steubenville rape trial has focused an eye on sports culture and sexual violence, Heisler believes this outreach is critical. He uses the Steubenville case in a guided imagery exercise that asks boys to "think about that young man from Steubenville as a little boy" and to consider what his environment looks and sounds like: "Somehow that kid learned what his sense of humor was or that women were objects for men’s pleasure—things that don’t matter, you can pee on them, use them, do whatever you want with them and it doesn’t matter. That was not the way he was born."</p>
<p>So perhaps men are the worst thing that ever happens to women, but we are not born that way. We learn it. Even well-intentioned, responsible young men are capable of making terrible decisions if they are not taught, prepared, and encouraged to do otherwise.</p>
<p>So I asked Heisler directly: You’re talking to a new dad. What’s the most important, fundamental advice you can give to make sure that the children we’re raising are not going to add to this human rights problem?</p>
<p>His answer? Create a wholly new environment for young men:</p>
<p>"New dads have an opportunity and responsibility to very proactively think about how to shape and provide an environment for that young person, [one] that is going to role model and display and set expectations for equality and dignity and respect between men and women."</p>
<p>This means not just being a model in how we treat mothers, partners, and strangers in public, but also in how we think about our homes and the spaces we inhabit.</p>
<p>"We’re trying to create a world where dads—men—are taking it a step further and really thinking about how they creatively shape an environment that promotes gender equity and respect for women," Heisler told me. "We have a tide pushing in the opposite direction. It takes every effort to create an environment that will stick with our young people."</p>
<p>A few days later, I had a beer with Todd Bratulich and Luke Freeman. After all the research on violence and domination, I wanted to unwind. Todd is a youth pastor at <a href="http://www.1stcov.org/" type="external">First Covenant</a>, an urban Minneapolis community church; Luke, a high school teacher. More importantly, both, like me, have young sons.</p>
<p>We talked about how to be good men who love our partners and families and friends, and who want to make a warm and welcoming environment for our sons to grow into. We all felt good about our commitment to these issues, thinking we were doing our part—we weren't party to the culture of violence against women.</p>
<p>Then, sensing our self-satisfaction, Luke said: "We pat ourselves on the back because we find exceptions in ourselves, only to go on and enjoy our privilege."</p>
<p>And I realized, I hadn’t really done my part after all. Not yet. Treating my wife with love and kindness is vital, of course. But it also is only the minimum.</p>
<p>We must be active, creative, and purposeful in extending this behavior to every moment of our lives if we are to become peacemakers, to push against the tide and create the space needed to raise sons with empathy and compassion.</p>
<p>We three dads raised our glasses to the challenge, and went home to our sons.</p> | A New Dad Asks, If Male Violence Is the Biggest Threat to Women—How Do I Raise a Kind Son? | true | http://yesmagazine.org/happiness/a-father-s-perspective-on-raising-decent-men | 4 |
|
<p>Elizabeth Warren is understandably upset with Donald’s Trump’s pick for vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence of Indiana.</p>
<p>It’s no wonder considering Pence’s record on human rights and equality. Pence’s views on LGBTQ rights were a national topic of discussion in 2015&#160;after he signed <a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/101" type="external">Senate Bill 101</a>, a “religious freedom restoration” bill that would have allowed for discrimination against LGBTQ citizens.</p>
<p>The rest of his record on equality is <a href="http://time.com/4406337/mike-pence-gay-rights-lgbt-religious-freedom/" type="external">equally as dismal</a>. He opposed a law in 2007 that would have protected LGBTQ folks in the workplace, insisted in 2006 that LGBTQ equality would lead to “societal collapse,” and opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2010.</p>
<p>Pence has also drawn the ire of women with his restrictive pro-life measures, including a provision in <a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2016/bills/house/1337#digest-heading" type="external">House Bill 1337</a> that restricts a woman’s right to choose even when “the unborn child has been diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly.” <a href="http://www.bustle.com/articles/172933-periods-for-pence-has-come-back-with-a-vengeance" type="external">Periods for Pence</a> became a trending topic on Twitter as a result, with women tweeting all their reproductive&#160;activity to the man who claimed to know better about how to regulate their bodies than the women themselves did.</p>
<p>Senator Elizabeth Warren has also taken to Twitter to express her disapproval of Mike Pence.</p>
<p>Whoa, Senator Warren! Tell us how you really feel!</p>
<p />
<p>Warren is absolutely correct about this. The RNC’s platform <a href="https://prod-static-ngop-pbl.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/2012GOPPlatform.pdf" type="external">can be read here</a>, and it includes doomsday language such as:</p>
<p>The most offensive instance of this war on religion has been the current Administration’s attempt to compel faith-related institutions, as well as believing individuals, to contravene their deeply held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs regarding health services, traditional marriage, or abortion.</p>
<p>Warren did not shy away from addressing those platforms in her scourging of Trump and Pence.</p>
<p />
<p>She also addressed the ways in which Pence’s frightening record of homophobic action is reflective of the GOP platform, despite <a href="http://www.advocate.com/election/2016/7/15/donald-trump-clearly-didnt-ask-gays-about-mike-pence" type="external">Trump’s insistence</a> that “the gays” see him as a better candidate than his opponent, Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p />
<p>Indeed it is, Senator Warren.</p>
<p>For more of Senator Warren’s views on the presumptive nominee of the Republican party, see video below:</p>
<p />
<p>Featured image screengrab via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzLMf6QGONQ" type="external">YouTube</a></p> | Elizabeth Warren Just Went BONKERS On The Trump/Pence Ticket & It Is SPECTACULAR (VIDEO) | true | http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/07/16/elizabeth-warren-just-went-bonkers-on-the-trumppence-ticket-it-is-spectacular-video/ | 2016-07-16 | 4 |
<p>Everybody knows that, due to Saturday Night Live’s constant hilarious presidential skits, President Trump can’t help but watch every time the show debuts. Kristen Stewart, this past Saturday’s SNL host knew that very fact and made sure to send a message to him.</p>
<p>Stewart started the show by talking about the Twilight series and how it has been on iTunes for eight years now. She then moved into politics <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/02/05/kristen-stewart-saturday-night-live-donald-trump-cursing/97517566/" type="external">stating</a>:</p>
<p>I’m a little nervous to be hosting because I know that the president’s probably watching, and I don’t think he likes me that much.&#160;Here’s how I know. Four years ago, I was dating this guy named Rob — Robert (Pattinson) —&#160;and we broke up and then we got back together and for some reason it made Donald Trump go insane.</p>
<p>Stewart continued by reading some of Trump’s past tweets out loud and made sure to point out that he had tweeted about her at least eleven times.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>To be fair in the situation Stewart did let us know she didn’t think it was always that he hated her so much as it was that he was in love with Pattinson.</p>
<p />
<p>But my favorite part of the whole thing was the last statement she made during her monolongue.</p>
<p>So, yeah that’s crazy, right?&#160;The president is not a huge fan of me, but that is so OK,&#160;and Donald, if you didn’t like me then, you’re really probably not going to like me now, ’cause I’m hosting SNL and I’m, like, so gay, dude.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/snl-saturday-night-live-season-42-l3q2BzHq6xKOeSnrG" type="external">via GIPHY</a></p>
<p>Well done Kristen.</p>
<p>Featured image via By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38543464" type="external">Georges Biard</a>, CC BY-SA 3.0.</p> | Kristen Stewart Takes An AWESOME Jab At Trump | true | http://offthemainpage.com/2017/02/07/kristen-stewart-takes-an-awesome-jab-at-trump/ | 2017-02-07 | 4 |
<p>The state government’s practice of letting workers defy official state policy and pile up unused vacation days and cash them in upon retirement has been criticized on and off for years. California government watchdogs and journalists have outlined the budget problems this causes and noted other states have much different approaches. Now the Center for Investigative Reporting has a <a href="https://beta.cironline.org/reports/thousands-of-california-state-workers-are-hoarding-vacation-days/" type="external">new study</a> out that shows how extensive the problem has become — and how one of the worst abusers is a top official at an agency that’s supposed to push financial discretion and integrity:</p>
<p>Tens of thousands of state employees have exceeded the official limit of 80 banked vacation days, leaving the state on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars.</p>
<p>What are the names of the workers at the top of the list?&#160;The State Controller’s Office, which collects the information and generally prides itself on transparency, wouldn’t say.</p>
<p>Rick Chivaro, the controller’s top lawyer, said he considered the information confidential, even though his office routinely discloses salaries of state workers by name.</p>
<p>It turns out that one of the two top vacation troves belongs to Chivaro himself. By June of last year, he had saved up 498 days of vacation, more than six times the limit. If he retired with that much time off, Chivaro could cash out $317,000 ­­– nearly two years of pay.</p>
<p>The Center for Investigative Reporting was able to identify a few of the state’s biggest vacation misers by their pay rates and job titles, information provided by Chivaro in response to a public records request. …</p>
<p>Two and a half years ago, the controller’s office <a href="http://www.sco.ca.gov/files-aud/05_2012ca_lottery_personnel_payroll.pdf" type="external">criticized the California Lottery Commission</a> for failing to enforce the state vacation cap among its employees. Yet the controller’s office employs 48 individuals with at least twice the maximum vacation days, the data shows. Seven of them, including its chief of human resources, had more vacation on the books than anyone at the Lottery Commission.</p>
<p>As Cal Watchdog has pointed out repeatedly, a fundamental problem in trying to rein in the cost of government pensions and perks is that the officials who should be <a href="" type="internal">cracking down</a> on the abuses have a financial incentive to look the other way or to downplay problems. The CIR report touched on this angle:</p>
<p>“Wow. That’s just wrong,” said Joe Nation, professor of the practice of public policy at Stanford University. “Anyone on the inside or the outside (of government) knows that that’s wrong.”</p>
<p>Nation, a former state lawmaker and municipal water board president, said it’s especially inappropriate for senior managers in salaried positions to “be able to take advantage of and abuse rules like this.”</p>
<p>What would a more reasonable policy look like? The CIR offers some larger context, than points to another big state:</p>
<p>Workers across the country make do with a finite amount of vacation. Many companies, and some states, have use-it-or-lose-it policies that keep employees from carrying over endless amounts of vacation.</p>
<p>In New York, for example, state workers <a href="https://www.goer.ny.gov/Labor_Relations/ManagementConfidential/Handbook/atten.cfm#Vacation" type="external">can’t roll over</a> more than 40 days and get paid out for up to 30 days if they quit or retire. At the stingy end of the spectrum, many employers don’t let workers save any unused time off at all, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management.</p>
<p>As for unlimited stockpiling of vacation, “I’ve never seen it in the private sector,” said Bruce Elliott, manager of compensation and benefits for the Virginia-based organization. “It’s crazy to do that if you don’t expect a big expense.”</p> | Top lawyer for controller benefits from much-criticized state perk | false | https://calwatchdog.com/2015/01/14/top-lawyer-for-controllers-office-benefits-from-perk-he-should-fight/ | 2018-01-20 | 3 |
<p>The nastiest word in America is the word "poor."</p>
<p>No one wants to hear it, even behind closed doors.</p>
<p>Politicians hate it, it's a word they deplore,</p>
<p>They don't want to see them, easier to ignore.</p>
<p>Poor people are worthless, a real eyesore,</p>
<p>Let's make poverty a crime; on it declare war.</p>
<p>Politicians writing laws to crush those they abhor,</p>
<p>Stripping the safety net that was already torn.</p>
<p>They used to have food stamps, they could go to the store,</p>
<p>At least they could eat, as they slept on the floor.</p>
<p>Social Security and Medicare: "Sorry, now we're not sure"</p>
<p>"We've bombs we must buy, IED's and claymores."</p>
<p>"So sorry you paid with every check to secure</p>
<p>a retirement with dignity: "¡So sorry Senor!"</p>
<p>Now seniors are reclassified, they've joined the corps,</p>
<p>They're part of the worthless, the pitiful poor.</p>
<p>Let's build another base, so oil company profits soar,</p>
<p>Let's support more foreign dictators, in more senseless wars.</p>
<p>Force the poor American youth to enlist for a tour,</p>
<p>No one sees them come back, in a box, to our shore.</p>
<p>So much senseless spending, as corporations mentor,</p>
<p>Our bankers and politicians, to be completely pro-war.</p>
<p>Politicians so out of touch, not a clue that's for sure,</p>
<p>Ivy league schools, ivory towers and money galore.</p>
<p>So we're now spending trillions, but who's keeping score?</p>
<p>Dictators in country after country, saying "We must have more".</p>
<p>Our politicians so eager to pad their brochure,</p>
<p>To show they're pro"whoever" - except American poor.</p> | "No" To The Poor: A Poem | true | http://occupy.com/article/no-poor-poem | 4 |
|
<p>The emoji revolution continues. We finally got racially diverse emojis. An official&#160; <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/17/8799255/taco-emoji-its-really-happening" type="external">taco</a> one is coming down the pike. (Thank god.) And last&#160;week, sexting start-up&#160; <a href="https://www.flirtmoji.co/" type="external">Flirtmoji</a>&#160;released a&#160;set of diverse, colorful, realistically asymmetrical vagina&#160;emojis that I adore.&#160;</p>
<p>Five of them are now available to&#160; <a href="https://www.flirtmoji.co/pages/how-to" type="external">paste</a>&#160;into your messaging apps and the plan is to eventually release all of these beauties, as well as other sexy bodies parts. Of course, <a href="http://blog.flirtmoji.co/post/102991027227/be-sext-positive" type="external">Flirtmoji can’t release its own app</a> because the repressive, sexist Apple and Android app stores <a href="" type="internal">censor sexually explicit content</a> (as well as <a href="" type="internal">reproductive rights-related apps</a>) but are <a href="http://www.techly.com.au/2014/05/20/however-slice-apple-sexist/" type="external">a-okay with sexually objectifying apps</a>.</p>
<p>At the Verge, Flirtmoji’s&#160;Katy McCarthy and Jeremy Yingling <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/10/9/9486103/flirtmoji-sexting-sex-vagina-emoji-design" type="external">discuss their process</a> for designing them, which involved lots of Google image searching. As someone who knows nothing about design but just finds these little images so damn pleasing, it’s fascinating to hear about all the thought that went into everything — from the color scheme to the challege of including hair given the pixel constraints of tiny emoji.</p>
<p>Sign up to get your free pussy mini-pack <a href="https://www.flirtmoji.co/" type="external">here</a>!</p> | These new vagina emojis are the best | true | http://feministing.com/2015/10/15/these-new-vagina-emojis-are-the-best/ | 4 |
|
<p>Australia is the latest country to announce it will construct a purpose-built suburban village for dementia sufferers.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/07/19/australias-first-ever-dementia-village-will-be-built-in-tasmania_a_23038497/" type="external">project</a> will cost AU$25 million (US$20 million) and aims to transform a derelict site in Holbat, south Tasmania, into a state-of-the-art “dementia village.” It will include 15 tailored houses, a supermarket, cinema, cafe, beauty salon and gardens.</p>
<p>In contrast to traditional dementia care, the initiative plans to give back independence to dementia patients. Residents will be able to participate in everyday activities such as socialising over a coffee, shopping or going to the cinema.</p>
<p>The suburban village, called Korongee, will maintain its local Tasmanian feel through characteristic cul-de-sacs, but will be styled on other dementia villages across the globe such as De Hogeweyk in the Netherlands which opened in 2009.</p>
<p>De Hogeweyk village has witnessed significant health improvements in dementia patients over its eight-year existence. Residents are living longer, are more active and less reliant on medication.</p>
<p>A similar village inspired by De Hogeweyk is under construction in Ireland. It will include a café, a beauty salon, a gym and gardens to create a relaxing environment for residents.</p>
<p>The project in Australia is a collaboration between aged care provider Glenview Community Services and health sector superannuation fund HESTA, but the Commonwealth Government is also providing funding.</p>
<p>Dementia is the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0~2015~Main%20Features~Dementia:%20Australia%27s%20future%20leading%20cause%20of%20death%3F~4" type="external">second leading cause of death</a> in Australia while Tasmania is home to the country’s oldest and fastest ageing population, making it a prime location for testing innovative caring techniques. The new village, which plans to open within 18 months, will house 90 residents. They will be allowed to travel freely around the village, which will also be open to the general community to come and go.</p>
<p>Glenview CEO Lucy O’Flaherty <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-19/australian-first-dementia-village-set-to-open-in-tasmania/8724772" type="external">told</a> ABC Australia: “For us, this is actually about providing a service for those people that can’t afford to get into a service that might be bells and whistles that would cost dollars.</p>
<p>“This is actually about responding to the most disadvantaged in our community.”</p>
<p>“They’ll have staff that will [take part in] discreet observation, there will be technology, the design of the facility will be as such that it will support residents within the village,” she explained.</p>
<p>The project will also provide up to 50 local jobs during and after construction, with ongoing employment available in the village shops and supermarkets.</p>
<p>O’Flaherty added: “We will be supporting all the staff, whether they are the staff of these organisations, to get trained so they’re really clear about dementia, how to care for people living with dementia to create the most normal and real environment.”</p> | State-of-the-art ‘dementia village’ planned for Tasmania | false | https://newsline.com/state-of-the-art-dementia-village-planned-for-tasmania/ | 2017-07-20 | 1 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The city of Alamogordo is stretching an exemption to the state’s open records law to the breaking point — and beyond — in taking the position that a nearly $50,000 study of the Department of Public Safety can be hidden from the public.</p>
<p>City Attorney Stephen Thies says the study contains the consultant’s opinion of employees, management and operations and therefore can be kept secret.</p>
<p>However, New Mexico Foundation for Open Government executive director Gwyneth Doland says that exemption is meant to provide confidentiality to items like letters of recommendation for job applications and annual performance reviews that are kept in individual personnel files, “not … to provide blanket secrecy for a $50,000 comprehensive study of the Alamogordo Department of Public Safety.”</p>
<p>While it is possible some limited portions could be subject to redaction, claiming the entire document can be withheld from public inspection is ludicrous.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The city’s position is terrible public policy, a terrible interpretation of the law and likely to be an expensive undertaking for taxpayers if it forces court action to give the public the access it deserves. That’s because the law requires a government agency that violates the Inspection of Public Records Act to pay the attorney fees of the party that forced compliance with the law.</p>
<p>Doland quite rightly notes that state law says, and court decisions reinforce, that in New Mexico a citizen’s right to know is the rule and secrecy the exception. Such blatant flouting of the law flies in the face of what good government should be. The report should be released immediately.</p>
<p>This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.</p> | Editorial: Study Is Public Record | false | https://abqjournal.com/136110/study-is-public-record.html | 2012-10-06 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Mayor Betsy Hodges said she sent an email to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and to the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota to ask for a civil rights investigation in the "interest of transparency and community confidence." The state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is already conducting a criminal investigation, but Hodges said the city needs "all the tools we have available to us."</p>
<p>Authorities have released few details about the shooting, which has enraged some community members after witnesses said the man was handcuffed when he was shot. Police said their initial information showed the man, a suspect in an assault, was not handcuffed. The incident sparked protests and an overnight encampment at a police precinct on the city's north side. Community members and activists called for a federal investigation, as well as for authorities to release video of the incident and the officer's identity.</p>
<p>Two officers are on paid leave, standard practice after such an incident. Police Chief Janee Harteau said the officers were not wearing body cameras. When asked if squad car video was available, she said that it was part of the investigation.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Nekima Levy-Pounds, president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP, said the request for a federal investigation is a step in the right direction, "given that we do not trust Minnesota law enforcement officials to hold themselves accountable."</p>
<p>Police initially said they were called to north Minneapolis around 12:45 a.m. Sunday following a report of an assault. When they arrived, a man was interfering with paramedics who were assisting the victim, police said. Officers tried to calm him, but there was a struggle. At some point, an officer fired at least once, hitting the man, police said.</p>
<p>Authorities have not released the man's name, but family members identified him as Jamar Clark, 24, and said he was on life support. His father, James Hill, told The Associated Press that his son suffered a single gunshot wound over his left eye.</p>
<p>Martez McKnight, Clark's nephew, said the family "is heartbroken and traumatized by the whole event."</p>
<p>Protesters demanded that the officer who shot Clark be arrested.</p>
<p>"None of our children deserve to be shot and killed, and then talked about like they are animals," Bettie Smith, whose son Quincy Smith died in a 2008 confrontation with police, said at a news conference outside the precinct.</p>
<p>"Unless the community steps up to help us out, it will continue. Each and every one of us out here would be held accountable if we murdered someone," she added.</p>
<p>Ramona Dohman, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said the officers' identities would be released after investigators interview them. She said these types of investigations take time, and it's hard to predict when authorities will have answers.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Harteau said she welcomed a federal investigation.</p>
<p>"Everyone involved needs and deserves the truth and the facts," she said.</p>
<p>Gov. Mark Dayton also issued a statement saying he supported the request for a federal probe.</p>
<p>Community members began protesting Sunday afternoon, with some demonstrators camping at the police station overnight. Hodges and Harteau held a listening session with the community Sunday evening, during which some citizens shouted in anger. The protests continued through Monday.</p>
<p>Authorities said protesters broke a window at the precinct and also damaged two police vehicles, including a marked squad car in which all the windows and a camera were broken, and an expletive was scratched into the hood. One person was arrested in connection with damage to an unmarked police car.</p>
<p>The protests are just the latest expression of tension between the department and minorities in the city.</p>
<p>Outrage and a civil lawsuit followed the 2013 death of 22-year-old Terrance Franklin, a burglary suspect whom police pursued and shot in a Minneapolis basement. A grand jury declined to indict the officers involved.</p>
<p>In 2014, a prominent civil rights activist Al Flowers complained of being the victim of brutality when police served a warrant on a relative at his home. Police say Flowers instigated their aggression.</p>
<p>The rocky relations have led to discussions between police and minorities and the creation of task forces designed to quell concerns. A special civilian review authority was formed after the death of an elderly black couple during a botched drug raid decades ago.</p>
<p>This spring, Minneapolis was selected for a federal Justice Department program to rebuild trust between police and the communities they patrol.</p>
<p>KG Wilson, a peace activist who just retired weeks ago after 11 years of building relationships between the community and the police department, said he's hurt by the reaction he is seeing and disagrees with the protests.</p>
<p>"I hate that this is going on right now. My heart is so crushed. I have not stopped crying," he said, adding that some protesters are looking for an excuse to be angry. "I think everything is being gone about in the wrong way. - Peace is always the way. You can't bring peace with aggression."</p> | Minneapolis mayor seeks federal investigation into shooting | false | https://abqjournal.com/676585/protests-erupt-after-black-man-shot-by-police-in-minneapolis.html | 2015-11-16 | 2 |
<p>Our text for today is from the New York Times:</p>
<p>“Even as they call for an end to the war and pledge to bring the troops home, the Democratic presidential candidates are setting out positions that could leave the United States engaged in Iraq for years. John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the region to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Senator Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis.”</p>
<p>My word, this is certainly a surprise! Who ever would have thought that the most “serious” Democratic candidates would take such a position? Why, I suppose this means that if a “serious” Democrat gets elected president, the war crime in Iraq (which is what the old-timers used to call it when you aggressively invaded a country that hadn’t attacked you and occupied their land with your troops) will go on — just the same as if a “serious” Republican gets elected!</p>
<p>And they say there is no unity in our politics, no bipartisan consensus in Washington!</p>
<p>The NYT article is a hoot and a half — or it would be, if the farce was not spattered with so much blood. Dig, if you will, this serious knitting of analytical brows:</p>
<p>“Among the challenges the next president could face in Iraq, three seem to be resonating the most: What to do if there is a genocide? What to do if chaos in Iraq threatens to engulf the region in a wider war? And what to do if Iraq descends into further lawlessness and becomes the staging ground for terrorist attacks elsewhere, including in the United States?”</p>
<p>Grave challenges, indeed. But why do they await the next president, when they are happening right now — when, in fact, they were guaranteed to happen as soon as the criminal action was launched?</p>
<p>The very serious John Edwards says, seriously, that he would keep an unspecified number of troops on hand because “we have to be prepared for the worst possibility that you never hear anyone talking about, which is the possibility that genocide breaks out and the Shi’a try to systematically eliminate the Sunni.” But of course, Mr. Edwards himself is noticeably reticent on the subject of the genocide that’s going on over there right now: the genocide against the Iraqi people. The number of deaths caused by the war that Bush launched is nearing or has surpassed one million. At least 4 million have fled their homes (an equivalent number in the US would be around 50 million), with most of them living in great hardship in places where they are not wanted. (But not in the United States, of course, which has allowed in the barest trickle of Iraqis since we destroyed their country.)</p>
<p>The nation is nearing a state of collapse as a direct result of the war that was launched by Bush, approved by Congress, countenanced by the American people and set to continue under every “serious” Democratic candidate running for president. Oxfam’s recent study of the humanitarian catastrophe put in plainly:</p>
<p>“While horrific violence dominates the lives of millions of ordinary people inside Iraq, another kind of crisis, also due to the impact of war, has been slowly unfolding. Up to eight million people are now in need of emergency assistance. This figure includes:</p>
<p>o four million people who are ‘food-insecure and in dire need of different types of humanitarian assistance’</p>
<p>o more than two million displaced people inside Iraq</p>
<p>o over two million Iraqis in neighbouring countries, mainly Syria and Jordan, making this the fastest-growing refugee crisis in the world….</p>
<p>“Iraqis are suffering from a growing lack of food, shelter, water and sanitation, health care, education, and employment. Of the four million Iraqis who are dependent on food assistance, only 60 per cent currently have access to rations through the government-run Public Distribution System (PDS), down from 96 per cent in 2004.</p>
<p>“Forty-three per cent of Iraqis suffer from ‘absolute poverty’. According to some estimates, over half the population are now without work. Children are hit the hardest by the decline in living standards. Child malnutrition rates have risen from 19 per cent before the US-led invasion in 2003 to 28 per cent now.</p>
<p>“The situation is particularly hard for families driven from their homes by violence. The two million internally displaced people (IDPs) have no incomes to rely on and are running out of coping mechanisms. In 2006, 32 per cent of IDPs had no access to PDS food rations, while 51 per cent reported receiving food rations only sometimes.</p>
<p>“The number of Iraqis without access to adequate water supplies has risen from 50 per cent to 70 per cent since 2003, while 80 per cent lack effective sanitation. The ‘brain drain’ that Iraq is experiencing is further stretching already inadequate public services, as thousands of medical staff, teachers, water engineers, and other professionals are forced to leave the country. At the end of 2006, perhaps 40 per cent had left already.”</p>
<p>What’s more, the national power grid is breaking down — in the midst of summer temperatures that make the US heat wave look like a wintry chill, as the BBC reports:</p>
<p>“Iraq’s national power grid is on the brink of collapse, the country’s electricity ministry has warned. Water supplies to Baghdad have also been cut off for days at a time, with summertime pressures on key systems said to be more intense than ever. The ministry blamed poor maintenance, fuel shortages, sabotage by insurgents and rising demand for the problems, and said some provinces hold onto supplies.”</p>
<p>And what is the answer of the occupying power to this crisis? Not surprisingly, it is an echo of Vice President Cheney’s famous remarks to Senator Pat Leahy on the floor of the Senate: GFY.</p>
<p>“The US Army told the BBC that Iraq must now take charge of fixing the problems. The general in charge of helping Iraq rebuild its infrastructure, Michael Walsh, said that although Iraqi authorities only have one-quarter of the money needed for reconstruction, solving the problem was now up to them.”</p>
<p>So the Iraqis don’t have the money to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by the war launched by the Americans — doubtless because billions upon billions of reconstruction dollars have been looted by the crony conquistadors and their local bagmen. The Pentagon knows the Iraqis don’t have the money to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by the war launched by the Americans; but they don’t care. Bush doesn’t care. The Democratic leaders in Congress don’t care. The “serious” Democratic candidates don’t care. Thousands of innocent Iraqis — the young, the sick, the injured, the poor, the abandoned — will be added to the death count this summer from this collapse of basic services. But none of this is an American responsibility. Not the collapse of the state, not the collapse of the society, not the plunge into wholesale sectarian violence by forces being armed on all sides by the Americans. No, it’s all the Iraqis’ responsibility now.</p>
<p>This unspeakably hideous attitude is not just the stance of the Pentagon, of course; it’s also the credo the most serious Democratic candidate of all, the breakaway leader for the nomination, Hillary Clinton. As the Times tells us: “In February, [Clinton] said her message to the Iraqi government would be simple: ‘I would say ‘I’m sorry, it’s over. We are not going to baby-sit a civil war.'”</p>
<p>We invaded your country. We occupied your country. We wrote your constitution, in which the arbitrary decrees of our colonial viceroy were imposed as fundamental law. We looted your money. We armed your sectarians. And we are going to keep a large number of troops in your country, come what may. But we aren’t going to baby-sit you anymore. No, if you don’t get your act together — and sign the goddamned Oil Law already — we are just going to withdraw to our permanent bases and watch you kill each other. — That is the sum total of the leading Democratic candidate’s position on Iraq.</p>
<p>It is of course an incoherent mish-mash, because it is just a smokescreen to obscure Clinton’s true policy: to continue the war, largely as it is being fought now. Such a course is absolutely inevitable if you leave American forces in Iraq, to “fight terrorism,” to “keep the civil war from spilling across the border,” to “protect American personnel” (including, er, the troops you have left in the country), and so on. How will you “fight terrorism” in Iraq without raiding residential areas where “terrorist units” are located and launching airstrikes on “terrorist targets” and rounding up “suspected terrorists” and subjecting them to “strenuous interrogation” without charges in mass prisons and mounting checkpoints to check for terrorists and wreaking the usual “collateral damage” from “force protection” incidents? In other words, how you will operate any differently than the Bush-led operation in Iraq right now? The only difference under Clinton and her “serious” rivals is that there will be fewer troops — which will actually mean an increased reliance on airstrikes, and hair-trigger “force protection,” and even more mercenaries to fill the gaps.</p>
<p>And if the mission of your “residual force” is to “prevent genocide” (that is, a different genocide from the one going on now), how will you do that without intervening — with airstrikes, troops, checkpoints, arrests, interrogations, “force protection,” the whole schmeer — on behalf of one side or the other? Or both sides? And again, how will this be different from what’s going on now?</p>
<p>I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: anyone who advocates leaving even a “residual force” of American troops is Iraq is actually supporting the continuation of the war, on largely the same terms as it is being waged now. There is no “middle way,” there is no magic, bipartisan compromise. There is only no war, or more war.</p>
<p>American troops were sent into Iraq on a criminal mission, an act of aggression that was the moral and legal equivalent of the Nazi invasion of Poland or the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Their continued presence in Iraq only exacerbates all the evils that the “serious” people say will happen if America withdraws. (As if these things weren’t happening in Iraq right now.) The Iraqis will never hammer out any kind of political accommodation as long as American troops are in the country, dividing the nation into “collaborators” and “insurgents” just by their very presence (much less by their alliance with one faction or another). The Iraqis will never come to any kind of fair agreement on the distribution of the nation’s oil wealth as long as American troop are in the country, emblems of the nearly universal (and certainly correct) belief among Iraqis that the West is out to steal their oil.</p>
<p>It may be too late for any kind of accommodation or agreement now. The ruination that Bush and his willing executioners in Congress have brought to Iraq may be irreparable. As for “destabilizing the region,” the war crime has already done that. (Indeed, it was one of the aims of the invasion, as its architects and champions once boasted. “Creative destruction” was the phrase used by the very serious Michael Leeden, I believe.) There will be an inevitable escalation of the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia that is now going on the country; but that will happen no matter what. Sectarian violence will also continue to spiral no matter what, with one possible exception: if the Americans leave the country and are no longer there arming the factions, stirring them up, setting one against the other, and killing and imprisoning civilians, thereby radicalizing more and more Iraqis every day. The only possible chance Iraq has to see a lessening of sectarian violence lies in the complete withdrawal of American troops.</p>
<p>What would happen next? Well, I think a windfall profits tax on the oil companies and the weapons peddlers — and the private equity sharks like Carlyle and Wall Street firms and investment banks who have gorged themselves with blood money like big ole ticks on a hand — would produce a very sizable fund for the massive reparations the United States should pay to the Iraqis for destroying their country and murdering their people. Special prosecutors investigating the origins and conduct of the war would also be in order: a Homeland Nuremberg, on national TV — bigger and better than the Watergate hearings!</p>
<p>But we all know that none of that is going to happen. Certainly not the reparations, the investigations and prosecutions — not in a million years, not in the “shining city on a hill.” Nor will an American withdrawal — which, as I said, is the only hope Iraq has of lessening the hell that now rages there. The sainted General Petraeus — who has been one of the most egregiously mendacious blowhards touting the war’s “success” for years — is now telling U.S. lawmakers that his “surge” strategy will take 9-10 years to work, as The Hill reports.So anyone relying on Petraeus — as Bush and all the “serious” Republicans are doing — is buying into at least 10 more years of the present situation. And as we outlined above, anyone touting a “residual force” is essentially doing the same thing.</p>
<p>Moreover, the same strategic and economic concerns that motivated the invasion in the first place will still obtain for the next president. In order to “preserve America’s sacred way of life,” the United States must have privileged access to the world’s oil heartlands. The latter will not only allow America to continue using a vastly disproportionate share of the world’s energy resources but also be a vital asset in containing the growth of any potential rivals and putting the squeeze on recalcitrant client states (or allies) who get out of line. No president dedicated to maintaining America’s global dominance — via a worldwide empire of military bases and a gargantuan war machine far surpassing that of any other nation — can afford to willingly give up control of Iraq to a Shiite majority closely allied with Iran. (Unless of course there is a favorable “regime change” in Tehran.) This is part of the evil genius behind the Bush Regime’s invasion of Iraq: it essentially commits any Establishment candidate — one pledged to the aforesaid military-based global dominance (as all of the “serious” candidates of both parties are) — to continuing the Bushists’ policies. Now that the Rubicon of invading Iraq has been crossed, there is no going back. Saddam Hussein was a neutral in the war for energy supremacy: he could be counted on to sell his oil to anyone — indeed, the United States was his best customer, even during the sanctions regime, even as Bush was building up his invasion force. But a sectarian-based Iraqi government allied with Iran — or some other unknown quantity seizing power in the vacuum created by the invasion — could very well curtail or cut off the flow to America for ideological reasons. If you are committed to American hegemony, American empire, then you will have to stay militarily involved in Iraq, now that Bush has led America into it. What’s more, the logic of imperial geopolitics will lead inexorably to an attack on Iran as well, to secure the now-necessary dominion over Iraq.</p>
<p>Most people persist in believing that the Bush Administration has “mishandled” or “bungled” the war in Iraq, when in fact they have achieved almost all of their goals. They have vastly enriched their cronies. They have installed a U.S. military presence in Iraq. They have expanded the size, power and scope of the armed forces and the intelligence services (which now have their own secret armies) beyond the wildest dreams of the most hawkish Cold War militarist. They have not only gutted the Constitution but proved that you can get away with it — an invaluable lesson for dictators to come. And, as noted, they have committed the American Establishment to continuing the radical course they have set in motion — because the Establishment will never allow the election of any candidate who would seek to institute the rollback of the empire and the restoration of genuine constitutional government. Especially as the latter would entail bringing justice to the war makers and the war profiteers, all of them honored stalwarts of the Establishment.</p>
<p>Thus turning over ostensible authority to a “sovereign” Iraqi government was another masterstroke by the Bushists, a truly audacious scam. While still occupying the country and controlling its affairs, the United States has divested itself of the legal responsibilities of an occupying power. The leaders of both parties in Washington are now busy washing their hands of the blood they have shed, putting the onus on the occupied, co-opted and controlled nation to “put its own house in order.” But of course, the Iraqis don’t own their house anymore; the largest and most powerful armed force in the world is squatting there, and will keep squatting there for years to come, if the “serious” leaders of both parties have their way.</p>
<p>And they will.</p>
<p>CHRIS FLOYD is an American journalist based in the UK. He is the author of Empire Burlesque: High Crimes and Low Comedy in the Bush Imperium. He writes the <a href="http://www.chris-floyd.com/" type="external">Empire Burlesque blog</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | The Bipartisan Guarantee of More War in Iraq | true | https://counterpunch.org/2007/08/13/the-bipartisan-guarantee-of-more-war-in-iraq/ | 2007-08-13 | 4 |
<p>In the spring of 2000, a Dutch subsidiary of the Bechtel corporation re-routed a stream that flowed through a village near Cochabamba, Bolivia. The people had enough wells to keep their homes and farms supplied with water, but when the stream was diverted the trees which once grew along its banks began to wither and die. When the trees died, the birds stopped coming, and the people lost the beautiful music that once brightened their mornings. And so these campesinos and factory workers took to the streets, confronting soldiers armed with rifles and teargas grenades, putting their bodies on the line to fight for the right to hear birds sing at dawn. (See “Oscar Olivera: Spokesman for the People” by Amy Casada-Alaniz, Narco News, August 23, 2004.)</p>
<p>There is something ecstatic and alive in this struggle of the poorest of the poor for the right to beauty and dignity. There is nothing symbolic or contrived here — the people of the village weren’t playing out roles scripted for them by history or culture or ideology, their resistance was a spontaneous and organic reaction to seeing the land that they loved threatened by people who had no understanding of or connection to their lives. It was an act of love, an act of passion, something visceral that required no translation or explanation.</p>
<p>All of this points to what is lacking in many of the resistance movements in the U.S. today. We have become too enamored of the abstract and the symbolic. We know what we are resisting, but we have lost any real connection to that which we want to liberate, preserve, or bring into being. Perhaps most disturbingly, we have become caught up in a morality play, in which our victories are defined by how much suffering we can endure, where the intensity and integrity of an action are defined by whether or not the police are provoked into firing teargas and rubber bullets, or by how much jail time the judge hands down, or how quickly the court shuts down our attempts to talk about nuclear weapons and international law.</p>
<p>Consciously or unconsciously too many of us have bought into the idea of a mystical economy of suffering, in which our own physical sacrifice will somehow reduce someone else’s pain, somehow transmute a violent system. But this very economy of suffering requires and embraces violence ñ even romanticizes it.</p>
<p>One of the central tenets of Western nonviolence is that “unmerited suffering is redemptive.” But is there anything fundamentally redemptive in the rape of a child or the poisoning of a river?</p>
<p>Suffering is suffering, and by proclaiming that it is redemptive, we deny its reality. We can embrace suffering as a teacher, and recognize it as an essential characteristic of our constant process of birthing and rebirthing ñ but neither is possible without facing head on the real and essential nature of that suffering.</p>
<p>Somewhere along the line the willingness to endure suffering in order to defend life, which is inherently connected to a deep and vibrant love, became distorted into a belief that the amount of suffering we were willing to endure was a measure of our love. This is inextricably linked with a puritanical denial of pleasure, sexuality, and the self that marks both the Christian and the Gandhian traditions that have shaped most contemporary Western thinking about nonviolence.</p>
<p>I once heard a Plowshares activist speak about how we must “crucify our desires.” The crucifixion of desire is not a renunciation of violence, but a choice to turn that violence inward. Empathy and compassion are rooted in understanding the shared desire of other beings for liberation and for life. When we deny our own desires, our own passions, our own flesh, we lose that empathy and compassion and replace them with moralistic abstractions.</p>
<p>The feminist psychoanalyst, Julia Kristeva, writes about the chora, the pulsing core of pure desire that drives all our actions from the moment we emerge from the womb. Early in childhood, the chora is subjected to a “symbolic order” which restricts and limits its expression. But sometimes there is a rupture in that order, something emerges that is so sublimely beautiful that the symbolic order has to be reshaped in order to accommodate its reality, and if the order fails to bend and change it will be shattered. This is the site of poetry, of art, of orgasm, of magick.</p>
<p>Truly nonviolent resistance comes not from suppressing these moments, not from attempting to sublimate what is already sublime, but from riding their wild and undeniably erotic energy. The only love that has the power to transform is the visceral, primal love at the core of our being, that recognizes the pulsing chora at the center of all life, and wants to shatter the symbolic order and set that chaotic force free into the universe.</p>
<p>This kind of nonviolence also demands that we do away with abstractions and connect with the direct experience of other people’s lives. When we do this we begin to recognize the pervasiveness of violence in every day life. In her profile of Oscar Olivera, one of the leaders in the struggle against the privatization of water and natural gas in Bolivia, Amy Casada-Alaniz wrote that:</p>
<p>“The ‘Wars’ for water and gas, Oscar says, are so termed by the people in general who in reality live in struggle and ‘war’ daily. He asks: is it not violence to wake up every morning in a state of anxiety, unsure of how the day will play outÖ vulnerable to employers whom he testifies force birth control on female workers, threatening them with the loss of their jobs in no uncertain terms if they should ever become pregnant? He says that some factory working women here are told that they must accept a copper apparatus that will prevent pregnancy, an IUD, if they wish to keep their jobs, and that they must keep this secret from their husbands. ‘Is this not violence?’ asks Oscar. [ . . . ] This is war every day; it is essentially violent. It is in this context that the resistance of the people empowered with a voice and given an ear, name their collective struggle: WAR.”</p>
<p>It was in this same spirit that Diane DiPrima wrote that “The only war that matters is the war against the imagination.” The daily repression that denies people the ability to be fully alive is as real and as violent as the war in Iraq. If our resistance ignores, or worse yet replicates, this repression, we are complicit.</p>
<p>Conversely, resistance that is rooted in real compassion, real empathy, born of living passion, is liberating in and of itself ñ a revolution both in its end and in its means. In Linda Hogan’s beautiful novel, Solar Storms, the narrator, an Indigenous woman resisting the construction of hydro-electric dams that would destroy her ancestral homeland, says that:</p>
<p>“For my people, the problem has always been this: that the only possibility of our survival has been resistance [ . . . ] To fight has meant that we can respect ourselves, the Beautiful People. Now we believed in ourselves once again. The old songs were there, came back to us. Sometimes I think the ghost dancers were right, that we would return, that we were always returning.”</p>
<p>Its time for us to return to the erotic passion for life that inspires our resistance, to claim our own power fully and use it to awaken other people to the knowledge of their own power to be free.</p>
<p>SEAN DONAHUE is a poet, journalist and nonviolence trainer living in Gloucester, MA. He wrote the chapter on Rand Beers, Kerry’s top foreign policy advisor, for CounterPunch’s new book on the 2004 elections, <a href="http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/CounterPunch/CP_Books.html" type="external">Dime’s Worth of Difference</a>. He can be reached at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p> | The Erotics of Nonviolence | true | https://counterpunch.org/2005/01/01/the-erotics-of-nonviolence/ | 2005-01-01 | 4 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>A former teammate has accused Virginia wide receivers David Eldridge and Doni Dowling of staging a gladiator-style locker room fight between two freshmen, which resulted in a concussion and career-threatening injury to one of them. In the wake of allegations, a school spokesman said neither of the accused players has been suspended and both continued their preparations for Saturday’s game against North Carolina.</p>
<p>No Virginia coaches and players were made available to reporters Thursday. Eldridge’s father, who is also named David, said in a brief interview that his son is still in classes and still practicing with the team.</p>
<p>“We have no idea what happened yet,” the elder Eldridge said. “I won’t be able to comment because I don’t know yet. . . . You’re always concerned when allegations like that exist. As far as I know, [we’ll] just have to see how the program handles it and go from there.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Aidan Howard filed a federal complaint Oct. 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, charging the university with Title IX violations related to hazing he experienced shortly after arriving on campus earlier this summer. A school spokesman, Anthony de Bruyn, said Thursday that the university’s investigation is ongoing.</p>
<p>Just weeks into his freshman season at the Virginia, Howard said he was hazed, bullied and ostracized by older members of the team. Following the team’s practice Aug. 12, Howard said Eldridge and Dowling forced him to fight fellow freshman Hasise Dubois, “as a part of Aidan’s ‘initiation’ into the Football Program and to prove his toughness and manliness,” according to the court filing.</p>
<p>“Dowling and Eldridge and others took Aidan and [Dubois] to separate entrances to the Football Program’s locker room, and then forced Aidan and [Dubois] to ‘enter the ring’ to flashing lights, loud music, and announcements to simulate a ‘prize fight,’ ” Howard’s complaint states.</p>
<p>Howard suffered a concussion in the fight, according to his lawsuit, and later learned that he also broke an orbital bone that required surgery. He left Virginia in August and enrolled at Robert Morris University outside Pittsburgh and closer to his home in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He was unable to resume playing football there because of the injuries suffered in the locker room fight, his complaint states.</p>
<p>A spokesman for Robert Morris confirmed that Howard will sit out this season.</p>
<p>Dowling, a junior, is Virginia’s second-leading receiver this season with 309 yards on 21 catches. Eldridge is a sophomore who has five catches on the year. Those who know Eldridge were surprised to see his name linked to any sort of hazing reports.</p>
<p>“This allegation is completely out of character for David Eldridge III,” said Jeff Lloyd, his former coach at Kettle Run High School in Nokesville, Virginia, who is now the head coach at Monticello High in Charlottesville, “and I have known this young man and his family for many years.”</p>
<p>The news spread quickly through Virginia vast network of alums, many still reeling from publicity surrounding unrelated accusations of assault on campus. In addition to a discredited 2014 Rolling Stone article concerning on-campus rape, in March five former members of the school’s men’s swim team settled a lawsuit that stemmed from allegations that they hazed freshman swimmers in 2014.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>On Thursday a spokesman for the U.S. Education Department confirmed the school is still under investigation for Title IX violations related to sexual violence and issues of disability. That case was opened in July. The department could not release any details about the case or report whether there have been other Title IX complaints since then. It is the second time in the past five years that Virginia has been subject to a federal probe.</p>
<p>Still, news that members of the football program might have been involved in hazing surprised many. Luke Bowanko, a former offensive lineman at Virginia who now plays for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, said that although he has been away from Charlottesville for three years, “the allegations aren’t consistent with the culture that was in place while I was there.”</p>
<p>“I know the leadership in that locker room has a much greater respect for people than to be involved in hazing,” he said Thursday in a written message to The Washington Post. “They certainly weren’t forced/asked/pressured/convinced or whatever to do anything like that while I was there, so I’d be shocked to learn that these accusations turn out to be true. Not to say it is or isn’t, just that it would be a shock.”</p>
<p>While Bronco Mendenhall, the team’s first-year head coach, is not a defendant in the lawsuit, the complaint charges that leadership – including Teresa Sullivan, the school president, and the athletic director, Craig Littlepage – “fostered a culture of bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination.”</p>
<p>The complaint states that one member of the coaching staff, Famika Anae, a graduate assistant and the son of the team’s offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, was present for the fight. “Aidan heard Defendant Anae yell ‘No phones,’ and admonish the student-athletes to put their cell phones away and to not record videos of the fight,” the complaint states. “Defendant Anae, however, did nothing to stop the fight from proceeding.”</p>
<p>One other coach is named as a defendant in the lawsuit: wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, a former quarterback at the school who played wide receiver in the NFL. “Defendant Hagans would, from time to time, bully and harass Aidan when he did not grasp the Football Program’s ‘plays’ and ‘schemes,’ ” the complaint states.</p>
<p>Some former Virginia players took to social media to defend the program or address the situation. Canaan Severin, a former wide receiver who played the past four years at Virginia, noted that Hagans “loves his players like his own sons.” Severin tweeted: “he is a great example of a man, husband and father. Utmost love and respect for him.”</p>
<p>– – –</p>
<p>Ava Wallace in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Adam Kilgore in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.</p>
<p>fbc-virginia-hazing-1stld-writethru</p> | Virginia players named in hazing suit are back at practice | false | https://abqjournal.com/871721/as-hazing-allegations-sweep-virginia-accused-football-players-return-to-practice.html | 2016-10-20 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Still, as 2017 comes to an end, the focus in New Mexico boxing may be shifting. Four younger New Mexico fighters, with a combined 45 victories against not a single defeat, are knocking on the door.</p>
<p>They are, in alphabetical order:</p>
<p>Super flyweight Matthew Griego (8-0, seven knockouts), 21.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Super bantamweight Angelo Leo (11-0, seven KOs), 23.</p>
<p>Welterweight Brian Mendoza (15-0, 11 KOs), 23.</p>
<p>Featherweight Jason Sanchez (11-0, six KOs), 23.</p>
<p>Mendoza is from Rio Rancho, with Griego, Leo and Sanchez from Albuquerque.</p>
<p>For years, Trout, 32, of Las Cruces, and Maldonado, 26, and Torres, 28, both of Albuquerque, have been the flag bearers for New Mexico boxing. Trout (30-4, 17 KOs) has won and fought for world titles; Maldonado (24-4-1, 19 KOs) has climbed to the brink of world contender status; Torres (16-6-2, eight KOs) has been a popular and successful regional fighter around whom local fight cards have been built.</p>
<p>None of three plans to retire. Torres, in fact, has posted on Facebook that he has a fight scheduled on March 17. Fidel Maldonado Sr., his son’s manager and trainer, has plans for his son that he’s not ready to announce. “Far from finished!” Trout tweeted shortly after his Oct. 14 loss to Jarrett Hurd.</p>
<p>But, for all three, 2017 has put up some roadblocks.</p>
<p>Trout lost in his bid for Hurd’s IBF junior middleweight title when the Las Cruces southpaw didn’t come out for the 11th round. It was the first time Trout had been stopped short of the distance.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>At 32, Trout seems to be in a precarious position. He has his lost two fights and four of his last seven. All of Trout’s losses have come to world champions, and his skills have not markedly diminished.</p>
<p>Yet, going forward, that could be part of the problem. Trout would have to wait in line for another title shot, and it’s unlikely any young up-and-comer would want any part of a slick southpaw in trying to burnish his résumé. Currently, Trout is ranked in the top 15 at 154 pounds by only one of the four universally recognized sanctioning bodies: 13th by the WBC.</p>
<p>The Hurd fight was Trout’s first since May 2016, when he lost by unanimous decision to Jermall Charlo in a bid for the same IBF title. Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, which guides Trout’s career, is known to have too many fighters and not enough dates.</p>
<p>On Oct. 13, Maldonado (24-4-1, 19 KOs), lost by sixth-round knockout to Ismael Barroso. It was a classic crossroads fight, reversing the momentum Maldonado had generated with his split-decision victory over Pablo César Cano four months earlier. Fidel Sr. then chose to cut the cord with Golden Boy, the fighter’s promoter since 2011.</p>
<p>After the Barroso fight, Maldonado Sr. said he wanted his son to take six months away from boxing — then decide whether to continue. But on Wednesday, Maldonado Sr. said his son will resume training shortly after New Year’s Day.</p>
<p>The exit from Golden Boy, Maldonado Sr. believes, will help and not harm his son’s career in 2018.</p>
<p>Even so, he said, one more loss could mean retirement.</p>
<p>Torres won his most recent bout but was 1-2 this year and has lost three of his last five. Married with two children, with a steady job, he doesn’t need to keep fighting. But he’s a good defensive fighter, while still aggressive and entertaining, and hasn’t taken a lot of punishment. There’s no reason he shouldn’t continue, but his record argues against the notion that he’ll ever be a player on a national scale.</p>
<p>Then, there are the young guns — none of whom has been truly tested but all of whom have shown potential.</p>
<p>Who among them is most likely to succeed on the level of a Torres, or a Maldonado, or even a Trout?</p>
<p>All of a sudden, it might be Leo who has a leg up on the competition.</p>
<p>Leo was training in Las Vegas, Nev., when he caught the eye of former world champion and fledgling promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather signed him to a contract, and Leo made his Vegas debut on a Mayweather Promotions card on Nov. 18. His victory that night by fourth-round KO over Basilio Nieves (15-5) is arguably the most impressive performance staged thus far by any of the aforementioned four.</p>
<p>If Leo’s victory over Nieves isn’t the most impressive victory among the four, Griego’s win by third-round retirement over Mexican trial horse Alejando Moreno would be a contender. Moreno’s corner men declined to let their fighter come out for the fourth round because of the punishment Griego was doling out.</p>
<p>Griego is the personification of the old boxing adage, “speed is power.” He knocks opponents out with punches they never saw coming.</p>
<p>Mendoza is a power puncher who, like Griego, trains with Maldonado Sr. at Atrisco Boxing. Like Griego, his progress has been slowed by promotional hiccups.</p>
<p>Maldonado Sr. said the plans he has for his son in the new year most definitely include Griego and Mendoza. They both are managed by former Albuquerque resident Cameron Dunkin, an influential figure in the boxing world, who also serves as an adviser to the Maldonados.</p>
<p>Sanchez, like the others, has displayed talent and skill but has yet to face serious competition. His best victory, based on records, is his Sept. 24 victory over Las Cruces’ Juan Carlos Guillen (7-5-1) in September. Leo, Griego, Mendoza and Sanchez are by no means the only promising young New Mexico boxers. So far, though, they appear to have the best chance among their peers to make an impact beyond our state’s borders.</p>
<p>Notable during the past 12 months:</p>
<p>MARCH: Albuquerque hosts the Western Elite Qualifier &amp; Regional Open Championships. Several New Mexico boxers win their divisions during three nights of competition at the Convention Center.</p>
<p>Recently, USA Boxing announced the event will return to Albuquerque next year.</p>
<p>APRIL: Victories by Maldonado and Torres highlight a Legacy Promotions card in the Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex at Expo New Mexico. It marks the return of boxing to the Lujan building, site of many a card in the 1980s-1990s.</p>
<p>MAY: The Albuquerque City Council approves a resolution renaming the Wells Park Community Center after the late five-time world champion Johnny Tapia.</p>
<p>JUNE: Tapia is inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the second New Mexico fighter to be so honored, preceded by the late Bob Foster. … Maldonado, in arguably the finest performance of his career, defeats Cano by split decision in Frisco, Texas. Most observers felt the decision should have been unanimous. … Legacy Promotions’ Eric Martinez dies at age 38 after staging seven cards in just 23 months at five different venues.</p>
<p>SEPTEMBER: Santa Fe’s Pat Holmes and international promoter Sampson Lewkovicz stage an internationally televised card at Buffalo Thunder Casino in Pojoaque.</p>
<p>OCTOBER: On back-to-back nights, Maldonado loses to Barroso in Indio, Calif., and Trout loses to Hurd in Brooklyn N.Y.</p>
<p>NOVEMBER: New Mexicans Sharahya Moreu (Albuquerque) and Amy Salinas (Las Cruces) represent the United States at the AIBA World Youth Women’s Boxing Championships in Guwahati, India. Both lose their opening bouts but gain valuable boxing and cultural experience. … Sanchez, Mendoza and Griego all win on a Legacy Promotions card at the Lujan building as the Perez brothers, Jordan and Aaron, keep the faith after the death of their friend and partner Martinez.</p>
<p>DECEMBER: Tapia is announced as a 2017 inductee into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame … Las Cruces’ Joscelyn Olayo-Muñoz wins a national title in the female Bantam Division 60-pound weight class at USA Boxing nationals in Salt Lake City.</p> | New Mexico boxing scene starting to shift | false | https://abqjournal.com/1111829/new-mexico-boxing-scene-starting-to-shift.html | 2 |
|
<p>Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton, hold up a sheet of new $1 bills in November bearing his signature. <a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/APTOPIX-Mnuchin-Currency/e953766d0da94b0385e554d5270b32b9/2/0" type="external">Jacquelyn Martin/AP</a></p>
<p>Before the Senate passed its tax bill earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin insisted that a forthcoming Treasury Department analysis would show that the Republican tax plan pays for itself by boosting general economic&#160;growth.&#160;On Monday, the department found the Senate tax bill would pay for itself—but only if other parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda&#160;takes effect. The <a href="https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Documents/TreasuryGrowthMemo12-11-17.pdf" type="external">one-page analysis</a> was quickly condemned as misleading, shoddy, and, ultimately, meaningless.</p>
<p>Economists like Jason Furman, who served as Barack Obama’s top economic adviser,&#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonfurman/status/940245127859265538" type="external">called</a>&#160;the document an “embarrassing joke.”&#160;Maya MacGuineas, the president of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, <a href="http://www.crfb.org/press-releases/treasury-department-report-assumes-instead-analyzing" type="external">said</a> in a statement that the analysis makes a “mockery” of the “dynamic scoring” process used to analyze the economic effects of legislation. Scott Greenberg, a senior analyst at the conservative Tax Foundation, <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottElliotG/status/940254474752417792" type="external">wrote</a> on Twitter that the new numbers “don’t correspond to anything meaningful.”&#160;</p>
<p>The new Treasury report doesn’t actually analyze the bills passed&#160;by the House and Senate;&#160;instead, it is&#160;based on a growth forecast that was produced by the Trump administration months before the tax bills were&#160;released. That estimate, which was also <a href="http://www.crfb.org/papers/president-trumps-full-fy-2018-budget" type="external">panned</a> by independent experts, projected&#160;that Trump’s agenda—not just tax cuts, but also policies like increased infrastructure spending—would boost growth by about <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/gap-between-trump-cbo-predictions-on-economic-growth-the-largest-on-record" type="external">1.1 percent</a>&#160;per year more than the&#160;nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected. The Treasury Department is claiming that translates to $1.8 trillion in additional tax revenue over the next 10 years—roughly $300 billion more than Republicans’ $1.5 trillion tax cut.</p>
<p>Congress’&#160;independent&#160;Joint Committee on Taxation, <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/sites/default/files/publication/150226/2001633-macroeconomic_analysis_of_the_tax_cuts_and_jobs_act_as_passed_by_the_senate_0.pdf" type="external">along with</a> the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center,&#160;have found that the Senate tax bill would add at least <a href="" type="internal">$1 trillion</a> of deficit spending over the next 10 years.&#160;A recent <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/22/16691016/economists-gop-tax-plan-igm-poll" type="external">survey</a> of top economists found that none believe the Republican tax plan would pay for itself.&#160;</p>
<p>Chad Stone, the chief economist at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says that a growth forecast would usually start by analyzing the impact of the tax cut itself.&#160;To make matters worse, Stone adds that the growth projections that the Treasury Department is working backwards from are seen as “incredibly optimistic.” In May, he <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/gap-between-trump-cbo-predictions-on-economic-growth-the-largest-on-record" type="external">wrote</a> that it was “unprecedented” for an administration to use a growth estimate that diverged so greatly from that of the CBO.&#160;</p>
<p>In late November, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/treasury-analysis-tax-bill.html" type="external">reported</a> that the Treasury Department had not released its promised analysis of the tax bill because it did not exist. The department’s inspector general is now looking into the matter in response to a <a href="" type="internal">letter</a> from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).&#160;“Either the Treasury Department has used extensive taxpayer funds to conduct economic analyses that it refuses to release because those analyses would contradict the Treasury secretary’s claims, or Secretary Mnuchin has grossly misled the public about the extent of the Treasury Department’s analysis,” Warren’s letter said.</p>
<p>Bill Hoagland, a senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former Republican staff director on the Senate budget committee, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-11/treasury-says-trump-agenda-would-pay-for-senate-gop-tax-cuts" type="external">told</a> Bloomberg on Monday that it looked like the Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Policy has now been “pressed to validate somehow the secretary’s position that the tax bill would pay for itself.”</p>
<p>Back in February, Mnuchin <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/23/first-on-cnbc-cnbc-transcript-us-treasury-secretary-steve-mnuchin-sits-down-with-cnbcs-becky-quick-on-squawk-box-today.html" type="external">said</a>&#160;he had a team of more than 100 hundred people “working around the clock” to run the numbers on Republicans’ tax plans. Nearly ten months later, that overtime work has only produced one&#160;407-word press release.&#160;Stone says the methodology and thoroughness of it “looks very different from the kind of analysis that Treasury staff have produced in the past.”</p> | Trump’s Treasury Department Uses Bogus Numbers to Sell Republican Tax Plan | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2017/12/trumps-treasury-department-uses-bogus-numbers-to-sell-republican-tax-plan/ | 2017-12-11 | 4 |
<p>The past few years have seen Kia slowly climbing out of the bargain basement. Its chic styling has endeared it to buyers who never previously considered buying a Kia. Yet in some ways, the company is the same one that it’s always been, producing cars that are a good deal. This explains the redesigned 2014 Kia Forte EX sedan. Its new looks fit in better with the rest of the Kia product line, both modern and sophisticated. The car’s pleasing proportions are shared with its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Elantra, with which it shares some key components as well. So you won’t be surprised to find that, like the Elantra, the Forte has an impressively spacious cabin, considering its compact footprint. Head- and legroom are more than sufficient in either row. And the trunk easily swallows a week’s worth of items from the local warehouse club. <a href="https://d3el53au0d7w62.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/5380_1_21.jpg" type="external" />Overall interior ambiance is appropriate for a car with a starting price of $15,900. Plastics are best described as durable, although seat comfort is a cut above the quality of the interior trim. While the Forte never felt like a luxury car, it certainly had options that would make a premium buyer smile. The fully loaded sedan had leather seats, parking sensors, rear-view camera, dual automatic climate control, power sunroof, integrated garage door openers, a heated steering wheel, and a complete infotainment system with navigation, satellite radio and Kia’s Uvo concierge system.</p>
<p>There are some quirks, though. For instance, both front seats can be heated, but only the driver gets an air-conditioned seat. And above the climate controls, there’s a small label that for some inexplicable reason reads “clean air.” But there’s nothing unusual about the engineering. The Forte comes with a 148-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine on the base LX; a 173-horsepower 2.0-liter four is standard on the pricier EX. Power is sent to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Anti-lock disc brakes, brake assist, stability control and six air bags keep everyone safe. Like any number of compacts, the Forte derives a certain amount of nimbleness from its size, although you wouldn’t call it sporty. Steering is nicely weighted, but numb. This car’s ride was a surprise, recalling that of older Korean cars. Large bumps made themselves known, followed by a lot of body motion. Yet this feat of automotive gymnastics never made people uncomfortable. Here’s Forte’s forte: Its price is reasonable, its interior space generous and its options list extensive. That makes the 2014 Kia Forte well worth a look.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Sleek redesign of Kia Forte sedan for 2014 strengthens its desirability | false | https://abqjournal.com/246137/sleek-redesign-of-kia-forte-sedan-for-2014-strengthens-its-desirability.html | 2013-08-17 | 2 |
<p>The French government hopes that by giving away newspapers to citizens aged 18-24 that they will build loyal newspaper readership in the future.</p>
<p>From the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/business/media/28papers.html?_r=1&amp;ref=business" type="external">New York Times</a></p>
<p>Newspapers have tried many things to stave off a seemingly relentless decline in readers. Now France is pushing forward with a novel approach: giving away papers to young readers in an effort to turn them into regular customers.</p>
<p>The government Tuesday detailed plans of a project called “My Free Newspaper,” under which 18- to 24-year-olds will be offered a free, yearlong subscription to a newspaper of their choice.</p>
<p>“Winning back young readers is essential for the financial survival of the press, and for its civic dimension,” the culture minister, Frédéric Mitterrand, said.</p>
<p>The project is one of a number of measures, including direct financial subsidies, announced by the government last winter, after a study of the problems facing the newspaper industry.</p>
<p>While newspapers nearly everywhere in the developed world are in crisis, hurt by an advertising slump and readers’ defection to the Internet, the problems are particularly pronounced in France. On a per-capita basis, only about half as many papers are sold as in Britain or Germany, according to the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers in Paris.</p>
<p>Readership in France is especially low among young people. According to a government study, only 10 percent of those aged 15 to 24 read a paid-for newspaper daily in 2007, down from 20 percent a decade earlier.</p>
<p>About 60 publications are participating in the new project. In addition to papers like Le Monde and Le Figaro, they include a variety of local publications, as well as the Paris-based International Herald Tribune, the global edition of The New York Times. Even L’Équipe, a popular sports daily, is taking part.</p>
<p>Costs of the project are being shared by the newspapers and the state, with the government allocating €15 million, or $22.5 million, over three years.</p>
<p>The government said 30,000 people had already signed up for free subscriptions under a preregistration program with individual newspapers; a special Web site will be available soon to speed the process.</p>
<p>Emmanuel Schwartzenberg, a former media editor of Le Figaro who has written a book about the problems of the French press, said he was skeptical about the project. At a time when advertising is in steep decline, newspapers should instead be looking at ways to raise more revenue from readers, rather than giving papers away, he said.</p>
<p>“This just reinforces the belief that newspapers should be free, which is a very bad idea,” Mr. Schwartzenberg said.</p>
<p>French readers young and old already have plenty of free options from which to choose, including newspaper Web sites and the free papers handed out daily in many city centers.</p>
<p>Some bloggers said the new program might hold the most appeal to the few young people who do already read, and buy, newspapers.</p>
<p>The government plans to promote the program with an advertising campaign aimed at young readers and their parents. But, in a sign of the possible challenges involved in attracting young readers to print, the government said the primary outlet for the ads would be the Internet.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The government is under the impression that getting young people to sign up means that bthey will actually read the paper they select.&#160; If this was the U.S. you might get some people to read the sports pages or what is left of the classifieds but not much else.&#160; Maybe the French are different but I doubt it. The availability of news on the internet and through smartphones has transformed the newspaper industry.&#160; If you don’t grow up reading a newspaper you are not very likely to suddenly embrace the printed page.</p>
<p>Giving away free newspapers will not solve the readership woes of the industry.&#160; The government would have been better off subsidizing the electronic subscription price of newspapers that are available on e-readers or maybe the e-readers themselves.&#160; The tradeoff would be that the reader would have to view some ads to qualify for the subsidy but it would be a small price to pay for them and a potential boost for the papers and advertisers to reach a key demographic.&#160; But as is usual the government (any government for that matter) is far behind the curve instead of being on the leading edge and that doesn’t bode well for the French.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Post #2424</p> | France to Give Away Newspapers | true | http://aim.org/don-irvine-blog/france-to-give-away-newspapers/ | 2009-10-28 | 0 |
<p>PARIS (AP) — The French football league has terminated the contract with its goal-line technology provider after a series of glitches.</p>
<p>The LFP had already suspended the use of GoalControl, the German system that was deployed at the 2014 World Cup.</p>
<p>According to L'Equipe newspaper, the league will launch a tender in February to find a new provider of the technology that determines whether the ball crossed the line.</p>
<p>In recent months, the French league had repeatedly expressed its discontent with GoalControl.</p>
<p>Goal-line technology entered soccer after a goal was wrongly disallowed at the 2010 World Cup.</p>
<p>FIFA is already focused on fast-tracking the next phase of technology — video assistant referees — for the World Cup in June.</p>
<p>Goal-line technology and VAR were provided by Hawk-Eye at the Confederations Cup last year.</p>
<p>PARIS (AP) — The French football league has terminated the contract with its goal-line technology provider after a series of glitches.</p>
<p>The LFP had already suspended the use of GoalControl, the German system that was deployed at the 2014 World Cup.</p>
<p>According to L'Equipe newspaper, the league will launch a tender in February to find a new provider of the technology that determines whether the ball crossed the line.</p>
<p>In recent months, the French league had repeatedly expressed its discontent with GoalControl.</p>
<p>Goal-line technology entered soccer after a goal was wrongly disallowed at the 2010 World Cup.</p>
<p>FIFA is already focused on fast-tracking the next phase of technology — video assistant referees — for the World Cup in June.</p>
<p>Goal-line technology and VAR were provided by Hawk-Eye at the Confederations Cup last year.</p> | French league terminates goal-line technology contract | false | https://apnews.com/amp/8bd57d0d151a45b2aaf4eb0272e6340a | 2018-01-23 | 2 |
<p>The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect called President Donald Trump's comments denouncing anti-Semitism Tuesday "a pathetic asterisk of condescension."</p>
<p />
<p>Trump made his <a href="" type="internal">most direct condemnation</a> of anti-Semitism yet in an interview and remarks at the National Museum For African American History and Culture in Washington.</p>
<p>"The President's sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration," a statement posted to the Anne Frank Center's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AnneFrankCenterforMutualRespect/posts/10155151871429040" type="external">Facebook page</a> read. "His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Antisemitism, yet day after day have refused to apologize and correct the record."</p>
<p>The Anne Frank Center is a New York-based partner of the Amsterdam-based Anne Frank House. It <a href="http://annefrank.com/about-the-center/" type="external">describes itself</a> as a civil and human rights organization and has been <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/26/a-charity-set-up-by-anne-franks-father-has-become-a-fierce-critic-of-trumps-plans-for-refugees/?utm_term=.6e32344bb261" type="external">harshly critical</a> of Trump in the past.</p>
<p>Trump <a href="" type="internal">refused</a> to address a series of bomb threats against Jewish community centers when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_lOTL2c0Hg" type="external">asked about the threats</a> by a Jewish journalist during a press conference last week. Trump cut the journalist off and said "I hate even the question." The White House's <a href="" type="internal">statement</a> on Holocaust Remembrance Day also left out any mention of Jews.</p>
<p>"Make no mistake: The Antisemitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration," the Anne Frank Center's statement added. "The White House repeatedly refused to mention Jews in its Holocaust remembrance, and had the audacity to take offense when the world pointed out the ramifications of Holocaust denial."</p>
<p>"And it was only yesterday, President's Day, that Jewish Community Centers across the nation received bomb threats, and the President said absolutely nothing. When President Trump responds to Antisemitism proactively and in real time, and without pleas and pressure, that's when we'll be able to say this President has turned a corner. This is not that moment," the group said.</p>
<p>The White House <a href="" type="internal">condemned</a> "hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind," on Monday, but made no reference to anti-Semitism. Trump was <a href="" type="internal">more explicit</a> Tuesday in his condemnation of the threats, and of the vandalism of dozens of tombstones in a Jewish cemetery in Missouri.</p> | Anne Frank Center Criticizes Trump's 'Pathetic Asterisk Of Condescension' | true | http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/anne-frank-center-trump-response | 4 |
|
<p />
<p>We all want to keep our independence as we age, but when your financial future is in jeopardy you also have to realize when it’s time to ask for help.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>According to a new survey from Fidelity Investments, 6 out of 10 older adults don’t want to burden family by asking for help managing finances, yet 8 out of 10 adult children actually want to be involved. The Independent Myth study also found that 60 percent of older adults have seen friends lose financial independence, yet only nine percent think it will happen to them.</p>
<p>“Since studies show that financial decision making peaks around age 53 and gradually declines, preparing to share this responsibility is something we all [must consider],” says &#160;Suzanne Schmitt, vice president of Family Engagement at Fidelity.</p>
<p>According to Schmitt, the consequences of failing to take action can include a greater risk for financial fraud, potential loss of assets, or simply the creation of chaos and confusion when it comes to ensuring one’s financial wishes are carried out if one were to become incapacitated or pass away.</p>
<p>She says there are a few “tipping points” when adult children should step in and get involved in a more direct fashion, such as when a parent or loved one makes a direct request for financial assistance, or when age starts to become a significant factor. (On average, children step in when parents are 75 years old).</p>
<p>Schmitt shared with <a href="" type="internal">FOXBusiness.com</a> some more advice for adult children, and ways that seniors can retain financial independence, but also prepare for the unexpected.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Boomer:&#160;What advice do you have for adult children on this matter?</p>
<p>Schmitt: Get involved before there’s an issue and make sure that a strong plan is in place to help your loved one continue to live as financially independent a life as possible. This is why it’s important for families to be in sync about what needs to happen in the event it’s necessary to help take control of financial decision making for a loved one. Keep in mind, the transition from financial independence to interdependence could never possibly come with a definitive roadmap. However, for most families, the road is gradual, beginning with low knowledge and involvement for adult children of a parent’s financial situation and eventually building over time to high knowledge and direct involvement. Throughout the journey, an important focus should be ensuring that parents or loved ones stay in the driver’s seat and retain independence for as long as they possibly can.</p>
<p>Boomer:&#160;Where do we begin the road to financial interdependence?</p>
<p>Schmitt:&#160;Although everyone’s circumstances are unique, as a general rule, by the time you’re 50 or an older loved one reaches 75 (or whichever happens first), it’s time to start taking the following actions:</p>
<p>Take stock of the people you consider family (by birth or by choice) and draft a family financial roadmap. Think about how old each of you are today and working ahead in increments of five years, project how everyone’s needs are likely to change. Think about things such as finances, housing, health, caregiving and end-of-life. Remember: your plan is only as complete as the plans in place for those whom you might be responsible.</p>
<p>Assemble a team of trusted advocates. Make sure you have in place friends, families and professionals that understand your personal balance sheet and are prepared to step in should you need help. And, make sure they know what they are expected to do.</p>
<p>Get your paperwork in order. Make sure you have the basics in place: designated beneficiaries on bank accounts, investments and insurance policies; a current and complete will; a healthcare proxy; and a living will. Also, make sure you scan and store your legal documents some place safe—and share this information with your loved ones.</p>
<p>Develop a family “crisis management” plan. Although no one wants to think about getting sick, the best time to plan is before you are facing a crisis. Take the time to complete your “in case of emergency” plan.</p> | Don't Let the Independent Myth Ruin Your Retirement | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/12/20/dont-let-independent-myth-ruin-your-retirement.html | 2016-12-20 | 0 |
<p />
<p>From: <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/16/lawmaker-isis-should-allowed-recruit-colleges/81885932/" type="external">The Tennessean</a></p>
<p>Speaking on behalf of a bill centered around free speech, a Knoxville-based lawmaker on Wednesday said a terrorist organization should be allowed to recruit on college campuses in Tennessee.</p>
<p>While presenting a billed dubbed the “Tennessee Student Free Speech Protection Act,” Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, fielded a question from Rep. John DeBerry Jr., D-Memphis, about whether he believed ISIS should be able to stand in the middle of university campuses and “recruit for ISIS.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Daniel replied. “So long as it doesn’t disrupt the proceedings on that campus. Yes sir. They can recruit people for any other organization or any other cause. I think it’s just part of being exposed to differing viewpoints.”</p>
<p>The remarks came after a debate about the bill, which Daniel said “would direct schools to observe freedom of speech on campus.”</p>
<p>While introducing the legislation, Daniel said students’ free speech on Tennessee college campuses has been diminished in recent years because of unfair policies….</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/16/lawmaker-isis-should-allowed-recruit-colleges/81885932/" type="external">Continue Reading…</a></p>
<p>44 comments</p> | Tennessee State Rep: ISIS Should Be Allowed To Recruit At Colleges | true | http://freedomsfinalstand.com/tennessee-state-rep-isis-should-be-allowed-to-recruit-at-colleges/ | 0 |
|
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a bizarre series of events, a heavy utility pole became snarled in some electric cables providing power to temporary signal lights and broke, with part of the pole falling on the cab of a truck passing underneath and killing the driver, the sole occupant of the truck.</p>
<p>State Police identiified the man as Reynaldo Arriola, 57, of Placitas.</p>
<p>The accident happened at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday at U.S. 550 and State Road 313, or Camino del Pueblo in Bernalillo. State Police were conducting an investigation, State Police spokesman Sgt. Emmanuel Gutierrez said.</p>
<p>A westbound semi-trailer pulling a portion of a mobile home became ensnared in the electric cables, with the cables then pulling on a temporary wooden pole, which snapped,&#160;Gutierrez said. Traffic was diverted for several hours as police investigated.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Pickup driver dies in accident | false | https://abqjournal.com/270126/pickup-driver-dies-in-accident.html | 2013-09-27 | 2 |
<p>In lifting the Obama-era restrictions on police acquisition of surplus military equipment, Attorney General Jeff Sessions misleadingly cited studies to claim that President Obama “went too far” and undermined public safety.</p>
<p>Sessions said the studies showed that surplus military equipment provided to local police departments “reduces crime rates” and “reduces the number of assaults against police officers.”</p>
<p>They did say that, but authors of those studies said most if not all of that benefit derives from equipment that is unaffected by the restrictions imposed by Obama.</p>
<p>Amid rising concern about the “militarization” of police departments, President Obama in 2015 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150724195555/https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/16/executive-order-federal-support-local-law-enforcement-equipment-acquisit" type="external">ordered</a> the review of the <a href="https://justnet.org/resources/Excess-Federal-Property.html" type="external">1033 program</a>, which has for decades provided surplus military equipment and supplies to state and local law enforcement agencies for free.</p>
<p>In May 2015, a working group created by Obama’s order made a series of&#160; <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170628022422/https://ojp.gov/docs/LE-Equipment-WG-Final-Report.pdf" type="external">recommendations</a>&#160;that were adopted by the administration.&#160;The group created a “prohibited equipment list,” a list of items that could no longer be given to police departments because there is “substantial risk of misusing or overusing these items, which are seen as militaristic in nature.” Among the items on this banned list:</p>
<p>But the vast majority of surplus military gear provided to local law enforcement agencies was unrestricted, according to authors of the studies cited by Sessions. That includes items like computers, furniture and protective gear, but also most military vehicles and weapons less than .50 caliber.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-sessions-delivers-remarks-63rd-biennial-conference-national-fraternal" type="external">remarks</a> at a conference of the National Fraternal Order of Police on Aug. 28, Sessions said the Obama restrictions “put superficial concerns above public safety.” The same day, President Donald Trump issued an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/28/presidential-executive-order-restoring-state-tribal-and-local-law" type="external">executive order</a> rescinding Obama’s order.</p>
<p>Sessions justified the move by citing two studies he said showed the surplus military equipment provided to police departments “reduces crime rates, reduces the number of assaults against police officers, and reduces the number of complaints against police officers.”</p>
<p>Sessions, Aug. 28: Studies have shown this equipment reduces crime rates, reduces the number of assaults against police officers, and reduces the number of complaints against police officers. Those [Obama] restrictions went too far. We will not put superficial concerns above public safety.</p>
<p>The Justice Department press office said Sessions was referring to two studies recently published in American Economic Journal: “ <a href="https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20150478" type="external">Police Officer on the Frontline or a Soldier? The Effect of Police Militarization on Crime</a>” and “ <a href="http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/pol.20150525" type="external">Peacekeeping Force: Effects of Providing Tactical Equipment to Local Law Enforcement.</a>”</p>
<p>Both studies concluded that surplus military equipment provided to police departments helped to reduce crime, though they reached conflicting conclusions about whether it reduces assaults against police officers.</p>
<p>But those studies&#160;looked at a time period before the Obama order was enacted. They do not directly address the impact of the Obama-era restrictions on public safety.</p>
<p>And, since Obama did not entirely do away with the 1033 program, we don’t know how much — if any — of the banned or restricted surplus equipment helped to reduce crime, or how much of the reduction in crime was attributable to other surplus equipment that was unaffected by the Obama order.</p>
<p>The study “ <a href="http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/pol.20150525" type="external">Peacekeeping Force: Effects of Providing Tactical Equipment to Local Law Enforcement</a>” by University of Tennessee economics professor <a href="http://cber.bus.utk.edu/staff/harris.htm" type="external">Matthew C. Harris</a>&#160;— as well as Jinseong Park, Donald J. Bruce and Matthew N. Murray — speaks to the entirety of the 1033 program when it concludes that tactical military equipment provided to police departments has “generally positive effects: reduced citizen complaints, reduced assaults on officers, increased drug crime arrests, and no increases in offender deaths.”</p>
<p>The other narrative centers around the necessity of these armaments as an input to the production of public safety from the modern, dangerous, well-armed violent or drug criminal. While this paper does not directly address need per se, we do find that the tactical items issued through the 1033 Program reduce assaults on and deaths of police officers, assist in drug interdiction, and may have deterrent effects on crime.</p>
<p>In a phone interview, co-author Harris&#160;told us the results don’t necessarily mean the 1033 program is good policy, and the study does not speak to the Obama restrictions rescinded by Trump.</p>
<p>The study cautions that: “It is entirely possible that in certain jurisdictions these armaments may or may not be necessary, have not increased the efficacy of drug interdiction, or have led directly to increased violence by police against civilians. In other words, our findings do not necessarily mean that saturating our local law enforcement agencies with military hardware is good policy.”</p>
<p>The authors of the study also say it would be a mistake to conclude that the positive impacts of military equipment found in their analysis are in any way hampered by the items restricted by Obama.</p>
<p>“Those specifically prohibited items are a very small percentage of the overall gear we were looking at in our report,” said <a href="http://web.utk.edu/~dbruce/" type="external">Donald Bruce</a>, one of the co-authors of the “Peacekeeping Force” study. “You can’t get anything out of our report that gets to the prohibited class of items. It was not intended to analyze those limitations.”</p>
<p>The authors broke down the effectiveness of various categories of equipment provided to police departments. Specifically, the authors found, for example, that “weapons” provided to police departments led to a small decrease in crime and an increase in arrest rates. But while there are some items in the “weapons” category that are banned by Obama’s order, the overwhelming majority are not, Bruce said.</p>
<p>For example, he said, only four counties in the nation received grenade launchers in 2015. In 2010, it was 10.</p>
<p>“These are very small numbers compared to the rest of the category,” Bruce told us.&#160;“It is unlikely that the prohibited items are driving our results.”</p>
<p>The other study, “ <a href="https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20150478" type="external">Police Officer on the Frontline or a Soldier? The Effect of Police Militarization on Crime</a>,” co-authored by Vincenzo Bove and Evelina Gavrilova, provides even less support for Sessions’ claim. While it, too, concluded that military aid reduces street-level crime and is cost-effective, almost all of that benefit was found to come from military equipment unaffected by the Obama order.</p>
<p>Unlike the Harris et al. study, the one by Bove and Gavrilova found no conclusive results about the effect of “weapons” on crime rates. There was some decrease in crime attributed to “vehicles” donated to police, but the strongest decrease in crime, they found, came from an “other” category — a catch-all hodgepodge that includes everything from software to furniture, electric wire and scaffolding. “Nonlethal equipment, without military attributes, has the biggest marginal effect on the reduction of crime,” the study says. That kind of equipment was wholly unaffected by Obama’s order.</p>
<p>“Our own speculation is that by getting the diverse items from the ‘others’ category law enforcement agencies re-allocate the funds that they were supposed to spend to other necessities, and this somehow allows them to spend for e.g. less time on typing out reports because of faster computers and more time on e.g. patrol,” Gavrilova told us via email.</p>
<p>Gavrilova told us the vast majority of the equipment provided to police departments was not banned by the Obama order. And so, she said, the decreases in crime rates detected in the study “are not due to the Obama restricted items.”</p>
<p>The study found a modest reduction in crime. “By the most conservative estimate, a 10 percent increase in aid reduces total crime by 5.9 crimes per 100,000 population,” it said. The impact was “relatively small” at just 0.24 percent of the crime rates on average. But “the annual average value of aid acquired by a county is around $58,000, suggesting that this is a very inexpensive crime-reducing tool.”</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/politics/trump-police-military-surplus-equipment.html?mcubz=0" type="external">New York Times</a>, Pentagon officials said the Obama order led to the return&#160;of 126 tracked armored vehicles, 138 grenade launchers and 1,623 bayonets. The studies cited by Sessions do not indicate how the denial of those particular items could potentially affect crime rates, assaults against police officers or complaints about police.</p>
<p>Some legislators upset by the Trump reversal, <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/902185628590379008" type="external">such as</a> Republican Sen. Rand Paul, question how making those items available again to local police departments makes communities safer.</p>
<p>During a September 2014 Senate hearing on the distribution of Department of Defense weapons and equipment to state and local police forces, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?321337-1/hearing-militarization-police-forces&amp;start=5129" type="external">Paul asked</a> Alan Estevez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, what purpose bayonets were given out for. “I can’t answer what a local police force would need a bayonet for,” Estevez answered. Paul retorted, “I can give you an answer: None.” According to the New York Times, “Trump administration officials said that the police believed bayonets were handy, for instance, in cutting seatbelts in an emergency.”</p>
<p>Another study recently published in Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318923652_The_Risks_of_Operational_Militarization_Increased_Conflict_Against_Militarized_Police" type="external">“The Risks of Operational Militarization: Increased Conflict Against Militarized Police</a>,” suggests there may also be some evidence of negative effects of the 1033 program. It found that the provision of things like surveillance, sonar and radar equipment led to an increase of assaults against police officers, though the authors could not be sure why.</p>
<p>“I think what the research tells us right now is this: The 1033 Program does have its benefits — clothing and armor are reducing assaults against police, and perhaps are signaling a deterrence mechanism of a professional, army-based police department that is ready to take on crime,” one of the co-authors of the study,&#160; <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kevin_Carriere" type="external">Kevin Carriere</a>, of Georgetown University, told us via email. “However, the impact of the purchases that Obama sought to ban in 2015 — military grade weapons, tanks, explosives, and the like – do not have a significant impact such that Sessions’ notes — confirmed by Bove &amp; Gavrilova and Carriere &amp; Encinosa, but disputed by Harris et al.”</p>
<p>Harris, co-author of the study cited earlier, told us more study and greater transparency — particularly about negative outcomes that police departments may be reluctant to share — are needed to fully understand the consequences of the program.</p>
<p>Bove and Gavrilova also conclude in their study that the 1033 program in aggregate may have some crime-reduction benefits, but they stop short of asserting that this proves its overall benefit.</p>
<p>“[T]aken together, our results do not directly provide evidence in favor of or against the possibility that military equipment contributes to overly aggressive approaches by police units, which can in turn escalate to a standoff between urban communities and the officers that police them,” the authors conclude. “This is a social cost that our analysis cannot duly capture and it is an important point for future research.”</p>
<p>Those are also matters for political debate. On the question of whether surplus military equipment “reduces crime rates,” studies suggest the program overall does. But those studies do not prove — as Sessions implied — that the Obama restrictions on the transfer of some of that equipment would therefore jeopardize public safety.</p> | Does Military Surplus Reduce Crime? | false | https://factcheck.org/2017/09/military-surplus-reduce-crime/ | 2017-09-01 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>HOCHFILZEN, Austria — Laura Dahlmeier won the women’s individual competition Wednesday for her third gold medal and fourth overall at the biathlon world championships.</p>
<p>In a series that started last year in Oslo, Dahlmeier has won a medal in nine straight world championship races, matching the all-time record set by retired Norwegian great Tora Berger.</p>
<p>The overall World Cup leader from Germany finished the 15-kilometer race in 41 minutes, 30.1 seconds to beat sprint world champion Gabriela Koukalova of the Czech Republic by 24.7 seconds. Both Dahlmeier and Koukalova missed one target in their first shooting stage but shot cleanly afterward.</p>
<p>“My looseness is the secret,” said Dahlmeier, who has already won the pursuit and mixed team titles, and finished runner-up to Koukalova in the sprint. “I didn’t let myself get distracted from missing that target. The race isn’t over until you finish.”</p>
<p>Dahlmeier became the fourth German world champion in the discipline but first since Kati Wilhelm eight years ago.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Contrary to most pre-race favorites, Koukalova had picked an early start number and led the race for a long time.</p>
<p>“In the finish I hoped my time was good enough to beat Laura,” said Koukalova, who was third in Sunday’s pursuit. “It’s better than excellent to have a third medal. It’s amazing.”</p>
<p>Alexia Runggaldier of Italy hit all 20 targets and finished 1:45.6 behind to win bronze.</p>
<p>Defending world champion Marie Dorin Habert of France missed four targets in total and finished nearly five minutes behind in 40th. Three-time Olympic champion Darya Domracheva, who returned last month from a nearly two-year layoff, started well but the Belarussian lost her medal hopes when she missed twice in her final prone shooting before finishing 13th.</p>
<p>The world championships continue with the men’s 20K individual competition Thursday.</p> | Dahlmeier wins individual race for 3rd biathlon world title | false | https://abqjournal.com/950481/dahlmeier-wins-individual-race-for-3rd-biathlon-world-title.html | 2017-02-15 | 2 |
<p>Rep. Richard Hudson, (R-N.C.), on sponsoring the concealed carry bill.</p>
<p>While tax reform is front and center on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives is set to take on another bill that would overhaul concealed carry laws in the U.S.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), would permit owners of legally concealed handguns to carry them from one state to another.</p>
<p>Currently every state and municipality has the ability to set its own carry rules, but Rep. Hudson is betting on the “Full Faith and Credit Clause” to move the bill forward.</p>
<p>“The Full Faith and Credit Clause says that every state has to give full faith and credit to the judicial proceedings and legal documents of every other state and that Congress has a responsibility to determine how those are recognized,” he told FOXBusiness’ Stuart Varney on “Varney &amp; Co.”</p>
<p>Rep Hudson said the bill is gaining support in the House.</p>
<p>“We whipped the bill last week. We continue to have discussions with members. This bill is easily going to pass today,” he said.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>While the bill could face challenged in the Senate, Rep. Hudson is banking on Texas Senator John Cornyn to” find a path forward.”</p>
<p>“Sen. John Cornyn has the legislation in the state. He’s long been a champion of the Second Amendment,” he said. “He actually brought up constitutional carry in 2013 as an amendment and there were 7 Democrats who are still in the Senate who voted for it at that time. So there’s a precedent for Democratic support.”</p> | Concealed carry overhaul could garner bipartisan support: Rep. Hudson | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/12/06/concealed-carry-overhaul-could-garner-bipartisan-support-rep-hudson.html | 2017-12-06 | 0 |
<p>The dashboard camera video from the Philando Castile shooting was just released, and it shows&#160;the officer killing Castile within seconds of their encounter.</p>
<p>In the video, which was released on Tuesday by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, St. Anthony Police Department Officer Jeronimo Yanez is shown pulling over Castile, who is driving a 1990s-era white sedan&#160;with a broken tail light. Initially, the July 2016 encounter seems non-eventful, with Yanez informing Castile he was pulling him over due to his tail light and asking for his driver’s license. Throughout the encounter, Castile is respectful and obedient of Officer Yanez’z requests.</p>
<p>However, following the first exchange, Castile informs Officer Yanez he has a firearm in his vehicle.</p>
<p>“Don’t reach for it. Don’t pull it out,” Yanez repeatedly warns, before suddenly drawing his service weapon and firing seven shots into Castile’s vehicle, with Castile’s girlfriend and daughter sitting right next to him.</p>
<p>“You just killed my boyfriend, he wasn’t reaching for anything,” Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, shouts as Castile cries out in pain.</p>
<p>“DON’T PULL IT OUT!” Yanez screamed at Reynolds.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t,” Reynolds says calmly.</p>
<p>“DON’T MOVE!” Yanez screams, clearly emotional. “Fuck! Fuck! Don’t move! Don’t move!”</p>
<p>The Philando Castile shooting instantly went viral after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/07/07/graphic-video-minnesota-police-shooting-philando-castile-ryan-young-pkg-nd.cnn" type="external">Reynolds’ Facebook Live video</a>&#160;of her boyfriend drawing his last breaths while their daughter sat in the back of the car&#160;in the aftermath of the shooting was broadcast to the world. Two years prior to killing Castile, Yanez enrolled in a controversial training for police officers called “ <a href="http://www.startribune.com/officer-in-castile-case-attended-bulletproof-warrior-training/386717431/" type="external">The Bulletproof Warrior</a>,” which taught police officers to view private citizens as “adversaries” and “predators,” while showing participants graphic video of officers being killed on the job.</p>
<p>Last week, a Minnesota jury <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/philando-castile-case-verdict-jeronimo-yanez/" type="external">cleared Yanez of all charges</a>.</p>
<p>The video can be seen below. (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)</p>
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Kevin Wallace is a journalist with five years’ experience in print and digital media, and covers politics, media, and culture for the Resistance Report. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.</p> | Authorities just released dashcam video of police shooting Philando Castile | true | http://resistancereport.com/black-lives-matter/police-shooting-philando-castile/ | 2017-06-20 | 4 |
<p>The term withdrawal seems a bit overstated when it comes to describing the changing U.S. military strategy in Iraq, but President Obama emphasized the thematic over the technical in a speech he delivered Monday to a veterans’ group in Atlanta, during which he explicitly referenced “the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq” by the last day of this month. However, what that will actually look like may be different from how it might sound, as about 50,000 of the 65,000 American troops there now will <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10839342" type="external">remain</a> in Iraq until the end of 2011.</p>
<p>BBC:</p>
<p>The remaining 50,000 troops will stay in the country in order to train Iraqi security forces, conduct counterterrorism operations and provide civilians with ongoing security, said Mr Obama.</p>
<p>But the president also warned the US had “not seen the end of American sacrifice in Iraq”.</p>
<p />
<p>He added: “But make no mistake, our commitment in Iraq is changing — from a military effort led by our troops to a civilian effort led by our diplomats.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10839342" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Obama: Iraq Drawdown Is 'on Schedule' | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/obama-iraq-drawdown-is-on-schedule/ | 2010-08-02 | 4 |
<p>Bank of America logs profit rise; Wells Fargo disappoints on mortgage-related charges</p>
<p>The Dow, S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq scored fresh all-time highs in intraday trade early Friday, after a pair of economic reports came in slightly weaker than expected, but a reading of consumer sentiment hit its highest level in 13 years.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Read:The S&amp;P 500 is poised to make stock-market history--for doing almost nothing (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sp-500-is-poised-to-make-uncanny-stock-market-historyfor-doing-almost-nothing-2017-10-12)</p>
<p>What are the main benchmarks doing?</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average picked up 40 points, or 0.2%, to 22,879, after setting an intraday all-time high at 22,905.33, powered by sharp gains in American Express Co. (AXP) and Procter &amp; Gamble Co. (PG).</p>
<p>The S&amp;P 500 index gained 5 points, or 0.2%, at 2,556, after setting an intraday record at 2,557.69. The broad-market index saw its sharpest sector gains in technology and materials, both up at least 0.6%. Meanwhile,the Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 20 points, or 0.3%, at 6,611. The technology-laden index earlier logged an intraday record at 6,614.65.</p>
<p>All three indexes closed lower on Thursday (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-indicators-ease-from-record-highs-as-bank-earnings-arrive-2017-10-12) The Dow industrials ended down 0.1%, while the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq both lost 0.2%.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>For the week, gains appeared modest for all three benchmarks as of the close Thursday. The Dow industrials was headed for a 0.4% rise, while the S&amp;P 500 teetered around a 0.1% increase. Both have risen for five straight weeks. The Nasdaq was looking at 0.2% weekly gain, marking a third consecutively weekly win.</p>
<p>Thus far in 2017, the Dow has gained nearly 16%, the S&amp;P is up 14.1%, and the Nasdaq has risen 23%.</p>
<p>See: Howard Gold on 5 things to do when every investment is too expensive (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/five-things-to-do-when-every-investment-is-too-expensive-2017-10-12)</p>
<p>What is driving markets?</p>
<p>The consumer-price index rose 0.5% in September, the second increase in a row (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-inflation-surges-again-after-hurricane-boosts-gas-prices-cpi-shows-2017-10-13)and the largest in eight months. However, economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.6%. Stripping out volatile food and energy costs, core CPI rose at a much smaller 0.1% rate.</p>
<p>Inflation readings are weighed for their likely influence whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fed-officials-disagree-on-need-for-interest-rate-hike-in-december-2017-10-12).</p>
<p>A reading on retail sales (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-retail-sales-post-biggest-gain-biggest-since-2015-2017-10-13) showed a rise of 1.6% in September, reflecting the largest increase in 2 1/2 years, coming in line with Wall Street expectations.</p>
<p>The University of Michigan's preliminary reading of the consumer-sentiment index for October came in at 101.1, marking its highest level since 2004 (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/consumer-sentiment-surges-to-13-year-high-in-october-2017-10-13).</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Trump administration said late Thursday it will end billions of dollars in subsidies to insurers (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-to-halt-obamacare-subsidies-to-health-insurers-2017-10-13) under the Affordable Care Act program. The White House said the government can't lawfully make the payments as there is no appropriation for them.</p>
<p>Read:How to invest in health-care stocks regardless of what happens in Washington, D.C (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-invest-in-health-care-stocks-regardless-of-what-happens-in-washington-dc-2017-10-13).</p>
<p>Check out:MarketWatch's Economic Calendar (http://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendars/economic)</p>
<p>Which Fed speakers are ahead?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans was set to give a speech on the economy, appearing at a financial literacy event in Green Bay, Wis.</p>
<p>Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan is expected to take part in a moderated discussion (https://www.cfainstitute.org/learning/events/Pages/10122017_134634.aspx) at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, at the CFA Institute's 2017 fixed-income management conference in Boston.</p>
<p>What are strategists saying?</p>
<p>"There's no reason to sell. Just sit and watch your stuff go up and that's why trading volumes are low," said Randy Frederick, managing director at Schwab Center for Financial Research, referring to measures of volatility, notably the CBOE Volatility Index , hanging around historic lows below 10 as stocks test records.</p>
<p>Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank, said the weaker than expected inflation reports, reinforce the view that the Fed will take a more measured approach in tightening monetary policy, even if the central bank appears committed to hiking rates in December. "The weaker than expected inflation results set the stage for some risk taking," he said. "As long as we have reasonable economic growth with low inflation than the path of least resistance is higher," he continued.</p>
<p>Which stocks look like key movers?</p>
<p>Bank of America Corp.(BAC) shares slipped 1.7% after the lender posted a rise in third-quarter profit (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bank-of-america-profit-climbs-but-trading-slumps-2017-10-13).</p>
<p>Wells Fargo &amp; Co.(WFC) shares declined 2.7% in trade, after it reported third-quarter earnings that were weaker than expected (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wells-fargo-stock-slides-after-tepid-growth-legal-costs-weigh-on-earnings-2017-10-13), with a profit of $4.6 billion, or 84 cents a share, including a charge of $1 billion to settle a mortgage-linked probe, compared with profit of $5.6 billion at the same period last year.</p>
<p>Check out:Bank stocks are soaring, but now it's time to go for quality (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bank-stocks-are-soaring-but-now-its-time-to-go-for-quality-2017-10-10)</p>
<p>And see:Third-quarter earnings seen as 'an easy beat,' may bring more market records (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/third-quarter-earnings-seen-as-an-easy-beat-could-set-up-more-stock-market-records-2017-10-09)</p>
<p>Shares of Applied Optoelectronics Inc.(AAOI) fell 21% in trade. The fiber-optic networking company warned investors (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/applied-optoelectronics-down-more-than-17-on-profit-revenue-warning-2017-10-12) about lower-than-expected third-quarter profit and revenue late Thursday.</p>
<p>Antares Pharma Inc.(ATRS) shares sank 39%, after the company's announcement Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had found deficiencies in the drug Xyosted (testosterone enanthate) during its review process.</p>
<p>Monsanto Co.(MON) shares moved 2% higher after Bayer AG said it has reached a $7 billion deal to sell parts of its crop-science business (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bayer-agrees-7-billion-sale-of-assets-to-basf-in-aid-of-monsanto-megadeal-2017-10-13) to rival BASF SE.</p>
<p>What are other assets doing?</p>
<p>Bitcoin recently traded at $5,702, after climbing as high as $5,856 earlier Friday, according to CoinDesk data. The cryptocurrency began setting new records (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bitcoin-soars-to-a-new-all-time-high-above-5100-2017-10-12) after jumping on Thursday.</p>
<p>Check out:5 reasons bitcoin has roared to its highest level ever, defying Dimon's 'fraud' call (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-reasons-bitcoin-has-roared-to-its-highest-level-ever-defying-dimons-fraud-call-2017-10-12)</p>
<p>European stocks (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dax-on-track-for-another-record-as-bayer-rises-on-deal-news-2017-10-13) were modestly higher, while most Asian markets closed with gains, with Japan's Nikkei benchmark rising 1%.</p>
<p>Gold futures (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-churns-below-key-1300-line-ahead-of-consumer-inflation-snapshot-2017-10-13) rose to above $1,300 an ounce, after trading flat earlier in the day (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-rises-tries-to-regain-grip-on-1300-level-2017-10-12), while oil futures (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-surge-on-strong-chinese-crude-imports-and-iran-uncertainty-2017-10-13) jumped 1.7% to trade above $51 a barrel.</p>
<p>The ICE U.S. Dollar Index (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dollar-in-holding-pattern-with-inflation-data-to-highlight-feds-aim-to-hike-rates-2017-10-13) was off 0.3%, after slipping 0.1% on Thursday. The gauge was on track for its first weekly fall in five weeks.</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>October 13, 2017 11:21 ET (15:21 GMT)</p> | MARKET SNAPSHOT: Dow Joins S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Intraday Records As Sentiment Touches 13-year High | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/10/13/market-snapshot-dow-joins-s-p-500-nasdaq-hit-intraday-records-as-sentiment-touches-13-year-high0.html | 2017-10-13 | 0 |
<p>It was reported today that the son of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was arrested for</p>
<p><a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2012/12/12/rep-jim-morans-son-guilty-of-beating-up-his-girlfriend-in-columbia-heights/" type="external">[Patrick] Moran and his girlfriend</a> were fighting outside 14th Street bar The Getaway around 1:23 a.m. on Dec. 1, according to a police report, over Moran talking to another woman at the bar. Suddenly, Moran allegedly slammed his girlfriend’s head into the bar’s metal trash can cage.</p>
<p>After the attack, police described Moran’s girlfriend as “bleeding heavily from her nose and also observed that her nose and right eye were extremely swollen.” One of the ambulance technicians who transported her to Howard University Hospital told police that Moran appeared to have broken her nose and given her a skull fracture under her right eye.</p>
<p>Moran was arrested for felony domestic violence assault, but pleaded the charge down to simple assault today. He was sentenced to probation.</p>
<p>OH WAIT, wrong link. That’s on me. My bad. <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/governor-s-son-arrested-charged-with-intoxication-swearing/article_7c178b8a-e8d4-11e2-8714-001a4bcf6878.html" type="external">Here is the correct one</a>:</p>
<p>Sean McDonnell, the 21-year-old son of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, was arrested Saturday in Charlottesville and charged with public swearing and intoxication.</p>
<p>Few details of the circumstances surrounding the arrest were immediately available. The charge is considered a Class 4 Misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $250.</p>
<p>Public swearing? WTF?</p> | Gov Bob McDonnell’s Son Arrested For ... | true | http://danaloeschradio.com/gov-bob-mcdonnells-son-arrested-for/ | 2013-07-09 | 0 |
<p>Investing.com – Sweden stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the , and sectors led shares lower.</p>
<p>At the close in Stockholm, the declined 0.05%.</p>
<p>The best performers of the session on the were SSAB AB ser. A (ST:), which rose 1.30% or 0.53 points to trade at 41.36 at the close. Meanwhile, Swedbank AB ser A (ST:) added 1.04% or 2.2 points to end at 212.8 and Swedish Match AB (ST:) was up 0.85% or 2.4 points to 284.6 in late trade.</p>
<p>The worst performers of the session were Boliden AB (ST:), which fell 2.07% or 5.90 points to trade at 279.10 at the close. Fingerprint Cards AB ser. B (ST:) declined 1.08% or 0.36 points to end at 32.89 and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson B (ST:) was down 1.02% or 0.47 points to 45.81.</p>
<p>Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Stockholm Stock Exchange by 384 to 331 and 82 ended unchanged.</p>
<p>Crude oil for October delivery was down 1.75% or 0.86 to $48.23 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in November fell 0.46% or 0.25 to hit $54.24 a barrel, while the December Gold Futures contract rose 0.19% or 2.52 to trade at $1352.82 a troy ounce.</p>
<p>EUR/SEK was up 0.38% to 9.5585, while USD/SEK rose 0.24% to 7.9379.</p>
<p>The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.26% at 91.25.</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> | Sweden stocks lower at close of trade; OMX Stockholm 30 down 0.05% | false | https://newsline.com/sweden-stocks-lower-at-close-of-trade-omx-stockholm-30-down-0-05/ | 2017-09-08 | 1 |
<p>Still from “Death by Design.”</p>
<p>Two new documentaries will make you look differently at your electronic gadgets, especially the cool iPhone or other products from Apple whose logo might be changed to a skull-and-crossbones after seeing “Death by Design” and “Complicit”. They examine the damage done to both the workers who produce them and the environment, especially in China, as well as raise important questions about the meaning of “progress”. If being able to use an iPhone to pay for your Starbucks coffee comes at the expense of a leukemia epidemic for Foxconn workers and making 60 percent of China’s groundwater unsuitable for drinking, then the whole question of progress has to be thought through.</p>
<p>“ <a href="http://deathbydesignfilm.com/about/" type="external">Death by Design</a>” is now available on VOD and distributed by <a href="http://bullfrogfilms.com/" type="external">Bullfrog Films</a>, America’s leading distributor of politically relevant films. Directed by veteran PBS Frontline filmmaker Sue Williams, it reviews the environmental impact of computers and other products that fall within the rubric of the Information Age.</p>
<p>When you think of the impact of toxic waste on drinking water, the first thing that comes to mind is fracking. After seeing “Death by Design”, you will learn that manufacturing circuit boards, a process we associate with workers in white suits operating in sterile, laboratory-like environments, is just as much of a threat to our health. Although 90 percent of manufacturing takes place in far-off China nowadays, it arose first in IBM’s upstate New York headquarters and then Silicon Valley. This is where high-technology cancer clusters and other serious illnesses first cropped up.</p>
<p>Endicott, N.Y. was the birthplace of IBM. For most of the time when mainframes were being built there, the corporation used to dump industrial solvents used for cleaning hardware into local drains. The solvents seeped from leaky pipes into the ground with disastrous consequences for people living above. As happens so frequently with cancer clusters, the corporation denies responsibility since finding a smoking gun is almost impossible given medical science’s inability now and in the future to determine the exact sequence of events that lead to a mutant cell. IBM eventually took responsibility for the cleanup and compensation to the victims but only after the damage had already been done.</p>
<p>Endicott was a blue-collar town that became impoverished after IBM moved production to Armonk. Is there any place we’d associate less with blue collars than Silicon Valley? “Death by Design” reveals that the men and women who live in $2 million homes were not spared as well. Until it became the software capital of the USA, Silicon Valley produced hardware just like Endicott and with the same disastrous results. In the 1980s, most desktop computers were being produced there except for Dell. Like IBM in Endicott, the manufacturers left behind a gigantic plume of carcinogenic chemicals. And just like in Endicott, IBM brought along its bad profit-maximizing habits to San Jose where Big Blue and Fairchild Electronics constituted the largest companies in the area. They built storage tanks for their waste products but as tends to happen with powerful solvents, they broke through the walls of the containers and leaked into the groundwater. In Silicon Valley, residents blamed the giants for an epidemic of birth defects but as is the case with cancer, determining an exact cause-and-effect is difficult to prove especially when you are dealing with companies that have a battery of high-powered lawyers with Harvard degrees.</p>
<p>Marxist economist David Harvey was responsible for a major theoretical breakthrough that helps us understand how capitalism has such a knack for survival. When contradictions begin to mount in a country like the USA, where people feel entitled to clean air and water, the system can displace its ills geographically especially to places like China that has turned into the toxic waste capital of the world.</p>
<p>“Death by Design” introduces us to a nation that has made a devil’s bargain with its population. In exchange for a rising standard of living, it asks its wage slaves to endure the same carcinogens that the people of Endicott and Silicon Valley would not put up with. But unlike the American toxic sites, the Chinese suffer double jeopardy. Not only do they have to put up with solvents leeching into their rivers and lakes, they suffer deadly air pollution that is the result of the unregulated elimination of the smart phones, tablets and laptops that you replace so frequently as the consequence of planned obsolescence. Apple is particularly cagey about the way it forces “great” new versions of the iPhone on you. It uses non-standard screws on the casing so unless you have a special screwdriver, you are practically forced to buy a new model, which Apple deviously designed to have a life-span about the same as the battery.</p>
<p>China is now the “e-waste” capital of the world. While some of the discarded electronics sent to China is recycled, much of it goes up in smoke. Since this is China, there are no regulations about incineration procedures. The film shows men and women tossing circuit boards into a bonfire without any regard to what the ashes might do to them or people living nearby—or for that matter the rest of the planet Earth. Since the metals, including lead, that go into an electronic device cannot be destroyed (they are elements, after all), all you can do is transform them into tiny air-born particulates that can not only seep into China’s waters but ascend into the sky and travel across the Pacific floating in a cloud. The film shows a California biologist in a plane filled with electronic instruments that can determine the make-up of a cumulus cloud. She tells us that the clouds amount to fluffy, picturesque bundles of carcinogens.</p>
<p>To some extent, my interest in cancer has much to do with working as a database administrator at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in the mid-1980s. Seeing 5-year old kids walking around with a chemotherapy bottle attached to their arm really has a way of concentrating your mind. In the half-dozen or so books I have read about the science of cancer over the years, I was left with the conclusion that making a direct connection between the environment and the disease is not easy. That is why, for example, it took over a decade for the court case against IBM in Endicott to be decided in favor of the victims.</p>
<p>However, it is much easier to connect the dots when it comes to on-the-job casualties. The most obvious cases are the young chimney sweeps in London who came down with testicular cancer in the Victorian era or the mostly women workers who got cancer after applying radium to luminous watch dials in the early 20th century.</p>
<p>It is also an open-and-shut case when it comes to the Chinese workers at Foxconn and other subcontractors to Apple who came down with leukemia after using solvents such as benzene and n-hexane to clean the glass covers of iPhones.</p>
<p>“Complicit”, which will be seen on June 12th and June 17th as part of the annual Human Rights Festival in New York (details are <a href="" type="internal">here</a> <a href="" type="internal">)</a>, is focused on these victims that after contracting leukemia decided to become activists determined to make Foxconn, Apple and other multinationals pay for their abuses and change the way they produce the consumer goods that are so seductive to consumers worldwide. Since wages constitute about one percent of an iPhone’s cost, you’d think that this would be no big deal—that is until you run into someone like Terry Gou, the CEO of Foxconn.</p>
<p>With ample support from the ruling Communist Party, Gou denounces protesters gathered in front of his plant, including those who have been enduring lengthy stays in the hospital for leukemia treatments, relying on the cops to spirit away the riffraff.</p>
<p>Most of the workers who end up working at Foxconn and other high-technology subcontractors are migrant workers from China’s impoverished farmlands. While they were willing to work at a breakneck pace up to seven days a week for minimal wages (to the point that some were driven to suicide), they had not bargained on coming down with leukemia when they were only in their early 20s.</p>
<p>Benzene had long ago been banned in American factories but that did not get in Terry Gou’s way. To make a case against him, labor activists began to subpoena medical records from the plant, photograph chemical storage in the plants, and use picket lines to put pressure on the company.</p>
<p>The labor activists profiled in “Complicit” had no idea what risks they were taking when they were trained to use an unnamed solvent to clean a product. Long Li, the 18-year-old daughter of peasant farmers from Guizhou who was disfigured from a kerosene lamp accident when very young, was excited when she first came to Guangdong province, where most of China’s electronic goods are made. The tall buildings, the sense of independence, and the money she earned at work that could help keep her parents fed and clothed, made her feel elated.</p>
<p>She was told by her boss to dip her rubber-gloved right index finger into a solvent and then rub each cell phone screen for 10 to 20 seconds on the assembly line. She was issued a paper mask, but rarely used it because they were too hot. Long worked from 8 am until 11 pm, and as late as 4 am in the busy season. Unlike those exposed to benzene, Long Li worked with n-hexane that produced neurological damage rather than leukemia. While it might not have killed her, it disabled her and made it impossible for her to continue working to help out her parents.</p>
<p>At some point, she became an activist working with Yi Yeting, a former employee at CIMC, the shipping container company that delivers the toxic devices and other benzene laced products around the world. Despite being ill with leukemia, he devoted every hour to exposing China’s cruel, profit-driven manufacturers. Like Long Li, Yi came from a poverty-stricken rural village. He was only 24 when he was diagnosed with leukemia after working at CIMC for two years. Despite the tendency of the illness to rob people of their energy, Yi became a tireless defender of workers’ rights.</p>
<p>All of the subjects in “Complicit” and their families are the people who the Chinese revolution was made for. Like the peasants who sacrificed their lives fighting to liberate China from the KMT and the landlords they served, they are now on the front lines of a new battle to transform China into the world’s leading capitalist power.</p>
<p>For some on the left, the emergence of the BRICS and China’s ability to confront Western hegemony has been viewed as a major anti-imperialist advance. Furthermore, Xi Jinping has received accolades for supposedly returning to Maoist principles. For example, Workers World Party leader Fred Goldstein wrote an article titled “ <a href="" type="internal">Behind Xi Jinping’s call for a return to Marxism</a>”&#160;that took note of a trip Xi made to Guangdong Province not long after becoming the head of state. There he spoke to fellow Communists about the dangers of a Gorbachev-type development in China. Goldstein reported that “He spoke in dire terms about how the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was overthrown and socialism completely destroyed. The long-term fate of the party is undoubtedly a deep concern of Xi and his collaborators.”</p>
<p>Xi’s visit to Guangdong province is highly symbolic. This is the center of Chinese manufacturing that took off after Deng Xiaoping’s “liberalization” of the Chinese economy. For Goldstein and others who think like him, China has a dual character. It is both capitalist and socialist, perhaps bearing similarities to the NEP in the Soviet Union. Wasn’t it possible that the opening up of Guangdong to foreign investment was necessary for China to accumulate the capital that would allow for domestic development? But Goldstein worries that unlike the Soviet Union, China has gone far too long putting up with a capitalist sector. He doubts that Xi is capable of resolving the contradiction in favor of socialism but at least credits him with putting the brakes on the worst elements of the capitalist sector who are likely the sort that allowed benzene and n-hexane to be used in their factories—at least one hopes so.</p>
<p>There is an assumption underlying the thinking of people like Fred Goldstein that must be addressed. Is socialism only about providing the necessities of life? Under Mao Zedong, there was an “iron rice bowl” that referred to a guaranteed lifetime job and benefits. Much of that has been whittled away during the post-Mao period but it is still worth asking if that was what Karl Marx had in mind when he wrote about the need for socialism.</p>
<p>When I began working as a programmer at Met Life in 1968, they used to call the insurance company “Ma Met”. Like “Ma Bell”, it was a place that provided lifetime job security and great benefits. Lunch was free and the health plan would not be regarded as a “Cadillac” plan today. It would be seen as a “Rolls Royce” plan.</p>
<p>My first manager once told me that as long as I didn’t keep a bottle of whiskey in my desk, I’d never have to worry about losing my job. Indeed, after the FBI sent an anonymous postcard to my workplace naming me as a commie, the top boss of my division called me into his office to tell me that if I ever got such a postcard in the future, he’d make sure that the person who sent it would be fired. If he only knew that J. Edgar Hoover authorized the postcard as part of Cointelpro, he might not have made such a promise since Hoover’s job security was even greater than mine.</p>
<p>Was this socialism? This is not such a far-fetched question since so much of the left today believes that electing Bernie Sanders would have moved us closer to “socialism”, which really boiled down to turning back the clock to the 1950s when American industry was still operating within a New Deal context.</p>
<p>I have a rather old-fashioned, if not quaint, idea of what socialism amounts to. It is a system that not only abolishes private property; it also prevents bureaucrats from exercising power over our daily lives. Unless you have the right to speak your mind and fight for your beliefs without fear of being sent to jail like the worker-activists suffering from leukemia in “Complicit”, then find some other word to describe the system.</p>
<p>Despite being accused of having helped to turn Marxism into a secular religion, I continue to regard Frederick Engels as second to none—including Marx—in articulating the total freedom possible under a classless society. For Engels, the provision of food, housing and medical care is not the same thing as socialism. Instead, as he pointed out in Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, it is the total transformation of society that will allow us to enjoy true freedom for the first time in human history:</p>
<p>The socialized appropriation of the means of production does away, not only with the present artificial restrictions upon production, but also with the positive waste and devastation of productive forces and products that are at the present time the inevitable concomitants of production, and that reach their height in the crises. Further, it sets free for the community at large a mass of means of production and of products, by doing away with the senseless extravagance of the ruling classes of today, and their political representatives. The possibility of securing for every member of society, by means of socialized production, an existence not only fully sufficient materially, and becoming day-by-day more full, but an existence guaranteeing to all the free development and exercise of their physical and mental faculties — this possibility is now, for the first time, here, but it is here.</p> | The High Cost of Gadgetry | true | https://counterpunch.org/2017/06/02/the-high-cost-of-gadgetry/ | 2017-06-02 | 4 |
<p>BERLIN (AP) — Germany's defense ministry says it will withdraw some 250 troops stationed in Turkey when the mandate for their air-defense mission ends next year.</p>
<p>Since 2013 the soldiers have been operating Patriot missile batteries near the Syrian border as part of the NATO mission "Active Fence," along with troops from the United States and other countries.</p>
<p>German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement Saturday that the mission won't be renewed when it ends Jan. 31, 2016, because the main threat in the region comes from the Islamic State group. The group doesn't possess missiles.</p>
<p>Von der Leyen says Germany is committed to helping stabilize the region and will continue to train and support Kurdish and Iraqi security forces in Erbil, Iraq.</p>
<p>BERLIN (AP) — Germany's defense ministry says it will withdraw some 250 troops stationed in Turkey when the mandate for their air-defense mission ends next year.</p>
<p>Since 2013 the soldiers have been operating Patriot missile batteries near the Syrian border as part of the NATO mission "Active Fence," along with troops from the United States and other countries.</p>
<p>German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement Saturday that the mission won't be renewed when it ends Jan. 31, 2016, because the main threat in the region comes from the Islamic State group. The group doesn't possess missiles.</p>
<p>Von der Leyen says Germany is committed to helping stabilize the region and will continue to train and support Kurdish and Iraqi security forces in Erbil, Iraq.</p> | Germany to end air-defense mission in Turkey next year | false | https://apnews.com/amp/3e76ae2a799a4559a5cd38fb8779c1ca | 2015-08-15 | 2 |
<p>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service will not be able to pay an estimated 1,100 employees for required overtime work after September due to government-imposed pay caps, the agency’s chief said Monday.</p>
<p>In a statement, Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles attributed the funding shortfall to the cost of protecting President Donald Trump and his family, and “an overall increase in operational tempo.”</p>
<p>The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>In an interview with USA Today, which first reported the story, Alles noted that the Secret Service’s mission was set by law and that he did not have authority to curtail it.</p>
<p>“The president has a large family, and our responsibility is required in law,” Alles told the newspaper. “I can’t change that. I have no flexibility.”</p>
<p>The agency must protect a record 42 people, including 18 Trump family members, up from a total of 31 during the administration of former President Barack Obama, he told USA Today.</p>
<p>The problem did not start with the current president’s tenure, “but rather has been an ongoing issue for nearly a decade,” Alles said in the statement.</p>
<p>Alles has asked lawmakers to raise the combined salary and overtime cap for agents from $160,000 a year to $187,000 for at least the period of Trump’s first term, USA Today reported.</p>
<p>But even if such a proposal was approved, about 130 veteran agents would not be fully compensated for hundreds of hours already amassed, the newspaper said, citing the agency.</p>
<p>The White House said in a statement that the Trump administration would work with Congress on the issue.</p>
<p>“The president is committed to ensuring the Secret Service and all of those protecting our country have all the resources they need,” it said.</p> | Secret Service says 1,100 employees face unpaid overtime | false | https://reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/secret-service-says-1100-employees-face-unpaid-overtime/ | 2017-08-21 | 1 |
<p>There's something funny about the timing of Indian army chief V.K. Singh's revelations that he was offered a bribe to purchase the substandard vehicles of an unnamed truck maker for the Indian army in 2010.</p>
<p>It's odd that he didn't say anything at the time, of course -- though he wouldn't be the first whistleblower to wait until his career was on the skids to take action, <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/india/antony-and-manmohan-the-dishonesty-of-honest-men-256647.html" type="external">as Firstpost points out</a>. But why bring up bribery this week, when India is holding a <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/defexpo-2012-firms-flock-to-delhi-to-woo-worlds-top-arms-importer/articleshow/12424487.cms" type="external">massive convention for weapons suppliers</a>keen to make inroads with the world's largest arms importer?&#160;</p>
<p>I don't have an answer for you, but I will say this:</p>
<p>Though allegations of kickbacks are nothing new for India's defense sector, the new accusations, in the current climate of corruption-panic, will likely slow India's defense purchases considerably -- as experts like Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta have identified the fear of being accused of such shenanigans as one of the main reasons that India's procurement process is laboriously slow.</p>
<p>"The enormous amount of money at stake raises the specter of corruption," Cohen and Dasgupta write in Arming without Aiming: India's Military Modernization. "Can India devise a clean procurement system that gives political, military and bureaucratic leaders the confidence to make judgment calls in the selection of weapons?"</p>
<p>Apparently not. And that means many of the&#160;be 232 foreign firms and 60 official delegations in New Delhi this week for the four-day 'DefExpo-2012,' which begins on Thursday, should start lowering their expectations.</p> | BestOffense: Army chief's belated bribery revelations may slow future Indian arms purchases | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-03-27/bestoffense-army-chiefs-belated-bribery-revelations-may-slow-future-indian-arms | 2012-03-27 | 3 |
<p />
<p>From NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, here’s a chart that shows the number of disasters, and their cost, for every year since 1980:</p>
<p>As you can see, we’re just halfway through 2011, and already eight extreme weather events in the United States have each caused more than a billion dollars in damage—a record since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began keeping tabs in 1980. The US has faced 99 weather-related disasters that cost at least $1 billion in the past 31 years, totaling $725 billion (when adjusted for inflation). But even though it’s only halfway through, 2011 ranks second overall in total number.</p>
<p>There have been $32 billion in damages caused by extreme weather events this year, which have included blizzards, tornados, floods, and wildfires, National Climatic Data Center director Tom Karl said last week. The NCDC, a division of NOAA, released a <a href="http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/billionz.html" type="external">released these stats</a> last week in the wake of this spring’s tumult.</p>
<p>Hurricane season—which tends to yield some of the costliest weather events— <a href="http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G1.html" type="external">just started on June 1</a>. And we’ve barely seen the beginning of the summer heat.</p>
<p>While the economic costs are high, so, too, are the human. There have been 575 deaths from this year’s weather events, the majority of them in the tornadoes in the Southeast and Midwest. The <a href="" type="internal">damage in Joplin, Mo.</a> is a testament to the power of the most extreme among extreme weather events.</p>
<p>The weather-related disaster that people recall most immediately is Hurricane Katrina, which caused 1,833 deaths and caused $133.8 billion in damages. But drought and heatwaves have accounted for the two most catastrophic events to date: 10,000 deaths and $55.4 billion in damages in 1980 and another 7,500 deaths and $71.2 billion in damages in 1988.</p>
<p>Of course, we’ve always had severe weather events. And this year so far has been more extreme than most. But scientists have now warned repeatedly that we should <a href="http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/previous-assessments/global-climate-change-impacts-in-the-us-2009" type="external">expect extreme events more often</a> in the future as the climate changes. It’s safe to say we can expect more billion-dollar events down the line.</p>
<p>The front page photo of <a href="" type="internal">tornado devastation in Joplin, Missouri</a> was taken by <a href="/authors/andy-kroll" type="external">Andy Kroll</a>.</p>
<p /> | 2011: The Year of the Natural Disaster | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/our-disaster-disaster/ | 2011-06-22 | 4 |
<p>CNN’s Drew Griffin sat down with a group of supporters of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump in a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/05/19/inside-thinking-of-trump-supporters-pkg-griffin-ac.cnn/video/playlists/donald-trump/" type="external">video</a> posted online by CNN on Thursday. He discussed with the prospective voters why they were backing the front runner in light of Trump’s racism and the like. The racism question was specifically directed to the two African American members of the group. Kudos to Griffin, who must have guts of steel, because the reasons they gave for supporting Trump were cringe inducing.</p>
<p>The panel consisted of members of various demographics, from whites to African Americans, men and women. Some of the first remarks&#160;going into the video set the disturbing tone for the rest of the sit down session. Edward Etheridge, who seemed to be of Spanish descent, said that Trump “really loves this country,” if he was going to be “cutting taxes” in order to give the poor a “fighting chance” at climbing their way out of their poverty.</p>
<p>Notice anything wrong in those sentiments? Hint drop: it’s the subject. “America” comes before the people of America. Heck, it’s in his campaign slogan: “Make America Great Again.” The emphasis is on the abstract entity of the United States of America. This focus is to the exclusion of the actual real life people of this country, many of whom are desperately suffering.</p>
<p>In other words, running the organization of the United States is more important to these people than that organization actually doing something productive and beneficial to the people who are served by it. Does it make more sense then, why the right enjoys giving corporations the same rights as people?</p>
<p>Not one of the supporters of the great man of racism who followed Etheridge changed the tone. Wesley Ross, of the College Republicans, said “We can either be weak or we can be strong.” He did not say, “We can either help people or not.” No, he just talked about “ideals.”</p>
<p>And it went downhill from there, culminating with a woman defending the building of a wall in between America and Mexico and deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants. Yes, it’s true, there are people out there who support such a thing, and you can find them at the next Trump rally.</p>
<p>Watch the video of the talk below, if you dare.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Some of the other things Trump supporters have used to express their love for the candidate has been such things as sucker punching African Americans and beating homeless people and artists. But Trump and his supporters love America…</p>
<p>Featured Image via Screenshot from the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/05/19/inside-thinking-of-trump-supporters-pkg-griffin-ac.cnn/video/playlists/donald-trump/" type="external">Video</a>.</p> | CNN Interviewed Group Of Donald Trump Supporters And The Results Will Leave You Speechless (VIDEO | true | http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/05/19/cnn-interviewed-group-of-donald-trump-supporters-and-the-results-will-leave-you-speechless-video/ | 2016-05-19 | 4 |
<p>MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australian former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is expected to win re-election for the seat he was earlier forced to vacate, and return to his position in parliament on Saturday, just over a month after he was kicked out over a dual citizenship crisis that cost the government its majority.</p>
<p>Joyce faces a record 16 rivals for the seat of New England, in rural New South Wales, and should he win, it will give the conservative coalition government some much-needed relief in restoring its slim majority.</p>
<p>Joyce has repeatedly said he was “confident, not cocky” about winning the seat of New England again, five years after he first entered federal parliament.</p>
<p>“I said right at the start that you can’t take anything for granted, () the feedback I’m getting as I travel around the electorate is that people just want us to get on with the job of governing,” he told SBS.</p>
<p>Joyce was one of a group of lawmakers known as the “Citizenship Seven” whose eligibility to sit in parliament was thrown into doubt when it was found they were dual citizens, a status that is barred for politicians under Australia’s constitution to prevent split allegiances.</p>
<p>The High Court ruled on Oct. 27 that Joyce, along with four of the seven other lawmakers, was ineligible to remain in parliament, forcing Saturday’s by-election. Joyce was found to be a dual citizen of New Zealand, a status he has since rescinded.</p>
<p>The deputy leader position has remained vacant since the High Court ruling.</p>
<p>Joyce’s chances to regain his seat were particularly helped after an independent candidate considered to be his biggest competition decided not to run. The nationalist One Nation Party, led by Pauline Hanson, also decided against fielding a candidate in favor of campaigning for the recent Queensland state election, in which they are expected to win zero seats, despite polling predicting them winning up to 12 seats.</p>
<p>The last day of campaigning for the by-election was marred by a call for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to step down as a “Christmas gift” to the nation.</p>
<p>New South Wales Nationals state leader and deputy premier John Barilaro caused a stir with his comments, telling radio station 2GB that a new leader is needed to “put the country and its people first.</p>
<p>“Turnbull is the problem, the prime minister is the problem,” he said. “He should step down, allow for a clean-out of what the leadership looks like federally.”</p>
<p>The surprise comments were quickly rebuffed by Joyce, who said they were “very unhelpful” and “insulting.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think you should be criticizing leadership. You’re criticizing the captain of your team, your own team, why would you do that?” Joyce told SBS.</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> | Australia's former deputy PM expected to win election, reclaim seat | false | https://newsline.com/australia039s-former-deputy-pm-expected-to-win-election-reclaim-seat/ | 2017-12-01 | 1 |
<p>I like Naftali Bennett, the head of the far-right Jewish Home (Habayit Hayehudi) party and new face on the Israeli political scene. Why? Mostly because he is honest, straightforward, and finally says openly what many in the center-right ruling government, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believe but simply will not say. No more “painful compromises,” no more “there is no partner for peace,” no more “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East,” no more flaccid proclamations of a “two-state solution.” There will be no “painful compromises.” There will be no compromises at all. And it is not because of the Palestinians. If Mahatma Gandhi returned and was democratically elected as president of the Palestinian Authority, it would not matter. If the Palestinian government became like Canada it would not matter. There will be no Palestinian state. There is no peace process, and the fault does not lie solely with Palestinian behavior. Why? Because, as Mr. Bennett says openly, “The land is ours.” Period. There is no fervent messianism like that of the settler rabbis, no secular militarism like that of Zeev Jabotinsky. The land belongs to the Jews. Take a deep breath and repeat.</p>
<p>What does Mr. Bennett envision in his calm and confident voice? A one-state solution where Palestinians will have limited regional autonomy in a Jewish state. They will not become citizens. They will not vote in national elections. They will be constantly monitored by the Israeli security forces. In other words, Bantusians. In other words, Apartheid. These words do not scare Bennett. If that is what others want to call it, so be it. To him, it is simply The Jewish State.</p>
<p>What about democracy? It will be a new kind of democracy. Not anything the U.S. and the West is familiar with today. Here Moshe Feiglin, a Likud member who will surely become a Knesset member in a few weeks, said it quite clearly: democracy will serve the interests of the state, not the other way around.</p>
<p>So why do I like Naftali Bennett? Because the voice of the right has finally taken off its mask and now we can see it for what it is. In many ways, a sanitized Kahanism. But Meir Kahane was such an unsavory figure: angry, diabolical, manipulative, a perfect villain. He spewed racism and threatened everyone who didn’t agree with him. At his worst he was a modern demagogue. At his best he was a kind of clown with a sharp wit and talented rhetorical skills. In many ways, he was his own worst enemy. But he was also very successful, so much so that now a party that embodies much of his vision will be a serious force in the Israeli government. Kahane has not gone away; he has gone to the mikveh and morphed into a group of bourgeois forty-somethings who enjoy a good Merlot in a posh wine bar in North Tel Aviv.</p>
<p>Bennett is genteel, an elite solider, someone who is as comfortable with secularism as he is with his religiosity. He is not scary to secularists in Israel. He is, in many ways, one of them. He lives in a thriving Tel Aviv suburb and not in a settlement. But if you read his platform carefully it is not very different from Kahane’s. And his secular Tel Avivi compatriot Ayelet Shaked destroys all stereotypes of an Israeli “radical.”</p>
<p>So why do I like Naftali Bennett? Because if he and his party are as successful as polls predict, it will place a choice before the American Jewish community and the United States government. No more evasive language. The Jewish/Israel lobby will have to throw away its handbook. Its slogans will become obsolete. Bennett’s Israel does not want peace. It is not waiting for the other side to denounce violence. Two states? That was something from the last century. One state? Yes, but not one many American Jews will feel proud of. And not one the U.S. government will easily support.</p>
<p>As long as the center-right hobbles along with its obfuscating rhetoric and stalling tactics, nothing will be accomplished. And even if the center-left was elected, it has no real ideological commitment to ending the occupation. It is just more compassionate to the plight of the Palestinians it is persecuting. The true left cannot easily convince its listeners that the man with a mask is something other than what he claims to be. Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked do not wear masks. They state confidently what they believe. If the Israeli electorate empowers them, at least we know what we are dealing with. It is the only chance the left has. The only chance for an end to the conflict is to elect someone who doesn’t even believe there is a conflict.</p> | Why I Like Naftali Bennett | true | https://thedailybeast.com/why-i-like-naftali-bennett | 2018-10-04 | 4 |
<p>Insects are viable food options, says a recent report from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, and with the world population estimated to reach 9 billion people by 2050, some are suggesting bugs as a real solution to a serious problem.&#160;</p>
<p>Several countries, including the Netherlands and Thailand already harvest insects on a commercial scale. Thailand's edible crickets business, sometimes called "six-legged livestock," is already a $30 million industry.&#160;</p>
<p>Dave Gracer has been running an edible bug business in Rhode Island called Small Stock Foods since 2009.&#160;</p>
<p>"From my point of view, the way that humans feed themselves now, basically, represents a big middle finger to the natural world," Gracer said. "Look at the future, look at what's coming our way. It's really kind of terrifying."</p>
<p>For now, Small Stock Foods is a modest business. Gracer said he fills an average of ten orders a year, mostly filled by avant-garde restaurants, novelty party planners and clients looking to add shock value to their meals.&#160;</p>
<p>"Dos Equis had a sales campaign, a promo; 'The Most Interesting Taco in the World' to go with 'The Most Interesting Man,' and so they had gourmet taco trucks in a couple of different cities that wanted to do the most interesting tacos and they want the most scorpion tacos," Gracer said.&#160;</p>
<p>Though the conception of eating insects in the United States may been previously stuck on gross-out reality shows like Fear Factor, Gracer said some are coming around to the idea of bugs as a source of food in the future.&#160;</p>
<p>"There are companies now working to produce industrial commercial supplies of insects for human consumption in the U.S. and that is of the last 18 months," he said.&#160;</p>
<p>Gracer estimates he has eaten some 60 species of arthropods, as well as scorpions, a giant centipede, and roly-polies — which he says are "quite good."</p>
<p>Killing insects, though, sometimes makes Gracer feel guilty.&#160;</p>
<p>"They're animals you know, they would prefer to avoid dismemberment or death just like you and me," he said.&#160;</p>
<p>Still, Gracer prefers the more neutral harvesting of bugs to slaughterhouses or industrial farms.</p>
<p>"I am reacting to these insects the way any other predator would," Gracer said. "It’s an honest exchange of energies like you know what, if I can get you, I will."</p> | Experts look to edible bugs to help ameliorate food scarcity | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-07-25/experts-look-edible-bugs-help-ameliorate-food-scarcity | 2013-07-25 | 3 |
<p />
<p>The Blessed Hope "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee." <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Tts&amp;c=2" type="external">Titus 2:13-15</a></p>
<p>The Tri-fold power of having the Blessed Hope within us</p>
<p>Titus chapter 2 is an amazing chapter because it tells us that the pretribulation rapture of the church is our 'blessed hope', in which we are to do the following while we wait on His return:</p>
<p>So you see that the Blessed Hope is a means by which God uses it to prepare us and purify us as we wait. It is not simply a "get out of jail free card", it is a refining tool of the Lord to make us ready on a daily basis. After all, death is a reality for over 250,000 people a day every day around the world, with lots of them being bible believing Christians.</p>
<p />
<p>Don't you think that to be "ready at any moment" is a pretty good idea? Having the blessed hope in our lives pushes us towards readiness, and way from stagnation and slothfullness in our spiritual walk with the Lord Jesus.</p>
<p>Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing strengthens the Blessed Hope</p>
<p>As bible believeing Christians in the age of Grace, we live in a period of time that people of no other dispensation were afforded. Salvation by grace through faith is a gift that we in this life will never understand the full measure of. We read about this in the second chapter of the book of Ephesians:</p>
<p>"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)</p>
<p>And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.</p>
<p>For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?t=KJV&amp;x=0&amp;y=0&amp;b=Eph&amp;c=2&amp;v=1" type="external">Ephesians 2: 4-10</a></p>
<p>We who are saved did nothing to save ourselves, and we do nothing to keep ourselves saved. It is all of the Lord Jesus, this is His great gift to us. We can't fall out, be pulled out, be pushed out, or be talked out of the eternal life He gives us at the moment we recieve this free gift. We can't even jump out! Paul addresses this in the eighth chapter of the book of Romans:</p>
<p>"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?t=KJV&amp;x=0&amp;y=0&amp;b=Rom&amp;c=8&amp;v=1" type="external">Romans 8:38,39</a></p>
<p>God knows that we are redeemed sinners who still have to live everyday in unredeemed bodies of flesh. He knows that we will still commit sin. So He gives us verses like Romans 8 to assure us and comfort us that we can never be separated from His love no matter where we wander. The Prodigal Son, while he lost his inheritance (a picture of loss of <a href="../doctrine/faith-works-and-the-judgment-seat-of-christ.htm" type="external">rewards at the Judgment Seat</a>), he never lost his sonship with the Father.</p>
<p>Of course, it is God's desire to see us not become like the Prodigal, and to strive to live our lives as He would have us to live them.</p>
<p>Beloved, the bible teaches us that Jesus will 'never leave us or forsake us' after we have been saved. That's a promise you can hang your eternal destiny on. His return for His church to take us our before the Tribulation is also another precious promise you may trust with all your heart.</p>
<p>He said He would come get us...and He will. Be ye always ready....this is our BLESSED HOPE.</p>
<p />
<p>"WATCH" By Warren M. Smith.</p>
<p>Oh, the glory fast approaching, of Ascension's happy morn,� When the watchful servants quickly to His bosom shall be borne; When the dear ones left behind us, shall for us oft seek in vain,� But our spirits shall have risen to the Lamb for sinners slain. Caught up in the air to meet Him, oh! the heights and depths of joy, Lengths and breadths of love surpassing, purest bliss wi ' thout alloy;� Now we see with darkened vision, then we'll see Him face to face,� And we will, through countless ages, sing the glories of His grace. Two shall at a mill be grinding, one be taken, one be left,� Two shall in a bed be sleeping, one of these shall be bereft;� Oh, what wonder and amazement, shall the ones on earth, possess,� They shall pass through tribulation, pain, and sorrow and distress. We shall live with Him forever, in the sunshine of His love,� We shall meet to part, no never, with th' angelic host above;� There we'll hear our Father's welcome, as He calls us, one by one, Saying to each one in person, "Faithful servant, 'tis well done." Let us, then, our lamps keep burning, and our wedding garments on,� Ready to go forth to meet Him, when we hear Him say, "I come;� There will be no time to slumber, lest He come whil'st we're asleep And the door be shut between us; let us then our vigil keep.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> The Blessed Hope the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ The Tri-fold power of having the Blessed Hope within us Looking for Jesus: Denying ungodliness: Speak, exhort and rebuke: Click here | Titus 2:13 And The Blessed Hope | true | http://nowtheendbegins.com/pages/rapture/the-blessed-hope.htm | 0 |
|
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>NEW YORK — A noxious feline odor has some Dell customers caterwauling.</p>
<p>People who own Dell Latitude 6430u laptops are complaining that their pricey new computers are emitting a smell similar to cat urine. Some of them said on the company’s online customer forums that the odor seems to be coming from the keyboard or palm rest.</p>
<p>The Round Rock, Texas, company originally advised buyers through its forums to try cleaning their keyboards with a soft cloth or compressed air, but the smell persisted.</p>
<p>“The machine is great, but it smells as if it was assembled near a tomcat’s litter box,” wrote a customer using the handle “three west” on a Dell forum back in June. “It is truly awful!”</p>
<p>On Wednesday, another customer writing under the handle “passflips” said he felt terrible for repeatedly scolding his cat Jerry, because he thought the elderly cat kept spraying the computer. The poster also said he wasted money on veterinarian bills in an attempt to determine whether his cat had a medical problem.</p>
<p>Dell said Thursday that its investigation revealed strange scent is related to a manufacturing process, which the company has since fixed. But if your portable PC isn’t purrfect, Dell recommends contacting the company’s technical support team to have your laptop’s palm rest assembly replaced.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Company spokesman David Frink said the odor isn’t related to a “biological contamination” and doesn’t present a health hazard. He added that newly assembled laptops that are currently in stores aren’t affected.</p>
<p>The laptops in question are ultrabooks designed for business use. The base model starts at $900 on Dell’s website, but Dell charges close to $1,300 for higher-end versions that include Windows 8 and Intel Core i5 processors.</p>
<p>While laptop users may find the smell of cat urine offensive, “cat’s pee” is a term sometimes used by wine lovers to describe a wine’s aroma.</p>
<p>And while the smell coming from the Dell computers is apparently unintentional, more than one group of engineers is working on “Smell-o-Vision” TV to engage viewers’ olfactory senses. In addition, a host of recent smartphone add-ons make scents, too, including the Scentee, a Japanese smartphone attachment that plugs into a phone’s earphone jack and dispenses scented vapors through dedicated cartridges.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Dell laptop buyers make a stink over cat smell | false | https://abqjournal.com/291955/dell-laptop-buyers-make-a-stink-over-cat-smell.html | 2013-10-31 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Consider the Department of Transportation's decision last week to require rear-visibility cameras in essentially all new cars starting in 2018. The regulation will eventually affect millions of Americans, increasing the safety of those behind their cars, particularly children.</p>
<p>Sound good? Here's the problem: The Department of Transportation projects that the new regulation will cost between $546 million and $620 million - and perhaps as much as $924 million. That will mean an additional cost, per car, of $44 (for cars already equipped with a suitable visual display) to $142 (for cars without such a display).</p>
<p>At the same time, the government projects benefits of only $265 million to $396 million, with a high-end estimate of $595 million. (Disclosure: As administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from 2009 to 2012, I worked on this rule in its earlier stages.)</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Since the early 1980s, both Republican and Democratic presidents have required executive agencies to give careful consideration to the costs and benefits of regulations, and to proceed only if the benefits justify the costs (unless Congress has required otherwise). The Obama administration has been intensely committed to cost-benefit analysis.</p>
<p>Why, then, did the government proceed with a rule that, by its own projection, has net costs of at least $200 million? There are two answers.</p>
<p>The first involves the Department of Transportation's obligation to comply with the law. In 2007, Congress enacted the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act, a law designed to reduce the risk of backover crashes, which result in about 267 deaths and 15,000 injuries each year. About a third of the fatalities involve children under the age of 5. The act requires the agency "to expand the required field of view to enable drivers of a motor vehicle to detect areas behind the motor vehicle."</p>
<p>Under the law, the Department of Transportation can consider sensors and additional mirrors, but its own evidence suggested that both of these would have little or no effect in reducing backover crashes. For that reason, the department concluded that a less costly approach would not be consistent with the law's requirements.</p>
<p>The department's second answer was less straightforward and more interesting. It insisted that the monetized figures do not tell us everything we need to know about the benefits of the regulation. The governing executive order, issued by President Barack Obama in 2011, allows agencies to consider "values that are difficult or impossible to quantify, including equity, human dignity, fairness, and distributive impacts."</p>
<p>On this count, the department emphasized four points.</p>
<p>First, about one-third of the deaths involve very young children. While it used its usual $9 million figure to value a "statistical life," it emphasized that some studies find a significantly higher number for children.</p>
<p>Second, the department noted that in some cases, drivers have been the direct cause of their own child's death - an unimaginably horrific outcome that "is not fully or adequately captured in the traditional measure of the value of a statistical life."</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Third, the department stressed that many of those killed or injured in backover crashes are disabled or old, and they are not in a good position to protect themselves.</p>
<p>Finally, the department said that it had not quantified all the benefits that drivers will receive, including simplified parking.</p>
<p>All this is pretty sensible. To be sure, a hard-line approach to cost-benefit analysis would demand that the Department of Transportation be more disciplined in its discussion of unquantifiable benefits, and it would insist on more serious efforts at quantification.</p>
<p>For example, some research suggests that for children, the value of a statistical life is around $18 million. If the department had used that number, would the total benefits number get close to the costs?</p>
<p>And perhaps it would be possible to quantify monetary benefits of easier driving - and to see whether that figure would materially increase the department's benefits estimate.</p>
<p>To reduce the risk of unhelpful or dumb regulation, cost-benefit analysis is exceptionally important. Everyone should agree that agencies should not defeat the purpose of that analysis by invoking unquantifiable benefits. But in the context of rear visibility, the Department of Transportation acted quite reasonably, pointing to values that are not easy to turn into monetary equivalents but cannot be considered irrelevant to its overall assessment.</p>
<p>No one wants to pay more for a new car. But if the result is to save some children's lives and to prevent a significant number of serious accidents, the added cost is worth incurring.</p>
<p /> | Value of rearview cameras exceeds cost analysis | false | https://abqjournal.com/381582/value-of-rearview-cameras-exceeds-cost-analysis.html | 2 |
|
<p>The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal by a big-box retailer in a tax dispute in the Upper Peninsula, a brief but significant order that will have consequences for local governments around the state.</p>
<p>Big-box stores have been reducing their tax bills for years by convincing the Michigan Tax Tribunal that their stores are so large and unique that they should be assessed at much less than the cost of construction. The loss of revenue has led to budget cuts in many communities.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The Supreme Court heard arguments last week by lawyers for Menards and the city of Escanaba. But in a two-sentence order, it declined to take the case, which means a 2016 appeals court decision in favor of Escanaba will stand.</p>
<p>The case now will return to the Tax Tribunal for more work. The appeals court rejected Menards' valuation approach and ordered the Tax Tribunal to allow the parties to present more evidence and come up with a property value.</p>
<p>Groups representing local governments predict they'll now fare better at the Tax Tribunal.</p>
<p>"No longer can big-box stores obtain unfair and substantial tax reductions based upon unrealistically low artificial values, while our other taxpayers contribute based upon the value of their properties," said Stephanie Simon Morita, an attorney who wrote a brief on behalf of the Michigan Municipal League.</p>
<p>Local tax revenue has been reduced by at least $100 million statewide since 2013 because of big-box appeals, according to the Michigan Association of Counties.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Menards had argued that the appeals court exceeded its authority during its review of Tax Tribunal decisions.</p>
<p>In the state Capitol, meanwhile, legislation has been introduced to tilt the scale to local governments in commercial property valuations.</p> | Big-box stores lose as Michigan Supreme Court drops tax case | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/10/20/big-box-stores-lose-as-michigan-supreme-court-drops-tax-case.html | 2017-10-20 | 0 |
<p />
<p>Monsanto (NYSE:MON) beat the Street on Wednesday with a 35% leap in fiscal third-quarter earnings as the world’s largest seed maker capitalized on robust sales.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The St. Louis-based agriculture company said it earned $937 million, or $1.74 a share, last quarter, compared with a profit of $692 million, or $1.28 a share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, it earned $1.63 a share, topping estimates of $1.60.</p>
<p>Revenue jumped 17% to $4.22 billion, besting the Street’s view of $4 billion.</p>
<p>“With our most significant selling seasons wrapped up, the third quarter gives us a near complete view of our business for the fiscal year and I feel very good about where we stand,” CEO Hugh Grant said in a statement.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, Monsanto said it is sticking to its forecast for full-year EPS of $3.65 to $3.70, compared with consensus calls from analysts for $3.70. Free cash flow is expected to range between $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion.</p>
<p>Monsanto also said it expects to grow earnings in the mid-teens on a percentage basis on an ongoing basis during fiscal 2013.</p>
<p>“As I look to 2013 and beyond, I am confident as our momentum is now validated with sustained business results and I believe the opportunity ahead for our customers, our business and our owners is significant,” said Grant.</p>
<p>Monsanto said sales in its seeds and genomics segment climbed 18% last quarter to $481 million amid strong U.S. corn and soybean sales.</p>
<p>Wall Street had a muted response to the results, nudging Monsanto’s shares 0.4% higher to $78.14 early Wednesday. The gains put the shares on track to slightly add to their 2012 rally of about 11%.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p> | Lifted by Solid Sales, Monsanto's 3Q Edges Past Views | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/06/27/monsanto-posts-3q-sales-422b.html | 2016-01-26 | 0 |
<p>The culture war is being fought primarily in our schools, beginning in pre-K and all the way through to our universities. Teaching multiculturalism and diversity appears to have started in the United States with the International Baccalaureate program which came out of the United Nations. It was and has been sold to parents as a rigorous program in which only a select few students are invited to participate. According to the IB website,</p>
<p>“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” In addition:“These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”</p>
<p>While International Baccalaureate began as a high school program in the 1960s it now includes a primary years program for ages 3 to 12 and a middle school program. Getting to children at younger ages when they are still impressionable and their consciences and belief systems developing is extremely dangerous to a society. It is how Hitler was able to bring about the rise of the Third Reich; indoctrinating German youth beginning as early as ten years and the Hitler Youth programs that began when they turned fourteen years old. It was easy for Hitler to engage the German people with promises of a return to greatness for their country. Here in America we are a nation comprised of people from many different nations and cultures who have been able to keep alive some of the traditions of our former cultures while assimilating into this melting pot with the shared vision of a land of limitless opportunity for those who work hard and follow the rules. However, our country’s foundation comes from a Judeo Christian tradition and the belief that we as individuals are born with rights coming from our Creator. We understand the concept of the “laws of nature and nature’s God.” Most of us acknowledge these laws are inviolable and should not have anything to do with one’s culture.</p>
<p>While exposing our children to other cultures can be educational and enlightening, it is the moral relativity that comes with it that is where the culture war is being fought… and sadly being won. This moral relativity creates doubt and uncertainty and leaves our children vulnerable to indoctrination from forces with evil intentions. This is not so much a culture war as it is an attempt to deny the laws upon which we have based our western civilization.</p>
<p>Progressives are working hard on college campuses inciting our youth to protest for social, economic and even environmental justice. They have no idea they are being used in this effort to fundamentally transform America. The only way to win this war is to take back our education from the progressive left and teach our children the truth; that the laws of nature are and always will be inviolable and cannot be denied. And that other cultures and people, with their differences, might just be wrong.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | What Do You See As The Most Important Fronts In The Culture War? | true | http://politichicks.com/2016/05/what-do-you-see-as-the-most-important-fronts-in-the-culture-war/ | 2016-05-04 | 0 |
<p>London, England Privy Council Chambers August 10,1776</p>
<p>“Today, in my capacity as Attorney General of the British Realm, I am announcing an indictment, under the provisions of the ‘UK Patriot Act,’ against 56 American traitors. On July 4, in Philadelphia, in the Colony of Pennsylvania, these vile men, meeting as a Congress, did issue, sign, and proclaim a rebellious manifesto. They dared to title their damnable treason, ‘A Declaration of Independence.’ We know from our Loyalist informers that a barrister from Virginia, one Thomas Jefferson, drafted the document.</p>
<p>Ashcroft added, “We have come into possession of papers, which indicate that these rebels were also planning to establish, by way of a Constitution, something called, a ‘Republic.’ The traitors, James Madison of Virginia and John Adams of Massachusetts, are believed to be the prime suspects. In addition, they were seeking to adopt a ‘Bill of Rights.'”</p>
<p>“This is beyond contempt,” screamed an irate Lord Jesse Helms.</p>
<p>“These blackguards,” Ashcroft said, “were aided and abetted by other criminal types in the American Plantation. One of the leading co-conspirators, who has just recently left the City of London, is the wily Benjamin Franklin. He can go fly a kite as far as I am concerned.”</p>
<p>‘Hear! Hear!,’ bellowed angry voices from the gallery.</p>
<p>“I’m pleased to say,” continued Ashcroft, “that anyone who gives any ‘material support’ to these vile extremists will face the full fury of the justice of our young King George II, whom you all will remember from his days in Bushville, as the Prince of Texaco and Duke of Enron.”</p>
<p>“Long live the King,” shouted the haughty Press Barons of Fleet Street, Messrs. Murdock, Zuckerman, Redstone, Suzberger and Black, from the official press box where they sat with their lackeys, Rush Limbaugh, William O’Reilly and Daniel Pipes.</p>
<p>“I have carefully prepared,” Ashcroft emphasized, “a list of ‘terrorist organizations’ in America, which presently includes, ‘The Sons of Liberty,’ ‘The Daniel Morgan Sharp Shooters Club,’ ‘The Minute Men,’ and the ‘Green Mountain Boys.’ These organizations, along with any local Militia groups, are hereby condemned as enemies of our King.”</p>
<p>“First,” Ashcroft underscored, “I want to say a special thanks for the guidance in this matter from the learned members of the Parliament, such as Sir Arlen Specter and Sir Charles Schumer. Now, we will be able to try these pernicious defendants before a secret tribunal, in our Star Chamber Court, using secret evidence.</p>
<p>Many of you may remember, also, how Lord Specter was the Special Counsel in the Crown’s Warren Commission Inquiry into the assassination, by a lone madman, of the unfortunate King John, back on Nov. 22, 1763, in Dallastowne. Lord Specter came up with that brilliant “magic arrow” theory which conclusively proved that there was only one villain at work in that dirty business. As a result, that case was closed, although some conspiracy nuts continue to this day to believe King John was murdered in a plot devised by the New World Order. What rubbish!”</p>
<p>“Praise the Parliament, too, for passing the ‘Homeland Security Act,'” yelled Lord Joseph Lieberman, the architect of that draconian scheme.</p>
<p>“With us today, also, are the two co-sponsors of the ‘UK Patriot Act,’ both staunch advocates of our Monarchy, Lord Trent Lott, the Duke of Hazards, and Lord Thomas Lantos. I would like to also acknowledge the contribution of the King’s Chief Privy Councilor, Sir Richard Cheney, known to you as the Earl of Halliburton and Viscount of Exxon.</p>
<p>“Sir Richard, although he has never been in the military, has been placed in charge of crushing this rebellion by our King. He will be aided by Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Pearl. These three devoted patriots have been wrongly branded as ‘chicken hawks’ by our enemies. After we deal with America, we will smash these other subverters of our traditions.”</p>
<p>‘Hear! Hear,!” responded, in chorus, the Privy Council members.</p>
<p>“To show our resolve, the King has approved a ‘Prevention of Terrorism Plan,’ authored by Sir Ariel Sharon, Viscount of Palestine. It calls, if needed, for the targeting for assassination of known rebels, destruction of their homes, torture of detainees, confiscation of their property and collective punishment of any town not flying the Union Jack.”</p>
<p>“Well, if they’re on the terrorist profile list, they must be guilty,” screeched Lord Schumer. “Then, there is no need for any trials.”</p>
<p>After Ashcroft finished his remarks, to standing applause, Lord Lieberman ran up to him, and breathlessly asked, “Can I be appointed the Royal President for America after we wipe out these rebels?”</p>
<p>“Consider it done my Lord,” Ashcroft responded.</p>
<p>The proceeding were then closed.</p>
<p>An observer, who asked not to be identified told me later, “This war could have been avoided. The common welfare has been ignored. We’re taking another people’s rights and liberty away today. Tomorrow, it could be our turn.”</p>
<p>WILLIAM HUGHES is the author of “Baltimore Iconoclast” (Writer’s Showcase), which is available online. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>(C) WILLIAM HUGHES 2002</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Sir John Ashcroft in the Court of George II | true | https://counterpunch.org/2002/12/21/sir-john-ashcroft-in-the-court-of-george-ii/ | 2002-12-21 | 4 |
<p>Soon after 9/11, Foreign Affairs published an article arguing that the struggle between al Qaeda and the United States was just a byproduct of the struggle among Muslims themselves. It was titled “ <a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/57618/michael-scott-doran/somebody-elses-civil-war" type="external">Someone Else’s Civil War.</a>”</p>
<p>As it happens, that’s a pretty good title for the escalating struggle between Dick Cheney and the Obama administration. On the surface, the sides are clear: Republican versus Democrat, liberal versus conservative, hawk versus dove. But the more you examine Cheney’s attacks on Obama, the more it looks like Obama has simply gotten caught in the crossfire of an intra-Republican civil war. Cheney’s real target may be less Obama than his predecessor, George W. Bush.</p>
<p>Bush, and the other people who reined Cheney in, aren’t talking. Cheney is—and the congressional Republicans are parroting his words.</p>
<p>On <a href="/content/dailybeast/articles/2010/02/14/february-14-7-best-moments-from-sunday-talk.html" type="external">Sunday</a>, Cheney appeared on ABC’s This Week with Jonathan Karl. His criticisms of the Obama administration were predictable: It shouldn’t have read Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab his Miranda rights; it shouldn’t be trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court; it shouldn’t be trying to close Guantanamo Bay; it shouldn’t rule out waterboarding. Also predictable were Karl’s questions, in which he noted that many of these criticisms could be applied to the Bush administration as well.</p>
<p>What wasn’t predictable was Cheney’s response. Usually, when reporters ask politicians why they’re attacking the other party for things their own side has done they deny that there is any double standard, and find some distinction to suggest that what the other guys are doing is much worse. Cheney didn’t do that. To the contrary, he repeatedly acknowledged that his gripes with Obama are also gripes with George W. Bush.</p>
<p>Karl: Didn’t the Bush administration also try terror suspects in civilian court? Cheney: “We didn’t all agree with that.” Karl: “You opposed the [Bush] administration’s actions of doing away with waterboarding?” Cheney: “Yes.” Karl: “Did you oppose those releases [of Guantanamo prisoners to their home countries]. Cheney: “I did.” Karl: “Did you advocate a harder line [than others in the administration on Iran].” Cheney: “Usually.”</p>
<p>You have to hand it to the guy. He may be an ideological fanatic, but he’s no partisan hack. Time and again, with barely a nudge from the questioner, Cheney essentially volunteered that, “Yes, George W. Bush was soft on terror, too.”</p>
<p>• <a href="/content/dailybeast/articles/2010/02/14/february-14-7-best-moments-from-sunday-talk.html" type="external">Watch the 7 Best Moments From Sunday Talk</a>In Cheney’s opinion, clearly, the Bush administration lost its nerve in the second term. (When, not coincidentally, Cheney’s nemesis, Condoleezza Rice, became secretary of State, and shifted power over foreign policy away from the White House). In 2003, the Bush administration abandoned waterboarding. In 2006, it closed the “black sites” around the world where detainees were held beyond the reach of any law. Throughout Bush’s second term, his administration released prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. And in Bush’s final days in office, according to David Sanger of the New York Times, he refused Israeli pleas for help in taking military action against Iran.</p>
<p>It’s almost as if there have been three presidencies since 9/11: 1) The Cheney administration (2001-2003 or 2004), in which the vice president—aided by his old friend Donald Rumsfeld, and his key aides Scooter Libby and David Addington—got Bush to pursue a war on terror largely outside the law. 2) The Bush administration (2004-2009), in which Bush, aided by Rice, Robert Gates, chief of staff Joshua Bolton, and the rulings of the supreme court, reign in Cheney and some of his policies. And 3) the Obama administration, which tries to bring Bush’s second term policies even more under the rule of law.</p>
<p>When they’re not accusing Obama of coddling terrorists and endangering the country, conservatives like to say he’s simply continuing Bush’s policies. But the truth is more complicated: He’s maintaining some of the policies of the Bush administration (2004-2009) because Bush himself repudiated some of the policies of the Cheney administration that reigned from 2001-2004.</p>
<p>But Bush, and the other people who reined Cheney in, aren’t talking. Cheney is—and the congressional Republicans are parroting his words. As a result, the Congressional GOP is now considerably more extreme than the Bush administration. The Bush administration oversaw hundreds of civilian trials of terrorists; today’s Republicans want to defund such trials. The Bush administration stopped waterboarding; Congressional Republicans defend the practice. The Bush administration read shoebomber Richard Reid his Miranda rights; Congressional Republicans find the practice despicable. Bush said he hoped to close Guantanamo Bay; Congressional Republicans practically consider it a national treasure.</p>
<p>It’s a case study in the arbitrary way policy positions emerge. Obama, while continuing many of the policies of the second Bush term, is under attack from Republicans who, in following Cheney’s line, are implicitly calling Bush an appeaser. It’s quite a political accomplishment for a former vice president whose approval ratings rival O.J. Simpson’s. Maybe the next time Cheney mouths off, the Obama administration will give Joe Biden a rest and put in a call to Crawford instead.</p>
<p>Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.</p>
<p>A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).</p>
<p>Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, <a href="" type="external">The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris</a>, will be published by HarperCollins in June.</p> | Cheney's Real Enemy Is Bush | true | https://thedailybeast.com/cheneys-real-enemy-is-bush | 2018-10-02 | 4 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Davis, a marketing and management consultant to other small-business owners, was so immersed in emails, texts and social media that she was getting only four or five hours of sleep a night and her husband said he felt invisible. It also hurt her productivity – she’d get distracted reading people’s posts and realize she’d lost two hours of work time.</p>
<p>“If you don’t set some rules, guidelines and put some technology boundaries in place on using your phone, tablet or computer, they will run your life and can very well ruin your life,” says Davis, who’s based in Douglasville, Ga.</p>
<p>Many small-business owners in tech overload are putting limits on how much time they spend on ever-growing modes of communication. For some, the antidote is more technology, such as apps or programs that filter emails. Others go low-tech, simply turning their devices off. Some tell clients they’re just not available to answer emails and texts at night and on weekends.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Davis now schedules time for social media posting and leaves her computer in another room at night. When she’s out to dinner with her husband, she doesn’t check email.</p>
<p>For small-business owners passionate about their companies, their dedication makes it hard to say no to the email or text that arrives at 10 p.m. The tipping point for many has been the explosion of social media sites that have some owners reading hundreds of posts each day, says Patricia Greene, an entrepreneurship professor at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass.</p>
<p>“There are so many streams to manage,” she says.</p>
<p>Overload during work hours can also be a problem, Greene says. Owners who get bogged down answering emails and social media posts rather than spending time on strategy can see their work days lengthen.</p>
<p>Justine Pattantyus has turned off most notifications, including email and Facebook alerts. The constant interruptions prevented her from focusing on doing work for the clients of her management consulting business.</p>
<p>“How much time I was losing to responding constantly to those outside influences!” says Pattantyus, owner of Spark Life International.</p>
<p>Pattantyus sets other limits. She lives in Lisbon, Portugal, but her clients are five to eight hours behind her in the U.S. If she has clients on Pacific time, they’re in the early part of their work day as Pattantyus nears the end of hers. She shuts her computer down at 7 p.m. her time. Clients know that’s the rule when they sign on with her.</p>
<p>Kelley Weaver’s company, Melrose Public Relations, is in Santa Monica, Calif., but she’s in Chapel Hill, N.C., where her husband is in graduate school. Her employees start their days three hours after hers begins, raising the possibility of an extended string of texts and emails encroaching on her evening.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Weaver uses the Slack messaging system with her staff for group and individual conversations that eliminate the stop-and-start rhythm of emails and texts. She also strives to go off-duty technologically at the day’s end; she silences her phone and tries not to look at it.</p>
<p>“When we go to dinner, I’ll leave it home,” Weaver says. But it’s not always easy: “Part of it is second nature and breaking habits,” she says.</p>
<p>Aaron Norris says he’s slowly gotten rid of his laptop at home for work after finding he was reading emails at 5:30 a.m. and spending time in the evening sorting through emails that he estimates were 80 percent spam. Norris, a vice president at his family’s Riverside, Calif.-based real estate business, The Norris Group, has also cut back on time spent on email at work and no longer tries to read every social media channel.</p>
<p>“There has to be some peace or I just feel frayed by the end of the day,” he says.</p>
<p />
<p /> | Business people struggle to wean off tech | false | https://abqjournal.com/906633/business-people-struggle-to-wean-off-tech.html | 2016-12-12 | 2 |
<p>The limo that caught fire, killing five women, was carrying one more passenger than allowed by state regulations, the California Highway Patrol said Monday.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/CHP-Flaming-limo-had-too-many-passengers-4492210.php#ixzz2SXeILIow" type="external">Nine women were inside the 1999 Lincoln Town Car stretch limo</a> despite rules allowing the car to transport only eight passengers.</p>
<p>The limo burst into flames westbound on the San Mateo Bridge near Foster City, Calif., killing five women, including the recent bride.</p>
<p>Cmdr. Mike Maskarich of the California Highway Patrol told a news conference that investigators do not know whether carrying one extra person contributed to the cause of the fire or made it more difficult for the women to escape.</p>
<p>The limo's driver Orville Brown told police that the four surviving women managed to escape the limo by squeezing through a 3-foot-by-1 1/2-foot partition between the cab and the rear.</p>
<p>San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault told the Los Angeles Times <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-limo-that-went-up-in-flames-carrying-too-many-passengers-chp-says-20130506,0,5009026.story" type="external">that the women who died inside the limo were</a> "basically on top of one another, kind of huddled" below the window, indicating they were trying to escape.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130505/five-killed-san-francisco-limousine-fire" type="external">Bride among five killed in San Francisco limousine fire</a></p>
<p>Foster City fire officials said they did not know yet whether the stretch limo had a fire extinguisher on board of if its two rear doors could be opened from the inside.</p>
<p>All of the women were registered nurses out celebrating a bachelorette party for the recent newlywed, who was planning to travel to her native Philippines for <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130505/five-killed-san-francisco-limousine-fire" type="external">another wedding ceremony in front of her family.</a></p> | Police: Limo in deadly fire was carrying too many passengers | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-05-06/police-limo-deadly-fire-was-carrying-too-many-passengers | 2013-05-06 | 3 |
<p><a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/20/romney-home-in-la-jolla-to-grow/" type="external">Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney</a> wants to bulldoze his $12 million California beachfront getaway and replace it with something almost four times as big, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.</p>
<p>While the GOP's answer to the deficit is to slash entitlements without asking rich Americans to pay a dollar more in tax, Romney is planning a massive renovation of his 3,009-square-foot house overlooking the Pacific Ocean.</p>
<p>The Tribune says the former Massachusetts governor wants to demolish the property in La Jolla, California and put up an 11,062-square-foot mansion, to make room for his extended family.</p>
<p>A Romney campaign official said the two-bedroom house had to be razed to make room for Romney's five married sons and 16 grandchildren.</p>
<p>"Construction will not begin until the permits have been obtained and the campaign is finished," he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61785.html" type="external">Alexander Burns at Politico</a> said the planned renovations proved nothing other than that Romney is a very wealthy man.</p>
<p>"Whether that's a turn-off for voters is another question," he wrote.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/throwing-stones-at-republican-houses/2011/03/29/gIQAwJ4QWJ_blog.html" type="external">Jennifer Rubin</a>, a conservative blogger at The Washington Post, said the controversy over Romney's renovation plans were the "latest silly political story whirling through the mainstream media and the liberal blogosphere."</p>
<p>"What exactly is the problem here? Romney's camp explains he has five married sons and 16 grandkids. I suppose it's not easy to find a vacation spot for all of them, especially if you don't fancy chic spots like Martha's Vineyard," she said, referring to President Barack Obama's current holiday spot.</p>
<p>The Boston Globe said <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/08/22/romney_to_nearly_quadruple_mansions_size/" type="external">Romney and his wife are worth</a> up to $264 million, although his campaign says a "more accurate range" is between $190 million and $250 million.</p>
<p>Romney bought the La Jolla house three years ago.</p>
<p>"I wanted to be where I could hear the waves," Romney told reporters at the time, according to the Tribune. &#160;</p> | Romney plans to supersize California beach mansion | false | https://pri.org/stories/2011-08-22/romney-plans-supersize-california-beach-mansion | 2011-08-22 | 3 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing to complete and connect two greenway trails crisscrossing the state from Manhattan to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo to create a 750-mile paved biking and hiking route that will be marketed as a national tourist destination.</p>
<p>“We want to build the largest multi-use trail in the nation,” said the Democratic governor at a state of the state speech Tuesday in Westchester County. Cuomo proposed spending $200 million over three years to pave 350 miles of gaps in the existing greenways and connect them to create what he calls the Empire State Trail.</p>
<p>Legislative leaders had no comment on the proposal, which would need legislative approval in the state budget starting with $53 million this year.</p>
<p>The trail will incorporate the existing Erie Canalway and the Hudson River Valley Greenway. State Bike Route 9 that runs along Lake Champlain to Canada would complete the trail from Manhattan. It is expected to bring millions of dollars in revenue to the surrounding communities each year.</p>
<p>The Erie Canalway is nearly 80 percent complete; the Hudson River Greenway nearly 50 percent. The state already owns most of the land needed to complete the project.</p>
<p>“The trail is great as it is, but closing those gaps will make it so much better,” said Erie Canalway spokeswoman Jean Mckay, who has cycled the trail end-to-end three times. “If you’re riding with your kids across the state, it feels a little scary when you have to go on the road for a couple of miles.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The Hudson Valley segment of the trail starts at New York Harbor and skirts the Adirondack Mountains. It features historic sites such as Olana, the home and studio of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church; the popular Walkway Over the Hudson, an old Poughkeepsie railroad bridge transformed into a pedestrian and bike path; the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook; the Saratoga National Battlefield and Fort Ticonderoga.</p>
<p>The western leg of the trail follows the Erie Canal and Mohawk River through cities, villages and farmland, and features Buffalo Harbor State Park; the Salt Museum on Onondaga Lake; the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge; and the Fort Stanwix National Monument in Rome. Parks and Trails New York, a nonprofit advocacy group, said the Erie Canalway Trail attracts more than 1.6 million visitors annually.</p>
<p>“I think greenways are absolutely wonderful, whether you’re a runner, walker, biker or pushing a baby carriage,” said Dick Beamish of Saranac Lake, who has bicycled with his wife on rail trails and greenways in San Francisco, Virginia, Vermont and Albany. “They’re a great way to promote health and well-being as well as help local economies.”</p>
<p>Beamish, a retired news magazine publisher, is an advocate for a new 34-mile rail-trail the state is creating in the Adirondacks between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid.</p>
<p>Cuomo’s office said the Erie Canalway Trail has an economic impact of $253 million from visitor spending and the Hudson River Greenway generates more than $21 million annually.</p> | Cuomo pitches 750-mile biking-hiking trail plan for NY state | false | https://abqjournal.com/924972/cuomo-pitches-750-mile-biking-hiking-trail-plan-for-ny-state.html | 2017-01-10 | 2 |
<p>Can you name Israel's southern desert that lies east of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula?</p>
<p>Locusts move with the winds blowing across the Sinai Peninsula and across the border into Israel.</p>
<p>It's happened for thousands of years in this desert region, locust plagues appear in the Bible.</p>
<p>This week Israel sent out planes to spray pesticides to prevent damage to fields and fruit orchards.</p>
<p>The eradication effort seems to be working. One Israeli farmer said, "It's like an insect cemetery down here."</p>
<p>This is going on in the region of the Negev Desert.</p>
<p>But there's something else interesting to mention about locusts. Ronit Treatman writes a food blog called The Kosher Table for the Philadelphia Jewish Voice. In addition to being a menace, she says locusts are both tasty and kosher.</p>
<p>Here's a recipe for Locust Chips (French Fries) courtesy of Ronit Treatman. Please send us any others you'd like to share below.</p>
<p>Ingredients: 12 Locusts 2 quarts peanut oil Salt and pepper</p>
<p>Directions: Boil water in a pot. Heat the peanut oil in a pan over medium-low heat until it reaches 325 degrees F. Blanch the locusts in the hot water, and remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the locusts to the hot oil, continuously stirring to avoid burning. When the locusts turn a golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove the head, wings, and legs before eating. Serve immediately. May be served with ketchup.</p> | Locusts: Agricultural Menace and Kosher Snack | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-03-08/locusts-agricultural-menace-and-kosher-snack | 2013-03-08 | 3 |
<p>We're a bit late to this story, but we couldn't let it go un-blogged. So, without further ado: HUURAH!</p>
<p>AP:</p>
<p>The Army will rebid the multibillion-dollar contract under which a Halliburton Co. subsidiary has been providing services to troops around the world after years of complaints over how the deal has worked in Iraq.</p>
<p>Critics of the contract said the move was overdue and that hundreds of millions of dollars had probably been wasted.</p>
<p />
<p>Halliburton subsidiary KBR, also known as Kellogg Brown &amp; Root, provides food, water, shelter, laundry service and other logistical support for troops under a 2001 contract that has been extended several times.</p>
<p>Halliburton is a Texas-based oil services conglomerate once led by Vice President Dick Cheney. Bush administration officials have come under fire since the beginning of the war in Iraq for awarding more than $10 billion to the company and its subsidiaries in 2003 and 2004, some of it in no-bid contracts. There have been allegations of fraud, poor work, overpricing and other abuse, which the company has denied.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060713/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_halliburton_6" type="external">Link</a></p> | Belated Justice: Army Cancels Halliburton Contract | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/belated-justice-army-cancels-halliburton-contract/ | 2006-07-13 | 4 |
<p>NAIROBI, Kenya — The siege at Nairobi’s Westgate Mall entered its fourth day Tuesday, despite assurances from the Kenyan government that it was “in control” of the four-story shopping complex.</p>
<p>Throughout the day today, sporadic explosions and gunshots could be heard — and there are reports that as many as three militants were still holed up inside.</p>
<p>Workers at Nairobi’s main morgue were preparing to receive many more bodies retrieved from inside the mall as the military operation to end the siege continued, according to the Associated Press.&#160;</p>
<p>Little is known about the gunmen so far, but the Somalia-based, Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack in which at least 62 have been killed.</p>
<p>Speaking to PBS NewsHour Monday, Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed said there were “two or three Americans” and a British woman among the 10-15 assailants. Kenyan authorities said six of the attackers had been killed.&#160;</p>
<p>The brazen assault — which is the worst terrorist incident in Kenya since the 1998 US Embassy bombing — suggests Al Shabaab is no longer on the back foot, and raised questions about Kenya’s ability to defend itself against Islamist militants.</p>
<p>Kenya contributes roughly 4,000 troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, and Al Shabaab spokesmen have referenced their presence in Somalia as the reason for the attack.</p>
<p>“The attack is a clear statement of intent [to carry out an international attack] and capacity,” said Cedric Barnes, Nairobi-based Horn of Africa director at the International Crisis Group think tank in Brussels.&#160;</p>
<p>Somalia’s government, which struggles to control the capital Mogadishu, insists the group is defeated following a push from peacekeepers, including the Kenyan troops, to rout Al Shabaab from certain strongholds.</p>
<p>At various times since 2006, the group has ruled over large swathes of the country.</p>
<p>But “this weekend’s attack on the Westgate Mall is an example of the deadly toll exacted by premature proclamations of ‘victory’, which result in the failure to devote adequate resources to actually truly finishing the task, to say nothing of letting one’s guard down,” J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the New York-based Atlantic Council, said in an email.</p>
<p>Pham said the group’s capacity may be diminished, but they are not defeated. A United Nations report published in July described Al Shabaab as “arguably intact in terms of operational readiness, chain of command, discipline and communication capabilities” despite recent military setbacks.</p>
<p>Al Shabaab emerged in 2006 as the armed wing of the Islamic Courts Union, a grassroots organization aimed at establishing Sharia law. The ICU ruled Somalia for just a few months until US-backed troops from neighboring Ethiopia chased the group out.</p>
<p>In recent months, Al Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, also known as Abu Zubeyr, strengthened his grip on the organization and had internal rivals and dissidents killed.</p>
<p>Born in the breakaway region of Somaliland in 1977, Godane fought against Russian troops in Afghanistan and assumed his position as Al Shabaab leader in 2008. His predecessor was killed in a US air strike.&#160;</p>
<p>Godane strengthened Al Shabaab’s ties with Al Qaeda, pledging allegiance to the transnational terrorist outfit in 2012, the same year the US placed a $7 million bounty on his head.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/series/depth-series-al-qaeda-africa-somalia-nigeria-mali-al-shabaab-boko-haram-aqim" type="external">In-depth series: Al Qaeda in Africa</a>&#160;</p>
<p>“Godane has planned and maneuvered to have Shabaab directly linked to Al Qaeda and this is the result, with tragic consequences,” said Barnes.</p>
<p>Having lost the conventional war against a force of more than 17,000 African Union troops in Somalia, Al Shabaab moved to launch a string of complex, asymmetric attacks in Mogadishu this year. Militants wielding guns and wearing suicide vests targeted the Supreme Court, a UN compound and popular restaurants in the capital, killing scores.</p>
<p>The attack on the Westgate Mall is more ambitious in scope and shows reach and capacity Al Shabaab had not yet demonstrated.</p>
<p>“With this attack, he has elevated himself and Shabaab into much closer alignment with Al Qaeda,” Barnes said of Al Shabaab leader Godane. “This is a seminal moment, Nairobi’s 9/11.”</p>
<p>By using small squads of gunmen rather than suicide bombers — which Al Shabaab deployed in both Somalia and Uganda in recent years — the assault was much more dangerous, says Nairobi-based Somalia expert Matt Bryden.</p>
<p>Using squads of gunmen rather than suicide bombers, who have been deployed in Somalia and Uganda in recent years, made the attack more dangerous, according to Bryden, who directs the Sahan Research think tank in Nairobi and formerly coordinated the United Nations' monitoring group on Somalia.</p>
<p>“They’ve let go of this suicide bombing cult and that gives them more freedom of action and makes them more likely to succeed, in their terms,” he said. “This is a natural evolution for them.”</p>
<p>Pham warned that the attack “is probably just the first of what is likely to be several from Shabaab now that it has transitioned from a guerrilla force into a full-fledge terrorist outfit.”</p>
<p>Although the group claimed responsibility, some analysts suspect its Kenyan affiliate, Al Hijra, of playing a key role in pre-planning the operation.</p>
<p>Al Hijra actively seeks recruits for Al Shabaab in Kenya and is believed to have successfully enlisted hundreds of Kenyan Muslims to join since 2008.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/130923/nairobi-westgate-kenya-somalia-shabaab-al-qaeda-eastleigh-terror" type="external">Westgate attack: Al Qaeda-style militants draw Kenyan recruits</a></p>
<p>It has “a pool of fighters to draw upon,” Bryden said, adding that the group had been looking for the opportunity to launch a “spectacular attack.”</p>
<p>Nor could such a complex and well-planned operation be coordinated from abroad, experts say.</p>
<p>“An operation like the one this weekend cannot take place without reconnaissance and careful planning, both of which require a presence on the ground for an extended period,” Pham said.</p>
<p>Although an assault with grenades and assault rifles on a soft target such as a shopping mall is almost impossible to stop once it is underway, Bryden said it was clear there had been “a major intelligence failure” on the part of Kenyan and Western intelligence agents in not detecting the plot in advance.</p>
<p>The onus now will be on Kenya’s government to respond to the overt terrorist threat without alienating large parts of an already-divided population. Six per cent of Kenyans are ethnic Somalis, according to a 2009 census, and more than one in ten is Muslim.</p>
<p>“It will be a challenge to maintain the necessary vigilance and security while not being seen to harass particular communities,” Barnes said. “President Uhuru Kenyatta is faced with some very difficult decisions.”&#160;</p>
<p>This article has been corrected from a previous version that stated Matt Bryden ran an NGO called the Sahan Research and Development Organization. He is the director of Sahan Research, an unaffiliated think tank.&#160;</p> | With fresh Kenya attack, is Somalia's Al Qaeda affiliate stronger than ever? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2013-09-24/fresh-kenya-attack-somalias-al-qaeda-affiliate-stronger-ever | 2013-09-24 | 3 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Angela James’ fish tanks don’t look much like Whiskey Creek.</p>
<p>But for 68 imperiled Gila trout, the tanks in a northeast Albuquerque warehouse will have to do for now. After last year’s Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire in the mountains of southwestern New Mexico, Whiskey Creek itself doesn’t look much like Whiskey Creek anymore.</p>
<p>“I refer to it as a halfway house,” said James, a fish biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as she prepared a breakfast of frozen bloodworms for her guests.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In a world where we hear most often of threatened species pushed toward extinction, the Gila trout were a bright spot. Found only in streams in the arid mountains of southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona, the fish were officially declared “threatened” in 1967. But efforts to restore habitat, remove invasive competitors and return the fish to their native streams were bearing fruit.</p>
<p>“We were on our way to putting this fish into a situation where it was successful,” said Jim Brooks, a biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service who has worked with the Gila trout for more than three decades.</p>
<p>To say the Whitewater-Baldy fire was a setback is an understatement.</p>
<p>Started by lightning last May, Whitewater-Baldy exploded a week later when hot, dry winds fueled a firestorm. Much of the 297,845 acres that burned in what became New Mexico’s largest recorded wildfire burned at lower intensity, what experts call a healthy fire. But Whiskey Creek was in the heart of the fire zone, where the blaze burned the hottest.</p>
<p>Not all the fish creeks burned, and some native Gila trout remain in the mountainous region. But Whiskey Creek and neighboring drainages, central to efforts to create a self-sustaining permanent population of Gila trout, were devastated.</p>
<p>Brooks’ report on his trip shortly after the fire burned the watershed is stark. “Whiskey Creek was burned throughout intensively,” he wrote in a late June memo to his supervisors. “We observed numerous elk and deer that obviously died during the fire. No vegetation was unburned.”</p>
<p>In the creek itself, the Gila trout had survived. But without an ecosystem around them to support them, and with the risk of catastrophic post-fire flooding, the scientists knew the trout’s days were numbered unless something was done.</p>
<p>The rescue mission that followed is an epic tale – packing heavy equipment and fish tanks by mule 12 miles into the backcountry, hauling the fish to the nearest safe helicopter landing zone, flying the rescued fish to a trailhead where James waited to truck them back to their new Albuquerque home.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The fish tanks were already there, in the warehouse attached to the offices of the federal agency’s New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, where Gila trout work has been done for years.</p>
<p>But turning them into a long-term halfway house for the rescued fish has nevertheless taken some work.</p>
<p>“We’re trying to respect their wild nature,” Brooks said.</p>
<p>Nature is complicated, which makes duplicating it in a warehouse a complicated job.</p>
<p>The tanks were painted a brownish color to mimic the streams they came from, and James picked up gravel from Home Depot to duplicate the natural stream bottoms. The tanks are separated by small channels, with water flowing through to mimic what James called the “run-riffle-pool” habitat the fish evolved in.</p>
<p>The water is chilled now to match winter cooling, and sunlamps are on a timer to mimic day and night. With rocks, some pieces of submerged pipe and fake aquarium plants, James built hiding places for the fish. They love to hide.</p>
<p>“It’s been a challenge,” James said. “These guys have kept me on my toes.”</p>
<p>The long-term fate of the fish is still to be worked out. Genetic diversity is important for the long-term survival of the species. In all, fish from four distinct genetic lineages were rescued, and are being kept separate, both in Albuquerque and at the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mora National Fish Hatchery in northeastern New Mexico. All of the Albuquerque fish are eventually headed for Mora, James said.</p>
<p>Not all of the forest’s watersheds burned, and in some areas other populations of Gila trout remain. But repopulating Whiskey Creek and the other hard-hit creeks faces an uncertain future because of the complete devastation of the fires and the long time it will likely take for the grasses, shrubs and trees to return the system to its pre-fire state.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at 80- to 200-year recovery in some of these drainages,” Brooks said.</p>
<p>UpFront is a daily front-page opinion column. Comment directly to John Fleck at 823-3916 or <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>. Go to <a href="" type="internal">www.abqjournal.com/letters/new</a> to submit a letter to the editor. — This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p> | ‘Halfway house’ for finned fire refugees | false | https://abqjournal.com/172603/halfway-house-for-finned-fire-refugees.html | 2013-02-26 | 2 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>Update 2: Janet Jarratt has posted a great archive of <a href="http://www.jjwater.info/iscinteldeal.html" type="external">documents related to the deal on her web site</a>.</p>
<p>*******</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>One of my great frustrations in recent coverage of the proposed agreement between the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and Intel regarding management of Intel’s water rights obligation is the lack of any formal document from the ISC laying out the details of the agreement. We’ve had the proposed contract itself, but the lack of a staff analysis of how the deal works, the ISC’s interpretations of the arcane water law questions at the heart of the deal, etc., has been a huge problem.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The ISC staff this week rolled out a Frequently Asked Questions document in an attempt to respond to address the problem. They don’t have it posted yet on the ISC web site, but they’ve sent me a copy, which I post below. I’ll add a link to the official version once it’s up on their site. In the meantime….</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/34293069/FAQs-ISC-Intel-Agreement-July-13-2010" type="external">FAQs ISC Intel Agreement July 13 2010</a></p> | Interstate Stream Commission FAQ’s on Intel Water Deal | false | https://abqjournal.com/3570/interstate-stream-commission-faqs-on-intel-water-deal.html | 2 |
|
<p>By Bob Allen</p>
<p>Six months after a controversy over its decision to publish Matthew Vines’ book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Gay-Christian-Biblical-Relationships/dp/1601425163" type="external">God and the Gay Christian</a>, the publisher of authors including John Piper, Bill Gothard and David Platt has announced organizational changes increasing distance between its conservative Christian customer base and a more liberal-leaning imprint formed in 2012.</p>
<p>The Crown Publishing Group, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House,&#160; <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Steve-Cobb-Retirement-Annoucement-WaterBrook-Multnomah.pdf" type="external">announced</a> Nov. 4 that Steve Cobb, president and publisher of WaterBrook Multnomah, will retire in March 15 after 19 years with the evangelical division launched in 1996.</p>
<p>Cobb also heads Convergent Books, a religion imprint of Crown “for a broad range of Christians who are drawn to an open, inclusive and culturally engaged exploration of faith” <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/54664-crown-launching-new-religion-imprint.html" type="external">announced</a> in November 2012.</p>
<p>That became an issue for some Multnomah authors and customers with the April 22 release of Vines’ book arguing the case that the church’s traditional opposition to homosexuality is based on a misreading of the Bible.</p>
<p>A Christian Post opinion <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/a-shameful-day-in-evangelical-christian-publishing-118138/" type="external">headline</a> labeled it “a shameful day in evangelical Christian publishing.” A World Magazine <a href="http://www.worldmag.com/2014/04/can_a_divided_publishing_house_stand" type="external">headline</a> asked “Can a divided publishing house stand?” with a subhead “A Christian publishing group goes from Desiring God to questioning God’s Word.”</p>
<p>Matt Barber, founder and editor-in-chief of BarbWire.com, accused WaterBrook Multnomah of deception for promoting Convergent as a sister imprint under the parent company Random House.</p>
<p>“In truth, it appears that WaterBrook Multnomah and Convergent are effectively one and the same —&#160;same head, same staff, same offices, same printers and even the same ink,” Barber <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/deception-christian-publisher-sells-soul-for-mammon-118039/" type="external">wrote</a> April 16. “Only the name has been changed to protect the guilty.”</p>
<p>WaterBrook Multnomah withdrew under pressure from the National Religious Broadcasters in May. Jerry Johnson, a former Criswell College president who was hired as NRB president last October, <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/may-web-only/nrb-waterbrook-multnomah-god-and-gay-christian.html?paging=off" type="external">said</a> the issue boiled down to a member of the organization “producing unbiblical material, regardless of the label under which they do it.”</p>
<p>Multnomah author Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/may-web-only/nrb-waterbrook-multnomah-god-and-gay-christian.html?paging=off" type="external">told</a> Christianity Today he believed the company “is in serious danger of crashing its brand in terms of evangelical trust.”</p>
<p>Baptist Press published a story in July about the future of the Christian publishing entity subtitled, “Will profit trump traditional orthodoxy?”</p>
<p>“Publishing houses are going to have to wrestle with what their starting point is,” Selma Wilson, vice president of the B&amp;H Publishing Group at LifeWay Christian Resources, <a href="http://www.bpnews.net/42963/future-of-christian-publishing-industry-remains-uncertain" type="external">told</a> the Southern Baptist Convention news service. “If your starting point is to make money or your starting point is to be a New York Times bestseller, you’re going to do different things.”</p>
<p>Convergent Books responded April 16 with an <a href="http://www.convergentbooks.com/why-publish-god-and-the-gay-christian/" type="external">article</a>&#160;written by Cobb titled, “Why Publish God and the Gay Christian?”</p>
<p>“We can agree that the cultural battle over same-sex relationships and the Christian church is one of the defining issues of this generation,” Cobb explained.&#160;“Convergent Books is publishing God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines because we believe it offers a thoughtful examination of Scripture on the topic of same-sex relationships from a bold, young, evangelical writer whose first calling is to promote a civil, loving and biblically based conversation on the subject.”</p>
<p>In addition to Cobb’s impending retirement, Tina Constable, senior vice president for Christian publishing at the Crown Publishing Group, <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Steve-Cobb-Retires-Alexander-Field-New-President-of-WaterBrook-Multnomah.pdf" type="external">announced</a> that Alexander Field, presently publisher of trade books and multi-media for Christian publisher David C. Cook, will become vice president and publisher at WaterBrook Multnomah in December.</p>
<p>Convergent Books will move from Colorado Springs to offices in New York City. It will be led by David Copp, currently executive editor for religion imprints at Crown Publishing Group/Random House Inc., in a new role of vice president and executive editor of Convergent Books.</p>
<p>“We are at a transformative moment in the life of the Crown Publishing Group’s religious publishing program,” Constable said. “With our WaterBrook Press, Multnomah Books, Convergent Books and <a href="http://www.imagecatholicbooks.com/" type="external">Image</a> imprints, ours is the only such program in trade publishing with dedicated imprints to serve every major Christian tradition.”</p>
<p>“Religious publishing is a core business for us —&#160;and one that we are strongly invested in growing —&#160;by building upon the firm foundation established under Steve,” she said.</p> | Publisher finds challenges in appealing to conservative, liberal faith traditions | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/christian-publisher-reorganized-after-controversy-over-homosexuality/ | 3 |
|
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>EL PASO, Texas — Prosecutors say the leader of a West Texas-based drug trafficking ring must serve 35 years in federal prison and pay nearly $37 million to the government.</p>
<p>Adan Reyes was sentenced Thursday afternoon in El Paso. The 38-year-old Reyes last July pleaded guilty to a 10-count indictment on charges including conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and money laundering.</p>
<p>Investigators say Reyes ran the operation from mid-2006 to late 2015, employing a network of traffickers to help supply drugs mainly to the Midwest. Prosecutors say 14 members of the Reyes drug trafficking organization have now been convicted and sentenced to federal prison.</p>
<p>Reyes, in addition to the money judgment, must forfeit more than $3 million of property in El Paso and Ruidoso, New Mexico, plus firearms.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | West Texas drug ring leader gets 35 years, must pay $37M | false | https://abqjournal.com/987852/west-texas-drug-ring-leader-gets-35-years-must-pay-37m.html | 2 |
|
<p />
<p>Fifty years ago today our 35th President was shot and killed in Dallas.</p>
<p>For the past 50 years questions about who did it have persisted and the cover up has gone from extensive to downright legendary.</p>
<p>As I was watching cable news this morning a political pundit was being asked to recall his day when Kennedy was shot. &#160;Something he said really jumped out at me. &#160;The pundit recounted that he gathered around the television with his family to watch one of the three networks. &#160;He then highlighted that there was no internet, or blogs or twitter at the time so the only source of news was the big three channels.</p>
<p>This got me thinking, perhaps that was the problem.</p>
<p>How many times in recent years have the big 3 networks been snowballed by the government, fed some BS story to cover up something the government didn’t want anyone to know?</p>
<p>And how many times has it been the internet blogger, the innocuous tweet, the youtube video that broke the floodgates down and cast a light into the dark recesses of government secrecy?</p>
<p>What if there was Wikileaks back in the ’60’s. &#160;What if instead of a handful of video recorders there were THOUSANDS of cell phones that downloaded the shooting to youtube before they could be confiscated by the government?</p>
<p>What if there were avenues for witnesses to speak about what they heard before they were silenced.</p>
<p>If the technology and social media of today was available in 1963, would we know who killed Kennedy if it really wasn’t Oswald?</p>
<p>If there was an outlet for individuals to reach out and discovery the truth for themselves rather than huddling around a tv with a “choice” of 3 networks that were all giving them the same story, would we have answers?</p>
<p>Maybe. &#160;Maybe not. &#160;But at the very least we would have better questions.</p>
<p>As for the man himself. &#160;I don’t dislike Kennedy. &#160;He had the moral failings of Bill Clinton but the political leanings are closer Ronald Reagan than the Democrat Socialist Party of today. &#160;In fact as time passes my appreciation for him grows. &#160;Of course he would be unelectable today as a Democrat but would be pretty appealing as a moderate Republican. &#160;I mean really, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”? &#160;How does such notions fit today in an Obamanation.</p>
<p>Cover of John F. Kennedy</p>
<p>It was a shame that he was struck down so young and before his stamp on the presidency could be secured. &#160;When he spoke of hope I believe he meant it. &#160;The difference between JFK and Obama is that the change Kennedy was pushing was for a BETTER America, the change Obama has conned his way with is for a DIFFERENT America.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment where we can engage in reasonable discourse.</p> | Would a Kennedy Conspiracy have occurred today? | true | http://bulletsfirst.net/2013/11/22/kennedy-conspiracy-occurred-today/ | 0 |
|
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Elephant Butte reservoir, in southern New Mexico, has very little water in, the result of two very dry years and more than a decade of below-average flows on the Rio Grande. A question came up today – is this the lowest it’s ever been?</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/uc/crsp/GetDateInfo?d0=2684&amp;d1=2685&amp;d2=2686&amp;d3=2688&amp;idCount=4&amp;l=ELEPHANT+BUTTE+RESERVOIR" type="external">data from the US Bureau of Reclamation, no</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://d3el53au0d7w62.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/elephantbutte.png" type="external" />You can see that during the drought of the 1950s, it was substantially lower than today.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Has Elephant Butte ever been this empty before? | false | https://abqjournal.com/147790/has-elephant-butte-ever-been-this-empty-before.html | 2 |
|
<p>After being mainly ignored during the election period, climate change will again be under the spotlight as the Doha Climate Change Conference, hosted by the UN, will be taking place from November 26 to December 7th.</p>
<p>The conference is meant to progress international goals on climate change. However, environmental issues can be addressed domestically and locally too; the use of plastic bags is a place to start.</p>
<p>Every year, the US uses 280 billions plastic bags, enough to&#160;stretch&#160;around Earth 29,000 times.</p>
<p>In the Pacific Ocean, there is currently a plastic island twice the size of the continental&#160;US.</p>
<p>The billions plastic bags tossed away by Americans every year is equivalent to 12 million oil barrels dumped&#160;into the environment.</p>
<p>The following infographic, created by <a href="http://www.learnstuff.com/" type="external">Learnstuff</a>, provides a detailed overview of the environmental scourge of plastic bags as, well as successful initiatives that have been taken to fight it.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | The Cost of Using Plastic Bags | false | https://ivn.us/2012/11/28/the-cost-of-using-plastic-bags/ | 2012-11-28 | 2 |
<p />
<p>A real estate investor who bought President Donald Trump's childhood home in New York City for $1.39 million in December has flipped it for a 50 percent profit.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The New York Post reports ( <a href="http://nyp.st/2mzQyYo" type="external">http://nyp.st/2mzQyYo Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;) that investor Michael Davis sold the five-bedroom Tudor for $2.14 million this past week.</p>
<p>Davis sold the house in the Jamaica Estates section of Queens at an auction conducted by Paramount Realty USA. The buyer has not been identified.</p>
<p>Davis bought the house at an auction run by Paramount in December.</p>
<p>The house is listed as the home address on Trump's birth certificate.</p>
<p>Paramount head Misha Haghani says the property is "a part of history" because Trump lived there.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Haghani says the average sale price for a similar house in the neighborhood is $979,400.</p> | Investor Flips Trump Childhood Home for 50 Percent Profit | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/03/24/investor-flips-trump-childhood-home-for-50-percent-profit.html | 2017-03-24 | 0 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - A man who posed along the East Coast as a millionaire oil tycoon to scam women on internet dating sites out of hundreds of thousands of dollars was sentenced on Thursday to nearly four years in prison.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain described John Edward Taylor as sick and dangerous as she ordered him to serve three years and 10 months in prison in addition to 14 months he served after a related Virginia conviction.</p>
<p>The judge said 16 of Taylor's two dozen victims from New York to Atlanta lost from several hundred dollars to more than $50,000 after encountering his "quest for money, respect, admiration and control." She said some victims, who lost a total of more than $290,000, were left financially ruined while others had credit ratings ruined or were left suffering from fear, depression, anxiety and concern for their personal safety.</p>
<p>The scam ended after a married couple who met Taylor at a Philadelphia Phillies game they attended with their children on April 25, 2015, reported him to the FBI.</p>
<p>The father, identified in court only as D.S., was among six victims who spoke at the sentencing as Taylor drooped his head at the defense table.</p>
<p>The father said Taylor, 48, boasted he was a billionaire oil tycoon as he led the family, including a child with special needs, onto a special elevator and down to first-row seats, where everyone from ushers to spectators gushed what a good guy Taylor was.</p>
<p>Only later, the father said, did the family learn Taylor "was a fraud, a fake and a phony."</p>
<p>The father said his family, which lost a few hundred dollars, was duped by "a very, very charismatic man."</p>
<p>"It's easy to fall under his spell," the father said.</p>
<p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Rebold requested a meaningful prison sentence, saying Taylor had more than 10 past contacts with the criminal justice system.</p>
<p>Rebold said Taylor from 2009 to 2016 boasted he was a millionaire businessman with oil and land interests in North Dakota to victims on online matchmaking and networking websites such as Match.com, eHarmony, Craigslist and Seeking Arrangement.</p>
<p>Sometimes, Taylor expressed interest in hiring the victims to work on a new business venture while others got a pitch for a romantic or personal relationship, the prosecutor said.</p>
<p>Later, Taylor would sometimes steal the identities of victims to make purchases, transfer funds, open new accounts or use their credit cards, he said.</p>
<p>Once confronted, Taylor would threaten to transmit sexually explicit images he had coerced from victims to their employers if they tried to collect debts, Rebold said.</p>
<p>Defense attorney Julia Gatto requested leniency, saying Taylor, in a "mental health crisis," attempted suicide in prison and tried to disfigure himself by carving writings into his arm. She said a long prison sentence "could kill Mr. Taylor."</p>
<p>Taylor, his left forearm wrapped in cloth, choked up as he apologized to victims he never looked at. He called himself a liar and a "bragging, arrogant thief."</p>
<p>But he added he had found "new morals" and would not repeat his crimes.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) - A man who posed along the East Coast as a millionaire oil tycoon to scam women on internet dating sites out of hundreds of thousands of dollars was sentenced on Thursday to nearly four years in prison.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain described John Edward Taylor as sick and dangerous as she ordered him to serve three years and 10 months in prison in addition to 14 months he served after a related Virginia conviction.</p>
<p>The judge said 16 of Taylor's two dozen victims from New York to Atlanta lost from several hundred dollars to more than $50,000 after encountering his "quest for money, respect, admiration and control." She said some victims, who lost a total of more than $290,000, were left financially ruined while others had credit ratings ruined or were left suffering from fear, depression, anxiety and concern for their personal safety.</p>
<p>The scam ended after a married couple who met Taylor at a Philadelphia Phillies game they attended with their children on April 25, 2015, reported him to the FBI.</p>
<p>The father, identified in court only as D.S., was among six victims who spoke at the sentencing as Taylor drooped his head at the defense table.</p>
<p>The father said Taylor, 48, boasted he was a billionaire oil tycoon as he led the family, including a child with special needs, onto a special elevator and down to first-row seats, where everyone from ushers to spectators gushed what a good guy Taylor was.</p>
<p>Only later, the father said, did the family learn Taylor "was a fraud, a fake and a phony."</p>
<p>The father said his family, which lost a few hundred dollars, was duped by "a very, very charismatic man."</p>
<p>"It's easy to fall under his spell," the father said.</p>
<p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Rebold requested a meaningful prison sentence, saying Taylor had more than 10 past contacts with the criminal justice system.</p>
<p>Rebold said Taylor from 2009 to 2016 boasted he was a millionaire businessman with oil and land interests in North Dakota to victims on online matchmaking and networking websites such as Match.com, eHarmony, Craigslist and Seeking Arrangement.</p>
<p>Sometimes, Taylor expressed interest in hiring the victims to work on a new business venture while others got a pitch for a romantic or personal relationship, the prosecutor said.</p>
<p>Later, Taylor would sometimes steal the identities of victims to make purchases, transfer funds, open new accounts or use their credit cards, he said.</p>
<p>Once confronted, Taylor would threaten to transmit sexually explicit images he had coerced from victims to their employers if they tried to collect debts, Rebold said.</p>
<p>Defense attorney Julia Gatto requested leniency, saying Taylor, in a "mental health crisis," attempted suicide in prison and tried to disfigure himself by carving writings into his arm. She said a long prison sentence "could kill Mr. Taylor."</p>
<p>Taylor, his left forearm wrapped in cloth, choked up as he apologized to victims he never looked at. He called himself a liar and a "bragging, arrogant thief."</p>
<p>But he added he had found "new morals" and would not repeat his crimes.</p> | Fake millionaire tycoon gets prison for online dating scam | false | https://apnews.com/amp/a2ea4230f53644879953fe8b644d9d71 | 2018-01-05 | 2 |
<p>Australian energy producer Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG.AU) said it would sell its conventional upstream oil and gas business, called Lattice Energy, to Beach Energy Ltd. (BPT.AU) for 1.585 billion Australian dollars (US$1.24 billion).</p>
<p>Origin, which previously said it planned to sell the unit, will use proceeds from the sale to pay down debt. The deal takes effect from July 1, 2017, but is subject to customary conditions.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Origin said that as part of the deal, the company secured access to a significant portion of Lattice Energy's future east coast gas production through long-term gas supply agreements.</p>
<p>Lattice's portfolio includes Origin's stakes in an oil-and-gas venture in the Cooper Basin in South Australia, gas operations in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales states and exploration projects in New Zealand.</p>
<p>The exit leaves Origin focused on power-generation assets and retail businesses in eastern Australia, as well as its stake in the APLNG project and the coal-seam gas operations that feed it. APLNG is one of three LNG operations on the coast of Queensland that have positioned Australia to overtake Qatar as the world's biggest exporter of the fuel, possibly as early as 2019. The plant counts ConocoPhillips (COP) and China Petrochemical Corp. as partners.</p>
<p>-Write to Mike Cherney at [email protected]</p>
<p>SYDNEY--Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG.AU) agreed to sell its conventional oil and gas production business for US$1.24 billion, in a new move to slash debt and focus more on exports of chilled coal seam gas to Asia that have been blamed by lawmakers for worsening energy shortages in eastern Australia.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>Origin said it would sell the Lattice Energy unit to Beach Energy Ltd. (BPT.AU) after ditching earlier plans for an initial public offering, which would have been one of the biggest new listings on the Australian Securities Exchange this year.</p>
<p>"While Lattice Energy was ready to be a successful independent listed entity, the sale to Beach represented the most attractive option to deliver value to Origin shareholders," Origin Chief Executive Frank Calabria said.</p>
<p>Beach, which has a market value of 1.55 billion Australian dollars (US$1.22 billion), said it would fund the deal for Lattice through a mix of new shares and debt. The Adelaide-based company is seeking to raise A$301 million via a partly underwritten entitlement offer, which it said had strong support from its biggest shareholder Seven Group Holdings Ltd. (SVW.AU).</p>
<p>Lattice's portfolio includes Origin's stakes in an oil-and-gas venture in the Cooper Basin in South Australia, gas operations in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales states and exploration projects in New Zealand.</p>
<p>The exit leaves Origin focused on power-generation assets and retail businesses in eastern Australia, as well as its stake in the almost A$25 billion APLNG project and the coal-seam gas operations that feed it. APLNG is one of three LNG operations on the coast of Queensland that have positioned Australia to overtake Qatar as the world's biggest exporter of the fuel, possibly as early as 2019. The plant counts ConocoPhillips (COP) and China Petrochemical Corp. as partners.</p>
<p>Origin racked up billions of dollars in debt during the construction of the APLNG plant, but has been forced to sell assets and suspend its dividend in an effort to repair its balance sheet after oil prices fell. The company made a A$2.23 billion net loss in the 2017 fiscal year, widening from a A$628 million loss the year before.</p>
<p>Beach said the Lattice business was attractive because it would increase its exposure to the "strong market fundamentals of the Australian east coast gas market," where prices have been rising amid an energy-supply shortage and strong population growth.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, Australia's government held back from imposing curbs on exports of liquefied natural gas after producers, including Origin, agreed to put more gas into the domestic market to ease energy shortages.</p>
<p>The decision, which followed a meeting between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and energy companies, came just days after an Australian regulator warned that gas shortages in 2018 could be three times worse than previously thought. Experts had warned the export curbs risked damaging the country's standing as a destination for investment, while having a limited impact on local gas supply and prices.</p>
<p>-Write to Mike Cherney at [email protected] and David Winning at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>September 27, 2017 20:05 ET (00:05 GMT)</p> | Origin to Sell Lattice Energy Unit for A$1.585 Billion -- Update | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/27/origin-to-sell-lattice-energy-unit-to-beach-for-1-585-billion.html | 2017-09-27 | 0 |
<p>By Jemima Kelly</p>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) – hit an all-time high just below $8,000 on Friday, on talk that a software upgrade whose suspension sent the cryptocurrency into a tailspin at the end of last week was, after all, going ahead within hours.</p>
<p>Talk that the upgrade – which could split or “fork” bitcoin into two versions – would go ahead was driven by a statement on the website of Coinbase, the world’s largest bitcoin company with operations in 32 countries.</p>
<p>“The Bitcoin Segwit2x fork is expected to occur in the next six hours,” it said in a statement published at 1004 GMT.</p>
<p>If a bitcoin clone were created, any holders would also in theory instantly become owners of the new spin-off.</p>
<p>Bitcoin, generally highly volatile, has been on a particularly wild ride, sliding at the end of last week to as low as $5,555 after plans for Segwit2x were suspended, before bouncing more than 40 percent since Sunday.</p>
<p>It reached as high as $7,997 in early Asian trading on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange, before easing back a touch to trade broadly flat by 1115 GMT at $7,863.</p>
<p>Market-watchers said speculation about the fork was driving bitcoin higher. If it went ahead as expected, holders of the cryptocurrency would be able to sell the spin-off at a profit if the market were to assign it any value.</p>
<p>But in a post on the Medium blogging platform, the company’s communications director David Farmer said Coinbase did not expect the fork to successfully split bitcoin in two, as it lacked the necessary support from the network to do so.</p>
<p>“Whenever people hear ‘fork’ nowadays the price jumps, as people hope to get the free dividend,” said Charles Hayter, founder of cryptocurrency data analysis site Cryptocompare.</p>
<p>“There is also a resulting spike in demand for people entering bitcoin” from other cryptocurrencies.</p>
<p>Farmer said the company was actively monitoring the situation and that all funds stored in Coinbase wallets remained safe. All bitcoin buying and selling would be suspended on Coinbase in the hour prior to the fork, which is expected between 1400 and 1600 GMT.</p>
<p>Bitcoin is on track for its best week since July. For the year, it is up more than 700 percent.</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> | Fork talk lifts bitcoin to all-time high near $8,000 | false | https://newsline.com/fork-talk-lifts-bitcoin-to-all-time-high-near-8000/ | 2017-11-17 | 1 |
<p>Handguns / AP</p>
<p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">CJ Ciaramella</a> December 20, 2013 2:00 pm</p>
<p>Following the December school shooting at Newton, Connecticut, that left 20 children dead, Democrats and advocacy groups vowed to pass new gun laws in 2013.</p>
<p>The gun issue had long been considered political poison for Democrats, but for the first time gun control groups had the money to compete with the National Rifle Association. Billionaire New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg pledged $12 million to gun control efforts. Americans for Responsible Solutions, the group of former Rep. Gabby Giffords,&#160; <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/gabrielle-giffords-guns-group-fundraising-91074.html" type="external">raised</a>&#160;$11 million in four months.</p>
<p>2013 was the year gun control groups went on the offense—but the results were decidedly mixed.</p>
<p>Harry Reid, Charles Schumer / AP</p>
<p>After negotiating for months, Democrats and moderate Republicans produced an amendment in April that would have expanded background checks for firearm purchases and strengthened laws against illegal gun trafficking.</p>
<p>But the bill fell four votes shy of the 60 needed to proceed. Four Democrats voted against the measure.</p>
<p>"This amendment would have criminalized certain private transfers of firearms between honest citizens, requiring lifelong friends, neighbors and some family members to get federal government permission to exercise a fundamental right or face prosecution," the NRA said in a <a href="http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/news-from-nra-ila/2013/4/statement-from-chris-w-cox-on-us-senate-defeat-of-manchin-toomey-schumer-amendment.aspx" type="external">statement</a>.</p>
<p>"As we have noted previously, expanding background checks, at gun shows or elsewhere, will not reduce violent crime or keep our kids safe in their schools."</p>
<p>Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R., Nev.) shelved the bill. However, Reid has said he will reintroduce it when he has the votes to pass it.</p>
<p>Gun control advocates said their defeat would lead to a public backlash that would ultimately turn the tide against the NRA.</p>
<p>The backlash has yet to emerge.</p>
<p>AP</p>
<p>Following the defeat of new gun laws in Congress, a visibly angry President Barack Obama, flanked by families from Newtown, chastised senators who voted against the bill.</p>
<p />
<p>"Families that know unspeakable grief summoned the courage to petition their elected leaders not just to honor the memory of their children but to protect the lives of all of our children," Obama <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/statement-president" type="external">said</a>. "A few minutes ago a minority in the United States Senate decided it wasn't worth it."</p>
<p>The NRA did not shrink from the attack.</p>
<p>"[Obama’s] attacking the NRA, he's attacking our members, he's attacking citizens and senators of the United States, threatening them and all the rest," NRA President David Keene <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/04/18/NRA-President-Slams-Obamas-Public-Rant" type="external">said</a> in a radio interview. "I think that's really not a seemly way for the President of the United States to respond to a legislative defeat."</p>
<p>Meanwhile, gun control organizations poured their newfound wealth into a campaign against vulnerable senators who voted against the gun legislation, intent on making examples of them in the 2014 elections.</p>
<p>"We’ll get through this day, take down the bill, and get senators prepared for the fact that they are going to be&#160;dealing with this issue everyday for the foreseeable future until they resolve it in the way the public wants,"&#160;Mayors Against Illegal Guns director Mark Glaze&#160; <a href="" type="internal">told</a> BuzzFeed.</p>
<p>AP</p>
<p>On the state level, gun control advocates enacted sweeping new firearms restrictions in New York, California, and Maryland. However, similar legislation in Colorado ignited a recall effort against two prominent state senators.</p>
<p>What started as a grassroots campaign ballooned into a national proxy fight between pro and anti-gun lobbies. Gun control supporters, backed by Bloomberg, dropped more than $2 million into the race.</p>
<p>Despite the influx of outside money, Colorado voters <a href="" type="internal">ousted</a> the two senators in the state’s first ever recall election. Although the new gun control laws are still on the books, the recalls sent a message to politicians that gun owners were still a force to be reckoned with.</p>
<p>"One thing is clear from the Morse defeat: Mike Bloomberg is political poison," NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam&#160;said&#160;in a statement to the Huffington Post.</p>
<p>Terry McAuliffe / AP</p>
<p>Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe beat Republican Ken Cuccinelli in November to become Virginia’s next governor, despite an "F" rating from the NRA.</p>
<p>Gun control supporters pointed to the victory as proof that the NRA was no longer invincible.</p>
<p>"If you think about this, Virginia is the home state of the NRA. That’s where their headquarters are," Bloomberg <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/michael-bloomberg-terry-mcauliffe-nra-99486.html" type="external">told</a> CNN’s Jake Tapper. "If I had said to you twenty years ago that that a Democrat that is ‘F’ rated by the NRA …could win governor, you would have laughed me out of the room."</p>
<p>However, hot-button social issues, not guns, dominated the race. Polling showed voters were moved more by attacks on Cuccinelli’s stances on abortion and homosexuality than his gun record.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, McAuliffe’s win gives gun-control supporters a bully pulpit in an increasingly purple state.</p>
<p>Michael Bloomberg / AP</p>
<p>With 2014 approaching, gun control advocates will likely look back on 2013 as the year that could have been. Nevertheless, gun control groups say they aren’t giving up the fight.</p>
<p>"It took six years, seven votes, three presidential administrations to pass the Brady law," the Brady Campaign’s Brian Malte <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/12/13/whats-next-for-the-gun-control-movement-a-brady-campaigner-lays-it-out/" type="external">told</a> the Washington Post. "And we're not going away; we'll be here until we finish the job. We don't want it to be that long, but we'll do whatever it takes. We're going to see it through."</p>
<p>Any attempt at reviving the Senate legislation next year is going to be a heavier lift than last time. Public support for new gun laws has dipped back to pre-Newtown levels.</p>
<p>According to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal <a href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/13/21878758-poll-support-for-strict-gun-control-drops-to-pre-newtown-levels" type="external">poll</a>, 52 percent of Americans say they favor stricter firearm laws, while 38 percent think gun laws should remain the same. That number is down since February, when 61 percent of those polled favored new gun laws.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, an analysis of gun laws passed in the year since the Newtown shooting <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=250283815" type="external">found</a> that two-thirds of those laws loosened gun restrictions.</p> | The Five Big Gun Control Moments of 2013 | true | http://freebeacon.com/the-five-big-gun-control-moments-of-2013/ | 2013-12-20 | 0 |
<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p />
<p>The glitch isn’t exactly a goal drought because Ronaldo did score one from the penalty spot against Sevilla. But the dry period has coincided with Real Madrid’s two-game losing streak after a 40-match unbeaten run.</p>
<p>“Cristiano is fine,” Zidane said Friday. “He might have a bad day here and there. So what? He will always be a difference-maker in my mind.</p>
<p>“We have lost a couple of games, but there is no need to go overboard. Nothing is broken. Actually, it might have been a good time to lose two straight, in order to get going again and build up some confidence.”</p>
<p>Madrid leads the Spanish league with 40 points from 17 matches, holding a one-point lead over surging Sevilla. It was Sevilla that beat Madrid 2-1 on Sunday, after Ronaldo had converted a penalty to give his team the lead.</p>
<p>Defending champion Barcelona is third in the league and two points behind Madrid, which has a game in hand because of its trip to Japan to win the Club World Cup in December.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The loss in Sevilla was followed by another setback on Wednesday, when Madrid lost 2-1 at Celta Vigo in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals — again raising questions about the after-effects of playing in the Club World Cup.</p>
<p>“I’m not thinking about that at all,” Zidane said. “As in life, you can’t always win in football. You are going to have some bad days, and you need to overcome them to push ahead. It happened last year. We are going to reverse this.</p>
<p>“We aren’t playing worse football than before. We just had a few bad plays that our opponents took full advantage of. The locker room is fine. The good news is we have another game tomorrow (in the league against 13th-place Malaga), and we are looking forward to it.”</p>
<p>Zidane said Ronaldo has lately been playing out of position at striker, a move that somewhat surprisingly has not translated into more goals for the Portugal forward. Ronaldo has 12 league goals this season, two behind Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.</p>
<p>“He played up top against Celta, but his favorite position is on the left wing, and that will not change,” Zidane said. “The problem is more when he doesn’t score, since we have grown used to him taking over. Cristiano will always be subject to criticism. He is used to it.”</p> | Zidane says Ronaldo is still a difference-maker for Madrid | false | https://abqjournal.com/932164/zidane-says-ronaldo-is-still-a-difference-maker-for-madrid.html | 2017-01-20 | 2 |
<p>What caused this deficit?</p>
<p>The short answer is that spending has grown faster than taxing, despite caps imposed on both. The slightly longer answer is that tax revenues were overestimated in the past, and as they've come in, New York has been&#160;collecting much less than expected.&#160;</p>
<p>But if the economy is growing, why are tax receipts down?</p>
<p>The economy has been growing steadily for years and significantly picked up steam in 2017, but people are paying taxes now on income they made in 2016. And apparently people overpaid their taxes that year, so now they're aggressively requesting refunds. There's also some evidence that despite the booming stock market, people are holding onto shares anticipating they'll go even higher&#160;— and without selling, there's a shortage of 'taxable events' generating revenue for the state. On the other hand, if workers in the financial&#160;sector get large year-end bonuses, that could improve the forecast for 2018-2019.</p>
<p>Intuitively, to close a deficit you need to raise taxes, cut spending or do both.&#160;What's being discussed in Albany?</p>
<p>The governor will formally propose a budget in January, and&#160;over the following&#160;two months there will be heated negotiations. Democrats typically want to increase taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, but with many people losing their ability to deduct state and local taxes under the federal tax overhaul, that&#160;kind of tax hike is less likely than ever. The Citizens Budget Commission&#160; <a href="https://cbcny.org/research/pre-budget-ruminations" type="external">envisions a smorgasbord</a> of possible "gimmicks and one shots" to get through the budget cycle, including shifting expenses off-budget to&#160;entities like the Thruway Authority or MTA&#160;and deferring tax cuts and rebates.</p>
<p>How will this be affected by the election-year politics of 2018?</p>
<p>Governor Cuomo will need to get lucky&#160; —&#160;and creative. For instance, he has been pushing for "congestion pricing" to add more toll fares for drivers heading into New York, as a way to get more money into the MTA. Many&#160;city politicians, including Mayor de Blasio, say they're dead-set against it. But in fighting off challengers from his left, Cuomo has a stronger response than usual to those calling for things like a 'millionaires' tax' and a 'mansion tax.' He can say many in the moneyed classes —&#160;the "merely rich" but not the "ultra-rich," as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/business/dealbook/tax-bill-wealthy.html" type="external">the New York Times described them</a>&#160;—&#160;will already be getting a federal tax hike, indirectly, due to lost deductions. Still, as he runs for a third term as governor and positions himself for a possible 2020 presidential bid, Cuomo can expect strong criticism from Republicans over the fiscal discipline that has produced the current multi-billion-dollar deficit. He&#160;has been busy lambasting the GOP for its allegiance to President Trump — who is widely disliked in New York — and to Capitol Hill Republicans. That may or may not be enough to distract voters from the state's budgetary challenges and its perennial economic problems upstate.</p> | Filling a $4-billion Hole: What to Look for in Albany Next Year | false | https://wnyc.org/story/filling-4-billion-hole-what-look-albany-next-year/ | 2017-12-26 | 3 |
<p>Russia's ambassador to Turkey was assassinated today. The killer gives the impression of some grievance on Aleppo.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Update: <a href="" type="internal">Warning, graphic video: Ambassador shot while speaking at a&#160;lectern</a>.</p>
<p>CNN is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/europe/turkey-russian-ambassador-shot/index.html" type="external">reporting</a> that the Russian ambassador in Turkey has been shot.</p>
<p>(CNN)Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was shot Monday at an art exhibition in Ankara, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported.</p>
<p>Karlov began his diplomatic career in 1976 and has been the ambassador to Turkey since 2013, according to a profile on the website for the Russian Embassy in Ankara.</p>
<p />
<p>A body lies on the ground as a man with a pistol gestures at the scene of a shooting in Ankara, Turkey, on December 19.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Russia's ambassador to Turkey shot in Ankara, state media reports (VIDEO) | true | https://egbertowillies.com/2016/12/19/russia-ambassador-turkey-shot-ankara/ | 2016-12-19 | 4 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.