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<p>The world’s climate is always changing and humans contribute to it in some way, but “to what degree to measure that with precision is very difficult,” and the Trump administration is interested in using a “red team, blue team” approach to examine the issue, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday.</p>
<p>“The red team, blue team approach, as you have indicated, is something that puts experts in a room and let them debate an issue,” Pruitt told <a href="http://video.foxnews.com/v/5580664675001/?playlist_id=930909787001#sp=show-clips" type="external">Fox News’ “Fox &amp;&#160;Friends”</a> program.</p>
<p>“With this climate change we know certain things. We know climate is always changing. Humans contribute to it in some way. To what degree to measure that with precision is very difficult. But what we don’t know is we are in a situation where it’s an existential threat.”</p>
<p>The red team scientists, he continued, “are the ones that don’t take for granted that you see across the spectrum that climate is in unsustainable path of existential threat and that humans are 99 percent responsible for that.”</p>
<p>A “meaningful debate” is needed about what is being faced as a country and internationally, he continued, but one of the things that is lost in the discussion is that the United States has done more to reduce the nation’s dioxide footprint than most other countries, with an 18 percent decrease.</p>
<p>The decreases, he said, have largely come through the generation of natural gas from electricity, and the use of clean coal.</p>
<p>“We are doing a really good job as a country, trying to advance technology to reduce our CO2 footprint,” said Pruitt.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, nobody questions that the climate changes, said Pruitt, but the question remains about how much humans contribute to that, and what can be done.</p>
<p>“The whole thing that’s lost in this whole debate is what tools are in the tool box,” said Pruitt. “We only have the power that Congress gives us through statutes.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on Sunday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tillerson-says-trump-open-to-staying-in-paris-climate-accord-under-right-conditions/" type="external">CBS’ “Face the Nation”</a> that President Donald Trump is willing for the United States to remain in the Paris climate accord, “under right conditions,” but Pruitt insisted that the president “has been steadfast, and lauded his “courage” on the issue.</p>
<p>“When you look at the Paris agreement,&#160;China, India, and Russia, what steps did they take to reduce CO2 from that agreement?” said Pruitt. “Compare it to the United States as we talked about a minute ago. We are already reducing our co 2. Innovations technology. India, no obligations until they received over $2.5 trillion of money. China, no obligations until the year 2030.”</p> | Pruitt: Humans Contribute to Climate Change, But How Much? | false | https://newsline.com/pruitt-humans-contribute-to-climate-change-but-how-much/ | 2017-09-19 | 1 |
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<p>Starting next year, you won’t be able to drive more than 55 mph on New Mexico county roads where there’s no speed limit posted.</p>
<p>Gov. Susana Martinez signed legislation Monday that makes 55 mph the default speed limit on county roads.</p>
<p>Republican Sen. Pat Woods of Broadview says the current 75 mph legal limit doesn’t make sense for many local, narrow, dirt roads. He says these roads aren’t designed or built for the higher speeds allowed on the state’s highways and interstates.</p>
<p>Woods says Curry County requested the lower limits on county roads for which the current law makes no exception.</p>
<p>The new default speed limit will take effect Jan. 1, 2016.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Law will roll back default speed limit on NM county roads | false | https://abqjournal.com/565756/law-will-roll-back-default-speed-limit-on-nm-county-roads.html | 2 |
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<p>A proposal by Texas lawmakers to withhold grant money from jurisdictions that hamper enforcement of immigration laws through so-called “sanctuary city” policies is constitutional, according to a review by the state’s Republican attorney general.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/image2017-02-06-152258.pdf" type="external">The analysis</a> was issued by Attorney General <a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Ken Paxton</a> this week, as the full Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to the hotly contested bill Tuesday.</p>
<p>Republicans supported the bill, saying it ensures uniformity in the application of federal immigration laws and helps remove illegal immigrant criminals from the streets. Democrats opposed it, expressing concern about the potential for racial profiling under the law.</p>
<p>State lawmakers debated the legislation for hours Tuesday and considered upwards of 30 amendments before giving it first approval on a 20-11 party-line vote.</p>
<p>The bill still needs to pass a final vote in the upper chamber, possibly Wednesday, and also win the approval of the state House. But the bill was granted “emergency status” by Gov. Greg Abbott and is expected to sail through the legislature.</p>
<p>The bill “ensures there is predictability, that our laws are applied without prejudice,” said bill author Sen. Charles Perry, Lubbock Republican. “It is not to deport college students, people working, people following the law, people trying to better their lives.”</p>
<p>The legislation would allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws if officers are working with federal immigration officers or under an agreement between the local and federal agencies.</p>
<p>It also would punish local police departments and law enforcement at college campuses that decline to cooperate with immigration authorities — such as by discouraging employees from inquiring about the immigration status of arrested individuals or refusing to honor immigration detainers and releasing inmates from custody before federal authorities can take them into custody.</p>
<p>Forward momentum on the Texas bill comes as the Trump administration is working to define the details of an executive order that similarly targets sanctuary cities. The exact type of grants the federal government could keep from cities that decline to cooperate in immigration enforcement remains under consideration, though President Trump’s order carves out an exception for grants deemed necessary for law enforcement.</p>
<p>But as Texas lawmakers move forward with the anti-sanctuary law, their proposal could provide clues as to how Mr. Trump’s version could succeed.</p>
<p>“The Texas Legislature’s bill is much more developed. It actually has some pretty clear requirements and measures that can be taken if local jurisdictions don’t abide by immigration detainers or comply with the provisions of the law,” said Denise Gilman, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas, Austin.</p>
<p>The Trump policy, she said, is potentially “more disruptive of the traditional roles” of local and federal law enforcement.</p>
<p>In a letter to Sen. Joan Huffman, Houston Republican, <a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Mr. Paxton</a> sought to address several legal questions raised last week about the bill before the Senate committee she chairs voted favorably for it.</p>
<p>One concern raised about the bill is whether it would justify a jurisdiction in citing an immigration detention request as probable cause to keep someone in custody for a longer period than that person ordinarily would be held by law enforcement.</p>
<p><a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Mr. Paxton</a> wrote that a prior Supreme Court case held that “civil detentions are constitutionally permissible under the [Immigration and Nationality Act] so long as there is sufficient justification.”</p>
<p>“In short, the justification of probable cause is required of (and not anathema to) detainers. As such, the individualized probable cause ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] has required of detainers since 1985 is sufficient to avoid constitutional problems with justification,” <a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Mr. Paxton</a> wrote.</p>
<p>Ms. Gilman said the detainers are a statement of interest by ICE, not based on probable cause, and have led to violations of U.S. citizens’ rights.</p>
<p>“There is a real question of authority,” she said. “U.S. citizens have been held beyond the time that they would have been released from jurisdictions just based on that ICE statement of interest.”</p>
<p>Some sheriffs and police chiefs from heavily Democratic areas have voiced opposition to enforcing federal immigration law, raising concern about a loss of community trust and cooperation in crime-fighting among immigrant communities.</p>
<p>Newly elected Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez came under fire last week for her pledge not to honor most warrantless requests from ICE to extend the detention of individuals booked in jails in the state capital of Austin. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott last week cut $1.5 million in criminal justice grants that his office appropriated to Travis County over the policy.</p>
<p>Local authorities have said that cut is not affecting the sheriff’s agency, rather the reductions come from programs that provide outreach to victims of family violence, rehabilitation services for prostitutes, and drug diversion and veterans’ courts, the Dallas Morning News reported.</p>
<p>The bill includes a provision that opens law enforcement agencies to legal liability if they release an inmate for whom ICE issued a detainer request and that person goes on to commit a felony within 10 years of being released.</p>
<p>That provision puts law enforcement agencies between a rock and a hard place, Ms. Gilman said.</p>
<p><a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Mr. Paxton</a> states in his analysis that counties could avoid liability so long as they act in good faith to work with an inmate to verify any claims the person makes about immigration status.</p>
<p>The bill would “make great strides to keep communities secure by requiring state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal agencies as they take cure to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States,” <a href="/topics/ken-paxton/" type="external">Mr. Paxton</a> wrote.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. <a href="http://license.icopyright.net/3.7280?icx_id=/news/2017/feb/7/ken-paxton-texas-ag-bill-to-withhold-grant-money-f/" type="external">Click here for reprint permission</a>.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Ken Paxton, Texas A.G.: Bill to withhold grant money from ‘sanctuary’ cities is legal | true | http://washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/7/ken-paxton-texas-ag-bill-to-withhold-grant-money-f/ | 2017-02-07 | 0 |
<p>With the revelation that former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was involved in a <a href="" type="internal">multi-million dollar cover up</a> of his "youthful indiscretions," certain odd events over the years have started to come into focus. One of the most unusual was this CSPAN call from last November, where he got a call from "Bruce" in Yorkville, Illinois.</p>
<p>Pretty good. Remember me from Yorkville?</p>
<p>It is known that Yorkville is where the former Speaker once taught high school, and where the claimed misconduct had occurred. What is known is that the former Speaker had been paying someone $50,000 every six weeks "to keep a person from the town where he was a longtime high school teacher silent about prior misconduct" according to <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ex-us-speaker-hastert-indicted-bank-related-charges-214129927--politics.html" type="external">Yahoo news</a>.</p>
<p>Now with these odd elements being noticed in his history, one starts to wonder what form of indiscretion this was, and the possibilities are not good. For one, that Hastert was making the payout in what would be considered blackmail in almost any case, but that <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2089603/hastert-indictment.pdf" type="external">he was indicted</a> and not his blackmailer, tells us that the event he was covering up was itself far more serious than the extortion itself.</p>
<p>With the re-emergence of the CSPAN video, one can wonder if "Bruce" was using the medium to taunt the former Speaker. Calling Speaker Hastert "Denny" shows a level of familiarity not common even among communities. Indeed, the look on his face could be considered petrified, or confused. We simply do not know. The entire situation involving the former Speaker is becoming a bit of a mystery. While some are quick to point at something sexual, perhaps a romance with a male student, there are numerous other possibilities which may be possible.</p>
<p>At this time, we simply do not know what happened, who this "Bruce" is, or how he ties into Speaker Hastert's indictment. What is known is that the former Speaker withdrew a significant sum from his bank accounts, carefully designed to hide what he was doing, in order to pay off his blackmailer. The banks did note what he was doing, and notified the authorities as appropriate. But this mystery is casting a shadow not only over the former Speaker, but the entire Republican house caucus, for this is another leader of theirs to be indicted. Either they need to pick better leaders, or the party itself is corrupt and no longer has any place in this Federal Republic.</p>
<p>Cover Photo CC by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/16533652@N00/66726697/" type="external">Doug Bowman</a></p> | Remember When Hastert Got That Creepy Phone Call On CSPAN? (VIDEO) | true | http://addictinginfo.org/2015/05/30/creepy-hastert-call/ | 2015-05-30 | 4 |
<p>The University of Minnesota will be <a href="http://www.startribune.com/university-of-minnesota-to-close-its-day-care-center/470976513/" type="external">closing its campus day care center</a> in 18 months, the Star Tribune reports.</p>
<p>The decision was announced Monday in a letter to the parents of the roughly 140 children enrolled in the day care center. So far, the move has not been popular.</p>
<p>University of Minnesota political science professor Kathryn Pearson was one of the parents who got that letter. She spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer, and said the closure came as a total shock.</p>
<p>"Parents, teachers, staff," she said. "We are all stunned. Outraged."</p>
<p>The university's Child Development Center was opened in 1974 to provide child care for faculty, staff and graduate students. Over the last 45 years, it has developed a strong reputation.</p>
<p>Pearson said there's a long waiting list.</p>
<p>"This center is excellent," she said. "It's used as a tool to recruit families that either have or plan to have young children."</p>
<p>In her recent letter to center parents, Jean Quam, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, said the closure will make room for expansions to the Shirley Moore Laboratory School.</p>
<p>The center will close in the summer of 2019, which Quam wrote, should give parents "enough time to evaluate and choose options without worrying about an immediate need."</p> | U to close its campus day care. Parents are not happy | false | https://mprnews.org/story/2018/01/25/university-of-minnesota-daycare-center-closing | 2018-01-25 | 3 |
<p>DALLAS (AP) - Stars coach Ken Hitchcock played a hunch early Saturday, and it paid off quickly.</p>
<p>Alexander Radulov, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin - put together on the same line in the early going - scored first-period goals within a span of 6 1/2 minutes, leading the Stars past the Edmonton Oilers 5-1.</p>
<p>Seguin also had two assists. John Klingberg had a goal and two assists, and Mattias Janmark had a goal and an assist for Dallas.</p>
<p>The Stars have won six of their past eight games.</p>
<p>Radulov assisted on the other first-period goals, giving him two goals and four assists in Dallas' past two games. He had three goals and five assists in the Stars' three games against Edmonton this season.</p>
<p>Radulov has 16 goals in 43 games after scoring 18 in 76 games last season for the Montreal Canadiens. He came to Dallas as a free agent last summer.</p>
<p>"Sometimes it's happening, sometimes it's going well, and we worked hard and got rewarded," Radulov said.</p>
<p>Hitchcock opened the game with Benn and Seguin playing with Brett Ritchie for the second consecutive game but quickly put Radulov back with the team's top two scorers, where he has played previously this season.</p>
<p>"I felt the way the rotations of the line were going that it was a better matchup if I put Rads' there," said Hitchcock, third in career NHL coaching wins at 805. "He had a bead in on the game, and I had to get him out there as much as I could early and often."</p>
<p>"We didn't have an answer for that line," Oilers coach Todd McLelland said. "They scored just about every way they could except for on the power play. They created a lot of havoc for us in our end on a lot of lateral plays."</p>
<p>"He's such a dynamic player," Benn said of Radulov. "He's taking his game to another level."</p>
<p>Leon Draisaitl's power-play goal for the Oilers at 2:04 of the third period denied Ben Bishop his fifth shutout of the season.</p>
<p>Oilers goalie Cam Talbot was pulled at 4:45 of the second period after allowing four goals on 19 shots. He was replaced by Al Montoya, who was acquired on Thursday from Montreal and had not played since Nov. 4 because of concussion symptoms.</p>
<p>"It was a long road back," Montoya said. "I'm just happy to be back. I haven't had much time to skate, but I feel good, which goes a long way."</p>
<p>Dallas' three first-period goals were all backdoor one-timers. Radulov opened the scoring at 10:21, beating Talbot to the glove side. He was fed by Seguin, who received a cross-ice breakout pass from Klingberg.</p>
<p>Radulov passed to Benn less than three minutes later for an easy backhand.</p>
<p>Seguin tapped in a cross-crease pass from Radulov at 16:32, Klingberg getting the other assist.</p>
<p>Janmark scored when attempting to pass from the goal line to Brett Ritchie in the crease. The puck caromed off the skate of Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera past Talbot.</p>
<p>As Talbot skated off the ice toward the locker room, backup goalie Kari Lehtonen was standing in the tunnel and gave him a good-luck tap with his stick.</p>
<p>Edmonton has lost three of its past four and has been outscored 16-2.</p>
<p>"I don't think it's a lack of effort," Connor McDavid said. "We just have to get it done."</p>
<p>NOTES: Seguin leads Dallas with 21 goals this season. ... With Montoya activated, the Oilers waived goaltender Laurent Brossoit. Brossoit was 3-7-1 with a 3.22 goals-against average as Talbot's backup this season. ... Oilers forward Patrick Maroon served the second and last game of a suspension for a hit on Los Angeles' Drew Doughty on Tuesday. ... Dallas defenseman Marc Methot was a late scratch with a sore knee, replaced by Julius Honka. Methot had returned to the lineup Thursday after missing 26 games with a knee injury.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Oilers: Play at Chicago on Sunday.</p>
<p>Stars: Host Colorado next Saturday night.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</p>
<p>DALLAS (AP) - Stars coach Ken Hitchcock played a hunch early Saturday, and it paid off quickly.</p>
<p>Alexander Radulov, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin - put together on the same line in the early going - scored first-period goals within a span of 6 1/2 minutes, leading the Stars past the Edmonton Oilers 5-1.</p>
<p>Seguin also had two assists. John Klingberg had a goal and two assists, and Mattias Janmark had a goal and an assist for Dallas.</p>
<p>The Stars have won six of their past eight games.</p>
<p>Radulov assisted on the other first-period goals, giving him two goals and four assists in Dallas' past two games. He had three goals and five assists in the Stars' three games against Edmonton this season.</p>
<p>Radulov has 16 goals in 43 games after scoring 18 in 76 games last season for the Montreal Canadiens. He came to Dallas as a free agent last summer.</p>
<p>"Sometimes it's happening, sometimes it's going well, and we worked hard and got rewarded," Radulov said.</p>
<p>Hitchcock opened the game with Benn and Seguin playing with Brett Ritchie for the second consecutive game but quickly put Radulov back with the team's top two scorers, where he has played previously this season.</p>
<p>"I felt the way the rotations of the line were going that it was a better matchup if I put Rads' there," said Hitchcock, third in career NHL coaching wins at 805. "He had a bead in on the game, and I had to get him out there as much as I could early and often."</p>
<p>"We didn't have an answer for that line," Oilers coach Todd McLelland said. "They scored just about every way they could except for on the power play. They created a lot of havoc for us in our end on a lot of lateral plays."</p>
<p>"He's such a dynamic player," Benn said of Radulov. "He's taking his game to another level."</p>
<p>Leon Draisaitl's power-play goal for the Oilers at 2:04 of the third period denied Ben Bishop his fifth shutout of the season.</p>
<p>Oilers goalie Cam Talbot was pulled at 4:45 of the second period after allowing four goals on 19 shots. He was replaced by Al Montoya, who was acquired on Thursday from Montreal and had not played since Nov. 4 because of concussion symptoms.</p>
<p>"It was a long road back," Montoya said. "I'm just happy to be back. I haven't had much time to skate, but I feel good, which goes a long way."</p>
<p>Dallas' three first-period goals were all backdoor one-timers. Radulov opened the scoring at 10:21, beating Talbot to the glove side. He was fed by Seguin, who received a cross-ice breakout pass from Klingberg.</p>
<p>Radulov passed to Benn less than three minutes later for an easy backhand.</p>
<p>Seguin tapped in a cross-crease pass from Radulov at 16:32, Klingberg getting the other assist.</p>
<p>Janmark scored when attempting to pass from the goal line to Brett Ritchie in the crease. The puck caromed off the skate of Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera past Talbot.</p>
<p>As Talbot skated off the ice toward the locker room, backup goalie Kari Lehtonen was standing in the tunnel and gave him a good-luck tap with his stick.</p>
<p>Edmonton has lost three of its past four and has been outscored 16-2.</p>
<p>"I don't think it's a lack of effort," Connor McDavid said. "We just have to get it done."</p>
<p>NOTES: Seguin leads Dallas with 21 goals this season. ... With Montoya activated, the Oilers waived goaltender Laurent Brossoit. Brossoit was 3-7-1 with a 3.22 goals-against average as Talbot's backup this season. ... Oilers forward Patrick Maroon served the second and last game of a suspension for a hit on Los Angeles' Drew Doughty on Tuesday. ... Dallas defenseman Marc Methot was a late scratch with a sore knee, replaced by Julius Honka. Methot had returned to the lineup Thursday after missing 26 games with a knee injury.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Oilers: Play at Chicago on Sunday.</p>
<p>Stars: Host Colorado next Saturday night.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey</p> | Stars cruise past Oilers for 5-1 victory | false | https://apnews.com/amp/8bad7c84c19f4d389b5fa5ad8c0ca8bc | 2018-01-07 | 2 |
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<p>“I just need to make a good change in my life here, get away from the time and stress associated with coaching football,” Trantham, 31, said. “We’re gonna have our third child in the summer, and we’ll have three kids under (age) 5 … there are no hard feelings.”</p>
<p>Trantham led the Tigers to a 19-16 record in his three seasons with the team.</p>
<p>In November, Los Lunas was beaten in the Class 5A semifinals by Artesia. The Tigers went 9-4 last season.</p>
<p>The 5A state champion, St. Pius, also is looking for a new coach. Sartans athletic director Jim Cook said Tuesday no decision has yet been made on replacing San Juan Mendoza, who retired after St. Pius’ championship victory over Artesia on Dec. 3.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Trantham was 29 when he was hired in April of 2014, making him the youngest coach of any of the 24 football programs in the metro area.</p>
<p>He is a 2003 Belen High graduate. He also coached two seasons at Mayfield, in 2005 and 2006.</p>
<p>“I have no regrets about doing things the way we did. We put a lot of effort into our younger kids and our lower levels, and that will benefit whoever comes in,” Trantham said.</p>
<p>He will remain in Valencia County, he said, probably until the summer when the family relocates out of state due to his wife’s job situation.</p> | Los Lunas football coach resigns | false | https://abqjournal.com/920189/los-lunas-football-coach-resigns.html | 2 |
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<p><a href="http://variety.com/t/youtube/" type="external">YouTube</a>, scrambling to respond to its latest brand-safety crisis involving <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-ad-boycott-pedophile-sexual-children-videos-1202622790/" type="external">videos with children that drew sexually inappropriate comments</a>, says it has taken focused action to address the problem.</p>
<p>In the past week, <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-back-echo-show-1202620753/" type="external">YouTube</a> said, it has removed more than 150,000 videos featuring children that had been targeted by pedophiles in the comments section, and also disabled comments for over 625,000 videos. In addition, YouTube terminated the accounts of several hundred YouTube users who had posted “predatory comments on videos featuring minors,” the <a href="http://variety.com/t/google/" type="external">Google</a>-owned video platform said in a statement Monday.</p>
<p>YouTube also in the last week has removed ads from nearly 2 million videos and over 50,000 channels that were “masquerading as family-friendly content,” according to a rep.</p>
<p>For YouTube, the PR crisis over child safety on the internet-video site has become a business issue — with <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-ad-boycott-pedophile-sexual-children-videos-1202622790/" type="external">several large advertisers pulling ads</a> after the trend of sex predators commenting on kid videos came to light.</p>
<p>Marketers that have frozen spending on YouTube over the issue include Adidas, Deutsche Bank, HP, Mars, Diageo and Cadbury. That came after a&#160; <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-adverts-fund-paedophile-habits-fdzfmqlr5" type="external">report</a>&#160;by the Times of London finding that their ads had run in videos of young girls that included a number of disturbing sexual comments by users.</p>
<p>HP, for one, said in a statement Monday to Variety that it immediately suspended all advertising worldwide on YouTube when it learned that one of its ads “was placed in a terrible and inappropriate context.”</p>
<p>“HP has strict brand safety protocols in place across all online advertising, including YouTube and this appears to be the result of a content misclassification by <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/htc-google-standalone-daydream-vr-1202614626/" type="external">Google</a>,” a rep for the tech company said.</p>
<p>YouTube is still dealing with the aftershocks of a global advertiser backlash this spring, after ads were discovered running in front of hate-speech and terrorism videos. Some big advertisers, including AT&amp;T, have not run any ads on YouTube since March.</p>
<p>“Marketers have spent millions of dollars over many decades to build brand equity and loyalty,” said Association of National Advertisers CEO Bob Liodice, a U.S. trade group representing more than 1,000 companies. “To have that equity destroyed or degraded by sub-optimum controls by any media vendor, ad-tech supplier or publisher is totally unacceptable to the ANA and its members.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, YouTube on Monday was working to fix another disturbing development: YouTube searches that began with “how to have” returned autocomplete results “how to have s*x with your kids” and “how to have s*x kids,” according to a&#160; <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/youtubes-search-autofill-is-surfacing-disturbing-child-sex" type="external">report by BuzzFeed News</a>. (Those autocomplete terms appeared to have been removed by Tuesday morning.) The bizarre search results may have been the work of trolls who successfully gamed the YouTube search algorithm to make the phrases appear at the top of the autocomplete list, the BuzzFeed report speculated.</p>
<p>More broadly, YouTube has said it’s stepped up enforcement of policies to block, restrict or demonetize videos featuring kid-oriented themes and characters but that include violent, sexual or otherwise inappropriate themes. YouTube said it recently terminated more than 50 channels, including the popular <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-toy-freaks-channel-terminated-1202617834/" type="external">Toy Freaks channel</a>, and removed thousands of videos that violated its policies for child-friendly content.</p> | YouTube Says It Deleted Over 150,000 Kid Videos Targeted by Sex Predators | false | https://newsline.com/youtube-says-it-deleted-over-150000-kid-videos-targeted-by-sex-predators/ | 2017-11-28 | 1 |
<p>The latest complaint among the Venezuelan opposition to President Hugo Chávez revolves around his decision to bring Cuban Minister of Information Technology and Communications Ramiro Valdés to Venezuela to help rectify the current electrical crisis, intensified by diminishing water levels at the country’s primary hydroelectric dam. According to a front-page warning in a recent edition of Venezuelan opposition daily El Nacional, “electrical experts and Cubans in exile” have come to the conclusion that Valdés does not possess the requisite skills to evaluate electrical crises and that his expertise is instead in internet censorship; no conclusion is offered as to how Cubans in exile spontaneously acquire expertise in whatever subject is currently being used to discredit the Castro regime.</p>
<p>A gentleman I spoke with at the February 4 opposition march at Plaza Brión de Chacaíto in Caracas had a different perception of Valdés’ qualifications and informed me that the minister’s only expertise was in assassinations, honed during the Cuban Revolution. As for more recent examples of political changes of direction that had involved assassinations, the gentleman qualified last summer’s coup in Honduras as magnífico and entirely democratic; he stressed that these labels did not apply to the thwarted coup of February 4, 1992, the anniversary of which was being celebrated at the pro-Chávez rally nearby—with superior levels of attendance, music, and the color red.</p>
<p>The failed coup was conducted by then-Lieutenant Colonel Chávez and other officers against the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez, which had during the “Caracazo” of 1989 massacred somewhere between several hundred and several thousand opponents of Venezuelan obsequiousness vis-à-vis the International Monetary Fund. The idea that the realm of killing belongs exclusively to Ramiro Valdés of Cuba is nonetheless being fueled by the likes of Roger Noriega, former U.S. diplomat and current managing director of Visión Américas LLC, who in a February 5 article entitled “Hugo Chávez, Desperate and Dangerous” claims that “Valdes’ sinister task is to help Chávez beat back any challenges to his authority from inside his regime as he tries to crush resistance from the streets.”</p>
<p>Noriega explains that inviting Valdés to assess the electricity shortage in Venezuela is somewhat equivalent to inviting Jack Kevorkian to manage a hospice. The former diplomat had also resorted to analogies in a July 2009 Forbes article in order to exonerate the Honduran military for expatriating the nation’s elected president:</p>
<p>“If a traffic cop roughs up a drunk driver at the scene of an injury accident, I doubt anyone would argue the importance of getting the drunk back behind the wheel as the best way to chastise the policeman.”</p>
<p>It is not clear whether Noriega’s perceived parallel between drunk driving accidents and presidential attempts at a more equitable distribution of national wealth is what prompted the Honduran Association of Maquiladoras to then retain the pro-coup lobbying services of Visión Américas LLC; also not clear is how Noriega’s diplomatic expertise—which includes favorable relations with Nicaraguan paramilitaries in the 1980s—compares with Kevorkian’s hospice-management capabilities.</p>
<p>As for favorable relations between other countries, Noriega refrains from outlining the origins of his mathematical expertise in calculating that “[t]ens of thousands of Castro’s finest form a shadow government in Venezuela today.” Prospects for shadows may increase once Valdés suggests candles as the antidote to the electricity shortage, thereby validating the claim by Venezuelan opposition media that a country that suffers constant blackouts cannot solve electrical problems; not addressed by said media is how that same country can suffer pharmaceutical shortages but nonetheless export doctors worldwide.</p>
<p>In addition to explaining that Ramiro Valdés is not the only person being imported to assess the Venezuelan electrical situation and that there are Argentine and Brazilian contingents, as well—plus offers of help from U.S., among a handful of other countries—Venezuelan Energy Minister Alí Rodríguez has argued that the Cubans’ history of electrical difficulties is precisely what has endowed them with expertise in the area of energy efficiency. Opposition mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma has remained unconvinced, however, and is quoted in today’s El Nacional as saying that Valdés, “far from knowing anything about electrical matters… is more of a specialist in electrocuting people whose opinions differ from those of the regime.” That explains the born-outs and powercuts!</p>
<p>BELÉN FERNANDEZ’s book Coffee with Hezbollah, just released by New World Digital, Inc., can be ordered at <a href="http://belenfernandez-writings.blogspot.com/" type="external">http://belenfernandez-writings.blogspot.com/</a> or on Amazon.com.</p> | Check Out That Cuban! | true | https://counterpunch.org/2010/02/09/check-out-that-cuban/ | 2010-02-09 | 4 |
<p>Former CIA Covert Operations Officer Mike Baker discusses the implications of defeating ISIS in Syria and Iraq.</p>
<p>President Trump took to Twitter&#160;on Wednesday,&#160;touting America’s success in defeating ISIS in Syria and Iraq. But former CIA Covert Operations Officer Mike Baker said we are not winning the war on ISIS on all fronts.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>“The fact that we defeat them on the ground in Syria and Iraq is important… that doesn’t mean the end of extremism of Jihad of Muslim extremism around the world," he said. "It will morph as it has over the years. They tend to adapt. Every time they lose in one place, they tend to pop up like cockroaches somewhere else."</p>
<p>ISIS is on the run &amp; will soon be wiped out of Syria &amp; Iraq, illegal border crossings are way down (75%) &amp; MS 13 gangs are being removed.</p>
<p>Baker also said the U.S. would play a role--and a hefty price tag--in rebuilding Mosul.</p>
<p>“The tab that’s been building when people talk about rebuilding that infrastructure is enormous, it’s in the multiple billions… we will undoubtable be part of that,” he said.</p>
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<p>He added, the goal is to get regional allies involved, but Iran’s influence might stand in the way.</p>
<p>“Iran is not going to back out of Iraq just because we defeat ISIS we’ve still got some of these same issues. Iran has more influence in Iraq than they’ve had in ages. They’ve got more influence in the Middle East then they’ve had in modern times,” he said.</p> | ISIS destroyed in Iraq but will 'pop up like cockroaches somewhere else': Fmr. CIA Officer | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/07/12/isis-destroyed-in-iraq-but-will-pop-up-like-cockroaches-somewhere-else-fmr-cia-officer.html | 2017-07-12 | 0 |
<p>BUENOS AIRES — There are new kids on Latin America’s block, and they’re shaking up its art film business: In a first move by the production fund just launched by L.A.-based <a href="http://variety.com/t/la-panda/" type="external">LA Panda</a> and Axel Shalson’s Bad Boy Billy Productions, the partners have boarded Lila Avilés’ “La Camarista” as a co-producer.</p>
<p>In a separate move, Shalson will co-produce “Buenaventura Mon Amour (Somos Calentura),” bring with him director-producer Rodrigo Bellott as a producing partner.</p>
<p>Shalson and <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/global/la-panda-bad-boy-billy-latino-film-fund-los-cabos-1202609875/" type="external">LA Panda</a>’s Jana Diáz-Juhl will join “La Camarista” lead producer Tatiana Grullera at <a href="http://variety.com/t/ventana-sur/" type="external">Ventana Sur</a> to present the movie. Shalson will also also be on for the long-awaited sneak peek of “Buenaventura Mon Amour (Somos Calentura)” which, like “La Camarista,” screens in <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/global/mar-del-plata-argentina-demian-rugna-1202622431/" type="external">Ventana Sur</a>’s now classic Primer Corte pix-in-post competition.</p>
<p>The feature debut of director-actress-dramatist Avilés, “La Camarista,” which won the Labo Award at Los Cabos Festival Work in Progress section, “La Camarista” cuts two ways. Deeply grounded in Avilés’ research on and befriending of the workforce at Méxican hotels, it is a fiction film which follows the daily grind of a chambermaid at Mexico City’s chic Hotel Presidente Internacional. But it also charts the search for identity of a person who seems invisible to some clients, is already a mother, but not yet her own person.</p>
<p>“The Chambermaid” is exactly what we were looking for when creating this partnership. The film shows a new voice and in such diverse society such as Mexico, it has a delicate and unique vision of the female protagonist,” said LA Panda producer Pau Brunet.</p>
<p>“We believe in a certain way of making films that implies long-lasting relationships,&#160;you need to have a connection with the people you are working with and probably share certain values,” added Diáz-Juhl.</p>
<p>Colombian director Jorge Navas’ follow-up to 2010’s “Blood and Rain,” “Buenaventura Mon Amour (Somos Calentura)” is a passion project of Steven Grisales at Bogotá’s Mon Amour Productions. Co-produced by Buenos Aires’ Magma Cine, it is set in Colombia’s Buenaventura port city, turning on a group of salsa and hip-hop dancers – caught in extensive dance act footage – looking to win a dance contest which will buy their ticket out of one of Colombia’s most violent cities.</p>
<p>“Buenaventura Mon Amour (Somos Calentura)” “is exactly the kind of project I want to be involved in,” said Shalson.</p>
<p>He added: “It’s entertaining; it’s beautifully shot; it has incredible commercial potential; but it also tells a really important and serious story about the struggle and pain of living in a community that is completely at the mercy of the very dangerous and politically complicated drug war.”</p>
<p>Already producing “Tierra Firme” (Anchor and Hope”), a parenthood drama with Oona Chaplin, Natalia Tena and David Bereguer which world premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in October, as well as Bellott’s “Tu me manques,” starring Oscar Martínez (“The Distinguished Citizen”) and Rossy de Palma (“Julieta”) and now in post, adding “La Camarista” and “Buenaventura” doubles the number of titles on Shalson’s burgeoning slate of socially-relevant Spanish-language indie titles made out of the U.S. or Spain, or combinations of both, and now Latin America,</p>
<p>Breaking out with Carlos Marques Marcet’s SXSW winner “10,000 Km” and a producer on Julia Solomonoff’s “Nobody’s Watching Us” as well as “Anchor and Hope” and “Tu me manques,” LA Panda’s co-production of “La Camarista” is one of six 2017 features which take in “Grimsey,” directed by Richard García and Raul Portero, Molly Hewitt’s “Holy Trinity” and the upcoming “The Chain,” directed by Luis Martín Porras.</p>
<p>Business on high-profile Primer Corte titles is common, with specialist Spanish language sales companies such as Film Factory swooping in on titles at Ventana Sur. But it is rare when titles have yet to play in the movies-in-post-production showcase.</p>
<p>The moves by LA Panda and Shalson represent a new evolution of Latin American business as it continues to attract private sector finance, but now in straight equity investment from sectorial players rather than the tax-break driven finance common in Mexico and Brazil.</p>
<p>For “La Camarista” and “Buenaventura,” LA Panda and Shalson’s involvement bring valuable, if not necessarily large, completion finance to these projects.</p>
<p>But it’s importance goos further. Bringing risk equity to the table, it flags for the market private investor confidence in movies’ ability to break out of domestic markets to larger festival slots and sales.</p>
<p>Targeting films fit for festival participation, the partners’ participation will also, as Brunet put it, “push the films into the international arena” where LA Panda and Shalson have a large network of sales agents and distributor contacts as well as expertise in choosing and safeguarding festival appearances until a sales agent is on board.</p>
<p>Co-producers’ input can range, however, across a whole gamut of aid, from securing extra finance to distribution deals, or marketing and out-of-the-box promotion. Snagging a sales agent, maybe triggered by big festival selection, would be the next natural step for both titles. Here, Ventana Sur may see some traction.</p>
<p /> | LA Panda, Bad Boy Billy Board ‘La Camarista,’ as Axel Shalson Joins ‘Buenaventura’ (EXCLUSIVE) | false | https://newsline.com/la-panda-bad-boy-billy-board-la-camarista-as-axel-shalson-joins-buenaventura-exclusive/ | 2017-11-27 | 1 |
<p>SAO PAULO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Brazil’s patent office has concluded that Monsanto Co’s Intacta RR2 Pro patent should be declared void, according to court filings seen by Reuters regarding a lawsuit against the company by soy growers association Aprosoja.</p>
<p>In the Jan. 17 document, the solicitor general’s office said patent office INPI issued the technical opinion after reexamining the issue. In November Aprosoja asked a federal court to cancel Monsanto’s Intacta patent in Brazil, claiming it did not bring real technological innovation. Intacta’s patent protection extends through October 2022.</p>
<p>Monsanto did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Richard Chang</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The selection process for the next Federal Reserve Bank of New York president has drawn the ire of New York City, state and other elected officials amid a report that San Francisco Fed President John Williams is the front runner for the job.</p> President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, John Williams, gestures as he addresses a news conference in Zurich, Switzerland September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
<p>The extraordinary public opposition from Democrats, circulated by Washington-based advocacy group Center for Popular Democracy on Wednesday, highlighted concerns over a lack of racial and gender diversity at the U.S. central bank.</p>
<p>The outcry marked an escalation of scrutiny of the New York Fed, and could pose a challenge for Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s efforts to protect the central bank’s independence from political influence.</p>
<p>“The New York Fed has never been led by a woman or a person of color, and that needs to change,” Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in a statement, adding such well-qualified candidates “should not be overlooked.” The junior U.S. senator from New York also urged Congressional oversight of the selection process.</p>
<p>U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren earlier this week also had called for Congressional hearings on the process.</p>
<p>The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that the New York Fed board of directors had recommended Williams, a long time Fed economist and policymaker, to succeed William Dudley as New York Fed president.</p>
<p>The New York Fed and the San Francisco Fed declined to comment on Wednesday and the Federal Reserve Board did not respond to a request for comment. The New York Fed said on March 16 it was considering “a handful” of final candidates to replace Dudley, who plans to step down by mid-year.</p>
<p>Both Williams and Dudley are white men and professional economists, though their track record in promoting diversity within their banks’ ranks appears to differ.</p>
<p>In 2016, 46 percent of senior executives at the San Francisco Fed were minorities, the highest percentage of all the 12 Fed banks, and up from 15 percent when Williams took the helm at the bank. The 2016 figure at the New York Fed was 11 percent.</p>
<p>The Fed’s 12 regional banks send diversity reports to Congress annually and the 2017 data will be published by the end of March.</p>
<p>The New York Fed president, often seen as the second most influential policymaker at the central bank, has a permanent vote on interest-rate setting; serves as vice chair of the policy-making committee; oversees market operations including $4.4 trillion in assets; and supervises big banks.</p>
<p>“The New York Federal Reserve Bank must be led by someone who will stand up for an economy that works for all of us – not just Wall Street and the 1 percent. Period,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in a separate statement.</p>
<p>New York City comptroller Scott Stringer, and 34 state legislators also released letters urging the Fed Chair and the New York Fed to consider diversity in selecting a candidate.</p>
<p>Still, a final decision has not yet been made on a nominee, according to two sources close to the search process who spoke under conditional of anonymity.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jonathan Spicer and Ann Saphir; editing by Diane Craft</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s legal troubles deepened on Wednesday as a federal judge refused to throw out a lawsuit accusing him of flouting constitutional safeguards against corruption by maintaining ownership of his business empire while in office.</p>
<p>U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte in Greenbelt, Maryland allowed the lawsuit filed by Maryland and District of Columbia to proceed, rejecting a Justice Department request that it be dismissed. The judge, however, narrowed the claims to include only those involving the Trump International Hotel in Washington and not Trump’s businesses outside of the U.S. capital.</p>
<p>A U.S. judge in Manhattan in December threw out a similar lawsuit against Trump brought by another group of plaintiffs.</p>
<p>Both lawsuits accused Trump of violating the U.S. Constitution’s “emoluments” provisions designed to prevent corruption and foreign influence. One bars U.S. officials from accepting gifts or other emoluments from foreign governments without congressional approval. The other forbids the president from receiving emoluments from individual states.</p>
<p>If the lawsuit presided over by Messitte continues to move forward, the plaintiffs have indicated they would seek a number of documents related to the president, including his tax returns, which Trump has refused to release.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, filed last June, said the Republican president has failed to disentangle himself from his hotels and other businesses, making him vulnerable to inducements by officials seeking to curry favor.</p>
<p>Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat, said in an interview he was pleased with the judge’s action.</p>
<p>“It demonstrates that Donald Trump is not above the law, that he like every other federal employee is governed by the emoluments clause, the original anti-corruption law of the United States. And we intend to hold him accountable,” Frosh said.</p>
<p>Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said, “As we argued, we believe this case should be dismissed, and we will continue to defend the president in court.”</p>
<p>As part of the suit, the District of Columbia and Maryland said their local residents who compete with Trump’s businesses like Trump International Hotel are harmed by decreased patronage, wages and tips.</p>
<p>Trump’s attorneys said such claims were speculative and raised doubts that any harm to competition could be traced directly to Trump’s status as president.</p>
<p>Messitte rejected that view, saying the plaintiffs’ allegations were sufficient to allow the case to proceed.</p>
<p>“Their allegation is bolstered by explicit statements from certain foreign government officials indicating that they are clearly choosing to stay at the president’s hotel, because, as one representative of a foreign government has stated, they want him to know ‘I love your new hotel,’” the judge wrote.</p>
<p>Messitte also noted that since the 2016 presidential election, “foreign governments have indisputably transferred business from the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton hotels in the District to the President’s Hotel.”</p> LEGAL WOES
<p>Trump’s legal woes are mounting. His lead lawyer in the intensifying special counsel investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election resigned last week.</p> FILE PHOTO: Flags fly above the entrance to the new Trump International Hotel on its opening day in Washington, DC, U.S. on September 12, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
<p>A New York state judge last week allowed a defamation lawsuit by a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her after she appeared on his former reality TV show to proceed.</p>
<p>He also is facing lawsuits from adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal arising from affairs they said they had with the president.</p>
<p>Trump, a wealthy real estate developer who as president regularly visits his own hotels, resorts and golf clubs, has ceded day-to-day control of his businesses to his sons. Critics have said that is not a sufficient safeguard.</p>
<p>This undermines democracy, the suit said, because Americans cannot be sure if Trump is acting in their best interest, or “international and domestic business dealings in which President Trump’s personal fortune is at stake.”</p>
<p>The suit said Trump had received millions of dollars in payments and benefits through leases of Trump properties held by foreign government entities, the purchase of condominiums in Trump properties, as well as hotel accommodations, restaurant purchases and the use of venues for events by foreign governments and diplomats.</p>
<p>Messitte’s action contrasts with that of U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan, who threw out the similar case filed by a nonprofit watchdog group, a hotel owner, a hotel events booker and a restaurant trade group.</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump takes part in a forum called Generation Next at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
<p>Daniels said the claims were speculative and that the U.S. Congress was the proper place to hold the president to account.</p>
<p>Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump ousted Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday in response to heavy criticism and nominated his personal physician, Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, to replace him in the latest turnover among Trump’s team.</p>
<p>White House officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Shulkin had become a distraction due to a constant wave of speculation about his future and said he would be leaving in the next day or two. They said an undersecretary at the Department of Defense, Robert Wilkie, will be the acting secretary.</p>
<p>Shulkin had drawn fire for a damning report from the inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It found that during a trip to London and Denmark he improperly accepted tickets to the Wimbledon tennis tournament and his chief of staff made false statements so Shulkin’s wife could travel at government expense.</p>
<p>One official said the criticism of Shulkin was “making it harder for him to carry out the duties of secretary of the VA, which is something the president has made clear is a big priority for him.”</p>
<p>Jackson, a rear admiral of the U.S. Navy, has been working as a presidential physician since the George W. Bush administration, and has been the lead doctor monitoring Trump’s health since Trump became president.</p>
<p>Jackson gave Trump a clean bill of health early this year after giving the president a physical. He put him on a diet to lose some weight and directed him to get some exercise. Aides said Trump has been eating more fish and fewer cheeseburgers lately.</p>
<p>A Texas native who has been on active duty since 1995, Jackson served during the U.S.-led war in Iraq as an emergency medicine physician in Taqaddum, Iraq.</p>
<p>“Admiral Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them,” Trump said.</p>
<p>A White House official said Trump warmed to Jackson and had been aware that Shulkin had sought to make Jackson the VA undersecretary last year.</p>
<p>“The president wants somebody who gives him the best possible care to go over and give that same care to the veterans. That’s how strongly he feels about getting them represented properly,” the official said.</p>
<p>Trump said he appreciated Shulkin’s work, including passage of the VA Accountability Act.”He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service,” Trump said in a statement.</p>
<p>U.S. Representative Phil Roe, a Republican who chairs the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, said he hated to see Shulkin go but respected Trump’s decision.</p>
<p>“At the end of the day, cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the president,” he said.</p> FILE PHOTO: Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during the signing of an executive order entitled "Supporting our Veterans during their Transition from Uniformed Service to Civilian Life" in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 9, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files
<p>Will Fischer, director of government relations for the VoteVets lobby group, said his group hopes Jackson will oppose any attempt to privatize the VA or its health services, a concept that Republicans talk about occasionally.</p>
<p>“If Dr. Jackson can do that, immediately, he will do a lot to help his chances at confirmation,” Fischer said.</p>
<p>The VA oversees healthcare and benefits going to roughly 20 million U.S. military veterans. The Veterans Health Administration, the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, provides care at more than 1,200 facilities, including 170 VA Medical Centers, to more than 9 million veterans.</p>
<p>Trump praised Shulkin as “fantastic” when he chose him to head the VA in January 2017. Trump, who promised improved veterans’ care during his presidential campaign, last year said the department had made “tremendous progress” under Shulkin.</p>
<p>But support for him at the White House eroded quickly in recent weeks as Trump grew weary of the drumbeat of negative headlines about him.</p> Slideshow (4 Images)
<p>Shulkin said after the release of the inspector general’s report that he would comply with its recommendations, including reimbursing the government for his wife’s $4,312 airfare and paying his friend for the Wimbledon tickets. The department announced two days after the report was issued that Shulkin’s chief of staff, Vivieca Wright Simpson, would retire.</p>
<p>Shulkin joins a long list of senior officials who have either resigned or been fired since Trump took office in January 2017. Others include Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, FBI chief James Comey and FBI No. 2 Andrew McCabe, Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon, national security advisers H.R. McMaster and Michael Flynn, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, communications directors Hope Hicks and Anthony Scaramucci, and economic adviser Gary Cohn.</p>
<p>Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Leslie Adler and James Dalgleish</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared conflicted over what to do — if anything — to rein in politicians who draw state electoral maps with the aim of entrenching their party in power in a closely watched case from Maryland over the practice known as partisan gerrymandering.</p>
<p>The nine justices heard an hour-long argument in a challenge by Republican voters to a U.S. House of Representatives district in Maryland that was reconfigured by Democratic state legislators in a way that helped the Democrats defeat an incumbent Republican congressman.</p>
<p>There appeared little dispute among the justices that the Maryland district’s lines were drawn with partisan intent.</p>
<p>But based on questions they asked, the justices seemed no closer to answering the major question in this case and a similar one involving Wisconsin: whether courts should be able to intervene to curb the manipulation of electoral district boundaries purely to favor one party over another.</p>
<p>On Oct. 3, the court, which has a 5-4 conservative majority, seemed similarly torn when it heard a challenge by Democratic voters to Republican-drawn legislative districts statewide in Wisconsin, and has not yet issued a ruling.</p>
<p>The rulings in the two cases, due by the end of June, could alter the U.S. political landscape, either by imposing limits on partisan gerrymandering or by allowing it even in its most extreme forms.</p>
<p>Opponents have said partisan gerrymandering has begun to warp American democracy by muffling large segments of the electorate.</p>
<p>Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer suggested the court delay deciding the cases and instead hear another round of arguments in its next term, starting in October, along with a similar case from North Carolina.</p>
<p>“It seems like a pretty clear violation of the Constitution in some form to have deliberate, extreme gerrymandering,” Breyer said. “ ... But is there a practical remedy that won’t get judges involved in every — or dozens and dozens and dozens of very important political decisions?”</p> ‘TOO MUCH’
<p>Liberal Justice Elena Kagan agreed with Breyer about the problem of deciding the threshold for when partisan line-drawing becomes too much to allow, but said, “However much you think is too much, this case is too much.”</p>
<p>“How much more evidence of partisan intent could we need?” Kagan asked.</p>
<p>The Maryland voters, supported by Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, appealed a lower court ruling rejecting their challenge.</p>
<p>Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, a potential key vote in the case, raised concerns about a ruling so soon before November’s mid-term election but also indicated there was evidence of partisan intent in Maryland.</p>
<p>Maryland’s lawyer Steven Sullivan said the law enacting the state’s electoral map contained no language suggesting partisan intent, prompting a sharp response from Kennedy.</p>
<p>“So if you hide the evidence of what you’re doing, you’re going to prevail?” Kennedy asked.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court for decades has invalidated state electoral maps due to racial discrimination but not due to partisan advantage.</p>
<p>Democrats have said partisan gerrymandering by Republicans in such states as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania has helped President Donald Trump’s party maintain control of the House and various state legislatures.</p>
<p>Republican voters sued Maryland after the legislature in 2011 redrew boundaries for the state’s Sixth District in a way that removed Republican-leaning areas and added Democratic-leaning areas. Democrat John Delaney subsequently beat incumbent Republican Roscoe Bartlett to take the seat in 2012.</p> People gather on the plaza in front of the Supreme court before oral arguments on Benisek v. Lamone, a redistricting case on whether Democratic lawmakers in Maryland unlawfully drew a congressional district in a way that would prevent a Republican candidate from winning, in Washington, U.S., March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
<p>Governor Hogan’s election victory in 2014 illustrated Republican strength statewide. But Republicans hold just one of Maryland’s eight House seats because of the way the districts are configured.</p>
<p>The question before the Supreme Court is whether Maryland’s electoral map violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of free speech. The novel legal theory pursued by the challengers is that Republican voters were retaliated against by Democrats based on their political views.</p>
<p>In a 2004 ruling in another case, Kennedy suggested that if partisan gerrymandering went too far courts might have to step in if a “workable standard” could be found.</p>
<p>Conservative Justice Samuel Alito on Wednesday told the Maryland plaintiffs’ lawyer he did not think their First Amendment challenge offered a workable standard.</p>
<p>“I don’t see how any legislature would ever be able to redistrict,” Alito said.</p>
<p>The Wisconsin challengers presented a different argument, focusing on the Constitution’s 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law because of the extent to which it marginalized Democratic voters.</p>
<p>Gerrymandered electoral maps often concentrate voters who tend to favor the minority party into a small number of districts to dilute their statewide clout and distribute the rest of those voters in other districts in numbers too small to be a majority.</p> Slideshow (6 Images)
<p>Legislative districts are redrawn nationwide every decade to reflect population changes after the national census. Redistricting in most states is done by the party in power, though some states in the interest of fairness assign the task to independent commissions.</p>
<p>Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | Brazil suggests Monsanto's Intacta patent should be voided New York Fed chief selection process draws fire from politicians U.S. judge refuses to toss suit against Trump on foreign payments Trump pushes out Shulkin at VA, nominates Jackson as replacement Supreme Court finds solution elusive in pivotal electoral map case | false | https://reuters.com/article/monsanto-brazil-patent/brazil-suggests-monsantos-intacta-patent-should-be-voided-idUSE6N1ND01L | 2018-01-22 | 2 |
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Teens1.jpg" type="external" />JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military found the bodies of three missing teenagers on Monday, just over two weeks after they were abducted in the West Bank, allegedly by Hamas militants. The grisly discovery culminated a feverish search that led to Israel's largest ground operation in the Palestinian territory [?]</p>
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<p><a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_PALESTINIANS?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2014-06-30-14-06-50" type="external">Click here to view original web page at hosted.ap.org</a></p>
<p /> | Officials: Israel finds bodies of kidnapped teens | true | http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/officials-israel-finds-bodies-of-kidnapped-teens/ | 0 |
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<p>&#160;This is my third visit to Australia in the last 12 months.&#160; Aussie friends accuse me, tongue in cheek, of having an undeclared fondness for their country on account of my frequent visits to a country such a long way away for me to get to, which may or may not be true.&#160; This time a few of them even suggested it might be time to move Down Under after Trump’s election.</p>
<p>Australia is indeed a long way away from Virginia, but the effort to come here is always worthwhile.&#160; Not just because the country really has all the qualities extolled in a relatively honest tourist brochure.</p>
<p>Australia’s political conjuncture is fascinating for me because it is poised in front of thresholds the US and UK crossed decades ago.&#160; The country has thus far survived the neoliberal onslaught better than its two anglophone counterparts.</p>
<p>Australia has not had a recession for 25 years.&#160; As the Washington Post put it (September 15, 2016): “The last time Australia had a recession, the Clintons had never run for president, Donald Trump had never had a business go bankrupt, and the Soviet Union was still a country”.</p>
<p>An American or Brit can only scratch their head at such macroeconomic competence or good fortune (or both).&#160; In the period 1990-2015, average Australian GDP growth was 3.3%, whereas in the same period the US only had 8 years, and the UK 5 years, in which their GDPs matched or exceeded the Australian average.</p>
<p>A primary reason for Australia’s relative success has been a booming economy propelled by its extractive industries, which benefitted from the huge demand for coal and minerals generated by China’s economic expansion.&#160; Australia is thus a major contributor to global environmental pollution.</p>
<p>Now that China’s economy has slowed down, the pinch is starting to be felt by Australia.</p>
<p>The votes for Brexit and Trump indicate (among other things) that the structural problems confronting capitalism, for which neoliberalism has been a disastrous fix except for the extremely wealthy, are starting to register at the most fundamental political level.</p>
<p>Being shielded from these structural problems by the consistently large revenues generated by its extractive industries, Australia has not so far seen the kind of “backlash” politics underpinning the votes for Brexit and Trump.&#160; But the lack of demand which is slowing-down its extractive industries has put an end to any unbridled boom-time optimism, and shows Australia to share in principle the economic quandaries of its western capitalist counterparts.</p>
<p>Euro-America has been defeated by these quandaries, while Australia is weathering the economic challenges posed by a tepid global economy.&#160; The historic compromise between labour and capital remains intact here.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen whether this historic compromise will survive in Australia if there is a worsening of the global economic environment.&#160; The indications thus far are that it will, with some blips.&#160; Neoliberalism will make inroads, simply because handing things over to the private sector is an easy way for governments to let themselves off the hook.&#160; What transpires of course is a giant rent-seeking racket in which citizens are turned into consumers and fleeced accordingly.</p>
<p>Reading today’s Sydney Morning Herald I came across an article which screamed “British Rail” at me– BR’s privatization by the Tories now enabling buccaneers like Richard Branson to have his over-crowded and clapped-out Virgin trains carry disgruntled but hapless passengers who pay exorbitantly for this privilege, while Branson runs all the way to his offshore banks with their money and the handsome subsidies he receives from the British government.</p>
<p>According to the Morning Herald, the New South Wales Auditor-General has revealed that the projected construction and operational costs of Sydney’s upcoming light-rail project, entrusted to a private consortium, will now over-run by a whopping 70%.</p>
<p>This kind of thing has been par for the course where BR is concerned.&#160; Every time BR outsourced this or that part of its operation to the private sector, the bids came in at the low end of the cost-spectrum to serve as bait for the BR executives in charge of the bidding process.&#160; Once the contract was secured, however, the invariable multiple cycles of over-charging can begin. &#160;&#160;Regulation by neoliberal governments is typically “light touch” — a slap on the wrist is administered occasionally– and consumers are ripped-off methodically as a result.&#160; &#160;Costs eat into profit margins, so services provided are pared to the bone to keep costs low.</p>
<p>Conflicts of interest are also rife, as many of the politicians who make privatization decisions have a financial stake in the private enterprises rewarded with outsourcing contracts.</p>
<p>The most blatant example of such a conflict of interest in living memory (mine at any rate) was the decision in the early 1960s of the UK’s Tory transport minister, Ernest Marples, to appoint the corporate downsizer Richard Beeching as BR’s chairman.&#160; Beeching duly delivered by closing a third of Britain’s railway lines, triggering a rapid growth in road traffic.&#160; This suited Marples nicely– his family owned the UK’s largest roadway construction company.&#160; For his work the egregious Beeching was made Baron Beeching (a typical British touch), when he deserved to be sent to the scaffold (capital punishment was only abolished in the UK in 1965, so in principle Beeching could have been eligible for the ultimate sentence).</p>
<p>Donald Trump must have found a way to channel the scoundrel Ernest Marples, what with the Orange Man’s decision to appoint a political ally of corporate polluters in Oklahoma to head the EPA, a CEO opponent of labour to be labor secretary, an opponent of public housing (despite having himself grown up in public housing) to be head of the Housing and Urban Development department, and an opponent of public education to be education secretary.</p>
<p>Alas, no critic of the US’s out of control military spending will ever be put in charge of the Pentagon.&#160; During his campaign, Trump railed against out control military procurement, but his decision to surround himself with generals of the “mad dog” variety tells a different story.&#160; Hugely expensive “stealth” fighters and navy destroyers that turn out to be as easy to detect as a gorgeously variegated tropical bird will continue to be built under Trump. The mad dogs won’t have it any other way.</p>
<p>Most of Euro-America has ditched this compromise between capital and labour by opting for an austerity agenda of the kind crippling the UK and the EU.</p>
<p>Or there is the faux populism resorted to by the Orange Man, whose nebulous promise of a return to former glories is not going to do anything to raise the living standards of ordinary Americans, no matter how often he repeats his “I feel your pain” refrain in front of the television cameras.</p>
<p>“America First” clearly resonated with the Orange Man’s base, but there are multiple tiers of Americanness, economically and socially, and those on the bottom tier economically are not going to be helped by a shameless plutocrat who said throughout his campaign that “wages are too high”.</p>
<p>Another reason why Australia has been able to hold on to some kind of social democracy is an inbuilt cultural iconoclasm and a collective distaste for snootiness or snobbery (not a good way of putting it, but it must suffice).</p>
<p>Toffs and arrivistes like Margaret Thatcher (she with the elocution lessons so as to sound less like the grocer’s daughter she was) are given short shrift here in ways moderately thrilling for anyone coming from a culture deadened by centuries of stifling deference and anachronistic flummery—the royal family with its massive retinue of toadies and flunkeys, the myriad aristocratic throwbacks, and such Ruritanian decorative waxworks as Black Rod, Gold Stick and Silver Stick, Warden of the Queen’s Swans, Ladies of the Bedchamber, the Clerk of the Closet (not that closet!), the Yeoman Usher, the Serjeant-at-Arms, Beefeaters, the whole rotting carcass dressed up for Ukania’s royalist psychodrama.Prince Charles is a jackass royally incapable of good judgement on all manner of issues from architecture to blood sports, something which can barely be whispered aloud in the UK.</p>
<p>Here by contrast even parts of the ruling elites are open in their lampooning of the heir to the British throne.&#160; Charles gets heckled during his visits to Australia and in a 2005 visit Aussies yelled taunts at him about Lady Di.&#160; He may even have at the back of his mind the discomfiting fact that the first British royal to visit Australia, in 1868, received a bullet to his rib-cage. Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s second son, survived the assassination attempt made in Sydney.&#160; A mortified Australian elite was impelled to name the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in his honour, as well as a street near my hotel.&#160; His would-be assassin, known to be mentally unstable, was nonetheless sent to the gallows.</p>
<p>(I’m in Sydney, struck as always by its vibrant diversity of cultures and ethnicities.)</p>
<p>The Australian prime minister, the rightwing Malcolm Turnbull, is a republican despite his political affiliation, something that sinks a fledgling political career in the UK like a ton of lead.</p>
<p>Turnbull’s reasoning is impeccable:&#160; what kind of country has a foreign head of state as its own head of state?&#160; This Saturday, Turnbull, an otherwise craven plutocrat (he is one of the richest people in Australia), will speak at a gala fund-raising dinner for the Australian Republican Movement.</p>
<p>Nearly everyone with whom I discussed this issue said most Aussies are waiting for Elizabeth Windsor’s state funeral before they made their next move on Australia’s link to this foreign monarchy.</p>
<p>The Australian political system has wood rot in places, but as long as the compromise between labour and capital that was the bedrock of European social democracy and the American New Deal is not overturned, Australians seem less likely to give in to the widespread cynicism, disenchantment, and apathy prevailing in the neoliberal US and Europe.</p>
<p>An indication for me of how this compromise survives in Australia is provided by my hotel.&#160; Part of an American global chain, its US hotels offer members of its rewards programme the abomination of an extra 500 points for each day they don’t want their rooms cleaned.&#160; The intention of course is to reduce costs by hiring fewer staff to clean rooms.&#160; No such inducement is offered by the hotel in Sydney– not that I would take it– and there seem to be more staff here than in the chain’s US hotels.</p>
<p>(Brexit and the vote for Trump are mirror images of this systemic economic and political debilitation.&#160; Both are incoherent ideologically and a dead-end politically.&#160; Little Englanderism and American white nationalism are simply not going to cut the mustard.&#160; How anyone can think a jittery and opportunistically short-termist Theresa May is capable of orchestrating a Brexit likely to be to the long-term benefit of the UK, or that Trump’s coterie of avaricious billionaires and retired generals masquerading as a cabinet can safeguard the future of Joe and Jill Normal of Pulaski, the struggling small town in rural Virginia, is almost beyond belief.)</p>
<p>The Australian electoral system has a preferential/transferable-vote form of proportional representation.&#160; As is the case with the US and UK, the lack of a full-blown PR system makes a duopoly of power almost inevitable.&#160; I was told the introduction of a fully-fledged PR system would lead to coalitions more reflective of the interests of voters.&#160; This of course is true of every electoral system without PR.</p>
<p>With PR, the Australian right-wing party, the Liberals, would probably split between its hard and soft right-wings, with a small ultra-nationalist grouping forming a third component on the right.</p>
<p>The Labor party would split between its neoliberal “centrists” and old-school social democrats (shades of what seems imminent within the UK Labour party today!), with the latter almost certainly forming an alliance with the Greens, while the Labor neoliberals enter a possible coalition with the soft-right faction in the Liberal party.</p>
<p>Almost certain to be left out any such reconfiguration would be the indigenous people and their interests.&#160; Australia, like the US, is a settler-colonial nation founded on the genocide-ethnocide of its indigenes.</p>
<p>Responses to this brute historical reality, as is the case with the US, extend from outright evasion (“Well, we’ve been good for them despite some bad stuff in the past”) to hand-wringing guilt.</p>
<p>All such responses are predicated on the erasure of enmity lines which the indigenous people had, and still have, every right to maintain, if only they possessed the requisite power. &#160;They have every right to fight back, but alas don’t have the political, let alone military, means.</p>
<p>As is the case with the US, governmental responses to the dire predicament of the indigenous people are largely cosmetic, with a specious multiculturalism and “heritage culture” serving as a camouflage for inactivity in nearly every official sphere.</p>
<p>The other stain on the country’s historical record, not yet as ineradicable as its treatment of the indigenous people, is its utterly shameful response to the now global crisis of refugees and asylum seekers.</p>
<p>Australia’s response to this crisis has been to create refugee camps, as part of the Orwellian sounding Operation Sovereign Borders– the idea that hungry and petrified refugees on leaky boats pose a threat to Australia’s sovereignty is simply laughable– on the Pacific islands of Nauru and Manus.&#160; Impartial observers say these camps are a combination of Guantanamo and the recently-demolished refugee camp in Calais commonly referred to as the “jungle”.</p>
<p>The Nauru and Manus gulags have rudimentary medical facilities, are beset by food shortages, provide very limited educations for their child inmates, and are chronically over-crowded.&#160; Their inmates are humans in dire need who are guilty of no crime, despite being placed in conditions no Australian convicted murderer has to endure.</p>
<p>Many of the Australians I spoke to, mindful of their country’s colonial origins as a convict colony in which cruelty and abuse were systemic, regard the Pacific gulags as a national disgrace, especially for a very wealthy country that purports to be a democracy.&#160; But of course, their government does nothing.&#160; Even the opposition social-democratic Labor party is committed to retaining the offshore refugee gulags, though it pledges to make them less gulag-like, perhaps less like a prison and more like a horribly run down one-star motel.</p>
<p>Australia has thus joined the EU countries in fashioning, for the so-called popular consciousness, an ugly and coldblooded notion of the refugee as one of the criminal or borderline-criminal archetypes (typically to be found in the spread ranging from literature and film to criminology)— other such archetypes include the figures of the thief, murderer, sexual predator, paedophile, gangster, hooligan, vandal, drug addict and dealer, counterfeiter, swindler, kidnapper, smuggler, slave trafficker, hacker, and so forth.</p>
<p>In numerous conversations, nearly everyone asked me how Americans could bring themselves to vote for Trump, the quintessential anarcho-capitalist, with his numerous bankruptcies, failed businesses, fake enterprises such as his “university”, habitual stiffing of contractors who work for him, and so on.&#160; I tried to answer, giving reasons well-known to every regular reader of CounterPunch.</p>
<p>Far more interesting to me were their responses to my own question “what would it take for its version of Donald Trump to emerge in Australia?” (my having agreed with anyone who said the Orange Man is a no holds barred plutocrat who campaigned deceptively as a “man of the people”).</p>
<p>With Trump’s ascendancy, America is moving from its phase of a minimally regulated anarcho-capitalism (Reagan to Obama) to a virtually unregulated phase of this anarcho-capitalism.</p>
<p>Aware of this, most of my Aussie interlocutors answered my question with brevity:&#160; to elect its version of Trump a massive breakdown of Australia’s social and political order would have to occur.&#160; Ummm.</p>
<p>And so, the following thought intruded when thinking about the answers given by my Aussie friends.&#160; Has something like this breakdown already happened, or started to happen, in the big country which had its recent presidential election?</p>
<p>Incidentally, the only positive outcome looked forward to from a Trump presidency by the university-based Aussies I spoke with is a boom in international students wanting an English-speaking education, but now eschewing the US and the UK (because of Brexit) and coming to Australia instead, since they don’t want to contend with Brexit’s unpredictable outcomes and the xenophobia already being unleashed by the Orange Man.</p>
<p>The Aussie universities, eager for almost any extra revenue source, will welcome them with open arms.</p> | Impressions of the Australian Conjecture | true | https://counterpunch.org/2016/12/16/impressions-of-the-australian-conjecture/ | 2016-12-16 | 4 |
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<p>After the 2012 Benghazi attack, Congress boosted spending on security to protect the tens of thousands of Americans and foreign staff that make up the U.S. diplomatic service. Security experts and career diplomats say there have been improvements, but that significant shortfalls remain.</p>
<p>Last week’s assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was a chilling reminder that diplomats are increasingly exposed to threats, even in countries that are typically not regarded as hardship posts. The assassin shouted, “Don’t forget Aleppo,” apparently referring to Russia’s military engagement in Syria.</p>
<p>It’s not clear whether having a brashly outspoken figure like Trump in the White House will compound diplomatic security challenges. The foreign policy of Trump and his pick for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, remains somewhat of an enigma.</p>
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<p>The Trump transition team didn’t respond to questions about how his administration will address diplomatic security issues.</p>
<p>Keeping diplomats safe is a costly business. In the last budget year, Congress approved $3.39 billion for the Diplomatic Security Bureau’s functions around the world. That accounts for about 7 percent of the State Department’s overall budget.</p>
<p>Diplomatic security has also become highly contentious since the killings of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans at Benghazi.</p>
<p>The Republican-led House Select Committee on Benghazi concluded in June that there were lethal mistakes by the Obama administration, though it found no “smoking gun” pointing to wrongdoing by Clinton. The committee included Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., Trump’s pick to head the CIA.</p>
<p>Another member of the committee, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, criticized the Obama administration for refusing to create the position of undersecretary for diplomatic security. He called it the most important change “to enhance diplomatic security.” He claimed committee Democrats “stonewalled and played games while we searched for the truth.”</p>
<p>The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, accused Republicans of losing interest in diplomatic security now that the election is over.</p>
<p>“Since the issue is no longer a useful cudgel against Secretary Clinton, I fear the (Republican) majority’s commitment to diplomatic security will once again fade, and the State Department could face cuts both to security budgets and to core diplomatic functions,” Schiff said.</p>
<p>A 2012 government inquiry following the Benghazi attacks made more than two dozen recommendations for security improvements, highlighting serious lapses in management and leadership that left the consulate vulnerable.</p>
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<p>The Bureau of Diplomatic Security declined to answer specific questions on the areas where improvement is still needed, but said that diplomatic security “constantly balances available resources to provide a safe and secure environment for the conduct of U.S. diplomacy.”</p>
<p>Security experts and diplomats say more can be done within individual diplomatic missions to improve safety. Mission security chiefs can use more training, and ambassadors and other mission leaders should also be given greater authority over security matters since they are most familiar with conditions on the ground, experts say.</p>
<p>Fred Burton, a former diplomatic security agent, said mission security officials “never had that ability to speak for ourselves at these kinds of decision-making meetings because you’re pushed down on this flow chart and then you’re left … with all the challenges of being in a place like Benghazi.”</p>
<p>Burton, author of “Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi,” said he’s not optimistic the problem can be fixed unless Tillerson is confirmed “and his desire is to restructure the bureaucracy inside State.”</p>
<p>Traditionally, host countries have been obligated by treaty to protect diplomatic facilities. But with non-state actors gaining ground and capable of destabilizing governments, it’s falling to the U.S. to take all precautions to protect its diplomats while still giving them the freedom to do their jobs.</p>
<p>Robert Ford, a former ambassador to Syria, said the most helpful way Congress and the administration could advance diplomatic security is by providing “strong support for locally determined security resource needs.”</p>
<p>“Security issues cannot realistically be micro-managed from Washington-based officials because only the people on the ground have an up-to-date sense of conditions and the evolution of threats,” he said.</p> | For Trump White House, diplomatic security challenges remain | false | https://abqjournal.com/916626/for-trump-white-house-diplomatic-security-challenges-remain.html | 2 |
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<p>As protesters held signs proclaiming “Being Homeless is Not a Crime” and “Eviction Is Not a Solution,” Erica Perea, 25, removed items from her tent Monday morning and placed them in a baby stroller that she uses to lug her belongings around town.</p>
<p>Civilian members of the Albuquerque Police Department’s Crisis Outreach and Support Team, or COAST, loaded the items into a car that will take Perea to a local motel for a free week’s lodging.</p>
<p>There, a caseworker from Heading Home, which attempts to get the most vulnerable among the homeless into permanent housing, will visit her and figure out exactly what social services Perea needs, says Yvette Garcia, a crisis specialist with COAST.</p>
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<p>So goes the latest saga in the ongoing effort to help those people who are living in 30 or so tents at what has become known as “Tent City,” located on a strip of dirt on the east side of First Street at Iron SW.</p>
<p>Perea clearly needs help. Just moments before, she’d been ranting about the presence of police officers and the intrusion of representatives from organizations and agencies who had set up informational tables across the street.</p>
<p>She suddenly removed what looked like a new blue knit hat from a cardboard box, spit into it and threw it to the curb.</p>
<p>Garcia explained that the woman apparently lost identification cards and has been unable to get her Social Security disability checks and Medicaid, as well as medication that she needs for “mental health” issues.</p>
<p>Before getting into the vehicle, Perea calls to someone in a nearby tent: “I guess I’ll see you in a week.”</p>
<p>According to another COAST member, Nils Rosenbaum, a “fair number” of Tent City occupants are interested in social services that could get them off the streets, but many more “are disillusioned by the system and need face time with people who care,” he said. “This is not a one-day fix.”</p>
<p>Other organizations providing that face time on Monday were Heading Home, St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless, Veterans Integration Center, Joy Junction, Barrett House, and Project Echo – a Medicaid health care project administered by University of New Mexico Hospital.</p>
<p>Protest organizer Joel Gallegos, with the ANSWER coalition (Act Now to Stop War and Racism), said the group was supporting the Tent City occupants’ right to be there.</p>
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<p>“A lot of people don’t want to see these people evicted. Where are they going to go? If they had housing options, they wouldn’t be here,” he said.</p>
<p>ANSWER demonstrator Joleen Carrico offered that if the city provided “adequate support for people who have mental illnesses and substance abuse problems, and places for them to shower and get clothing so they can get cleaned up and get a job, then this wouldn’t be an issue.”</p>
<p>Kathy Sotelo, an executive assistant at Joy Junction complimented the demonstrators for “showing their compassion,” but added it would be more productive for them to “help us find a solution.”</p>
<p>APD Lt. Scott Lafayette said the demonstrators have it wrong. APD and the social service providers do want to move as many people as possible from Tent City into shelters and permanent housing, but “nobody is being forced to leave, and no one’s belongings are being taken away,” he said.</p>
<p>According to Dennis Plummer, executive director of Heading Home, on Monday, 12 occupants of Tent City were moved into motels, two were given shelter at the Albuquerque Occupational Center, and one was provided a bus pass to return to her family in Denver. Over the past two months, he said, 40 people were moved out of Tent City, eight of them into permanent housing.</p>
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<p /> | Activists protest for homeless in Albuquerque’s ‘Tent City’ | false | https://abqjournal.com/535649/activists-protest-for-homeless-in-tent-city.html | 2 |
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<p>Today the anime and gaming communities mourn the loss of Monty Oum, the creator of the TV series&#160;RWBY and the director of animation for Rooster Teeth Productions. &#160;Oum died tragically from an allergic reaction during a routine surgery on Feb. 1 2015. &#160;He was only 33 years old.</p>
<p>On Jan. 21 Oum suffered an allergic reaction which left him comatose and in critical care. &#160;The community quickly rallied around him, raising $150,000 for medical expenses in 24 hours through <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/MontyandSheena" type="external">GoFundMe</a>. &#160;Although the funding could not ultimately save Oum’s life, Rooster Teeth has <a href="http://roosterteeth.com/news/entry.php?id=5448468" type="external">issued</a>a thank you to his fans, saying the generosity of the community “will help his family deal with the costs of his care and his passing.” &#160;The production company also assured Oum’s fans that “during his time in the hospital he was well cared for and never in pain at any time.”</p>
<p>A rising star in the anime world, Oum was best known for his work on&#160;RWBY,&#160;Afro Samurai, and the web series&#160;Red Vs. Blue.&#160; Anime fans often described him as bringing a western approach to the traditionally Japanese genre for his takes on popular Japanese tropes, such as monster-hunting high school girls. &#160;At conventions and on social media he was always very outgoing and happy&#160;to interact with his fans. &#160;In a fitting final tribute, Rooster Teeth asks that “In lieu of flowers or gifts, we ask that you simply do something creative. Use your imagination to make the world a better place in any way that you can.&#160; If you know Monty like we do, then you know he would certainly be doing that if he were able to.”</p>
<p>Monty Oum is survived by his wife Sheena, father Mony, brothers Woody, Sey, Chivy, and Neat, sisters Thea and Theary, and millions of fans around the world.</p>
<p /> | Animator Monty Oum dead at 33 | false | http://natmonitor.com/2015/02/04/animator-monty-oum-dead-at-33/ | 2015-02-04 | 3 |
<p>The Social Security Administration has rolled back extra security measures on the agency's website after getting complaints from people who had trouble accessing their accounts.</p>
<p>For years, workers and beneficiaries have been able to use the My Social Security website to get information about benefits, logging in with a user name and a password.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>On July 30, the agency began requiring people to sign into their account using a one-time code that was sent to them in a text message. This is a common security method used by banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions to fight identity theft.</p>
<p>The agency said it implemented the extra security to comply with President Barack Obama's executive order requiring federal agencies to improve the security of online financial transactions.</p>
<p>"We implemented it aggressively because we have a fundamental responsibility to protect the public's personal information," the Social Security Administration said in a statement.</p>
<p>However, Social Security has temporarily stopped requiring the extra security after getting complaints.</p>
<p>"Our aggressive implementation inconvenienced or restricted access to some of our account holders," the statement said. "We are listening to the public's concerns and are responding by temporarily rolling back this mandate."</p>
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<p>People can still request the extra security on a voluntary basis.</p> | Social Security rolls back security measures on website | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2016/08/23/social-security-rolls-back-security-measures-on-website.html | 2016-08-23 | 0 |
<p>Less may be more when it comes to opening casinos in New York amid an increasingly competitive gambling environment.</p>
<p>More than a dozen contenders are proposing upstate casino projects. Developers say they've carefully studied the local market to ensure they don't overbuild.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>That's a problem that's happened elsewhere as gambling options grow and customers favor casinos within a few hours' drive. This year, four casinos are closing in Atlantic City after facing increased competition from smaller casinos in nearby states like Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Developers say a successful casino must strike a balance between being grand enough to attract customers and being modest enough to break even.</p>
<p>New York gambling regulators are set to award up to four upstate casino licenses this fall.</p> | Scale will matter for success of New York casinos as gambling expands into crowded market | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/08/31/scale-will-matter-for-success-new-york-casinos-as-gambling-expands-into-crowded.html | 2016-03-05 | 0 |
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<p>It's Facebook day here on MoJoBlog! The two posts we've had about it today ( <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2007/09/5565_that_facebook_k.html" type="external">here's the first</a>) may be two more than we've ever had.</p>
<p>Here's the occasion for the second post: The candidate-based Facebook group that had the most members for many, many months - "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)" - has <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5989.html" type="external">finally been topped</a>. And it's been topped by Hillary Clinton, but not in a good way for the New York senator.</p>
<p>The group "Stop Hillary Clinton (One Million Strong AGAINST Hillary)" has more than 418,000 members, which beats Obama's 355,000 members. And it crushes any pro-Clinton groups, the two biggest of which combine for just under 10,000 members.</p>
<p>So Hillary Fever isn't catching on with the kids. Obama's campaign is very aware of the advantage it has among this demographic, and has made it a crucial part of its Iowa strategy. From an internal Obama campaign memo that <a href="http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/09/obamas_search_for_the_higgs_bo_1.php" type="external">Marc Ambinder</a> nabbed:</p>
<p>On a related point, polls consistently under-represent in Iowa, and elsewhere, the strength of Barack's support among younger voters for at least three reasons. In more than one survey, Barack's support among Iowa young voters exceeded the support of all the other candidates combined. First, young voters are dramatically less likely to have caucused or voted regularly in primaries in the past, so pollsters heavily under-represent them. Second, young voters are more mobile and are much less likely to be at home in the early evening and thus less likely to be interviewed in any survey. Third, young voters are much less likely to have a landline phone and much more likely to rely exclusively upon cell phones, which are automatically excluded from phone surveys. So all of these state and national surveys have and will continue to under-represent Barack's core support - in effect, his hidden vote in each of these pivotal early states.</p>
<p>Update: It was Rudy Giuliani's daughter's membership in the Barack Obama Facebook group mentioned above that tipped the media to the fact that she <a href="/mojoblog/archives/2007/08/5100_on_person_who_w.html" type="external">disagrees with her dad's politics</a>.</p>
<p /> | ?Stop Hillary Clinton? Now the Largest Political Facebook Group | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2007/09/stop-hillary-clinton-now-largest-political-facebook-group/ | 2007-09-25 | 4 |
<p>Published time: 26 Nov, 2017 22:46</p>
<p>Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Roy Moore’s opponent in the race to fill the Alabama Senate seat left vacant by Jeff Sessions, seemingly reiterating his support for Moore, who has been accused of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>The US President took to his favored platform, Twitter, to lambast Jones, saying “Jones would be a disaster!” if elected to office. His opponent in the race has been embroiled in scandal following <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/woman-says-roy-moore-initiated-sexual-encounter-when-she-was-14-he-was-32/2017/11/09/1f495878-c293-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?utm_term=.7d10e01c23c8" type="external">accusations</a> in the Washington Post that he initiated a sexual encounter with a 14 year-old girl in 1979. Moore was 32 at the time.</p>
<p>The Post further reported that three other women, then aged between 16 and 18, now also allege that Moore, described as a ‘ <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/404706-moore-senate-alabama-trump-bannon/" type="external">firebrand judge</a>’, pursued them when he was in his early thirties.</p>
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<p>The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster!</p>
<p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934781939088629761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">November 26, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p />
<p>I endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama Primary. He shot way up in the polls but it wasn’t enough. Can’t let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD!</p>
<p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934792302341521408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" type="external">November 26, 2017</a></p>
<p />
<p>Moore has lost nearly all support within the party, but Trump appears to be sticking by his man, despite campaigning for his opponent, incumbent Senator “Big Luther” Strange, in the runoff Republican primary.</p>
<p>Multiple high-level Republicans have called on Moore to drop out of the race but he, so far, hasn’t heeded their advice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/409789-moore-mcconnell-sexual-allegations/" type="external">told</a> reporters that Moore should be expelled from the Senate even if he wins the upcoming December 12 special election. Other Senators took to Sunday TV programmes to criticise their president’s apparent support for Moore.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/409789-moore-mcconnell-sexual-allegations/" type="external" /></p>
<p>Speaking to CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), said “that’s a political decision by the president and he’s definitely trying to throw a lifeline to Roy Moore.” “From a Republican point of view, I don’t know what winning looks like with Roy Moore,” he added.</p>
<p>Meanwhile on NBC’s Meet the Press, fellow Republican Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), said that the best thing for the country would be if Moore dropped out. “I think that’d be better for the country and, you know, the election’s in a few weeks here, or in a couple weeks maybe, and, you know, there is a possibility for folks to do write-in candidates, so we’ll see but, no, I think it’d be best if he stepped aside,” he said.</p> | Trump’s support for Roy Moore, Senate candidate accused of sexual misconduct, slammed by Republicans | false | https://newsline.com/trumps-support-for-roy-moore-senate-candidate-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-slammed-by-republicans/ | 2017-11-26 | 1 |
<p>Aug. 7 (UPI) — The national price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States should stay within a steady range even as demand pressures increase, GasBuddy reported Monday.</p>
<p>Price-reporting company GasBuddy listed a national average retail price for a gallon of gasoline at $2.35 for Monday, the highest level since June. The company said this week marks the third in a row for an increase in retail gas prices, a trend that loosely matches crude oil. The price for West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark for the price of oil, has been on the rise, but remains just below the psychological threshold of $50 per barrel.</p>
<p>Patrick DeHaan, a senior analyst for GasBuddy, said the price at the pump mirrors crude oil prices, which have been driven by higher demand and concerns about the political crisis <a href="https://www.upi.com/Oil-prices-drop-after-Venezuelan-risk-wanes/9511501594347/" type="external">in Venezuela</a>, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.</p>
<p>“Looking behind us however, gas prices have remained in a relatively tight range for the last year, staying within a 30 cent wide range,” he said in an emailed report. “While we’re likely to see gas prices continuing to move higher in the week ahead as they catch up to oil, we’re unlikely to break out of the well-established rut in the national average which has kept prices between $2.12 and $2.42 for the last 15 months.”</p>
<p>Four states shared honors in posting the highest spike in gasoline prices from last week, with Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey and South Carolina experiencing an increase of 7 cents per gallon. Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina have the lowest state average in the country at $2.09 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s accounting.</p>
<p>Supply and demand are contributing factors for retail gasoline prices. The federal government reported a drop in gasoline inventories last week and there’s about a month left before the end of the official <a href="https://www.upi.com/US-gas-prices-for-August-could-be-the-highest-for-the-year/3491501581618/" type="external">summer travel season</a>.</p> | GasBuddy: Gas prices could go higher, but not too much | false | https://newsline.com/gasbuddy-gas-prices-could-go-higher-but-not-too-much/ | 2017-08-07 | 1 |
<p />
<p>For those thinking of franchising their existing business, and those hoping to own their own franchise, there are many things to consider before diving in.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>FOXBusiness.com sat down with several franchisors&#160;during the International Franchise Expo weekend&#160;event in New York City to hear their advice for potential franchisees and franchisors. Here's some of their survival tips and success strategies.</p>
<p>Lesson 1: Don’t expect to know everything on day one.</p>
<p>Paul Lyons, Vice President of Beef Jerky Outlet</p>
<p>Lyons said the business has been franchising for twelve years, and has a dozen locations across the country. So much of being a franchisor is learning on the fly, he said.</p>
<p>“You learn everything as you go along about what works and what doesn’t,” Lyons said.</p>
<p>Advertisement</p>
<p>His biggest lesson was about financing, and helping franchisees with funding. “The biggest thing is trying to get people financed,” he said. “Our franchisees, we just weren’t set up to help them out with financing.”</p>
<p>Lesson 2: Be selective.</p>
<p>Dan Evans director of Franchise Licensing at UniGlobe</p>
<p>Evans said the one thing he wishes he knew when starting out in 1980 was how to find the right people.</p>
<p>“You don’t sell them the franchise,” Evans said. “You award them the franchise. If I talk you into franchising, you have the expectation that I will do things for you. But, if I award you with the franchise, the expectation is that you will do things.”</p>
<p>UniGlobe has 700 franchises in 64 countries.</p>
<p>Lesson 3: Don’t rush the sale.</p>
<p>Craig Hinck, area developer for Boneheads</p>
<p>Hinck, who is new to franchising and is currently focusing on developing potential franchisees in New York City, said taking the time to interview clients is important to the company’s overall success.</p>
<p>“It’s finding the right clients,” Hinck said. “Because if it succeeds for them, it succeeds for you. You don’t want to just have a quick sell to get the franchise fee.”</p>
<p>Lesson 4: Be ready to ‘work on the business.’</p>
<p>Gary Occhiogrosso, chief development officer of TruFoods and franchise strategist</p>
<p>Occhiogrosso, who has been in the business for 28 years, finds individuals with concepts for franchises and helps them launch their businesses. He said many who want to work for themselves don’t take enough time to do proper soul searching and self-assessment before taking that leap.</p>
<p>“Many of them are technicians, like cooks and artists,” he said. “They need to realize they will be working ‘on’ the business, not ‘in’ the business. You may like to cook,&#160;but you won’t be doing that at the end of the day. People confuse the work with the business. Franchising requires a special individual because the work is not the business.”</p>
<p>Lesson 5: Get another opinion.</p>
<p>Mark Jameson, senior vice president of Fast Signs</p>
<p>For both franchisors as well as those considering opening a franchise, Jameson suggests third-party evaluations. He said franchisors should disclose an item 19, or an earnings claim, to potential franchisees to show profitability and the viability of the concept. And franchisees should know to ask for this information before signing on the dotted line.</p>
<p>“Ask for franchise testimonials and interview the franchisors,” he said. “This way, candidates can look at the business from a third party—it's very important to have that third-party validation.”</p> | Five Lessons for Would-Be Franchisees, Franchisors | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2012/06/18/five-lessons-for-would-be-franchisees-franchisors.html | 2016-03-23 | 0 |
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<p>German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)</p>
<p>BERLIN - German lawmakers have approved a pension-reform package including a much-criticized provision for some people to retire early on full pensions.</p>
<p>Germany is raising the retirement age to 67 from 65 but plans, at the insistence of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-left coalition partners, to allow people who've paid pension contributions for 45 years to retire at 63 without a financial hit.</p>
<p>The package also features higher pensions for mothers who stayed at home, advocated by Merkel's conservatives. Annual costs are expected to total up to 11 billion euros ($15 billion).</p>
<p>Lawmakers approved the plans Friday in a 460-64 vote, with 60 abstentions.</p>
<p>Business leaders and some opposition figures say Berlin is sending the wrong signal by encouraging other European countries to raise retirement ages yet making early retirement easier at home.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | German lawmakers back early retirement plan | false | https://abqjournal.com/405129/german-lawmakers-back-early-retirement-plan.html | 2 |
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<p>Steve Beshear - Kentucky’s former governor - gaffed in <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?424667-1/former-governor-steve-beshear-delivers-democratic-response-president-trumps-address" type="external">his response</a> to President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night address to Congress. Despite reading from a teleprompter, he described himself as a “proud Republican" (emphasis added):</p>
<p>"I’m here in Lexington, Kentucky, some four hundred miles from Washington at a diner with some neighbors - Democrats, and Republicans - where we just watched the president’s address. I’m a proud Democrat, but first and foremost, I’m a proud Republican - and Democrat - and mostly - American."</p>
<p>None of the Democrat-selected human props sitting around Beshear during his live address offered any correction to the former governor, despite intently listening to his speech.</p>
<p>Beshear pushed the narrative of Trump, Republicans, and the broader right as contemptuous towards immigrants and foreigners:</p>
<p>“The America I love allowed a small town preacher’s kid to be elected governor, and It taught me to embrace people who are different from me, not vilify them… The America I love… is about working together instead of allowing our differences to divide us and hold us back.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>President Trump has all but declared war on refugees and immigrants.”</p>
<p>Describing Trump as “Wall Street’s champion,” Beshear framed the president’s populist persona as insincere.</p>
<p>Opposition to the Affordable Care Act (AKA “Obamacare”) and proposals for free market alternatives for health care were both rooted in malice towards poorer people, implied Beshear:</p>
<p>“Even more troubling, you and your Republican allies in Congress seem determined to rip affordable health insurance away from millions of Americans who most need it.... This isn’t a game, it’s life and death for people… Behind these ideas is the belief that folks at the lower end of the economic ladder just don’t deserve health care, that it’s somehow their fault that their employer doesn’t offer insurance, or that they can’t afford to buy expensive health plans.”</p>
<p>Placed in a diner resembling what one would expect to find in Everytown, USA, political observers should consider what messages Democrats are attempting to send - or push back against - with their selection of speaker and associated visual context in response to Trump's first address to Congress. Follow Robert Kraychik on <a href="https://twitter.com/kr3ch3k" type="external">Twitter</a>.</p> | WATCH: Democrat Responding To Trump Makes Enormous, Hilarious Gaffe | true | https://dailywire.com/news/13983/watch-democrat-responding-trump-makes-enormous-robert-kraychik | 2017-03-01 | 0 |
<p>ATLANTA (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Georgia Lottery's "All or Nothing Day" game were:</p>
<p>01-02-07-09-11-12-13-15-18-19-21-24</p>
<p>(one, two, seven, nine, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-four)</p>
<p>ATLANTA (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday afternoon's drawing of the Georgia Lottery's "All or Nothing Day" game were:</p>
<p>01-02-07-09-11-12-13-15-18-19-21-24</p>
<p>(one, two, seven, nine, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-four)</p> | Winning numbers drawn in 'All or Nothing Day' game | false | https://apnews.com/amp/9aca4b4cf3534653946c19c74179b8a0 | 2018-01-25 | 2 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A former New Mexico Workers? Compensation administrative law judge and disbarred lawyer pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to defrauding the Social Security Administration of more than $40,000 and an estate and its beneficiaries of almost $572,000.</p>
<p>Juanita Roibal-Bradley, 60, of Albuquerque, pleaded to one count related to Social Security benefits and 12 counts of wire fraud. The plea bargain requires she serve a prison term of no more than 39 months and will be ordered to pay restitutionto her victims.</p>
<p>An indictment says between 2007 and 2011, she got more than $40,000 in disability benefits but failed to disclose she was employed as a mediator and supervising attorney by the Workers? Compensation Administration and thus not entitled to the benefits. The indictment's wire fraud counts accuse her of falsely representing herself as an attorney as part of a scheme to defraud an estate and its beneficiaries of almost $571,948.98.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Former workers' comp judge pleads to fraud charges | false | https://abqjournal.com/717145/former-workers-comp-judge-pleads-to-fraud-charges.html | 2 |
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<p>A suicide bombing apparently tied to the one-year anniversary of the Red Mosque raid killed at least 15 in the Pakistani capital of <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-pakistan7-2008jul07,0,1194833.story" type="external">Islamabad</a> Sunday night. The next morning, a bomber drove an explosives-laden car into the Indian Embassy in <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7492601.stm" type="external">Kabul</a>, Afghanistan, killing 41 - including India's ranking defense attach? - and injuring more than 140 others.</p>
<p>Los Angeles Times:</p>
<p>ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - A powerful suicide explosion killed at least 15 people and injured dozens of others here Sunday evening, shortly after a large protest rally marking the one-year anniversary of government forces' raid on a radical mosque. Most of the dead were police officers.</p>
<p>The blast, which appeared to have targeted the security forces, poses a sharp new challenge to Pakistan's coalition government, which has been struggling in its efforts to formulate a policy for dealing with Islamic militants.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-pakistan7-2008jul07,0,1194833.story" type="external">Read more</a></p>
<p>BBC:</p>
<p>A suicide bomber has rammed a car full of explosives into the gates of the Indian embassy in the Afghan capital, killing 41 people, officials say.</p>
<p>More than 140 were injured, including civilians and security forces, in the attack in the morning rush hour.</p>
<p>India's defence attache, Brig R Mehta, was one of those killed.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7492601.stm" type="external">Read more</a></p> | Bombings Jolt South Asia | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/bombings-jolt-south-asia/ | 2008-07-07 | 4 |
<p>President Donald Trump drafted a letter to fired FBI Director James Comey outlining why he was getting the boot — indicating his refusal to say publicly that Trump wasn’t a target in the agency’s Russia probe was “hampering the country,” <a href="https://www.wsj.com/article_email/trump-drafted-letter-on-why-he-wanted-comey-out-1504303851-lMyQjAxMTA3MTA1MTcwNTE1Wj/" type="external">The Wall Street Journal reported.</a></p>
<p>Quoting an unnamed Trump administration official, the Journal reported Trump worked on the drafted letter, which was never sent, at the president’s golf club in Bedminster, N.J., in early May.</p>
<p>One unnamed Trump administration official told the Journal that Trump wanted this message sent: “You’ve told me three times I’m not under investigation but you won’t tell the world, and it’s hampering the country.”</p>
<p>The president wrote the four-page letter with the help of senior White House aide Stephen Miller, the Journal reported.</p>
<p>“It was the president’s ideas. Miller was the scrivener,” the unnamed official told the Journal.</p>
<p>Trump shared the draft with various White House aides and gave it to top Justice Department officials in a meeting at the White House on May 8, the day before Comey was axed.</p>
<p>Also that day, the Journal noted, Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, shared his own concerns about Comey’s leadership with the president at the White House, and Trump asked him to write it up in a memo.</p>
<p>On May 9, Trump’s four-paragraph letter telling Comey he’d been fired invoked letters from the Justice Department leadership citing damage the former director had done to the FBI’s credibility during an investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email practices.</p>
<p>Yet, Trump himself acknowledged in an interview with NBC News in May that <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-Trump-FBI-The-Latest/2017/05/11/id/789570/" type="external">he’d intended to fire Comey</a> all along, regardless of the memo from Rosenstein.</p>
<p>Last month, with the White House’s consent, the Justice Department turned over the draft letter to Mueller, two unnamed administration officials told the Journal.</p>
<p>The New York Times <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/robert-mueller-letter-comey/2017/09/01/id/811201/" type="external">first reported the existence</a> of the never-sent draft letter.</p>
<p>According to the Journal, the president drafted the first letter just days after Comey’s testimony to Congress on May 3 defending his handling of the Clinton email investigation in 2016 — and was “offended” by it, complaining about the “arrogance” of Comey.</p> | Trump Drafted Letter to Comey on Why He Was Getting Fired | false | https://newsline.com/trump-drafted-letter-to-comey-on-why-he-was-getting-fired/ | 2017-09-01 | 1 |
<p>Legal Insurrection readers have known for weeks about the controversial past of Keith Ellison, including support for Louis Farrakhan, being the go-to Congressman for anti-Israel groups, and statements suggesting it made no sense to base Mideast policy around Israel:</p>
<p>So long as the controversy was talked about only among pro-Israel websites, Ellison and his supporters probably figured they could ride it out. But now it’s gone deep into the mainstream media.</p>
<p />
<p>CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski, who used to be Buzzfeed’s deep diver into internet archives, reported on the Nation of Islam story and source material on December 1, 2016,&#160; <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/01/politics/kfile-keith-ellison-nation-of-islam/index.html" type="external">Rep. Keith Ellison faces renewed scrutiny over past ties to Nation of Islam, defense of anti-Semitic figures</a>:</p>
<p>Rep. Keith Ellison’s past ties to the Nation of Islam and his defense of its anti-Semitic leader, Louis Farrakhan, are resurfacing as he campaigns to lead the Democratic National Committee.</p>
<p>Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, publicly renounced his association with the Nation of Islam in 2006 after it became an issue during his run for Congress, when local Republican bloggers began publishing his old law school columns and photos connecting him to the organization….</p>
<p>ut several outlets have resurfaced Ellison’s past writings as he runs for DNC chair, raising new concerns about his own views and what they would mean for the Democratic Party if he were to be its leader. A CNN KFile review of Ellison’s past writings and public statements during the late 1980s through the 1990s reveal his decade-long involvement in the Nation of Islam and his repeated defense of Farrakhan and other radical black leaders against accusations of anti-Semitism in columns and statements to the press. None of the records reviewed found examples of Ellison making any anti-Semitic comments himself.</p>
<p>Our prior posts detail much of that history. However, Kaczynski uncovered more:</p>
<p>In one scathing column from 1990 unearthed by CNN’s KFile, Ellison accused the university’s president of chilling the free expression of black students by openly criticizing a controversial speaker invited to speak on campus by the Africana Student Cultural Center. That speaker, Kwame Ture (also known as Stokely Carmichael), had publicly claimed that Zionists had collaborated with the Nazis in World War II and has been quoted as saying “Zionism must be destroyed.”</p>
<p>University of Minnesota President Nils Hasselmo said he “personally found the statements in Ture’s speech concerning alleged Zionist collaboration with the Nazis deeply offensive.” Ellison, writing under the name “Keith E. Hakim” for the Minnesota Daily, the student newspaper at the University of Minnesota where Ellison attended law school, argued that Hasselmo “denounced Ture’s comment without offering any factual refutation of it,” and defended Ture’s right to speak on campus and to question Zionism.</p>
<p>Ellison wrote, “Concerning Zionism and Ture’s speech, the ASCC’s position is simply this: Whether one supports or opposes the establishment of Israel in Palestine and Israel’s present policies, Zionism, the ideological undergirding of Israel, is a debatable political philosophy. Anyone, including black people, has the right to hear and voice alternative views on the subject — notwithstanding our nominal citizenship.”</p>
<p>He added, “Alternatively, the University’s position appears to be this: Political Zionism is off-limits no matter what dubious circumstances Israel was founded under; no matter what the Zionists do to the Palestinians; and no matter what wicked regimes Israel allies itself with — like South Africa. This position is untenable.”</p>
<p>According <a href="http://www.israellobby.org/ADL-CA/ADL_Research_Black_Anti-semitism.pdf" type="external">to an account by the Anti-Defamation League</a>, Ture said in his speech on UM’s campus that “the Zionists joined with the Nazis in murdering Jews, so they would flee to Palestine.”</p>
<p>What’s interesting it that the anti-Israel rhetoric Ellison used in 1990 is very similar to the rhetoric used by the most extreme anti-Israel activists, <a href="https://storify.com/NuritBaytch/historian-exposes-max-blumenthal-s-false-claims-ab" type="external">like Max Blumenthal</a>, use today to justify destruction of Israel . In particular, the accusation of collaboration between Zionist and Nazis ( <a href="http://fathomjournal.org/an-antisemitic-hoax-lenni-brenner-on-zionist-collaboration-with-the-nazis/" type="external">which has been debunked</a>) has rocked the <a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/202104/anti-semitism-labour-party-corbyn" type="external">British Labour Party</a> recently</p>
<p>The publicity has caused liberal Jewish groups who were favorable towards Ellison’s DNC bid to back away, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/01/us/jewish-groups-and-unions-grow-uneasy-with-keith-ellison.html" type="external">as the NY Times reports</a>:</p>
<p>Representative Keith Ellison is facing increasingly vocal resistance to his bid to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee, with Jewish groups and some labor unions expressing unease about making the Minnesota liberal a face of the opposition to Donald J. Trump.</p>
<p>As Democratic state leaders gather here Friday for what will effectively be the first audition to take over a party still reeling from last month’s election, a disparate coalition is going public with concerns about Mr. Ellison, who has won support from some of the most prominent figures on the left and emerged as an early favorite in the committee race.</p>
<p>After initially mixing praise and criticism for Mr. Ellison, the <a href="http://www.adl.org/press-center/press-releases/israel-middle-east/speech-raises-new-doubts-about-Rep-Ellisons-ability.html?referrer=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/01/us/jewish-groups-and-unions-grow-uneasy-with-keith-ellison.html#.WEGguuYrKUk" type="external">Anti-Defamation League on Thursday</a> effectively came out in opposition to his candidacy, citing remarks he made about Israel in a 2010 speech that the anti-discrimination group termed “disqualifying.”</p>
<p>The audio is part of our <a href="" type="internal">prior post</a>.</p>
<p>Ellison is pushing back,&#160; <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/01/politics/keith-ellison-anti-defamation-league-middle-east/" type="external">Keith Ellison defends comments about Middle East in open letter to ADL</a>:</p>
<p>In Ellison’s open letter to the ADL, he said his 2010 comments were “selectively edited and taken out of context by an individual the Southern Poverty Law Center has called an ‘anti-Muslim extremist.'”</p>
<p>“I wish we could have spoken once again before your most recent statement. If given the opportunity, I could have provided a full and proper explanation,” Ellison wrote in the letter. “My memory is that I was responding to a question about how Americans with roots in the Middle East could engage in the political process in a more effective way. My advice was simply to get involved. I believe that Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship are, and should be, key considerations in shaping U.S. policy in the Middle East.”</p>
<p>Ellison, who said he was “saddened” by the ADL statement, added that he wanted to meet soon with Greenblatt “to discuss our shared beliefs and commitment to fairness and justice,” and said he was “committed to building a strong relationship with you.”</p>
<p>Ellison added that he thought the comments were being surfaced by unnamed “right-wing interests to drive a wedge between long-standing allies in the fight for equal rights.”</p>
<p>“My record proves my deep and long-lasting support for Israel, and I have always fought anti-Semitism, racism, sexism, and homophobia – the same values embodied by the Anti-Defamation League.”</p>
<p />
<p>It’s interesting that Ellison is trying to shoot the messenger on this release of his 2010 audio. That messenger is Steve Emerson of the Investigative Project on Terrorism. When I wrote about the audio, I emailed Ellison’s press people for comment and asked whether Ellison thought the audio was taken out of context. They never responded. Perhaps Ellison’s people thought as long as it was *just a blogger* asking about it they could ignore it, but now that it’s in the mainstream, they’re going full right-wing conspiracy and claiming the quote was out of context.</p>
<p>This morning Ellison also had an op-ed in The Washington Post blaming a “right-wing smear campaign,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/12/02/rep-keith-ellison-i-should-have-listened-more-and-talked-less/?utm_term=.e0cc67f99a59" type="external">Rep. Keith Ellison: I should have listened more and talked less</a>:</p>
<p>Unfortunately, some political opponents continue to distort my record based on an old right-wing smear campaign — not my work in Congress, or my vision for the future of the Democratic Party….</p>
<p>I saw the Million Man March as a positive effort and I helped to organize a group from Minneapolis to attend. Like many young African American men at the time, including President Obama, I hoped the march would promote change in our communities, and I was proud to be part of it. Civil rights leaders, from Rosa Parks to Jesse Jackson, and artists such as Stevie Wonder and Maya Angelou supported and spoke at the event. Of course, a huge number of black men — some counts as high as 1 million — showed up as well.</p>
<p>My values — going back to my childhood — were always based on respect for all people and rejection of bigotry and racism. When I first heard criticism about Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Million Man March, I felt the march’s message of empowering young African Americans was being attacked.</p>
<p>But I clearly didn’t go deep enough. I defended the organizer of the march in writing, but I glossed over the hurtful and divisive language he directed at other communities.</p>
<p>The excuse that he was unaware of just what Farrakhan was just doesn’t hold up. By the time of the Million Man March in October 1995, the <a href="" type="internal">media had been saturated for years</a> with criticisms of Farrakhan’s anti-white, anti-semitic rhetoric.</p>
<p />
<p>[Time Magazine Cover, <a href="http://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19940228,00.html" type="external">February 28, 1994</a>]</p>
<p />
<p>The right-wing also didn’t force Ellison to participate in the <a href="" type="internal">main anti-Israel event</a> at the Democratic National Convention last summer.</p>
<p />
<p>There is no vast right-wing conspiracy. There’s just history.</p>
<p>The Ellison controversy, however, is not just about Farrakhan and Israel. It’s about how far left the Democratic Party will move.</p>
<p>The *vast right-wing conspiracy* should be praying that Ellison becomes the face of the Democratic Party.</p> | Keith Ellison blames “right-wing smear campaign” for his Farrakhan and Israel controversies | true | http://legalinsurrection.com/2016/12/keith-ellison-blames-right-wing-smear-campaign-for-his-farrakhan-and-israel-controversies/ | 2016-12-02 | 0 |
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<p>MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to extend a ban on Western food imports for another 18 months after the European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia.</p>
<p>Putin’s office published a decree on Friday that keeps the food ban in place until Dec. 31, 2018. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday proposed keeping the ban, saying that it will help to creative incentives for Russian farmers.</p>
<p>Moscow has warned it would lift the ban introduced in 2015 only if the U.S. and the EU roll back the sanctions they imposed following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.</p>
<p>The EU announced on Wednesday that it would extend the sanctions by six months over Russia’s failure to honor a peace deal for eastern Ukraine.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Putin signs decree to extend ban on Western food imports | false | https://abqjournal.com/1026084/putin-signs-decree-to-extend-ban-on-western-food-imports.html | 2 |
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<p>HANLONTOWN, Iowa — An Oklahoma-based company has blamed an errant excavator for damaging a pipeline in northern Iowa that spilled nearly 47,000 gallons of diesel fuel.</p>
<p>Magellan Midstream Partners released a statement Tuesday saying the excavator apparently didn’t check with regulators about the location of underground utilities, as required by Iowa law.</p>
<p>Authorities say the leaking fuel was discovered during a snowstorm on Jan. 25 near Hanlontown in Worth County.</p>
<p>Magellan spokesman Tom Byers told The Associated Press that the company hasn’t taken any legal or regulatory steps against the excavator. Byers did not say what the company intends to do or identify the excavator.</p>
<p>An Iowa Natural Resources Department spokesman says Magellan hasn’t yet identified the excavator.</p>
<p>The 127-mile stretch of pipe runs from Rosemount, Minnesota, to Mason City, Iowa.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Iowa pipeline leak blamed on errant excavator | false | https://abqjournal.com/963801/iowa-pipeline-leak-blamed-on-errant-excavator.html | 2 |
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<p>Nov. 22 (UPI) — A Florida woman with a fear of lizards came face to face with her phobia when she looked into her toilet and discovered a spiny tail iguana.</p>
<p>Dani Craven said she was cleaning her toilet Monday evening when she encountered the lizard.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know what it was at first, so I instantly screamed and my 9-year-old daughter come running in and she said, ‘Mommy what is it?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know,'” Craven <a href="http://wfla.com/2017/11/21/spiny-tail-iguana-surprises-palmetto-woman-on-toilet/" type="external">told WFLA-TV</a>. “All I could see were scaly, like a scaly tail. I couldn’t tell if it was an alligator or a lizard. I didn’t know.”</p>
<p>Craven, who slammed the toilet shut and piled bricks on top of it to prevent the reptile from escaping, said she has a phobia of lizards.</p>
<p>“I hate them. I am so terrified of them. I had a lizard jump on my face when I was five. So when people say ‘Oh its just a lizard,’ No! Its my worst fear. So that’s why I freaked out the way I did and I wasn’t gonna go near it,” she said.</p>
<p>Craven contacted friend Shannon Walker, who came over to help get rid of the reptile.</p>
<p>Craven posted video <a href="https://www.facebook.com/danielle.craven.7393/posts/712916072239644" type="external">to Facebook</a> of Walker catching the lizard in a net.</p>
<p>“I’m such an animal lover that I was like, ‘I can do this. I got it, don’t worry about it.’ I’m like thinking to myself, ‘it’s just a lizard,'” Walker said.</p>
<p>Walker said she was taken aback, however, when she saw the size of the iguana.</p>
<p>“It was much bigger than I thought,” Walker <a href="http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/florida-woman-finds-iguana-hiding-in-her-toilet" type="external">told WFTS-TV</a>.</p>
<p>The iguana was turned over to Justin Matthews with Matthews Wildlife Rescue, who said the spiny tail iguana is native to Mexico. He said the lizard was likely an escaped or abandoned pet.</p>
<p>Matthews said the iguana may have been flushed down a toilet and made its way through the sewer to Craven’s commode.</p> | Florida woman finds iguana swimming in toilet | false | https://newsline.com/florida-woman-finds-iguana-swimming-in-toilet/ | 2017-11-22 | 1 |
<p>The European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said some progress was made in the second round of Brexit talks this week but urged the U.K to offer more clarity on its positions on the divorce bill and several other important issues.</p>
<p>This week's four days of talks focused on major divorce issues which are raised by Britain's exit from the bloc, expected in March 2019.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The EU has said it wants to see "sufficient progress" on these priority issues--the divorce bill, citizens rights, Northern Ireland and other divorce issues--to start discussions on a future trade agreement with the U.K. Mr. Barnier has said he hopes to say that threshold has been met in October.</p>
<p>In a joint news conference Thursday afternoon with U.K. Brexit secretary David Davis, Mr. Barnier urged the U.K to move quickly to lay out its position on the divorce bill, past British spending pledges the EU says the U.K must commit to.</p>
<p>"I said very clearly to David a clarification of the U.K. position is indispensable" to make "sufficient progress" In the talks, he said.</p>
<p>Mr. Davis said Britain has made it clear that it will stand by its commitments but wouldn't comment on whether that required a net payment from the U.K. to the EU. EU officials have said they believe Britain would need to pay upward of EUR60 billion ($69 billion).</p>
<p>Mr. Barnier said there was progress on post-Brexit citizens rights of EU nationals in Britain and U.K. nationals in the EU. He said talks were moving in a "common direction."</p>
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<p>However, the former French foreign minister identified a series of major differences on citizens rights, including the EU view that EU courts must be the guarantor of post-Brexit rights of EU citizens in Britain. The U.K. has said it wants to reach an international agreement which would be enforced in the U.K. by British courts.</p>
<p>Mr. Davis was more upbeat in his take on this week's talks. He said the two sides had "robust and constructive talks" and there was much to be positive about following the four-day negotiating session. However, he acknowledged there will need to be "flexibility from both sides" for further progress.</p>
<p>This week's talks come as U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May sought to quell cabinet leaks and divisions over Brexit and other issues. Ms. May's Conservative party lost its parliamentary majority following snap elections called for June 8.</p>
<p>That has raised the risk that the government will be unable to get important Brexit-related legislation approved in parliament and raised pressure on Ms. May to soften her Brexit negotiation objectives.</p>
<p>Write to Laurence Norman at [email protected] and Stephen Fidler at [email protected]</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>July 20, 2017 07:57 ET (11:57 GMT)</p> | EU's Barnier Seeks Clarity From U.K. Over Brexit Divorce Bill | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/07/20/eus-barnier-seeks-clarity-from-u-k-over-brexit-divorce-bill.html | 2017-07-20 | 0 |
<p>I recently attended a presentation by Tony Porter, founder of <a href="http://www.acalltomen.org/" type="external">A Call to Men</a>.</p>
<p>After watching his <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/tony_porter_a_call_to_men?language=en" type="external">TED Talk</a>, I was incredibly excited to see him speak because of how he demands of men that we consider the ways that all of us can act in abusive and violent ways.</p>
<p>Seeing him in person, though, was disappointing.</p>
<p>Early in the presentation, he held out his arms, asking us to imagine that his arms represented all men. He then gestured to the distance from his fingertips to his elbow on one arm and said, “These guys right here are the bad guys, the ones who are abusive and who commit sexual assault. Violence against women and girls can’t end until the rest of us, the good guys, call these men out and demand that they change!”</p>
<p>When he said this, my heart sank. After all, setting aside the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/11/a-same-sex-domestic-violence-epidemic-is-silent/281131/" type="external">heterosexist</a> <a href="http://www.nclrights.org/sexual-assault-in-the-lgbt-community/" type="external">implications</a> of his statement, framing abuse in this way lets most men, including me, off the hook.</p>
<p>If we, as men, can think of ourselves as “the good guys” and construct a boogey man abuser in our head, then we never have to turn the lens inward. We never have to consider the ways we’ve been socialized to be abusive.</p>
<p>Not long before attending Porter’s presentation, my partner and I got into a heated argument. We were both quite frustrated with a communication pattern in our relationship that hurt each of us in different ways.</p>
<p>After we’d rehashed the same point for what felt to me like the millionth time, I slammed my hands on our dining table as I emphasized my anger, hurt, and frustration.</p>
<p>After doing so, it took me a minute to realize that my partner’s entire demeanor had shifted. She had retreated physically and was speaking in a softer tone. We sat quietly for a second, and then she said something I hope I never forget.</p>
<p>“Jamie, you scared me. That was really scary.”</p>
<p>My initial reaction was callous. “You must be kidding me! I can only express my emotions in ways that are easy for you to hear?”</p>
<p>Before long, though, her words got through, and I could see that I had done something completely out of alignment with the type of man I want to be.</p>
<p>As the realization sunk in, my partner asked me to consider what the impact on our relationship might be if that’s how I chose to communicate whenever we argue. “Jamie, that was violent. I want you to be able to express your hurt or anger, but I need you not to physically explode like that.”</p>
<p>My partner was right. To slam my hands on the table was physically intimidating, and in the context of a society where every single one of us knows someone who’s been abused by a man, my actions aren’t simply mine.</p>
<p>My actions exist in the context of how I was taught to be a man. My actions exist in the context of patriarchy.&#160;And patriarchy is violent. Full stop.</p>
<p>Simply put, <a href="" type="internal">patriarchy is a system of domination and control</a> that privileges cisgender men at the expense of everyone else (though notably to <a href="http://gawker.com/the-truth-about-black-gay-privilege-1698549063" type="external">varying degrees and in different ways</a>, since the benefits of patriarchy exist at intersections of other forms of domination and oppression).</p>
<p>Patriarchy, as is the case with other related systems of oppression like White supremacy, relies on violence (both <a href="http://www.ncadv.org/learn/statistics" type="external">literal</a> and <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277539506000641" type="external">symbolic</a>) deployed against cisgender women, transgender people, and gender non-conforming people in order to maintain supremacy.</p>
<p>Considering that cisgender men like myself are socialized in the context of the violence of patriarchy, we need to own the fact that cis-masculinity is fundamentally oppressive and violent.</p>
<p>But this is not to say that all cisgender men are the same or that all cis men are necessarily violent. Our masculinity is crafted in the context of other aspects of our identity (our religious or spiritual upbringing, our racial identity and community, our ability/disability, and our sexual identity, for instance).</p>
<p>With this in mind, it’s important that I situate myself within my positionality. As a White cisgender man, the following is based not only on my perspective as a person with many privileges, and as such, my comments are limited to ways that cisgender men are taught to be abusive. Inevitably, then, this article is limited and is meant as a call for reflection and action from cisgender men.</p>
<p>And here’s what cisgender men such as myself need to consider: if patriarchy is fundamentally violent and oppressive, then we have a responsibility to consider the ways that we might be complicit in that violence – simply by living out the patterns of how we were taught to be men.</p>
<p>When men and women in my life first called on me to consider how my actions might be abusive or violent, I was incredulous: “I have never laid my hands on anyone, let alone a woman!”</p>
<p>But we do ourselves a disservice to think of violence only as actions that cause physical harm, as <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ893571" type="external">violence can take myriad forms</a>.</p>
<p>For the purposes of this article, then, <a href="http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/abuse-defined/" type="external">abuse constitutes</a> behaviors that assert power and control over those with whom we are in intimate relationship – like partners, family members, and friends. Abusive behaviors exist on <a href="http://www.loveisrespect.org/dating-basics/relationship-spectrum/" type="external">a spectrum</a> from more <a href="http://www.abuseandrelationships.org/Content/Behaviors/subtle_control.html" type="external">subtle and controlling</a> or <a href="" type="internal">manipulative</a> to more <a href="http://www.gov.nl.ca/VPI/types/" type="external">overt in their violence</a>.</p>
<p>To be clear, this spectrum doesn’t imply that abuse on one end of the spectrum is somehow “worse” or “more severe” than other abuse – it’s all terrible, but abuse looks quite different depending on where it falls on the spectrum.</p>
<p>All of these behaviors, though, are harmful – and when they’re committed by men in the context of patriarchy, they need to be understood as connected to how we, as cisgender men, are socialized within patriarchy to be abusive.</p>
<p>The following, then, are common abusive behaviors that I’ve seen in myself, behaviors that are all too common among cisgender men.</p>
<p>By highlighting them here and offering some alternatives, my hope is that more of us as men can take up the work of cultivating different, less abusive ways of being men.</p>
<p>When I was in 9th grade, a senior on my soccer team took me under his wing in the world of dating and girls. Among many fucked up lessons taught me, he explained that with girls, I always need the upper hand.</p>
<p>“Never be too nice to her – if she knows you’re wrapped around her finger, she will take advantage of it. Keep her guessing. Maybe break up with her and get back together.”</p>
<p>As men, we receive all sorts of messages that tell us to manipulate others in order to get what we want, but this is particularly pronounced in intimate relationships.</p>
<p>One of the more pronounced ways that this shows up is in <a href="" type="internal">gaslighting</a>, <a href="http://www.thehotline.org/2014/05/what-is-gaslighting/" type="external">defined as</a> “an extremely effective form of&#160; <a href="http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/abuse-defined/#tab-id-2" type="external">emotional abuse</a>&#160;that causes a [survivor] to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity, which gives the abusive partner a lot of power (and we know that abuse is about&#160; <a href="http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/abuse-defined/" type="external">power and control</a>).”</p>
<p>I’ve seen this in myself and in the relationships of men in my life in many ways.</p>
<p>Sometimes it shows up in using name calling (often using oppressive language like b*tch or f*ggot) in ways that degrade self-esteem over time. Other times, we might use a person’s love for us (“If you loved me, you would _____”) in order to manipulate partners or other loved ones. Other times, we lie perpetually in order to justify our hurtful behavior, claiming, “It’s not what you think!”</p>
<p>Whatever it looks like, emotional manipulation, like other abuse, exists on a spectrum – and we have to be vigilant about how it’s entering our relationships.</p>
<p>Compared to some of the men in my life, I think I have a fairly healthy relationship with anger. But this wasn’t always this way. I used to blow up at people I loved and act in ways that, if not actually violent, seemed to imply violence.</p>
<p>And when I think back to why that was, it had a lot to do with the models of masculinity I had around me. From the media icons I had as a kid – action heroes and athletes – to some of the men in my life, I had models that showed that “being tough” was the same thing as “being a man.”</p>
<p>And that toughness translated to aggressiveness and dominance.</p>
<p>As I realized when my partner called on me to consider the impact of my anger on our relationship, even those of us who strive for a more inclusive and less violent masculinity fall into abusive patterns when angry or frustrated.</p>
<p>Considering that many of the messages we receive as boys about conflict teach us to respond with aggression or violence, is it any wonder that abusive anger is common in so many of our intimate relationships?</p>
<p />
<p>For some cis men, this aggression shows up in physical violence, but for others of us, we teach partners or children that they need to manage our anger (rather than that our anger is something we can control and manage).</p>
<p>I grew up in a family of ticklers, and I think tickling is tremendous fun. My partner isn’t so much a fan. She humors me sometimes, and we laugh together with playful tickling, but I honestly have a hard time respecting the boundary when she asks me to stop.</p>
<p>While this might seem like a trivial example, it’s reflective of a problematic pattern – I was socialized to see something as positive that my partner doesn’t much like, and I’m not always great at listening.</p>
<p>Taken to its destructive ends, this can look like a million different violations of consent.</p>
<p>There are millions of ways that boys are taught not to listen. All of the following are phrases I’ve had men say to me at different times in my life:</p>
<p>“If she says ‘no,’ that simply means ‘convince me.’”</p>
<p>“If she’s mean to you, that means she likes you. Keep trying.”</p>
<p>“You don’t know what you want. You’re too young to know. So you’re going to do as we say. Because we say so.”</p>
<p>So whether we’re pretending that we know what our partners want or refusing to <a href="" type="internal">listen to our children</a> when they express their needs and desires, the fact that cis men are socialized to value our own intuition and voice above that of others can play out in abusive ways.</p>
<p>So we have to be careful – and we have to cultivate an ethic of listening.</p>
<p>I learned early on that I could control people around me to get my way. With friends, I would simply dictate to them which “dress up” game we would play – action heroes or soldiers or cowboys. With my sisters, I knew that I could use my status as the youngest – the baby – to make them do the things I wanted.</p>
<p>And I got this message because many of the adults in my life rewarded me for being assertive and controlling. They called it “leadership,” yet so often it’s called “bossiness” in girls.</p>
<p>One of the more insidious messages that we get as boys and young men is that we need to always be in control, whether we’re talking <a href="http://elitedaily.com/dating/12-traits-emotionally-abusive-relationships-get/984358/" type="external">emotionally</a>, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2015/03/19/ill-take-care-of-the-bills-the-slippery-slope-into-financial-abuse/#418dcf1b61b8" type="external">financially</a>, <a href="http://www.campbell.edu/pdf/student-services/counseling/red-flag-abusive-personality.pdf" type="external">sexually</a>, or even in <a href="" type="internal">simple social situations</a> – all of which can lead to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3161889/" type="external">other forms of abuse, like physical violence</a>.</p>
<p>In myself, I’ve found that I so very often manage to get my way, even when I claim that I’m trying to be accommodating to my loved ones. In listening to women, I realize that this is a common trend in straight relationships, one that I seriously need to work on.</p>
<p>So whether we’re falling into more traditional abusive patterns or are simply finding that we magically are always in control or getting our way, we have to be careful of the ways that our socialization as men can quickly bleed into abusive behaviors.</p>
<p>If there is any message I received from media – the music I listened to and the movies I watched – it was that jealousy was how we were supposed to show partners that they are wanted, that they are loved.</p>
<p>I got this message in such a messed up way that I remember seeing the movie Fear about a violent stalker in middle school, and I couldn’t help but think about how cool the murderous Mark Wahlberg character was.</p>
<p>Looking back, that terrifies me. His jealousy escalated to murder, and I thought he seemed cool.</p>
<p>And the thing that’s hard to address about jealous is that we all seem to feel it at one time or another. It’s totally natural in many ways.</p>
<p>However, while it may be natural to feel jealous, for many of us as men, <a href="http://www.loveisrespect.org/content/breaking-down-jealousy-myths/" type="external">jealousy quickly translates into harmful behaviors</a>.</p>
<p>From violating privacy of a partner (say, by going through their phone) or pressuring them not to go out and spend time with friends or telling them that they can’t have friends of a particular gender or sexual orientation, there are myriad ways that jealousy can show up in abusive and controlling ways.</p>
<p>And while everyone may feel jealous at one time or another, the entitlement to the bodies and attentions of others that is inherent in misogynistic patriarchy makes jealousy particularly toxic when it comes from us as cisgender men.</p>
<p>As cisgender men, we need to realize that even though our identities are bound up in patriarchy, we are not patriarchy. As such, we have a relationship to patriarchy’s violence, which means we have agency to choose what that relationship looks like.</p>
<p>Part of unlearning the violence and abuse of patriarchy that is so deeply engrained into mainstream masculinities in the US means cultivating different ways of being, supplanting the unhealthy and destructive patterns with masculinities that can more closely align with feminist and non-violent values.</p>
<p>So now that we’ve looked at some of the unhealthy patterns, here are just a few ways that men can commit ourselves to cultivating healthier selves. Like the list above, by no means is this list exhaustive. Rather, it’s meant to provide a place to start as we work to build different masculinities.</p>
<p>No – this isn’t about being “ <a href="" type="internal">PC</a>” – it’s about empathizing with those who are telling us that our language is hurtful and abusive. More than just a simple act of changing the words we use, eliminating words like the “ <a href="https://finallyfeminism101.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/feminism-friday-on-bitch-and-other-misogynist-language/" type="external">b word</a>,” “ <a href="http://www.shakesville.com/2007/11/on-bitch-and-other-misogynist-language.html" type="external">c word</a>,” and “ <a href="http://www.queerty.com/when-is-it-ok-to-say-faggot-thirty-gay-men-respond-to-the-word-20150716" type="external">f word</a>” demonstrates a willingness to work on ourselves.</p>
<p>It means that we recognize that we’re willing to attempt to change patterns that have told us throughout our lives that we can do and say whatever we want without consequence.</p>
<p>And it means that we are willing to consider that words have tremendous power and that <a href="" type="internal">inclusive language matters</a>.</p>
<p>One of the ways that patriarchy truly wounds us as men is that it demands we divorce ourselves from that which makes us human – from our emotions and capacity for empathy and accountable love.</p>
<p>Thus, though it may seem cheesy, one of the most powerful things we can do to challenge our patriarchal socialization is to carve out time in our lives to reflect upon our emotions and to consider what it would mean for us to express them in ways that are healthier and more accountable to those we love.</p>
<p>The thing <a href="" type="internal">about privilege</a> is that those of us who have it can go through our lives never really listening to those who don’t share our identity – we don’t have to.</p>
<p>But those who try to listen across difference know it isn’t something everyone knows how to do well; it’s a learned skill. For those of us with many privileges, it’s even harder to listen because we’ve been given subtle and overt messages about the value of our voice.</p>
<p>Thus, we need to work actively on cultivating an ethic of empathetic listening, and we need to pay particular and careful attention to how this listening is vital to healthy relationships.</p>
<p>Perhaps most importantly, we need to learn to listen when we’re called out and called in about the ways our behavior is abusive. We need to practice pushing through the defensiveness to truly hear those who are calling on us to be better men.</p>
<p>One of the things I love most about my friend Timo’s work to challenge patriarchal violence is how he binds that work up in building loving and transformative relationships with other men. Frankly, the ways he cultivates what he calls “bruv love” with men in his life is an inspiration to me.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, though, so often “brotherhood” (as expressed in media, in narratives from fraternity or sports culture, in “bro code”) is far from transgressive. It reifies patriarchy.</p>
<p>But what would it look like for all men to cultivate relationships with other men that are built on care, love, affection, accountability, and feminist values? Think of how liberating that would be – not only for us as men, but for people of all genders in our lives!</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>As cisgender men who know that we need to be different, who realize that our liberation is bound up in the liberation of all people, we need to remember that living into our values doesn’t necessitate paternalistic “protection” of women, Trans men, or non-binary folks.</p>
<p>Living into our values means transforming ourselves and the culture of masculinity around us so that our behavior and our very identities challenge the violence of patriarchy.</p>
<p>And for each of us that might look different, as each of our masculinities exist at intersections with other parts of who we are.</p>
<p>But when more of us as men commit to this self work, think of how much less violence and abuse there will be in our lives and in the lives of those we love.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Jamie Utt is the Founder and Director of Education at <a href="http://civilschools.com/" type="external">CivilSchools</a>, a comprehensive bullying prevention program, a diversity and inclusion consultant, and sexual violence prevention educator based in Tucson, AZ. He is currently working toward his PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona with research interests in the role that White teacher’s racial identity plays in their teaching practice. Learn more about his work at his <a href="http://www.jamieutt.com/" type="external">website here</a> and follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/utt_jamie" type="external">@utt_jamie</a>. Read his <a href="" type="internal">articles here</a> and book him for&#160; <a href="" type="internal">speaking engagements</a>.</p> | 5 Common Behaviors Cis Men May Not Realize Are Abusive (And How to Stop Them) | true | http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/07/cis-men-socialized-to-be-abusive/ | 2016-07-19 | 4 |
<p>Gale-force winds, drenching rain and a possible snowstorm: That’s what much of the East Coast will face next week if forecasts predicting the collision of a trio of weather events–Hurricane Sandy from the south, arctic air from the north and an early winter storm from the west–come true.</p>
<p>“It’ll be a rough couple days from Hatteras up to Cape Cod,” said forecaster Jim Cisco of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “We don’t have many modern precedents for what the models are suggesting.”</p>
<p>The storm is expected to hit Sunday and peak early Tuesday.</p>
<p>The Weather Channel:</p>
<p />
<p>It is likely to hit during a full moon when tides are near their highest, increasing coastal flooding potential, NOAA forecasts warn. And with some trees still leafy and the potential for snow, power outages could last to Election Day, some meteorologists fear. They say it has all the earmarks of a billion-dollar storm.</p>
<p>Some have compared it to the so-called Perfect Storm that struck off the coast of New England in 1991, but Cisco said that one didn’t hit as populated an area and is not comparable to what the East Coast may be facing. Nor is it like last year’s Halloween storm, which was merely an early snowstorm in the Northeast.</p>
<p>This has much more mess potential because it is a combination of different storm types that could produce a real whopper of weather problems, meteorologists say.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/hurricane-sandy-winter-storm-20121025" type="external">Read more</a></p> | 'Perfect Storm' Threatens East Coast | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/perfect-storm-threatens-east-coast/ | 2012-10-26 | 4 |
<p>Three Union Pacific employees are missing and feared dead after two freight trains collided head-on and exploded Sunday in the Oklahoma Panhandle.</p>
<p>Railroad officials did not yet know why the two trains were traveling toward one another on the same track about a mile east of Goodwell, in an unpopulated area near the Texas state line, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/24/us-usa-trains-crash-idUSBRE85N0O520120624" type="external">Reuters reported</a>.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120624/waldo-canyon-fire-colorado-springs-evacuation" type="external">Waldo Canyon Fire: More than 11,000 evacuated</a></p>
<p>About 50 firefighters from five local towns were still trying to extinguish the raging fire sparked by the collision, which sent black smoke billowing into the air at about 10 a.m. Sunday.</p>
<p>There were chemicals on at least one train, but the flames aren't near them, <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2117980,00.html" type="external">The Associated Press reported</a>.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120624/tropical-storm-debby-gulf-mexico" type="external">Tropical Storm Debby churns in Gulf of Mexico</a></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.guymondailyherald.com/content/breaking-crews-still-battling-blaze-train-collision-scene-one-firefighter-transported-heat-r" type="external">Guymon Daily Herald reported</a> that one person survived the collision.</p>
<p>Gary Mathews was driving on a nearby highway when the trains collided, and witnessed the accident.</p>
<p>"A wall of heat hit my windshield and came through it from the explosion of fuel in the engines," he told the Daily Herald.&#160;</p>
<p>Red Cross volunteers and staff from Woodward and Guymon were providing emergency assistance to approximately 50 first responders in Goodwell, <a href="http://newsok.com/update-two-trains-collide-in-oklahoma-panhandle/article/3687382" type="external">according to The Oklahoman</a>.</p> | Oklahoma train collision: 3 Union Pacific employees missing near Goodwell | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-06-25/oklahoma-train-collision-3-union-pacific-employees-missing-near-goodwell | 2012-06-25 | 3 |
<p>During his first visit to the U.S. as China’s president, Xi Jinping attended the “U.S.-China Business Roundtable” in Seattle. Hosted by the Paulson Institute and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the roundtable explored ways that the U.S. and China could strengthen their business and economic relationship.</p>
<p>FOXBusiness.com takes a look at five of the 15 U.S. CEOs also in attendance.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>General Motors' (NYSE:GM) relationship with China dates back more than 90 years. GM says it has 11 joint ventures and two-wholly owned foreign enterprises as well as more than 58,000 employees in China.</p>
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<p>Buffett has long been bullish on the Chinese market, and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKA) remains so despite its recent volatility.</p>
<p>Many analysts have said the economic turmoil in China will impact Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Apple counts China as its second largest market after the Americas.</p>
<p>The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) recently agreed to make Chinese Internet giant Tencent the exclusive online distributor of six "Star Wars" movies.</p>
<p>PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP) partnered last month with JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) to sell its "Quaker" dairy drink to Chinese consumers, making it the first time Quaker was sold on an e-commerce platform other than in North America.</p> | Chinese President Xi Jinping Meets With U.S. CEOs | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2015/09/23/chinese-president-xi-jinping-meets-with-us-ceos.html | 2016-06-14 | 0 |
<p>Our culture is rotting before our eyes. We're proudly #ShoutingAbortions, promoting incest, and mainstreaming and indoctrinating our children with the ideals of transgenderism. A <a href="" type="internal">grim but likely accurate take</a> from Daily Wire's Matt Walsh is that we're no longer on that rhetorical slippery slope, but at the bottom of the slope, saturated in our own disease-infested moral filth.</p>
<p>This rot is both instigated and reflected back to us most potently in our media.</p>
<p>Showtime's latest series called SMILF (an acronym for "Single Mother I'd Like To F***"), for example, packs in more moral degeneracy in its first episode than one might think possible. To give a glimpse into the horror-fest, the scenes with actress Rosie O'Donnell were a breath of fresh air, relatively speaking.</p>
<p>NewsBusters' Amelia Hamilton took one for the team, watching and <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2017/11/06/disgusting-new-showtime-series-smilf-promotes-abortion-in-its-very-first-show/?utm_content=buffer12f55&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" type="external">reporting</a> on the entire first episode. (Bless her.) Within 30 minutes, the main character named Bridget, played by Frankie Shaw, neglects her child, denigrates prayer, promotes abortion, tries to have sex with a man while her child is hidden under a blanket in the same room, masturbates while fantasizing about some sort of multiple-man orgy, talks endlessly about her vagina size post-baby, is introduced to “Hard Nipples Nelson" by her friend's child-aged porn-addicted son, and more.</p>
<p>Again, the show is only 30 minutes.</p>
<p>Here's a partial recap provided by Hamilton:</p>
<p>[T]he show opens with the main character Bridget (Frankie Shaw) impressing a group of men with her basketball skills and the song playing over this scene features the lyrics “Hey, bitch, wait til you see my dick.”</p>
<p>[...]</p>
<p>The first real scene of the show is little Larry’s bedtime routine. His newly-sober dad Rafi (Miguel Gomez), comes over every night to put Larry to bed and, on this particular night, Bridget “catches” him praying with his son. “Knock it off,” she tells him, “Come on, there’s no praying in this house.” A round of applause for this show taking three minutes to go after people of faith. Bridget tries to get Rafi to stay and hang out with her but, failing that, gets out her vibrator. So we get to watch that. Not enough? We see her fantasizing about the guy from the basketball court. And the other guys from the basketball court. At once.</p>
<p>In the morning, Bridget drops Larry off at her mom’s (Rosie O’Donnell) house, then heads to the doctor for a check up. It would appear that her health clinic is Planned Parenthood or another abortion clinic, because there’s a man outside with a sign who is telling people, “Pray for your baby.” ... At the clinic, Bridget is obsessed with the idea that her lady parts might not be the same now that she’s given birth (this will be relevant later, unfortunately).</p>
<p>Her appointment over, Bridget heads to Ally’s (Connie Britton) house to tutor her daughter. As they look at her daughter’s book on art, one of the images shows some nudity, and Ally comments that this must be why her son is addicted to porn. In the next scene, we see that this porn-addicted son is only about 13. Ally has banned him from using electronics but, when she finds that he’s on her phone and is openly looking at pictures of “Hard Nipples Nelson,” she just takes her phone and sends him upstairs. Way to parent.</p>
<p>Speaking of good parenting, Bridget puts Larry to bed that night, then runs down to the corner store for junk food while he’s sleeping. ... While Bridget is at the store, she runs into a guy she used to know, Jesse. So, when she gets home and is shoving junk food in her face, she texts him to ask a favor. She hasn’t has sex since Larry was born, so would he mind stopping by to help her out with that? This is a good time to mention that she and Larry share a bed. So, after she makes herself throw up the junk food she just ate, she covers Larry up, hoping he’ll stay still and sleep for an hour.</p>
<p>When Jesse comes to her apartment, Bridget immediately tells him to undress, then gets on the bed and pretends to be a slave about to be raped by her master. ... Bridget doesn’t even want to kiss, she just wants Jesse to have sex with her and tell her if her vagina feels the same as it did before she had her baby. That’s the actual point of this bizarre booty call, and he’s ok with it until he looks over and sees little Larry’s foot sticking out from under his blanket right next to them on the same bed. He jumps up from the bed, and the audience gets full frontal male nudity. He dresses, but tells Bridget that everything seemed fine down there as he runs out the door.</p>
<p>But this "comedy" series is a great portrait of modernity, of what third-wave feminism has wrought: lonely women in tough circumstances who don't respect themselves, reject God, and spew hollow feminist-inspired affirmations to themselves in a weak attempt to heal their pain.</p>
<p>Perhaps those anti-woman conservative bigots are on to something when they echo the cries of traditionalism.</p>
<p>Watch a promo for the show, below:</p>
<p>Watch the full episode, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFBquo13M34" type="external">here</a>.</p> | Showtime's 'SMILF' Packs More Moral Degeneracy Into First Episode Than Thought Possible | true | https://dailywire.com/news/23272/showtimes-smilf-packs-more-moral-degeneracy-first-amanda-prestigiacomo | 2017-11-07 | 0 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />The locally owned shoe emporium will formally celebrate its new Coors and Paseo del Norte location with food, games and other festivities from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.</p>
<p>While the new space is smaller than the previous location on the outskirts of Cottonwood Mall, it remains stocked with the same extensive assortment, owner Dave Riddle says. Customers may notice fewer displays, but they still will have their pick of 20,000-30,000 pairs at any given time. Aisles of shoes – arranged by style, color and sometimes brand – course through the heart of the store, while sale merchandise fills racks that line the lavender-painted perimeter.</p>
<p>The inventory “hasn’t gone down any,” Riddle says.</p>
<p>Shoes on a Shoestring is now located at 9311 Coors NW, part of the same shopping center as Target and Ross.</p>
<p>While the move didn’t diminish the store’s stock, Riddle says it did lower overhead and improve its position. The shoe warehouse now counts Target, Ross and a slew of other retailers among its neighbors. The city’s other Shoes on a Shoestring store, at 7200 Montgomery NE, feeds off its neighbor, T.J. Maxx, and Riddle says the West Side store could do the same.</p>
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<p>“It’s a better marriage, I think,” he says of the new West Side location.</p>
<p>Founded in 1991, Shoes on a Shoestring started in 2,500 square feet at Winrock mall, Riddle says. Today, it occupies nearly 30,000 square feet of space between its two locations.</p>
<p>The stores have about 75-80 brands available at all times, Riddle says. That’s across women’s, men’s and kids’ categories, though women’s shoes – shocker! – represent the overwhelming majority of the business.</p>
<p>The West Side Shoes on a Shoestring is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. The address is 9311 Coors NW. The phone number is 897-0014.</p>
<p>Crepe addition</p>
<p>Daniela Bouneou’s first job was making crepes, and now she’s at it again.</p>
<p>Daniela Bouneou, pictured, has introduced a new lineup of crepes at Limonata, the Nob Hill cafe she owns with husband, Maxime. She is shown preparing the “Verdure” crepe. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>Limonata – the 2½-year-old Nob Hill cafe Bouneou owns with husband Maxime – recently incorporated the skinny, French-style pancakes into its menu.</p>
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<p>Sweet crepe choices include a basic sugar version ($4) and Nutella option ($5) that customers can enhance with $1 add-ons like strawberries and bananas.</p>
<p>Savory choices include a prosciutto crepe made with pesto, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, the veggie “Verdure” (pesto, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and goat cheese) and the “Tonno” (tuna, hard-boiled egg, capers, artichoke hearts, fresh herb, mayo and fontina cheese).</p>
<p>They run $7.75 apiece, and customers can add oven-roasted tomato soup or organic baby green salad for $5 more.</p>
<p>The crepes join an existing Limonanta lineup of quiches, salads, pastries and other breakfast and lunch items – some of which come from the Bouneous’ other Albuquerque restaurant, Torino’s@Home.</p>
<p>Bouneou – who says her first and “favorite” job was making crepes as a teenager – started offering a few of them at Limonata about a month ago and that interest quickly spiked.</p>
<p>“The crepe demand is very high,” she says. “We just started with sugar ones. As soon as we start, the (customers said) ‘You do savory?'”</p>
<p>Limonata is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends. It’s at 3222 Silver SE, near Wellesley.</p>
<p>Adios, Taco John’s</p>
<p>It’s been just six months, but the metro area’s first Taco John’s is already gone.</p>
<p>The Wyoming-based Mexican food chain debuted last March in Rio Rancho – housed in the Latitudes fueling station/convenience store – but Latitudes President Ron Brown says the franchise never gained traction. He closed Taco John’s in mid-September and is now looking for a new concept to fill the void.</p>
<p>“They’re good folks (at Taco John’s), it’s just a concept we misjudged,” Brown says of the company, which has about 400 locations in 25 states. “The people of New Mexico just didn’t care for the flavor.”</p>
<p>Taco John’s had hoped to continue developing the Albuquerque market through franchising, but it’s unclear where those plans currently stand. Brown says he has no intention of opening additional locations, and a Taco John’s representative has not responded to an email on the matter.</p>
<p>This party won’t quit</p>
<p>Crisp autumn air usually puts an end to the weekly “Party on the Patio” events at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s Pueblo Harvest Cafe, but that’s about to change.</p>
<p>A tradition usually relegated to the warmer months will extend into fall and winter for the first time this year. Center officials have decided to offer the event – featuring live music and $10 all-you-can-eat pizza baked in an horno oven – on a regular basis, regardless of season.</p>
<p>“It’s so popular now, we thought, ‘We’ll just offer it year-round,'” spokeswoman Tazbah McCullah says.</p>
<p>Crews will enclose the cafe’s patio with a lightweight, windowed structure by the end of October, McCullah says. The covered area – which will be heated – will encompass about half of the patio’s 300 seats.</p>
<p>“It’s aesthetically appealing, and we’ll be able to take that structure away when the weather warms up,” McCullah says.</p>
<p>Party on the Patio takes place from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is at 2401 12th NW.</p>
<p>In case you missed it…</p>
<p>Here’s some stuff I recently reported online:</p>
<p>• Red Door Brewing Co. is now open. The highly anticipated new craft brewery launched earlier this month at 1001 Candelaria NE.</p>
<p>• There’s a new Denny’s in the works near Gibson and University SE. A company spokeswoman says the location – situated near the existing Dion’s and Buffalo Wild Wings – is tentatively scheduled to open in December.</p>
<p>• Nob Hill could have a WisePies Pizza &amp; Salad by the end of the year. A franchised location of the Albuquerque-based chain will go in next to the Bosque Brewing site at Central and Girard SE.</p>
<p>If you have retail news to share, contact me at <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a> or 823-3864. For more regular updates on Albuquerque shopping and restaurant news, visit my blog at <a href="" type="internal">abqjournal.com</a> or follow @abqdyer on Twitter.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> | Stroll on in to the new Shoes on a Shoestring | false | https://abqjournal.com/469896/nob-hill-cafes-crepes-a-hit-with-clientele.html | 2 |
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<p />
<p>Image source: Darling Ingredients.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Darling Ingredients may have endured extraordinary market headwinds in recent quarters, but that isn't stopping the rendering and biodiesel specialist from expanding its business in a big way. Earlier this week, Darling announced it will increase the annual production capacity of its Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco, LA to 275 million gallons of renewable diesel, an increase of more than 70% from its current capacity of 160 million gallons. Diamond Green Diesel is Darling Ingredients' joint venture with Valero Energy .</p>
<p>The expansion won't happen overnight. But while the total cost and engineering analysis has yet to be finalized, Darling expects the project to be funded by Diamond Green Diesel's existing cash flow. Darling is also estimating a fourth-quarter 2017 completion for the project, and targeting a first-quarter 2018 ramp of production. In the meantime, Diamond Green Diesel should continue operating at full capacity with the exception of a 15- to 30-day downtime period for final tie-ins.</p>
<p>Darling also notes the expansion is an efficient investment; its incremental cost per gallon of renewable diesel production should be roughly half that of the green-field construction cost, thanks to logistics and processing facilities already in place.</p>
<p>But apart from its obviously attractive economics, what spurred this massive project? Darling Ingredients CEO Randal Stuewe elaborated, "Our Diamond Green Diesel joint venture continues to be a shining star in our portfolio of ingredients and our DGD team has successfully proven the technology works, producing the highest quality product to meet the expectations of our customers."</p>
<p>It seems an understatement to call Diamond Green Diesel a shining star for Darling of late, especially in light of the challenges facing the rest of its business. Last quarter, for example, overall <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/02/darling-ingredients-inc-positions-itself-for-a-bet.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">revenue declined 19% Opens a New Window.</a> year over year, to $809.7 million, thanks to a combination of sustained weakness in global commodity markets and the negative effects of foreign currency exchange.</p>
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<p>More specifically, Darling's feed ingredients business saw revenue decline more than 22% year over year last quarter, to $472.2 million, as the segment in the U.S. suffered significant pricing pressure as raw-material volumes and finished-goods pricing declined to levels not seen since the early 2000s. At the same time, Darling's food ingredients business saw net sales decline 15.5%, to $272.2 million, but also saw impressive 70.7% growth in operating income, to $23.3 million, thanks to a solid performance from the company's Rousselot gelatin unit, which enjoyed strong demand, higher margins, and commissioned significant expansions in the U.S. and China.</p>
<p>To put that in perspective, Diamond Green Diesel alone achieved EBITDA of $177 million by producing 159 million gallons of renewable diesel last fiscal year, bringing Darling's share of that profit share to $88.5 million. In short, this offered an effective financial hedge to offset the weakness of Darling's core feed ingredients business.</p>
<p>Considering that weakness won't last forever -- and assuming all goes as planned with the development of DGD's expansion -- it should leave Darling Ingredients that much stronger when each of its segments are finally firing on all cylinders.</p>
<p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/16/darling-ingredients-green-diesel-operation-is-abou.aspx" type="external">Darling Ingredients' Green Diesel Operation Is About to Get Much, Much Bigger Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p>
<p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Steve Symington Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Darling Ingredients. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | Darling Ingredients' Green Diesel Operation Is About to Get Much, Much Bigger | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/04/16/darling-ingredients-green-diesel-operation-is-about-to-get-much-much-bigger.html | 2016-04-18 | 0 |
<p>Want more hot BPR News stories? Sign up for our morning blast&#160; <a href="" type="internal">HERE</a></p>
<p>Though many famous stars have lookalikes, Adam Sandler’s&#160;doppelganger doesn’t just bear an uncanny resemblance to the Hollywood actor.</p>
<p>In a surprising twist, Max Kessler not only sports Sandler’s looks, but also the name of a character in his new movie “Do-Over.”</p>
<p>Kessler posted a split image of himself and Sandler last month on Reddit with the caption, “The name of Adam Sandler’s character in his new movie, ‘The Do-Over’ is Max Kessler. My name is Max Kessler. Oh yeah, and I look just like him.”</p>
<p />
<p>The post went viral with over 8 million views to date and attracted the attention of Sandler himself, <a href="http://www.etonline.com/news/188965_exclusive_watch_adam_sandler_meet_his_look_alike_max_kessler/" type="external">according</a> to ET Online.</p>
<p>Sandler, 49, and Kessler&#160;communicated in a few back and forth photos holding up messages. Eventually, the actor invited the 23 year-old to the premiere of the film in a&#160;photo holding up a sign.</p>
<p>&lt;img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-342275" src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sandlerinvite.jpg" alt="Sandlerinvite" width="408" height="550" srcset="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sandlerinvite.jpg 408w, http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sandlerinvite-223x300.jpg 223w" sizes="(max-width: 408px) 100vw, 408px" /&gt;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>They met for the first time in Los Angeles on Monday.</p>
<p>“It’s a younger, sweeter, better version of me,” Sandler told ET. “He’s a good kid, he’s funny as hell and I was happy to meet him.”</p>
<p>Kessler, an accountant in New York City who has been told he looks like the actor his whole life,&#160;was still surprised to find his name as a character in the new film.</p>
<p>“First I called my mom and I said, ‘This is a joke, someone dubbed the script. Someone did something. there’s no way it’s my name.’ It was true, it was real,” he told ET.</p>
<p>Sign up for our morning blast&#160; <a href="" type="internal">HERE</a></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.etonline.com/news/188965_exclusive_watch_adam_sandler_meet_his_look_alike_max_kessler/" type="external">Video</a> from ET.</p> | Adam Sandler meets his lookalike, promptly does coolest most ‘Adam Sandler’ thing ever | true | http://bizpacreview.com/2016/05/19/adam-sandler-meets-his-lookalike-promptly-does-coolest-most-adam-sandler-thing-ever-342069 | 2016-05-19 | 0 |
<p>Flickr/&lt;a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/senor_codo/352250460/"&gt;Senor Codo&lt;/a&gt;</p>
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<p>Can the 112th Congress officially claim the mantle of “most anti-science” ever? <a href="" type="internal">So says Rep. Henry Waxman</a> (D-Calif.), a 36-year veteran of congressional wrangling over environmental matters. Even the contentious fights over issues like the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments pale in comparison to the environmental battles of the current Congress, the 71-year-old lawmaker noted earlier this week: “I’ve never been in a Congress where there was such an overwhelming disconnect between science and public policy.”</p>
<p>It’s not just that the House GOP is pushing—and will likely pass—a bill that would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating planet-warming emissions and nullify the agency’s scientific finding that those gases endanger human health. Congressional Republicans have mounted an all-out assault on the EPA, pushing a lengthy list of measures to handcuff the agency from exercising its regulatory authority. For good measure, they are also trying to slash the agency’s budget by a third.</p>
<p>The continuing resolution—the seven-month measure to fund the federal government, which the House passed on February 19—included 19 separate riders that have almost nothing to do with cutting the deficit and everything to do with derailing the EPA’s regulatory clout. These provisions would block the agency from issuing regulations on particulate pollution, emissions from cement plants, and emissions of mercury, arsenic, and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. The riders would also restrict oversight of mountaintop-removal coal mining, block pending regulations on coal-ash disposal, and bar the EPA from moving forward with its plan to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and other national waterways.</p>
<p>Taken as a whole, says Franz Matzner, climate and air legislative director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, the House GOP’s EPA onslaught represents “a cut-by-cut attack on fundamental public health laws.” Beyond the specific riders blocking the agency from issuing new regulations, he says, the “draconian cuts” would mean fewer environmental officials on the ground to ensure that existing regulations are being upheld.</p>
<p>The most immediately consequential, should it become law, is the Republican rider blocking the EPA from issuing new emissions rules for coal-fired power plants. The rule, which the EPA is under a court order to issue by March 16, would mark the next stage in a 20-year fight; the Clean Air Act amendments that were passed in 1990 identified 189 hazardous pollutants, but exempted coal-fired utilities from the emissions standards that other large industrial sources were required to meet. The courts threw out a Bush-era bill that would have dealt only with mercury pollution in 2008, forcing the Obama EPA to issue new, more comprehensive rules for these power plants.</p>
<p>Coal-fired power plants are responsible for more than 40 percent of mercury pollution in the US and 386,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants every year, according to the EPA. Public health advocates have high hopes for the new EPA rules on toxic emissions, which would be the first federal standards. Without limits on those pollutants, says Janice Nolen, assistant vice president for national policy and advocacy at the American Lung Association, “People die. Bottom line.”</p>
<p>The fight over the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act took center stage this week, with two hearings by the House energy and power subcommittee. On Tuesday, the panel held a hearing on climate science at the request of Democratic members. The session boiled down to the Republican members dismissing concerns over human-induced global warming and the Democrats accusing them of sticking their heads in the sand. Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to deflect that claim, with cosponsor Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) declaring at Tuesday’s hearing that their bill is “not about global warming science—it’s about stopping regulations that are going to do more harm than good.”</p>
<p>The hearing was mostly theater, as was Thursday’s markup of the bill to strip the EPA of its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Democrats on the committee don’t have the votes to block the legilation. They didn’t even attempt to offer any amendments. Instead, their strategy is primarily to push the message that Republicans are ignoring science.</p>
<p>And Democrats sure are hammering the point home. While Waxman may have accused Republicans of presiding over the “most anti-science” Congress in history, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) tells Mother Jones that his colleague’s characterization doesn’t even go far enough: “This is the most anti-science body since the Catholic Church ostracized Galileo for determining that the earth revolves around the sun.”</p>
<p /> | The GOP’s EPA Ambush | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/republican-epa-ambush/ | 2011-03-11 | 4 |
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<p>"I get updates on our performance in China every day, including this morning, and I can tell you that we have continued to experience strong growth for our business in China through July and August," Cook wrote in an email to CNBC's Jim Cramer, who shared the message with his audience as Apple's stock plummeted more than 13 percent Monday morning.</p>
<p>That plunge erased more than $75 billion in Apple's market value, which started the day around $602.8 billion.</p>
<p>Apple and other U.S. tech stocks were rocked Monday by continued worries over China's economy, following an early sell-off on Friday. Apple says the region it calls "Greater China," which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, is its second-largest market - producing more than a quarter of its sales and its biggest share of growth last quarter.</p>
<p>The company rarely comments on its stock performance, outside of quarterly earnings reports, as Cook acknowledged in his email to Cramer. But he said he knew that questions about China are "on the minds of many investors." Cook went on to say that, in China, "growth in iPhone activations has actually accelerated over the past few weeks, and we have had the best performance of the year for the App Store in China during the last 2 weeks."</p>
<p>Under federal securities rules, public companies aren't supposed to disclose "material information" about their business performance unless it's made widely available to the public, noted Stephen Diamond, an associate professor who teaches securities law at Santa Clara University. But Diamond said Cook's email may not be an issue since Cramer read it on CNBC soon after he said he received it.</p>
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<p>An Apple spokeswoman declined comment on the email except to confirm its authenticity.</p>
<p>Apple's stock has been in a slump since its last earnings report in July, and some analysts have said it's unlikely the company can maintain the rapid growth it enjoyed over the last year.</p>
<p>But others echoed Cook's bullish outlook on Monday. In a note to investors, Daniel Ives of FBR Capital Markets said he was continuing to rate the company's stock "outperform," citing the expected release of new iPhone models this fall and potential for more growth in China.</p>
<p>Those sentiments helped Apple shares make a partial recovery later in the day. After closing on Friday at $105.76, Apple shares plunged early Monday to a low of $92, then soared as high as $108.80 before closing at $103.12.</p> | Apple's stock cuts losses after CEO emails on China business | false | https://abqjournal.com/633494/apple-ceo-comments-as-shares-plunge-then-recover.html | 2015-08-24 | 2 |
<p>Facebook made its much-anticipated initial public offering. TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts had second thoughts about a $10 million negative ad campaign against President Obama. The G-8 convened at Camp David. And JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon faced tough questions in the wake of his company’s $2 billion loss.</p>
<p>Matt Miller, Robert Scheer, Joshua Trevino and Chrystia Freeland discuss all of that on this week’s “Left, Right &amp; Center.” –ARK</p>
<p>KCRW:</p>
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<p /> | 'Left, Right & Center': Facebook Goes Public | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/left-right-center-facebook-goes-public/ | 2012-05-19 | 4 |
<p><a href="http://pienews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sticker.jpg" type="external" />Share on Facebook The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is expected to rule any day now in a lawsuit that aims to block the law's insurance subsidies in more than half the country. If the challengers ultimately prevail, the Affordable Care Act's complex framework could begin [?]</p>
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<p><a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2014/07/07/wh-trying-to-pre-empt-sticker-shock-on-september-premium-increases/" type="external">Click here to view original web page at hotair.com</a></p>
<p /> | WH trying to pre-empt sticker shock on September premium increases | true | http://politicalillusionsexposed.com/wh-trying-to-pre-empt-sticker-shock-on-september-premium-increases/ | 0 |
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<p>When Britain voted to leave the European Union in June, the 48-year-old author had to make a decision that was never necessary in a borderless Europe — should he request the restoration of German citizenship stripped from his family by the Third Reich? He needed only a few hours to make up his mind.</p>
<p>“This is more than the practical. This is also about something for us, or for me. It’s about something spiritual, it’s about reconciliation,” he said. “It’s about acknowledging the truth of the horrors of the past but also about trying to build a better future together, and as a European, that’s what I hope to do.”</p>
<p>One of the complicated realities of the U.K.’s pending divorce from the 28-nation EU is that many Britons whose ancestors came from other parts of Europe are claiming citizenship in other member states so they can retain ties to the continent. Inquiries about passports are up at the German, Austrian and Polish embassies in London.</p>
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<p>Some people want to retain their ability to travel easily from country to country or maintain business ties. Others just want to be part of Europe.</p>
<p>But for Jews whose families fled Germany to escape Adolf Hitler, the decision means re-examining long-held beliefs about the country that once persecuted them.</p>
<p>The children and grandchildren of Jewish refugees are taking advantage of a law that allows the descendants of people persecuted by the Nazis to regain the citizenship that was removed from them in the 1930s and 1940s. More than 400 Britons have sought information about the law since the June 23 referendum on the EU, and German authorities have received at least 100 formal applications, compared with about 20 annually in recent years.</p>
<p>Michael Newman, chief executive of the Association of Jewish Refugees, said Brexit — the British exit from the EU — has fueled interest in German citizenship but it’s hard to know how many people will actually apply. Jews are now able to consider such a step because Germany has made huge strides in addressing the past, he said.</p>
<p>“There is an acceptance of guilt, and I think that makes it a different proposition,” said Newman.</p>
<p>Many of those seeking restoration of their citizenship don’t intend to live in Germany — but want the freedom to travel and work in EU nations.</p>
<p>Ben Lewis, a 49-year-old documentary filmmaker, is among those thinking about applying. Lewis, whose film and production company has worked for years on the continent, sees Brexit as an abomination, particularly the anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.K. that influenced many people to vote to leave the EU.</p>
<p>“It’s blame the foreigners,” he said. “It’s like the 1930s all over again.”</p>
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<p>The history of Jews in Europe is also fueling the wish for second passports. While most Jews may not want to leave Britain now, they want the option to leave in the future, said Marc Meyer, director of the Conference of European Rabbis.</p>
<p>“For a Jew, without being paranoid, for you to be secure in a place for a long time is to misread history,” he said. “Brexit opens the floodgates of insecurity and those of opportunity.”</p>
<p>For some, the decision to seek another passport has been years in the making. Harding has long been coming to terms with his German past, a journey documented in his book, “The House by the Lake.”</p>
<p>The Nazis killed six of his relatives, revoked his family’s citizenship and forced them to leave behind property, including the idyllic summer cottage built by his great-grandfather Alfred Alexander, a doctor whose patients included Albert Einstein and Marlene Dietrich. Those who survived fled to Britain.</p>
<p>Harding grew up in a family that toasted the queen, refused to buy German washing machines and went on holidays everywhere in Europe except Germany. When his grandmother, Elsie, finally decided to show Harding and six cousins the city of her upbringing, she handed over a brown envelope.</p>
<p>“Inside was the swastika-stamped passport for her husband and father-in-law, along with a black piece of cloth on which had been sewn a yellow J,” he wrote in the Guardian newspaper. “Elsie’s message was clear — this is my history and this is your history. Do not forget.”</p>
<p>In 2013, he returned to the cottage, his grandmother’s “soul place,” which was empty and derelict. He climbed through a broken window to look around. “One room looked as if it had been used as a drug den, littered with broken lighters and soot-stained spoons,” he wrote in the book’s prologue.</p>
<p>The building at Gross Glienicke, a village on the outskirts of Berlin, was to be demolished. In a bid to save it, he unearthed the history of those who lived there. The house encapsulates the history of modern Germany. It was built during the Weimar Republic, confiscated by the Third Reich, separated from the nearby lake by the Berlin Wall and became part of a united Germany after the wall came down.</p>
<p>Now it’s Alexander Haus, which seeks to teach local history.</p>
<p>Its programs also aim to help residents better understand the recent wave of Syrian and other refugees seeking protection in Germany. That has special meaning for Harding, because his sister married a Syrian Kurd. The way Harding sees it, Germany is showing leadership by taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees last year.</p>
<p>Now it’s logical, he says, for Jews to cling to the EU, which was created to build ties that would make another European war impossible.</p>
<p>“You could argue that the flight of the German Jews, the persecution of the German Jews, was the symbol of the breaking up of Europe, and the European Union was set up specifically to create a political, social context of peace,” he said. “That’s part of it, isn’t it?”</p> | UK Jews seek restoration of German citizenship post-Brexit | false | https://abqjournal.com/868840/uk-jews-seek-restoration-of-german-citizenship-post-brexit.html | 2016-10-17 | 2 |
<p>MANCHESTER (NH)TheWMURChannel.com MANCHESTER, N.H. -- After telling a suspended Catholic priest that the priest was not the victim, a judge Tuesday sentenced the priest to up to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a Manchester boy for eight years.</p>
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<p /> | Priest Sent To Prison For Abuse | false | https://poynter.org/news/priest-sent-prison-abuse | 2003-03-05 | 2 |
<p>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The N.C. Department of Transportation is reminding motorists that the Alligator River Bridge will be closed to all vehicle and boat traffic beginning this week to make repairs.</p>
<p>A statement from the department said the bridge between Tyrrell and Dare counties will be closed from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday through Tuesday, Jan. 16. The closure allows workers to repair and replace electrical and mechanical components located beneath the swing span bridge.</p>
<p>The work is part of an extensive renovation project designed to extend the life of the 58-year-old bridge. During the closure, NCDOT will have detour signs and variable message signs in place to guide motorists through detour routes.</p>
<p>The project will require another week-long bridge closure in March. The dates for that closure haven’t been determined.</p>
<p>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The N.C. Department of Transportation is reminding motorists that the Alligator River Bridge will be closed to all vehicle and boat traffic beginning this week to make repairs.</p>
<p>A statement from the department said the bridge between Tyrrell and Dare counties will be closed from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday through Tuesday, Jan. 16. The closure allows workers to repair and replace electrical and mechanical components located beneath the swing span bridge.</p>
<p>The work is part of an extensive renovation project designed to extend the life of the 58-year-old bridge. During the closure, NCDOT will have detour signs and variable message signs in place to guide motorists through detour routes.</p>
<p>The project will require another week-long bridge closure in March. The dates for that closure haven’t been determined.</p> | Alligator River Bridge to be closed to traffic, boats | false | https://apnews.com/a00ecd569744481cbb9af63be3d1528c | 2018-01-08 | 2 |
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<p>DALE: As J.T. and I read your question, we both were smiling with admiration for your organized, intelligent re-entry to the work force. Nice. I wonder, however, if the career/industry you went back to has changed, or is it you? A job with a family waiting at home is not the same job.</p>
<p>J.T.: You could start by figuring out if the 60-hour week is the new normal in your industry. In short, it’s time to do some informational interviewing with others in the field to see if there’s a place where you might be a better fit. Then, if you conclude that it is no longer the profession for you, you might consider some career coaching or career assessment tools.</p>
<p>DALE: You can begin with a marvelous career assessment tool: Your network via your children, your “kidnet.” All those hours sitting around watching T-ball or waiting for the dance recital to start can be marvelous times to discuss careers with people who have life situations similar to your own. There is no better way to explore career alternatives than to find people you admire and figure out how to be more like them.</p>
<p>J.T.: Once you find that new direction, do not be paranoid about appearing to be a “changeable jerk” – few hiring managers will be too concerned about a single “miss” with your first job back. Once you have a career path you are excited about, we have no doubt you’ll knock the socks off other employers.</p>
<p>DEAR J.T. &amp; DALE: I am a nurse who has been looking for employment since moving to the mainland from Hawaii earlier this year. I’ve never had any difficulty until now. Maybe the problem is that I could not afford a professional résumé writer. Or that I have been a nurse for 38 years. (I consider myself young for my age of 61.) I’ve gone to several interviews without any success. What’s wrong? – Karen</p>
<p>J.T.: Yes, finding a job can get harder as you get older. Why? Your skills and expertise are seen as “too much” for many of the jobs available. That’s why you need to focus on meeting people instead of submitting online applications. Your résumé doesn’t tell the full story, and employers need to see your personality and aptitude. I would encourage you to find industry associations and other events where peers in your profession meet.</p>
<p>DALE: Just tell those peers that you recently moved from Hawaii and they will, after their eyes briefly glaze over with recollections of their vacations there, be pleased to offer assistance. However, something else is troubling me: You said you’d already had several interviews. If your résumé is a problem, you wouldn’t have gotten interviews. Same with being new to the area, or your age. So forget those, and focus on interviewing skills. See if you can get one of your old managers to do a practice interview over the phone. Further, as you make new friends in the profession locally, ask one or more to do practice interviews with you, and try to get solid, critical feedback. There may be something about terminology, standards or procedures, or even how you dress for interviews that’s different in the mainland. These are things easily fixed.</p>
<p>J.T.: Don’t be shy about asking. You’ll be amazed at how many people will be willing to help you. Give them that chance, and soon you’ll have a terrific new job.</p>
<p>Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.</p>
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<p /> | Work re-entry succeeds; job not so much | false | https://abqjournal.com/325194/work-reentry-succeeds-job-not-so-much.html | 2 |
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<p>FBN's Stuart Varney on President Trump's handling of Hurricane Harvey.</p>
<p>Harvey is a test. Can Texas handle this catastrophe? How will President Trump handle the first disaster of his young presidency?</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The state of Texas and the president will not want a repeat of Katrina, which was a physical and public relations disaster for New Orleans and President Bush.</p>
<p>First, Texas: Going into this, it had a reputation as a "can-do" state - dynamic, efficient, booming. So far, Governor Abbott has clearly been in charge and on top of the growing problem. He has marshalled resources, and liaised directly with the feds. Texas is a Republican state. The Democrats will be eager to find fault.</p>
<p>Now, the president: He has announced his intention to visit Texas tomorrow. That carries risk. He could easily be criticized for getting in the way by bringing all the baggage of the presidency right into the heart of the rescue and recovery operation. And if he does a fly-over, he risks looking like President Bush, who was savaged for "looking down" on the stricken New Orleans.&#160; No matter what he does, the left will surely find fault.</p>
<p>But the president&#160;does have an&#160;advantage. His chief of staff is General John Kelly, who until a few weeks ago was in charge of FEMA, which will be handling displaced people. And he's a general, who knows how to deploy the military.</p>
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<p>So far, Texas is living up to its reputation as a state that can do what has to be done. And the president has been front and center, getting together all the federal help The Lone Star state requires.</p>
<p>Of course there is political risk, but if this is a demonstration of how America responds to disaster, we're doing ok.</p> | No matter what Trump does in Texas, the left will surely find fault: Stuart Varney | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/08/28/no-matter-what-trump-does-in-texas-left-will-surely-find-fault-stuart-varney.html | 2017-08-28 | 0 |
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<p>Cybersecurity experts demonstrate their products at this year’s RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco. The annual conference is a major expo for digital security firms. (Tim Johnson/McClatchy/TNS)</p>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. corporations that have long resisted bending to the demands of computer hackers who take their networks hostage are increasingly stockpiling bitcoin, the digital currency, so that they can quickly meet ransom demands rather than lose valuable corporate data.</p>
<p>The companies are responding to cybersecurity experts who recently have changed their advice on how to deal with the growing problem of extortionists taking control of the computers.</p>
<p>“It’s a moral dilemma. If you pay, you are helping the bad guys,” said Paula Long, chief executive of DataGravity, a Nashua, N.H., company that helps clients secure corporate data. But, she added, “You can’t go to the moral high ground and put your company at risk.”</p>
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<p>“A lot of companies are doing that as part of their incident response planning,” said Chris Pogue, chief information security officer at Nuix, a company that provides information management technologies. “They are setting up bitcoin wallets.”</p>
<p>Pogue said he believed thousands of U.S. companies had prepared strategies for dealing with hacker extortion demands, and numerous law firms have stepped in to facilitate negotiations with hackers, many of whom operate from the other side of the globe.</p>
<p>Symantec, a Mountain View, Calif., company that makes security and storage software, estimates that ransom demands to companies average between $10,000 and $75,000 for hackers to provide keys to decrypt frozen networks. Individuals whose computers get hit pay as little as $100 to $300 to unlock their encrypted files.</p>
<p>Companies that analyze cyber threats say the use of ransomware has exploded, and payments have soared. Recorded Future, a Somerville, Mass., threat intelligence firm, says ransom payments skyrocketed 4,000 percent last year, reaching $1 billion. Another firm, Kaspersky Lab, estimates that a new business is attacked with ransomware every 40 seconds.</p>
<p>“If you’re hit by ransomware today, you have only two options: You either pay the criminals or you lose your data,” said Raj Samani, chief technical officer at Intel Security for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “We underestimated the scale of the issue.”</p>
<p>Hackers often send out email with tainted hyperlinks to broad targets, say, an entire company. All it takes is one computer user in a company to click on the infected link to allow hackers to get a foothold in the broader network, leading to hostile encryption.</p>
<p>“At least one employee will click on anything,” said Robert Gibbons, chief technology officer at Datto, a Connecticut company that offers digital disaster recovery services.</p>
<p>Law enforcement counsels U.S. businesses not to succumb to ransom demands, urging them to keep backup copies of their data in case of hostile encryption.</p>
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<p>“The official FBI policy is that you shouldn’t pay the ransom,” said Leo Taddeo, chief security officer for Cryptzone, a Waltham, Mass., company that provides network security. Until 2015, Taddeo ran the cyber division of the FBI’s New York City office.</p>
<p>But practical considerations increasingly are dictating a different approach. “It’s an option to pay the ransom to get back up and running. Sometimes it’s the only option,” Taddeo said.</p>
<p>“But it has downsides,” he added. “Paying ransom just invites the next attack.”</p>
<p>Moreover, 1 in 4 companies that pay ransoms never get their files restored, Gibbons said.</p>
<p>The idea of rewarding extortionists with payment makes some technologists see red.</p>
<p>“That makes me super mad,” said Lior Div, chief executive of Cybereason, a Boston-area cybersecurity company. “There are things that are unacceptable, and we need to fight them.”</p>
<p>Div and his company have done something about the extortion epidemic. They built a product called RansomFree that claims to detect 99 percent of all ransomware strains.</p>
<p>So far, the free software has been downloaded 125,000 times, the company says.</p>
<p>As extortionists get more sophisticated, researchers say, they are modifying their malicious code, their infection strategies and the way they collect payments.</p>
<p>Once they weasel their way into your network, they now take a look around.</p>
<p>“They’ll actually explore your system to see how much money they can squeeze from you,” said Andrei Barysevich, director of advanced collection at Recorded Future.</p>
<p>And they won’t offer any sympathy, no matter how valuable the encrypted data, even if lives are at stake, say, in a health care network. They may even say they are doing nothing evil.</p>
<p>“They actually think they are on the moral high ground. They think the companies should have paid more for security,” said Barysevich, who spoke at a presentation this week at the annual RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco, which bills itself as the world’s leading gathering of cybersecurity specialists.</p>
<p>One of the reasons midsize and large companies are storing bitcoin for emergency use is that extortionists, once they succeed at penetrating a system, commonly give a deadline for payment before destroying data. But victims can’t rush out and buy bitcoin in a day or two.</p>
<p>“It takes at times a week for (brokers) to process you,” Barysevich said.</p>
<p>Setting up the wallet ahead of time, Pogue said, allows businesses an option that is quick, although perhaps repugnant.</p>
<p>“If they need to go to it, they are not spinning their wheels standing up a bitcoin wallet,” Pogue said.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>©2017 McClatchy Washington Bureau</p>
<p>Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com" type="external">www.mcclatchydc.com</a></p>
<p>Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Spooked by cyber extortion, businesses are stockpiling bitcoin | false | https://abqjournal.com/953495/spooked-by-spike-in-cyber-extortion-businesses-are-stockpiling-bitcoin-for-payoffs.html | 2 |
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<p>State Auditor Tim Keller, right, wants the state to assume financial oversight of the MLK State Commission. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission board voted Tuesday to eliminate the job of executive director, effectively removing Kimberly Greene, who is under investigation by the state Attorney General's Office on suspicion of embezzling thousands of dollars.</p>
<p>Greene did not attend the meeting and multiple attempts to reach her since last week have been unsuccessful.</p>
<p>Commissioners also voted to eliminate the position of program coordinator Rosalind Jones, saying they were so over-budget that they simply did not have the funds to pay her. That did not sit well with members of the public who packed the meeting room in the African American Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico.</p>
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<p>One after another they expressed concern that by eliminating the two positions, the MLK State Commission was gutting itself. Many, including NAACP President Harold Bailey, asked that the commissioners rescind their vote and reinstate Jones.</p>
<p>MONTOYA: Acting chairwoman contacted AG</p>
<p>Bailey and others took the commissioners to task for voting to eliminate Jones' position before getting to the public comments portion of the meeting. Eliminating her position, they said, will ultimately affect the youth who benefit from MLK Commission programs anchored by Jones.</p>
<p>Commissioner Tim Eichenberg, who is also the state treasurer, clarified that the commission was only temporarily terminating the executive director and program coordinator positions until its finances were put in order.</p>
<p>Last December, Greene approached the state Board of Finance and asked for emergency funding to offset overspending of nearly $100,000.</p>
<p>Former state Treasurer James Lewis suggested that the commission consult with the state Risk Management Division to have a better understanding of financial liability issues. He further noted the great work that the MLK Commission does throughout the state. "Because we had one hiccup, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater," he cautioned.</p>
<p>After hearing from state Auditor Tim Keller, commissioners voted to accept his recommendation that the state Department of Finance and Administration temporarily assume financial oversight of the MLK Commission.</p>
<p>In other business, the commissioners elected Oscar Robinson of Portales as the new commission chairman, replacing acting chairwoman Karen Montoya. Brad Winter, who is also the interim secretary of state, was elected as commission vice chairman.</p>
<p>The attorney general's investigation into the commission's finances was triggered after Montoya and Eichenberg were made aware of possible financial misconduct involving Greene. Montoya contacted the AG's Office and requested an investigation.</p>
<p>According to search warrants served last week by investigators, Greene may have funneled $16,000 for her own use from eRead, a nonprofit charged with disbursing funds on behalf of the commission, in addition to forging an invoice from eRead for more than $51,700.</p>
<p>The nonprofit eRead provides education and technology programs to students and the community.</p>
<p />
<p /> | MLK Commission director out of a job | false | https://abqjournal.com/717209/mlk-commission-director-out-of-a-job.html | 2016-02-02 | 2 |
<p>No one ever promised vocational ministry would be easy, said Michael Godfrey, executive director of True Course Ministries. That's why he knew his mentoring program for clergy would meet an immediate need.</p>
<p>Godfrey's 32 years experience in Christian ministry revealed to him a huge disconnect between seminary education and the practical demands of full-time ministry.</p>
<p>“I've had my own bumps and bruises along the way, in terms of just dysfunctional situations, relational situations … issues with self-awareness, perceptions of others,” Godfrey said.</p>
<p>After leaving one particularly difficult situation, Godfrey realized his struggles weren't unique.</p>
<p>“I came to the realization that people and systems can turn, and you can get caught in the middle of it. It just opened my eyes and I saw there was a whole lot of that,” he said.</p>
<p>In 2001, Godfrey began pursuing a doctor of ministry degree at Baylor University's Truett Theo-logical Seminary. While enrolled at Truett, Godfrey found the direction he had been seeking during a visit to the Baptist General Convention of Texas minister/church relations office.</p>
<p>“When I was working on my D.Min., I went to Jan Daehnert's office and asked him: ‘Where's the hole? Where's the need?' He said we have plenty of after-care (for forced termination), but we don't have any preventive care,” he said.</p>
<p>Godfrey developed True Course Ministries to find a way to offer support and continued education to ministers.</p>
<p>“About 90 percent of ministers feel inadequately trained,” he said.</p>
<p>The program, now completing its fifth year, earned the Malcolm S. Knowles Award for Excellence in Adult Education from the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education in 2007.</p>
<p>Several months of informal survey showed Godfrey ministers were seeking mentors to help deal with feelings of isolation, loneliness and burnout. Godfrey also wanted his program to address church struggles and prevent forced terminations.</p>
<p>True Course Ministries focuses on issues of administration, leadership, social and emotional understanding, and communication.</p>
<p>One-on-one, personal mentorship with individually customized goals distinguishes True Course Ministries.</p>
<p>At the first meeting, mentors work with ministers to write a mutual covenant of responsibility. They continue to meet monthly to discuss issues, growth and future goals. Official collaboration can last up to two years, but many participants keep a close friendship with mentors long after the sessions' completion.</p>
<p>True Course Ministries' mentors are seasoned ministers themselves, well-experienced in the ups and downs of full-time ministry. Mentors also must remain active in church leadership. Some serve as interim pastors. Others focus on conflict management; some counsel ministers and their families following forced termination.</p>
<p>Pastor Taylor Sandlin at Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo contacted Godfrey, whom he met during seminary, after he entered full-time ministry. Sandlin wanted to continue his education after seminary, and the True Course program appealed to his desire for accountability and educated feedback, he said.</p>
<p>“Ministry can often be a lonely endeavor,” Sandlin wrote in a testimonial about True Course. The program helped connect him to other ministers and to transition from the close-knit community of seminary to full-time congregational ministry, he said. “Michael and (his wife) Susan have become for my family more than mentors; they have become our friends — kindred spirits in this life of faith,” Sandlin wrote.</p>
<p>In his sessions with Godfrey, Sandlin said, they focused on creating and maintaining long-term vision, a skill that has shaped his decisions ever since.</p>
<p>“Developing goals … is probably the thing that I've carried with me,” Sandlin said. “What do I want my ministry to look like? What do I want to look like, in spiritual or family life, in five years, and how do I get there? By developing those goals, and focusing on those goals, it's allowed me to say ‘no' to a lot of good things that nevertheless would have taken away from those long-term goals of family time and nurturing a healthy church.”</p> | Mentoring program helps ministers chart true course | false | https://baptistnews.com/article/mentoringprogramhelpsministerscharttruecourse/ | 3 |
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<p />
<p />
<p>Canada has become known for their liberal views on returning terrorists and wants to 'rehabilitate' and house them with taxpayer money despite coming from the front lines of a war zone only because their side lost and was killed or captured.</p>
<p>Now Kurdish forces in Syria have captured another Canadian citizen who was fighting alongside the terror group moments before. The 22-year-old woman was captured along with her 2-year-old daughter and a newborn baby girl. She was captured while fleeing a Daesh-controlled region of Syria.</p>
<p>Currently, she is in the custody of Syrian Democratic Forces which is predominately composed of Kurdish and Arab forces along with Western government forces as well. The woman surrendered to coalition forces last month after 3-years of fighting with the self-proclaimed Islamic State.</p>
<p>She left Montreal in November 2014 without telling family or even her closest friends and went to Syria with another teenage girl. It is thought that the pair used a common route for the thousands of Westerners who joined Daesh. The route consists of flying to Istanbul, Turkey and then traveling south into Syria, where the terror group fighting.</p>
<p>The girl's mother tried for 3-years to get her daughter home who called crying soon after arriving saying that the situation was not what she expected and she was closely watched. "Everything is under surveillance. Everything is dangerous here," she said in a panicked call. "We are watched. It's not safe. I'm so sorry, mama. I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>The mother's lawyer is in contact with the Canadian spy service CSIS and he says, "We have been working with Canadian authorities for months to find a way to get her out of Daesh territory and into Canadian custody. She was able to escape from Daesh territory - despite being eight and a half months pregnant - with the help of coalition allies. We understand she's in Kurdish custody as she awaits transfer to Canadian authorities."</p>
<p>Governments around the world have been faced with how to deal with returning fighters who defected to the terror group now that they are all but defeated. Nations like the U.K. believe they must be killed according to Rory Stewart, the minister of international development. "I'm afraid we have to be serious about the fact these people are a serious danger to us, and unfortunately the only way of dealing with them will be, in almost every case, to kill them," he said.</p>
<p>US Officials, as well as France, have said publicly those that leave to join the group should die there. It remains to be seen what will become of this woman and the hundreds if not thousands like her but one thing is for sure, they are a danger to society and should be treated in the same manner as a murderer or terrorist.</p>
<p />
<p>On Twitter:</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/ErvinProduction" type="external">@ErvinProduction</a></p>
<p>Tips? Info? Send me a message!</p>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/11/27/22-year-old-montreal-woman-escapes-daesh-with-infant-daughters-three-years-after-travelling-to-syria.html" type="external">thestar.com/news/world/2017/11/27/22-year-old-montreal-woman-escapes-daesh-with-infant-daughters-three-years-after-travelling-to-syria.html</a></p> | Canada Ready To Open Their Arms To Former ISIS Member | true | http://thegoldwater.com/news/12844-Canada-Ready-To-Open-Their-Arms-To-Former-ISIS-Member | 2017-11-28 | 0 |
<p>Oct. 11 (UPI) — California Gov. <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jerry_Brown/" type="external">Jerry Brown</a> on Wednesday said nearly two dozen wildfires throughout the state could cost tens of billions of dollars as officials increased the death toll to 21.</p>
<p>Brown and other state and U.S. emergency officials offered an update on the fires — primarily in the northern part of the state — in a midday news conference.</p>
<p>Of the dead, 11 people were in Sonoma County, six in Medocino County, two in Napa County and two in Yuba County.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Live-updates-Gusts-expected-to-fuel-Wine-Country-12269146.php?cmpid=premartcl" type="external">In Sonoma County</a>, 670 people were reported missing and 110 people have been found safe, Sheriff Rob Giordano said.</p>
<p>Cal Fire Chief Ken Pimlott said that despite a “brief respite” from high winds Tuesday, poor weather “continues to plague the state.” On Wednesday, the state was under a red flag warning due to high winds. Pimlott said that despite rainfall last year, California is “still impacted by five years of drought.”</p>
<p>“Make no mistake: This is a serious, critical, catastrophic event,” he said.”</p>
<p>Brown made a brief reference to climate change in his assessment of the wildfires.</p>
<p>“With a warming climate and dry weather and reducing moisture, these kinds of catastrophes … will continue to happen and we have to do everything we can to mitigate,” he said.</p>
<p>“It’s gonna cost a lot of money,” he added. “This will be tens of billions.”</p>
<p>Pimlott said about 8,000 firefighters are battling the blazes along with a variety of helicopters, air tankers, drones and other aircraft used to fight fighters. He said Washington, Oregon and Nevada fire departments were sending fire engines and other assistance.</p>
<p>California Highway Patrol has 112 personnel assigned to assist in traffic control, law enforcement and evacuations. Seven hundred National Guard soldiers and airmen were on duty with another 1,800 mobilized.</p>
<p>Some 4,400 people were in shelters Wednesday afternoon and 55,000 people were without power.</p>
<p>Officials estimate <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-northern-california-fires-live-fire-recovery-could-cost-tens-of-1507750002-htmlstory.html" type="external">at least 3,500 homes</a> and commercial structures have been destroyed by the fast-moving wildfires. All told, the fires covered more than 170,000 acres, including the 42,000-acre Atlas Fire in Napa County (2 percent contained) and more than 25,000-acre Tubbs Fire (3 percent contained) in Santa Rosa.</p>
<p>In Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, the fire was 5 percent contained over 29,500 acres.</p>
<p>New evacuations were ordered Tuesday night in Sonoma Valley and the Geyserville area, where residents were urged to leave.</p>
<p>“People were in bed, there was no time; some of the folks were sleeping at home in bed and had no idea because there was minutes — seconds warning,” Pimlott said in an earlier news conference.</p>
<p>“This is just pure devastation.”</p>
<p>Officials discovered the bodies of Charles Rippey, 100, and his wife, Sara Rippey, 98, on Sunday in the ashes of their home in Napa County.</p>
<p>They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary March 20, according to the <a href="http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/announcements/anniversaries/rippeys-celebrate-years-of-marriage/article_84aca9ab-7c54-5d33-9a01-c02327d280a3.html" type="external">Napa Valley Register</a>.</p>
<p>“The caregiver called me and said that there was fire everywhere,” their son, Chuck Rippey, <a href="http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Fast-Moving-Fire-Overwhelms-Napa-Home-Kills-World-War-II-Veteran-and-Wife-450251653.html" type="external">told KNTV-TV</a> on Tuesday. “I said just get those guys out on the street, and before she knew it, the roof was caving in and all that, so it was very fast. Very fast.”</p>
<p>All schools in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley were canceled for the rest of the week, including classes at Sonoma Valley University.</p>
<p>The only fires that have been 100 percent contained so far were the Jones Lake Fire and Blue Fire.</p> | California gov. says wildfires could cost tens of billions; 21 dead | false | https://newsline.com/california-gov-says-wildfires-could-cost-tens-of-billions-21-dead/ | 2017-10-11 | 1 |
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Plains All American Pipeline Lp:</p>
<p>* PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE - ‍SUBSIDIARY OF CO SAID IT HAS RECEIVED SUFFICIENT BINDING COMMITMENTS ON ITS INITIAL OPEN SEASON</p>
<p>* PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE LP - ‍UNIT OF CO PROCEEDING WITH CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PIPELINE SYSTEM FROM PERMIAN BASIN TO CORPUS CHRISTI/INGLESIDE AREA​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING (Reuters) - China warned the United States on Thursday not to open Pandora’s Box and spark a flurry of protectionist practices across the globe, even as Beijing pointed to U.S. goods that it could target in a deepening Sino-U.S. trade dispute.</p> FILE PHOTO: Container boxes are seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port, part of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, in Shanghai, China September 24, 2016. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
<p>China could target a broad range of U.S. businesses from agriculture to aircraft, autos, semiconductors and even services if the trade conflict escalates, the official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Thursday.</p>
<p>President Donald Trump’s move last week to slap up to $60 billion in tariffs on some Chinese imports has since provoked a warning from Beijing that it could retaliate with duties of up to $3 billion of U.S. imports.</p>
<p>China’s biggest U.S. imports are aircraft and related equipment, soybeans and autos, with the total bill about $40 billion last year.</p>
<p>“The malicious practices of the United States are like opening Pandora’s Box, and there is a danger of triggering a chain reaction that will spread the virus of trade protectionism across the globe,” a commerce ministry spokesman said.</p>
<p>The official line from China continues to be stern even as Beijing says it is all for dialogue and negotiations. The feedback from U.S. and Chinese officials on the nature and extent of trade talks remains mixed, media reports show.</p>
<p>The Financial Times reported only on Monday that China had offered to buy more U.S. micro-chips and move more quickly to finalize rules allowing foreign firms to take majority stakes in Chinese securities firms, citing people briefed on the negotiations.</p>
<p>Chinese customs data shows the U.S. accounted for just $2.6 billion, or 1 percent, of China’s total semiconductor imports last year by value, with suppliers in South Korea, Taiwan and Japan commanding a bigger share.</p>
<p>But a source in the U.S. semiconductor industry said U.S. companies have slightly more than 50 percent of China’s market for chips, though export data doesn’t reflect that because much of the product is sent off-shore for low value added processing.</p>
<p>The source said the U.S. semiconductor industry had not asked the Trump administration to urge China to buy more U.S. chips and had been told by senior U.S. officials that the U.S. government had not made such a request to Beijing.</p>
<p>“We don’t need China to buy more chips,” the source said, adding that U.S. industry was concerned about being targeted by Chinese non-tariff barriers.</p>
<p>“It’s more about (Chinese) subsidies, IP protection, and cyber rules,” the source said, referring to concerns over Chinese retaliation.</p>
<p>China has long said it would like to import more U.S. high-tech goods, including high-end chips, but has been stymied by U.S. export controls set on national security grounds.</p>
<p>China’s commerce ministry said on Thursday the U.S. approach to trade could trigger a domino effect and U.S. trade protectionism will only hurt U.S. consumers.</p>
<p>While China hopes the U.S. will resolve trade conflicts with China through dialogue, it will take all possible steps to protect its interests, ministry spokesman Gao Feng told a regular briefing in Beijing.</p>
<p>“Negotiations must be equal, and China will not accept any consultation under unilateral coercion,” Gao said.</p> FILE PHOTO: Containers are seen at the port in San Pedro, California, U.S., March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Riha, Jr. SERVICES MAY BE TARGETED
<p>On Wednesday, Trump’s top trade envoy said he would give China a 60-day window before tariffs on Chinese goods take effect, but added that it would take years to bring the two countries’ trading relationship “to a good place.”</p>
<p>The tariff list is expected in the next several days.</p>
<p>The China Daily on Thursday quoted Premier Li Keqiang as telling a U.S. Congressional delegation this week that China was open to dialogue but “fully prepared with countermeasures”.</p>
<p>It warned that if the conflict continued to escalate “China could consider taking reciprocal measures against U.S. imports of agricultural products besides soybeans, as well as aircraft, automobiles and semiconductors.”</p>
<p>“And should the Trump administration further obstruct Chinese investments in the U.S., even tougher measures such as restrictions on imports of U.S. services and similar investment reviews would likely be on the table,” it said.</p>
<p>Separately, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported on Thursday that U.S. and Chinese officials had been holding talks to shield American soybeans and other agricultural products from trade sanctions.</p>
<p>China is still considering import curbs on U.S. soybeans, U.S. Soybean Export Council Asia director Paul Burke said on Thursday, following a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture.</p>
<p>Reporting by Se Young Lee and Yawen Chen in BEIJING; Additional reporting by Michael Martina, John Ruwitch, Dominique Patton and Stella Qiu; Additional writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Kim Coghill</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks sagged on Thursday after a tech-led retreat on Wall Street while the safe haven yen was broadly lower against the dollar on Thursday amid perceived progress on North Korea issues.</p> A man looks at an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan February 9, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
<p>MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 0.2 percent lower after swerving in and out of negative territory.</p>
<p>Shanghai rose 0.05 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.35 percent and Australian stocks shed 0.4 percent.</p>
<p>Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.6 percent with the weaker yen supporting exporter shares while South Korea’s KOSPI added 0.1 percent.</p>
<p>Wall Street closed lower after a rocky session on Wednesday as gains in consumer staples and healthcare were offset by a sharp drop in Amazon shares and a continuing slide in technology stocks. [.N] nL3N1RA5QV]</p>
<p>“Fears of a global trade war have eased, although concerns still linger about the U.S. technology sector,” said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management in Tokyo.</p>
<p>“But equities in Asia will receive support from an easing of tensions regarding North Korea, with countries like Japan seeking a summit,” Ichikawa added.</p>
<p>Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders’ meeting with Japan and other countries, Japan’s Asahi newspaper said on Thursday.</p>
<p>Earlier, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearisation and to meet U.S. officials, Beijing said on Wednesday after Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.</p>
<p>The yen, often sought in times of market turmoil and political tensions, retraced the gains it made against the dollar earlier in the week.</p>
<p>The greenback traded at 106.580 yen after it rallied 1.4 percent on Wednesday, pulling away from a 16-month trough of 104.560 set on Monday.</p>
<p>The dollar also gained against other currencies. The dollar index versus a basket of six major currencies was at 89.987 after reaching a one-week high of 90.147.</p>
<p>Global markets were shaken this month when U.S. President Donald Trump moved to impose tariffs on Chinese goods and Beijing threatened to retaliate.</p> FILE PHOTO: A Japan Yen note is seen in this illustration photo taken June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo
<p>The United States and South Korea agreed on Tuesday to revise their six-year-old trade pact with a side deal to deter competitive currency devaluation by Seoul and with concessions for U.S. autos and pharmaceutical companies.</p>
<p>Focus was on whether the Trump administration would press China for currency reassurances as part of the trade negotiations, like those secured from South Korea.</p>
<p>Fears of a full-blown trade war have eased on hopes that negotiations can bring a compromise, but concerns remained.</p>
<p>“Expansionary U.S. fiscal policy should support global trade, but markets will remain attentive to further tensions as the China-U.S. trade saga continues to unfold,” wrote economists at ANZ.</p>
<p>The euro was a shade higher at $1.2323 after losing 0.75 percent on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Sterling was flat at $1.4074 after shedding 0.5 percent overnight on news British retail sales fell in March for the first time in five months.</p>
<p>The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield was at 2.786 percent after touching a near two-month low of 2.743 percent overnight on sagging Wall Street shares.</p>
<p>In commodities, U.S. crude futures rose 0.4 percent to $64.61 a barrel, partly recovering after dropping 1 percent the previous day when data showed U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly rose last week. [O/R]</p>
<p>Brent climbed 0.4 percent to $69.80 a barrel.</p>
<p>Reporting by Shinichi Saoshiro; Editing by Richard Pullin and Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TEMPE, Ariz. (Reuters) - The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle.</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators examine a self-driving Uber vehicle involved in a fatal accident in Tempe, Arizona, U.S., March 20, 2018. National Transportation Safety Board/Handout via REUTERS Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>Cristina Perez Hesano, attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said “the matter has been resolved” between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg, 49, who died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NVDA.O" type="external">NVIDIA Corp</a> 221.35 NVDA.O Nasdaq -4.17 (-1.85%) NVDA.O
<p>Terms of the settlement were not given. The law firm representing them said that Herzberg’s daughter and husband, whose names were not disclosed, will have no further comment on the matter as they consider it resolved.</p>
<p>Fall-out from the accident could stall the development and testing of self-driving vehicles, which are designed to eventually perform far better than human drivers and sharply reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year.</p>
<p>Uber and microchip developer Nvidia Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NVDA.O" type="external">NVDA.O</a>) have put self-driving car testing programs on hold following the fatality, which is believed to be the first death of a pedestrian struck by a self-driving vehicle.</p>
<p>The fatality also presents an unprecedented liability challenge because self-driving vehicles, which are still in the development stage, involve a complex system of hardware and software often made by outside suppliers.</p>
<p>Herzberg was jay-walking across a divided four-lane road with her bicycle when she was struck. A video taken from a dash-mounted camera inside the vehicle that was released by Tempe police showed the SUV traveling along a dark street when suddenly the headlights illuminated Herzberg in front of the SUV.</p>
<p>Other footage showed the human driver who was behind the wheel mostly looking down and not at the road in the seconds before the accident.</p>
<p>Writing by Peter Henderson; Editing by Jacqueline Wong</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - A driver plowed a vehicle into five people in San Francisco on Wednesday, killing one, before fleeing the scene, officials said on Wednesday.</p> Officer Robert Rueca, of the San Francisco Police department, speaks to members of the media at the scene of a hit-and-run incident that struck five pedestrians, killing one in San Francisco, California, U.S., March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stephen Lam
<p>The suspected driver was later arrested and his vehicle was seized, a police spokesman said.</p> Members of the San Francisco Police department are seen at the scene of a hit-and-run incident after a vehicle struck five pedestrians, killing one in San Francisco, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stephen Lam
<p>“We do not believe the general public is at risk,” San Francisco police spokesman Robert Rueca said at a news conference, calling it an isolated incident.</p>
<p>The people were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, where one died and one was in critical condition, hospital spokesman Brent Andrew said. The three others were in serious or fair condition.</p>
<p>Police declined to immediately discuss what might have led to the incident. They initially said the driver plowed into the five people after an altercation.</p>
<p>The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the people who were hit had been trying to steal the driver’s vehicle.</p> Slideshow (3 Images)
<p>In video from the San Francisco affiliate of NBC, paramedics and police could be seen attending to a person lying on the sidewalk after the incident in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, also known as the Central Waterfront.</p>
<p>Paul Lim, who works at a business in the area, told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I saw two lifeless people from across the street.</p>
<p>“Another one was being consoled by a friend screaming for help. And another one was moving very slowly.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Gina Cherelus in New York and Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Tom Brown and Grant McCool</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a> | BRIEF-Plains All American Pipeline To Proceed With Construction Of Cactus II Pipeline China warns U.S. not to open Pandora's Box, unleash trade ills on world Asia shares sag on lingering tech woes, yen lower Uber reaches settlement with family of autonomous vehicle victim Driver plows into people on San Francisco street, killing one | false | https://reuters.com/article/brief-plains-all-american-pipeline-to-pr/brief-plains-all-american-pipeline-to-proceed-with-construction-of-cactus-ii-pipeline-idUSFWN1PH13H | 2018-01-22 | 2 |
<p>Israeli soldiers using search dogs were trying to locate five workers trapped in the wreckage of a Tel Aviv parking garage that was under construction when it collapsed Monday, killing two and injuring two dozen others.</p>
<p>One of the victims was a 28-year-old construction worker from Ukraine, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri told NBC News.</p>
<p>The unfolding rescue drama in the Ramat Hachayal neighborhood was being closely monitored by the Israeli government.</p>
<p>Moshe Levi, a United Hatzala rescue worker, said he found "a lot of wounded people" when he arrived at the scene.</p>
<p>"There are more people under the rubble," Levi added.</p>
<p>The Magen David Adom ambulance service confirmed two people had died.</p>
<p>Initially, the ambulance service <a href="https://twitter.com/Mdais/status/772723702265966592" type="external">tweeted</a>that 20 people were feared trapped. Tel Aviv Police Chief Chico Edri later told a press conference later five people were missing.</p>
<p>The structure that collapsed was a multi-level underground parking garage that was to serve a soon-to-be constructed office block, another police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said.</p>
<p /> | Tel Aviv Building Collapse Kills Two, Injures Dozens | false | http://nbcnews.com/news/world/tel-aviv-building-collapse-leaves-several-injured-n642821 | 2016-09-05 | 3 |
<p>Alex Jones debates Jesse Ventura on Jade Helm during an Infowars broadcast.Image via YouTube.</p>
<p>Once upon a time, there were these people known as “moderate Republicans.” They had ideas that may not have been the best policies for moving our country forward, but they tended to be more interested in padding their wallets instead of engaging in extremist politics.</p>
<p>Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. There’s hardly a day that goes by where you don’t hear someone like Ted Cruz open their mouth and say something that would have seriously hurt their career just a couple of decades ago.</p>
<p>This isn’t due to sensationalistic or misleading stories from <a href="" type="internal">liberal bloggers</a> determined to take statements made by Mike Huckabee, <a href="" type="internal">Bobby Jindal</a> or other Republicans out of context. This problem stems from the fact that the party has failed to attract new voters and has to rely on an older, staunchly conservative base instead. In order to keep those people under the GOP tent, candidates have to give those people increasingly inflammatory and paranoid rhetoric, or they’ll vote for another candidate who will tell them what they want to hear.</p>
<p>Now, a new poll by Public Policy Polling shows just how uninformed, paranoid and completely divorced from reality the party’s base has become.</p>
<p>A new survey from Public Policy Polling finds [ <a href="http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_Release_National_51315.pdf" type="external">PDF</a>] that one-third of Republicans believe the <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/jade-helm-15" type="external">Jade Helm 15 conspiracy theory</a> that “the government is trying to take over Texas,” and another 28 percent of GOP voters haven’t made up their minds yet about the matter.</p>
<p>The right-wing frenzy over an upcoming military exercise called Jade Helm 15 has swept up the Republican governor of Texas and several other GOP leaders who wonder if the drill is part of a plan by President Obama to seize Texas, impose martial law, confiscate firearms and throw conservatives into closed Walmart stores that have been converted into FEMA camps.</p>
<p>Among Republicans, PPP found that supporters of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were most likely to believe the conspiracy theory. ( <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/poll-one-third-republicans-think-obama-wants-invade-texas" type="external">Source</a>)</p>
<p>This poll illustrates just how far right the party has swung, and that’s really troubling not just for Republicans, but for us as a nation as well. This isn’t a one-time fluke, either; a poll back in 2013 found that nearly <a href="http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2013/08/21/new-poll-finds-many-louisiana-republicans-blame-obama-for-botched-response-to-hurricane-katrina" type="external">the same percentage</a> of Republicans in Louisiana <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/poll-louisiana-gopers-unsure-if-katrina-response-was-obama-s-fault" type="external">blamed President Obama</a> for the slow response to Hurricane Katrina, despite the fact Katrina struck 3 full years before he was even elected.</p>
<p>So if approximately a third or more of your party believes that the <a href="http://www.kvue.com/story/news/local/2015/04/27/bastrop-co-addresses-jade-helm-15-concerns/26476685/" type="external">military training exercise</a> known as <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/jade-helm-15-facts-training-exercise-causing-jitters/story?id=30915367" type="external">Jade Helm</a> is part of President Obama’s plans to <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/what-is-jade-helm-15" type="external">invade a state</a> that is already part of the United States and is chock full of American military bases, perhaps it might be obvious to conservatives exactly why people like myself think the Republican Party has become nuttier than a squirrel turd? Granted, there has always been a paranoid fringe within Republican ranks and the left is certainly not immune from it either (especially when it comes to a fear of science and technology). This was rightfully <a href="http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/may/12/rich-lowry/did-liberal-writer-warn-about-bush-fascist-takeove/" type="external">pointed out by Rich Lowry</a> on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday when he claimed that conspiracy stories weren’t unique to conservatives, and cited the example of Naomi Wolf and her assertions that George W. Bush would declare martial law in order to secure a third term in office.</p>
<p>While I am not aware of any polling that asked Democrats in 2008 whether or not they believed George W. Bush would suspend the Constitution to stay in the White House, I think it’s safe to say that people who bought into Naomi Wolf’s paranoid ideas were a small minority within party ranks. However, when a third or more of Republican voters believe conspiracy nonsense peddled by websites like Infowars or David Icke, it isn’t being hyperbolic to call them crazy.</p>
<p>If Republicans want people like me to stop pointing out the epic levels of paranoia and ignorance in the party and how it’s driving people away from the GOP, then maybe they should work to counter that issue. The problem is that they have invested too many years in the culture wars and allowed people who would have been laughed at decades ago to move into the Republican spotlight – and it’s too late for them to turn back now.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal">Dear Republicans: Trump and Cruz Prove That If Your Party Doesn't Change, It's Going to Destroy Us All</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">John Boehner's Trashing of Ted Cruz &amp; the Tea Party Proved Liberals were Right All Along (Video)</a></p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Ted Cruz's Latest Attack on President Obama Should Disqualify Him From Running for President</a></p>
<p>0 Facebook comments</p> | One In Three Republicans Believe Jade Helm Is An Obama Plot To Invade Texas | true | http://forwardprogressives.com/one-in-three-republicans-believe-jade-helm-is-an-obama-plot-to-invade-texas/ | 2015-05-13 | 4 |
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<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Northbound Interstate 25 is closed at Tramway, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Twitter account Thursday night.</p>
<p>"Multiple accidents on I-25 northbound at Sandoval County line," the department tweeted. "Slow down and expect delays."</p>
<p>Sgt. Aaron Wiliamson said there were no fatalities.</p>
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<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | NB I-25 closed at Tramway due to accident | false | https://abqjournal.com/685706/nb-i-25-closed-at-tramway-due-to-multiple-accidents.html | 2 |
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<p>Since many Americans don’t realize Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing, McClatchy offers a quick Q&amp;A on what the failed repeal effort means for consumers.</p>
<p>Q: I don’t get it. How could the Republican-led House — which voted more than 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act — fail to pass it when they had the chance?</p>
<p>A: The quick answer is it’s easy to vote against something when it stands no chance of becoming law. It’s much harder to gain consensus on new legislation — particularly when it would rescind benefits that millions of Americans have enjoyed for several years. By demonizing the Affordable Care Act for seven years, Republicans built what turned out to be unrealistically high expectations among their conservative base that the law would be scrapped as soon as possible. GOP leaders quickly realized it would be politically more difficult than they expected. They tried to make compromises and retain certain aspects of the law, while terminating others. Conservative hardliners affiliated with the tea party wanted no parts of what they felt was a watered-down repeal bill. Rather than compromise, they stood firm and forced House Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump to cancel the scheduled House vote on the measure.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Q: So what happens to my marketplace coverage now?</p>
<p>A- If you’ve got individual coverage for 2017, sit tight. You’re OK. Your plan benefits are signed, sealed and must be delivered.</p>
<p>Q: Does that mean Obamacare is safe for now?</p>
<p>A: Ryan said the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land “for the foreseeable future,” and Trump said he expects congressional Democrats will end up working with Republicans to fix any problems or weaknesses in the law. But don’t expect the Trump administration to do much administratively to help support the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>Q: What about next year? Will individual coverage cost more?</p>
<p>A: Hard to say. The Obamacare tax credits and subsidies will help most marketplace plan members pay for coverage. The lower a person’s income, the larger tax credit they receive. And because the tax credits pay a certain percentage of the actual cost of coverage, most recipients are fairly well-insulated from any major rate hikes next year. That said, the Trump administration is proposing policy changes for the individual insurance market that don’t require congressional approval — and could greatly affect the cost and scope of coverage.</p>
<p>Q: What kind of changes?</p>
<p>A: The proposals allow insurers to cover a lower percentage of medical costs and to redirect current premium payments to a plan member’s previously unpaid premiums. Those provisions could potentially increase out-of-pocket costs for consumers. In addition, Trump has directed the Internal Revenue Service not to enforce the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate that requires most people to have health insurance or pay a fine. That’s expected to cause millions of healthy, younger people to drop their coverage. That would leave plans with a larger share of sicker, higher-cost enrollees which could cause insurers to raise premiums to make up for the extra costs.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Q: But didn’t marketplace premiums skyrocket this year anyway?</p>
<p>A: Premiums in states that use the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace did increase an average of 25 percent in 2017, after rising just 2 percent in 2015 and 7.5 percent in 2016. But that was mainly because insurers had under-priced their coverage in 2015 and 2016 because they didn’t know what the mix of young, old, healthy and unhealthy plan members would look like — or how much they would cost. After making the cost corrections in 2017, most analysts felt the individual market was on its way to stabilizing in 2018.</p>
<p>Q: What about the Medicaid expansion? Are congressional Republicans going to go after that?</p>
<p>A: The Medicaid expansion is part of the Affordable Care Act and will remain in effect. But Republicans have their sights on cutting Medicaid and could pursue separate legislation that changes the program from an open-ended entitlement to one with capped funding — as the GOP health bill would have done.</p>
<p>Q: So what will Republicans do about health care now?</p>
<p>A: In the short term, probably not much. Burned by the debacle that occurred in the House on Friday, Republican leaders will be loath to plunge back into a contentious debate. But many are still quite eager to repeal the law, so look for some to float solutions. “Congress has a responsibility to continue its work to solve this problem,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate health committee. Of course, if their constituents don’t make a fuss, lawmakers will turn their sights elsewhere.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>(Lesley Clark contributed to this report.)</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>©2017 McClatchy Washington Bureau</p>
<p>Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com" type="external">www.mcclatchydc.com</a></p>
<p>Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</p>
<p>_____</p> | Q&A: Death of House GOP’s Obamacare repeal effort means what exactly? | false | https://abqjournal.com/976159/qa-death-of-house-gops-obamacare-repeal-effort-means-what-exactly.html | 2 |
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<p>With approximately $6.1 trillion in assets under management, hedge funds have the ability to throw considerable weight around the market. Sometimes it can seem like a herd mentality as the smart money begins <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/31/the-smart-money-likes-these-5-stocks.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">buying up the same stocks Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>To find out which stocks the smart money has formed a consensus on, personal finance website <a href="https://wallethub.com/" type="external">WalletHub Opens a New Window.</a> examined the most recent SEC disclosures filed by more than 400 hedge funds to find their biggest holdings, newest positions, and recent exits. Below are the five <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/hedge-fund-stocks/38113/#most-popular" type="external">most popular stocks Opens a New Window.</a> owned by the smart money crowd.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is literally just a few dollars away from becoming the first company to be valued at $1 trillion. If Apple was a country, CNBC says the tech giant would be one of the world's top 20 economies. As the world awaits the introduction of the eighth iteration of the iPhone, it seems only a matter of when, not if, Apple crosses the threshold of that landmark achievement.</p>
<p>Although Apple still generates almost two-thirds of its revenue from the iPhone, its services business is enjoying phenomenal growth and is the segment to watch. It started from a small base, but it's been piling on <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/21/how-apple-has-changed-in-the-past-10-years.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">double-digit growth rates Opens a New Window.</a> and has become Apple's second-largest segment behind iPhones, generating more than $24 billion in sales last year.</p>
<p>Apple has proven it is more than a one-trick pony, it's understandable why hedge funds have made this the most popular stock.</p>
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<p>Similarly, it would be a dumb move if the smart money wasn't heavily backing the most successful investor of all time. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B)&#160;has set a solid foundation for the portfolios of those who put their faith -- and money -- with the Oracle of Omaha.</p>
<p>Historically, Berkshire has delivered performance beyond that achieved by the market indexes, which, given Buffett's&#160;typical disdain for investing in risky stocks, has made his level of outperformance all that more remarkable.</p>
<p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/BRK.B" type="external">BRK.B Opens a New Window.</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p>Still, Buffett has grown more comfortable with stocks he once shunned. For example, although once being averse to buying tech stocks, Buffett has been buying up large tranches of Apple stock since last year and today Berkshire Hathaway owns about 130 million shares, giving it a 2.5% stake in the device maker and <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/30/warren-buffett-has-made-billions-on-apple-and-he-h.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">earning Buffett billions of dollars Opens a New Window.</a> in return.</p>
<p>While Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) is the third most popular stock among the smart money crowd, they've shown a willingness to pay up for the leading social media platform. Over the first six months of 2017, the period of the WalletHub analysis, Facebook's stock rose 30% while the market itself only gained 7%. Since then, Facebook has padded its lead -- it's now up 50% year to date -- and trades at 37 times trailing earnings and 26 times next year's estimates.</p>
<p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/FB" type="external">FB Opens a New Window.</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a>.</p>
<p>Yet with the social network still expected to grow its earnings at least 26% over the next five years, its multiple is not as excessive as you might think considering the potential for expansion. Because Facebook is positioning itself to capitalize on some <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/17/how-to-buy-facebook-stock-and-why-you-should.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">major trends Opens a New Window.</a>, it's a bet that should pay off for years to come.</p>
<p>After gaining for much of 2017, Google parent Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) suffered a bit of a summer swoon in June only to rebound in July before succumbing again and trading sideways in August. Still, its performance has justified the bet the smart money placed on it.</p>
<p>Now, however, the tech giant is embroiled in a number of controversies that take away from the growth potential of its ad revenue monetization policies. That revenue continues to climb higher, rising 18% year over year as advertising shifts from <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/15/millennials-arent-watching-tv-buy-these-stocks-not.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">television to digital Opens a New Window.</a>. From the $2.7 billion fine the EU slapped on Google for its search results manipulation to being accused of pressuring a think tank to fire a scholar who applauded the move, there's a lot of sound and fury swirling around Alphabet's policies that's temporarily drowned out its potential.</p>
<p>But if you're looking for a poster child for scandal, you really can't do any worse than Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), the fifth most popular stock among hedge funds. And unlike the others on this list, the banking giant's stock has woefully underperformed and is down more than 7% year to date, whereas rivals like Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) (the sixth most popular stock) is up 8% in 2017.</p>
<p>The numerous sales scandals that have plagued Wells Fargo and beaten down its shares are likely what is causing the smart money to see an opportunity to buy the stock on the cheap. Most of the negative press has been factored into the share price, and it would take another major scandal flaring up again (always a possibility) to weaken it further. If Bank of America can rise again after knowing scandal itself, Wells Fargo can bounce back too.</p>
<p>10 stocks we like better than AppleWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p>
<p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=90931d06-6107-40ad-8e70-8435fb15ee6e&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Apple wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p>
<p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;impression=90931d06-6107-40ad-8e70-8435fb15ee6e&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p>
<p>*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017</p>
<p>Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFCop/info.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Rich Duprey Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and Facebook. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;uuid=b9689a7a-8352-11e7-8bac-0050569d32b9&amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | These Are the 5 Most Popular Smart Money Stocks | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/09/12/these-are-5-most-popular-smart-money-stocks.html | 2017-09-12 | 0 |
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<p>Check out a brief live-action history of painting’s masterpieces, set to the song “70 Million”&#160;by the French band <a href="http://www.myspace.com/holdyourhorsesparis" type="external">Hold Your Horses!</a> The Raft of the Medusa and the Death of Marat are eerie; the Mondrian and Magritte—and all that follow them—are simply amazing. The song ain’t bad, either. Feast your eyes, then spread the link. Hat tip to the esteemed art historian Stassa Edwards for passing this on (full disclosure: She’s my wife).</p>
<p />
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/9752986" type="external">70 Million by Hold Your Horses !</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2732566" type="external">L’Ogre</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com" type="external">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p /> | Best. Music. Video. Ever. | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2010/03/best-music-video-ever-art-paintings-masterpiece-hold-your-horses-french-band/ | 2010-03-05 | 4 |
<p>Oppressive conservative movements anywhere in the world, especially what we’re seeing in America, could partly be a response to challenges of traditional authority resulting from technological changes.</p>
<p>The great anthropologist Margaret Mead once said that in the 20th century we were witnessing for the first time an era in human history in which the youth could not go to their elders for advice on how to survive.</p>
<p>The elders have had much to teach us (and still do, of course) and throughout millennium the youth have sat around them and hungered for their knowledge because it was needed for survival, but also because their stories and information probably made life more interesting.</p>
<p>It’s rather staggering to realize that this has been the primary model of us humans for thousands of years until, roughly, the recent industrial revolution.</p>
<p>The issue Mead referred to was rapid technological changes that altered the way we humans relate with each other–particularly in the West where changes have been occurring in rapid succession (electricity, cars, planes, the industrial age generally, communications, etc.). This is further compounded by the fact that it takes at least 10 to 20 years for us humans to adapt our behavior to a new technology.</p>
<p>We’ve apparently not seen such rapid technological change as has been the case in the 20th century–and there’s simply not been time to adapt to it all. Social relationships have become somewhat chaotic as a result.</p>
<p>There are many examples of change in the 1900’s and how it’s effected they way we relate, but perhaps the most striking in recent history has been the computer and/or digital age. Think about it! In just the past 20 years we have become incredibly reliant on the computer and e-mail as a form of communication. And if something new becomes available in computer technology, whom do we learn about it from? It’s certainly not our parents or grandparents as would have been the case traditionally. We ask our children or grandchildren, our nieces and nephews.</p>
<p>On the flip side of this, it’s been said the technological change is inherently democratizing. It tends to provide opportunities for the masses to have access to technology and information. The printing press and the more recent personal computer are prime examples. They opened up vast opportunities for individual growth and exploration. Change can be liberating! These two examples are perhaps perfect examples of the enlightenment at work. But all of this is seemingly not without a societal cost and threats from the right wing.</p>
<p>On the other hand, some new technologies, like the Green Revolution after WWII and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), are probably not that great for us. The Green Revolution has dumped enormous amounts of chemicals on our soil and into our food system through use of chemicals in production agriculture. The GMO’s are making our family farmers worldwide more vulnerable because they have less control over seed saving as well as their crop production and GMO’s are also, unfortunately, homogenizing agriculture and destroying the diversity of our food chain. The beneficiaries of these technologies are largely the corporations and not the masses. They are not examples of what are “inherently democratizing” or liberating.</p>
<p>Another important factor to consider here is that when something new presents itself–new ideas, new technology, new religion, etc–there is a tendency for large sectors of the society (i.e. religious leaders, scientists, professionals generally) to cling even more to the older methods and values. Change is never easy.</p>
<p>Scientist Thomas Kuhn describes this best in his renowned book “The Structure of Scientific Revolution”. He says that when Copernicus, Newton, Lavoisier and Einstein, for example, were advancing their new scientific theories, “Each of (the new theories or paradigms) necessitated the (scientific) community’s rejection of one time-honored scientific theory in favor of another incompatible with it.” But before that, scientists refused to accept the new paradigms and attempted to undermine those advocating the change. Kicking and screaming, science will ultimately accept some of these new theories but only after they’ve been tested and retested.</p>
<p>Perhaps right out of the Kuhn model, conservative Christians and neoconservative movements in America are attempting to entrench and/or expand power. They’re attempting to reverse the threats to traditional role relationships that have been challenged by a century of technological changes and the accompanying liberation. They’ll want to challenge the new technology particularly if it’s liberating for the masses and threatens traditional authority.</p>
<p>The Christian right and neoconservatives are taking advantage of society in transition in any number of ways. For example, once again, amazingly, they are challenging Darwin’s evolutionary theory of natural selection; as always free speech and right of assembly appear on the chopping block; women’s rights are threatened; affirmative action is being diminished; limited executive power is almost a thing of the past.</p>
<p>Change is not necessarily better; it’s simply a change, something new, and usually intriguing. There are times it is definitely an advancement but we need to study it carefully. It might not necessarily improve the quality of our lives, but then it might! But a few things seem certain. Technological changes result in new dynamics in our human relationships and there will be a reaction to new technologies particularly if they are liberating and empowering for the general population.</p>
<p>HEATHER GRAY produces “Just Peace” on WRFG-Atlanta 89.3 FM covering local, regional, national and international news. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
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<p>&#160;</p> | Conservatives and Technology | true | https://counterpunch.org/2006/09/23/conservatives-and-technology/ | 2006-09-23 | 4 |
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<p>BMW is reviewing the necessity of car keys, Ian Robertson, the company’s board member responsible for sales told Reuters.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>The fact that customers now all carry a smartphone and the availability of a BMW App which allows customers to unlock their vehicle, has made old fashioned keys less relevant.</p>
<p>“Honestly, how many people really need it,” Robertson said in an interview at the Frankfurt car show, explaining that customers no longer had to put the key in the ignition to make the car start.</p>
<p>“They never take it out of their pocket, so why do I need to carry it around?,” Robertson said, adding that the company was looking at getting rid of keys altogether.</p>
<p>“We are looking at whether it is feasible, and whether we can do it. Whether we do it right now or at some point in the future, remains to be seen,” Robertson said.</p> | BMW says car keys may be replaced by mobile phone apps | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/09/15/bmw-says-car-keys-may-be-replaced-by-mobile-phone-apps.html | 2017-09-15 | 0 |
<p>There are clear images of a person observers say lit a Donald Trump supporter on fire during Saturday’s Women’s March, but so far, the suspect has not been identified.</p>
<p>Video from the incident shows Trump supporters and Women’s March attendees arguing about politics, and protesters chanting “this is what democracy looks like.”</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Two of the Trump supporters turned their backs to the protesters to each pose for photos with a sign critical of Trump.</p>
<p>A woman with braided hair wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat posed with the sign.</p>
<p>After a woman with back-length hair wearing a blue Trump had did the same, a hand could be seen reaching out of the crowd with a lighter and puts it to her back.</p>
<p>Briefly, her hair could be seen on fire before another Trump supporter extinguished it and apologized for swatting her back.</p>
<p>Trump supporters then tried to determine the culprit and those near her did not help.</p>
<p>Observers say the hand belongs to this woman in the blue hat with white lettering:</p>
<p />
<p>Here she is in the crowd:</p>
<p />
<p>The video shows a zoomed-in, slow-motion replay of the act, clearly showing the lighter touching the woman’s hair.</p>
<p>So far, the woman has not been identified.</p>
<p>If you can help, please call the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department at (202) 727-9099.</p> | MYSTERY: Who lit female Trump supporter on fire at Women’s March? | true | http://theamericanmirror.com/mystery-lit-female-trump-supporter-fire-womens-march/ | 2017-01-24 | 0 |
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<p>Most companies sell their products on credit, for the convenience of the buyers and to increase their own sales volume. The term bad debt refers to outstanding debt that a company considers to be non-collectible after making a reasonable amount of attempts to collect. These debts are worthless to the company and are written off as an expense.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>If a company's bad debt as a percentage of its sales is increasing, it can be a sign of trouble. Therefore, it can be useful to calculate and monitor the percentage of bad debt over time. Here's how to do it.</p>
<p>Calculating the percentage of bad debtThe basic method for calculating the percentage of bad debt is quite simple. Divide the amount of bad debt by the total accounts receivable for a period, and multiply by 100.</p>
<p>There are two main methods companies can use to calculate their bad debts. The first method is known as the direct write-off method, which uses the actual uncollectable amount of debt. Using this number, dividing by the accounts receivable for the period can show the exact percentage of bad debt.</p>
<p>For example, if a company sells a total of $100 million worth of products on credit during a certain year, and $3 million of this amount turns out to be uncollectible, we can calculate the percentage of bad debt as:</p>
<p>However, this method has a downside. Specifically, companies generally cannot say for sure whether or not a debt is uncollectible for some time after the sales have taken place, which can lead to an inaccurate portrayal of accounts receivable on the balance sheet.</p>
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<p>The alternative is called the allowance method, which is widely used, especially in the financial industry. Basically, this method anticipates that some of the debt will be uncollectable and attempts to account for this right away.</p>
<p>Under this method, the company creates an "allowance for doubtful accounts", also known as a "bad debt reserve", "bad debt provision", or some other variation. Companies have different methods for determining this number, including previous bad debt percentages and current economic conditions.</p>
<p>For example, if a lender's bad debt represented 2% of its total loans last year, and the economy has significantly improved since then, it may only decide to set aside a bad debt reserve of 1.5% of its total loans this year.</p>
<p>This article is part of The Motley Fool's Knowledge Center, which was created based on the collected wisdom of a fantastic community of investors. We'd love to hear your questions, thoughts, and opinions on the Knowledge Center in general or this page in particular. Your input will help us help the world invest, better! Email us at <a href="http://mailto:[email protected]?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">[email protected] Opens a New Window.</a>. Thanks -- and Fool on!</p>
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<p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> | How to Calculate the Percentage of Bad Debt | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/03/12/how-to-calculate-percentage-bad-debt.html | 2016-03-12 | 0 |
<p>BOSTON - Airforce One navigated a rough patch of weather Wednesday as U.S. President Barack Obama tried to touch down for a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. and then onto a campaign fundraiser here in Boston.</p>
<p>Heavy cloud cover forced the president's plane to pull out of its first landing before trying again successfully.</p>
<p>But that New England squall is nothing compared to the perilous conditions Obama will need to navigate Thursday when he lands his much-anticipated speech on the Middle East.</p>
<p>Even for a president with great gifts as an orator, the hot winds of change in the Middle East will present an extraordinary challenge for what is shaping up to be a crucial policy speech.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110519/middle-east-aid-obama-egypt-tunisia-marshall-video" type="external">(Read details of Obama's Middle East speech).</a></p>
<p>When Obama addresses the nation tomorrow from Washington, he will need to seize an historic moment of both promise and peril in the Middle East by articulating a new way forward for American foreign policy in the region. Obama will need to voice support for the pro-democracy movements sweeping the region, but not allow that support to appear like America is meddling.</p>
<p>And he will need to prevent his administration from being open to accusations of double standards.</p>
<p>It will be very difficult to pull that off.</p>
<p>The Arab Spring has brought hope for democracy to countries like Egypt and Tunisia, where people took to the streets and toppled U.S.-backed dictators. In Syria, it has wrought seething violence as the government has brutally suppressed demonstrations. In Libya, it has left the country embroiled in a civil war. The United States has taken part in the U.N.-backed "no fly zone" in Libya and carried out bombing raids to protect rebel-held cities. But the United States has played a far less active role in Bahrain, where the U.S.-backed government and Saudi forces have aggressively sought to crush the opposition movement.</p>
<p>And now the Arab Spring has sprouted demonstrations by Palestinians along Israel's borders where violence erupted as the Israelis sought to put down the demonstration with a use of force that killed 15 people.</p>
<p>All of these cross winds were blowing through the region while the U.S. military carried out a daring and well-executed raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.</p>
<p>Bringing the Al Qaeda leader to justice has suddenly opened up the possibility of a timely drawdown of forces in Afghanistan this summer as well as hopes for an accelerated exit from Iraq. And it has led many to believe that the apocalyptic ideology of Al Qaeda is giving way to a social and political movement for change spurred on by Facebook and Twitter.</p>
<p>But how does Obama give shape to all of these events and forge a new foreign policy out of them?</p>
<p>How does he square the yearning for democracy in Egypt with the fact that his administration was slow to recognize the revolution in Cairo as it unfolded and ultimately toppled President Hosni Mubarak, who the United States had so carefully propped up for more than 30 years?</p>
<p>How does he support the revolutions that brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets of Cairo and Tunis, but also calm the nerves of oil-rich allies like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain?</p>
<p>White House officials are suggesting that Obama will express support for pro-democracy movements across the Arab world, but they hasten to add that the president will stick to a pragmatic, case-by-case approach rather than a broad policy shift.</p>
<p>"He believes the future of the region will be written by the people of the region and that what we're seeing is an expression of long pent-up desire for greater freedom, greater prosperity and greater engagement in the political process in these countries," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters Tuesday.</p>
<p>But what remains to be seen is just how Obama articulates his belief that the Arab people deserve "greater freedom, greater prosperity and greater engagement" with the fact that for them to have those cherished goals will almost inevitably undercut America's own interests in the region as well as the interests of its closest regional ally, Israel.</p>
<p>American foreign policy in the Middle East and its desire to keep the region's oil flowing efficiently onto the world markets has been built around seeking stability through autocratic regimes that are now crumbling.</p>
<p>The status quo will not stand.</p>
<p>Rami Khouri, the acclaimed author and editor of Lebanon's Daily Star, explained this well in a recent column. He said that the Arab world has grown impatient with "the same old, ugly problem of double standards in Western governments' treatment of Arab issues."</p>
<p>Khouri advises Obama to stay true to core American and universal principles and "not recoil and then retrench in the company of known dictators and ruling thugs once the momentum for democratic change slows down."</p>
<p>Instead, Khouri urges Obama to reach higher and declare that "liberty is the birthright of all human beings and the U.S. supports the absolute and undifferentiated right of all those who struggle - to achieve and enjoy those rights, including Arabs and Iranians."</p>
<p>Obama has articulated these yearnings well in two impressive speeches. One was in Cairo in the summer of 2009 when he sought to heal the sharp divisions that the war in Iraq had caused with the Muslim world. And the other was at the U.N. last September when he called for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal within a year, an attempt to jump-start negotiations that remain stalled.</p>
<p>Expectations in the Arab world for universal rights of liberty like the ones Khouri articulates cause concern in Israel, analysts say, where they are sometimes seen as a rhetorical code for a Palestinian state.</p>
<p>Indeed, the Palestinian leadership is pressing for a vote on a U.N. resolution that would recognize Palestinian statehood.</p>
<p>Washington insiders say Obama's speech will likely emphasize that the United States is opposed to such an effort and that direct talks between the parties, not unilateral efforts, are the best way to achieve peace and a two-state solution.</p>
<p>Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told the Jerusalem Post that Israel is not expecting any surprises in the speech and quelled rumors in Israel that Obama would call on Israel to return to its 1967 borders and take part in a peace plan that will divide Jerusalem. He also said that it was his understanding that only a small portion of the speech would be devoted to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</p>
<p>As Oren wrote in Foreign Policy, Israel sees this moment as proof that Israel is an indispensable ally in a volatile region at a time of great uncertainty.</p>
<p>But even if that is true, the Israeli-Palestinian issue looms over all American policy in the region particularly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu poised to speak before the U.S. Congress next week. And a shadow has been cast over the process with the news that the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell was resigning after failing to create a breakthrough in peace negotiations, which have settled into a bitter and resentful stalemate that constantly threatens to break out into violent conflict.</p>
<p>And so there is much at stake in this speech. It offers a moment for an American president to define a new way forward amid breathtaking events in the Middle East.</p>
<p>But it also comes with the risk that the president will fall back to a status quo that the Arab world has made loud and clear is no longer tolerable.</p>
<p>These cross currents create a dangerous wind shear as Obama tries to land his message. So tray tables up. Turn off all electronic devices. And keep your seatbelts securely fastened.</p> | Will changes in the Middle East mean changes in U.S. foreign policy? | false | https://pri.org/stories/2011-05-19/will-changes-middle-east-mean-changes-us-foreign-policy | 2011-05-19 | 3 |
<p>Published time: 13 Dec, 2017 13:33</p>
<p>Football fans on the Crimean peninsula wishing to attend games at the Russia 2018 World Cup next year cannot apply for tickets through the official FIFA website.</p>
<p>The issue was raised by Russian Sports Ministry deputy <a href="https://www.minsport.gov.ru/en/ministry/assistants/116/" type="external">Natalya Parshikova</a> at a meeting of The State Duma Committee on state construction and legislation on Wednesday, Interfax reported.&#160;Parshikova advised fans wanting to watch matches at the tournament to check if their place of residence is officially recognized on the FIFA official site.</p>
<p>Read more</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/sport/412775-first-fan-ids-delivered/" type="external" /></p>
<p>“The ticketing programme [is] worked-out by FIFA and, on its site, you can find Georgia but not Crimea. Therefore, for residents in Crimea, the sale of tickets has been organized through the Russian Football Union (RFU) site,”&#160;Parishkova said, Interfax reported.&#160;</p>
<p>“In relation to Kosovo, Abkhazia and Ossetia, you need to see whether your country is recognized by FIFA or not. If it is not recognized, then [fans] cannot buy tickets on the FIFA website. Also, for residents of Crimea, there is no sale of tickets through their national federations,” the official added.</p>
<p>The second phase of ticket sales is currently underway, having opened on December 5, and will run until January 31. Fans have the chance to submit applications for matches during the random-selection procedure, including for packages that follow teams through the stadiums. A total 318,109 tickets were requested on first day and a further 742,760 tickets were issued upon completion of the first stage of ticket sales, on November 28.</p>
<p>As well as match tickets, fans intending to attend games at Russia 2018 will require ‘FAN IDs’, which will provide stadium access for all fans, as well as visa-free entry to Russia for foreign visitors.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rt.com/sport/411656-world-cup-draw-russia-saudi-arabia/" type="external">READ MORE:&#160;Russia to kick off 2018 World Cup against Saudi Arabia in Moscow</a></p>
<p>The first FAN IDs were delivered by ‘Pochta Rossi’ [Russian Post] this week. Those who have been issued FAN IDs will receive their permits through first class, small parcel delivery.</p>
<p>The 2018 World Cup, the first to be held in Russia, will take place from June 14 to July 15, in 12 host venues located in 11 Russian cities. Host nation Russia will kick off the action in the opening match versus Saudi Arabia at the newly-refurbished Luzhniki Stadium.</p> | Football fans in Crimea unable to buy Russia 2018 World Cup tickets on FIFA website | false | https://newsline.com/football-fans-in-crimea-unable-to-buy-russia-2018-world-cup-tickets-on-fifa-website/ | 2017-12-13 | 1 |
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<p>By the time the Lobos got that figurative ball back on the fairway, it was clear someone else would be hoisting the 2010 Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational trophy when the tournament concludes today.</p>
<p>The Lobos shot a 36-hole score of 613, 29 over par, good for 10th place in the 17-team field. They trail leader Ohio State by 26 shots. The tournament concludes with 18 holes today at the UNM Championship Course, starting at 8 a.m.</p>
<p>Rebecca Hellbom, a junior from Sweden, rallied from a horrid start to lead the Lobos with a 2-over-par 148, good for 12th place in the individual standings. Her fellow Scandinavian Therese Koelbaek, a UNLV senior All-American from Denmark, leads at 6-under 140.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The Lobos, playing on their home course, started the day as if they'd never seen the UNM Championship track. They finished Friday's first round in 12th place, 22 over par.</p>
<p>The problem wasn't drives into the rough, UNM coach Jill Trujillo said, as much as putts that dodged the cup.</p>
<p>"We practice on these greens day in and day out," she said, "but in the first round nothing was dropping for anybody. Lots of three-putts, and it was definitely a putting contest today.</p>
<p>"I think it was a little bit of nerves. For a lot of the girls, it was their first home event."</p>
<p>The Lobos put themselves out of the contest in a hurry. Hellbom, UNM's No. 1 player, started on hole No. 4. After a bogey on No. 10, she was 5 over for the round. Hellbom rallied to shoot 4-over 77, then fired a 2-under 71 in the afternoon.</p>
<p>"I wasn't really in the right state of mind (in the morning), I think," Hellbom said. "Then my putts started to fall, and I had a lot of birdies during the front of the back 18. So, that was probably the difference."</p>
<p>Freshman Sammi Stevens, starting on No. 5, bogeyed 5 and 6. Stevens regrouped to finish with the Lobos' best round of the morning: a 3-over 76. She was the only Lobo to shoot a higher score in the afternoon, though, with a 78.</p>
<p>Lobos Sarah Salvo, Bethany Buchner and Manon DeRoey shot 80, 81 and 82, respectively, in the morning. Buchner bogeyed four of her first five holes. Salvo, starting on No. 5, bogeyed six and seven.</p>
<p>In the second round, Buchner shot 75, Salvo 76 and DeRoey 77.</p>
<p>"We calmed down a little bit," Trujillo said of the afternoon round, "but it still was not to our potential. It was quite a blow to our right and left knee in the first round; it was absolutely terrible.</p>
<p>"But we rallied back a little bit and we still have (today), so we can make some moves. Rebecca played an awesome second round, and Beth brought it back a little bit. So, it was pretty good."</p> | No Home Cooking For Struggling Lobos | false | https://abqjournal.com/232696/no-home-cooking-for-struggling-lobos.html | 2 |
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<p>Donald Trump's choice of treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, suggests that the&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/todays-headlines-5-things-you-should-do-to-get-ready-for-our-new-president/864" type="external">new President-Elect's administration Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;could initiate the "largest tax change since Reagan." Though the full details are not known, there are a few expected objectives. These include cutting the existing seven tax brackets down to three, capping&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/8-crucial-tax-deductions" type="external">itemized deductions Opens a New Window.</a>, and increasing the standard tax deduction. While these sound like positive steps for many taxpayers, they could have a negative effect on the housing market.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Under Trump's plan, the amount of tax-exempt income for single filers may soar from $6,300 to $15,000, and the exemption for married couples could rise to $30,000. If that happens, fewer people would need to file itemized deductions and take the&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/mortgage-interest-tax-deduction-doubles-for-unmarried-cohabitants/457" type="external">mortgage interest deduction Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
<p>Under the current system, someone paying mortgage interest of $10,000 would itemize the deduction to get a higher tax break, as their interest is greater than the standard $6,300 tax exemption. In such a case, it makes more sense to buy a home than rent. Under&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/5-fun-financial-facts-donald-trump-1" type="external">Trump Opens a New Window.</a>'s potential changes, however, there would be no need to itemize the mortgage interest, as the proposed&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/itemize-or-take-the-standard-deduction-on-your-federal-income-tax" type="external">standard tax deduction Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;of $15,000 would be greater. This would make taxes far simpler to file but there would be little financial difference between buying and renting, so Americans may be less incentivized to buy homes.</p>
<p>National Association of Realtors president William E. Brown said, "Doing anything that would limit&#160; <a href="http://www.moneytips.com/top-tax-benefits-of-home-ownership" type="external">incentives for homeownership Opens a New Window.</a>&#160;is a fundamental step in the wrong direction that could harm home values and keep more buyers on the sidelines." Mortgage Bankers Association chief economist Michael Fratantoni said that simplification of the tax codes is welcomed. He added, "The other side of the argument is that mortgage interest deduction helps homeowners by lowering the cost of their interest on an after-tax basis." First-time homebuyers usually benefit the most from this deduction.</p>
<p>This article was provided by our partners at&#160; <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.moneytips.com_trump-2Dtax-2Dplan-2Dcould-2Daffect-2Dhousing-2Dmarket_175&amp;d=DgMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=epah7g7zP14gydLLRClcV-oz9TTpFi755MR6_Hqjg0Y&amp;m=0SC97P8NryB8davgWc_KGtk5Y1YbsMKHapt2OWUyI2w&amp;s=8nOWDxevQNiTYtKQSe8p7uA3vXcwj49ByHfkvYhiNXo&amp;e=" type="external">moneytips.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.moneytips.com_mortgage-2Dinterest-2Dtax-2Ddeduction-2Ddoubles-2Dfor-2Dunmarried-2Dcohabitants_639&amp;d=DgMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=epah7g7zP14gydLLRClcV-oz9TTpFi755MR6_Hqjg0Y&amp;m=0SC97P8NryB8davgWc_KGtk5Y1YbsMKHapt2OWUyI2w&amp;s=fA4GlfZKjq1h5Eoi9Gd1Y94zs2kwNixwx455weYpEeA&amp;e=" type="external">Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Doubles For Unmarried Cohabitants Opens a New Window.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.moneytips.com_tax-2Dbreaks-2Dfor-2Dthe-2Dyoung&amp;d=DgMFaQ&amp;c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&amp;r=epah7g7zP14gydLLRClcV-oz9TTpFi755MR6_Hqjg0Y&amp;m=0SC97P8NryB8davgWc_KGtk5Y1YbsMKHapt2OWUyI2w&amp;s=oRLiSHSDg9bk6pSPYsyzaOG7HYswt3elo8gviijMsUw&amp;e=" type="external">Tax Breaks for the Young Opens a New Window.</a></p> | Here's How Trump's Tax Plan Could Affect the Housing Market | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2016/12/06/heres-how-trumps-tax-plan-could-affect-housing-market.html | 2016-12-06 | 0 |
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<p>The high price of prescription drugs has put — and kept — U.S. pharmaceutical companies in the news recently, but Dr. Marcia Angell argues that problems with the industry run even deeper. In her new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0375508465/qid=1094592626/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-2192888-7853420?v=glance&amp;s=books&amp;n=507846" type="external">The Truth About Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It</a> ( <a href="/arts/books/2004/09/08_100.html" type="external">reviewed</a> in the current issue of Mother Jones), the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine contends that the industry has become a marketing machine that produces few innovative drugs and is dependent on monopoly rights and public-sponsored research.</p>
<p>Angell disputes the industry’s reputation as an “engine of innovation,” arguing that the top U.S. drug makers spend 2.5 times as much on marketing and administration as they do on research. At least a third of the drugs marketed by industry leaders were discovered by universities or small biotech companies, writes Angell, but they’re sold to the public at inflated prices. She cites Taxol, the cancer drug discovered by the National Institutes of Health, but sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb for $20,000 a year, reportedly 20 times the manufacturing cost. The company agreed to pay the NIH only 0.5 percent in royalties for the drug.</p>
<p>The majority of the new products the industry puts out, says Angell, are “me-too” drugs, which are almost identical to current treatments but “no better than drugs already on the market to treat the same condition.” Around 75 percent of new drugs approved by the FDA are me-too drugs. They can be less effective than current drugs, but as long as they’re more effective than a placebo, they can get the regulatory green light.</p>
<p>Finally, Angell attacks major pharmaceutical industry — whose top ten companies make more in profits than the rest of the Fortune 500 combined — for using “free market” rhetoric while opposing competition at all costs. She discusses Prilosec maker Astra-Zeneca, which filed multiple lawsuits against generic drug makers to prevent them from entering the market when the company’s exclusive marketing rights expired. The company “obtained a patent on the idea of combining Prilosec with antibiotics, then argued that a generic drug would infringe on that patent because doctors might prescribe it with an antibiotic.”</p>
<p>Angell, who is a doctor and a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, wants to see the industry reformed. She recently sat down with MotherJones.com to talk about how to “ensure that we have access to good drugs at reasonable prices and that the reality of this industry is finally brought into line with its rhetoric.”</p>
<p>MotherJones.com: Pharmaceutical companies say higher prices are necessary to pay for heavy R&amp;D investment.</p>
<p>Marcia Angell:These companies are justifying extremely high prices by saying they need this money to cover their high R&amp;D costs, and they’re very innovative, and that we should be willing to spend the money in return for the innovation. In the book, I question those premises. I say that, yes, they spend a lot on R&amp;D, but still they make more in profits, and they spend two to two-and-a-half times as much on what they call “marketing and administration.” If you want to argue that they need the high prices to cover R&amp;D, it would make more sense to argue that they need the high prices even more to cover their marketing costs. I just want to put that in perspective. Also, their profits are enormously high. Until last year, [they were] the number one industry in the U.S. in terms of profits. In 2002, the top 10 American [pharmaceutical] companies in the Fortune 500 made 17 percent of their sales in profits, whereas they spent only 14 percent on R&amp;D. The median for the other Fortune 500 companies was between 3 percent of sales. So, you can’t make an argument that they’re just eking out a living, just managing to cover their R&amp;D costs.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Your numbers for how much companies spend to bring drugs to market are very different from the industry’s. How come?</p>
<p>MA: The industry arrives at that $802 million [per drug] figure by looking at a tiny handful of the most costly drugs. Those are drugs that were developed entirely in-house, and that are new molecular entities. That’s a very tiny handful of the drugs that come to market each year. They’re the most expensive drugs. Second, even for those drugs, they come up with a figure of $403 million per highly selected drug. They then double that to $802 million simply by adding in what they call the “opportunity costs” — what they could have made if they’d spent the same money on investments. Third, the figure is inflated by not including the tax deductions and tax credits. They get very large tax deductions and credits. So the figure is highly inflated. That gets buried in the reporting of it. When you hear the figure, you hear it given with the implication that for any random new drug, that’s what it costs to develop it. And that’s just simply not so.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In your book, you charge that even some of what the industry calls R&amp;D is actually marketing. Can you elaborate on that?</p>
<p>MA: Well, no one knows for sure what goes into the R&amp;D budget, because the companies aren’t telling. It’s been estimated that about a quarter of it is spent on Phase IV clinical trials, many of which are just excuses to pay doctors to prescribe the drug. They don’t yield any real scientific information. But no one knows for sure.</p>
<p>MJ.com: So should the pharmaceutical industry be making its books public?</p>
<p>MA: Yes, because it’s an industry that is so dependent on the public for special favors. This industry, despite its free-market rhetoric, is on welfare big-time. It lives on taxpayer-funded research to a very great extent, and it lives on government-granted monopoly rights in the form of patents and FDA-conferred exclusivity. An industry that is so beholden to the public has some obligation in return. That includes opening their books. We ought to know more about their business. We ought to know whether the claims they make can really be justified.</p>
<p>MJ.com:Why should the industry have to open its books — or be asked to charge less for its products, for that matter — when other industries aren’t held to those standards?</p>
<p>MA: The public is absolutely dependent on this industry for drugs that people need to take for their health and even their lives. So, I think there are some special obligations.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In the past you’ve written that “there can be no better example of something that does not belong in the market [than prescription drugs],” but you don’t address that in the current book. Do you still think so?</p>
<p>MA: I don’t think I’ve ever said that they should come off the market, but there need to be reforms that accomplish several things. [Pharmaceutical companies] have too much influence over the education of physicians in this country. They have too much control over the evaluation of their own products, and that’s a conflict of interest. I think the industry needs to be regulated, but I’ve never suggested taking it out of the market altogether. It’s now a funny mix of free enterprise and welfare. On the one hand, it is free to choose to make whatever drugs it wants to make. If it wants to make one more me-too drug, it’s free to do that instead of making an antibiotic that may really be needed. It’s free to charge whatever the market will bear in this country. And at the same time, it claims all sorts of special favors. It claims that Americans should not be allowed to purchase drugs in any other country. It claims the right to license taxpayer-funded research. It not only claims the right to very long patents, but extends them in all kinds of quite dubious ways. Now, this is hardly free enterprise.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In terms of licensing drugs from publicly-funded institutions, how much do companies generally pay? Is it relative to how much they charge?</p>
<p>MA: I don’t know. I know in the case of Taxol, it was very little. In general, when companies license a drug from universities, it’s not all that much compared with the profits. They’re licensing now from small biotechs as well. The industry likes to portray itself as the engine of innovation, but in fact its major products are me-too drugs—minor variations of drugs already on the market. For example, we have six cholesterol-lowering statins on the market right now; we have five SSRI anti-depressants; we have nine ACE inhibitors to treat high blood pressure. If you look at the top-selling drugs on the market right now, most of them are me-too drugs, and the original of these drugs came on the market back in the ‘80s, or even earlier. The companies have been stringing out variations on the themes ever since. The original drugs were usually based on government university research.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Regarding me-too drugs, can’t one make the argument that there should be as many different variations of a drug as possible on the market? Shouldn’t the market decide?</p>
<p>MA: We have an FDA because what drugs to sell isn’t something for the markets alone to decide. It’s also a technical decision that requires scientific evidence. The companies don’t want to provide that evidence. They don’t test their me-too drugs against other me-too drugs at comparable doses for the same conditions. The companies also make the case that there need to be several me-too drugs on the market because if one doesn’t work, maybe another one will. But until they test that, it’s just an assertion. They don’t test their me-too drugs in people who have not done well with an earlier drug of the same class. They have to do that in order to prove that assertion. I suspect that in most cases, a second drug will not work any better, since me-too drugs are so similar, but no one can know until it’s tested.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Speaking of the FDA, you characterize the agency as one that facilitates new drugs, rather than regulating them. To what degree is the agency controlled by the industry it’s supposed to regulate?</p>
<p>MA: Too much. The FDA now gets “user fees” from drug companies—about a half a million dollars for any drug that the FDA reviews. Those user fees are small for the companies, but it’s a substantial part of the FDA budget. In fact, it’s more than half [the budget for] the Center for Disease Evaluation and Research, which is responsible for approving new drugs. In return, the FDA is supposed to review drugs faster.</p>
<p>MJ.com: So you would propose getting rid of those user fees?</p>
<p>MA: Absolutely. I think that the FDA should be funded adequately by taxpayers, and it should see taxpayers as the “users.” It should not be funded by the industry it’s supposed to be regulating.</p>
<p>MJ.com: One of the changes you propose in this book is that the NIH — and not drug companies — be responsible for clinical research. But you propose that drug companies help pay the NIH to do this. Couldn’t this lead to a similar problem?</p>
<p>MA: No, because instead of paying user fees by drug, companies would be levied a very small percentage of their revenues. It wouldn’t be tied to research on any particular drug. This would be only for clinical trials, not the early development stage. The NIH would put out contracts to universities and medical centers to actually design and carry out the clinical trials, but the NIH would have oversight.</p>
<p>MJ.com: FDA commissioner Lester Crawford recently warned against buying drugs from Canada, citing potential terrorist threat if drugs are tampered with. Is there a valid concern there?</p>
<p>MA: There’s no reason to think that drugs that are imported from Canada are any more likely to be unsafe than drugs that one gets right here. In fact, the cases of counterfeiting that I know of have all occurred in this country. So there’s some reason to think that maybe it’s safer to get your drugs from Canada [laughs]. The drugs that an American would purchase from Canada are going to be the drugs that they ordinarily pay much more for here—that is, FDA-approved drugs. They’re not going to be buying just something in a bottle; they’re going to be buying FDA-approved drugs that were shipped to Canada from European and American companies which have manufacturing plants all over the world. We have to remember that drugs are crossing borders all the time. Pfizer, for example, said on its website last year that it had 60 manufacturing plants in 32 countries. That right there constitutes a lot of borders. There’s nothing about the Canadian border that’s going to render these drugs poison. It’s a scare tactic. What the industry does not want people to realize is the great price disparities between the United States and every other advanced country.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In the past, you’ve criticized the U.S. health care system, saying that “if we had set out to design the worst system we could imagine, we couldn’t have imagined one as bad as this.” Do you still believe that?</p>
<p>MA: The market-based pharmaceutical industry is one problem in the larger problem of a market-based health care system. We spend twice as much per person on health care as the average of all the other advanced countries, and that gap is growing. Yet, we get less for our money. We have over 40 million people with no insurance at all. Most of the rest of us are under-insured. The usual indices of health, like life expectancy and infant mortality, are toward the bottom in the U.S. compared with other advanced countries. So, something’s wrong, and it’s the system. A market-based system distributes health care as a commodity according to the ability to pay, instead of as a social service distributed according to need. Yet, there’s an inverse relationship between one’s ability to pay for health care and one’s medical needs. The situation gets crazier when you allow competing, investor-owned insurance companies to insure Americans, because they have learned that the best way to compete is to keep costs down by skimping on health services. We have the only health care system on the world that’s based on dodging sick people. [Insurers] do everything they can to avoid covering people at high risk of getting ill, and when they do get ill, [companies] fight paying for it. They exclude certain expensive conditions as much as possible. They pass those costs back to the patient or another insurer. And that takes a lot of paperwork, and a lot of overhead.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In the book, you mention that every other developed nation regulates prescription drug prices—</p>
<p>MA: Yes, but they have different ways of doing it. If you look at Canada, it’s a very mild form of regulation, really. They have a national board, and when a me-too drug comes on the market, they say it can’t be priced any higher than the highest-priced drug for that condition already on the market. Nor can it be priced any higher than the median in seven advanced countries, and these countries include the U.S. Then they say the prices cannot rise any faster than the inflation rate. So, that’s not too onerous. Drug companies make profits in Canada.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Is that an example of a system you’d like to see in the U.S.?</p>
<p>MA: Yes. Importing drugs from Canada is not a very sensible solution, because Canada can’t possibly supply the U.S., and the drug companies are now retaliating against Canada and squeezing their supplies. So, importation is not a long-term solution. It’s just a symptom of the real problem of price-gouging in this country. We should be looking at the Canadian system, and maybe import that rather than importing the drugs.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Realistically, do you think a system of price controls like that could ever be instituted in the U.S.?</p>
<p>MA: Well, something’s going to have to happen, because there’s no one around any longer who can afford the drug company prices. Not only are individuals having problems, but states are having problems. They feel these prices through the Medicaid system. The federal government is going to find that this fairly open-ended Medicare drug benefit is going to be completely outpaced by the rising prices.</p>
<p>MJ.com: If pharmaceutical manufacturers were forced to lower prices, couldn’t it backfire if they cut back on research as a result, rather than marketing?</p>
<p>MA: Well, they might choose to do that, but they wouldn’t have to. They could cut their marketing instead, or they could cut into their profits. Their R&amp;D very often comes from the NIH or other publicly sponsored research. Most of their R&amp;D expenditures go for clinical testing after the creative work is already done. This is true for the most innovative drugs, as well as for cancer and HIV/AIDS drugs.</p>
<p>MJ.com: You say that there’s “palpable” discontent among seniors and others about drug prices. Do you see this as having an effect on the problems you described in the book?</p>
<p>MA: I think that there are political effects, and I think that’s what you’re seeing right now with the importation issue. Congress has passed a law saying that you can import drugs from Canada, but that the administration must certify that it not add any risks. Both the Clinton and Bush administrations have refused to do that. It’s giving Congress an opportunity to play both sides of the street.</p>
<p>MJ.com: Given that Congress is torn between seniors and the pharmaceutical lobby, do you think change will ever occur?</p>
<p>MA: I think that the public doesn’t seem to be buying the argument that drugs from Canada are dangerous. If it comes down to choosing between the money that drug companies provide and the votes that citizens provide, I think members of Congress are going to go with votes. That’s what I hope will happen.</p>
<p>MJ.com: In the conclusion of the book, you stress that citizens should grill their doctors regarding drugs they’re prescribing. Why do you recommend that type of action most heavily?</p>
<p>MA: The other reforms will take time, but in the meantime, doctors are too willing to provide drugs for very minor conditions. Those drugs are too often the very most expensive, heavily advertised, me-too drugs. I think that patients have to get a little savvier about that. Instead of just grabbing that sample and thinking they’ve gotten something for free, they ought to think about what it means. Nearly every drug has side effects. I do think that we are an overmedicated society.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p /> | The Truth About Drug Companies | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2004/09/truth-about-drug-companies-2/ | 2004-09-07 | 4 |
<p>At least I think it was the Onion. Someone, anyway, got access to the Times Editorial Board computers and turned out this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/opinion/sunday/insurance-policies-not-worth-keeping.html?hp&amp;rref=opinion&amp;_r=0" type="external">parody editorial</a> on Obamacare:</p>
<p>Congressional Republicans have stoked consumer fears and confusion with charges that the health care reform law is causing insurers to cancel existing policies and will force many people to pay substantially higher premiums next year for coverage they don’t want. That, they say, violates President Obama’s pledge that if you like the insurance you have, you can keep it.</p>
<p>Mr. Obama clearly misspoke when he said that.</p>
<p>HaHaHaHaHa! President Obama misspoke 27 times! And curiously enough, when he misspoke it was the centerpiece of his argument for his supposedly signature legislative achievement! Even the Times editorial board wouldn’t try to sell that one; it’s got to be the Onion.</p>
<p>By law, insurers cannot continue to sell policies that don’t provide the minimum benefits and consumer protections required as of next year. So they’ve sent cancellation notices to hundreds of thousands of people who hold these substandard policies.</p>
<p>Sure! From now on you can pay extra for pediatric dental coverage, even if you don’t have any kids!</p>
<p>(At issue here are not the 149 million people covered by employer plans, but the 10 million to 12 million people who buy policies directly on the individual market.)</p>
<p>Here the Onion goes too far. It can’t expect us to believe that the Times editorial board is so ill-informed that it doesn’t realize we are talking about employer-sponsored group plans. As we wrote <a href="http://powerline.wpengine.com/archives/2013/11/lies-of-obamacare-documented.php" type="external">here</a>, the Obama administration itself calculated, back in 2010, that more than one-half of all employer-sponsored plans will be dropped once Obamacare goes into effect. And that is just in the short term; in the long run, the Obama administration acknowledged that all current plans will be phased out and those covered by them will have to pay more, in some cases with help from the taxpayers or Chinese banks.</p>
<p>Still, every good parody goes over the top at some point. Well done, Onion!</p> | NY Times Editorial Board Hacked by The Onion | true | http://powerlineblog.com/archives/2013/11/ny-times-editorial-board-hacked-by-the-onion.php | 2013-11-03 | 0 |
<p>CHICAGO — <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Nelson_Cruz/" type="external">Nelson Cruz</a> belted a two-run homer in the sixth inning to put Seattle ahead, slumping Kyle Seager hit a solo shot in the second and the Mariners held on to beat the <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Chicago-White-Sox/" type="external">Chicago White Sox</a> 4-3 on Saturday night for their third straight win.</p>
<p>Cruz greeted Anthony Swarzak (4-3), Chicago’s second reliever, with his 18th homer on a deep drive to center. Seager’s homer was his 11th, but his first — and only his fourth hit — in his last 10 games.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Melky_Cabrera/" type="external">Melky Cabrera</a> belted his 11th homer and had two RBIs as he moved up to Chicago’s leadoff spot for the eighth time this season and went 4-for-5.</p>
<p>Seattle starter <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Felix_Hernandez/" type="external">Felix Hernandez</a> (5-3) scuffled, but got the win in his fifth start since turning to the rotation after missing 54 games with right shoulder inflammation. The 2010 AL <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Cy_Young/" type="external">Cy Young</a> winner lasted just five innings, giving up six hits and three runs, but only one was earned due to three Mariners’ errors.</p>
<p>Hernandez hit Chicago slugger <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jose-Abreu/" type="external">Jose Abreu</a> twice with pitches to create bases-loaded, no-out jams in the third and fifth innings. But the six-time All-Star right-hander allowed only one run in those situations — on <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Todd-Frazier/" type="external">Todd Frazier</a>‘s double-play grounder in the fifth that put Chicago ahead 3-2.</p>
<p>Four Seattle relievers followed with four scoreless innings. Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth, allowing a single to Cabrera and walking Avisail Garcia with two outs, but got his 15th save in 18 chances when he fanned Abreu to end the game.</p>
<p>Chicago starter <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Mike_Pelfrey/" type="external">Mike Pelfrey</a> pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs — one earned — in a no-decision.</p>
<p>White Sox manager <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Rick-Renteria/" type="external">Rick Renteria</a> was ejected for the sixth time this season after arguing with second-base umpire <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Tom_Hallion/" type="external">Tom Hallion</a> in the bottom of the sixth.</p>
<p>Cabrera opened the bottom of the first inning by drilling a solo shot to right.</p>
<p>Seager lofted Pelfrey’s inside 2-2 offering down the right field line and deep into the seats in the second inning to tie it at 1.</p>
<p>Cabrera’s sharp single drove in Adam Engel in the third to put Chicago back ahead 2-1 with an unearned run. Engel reached on shortstop <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Jean-Segura/" type="external">Jean Segura</a>‘s error, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.</p>
<p>The White Sox went on to load the bases with none out, but Hernandez escaped the jam with no additional runs scoring. Todd Frazier’s weak grounder to third forced out Cabrera at home, then Tyler Saladino popped out and Matt Davidson flied out to center.</p>
<p>Seattle tied it at 2 with an unearned run in the fifth. <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Carlos_Ruiz/" type="external">Carlos Ruiz</a> singled in <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Danny_Valencia/" type="external">Danny Valencia</a> from third with two outs. Valencia had reached when White Sox shortstop <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Tim_Anderson/" type="external">Tim Anderson</a> failed to pick up the Mariners first baseman’s routine ground ball for his MLB-worst 20th error.</p>
<p>The White Sox loaded the bases again with none out in the bottom of the inning. Frazier grounded Hernandez’s 0-2 pitch into a 6-4-3 double play to plate one run, but Saladino struck out and Chicago settled for a 3-2 lead.</p>
<p>Dan Jennings walked <a href="https://www.upi.com/topic/Robinson_Cano/" type="external">Robinson Cano</a> to lead off the sixth, then Swarzak entered and gave up with Cruz’s homer to center.</p>
<p>NOTES: Melky Cabrera’s leadoff homer has the fourth of his career. … Seattle’s Jean Segura went 2-for-4 and has 21 hits in his last 44 at-bats. … Chicago INF/OF Leury Garcia, out since June 15 with sprained finger on his left hand, is making progress at the team’s Arizona training complex and should be ready for a rehab assignment “in the next day or two,” according to manager Rick Renteria. … Chicago RHP Dylan Covey has resumed throwing from a pitching mound after going on the DL in late May with a left oblique strain. … The White Sox acquired 20-year-old minor league INF Yeyson Yrizarri from Texas for international signing bonus pool money.</p> | Seattle Mariners defeat Chicago White Sox for third straight win | false | https://newsline.com/seattle-mariners-defeat-chicago-white-sox-for-third-straight-win/ | 2017-07-16 | 1 |
<p>NUEVO DEXTO, Mexico&#160;—&#160;Guadalupe Bautista thought it was a miracle of God when her teenage son left this rugged hamlet in central Mexico and got work laying bricks in Florida.</p>
<p>With the $500 he wired home every month, she could afford meat and chicken daily, school books for her younger children and, crucially, medical help for her worsening diabetes.</p>
<p>But in the last six months the tap has run dry. Amid a U.S. building slump and crackdown on illegal migrants, her son is only working the odd day.</p>
<p>Left with the meager earnings she can make from her corn plot, Bautista has gone back to a diet of tortillas and beans while she prays for her condition — she has diabetes — not to deteriorate.</p>
<p>“My son made so many sacrifices to help us. But now he just can’t send money back, no matter how hard he tries,” said the 40-year-old Bautista, sitting in her wooden hut overlooking an arid sun-scorched valley.</p>
<p>Bautista’s fall in fortunes reflects a wider slump for Mexican migrants and their loved ones as the U.S. economy falters.</p>
<p>In 2008, remittances&#160;—&#160;Mexico’s biggest source of foreign income after oil&#160;—&#160;fell from $24 billion to $23 billion, the first drop since records began.&#160;Furthermore, this year the cash sent home is predicted to fall by another 15 percent, to some $20 billion, according to the Mexican Institute of Finance Executives, or IMEF.</p>
<p>“We can see the clear downward trend because the remittances got progressively worse throughout 2008,” said IMEF president Pedro Nunez. “By the end of the year, we were already talking about a drop of 11 percent per month.”</p>
<p>The slump is felt most harshly in the impoverished countryside, where northward migration has provided a lifeline for many families living on the edge.</p>
<p>Here in Nuevo Dexto, a community of Hnahnu Indians, the majority of young men have been trekking through deserts and rivers to toil in the United States since the late 1980s, mainly working in Georgia and Clearwater, Florida.</p>
<p>Migrant dollars transformed the landscape, paying for the local church, basketball court and paved road, and transforming wooden shacks into Florida-style suburban homes.</p>
<p>But with the slowdown, construction here has ground to a halt. Many houses are left half-built, the families living in rickety hovels beside stunted walls and piles of bricks and cement.</p>
<p>A crackdown on immigration is also affecting remittances.&#160;</p>
<p>Resident Marcelo Hernandez, 23, was deported from the U.S. for not having papers last August after working on Clearwater building sites for five years.</p>
<p>“It is tough making the transition,” said Hernandez, standing on a deathly quiet road next to skinny cows napping in the heat. “It’s beautiful here but it is just so difficult. In Florida, I got paid $8 an hour. Here I am making $8 day breaking my back in corn fields.”</p>
<p>U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported a record 350,000 migrants in the first nine months of 2008, up from 237,000 in the whole of 2007 and 155,000 in 2003.</p>
<p>The federal agents focused particularly on Florida, where there were regular raids on construction sites, superstores and other businesses known to employ undocumented migrants.</p>
<p>Hernandez said the raids have had a knock-on effect, prompting many workplaces to request papers, a stark contrast to the boom years of 2002 to 2007, when there were jobs on every corner with no questions asked.</p>
<p>Under the current crackdown, many migrants in the U.S. are becoming scared to even walk on the street, said Felipe Lopez, a migrant worker and president of the National Link for Mexicans Abroad, a non-governmental organization.</p>
<p>“We have helped build a great country in the United States,” Lopez said. “But when the going gets tough, Americans turn on the Mexicans. History has shown us that.”</p>
<p>In the Great Depression, the U.S. deported hundreds of thousands of Mexicans, including many who had actually been born in the United States, in what was known as the Mexican Repatriation. Most eventually headed back north as jobs returned.</p>
<p>Lopez concedes that remittances could have been better invested in Mexico in the recent boom years.&#160;“It seemed like the dollars would never run out. People spent them on food and housing but not on businesses here,” he said. “Now there is little for people to come back to.”</p>
<p>With few opportunities, many returning migrants turn to crime, fueling Mexico’s wave of insecurity, Lopez said.</p>
<p>Last year, more than 5,000 people were killed in shoot-outs and execution-style hits as drug cartels fought over billion-dollar smuggling routes and local rackets.</p>
<p>The slump in migrant money will put immense pressure on the Mexican government to turn its own economy around, says researcher Dan Lund, who has investigated remittances for the United Nations.</p>
<p>While Mexico’s market has been fairly stable in the last decade, it is still dominated by a few huge monopolies and provides very limited prospects for those at the bottom, Lund says.</p>
<p>“Emigration to the U.S. has long been an escape valve for many of the poorest Mexicans,” Lund said. “But as that option becomes more limited, there will be more pressure than ever on the Mexican government to change the way its country works.”&#160;</p> | Fall in fortunes | false | https://pri.org/stories/2009-01-24/fall-fortunes | 2009-01-24 | 3 |
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<p>SANTA FE, N.M. — Seven women, including two former Santa Fe police officers, a fill-in judge and a State Police officer’s wife, have filed suit alleging harassment by former SFPD Sgt. Michael Eiskant and against Police Chief Ray Rael for failing to take action against Eiskant.</p>
<p>The chief’s failure to rein in Eiskant “ratified” Eiskant’s conduct and “thereby encouraged further misconduct by Eiskant,” the state District Court lawsuit maintains.</p>
<p>Eiskant retired from the Police Department earlier this year and was subsequently charged with 10 misdemeanor counts after an investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>He pleaded no contest to charges including harassment, stalking and attempt to commit false imprisonment, all involving female victims. The new lawsuit says Eiskant was “allowed to retire” during the investigation.</p>
<p>The two former officers who are plaintiffs in the new lawsuit, Cassandra Reed and Shannon Brady, say they filed complaints in December 2010 about Eiskant following and harassing them. But they say Rael told them “Eiskant’s behavior was not an issue.”</p>
<p>In Reed’s case, the lawsuit states, Rael told her “it would be easier to get rid of her than to do something about Eiskant.” The chief offered the two female officers face-to-face mediation with Eiskant. After they refused, Brady took medical retirement and Reed resigned.</p>
<p>Rael, in a phone interview Tuesday, said he couldn’t comment on pending litigation. But after he was read the accusations about him in the suit, the chief added, “I will tell you that the allegations that you have read to me are completely inaccurate.”</p>
<p>Eiskant, 42, who joined the Police Department in 1999, was often at the center of controversy. Numerous citizen complaints were lodged against him, including a high-profile 2005 case in which he was accused by a female police informant of sexually assaulting her at a hotel and of trying to get her to sign a contract to do pornographic videos, according to State Police reports.</p>
<p>Eiskant admitted being aroused during the encounter at the hotel room, but denied any criminal wrongdoing. Eiskant was suspended for five weeks in 2005 by a previous chief and, in 2007, for another month by the Law Enforcement Academy Board.</p>
<p>In the AG’s investigation, Eiskant was also charged with conducting unauthorized computer searches of two people, including one woman, through a law enforcement data system, and with larceny of $250 or less for taking marijuana away from a man.</p>
<p>After his no-contest plea in April, Eiskant had to give up his law enforcement license and was placed on probation.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit and their allegations are:</p>
<p>♦ Brady, who worked as an SFPD officer from 2005 until March. She said that in 2010, Eiskant became her supervisor and began following her when she was out on police calls and in training classes and would sit outside her office “for hours” after she was promoted to detective. After Brady was involved in a shooting, Eiskant called her “killer” and “slayer.” Even after she complained to Rael, Eiskant continued the following and “made lewd comments about Brady’s daughter on Facebook,” the suit says.</p>
<p>♦ Reed, an officer from 2010 until earlier this year. Eiskant followed her on police calls and when she was in her personal vehicle, she alleges. She and Brady agreed his behavior was “strange and made them uncomfortable.” After Reed’s meeting with Chief Rael, she felt her job “would be in jeopardy” if she continued to complain about Eiskant and she resigned.</p>
<p>♦ Rebecca Archuleta, who worked in the city prosecutor’s office, at police headquarters, in 2007 and 2008. She says she was sexually harassed many times, by Eiskant and others. But when she complained to Rael, then compliance officer for the city’s Human Resources office, “he told her he could fire her if she did not cooperate.” She resigned the next day.</p>
<p>In 2011, Eiskant began harassing her after he responded to her 911 call about a man on Rodeo Road with a gun. He started texting her although she hadn’t given him her cell phone number and wouldn’t tell her how he got the number.</p>
<p>♦ Sonya Carrasco-Trujillo, an attorney for the state Department of Public Safety and who has worked as a fill-in Santa Fe municipal judge. She moved into Eiskant’s neighborhood and he started driving his patrol car alongside her to talk when she was walking her dog, parked across from her house and would honk or turn on his police siren as she walked, the suit states.</p>
<p>Eiskant also sounded his siren or yelled over a loudspeaker when she drove through a school zone he was patrolling and also followed her as she drove elsewhere, she maintains.</p>
<p>Carrasco-Trujillo also learned from police officers that Eiskant made “lewd, sexual comments” about her at municipal court. She became frightened of Eiskant and believes it was him who broke into her house when she was away in November 2009. But when police proposed setting up surveillance of her house and her driving to catch Eiskant stalking her, she refused “to act as ‘bait’ for SFPD.”</p>
<p>♦ Tricia McFaul, wife of a state police officer. Her husband filed a complaint against Eiskant in 2011 “related to Eiskant’s using the restricted National Crime Information Center database to find out details about” Tricia McFaul. This complaint spurred the AG’s investigation of Eiskant, the suit states.</p>
<p>Shortly before the complaint, Eiskant had followed her as she and her daughter were in their car on a supermarket lot and she felt he had “run her license plate.” Her husband later confirmed that Eiskant had checked out the license plate number in the police database.</p>
<p>♦ Terrie Montoya, a state police human resources administrator. She says that in August 2011, Eiskant made “provocative body gestures that were sexual in nature” and told her he knew where she worked after pulling her over and saying her license plate cover and registration were improper. The registration turned out to be up to date.</p>
<p>♦ Olga Sanchez, who says Eiskant gave her a speeding ticket in 2003, then yelled at her, videotaped her and followed her after she ran into him months later on a Starbucks parking lot and didn’t recognize him. After that he followed her on other occasions.</p>
<p>The suit, which names city government as a defendant along with Eiskant and Rael, alleges civil rights violations, illegal use of personal driver’s information and violation of whistleblower protections for Brady and Reed. It seeks unspecified damages, including punitive damages.</p> | 7 File Suit Against Ex-SF Officer | false | https://abqjournal.com/152717/7-file-suit-against-exsf-officer.html | 2012-12-12 | 2 |
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<p>Chloe Salazar, 13, suffers from shaken baby syndrome — she is blind, deaf, cannot speak and cannot move voluntarily. The abuse happened when she was 4 months old. She was adopted by Cathy and Robert Salazar when she was 2½ years old. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Chloe Salazar’s head rolls listlessly back against her floral sheets as a Disney show plays on a TV above her bed.</p>
<p>She can’t see or hear it. The 13-year-old is blind, deaf, can’t feed herself or talk and needs to be on oxygen. She is on hospice for the third time in her short life.</p>
<p>According to national data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:</p>
<p>The numbers add up to more than 100 because a victim may have suffered from more than one type of maltreatment.</p>
<p>Salazar suffered a traumatic brain injury at 4 months old when she was shaken by her birth mother’s boyfriend.</p>
<p>“That man that shook her got five years and my daughter got a death sentence,” said Salazar’s mother, Cathy, who adopted her at 2½ years old.</p>
<p>Statistics show New Mexico has one of the highest rates in the country of children dying from abuse or neglect.</p>
<p>In 2010, New Mexico ranked second in the nation for per capita deaths caused by child abuse, with 19 deaths, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was eighth in 2011, the most recent year available, with 15.</p>
<p>And the trend appears to be continuing.</p>
<p>■ In January, police charged a 21-year-old Albuquerque woman in the death of her infant daughter. Doctors said the girl had been “hit repeatedly with a hammer-like object” in her head, according to a criminal complaint. June Ortega was charged with child abuse resulting in death.</p>
<p>■ In February, Grant County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Nicholas Grijalva, 30, of Mimbres in the beating death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter. Trauma doctors say the girl had various stages of bruising on her body that were not consistent with a fall, as the injury was first reported.</p>
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<p>■ Last month, a 4-month-old boy died of blunt force injuries to his head, allegedly at the hands of his 20-year-old father, Luc Westfall of Albuquerque. The boy’s father told Albuquerque police he found the boy limp and not breathing after he put the child in his crib to sleep. He has been charged with child abuse resulting in death.</p>
<p>■&#160;And just this week, an 18-year-old Albuquerque mother was charged with child abuse in the death of her 11-month-old son, who suffered two skull fractures, four broken ribs, a broken arm and other injuries.</p>
<p>The child abuse comes in different forms — it isn’t always physical abuse, but can cause serious injury just the same. Earlier this month in Albuquerque, a 2-year-old swallowed methadone and was hospitalized with the probability of permanent brain damage. The child’s parents were charged with child abuse after telling police they used the narcotic and left it within his reach.</p>
<p>In fiscal year 2012, New Mexico had 7,180 substantiated victims of child abuse or neglect, with nearly 39 percent of the victims under the age of 5. That was a slight increase from 6,958 substantiated victims in fiscal year 2011, according to the Children, Youth and Families Department.</p>
<p>CYFD Secretary Yolanda Berumen-Deines said the increase may be attributed to her agency’s push for people to report child abuse by calling #SAFE from a cellphone, which began in 2011.</p>
<p>In addition to the human tragedy of each child’ suffering, there is a financial toll as well.</p>
<p>New Mexico Voices for Children calculated the cost of abuse per victim at $210,000, which includes health care, productivity losses, child welfare, criminal justice and special education.</p>
<p>Susan Miller is a psychologist at UNM’s Carrie Tingley Pediatric Rehabilitation Hospital and has seen all too often the tragedy of child abuse in this state.</p>
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<p>She founded the New Mexico Child Abuse Prevention Partnership, an advocacy group composed of 210 members who encounter child abuse in professions ranging from medicine, psychology, social work and law enforcement.</p>
<p>Miller said certain risk factors make child abuse more likely, including children who have special needs, children under 4, having a non-biological, transient caregiver in the home, violence and social isolation.</p>
<p>Family and parent characteristics can also play a role, such as: Families with substance abuse and mental health issues, a parent who lacks understanding of child development, parents who are young, parents with low education or low income, or a parent who was abused.</p>
<p>“The parents, if they’ve been abused themselves, the likelihood goes up astronomically that the parent will abuse and then the child will go on abusing,” Miller said. “There’s a great connection there.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, New Mexico has a high rate of many of those factors, including poverty, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and cycle of abuse.</p>
<p>The coalition was formed to find ways to prevent child abuse through education, parenting classes, research and advocating public policy changes.</p>
<p>“Child abuse is 100 percent preventable,” Miller said. “It’s not a disease. It is something people choose to do to a child.”</p>
<p>The group is planning a public service campaign to promote public awareness and services available to parents.</p>
<p>Berumen-Deines said she supports organizations like the child abuse partnership because it focuses on prevention while CYFD’s mandate is to intervene in cases where child abuse is alleged. CYFD funds programs for home visiting, infant mental health, and early childhood education, which are forms of prevention, but much of the department’s resources go toward intervention, she said.</p>
<p>“Monies are much easier to come by when you’re talking about intervention because then you’re able to track outcomes,” Berumen-Deines said. “It’s easier to show what works and what doesn’t work. It’s really hard to get funding directed into prevention. How do you prove you stopped something from happening when it never happened to begin with?”</p>
<p>Miller said her group also seeks grants and public funding for services such as nurse case managers, who visit parents in the home to improve parenting skills.</p>
<p>Miller said home visiting programs — where experts visit new parents and work with them on parenting skills — can be a key to preventing child abuse or neglect.</p>
<p>“Studies show if we can get people in the home, helping Mom and Dad with the child, they have a greater likelihood of not abusing the child,” she said.</p>
<p>Cathy Salazar said her daughter’s injuries were “100 percent preventable.”</p>
<p>“There is absolutely no reason that what happened to her should have happened, but it did because there was an inexperienced caregiver with no coping skills for when a baby’s crying,” she said.</p>
<p>The Salazars took in Chloe as a foster child when she was about 1 year old. They adopted her about a year-and-a-half later. Now they have a total of nine children: three biological children and six they’ve adopted who were either exposed to drugs as babies or considered medically fragile.</p>
<p>In the early years, they tried different kinds of therapies to retrain what was left of Chloe’s brain, but despite those efforts, it continues to deteriorate, Cathy Salazar said. She came down with a severe viral infection in her lungs right before Christmas and had to be hospitalized. She’s been on hospice since.</p>
<p>In Chloe’s first-floor bedroom in the Salazar home, a teddy bear perches on the penguin blanket on her bed. She’s hooked up to a monitor that provides her with food and water through tubes. Two tanks provide her with a constant stream of oxygen.</p>
<p>A nurse is with her eight hours a day, six days a week. She gives her medication, changes her diaper, gives her a bath, brushes her long brown hair and gets her in a wheelchair for a 40 minute at-home session with a teacher from Albuquerque Public Schools.</p>
<p>“I’ll always say this. I would rather not know her, and her be a very healthy teenager somewhere else,” Cathy Salazar said. “I would love her that much for that wish to happen.”</p>
<p>The University of New Mexico’s Child Abuse Prevention Partnership is hosting its first Precious Gems Gala on April 20, 5:30-10:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Albuquerque.</p>
<p>Tickets are $100 per person, or a table of 10 for $1,000. Proceeds will go to NM-CAPP, a group working to end child abuse in the state.</p> | N.M. among worst in child abuse deaths | false | https://abqjournal.com/188593/n-m-among-worst-in-child-abuse-deaths.html | 2013-04-14 | 2 |
<p>Greetings and Gratitude! Courage and Persistence!</p>
<p>I can’t stop thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as I am sending you this short letter. Quoting by heart and in substance Dr. King, allow me to remind you of this:</p>
<p>“It is not, if I help my brothers and sisters, what’s going to happen to me? Rather, if I don’t help them, what’s gong to happen to them?”</p>
<p>Hooded men, intimidation, masked gunmen, massacre, masked men attacking the churches, forced entries in our rectories, arbitrary arrests, defamation, character assasination, prison, threats of death – SHOULD NOT STOP ANY HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST OR INSTITUTIONS advocating for the enjoyment of basic human needs for all, especially the poor ones.</p>
<p>I think of all of you who advocate for my release, all who demand the release of all political prisoners, under the “de facto”, illegal, unconstitutional Latortue-Alexandre government imposed facistically by the administration of Presidents G.W. Bush, Jacques Chirac, and Prime Minister Paul Martin.</p>
<p>Freedom and democracy shall prevail in Haiti.</p>
<p>Visiting Haiti in 1983, Pope John Paul II called for real change: “Things must change.” LET IT BE!</p>
<p>The represssion on all levels is so heavy. I call for: an immediate return to constitutional order; the release of all political prisoners; the respect of the vote and the will of the people; the rejection of kidnappings, coup d’etats from whoever the authors.</p>
<p>Let the word of God win our souls! Let love of God and humanity prevail! Let us start our heaven on earth as God wants it!</p>
<p>Gratitude, Peace, and Love to you all!</p>
<p>Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste (Nsera Njeri Jan-Jis) 509-405-3244</p>
<p>[This letter was sent out of the Omega-Carrefour Jail by Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste via Bill Quigley, Loyola University School of Law New Orleans, one of Fr. Jean-Juste’s lawyers. Fr. Jean-Juste is represented by Mario Joseph and others with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. Fr. Jean-Juste is scheduled to appear before a Haitian judge for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday November 10, 2004.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | Letter from a Haitian Jail | true | https://counterpunch.org/2004/11/10/letter-from-a-haitian-jail/ | 2004-11-10 | 4 |
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<p>NEW YORK — Toys R Us may have filed for Chapter 11 reorganization, but the toy chain is revving up its holiday hiring.</p>
<p>The Wayne, New Jersey-based chain said Thursday it will be accepting job applications for part-time holiday positions at stores and distribution centers in the U.S. That includes a new position called a toy demonstrator, who will help kids test out toys.</p>
<p>Toys R Us plans to hire more than 12,500 for the top six markets, including Groveport, Ohio, where it will be looking to staff more than 2,400 for its distribution facility that handles online orders. It hired more than 10,900 workers for the top five markets a year ago.</p>
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<p>It declined to offer actual overall hiring figures for the holiday season, but in the past, overall holiday hiring was about 40,000.</p>
<p>The company, which operates around 1,600 stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Monday heading into the all-important holiday season, which makes up around 70 percent of annual toy sales. Toys R Us said Monday it has received $3.1 billion in new financing that will allow it to pay its employees and suppliers through the period.</p>
<p>So far, retailers have detailed mixed hiring plans for the holidays.</p>
<p>Walmart won’t be doing large-scale holiday hiring at its stores this year. Instead, like last year, it will offer extra hours to its current workers. The nation’s largest private employer says, however, that it will be taking on more temporary workers at its distribution centers. But it’s not giving a number yet for its planned holiday hires at the centers.</p>
<p>Macy’s is increasing the number of temporary workers it’s planning to hire for distribution and warehouses. But overall holiday hiring will fall nearly 4 percent from last year.</p>
<p>Target announced an increase of 40 percent in holiday hiring at its stores. The retailer also plans to hire 4,500 workers at its warehouses, down from 7,500 a year ago.</p>
<p>United Parcel Service Co. said that it plans to hire about 95,000 workers to handle the surge in packages from late November through January. That’s about the same number as the last two years.</p>
<p>Rival FedEx Corp. said that it would hire about 50,000 people for the holiday season, also the same as last year.</p>
<p>A store’s hiring plans can indicate its expectations for the holiday season, which accounts for 20 percent of the retail industry’s annual sales, according to the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group.</p>
<p>Many companies are employing more automation at new facilities, which could limit the need for seasonal hiring even as online shopping continues to expand.</p> | Toys R Us revs up for holiday hiring | false | https://abqjournal.com/1066954/toys-r-us-revs-up-for-holiday-hiring.html | 2017-09-21 | 2 |
<p />
<p>Republican Senator Jeff&#160;Sessions&#160;faced interruptions and questions on his ability to be independent and go against Donald Trump if necessary as the first confirmation hearing for the president-elect's Cabinet nominees got under way on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Sessions, nominated to be attorney general, became the first sitting senator to endorse Trump for the presidency in early 2016 and has remained a close advisor on issues such as immigration.</p>
<p>Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein said the Senate Judiciary Committee has received letters from 400 civil rights organizations opposing his confirmation to the country's top law enforcement post.</p>
<p>"This job requires service to the people and the law, not the president," Feinstein said.</p>
<p>"There is a deep fear about what a Trump administration will bring in many places. And this is the context in which we must consider Senator&#160;Sessions' record and nomination," Feinstein added.</p>
<p>Protesters repeatedly interrupted the start of&#160;Sessions' hearing, some dressed in KKK robes and another holding a sign that said "Support Civil Rights, Stop&#160;Sessions."</p>
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<p>Sessions&#160;was denied confirmation to a federal judgeship in 1986 after allegations emerged that he made racist remarks, including testimony that he called an African-American prosecutor "boy," an allegation&#160;Sessions&#160;denied.</p>
<p>Sessions, 70, is being questioned by the judiciary committee, a panel on which he serves, and is widely expected to be confirmed by the Republican-dominated Senate. But his record on civil rights and immigration was likely to make for a contentious hearing.</p>
<p>Speaking in&#160;Sessions' favor, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, considered a moderate, said she has "every confidence that Jeff&#160;Sessions&#160;will execute the office of AG honestly, faithfully and fully in the pursuit of justice."</p>
<p>AMERICA'S TOP PROSECUTOR</p>
<p>The attorney general is the country's top prosecutor and legal adviser to the president. As head of the Justice Department, the attorney general also oversees the immigration court system that decides whether immigrants are deported or granted asylum or some other kind of protection.</p>
<p>A key plank of Trump's election campaign was his pledge to deport illegal immigrants and to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.</p>
<p>"Sessions&#160;was a close adviser to Trump. ... They're going to ask, 'How are you going to use your position to further the president's agenda?'" said Elizabeth Taylor, a former staffer for the Senate Judiciary Committee who advised Republicans during Eric Holder's nomination to be Democratic President Barack Obama's first attorney general.</p>
<p>"But," Taylor added, "historically, attorney general nominees are also asked if they're willing to stand up to the president."</p>
<p>In 2015, Republicans held up the nomination of Loretta Lynch, the current attorney general, for 166 days, longer than any nominee in 30 years, over her support for Obama's executive actions on immigration.</p>
<p>Sessions, who has represented the deeply conservative Southern state of Alabama for 20 years, has a long, consistent record of opposing legislation that provides a path to citizenship for immigrants. He has also been a close ally of groups seeking to restrict legal immigration by placing limits on visas used by companies to hire foreign workers.</p>
<p>Roy Beck, president and founder of NumbersUSA, which advocates a reduction in illegal and legal immigration, endorsed&#160;Sessions&#160;in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley.</p>
<p>"Sessions&#160;always has made immigration decisions based on protecting the economic interests of hard-working women and men whose incomes and very jobs have been threatened by the desire of various business lobbies to increase the foreign labor competition in their occupations," Beck wrote in a Jan. 3 letter.</p>
<p>Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about&#160;Sessions' record on immigration and other positions, including government surveillance, civil rights and marijuana legalization.</p>
<p>The American Civil Liberties Union's legal director will testify at&#160;Sessions' hearing and "raise significant, serious questions about his hostility to civil rights and civil liberties," the organization said in a statement.</p>
<p>The group said it is making an exception to its longstanding policy of not interfering with federal nominations in this case.</p>
<p>On Monday, a group of civil liberties and internet freedom groups sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee describing&#160;Sessions&#160;as a "leading proponent of expanding the government's surveillance authority of ordinary Americans."</p>
<p>Sessions&#160;has long condemned marijuana use, which has been legalized for recreational use in eight U.S. states and the District of Columbia but remains banned by federal law. As attorney general,&#160;Sessions&#160;would have the power to intervene in states that are not in compliance with federal law. He has also opposed attempts to reduce prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley; Additional reporting by Dustin Volz and Ian Simpson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Frances Kerry)</p> | Sessions Defends Civil Rights Record at Confirmation Hearing | true | http://foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/01/10/sessions-defends-civil-rights-record-at-confirmation-hearing.html | 2017-01-10 | 0 |
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<p />
<p>The two are atop the Premier Development League's Mountain Division and play today for the Golden Rattler as part of the Southwestern Showdown. The match kicks off at 6:15 p.m. at St. Pius High School's Ben Rios Field.</p>
<p>"Both teams have a lot of quality," said Sol coach Matt Gordon.</p>
<p>The Sol sits atop the division with 10 points with a 3-1-1 record. Tucson has eight points and a 2-0-2 record.</p>
<p />
<p>Last season, the teams played a couple of spirited games before feisty crowds, Gordon said.</p>
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<p>"I think there was a lot of hype for it last year and that brought a lot of fans in," he said. "Their fans were very hostile when we went down there last season and with good reason. They had a very good team."</p>
<p>Despite the season being young, the game could have some repercussions for the rest of the season.</p>
<p>"It's a big game," Gordon said. "They caused us some problems last year and I expect them to cause us some problems this year. But if we can get it right, we could remain in the top spot for a little while."</p>
<p>The teams attack in similar styles, which should make for an interesting match, Gordon said.</p>
<p>"They're a very tactical team, very powerful," the coach said. "They have a very athletic back four. And their front six group get the ball down and play some good soccer. I think we have enough to threaten them, as well."</p>
<p>Matthew Ball of England has scored twice to lead the Sol offensively. Tucson has spread its scoring around.</p>
<p>With a strong start to the season, Gordon just wants the Sol to keep things rolling.</p>
<p>"I think we have a great personality and a work ethic to the group from top to bottom," he said. "We started well. We couldn't ask for anymore at this point and hopefully that run will continue."</p>
<p />
<p /> | Sol, Tucson to vie in showdown tonight | false | https://abqjournal.com/595104/sol-tucson-to-vie-in-showdown-tonight.html | 2 |
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<p>Investors await details of Republican tax overhaul proposal</p>
<p>U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, as a rally in financial shares helped to stabilize major indexes after a recent period of weakness, although a selloff in Nike threatened to give the Dow its fifth straight daily decline.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>What are the main equity benchmarks doing?</p>
<p>The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4 points to 22,281, erasing an earlier gain. The S&amp;P 500 was up 1 point to 2,499, off its highs of the day. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 32 points, or 0.5%, to 6,412.</p>
<p>Financials were by far the strongest industry of the day, up 1.1%. Among the biggest gainers on the day, Bank of America(BAC) was up 1.8% while Citigroup (C) added 1.7%. Wells Fargo &amp; Co (WFC) was up 1.2%.</p>
<p>The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) rose 1% and hit its highest level in nearly a decade (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/financial-etf-surges-to-a-decade-high-as-fed-data-help-boost-treasury-yields-2017-09-27).</p>
<p>What are market participants saying?</p>
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<p>"There's nothing really on the worry front, as far as markets go. Valuations are fair to full, but they're being supported by earnings, so we're not concerned about that as it stands right now," said Paul Springmeyer, investment managing director at U.S. Bancorp, which has $148 billion in assets under advisement.</p>
<p>What's driving the market?</p>
<p>Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said the central bank won't dawdle while raising interest rates (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/yellen-says-fed-should-be-wary-of-raising-rates-too-gradually-2017-09-26). The news was positive for banks, which typically do better in periods of higher rates, do to the positive impact they have on net interest margins.</p>
<p>Read:Why the Fed trumps North Korea when it comes to financial markets (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-fed-trumps-north-korea-when-it-comes-to-financial-markets-2017-09-27)</p>
<p>What are investors watching out for today?</p>
<p>According to The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-unveil-plan-to-overhaul-u-s-tax-code-1506522802), a plan to overhaul the U.S. tax code looks to sharply reduce tax rates on businesses and many individuals. One of the reasons markets have risen throughout 2017 is the prospect of tax reform passing, which is expected to be a tailwind for markets. However, the Republican Party was unable to pass health-care reform despite several attempts and versions, and it is unclear how likely it was that tax-reform could be passed.</p>
<p>Springmeyer said "any improvement [in the tax code] would be a benefit for markets; we see more upside in the event it passes, and less downside in the event it doesn't."</p>
<p>Read more:Wilbur Ross says tax reform could boost economy by 1% (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wilbur-ross-done-right-tax-reform-could-boost-economy-by-1-2017-09-26)</p>
<p>And see:GOP tax plan to allow for top individual rate above 35% (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/republican-tax-plan-to-allow-for-top-individual-rate-above-35-2017-09-26)</p>
<p>Which stocks are in focus?</p>
<p>Nike Inc.(NKE) fell 3.4% after the sneakers giant late Tuesday posted fiscal first-quarter earnings that beat forecasts, but its revenue was slightly below expectations (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nike-shares-rise-as-company-beats-eps-expectations-2017-09-26). The stock was one of the biggest drags on the Dow.</p>
<p>Shares in Micron Technology Inc.(MU) rose 7.9% a day after the chip maker reported better-than-expected earnings (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/micron-tech-shares-rise-after-earnings-beat-2017-09-26).</p>
<p>J.P. Morgan Chase &amp; Co. (JPM) was ordered to pay (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/home-contract-signings-tumble-to-near-2-year-low-hit-by-hurricanes-and-tight-supply-2017-09-27) more than $4 billion in damages for mismanaging the estate of a former executive for American Airlines (AAL). Shares of the investment bank rose 1.4%.</p>
<p>Therapix Biosciences Ltd. (TRPX.TV) jumped 5.6% following positive preclinical results (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/therapix-biosciences-shares-surge-6-on-preclinical-results-for-cognitive-impairment-therapy-2017-09-27-8914114) for a potential cognitive-impairment therapy.</p>
<p>See:Micron reassures investors that memory-chip demand remains very high (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/micron-reassures-investors-that-memory-chip-demand-remains-very-high-2017-09-26)</p>
<p>What are other assets doing?</p>
<p>The ICE U.S. Dollar Index (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dollar-index-jumps-to-1-month-high-ahead-of-gop-tax-plan-2017-09-27) was gaining, building on Tuesday's rise (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dollar-jumps-to-1-month-high-vs-euro-ahead-of-yellen-speech-2017-09-26) (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-at-fresh-lows-for-the-month-as-dollars-win-streak-expands-2017-09-27)</p>
<p>Gold futures (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-at-fresh-lows-for-the-month-as-dollars-win-streak-expands-2017-09-27) lost ground, while oil futures (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-in-holding-pattern-before-us-supply-report-2017-09-27) were little changed.</p>
<p>European stocks (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-stocks-jump-to-10-week-high-led-by-alstom-after-siemens-deal-2017-09-27) rose, and Asian markets closed mixed (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-unfazed-after-yellen-hints-at-rate-hikes-2017-09-26).</p>
<p>Don't miss:The stock sector that has been 2017's big loser became a big winner this month (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-stock-sector-that-has-been-2017s-big-loser-turned-into-a-big-winner-this-month-2017-09-27)</p>
<p>Read:Here's why value stocks are starting to outperform growth (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-why-value-stocks-are-starting-to-outperform-growth-2017-09-26)</p>
<p>What are the data?</p>
<p>Orders for durable goods rose 1.7% in August, beating forecasts for a 1% rise (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/durable-goods-orders-jump-17-in-august-2017-09-27).</p>
<p>The National Association of Realtors' pending home sales index (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/home-contract-signings-tumble-to-near-2-year-low-hit-by-hurricanes-and-tight-supply-2017-09-27) fell 2.6% to 106.3, the group said Wednesday. That was the lowest reading since January 2016 and put the index 2.6% lower than its level a year ago.</p>
<p>Check out:MarketWatch's Economic Calendar (http://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendars/economic)</p>
<p>Which Fed speakers are on tap Wednesday?</p>
<p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p>
<p>September 27, 2017 12:20 ET (16:20 GMT)</p> | MARKET SNAPSHOT: Stocks Rise As Financials Gain; Nike Tumbles After Earnings | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/09/27/market-snapshot-stocks-rise-as-financials-gain-nike-tumbles-after-earnings1.html | 2017-09-27 | 0 |
<p>Specialized foster care agencies in Clark County will not have their Nevada Medicaid funding changed until at least September, state officials report.</p>
<p>That news comes as a relief from foster agency executives, who expected funding changes to come July 1 and force them to shut down soon after.</p>
<p>“Basically, we have a stay of the current policies and rates … which keeps our model financially sound,” said David Doyle, director of operations at the Eagle Quest foster care agency.</p>
<p>Medicaid officials will hold a workshop in Las Vegas on June 23 to discuss planned changes to the foster agencies’ funding models, Doyle said.</p>
<p>For now, Medicaid will continue to provide foster agencies $72.70 a day for each specialized child in their care. The county’s Department of Family Services, which also provides the agencies funding, is increasing its daily rate from $43.50 to $62 on July 1.</p>
<p>Agencies use the money to pay for specialized care programs for foster children with serious physical, mental or emotional issues.</p>
<p>Medicaid plans to change its portion of the funding from a flat rate to an amount that differs for each child. Foster agencies would apply for specific Medicaid-funded services based on each child’s needs.</p>
<p>Doyle said the workshop will focus on teaching foster agencies about what services they will be able to seek reimbursement.</p>
<p>Still, Doyle and other executives remain fearful funding could drop so much that they will be forced to close. The current combined rate of $115 a day per child has been the same since 2010.</p>
<p>“I still call it a looming crisis,” Doyle said. “Hopefully they’ll give us a look at some new services and not the same old stuff we already know that we can or can’t bill for.”</p>
<p>Karla Delgado, social services chief for Nevada’s Division of Child and Family Services, said amendments to the Medicaid funding should be made official sometime in September or October.</p>
<p>Contact Michael Scott Davidson at [email protected] or 702-477-3861. Follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/davidsonlvrj" type="external">@davidsonlvrj</a> on Twitter.</p> | Clark County foster agencies get reprieve from Medicaid cut | false | https://reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/clark-county/clark-county-foster-agencies-get-reprieve-from-medicaid-cut/ | 2017-06-15 | 1 |
<p />
<p>This video shows Rudy Giuliani explaining his stance on guns to the NRA. He cites 9/11 as one of the reasons why he is changing his pro-gun control views.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Tim Grieve at <a href="http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2007/09/21/giuliani/index.html" type="external">War Room</a> asks the obvious questions: “Could the citizens of New York have stopped the attacks of 9/11 if they’d opened fire on those airplanes with handguns and hunting rifles? Should airline passengers be allowed to carry weapons on board?” I’ll add: does Rudy Giuliani think American citizens will soon be fighting terrorists in the streets of their hometowns? Is that what he envisions as the future of The Terrorists’ War on Us?</p>
<p>The easiest explanation for all this nonsense is that Giuliani is pandering, plain and simple. The more complex reason is that Giuliani’s experience on 9/11 made him overly paranoid about the world’s dangers and simultaneously hardened him to what is normal, sane, and good in the world. He now sees danger around every turn — primarily from Islamic terrorists but really from everyone, from everywhere, and at all times.</p>
<p>And, I’ll be perfectly honest, there is a portion of America that actually wants those qualities in a leader. This is the country in which we live, no?</p>
<p /> | Giuliani: 9/11 Changed My Views on Gun Control | true | https://motherjones.com/politics/2007/09/giuliani-911-changed-my-views-gun-control/ | 2007-09-24 | 4 |
<p>PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Shakil Afridi has languished in jail for years — since 2011, when the Pakistani doctor used a vaccination scam in an attempt to identify Osama bin Laden’s home, aiding U.S. Navy Seals who tracked and killed the al-Qaida leader.</p>
<p>Americans might wonder how Pakistan could imprison a man who helped track down the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Pakistanis are apt to ask a different question: how could the United States betray its trust and cheapen its sovereignty with a secret nighttime raid that shamed the military and its intelligence agencies?</p>
<p>“The Shakil Afridi saga is the perfect metaphor for U.S-Pakistan relations” — a growing tangle of mistrust and miscommunication that threatens to jeopardize key efforts against terrorism, said Michael Kugelman, Asia program deputy director at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.</p>
<p>The U.S. believes its financial support entitles it to Pakistan’s backing in its efforts to defeat the Taliban — as a candidate, Donald Trump pledged to free Afridi, telling Fox News in April 2016 he would get him out of prison in “two minutes. ... Because we give a lot of aid to Pakistan.” But Pakistan is resentful of what it sees as U.S. interference in its affairs.</p>
<p>Mohammed Amir Rana, director of the independent Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies in Islamabad, said the trust deficit between the two countries is an old story that won’t be rewritten until Pakistan and the U.S. revise their expectations of each other, recognize their divergent security concerns and plot an Afghan war strategy, other than the current one which is to both kill and talk to the Taliban.</p>
<p>“Shakil Afridi (is) part of the larger puzzle,” he said.</p>
<p>Afridi hasn’t seen his lawyer since 2012 and his wife and children are his only visitors. For two years his file “disappeared,” delaying a court appeal that still hasn’t proceeded. The courts now say a prosecutor is unavailable, his lawyer, Qamar Nadeem Afridi, told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>“Everyone is afraid to even talk about him, to mention his name,” and not without reason, said Nadeem, who is also Afridi’s cousin.</p>
<p>In Nadeem’s office, the wind whistles through a clumsily covered window shattered by a bullet. On another window, clear tape covers a second bullet hole, both from a shooting incident several years ago in which no suspects have been named. Another of Afridi’s lawyers was gunned down outside his Peshawar home and a Peshawar jail deputy superintendent, who had advocated on Afridi’s behalf, was shot and killed, said Nadeem.</p>
<p>Afridi used a fake hepatitis vaccination program to try to get DNA samples from bin Laden’s family as a means of pinpointing his location. But he has not been charged in connection with the bin Laden operation.</p>
<p>He was accused under tribal law alleging he aided and facilitated militants in the nearby Khyber tribal region, said Nadeem. Even the Taliban scoffed at the charge that was filed to make use of Pakistan’s antiquated tribal system, which allows closed courts, does not require the defendant to be present in court, and limits the number of appeals, he said.</p>
<p>If charged with treason — which Pakistani authorities say he committed — Afridi would have the right to public hearings and numerous appeals all the way to the Supreme Court, where the details of the bin Laden raid could be laid bare, something neither the civilian nor military establishments want, his lawyer said.</p>
<p>Tensions have grown between Pakistan and the U.S. since Trump’s New Year’s Day tweet in which he accused Pakistan of taking $33 billion in aid and giving only “deceit and lies” in return while harboring Afghan insurgents who attack American soldiers in neighboring Afghanistan. Days later, the U.S. suspended military aid to Pakistan, which could amount to $2 billion.</p>
<p>Infuriated by Trump’s tweet, Pakistan accused Washington of making it a scapegoat for its failure to bring peace to Afghanistan.</p>
<p>The Wilson Center’s Kugelman advocated a “scaled-down relationship” between the two countries. He said both sides need to agree to disagree on some issues and instead focus on those areas where they can agree to cooperate against terror groups that both regard as threats, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.</p>
<p>Pakistan and the Taliban sanctuaries it provides are a big part of the insurgents’ success in Afghanistan, but it’s only one of many factors, Kugelman said.</p>
<p>“It’s foolish to suggest that if the Pakistani sanctuaries were eliminated, the insurgency would magically go away and the U.S. would be able to prevail in Afghanistan,” he said. “The Taliban has persevered because the U.S. still struggles to fight wars against non-state actors, and because the Afghan government has remained a weak and corrupt entity that has failed to convince a critical mass of Afghans that it’s a better alternative to the Taliban.”</p>
<p>Afridi spends his days alone, isolated from a general prison population filled with militants who have vowed to kill him for his role in locating bin Laden, said Nadeem. Still, Nadeem said authorities are treating Afridi well and he is in good health, according to those who have seen him.</p>
<p>There was a no indication whether U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells brought Afridi’s case up in recent meetings in Pakistan. But in a statement, the U.S. State Department told the AP that Afridi has not been forgotten.</p>
<p>“We believe Dr. Afridi has been unjustly imprisoned and have clearly communicated our position to Pakistan on Dr. Afridi’s case, both in public and in private,” it said.</p>
<p>In the past, Pakistan has compared Afridi’s dilemma with demands for the release of Afia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who is in U.S. custody convicted of trying to kill an American soldier in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>“To America, she (Siddiqui) is a terrorist,” said Kugelman. “To Pakistan, she is a wrongfully imprisoned innocent.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report</p>
<p>PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Shakil Afridi has languished in jail for years — since 2011, when the Pakistani doctor used a vaccination scam in an attempt to identify Osama bin Laden’s home, aiding U.S. Navy Seals who tracked and killed the al-Qaida leader.</p>
<p>Americans might wonder how Pakistan could imprison a man who helped track down the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Pakistanis are apt to ask a different question: how could the United States betray its trust and cheapen its sovereignty with a secret nighttime raid that shamed the military and its intelligence agencies?</p>
<p>“The Shakil Afridi saga is the perfect metaphor for U.S-Pakistan relations” — a growing tangle of mistrust and miscommunication that threatens to jeopardize key efforts against terrorism, said Michael Kugelman, Asia program deputy director at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.</p>
<p>The U.S. believes its financial support entitles it to Pakistan’s backing in its efforts to defeat the Taliban — as a candidate, Donald Trump pledged to free Afridi, telling Fox News in April 2016 he would get him out of prison in “two minutes. ... Because we give a lot of aid to Pakistan.” But Pakistan is resentful of what it sees as U.S. interference in its affairs.</p>
<p>Mohammed Amir Rana, director of the independent Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies in Islamabad, said the trust deficit between the two countries is an old story that won’t be rewritten until Pakistan and the U.S. revise their expectations of each other, recognize their divergent security concerns and plot an Afghan war strategy, other than the current one which is to both kill and talk to the Taliban.</p>
<p>“Shakil Afridi (is) part of the larger puzzle,” he said.</p>
<p>Afridi hasn’t seen his lawyer since 2012 and his wife and children are his only visitors. For two years his file “disappeared,” delaying a court appeal that still hasn’t proceeded. The courts now say a prosecutor is unavailable, his lawyer, Qamar Nadeem Afridi, told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>“Everyone is afraid to even talk about him, to mention his name,” and not without reason, said Nadeem, who is also Afridi’s cousin.</p>
<p>In Nadeem’s office, the wind whistles through a clumsily covered window shattered by a bullet. On another window, clear tape covers a second bullet hole, both from a shooting incident several years ago in which no suspects have been named. Another of Afridi’s lawyers was gunned down outside his Peshawar home and a Peshawar jail deputy superintendent, who had advocated on Afridi’s behalf, was shot and killed, said Nadeem.</p>
<p>Afridi used a fake hepatitis vaccination program to try to get DNA samples from bin Laden’s family as a means of pinpointing his location. But he has not been charged in connection with the bin Laden operation.</p>
<p>He was accused under tribal law alleging he aided and facilitated militants in the nearby Khyber tribal region, said Nadeem. Even the Taliban scoffed at the charge that was filed to make use of Pakistan’s antiquated tribal system, which allows closed courts, does not require the defendant to be present in court, and limits the number of appeals, he said.</p>
<p>If charged with treason — which Pakistani authorities say he committed — Afridi would have the right to public hearings and numerous appeals all the way to the Supreme Court, where the details of the bin Laden raid could be laid bare, something neither the civilian nor military establishments want, his lawyer said.</p>
<p>Tensions have grown between Pakistan and the U.S. since Trump’s New Year’s Day tweet in which he accused Pakistan of taking $33 billion in aid and giving only “deceit and lies” in return while harboring Afghan insurgents who attack American soldiers in neighboring Afghanistan. Days later, the U.S. suspended military aid to Pakistan, which could amount to $2 billion.</p>
<p>Infuriated by Trump’s tweet, Pakistan accused Washington of making it a scapegoat for its failure to bring peace to Afghanistan.</p>
<p>The Wilson Center’s Kugelman advocated a “scaled-down relationship” between the two countries. He said both sides need to agree to disagree on some issues and instead focus on those areas where they can agree to cooperate against terror groups that both regard as threats, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.</p>
<p>Pakistan and the Taliban sanctuaries it provides are a big part of the insurgents’ success in Afghanistan, but it’s only one of many factors, Kugelman said.</p>
<p>“It’s foolish to suggest that if the Pakistani sanctuaries were eliminated, the insurgency would magically go away and the U.S. would be able to prevail in Afghanistan,” he said. “The Taliban has persevered because the U.S. still struggles to fight wars against non-state actors, and because the Afghan government has remained a weak and corrupt entity that has failed to convince a critical mass of Afghans that it’s a better alternative to the Taliban.”</p>
<p>Afridi spends his days alone, isolated from a general prison population filled with militants who have vowed to kill him for his role in locating bin Laden, said Nadeem. Still, Nadeem said authorities are treating Afridi well and he is in good health, according to those who have seen him.</p>
<p>There was a no indication whether U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells brought Afridi’s case up in recent meetings in Pakistan. But in a statement, the U.S. State Department told the AP that Afridi has not been forgotten.</p>
<p>“We believe Dr. Afridi has been unjustly imprisoned and have clearly communicated our position to Pakistan on Dr. Afridi’s case, both in public and in private,” it said.</p>
<p>In the past, Pakistan has compared Afridi’s dilemma with demands for the release of Afia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who is in U.S. custody convicted of trying to kill an American soldier in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>“To America, she (Siddiqui) is a terrorist,” said Kugelman. “To Pakistan, she is a wrongfully imprisoned innocent.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report</p> | Doctor who aided hunt for bin Laden languishes, forgotten | false | https://apnews.com/bfafcd6f68ea4c5f91c89bda94552499 | 2018-01-22 | 2 |
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<p />
<p>Â&#160;</p>
<p>The game offers a quest, the battle to remove a magical guitar from a stone, in order to battle the mechanical Beast and save the Demi-God of Rock.</p>
<p>You do so by playing as eight different rockers, each with a specific ability that provides an advantage during gameplay. Providing suitably deep-toned voiceover is KISS frontman Gene Simmons.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Basic gameplay remains the same. As colored buttons scroll toward you onscreen, you press the appropriate colored button of the five on the neck while strumming the strum bar. Notes are split up into basic, long notes (sustains), extended sustains and chords.</p>
<p>Basic notes are individual notes. Long notes require that the fret button be depressed for the length of the note, while extended sustains continue while other notes are played. Chords involve more than one note being played at the same time.</p>
<p>Playing enough consecutive notes activates Star Power, which multiplies your score for as long as you can sustain it.</p>
<p>Progressing through the Quest mode allows you to play as several rock characters, with the goal of completing enough songs that “power up” the character so that they can help in the Quest.</p>
<p>For instance, when one character’s section is completed, she transforms into a snake-like being. Another’s head turns into a pumpkin, which becomes part of his guitar.</p>
<p>Midway through the quest mode, an opus of sorts is played out featuring the band Rush.</p>
<p>The multi-part battle is called 2112, from a Rush album of the same name, with narration by members of the band. During the course of the competition, the band members tell a story about the discovery of music and the power of rock.</p>
<p>Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is offered in two configurations – guitar only and full band (guitar, drums and microphone). Gameplay is similar for the additional instruments.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>In the guitar-only setup, players can perform as either lead guitar or bass guitar, offering a little different take on each song.</p>
<p>Besides the Quest mode, players can also jump in and play Quickplay+ mode, which is the basic type of gameplay, jumping in and playing songs, with most unlocked at the outset.</p>
<p>Multiplayer allows up to four players simultaneously. New players can jump into a song at any time.</p>
<p>The song list for this Guitar Hero game logically is heavy with more recent metal tunes, although blasts from the past are sprinkled thoughout.</p>
<p>While this game is well put together and hits all the right notes, the rhythm game genre in general has seen better days.</p>
<p>Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is solid and in line with past offerings and should especially appeal to Rush fans, but a re-invention of the brand may be in order if the genre is to thrive.</p>
<p>Platform: PS3, Xbox 360</p>
<p>Rating: Teen</p>
<p>Manufacturer: Activision</p>
<p>Score: 7.5 melodic chilies</p>
<p>Â&#160;</p> | Review: Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock | false | https://abqjournal.com/1185/review-guitar-hero-warriors-of-rock.html | 2 |
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<p>This Mother’s Day, HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” host reminded us that, according to the United Nations, the only other country that doesn’t provide women with paid maternity leave is Papua New Guinea. [Actually, there is <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/05/13/227338/us-alone-among-western-countries.html" type="external">one other member</a> in that dubious club — the Persian Gulf Sultanate of Oman.] Oliver then went on to point out the hypocrisy of legislators and corporations purporting to love American moms — as long as they’re either working nonstop or having gifts bought for them — and yet continuing to block laws that would make it better to be a mother in the U.S.</p>
<p>—Posted by <a href="" type="internal">Natasha Hakimi Zapata</a></p> | VIDEO: John Oliver's Message on Mother's Day: If We Really Love Our Moms, They Should Get Paid Leave | true | https://truthdig.com/articles/video-john-olivers-message-on-mothers-day-if-we-really-love-our-moms-they-should-get-paid-leave/ | 2015-05-11 | 4 |
<p>Late last week Princeton University economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote a piece on his NY Times blog that history will view as the best evidence to appear in at least several decades of the utter irrelevance of mainstream economics. The piece purported to respond to a Wall Street Journal editorial by Mark Spitznagel in which Mr. Spitznagel argued broadly the Austrian economists’ line that all government spending favors one group over another and more specifically that the Fed’s Quantitative Easing (QE) programs of recent years favor banks and the rich.</p>
<p>Mr. Krugman could have argued his New Keynesian shtick that government investment can prevent deflationary spirals in economic downturns and all would be as it was. Instead, he chose to argue ( <a href="" type="internal">Plutocrats and Printing Presses – NYTimes.com</a>), an astonishing amount of evidence to the contrary, that Fed QE policies have not disproportionately benefited banks and the very rich and were in fact enacted against their wishes and interests.</p>
<p>The basis of his argument has two parts:</p>
<p>(1) conservative economists argue that QE is “printing money,” they also argue that printing money causes inflation, banks hate inflation (because loans get repaid in less valuable dollars), therefore banks opposed QE and</p>
<p>(2) that banks earn profits from the difference between long term interest rates and short term interest rates (NIM, or Net Interest Margin), QE has reduced this difference, therefore the banks have seen their profits fall from QE.</p>
<p>Were these arguments used when writing about a (1) solvent banking system whose (2) profits still came from making prudent loans to creditworthy borrowers and (3) whose shadow banking system was immaterial&#160; (couldn’t destroy the global financial system), then Mr. Krugman might have had a point. The facts, however, suggest that if bank loans and other bank assets were fairly valued the big banks would be conspicuously insolvent, that the entire impetus of banking consolidation and deregulation (as explained by bankers) was to reduce the impact of NIM on bank profits, and that building out the shadow banking system was the way that banks intended to accomplish this.</p>
<p>The housing crisis that began in 2006 is well known to most people, but it was part of a much larger build-up of debt by households and corporations at the behest of bankers. Among the “innovative” home mortgage types that put people who couldn’t afford regular loans into houses were “adjustable-rate mortgages” (ARMs). What set off the initial stages of the financial crisis was the realization that (1) a large percentage of people who had taken out mortgages couldn’t repay them under any circumstances and (2) if rising interest rates caused the mortgage payments on ARMs to rise then a much larger group of people would also default on their home mortgages. In 2007 – 2008 both of these realizations caused the value of the mortgage loans held by banks either directly or through securitizations (the banks’ own creations) to fall precipitously.</p>
<p>The same principle that rising interest rates cause the market value of loans and loan-type instruments to fall applied to an unprecedented quantity of assets held by banks in 2008, and still does today. However, the opposite is also true, when interest rates fall the market value of loans on bank books and in financial markets rises. As too much un-repayable private debt in the economy was what made the banks insolvent, lowering both short and long term interest rates has had far more impact on restoring the banks to faux health by raising asset values than profits from interest margin (NIM) possibly could have. The banks killed their ready supply of credit-worthy borrowers along with the economy in the 2000s— the only game they could play was to restore the market values of the garbage assets that they held. The Fed willingly accommodated this strategy.</p>
<p>The Fed wasn’t alone in its efforts to save the banks at all costs– the utterly corrupt actions by ex-New York Fed Chair, now Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, and current Fed Chair Ben Bernanke to move bad loans made by the banks to other government agencies including FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and an astonishing array of seemingly unrelated others, was tied to Fed asset purchases through QE. Readers may remember the low interest, non-recourse government loans that were used to induce hedge funds to buy garbage assets at no risk to themselves (non-recourse) to (1) get the assets off of bank books and (2) to create faux market prices for garbage assets based on contrived economics to thereby induce less sophisticated buyers to pay higher prices for the assets. The Fed itself bought assets at higher prices that it had driven higher.</p>
<p>The way that the Fed’s QE directly benefited the very richest Americans, in addition to the most recent vintage of richest Americans being bankers, is by running up the value of all financial assets. Fed Chair Bernanke gave a veiled explanation of how this works in his Jackson Hole speech from 2010 that can be found online. Mr. Bernanke calls his method the “portfolio balance channel,” and it it is premised on two basic economic concepts, supply and demand and substitution. When the Fed buys assets it takes those interest-paying assets out of circulation and replaces them with cash. This reduces the supply of interest bearing assets in financial markets and replaces them with cash with which to buy other assets. It also reduces market interest rates thereby making stocks and other assets (substitution) more attractive.</p>
<p>But we need not rely on theory to see if this works the way that Mr. Bernanke theorized that it would. There are a significant number of rigorous analyses that were done demonstrating that when the Fed (or the ECB) is buying assets through QE financial markets rise and when the Fed stops buying they fall. The evidence is both unambiguous and voluminous. And in an anecdotal sense, there was some skepticism from Wall Street in 2009 when QE began but few if any doubters remain—it is absolutely the perceived wisdom on Wall Street that the reason that financial asset prices have been rising when they have is because the Fed is causing them to. The only question still out there for Wall Street is whether or not the Fed will continue to run prices up further?</p>
<p>How does running up the prices of financial assets directly benefit the richest Americans? Ironically, every three years the Fed also produces a survey of income and wealth distribution in the U.S. that is available on the Fed’s website. The data is broken out by income and wealth deciles. The quick answer to who benefits from rising financial asset prices is that the rich do because they own all the financial assets. See for yourself on the Fed’s website.</p>
<p>So far the Fed has tried to save the banks by keeping interest rates low and through various programs to dump toxic assets on the rest of us and it has revived the fortunes of the kind folks who looted the banks and stolen our wealth (the very rich) by running-up stock prices. The Fed did this with QE1, QE1.5, QE2, QE2.5, “Operation Twist” and various less publicized programs with similar intent. The banks and bankers have absolutely loved these programs—read their research and you will see. On his very own blog Mr. Krugman referenced UC Berkeley economist Emmanuel Saez’s recent report stating that since the recession theoretically ended in 2009, the top one percent of income earners has received 93% of income gains. Mr. Saez’s research illustrates that it is the revival of capital gains from rising financial asset prices (including stock options granted to corrupt executives) that is behind the gains.</p>
<p>Finally, Mr. Krugman claims that the only way that banks could have benefited from the Fed buying assets was if the Fed overpaid for the assets. Fed Chair Bernanke publicly stated at the time Fed purchases commenced in 2009 that the Fed was going to overpay for the MBS (Mortgage-Backed Securities) it purchased in order to induce banks to sell them to the Fed. This was widely reported in the financial press at the time. It was also widely viewed as part of the ongoing (never ending) bank bailouts. Readers may recall the news reports from all of the Wall Street banks of perfect trading records (banks earned profits from trading financial assets every day) for several quarters in 2009. If the banks are winning then someone else is losing—thank you Federal Reserve. If Mr. Krugman can’t find credible contemporaneous reports of this then he should try a little harder.</p>
<p>Last, there is no ax to grind here with Paul Krugman.&#160; Mr. Krugman has put a human face on his politics for which he should be thanked. But legitimate criticism of his economics includes the absence of the class struggle that Wall Street and the Federal Reserve clearly understand as evidenced by their actions—they are fighting for America’s rich and their policies are intended to benefit them alone. The sleight of hand that sustains mainstream economics is the claim that we all benefit if the system benefits. Take a look around and you’ll see that no, we don’t all benefit. In fact, were it not for the ideological drivel disguised as mainstream academic research, this would be evident to even the least interested among us. When in doubt, look a little harder.</p> | Why Paul Krugman is Full of Shit | true | https://counterpunch.org/2012/04/23/why-paul-krugman-is-full-of-shit/ | 2012-04-23 | 4 |
<p>Cable channel&#160; <a href="http://variety.com/t/i24-news/" type="external">i24 News</a> is getting a big distribution boost in the U.S. through a carriage pact inked with Charter Communications.</p>
<p>The Tel Aviv-based news operation is owned by media mogul <a href="http://variety.com/t/patrick-drahi/" type="external">Patrick Drahi</a>, whose Netherlands-based conglomerate Altice has expanded into the U.S. with its 2015 acquisition of Cablevision and Suddenlink cable systems. The channel focuses on international news and public affairs out of the Middle East and Europe, as well as covering U.S. breaking news and politics.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/altice-i24-news-french-language-channels-us-1201801141/" type="external">i24 News</a> channel will be carried on Charter’s Spectrum Silver tier, one of its widely distributed packages. The pact is part of a news channel carriage swap that calls for Altice USA to expand carriage of Charter’s Spectrum News NY 1 regional news channel on its systems serving Long Island and areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. In addition to launching i24 News, Charter will expand the carriage of Altice’s long-established regional news channel News 12 Networks on its systems serving western Connecticut.</p>
<p>Drahi’s industry clout with Altice USA is the driver for getting i24 News on the air in the U.S. At a time when MVPDs are focused on delivering smaller bundles and lower prices, the odds are stacked against independent channels gaining broad linear distribution, particularly a news channel. Charter is the nation’s second-largest cable operator with a total of 16.6 million video subscribers.</p>
<p>“We are excited to bring our programming and in-depth news analysis from i24 News to Charter’s Spectrum customers,” said Frank Melloul, CEO of i24 News. “I24 News provides unique content that features localized news infused with global conversation and we look forward to becoming a go-to source for domestic and international news for Spectrum customers.”</p>
<p>The channel launched in 2013. It now has regional headquarters in Paris and New York City as well as Israel and broadcasts in French, English and Arabic.</p>
<p>Drahi’s interest in expanding the linear TV profile of i24 News created an opening that allowed Spectrum to New York-area distribution of the regional NY 1 regional cabler that it inherited with its 2016 purchase of Time Warner Cable.</p>
<p>“By expanding our distribution, we are now able to deliver NY1’s hyper-local coverage of New York City news, politics and transit beyond the five boroughs,” said Dan Ronayne, Spectrum Networks’ senior VP of operations and integration.</p> | Patrick Drahi’s i24 News Cabler Gets U.S. Carriage Boost With Charter Deal | false | https://newsline.com/patrick-drahis-i24-news-cabler-gets-u-s-carriage-boost-with-charter-deal/ | 2017-11-30 | 1 |
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<p>Republicans are so blinded by hatred of empowered workers that they’re irrational. (Michael Vadon / Flickr) &#160;</p>
<p>To&#160;Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker,&#160;America's labor union members are the same as murderous, beheading, caged-prisoner-immolating ISIS terrorists. Exactly the same.&#160;</p>
<p>That's what he&#160; <a href="" type="internal">told the Conservative Political Action Conference</a>&#160;(CPAC) last week. &#160;The governor said that because he destroyed&#160;public sector labor rights in Wisconsin&#160;after 100,000 union supporters protested in Madison he could defeat ISIS as President of the United States.</p>
<p>That sums up&#160;all the GOP hate and vitriol against labor union members in recent years.&#160;It would appear that&#160;Republicans can't discern the difference between suicide bombers and working men and women who band together to collectively bargain for better wages and safer conditions. Republicans, it seems, can't see that&#160;a foreign extremist group&#160;that kidnaps 276 schoolgirls is not the same as an American labor organization&#160;seeking to improve the lives of families and communities. This GOP blindness explains the relentless campaign by GOP leaders to renege on contractual obligations to workers, squash labor rights and slash the pay and benefits of union members.&#160;</p>
<p>That Gov. Chris Christie believes New Jersey’s unionized teachers, snow plow drivers and child welfare caseworkers are evil explains how he could negotiate a plan to resolve a massive shortfall in funding for their pensions,&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/nyregion/chris-christie-of-new-jersey-budget-address.html" type="external">brag about it as an accomplishment</a>, then refuse the state funds he’d pledged to make it work. A Republican, Christie felt no obligation to keep his word to public servants who he perceives as the enemy.</p>
<p>When Christie took office in 2010,&#160; <a href="http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2015/02/26/Christie-Should-Drop-Out-Now-Favor-Scott-Walker#sthash.V0KP1Y2b.dpuf" type="external">he inherited a $54 billion pension deficit</a>. His fix required workers to contribute more into the fund and for the state to make increasingly large payments into it over time. State law institutionalized Christie’s plan. The workers fulfilled their commitment to pay more. And the governor hailed himself for creating a national model solution.</p>
<p>But then, just a few years later, Christie turned his back on both the plan and his promises.</p>
<p>In 2014, the state legislature proposed getting the funds necessary to make the pension payments by increasing taxes on incomes exceeding $1 million and instituting a corporate tax surcharge. Christie vetoed that and&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/nyregion/chris-christie-of-new-jersey-budget-address.html" type="external">shortchanged the fund by $884 million</a>. This year,&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/nyregion/chris-christie-of-new-jersey-budget-address.html" type="external">he planned to cheat the fund by $1.6 billion</a>.&#160; As a result, the pension shortfall&#160; <a href="http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2015/02/26/Christie-Should-Drop-Out-Now-Favor-Scott-Walker#sthash.V0KP1Y2b.dpuf" type="external">now is estimated at $83 billion</a>. That’s 50 percent more than the problem Christie boasted about solving five years ago. It’s a crater so massive that it has provoked Wall Street rating agencies to downgrade New Jersey’s&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/24/nyregion/christie-broke-law-with-pension-move-new-jersey-judge-says.html?action=click&amp;contentCollection=N.Y.%20%2F%20Region&amp;module=RelatedCoverage&amp;region=Marginalia&amp;pgtype=article" type="external">credit rating a record eight times</a>.</p>
<p>Now Christie is talking about&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/nyregion/chris-christie-of-new-jersey-budget-address.html" type="external">forcing public servants to pay even more</a>&#160;to fill the hole Christie dug.</p>
<p>And that makes sense, of course, if the New Jersey workers who record birth and death certificates and protect the elderly from fraud are terrorists.</p>
<p>Apparently, at least one New Jersey jurist doesn’t see it that way. Superior Court Judge Mary&#160; <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/atlantic-city-meltdown-chris-christie-115204.html#ixzz3SsV51nbk" type="external">Jacobson ruled that Christie broke the law</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/24/nyregion/christie-broke-law-with-pension-move-new-jersey-judge-says.html?_r=0" type="external">ordered him to make the pension payments</a>.&#160; Despite the fact that&#160; <a href="http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/now-republican-appointed-judges-turning-on-chris-christie" type="external">Judge Jacobson was appointed by a Republican</a>, Christie labeled her a&#160; <a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/nj_judge_on_christie_pension_case_no_stranger_of_l.html" type="external">liberal judicial activist</a>, which to the GOP is equivalent to being a ruthless ISIS terrorist.</p>
<p>Like Christie, the new Republican governor of Illinois last month showed that he’s willing to violate state law to clobber unionized state workers who he sees as enemies.</p>
<p>Within a month of being sworn in,&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an executive order</a>&#160;prohibiting the state from turning over to labor organizations the fair share payments made by state workers who decline to join a union.&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150213/BLOGS02/150219885/rauner-hits-wall-on-move-to-block-fair-share-union-dues" type="external">This violates a state law</a>&#160;regarding these payments, but that’s irrelevant to Rauner because, for him, this is warfare.</p>
<p>State workers in Illinois aren’t compelled to join a union or pay dues. But because federal law mandates that the union provide them with services, including representation in grievances, Illinois requires them to pay a fee that covers their share of the cost of negotiating labor contracts and enforcing them.&#160;&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150225/OPINION/150229887/rauner-aims-to-break-all-public-sector-unions-not-just-illinois" type="external">That’s the fair share payment</a>.</p>
<p>Typically, Republican governors handle this by getting legislation passed that says workers who decline to join the union don’t have to pay anything for the collective bargaining services that benefit them.&#160; <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/198705/scott-walker-says-hell-sign-alec-echoing-right-work-less-legislation" type="external">That’s called right-to-work-for-less legislation</a>&#160;because it’s intended to bankrupt unions and destroy workers’ capacity to collectively bargain for better wages.&#160;</p>
<p>That’s what Scott Walker did to public sector workers in Wisconsin, where both houses of the legislature are controlled by Republicans. But both houses of the Illinois legislature are controlled by Democrats who fail to regard union members as terrorists. So Rauner circumvented them and acted by&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-rauner-dealt-blow-in-bid-to-stop-union-fair-share-fees-20150213-story.html" type="external">executive fiat</a>.</p>
<p>He ordered State Comptroller Leslie Munger, who he appointed, to&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-rauner-dealt-blow-in-bid-to-stop-union-fair-share-fees-20150213-story.html" type="external">put the fair share fees in an escrow account</a>&#160;rather than turn them over to the unions. Munger asked state Attorney General Lisa Madigan if that would be legal.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Madigan said no.</a></p>
<p>Unfazed, Rauner&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-rauner-dealt-blow-in-bid-to-stop-union-fair-share-fees-20150213-story.html" type="external">ordered the fair share fees withheld from the unions anyway</a>. He told the directors of agencies under the governor’s control to take the money from the workers and&#160; <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-rauner-dealt-blow-in-bid-to-stop-union-fair-share-fees-20150213-story.html" type="external">keep it in department accounts</a>.</p>
<p>No deed, no matter how underhanded or illegal, is too low for Republicans bent on battling imaginary demons.</p>
<p>Republican governors across the country, just like Rauner and Walker, feel entitled to thrash the American labor union,&#160; <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/27/3627959/unions-income-inequality-2/" type="external">the institution responsible for dramatically reducing income inequality in this country</a>&#160;by organizing working people into concerted actions essential to securing better wages, benefits and working conditions.</p>
<p>It has never been clear until now why Republicans so hated the idea of hard-working Americans banding together to negotiate to receive a more fair share of profits derived from the sweat of their brows. Walker’s conflating ISIS terrorists with labor protestors while CPAC conference&#160; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-YheAYqjbQ" type="external">attendees cheered</a>&#160;explains it all.</p>
<p>Republicans are so blinded by hatred of empowered workers that they’re irrational.&#160;</p> | When These GOP Governors Run for President, Remember Their Contempt for Workers | true | http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17707/republicans_against_unions | 2015-03-04 | 4 |
<p>Shares of GrubHub Inc. dropped 3.4% in premarket trade Wednesday, after the online takeout food-ordering company missed fourth-quarter profit and sales expectations. Net earnings rose to $13.6 million, or 16 cents a share, from $11.3 million, or 13 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share came to 23 cents, below the FactSet consensus of 25 cents. Revenue rose 38% to $137.5 million, but fell short of the FactSet consensus of $137.6 million. Active diners rose 215 to 8.2 million, while daily average grubs (DAGs) grew 21% to 292,500. The company expects first-quarter revenue of $148 million to $156 million, surrounding the FactSet consensus of $150.8 million. "Fueled by data-driven product enhancements, substantial strides in delivery, and a refreshed marketing approach, we exited the year growing DAGs faster than we did a year ago," said Chief Executive Matt Maloney. The stock has more than doubled over the past 12 months through Tuesday, while the S&amp;P 500 has climbed 24%.</p>
<p>Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p> | GrubHub's Stock Slumps After Profit And Sales Miss Expectations | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/08/grubhub-stock-slumps-after-profit-and-sales-miss-expectations.html | 2017-02-08 | 0 |
<p>Even though there has been rumors Hillary Clinton might be running for the Mayor of New York, her aide said Clinton is done running for office and she will focus on aiding children and families.</p>
<p>Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress told <a href="http://www.cnn.com/shows/state-of-the-union" type="external">CNN’s State of The Union</a>:</p>
<p>I don’t expect her to ever run for any elected office again.</p>
<p>Tanden advised Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign against President Barack Obama. She told CNN since Clinton lost against Donald Trump she is now going to return to work for families.</p>
<p>I think she’s going to figure out ways to help kids and families. That’s been what she’s been focused on her whole life, and a lot of issues that are affecting them, over the next couple years.</p> | Hillary Clinton Aide: She Is Not Running For Anything Ever Again | true | http://shark-tank.com/2017/01/09/hillary-clinton-aide-not-running-anything-ever/ | 0 |
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />Anyone following politics knows Republicans are launching a full out war on women. But you may not know how many anti-women votes the Republicans cast since January 2011. Well, a <a href="http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?q=news/new-report-on-the-anti-women-voting-record-of-the-112th-congress-identifies-55-anti-women-votes" type="external">report</a>&#160;released last week by&#160;Rep. Henry Waxman (D – Ca.) has the answer: 55! That’s right, Republicans voted to take away women’s rights or make their lives miserable 55 times.&#160;The Anti-Women Voting Record of&#160;The U.S. House of Representatives 112th&#160;Congress <a href="http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/House%20Anti-Women%20Votes%20Report%209.5.12_0.pdf" type="external">report</a> includes some of the GOP’s greatest hits, so to speak, against women, like,</p>
<p>There are lots more! You can check out the summary or the full report <a href="http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/House%20Anti-Women%20Votes%20Report%209.5.12_0.pdf" type="external">here.&#160;</a>&#160;It’s a real beach read.</p>
<p>&#160;</p> | 55 ways Republicans hate women | true | http://feministing.com/2012/09/13/55-ways-republicans-hate-women/ | 4 |
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<p>Wells Fargo &amp; Co will eliminate its policy of notifying branches a day in advance before they are visited by internal inspectors, a bank spokeswoman said on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The decision comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on the advance notice, describing how it gave employees time to cover up problematic sales practices by shredding documents and forging signatures.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Mary Eshet, a spokeswoman for the third-largest U.S. bank by assets, confirmed that Wells Fargo will halt the practice.</p>
<p>"To the extent the 24 hour notice could be an issue or be perceived as an issue, we want to take that off the table," she wrote via email.</p>
<p>She added that many aspects of the branch inspection process, including new account documentation, involve electronic signatures which are reviewed outside the branches ahead of the visits.</p>
<p>She would not comment directly on the allegations in the report, but said the behavior described has always been against policies.</p>
<p>Wells Fargo is conducting a broad internal review of its sales practices after it settled charges that it created as many 2 million credit card and checking accounts without customer authorization.</p>
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<p>The $190 million settlement, announced in September, hammered the bank's share price and led to the resignation of then-Chief Executive John Stumpf.</p>
<p>The shares have recovered amid a broad-based banking sector rally following the November U.S. presidential election. (Reporting by Dan Freed in New York; Editing by Alan Crosby and Sandra Maler)</p> | Wells Fargo to stop giving branches advance notice of inspections | true | http://foxbusiness.com/features/2017/01/24/wells-fargo-to-stop-giving-branches-advance-notice-inspections.html | 2017-01-24 | 0 |
<p>MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A board that oversees North Dakota's Souris River is seeking funding to advance segments of a flood-protection project.</p>
<p>Souris River flooding in 2011 caused an estimated $1 billion in damage in northern North Dakota and prompted the evacuation of 10,000 people in Minot.</p>
<p>The Souris River Joint Board plans to request $4.5 million of unallocated money for flood-control projects from a fund created by the Legislature last year, the <a href="http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2018/01/more-money-sought-for-flood-control-activity/" type="external">Minot Daily News reported</a> .</p>
<p>The board also wants to combine that funding with savings and reduced expenses to free up $20 million in state money.</p>
<p>"There's no shortage of need," Board Administrator Ryan Ackerman told the Ward County Commission on Tuesday. "Right now, we are dealing with a shortage of funding."</p>
<p>Parts of the flood-protection project that could be prioritized include Minot property acquisitions and work on the bridge over the Souris River. Another focus could be on rural projects that increase river conveyance and remove trapped water from productive agricultural lands after a flood recedes.</p>
<p>Unexpectedly low bids on the first three phases of Minot's flood protection saved $13.4 million in state money. The State Water Commission shifted $2.3 million of those savings toward Minot acquisitions, which leaves about $11 million available for the board to use on flood protection.</p>
<p>Ackerman also identified other potential sources of funding, such as reducing the contingency established for ongoing construction activities.</p>
<p>Ackerman said the money is available but difficult to secure in the past because state revenues have been below projections.</p>
<p>Since revenue has been returned to meeting projections, Ackerman said they could make another attempt to secure funding from the water commission in the next several months.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Minot Daily News, <a href="http://www.minotdailynews.com" type="external">http://www.minotdailynews.com</a></p>
<p>MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A board that oversees North Dakota's Souris River is seeking funding to advance segments of a flood-protection project.</p>
<p>Souris River flooding in 2011 caused an estimated $1 billion in damage in northern North Dakota and prompted the evacuation of 10,000 people in Minot.</p>
<p>The Souris River Joint Board plans to request $4.5 million of unallocated money for flood-control projects from a fund created by the Legislature last year, the <a href="http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2018/01/more-money-sought-for-flood-control-activity/" type="external">Minot Daily News reported</a> .</p>
<p>The board also wants to combine that funding with savings and reduced expenses to free up $20 million in state money.</p>
<p>"There's no shortage of need," Board Administrator Ryan Ackerman told the Ward County Commission on Tuesday. "Right now, we are dealing with a shortage of funding."</p>
<p>Parts of the flood-protection project that could be prioritized include Minot property acquisitions and work on the bridge over the Souris River. Another focus could be on rural projects that increase river conveyance and remove trapped water from productive agricultural lands after a flood recedes.</p>
<p>Unexpectedly low bids on the first three phases of Minot's flood protection saved $13.4 million in state money. The State Water Commission shifted $2.3 million of those savings toward Minot acquisitions, which leaves about $11 million available for the board to use on flood protection.</p>
<p>Ackerman also identified other potential sources of funding, such as reducing the contingency established for ongoing construction activities.</p>
<p>Ackerman said the money is available but difficult to secure in the past because state revenues have been below projections.</p>
<p>Since revenue has been returned to meeting projections, Ackerman said they could make another attempt to secure funding from the water commission in the next several months.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Minot Daily News, <a href="http://www.minotdailynews.com" type="external">http://www.minotdailynews.com</a></p> | North Dakota board seeks funding for more flood protection | false | https://apnews.com/amp/8f50fb4b0ea441f6abaaefeecd2c7dab | 2018-01-18 | 2 |
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<p>NEW YORK – Andrew Madoff, Bernard Madoff’s last surviving son, died of cancer on Wednesday, years after turning his father in and insisting he had been duped like the rest of the world into believing history’s most notorious Ponzi king was an honest financier.</p>
<p>Andrew Madoff, 48, was “surrounded by his loving family” when he died at a hospital from mantle cell lymphoma, said his attorney, Martin Flumenbaum.</p>
<p>Andrew Madoff and his brother, Mark Madoff, worked on the legitimate trading side of their father’s Manhattan firm, two floors removed from the private investment business where Bernard Madoff carried out his $65 billion Ponzi scheme over several decades.</p>
<p>Bernard Madoff, 76, was arrested in December 2008. He pleaded guilty to fraud charges months later and is serving a 150-year sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina. Two years after the father’s arrest, Mark Madoff hanged himself in his Manhattan loft apartment as his 2-year-old son slept in another room.</p>
<p>“One way to think of this is the scandal and everything that happened killed my brother very quickly,” Andrew Madoff told People magazine last year.</p>
<p>Andrew Madoff was diagnosed with the rare form of cancer in 2003 but went into remission. He blamed the relapse on the stress of living with his father’s scam. The disease returned in October 2012, and he told People magazine he felt “blindsided.”</p>
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<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p> | Bernie Madoff’s last surviving son dies | false | https://abqjournal.com/456394/bernie-madoffs-last-surviving-son-dies.html | 2 |
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<p>NAIROBI, Kenya - A British man has been arrested in Somalia at Mogadishu airport after telling officials he planned to travel to Kismayo, the southern port town that is a stronghold of Al Shabaab militants.</p>
<p>So is this another example of what US and British officials most fear: the foreign passport-holding wannabe jihadi who gets trained in Somalia and might return to wreak havoc at home?</p>
<p>Somali officials have <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9170087/British-man-arrested-in-Somalia-on-suspicion-of-links-to-al-Qaeda.html" type="external">accused him of "al-Qaeda links"</a>&#160;and security sources have muttered darkly about his <a href="http://www.somaliareport.com/index.php/post/3164/Brit_Arrested_At_Mogadishu_Airport_" type="external">luggage containing&#160;knives</a>,&#160;strange powders and, er, CDs.</p>
<p>It seems as if everyone might be getting a little overexcited. The man&#160;in question, 45-year old Clive Dennis, is British of Jamaican origin&#160;and in this video clip <a href="http://www.raxanreeb.com/2012/03/somalia-jamaican-man-who-wanted-to-join-al-shabab-arrested-in-mogadishu-photos/" type="external">recorded by Mogadishu's RBC Radio</a>&#160;he appears confused about what he's doing and where he's going. It&#160;could be a convincing bluff but he doesn't look much like a terrorist.</p>
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<p /> | Clive Dennis, British man arrested at Mogadishu airport | false | https://pri.org/stories/2012-03-28/clive-dennis-british-man-arrested-mogadishu-airport | 2012-03-28 | 3 |
<p>&lt;img src="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/huge-cairo-protest.jpg" alt="huge-cairo-protest" width="480" height="264" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-78922" srcset="http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/huge-cairo-protest.jpg 630w, http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/huge-cairo-protest-300x165.jpg 300w, http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/huge-cairo-protest-470x260.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /&gt;</p>
<p>The president’s lackadaisical foreign policy has placed the United States in the center of a firestorm that has already taken one American life, and has the potential of taking many more before it’s over.</p>
<p>Anti-Morsi protesters took to the streets again Sunday to express their hatred and contempt for both the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Egyptian government and President Obama, according to <a href="http://freebeacon.com/anti-government-protests-sweep-egypt/" type="external">The Washington Free Beacon</a>.</p>
<p>Protests in Cairo’s historic Tahrir Square began at least as early as January, when a demonstrator was photographed carrying a sign that read, “ <a href="" type="internal">Obama you jerk</a>, Muslim Brotherhoods are killing the&#160;Egyptians.”</p>
<p>The protesters’ beef with the president is his continued financial and military aid given to Egypt, despite the change in Egyptian leadership.</p>
<p>Although the protests started out rather mild, they’ve recently escalated in violence, resulting in hundreds of people injured and seven dead, including an American student, according to the Voice of America.</p>
<p>“We are very critical of the Obama administration because they have been supporting the Brotherhood like no one has ever supported them,” Shadi Al Ghazali Harb, a 24-year-old member of Egypt’s Revolutionary Youth Coalition, told the Washington Free Beacon on Friday during a telephone interview from Cairo.</p>
<p>The Obama administration is “the main supporter of the Brotherhood,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the American support this president would have fallen months ago.”</p>
<p>As the violence escalates, so does the administration’s support for the Morsi regime. Earlier this month, it was announced that 400 American troops will be heading to Egypt on a <a href="" type="internal">peacekeeping mission</a> to help quell the protests.</p>
<p>The president isn’t the only American the demonstrators blame. They also direct their rants and chants at Anne Patterson, the U.S. ambassador to Egypt.</p>
<p>Al Ghazali Harb called the ambassador “the first enemy of the revolution,” claiming “she is hated even more than Morsi.”</p>
<p>“She’s done a lot to harm our relations with the United States,” Al Ghazali Harb added.</p>
<p>Al Ghazali Harb noted that the Sunday demonstrations, expected to reach a million participants, even attracted the support of those who voted for Morsi.</p>
<p>“We’re treating the Brotherhood as an occupation,” he said, noting that nearly 20 million Egyptians have signed an anti-Morsi petition. “Our whole country is at stake.”</p>
<p>And this is where we’re sending our troops? Four hundred versus millions?</p> | Expect more American deaths as Egyptians blame Obama for mess | true | http://bizpacreview.com/2013/06/30/expect-more-american-deaths-as-egyptians-blame-obama-for-mess-78921 | 2013-06-30 | 0 |
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<p>Parker Beam, who carried on his family's historic bourbon-making tradition as longtime master distiller for Kentucky-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, died Monday after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 75.</p>
<p>Continue Reading Below</p>
<p>Beam's career as a whiskey maker spanned more than a half century at Bardstown, Kentucky-based Heaven Hill, a family owned and operated distilled spirits company and maker of the popular Evan Williams brand. Beam was responsible for distilling and aging Evan Williams — the world's No. 2-selling bourbon — and other Heaven Hill whiskeys.</p>
<p>"He was a true industry giant long before the current bourbon renaissance," said Max L. Shapira, president of Heaven Hill Brands. "Without question, he was committed to our industry and possessed a real passion for the craft of distilling."</p>
<p>Beam's pedigree as a bourbon maker was impeccable. As a grandnephew of Jim Beam, Parker Beam was born into a family that traces its whiskey-making roots in Kentucky to 1795, when Jacob Beam set up his first still. Park Beam, Parker's grandfather and namesake, was Jim Beam's brother.</p>
<p>"If you were a Beam, you sort of were destined to follow in the footsteps of either your father, grandfathers, cousins or uncles," Parker Beam said in a 2007 interview with The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Another industry patriarch, Bill Samuels Jr., on Monday called his longtime friend "one of the good guys." For some people, living up to a legendary family name can be a burden, but not so for Parker, Samuels said.</p>
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<p>"In his case, he lived up to and exceeded the burden of having the most famous name in bourbon," said Samuels, who retired after a long career as the top executive at Maker's Mark.</p>
<p>During his years-long battle with the disorder, Parker Beam raised funds in hopes of helping find a cure.</p>
<p>Parker Beam was among a small fraternity of master distillers who oversaw production at various Kentucky distilleries during bourbon's revival.</p>
<p>According to a 2014 report by the University of Louisville's Urban Studies Institute, distilling contributes $3 billion in gross state product to Kentucky's economy every year, up from $1.8 billion two years ago. Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey exports shot past $1 billion for the first time in 2013, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. By 2015, combined U.S. revenues for bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey rose 7.8 percent to $2.9 billion, while bourbon and Tennessee whiskey exports topped $1 billion for the third straight year, the group said.</p>
<p>Parker Beam began his career at Heaven Hill in 1960 and learned the craft by working alongside his father, Earl. The job of master distiller shifted from father to son in 1975 when Parker Beam assumed the role. He developed the company's first premium small batch and single barrel bourbons.</p>
<p>That father-son partnership extended into another generation when Parker Beam's son, Craig, started working at Heaven Hill in 1983. For years, the Beams shared duties as co-master distillers. Parker Beam had the title of master distiller emeritus at Heaven Hill at the time of this death.</p>
<p>"Parker Beam wasn't just a name on a bottle — he was the living embodiment of the whiskey inside — authentic, classic, well-seasoned and distilled from old-fashioned hard work and gentleman integrity," said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association.</p>
<p>Craig Beam had his own humble start. On one summer break from school, he cleaned pigeon droppings in a vacant warehouse purchased by Heaven Hill. He later drove a truck for the distillery and worked in the bottling operation.</p>
<p>"I've got a whole lot to live up to with my father and grandfather," Craig Beam told the AP in 2007. "I've got a lot of weight on my shoulders."</p> | Parker Beam, master distiller of Kentucky bourbon, dies | true | http://foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/01/09/parker-beam-master-distiller-kentucky-bourbon-dies.html | 2017-01-10 | 0 |
<p>TOKYO (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly lower Wednesday as Greece's bailout woes and a stagnant Wall Street performance dampened investor sentiment.</p>
<p>KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225, which had been on a bull streak recently, edged down 0.3 percent to 20,476.71. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.2 percent to 2,073.50. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.6 percent to 27,639.79 while the Shanghai Composite slipped 1 percent to 4,860.58. Southeast Asian stocks were mixed.</p>
<p>EUROPEAN AGENDA: Concerns about Greece's ability to meet debt payments to its bailout creditors have weighed on markets. If Greece defaults on its debt, that may mean a departure from the euro zone. Greece's prime minister was set to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels to discuss his proposal to secure a vital, long-overdue agreement with the country's bailout lenders. Separately, the European Central Bank meets later Wednesday.</p>
<p>THE QUOTE: Markets are closely watching for any "rhetoric" that comes out of the European Central Bank, although no change is expected to its new policy of quantitative monetary easing, Mizuho Bank said in a market commentary. "The expected pick-up in growth momentum also reduces the need for extended policy stimulus," Mizuho said. "Any rhetoric on Greece ... will also be scrutinized."</p>
<p>WALL STREET: The Standard &amp; Poor's 500 fell 2.13 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,109.60 on Tuesday. The index has gained 0.1 percent in the past month. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 28.43 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,011.94. The Nasdaq composite fell 6.40 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,076.52.</p>
<p>ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude was down 42 cents to $60.84 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The futures contract rose $1.06 to close at $61.26 a barrel in Nymex floor trading on Tuesday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil used by many U.S. refineries, was down 38 cents to $65.11 a barrel in London.</p>
<p>CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 123.95 yen from 124.03 yen Tuesday. The euro rose to $1.1174 from $1.1152.</p>
<p>TOKYO (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly lower Wednesday as Greece's bailout woes and a stagnant Wall Street performance dampened investor sentiment.</p>
<p>KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225, which had been on a bull streak recently, edged down 0.3 percent to 20,476.71. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.2 percent to 2,073.50. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.6 percent to 27,639.79 while the Shanghai Composite slipped 1 percent to 4,860.58. Southeast Asian stocks were mixed.</p>
<p>EUROPEAN AGENDA: Concerns about Greece's ability to meet debt payments to its bailout creditors have weighed on markets. If Greece defaults on its debt, that may mean a departure from the euro zone. Greece's prime minister was set to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels to discuss his proposal to secure a vital, long-overdue agreement with the country's bailout lenders. Separately, the European Central Bank meets later Wednesday.</p>
<p>THE QUOTE: Markets are closely watching for any "rhetoric" that comes out of the European Central Bank, although no change is expected to its new policy of quantitative monetary easing, Mizuho Bank said in a market commentary. "The expected pick-up in growth momentum also reduces the need for extended policy stimulus," Mizuho said. "Any rhetoric on Greece ... will also be scrutinized."</p>
<p>WALL STREET: The Standard &amp; Poor's 500 fell 2.13 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,109.60 on Tuesday. The index has gained 0.1 percent in the past month. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 28.43 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,011.94. The Nasdaq composite fell 6.40 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,076.52.</p>
<p>ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude was down 42 cents to $60.84 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The futures contract rose $1.06 to close at $61.26 a barrel in Nymex floor trading on Tuesday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil used by many U.S. refineries, was down 38 cents to $65.11 a barrel in London.</p>
<p>CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 123.95 yen from 124.03 yen Tuesday. The euro rose to $1.1174 from $1.1152.</p> | Asia stocks dampened by Greek bailout saga, weak Wall Street | false | https://apnews.com/amp/196c10eae8d04d01b117f4d6d7355f3f | 2015-06-03 | 2 |
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