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You can trace the progression of America’s terrors by paying attention to what the authorities decide to warn parents about at Halloween. The old standby, of course, is that strangers poison kids' candy and re-wrap it with the precision of Christo. (By the way, this has never happened.) This year, that fear has been joined by another one: candy will be laced with pot! For instance, reports KCCI, the Knoxville, Iowa Police department is warning its 7,313 citizens that: This Halloween it is more important than ever for parents to inspect the candy their children receive before allowing any of it to be eaten. The Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force has recovered marijuana laced candy and brownies in our area that were commercially prepared and sold in Colorado that were then illegally brought to Iowa. These items were packaged professionally and would be easy to mistake as regular candy. Yeah, as if any potheads wanted to part with their $5-apiece lollipops just to watch some little witch wail on her candy and pass out on her Frozen blanket. The department pleads: Parents - please make certain your children know not to eat any candy until you inspect it. You can minimize risk by only allowing your ghouls and goblins to go to the homes of people you know. But how can you minimize a risk that is already incredibly small? It’s like saying, “Parents, remember to inspect your children’s pillows for tarantulas.” Sure, you can do that. But you’re not really making your kids a whole lot safer. And if the problem is that pot candy looks identical to stone cold sober candy—which is what the Denver police are warning (with perhaps a bit more reasonable concern)—how are parents going to be able to identify it, anyway? Perhaps they are going to use that old parental standby, "I'll eat this for you, kid"? Maybe it's time to just calm down and assume that potheads are like the rest of us: They keep the really good stuff for themselves. |
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images A source told Us Weekly that Kanye West was offered the third spot on American Idol’s thirteenth-season judging panel (the other two belong to Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez), but he turned it down because “he didn’t want to go that mainstream … and lose any street cred.” Big question here: Has anyone over at Idol actually met Kanye West? Although amusing, it’s not surprising that Kanye would choose to pass on the gig. He rarely does interviews (or even smiles for photographs, unless it’s his future mother-in-law), and the inspirational core of Idol doesn’t quite match up with his … current aesthetic. According to the source, others on the Idol judge wish list include will.i.am, Diddy (now, how would that work with Jennifer Lopez?), and producers Rodney Jerkins and Dr. Luke. Our dreams of seeing Kanye’s awkward interactions with Ryan Seacrest are forever dashed. |
W_henever a friend asks me if I have any interesting tales involving text-messaging, I think of Jeremy. Jeremy, a man I am no longer in touch with, was someone I once considered a friend. It started out very simply: one day I received a text message from a phone number I did not recognize. Intrigued, I replied, and thus began an intimate and illuminating correspondence. I wish to share with you now my record of this peculiar kinship._ UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/5 9:46 PM sup you comnig to this thing? MICHAEL 12/5 9:46 PM hi oops I don’t know this number. I’m Michael, who is this? UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/5 9:58 PM oops my mistake MICHAEL 12/5 9:58 PM hahahaha no problem—happens. . .where are you anyway? Like what city? Los Angeles? or. . . MICHAEL 12/5 10:06 PM I’m in LA MICHAEL 12/5 10:34 PM haha. I don’t really recognize your area # — UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/6 11:39 AM oh shit just saw yur messages yea I live north of la wish i lived down there tho :p UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/6 11:40 AM sorry for the wrong number. peace MICHAEL 12/6 11:42 AM hey listen I already said don’t worry about it and I meant it. it’s no problem. MICHAEL 12/6 11:46 AM ? MICHAEL 12/6 12:14 PM aaaannyway haha. how was da party? :} UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/6 12:59 PM not bad. not like a hollywood party lol like where you live. thad be fun MICHAEL 12/6 1:30 PM you should come to town one night and I’ll take you to a party at my buddy Michael Cera’s house MICHAEL 12/6 1:43 PM the actor haha — UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/7 4:53 PM you know him? yahh man thad be sick hes a cool MICHAEL 12/7 4:59 PM really? you don’t think his range is limited? UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/7 5:04 PM lol nah whadever may be true MICHAEL 12/7 5:14 PM hahahahahahha MICHAEL 12/7 5:19 PM anyway i was just kidding before that’s actually me MICHAEL 12/7 5:25 PM hahaha UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/7 5:37 PM huh? yur michael cera?? MICHAEL 12/7 5:38 PM hahahahahahaah UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/7 5:39 PM tha actor? MICHAEL 12/7 5:41 PM yes except I spell it with capital letters at the beginning of my first and last names, kind of like a display of common respect kind of thing MICHAEL 12/7 11:48 PM but yeah I’m that Michael Cera. . . MICHAEL 12/7 11:54 PM hahaha — MICHAEL 12/8 7:11 AM didn’t catch your name btw. . . — UNKNOWN NUMBER 12/9 12:39 PM yah my name is jeremy i live in delano ca. had your number confused with a friend from la lol. sorry bout that. peace MICHAEL 12/9 12:39 PM nice to meet you Jeremy, what’s your last name anyway? right now I just have you saved as “Jeremy Delano” haha MICHAEL 12/9 12:48 PM and that won’t do, will it? ahahaha — JEREMY 12/10 7:20 PM yoooooooo i just saw you on tv ha so fucking weird MICHAEL 12/10 7:20 PM no way! what was it? one of my Films? MICHAEL 12/10 7:28 PM ? JEREMY 12/10 7:41 PM yah a movie. . .you as a caveman MICHAEL 12/10 8:13 PM “Year One”! a comedy I made with Jack Black. really cool guy MICHAEL 12/10 8:18 PM you would really like him, he’s funny MICHAEL 12/10 8:27 PM and it was directed by Harold Ramis another comic luminary. . .haha JEREMY 12/10 9:48 PM hah nah it wasn’t that MICHAEL 12/10 9:49 PM yes it was :/ MICHAEL 12/11 1:41 AM not really worth arguing about haha JEREMY 12/11 12:08 PM nah man no argument. all good right? MICHAEL 12/11 12:08 PM right! MICHAEL 12/11 12:09 PM k whoa you just now woke me up from craiest dream ever starring harry potter. . .tha fuck!? hehehe MICHAEL 12/11 12:34 PM our minds can be interesting some times. . . Already I had become fascinated with Jeremy. It was clear that he was unsure exactly where the boundaries lay between celebrity and civilian, and he was afraid of accidentally overextending himself. Thankfully, he soon found his way to overcoming this feeling, and chanced an invitation. JEREMY 12/19 4:33 PM you party ever man? MICHAEL 12/19 4:34 PM hey man! your thumbs must have been burning because I was just texting someone about you! MICHAEL 12/19 4:36 PM yeah sometimes I party. just for fun JEREMY 12/19 4:52 PM yah man you should come by my friend j’s house MICHAEL 12/19 4:52 PM hahahahahah does his name have any other letters in it or is it just that one? MICHAEL 12/19 4:56 PM anyway. . .like when? MICHAEL 12/19 5:05 PM is it like a big group of people over there? is it weird if I don’t bring anything? JEREMY 12/19 5:19 PM it’s just me an j. he seen you in juno MICHAEL 12/19 5:19 PM oh cool! “Juno” was a really fun experience for Me MICHAEL 12/19 5:21 PM the script was really strong and the director Jason Reitman had a vision MICHAEL 12/19 5:26 PM what’s address? I’ll make a lotta soup and bringit! yyeeeeeah! MICHAEL 12/19 8:47 PM cool so I guess prolly I’ll just flush all this soup down the toilet. . .? JEREMY 12/19 8:58 PM hsit sorry hada pick up my sister and i was tired MICHAEL 12/19 8:59 PM yeah well fuck you too JEREMY 12/19 10:42 PM haha whoa chill MICHAEL 12/20 3:30 AM I don’t mean to be so pissed off but I made a lot of soup and nobody got to eat it MICHAEL 12/20 3:31 AM cause i dumped it into toilet when i got mad MICHAEL 12/20 3:33 AM so I thought that was kind of fucked i hate wastefullness and yeah its all over the floor of my bathroom now little bit MICHAEL 12/20 3:40 AM but thats nodyboys fault but mine i guess sorry I lost my cool I’m just a person too believe it or not. yeah so what are you up to? JEREMY 12/20 11:28 AM chillin dealin with people actin crazy MICHAEL 12/20 11:29 AM what people??? Me??? JEREMY 12/20 12:53 PM nah — MICHAEL 12/23 3:08 PM you got any kids? just realized I don’t know that. . . MICHAEL 12/23 3:12 PM cue jeopardy music. . . MICHAEL 12/23 3:18 PM haha. . .sensitive subject? JEREMY 12/23 6:09 PM nope MICHAEL 12/23 6:12 PM same. want to though. gotta meet the right girl. she’s out there somewhere! if you see her, give her my number! ha! MICHAEL 12/23 7:49 PM please really though please don’t give my number out to people cause I don’t want a bunch of weirdos like calling and wanting to meet Me and stuff MICHAEL 12/23 7:55 PM I appreciate fans though! just need space JEREMY 12/23 8:53 PM ya must be fuckin weird bein a actor Despite our never having met, I now considered myself fluent in Jeremy’s emotional language. What I perceived intuitively was that he was unsure of who around him he could turn to for solace and fellowship. Fortunately for both of us, I’ve never been one to turn away from a challenge that I felt I could manage. MICHAEL 12/24 8:55 AM hey what are you up to tomorrow? MICHAEL 12/24 9:23 AM haha would you like to phone a friend or ask the audience maybe? JEREMY 12/24 11:58 AM i’m goin to my sisters house in south taft, t town. wht about u? MICHAEL 12/24 12:10 PM oh wow! and you guys are doing a family christmas type thing? JEREMY 12/24 12:51 PM xactly MICHAEL 12/24 1:03 PM is it like weird that you don’t have your own family so you are going and staying with hers on christmas? JEREMY 12/24 1:14 PM nah man shes the best MICHAEL 12/24 1:47 PM no way man that’s too sad. why don’t you drag your ass down to LA and hang with Me and some buddies of mine? MICHAEL 12/24 2:09 PM what do you think man? please let me know quick cause I’m at grocery store and need to know how much crane sauce to buy. ha! MICHAEL 12/24 2:46 PM *(A picture message of six cans of cranberry sauce in a shopping cart.) MICHAEL 12/24 6:36 PM hey Jeremy, you on your way? or. . . JEREMY 12/24 6:43 PM yoo just saw these. i’m in t town! JEREMY 12/24 6:54 PM *(A picture message of Jeremy, mouth open, holding a whole raw turkey up to his face.) MICHAEL 12/24 6:55 PM whoa!!! you’re black? MICHAEL 12/24 7:23 PM damn! I thought you were coming over. . .I sort of got a bunch of food, think your sister’d mind if I came up there? JEREMY 12/24 8:22 PM prolly not cool, we don’t see each other much. plus it’s a long ass drive from la lol MICHAEL 12/24 10:19 PM haha yeah my sister is the same way! hey actually I’m just pulling into south taft now like near the big town square, is your sister’s house kind of near here? MICHAEL 12/24 10:21 PM or. . . JEREMY 12/24 10:25 PM nah not really its kind of far actually MICHAEL 12/24 10:26 PM can’t be that far MICHAEL 12/24 10:28 PM can you give Me a break man? give me the address it’s getting silly MICHAEL 12/24 10:32 PM times up loser sorry. MICHAEL 12/24 10:35 PM going back to LA JEREMY 12/24 10:45 PM shit drive safe man — MICHAEL 12/25 1:33 AM got home safe merry xams — JEREMY 1/3 8:40 PM wer you in zombieland? MICHAEL 1/3 8:42 PM hi man. no. that’s jesse eisenberg MICHAEL 1/3 8:43 PM I also was not in adventureland MICHAEL 1/3 8:48 PM yeah there’s a thing called imdb JEREMY 1/3 9:09 PM oh dam! i thought that was you JEREMY 1/3 9:10 PM haha MICHAEL 1/3 9:12 PM I know — MICHAEL 1/5 12:01 PM wow!!! we’ve been friends for a month! crazy. . . MICHAEL 1/5 12:09 PM time moves. MICHAEL 1/5 12:46 PM sorry bout our christmas fight we had. your sis is mad at me? or. . . Here came a brief hiatus in our correspondence. I was somewhat confused by the up-and-down nature of our nascent friendship, but I knew enough about trust issues to understand that, to a man as sensitive as Jeremy, trust must be introduced in micro-increments. MICHAEL 3/6 9:45 PM haha my car is so dirty. . .I just found a cheese on the floor from like a thousand years ago hahaha! MICHAEL 3/6 9:51 PM ? — JEREMY 3/13 5:53 PM yup see you there MICHAEL 3/13 5:54 PM huh???! ware??? MICHAEL 3/13 5:56 PM ???? JEREMY 3/13 6:23 PM oh shit sorry ahaha was suppose to send that to a diffrent person. . . MICHAEL 3/13 10:39 PM ah I hate when that happens. you too? — MICHAEL 4/18 4:44 AM hope you’re good man — JEREMY 4/26 10:43 PM I LUV UR MOVIES!!! MICHAEL 4/26 10:45 PM hahaha! well! thank you very much sir. . . MICHAEL 4/26 10:46 PM the pleasure was mine to have worked on them MICHAEL 4/26 10:47 PM some of them anyway. . .hahahahahah! MICHAEL 4/26 11:33 PM how you been, bitch? MICHAEL 4/26 11:36 PM (:p) — JEREMY 4/27 2:42 PM sorry about that that was my friend caitlin, she loves your movies MICHAEL 4/27 2:44 PM haha that makes sense. I thought to myself wow this is out of character MICHAEL 4/27 2:45 PM like just texting me out of noware wit a compliment! haha bitces is crazy MICHAEL 4/27 2:47 PM *nowhere MICHAEL 4/27 2:49 PM **bitches are crazy MICHAEL 4/27 6:41 PM anyway tell her thanks! maybe we can all go to dinner soon. . . MICHAEL 4/27 8:39 PM tuesday maybe? MICHAEL 4/27 11:10 PM J? — MICHAEL 5/15 5:36 PM I’m going to Vegas!!! haha. want to come with? MICHAEL 5/15 5:38 PM probably be more fun than going alone! — MICHAEL 5/18 4:38 PM heading back to LA. you have have have HAVE to see Jersey Boys MICHAEL 5/18 4:50 PM I saw it twice in two days hahahaha you think that’s weird? JEREMY 5/18 6:23 PM haha nah JEREMY 5/18 6:24 PM least it wasn’t three times ha MICHAEL 5/18 6:25 PM ahhahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! MICHAEL 5/18 6:27 PM no just twice. . .hahaha! MICHAEL 5/18 6:28 PM o my god MICHAEL 5/18 6:30 PM I just laughed so hard I had to pull over!!!!!!!!! hahahahahA! MICHAEL 5/18 6:31 PM god. . . MICHAEL 5/18 7:58 PM i almost crash before — MICHAEL 5/23 5:42 PM god. remember the Jersey Boys thing? MICHAEL 5/23 5:46 PM what are you up to biatch? — MICHAEL 5/28 7:45 PM god I just had the most ridiculous conversation with my publicist MICHAEL 5/28 7:58 PM she was just saying that I should tweet more photos of myself with friends MICHAEL 5/28 8:00 PM like to make myself more likable or something haha. to my followers. . .she has no clue! JEREMY 5/28 9:02 PM weird MICHAEL 5/28 9:04 PM yes! that’s what I said too. anyway could be a fun excuse to get a party together MICHAEL 5/28 9:06 PM maybe you get some buddies together and it could be an opportunity for us all to hang out together and meet Me MICHAEL 5/28 11:43 PM what day is good for you guys? — JEREMY 6/7 6:07 PM yo man how you doing? MICHAEL 6/7 6:07 PM hey man! I’m good how are you doing? JEREMY 6/7 6:12 PM up to anything tonight? MICHAEL 6/7 6:12 PM not really how about you??????? JEREMY 6/7 6:20 PM yah well i been hangin out wit this girl caitlin and she really likes yur movies and wants to meet you really bad JEREMY 6/7 6:21 PM we’re goin to go to a party at my friend andres house tonight you shd come On the long drive up to Delano, it hit me that I was about to meet Jeremy, face to face. I began to laugh about it, first softly, then in wild, uncontrollable convulsions as the yellow lines on the pavement flickered past. A group of minglers on the front lawn welcomed me to the party with astonished faces. I munificently doled out smiles and handshakes while maintaining a steady course for the front door. Inside, Jeremy sat on a couch in the living room, watching the others dance. MICHAEL 6/7 11:28 PM sorry things got crazy, im going back to la MICHAEL 6/7 11:39 PM that girls nuts i think MICHAEL 6/7 11:45 PM hope you’re not still pissed off In the weeks that followed the unfortunate incident at the party, I took a step back and allowed the healing properties of time to dissolve any lingering anger and confusion. Jeremy, perhaps embarrassed, did the same. After five weeks, however, I felt our marathon of reticence had run its course. MICHAEL 7/17 5:14 PM hey man what’s up? MICHAEL 7/17 5:18 PM are we ok? Caitlin’s lying. . . — MICHAEL 7/18 8:43 AM jeremy can we talk on phone quick? MICHAEL 7/18 8:45 AM i can explain things easier on phone, pick up yeah? JEREMY 7/18 10:41 AM if you keep calling me i will nail you MICHAEL 7/18 10:42 AM hey shit sorry thought you were away from phone MICHAEL 7/18 10:44 AM wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk now or later. . . MICHAEL 7/18 11:08 AM aaaaaannyyyway haha so what are u up to anyway jeremy piven? MICHAEL 7/18 11:10 AM hahah (the actor) MICHAEL 7/18 11:42 AM oops! shit sorry accidentally hit redial that time. . . — MICHAEL 7/20 11:30 PM think we had bad communication at the party, that’s all it was. ok? MICHAEL 7/20 11:37 PM AND i didnt enjoy it she kisses like a man MICHAEL 7/20 11:38 PM but yah i only did that cause like i thought that’s what you wanted me to do i guess. MICHAEL 7/20 11:38 PM cause when you asked me to take a picture with her in the kitchen and then we were just alone in there. MICHAEL 7/20 11:39 P.M . i assumed. . .haha! maybe next time i shuld just ask you MICHAEL 7/20 11:49 PM but shes cute. u still together? i told her she was lucky she lives near u. . . MICHAEL 7/20 11:52 PM nice butt MICHAEL 7/20 11:59 PM her, not you oops! meant caitlins. duh. — MICHAEL 8/17 6:21 PM what upppp mannnn? MICHAEL 8/17 6:32 PM listen we don’t have to get into a big thing, I just wanted to see if you’d feel ok with Me telling the caitlin story on Jimmy Kimmel Live? MICHAEL 8/17 6:33 PM I’m going on tomorrow, want to come and hang in the green room? JEREMY 8/17 8:18 PM Hi, I’m sorry I think you have the wrong number! Who are you looking for? MICHAEL 8/17 8:28 PM Jeremy? JEREMY 8/17 8:31 PM Yeah you have the wrong person. My name is Amanda, just got this number! MICHAEL 8/17 8:37 PM oh. I’m sorry. have a good night AMANDA 8/17 8:40 PM You too! Hope you find your friend! As quickly as Jeremy had come into my life, he had left a hole in it. Still, I learned a tremendous amount about this mysterious man in our short-lived friendship, and I discovered a great deal about myself in his reflection. As the music kicked off in a flowery cascade, I bounded onto the stage of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Without Jeremy’s consent, I felt it would be inappropriate to tell the Caitlin story, and so I employed a trusty go-to: the farcical saga of my date with the Slovenian choreographer. Unfortunately, being my own worst critic, I felt it was not my finest rendering of the endearingly clumsy tangle of events, but I did manage to stick the landing, and the audience found me likable. ♦ |
Great Travel Set After years of searching I believe this is the perfect travel set for my needs. The I am in different offices during the week and have time between seeing people. This set allows me to have it out on the counter next to my laptop when I am not seeing anyone and can use it to analyze and play through games with. If I need to see someone I can simply store this set with the current position staying intact in its box. The magnets are strong with this one so the position stays even with a good amount of jostling. I can also have the board out of the box for more open access to it and easily put it back in the box with its front drop down panel doorway for easy access. Other travel sets that will keep the playing positioh are either too small, the pieces are too squat or flat or the magnets are weak. Also this set looks like a true chess set and board for good image recognition. With the cost being very reasonable this is a must have set. |
Few countries have allowed their sense of exceptionalism to damage their interests in the way Britain is doing. British overconfidence is unjustified and will come at a heavy price. Most countries see themselves as exceptional, but few have ever allowed the belief in their exceptionalism to damage their economic and political interests in quite the way Britain is currently doing. What makes so many British politicians, business leaders and newspaper editors so confident that Britain will flourish unencumbered by the EU? Why do so much of the British elite see the EU as a constraint on British influence in the world? Both France and Germany sometimes bridle at the EU but neither seriously thinks that the EU diminishes their ability to pursue their interests. Even now, when it is clear that Brexit will do profound damage to British political and economic interests, few powerful figures in British business, politics or the media feel it necessary to speak out. There is no justification for British overconfidence or sangfroid. The UK needs the EU as much as the Germans or French. The British are less euro-centric than many other Europeans. They are generally less anti-American and more likely to move to non-European countries to work. And Britain has global interests and reach in ways that small and medium-sized EU countries do not. The country has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Like France, it is a serious military power and has nuclear weapons. The question is why so many Britons believe that it will be easier to defend those global interests outside of the EU than within it. The French elite do not believe that France’s ability to defend its interests – which are similar to Britain’s – is held back by its membership of the EU. For the French the EU has always partly been about locking Germany into multilateral European institutions and preventing Germany from becoming too powerful. But the French have always understood that France could only remain a significant global power by harnessing the power of the EU as a whole. The benefits of EU membership for Germany are obvious: the country regained legitimacy and respectability through its founding membership of the EU; by subsuming itself in this multilateral project, it succeeded in drawing a lot of the sting from its history. Far from undermining German power, EU membership enabled it to reassert itself internationally. For the Germans EU membership is a key strategic national interest. Always disjuncture between way a country sees itself & how others do, especially large in #UK’s case Why does the British elite, and not the French and German ones, believe they do not need the EU? The first reason is their rose-tinted view of Britain’s history. There is always a disjuncture between the way a country sees itself and how others perceive it, but this disjuncture is especially large in Britain’s case. Britain did not face the need to regain legitimacy in the same way as Germany did after the war, but there are more similarities than most Britons are prepared to admit. Too many see Britain as a beacon of democracy and liberty. Too few are aware that the country’s colonial history means that much of the rest of the world is more ambivalent – and that Britain is less trusted and admired – than they imagine. The emphasis that many Brexiters place on the Commonwealth illustrates this. It is notable that so many former British colonies are happy to be members of such a club, but that is perhaps because they see the club differently from many Britons. India is a member, but sees no justification for privileged economic relations with Britain, as illustrated by the Indian government’s rather bemused response to Britain’s clumsy emphasis on the two countries’ shared history as a reason for some kind of special economic relationship. Nor do the Indians, or any other Commonwealth country, see Britain as leading the organisation in the way many British appear to. The second reason for the hostility, or at least ambivalence, of the British elite to the EU is that they always resented Britain playing second fiddle to the Franco-German axis. Not joining the EU until 1973 meant that the EU always looked like a Franco-German project that privileged French and German interests to the detriment of those of the other member-states, especially Britain. In short, the British have never been able to wholeheartedly support a European project that they were not the leaders of. And it is this, as much as an aversion to sharing sovereignty, that explains the depth of antipathy to the EU. British elite always resented #Britain playing second fiddle to the Franco-German axis in #EU Of course, no-one who knows anything about the EU would argue Britain lacked influence within it. The country skilfully used its ties to the US and its EU membership to maximise its value to both sides; the EU helped Britain to punch above its weight. Britain was also instrumental in the EU’s embrace of a liberalising economic policy and its enlargement to the East. The latter has helped cement English as the lingua franca across Europe. Britain even managed to negotiate a special status within the EU – part of the single market, but not a member of the eurozone or Schengen. But this kind of influence was never enough for much of the country’s elite. For them, the EU’s institutions never looked sufficiently British. Britain’s sense of economic invulnerability is even more puzzling. Why does a country that is significantly poorer than Germany, with far fewer internationally competitive industries and greater dependence on foreign capital and managerial expertise, believe it can afford to quit the single market? After all, the Germans would see such a move as gratuitous economic self-harm. Britain’s economic performance is no better than France’s and on some important measures – not least productivity – far worse. Yet nobody from France’s political mainstream seriously entertains the idea that French business or the French economy would benefit from leaving the EU. Much of the British elite know little about how Britain’s economic strengths and vulnerabilities compare with other European countries. They are quick to state that Britain is the sixth biggest economy in the world (just behind France), which it is on some measures. But few realise that three-quarters of the country is poorer than the EU-15 average, or that its growth performance (at least per head) has been mediocre at best. And few know that there are relatively few British-owned and managed businesses with a strong record of growth. There are, of course, bright spots in the British economy, but a disproportionately high share of those bright spots reflect the involvement of foreign capital and expertise. Indeed, foreign-owned businesses generate over half of the country’s exports. Many of these exports are intermediate goods – links in international, predominately European – supply chains; that is, they are vulnerable to Britain leaving the single market. The country’s biggest comparative advantage is in financial services and that is to a large extent because London has successfully become Europe’s dominant financial centre; the City of London was a relative backwater prior to Britain joining the EU. Leaving #EU will make #UK less attractive to foreign investors, not more, as many have made clear Leaving the EU will make Britain less attractive to foreign investors, not more, as many of them have already made clear. After all, firms’ decisions where to invest turn on small margins. If the British economy was more locally-owned and managed, it would be easier to understand the British complacency over the economic impact of Brexit; capital would be more susceptible to political pressure and thus less mobile. But for a developed country so dependent on foreign capital to do something so damaging to its ability to attract that capital has few precedents. Underlying this complacency appears to be a belief that Britain is such an attractive place to do business that investors will continue to come even if the country quits the EU. In particular, the status of London as a preeminent global city appears to make many British politicians and the country’s wider elite think that Britain is more important and powerful than it really is, and its economy more dynamic than the rather prosaic reality. London itself has had a terrific 30 years. But much of that is the result of its success in carving out a profitable link in Europe’s division of labour: financial and other business services. Another key reason for British complacency over the impact of Brexit is that much of the country’s elite buys into the idea of the EU as a sclerotic, inward-looking economic failure. The EU faces serious challenges and relations between its members have been tested by the eurozone and refugee crises. But the EU is far from the British caricature of it as protectionist, insular and economically illiberal. In reality, the EU’s single market is more open than the US market. And the EU has a good record of defending things the British claim to be upholders of – international law, rules-based trade and human rights. underlying reason for #Brexit is the hubris and ignorance of much of the British elite On the face of it, Brexit looks like a protest vote by the left behind. But the underlying reason is the hubris and ignorance of much of the British elite, not just the eurosceptics among it. They are less worldly than they imagine themselves to be. Their exaggeration of British political and economic power has fed the idea that Britain can afford to leave the EU, indeed flourish outside of it. And they have tacitly encouraged the poor and insecure to blame their problems on EU membership, in order to shift attention from domestic policy failures. This message has been reinforced by a stridently eurosceptic, and sometimes xenophobic, print media. The country’s responsible papers have been loath to call out the xenophobic ones, either out of exaggerated respect for Britain or growing indifference to the country. Britain has its strengths, but it is hard to understand why much of the country’s elite believe that the French and Germans have more to learn from them than they do from the French and Germans, or why they think Britain would flourish outside the EU. They should consider why it is that when the leaders of China, Russia or the US (most of the time) want to talk to a European leader, they head for Berlin or sometimes Paris, and rarely to London. This is not the result of Britain’s membership of the EU, but because the British government has had little to say about the most pressing issues of the day for some years now. And because it marginalised itself within the EU (and then voted to leave), it can no longer act as a useful bridge to the EU for the US, China or India. The British need to accept that quite a bit of the world sees Britain’s past differently from the British themselves – and that EU membership often helped to mitigate these historical tensions, while enabling Britain to punch above rather than below its weight. The widespread belief in Britain that the country is held back economically by its EU membership does not stand even cursory analysis. And the failure to acknowledge the strength of other member-states or of the EU as a whole means it fails to learn necessary lessons from others. What will happen now? Britain is heading for humiliation. It can back down, accept continued freedom of movement and jurisdiction of the ECJ in return for access to the single market but little influence within the EU or internationally. Or it can stick to its red lines, and end up with little more than a minimum free trade agreement in goods at some point in the future. Under this scenario, the British economy will take a hammering, with the poor suffering most; populism usually hits hardest those it claims to help. Under this scenario, Britain will be alienated from its closest allies – the rest of the EU – and have little international influence. Reality will eventually kick in and that reality will be that Britain needs to rejoin the EU. In all likelihood, it eventually will, though on inevitably worse terms. And it will then have to spend the next 20 years painstakingly rebuilding the influence that it so casually threw away. Simon Tilford is deputy director at the Centre for European Reform. |
Beer is an important part of German culture The German laws regulating alcohol use and sale are mostly focused on youth protection. In contrast to many other countries, the legislation is not designed to keep young people away from alcohol completely, but rather to teach them an appropriate approach to alcohol consumption. Drinking age [ edit ] German Jugendschutzgesetz: The law has to be placed at every public event and establishments selling or serving alcoholic beverages. The law has to be placed at every public event and establishments selling or serving alcoholic beverages. Underage drinking in private is not regulated by a specific legal restriction. However, protection from physical and mental harm is part of parents' general obligation to care for a child.[1] Regarding alcohol purchase and alcohol consumption in public places (such as pubs and restaurants), Germany has three drinking ages regulated by § 9 Jugendschutzgesetz[2] (Protection of Young Persons Act): § 9 Alcoholic drinks (1) The following bans shall apply to restaurants, stores and other points of sale: Beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine or mixtures of beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine and soft drinks, Other alcoholic drinks or food items that contain other alcoholic drinks in more than insignificant quantities must not be sold to Children and Adolescents below the age of 16 years. Nor must their consumption by said persons be tolerated. (2) Sub-Clause 1, No. 1 shall not apply to Adolescents accompanied by a Custodial Person. Protection of Young Persons Act, § 9 Alcoholic drinks At 14 minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine, as long as they are in the company by a Custodial Person. (§ 9 JuSchG (2) Sub-Clause 1, No. 2) minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine, as long as they are in the company by a Custodial Person. At 16 - minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine without their parents or a Custodian. (§ 9 JuSchG (1) 2.) - minors are allowed to consume and possess undistilled (fermented) alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine without their parents or a Custodian. At 18 - having become adults, people are allowed access to distilled spirits, beverages containing distilled spirits, and food products containing non-negligible amounts of distilled spirits. (§ 9 JuSchG (1) 1.) Those limits do not apply to married adolescents. (§ 1 JuSchG (5)) Because of moral panic involving alcohol abuse among minors (a 16-year-old boy died after having consumed 45 shots of tequila in a bar in early 2007),[3] some people demanded that the drinking age be raised. Most politicians, however, spoke against that notion, pointing out instead that such abuse was already forbidden according to current laws, which simply needed to be enforced.[4] In Germany and the rest of Europe, alcohol consumption by adolescents is traditional and generally accepted.[citation needed] Enforcement [ edit ] Police operation in Bensheim (Hesse). Several young people have to dispose of illegally obtained alcoholic beverages in the sewers, because they have not reached the required age limit. In 2008, the federal state of Lower Saxony started a series of trap purchases, conducted by specially trained police cadets, aged 16 or 17, who pose as customers. In 77% of all tests alcohol was sold illegally in shops, filling stations and kiosks. In 2009, about 3000 trap purchases were carried out in Lower Saxony, in 1327 cases (44%) alcohol was sold without age verification to underage persons. Hundreds of summary proceedings led to administrative fines ranging from 500 to 3000 euros. The standard rate for the illegal sale of one bottle of spirits is 1500 euros. Thus, alcohol trap purchases bring a return of around €2 million annually. Other German states, especially Schleswig-Holstein, are considering implementing the Lower Saxony model, but states like Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg object to it. Violation of restraints will involve prosecution for vendors who sell alcohol to underage persons and also for bystanders who do not intervene in underage drinking. Although restrictions are nationwide and well-known, some salespersons violate the law at times. Minors themselves can never be prosecuted for alcohol consumption under age. Supermarkets and stores generally check minors for their identity card. The law is less thoroughly enforced in many bars and restaurants, but this can vary by location. Fines for violation [ edit ] The "Bußgeldkatalog" of each state sets the possible fines for each violation of the act and varies slightly by state. In Baden-Württemberg the Bußgeldkatalog for violation against the "Protection of Young Persons Act" provides following fines:[5] Misdemeanor Law Possible fine (retailer & business operator) Standard fine (retailer & business operator) Possible fine (other) Standard fine (other) Selling or serving spirits or food products, containing more than insignificant quantities of spirits, to a child under 14 years of age § 9 Sec. 1 JuSchG €1,000 - €4,000 €3,000 €300 - €1,000 €500 Selling or serving spirits or food products, containing more than insignificant quantities of spirits, to a young person over the age of 14 but under the age of 18 years § 9 Sec. 1 JuSchG €700 - €3,500 €2,000 €100 - €500 €300 Selling or serving beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine or mixtures of beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine and soft drinks, to a child under 14 years of age § 9 Sec. 1 JuSchG €700 - €3,500 €2,500 €100 - €500 €300 Selling or serving beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine or mixtures of beer, wine, wine-like beverages or sparkling wine and soft drinks, to an unaccompanied young person over 14 years but under 16 years of age § 9 Sec. 1 JuSchG €500 - €3,000 €2,000 €100 - €500 €300 Other legislation [ edit ] Alcohol consumption in public [ edit ] Alcohol ban in Nikolaistraße Public parties are prohibited nationally on Good Friday, and regionally on other holidays such as All Saints' Day. Buying alcohol remains possible at these times. The government maintains the right to restrict or ban the sale of alcohol for a certain time to maintain public order (§ 19 GastG).[6] Beyond this, Germany has very few restrictions on alcohol consumption in public. Exceptions are sometimes made in the context of football (soccer) matches involving rival teams, where police executives may ban the sale of alcoholic drinks inside stadiums and deny entrance to drunk fans. In 2009, the private railway company Metronom, which operates in parts of Northern Germany, introduced a much-discussed complete ban on alcohol in its trains.[7] Some cities have banned alcohol consumption in certain areas and at certain times, such as Göttingen in Nikolaistraße between midnight and 8:00 am on Saturdays and Sundays, or in Hannover Hauptbahnhof. Until 2009, it was acceptable for employees in many fields of work (especially construction workers, gardeners and the like) to consume medium quantities of alcohol during work hours. However, occupational safety legislation has since tightened down and has induced a significant decrease of alcohol consumption during work hours.[8] Drinking and driving [ edit ] Germany has strict laws regarding operation of motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances. There are a series of different rules and penalties tied to various blood alcohol levels. 0.00% for those under the age of 21 or with less than two years' experience, professional drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers, and drivers transporting passengers commercially; 0.03% in conjunction with an accident or traffic offense; 0.05% otherwise. 0.16% for cyclists, where not in conjunction with any other traffic offense or accident. From 0.16%, cyclists face the same penalties as driving a car at that limit.[9] Penalties start at a €500 fine and one-month license suspension. Above 0.11%, the penalty is a €500 fine and the withdrawal of the driver's licence for at least six months, but usually about one year (penalty is set by the court); from 0.16%, reissue of the licence requires a successful Medical Psychological Assessment (MPU), often referred to as the "Idiot test". For violators above 0.11% within ten years of a prior offence above 0.05%, there is a minimum €7003100000000000000♠1000 fine and a one-year licence withdrawal; the driver has to successfully pass an MPU and is required to prove to the court that they have been sober for the last twelve months, before they can get their licence back. For repeat offenses, the fine is multiplied by the ordinal of the offence (doubled, tripled, etc.), regardless of the amount by which the driver was over the limit. These minimum penalties are usually exceeded by the German courts. From 0.11%, the courts usually also require the DUI offender to do unpaid community service. In addition to fines, impaired drivers are generally given points on their Verkehrssünderkartei (literally: "traffic sinner card") which are managed by the Federal Motor Transport Authority in Flensburg. It is however legal to consume alcohol while driving, provided the driver remains under the legal blood alcohol limits.[10] Licensing laws [ edit ] The permit is not required if alcohol-free beverages, free samples, prepared food is sold or administered or in connection with an accommodation establishment beverages and prepared food is delivered to residents.[11] Every other establishment which does not apply to this scheme requires a Gaststättenkonzession [de]. A liquor license is generally required when alcoholic beverages are served or sold for consumption on premises. Rules and Regulations [ edit ] On-licence premises have to place a clearly legible notice with the restrictions of the Protection of Young Persons Act (Jugendschutzgesetz)[12] and the bartender must ensure that alcoholic beverages may not be sold or served to underage or visibly intoxicated persons.[13] Operator of a licensed premises are not allowed to force their customers to buy a meal with a drink or change prices if a customer does not order a meal. Changing prices if a customer does not buy an alcoholic drink is also against the law, and every licensee must ensure that there is at least one non alcoholic drink that is cheaper than the cheapest alcoholic drink.[13] Closing hours [ edit ] Closing hours for bars and discotheques are appointed mostly by state legislation. Within the past 10 years many states have abolished the closing hours for licensed establishments. Most states have retained the so-called Putzstunde ("Cleaning hour"), which refers to the 1–2 hours (usually between 5 AM and 6 AM) during which licensed premises are not allowed to serve their customers. Federal state City/Municipality Closing hours Notes Federal Republic of Germany (federal law) States have the right to set closing hours for licensed establishents (§ 18 GastG). Under federal law, it is illegal to serve customers outside of the establishent after 10 PM, or 11 PM with permission of the city (Emissionsschutzgesetz). Baden-Württemberg Monday-Thursday: 3 AM - 6 AM Friday & Weekend: 5 AM - 6 AM Spa Town: 2 AM - 6 AM Gambling establishments: 12 AM - 6 AM[14] Cities can permit businesses to apply for an exception to the closing hours. Bavaria 5 AM - 6 AM[15] The closing hours do not apply during the night of 1. January. Cities can permit businesses to apply for an exception to the closing hours. Berlin None[16] There is no general closing hour for licensed businesses. However, it is against the law if licensed businesses serve their costumers outside after 10 PM without permission of the city, if someone files a complaint.[16] Brandenburg None[17] In 2006 the government of the state of Brandenburg declared that the closing hours for licensed businesses was abolished.[17] Bremen Generally: 2 AM - 6 AM Friday, Weekend & Bank holidays: None Gambling establishment: 2 AM - 6 AM[18] Cities may permit exceptions.[18] Hamburg None[19] The closing hours where abolished in 2006.[19] Hesse Generally: 5 AM - 6 AM Amusement parks & Fairs: 12 PM - 6 AM During carnival, 1. May & 1. January: None[20] Cities can permit exceptions to the general closing hours.[20] Lower Saxony None Mecklenburg-Vorpommern None North Rhine-Westphalia Generally: 5 AM - 6 AM [21] Cities can permit exceptions to the general closing hours.[21] Rhineland-Palatinate Generally: 5 AM - 6 AM Saturday, Sunday, Bank holiday or Carnival: None Amusement parks & Fairs: 10 PM - 6 AM Gambling establishments: 12 AM - 6 AM[22] Cities can permit exceptions to the general closing hours.[22] Saarland Generally: 5 AM - 6 AM 1. January: None Amusement parks & Fairs: 10 PM - 7 AM Gambling establishments: 11 PM - 7 AM[23] Cities can permit exceptions to the general closing hours.[23] Saxony Generally: 5 AM - 6 AM 1. January, 1. & 2. May: None Amusement parks, Gambling establishments & Fairs: 10 PM - 6 AM[24] Cities can permit exceptions to the general closing hours.[24] Saxony-Anhalt None[25] The closing hours for licensed establishments was abolished in 2015.[25] Schleswig-Holstein None[26] The closing hours for licensed establishments was abolished in 2005.[26] Thuringia None[27] Germany does not require any licenses for the production, wholesale, or retail sale of alcoholic beverages.[28][29] See also [ edit ] |
As the American stock market opened to lows unseen since the 2008 economic meltdown, (as of this writing it is down only 373 points — a fairly typical down day), Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump took to Twitter to refresh his longstanding political message that the American economy allows “China and Asia to dictate the agenda”: — As I have long stated, we are so tied in with China and Asia that their markets are now taking the U.S. market down. Get smart U.S.A. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2015 — “@john_franco: When people start losing their savings & home value, they will be begging Trump to fix the economy #MakeAmericaGreatAgain” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2015 — “@john_franco: When people start losing their savings & home value, they will be begging Trump to fix the economy #MakeAmericaGreatAgain“ — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2015 — Markets are crashing – all caused by poor planning and allowing China and Asia to dictate the agenda. This could get very messy! Vote Trump. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2015 — Regardless of how this stock day ends, this startling reminder that “so goes China, so goes America” is bound to unsettle many Americans and play into Trump’s decades-long message about our country being too reliant on China and other countries. Once again America is paying a price for following instead of leading. Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC |
Smaller baby chicks tend to have to work harder for their food, regularly losing out to their bigger brothers and sisters. Photo by Andrews/Newcastle University NEWCASTLE, England, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- For baby birds, malnourishment paves the the way for a fat future. According to researchers at Newcastle University, birds who start off life with less to eat turn out greedier and plumper in adulthood. Scientists followed the evolving eating habits of European starling nestlings as they aged over several months. Smaller chicks typically lose out to their bigger brothers and sisters in the frenzy of retrieving food from their parents. Researchers emphasized this by placing smaller chicks in broods with larger siblings. "The smallest chicks were bottom of the heap and had a tougher time because they would have had to beg hardest for food," Newcastle researcher Clare Andrews explained in a press release. RELATED Siberian jays can recognize their long lost cousins As they matured, these same birds tended to overeat and more aggressively search for and hoard food, suggesting the stress of difficult beginnings have lasting impact. Given the choice between easily accessible crumbs and food buried in sand, the runts spent a disproportionate amount of time searching for buried bits. When they turned their attention to the easy crumbs, they overindulged. "Building up body fat reserves as a safeguard against times of potential future famine is an evolved survival mechanism," Andrews added. RELATED Crocodiles actually do sleep with one eye open The fear of future food shortages appears to play an outsized role in the psyche of smaller chicks. "This study may also teach us something about ourselves as surprisingly, there's evidence that obesity is common in people lacking a reliable supply of food," Andrews said. "Perhaps people too have evolved to eat more and take more interest in food if worried where their next meal will come from." The findings were published in the journal Animal Behaviour. |
The top US diplomat found himself in a familiar role Wednesday, explaining to the world what his boss actually meant when he threatened to bring down the "fire and fury" of the US upon North Korea. In Asia and beyond, President Donald Trump's comment, along with his promise to unleash power "the likes of which the world has never seen," was seen as dangerously provocative brinksmanship that heightened tensions, increased the potential for miscalculation and made diplomacy with Pyongyang even more difficult. Tillerson offered a different take. "I think what the President was doing was sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jung Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said, referring to the North Korean leader in remarks to reporters during a plane ride to Guam. The stakes with North Korea -- nuclear-armed, led by a ruthless, untested and all-powerful young leader intent on the ability to strike the US -- make the mixed messages the US is sending uniquely dangerous, analysts and former officials say. "The danger of the US having mixed messages is that it allows our adversaries and our allies the opportunity to read into our statements what they fear to see, or what they like to see," said Abraham Denmark, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia. Adversaries need to clearly understand warnings and boundaries, while allies need to feel reassured, "because otherwise deterrence could fail, and that leads to instability," Denmark said. Avoiding miscalculation Tillerson said he thought "the President just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the US has an unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies. And I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part." Tillerson's argument seems to be falling on deaf ears -- perhaps because other Cabinet officials have come out with their own bristling rhetoric. Defense Secretary James Mattis issued a statement Wednesday warning that North Korea "should cease any consideration of actions that will lead to the end of the regime and destruction of its people." China's foreign ministry put out a call Wednesday for "the relevant sides" to "avoid remarks and actions that could aggravate conflicts and escalate tensions, and make a greater effort to return to the correct path of resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiations." The Russian ambassador to UN, Vassily Alekseevich Nebenzia, said it is "our strong wish is that the United States keeps calm and refrains from any moves that would provoke another party into actions that might be dangerous." This is not the first time Tillerson and other Cabinet officials have had to clarify or work around a presidential outburst, many of them delivered via Twitter, some of them at odds with stated administration policy. And it's not the first time that officials within the Trump administration have sent conflicting signals on Pyongyang. While it "makes perfect sense" that US officials would talk about the range of options open to them, from diplomacy and sanctions through to the potential use of military force, Denmark echoes other former officials when he says that the key "is making sure those messages are coordinated and right now the Trump administration has been very uncoordinated." State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said Wednesday that "the United States is on the same page. Whether it's the White House the State Department, we're speaking with one voice." But it doesn't always sound that way and the dissonant signals have been on clear public display. Tillerson repeatedly says that the US is interested in dialogue with North Korea , while US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley declared July 31 that "the time for talk is over." Haley said that as the US declined to seek UN Security Council action after Pyongyang's second ICBM test that month. "The time for talk is over" The US wouldn't proceed, Haley said , because Pyongyang "is already subject to numerous Security Council resolutions that they violate with impunity" -- an apparent dismissal of UN efforts to restrain North Korea. Five days later, the US brought new North Korea sanctions before the Security Council that passed 15-0. Tillerson has said that Washington is not interested in regime change or in sending its military into North Korea. CIA chief Mike Pompeo has publicly suggested that removing leader Kim Jong Un is the answer to the North Korea dilemma. A day after Tillerson spoke to reporters at the State Department about the international "peaceful pressure" campaign he was building to push North Korea into negotiations, the Pentagon conducted a previously scheduled ICBM launch , and in its announcement explicitly referred to Pyongyang's two ICBM tests in July. "While not a response to recent North Korean actions," the August 2 statement said, "the test demonstrates that the United States nuclear enterprise is safe, secure, effective and ready to be able to deter, detect and defend against attacks on the United States and its allies." And even though Tillerson made clear in August 1 remarks to reporters that "we certainly don't blame the Chinese for the situation in North Korea," Trump blared in a July 29 tweet that China does "NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!" Asked if perhaps the administration has assigned officials "good cop" and "bad cop" roles, Nauert sidestepped, saying, "We've talked about our pressure campaign ... that campaign is working, it is ratcheting up the pressure every day." Tillerson is already familiar with presidential pronouncements complicating his work. Trump has criticized NATO while Tillerson and others reaffirmed US support for the alliance. He has taken Twitter potshots at Mexico while Tillerson was in meetings with Mexican officials meant to repair damage to the relationship inflicted by the President's comments about the country and its people. While Tillerson has tried evenhandedly to broker talks between Gulf nations, Trump has taken sides, sending out a tweet criticizing Qatar and putting him in league with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other nations. Wednesday, Tillerson stressed ongoing diplomatic efforts with North Korea, alluding to Chinese and Russian efforts to talk to North Korea. "I know they were having talks as well with the representative from North Korea," he said, citing it as evidence of their "very good open channels of communication" with the regime. "I am hopeful they can use their influence, and I believe they do have influence with the regime to bring them to a point of dialogue, but with the right expectation of what that dialogue will entail." "Peaceful pressure" And he said his "peaceful pressure" campaign is yielding results. "We have now garnered widespread international support," Tillerson said, pointing to the August 5 Security Council resolution that targets North Korea's primary exports , including coal, iron, lead, and seafood, along with other revenue streams, such as banks and joint ventures with foreign companies. Haley's office said the sanctions will slash North Korea's annual export revenue of $3 billion by more than a third. "The pressure is starting to show," Tillerson said. "I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang is beginning to become louder and more threatening." That rhetoric includes a threat to strike the US territory of Guam, home to a major military base, and a vow from North Korea's military to "turn the US mainland into the theater of a nuclear war" if it detects any sign of a US attack. And Tillerson offered a thought on the dangers of making public threats. Speaking about North Korea, he said, "I think whether we've got them backed into a corner or not is difficult to say, but diplomatically, you never like to have someone in a corner without a way for them to get out." |
Just a quick diary to point out that President Bannon will not be on the National Security Council. According to section (a)(6) of federal statute 50 U.S. Code 3021, a civilian like Steve Bannon will in fact need to go through Senate confirmation and approval in order to serve on the National Security Council because he doesn’t fit into any of the five listed pre-approved categories. That obscure law, which has remained obscure because no president has ever tried to put a political hack on the NSC until now, was dug up by MSNBC analyst Jonathan Alter late on Monday night. This sets up a remarkable showdown if Trump goes ahead with the Bannon pick, because few in either party have shown any affinity or trust for the guy – and they’ll have limitless material for embarrassing him. |
Email Share +1 156 Shares U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) expressed little interest Wednesday in advancing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the wake of an announcement from the White House last week that the Obama administration won’t take action against LGBT workplace discrimination at this time. Although the administration insists it will work with Congress to pass legislation in lieu of an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers, Boehner seemed unaware of ENDA in response to a question from the Washington Blade, saying, “I haven’t seen the bill. I haven’t thought much about it.” Asked whether passage of ENDA might alleviate the 8.2 percent unemployment rate if employers were barred from firing LGBT workers, Boehner said “ample laws” are in place and deferred further comment to the House Committee on Education & the Workforce. The committee didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. “No one should face discrimination in the workforce,” Boehner said. “There are ample laws already in place to deal with this. Having been the chairman of the Education & Workforce Committee, I’m quite familiar with employment law. But if there are further changes that are necessary, I’m sure the committee will look at it.” Even if Boehner were to bring the bill to a vote, it is unlikely to pass the House where Republican lawmakers hold the majority. ENDA has 161 co-sponsors in the House, far short of the 218 votes that would be needed for passage. But Boehner’s lack of interest in ENDA raises questions about how the administration expects to move forward with legislation prohibiting LGBT workplace discrimination in the wake of announced plans to work with Congress to the pass the bill instead of taking administrative action and issuing an executive order. On Monday, White House spokesperson Shin Inouye told the Blade and other media outlets that the “time is right” for a comprehensive legislative approach to passage of ENDA. Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, said Boehner’s response indicates he doesn’t want to appear to go against the majority of the American public, which backs the idea of legislation protecting LGBT workers from discrimination, according to several polls. Some of those polls show that many Americans remain under the false impression that such a law is already in place. “I think Speaker Boehner ducked this question from the Washington Blade because he does not want to have to publicly side with the small and decreasing number of Americans who tell pollsters that simply being gay should be grounds for firing a talented and hard working employee,” Almeida said. “Polling data shows that LGBT workplace fairness is quickly becoming a winning wedge issue to use against pro-discrimination politicians who hold antiquated and un-American beliefs.” Meanwhile, LGBT advocates continue to push President Obama to issue the executive order — despite the announced “no” on the proposed action delivered to them last week — as they call for congressional action in the Democratic-controlled Senate on ENDA. The Blade reported extensively on the importance of a trans-inclusive hearing and markup on the bill last month. Michael Cole-Schwartz, an HRC spokesperson, alluded to the importance of a hearing as he lambasted Boehner for his response to the legislation. “If the speaker is so familiar with employment law he should know it’s perfectly legal to fire LGBT people in most states,” Cole-Schwartz said. “This attitude is precisely why we need congressional hearings on an inclusive ENDA so the costs of employment discrimination are put on full display.” No federal law or federal regulation bars employers from firing LGBT workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Firing or discriminating against someone because they’re gay is legal in 29 states; firing or discriminating against someone because they’re transgender is legal in 34 states. Despite calls for a Senate hearing on ENDA, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hasn’t yet scheduled a hearing on the legislation. Justine Sessions, a Senate HELP Committee spokesperson, said this week no plans are in place to hold a hearing on the bill. “Sen. Harkin is strongly supportive of an inclusive ENDA and looks forward to working with Sen. Merkley and other supporters to advance this important issue,” Sessions said. “The HELP Committee has not planned any hearings beyond the month of May, but I am happy to keep you posted.” On the same day Boehner punted to the House Committee on Education & the Workforce on ENDA, the committee in fact held a hearing on a related issue: the impact of regulatory and enforcement actions of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. The hearing is significant because it would have been an opportunity to discuss the proposed executive order requiring companies doing business with the U.S. government to have non-discrimination policies protecting LGBT employees. Multiple sources have said the Labor and Justice Departments cleared the measure before sending it to the White House, which announced last week it won’t take action at this time on the directive. According to a news statement from Freedom to Work, no complaints were voiced about the executive order despite the nature of the hearing. “Today’s congressional hearing featured three Republican-selected witnesses, including business representatives, and not a single one of them complained about the proposal to add LGBT Americans to the Labor Department’s rules that ensure taxpayer dollars are not squandered by discriminatory contractors who allow anti-gay hostile work environments,” Almeida said. “Not a single Republican member of Congress who attended the hearing complained either.” In an email to the Blade, Almeida clarified that the executive order didn’t come up in any capacity during the hearing in addition to no one voicing any complaints about it. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), ranking Democrat on the committee, was among 72 House members who wrote to Obama urging him to sign the executive order. Almeida stressed the importance of signing the executive order as the most immediate way to provide protections to LGBT workers. “Ever since I attended the White House meeting last Wednesday with Valerie Jarrett, White House spokesperson Jay Carney has been ducking questions from the press and making up lame excuses to justify the president’s delay in signing this executive order that Barack Obama promised four years ago he would sign if we helped elect him,” Almeida said. “I agree with the Center for American Progress and the Human Rights Campaign that President Obama should sign the LGBT order now. To quote the president’s own words, ‘We can’t wait.’” A transcript of the exchange between Boehner and the Blade follows: Washington Blade: Mr. Speaker, the White House announced the president won’t issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to have non-discrimination policies in place preventing them from firing workers who are gay or transgender. Instead, they said he wants to work with Congress to pass legislation known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would bar most employers from discriminating against workers on this basis. What are your views on this legislation and would you be open to bringing it up for a vote? Boehner: I haven’t seen the bill. I haven’t thought much about it. Blade: Arguably, among those who are in the 8.2 percent who are unemployed are in that situation because they faced discrimination on this basis. Wouldn’t passage of this legislation — Boehner: Well, no one should face discrimination in the workforce. There are ample laws already in place to deal with this. Having been the chairman of the Education & Workforce Committee, I’m quite familiar with employment law. But if there are further changes that are necessary, I’m sure the committee will look at it. |
Traditional Aztec dancers chant during a rally Sept. 13 in San Diego, in support of protesters at Standing Rock, N.D., who are fighting construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. (Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images) The Obama administration has settled lawsuits with 17 Native American tribes that accused the federal government of long mismanaging their funds and natural resources. With these settlements, the administration will have resolved the majority of outstanding claims, some dating back a century, with more than 100 tribes and totaling more than $3.3 billion, according to the Justice and Interior departments. “This is an important achievement that will end, honorably and fairly, decades of contention that not only sapped valuable resources but also strained relationships,” said Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates. The settlements announced Monday, totaling $492.8 million, come at the same time that thousands of Native Americans representing tribes from across the country have joined the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota to protest the 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline, which they say threatens their water supply and traverses sacred Indian burial grounds. [Showdown over oil pipeline becomes a national movement for Native Americans] An anti-pipeline protest in North Dakota has become a rallying point for Native Americans across the United States. Here's what you need to know. (Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) This month, a federal judge ruled against the Standing Rock tribe’s request to halt construction of the crude-oil pipeline. But the decision by District Judge James E. Boasberg was effectively put on hold when the departments of Justice, Army and Interior announced that the Army Corps of Engineers would not grant an easement before it determines whether it needs to reconsider previous decisions about the pipeline. It has yet to make that determination. Meanwhile, thousands of Native Americans remain camped out in a nearby field in protest. Native leaders also protested the pipeline Monday in Washington outside the White House Tribal Nations Conference, where tribal leaders met with President Obama. Many tribal leaders say Obama has done more for Indian Country than any other president. They point to the administration’s efforts to improve the justice system on reservations and work directly with the tribes on long-standing disputes over land, such as the settlements announced Monday. [Coolidge got a headdress, and Obama got a hat] The 17 tribes affected include the Gila River, Colorado River and San Carlos Apache tribes in Arizona; the White Earth Nation in Minnesota; and Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation. They had accused the federal government of mismanaging trust lands, which are leased for timber harvesting, farming, grazing, and oil and gas extraction, among other uses. The Interior Department manages about 56 million acres of trust lands for federally recognized tribes and more than 100,000 leases on those lands. The department also manages about 2,500 tribal trust accounts for more than 250 tribes. “It’s a huge deal when you can sit down with the tribal leaders and see in their faces what this settlement will mean for their tribes and the fact they think they are being heard for the first time in a meaningful way,” said Jim Gette of the Justice Department’s environment and natural resources division. Four years ago, the Justice and Interior departments reached settlements totaling more than $1 billion with 41 tribes for similar claims. Since then, the departments have settled the claims of 57 more tribes, including those announced Monday. In 2014, the Obama administration agreed to pay the Navajo Nation, located in parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, $554 million in the largest settlement with a single American Indian tribe. “Settling these long-standing disputes reflects the Obama administration’s continued commitment to reconciliation and empowerment for Indian Country,” Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a statement. Read more: Federal government moves to halt oil pipeline construction near Standing Rock Sioux tribal land A major Native American site is being looted. Will Obama risk armed confrontation to save it? The big fight over the Dakota Access Pipeline, explained |
Buy Photo The body of corrections officer Sgt. Steven Floyd arrives at the Medical Examiners office in Wilmington. (Photo: SPECIAL TO THE NEWS JOURNAL/JOHN J. JANKOWSKI, JR.)Buy Photo Just after 5 a.m. Thursday, after more than 18 hours of tense negotiations, a prison Response Team broke down the doors to Vaughn Correctional Center’s C Building, where prisoners still held two staffers and other inmates hostage. They found a female counselor shielded by inmates, uninjured and protected throughout the hostage situation near Smyrna. Moments later, they found 47-year-old Sgt. Steven Floyd unresponsive; he was later pronounced dead. “After a torturous ... ordeal that lasted through the night, we learned of Sgt. Floyd’s demise,” said Gov. John Carney at a press conference Thursday. “My prayers all day yesterday was that this event would end with a different result. But it didn’t.” The counselor was one of several hostages who talked with The News Journal in a phone call on Wednesday afternoon during the siege. The hostage takers had another inmate call his fiancée who called the paper, then he and the counselor relay demands to a reporter. The counselor sounded frantic, saying that inmates had taken 126 people hostage inside the prison but wasn’t permitted to talk further. Another inmate proceeded to read off demands from those holding them hostage. “There were inmates that actually shielded this victim and ensured her safety,” said Robert M. Coupe, secretary of the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, about the counselor on Thursday. All 120 inmates housed inside Building C are considered suspects in the hostage situation until an investigation proves otherwise, Coupe said. What led to the overtaking of correctional officers and subsequent standoff remained unsaid Thursday, though inmates and Department of Correction employees say the takeover was a long time in the making. State officials wouldn’t speculate on what prompted the standoff or how it happened but vowed that an extensive investigation would bring about answers and changes to the prison. No situation should have resulted in the death of 16-year DOC veteran employee Floyd, a man who was not only a wonderful correctional officer, but a father and husband, said Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware union. "He went the extra mile for any human being he could help," he said. Carney ordered flags at half-mast in Floyd's honor. STORY: Demonstrators show up at Vaughn to support inmates, officers Breaching the wall Aside from dozens of police vehicles streaming Wednesday afternoon into Vaughn Correctional Center, the large prison campus seemed quiet. But what media and onlookers couldn’t see were hours of negotiations and strategic moves by state officials to end the hostile takeover, Coupe said Thursday. A call for a disturbance involving inmates and staff came just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, immediately placing the prison into lockdown. At that time, four DOC employees were taken hostage by inmates within Building C, used to house men transitioning between security levels, Coupe said. It would take nearly four hours before the first DOC employee was released from the T-shaped building, made up of three narrow hallways and a center gathering area. The officer was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries, but the standoff was far from over. As the night wore on, eight inmates and later another 19, would emerge from the building. State officials would not use the term "released" because they did not believe they were held against their will. The second DOC employee was let go at 8 p.m. STORY: Hostage crisis at Smyrna prison leaves one employee dead STORY: Vaughn prison teacher describes 'surreal' ordeal Negotiators went back and forth with inmates on a radio taken from a correctional officer, gaining time to fill metal foot lockers with water and build a makeshift wall over entrances to the building. Officials turned the water back on as part of the inmates’ demands, Coupe said, not realizing the prisoners were using the water to build a barrier. “They used those blocks to build a wall at those entranceways, which was going to block our attempts for entry,” Coupe said. “So we knew that challenge was there, as well as trying to determine where the hostages were in the building.” Unable to obtain a “breaching vehicle” or force big enough to take down the water-filled 18-inch-by-24-inch lockers, tactical teams were forced to rethink their next steps, Coupe said. Their best option proved to be a DOC backhoe, driven by a DOC employee, to knock down the makeshift walls, he said. Less than two minutes after gaining entry into the prison building, the female counselor was rescued, Coupe said. But Floyd did not survive. Officials would not comment on how he died, but they did say some inmates had sharp instruments. Coupe did not elaborate on what those were. He also said no inmates suffered any reportable injuries. When asked how a situation like this occurred in the prison, Coupe stressed the dangers associated with the job of a correctional officer. “Prisons are very dangerous,” he said. “Our officers train. Our officers work together ... but every day it’s dangerous.” Though state officials would not comment on the events that sparked the hostage situation, Klopp said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that inmates staged a fight as a trap. When Floyd called a Code Three – inmate-on-inmate fight – the prisoners stopped fighting and threw Floyd into a closet. Floyd was able to warn approaching lieutenants to get out. "When the lieutenants came into the building, that's when Sgt. Steven Floyd Sr. then told the lieutenants that it was a trap and to get out of the building," Klopp said. Carney reiterated that a full investigation will be carried out to determine what prompted this attack – and how the state will ensure this situation will never happen again. “We will leave no stone unturned,” he said at the press conference Thursday. “We will bring every resource that we have to sort out this issue and this problem to make sure that correctional facilities are secure and that the employees who work there are safe, recognizing that this is very dangerous work.” Long-time coming Some say problems at the prison have been brewing for years; many of the demands made by inmates Wednesday were issues that have been reiterated over and over again in lawsuits and court filings. Stephen Hampton, a Dover attorney that has represented many inmates at the prison, said he was not surprised by the hostage situation nor the inmates' demands. Over the past few months, letters to his practice have increased with complaints of sentencing issues, overcrowding and problems with correctional officers — all grievances expressed by inmates in their demands Wednesday to The News Journal. "In this kind of an atmosphere, I think you always have to be on guard for something like this," he said. "Inmates do have legitimate complaints, but just because inmates have legitimate complaints doesn't mean they're going to take over the prison." Record-keeping, as well as access to health care, has been a consistent problem at Delaware prisons, but more recently, complaints from Vaughn have increased. Overcrowding also adds to frustrations within prison walls, where access to information can be slim and often hard to obtain, Hampton said. “My suspicion is it was probably an incident that started between correctional officers and inmates,” he said. “I kind of doubt it was a conspiracy. I believe this was kind of something that got out of hand quickly.” Protesters who gathered Thursday morning outside Vaughn Correctional Center supported prisoners, stressing that their rights need to be heard and respected. STORY: Hostage takers call in demands to The News Journal Peoples Power Assembly, a Baltimore-based advocacy organization, held the rally, and demonstrators, led by Sharon Black, said they want an independent investigation of what led up to the siege, for the inmates' demands to be heard and "full amnesty for those behind the bars." “This will not be our only stop out here in Smyrna,” said Black, adding they would continue pushing an independent investigation, even if that meant they would have to set up their own. “There are people around this region that are deeply concerned and in support of the prisoners themselves and their families,” she said. “We will continue this.” Black’s group was joined by several former Vaughn inmates, including Isaiah McCoy, a death row prisoner at Vaughn who was acquitted of murder charges during a retrial last month. “This is just coming to a head,” McCoy said about the siege. The former Vaughn inmate said corrections officers often oppressed prisoners, including beating them. He blamed the DOC’s hiring practices and lack of services for inmates to improve themselves. “People are just sick and tired of being oppressed,” he said. “Sick and tired of being without their families.” McCoy, who said he knew Floyd, told the small crowd that the next issue was how to prevent something like this from occurring again unless conditions inside the prison change. “For many years I told the correctional staff, ‘It’s very wrong what you’re doing.’ But they didn’t listen,” McCoy said. Brother Debro Abdul Akbar, a former Vaughn inmate in the late '70s and early '80s, said that while he doesn’t condone what transpired over the two-day ordeal, he understands why it happened. The 58-year-old, who served 7½ years at Vaughn, still visits the correctional facility and speaks with inmates regularly. Akbar advocates on their behalf in regards to the Actual Innocence Project – a process that reviews petitions from inmates who have evidence that they did not commit a crime – which was launched in October. A petition to nominate Akbar as a board member for the Actual Innocence Project was launched because inmates believed his time spent inside Vaughn Correctional would aid their cause. “They [inmates] want somebody that can be a go-between with the powers that be and them,” Akbar said. “They feel like they have no voice in the present and nobody is being acknowledged as their mouthpiece so to speak.” The hope for the petition is that it with enough signatures, the document will garner the attention of Gov. Carney, Attorney General Matt Denn and other officials in power. The petition has gathered more than 300 signatures. Through many conversations over the past five months, Akbar said he’s learned of Vaughn prisoners’ frustrations with their living conditions. Akbar said inmates have complained about being locked down for too long, having restricted library hours, having too little time for exercise and having educational and rehabilitation programs taken away as well as not having special needs programs for inmates whose health is deteriorating. The way the guards verbally and physically interact with inmates is also a concern, he said. He recalled a time when he was incarcerated and inmates forged a protest against correctional officers until they were given toilet paper. He said officers responded with about 40 prison guards and four dogs. “These are the types of things prisoners say are continuing to happen down there,” he said. “The greater the injustice, the greater the outcry for justice,” said Minister Robert Muhammad, of the Muhammad Mosque #35, who has attempted to work with inmates inside Vaughn Correctional for close to a decade. He said his attempts continue to be denied. “This dynamic is not new,” said the Rev. Derrick Johnson, pastor of Wilmington's Joshua Harvest Church. Johnson said the death of a correctional officer was “needless” and “senseless.” He said the prison riots of 1982 and 2004 and the two-day hostage crisis that just occurred had the same denominator: lackluster prison conditions that have not improved. “The conditions that existed in each of these crises exist to a greater degree today,” Johnson said. “One cannot ignore that.” “There will be many people that say, ‘What do they want? More basketball? More television?’ They will say, ‘They should not have luxury and ease.’ But what they (inmates) have a right to is basic human decency, quality of life and access to mind stimulation and justice. “It’s called the justice system.” Understaffing an issue Correctional officers and some state leaders say that understaffing was a big part of the prison takeover. When asked about staffing levels Wednesday night, Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps acknowledged the department is always recruiting to fill vacant positions. The DOC has active job postings online for correctional officers with a starting salary of just over $31,000. Klopp said the staff is outnumbered inside the prisons 50 inmates to 1 correctional officer, making for unsafe situations like Wednesday's. “We the COAD family believe that Sgt. Floyd’s death is due directly to staffing issues that have been going on with the Department of Correction through the [Gov.] Jack Markell administration for the last eight years,” Klopp said. Klopp claimed that prisoners had had “dry-runs” trying to figure out weak points at that facility. “It’s a test just to see what’s going to happen and how we respond so then they can make adjustments for what they think they may want to do in the future,” he said. Issues at DOC such as staffing, retention, shortages and overtime had been talked for some time. Klopp said they’d spoken to Carney and hope to turn the conversations into results in order to fix “the systemic issues in the Department of Correction that have existed for at least the last eight to 10 years.” One of the union’s concerns is that a task force ends up making recommendations that are not followed, as happened after the 2004 incident in which serial rapist Scott A. Miller was shot dead following a nearly seven-hour hostage situation in which he raped a prison counselor. “We’ve been asking for help from the previous governor, and we got none,” Klopp said. A lot of what happened at Vaughn is a result of inexperienced officers and a lack of staff at the facility, Klopp said. He said the amount of overtime needed to staff Vaughn “is unsustainable.” Because these concerns, as well as the $20 million DOC overtime budget, were not taken seriously, Klopp said, Delaware lost its first correction officer while on duty, an outcome he stressed never had to happen. “I can’t say it was inevitable," Klopp said, "but I can say it was preventable.” Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771, bhorn@delawareonline.com or on Twitter at @brittanyhorn. Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @eparra3. Read or Share this story: http://delonline.us/2jZoFDw |
As police chief of a small Mexican town caught up the country's drug wars, Marisol Valles García hoped that turning a blind eye on the criminals would keep her safe. But just five months after taking up the post she is in hiding in the US, where she has applied for asylum. "Her neutrality was not allowed," Gustavo De La Rosa, a local human rights ombudsman, said. "It sounds like this stemmed from some new capo taking over the territory and demanding absolute unconditionality." A 20-year-old criminology student with a small baby, Valles became an international media sensation last October when she was named police chief of Praxedis G Guerrero in the Juárez valley, just over the border from Texas. As a local police chief she had no legal obligation to deal with large-scale drugs crimes, which are primarily investigated by federal authorities. But she became a symbol of resistance to the view that community life was now impossible in much of Mexico. Rival drug trafficking organisations have been fighting to control towns in the Juárez valley since 2008, unleashing a wave of violence which is even more intense than in the infamously murderous city of Ciudad Juárez, just to the north-west. Valles' predecessor in Praxedis was kidnapped and decapitated in August 2009, and 15 of the 17 officers he commanded were also killed. The church was firebombed in April last year. Burnt out houses dotted around town provide permanent testament to the tragedy. When she took the job, Valles appeared remarkably unflustered by the potential danger. "Of course I am frightened, I am only human," she said. "But you have to learn to trust and to have hope that things can change." Her security plan focused on sending her eight unarmed female agents on door-to-door visits in an effort to persuade families to venture out of their houses again for community sports and cultural events. She also repeatedly insisted that the municipal police would be ignoring the organised criminals roaming the area. How much this strategy of non-confrontation helped is not clear, but Praxedis had been notably calm in the last few months, unlike other towns in the area. Then, at some point overnight between 2 and 3 March Valles and her immediate family disappeared, leaving a locked house with the lights still on. Initial reports that they had crossed the border could not be confirmed and some worried they had been kidnapped. The municipal authorities revealed that Valles had taken a few days off to attend to her sick baby, and insisted they knew nothing of any threats to her. When she did not return to work on Monday as arranged, the mayor fired her. "She lost her job because she abandoned it," Andrés Morales, a municipal spokesman, said. "Everything remains calm here and the rest of the police are working as normal." The US authorities finally confirmed on Tuesday that Valles had been held in a detention centre for migrants in El Paso, just across the Rio Bravo from Ciudad Juárez. She was released, pending asylum hearings after an interview established her "credible fear". Later that day, Valles called De la Rosa. "She said she was in a city far from the border and that we shouldn't worry any more," he said. "She asked me to tone things down." Valles' flight after receiving serious threats and her consequent failure to beat the odds underline the vulnerability of anyone who takes on a public role in the Juárez area. Last week, some 32 members of the a family of prominent human rights activist abandoned their homes in Guadalupe, also in the Juárez valley. In recent months a long family tradition of activism on a range of human rights issues had boiled down to the demand for justice in the cases of six members of the family who were murdered in several attacks over the last two years. Most of the family is now under police protection in Mexico City. |
20 Years Later, Sabotage Of Amtrak's Sunset Limited Still A Mystery Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of FBI Courtesy of FBI The mystery goes back 20 years. It was an ordinary, cross-country train trip back in 1995: Amtrak's Sunset Limited passenger train, bound for Los Angeles from Miami. The train never reached its destination: It was sabotaged, derailed in the Arizona desert. The investigation continues to this day: On Friday, at the FBI field office in Phoenix, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark Cwynar announced a $310,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those who derailed the Sunset Limited. "We want to send a message to those responsible to this senseless act of sabotage. And that message is simple," Cwynar said. "We are very close, we are watching — and we will bring you to justice." Out In The Middle Of The Desert The story begins on the night of October 9, 1995, sometime around 1:30 a.m. Passenger Neal Hallford was jolted awake by a horrific sound: the train's brakes screaming up ahead. "Just [an] incredible shriek, then a really large impact, and of course it slams me into the seat in front of me," Hallford remembers. "Then all of the lights go off inside the train car." "I felt the train lift a little bit and then it started to tilt sideways very slowly. And after that, it dropped pretty fast." The Sunset Limited derailed in the middle of the Arizona desert, well over 50 miles from Phoenix — and a long way from the nearest road. As the train passed over a trestle, some of the cars were knocked down into a gulch 30 feet below. Brian Hamblet and his wife were inside. "You could hear the train clacking along the tracks ... and I felt the train lift a little bit and then it started to tilt sideways very slowly," Hamblet says. "And after that, it dropped pretty fast." All around him were the sounds of other passengers screaming. "Everyone was waking up and realizing what was going on as we were falling," he says. "I remember screaming to my wife and my wife screaming back, and as it turned out we were both fine." They climbed up and into the other compartments to escape through the window and then went back to help the injured. A Call Comes In: Passenger Train Derailed Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Buckeye, Ariz., Patricia Borree was the lone police dispatcher on duty, working an ordinary night. Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Drotter/AP Eric Drotter/AP "The graveyard shift is the quietest," Borree says. "Just a few traffic stops and maybe a beer run here or there, you know?" She got the call that night: Passenger train derailed. So Borree got to work. "All of our fire and ambulance personnel were all volunteers at that time so they all had pagers," she says. "So what I had to do was just page them all out. It was a mass rescue." Rescue workers were driving off-road through dried-up riverbeds. So she called farmers and asked them to clear dirt roads. Borree even called local airfields to fuel helicopters. "Then just getting lights set up out there for them to be able to do their work," she says. "It was a long night for everybody." Nearly 100 passengers were injured and one man, 41-year-old Mitchell Bates, was killed. He was a sleeping-car attendant who spent 20 years working for the railroad. Brian Hamblet remembers meeting him during the trip. "He had brought us towels and blankets and some extra pillows for my wife," Hamblet says. "Really sweet guy, so we were quite shaken up to learn that he had not made it." 'Somebody Sabotaged This Train' As Neal Hallford saw rescue workers approaching, he stepped outside his train car for some fresh air. Under the light of a full moon, he says, something caught his eye: in the dirt, a piece of paper under a rock by the wreckage. It was a typewritten, anti-government manifesto. The note, Hallford says, was signed, "Sons of Gestapo." This was no accident. "Holy ... whatever," Hallford says. "Somebody sabotaged this train." Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Drotter/Associated Press Eric Drotter/Associated Press Several more identical "Sons of Gestapo" notes were found along the crash site. "They had tampered with the tracks. And it was done in such a way that someone knew how to derail a train." That's when Larry McCormick arrived on the scene. He was the acting special agent in charge for the FBI in Phoenix back then. "In 30 years in the FBI, I worked a lot of high-level cases," he says. "The Jimmy Hoffa case, Oklahoma City bombing case — but this one was unique." Along with the notes, railroad spikes had been removed and left by the track. Whoever did this overrode the railroad's safety system so the train conductor had no idea what was coming. "They had tampered with the tracks," McCormick says. "And it was done in such a way that someone knew how to derail a train." Prior to this investigation, no one had ever heard of the Sons of Gestapo. And no one has heard of them since. Mark Potok covered the aftermath of the derailment for USA Today. Now, he's at the Southern Poverty Law Center where he monitors extremist groups. "It's been a continuing mystery," he says. "And in particular, a continuing question about whether this was a political attack on the government or whether in fact it was just some disgruntled, angry or psychotic person out there." Polly Hanson, the Amtrak chief of police, says she wants justice for Amtrak employee Mitchell Bates. "I'm told that Mr. Bates no longer has living survivors, so I stand here representing his Amtrak family," Hanson said at the recent FBI announcement, "who then and now were stricken and outraged because of his senseless loss — the tragic loss of a life." So Amtrak and the FBI continue to search for answers — for who was out in the middle of that remote desert to derail the Sunset Limited. |
Forget speaking for the voiceless – according to Hollywood. Actress and abortion absolutist Ellen Barkin took to Twitter Nov. 1 to declare when life begins. (She’s not a scientist, but maybe she played one on TV once.) According to Barkin, fetuses, babies and infants are not “persons” because they “cannot talk.” A Tony and Emmy award winner, Barkin has boasted roles in movies including, “The Big Easy,” “Sea of Love,” “Ocean’s Thirteen” and “Very Good Girls.” “News flash...a fetus cannot talk,” Barkin tweeted. “It is not a person. Not even a baby, not even an infant. Nope. Sorry.” In the past, Barkin proved she had no qualms about arguing abortion over Twitter, saying: As a “pro-abortion” advocate, Barkin believes she’s really “pro-life:” Besides warning that “Virginia Regulations Could Shutter Abortion Clinics” in 2012, Barkin is an Obama supporter (“if Obama loses the election,” then “a police state will be just around the corner”) and Wendy Davis advocate. She also has a thing for mocking Christian conservatives, and her flip pro-abortion attitude complements some of Lena Dunham's past comments. |
OK vs. UFC: How a Pay-Per-View Fee Jab Could Become a Knockout Punch Joe Wertz Bio Recent Stories Joe Wertz is a senior reporter and managing editor at StateImpact Oklahoma. He reports regularly on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets, and serves as president-elect of Freedom of Information Oklahoma, an open records and government transparency nonprofit. Previously, he worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers. He lives in Oklahoma City, and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma. Mark Kolbe / Getty Images Professional fighters are licensed to take the ring in Oklahoma because the bell sounds at combat sports events in other states and countries. But the Ultimate Fighting Championship is threatening a lawsuit over fees the State Athletic Commission collects for pay-per-view television events. The latest round has opened at the state Capitol, where the heavyweights fight with tight fists. The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission doesn’t receive any state funding, and its entire budget depends of fees and licenses for combat sports events. The commission licenses professional fighters and promoters, enforces health and safety rules and oversees fighting exhibitions and competitions. Many of those events — whether they’re boxing, wrestling or mixed-martial arts — are fought live in front of Oklahoma audiences. The commission gets a cut — up to 5 percent — of money made at live combat sports events held in Oklahoma. But most of the commission’s revenue comes from pay-per-view events held in other states, financial records show. Athletic Commission 2011 Revenue Source: Oklahoma State Athletic Commission The UFC is threatening a lawsuit over the fees, which brought the commission more than $240,000 in 2011. No legal paperwork has been filed, but the commission was contacted by attorneys representing the UFC, says commission director Joe Miller. The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the constitutionality of the law, Miller says. Marc Ratner, UFC’s head of regulatory affairs, said it boiled down to a legal matter. Ratner compared the matter in Oklahoma to a similar one Florida faced. A 5 percent pay-per-view tax was eventually wiped from the Sunshine State’s book, writes Josh Gross with ESPN.com. The television audience for UFC is growing, but professional wrestling still dominates Oklahoma’s pay-per-view payouts, Miller says. If the UFC were to pull out of Oklahoma TV markets, maintaining the status quo at the athletic commission would be “difficult but doable,” Miller says. But if the UFC legal threat leads to a repeal of the pay-per-view fee rule, the commission could be against the ropes, Miller says. “It’s not just pulling the UFC out of it, it’s pulling boxing, wrestling and other combat sports,” he says. If that happened, the commission likely wouldn’t be able to oversee live fights in Oklahoma, says Miller. Basically, the commission would only have enough money to license fighters. Even doubling the commission’s other fees wouldn’t replace the lost pay-per-view revenue. [bill id=”SB 1533″ state=ok session=”2011-2012″ align=right] The fight has moved to the state Capitol, where lawmakers are trying to offset some of the pay-per-view revenue through a state appropriation. This year’s state budget is relatively flat, and few agencies are likely to receive increased appropriations. In March, Miller sent a letter to promoters alerting them that the commission was suspending applications for events scheduled beyond the end of the month. But the UFC has agreed to delay any action pending the outcome of the pending legislation, Miller says. Still, a measure has been filed that would provide $200,000 to the athletic commission. The hope is that Senate Bill 1533 would prevent the UFC from filing a lawsuit. The bill won unanimous approval Wednesday by the House Appropriation and Budget Committee. “I hate that — worse than anything — to have to do that,” Miller says. “But if that’s what it’s going to take, hopefully the legislature will stand behind us and appropriate the necessary amount of money.” |
BENJAMIN OLIVO / mySA.com Kimura, a ramen shop by Restaurant Gwendolyn owner Michael Sohocki, is primed to open in two weeks at the Exchange Building, 152 E. Pecan St. “All the licenses are in and we are mechanically ready to roll,” Sohocki said. “Now I need staff, alcohol and food stock.” Sohocki and his business partner Jenn Wade, who was born in Japan, are opening the noodle restaurant. Kimura is the family name of Wade’s mother. Most of the types of noodles served at Kimura will be made by hand, in-house. “We’ve gone with totally straight-forward, no-twists recipes straight across,” Sohocki said. And much of the produce and protein will be locally sourced, as Sohocki plans to use the same farms that stock his first restaurant, Restaurant Gwendolyn, in the same building, but around the corner. A meal will cost about $15 for lunch out the door, and in the $40 range for dinner, Sohocki said. Dinner will include $6 side dishes all the way up to $25-$30 whole roasted fish. Alcoholic beverages include six kinds of sake, as well as cocktails, beer and wine. The hours still have to be ironed out; from the start, Kimura will be open daily from lunchtime through midnight. Have any downtown news, event info, hearsay, tips, celebrations, complaints, boastings, updates, breaking news, memories, old photos, etc.? Want to write a guest blog? E-mail me. Follow the Downtown Blog on Twitter: twitter.com/mySA_downtown. And on Facebook |
SouthParkStudios.com The creators of “South Park,” the animated Comedy Central series, apologized on Friday to the creators of a Web comedy video satirizing the summer blockbuster “Inception,” following a recent episode of “South Park” that shared numerous similarities with the Web video, called “Inception Characters Don’t Understand Inception.” “It’s just because we do the show in six days, and we’re stupid and we just threw it together,” Matt Stone, who created “South Park” with Trey Parker, said Friday in a telephone interview. “But in the end, there are some lines that we had to call and apologize for.” The video, which was written by Dan Gurewitch and David Young, and posted on CollegeHumor on Aug. 2, is loosely modeled on a scene in “Inception” in which a team of extractors — who can manipulate and move in and out of other people’s dreams — are attempting to transport a wounded colleague while explaining their challenging situation to a new member of the team. In a similar sequence in the “South Park” episode shown on Wednesday, the “Inception” characters, one of whom is wounded, burst into a room and attempt to explain some complicated circumstances to one of the “South Park” characters. Among the dialogue that appears in both skits: CollegeHumor: “We need to move to the next dream level before these projections kill us.” South Park: “We need to move them all to the next dream level before the projections kill them.” In both skits, one character asks another to define what limbo is and is told: CollegeHumor: “Shared unconstructed dream space.” South Park: “Empty scary dream space.” In both skits, a character is told by the “Inception” team how to escape from limbo, prompting the following exchanges: CollegeHumor: “That doesn’t sound so hard.” “It is.” “Why?” [a character groans in pain] “We don’t have time for this.” “O.K., fine, so next we’re going into Arthur’s dream, and then what?” “Then we go into Fischer’s dreams.” “O.K., got it.” “But Fischer will think we’re in Browning’s dream.” “O.K. Wait, who’s Browning?” South Park: “That doesn’t sound very difficult.” “It is.” “Why?” [a character groans in pain] “We don’t have time for this.” “O.K., fine, so you’re going to take my son to a dream within the dream, and then what?” “Then we go into your husband’s dreams.” “O.K.” “But your husband will think we’re in Hasselbeck’s dream.” “O.K. Wait, who’s Hasselbeck?” Also in both skits, a character speaks the following line of dialogue: “Sometimes my thoughts of my dead wife manifest themselves as trains.” On his personal blog, Mr. Gurewitch wrote: I’m conflicted, because I absolutely adore ‘South Park.’ I admire Trey Parker and Matt Stone more than almost anyone currently working in comedy. To give them the benefit of the doubt, I’d say maybe it’s an homage — I’d be honored — but while our sketch was popular, it wasn’t nearly the national phenomenon it’d have to be for them to parody it. Maybe it was some staff writer, and Matt and Trey aren’t aware of the source material? Or something? Mr. Stone said he and Mr. Parker wanted their “South Park” episode to satirize the verbal complexity of “Inception.” “It was like, ‘Let’s parody the gobbledygook – because honestly, that movie – all those explanations, and explanations of explanations,” Mr. Stone said. When Mr. Parker and Mr. Stone could not find a movie theater showing “Inception,” and were unable to get a DVD screener of the film (or find a watchable version on BitTorrent), they turned to other parodies of that film on the Web, and found the CollegeHumor video. “We thought their joke was that a lot of those lines were actually in the movie,” Mr. Stone said, “and they were banging them against each other, and showing that the ‘Inception’ characters didn’t even know ‘Inception.’ That was a mistake, and it was an honest mistake.” Mr. Gurewitch later updated his blog to say that he and Mr. Young accepted the apology of the “South Park” creators. “All is well,” Mr. Gurewitch wrote, “and we’re going to meet up with Matt and Trey when they’re in New York.” Watch the CollegeHumor video “Inception Characters Don’t Understand Inception”: Watch the scene from the “South Park” episode “Insheeption”: |
Prosecutors and the Purana taskforce have moved to confiscate a $10 million property portfolio allegedly controlled by convicted underworld boss Rocco Arico, which includes his luxury home, a development site, a coastal property and a bathing box on the Mornington Peninsula. The Moonee Ponds mansion bought by Arico's wife in 2015 is nicknamed the "ice castle" by law enforcement authorities because it was allegedly bought and extensively renovated with the proceeds of his vast drug-dealing empire. Rocco Arico was arrested in 2015 and convicted of drug trafficking, extortion and weapons offences in 2016 and 2017. Credit:Pat Scala Arico, who is considered one of the most powerful crime figures in Victoria, was sentenced earlier this year to 14 years' jail for drug trafficking, extortion, and weapons offences. Supreme Court judge Cameron Macaulay agreed to issue restraining orders over five properties on March 31 after receiving sworn evidence from police that Arico had "engaged in serious criminal activity" under proceeds of crime legislation. |
Donnie Darko • 15th Anniversary Friday Mar 31 09:30 PM Doris Duke Theatre Museum members: $8.00 General Admission: $10.00 About the Film: Directed by Richard Kelly. USA. 2001. 134 min. Richard Kelly’s cult hit returns with a brand new 4K restoration to celebrate its 15th anniversary. During the presidential election of 1988, a teenager named Donnie Darko (in a break-out performance by Jake Gyllenhaal) sleepwalks out of his house one night, and sees a giant, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. He returns home the next morning to find that a jet engine has crashed through his bedroom. As he tries to figure out why he survived and tries to deal with people in his town, like the school bully, his conservative health teacher, and a self-help guru, Frank continues to turn up in Donnie's mind, causing him to commit acts of vandalism and worse. Note: Frank will be in attendance. |
Highlights Coal-fired power plants contributed 52% of Germany's first-halfelectricity demand as output from natural gas-fired power plants and windturbines fell, research organization Fraunhofer Institute (ISE) said. Not registered? Receive daily email alerts, subscriber notes & personalize your experience. Register Now Coal plants increased production by about 5% to 130.3 TWh in the firstsix months of 2013 as output from gas-fired power plants fell 17% to 21.9TWh, said ISE, which collated data from Germany's statistical office and theEEX transparency platform. Wind turbine output fell 10% to 22.4 TWh, while solar output wasunchanged at 14.3 TWh. Hydro output rose 3% to 9.2 TWh, with nuclear outputup 1.8% to 46 TWh. Demand data for H1 2013 is not yet available, but has been estimated tohave dropped from around 254 TWh in the 2012 period. First-quarter powerdemand dropped 1% year-on-year, energy industry group BDEW said in April. Overall, the share of coal-fired power in the first half rose 3percentage points to 52%, based on available data and assuming a 1% declinein demand. Germany's nine nuclear power plants contributed 18% to total demand,while combined wind, solar and hydro output added 18%. Gas-fired power's share dropped to 9% with even the most modern CCGTplants now seriously under-utilized. The plants are needed for security ofsupply during winter months. In 2012, coal-fired power plants generated 45% of total electricity,followed by renewables with a 22% share, nuclear at 16%, and gas at 11%. CHEAP CARBON EXTENDS COAL'S DOMINANCE IN GERMAN POWER MIX The crash in EUA carbon allowances, cheaper coal and firmer gas pricesare the key reason for the trend, making coal-fired power generation moreprofitable than gas. The gap between the clean dark and clean spark spreads, the generalmeasure of profitability for coal and gas plants, had widened to Eur23/MWh bythe end of June, based on year-ahead contracts for power, coal, gas andcarbon emissions, Platts data showed. Industry sources have said EUA carbon allowances would need to riseabove Eur40/mt to allow a profitable switch to gas from coal. Coal prices have dropped by around a third over the past two years,hitting a three-year-low at $85/mt on June 24, according to Platts data. Carbon prices, which set a record low earlier this year, continue totrade just above Eur4/mt, compared with levels around Eur20/mt in 2011. Gas prices have remained firm with TTF year-ahead gas at aroundEur27/MWh, little changed from July 2011, Platts data showed. Germany usesdomestic lignite coal and hard-coal, mainly imported, for power generation. Lignite-fired power plants, which generated more than a quarter of thenation's electricity in 2012, have benefited most from the lower carbonprices, with lignite plants more carbon intensive than coal plants, industrysources said. Lignite capacity is 20 GW with at least 3 GW of more efficient plantsadded since 2011, running like nuclear as baseload plants around the clock. Older coal-fired power plants are increasingly becoming theprice-setting "marginal" plants, market sources said. Germany is adding more efficient coal-fired power plants in 2013 as anumber of legacy fossil-fuel projects finally come online. Trianel's 750 MW coal-fired plant at Luenen is already in operation andon track to be commissioned in the third quarter. Two more projects, Steag's725 MW Walsum 10 unit and EnBW's 912 MW RDK 8 are on track to startgenerating power during testing in coming weeks. Overall, power generators plan to add 5.3 GW of new built coal-firedpower plant capacity this year, data from the federal grid agency showed. --Andreas Franke, andreas.franke@platts.com --Edited by Dan Lalor, daniel.lalor@platts.com |
White lines are being removed from busy roads across the country in an attempt to slow motorists down . Highway chiefs say blank roads introduce a sense of uncertainty that prompts motorists to drive more cautiously, especially when faced with oncoming traffic. Research shows removing the central white line, a feature of British roads for almost 100 years, can reduce the average speed of a vehicle by 13 per cent. Recent resurfacing in London saw the central markings on three A roads erased. “In particular, highly visible markings at the edge and centre of the road that can be seen on a wet night are enormously cost-effective in saving lives.” Transport for London, which manages major roads across the capital, told The Times the system used on parts of the A22 and A23 in south London and the A100 in central London may now be expanded to other roads. Plans for a pilot scheme in north Norfolk have also been drawn up and trials have taken place in parts of Wiltshire and Derby. Road safety charity RoadPeace has applauded the initiative saying that “self enforcing schemes” are key to reducing speeding as road policing budgets are cut. Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, told The Times: “Without exaggeration it is true to say that a simple pot of paint can save lives. “In particular, highly visible markings at the edge and centre of the road that can be seen on a wet night are enormously cost-effective in saving lives.” Motoring groups, however, have warned removing white lines could be “fatally flawed”. |
This update takes that option away, leaving Hangouts as the only method to use one number across different devices. And Hangouts is going away, at least as we know it today. A Project Fi subscriber can no longer have a traditional Google Voice account. Both systems share the same infrastructure, so tying more than one number to the same account isn't possible. Your Project Fi phone number is your Google Voice number and vice versa. Before the update, users with a Project Fi-issued phone number were able to install the Google Voice app on a different phone or a tablet so sending and receiving SMS was available using the Fi number and calls would come in or could be made using the Fi number. If Hangouts morphs into something else, what happens to Fi users who need Google Voice features? In January 2017, Google Voice was given the big update many of us using it had been waiting for. A rich user interface with things like threaded messaging and MMS for everyone, as well as a new web interface all worked to make using Google Voice easier. But for some, namely Project Fi users, it put an end to being able to use the app the way we had been using it. And to add a little salt to the wound, we've all been hearing about how Hangouts — the only option for Fi subscribers to use more than one phone — is moving away to become some strange corporate enterprise thing. We reached out to Project Fi and heard the same well-intentioned line everyone eventually received; nothing to announce, Google understands the situation, pair of aces in the wrong places and all that. But there is light at the end of the tunnel when we veer away from the official word and look to the unconfirmed but reliable sources. Google is said to be adding the functionality Project Fi users currently have via Hangouts into the new Google Voice. That could mean a merging of Fi and Google Voice, additional features in the Project Fi app for devices with a different SIM card and phone number, or a fix for Google accounts associated with a Fi account so that they can access the Google Voice app and its features using a Fi number. Google's messaging strategy is an unknown and can be confusing. Still, we expect they have some plan in mind for folks paying them to use Project Fi. Google Voice has been a favorite for many since it was Grand Central and is still a great way to have a second number or use the same number everywhere. We hope it stays that way. The original text of the article follows below. News that Google was finally pushing Project Fi invites to a handful of people led to a whole lot of users asking those lucky enough to get in on the action what the experience was like. In doing so, a screenshot appeared that suggested using Project Fi meant destroying your Google Voice account. The dialogue box from the screenshot explains you can either bring your Google Voice number over to Project Fi, or you can use a different number with a caveat explaining your current Voice number will be released if you go with a different number. If all you know about Project Fi and Google Voice comes from that one screenshot, there'd be plenty of reason to be concerned. Fortunately, after a quick chat with the folks at Google, we know things aren't nearly as dire as they seem. Project Fi uses the same infrastructure as Google Voice, and all of those features follow with you from Google Voice to Project Fi. The first thing you need to know about Project Fi is how the system is built to function. Fi operates on a special hybrid network that allows users to move seamlessly between Wifi, T-Mobile, and Sprint networks, with unique pricing that lets you pay for what you use and not a penny more. The service also lets you use your Fi number on devices that aren't connected to the Fi network. You can use your Fi number to make calls, send SMS, and access call forwarding and voicemail transcripts on anything running Google Hangouts, including your desktop. Sound familiar? That's because Project Fi uses the same infrastructure as Google Voice, and all of those features follow with you from Google Voice to Project Fi. |
Monday January 19, 2015 Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Dallas Stars prospect Remi Elie of the Erie Otters is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 18 with seven points in two games scoring four goals and three assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-5. Elie becomes the third Otter to claim the award this season after collecting two multi-point games last week helping his club pick up a pair of victories on home ice. On Friday night he scored his first hat-trick of the season with three straight goals including the game-winner while adding an assist as first star of a 7-4 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. Then on Saturday night, Elie scored once and picked up two assists including a helper on Connor McDavid’s overtime winner earning second star honours in a 6-5 triumph over the North Bay Battalion. The two wins improve the Otters’ record to 31-9-1-2 as they stand second place in the OHL’s Western Conference with 65 points. Elie, a 19-year-old from Green Valley, ON, is playing in his third OHL season. Acquired from the Belleville Bulls earlier this month, Elie has 44 points in 40 games this season including 10 points in five games with the Otters. He was selected by the Stars in the second round, 40th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft. Also considered for the award this week was 2015 NHL Draft prospect and top scorer Mitchell Marner of the London Knights who scored twice with five assists for seven points in two games, and Anaheim Ducks prospect Nick Ritchie of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds who scored five goals and one assist for six points in two games. In goal, 2015 NHL Draft prospect Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .970. 2014-15 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week: Jan. 12 – Jan. 18: Remi Elie (Erie Otters) Jan. 5 – Jan. 11: Trevor Murphy (Windsor Spitfires) Dec. 28 – Jan. 4: Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts) Dec. 15 – Dec. 21: Chris Bigras (Owen Sound Attack) Dec. 8 – Dec. 14: Christian Dvorak (London Knights) Dec. 1 – Dec. 7: Max Domi (London Knights) Nov. 24 – Nov. 30: Taylor Dupuis (Sarnia Sting) Nov. 17 – Nov. 23: Mitch Marner (London Knights) Nov. 10 – Nov. 16: Justin Bailey (Kitchener Rangers) Nov. 3 – Nov. 9: Tyler Bertuzzi (Guelph Storm) Oct. 27 – Nov. 2: Mitch Marner (London Knights) Oct. 20 – Oct. 26: Connor McDavid (Erie Otters) Oct. 13 – Oct. 19: Cole Cassels (Oshawa Generals) Oct. 6 – Oct. 12: Nikita Korostelev (Sarnia Sting) Sept. 29 – Oct. 5: Joseph Blandisi (Barrie Colts) Sept. 22 – Sept. 28: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters) |
The Supreme Court continues to affirm over and over again same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional, but anti-LGBT forces just won’t listen. Today, the Supreme Court of the United States denied a request by the state of Alaska to stay U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess’ ruling striking down Alaska’s same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional. This is the third time the Supreme Court has cleared the way for marriage equality to move forward. A full feature map on the current state of marriage equality can be found here. “Requesting a stay in Alaska was nothing more than a petty, last-ditch effort to stop equality,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC’s Legal Director. “Continued delay would have only prolonged harm to Americans who simply want to protect and provide for their families. Court after court has affirmed that the U.S. Constitution does not allow states to discriminate against committed and loving gay and lesbian couples, and this decline to extend the stay suggests the Supreme Court clearly agrees.” First Time: On Monday, October 6th, the nine justices of the Supreme Court announced they had declined to hear any of the five cases pending before them challenging state bans on marriage for same-sex couples in Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Indiana. This allowed the circuit court decisions striking down the bans to stand and marriage equality to move forward. Second Time: On Friday, October 10th, the Supreme Court denied a request to stay same-sex marriages in Idaho, clearing the way for marriage equality to move forward. Third Time: Today, the Supreme Court denied a request for a stay on the decision of Judge Burgess, who ruled Alaska’s ban unconstitutional. On October 15th, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had put Alaska’s same-sex marriages temporarily on hold for two days to allow appellants the opportunity to seek a stay from the Supreme Court. In Hamby v. Parnell, five couples sued the state arguing that Alaska’s ban on marriage equality violates the U.S. Constitution. In his ruling, Judge Burgess wrote, “The court finds that Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage and refusal to recognize same sex marriages lawfully entered in other states is unconstitutional as a deprivation of basic due process and equal protection principles under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” Consequently, in 1998, Alaska’s constitutional amendment was the first state constitutional ban in the nation prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying. The Supreme Court's decision once again cleared the way for marriage equality to move forward. This begs to question why anti-LGBT forces are continuing to defend these discriminatory laws, in many cases wasting taxpayer dollars for these futile and discriminatory efforts. After clearing the way for marriage equality to move forward three times, the Supreme Court seems to clearly agree that the U.S. Constitution does not permit states to discriminate against committed and loving gay and lesbian couples. Earlier today, U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick ruled against Arizona’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. With these decisions, same-sex couples are now able to legally marry in 31 states and the District of Columbia, including: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Gallup puts support for marriage equality at 55 percent – an astonishing 15 point increase from just 5 years ago – with other polls showing support at even higher margins. And support for same-sex marriage rights continues to grow in virtually every demographic group. According to ABC News / Washington Post, 77 percent of adults under age 30 favor marriage equality. 40 percent of Republicans – an all-time high and jump of 16 points in under two years – now support marriage for gay and lesbian couples, while the number of Catholics supporting marriage has grown to 62 percent, according to the New York Times. These numbers continue to grow, with no indication that support will slow down. |
In the popular imagination, rape is something that men do to women. In presumably rare cases, it is also something that men do to men, in which case it’s usually accompanied by a laugh track. But it is never viewed as something that women do to men. After all, if a man got an erection, he was obviously sexually excited and his body was giving consent. And he should also consider himself lucky, because there are plenty of men who’d jump at the chance of having a woman jump on him. But just as it’s documented that female victims sometimes lubricate and even have orgasms while being raped, it’s a documented fact that men can achieve erections and ejaculate while being sexually assaulted against their consent. And if you dose your victim with Cialis or Viagra, he may not have much of a choice in whether to get an erection. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control added a new category of to its definition of sexual assault and called it “being made to penetrate.” The new definition included being forced to perform intercourse without one’s consent as well as either giving or even receiving oral sex against one’s will. This is still a narrow definition compared to the famous Campus Sexual Assault Study that alleges one in five college women will be raped, because “rape” according to their definition includes not-quite-full-blown-rapey things such as “forced kissing.” With the new expanded definition of rape, it suddenly became clear that men were victims of female sexual assault far more than had previously been imagined: • A 2010 CDC study revealed that men and women were being “made to penetrate” at nearly identical levels. • Bureau of Justice stats from 2013 reveal that according to the FBI’s new definition of rape and sexual violence, a shocking 38% of victims were male. • In 2013, a study published in the JAMA Pediatrics claimed that when “sexual violence” is defined similarly to how the famous campus study framed it—i.e., forced kissing and the like—an astounding 52% of males and 48% of females over age 18 had committed sexual violence at least once in their lives. • A 2008-2009 CDC report revealed that in American juvenile facilities, more than 95% of staff members who molested incarcerated minors were females. • A study going all the way back to 1988 claims that 62.7% of men had experienced “unwanted sexual intercourse” in their lives as compared to 46.3% of women. If you don’t like these statistics, don’t bark at me—bark at the US government and the Journal of the American Medical Association. The following are all documented incidents of women sexually assaulting men—whether through threats, violence, or merely taking advantage of the poor drunk bastards. 1. GANG RAPE • A 2012 case in Nigeria involved a businessman being “raped to death” by five of his wives who reportedly became jealous when they found him having sex with his sixth wife. (source) • Three Zimbwabwean women were arrested in 2011 and charged with forcibly raping multiple male hitchhikers. Police seized “33 condoms containing semen,” which was presumably harvested to be sold on the African black market. One of their many victims reportedly complained that after they raped him, they forced him to “cuddle and talk.” (source1) (source2) • An Indian rickshaw driver broke his foot in 2011 after jumping from an apartment window where he’d been held by two women—one who raped him, the other who filmed it. (source) 2. WHILE VICTIMS ARE UNCONSCIOUS OR ASLEEP • In 2013 while pregnant with her third child, Chante Gilman of Seattle entered a sleeping man’s home, pinned his hands down, and mounted him. He awoke and was able to wriggle out from beneath her, but Gilman received a nine-month sentence after pleading to a lesser charge of attempted rape and assault. (source) • Nineteen-year-old James Landrith was raped by a pregnant female acquaintance during the night while he was passed out from drinking. The next morning he awoke to find her straddling him again. She allegedly threatened him not to resist because it might hurt the fetus inside her. (source) 3. AT GUNPOINT • Chicago mother of two Cierra Ross was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse after she and a friend asked a 33-year-old pedestrian if he wanted a ride. Once he was inside the car, Ross pulled a gun on him and commanded him to go in the backseat and fuck her friend. (source) 4. AT KNIFEPOINT • In 2015, a woman that one African newspaper described as “Sex Starved” and that another dubbed “Horny” reportedly threatened to stab a man to death if he didn’t consent to fucking her. The latter newspaper says the woman “told the judge that she is a nymphomaniac and when she is on heat [sic] and there is no man to have sex with her, she could go crazy because she loves sex extremely.” • Two female Maryland teens were sentenced to juvenile facilities for torturing an autistic boy. One video they filmed shows them holding a knife to the boy’s throat. They also encouraged him to expose his genitals and attempted to make him have sex with his family dog. (source) 5. AT SNAKE-POINT • A South African website details a 2014 case where a woman beseeched a man at roadside to fix her broken-down car. While giving him a lift after he successfully got her car started, she rolled up the windows and pointed toward a “very large brownish grey snake” in the back seat, threatening to set the snake loose on him if he didn’t have sex with her. Rather than be eaten by the snake, he had sex with her and told authorities that she had a dragon tattoo near her navel. (source) • In a September 2015 story from Kenya, two women ordered a man to have sex with one woman while the other threatened him with both a pistol and a snake. One of the women also reportedly forced the man to swallow a Viagra tablet before having forcing him to have unprotected sex with both of them. (source) 6. AT CURLING-IRON POINT • In 2009, a Pennsylvania woman was arrested and charged with deviate sexual intercourse in connection with an incident where she allegedly forced a man to have sex with her while she burned both his ears and genitals with a hot curling iron. (source) 7. INCEST • Rickesha Burns of Phoenix, AZ was sentenced to 18 years in prison for an incident where she shoved her vibrator so far up her two-year-old son’s rectum that it needed to be surgically removed. (source) 8. STATUTORY RAPE Behold a gallery of more than 200 mug shots of “Women Arrested for Indecent Behavior With Kids.” And here’s a list of “25 Female Teacher and Student Sex Crime Scandals.” Two of the most highly publicized cases of female teachers seducing their underage male students are that of Mary Kay Letourneau and Debra Lafave. 9. FALSE IMPRISONMENT In 2009, a Russian hairdresser and karate expert named Olga subdued a man who tried burglarizing her salon. She then allegedly chained him to a radiator “with pink furry handcuffs and fed him Viagra,” making him her sex slave over the next three days before finally releasing him. She was arrested and charged with false imprisonment. (source) 10. DATE RAPE DRUGS • A Russian woman the press dubbed the “Black Widow” due to her affinity for spiders and horror movies went on trial in 2009 for raping 10 men after allegedly giving them drinks laced with clonidine, which knocked them out for nearly 24 hours. After they became unconscious, she’d manually stimulate them and then tie their genitals with rope to keep them erect while she mounted them. Many of the men experienced “penis trauma” as a result, although one of her victims said he thought the whole experience was “hot” and “great.” (source) |
Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold at training yesterday as officials again failed to pay player wages on time. Picture: Mark Scott ANGRY Central Coast players are prepared to take strike action over the failure of the club to pay their wages on time. The dramas at the embattled Mariners escalated yesterday after club officials again failed to come up with the money to pay the players their overdue monthly wage, which is now five days late. The Australian, which broke the story of the club's financial battle earlier in the week, was told the players, who had been promised payment by Monday or Tuesday, met last night in a bid to force the issue. Read Next It is believed the players will strike, including not attending training and even boycotting matches, if they don't receive their money by close of business on Monday. Professional Footballers Australia is expected to issue a statement today, backing the players. Sources said the players, some of whom are in financial stress and have been forced to borrow money from friends, had lost patience and believe their only way to get action is to make the strongest possible statement. The players had to be convinced to turn up to training this morning. On a day of ongoing developments, The Australian also learned: The club's ownership problems remain unresolved. One of the club's owners flew to Melbourne yesterday to talk to a consortium interested in taking over the club and is also headed interstate today looking at further options. There are suggestions a Russian group with connections to a club in Moscow could be close to finalising a deal for the Mariners, who have lived with their financial plight for the past three or four seasons. There is scepticism surrounding the Russians' interest given there have been talks with the club for 18 months and nothing has eventuated, despite their Australian-based representatives being in regular attendance at Central Coast games in the past two seasons. According to ASIC records, Mariners owners Mike Charlesworth, chairman Peter Turnbull and Lyall Gorman - executive chairman of rival A-League club Western Sydney - jointly own 64 per cent of the club. They met for three hours on Tuesday night to discuss the situation. It is understood multi-millionaire Englishman Charlesworth put forward an offer to Turnbull and Gorman late last week to take control of the club, assume its considerable debts and inject some much needed funds into the Mariners. It is believed that Turnbull, who already has put $4 million into the club, is looking to step aside, but will remain as chairman until the end of the season. There are also suggestions that should the well-connected Charlesworth take control he will install a new board as well as seek to bring in new investors, possibly from overseas. The group issued a statement yesterday. "The majority ownership group are in discussions at this time regarding the ongoing future of the FC. There is a resolve and commitment among the owners to continue to subsidise and fund the operating deficits of the FC moving forward. "These discussions are likely to result in a change in the mix of the ownership model, but all aimed at securing the future of the FC on the strongest possible footing. Any such change will not result in any variation from the well-established cultural and brand values of the Mariners." There also remain conflict-of-interest fears in some quarters over the involvement of Gorman, who helped start the Mariners in 2004 and was head of the A-League before moving into his role at the Wanderers. It should be stressed he has not broken any rules as the Asian Football Confederation allows for multiple involvement in clubs. The Mariners situation is being monitored by Football Federation Australia. Chief executive David Gallop told The Australian last night the head body wanted the situation sorted as quickly as possible. "We are in constant contact with the various stakeholders at the club and we have impressed on them our desire to see their internal issues resolved urgently so that the pay situation is fixed," Gallop said. "That said, it is a discussion among shareholders and it is not our place to adjudicate on a club owners' discussion." |
Eyebrows raised Saturday night when Fox News’ “Judge Jeanine” called for Paul Ryan to step down as Speaker of the House… just hours after President Trump told his 27 million Twitter followers to watch her show that evening. The interesting chain of events began Saturday morning when President Trump post a tweet saying, “Watch @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews tonight at 9:00 PM.” Later that night, former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro kicked off her show “Justice with Judge Jeanine” by coming down hard on Ryan for his failure to deliver the votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with his health care bill. Also Read: Paul Ryan Pulls Doomed Health Care Bill at Trump's Request “Paul Ryan needs to step down,” she said in her opening remarks. “The reason? He failed to deliver the votes on his health care bill … The one that he had seven years to work on … The one that had to be pulled to prevent the embarrassment of not having enough votes to pass.” Pirro went on to place blame solely on Ryan’s shoulders: “I want to be clear. This is not on President Trump. No one expected a business man to completely understand the nuances, the complicated ins and outs of Washington and its legislative process.” Her chastising continued, calling Ryan’s proposed replacement bill a “total and complete failure,” asking how he could have so badly misjudged the outcome, when Trump’ put their faith in him. Also Read: Twitter Mocks Trump, Paul Ryan After Obamacare Repeal Fails Bigly “I can only imagine that he and his aides took on health care because they believed you [Ryan] had his back, and you didn’t,” she blasted. .@JudgeJeanine: "Paul Ryan needs to step down as Speaker of the House." https://t.co/LBJGBALEx8 pic.twitter.com/k2tRj9Goz6 — Fox News (@FoxNews) March 26, 2017 Viewers couldn’t help but question the timeline of events: Trump tweeted a promo for Judge Pirro's Fox show this AM, reason unclear. Tonight, she began her show calling for Ryan to resign. ….? pic.twitter.com/iRTAAtI6oY — Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 26, 2017 To be clear, Trump has said since AHCA died that he doesn't blame Ryan. But it is strange for Trump to tweet a Fox promo without reason. https://t.co/5GC2PMdDqQ — Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 26, 2017 Trump told people on Twitter to watch @JudgeJeanine. She began her show calling for Speaker Ryan to resign. Coincidence? I'm sure! — Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) March 26, 2017 Trump yesterday: "I don't blame Paul." Trump today: "Watch this!!!" https://t.co/WppCYlhwYw — Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) March 26, 2017 |
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says she did not visit sites where single male asylum seekers are held on Nauru because she was advised it could disrupt the peace. Ms Bishop has come under fire for praising the conditions for asylum seekers on Nauru, after Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young claimed that the minister had only visited staff housing, not the detainee tent accommodation. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop This week, the Foreign Minister led a cross-party delegation to Nauru, that also include Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek. On Friday, her office conceded that the Foreign Minister had only visited the area known as "OPC1" in the detention centre. It is understood the site only includes staff facilities and new accommodation being built - not existing accommodation for asylum seekers. ''There are three offshore processing sites on Nauru. The Minister and her delegation comprising Shadow Foreign Minister Plibersek, Parliamentary Secretary Brett Mason and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Thistlethwaite, visited OPC1 where many of the facilities had been burnt down by transferees mid-year,'' a spokeswoman from Ms Bishop's office said. |
As most readers know, clouds are still poorly understood and under-represented in climate models. This new research may help. From: DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Effect of cloud-scattered sunlight on earth’s energy balance depends on wavelength of light Accounting for wavelength effects will likely improve climate models RICHLAND, Wash. — Atmospheric scientists trying to pin down how clouds curb the amount of sunlight available to warm the earth have found that it depends on the wavelength of sunlight being measured. This unexpected result will help researchers improve how they portray clouds in climate models. Additionally, the researchers found that sunlight scattered by clouds — the reason why beachgoers can get sunburned on overcast days — is an important component of cloud contributions to the earth’s energy balance. Capturing such contributions will increase the accuracy of climate models, the team from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reported in Geophysical Research Letters earlier this month. “The amount of the sun’s energy that reaches the earth’s surface is the main driver of the earth’s temperature. Clouds are one of the least understood aspects of climate change. They can block the sun, but light can also bounce off one cloud into another cloud’s shadow and increase the solar energy hitting earth,” said PNNL atmospheric scientist Evgueni Kassianov. White clouds Clouds both cool down and warm up the earth’s surface. They cool the earth by reflecting some sunlight up into outer space, and they warm it by bouncing some sunlight down to the surface. Overall, most clouds have a net cooling effect, but atmospheric scientists need to accurately measure when they cool and warm to produce better climate models that incorporate clouds faithfully. But it’s a hard number to get. Fair-weather clouds are big puffy white objects that bounce a lot of light around. They can make the sky around them look brighter when they’re there, but they float about and reform constantly. Cloud droplets and aerosol particles in the sky — tiny bits of dirt and water in the air that cause haziness — scatter light in three dimensions, even into cloud shadows. To determine the net cloud effect, researchers need two numbers. First they need to measure the total amount of sunlight in a cloudy sky. Then they need to determine how bright that sky would be without the clouds, imagining that same sky to be blue and cloudless, when aerosols are in charge of a sky’s brightness. The difference between those numbers is the net cloud effect. Rainbow energy Researchers have traditionally estimated the net cloud effect by measuring a broad spectrum of sunlight that makes it to the earth’s surface, from ultraviolet to infrared. But clouds are white — that’s because the large water droplets within them scatter light of all colors almost equally in the visible spectrum, the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that includes the colors of the rainbow. On the other hand, aerosols — both within clouds and in the open sky — bounce different-colored light unequally. Broadband measurements that fail to distinguish color differences might be covering up important details, the researchers thought. Instead of taking one broadband measurement that covers everything from ultraviolet to infrared, Kassianov and crew wanted to determine how individual wavelengths contribute to the net cloud effect. To do so, the team used an instrument that can measure brightness at four different wavelengths of color — violet, green, orange, red — and two of infrared. In addition, this instrument, a spectral radiometer at DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility located on the southern Great Plains in Oklahoma, allowed the team to calculate what the brightness would be if the day sported a cloudless, blue sky. The spectral measurements taken by the radiometer can be converted into the amount and properties of aerosols. Then aerosol properties can be used to calculate clear blue sky brightness. Clouds Gone Wild Comparing measured values for cloudy sky to the calculated values for clear sky, the researchers found that, on average, puffy fair-weather clouds cool down the earth’s surface by several percent on a summer day. Although clouds cool overall, two components that the researchers looked at — from direct and scattered sunlight — had opposite effects. The direct component accounts for the shade provided by clouds and cools the earth. The second component accounts for the sunlight scattered between and under clouds, which makes the sky brighter, warming the earth. “The sunlight scattered by clouds can heat the surface,” said Kassianov. “We all know that we can still get sunburned on cloudy days. This explains why.” In the Oklahoma summer, the scattered-light effect measured by the researchers could be quite large. For example, if a cloud passed over the instrument, the measured cloudy sky brightness exceeded calculated clear sky value by up to 30 percent. Kassianov attributes that large difference to scattered sunlight being “caught on tape” by the radiometer. “Sunlight scattered by three-dimensional, irregular clouds is responsible for the observed large difference. The one-dimensional cloud simulations currently used in large-scale climate models don’t capture this diffuse light,” said Kassianov. Aerosols’ Day in the Sky The team also found that the effect changed depending on the measured visible-spectrum wavelength, and whether the light was direct or scattered. With direct light, the cooling caused by clouds was weakest on the violet end of the spectrum and strongest at infrared. With scattered light, warming caused by clouds was also weakest at violet and the strongest at infrared. Overall, the least cooling and warming occurred at violet, and the most cooling and warming occurred at infrared. Because large droplets in clouds scatter sunlight almost uniformly across the spectrum, the clouds themselves can’t be the reason why different wavelengths contribute differently to the net cloud effect. Compared to cloud droplets, aerosols are more than 100 times smaller and scatter wavelengths differently. These results suggest that aerosols — which not only cause haziness but contribute to cloud formation as well — are responsible for the wavelength differences, something researchers need to be aware of as they study clouds in the sky. “If you want to study how aerosols and clouds interact,” said Kassianov, “you need to look in the region of the spectrum where aerosol effects are significant. If you want to fish, you go where the fish are biting.” This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory where interdisciplinary teams advance science and technology and deliver solutions to America’s most intractable problems in energy, national security and the environment. PNNL employs 4,900 staff, has an annual budget of nearly $1.1 billion, and has been managed by Ohio-based Battelle since the lab’s inception in 1965. Follow PNNL on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. ### Reference: Kassianov E., Barnard J., Berg L.K., Long C.N., and C. Flynn, Shortwave Spectral Radiative Forcing of Cumulus Clouds from Surface Observations, Geophys Res Lett, April 2, 2011, DOI 10.1029/2010GL046282 (http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2011/2010GL046282.shtml). Abstract: The spectral changes of the shortwave total, direct and diffuse cloud radiative forcing (CRF) at surface are examined for the first time using spectrally resolved all-sky flux observations and clear-sky fluxes. The latter are computed applying a physically based approach, which accounts for the spectral changes of aerosol optical properties and surface albedo. Application of this approach to 13 summertime days with single-layer continental cumuli demonstrates: (i) the substantial contribution of the diffuse component to the total CRF, (ii) the well-defined spectral variations of total CRF in the visible spectral region, and (iii) the strong statistical relationship between spectral (500 nm) and shortwave broadband values of total CRF. Our results suggest that the framework based on the visible narrowband fluxes can provide important radiative quantities for rigorous evaluation of radiative transfer parameterizations and also can be applied for estimation of the shortwave broadband CRF. Advertisements Share this: Print Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit |
Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Is Manchester blue or red? It is a question asked in this city more than any other – and now we are about to get an answer. Ahead of next month’s Manchester derby, fans are being asked to take part in a poll which will see the town hall lit up in the teams’ colours. Virgin Media has launched a competition on social network Twitter. They want fans to tweet who they think will win the big match at Old Trafford on Monday April 8. The final whistle will be blown at 12.30pm on the eve of the game and at 7.30pm on Sunday night the landmark building in Albert Square will be lit up in proportion to the number of tweets received for both sides. Those who think United will win should tweet #VMred #DerbyDay and those who believe City will prevail should tweet #VMblue #DerbyDay. The contest, named ‘No Likey, No Lighty’, has already kicked off. |
Cross species organ transplantation has previously not been possible due to the large differences in blood group and tissue between humans and other animals. Human animal chimeras may make cross species organ transplantation possible, but only for future generations. Organs must be carefully matched to donors to prevent antibody mediated transplant rejection. Even with transplants from close relatives, organ recipients must have indefinite immunosuppression treatment to prevent transplant rejection. The non specificity of immunosupression treatments increases susceptibility to infections limiting long term viability. Only a complete genetic match, an identical twin or clone, does not require immunosupression treatment because the immune system recognize the transplant as self. The grafting of stem cells from an animal in a preimmune fetus results in chimerism in which foreign cells are identified as self. Transplanted cells or organs genetically identical to the existing transplanted stem cells are also recognized as self. In chimeric humans, organs from the donor animal could be grafted without immunosuppression treatment improving health and longterm viability. Prenatal grafting of animal stem cells into human fetuses may become common practice for families genetically predisposed to organ failure, but careful implantation of animal cells is necessary to ensure completely human appearance. The establishment of clonal populations of pigs or dogs would ensure genetically compatible organ availability for all chimeric humans. © 2012 by Scientastica |
Fairmont, N.C. —Lyndon McLellan has spent more than a decade running L&M Convenience Mart, a gas station, restaurant and convenience store in rural Fairmont, North Carolina. Then, almost one year ago, agents from the IRS came to the store and announced that they had seized his entire bank account, totaling more than $107,000. Lyndon did nothing wrong, and the IRS has never alleged that he committed a crime—much less charged him with one. Despite this, in December 2014, the IRS and Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil forfeiture complaint in federal court, which, if successful, would allow them to keep Lyndon’s money permanently. The DOJ’s actions came months after the IRS announced a formal policy change prohibiting the agency from using civil forfeiture to take money from law-abiding citizens like Lyndon. Yesterday, the Institute for Justice (IJ), a national public interest law firm leading the fight to end civil forfeiture, filed court documents contesting the IRS’s forfeiture of Lyndon’s money. “This case demonstrates that the federal government’s recent reforms are riddled with loopholes and exceptions and fundamentally fail to protect Americans’ basic rights,” said Institute for Justice Attorney Robert Everett Johnson, who represents Lyndon. “No American should have his property taken by the government without first being convicted of a crime.” In February 2015, during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee, North Carolina Congressman George Holding told IRS Commissioner John Koskinen that he had reviewed Lyndon’s case—without specifically naming it—and that there was no allegation of the kind of illegal activity required by the IRS’s new policy. The IRS Commissioner responded, “If that cases exists, then it’s not following the policy.” Watch the exchange here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16aYGRoswWw When news of the IRS Commissioner’s statement got back to the United States Attorney in charge of Lyndon’s case, he advised Lyndon’s attorney and accountant that he was “concerned” that Lyndon’s case document was provided to Congress, and that: Whoever made [the document] public may serve their own interest but will not help this particular case. Your client needs to resolve this or litigate it. But publicity about it doesn’t help. It just ratchets up feelings in the agency. My offer is to return 50% of the money. The offer is good until March 30th COB. Lyndon is unwilling to give the government a single penny of his hard-earned money. As he puts it, “It took me 13 years to save that much money, and it took fewer than 13 seconds for the government to take it away.” “As Congress is considering civil forfeiture reforms, it is clear that recent policy changes by the IRS and Department of Justice are not enough,” said Institute for Justice Attorney Wesley Hottot, who also represents Lyndon. “Lyndon is not a criminal; he’s a hardworking small business owner whose life has been turned upside down by the IRS and a prosecutor who does not seem to care about new policies designed to protect people like Lyndon. This is exactly why Congress needs to pass new laws to protect property owners.” What the IRS is doing is not just wrong, it is also illegal. IJ has come to the defense of Americans nationwide to fight civil forfeiture, including the owners of the family-run Motel Caswell in Massachusetts , the owner of Marathon Gas in Michigan and a class of property owners in Philadelphia challenging that city’s forfeiture machine. In 2010, IJ published Policing for Profit , the landmark report on civil forfeiture. And in 2014, IJ published Seize First, Question Later, the definitive study on IRS structuring forfeitures. Together with the Institute for Justice, Lyndon is fighting to get his money back. This legal challenge will not only vindicate Lyndon’s rights, but the right of all Americans to be free from arbitrary and unlawful seizure of their private property. |
WHEN a government inspector walked into his estate agency in Barcelona, Angel Centeno knew he had it coming. The severe-looking lady had no interest in buying a house. Instead, she waved a piece of paper and informed Mr Centeno he had been fined €1,000 ($1,130). The 66-year-old businessman had broken Catalonia’s most notorious consumer law: his company sign appeared only in Spanish. Mr Centeno is not the only one to receive this unpleasant surprise from Catalonia’s regional government, the Generalitat. The consumer code’s requirement that businesses publish all public information “at least in Catalan” has been around for more than a decade. Those who insist on writing signs, menus or catalogues only in Spanish can be fined anywhere from hundreds to thousands of euros, depending on company size or the quantity of untranslated language. Rafael Moreno, a furniture retailer who owes €1,260 worth of fines, fears the government will seize the sum from his bank account. But replacing the three-metre Spanish logo at one of his shops with one in Catalan could cost him €18,000. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Civic groups and liberal opposition politicians are increasingly alarmed. As the government’s desire to secede from Spain grows, so does its determination to enforce Catalan as the region’s only official language, says Francisco Caja, president of Convivencia Civica Catalana, an association which offers legal advice on linguistic issues. The multas linguisticas, as the fines are known in Spanish, are rising. In 2014, 57 businesses were fined a total of €51,300. In 2015 the number of businesses rose to 68, and the sum roughly trebled. So far this year nearly a hundred companies have been sanctioned. Citizens can report language culprits anonymously, and many have proven eager. A few years ago a patriotic librarian, Roger Seuba, claimed to have denounced 5,000 companies. Business owners say other citizens take the law into their own hands, smashing shop windows or spray-painting their façades. The Spanish and Catalan languages enjoy co-official status in the region. When reviewing Catalonia’s independence status in 2010, the Constitutional Court of Spain ruled that imposing either language on private enterprises violates the constitution. Yet fines kept being imposed. In February 2016, Catalonia’s superior court of justice banned parts of another language protocol that obliged public servants to initiate and continue all conversations in Catalan. The Catalan government said it would ignore the decision. Anti-secessionist opposition parties are trying to change the laws, but have been stymied by the nationalist coalition of the regional president, Carles Puigdemont. The regional branch of the conservative Popular Party says the language fines violate freedom of expression. In late April, a member of the European Parliament for Catalonia’s liberal Ciudadanos party said the law clashes with European regulations on language diversity. Unsurprisingly, Montserrat Ribera, the director of Catalonia’s consumer agency, disagrees. Language fines enshrine the fundamental right of Catalan consumers to be served in their own tongue, she explains. And they are necessary to help preserve the language. Forcing businesses to translate every public communication into a local language with a few million speakers may widen its appeal for some. For others it has the opposite effect. Since he was fined, Mr Centeno, a Catalan born and bred, refuses to speak in his mother tongue. He demands that all government documents sent to his mailbox be written in Spanish. “Son talibanes!” (“They are Talibans!”) he shouts, in Spanish. In Catalan it would be “Són talibans!” |
Territorial fire crews 'hampered bushfire effort' Updated Territorialism within Victoria's firefighting services has been blamed for blocking urgent resources needed to properly combat the deadly bushfires that have raged across the state. Members of both the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFB) have complained after being told their services were not wanted during the height of the fires. The United Firefighters Union says it has documented the numerous complaints it has received from frustrated firefighters. The union's national secretary, Peter Marshall, says some crews had simply been told to go home by other crews. "I can show you email after email, phone call after phone call that we have logged where you've had professional officers who have been on duty [and] not deployed, or alternatively off duty, they've offered their services and the offer has not been accepted by a relative authority," he said. "We've had complaints not just about the CFA but indeed about the MFB as well. "We've had many emails expressing frustration from professional officers, both who were on duty and indeed the ones who were off duty that had offered their services and they were not utilised. "We don't understand why that has happened, in particular in the context of one of the largest fires, if not the largest fire that the Victorian community has faced, the resources that the community has paid for were not deployed and were not utilised to their full potential." Thousands of homes have been lost and 208 people have been killed in Victoria's bushfires, but Mr Marshall would not speculate on whether infighting amongst fire services may have contributed to the enormity of the tragedy. "It's hard to say," he said. "Simply, when the left hand's not telling the right hand what to do or alternatively the left hand's not talking to the right hand, of course you haven't got the most effective force you can have. "Does that mean you have the most effective firefighting force at the communities' disposal? The answer is no." 'Parochial attitude' Mr Marshall says the problem has stemmed from territorial issues between fire services. "What we've seen historically is a parochial attitude between fire services, irrespective of who the fire service is, in relation to territorial issues," he said. "We say that is just not appropriate, nor is it in the best interest for the community when it comes to large scale emergencies like we have seen. "There has been a number of coronial inquests which have identified problems historically like the one that has been raised by our members at the moment." Parochialism within the services has also led to low morale and Mr Marshall says many union members are frustrated. "These people, their very existence, their working life is to protect the community," he said. "They train enormously for that. Many people sacrifice other careers to go into protecting the community in the fire industry. "It is absolutely morale-shattering when you are not given the opportunity to fulfil the very reason you joined the fire service - and for no good reason." Mr Marshall says the employment of firefighters from interstate and overseas has rubbed salt in the wounds for many. "It's even more moral shattering when these professional people who serve the fire services of Victoria are sitting home not being utilised and they see overseas and interstate troops being brought in," he said. The United Firefighters Union says it is preparing a report for the royal commission into the bushfires. "We say that's a very real issue and we're not just raising it as criticism, we are raising it so there will be a process to ensure it will not happen again," Mr Marshall said. At the time of publication the CFA and the MFB were unavailable for comment. Topics: bushfire, industrial-relations, disasters-and-accidents, fires, vic First posted |
Defensive end Turk McBride was lost for the season in training camp with a torn Achilles tendon, and now the Chicago Bears have decided to release him, per the team's official twitter. McBride's spot on the roster has been taken by fellow defensive end Josh Williams. It was the hope of general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman that McBride could become a contributor on the defense after spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints in his first six years. A former second-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2007 out of the University of Tennessee, McBride hasn't made quite the expected impact. His best season came in 2008, ironically while only playing in nine games, amassing 41 tackles and two fumbles recoveries. In 2010, McBride had five sacks for Detroit and three forced fumbles. More from SB Nation: Follow @SBNFootball • Whose stock is rising and falling after a weekend of camp? • The greatest backup of them all, NFC edition | AFC edition • GIF: Arthur Jones really wants his ice cream • Bears HC Marc Trestman keeps it weird • Complete NFL training camp coverage |
Michael Gove should resign from the cabinet if he briefed the Sun newspaper that the Queen is a staunch Eurosceptic, Tom Watson has said. In a move to flush out the justice secretary as the source of a Sun front-page story that the Queen supports Britain’s exit from the EU, the Labour deputy leader said Gove might be guilty of breaching the privy council’s oath of confidentiality and of involving the Queen in a politically controversial matter. “Surely any member of the privy council who was a source of this story, or whose special adviser or ally was, stands in contempt of his privy council oath and should be removed from office if he won’t honourably resign himself,” Watson said in a Commons urgent question. Tom Watson urges Gove to end speculation over 'Queen backs Brexit' Read more Watson piled the pressure on Gove after the justice secretary failed over the weekend to deny that he was the source of the Sun’s front-page headline last Wednesday which said Queen backs Brexit. The newspaper reported that the Queen had “let rip” at Nick Clegg during a “bust-up” on Europe at a lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011. In a carefully crafted statement, Gove said on Saturday: “I don’t know how the Sun got all its information and I don’t think it’s really worth my adding anything to what’s already been said.” His remarks appeared to be designed to leave open the possibility that he may have been responsible for providing the Sun with some of its information about the Queen’s views on the EU. Under the arcane rules of Commons, Watson was not able to ask a question about the Queen. John Bercow, the Commons speaker, read from the ancient Erskine May rulebook to ensure that Watson asked a narrow question to the Commons leader Chris Grayling on whether the privy council’s rules on confidentiality have been amended during the referendum campaign. Grayling, who is also lord president of the council and one of five cabinet members who have joined Gove in supporting a UK exit from the EU, said the rules had not been changed. He added that the government saw no need for action, beyond a complaint over accuracy by Buckingham Palace to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, because Clegg had dismissed the Sun’s account of a Windsor Castle lunch as nonsense. The leader of the Commons said: “The members of the [privy] council … swear an oath to maintain the confidentiality of these briefings. None of that has changed because of the current circumstances.” First it was the Queen, now Mr Toad has been snared in Brexit | Victoria Coren Mitchell Read more Grayling added: “Last week a national newspaper published a story allegedly based on a conversation that took place at a lunch following a privy council meeting. However, my predecessor, the then lord president [Nick Clegg], has said very clearly that the story was categorically untrue. Buckingham Palace has referred the matter to Ipso. Given all of this, I do not believe that there is any need for further action here.” Watson had earlier warned that Gove might be guilty of breaching the rules of the privy council after issuing a “hardly categoric” statement to distance himself from the Sun story. Labour’s deputy leader told Grayling: “The sovereign’s constitutional impartiality is an established principle of our democracy. It is incumbent on those in political office to ensure that this remains the case. Such a breach would be particularly serious and significant. “If the justice secretary were to have disclosed this information, he would have breached the principle of confidentiality and prayed in aid [of] the monarch in a politically controversial manner. But he would also have undermined his role as the minister responsible for upholding the rule of law. Does the minister therefore agree that the public have a right to know whether or not the justice secretary was a source of this story and please will he now urge his colleague to confirm or deny such allegations?” |
One week remains for campaigns to get the word out about their candidates in this season's Rookie of the Year race, and Chicago, D.C. United and Dallas are doing their best to familiarize voters with the plaforms of Austin Berry, Nick DeLeon and Matt Hedges. Hedges has had a wonderful season, and those videos were certainly clever, but it's essentially a two-man race between former college roommates coming into the final weekend of the 2012 regular season. Berry seems to be leading in the polls, but his fellow Louisville alum DeLeon is making a strong push based on D.C.'s form and climb up the Eastern Conference table. Who will take it? They'll make their final remarks this weekend in Chicago, when they take the field opposite each other with playoff seeding – and perhaps some personal plaudits – on the line. For a more detailed look at Major League Soccer's best young talent, check out MLSsoccer.com's 24 Under 24 series. Who do you think has inside track for Rookie of the Year recognition? Have your say in the comments section below or make your voice heard by voting in the poll to the right! Only MLS regular-season games reflected on schedule and statistics. |
CHICAGO -- A blowout loss would have probably been easier on the Chicago White Sox than their 10-8 12-inning defeat to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. The White Sox understood their win streak was eventually going to come to an end. They all do. But when the White Sox’s nine-game streak was snapped Saturday, there was a real sense of disappointment in the clubhouse afterward; they understood just how attainable a 10th consecutive win was and they had let the game slip from their grasps. Despite Saturday’s defeat, the White Sox have had a memorable few weeks and have apparently turned the corner on their season. Here’s a quick glance back at the White Sox’s past few weeks: • They celebrated and remembered the life of former White Sox pitcher and pre-game instructor Kevin Hickey, who passed away on May 16. His jersey hangs in the White Sox’s dugout during every game. • The White Sox had won nine consecutive games until Saturday’s lose and have won 13 of their last 15 games. • They went from being four games under .500 on May 16 to seven games over it. • They went from third place and 4 ½ games behind the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central to being in first place. Even if the Indians were to win Saturday, the White Sox would stay a 1/2 game ahead in the division. • They hit 22 home runs and scored 80 runs in their last 10 games. • They improved to 13-14 at home and 17-9 on the road. They were 7-13 at home on May 22. • Gordon Beckham came alive. He extended his hitting streak to nine games with three hits on Saturday. He has had 15 hits, three home runs, seven RBIs and 10 runs in those nine games. His average has jumped from .197 on May 17 to .238 on Saturday. • Paul Konerko has cooled off a bit the past few games, but his average flew all the way up to .399 on May 27. His current .366 average is still ranks atop the American League. He also was hit in the eye by a pitch on May 18 and missed two games. • Adam Dunn homered five more times between May 19 and Saturday. He now has 17 home runs on the season. Dayan Viciedo showed off his power during the Sox's nine-game winning streak. Mike DiNovo/US Presswire • Dayan Viciedo is 17-for-38 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and 11 runs over his last nine games. He was hitting .235 on May 23 and is now up to .282. • They swept the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field for the first time since 1999. They also swept the Indians and Tampa Bay Rays. • Rookie Jose Quintana was solid in both of his starts replacing injured John Danks. He picked up his first major league win on May 25. • Addison Reed has secured the closer role. He had four saves between May 18 and Saturday. • A.J. Pierzynski has had 21 hits in his last 59 at-bats with four doubles, a triple, four home runs, 14 RBIs and 15 runs in his last 15 games. His average went from .257 to .291. • Alex Rios is 15-for-44 with three doubles, four home runs, 11 RBIs and 12 runs in his last 10 games. He was batting .285 after Saturday’s game. • Alexei Ramirez had 10 hits and seven RBIs over his last seven games with four multi-hit efforts. • There was of course a little off-the-field entertainment with White Sox television play-by-play commentator Ken “Hawk” Harrelson going off on umpire Mark Wegner after ejecting Quintana from Wednesday’s game. All in all, White Sox manager Robin Ventura felt good about his team’s recent play. “It’s been nice,” Ventura said after Saturday’s loss. “We’ve done a lot of good things, and you know we plan on continuing that. You can’t win every game. We’re in every game. That’s the good news. We plan on being in games from here on out, too.” |
In 1989, the Walt Disney Company discovered that three Hallandale, Florida, day care centers had 5-foot-high likenesses of trademarked Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy painted on their walls, Disney threatened to go to court if the centers did not remove the drawings, but the threat of legal action did not need to be carried out, as the centers replaced the drawings with cartoon characters belonging to Universal Studios Florida and Hanna-Barbera Productions, who volunteered the use of their character art as part of a publicity ploy. Disney demanded that the unauthorized 5-foot-high painted figures of Disney characters on the walls of Very Important Babies Daycare, Good Godmother Daycare, and Temple Messianique (all in Hallandale, Florida) be removed for valid business reasons: the unauthorized commercial use of trademarks must be contested in order to keep those trademarks intact, other Disney character licensees would have grounds to object if Disney provided inexpensive (or free) licenses to the centers (which were, after all, profit-making enterprises); and the use of Disney characters falsely suggested Disney’s affiliation with the day care facilities. Disney had also just dealt competing Universal Studios a severe blow in the theme park business by opening its Disney-MGM Studios park in Orlando, Florida, several months ahead of the completion of Universal Studios’ own Orlando-based studio theme park. Universal, still smarting from the early opening of Disney’s studio-themed park (Universal had been planning such a park in Orlando since 1981 but had been struggling with the financing) and claiming that some of the ideas for Disney’s park had been stolen from them (Universal alleged that Michael Eisner had seen the plans for their park when he worked for Paramount), saw in the day care controversy a way to seize some publicity for themselves and give Disney a bad name in Florida as part of the bargain. |
By Sarah Petit: Apple likes to tout its iPad as magical, and while Apple is of course no stranger to hyperbole, the following story really strikes a chord. The video below profiles Evelyn O’Brien, a woman who has been legally blind for more than 30 years after being diagnosed with Macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a eye disorder that affects the center of a person’s field of vision. Now with the advent of the iPad, given its portability and ability to zoom in real close on pictures, O’Brien for the first time is seeing things – like her kids faces! – that she hasn’t seen in years. iPad gives sight to legally blind woman: wwlp.com Naturally, some folks are wondering why she couldn’t just use a magnifying glass. Addressing that, an optometrist on a Reddit thread chimes in: Magnifying glasses only allow for a certain amount of magnification; the handheld ones can go up to maybe 4x. People with end-stage macular degeneration need things magnified 10-20x. There are low-vision aids available that do the same thing the iPad is — like CCTVs, which have been out for ages — but they’re a lot more expensive (and less portable, and single-purpose) than the iPad is. Here’s the world, indeed. Meanwhile, Windows 7 is helping the elderly with, ahem, intimacy problems. |
Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have demonstrated in Moscow against President Vladimir Putin's rule, four months into his new mandate. A diverse sea of protesters on Saturday filled a central square named after the great Soviet physicist and celebrated dissident Andrei Sakharov. Some 40,000 people turned out for the "March of Millions", according to an estimate by the AFP news agency. The turnout, however, was below the first that Moscow witnessed against Putin in December and had drawn over 100,000. Police and organisers gave vastly different estimates, accusing each other of not knowing how to count. Police said that 14,000 people joined the protest, but organiser and far-left leader Sergei Udaltsov said at least 150,000 had participated. Waving nationalist flags, brandishing placards calling for early elections or wearing T-shirts in support of jailed punk band Pussy Riot, protesters hoped to build on the anger created by fraud-tainted elections and Putin's 12-year grip on power. The protest also tried to put a greater emphasis on social justice. "Power to the millions not to the millionaires!" read one slogan. Split between liberals, nationalists and the extreme left, the anti-Putin opposition has been struggling with its own divisions and accusations it lacks any coherent message beyond hostility to the Kremlin. The most charismatic opposition leader, anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny, told the protesters to prepare for a long haul to challenge Putin and turn up to rallies as if they were going to work. "All that we are asking for is something simply called freedom, nothing more than equality, simply human dignity. "No one will give us freedom except for ourselves. Hope and perseverance will bring us victory," he said to cheers from the crowds. Udaltsov, the leader of the radical Left Front, told the crowds: "We must gradually conquer the streets. We are not leaving!" Controversial expulsion The march was given extra impetus by the expulsion from parliament of anti-Putin deputy, Gennady Gudkov, over alleged conflicting business interests, in what the lawmaker's supporters said was crude revenge for opposing Putin. To some of the biggest cheers of the afternoon, Gudkov warned the authorities that if there was no reform "they will either end up standing in blood, or they will be overthrown". Saturday's rally was also the first mass action since the sentencing of three members of Pussy Riot to two years in prison for an anti-Putin protest in an Orthodox cathedral, which has become a rallying cause for many in the opposition. Protester Anna Roskina, 33, a psychologist, held a banner saying "Freedom for Pussy Riot! Freedom for us all!" Police, who had warned of possible "provocations" at the rally, said 7,000 members of the security forces were deployed to ensure order. The opposition is also enraged over the charging of 16 people, 12 of whom are detained, in a probe into crowd violence at a mass protest on May 6 just ahead of Putin's inauguration as the president. Thousands-strong protests also took place in other major regional centres but relatively weak turnouts again underlined that the protest movement is a Moscow-generated phenomenon. Some 2,500 people turned out for the opposition protest in the second city of Saint Petersburg, an AFP correspondent said, while 800 people rallied in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. But a protest in the Far East city of Vladivostok only mustered around a few dozen people, police and organisers said. |
The Trump presidency has been a boon for dystopian novels, and now a pair of producers are hoping it will have the same effect on Broadway. The British producer Sonia Friedman and the American producer Scott Rudin said on Thursday night that they plan to bring a stage adaptation of “1984,” a George Orwell novel published in 1949, to Broadway starting in June. The adaptation was created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan and has been performed in several countries, starting in Britain, where it was produced by Headlong, Nottingham Playhouse and the Almeida Theater. In a review of a production at the Playhouse Theater in the West End in 2014, Ben Brantley, the chief theater critic of The New York Times, described it as “willfully assaultive.” Last year it was performed at theaters in the U.S., including at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Calif., at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., and at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington. In New York, the play is scheduled to open on June 22 at the Hudson Theater. That timing will make it part of the 2017-18 Broadway season; it would be eligible for the Tony Awards next year. Casting has not yet been announced. |
Trump casts doubt on Cruz’s eligibility for the presidency on the basis that he was born in Canada, echoing his earlier false claim that Obama was born in Kenya Donald Trump cast doubt on Republican candidate Ted Cruz’s eligibility for the presidency on Tuesday, on the basis that he may not be a natural-born US citizen. In an interview with the Washington Post, Trump said the fact that Cruz was born in Canada was a “very precarious one for Republicans because he’d be running and the courts may take a long time to make a decision. You don’t want to be running and have that kind of thing over your head.” The Republican frontrunner went on to claim a “lot of people are talking about … the fact that he was born in Canada and he has had a double passport.” Cruz, whose campaign declined to comment, was born in Calgary in 1971. Although his father Rafael was not an American citizen at the time, his Delaware-born mother, Eleanor, was. Article II of the US constitution requires that “no person except a natural born Citizen … shall be eligible to the Office of President.” However, legal scholars have long interpreted natural born citizen to refer to whether someone acquired their citizenship at birth, not the geographic location where they were born. As a result, Cruz, who was a citizen at birth, is a natural born citizen. Cruz has been reluctant to directly engage Trump during the Republican debate season, however this episode did prompt a feisty tweet from the senator from Texas. He posted as his response “@realDonaldTrump calling into question my natural-born citizenship,” with a YouTube clip of the character Fonzie from Happy Days “jumping the shark”. This moment was seen as an irreversible downward turn for the show’s quality and has spawned the phrase “jumping the shark” for the moment when a once-successful product permanently goes wrong. Cruz declined to go beyond that tweet in a gaggle with reporters in Iowa on Tuesday. “I am going to stick with Fonzie jumping the shark,” he said. The senator added: “I like Donald Trump. I like everyone.” Cruz was asked at a November campaign stop in Chariton, Iowa, about the circumstances of his birth. Cruz said: “As a legal matter it is plain as day that a child of a US citizen born abroad is a natural born citizen. So will people raise this for political mischief? Sure, it’s politics, that’s what they do, but as a legal matter … it’s quite straightforward and I don’t believe there is any impediment whatsoever.” Trump, who was one of the most vocal “birthers” pushing the false claim that Barack Obama was born in Kenya – which incidentally would still have made him a natural born citizen – has questioned Cruz’s citizenship in the past. In 2013, he told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl that the Texas senator might not be eligible to be president. “If he was born in Canada, then perhaps not. That will be ironed out. I don’t know the circumstances. If he says he was born in Canada, that’s his thing.” A few Democrats have also questioned Cruz’s citizenship. Florida congressman Alan Grayson called Cruz “a Canadian” in 2014 and said he was not eligible to serve in the White House. |
WASHINGTON—Fourteen million Americans would lose coverage next year under House Republican legislation remaking the nation’s health care system, and the number would balloon to 24 million by 2026, Congress’ budget analysts projected Monday. Their report deals a stiff blow to a GOP drive already under fire from both parties and large segments of the medical industry. The Congressional Budget Office report undercuts a central argument President Donald Trump and Republicans have cited for swiftly rolling back the 2010 health care overhaul: that the insurance markets created under that statute are “a disaster” and about to implode. The congressional experts said that largely would not be the case, that the market for individual policies “would probably be stable in most areas under either current law or the (GOP) legislation.” HHS Secretary Tom Price told reporters Monday that he disagrees "strenuously" with a new report by the Congressional Budget Office estimating 14 million people would lose health insurance under House Republican legislation replacing Obamaca The report also flies in the face of Trump’s talk of “insurance for everybody,” which he stated in January. He has since embraced a less expansive goal — to “increase access” — advanced by House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans. Read the latest on U.S. President Donald Trump Health secretary Tom Price told reporters at the White House the report was “simply wrong” and that he disagreed “strenuously,” saying it omitted the impact of additional GOP legislation and regulatory changes that the Trump administration plans for the future. Article Continued Below In a signal of trouble, Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., leader of a large group of House conservatives, said the report “does little to alleviate” concerns about the bill including tax credits considered too costly. Still, the budget office’s estimates provide a detailed, credible appraisal of the Republican effort to unravel former President Barack Obama’s 2010 overhaul. The office has a four-decade history of even-handedness and is currently headed by an appointee recommended by Price when he was a congressman. Trump has repeatedly attacked the agency’s credibility, citing its significant underestimate of the number of people who would buy insurance on state and federal exchanges under “Obamacare.” On the plus side for Republicans, the budget office said the GOP measure would reduce federal deficits by $337 billion over the coming decade. That’s largely because it would cut the federal-state Medicaid program for low-income Americans and eliminate subsidies that Obama’s law provides to millions of people who buy coverage. It also said that while the legislation would push premiums upward before 2020 by an average of 15 to 20 per cent compared to current law, premiums would move lower after that. By 2026, average premiums for individuals would be 10 per cent lower than under Obama’s statute, it said. The GOP bill would obliterate the tax penalties Obama’s law imposes on people who don’t buy coverage, and it would eliminate the federal subsidies reflecting peoples’ income and premium costs for millions. U.S. President Donald Trump attends a meeting on healthcare in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Monday. Nonpartisan analysts project that 14 million people would lose coverage next year under the House bill dismantling former U.S. president Barack Obama’s health care law ( GETTY IMAGES ) It instead would provide tax credits based largely on recipients’ ages, let insurers charge more for older people and boost premiums for those who let coverage lapse. It would phase out Obama’s expansion of Medicaid to 11 million additional low earners, cap federal spending for the entire program, repeal taxes the statute imposes and halt federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year. Administration officials took strong issue with the budget office’s projections of lost coverage. Article Continued Below “We believe that our plan will cover more individuals and at a lower cost and give them the choices that they want,” Price said. And House Speaker Ryan said in a statement the GOP legislation “is not about forcing people to buy expensive, one-size-fits-all coverage. It is about giving people more choices and better access to a plan they want and can afford.” In fact, on the Fox News Channel, he said the CBO report “exceeded my expectations.” Not in a good way, Democrats said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the projections show “just how empty the president’s promises, that everyone will be covered and costs will go down, have been..” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer reacted to the Congressional Budget Office Report on the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Pelosi called the plan's coverage "immoral." “I hope they would pull the bill. It’s really the only decent thing to do,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. The American Medical Association, which has opposed the Republican bill because it would reduce coverage, said the report shows the legislation would cause “unacceptable” consequences. Read more: White House casts doubt on CBO ahead of Affordable Care Act repeal Poor people ‘just don’t want health care,’ says Republican congressman Republicans unveil their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare Two House committees approved the legislation last week, and Ryan wants to bring it to the full House next week. Though many Republicans back the bill, conservatives say it doesn’t go far enough in repealing Obama’s law while moderates whose states used the statute to expand Medicaid don’t want people losing coverage. GOP leaders hope the Senate will consider the measure before breaking for an early April recess. Opposition from both ends of the Republican spectrum in that chamber suggests senators might demand significant changes. The budget office attributed projected increases in uninsured Americans to the GOP bill’s elimination of tax penalties for people who don’t buy insurance, to reduced federal subsidies for many people who buy policies and to the reductions in Medicaid. By 2026, the office estimated, a total of 52 million people would lack insurance, including 28 million expected to lack coverage under Obama’s statute. Even though Republican tax credits would be less generous than those under Obama’s law, the combination of those credits and other changes to lower premiums would attract enough healthy people to stabilize markets under the new plan, the report said. The budget office sees federal spending on Medicaid declining by $880 billion over the coming decade — about 25 per cent lower than current projections. That would push about 14 million low-income people off the federal-state program. Though average premiums are ultimately expected to fall, that would vary for people of different ages because compared to Obama’s law Republicans would let older people be charged more. The report estimates that individuals’ out-of-pocket costs under the GOP bill “would tend to be higher than those anticipated under current law.” That runs counter to another claim from the president, that his health care plan would offer “much lower deductibles.” CBO had predicted that 23 million people would be enrolled under Obama’s law, but the number proved to be about 12 million — largely because CBO overestimated the extent to which the individual mandate would prompt them to buy coverage. Read more about: |
Combined with permission to operate 24/7, and the imminent death of drinking permits, this may just save Mumbai’s life after work.The state government on Monday took yet another step to revitalise Mumbai’s night-life by reducing from 38 to 19 the number of licences, permits, NOCs and registrations required to open a new restaurant.The decision was taken at meeting chaired by Chief Secretary J K Banthia at Mantralaya in the presence of all department heads concerned with issuing these licenses.A final decision will be taken on Friday when the chief secretary will meet the same set of bureaucrats again. He will then discuss the matter with the chief minister and his cabinet.Of the 38 licenses, eight will discontinued and eleven would be combined. The licences and permits that would be discontinued are:♦ Licence for rolling shutters♦ Medical certificates for employees♦ Permit room licence♦ Pollution NOC♦ Police registration certificate♦ Live orchestra/performance♦ Permit for chimney♦ DJ licence from policeSeveral other licences and permits will be combined to clear the clutter. For instance, there will be now a combined licence for signages, neon signs and stall boards.Restaurant owners believe that fewer licences would not only encourage investment into new restaurants, but also make it easier to run one. Ashok Dattwani, the owner of Big Nasty night club, said he hopes this indicates that the government is finally willing to recognise the restaurant business as an industry. “This move will definitely work in our favour when the industry is going through its worst time. More and more people will now think of entering our industry.”Already, two vital moves have been made to give Mumbai’s night-life its mojo back. One, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation recently wrote to the state government recommending that restaurants and night clubs be allowed to remained open 24X7. Currently, restaurants cannot remain open beyond 1.30 am.Two, process has been initiated to rid Mumbai of drinking permits. A remnant of Raj, anyone consuming alcohol in the city needs to carry this permit. While this permit’s use for law enforcement agencies is fuzzy, it’s a big tool in a corrupt cop’s harassment armoury.Sudheer Behl, who owns Khyber restaurant in Fort, said that restaurant regulations and licensing is in such a mess that any change would be good. “Over-policing and over-regulation has destroyed the industry. The move to cut the number of licences required to open a restaurant will certainly help,” he said.Mohini Chabbria, who owns Mangiamo Pub in Bandra, said Mumbai’s nightlife is nearly dead. “People are more interested in house parties. This is an excellent move made by the government. We hope nightclubs will be allowed to remain open till wee hours,” she said. |
Vehicles are ranked by city miles per gallon (MPG), followed by highway MPG based on the EPA’s Fuel Economy Guide. Each model is on this top only once. Number 1. Toyota Prius City MPG- 60 Hwy MPG- 51 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.5 liter, Automatic (CVT) Toyota Prius Number 2. Honda Civic Hybrid City MPG- 49 Hwy MPG- 51 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.3 liter, Automatic (CVT) Honda Civic Hybrid Number 3. Toyota Camry Hybrid City MPG- 40 Hwy MPG- 38 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- 4 cyl, 2.4 liter, Automatic (CVT) Toyota Camry Hybrid Number 4. Ford Escape Hybrid City MPG- 36 Hwy MPG- 31 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- FWD, 4 cyl, 2.3 liter, Automatic (CVT) Ford Escape Hybrid Number 5. Toyota Yaris City MPG- 34 Hwy MPG- 40 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.5 liter, Man (5) Toyota Yaris Number 6. Honda Fit City MPG- 33 Hwy MPG- 38 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.5 liter, Man (5) Honda Fit Number 7. Toyota Corolla City MPG- 32 Hwy MPG- 41 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.8 liter, Man (5) Toyota Corolla Number 8. Hyundai Accent City MPG- 32 Hwy MPG- 35 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.6 liter, Man (5), I4 Hyundai Accent Number 9. Kia Rio City MPG- 36 Hwy MPG- 31 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 4 cyl, 1.6 liter, Man (5) Kia Rio Number 10(1). Mercury Mariner Hybrid City MPG- 32 Hwy MPG- 29 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- 4WD, 4 cyl, 2.3 liter, Automatic (CVT) Mercury Mariner Hybrid Number 10(2). Toyota Highlander Hybrid City MPG- 32 Hwy MPG- 27 Fuel- Regular/ Hybrid Specifications- 2WD, 4 cyl, 2.3 liter, Automatic (CVT) Toyota Highlander Hybrid Number 10(3). Lexus RX 400h City MPG- 32 Hwy MPG- 29 Fuel- Regular Specifications- 2WD, 4 cyl, 2.3 liter, Automatic (CVT) Lexus RX 400h Tags: cars, top cars, fuel efficient, Toyota, Lexus, Kia, Honda, Ford, Mercury You may be interested in: |
Heather Marie Padilla and Natthan Shane Randall are both charged with credit card abuse, a state jail felony. (Photos courtesy: Williamson County Sheriff's Office) Police say a Georgetown gas station clerk gave a credit card a customer had forgotten to her boyfriend so he could make fraudulent purchases -- and court documents say the signature he used on the receipts was "Chicken Sandwich." According to the arrest affidavits, Heather Marie Padilla and Natthan Shane Randall are both charged with credit card abuse, a state jail felony. It happened at a Tetco located at 1015 Leander Road in Georgetown. On May 3, investigators say a customer made a purchase using the card but failed to pick it up after his transaction was completed. Surveillance video showed Padilla take the card and place it behind the register. Police say Padilla then gave the card to her boyfriend Natthan Randall, who made two purchases at the same store the next day -- using the signature "Chicken Sandwich" on the receipts. Padilla and Randall were both identified by the Tetco store manager. The fraudulent charges on the card totaled almost $300, court documents say. |
HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that total global production of the Mazda6 (known as Mazda Atenza in Japan) reached three million units*1 at the end of November 2014. The milestone figure was reached in approximately 12 years and nine months after production of the first-generation Mazda6 began in February 2002 at Hofu Plant No. 2 in Yamaguchi, Japan. It is the second fastest time for a Mazda model to reach three million units of production, following the Mazda3 (Mazda Axela in Japan). Since the first generation, the Mazda6 has stayed true to its original aim of offering driving pleasure, and along with Mazda's Zoom-Zoom brand message has been leading the company's product lineup since its introduction. The model is currently produced at Hofu Plant in Japan and FAW Car Co. Ltd. in China. Additionally, it is assembled locally at MAZDA SOLLERS Manufacturing Rus in Russia and Vina Mazda Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Vietnam. Mazda6/Mazda Atenza (Japanese specification model) The current, third generation Mazda6 was fully redesigned in 2012. Adopting the full range of SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and the KODO-Soul of Motion design theme, it became the second model to join Mazda's new generation line-up. The redesigned model has received high praise in markets all over the world. Including being named 2014 RJC Car of the Year in Japan and nominated as a finalist for 2013 World Car Design of the Year, it has claimed over 40 different awards globally.*2 An updated Mazda6 will be rolled out to global markets from January 2015, with launches starting from Japan and USA. Adopting Mazda's latest ideas and technologies, the updated model offers new levels of depth and maturity. It features a more refined design expression, enhanced dynamic performance for a more comfortable, higher-quality ride, the Mazda Connect new-generation car connectivity system*3 and i-ACTIVSENSE advanced safety technologies.*4 Moving forward, Mazda will continue to develop products which offer all customers driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance, with an aim of enriching people's lives and becoming a brand that builds a special bond with its customers. *1 1st generation: 1,945,850 units; 2nd generation: 718,882 units; 3rd generation: 335,773 units. Total: 3,000,505 units Total: 3,000,505 units *2 As of end of October 2014. Based on Mazda data. *3 The name Mazda Connect is used in Japan, US, Canada and Mexico. The system is referred to as MZD Connect in other markets. *4 Available features vary by country or region. |
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