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Harry Reid Desperately Accuses Trump And FBI Of Violating The Hatch Act | 0 comments
During his final few months in the Senate, senile old Harry Reid has saved his most insane accusation for last.
He is accusing the FBI Director of treason due to his announcement that the department is searching additional documents that could provide information related to the Hillary Clinton email probe.
What a loony.
In a last ditch effort to save dirty Clinton, Reid accused the FBI chief of violating the Hatch Act, in other words, acting with political motives as a government official. Reid concluded that the FBI director violated this act by sending his letter to Congress days before Election Day.
Reid stated that according to CBS News ,“Your actions in recent months have demonstrated a disturbing double standard for the treatment of sensitive information, with what appears to be a clear intent to aid one political party over another,” Then he added that that through Comey’s “partisan actions, you may have broken the law.” Harry Reid: FBI Director Comey’s ‘Partisan Actions’ May Violate Federal Law – Letter: pic.twitter.com/agXy4D1igh
— Ryan Ruggiero (@RyanRuggiero) October 30, 2016
Violations of the Hatch Act are a serious offense (you might recall this, because numerous Obama Administration officials have been accused of violating the federal law with zero action taken against them.
“[Y]our highly selective approach to publicizing information, along with your timing, was intended for the success or failure of a partisan candidate or political group,” Reid wrote.
In providing examples of what he claims are a violation of the Hatch Act, Reid pointed to the “selective approach:” Comey’s refusal to of investigate Trump and his possible campaign ties to the Russian government.
“In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government – a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States, which Trump praises at every opportunity,” he said. “I wrote to you months ago calling for this information to be released to the public… and yet, you continue to resist calls to inform the public of this critical information.”
“You’re rushed to take this step eleven days before a presidential election, despite the fact that for all you know, the information you possess could be entirely duplicative of the information you already examined which exonerated Secretary Clinton,” he said.
The Hatch Act is a federal law that was passed in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to limit federal agencies or its employees from interfering with political activities or federally funded programs.
This means federal employees can’t hold fund-raisers for politicians or receive donations, but they can vote for or against candidates running in an election, the law states.
Reid ended the letter reminding the director that he used to be a supporter of Comey’s – even when Republicans filibustered his nomination as FBI chief: “I led the fight to get you confirmed because I believed you to be a principled public servant,” Reid concluded. “With the deepest regret, I now see that I was wrong.”
In all actuality, Comey told Congress that even though he wasn’t “closing the case” in the FBI probe of Hillary’s emails, he was still ending the investigation.
Ironically can you imagine if he hadn’t sent the letter? With the recent revelations, had he not sent a letter to Congress, he would have been blamed for attempting to lie to Congress and cover-up further investigation. As it stands, by sending the letter, he is simply accused of partisanship by sending the letter.
I’d say he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.
I little suspicion that Comey has a backbone MUCH stronger than Harry Reid or any of his spineless Democratic accusers now.
What an act of desperation on the Democrats part. Hillary is doing nothing but grasping at straws, whether or not anything comes of this new investigation before the election, we’ll see, but to actually accuse Comey of treason, is utter idiocy. Related Items | 1real |
Peter Doig Says He Didn’t Paint This. Now He Has to Prove It. - The New York Times | O. K. Peter Doig may have tried LSD a few times when he was growing up in Canada during the 1970s. But he still knows, he said, when a painting is or isn’t his. So when Mr. Doig, whose eerie, magical landscapes have made him one of the world’s most popular artists, was sent a photograph of a canvas he said he didn’t recognize, he disavowed it. “I said, ‘Nice painting,’” he recalled in an interview. “‘Not by me. ’” The owner, however, disagreed and sued him, setting up one of the stranger art authentication cases in recent history. The owner, a former corrections officer who said he knew Mr. Doig while working in a Canadian detention facility, said the famous painter indeed created the work as a youthful inmate there. His suit contends that Mr. Doig is either confused or lying and that his denials blew up a plan to sell the work for millions of dollars. But Mr. Doig, 57, has compelling evidence he was never near the facility, the Thunder Bay Correctional Center, about 15 hours north of Toronto. “This case is a scam, and I’m being forced to jump through hoops to prove my whereabouts over 40 years ago,” he said. To Mr. Doig’s surprise, though — and the astonishment of others in the art world — a federal judge in Chicago has set the case for trial next month at United States District Court for Northern Illinois. Art law experts say they can’t recall anything like it, certainly not for a major artist like Mr. Doig. “To have to disprove that you created a work seems somehow wrong and not fair,” said Amy M. Adler, a professor at New York University Law School. The stakes are high as well. A Doig painting has sold for more than $25 million. Other works have routinely sold at auction for as much as $10 million. The plaintiffs, who include the correction officer and the art dealer who agreed to help him sell the work, are suing the painter for at least $5 million in damages and seek a court declaration that it is authentic. They have focused on what they say is a hole in Mr. Doig’s teenage years in Canada when, they assert, he cannot fully account for where he was or what he was doing. “Every artist has destroyed work,” said William F. Zieske, the lawyer for the painting’s owner and the art dealer. “We can’t really get into his mind and say why he looked at this painting and said, ‘I am not going to own that.’ I don’t think anyone can. ” Disputes about authenticity, a vexatious topic in the art world, tend to center on the works of dead artists. Legal claims, when they arise, are usually made against experts who have doubted the art’s veracity, and not against the artist. But Mr. Doig is not the first artist to deny having created a work and still be challenged. Picasso denied painting a work attributed to him, “Erotic Scene” (known as “La Douleur,” or “The Pain”). (The Metropolitan Museum, which was given it, however, did some research and thinks it’s clearly his.) Similarly, Gilbert Stuart denied having painted the portrait of George Washington that hangs in the East Room of the White House. The White House says it’s his. Neither man, however, was sued for rejecting the work. When artists have been sued, it has been in cases in which they disavowed works because they said they had been altered. In 2012, for example, a collector sued Cady Noland, an American conceptual sculptor, after she disavowed a work, “Cowboys Milking,” because, she said, it had been damaged. In her defense, Ms. Noland invoked a 1990 law called the Visual Artists Rights Act. It gives artists powers to, among other things, prevent their names from being used on works that have been mutilated or distorted. The retired corrections officer, Robert Fletcher, 62, said he bought the painting for $100 from a man named Pete Doige (spelled with an e) whom he met in 1975 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The young man he knew was taking art classes at a local college, Lakehead University, and said he was, like Mr. Doig, from Scotland. After the man was incarcerated on an LSD charge at a prison farm where Mr. Fletcher worked, Mr. Fletcher saw the young artist create the painting, an untitled acrylic canvas of a rocky desert scene. The painting is signed “Pete Doige 76. ” “I am 100 percent convinced that this is the man and that this is the painting I own,” Mr. Fletcher said in an interview. He became the young man’s parole officer and also helped him find a job through the Seafarers International Union. He said he bought the painting because he feared Mr. Doige might go back to selling drugs. About five years ago, a friend noticed the painting on Mr. Fletcher’s wall and told him it was by a famous artist. When Mr. Fletcher pulled up a video and watched Mr. Doig speaking at a college, he said, he recognized his facial expressions and mannerisms, and now feels let down by someone he believes he helped, and wants to be proved right. Mr. Fletcher, who lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, consigned it to a gallery in Chicago on the recommendation of his brother, who lives there. The gallery, run by Peter Bartlow, contacted an auctioneer, hoping no doubt for a payday similar to those achieved by several recent Doig sales. Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Bartlow said the painting contains many similarities to Mr. Doig’s undisputed works, such as a horizontal striped landscape, a body of water, logs protruding from a lake, even white lichen on the trees. A Sotheby’s specialist, to whom they sent an image of the picture, said it was “rare to see such a complete and highly resolved early painting by Doig” and said it had Mr. Doig’s “trademark eeriness of the empty landscape,” though she later said she never inspected it firsthand and did not authenticate it, according to court papers. “There are so many of defendant Doig’s commonly used techniques and elements in the disputed work that it could be the most typical of all of his works,” Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Bartlow say in court papers. Mr. Doig, however, said they are taking advantage of the similarity in two people’s names so as to profit from a tale. Yes, he grew up in Canada before attending art school in England. But in 1976 he was only 16 or 17, and lived in Toronto. He has never been to Thunder Bay, he said, and was never incarcerated. He denies there are similarities to his own works. “I did not begin to paint on canvas until late 1979. (Before that, I had done some pencil and ink drawings on paper),” he said in court papers. Never to this day, he said in an interview, has he used acrylic paint on canvas. “If I had painted that painting when I was 16, I would admit it. ” Mr. Doig and his lawyers say they have identified the real artist, a man named Peter Edward Doige. He died in 2012, but his sister said he had attended Lakehead University, served time in Thunder Bay and painted. “I believe that Mr. Fletcher is mistaken and that he actually met my brother, Peter, who I believe did this painting,” the sister, Marilyn Doige Bovard, said in a court declaration. She said the work’s desert scene appeared to show the area in Arizona where her mother moved after a divorce and where her brother spent some time. She recognized, she said, the saguaro cactus in the painting. The prison’s former art teacher recognized a photograph of Ms. Bovard’s brother as a man who had been in his class and said he had watched him paint the painting, according to the teacher’s affidavit. Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Bartlow have no record of Mr. Doig being imprisoned in Thunder Bay, but they said that’s because he was a minor and his records were probably expunged, or paperwork was just lost. (In June, The New York Times asked the Ontario authorities to search their records in an effort to come up with conclusive evidence. They were able to easily search only records going back as far as 1985 a deeper search would take more than six weeks.) Mr. Doig plans to present his own set of records, school documents, correspondence, photos and testimony to demonstrate, he said, that he never attended Lakehead University and that during the months in 1975 and 1976, when he is said to have created the painting, he actually was in Toronto or working on oil rigs in western Canada or traveling outside the country. He asked the judge to dismiss the case, arguing that he should not be tried in Illinois. But Judge Gary Feinerman of United States District Court decided in April this was a dispute that could be resolved only at trial. “The presence of the Lakehead and the Seafarers records for Doige, but not for Doig, certainly favors Doig,” Judge Feinerman said in his decision. “There is no doubt about that. But it’s not strong enough evidence, given all of the evidence in the record,” the judge said, to eliminate any chance that Doig “was not the person at Thunder Bay who was the author of the painting. ” Mr. Bartlow said that, at first, he thought Mr. Doig disowned the painting because he was embarrassed by that period in his life. But Mr. Doig has never denied his association with past drug use. Some of his paintings have been inspired, in part, by LSD. Now, Mr. Bartlow said he thinks the artist refuses to acknowledge the painting because it shows he has been using similar formulaic compositions for four decades. Mr. Bartlow has made dozens of videos to demonstrate his case, some posted on YouTube. He financed some of the costs of bringing suit by soliciting contributions from about six or seven private contacts, with whom he promised to share some of any payouts. “There is no question that Peter Doig painted the painting,” he said. “You see the outline of our painting in his other works. ” Both sides plan to call experts to debate this point. The process is a stressful distraction for an artist at the peak of his talents, said Gordon VeneKlasen, Mr. Doig’s dealer at Michael Werner Gallery in New York. “This has become about much more than Peter’s painting,” Mr. VeneKlasen said. “It’s about authorship. It’s about being forced to put your name on another artist’s work. ” In a statement, he went further: “In our case, the artist and dealer have the resources to carry on this fight, but I wonder about all the artists who might not. Do they simply acquiesce and let inauthentic works into the market if they are the product of a similar attempt at bullying and rampant greed?” To win, art lawyers say, Mr. Fletcher and his advisers will have to persuade the judge that the painting is real. But even if the court favors Mr. Fletcher, it could be a hollow victory. Since the artist himself and the dealer who represents him say it’s not a Doig, the art market is unlikely to assign much value to it, art experts said. A decision against Mr. Doig, and any costly award for damages, would nevertheless probably send a shock wave through the art world. “It would,” said Nicholas M. O’Donnell, a Boston art lawyer who has no role in the case, “put all artists in the cross hairs. ” | 0fake |
TRUMP FALSELY ACCUSED OF ENCOURAGING Police to Racially Profile by Biased CNN! | What Trump actually said was: Our police are amazing. Our local police they know who a lot of these people are. They are afraid to do anything about it because they don t want to be accused of profiling and they don t want to be accused of all sorts of things. You know, in Israel they profile. They ve done an unbelievable job, as good as you can do. But Israel has done an unbelievable job, and they ll profile. They see somebody that s suspicious, they will profile. They will take that person and they ll check out. Do we have a choice? Look what s going on. Do we really have a choice? We re trying to be so politically correct in our country. And this is only going to get worse. The above screenshot shows the contradiction. CNN indicates that Trump is supporting racial profiling, while they go on to show his exact quote where he does not state racial .H/T [ Breaking 911 ] | 1real |
One Robber’s 3 Life Sentences: ’90s Legacy Fills Prisons Today - The New York Times | BURKEVILLE, Va. — Lenny Singleton is the first to admit that he deserved an extended stay behind bars. To fuel his crack habit back in 1995, he walked into 13 stores over eight days and either distracted a clerk or pretended to have a concealed gun before stealing from the cash register. One time, he was armed with a knife with a blade that he had brought from his kitchen. Mr. Singleton, 28 at the time, was charged with robbery and accepted a plea deal, fully expecting to receive a long jail sentence. But a confluence of factors worked against him, including the particularly judge who sentenced him and the ethos of the time against users of crack cocaine. His sentence was very long: two life sentences. And another 100 years. And no possibility for parole. There is a growing consensus that the criminal justice system has incarcerated too many Americans for too many years, with liberals and conservatives alike denouncing the economic and social costs of holding 2. 2 million people in the nation’s prisons and jails. And Congress is currently debating a criminal justice bill that, among other provisions, would reduce mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders. But a divide has opened within the reform movement over how to address prisoners who have been convicted of violent crimes, including people like Mr. Singleton, who threatened shop owners but did not harm anyone. Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union favor a swift 50 percent reduction in prison populations, while conservative prison reform organizations like Right on Crime prioritize the release of nonviolent offenders and worry that releasing others could backfire and reduce public support. Nonviolent drug offenders make up only about 17 percent of all state prison inmates around the nation, while violent offenders make up more than 50 percent, according to federal data. As the prison population has increased sharply over the past 30 years, so too has the number of those sentenced to life. Mr. Singleton is among nearly 160, 000 prisoners serving life sentences — roughly the population of Eugene, Ore. The number of such inmates has more than quadrupled since 1984, and now about one in nine prison inmates is serving a life term, federal data shows. “People are celebrating the stabilization of the prison population in recent years, but the scale of mass incarceration is so substantial that meaningful reduction is not going to happen by tinkering around the edges,” said Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project, a nonprofit that advocates changes in sentencing policy. The United States, which has about 4. 4 percent of the world’s population, holds 22 percent of its prisoners, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies, a research organization based in England. Mr. Singleton’s prison term, which makes it likely that he will die behind bars, attracted little attention in 1996. It was common then for judges in Virginia and the rest of the country to impose long prison terms for crimes. Still, even prosecutors who were active during that period say Mr. Singleton’s sentence seemed unduly harsh for crimes in which no one was hurt. “Crack cocaine scared the hell out of a lot of people,” said William G. Broaddus, a former Virginia attorney general who is now in private practice and had no role in the case. “It’s disappointing there wasn’t more consideration as to why this man did this. Do we really want to keep him in jail for the rest of his life? Having said that, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that this judge meted out the sentence that he did. ” William F. Rutherford, the judge who sentenced Mr. Singleton, has been retired for years. During a recent series of interviews, he said he had no recollection of the case, but after he reviewed Mr. Singleton’s court files, he said he had no regrets about how he handled it. “Under the circumstances,” he said, “it would not be unusual for me to give out that kind of sentence. ” Mr. Rutherford, who turned 89 in June, was known in Norfolk, Va. legal circles for his tough sentences, and he acknowledged that he was an intimidating presence on the bench. “I’m a guy and I wouldn’t take any crap off of defense lawyers or anybody,” he said. “The people in jail did not like coming into Courtroom No. 7. ” D. J. Hansen, the prosecutor in Mr. Singleton’s case, said Mr. Rutherford “had a reputation for being one of the tougher judges” in the courthouse. Mr. Hansen, who is now a deputy commonwealth’s attorney in Chesapeake, Va. added that “Virginia is a hard state” when it comes to doling out punishments, and pointed out that he sought a life sentence for Mr. Singleton because of the serious nature of the robberies. When compared with recent cases, Mr. Singleton’s sentence appears to be disproportionately harsh. The maximum penalty for murder in Virginia is 40 years, and people convicted in recent months of attempted murder and similar crimes have received sentences far shorter than Mr. Singleton’s. For example, Tamar Harris, 21, who shot and wounded a police officer, was sentenced in April to 23 years in prison, and Jermaine Rogers, 30, of Norfolk, who pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder, was sentenced in March to 10 years. Mr. Singleton, 49, who is called “Pops” by other inmates here at the Nottoway Correctional Center in central Virginia, has largely forgotten the details of his weeklong crime spree. Unlike many of his fellow inmates, he does not claim he is innocent. He recalled in an interview that before each robbery, he would smoke crack and drink a of beer. In all, he got about $500. “After I sobered up, I couldn’t believe what I had done,” he said. “I was like, ‘Damn, Lenny, what the hell? ’” Mr. Singleton played football at Langston University, the historically black college in Oklahoma from which he graduated, and later joined the Navy, but was kicked out for using drugs. In prison, he has attended substance abuse classes and become a devoted reader of books from the prison library. He works in a furniture plant at the prison and earns 80 cents an hour building furniture used in Virginia’s universities. But a percentage of his pay is subtracted for court costs and fines, and he still owes the state $1, 800. Last year, he married a high school classmate, Vandy, with whom he had lost touch. They recently compiled a book of their letters detailing his incarceration and her battles with cancer. Mr. Singleton, who prison officials acknowledge has never committed an infraction behind bars, has filed for a conditional pardon with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, saying in part that his lawyer failed to adequately represent him. Mr. Singleton said he had been unaware that he could be sentenced to life in prison until he had already pleaded guilty. His lawyer at that time, Jon M. Babineau, said he was legally prohibited from discussing Mr. Singleton’s case because of Virginia’s privilege laws, but said he had done his best to represent his client. In a prison administrative office on a recent morning, Mr. Singleton said he had seen inmates convicted of murder and rape come and go, and was hopeful that he would not die in prison. “I was out of my mind on drugs, but I wasn’t going to hurt anybody,” he said. “I was just after the money. ” | 0fake |
Internationally-backed Libyan forces attack Daesh positions in Sirte | Fighters loyal to Libya’s UN-backed government guard a look-out point in the city of Sirte, east of Tripoli, as they try to clear the last remaining Daesh terrorists from the al-Jiza al-Bahriya neighborhood, October 26, 2016. (Photo by AFP)
Libyan forces have launched a fresh offensive against Daesh positions in the Mediterranean port city of Sirte.
On Thursday, fighters from the nearby city of Misrata, allied with forces of the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, were pushing their way through the last pockets of resistance in the city’s Ghiza Bahriya District.
They were supported by tanks and armored vehicles during the renewed offensive.
“Bonyan Marsous forces and the Libyan army forces are advancing onto Ghiza Bahriya to free it ... The Bonyan [forces] have been advancing in Ghiza Bahriya and thank God there have been no causalities so far, there are only some wounded," said Hussien Edra, a member of the Bonyan Marsous Brigade.
In May, the internationally-backed pro-government troops started a large-scale military operation, including street-by-street fighting backed by heavy airstrikes and artillery fire, to eradicate Daesh militants in Sirte. They have so far recaptured most areas in the city.
Most of Daesh commanders in the city fled to other places and the remaining rank has been holding out via sniper fire, booby traps and car bombs.
Sirte is the only key base of the Takfiri militant group outside Iraq and Syria. Members of the forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed government gather in the coastal city of Sirte, east of the capital Tripoli, during their military operation against Daesh, on October 14, 2016.(Photo by AFP)
The city fell into the hands of Daesh Takfiri militants more than a year ago after the group extended their reach into North Africa by taking advantage of the chaos gripping Libya.
The North African country has witnessed unrest since 2011, when a NATO military intervention followed the uprising that led to the ouster and killing of long-time dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.
Liberating the key city would deal a major blow to the militant group in its drive to expand its influence to territories beyond the Middle East. Loading ... | 1real |
LAURA INGRAHAM: GOP Senators In Private Meeting “Laughed out loud at the idea that Trump’s border wall would ever be built” | During a private meeting of the most senior Republican senators, GOP leaders laughed out loud at the idea that Trump s border wall would ever be built. The explosive revelation comes from Laura Ingraham s new book, Billionaire at the Barricades: The Populist Revolution from Reagan to Trump.Ingraham reports that her source was there in the room when it happened and that the sordid episode is a reminder that the populist movement that delivered Trump into office must remain vigilant and keep the heat on the GOP Establishment. The bestselling author and new Fox News primetime host argues that Republicans will pay an enormous political price if the GOP Establishment succeeds in torpedoing President Trump s border wall. Mark these words: If a wall a physical wall is not erected along our southern border, the president and his party will pay a severe political price, writes Ingraham. She added: Like George Bush s promise to Read [his] lips: no new taxes, the promise of a border wall was a searing pledge to the American people. Billionaire at the Barricades also dismantles arguments against the cost of erecting the border wall.The notion that Congress can t find $25 billion the higher end estimated cost of building the wall in our nearly $4 trillion annual budget is absurd. Democrats have never met a spending or building project they didn t like. But now all of a sudden they re fiscal hawks? Get real. And the Establishment Republicans who cowered in the corner for eight years while Obama nearly doubled the national debt to $19 trillion dollars now expect us to believe they re courageous penny-pinchers? Spare us.For entire story Breitbart | 1real |
LPGA happy to let USGA make Trump course decision | INCHEON, South Korea (Reuters) - LPGA chief Mike Whan says the Tour will back golf authorities no matter what decision they make about hosting the 2017 US Women’s Open at a course owned by presidential nominee Donald Trump amid a storm over sexually aggressive comments he made about women. The United States Golf Association (USGA) is facing calls to move the event from Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey in nine months’ time after a 2005 video surfaced in which he bragged of kissing and groping women without consent. Whan told Reuters in an interview on Saturday at the LPGA/KLPGA co-sanctioned KEB Hana Bank Championship in Incheon that he was “lucky” not to have to make that kind of decision. The U.S. Women’s Open, the most prestigious tournament in ladies golf, is conducted by the USGA. “In a strange way I’m lucky that the LPGA has no direct dealings with Donald Trump or Donald Trump properties,” he said. “Like any group we have people who are political in favor of different sides. I’m not here to be a politician, I know that what the players want is that I don’t get so political as to limit opportunities for women. “All I’ve said to the USGA is this, ‘You have long since proven you support women’s golf so if you tell us this is the right place to play then we’re right there with you.’” Whan took over in 2010 when the LPGA Tour was buckling from the fallout of the U.S. recession and his push for global growth has been a key factor in the circuit’s resurgence. One look at his business card tells you everything you need to know about his strategy for growing the women’s game — the word “commissioner” emblazoned in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese. Whan said he hoped the global flavor of the Tour’s schedule and sponsorship could help mitigate the effects of another downturn at home. “In the world of finance we have a pretty diverse portfolio,” he said of a tour which makes stops in China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan in a late season Asian swing. More than a third of the circuit’s tournaments are sponsored by Asian firms or organizations. “It used to be that one U.S. economic downturn could really cripple the LPGA,” he added. “I’m not saying that wouldn’t happen tomorrow, but generally speaking we are pretty well diversified regionally.” Whan said now that the Tour had been put on a solid footing, with 33 official money events this year compared to 23 in 2011, the task was to boost the dollar value of tournaments rather than add new ones. “I think we need to be playing for $100 million in purse money,” he said of future targets. “I said that back in 2010 and people thought I was nuts, but that was when we were playing for $30 million. “Now we’re play for $65 million and I think we’ll get there.” The decision to add a fifth major to the annual tour schedule, the Evian Championship, was met with scorn by traditionalists and those outside the LPGA but Whan said it would be a mistake to be stuck in the past. “Sports that are unwilling to change because of history and tradition become historic and traditional,” he added. “If we just want golf to be historic and traditional and not move forward, then we would have a real problem.” | 0fake |
Trump Has Hissy Fit After Reporter Points Out Pausing Campaign To Open Hotel Is Really Dumb (VIDEO) | October 26, 2016 Trump Has Hissy Fit After Reporter Points Out Pausing Campaign To Open Hotel Is Really Dumb (VIDEO)
Don’t bother pointing out how incredibly dim-witted it is to pause a losing campaign just days away from Election Day to open up a luxury hotel to the Republican nominee, Trump doesn’t want to hear it.
After inexplicably spending a day participating in an opening ceremony for a new Trump Hotel in Washington DC, its namesake was in no mood to discuss his failing campaign. CNN’s Dana Bash learned that the hard way when she asked the question on everyone’s mind: What were you thinking?
Rather than answer, Trump threw a hissy fit.
“I say the following: You have been covering me for the last — long time. I did yesterday eight stops and three major speeches, and I’ve been doing this for weeks straight,” Trump said.
“For you to ask me that question is actually very insulting because Hillary Clinton does one stop and then she goes home and sleeps. And yet you’ll ask me that question. I think that’s a very rude question, to be honest with you.” Dana Bash: Is your DC hotel opening free advertising? Donald Trump: “No, not at all” https://t.co/6OZtrfIwim https://t.co/9HHqooom8r
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 26, 2016
For those keeping score that short answer checks a lot of boxes: Whining about the media Flagrant conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton’s health Groundless accusation that asking a simple question is “rude” No answer whatsoever
Trump may be testy due to his slow realization that his campaign is under water, he has no practical way forward, and it would take a miracle to win.
Instead of even trying, he seems to be retreating to the things he knows will make him money after the election. His campaign recently launched the prototype to “Trump TV,” a daily live stream filled with confused campaign staffers, shameless opportunists and Rudy Giuliani. He also seems desperate to salvage his failing properties, something that may not be possible after running a campaign that offended practically every group in America.
Already there are signs that Trump’s hotels have taken a hit. Yahoo explains : Rates for rooms at Trump’s new D.C. hotel are being slashed as travelers weigh their options, and smartphone data suggest fewer people are visiting his properties compared to rival venues nearby. The Republican nominee for president is in danger of losing not just the election, but something dear to a man who claims the marketing value of his name alone is worth $3 billion: the many customers, mostly wealthy, who have stayed at his hotels, played a round at his golf courses or held galas at his oceanside resorts.
Trump may find that his bigotry has cost him not only the election, but the fortune he valued more than his reputation as well.
Featured image via Twitter | 1real |
Seth Rogen: ’Important to Normalize Dissent’ Against Trump | Canadian actor and filmmaker Seth Rogen believes it is important that resistance to Donald Trump’s presidency and his policy agenda be “normalized. ”[“I don’t want to look back in ten years and think, ‘I just didn’t say anything during that time,’ because it seems like a time where it’s very important to normalize dissent,” Rogen told the Daily Beast in an interview at the SXSW festival, where his latest film, The Disaster Artist, premiered this week. The Sausage Party star says he’s “been very conscious not to insult people who voted for Donald Trump,” but believes it also important for him to normalize “the idea that a lot of people do not think that he is a good president, and do not think that he is bringing the country in a good direction, and not making it seem like some fringe, thing that only really aggressive people who have whipped themselves into some sort of frenzy are expressing. ” Rogen added that “as a white dude,” he realizes that he’s “not the one who’s in real trouble right now. ” “I find myself not even aligned with the left wing of American politics often, because in Canada, even that is pretty far right in many lines of thinking,” he said. “I’m not used to being thrilled with American politics in general. But I do think it’s a lot better than most places better than a lot of other places I’ve been. I’m allowed to say and do things here that I couldn’t in other places. ” Rogen has stepped up his criticism of the president in recent months. In February, he tweeted a message to Donald Trump Jr. asking his dad to resign from office before he “destroys the planet. ” Let’s see if this works! pic. twitter. — Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) February 16, 2017, On Twitter, the actor has also taken aim at the GOP effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, and has criticized Trump’s recent executive order on immigration. But Rogen says as someone who “mostly just tries to observe a little bit,” he can empathize with people who are both for and against Trump. “I agree with the people who are very angry,” Rogen said, “and I also agree with the people who are like, ‘We have to look for ways to not create more division, and to come together,’ and I sympathize with the people who are like, ‘F*ck that! This is ridiculous,’ and I sympathize with the people who are like, ‘F*ck that! That’s never going to solve anything. ’” However, the says he won’t be surprised “if one day we’re sitting at home watching a tape of Donald Trump jerking off while women piss on each other, if that’s where all this ends, then that’s just fantastic. ” Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @JeromeEHudson | 0fake |
WATCH: Teacher Whitesplains His Use Of ‘N***er’ To Black Student, Fails MISERABLY (VIDEO) | Just when you think you ve seen everything, a video pops up online showing a white teacher trying to explain to a black student that it s okay to use the n-word.In Louisiana, at Ben Franklin High School, a teacher referenced as Coach Ryan is seen on video in a heated discussion with a black student. The student is clearly upset with the teacher and would like Coach Ryan to stop using the n-word.The teacher even went so far as to say that it s a commoditized word that holds no negative meaning anymore and that people need to move on from thinking that it s bad.You can hear the student say: That s racist as sh*t. Why can you not understand that it s racist for a white man to say n***er to a black man? It s f*cking racist. Watch the interaction here:It s unbelievable, yet unfortunately believable, that a teacher in the year 2017 would not only think that it s okay to use the n-word, but to also try to argue with a black student about it, and insist that it s not racist.The Root reports: According to the TImes-Picayune, students went to the principal s office after class with the intent of staging a sit-in that instead turned into an hourlong assembly.Videos and photos of the assembly circulated on social media, too, with a different student talking about the stigma that black people face in society. It s good that a great discussion stemmed from such a profoundly awful situation, but hopefully, that teacher has also been reprimanded for his insanely derogatory speech. When our educators are trying to educate that racism is okay, that s not okay at all.Featured image via video screen capture | 1real |
War crimes convict Praljak took cyanide, Dutch prosecutors say | AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A preliminary autopsy indicates that Bosnian Croat war crimes convict Slobodan Praljak died of cyanide poisoning, Dutch prosecutors said on Friday. Praljak said he had taken poison in the courtroom immediately after his conviction and 20-year sentence were upheld on Wednesday, and died shortly afterward. In a statement, prosecutors said a toxicological test found Praljak had a concentration of potassium cyanide in his blood. This has resulted in a failure of the heart, which is indicated as the suspected cause of death . | 0fake |
Trump Finally Booted A Certain White Supremacist From The National Security Council | Months into his presidency, Donald Trump seems to have finally realized that it was probably not the greatest idea to install a prominent white supremacist media guy on the National Security Council. According to Bloomberg White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs, The Donald made a few changes to the Council most notably Bannon s removal:NEW: Trump National Security Council reorganization:-removed Bannon-downgraded Bossert-elevated Coats and Dunford-McMaster sets agenda. Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 5, 2017According to the White House, Bannon s role on the council was to look over Gen. Flynn s shoulder a position that is no longer needed especially after Flynn offered to roll over on his former allies in the Trump administration in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Officials claim Bannon did not attend a single meeting, and that his role is no longer needed now that National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster is in charge.NEW: Bannon's role on NSC was to look over Gen. Flynn's shoulder, a White House official said.He never went to meeting. https://t.co/mWsWjw7Qbk Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 5, 2017Lest the real story here get lost, it s important for us to realize that the White House just admitted to giving someone they could not trust top-level security clearance and access to our nation s secrets and assigning the white nationalist who used to run Breitbart, which he calls a platform for the alt-right ( alt-right means Nazis), to keep an eye on Flynn s loyalties and actions.The Trump administration says Bannon was also there to de-operationalize the NSC from the Susan Rice era. He retails his top-level security clearance.In addition to keeping eye on Flynn, Bannon's role on National Security Council was to "de-operationalize" NSC from Susan Rice era, I'm told https://t.co/pCnBb4B06o Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 5, 2017NEW: Bannon's national security clearance was NOT stripped, I'm told. He still has the highest clearance. Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 5, 2017Banner on @DRUDGE_REPORT is false, per White House aides.Steve Bannon still has his security clearance. pic.twitter.com/NOT7NhEm2T Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 5, 2017In other words, Bannon still has access to our nation s secrets, just in a less obvious manner.The Trump administration is looking for ways to put lipstick on a pig in hopes of not being remembered as the worst thing that has ever happened to our country. Unfortunately for them, they re really bad at this stuff.Featured image via screengrab | 1real |
GUN CONTROL FOR KIDS: [Video] 13 Yr Old Told To Remove “Battlefield Cross For Fallen Soldiers” T-shirt Or Face Suspension | Meanwhile, a Muslim boy with a radical activist father and a history of discipline issues can bring a fake bomb to school on 9-11 and is an instant hero with the Left You just can t make this up.A 13-year-old Oregon boy was disciplined by his school for wearing the battlefield cross on his shirt.Alan Holmes, a student at Dexter McCarty Middle School, wore a shirt that displays the image of a rifle propped up with a helmet perched on top and boots below. It s commonly referred to as a battlefield cross for fallen soldiers and is meant as a a sign of support for the troops. The shirt read Standing for those who stood for us. The Military Times is reporting the Gresham-Barlow School District has a dress code policy that prohibits weapons. District spokeswoman Athena Vadnals wrote Weapons on a shirt are not appropriate in a school setting. It s not standing for violence, I tell you that much, Holmes said. It s standing for the memorial for the soldiers, who have died for us and our freedom, and I 100 percent support them because they re supporting us. Holmes said he was told by the vice principal to put on a different shirt or take an in-school suspension. He decided to keep the shirt on and call his mom.The story has gone viral and the family is fighting back against the school and the district. Via: DownTrend | 1real |
Australian Candidates Woo Allies as Election Deadlock Continues - The New York Times | SYDNEY, Australia — The two men seeking to emerge as Australia’s prime minister after national elections on Saturday, Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, have begun a delicate courtship of a handful of lawmakers who are likely to hold the balance of power in the next Parliament. Officials will resume counting votes on Tuesday for about a dozen seats that are too close to call. The Liberal Party, now governing in a coalition with the National Party, said postal and ballots that were yet to be counted would be crucial to its securing a majority in the House of Representatives. As of Monday, neither the Liberal National coalition, led by Mr. Turnbull, nor the Labor Party, led by Mr. Shorten, had won enough seats to form a government outright. Vote counting stopped in the early hours of Sunday with the governing coalition at 67 seats and the Labor Party at 71, the Electoral Commission said. If neither side can form a clear majority government, the party that secures the support of enough lawmakers to control at least 76 seats can form a government. “Australian voters are changing,” said Bob Katter, an independent member whose electorate covers about 193, 000 square miles of central Queensland, an area double the size of Britain. “In the past, I could run around and kiss babies and mouth party platitudes and expect to get ” Mr. Katter said in a telephone interview on Monday. But that was when he was a member of the National Party, he said, adding that now, candidates must be much more responsive to the needs of their constituents. Mr. Katter, the leader of Katter’s Australian Party, easily won his rural seat. The lawmakers viewed as crucial to the next government — five independents, including Mr. Katter, and one from the Greens — have not met to discuss forming a voting bloc, and they are from diverse electorates. Mr. Katter, who once ran a cattle ranch, said he had had “ talks” with both leaders but had not reached an agreement with either. Wooing the swing lawmakers is likely to be troublesome. “They are very different candidates,” said Jill Sheppard, a political scientist at the Australian National University. “Their electorates are spread out and have very different needs. ” Australia has been here before. In 2010, the Labor Party, then led by Julia Gillard, signed agreements with independents and the Greens to secure the seats it needed to form a government. Three of those lawmakers agreed to vote in a bloc if there was a stalemate over legislation. But Andrew Wilkie, an independent and a former intelligence officer who entered Parliament in 2010, tore up his contract with Ms. Gillard two years later when she backed out of a deal with him to introduce restrictions on poker machines. Mr. Wilkie, who is from Tasmania, the most southern state in Australia, described that dispute and his time working with the Labor Party as so traumatic that he said he would not sign on with either side in this election. Mr. Turnbull telephoned Mr. Wilkie on Sunday. “It was as much ensuring that the channels of communications are open,” Mr. Wilkie told ABC television. “I went to this election with a position that I would not enter into any formal agreement with any party to allow them to form a government, and nothing has changed. ” Another independent, Cathy McGowan, a former teacher and farmer from rural northeastern Victoria, said much the same. “I am proudly independent, and I won’t be making any deals,” she said in a statement issued on Monday. Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Shorten had both called her to congratulate her on her victory, she said. Adam Bandt, the Greens candidate, who will occupy the House seat representing the inner city of Melbourne, said he would support a Labor government but would not sign onto a coalition to help it secure the right to govern. The Greens did agree to help Ms. Gillard form a government in 2010. In return, the party asked for almost $10 billion in clean energy investments, a tax on carbon consumption and free dental care for children of families with low incomes. Prime Minister Tony Abbott ended the carbon tax in 2014. The team of Senator Nick Xenophon from South Australia, which appeared to have won one lower house seat and has said a second may fall its way after a recount, said it would negotiate with either party to form a majority government. South Australia, sometimes described as Australia’s Rust Belt state, appears likely to lose its major steel manufacturer and automobile industry. The loss of the steel plant alone could cost 6, 000 jobs, in a state that has a population of about 1. 6 million. In the prelude to the election, Mr. Turnbull announced that South Australia would receive a share of a $37. 5 billion contract to help a French company build Australia’s new fleet of submarines. The terms of an alliance between the Xenophon team and either major party have not been broached. “It is about achieving the best outcomes for the electorates, and the state of South Australia, but also outcomes that are in the national interest,” said Stirling Griff of Adelaide, who will enter the Senate for the first time as a Xenophon team member. Further complicating matters, Mr. Shorten has called on Mr. Turnbull to quit. Some analysts say Australia could be without an effective government for more than a week. Having to negotiate with independent lawmakers over legislation “will be chaotic,” Mr. Katter said. “But it is also what we call democracy here. ” | 0fake |
South Africa's Zuma met Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa in Pretoria | JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma hosted Zimbabwe s former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa in Pretoria on Wednesday, eNCA television footage showed. The ruling ZANU-PF party nominated Mnangagwa to fill the vacancy left by Robert Mugabe, who resigned as president on Tuesday, ending nearly four decades in power. Mnangagwa has said he fled Zimbabwe for his own safety, and he is expected to return to Harare on Wednesday. | 0fake |
ELECTION WHISTLEBLOWER: DOJ In Cahoots With Dems…4 Million Dead On Voter Rolls…Trump Is Right! [Video] | J. Christian Adams: Dead people are voting and it s something this administration does not want to do anything about. They must like it. They must like who they are voting for Now we have four million, four million Steve, ineligible and dead voters on American voter rolls according to the Pew Charitable Trust.While the press and Democrats call Trump a racist for even suggesting the voting system is rigged, we find out that the Democrats are refusing to do anything about the 4 million dead people still on voter rolls.Elections expert J. Christian Adams told FOX and Friends on Tuesday morning there are 4 million dead people on US voter rolls. Far left groups continually sue to keep them there. The Obama administration has no desire to clean up these voter rolls. | 1real |
White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticism | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila. Trump issued the invitation on Saturday night in what the White House said was a “very friendly” phone conversation with Duterte, who is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines. “There is nothing right now facing this country and facing the region that is a bigger threat than what’s happening in North Korea,” White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told ABC’s “This Week” during a weekend in which Trump sought to firm up support in Southeast Asia to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. North Korea suggested on Monday it would continue its nuclear weapons tests, saying it will bolster its force “to the maximum” in a “consecutive and successive way at any moment” in the face of what it calls U.S. aggression and hysteria. Priebus insisted the outreach to Duterte “doesn’t mean that human rights don’t matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get to make sure we have our ducks in a row.” Since he came to power last year, Duterte has often sniped at Washington, his country’s longtime ally, has sought to mend relations with China and spoken of improving ties with Russia. Asked on Monday about his invitation from Trump, he was non-committal, telling reporters: “I’m tied up. “I cannot make any definite promise. I am supposed to go to Russia and go to Israel,” he said, referring to already scheduled visits. Foreign Ministry spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said that once a formal letter of invitation came it would be accepted. The invitation for Duterte to the visit White House at an unspecified date appeared to be the latest example of the affinity Trump has shown for some foreign leaders with shaky human rights or autocratic reputations. For instance, he expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 presidential campaign, hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House and has had warm words for Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom Trump is pressing to do more to rein in its ally and neighbor, North Korea. On Sunday, Trump also extended a White House invitation to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former general who heads a military government that took power in a 2014 coup. Prayuth’s administration had strained relations with Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. “Celebrating a man who boasts of killing his own citizens and inviting him to the White House, while remaining silent on his disgusting human rights record, sends a terrifying message,” said John Sifton, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “By effectively endorsing Duterte’s murderous ‘war on drugs’, Trump has made himself morally complicit in future killings,” he said. A Trump administration official insisted, however, that the invitation was not a reward to Duterte or an endorsement of his policies but a decision that engagement with the Philippines was better than withdrawal which could “intensify bad behavior” by Duterte. “It’s not a ‘thank you’,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s a meeting.” The official denied a New York Times report citing administration officials saying the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off-guard by the invitation to Duterte and were expected to object internally. “We were not surprised. The guys who prepared for the call were unified on this,” the official said. Priebus made clear that North Korea was the top priority. “If we don’t have all of our folks together — whether they’re good folks, bad folks, people we wish would do better in their country, doesn’t matter, we’ve got to be on the same page” on North Korea, Priebus said. But taking a swipe at Trump for his invitation to Duterte, Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy tweeted: “We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash.” Thousands of Filipinos have been killed since Duterte unleashed his fierce anti-drugs campaign nearly 10 months ago. Police say they have killed only in self-defense, and the deaths of other drug dealers and users was down to vigilantes or narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses. Human rights groups say official accounts are implausible and accuse Duterte of backing campaign of systematic extrajudicial killings by police. The government denies that. Duterte was infuriated by the Obama administration’s expressions of concern about extrajudicial killings after he took office last year and threatened to sever the long-standing U.S. defense alliance. Duterte spoke positively about Trump, a fellow populist, after the U.S. presidential election in November, and the new administration has sought ways to mend the alliance. In a summary of Saturday’s phone call between the two leaders, the White House said the two discussed “the fact that the Philippine government is fighting very hard to rid its country of drugs, a scourge that affects many countries throughout the world.” The White House statement included no criticism of Duterte’s methods. | 0fake |
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David Duke on CNN | 51 Views Share:
Dr. David Duke releases an interview with himself undertaken by CNN, on President-elect Donald Trump and his views–which was of course unused by that broadcaster. | 1real |
null | You can't even prove your god exists. Why would I believe anything this god says? Fortunately, we have a congress who is supposed to vote on the law of equality and not on some stupid, outdated, book with fictional people and accounts. | 1real |
Many Popular Tea Bags Contain Alarming Amounts of Deadly Pesticides (avoid these brands like the plague) | Many Popular Tea Bags Contain Alarming Amounts of Deadly Pesticides (avoid these brands like the plague) Most conventional tea brands such as Lipton, Allegro, Celestial Seasonings, Tazo, Teavana, Bigelow, Republic of Tea, Twinings, Yogi, Tea Forte, Mighty Leaf, Trader Joe’s, Tetley contain really high levels of toxic substances such as fluoride and pesticides. We are not talking about calcium fluoride which is a natural element, but about the synthetic fluoride which is a toxic by product. These levels are dangerously high to the point of being considered unsafe. So drinking cheap tea can be as bad as eating junk food. Cheap Tea Contains Fluoride and Pesticides
Most teas are not washed before being dried, thus non-organic teas contain pesticide residues. Some tea brands ( even those claimed organic or pesticide free! ) have recently been found to contain pesticides that are known carcinogens – in quantities above the US and EU limits!
A new study published in the journal of, Food Research International , found that cheaper blends contain enough fluoride to put people under the risk of many illnesses such as bone tooth, kidney problems and even cancer.
In fact, some brands of cheap tea contain nearly 7 parts per million (ppm) and the allowed level of fluoride is 4 ppm. This is quite scary since fluoride gets into your bones and accumulates in your body. It stays there for years. So how did fluoride get into tea?
The tea plant accumulates fluoride as it grows. This means that old leaves contain the most fluoride. Cheaper quality teas are often made from old leaves that contain more fluoride than young tea leaves (here is an example) . Additionally, these cheaper brands use smaller leaves which contain more fluoride.
And what about decaffeinated tea?
Well, decaffeinated tea showed higher fluoride levels than caffeinated tea.
So what is the solution? Should you stop drinking tea all together? Of course not! First of all, make sure to buy loose leaf tea and brew your tea from scratch. Bagged tea which might seem convenient and ready to go, is often made from low quality leaves which surely contain more fluoride. Stick to white tea (here) . It has the least amount of fluoride. Buy organic tea because the methods for cultivation are more sophisticated and conscious. They might even use purified water for the soil. We’ve just scratched the surface here, please check out Food Babe’s full report for more detailed information and a chart of which teas came out with their reputations intact – and please share with your tea-loving friends! | 1real |
Senator seeks explanation for career U.S. prosecutor's abrupt resignation | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Democratic Senator said on Tuesday he wants answers from top Justice Department officials about why a career prosecutor was asked to resign days before a special counsel unveiled the first criminal charges in an investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election. Dana Boente was asked to quit in late October as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, whose district has played an important role in the investigation. Just days later, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators charged President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and another aide, Rick Gates, with conspiring to launder money and other charges. It was also announced on Oct. 30 that a third former Trump adviser, George Papadopoulos, had pleaded guilty earlier in the month to a charge of lying to the FBI. U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was writing to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to ask if Boente’s departure was “normal or justified.” “I’m concerned about the abrupt departure of Dana Boente after a career as a federal prosecutor ... There’s a lot of circumstances that connect the ongoing Mueller investigation to the Eastern District,” Coons said in an interview. A Department of Justice spokesman said the agency does not comment on personnel matters. Boente could not immediately be reached for comment. Investigations into whether Republican Trump’s campaign associates colluded with Russia last year to help him defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for the presidency arose after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russia carried out a campaign of hacking and propaganda to interfere in the election. Russia has repeatedly denied meddling allegations and Trump has denied any collusion. A Justice Department veteran, Boente has stepped in to help stabilize the law enforcement agency in frequent periods of turmoil during the first year of the Trump administration. Boente has also been temporarily serving as the acting assistant attorney general for the department’s National Security Division. He previously was acting attorney general after Trump fired the prosecutor in that post, Sally Yates. After that, Boente also briefly was acting deputy attorney general. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that Sessions, a former Alabama Republican senator and close Trump ally, asked Boente to tender his resignation in late October. Boente will step down as head of the National Security Division once Trump’s nominee John Demers is confirmed by the Senate. After that, Boente will continue as head of the Eastern District in Alexandria, Virginia, until he is replaced. Trump has not yet nominated anyone for that post. The Eastern District post is the fourth most powerful position in the department’s line of succession. A judge in the district approved the search warrant for the Alexandria, Virginia home of former Trump campaign manager Manafort in July. A grand jury in the district earlier this year became part of Mueller’s probe of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who is under scrutiny for his work as a lobbyist for a Turkish businessman. | 0fake |
She Drank Carrot Juice Every Day for 8 Months and Got Rid of CANCER! | . She Drank Carrot Juice Every Day for 8 Months and Got Rid of CANCER! Ann Cameron, an author of many children's books, was devastated when she found out that she had ... Print Email http://humansarefree.com/2016/11/she-drank-carrot-juice-every-day-for-8.html Ann Cameron, an author of many children's books, was devastated when she found out that she had colon cancer. In June of 2012, she entered the third phase of her cancer. It was especially terrifying because her husband passed away from lung cancer in 2005 after receiving chemotherapy. She opted not to take the same path. “I was exposed to operation for colon cancer in June 2012, and then I denied chemotherapy healing. I was feeling well, however after six months the cancer was spread to the lungs and entered the fourth phase," she said. She found a story about a man diagnosed with skin cancer who effectively cured it by consuming about two and a half kilograms of carrot juice every day. She thought it was worth a try and gave it a whirl. The results? Eight weeks later, her tumors had stopped spreading. Her tumor and lymph glands began to shrink.Four months later, her tissues were back to normal and her tumors were continuing their withdrawal.Eight months later, the registered tomograpy examination indicated the cancer was completely gone.It's something of a mystery why carrots did the trick. They're known to be rich in anticancer properties and contain carotene, which in some has been found to prevent tumors from growing. She wrote about her experiences in a book called Curing Cancer with Carrots .The takeaway? If you find yourself diagnosed with cancer, keep an open mind. What works for one may not work for everyone, but natural cures like this are worth pursuing. Reference: Simpleorganiclife.org Dear Friends, HumansAreFree is and will always be free to access and use. If you appreciate my work, please help me continue.
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BREAKING: SEAN HANNITY Interviews Wikileaks’ Julian Assange…Proves He’s Still Alive: “Our source is NOT the Russian government” | The Democrats have 26 more days to discredit Donald J. Trump until he becomes our next President. They are really pulling out all of the stops. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange emerges from hiding to do an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity in order to set the record straight on the DNC leaks he released prior to the election. It s interesting how mainstream media reporters have no interest in the content of those undisputed leaked emails, they only care about how they got into the hands of Julian Assange.Julian Assange has finally spoken out on the recent news about intel assessments on Russia being the source of hacking designed to reportedly help Donald Trump. Julian Assange spoke with Sean Hannity on his radio show this afternoon and stated, Our source is not the Russian government. He told Hannity WikiLeaks did receive a little bit of information having to do with Trump and the RNC, but it was already public somewhere else. https://youtu.be/GJIVOsptcBsHannity applauded Assange and said he s done us a favor by 1) showing how weak U.S. cybersecurity is, and 2) exposing government corruption. He asked Assange if the information he received came from inside the United States. Assange did not say definitively, but insisted, It has not come from a state party. (At a later point in the interview, Assange said that info leaks from other places could have been from Russia.) Hannity also asked him if President Obama knows this too and is purposefully pushing a false narrative to delegitimize Trump. Assange said yes. On Thursday afternoon, Hannity, the Fox News host and informal Trump adviser, once again interviewed WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange this time on Hannity s nationally syndicated radio show. Hannity gave Assange a large platform to deny that the source of the DNC and John Podesta emails was the Russian government, and to also join Hannity in some fairly typical bashing of Hillary Clinton and the liberal mainstream media. Hannity gushed on-air. Thanks to Assange and WikiLeaks s work, Hannity said, we can now fix the problem of our gaps in U.S. cybersecurity. (The DNC and Podesta emails were a wake-up call, in a sense.) Assange also exposed the corruption in our government for all to see. I have so many questions for you, Hannity said, before reminding his audience of WikiLeaks s perfect record: You have not been proven wrong, not one single time, he reiterated. When asked if President Obama was trying to delegitimize Donald Trump by promoting any evidence of Russian interference and cyberattacks aimed at helping Trump to defeat Clinton in the election) Assange answered firmly, yes. This wouldn t be the first time that the CIA would be politicized, Hannity continued, making a Benghazi analogy. Assange also wagged his finger at the liberal press in America that tried to make Trump voters feel ashamed of themselves for supporting the Republican candidate. What is the difference between what you and WikiLeaks have done, and what The New York Times and CNN [have done]? the host inquired. Our stuff has more impact, Assange replied. Touch , Hannity answered. I can t disagree with that. The conservative host continued to make the case that the so-called mainstream media was trying to scapegoat Assange, and that if [Hillary] were a Republican they d be singing your praises day and night. America owes you a debt of gratitude, Hannity said, concluding their friendly chat.-YouTube copy and video provided by Jim Browski | 1real |
Saudi-led air strikes kill 136 civilians in Yemen: U.N. | GENEVA (Reuters) - Air strikes by the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen have killed at least 136 civilians and non-combatants since Dec. 6, the U.N. human rights spokesman said on Tuesday. Other U.N. officials said the coalition was maintaining tight restrictions on ships reaching Yemen even though 8 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine with the country relying on imports for the bulk of its food, fuel and medicine. We are deeply concerned at the recent surge in civilian casualties in Yemen as a result of intensified air strikes by the ... coalition, following the killing of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa on Dec. 4, human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing. Incidents verified by the U.N. human rights office included seven air strikes on a prison in the Shaub district of Sanaa on Dec. 13 that killed at least 45 detainees thought to be loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia. One can assume that was a mistake, they weren t intending to kill prisoners from their own side, Colville said. It s an illustration of lack of due precaution. Other air strikes killed 14 children and six adults in a farmhouse in Hodeidah governorate on Dec. 15, as well as a woman and nine children returning from a wedding party in Marib governorate on Dec. 16, he said. Air strikes verified by the U.N. rights office in Sanaa, Saada, Hodeidah and Taiz governorates also injured 87 civilians. If in a specific event due precaution is not taken or civilians are deliberately targeted, that can easily be a war crime, Colville said. It is up to a court to make a ruling, he said, but there had been so many similar incidents in Yemen, it would be hard to conclude war crimes had not taken place. On Tuesday Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the capital Riyadh but there were no reports of casualties, the coalition said, the latest in a series of attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen. The restrictions on access to Yemen imposed by the coalition became a total blockade on Nov. 6 though conditions were eased on Nov. 25 to allow aid ships and some commercial cargoes to reach the shattered Arabian Peninsula country. The U.N. World Food Programme has brought in enough food for 1.8 million people for two months, but far more is needed. | 0fake |
BOMBSHELL: More Women Threatened By Hillary Are Ready To Come Forward With Sexual Assault Accusations Against Her Perverted Husband [VIDEO] | The Clinton Crime Syndicate may find a few bumps in the road, as they attempt to claw their way back into he White House. Women who have been intimidated and silenced by the Clinton Crime Syndicate in the past, have recently been inspired by other women who are bravely speaking out against this serial pervert and the woman who has enabled Bill s war against women for decades Since returning to the campaign trail as an advocate for Hillary, Bill Clinton has been harried by renewed interest in his past sexual misconduct as well as Hillary s alleged role in intimidating his victims into silence.Roger Stone, author of the New York Times bestselling The Clinton s War On Women , claims that he has personal knowledge of previously unknown victims who are preparing to come forward with accusations against the former president. I identified 24 women who ve been assaulted by Bill Clinton, Stone said on The Sean Hannity Show. Now some of these women are still terrified. Some of them have had IRS audits. Some of them have had their families threatened. But others have come forward. Are you saying there s women whose names we don t know that are mentioned in your book or not mentioned in your book that are going to come forward and start telling those stories? Sean asked. Yes, I think it s very probable, Stone responded. Not all of them because some of them are still terrified, their families have been threatened, their lives have been threatened. Are we talking about affairs, or are we talking about assaults? asked Hannity. We re talking about assaults, declared Stone. I don t want to get out ahead of myself but I think as Broaddrick, and [Kathleen] Willey, and Jones speak out, other women are encouraged who have been assaulted, who have been threatened by Hillary are encouraged by the courage of those three women. Listen to Roger Stone s bombshell revelation along with author Ed Klein on The Sean Hannity Show:Via: Hannity Show | 1real |
‘Responsible’ Gun Owner Tries To 2nd Amendment A CHILD Because Of Fireworks | Okay, we all probably get it. Independence Day weekend can be annoying as all hell because it seems like there s always someone shooting off pyrotechnics, having a loud party or barbecue, or otherwise making a major nuisance of themselves. That s no reason to fire a gun at someone, though, especially when that someone is a child.Unfortunately, that s what a Wisconsin man did when he got fed up with a 10-year old child shooting off fireworks in his neighborhood, because, you know, when someone pisses you off that s what you do these days: Solve it with a gun.It was the child himself who called the police, and, of course, the man tried to lie his way out of it by saying he was merely shooting off fireworks, too. That lie didn t last very long, and he eventually admitted that he d fired his .40 caliber pistol in the child s direction. What a clusterfuck of a human being.It s not clear whether the child s parents were home, but what happened to going over to the neighbor s house to politely ask them to stop with the noise, or working something out that would be mutually agreeable? Alas, to many so-called responsible gun owners, it s not, and they d rather threaten, or even harm, people who piss them off.This guy may even be part of the 1 in 10 here who are pathologically angry and have access to a firearm. Nobody who isn t, at minimum, full of rage would consider pointing a loaded gun at a child and pulling the trigger for any reason. Nobody in their right mind would consider anybody who does that a responsible gun owner. Yet even gun owners who pull this kind of nonsense seem to think they re responsible. Instead of spending money on guns, these people need to go buy a clue.The child is unharmed, and the man has been arrested. He currently faces charges of recklessly endangering safety, as well he should. He should also undergo a psych evaluation geared at finding out just how deep his anger runs that he thought firing a gun at a kid because he was annoyed was okay.Featured image by George Frey/Getty Images | 1real |
Why the drop in income inequality? | Even as it rises in many countries, income inequality has fallen worldwide, a result of pro-poor trends in places from Africa to China. A better focus on growth, innovation, and greater opportunities can help countries close the income gap.
For many in the US and elsewhere, it has become easy to see red or feel blue about income inequality. The Panama Papers revelations about hidden riches feeds this global glum. So does a focus in the US presidential race on charges of a “rigged” economy. Indeed, within many countries, inequality has risen. But not everywhere.
Worldwide, in fact, inequality is actually going down.
Humanity, it seems, is not leaving its poorest behind.
This conclusion comes from the work of an eminent expert on inequality, Branko Milanovic. He spent decades studying data at the World Bank and now works at City University in New York. In a new book, “Global Inequality: A New Approach for the Age of Globalization,” he makes a case that the rapid growth of poorer countries since 1988 has brought the first decline in inequality since the Industrial Revolution.
Mr. Milanovic is pessimistic about the US reducing its inequality soon. But he finds many pro-equality trends will continue to grow the world’s new middle class. One trend is what he calls “pro-poor” innovation, such as the ability of African farmers to use cellphones to check on farm prices. Another is the use of online courses to educate poor people in skills sought by global companies.
China and other Asian countries have led the way in forging development policies that have helped close the global income gap. The best inequality-buster is economic growth, Milanovic says, but other efforts are needed, such as equality in opportunities. In Brazil, for example, inequality has gone down because of better education.
Milanovic’s findings are reinforced by new research from Tomáš Hellebrandt and Paolo Mauro of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. They find global inequality fell between 2003 and 2013. And they project the number of people in poverty will fall from 12.3 percent of the total population to 3.6 percent by 2035.
“The ability to participate in and benefit from economic growth has immediate and tangible impacts on the lives of the bulk of the world’s population,” the two economists conclude.
The very rich or the very corrupt may still hide their wealth in tax havens. Politicians in developed countries may decry rising inequality. But global trends and new data tell an alternative story about the progress already made to lift the poor. | 0fake |
John Podesta: Press Did Not Play Up Russia Conspiracies Enough During Election - Breitbart | John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s former presidential campaign chairman, has claimed there was a “failing” by mainstream media to protect American democracy during the 2016 presidential election. [“The fact that there was substantiation that the Russians had hacked my emails, the DNC emails, that Wikileaks was an instrument of an attempt by Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation to undermine our democracy, that could have been reflected in the press and I don’t believe it was,” Podesta said in an interview with the BBC’s Evan Davis. “And I think that was actually a failing on behalf of the mainstream media and particularly some of the major news outlets in our country like The New York Times,” he continued. However, there is little evidence to support Podesta’s claims, given that mainstream news outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post all gave extensive coverage to potential Russian interference in the election and did not fully report the range of explosive revelations that emerged from the Wikileaks releases. “The [mainstream media] decided it was more interesting, maybe more titillating, to get into the kinda campaign gossip which was what those emails were,” Podesta continued. Podesta’s claims are also undermined by the vigorous support Clinton received from nearly all the mainstream media, earning endorsements from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, New York Daily News, The Los Angeles Times, and nearly all metro and regional newspapers across the country. Furthermore, emails revealed by Wikileaks actually showed extensive collusion between mainstream media journalists and Clinton’s campaign, principally via Podesta, without revealing this to their audience. Prominent examples of that collusion include CNBC’s Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood regularly emailing Podesta to congratulate him on primary wins, former POLITICO reporter Glenn Thrush asking Podesta to approve a story he wrote pertaining to Clinton’s campaign, while The New York Times’ political correspondent Maggie Haberman was described by the campaign as a “friendly journalist” who “teed up” stories and “never disappointed” the Clinton campaign. A study in the run up to the November election also found that 96 percent of campaign donations from persons in the media went toward Hillary Clinton. Discussing the future of the Democratic Party, Podesta added that he was now “fully into the resistance” against Donald Trump and the new administration. You can follow Ben Kew on Facebook, on Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart. com | 0fake |
Food Synergy | Blair Rollin: Nice quote from The China Study. I had forgotten about that. Thanks! vegPat
“It’s the sunshine vitamin. Dr. McDougall, for example, does not recommend D supplements but rather fresh air and sunshine.” if you live in Florida or the tropics maybe and also not everyone can absorb vitamin D through this process so they may have a hard time getting there levels from the sun alone, its kind of like omega 3 from plant sources, yes its there but not readily available and some people cant’ absorb it efficiently, which is why you need a marine algae oil that can be easily absorbed Vege-tater
I heard it said that if plants and trees can photosynthesize at your latitude, generally we should be able to get enough sunshine for our less intensive human needs, provided we make an effort to actually go outside and soak up the rays. I’m originally from CT and always wondered if part of the sickly and depressive effect of winter was our tendency to “hibernate” and not go outside until you had to. When my kids were little and I was outside all winter with them sledding and playing in the snow, it wasn’t a problem, until they were old enough to go themselves, and I hung back in the dry warmth! (Now I live in FL and stay inside all summer instead! lol) Ben
Hi Blair. I am familiar with Dr. McDougall’s opinion. Living a bit north of him I am not confident we share the same levels of sunshine opportunity. As for B12, I have never washed my organic produce, and we grow a lot of our own veggies. Our soil is fabulous. The “sanitation” hypothesis has not worked for me. And it does not explain higher b12 levels in some people eating from these poor soils. So, it’s probably a little more complicated. And, considering the risks of not supplementing, only a fool wouldn’t get tested. Our family does supplement with B12 and it did work to correct our deficiencies. So, that’s an example where a singular nutrient did work out for the body. Many people also report success with vit D and dha supplementation. Dr. Gregor is an advocate of these practices. In my mind, he needs to have his crew tackle the conflict between on the one hand steering people away from vitamin supplementation and on the other advocating vitamin/nutrient supplementation. I assume he would say something like “Hey, if after switching over to the best diet on the planet, you discover you are lacking in some essential nutrients… rather than eat animal products (which historically have provided these nutrients to humans) because our environment is so toxic, the cruelty to the animals so extreme and the long term damage done to your body… find a good provider of the micronutrients from a wholesome source. Accept the world as imperfect.” vegPat
there is no real inconsistency Dr Greger’s book lists it out How not to Die recommends the following supplements B12 (soil no longer has it, yes you can grow in healthy soil but average person needs to supplement it) Vitamin D (because a lot of people live in northern regions and darker skin blocks good conversion) Omega 3 algae oil (plants have omega 3 but is not readily absorbed and as you get older this gets worse) WFPBRunner
Hi Ben If you watch some of the videos under the nutrients you list you will see that non-vegans are deficient also. For example my husband rides his bike out doors 3 hours per day, eats some meat and tested below 20 for Vit D. B-12 is just so important for obvious possible neurological issues. We could always drink swamp water though. Ben
I agree. My question is about the necessity of supplementing. My question pertains to how are Dr. Greger’s recommendations to supplement (as outlined in his book) reconciled with a video like this one making the case that supplements do not work, and sometimes cause harm. WFPBRunner
He is pretty specific. B12 is the big one. Vit D if you live too far North or work in an office all day. Omega 3 but I believe that was across the board. WFPB or not until we know differently for brain health. Blair Rollin
These popups keep getting better and better. Vege-tater
I find it so amusing to read the oppositional commentary about them! Maybe I’m just old and cranky but people seem to be getting more and more entitled, and think each video is for them exclusively. I just love what Dr. G. does, and that he does it at all, for US and our benefit, from his generosity and caring! You can never please everyone, so I hope he continues to let his light shine as he sees fit and let it sort itself out. Life is full of angst and seriousness, we need all the humor we can get! Ron Ninon
It’s somewhat supercillious to “be amused” by all the people’s comments and efforts to express their discontent, such as I am doing now in an attempt to contribute positive constructive criticism,. The fact is, for many, the “light-hearted” new format has been stated as being downright distracting and works against the intention of the video which is, surely, to educate and inform, NOT to entertain or promote some kind of clever food comedy. The new format pop-up segments can also come across as sarcastic and aloof and so the video is not worth sharing with the many who are already skeptical as it will really put them off. Even fans on here are put off! If the efficiency of transmission of information is interrupted with completely irrelevant bells and whistles doing little other than exhibiting technical prowess with video editing skills and that causes distraction, memory interference and forgetting, and for some, irritation, then that is a fact that needs considered very carefully. A handfull have said they like the format but more have said they do not. An online vote might be useful. But I would question what it is that those who like the format like and whether they have absorbed the info as well as they would have without the memory interference. There are real cognitive mechanisms at work. Just my 2500 cents worth. guest
I find some people’s repetitive complaints to be a needless distraction. The videos are prerecorded… after this, normal programming will resume. Ron Ninon
Typical anonymous trollololololol. Ron Ninon
You delete my response to this but let the guest’s sarcasm remain?? Just who is guest?! Thea
Ron Ninon: I have previously directed you to the rules for posting on this site. If you read those rules, you would know that you may not call people names. To be very specific: You may not call someone a troll. I can tell who guest is and this person has made many quality comments on this site. Leave the moderating to the moderators. . Also, I have already warned you about your comments in general. Your opinion on this topic has been noted – multiple times over. No one else is going on and on and on about this topic. Enough already. The decision has been made to discontinue the popups after the current volume of videos has been released. Additional complaints from people who have already voiced their opinion take away from the main focus we should have here. Let it go please. Ron Ninon
Your vendetta continues? First, Dr. Greger invited commentary. Until he himself posts a comment on this and his intentions, and his requests to stop commenting on it, then everyone, including me, has a right to comment on it. You have tried to intimidate me before (to see guidelines etc etc), and you continue to do so. You criticise me ALONE. I am NOT the only one who has criticized the format – and several others have repeated their sentiments across multiple posts on the topic but you do not slap them! This is social media and heavy-handed tactics by admin, although typical of facebook, should not be here. This is a more “professional” forum, at least I had thought. To that extent, your threats are unwelcome: you are targetting me and only me. I repeat, this is unfair! Your support of others who may disagree with me with your “votes up” of them belies a pack mentality – a popularity contest. This forum should not support such bias! I have made detailed and informed copmments. I work in the area of attention and perception…and distraction. Over 50% of drivers now text and drive – an epidemic of deadly distracted driving – many – half or more on this forum will do so while thinking they are just fine and so continue to do so. My point: I have knowledge on human attention. Nobody else has posted the reasons why they feel distracted by the videos. I have done so. If you don’t like my “info”, ignore it – it’s easy to do and easier than ignoring a pop-up! But to delete me or block me is a sad reflection of biased intolerance. I have done more for promoting Dr G’s videos than you will ever know or could ever comprehend. I am a supporter. I also use his info for personal health purposes. But I have a right to emphasize what (I think) needs emphasized (ie, no distractions, keep it professional, etc.). And we do NOT know what his new format, if it comes, will be. Will it also be controversial and problematic. Thus, repetition has value, provided it is not cut-and-paste, and my comments have not been repetitious in their content, if you bothered to read them carefully. I will continue to post if and when I feel it contributes. You must stop intimidating me. This is NF not FB. nc54
But in this video the popup was not irrelevant. It gave an example of how to create food synergy. So you are wrong about this video. Ron Ninon
“doing little other than…”. nc54, Fair comment, but…I still found it distracting as did some others who bothered to vote with a comment. Why do I need to watch a guy eating? Look, many will like it, many won’t. Would a vote help? The majority is not always correct! Guest
Please stop the goofy dr greger popups….really distracts from the video content. I have enjoyed the videos and information for years, but really find the new popups jarring. Thea
Guest: Have no fears. The large majority of the feedback for the popups has been negative. The NutritionFacts team listened to the feedback. The rest of the videos on this volume are already pre-recorded. But after that, the popups (whew!) will no longer be part of the video.
What a coincidence…I just had blueberries and black beans for lunch! Don Bauer
Any benefits to adding Maca powder to a smoothie? Vege-tater
Every home I visit has rows and rows of supplements and vitamins lining their counters and cabinets, and of course they all eat the Standard American Diet, and know they are deficient, so think this is their saving grace! Heaven forbid a bit of real food sneaks into their diet, let alone a combination! It’s so scary what people consider food, and sadly, I was once one of them, so it’s really hard to shut my big mouth when I know what a HUGE difference it can make! WFPBRunner
It’s sad right. They think it works. Wade Patton
Okay, I lied. I cannot just quit the site because there are VERY few other sources I trust to keep abreast of new research and studies AND to do such in a non-commercial (i.e. believable) manner.
I tried five times to listen to today’s “lecture”, but kept distracting myself. I hide the video behind other tabs now-of course I can still hear the “spots”.
Now i have a solution. I’ll simply read transcripts. Thanks to those who transcribe.
After seeing practically every single video Dr. G has made for NF.O and most of the other videos he has been in on Youtube, I don’t need any “extra” Dr. G in my videos. I liked the first 1,000 or 2,000 videos, but just can’t watch them any more.
I hate that I cannot share the new videos. There are so many “nut jobs” out there selling ideas about foods and supplements and nutritional concepts that I fear Michael Greger would EASILY get lumped into that category if I shared the greenscreened videos. I had some hopes that I could help a few folks, friends, family, and others find a better way to eat, and was persistently pestering my FBF’s with video links from here with my own commentary, also some comments from here were shared in my short tenure as a WFPB eater.
I’ll just cut and paste transcripts. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m “following a nut job”, rather that Dr. G is a real MD with real information that can REALLY help nearly everyone. I understand that many folks enjoy the cutesiness and such, but it cheapens the whole experience for me. I’m not a fan of gimmickery and distractions. As you were. Thea
Wade Patton: I hear you. The NutritionFacts team heard you too. The rest of the videos in this volume are pre-recorded and already have the popups. That will not change. However, after that, the new videos will not have the popups. Thank you for your patience. Wade Patton
Thanks for letting me/us know. I had no idea how many vids he made per session. Endeavor to persevere I might. WFPBRunner
Wade you quit? Dang I wasn’t aware. So yes Dr. Greger got the message but as you know they are made ahead of time. So be patient! I actually like reading the transcripts. Ron Ninon | 1real |
Our real police/race problem: Diverse forces, white resentment, and America’s persistent divides | Yet the problems do remain “black and white” for reasons of economic exploitation and isolation that run deeper than race itself and that are gathering force, despite rising numbers of white/Asian and white/Hispanic marriages and of multiracial children, even in the families of police officers themselves. Unless we can face the reasons why more “diversity” in police ranks is a far-from-sufficient condition of justice, American society will remain more racist than many others, and thereby hangs my tale.
Shortly before Christmas 1996 in the lower-middle-class Queens neighborhood of East Elmhurst, robbers killed Officer Davis as he tried to protect Ira Epstein, the white owner of a check-cashing store where Davis was moonlighting as a security guard to earn extra money to buy holiday gifts for his 6-year-old daughter, Arielle.
Because Davis was off-duty at the time, it’s unclear if his assailants knew that he was a police officer. But because he was one and was murdered for doing what police officers do, his Episcopal funeral Mass in Garden City, Long Island, was a familiar “tableau of pomp and grief,” as the New York Times put it, with thousands of saluting, white-gloved, white-ethnic officers and a flyover by police helicopters.
“Arielle, your daddy, who loved you, who adored you…will always be a hero of New York City,” Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told Davis’ daughter from the church pulpit. He asked the congregation to give Arielle something she would remember, and all present responded with a long, wrenching ovation. Noting that Ira Epstein’s widow had called Davis a role model for the city’s youth, Giuliani said, “She was right,” adding that, “When [Davis] died Saturday morning he was doing what he was trained to do – he was trying to protect another man.”
Many funerals of New York City police officers killed in action have been tableaus not only of pomp and grief but of the chasm that yawns between an “occupying army” of mostly white-ethnic officers and an “underclass” of inner-city, black and Hispanic men. I spent enough time there in the late 1970s to have wished that the sea of blue around Davis’ funeral — and now those of officers Ramos and Liu — would signify something better than a chasm.
But does it? Or have the examples set by Davis, Liu and Ramos on police forces given the rest of us excuses to rationalize the continuing, calculated, heavily policed and seemingly bottomless isolation of millions of black and Hispanic men and women? Are economic isolation and social stigmatization still driving some of the isolated — and those who police them — so crazy that it’s a wonder there aren’t even more police killers like those who killed Davis, Liu and Ramos?
Ramos and Wu’s killer, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, was a perversely politicized, vengeance-crazed black man. Even the slaying in Ferguson of an unarmed black man, Michael Brown, by white officer Darren Wilson has a symbolic but no less telling opposite (Wilson’s nightmare) in another Ferguson – Colin Ferguson, a perversely politicized, vengeance-crazed black man who, shortly before Christmas, 1993, boarded a suburban Long Island commuter train and shot 23 white passengers, killing six.
Although he killed no cops, many New York officers live on Long Island, whose suburban towns their parents or grandparents chose over New York City’s tenements and row homes in the 1960s while seeking greener pastures in the booming, postwar economy and insulation from racially changing inner-city neighborhoods and rising black crime. As Newsday’s Jimmy Breslin put it a day after Ferguson’s train massacre: “Last night, Brooklyn followed them home.”
Are these officers and prosecutors to blame for provoking their killers’ isolation and rage? Or are they really doing only what our democracy seemingly wants and expects them to do: keep the lid on blacks and Hispanics who are cheated and sidelined, as the rest of us look the other way and disclaim responsibility – an evasion that seems easier to some whenever a Brinsley or a Colin Ferguson explodes?
In a strange irony, Charles Davis probably reinforced white innocence because he was a generous cop, popular with other officers and with residents of the Queens neighborhood where he supervised youth basketball games and a club for kids who might want to join the NYPD. His large presence, sharp eye and caring strengthened the community policing that had helped to cut New York City’s murder rate in half in less than five years, to below 1,000 for the first time in three decades. (By 2013, that number would plummet to just over 300, and this year it may be even lower, notwithstanding predictable predictions of doom 11 months ago by Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post and the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association that Mayor Bill De Blasio’s curbing of excessive NYPD “stop and frisk” practices would unleash mayhem.)
But if Davis’ blue uniform and the blue sea at his funeral signified something better than black-versus-white, that equation took a perverse turn as Queens District Attorney Richard Brown orchestrated the indictment of 19-year-old George Bell, a stock boy at Old Navy who lived with his mother and had no criminal background, and two other black men, as Davis’ killers. A recent Nation magazine review of the case by Hannah Riley, a former researcher at the Innocence Project and a student of criminology at the University of Cambridge, raises serious doubts that the men convicted and still in prison for killing Davis were really his murderers.
D.A. Brown’s zeal in convicting them may have been fortified by the fact that Davis’ wife had been an assistant district attorney, albeit in another jurisdiction. But all prosecutors who face high-profile, highly charged cases have other, more-powerful incentives to “resolve” them irresponsibly. New Yorkers would be reminded of that in 2002, when the four black men and one Hispanic man who’d been convicted and imprisoned in 1989 amid public outrage over the infamous assault and rape of the Central Park Jogger were released after years of unjustified incarceration after the real assailant confessed.
Such things happen partly because D.A.s win reelection by pandering to angry, frightened voters’ hunger for revenge and because police officers are literally the prosecutors’ comrades in arms and their witnesses before grand juries and in open trials. (The over-zealous assistant prosecutors and detectives complicit in both the Central Park jogger and Davis cases were women, by the way.) But Hannah Riley has found a would-be whistle-blower in retired NYPD detective Pete Fiorillo, who had been pleased at first to see Giuliani touting the work of other detectives in the case and who’d had, as he put it, “no intention of looking at it for the purpose of taking it apart.”
“But the more he learned,” Riley explains, “the more his doubts grew until he became convinced that the investigation and trial were irredeemably flawed. ‘This case represents a total breakdown of the criminal justice system from the bottom to the top: the police that investigated this case; the DA that prosecuted the case; the judge that tried all three cases,’ said Fiorillo. ‘They just didn’t have the courage to do the right thing.’”
Giuliani, himself an infamously zealous former prosecutor, told the public after Davis’ murder that, “If you shoot and kill a New York City police officer, the Police Department is going to catch you, they’re going to find you, usually in a short period of time, and then at a minimum you’re going to spend the rest of your life in jail. And in this particular situation, it’s quite possible you’ll get executed.”
The word “execution” had a dark double-entendre here, giving the “blue over black” equation another perverse twist: Prosecutorial railroading involves not only beguiling or coercing helpless and apparently hopeless young black and Hispanic men into confessions and eventual convictions, and not just complicity by grand juries whose secrecy sanitizes such orchestrations. It also involves finding excuses for officers who are spared indictment time and again — even after summarily executing unarmed and even unresisting black and Hispanic men and, in some cases, women.
Like most New Yorkers watching the Central Park and Davis cases, I was inclined to trust prosecutors and to assume the justice of the convictions. When reporters on the Davis murder were told that the 19-year-old Bell had been heard humming the song, “Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas” during a break in the questioning at the 109th Precinct and that remorse seemed never to enter his mind, I assumed that he was yet another half-crazed casualty of inner-city isolation, the kind of casualty I’d encountered more than once.
In the late 1970s I ran a weekly newspaper serving poor neighborhoods just across Brooklyn’s Broadway and Flushing Avenue from Bedford-Stuyvesant, where Officers Ramos and Liu were killed; I made more than a few visits to the Tompkins Houses along Myrtle Avenue, outside of which the murders occurred, and to Woodhull Hospital, where they were brought with Brinsley, who committed suicide nearby. Just to the northeast lay Bushwick, a once-tidy, German and Italian white-ethnic neighborhood that had become mostly Hispanic and black in the 1960s in ways and for reasons I knew intimately and that I portray in my book “The Closest of Strangers,” two of whose chapters chronicle North Brooklyn’s ravaging by absentee landlords’ “block-busting” welfare-subsidy scams, rampant arson for profit and for revenge, and massive looting during a huge 1977 power blackout.
On two occasions I navigated the devastation all night with officers of Bushwick’s 83rd Precinct, accompanying them into scenes of domestic violence where terrified toddlers sucking on teething rings crawled across shattered plates and splattered dinners to hide behind sofas as their mothers told us why they’d called 911 out of desperation and sometimes for revenge. Sometimes the man was still there, and officers had to take him outside. Out on the street in the noisy, sulfurous darkness, a black-Hispanic youth sauntered up to the patrol car’s open window and taunted one of my hosts by asking, “You Officer Torsney? Gonna shoot me?” — referring to Robert Torsney, who on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, for no apparent reason, had fired a bullet into the head of Randolph Evans, 15, a ninth grader at Franklin K. Lane High School, outside the Cypress Hills housing project, near where Officer Rafael Ramos was buried last Saturday. As New York Times columnist Bob Herbert noted years later, “Torsney would later claim he had been afflicted with a rare form of epilepsy that, remarkably, had never been noticed before the killing and was never seen after it. The ‘epilepsy’ defense worked. Officer Torsney was acquitted of any wrongdoing.” Herbert’s column, “The Sickness in the NYPD,” is worth reading, if only for the experience of rubbing your eyes in disbelief. Another of its offerings: “One April morning in 1973 a veteran police officer named Thomas Shea pulled his service revolver and blew away a young black boy on a street in Jamaica, Queens. He shot the kid in the back. There was no chance of survival. Afterward, no one could figure out why the officer had done it. There was no reason for the shooting, no threat to Officer Shea of any kind. The boy’s name was Clifford Glover and he was 10 years old. Officer Shea was charged with murder but of course he was acquitted.” For every young man whom killers in uniform execute as unambiguously as they did Randy Evans, Clifford Glover, Eric Garner and many others without being indicted for it, still more essentially hapless, helpless people are packed off into the vast archipelago of incarceration that employs thousands of “corrections” officers. Either way, for the rest of us, it’s out of sight, out of mind, as were the hundreds of homeless people and derelicts about whom few New Yorkers asked when they disappeared from Manhattan’s streets during Giuliani’s mayoralty. If at the bottom of it all is the calculated isolation and impoverishment of blacks and Hispanics that I chronicled while climbing stairwells in Brooklyn’s Bushwick-Hylan and Borinquen Plaza housing projects to distribute our paper, next to that bottom are the cops we assign to keep the lid on it. Is it a wonder that they sometimes say that they feel like “garbage collectors” and that, when the “garbage” call them something worse, some of them explode? In the 1960s, insouciant, pseudo-insurgent, middle-class white youths called cops “pigs.” A police union took out an ad saying, “Next time you really need help, try calling a pig.” But, with a very few, spectacular exceptions like the Brinks armored car robbery, the worst thing that white kids did to cops in those days was call them names. Is it really surprising that some cops and corrections officers feel as trapped in neighborhoods like Bushwick as the people they’re charged with containing? Is it surprising that some of the young white men who are drawn to such work grew up marinating what I described here three weeks ago as ressentiment, the social pathology of a society that has begun to countenance torture abroad and the militarization of police at home against a decadent, demoralized populace that has come to include themselves? Or that, at the funeral of Rafael Ramos, stunted citizens like these would turn their backs on the chief executive of the democracy that employs them, and that they would thereby dishonor the fallen officer and flout civilian leadership of the police and the military as if they would prefer a police state? The surprise is that so many police officers are still as good as Davis and as the relatives of Salon’s own Joan Walsh, as she recounted here vividly this week and in her book “What’s the Matter With White People?” I, too, can testify that there are many officers, of all colors and backgrounds, as generous and effective as Charles Davis. In the mid-1990s, Peter Mancuso, a former NYPD sergeant, Marine combat veteran, and longtime police reformer, introduced me to other impressive colleagues while I was a columnist for the New York Daily News, a paper many cops read while sitting in their patrol cars. The officers I met were better, more proactive citizen-leaders than moralists who simply cluck their tongues at them. On the other hand, whenever I wrote columns like this one praising their reform efforts, I got some unexpected visits from the New York Fire Department, whose firefighters banged loudly on my door at 3 a.m. because someone had called in a false alarm a day or two after the column ran. Soon after the chokehold killing of Eric Garner, but before the assassinations of Liu and Ramos, another retired police officer sent me this video, distributed by anonymous officers who seem to be preparing for race war, that depicts black men maiming and murdering cops in realistic street scenes. Some of the scenes look staged, but if Brinsley’s real deed had been filmed it would have fit perfectly into this alarmist, racist montage. The officer who shared it with me calls it “almost a counter-training device. Its message is, ‘Never mind what we are about to tell you the law says; here is what you are up against at any moment.’ After seeing it, I can better understand that young Housing Division Officer opening stairwell doors with his gun in his hand [and, trigger-happy, shot and killed an unarmed, innocent 28-year-old black man two floors below him]. I’m wondering if he saw the video or something like it.’” (Before calling 911 to aid the man he’d shot, the housing officer called his union.) Officers’ testimony in cases like this and Eric Garner’s and Randy Evans’ and Clifford Glover’s and the rest is almost transparently scripted by the union. Another irony. Even as the rogue video and the real deeds of Brinsley and Colin Ferguson alarm us, and even as some officers’ turning their backs on the mayor at a funeral and a police graduation ceremony disgust us, many black leaders have been ascending a far-better learning curve from the demagoguery of the 1980s and ‘90s to more sophisticated, humane strategizing. Where now are the Louis Farrakhans, the Vernon Masons and Alton Maddoxes (lawyers of Tawana Brawley infamy) and the Johnnie Cochrans, whose verbal threats and courtroom tactics sent chills down whites’ spines? Al Sharpton, whom I knew well in those years and described here in November, has climbed that learning curve: He said that the Ferguson, Missouri, protest movement “was not about Darren Wilson’s job. It was about Michael Brown’s justice…. We are not anti-police. If our children are wrong, arrest them. Don’t empty your gun and act like you had no other way.” Sharpton also led Eric Garner’s family in protesting Brinsley’s deed and mourning the deaths of officers Ramos and Liu. Sharpton is a flawed leader, but efforts by Fox News’ flunkies to blame him and recent protesters for bad relations with police prove only that black leadership’s learning curve has been offset by some white male degeneration along the lines I sketched here. The glorious funerals given officers Davis, Liu and Ramos don’t dispel these white men’s growing bewilderment, fear and anger, less of it generated by black men than by economic and cultural riptides that would still dispossess and disorient many of them even if the U.S. were white from coast to coast. To overcome racism, we’ll have to reach past “black and white” story lines and find strategies that free the oppressed by freeing the oppressor. Police are trapped in the swamp I navigated in Brooklyn because all of us are trapped in a political economy that’s no longer legitimate or sustainable. Unless we confront what Joan Walsh is telling us has happened to the white working and middle classes, and what AlterNet editor Don Hazen, economist James Galbraith and historian Eli Zaretsky are trying to tell us about the real roots of America’s white male problem, “black and white” explanations will fall short, on both sides of an enduring race line that leads us nowhere. | 0fake |
Trump Aides Try to Reassure Europe, but Many Are Wary - The New York Times | MUNICH — While President Trump has disrupted assumptions about American foreign policy, members of his cabinet have been scrambling to reassure allies that the United States remains a bedrock of support. The trouble is, after four weeks of tumult at the White House, the allies are not sure who to believe. Mr. Trump has questioned the European Union and NATO, spoken admiringly of Russia and upended Middle East diplomacy. His proxies have maintained that the United States is still a deterrent to Russia and China, a credible arbiter in the Middle East and a faithful ally to Europe. The skepticism over who is in charge in Washington was crystallized on Friday at an annual meeting of dignitaries in Munich for a yearly security conference. Germany’s defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, caused ripples when she pointedly expressed appreciation for the American “secretary of defense’s strong commitment to NATO. ” She was referring to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has spent his week in Europe trying to persuade allies that contrary to what President Trump has said in the United States, the country has not soured on the alliance. Several people at the conference instantly took note on Twitter of Ms. Von der Leyen’s phrasing, including Vali Nasr, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Vice President Mike Pence, who arrived in Munich on Friday night Mr. Mattis Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, a few miles up the road in Bonn — have all spent much of the week soothing European ears, presenting traditional Republican national security orthodoxy of confronting Russia, supporting NATO and backing democratic institutions. But every time they seemed to be getting traction in convincing skittish diplomats that Mr. Trump was not about to abandon decades of American national security policy, their boss did something in Washington that undercut their work. The result has been confusion among global leaders about whom to believe when it comes to the direction of American national security. The reassuring message Mr. Trump’s subordinates have sought to convey has been further undermined by some of his own Republican critics. Senator John McCain, whose disdain for Mr. Trump is well known, was quoted by Reuters as saying at the Munich conference that Michael T. Flynn’s resignation as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser over his Russia liaisons was “something that shows that in many respects this administration is in disarray and they’ve got a lot of work to do. ” The contradictions have abounded. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump seemed to abandon a broad international consensus on how to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians, asserting that he was not committed to a solution. hours later, his United Nations envoy said, “We absolutely support a solution,” adding that the administration simply wanted a “thinking out of the box” approach about resolving one of the world’s intractable conflicts. The same day that Mr. Trump questioned the approach, Mr. Mattis was at NATO headquarters telling allies that the commitment of the United States to NATO remained firm. But Mr. Mattis also echoed his boss when he warned that the United States might “moderate” its support if other member countries did not spend more on the military. The next day, still at NATO, Mr. Mattis was back to saying that the American commitment to NATO was unshakable. He said the Trump administration’s “commitment to Article 5 remains solid,” referring to NATO’s principle that an attack on one is an attack on all. European diplomats breathed a sigh of relief again, until Mr. Trump held a prolonged and chaotic news conference a few hours later in Washington. “Let’s put it this way, the discrepancy between the president’s news conference and the way his cabinet is trying to reassure Europeans couldn’t be wider,” said Michael Werz, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, who was at the Munich conference. Volker Perthes, the head of SWP, a policy research group based in Germany, said: “Mattis speaks of ‘defending the international order.’ I hope he can explain this to his boss. ” What appeared to rattle people the most about Mr. Trump’s news conference on Thursday were his attacks on members of the news media assembled before him. Several diplomats said they worried that Mr. Trump was trying to discredit a tenet of American democracy — a free press — and in so doing, might embolden despots around the world into further challenges to freedom of the press. Struggling to explain how to assess the seeming chaos coming out of Washington, Michael Fallon, Britain’s defense minister, told reporters, “You know, new administrations, you know, can take time to settle down. ” In the crowded lounges and refined tearooms of Munich’s Hotel Bayerischer Hof, where leaders and top officials were mingling, much of the talk on Friday was not about the panels on issues like “the future of the European Union: united or divided,” or “the future of the West: downfall or comeback?” Instead, it was about Mr. Trump’s Thursday news conference, which appeared to deeply unnerve a number of officials. Overheard conversations included one in which one European official said that the United States was now on the list of “risk factors” for Europe, echoing a concern expressed two weeks earlier by Donald Tusk, head of the European Council. German officials joked that American diplomats and civil service organizations could now qualify for German democracy funding — money designated for countries with struggling democratic institutions. Several people seemed on edge awaiting what Mr. Mattis would say when he addressed the conference. When he finally approached the lectern, he sounded exactly like numerous other American chiefs who have preceded him. “The bond remains our strongest bulwark against instability and violence,” he said. “I am confident that we will strengthen our partnerships, confronting those who choose to attack innocent people or our democratic processes and freedoms. ” Mr. Mattis, Mr. Nasr said after the speech, “is the one island of stability. ” But, he added, “the key is that nobody knows the extent of his influence. Right now, we’re tight with unity, but who knows what to believe?” Ms. Von der Leyen, the German defense minister, used her time at the lectern before Mr. Mattis spoke to deliver a warning to the Trump administration about putting cooperation with Russia ahead of its alliances in Europe — or even on the same footing for that matter. “Our American friends know well that your tone on Europe and NATO has a direct impact on the cohesion of our continent,” Ms. Von der Leyen said. “There cannot be a policy of equidistance to allies and to those who openly question our values, our borders and international law. ” Ms. Von der Leyen also criticized Mr. Trump’s efforts to close American borders to refugees from around the world and suspend immigration from several predominantly Muslim countries. (Those efforts have been blocked by American courts.) “We should be careful that this fight does not become a front against Islam and Muslims,” Ms. Von der Leyen said. “Otherwise, we run the risk of digging ourselves into a deeper grave in which violence and terror only grow further. ” | 0fake |
Julianna Margulies, in Closing Arguments for ‘The Good Wife’ - The New York Times | After an acclaimed run, “The Good Wife” comes to an end on Sunday, May 8. And as the television show’s creators, the team of Robert and Michelle King, and its star, Julianna Margulies, gathered at a SoHo hotel for an interview in just three days after filming the 156th and final episode of the CBS drama, it was clear they hadn’t quite decompressed yet. “Someone said ‘You must feel great, you wrapped,’” Ms. Margulies said. “And I said, ‘I feel like I’m in a dream.’ I’m not quite there yet. ” [ The cast of “The Good Wife” on favorite moments from the show ] “The Good Wife” — initially inspired by the spectacle of news conferences like those involving Silda Wall Spitzer, married to the disgraced governor of New York — traced the professional and personal of Alicia Florrick (Ms. Margulies) the wife of a discredited politician forced to resume her legal career to support her family. With wryly literate writing, complicated characters and timely explorations of issues like abortion, gun rights, gay marriage and government surveillance, the hourlong drama was an outlier among the procedurals and nighttime soap operas of the broadcast networks. And shows of its kind — serialized dramas stretching nearly two dozen episodes each season — may well be a vanishing breed as actors and writers tire of the grueling filming schedules, preferring the shorter seasons of prestige cable and limited network series. The Kings’ next TV endeavor is the “BrainDead” on CBS this summer, a satirical of horror and Washington politics. During a nearly interview, Ms. Margulies and the Kings often finished one another’s sentences and joked about working together again — on a show about a female Stalin. In these edited excerpts, they chatted about their goals for the finale, the changes in Alicia and the challenges of shooting sex scenes for broadcast television. Earlier this year, there were rumblings that “The Good Wife” might return for an eighth season even though the Kings were leaving. How did the decision to end the show come about? JULIANNA MARGULIES I felt like I was put between a rock and a hard place. I was getting messages from all over the place that if you want to keep doing the show, CBS will do it. And in the beginning of the year, Michelle and Robert came to me and said we’re writing the show as if it were ending, because we’re out. So suddenly I felt like I was put in this very precarious position. If I say yes, I’m screwing them over, because they had a vision for the show, and it’s their baby. And if I say no, the network’s going to be angry, and so is the cast and the crew. But then CBS made that decision for me, and I didn’t have to do a thing. David Stapf, who is the head of CBS Studios, called me and he said, ‘The last thing that I would want of the show that has been a feather in CBS’s cap for seven years is for the eighth year, without the Kings, to be the one where critics start saying they should have ended when the Kings did.’ And he’s right. I think they were honoring the Kings’ intentions. ROBERT KING Plus, we were sabotaging things. We kept starting trash fires in the writers’ room. [Everyone laughs.] Finales can be tricky endeavors, given how viewers chime in on social media. What was your vision for the ending of “The Good Wife”? MICHELLE KING The only thing I’ll say is that the show has always been all about Alicia. So the finale just had to honor the end of Alicia’s journey. ROBERT KING One of the things we wanted to do is show how much that character had changed. Not just a change but progressively over seven seasons. That’s why there are some memories in some of the shows we’ve done this year. What were the biggest changes for Alicia? MARGULIES I think her biggest change was not caring what people thought. Which enabled her to forge ahead. She stopped worrying about being the good girl, even though deep down inside that’s who she’ll always be, inherently. And as Alicia started to become better at her job, she managed to change who she was in her private life. MICHELLE KING I do think she’s a different person. Thematically for the series, it’s all about what are the consequences of even unfortunate things in your life. Alicia started with something horrible, when she was publicly humiliated. Her husband cheated on her with prostitutes. But that’s what pushed her to have this new and interesting life. Is bad news always bad news? I think you’ll see that question raised all over. How else did the show change during its seven seasons? MICHELLE KING In Season 1, it was more in terms of cases versus serialized stories. And then the show became more serialized. And it’s tricky to do. There’s a reason that serialized shows live more on cable and streaming than they do on network. Because it’s really hard to top yourself 22 times and not get to melodrama. “Scandal” embraces it, and good for them. They don’t try to live in reality. But if you try to live in reality, like “The Good Wife” does, that’s a difficult thing to do. ROBERT KING You couldn’t keep throwing the bombs that we could throw in the fifth season when we knew Josh Charles [who played Will Gardner, Alicia’s erstwhile boss and love interest] was leaving and that we could break up Alicia and Will, knowing we were going to kill him in the 15th episode. But we couldn’t kill someone every episode. That’s why networks like hospital shows. There can be blood on the floor in every episode. For shows that aren’t formulaic procedurals like the “NCIS” clan or a nighttime soap like “Scandal,” does the departure of “The Good Wife” herald an end of an era? MICHELLE KING If it is an end of an era, and I don’t know if it is, it’s because of the actors. The actors, rightly, don’t want to work that many episodes if there’s an option. To do 13 or 15 episodes and have a life, and do your best work, I think a lot of stars are now saying that’s where I’d like to live, please. ROBERT KING One of the reasons why networks struggle with it is because it’s hard to maintain a voice with 22 episodes. So maybe it is the last, only because it’s really insanely hard work. MICHELLE KING It could be that stories remain on networks, because that’s what they do really well. And I think they can be a lot of fun, these strictly procedural, shows that don’t live and die on the quality of the acting. Part of it is a puzzle element or a mystery. Julianna, what would it take for you to commit to another network show with 22 episodes a year? MARGULIES There’s no amount of money in the world. ROBERT KING Is that true? Even if you like the part? MARGULIES Even if I like the part. ROBERT KING So you won’t do network again, but you’d do cable? MARGULIES In a heartbeat. I would do cable for sure, because it’s four months. It’s like doing a movie. If a network would do 11 episodes and then have a break and then do 11 [more] I could do it. Because it’s not just a commitment of time on set. I’d come home at the end of a day, I have a family to tend to, and then I have nine pages of dialogue to learn. So it just never ends. What characters or plot lines saw their arcs changed or dialed back over the course of the show? ROBERT KING Christine Baranski’s character [Diane Lockhart] at the very start of the show, was supposed to be kind of the bitchy boss to Alicia. It was playing off of one premise, which is the mentor who comes to sabotage her mentee. If anybody’s met Christine Baranski, though, you can only go so far with that before you embrace just how wonderful she is. She had this incredibly good funny laugh that we would hear in the dailies between the takes. Why are we sending her off in this kind of direction? Let’s have other people be villains. One we cut short was because he got another job. That was Jason O’Mara [who played Damian Boyle]. He was more of a gang lawyer, a little shady. What was supposed to happen was that when Will died, he was someone who really stepped up. Then he got a job, on “Complications. ” MICHELLE KING That happened a lot, didn’t it? If you’re trying to do a serialized story with actors who are not your regular cast, you have to be a bit nimble. MARGULIES They had a whole idea for Oliver Platt, but then he got a series. MICHELLE KING He was a very smart, very conservative businessman, and it really allowed us to play with issues with the Diane character being such a liberal. And yet to be able to see them as intellectual equals and be very respectful of one another even when they had different opinions, that was really interesting to explore. So it was a great pity when we couldn’t have access to that. ROBERT KING One of the things we wanted to pursue on the show more and more is there’s a real bias on TV, which I’ve heard about. [Everyone laughs.] You watch TV, and if there’s a priest, you know he’s going to be a child molester. There’s a predictability. It’s not even trying to be propaganda for the right it’s just that there should be an honest discussion that shows that for people on the other side of abortion or on the other side of gay marriage, there’s an intellectual argument there. What was it like having to hew to broadcast network standards and practices? ROBERT KING There is a problem standards and practices has with thrusting. MARGULIES Did you just say thrusting? ROBERT KING The thrusting issue. And we would have to delicately go around problems of thrusting in that anybody would have. We’d even have to morph images because we wouldn’t get a take that was clean of thrusting. But it was kind of amazing how much CBS let us do. The first episode of the second season was about oral sex. What did the departure of Josh Charles allow you to do differently? ROBERT KING The loss of Josh seemed like it would be catastrophic to us, but I thought it gave us a new lease on who Alicia was, with the underpinning of mourning. How does a [series] show the fact of someone dying, as opposed to a lot of these shows that kill off someone every week? Is there any merit to the rumblings of a feud between Julianna and Archie Panjabi [who played the private investigator Kalinda Sharma] that they didn’t film their scenes together toward the end of her run on the show? MARGULIES It’s all silly gossip, and I don’t want to go there. If the show were to continue, what are some of the issues that you would want to deal with? ROBERT KING Trump and populism. How American democracy is veering a little more toward European populism, both on the left and on the right. The right wing is tending to be and the left is looking toward socialism. MICHELLE KING I was just stumbling over the fact that there are certain companies that have manifestoes online about how proud they are for the number of people they fire. And I just thought, oh, that’s an episode. And yet there are no more to write. And if there were one more plotline for Alicia, what would it be? MARGULIES One of the things I found interesting this year was what Eli [the political adviser to Peter Florrick] kept saying, that Alicia’s the star. Because Alicia doesn’t see herself that way, at all. So even though there was this jilted run for state’s attorney that she got thrown under the bus for, I would love to see how far that could go. Especially in the environment of Hillary [Clinton] right now, I think that would be really interesting. | 0fake |
Sean Hannity Announces Megyn Kelly’s Support For Hillary Clinton | Sean Hannity went there. In an argument with Megyn Kelly, he boldly announced that she supports Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump, with all due respect to my friend at 10:00, will go on Hannity and pretty much only Hannity and will not venture out to the unsafe spaces these days, Kelly said Wednesday a reference to The Donald s mission to avoid any and all press who won t spend all their time together fondling his tiny orange wherever. These days, that s pretty much just Sean Hannity, so Trump spends a lot of time using Fox News as a platform from which he can scream lies to the Stupid Part of America.Naturally, Hannity was upset that Kelly has a problem with this, tweeting that Kelly supports Hillary Clinton you know, because only Clinton supporters can possibly have a problem with The Donald s actions.@megynkelly u should be mad at @HillaryClinton Clearly you support her. And @realDonaldTrump did talk to u. https://t.co/vsQiNMgHut Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) October 6, 2016Naturally, the world mocked his stupidity.@SusanKnowles @bosseone2 @seanhannity @megynkelly WHY do Trumpites equate not supporting @realDonaldTrump w supporting @HillaryClinton?!?!? #ToHellinAHandbasket (@ugottabekidn) October 6, 2016Tomorrow, @megynkelly will reveal which brand of knee pads @seanhannity wears when he interviews Trump. https://t.co/cETnCYsVYB Jerry (@js_edit) October 6, 2016.@seanhannity Wait. So now you re standing on principle? C mon, Sean! If you re against @MegynKelly you must be for @maddow. Own it! Jordan Gehrke (@jmgehrke) October 6, 2016@seanhannity @megynkelly @HillaryClinton @realDonaldTrump Such a tough guy, Sean! Did you type this while on your knees in front of Trump? ginalou (@ginalou) October 6, 2016Clearly Kelly does not support Trump with all that blood coming out of her wherever and all but it is unknown if, and even unlikely that, she actually supports Clinton. but it doesn t matter. Facts don t matter to Trump or his basket. In fact, The Donald s deplorables are already attacking the female Fox host based on an unfounded claim by perhaps the dumbest host on the network:Time to boycott Megyn Kelly's show and support Sean Hannity show. We the viewers have the power to coax Fox into making a decision Deplorable IXLR8 ? (@arian0027) October 6, 2016I hate to break it to all 4 of Megyn Kelly's remaining fans, but yes, it is true (and very obvious). Megyn Kelly is a liberal. #WakeUpSheep Jeremy Nolt (@RealJeremyNolt) October 6, 2016I can't even watch Megan Kelly anymore. She sounds like a leftist whining about sexism all the time ?give me break @seanhannity @megynkelly Deplorable Melissa (@sweetatertot2) October 6, 2016@seanhannity @megynkelly An example of a man reacting to a mouthy woman. Megyn is jealous she's on the wrong side of the people & history Females 4 Trump ?? (@FemalesForTrump) October 6, 2016Whom does Kelly actually support? Based on her treatment at the hands of Trump supporters, I d say she s probably leaning Clinton.Featured image via Pinterest | 1real |
FARRAKHAN DEVOTEE, COP HATER AND RAPPER, ‘KILLER MIKE’ To Speak At SOLD OUT Event At Prestigious MIT University | Rapper Killer Mike, will appear in front of a SOLD OUT audience at the prestigious MIT University today. Here s a clip from an interview with Jew hater and racist Louis Farrakhan:He s a follower and admirer of this racist Jew hater. He s clearly one of the most angry black men in the entertainment business. After watching this interview, you will better understand the mentality of the protestors on the streets who are getting in the faces of cops (of whom the majority are good men and women protecting and defending the citizens within their jurisdiction). It should be noted, that Killer Mike s dad was a police officer or dirty pig as he likes to call them.Killer Mike views rap as social activism, and never shies away from sharing his opinions on race and abuses of power. Whether he s condemning institutionalized corruption in Reagan or speaking out against police brutality with Run The Jewels Close Your Eyes, if Killer Mike thinks it s messed up, he s going to let you know.This Friday, April 24, MIT students will have the chance to hear how messed up race relations are, when Killer Mike delivers a lecture titled Race Relations in the U.S. at the school. According to the press release, he ll be talking about how current and advancing technology are shaping race relations. (We re guessing that he doesn t regard drone surveillance as a democratizing agent.) Chances are pretty good that Killer Mike will also be addressing the spate of well-publicized police shootings of young unarmed black men and their systemic social consequences.Here is an example of the most recent music video by Killer Mike. ****WARNING****Violence and strong language***Killer Mike s lecture is the second in MIT s new Hip-Hop Speaker Series, which opened with Young Guru. The series is the result of a collaboration between the Arts at MIT and TapTape, an MIT-based music startup. The series stated goal is to bring together leaders in hip-hop with leading faculty and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That s a perfect opportunity for a mathematics seminar featuring Dr. Octagon and Dr. Roman Bezrukavnikov, Professor of Algebraic Geometry.While Killer Mike s lecture certainly sounds intriguing, Friday s lecture is exclusively available to MIT students and is already sold out. But if you re jonesing to hear Killer Mike drop some heated words, there s always the extremely-NSFW Big Beast video, featuring Bun B and T.I.We were going to include the Big Beast video, but after viewing this disturbing video, which includes nudity, horrific acts of violence and an attempted rape scene, we decided against it. The driver in the video is wearing a Ronald Reagan mask because Killer Mike believes that all of the problems plaguing the black community are as a result of Ronald Reagan s presidency. Please feel free to view it (if you are an adult) and you can stomach it at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8-RmM5py1cVia: AV Club | 1real |
Democrats to demand restructuring mechanism for Puerto Rico: letter | SAN JUAN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. senators have drafted a letter to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisting legislation designed to solve Puerto Rico’s debt crisis should include a mechanism for the island to restructure its debt, according to a draft of the letter seen by Reuters. The move is a challenge to Republicans pushing bills in Congress to bring Puerto Rico’s finances under federal oversight, who are generally opposed to letting the U.S. commonwealth restructure its debt. Democrats have argued that any such oversight should be conditional on allowing Puerto Rico to be governed by federal bankruptcy or debt restructuring laws. A congressional source familiar with the letter said Senate democrats plan to make it public on Tuesday ahead of a hearing on Puerto Rico by the House Committee on Natural Resources, but timing remains uncertain. A solution “must allow Puerto Rico to restructure a meaningful portion of its debt,” according to the draft of the letter, which noted that “Puerto Rico was included in Chapter 9 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code until 1984, when Congress inexplicably excluded it from the nationwide approach to resolving municipal insolvency.” Letters such as this are generally aimed at demonstrating party unity and are typically circulated to collect as many signatures as possible to show strength on a given issue. The congressional source said this letter’s authors are expecting signatures from all 44 Democratic senators and 2 independent senators. If such broad support were achieved, it would allow Democrats to block any legislation that did not include a restructuring mechanism - although that is no guarantee that Republicans, who control Congress, would draft a bill that includes one. A restructuring option would be a coup for the island’s governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who has long said Puerto Rico needs to cut its $70 billion in debt to grow its economy, a stance that has faced resistance from creditors. Aside from its debt load, Puerto Rico faces widespread economic strain, including a 45-percent poverty rate and a shrinking tax base, as a growing number of citizens jump to the mainland United States. The island has begun skipping some debt payments in recent months in order to make others, and now faces lawsuits from insurers of some bonds. The letter comes weeks after House Speaker Paul Ryan demanded legislation by the end of March to address Puerto Rico’s debt. “We urge you to match his commitment to act on a responsible solution by the end of the first quarter,” the draft letter says, addressing McConnell. | 0fake |
EP #11: Patrick Henningsen LIVE – ‘Top Trump Trends for 2017’ with guest Gerald Celente | Join Patrick every Wednesday at Independent Talk 1100 KFNX and Alternate Current Radio for the very best in news, views and analysis on all top stories domestically and abroad THIS WEEK: Episode 11 This week we ll cover some of this week s headline stories including Trump s ascendency to the White House, and what s happened in his first week at the Oval Office.In our main feature segment, host Patrick Henningsen is joined by special guest Gerald Celente, best selling author and Director of the Trends Research Institute in New York, to discuss the real impact of the 2016 Election and America s new President Donald J. Trump. Listen Listen to EP 11: Patrick Henningsen LIVE with Gerald Celente on Spreaker.This program broadcasts LIVE every Wednesday night from 8pm to 9pm MST, right after the Savage Nation, on Independent Talk 1100 KFNX over the terrestrial AM band across the greater Phoenix and central Arizona region, and live over global satellite and online via www.1100kfnx.com.LISTEN TO MORE INTERVIEWS AT PATRICK HENNINGSEN LIVE SHOW ARCHIVESSUPPORT 21WIRE SUBSCRIBE & BECOME A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV | 1real |
Where Donald Trump Stands on School Choice, Student Debt and Common Core - The New York Times | When it comes to predicting how Donald J. Trump’s administration will affect America’s schools and universities, education experts say they are struggling to read the tea leaves. “The fundamental issue is that nobody really knows what the Trump administration is about” on education, said Frederick M. Hess, a conservative education policy expert. At a panel discussion in Washington last week, he joked that Mr. Trump’s trademark educational achievement thus far, creating the controversial Trump University, placed him in history alongside another president, Thomas Jefferson, the founder of the University of Virginia. “He’s been all over the map on a number of these questions,” Mr. Hess, the director of education policy studies for the American Enterprise Institute, said during a panel discussion on Wednesday at the Shanker Institute, an education nonprofit. Mr. Hess is among education experts and policy makers who, since the election, have been trying to figure out what a Trump administration might do for education — starting with whether there will even be a federal Department of Education. Mr. Trump suggested during the campaign that the agency might be on the chopping block, though the statement seemed more like a sound bite than a policy pronouncement. On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump’s statements on education were largely like that: a series of short clips, some seemingly contradictory. And it is not clear whether his policies will hew closely to the Republican agenda or fall more in line with his populist streak. Mr. Trump’s signature education proposal — to provide $20 billion in federal money to allow students to select private or charter schools — is one area where he seems to be borrowing policy from Vice Mike Pence. As governor of Indiana, Mr. Pence championed school choice and favored a smaller federal role in education. While arguing that Mr. Trump should be taken seriously on education because he wants to cut college costs and improve schools, Mr. Hess said Mr. Trump’s pronouncements so far were not based on fully formed policy. “The $20 billion figure for school choice came out of nowhere,” Mr. Hess said. “You know that Mr. Trump has been all over the place on student loans. ” A number of names have been floated as possible choices for education secretary. Mr. Trump met over the weekend with Michelle Rhee, a former District of Columbia schools chancellor, a Democrat who reversed her opposition to school vouchers in 2013 and has supported Common Core standards. Another possible candidate is Williamson M. Evers, an education expert at the Hoover Institution, a think tank. Mr. Evers was a senior adviser at the Education Department during President George W. Bush’s administration. Mr. Trump’s office has not responded to requests for interviews on his education priorities, but he and people close to him have dropped a few clues. Here is an overview of what America’s schools and universities might expect during the Trump administration: SCHOOL CHOICE In a speech at a Cleveland charter school in September, Mr. Trump rolled out the banner element in his education plan — the $20 billion program to promote “school choice. ” Along with the federal money, states also would be encouraged to kick dollars into a pool so that children could select their schools, including private and charter schools. Representative Luke Messer, an Indiana Republican who founded the Congressional School Choice Caucus and is friends with Mr. Pence, suggested in an interview that some of the money for Mr. Trump’s school choice program could come from Title 1, a $15 billion education program for schools. But critics say letting Title 1 money follow students to schools outside their neighborhoods, referred to in education speak as Title 1 portability, would take money away from public schools. Teachers unions have opposed the idea of expanding funding for charter schools. “There is a real question about resources being drained from public education,” said Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers. COMMON CORE In an interview with Fox News in October last year, Mr. Trump said: “I may cut Department of Education. I believe Common Core is a very bad thing. ” The statement, though, may have reflected a bit of a misunderstanding. Common Core standards, an initiative to standardize educational requirements throughout the nation, were adopted by states. Under a recently enacted law, the federal government is prohibited from telling states what educational standards to adopt. So the Department of Education has no authority over Common Core anyway. TRANSGENDER FACILITIES The Obama administration has taken the position that schools must permit transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice. The Republican platform calls that policy illegal and dangerous. But in a television interview in April, Mr. Trump said transgender people should go to any restroom they want. Caitlyn Jenner took him up on the invitation. STUDENT DEBT In a speech in Columbus, Ohio, last month, Mr. Trump called college debt an “albatross” around people’s necks, and suggested a way out. Students would pay 12. 5 percent of their income each year for 15 years. After that, their loans could be forgiven. But there is already a similar program, currently requiring payment of 10 percent of income over 20 years. Jason D. Delisle, also of the American Enterprise Institute, said Mr. Trump’s repayment plan would cost the government more and would give a huge break to students with higher student debt, usually those with advanced degrees. There has been some thought that Mr. Trump plans to turn student lending over to private banks and take the government out of the equation. But there is no evidence that Mr. Trump has endorsed that idea. Both liberal and conservative experts said the proposal would be dead on arrival on Capitol Hill anyway. “It would cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars,” said Rohit Chopra, a former adviser to Education Secretary John B. King Jr. as well as Hillary Clinton’s defunct transition team. The president of the Association of Public and Universities, Peter McPherson, who was a deputy Treasury secretary during the Reagan administration, also called the proposal “politically untenable” because of its cost. CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT Mr. Trump has said there is “tremendous bloat” in college costs, blaming that partly on highly paid administrators. He has also suggested cutting expensive regulations, though he has not said which ones. One target, though, may be regulations concerning campus sexual assault complaints under Title IX, the federal law that governs gender equity in education. The Obama administration has stepped up enforcement of Title IX on campuses, sending universities across the country scrambling to comply and to hire staff members to do so. Some experts believe that the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, which administers those rules, may face cuts. “Many of the people who Trump will be talking to believe that the Office for Civil Rights has been overreaching, it’s been too aggressive and it’s time to pull back,” said Deborah Tuerkheimer, a former New York sex crimes prosecutor who currently teaches law at Northwestern University. Reduced emphasis on policing campus sexual assault would probably create an outcry among a network of activists who oppose violence against women on campuses. But Mr. McPherson of the Association of Public and Universities predicted that universities will continue to address campus sexual assault — with or without federal enforcement. “Every president I talk to says this is something that needs to be fully dealt with,” he said. “The public visibility of this issue has transferred the responsibility, the ownership, to campuses themselves. ” ENDOWMENTS Mr. Trump has said that universities should spend more of their endowments on students rather than investing the money. He suggested that some colleges pay more to financial advisers to manage their endowments than they spend on tuition assistance. University endowments currently hold more than $500 billion. In recent years, various lawmakers have proposed cutting tax breaks to universities unless they spend more of their endowments. But most of the colleges with large endowments — like Harvard, Yale and Stanford — already give needy students generous aid. There are 92 universities with endowments of $1 billion or more, with half of the wealth controlled by about two dozen schools, so forcing colleges to spend more of their endowments would likely have limited national impact. | 0fake |
Joel Pollak on What He Saw at the Trump Revolution: ‘How Trump Won’ | Breitbart News Senior Joel Pollak was a Breitbart News Daily guest on Tuesday to talk about his new book, How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution. [Pollak told SiriusXM host Alex Marlow he chose the title for the book after the election was settled because he originally thought Donald Trump’s presidential campaign “was going to be a spectacular defeat — not necessarily a big defeat, but definitely one worth writing about. ” “I think the frame of mind that I was in was concern about what was going to happen to conservatism after Trump lost,” he revealed,“that there was so much infighting, that there had been a kind of civil war in the GOP, that all the knives were out — for you and me in particular, but for other people, as well, once this election was over. And so I started working on this, I pitched it to various people who I knew had an interest in publishing something, and started writing it with a view to trying to frame the debate after the election. ” “I knew Trump could win. I was one of the few people on that traveling press corps plane who thought he could still win. But I didn’t think it was likely, and so I wanted to make sure that the whole conservative movement didn’t collapse into infighting, and I wanted to try to frame what his defeat would mean so that going forward, there would be something productive and positive to do,” he said. “Larry Schweikart, my was quite the opposite. He had predicted in August 2015 that Trump would not only win the nomination, but would win the election,” Pollak recalled. “So there’s a healthy tension there in the book. ” “Larry had data that few other people had, and he talks about that data in the book,” he said. “He had people, for example, in various counties that were crucial to the outcome of the election tracking voter registration numbers. He knew that a large number of people in Ohio, for example, had switched their voter registration from Democratic to Republican, and he knew that coming out of certain parts of Ohio, coming out of Cleveland, for example, Democrats needed to have a certain advantage to balance out the Republican advantage in the rest of the state. And he began to see, very early on, they weren’t going to have that advantage, if people simply voted on partisan lines. ” “So he got the signal that if Trump managed to dominate the primary, which he did and was doing, he was going to win the election. There were enough people who were disgusted with the Democratic Party, there were enough Democrats willing to make the switch, that if a candidate came along who pitched a message to them, that was going to happen. So he talks about that in the book,” Pollak said. “I had the sense Trump was going to win the nomination only in about December 2015, when I went to my first Trump campaign event and saw with my own eyes this wasn’t a vanity candidacy this wasn’t a kind of joke,” he recalled. “This was a very real campaign and a real connection with the voters, who clearly felt tied in to what he was saying and doing. ” “That same visit also told me that the mainstream media had no idea what was going on because I went to a perfectly exciting, warm, fun Trump rally with about 3, 000 people in Nevada, and the next day, I saw it reported as a kind of Nazi rally by NBC. And that clued me in as to what was going on. I’d never been to an event where the description the day after was more different than the reality on the night of. That just was a cold bucket of water to the face, that this was going to be a campaign unlike any other, and Trump was going to have to go around the media to win,” he said. Pollak testified there were some “really interesting people” in the traveling press corps, “some great people, some professional people. ” “But generally, the consensus was that Trump didn’t have a chance,” he said. “It was almost a feeling like, we don’t know why we’re doing this anymore. You’d think the media would have an interest in playing up the contest, that the horse race would be interesting to people, that the drama of an election campaign would motivate people, but I think people were just exhausted. Trump was keeping a really tough pace, and they couldn’t really see the point of it all. ” He summed up the Trump press corps mindset as, “Why is he spending all this time on the road? Why are we doing seven states in one day? What’s the point? He’s not going to win, this is pointless, and the only way it’s interesting to us is to pick out little things he does that are weird, zany, unusual, and likely damaging. ” “They just couldn’t see the between Trump and the Clinton campaign. I think they just didn’t have a sense that it was going to be fun. That changed a little bit with the Comey announcement, which I saw in New Hampshire . It was more of a horse race. The media perked up a little bit,” he said. “But what was really interesting to me was that even though you might think commercially it was in their interest to play up the chance that Trump might win, they really seemed to have no interest in it, and no belief that he could,” Pollak said. “And so it was kind of almost a death march through all these different campaign rallies and stops in different states. I just don’t think they thought it possible, and some certainly were completely dismissive and mocking of him. ” He said one of the most surprising things he discovered on the Trump campaign trail was “just how determined the audiences were to vote for this man, to crawl over broken glass to vote for him, as our colleague John Nolte likes to say. ” He cited a rally in Virginia that had been scheduled to start at 9:30 p. m. on the Sunday before Election Day: “Trump had scheduled a lot of different events, and there was a large amount of traffic in one city because the police couldn’t clear the entire highway and so forth. In any event, the rally didn’t happen at 9:30 p. m. It happened at 12:30 a. m. in Virginia, the next morning. This is on a Sunday night into a Monday morning. It’s a school night. There are families there. We get there, thousands of people not only inside the hall, but outside, in the cold, young children with their parents, sleeping almost on their parents’ shoulders, waiting to see Donald Trump. Nobody had gone home! People had stayed there, and they were determined to be there. And when I asked people why they were there, they said, ‘We’re here to be a part of history. ’” “To the people in those audiences, there was no doubt that Trump was going to win,” Pollak observed. “They sensed a connection with this candidate that they hadn’t sensed with any other Republican candidate in decades. That felt new enough to them that they were convinced he was going to win. And that was really the first moment where I thought Trump might win, even though I thought the odds were still stacked against him and even though Election Day looked pretty rough until late in the evening. ” “The surprise to me was seeing the determination of the audiences,” he related. “At another rally in Michigan, I asked two young women why they were there, and they said something which I would hear repeated by others, which is: ‘He doesn’t have to be doing this for us, and we’re here because he loves us’ — which is odd, and it’s always strange as a journalist to hear that from people because you have something of a critical distance. ” “Even though we’re a conservative website, and we were more on the side of Trump, obviously, than the side of Clinton, you feel some kind of connection to what’s going on,” Pollak explained. “You never really get to that level of emotional investment. But people felt that because he had given up his Hollywood career, because he had suffered personal damage, because he had taken a hit in his businesses, he was sacrificing for them. That moved them to come out for him. And that was something I don’t think people really picked up on. That was surprising and I think part of the secret of why Trump actually won. ” Marlow asked Pollak for his list of the major storylines heading into Trump’s inauguration on Friday. “I think there are three main storylines,” Pollak replied. “The first is the outgoing administration, the Obama administration, casting doubt on Trump’s legitimacy. You’ll notice on Sunday, Meet the Press, Obama’s chief of staff would not say that Trump was legitimate. They said ‘freely elected,’ but they didn’t say ‘legitimate’ because they’re riding this Russian hacking conspiracy theory. They’re saying what John Lewis is saying. It makes me think that John Lewis is, in some ways, a surrogate for the administration. ” “They’re talking about what a great job they’re doing in the transition, while they’re totally undermining the premise of the transition. So I think the Obama administration is going out on a really sour note. That’s one storyline,” he said. “Another storyline is the inauguration itself and the protests that are going to be there,” he continued. “The day after, there’s going to be quite a bit of protests. The security services, the officials are preparing for that. But there’s a certain amount of unknown. We just don’t know how many people. We don’t know exactly what they’re going to do. James O’Keefe has been releasing videos about the inside planning that’s going on at some of these events, so we’re starting to lift the veil on that a little bit. That’s another uncertain element. And we know that MoveOn. org and other groups are planning nationwide protests on Inauguration Day and thereafter, so that’s another storyline, how the Left is trying to regroup. ” “And then the third storyline is the storyline about the Trump administration itself and how it’s going to start,” Pollak concluded. “This is now real. This is happening. He’s going to be President Trump on Friday. And he is beginning to unroll his agenda. We’re seeing some policies beginning to take shape. We’re seeing some very interesting clashes with Congress. ” “I think one of the more interesting elements of the Trump presidency is that the leading opposition force right now, at least, is going to be the conservatives in Congress, not Democrats,” he contended. “Democrats are busy whining about Russian hacking, and about John Lewis, and about deplorables and the or whatever. They’re still reliving the election and trying to undermine it. They haven’t yet connected with the fact that they lost for a reason. It wasn’t just that Trump won. It’s also that they completely lost touch with their voters, with their issues, and they haven’t pulled that together yet. ” “It’s the conservatives in Congress who are putting forward policies that Trump is agreeing with in many cases, disagreeing with in some cases — the fight right now with Paul Ryan over taxation. It’s going to be interesting to see the two sides hammer that out,” he said. “But if you’re a conservative, this is the kind of debate you want to see. You want to see a debate between alternate versions of conservatism. You don’t want to see a debate where conservatives always have to compromise with the far Left. So it’s an encouraging, positive sign if you’re a conservative, watching the administration in its first few days. ” Marlow noted that the media praised Obama for putting together a cabinet that didn’t agree on everything, while Trump’s transition has been portrayed as disastrous because he did the same thing with nominees. Pollak noted the media believe it has “a civic duty to oppose the Trump administration,” which is very different from the supportive role it saw for itself with Obama. “They believed the same thing during the campaign. It was their job to protect America from this Republican nominee,” he argued. “They failed at that job. Now they’re trying to set themselves up as the political opposition. There’s an element of that in the media’s role that is appropriate. I think where it starts to blend into inappropriate is where they’re starting to make very biased assessments against Trump that they didn’t make against Obama. ” He added to Marlow’s point about the transition that Obama was actually compared to Abraham Lincoln for assembling his “team of rivals,” even though he was to remember when “a member of Obama’s cabinet actually dissented about anything. ” As he recalled, the few officials who might have disagreed with President Obama about anything of importance left early in his first term, under somewhat cloudy circumstances. If anything, Obama’s cabinet was even less concerned with vibrant diversity of opinion than Bill Clinton’s, which saw the occasional public spat, and even resignations, over policy differences. Pollak suggested this lack of actual intellectual diversity in the Obama administration planted the seed of Hillary Clinton’s downfall, since she had great difficulty running as anything other than Barack Obama’s third term — something Americans clearly did not want. “Trump really has appointed people with very different views, compared to what his views are presumed to be,” he said. “We saw that with some of the questions in the confirmation hearings about waterboarding. We saw it about Russia policy. I’m not so sure Russia policy is an area where Trump has a completely defined view, by the way, so I don’t think that clash is particularly set. ” “But nevertheless, he has said openly he welcomes this exchange of views. He welcomes people with different views. That’s the sign of a person who has led organizations before, who is confident in having people with different opinions around the table, who’s also confident in his own ability to make the choice between those opinions, between different courses of action,” Pollak proposed. “It says something about his nominees, as well, that they are prepared to come into an administration knowing they may disagree on one or two points, but knowing that they have something to contribute nonetheless, and their job is to advocate for their point of view and to work together as a team if they decide to take, collectively, a different course,” he said. “So I think it’s a very encouraging sign. The media say it’s some kind of sign of incompetence — did Trump not know these people had these views? Or maybe Trump just doesn’t care. It’s always given a negative spin,” he observed, regretfully noting the media seemed to have learned nothing from its experiences on the 2016 campaign trail. Marlow argued that Trump has already done “a tremendous amount of good in putting the global elite on notice,” even though he has not been sworn in yet, citing the collapse of the planned policy summit in Paris this week as an example. “It’s amazing,” Pollak agreed. “But I also think it’s the inevitable result of the rest of the world coming to grips with the reality of what’s happening on Friday, to an extent that Democrats haven’t yet done. ” He suggested the political fallout from “that U. N. Security Council resolution that Obama pushed, where all of the other countries on the Security Council also supported this resolution, and the reaction from the Trump administration was quite stern” might have the Left’s realization that the Obama era is over. “It was clear that this was not acceptable to the incoming administration. This approach to Israel was done, it was over, and there was going to be a radical shift towards a stance, towards a strong U. S. relationship, and away from the confrontation that Obama had sought, when he wanted to put distance between the U. S. and Israel,” Pollak noted. “That’s why I think you already saw the U. K. walking back some of its statements. You saw Australia criticizing the U. N. Security Council. When John Kerry gave that speech at the State Department attacking the Israeli government, saying it was the most government and everything, Prime Minister Teresa May of the United Kingdom said we don’t do that we don’t criticize the composition of other democratic countries. And she rebuked John Kerry. And so I think people understood there was a new sheriff coming to town,” he said. “I think the original plan for the Paris conference, by the French and by Obama, had been to use that as a springboard for some kind of declaration of Palestinian statehood in the days before Obama leaves office,” he speculated. “Who knows? He’s got 72 hours or so left we’ll see what damage he can do. But I think that the reaction of the Trump transition team, and the to what happened at the U. N. put the rest of the world on notice that we are not going to continue Obama’s foreign policy. Not just with regard to the great powers, China and Russia and so forth, but we’re also going to make a break with the way he handled the conflict. Trump talks about negotiation and that sort of thing, but he wants to make clear that the U. S. is a strong ally of Israel — and not, as Obama did, make clear the opposite. ” Marlow turned back to the earlier discussion of how Democrats are challenging Trump’s legitimacy by playing a clip of Senator Marco Rubio ( ) essentially endorsing Rep. John Lewis’ moral authority. He asked why so many Republicans are still willing to fight under the Democrats’ rules of engagement. Pollak responded by quoting another of Trump’s rivals from the Republican primary, Senator Rand Paul ( ) who declared that he was capable of disagreeing with Rep. Lewis today without opposing the civil rights movement. “This is a conflation even the media don’t believe, but they’ve set it up this way,” he argued. “John Lewis has a track record, unfortunately, over the last ten years or so, of making these kinds of accusations, false accusations of racism against Republicans. He did it to John McCain. He did it in a more subtle way when Mitt Romney was running for president. Now, he’s doing it to Donald Trump. Eventually, you have to be called out on what you’re doing, and that’s legitimate to do. John Lewis is exploiting the civil rights struggle in a negative way. You could even say he’s demeaning it, by bringing it into this very partisan debate, the idea that the election was illegitimate. ” “What John Lewis is basically doing is disenfranchising the millions of voters who voted for Donald Trump, by saying that their vote didn’t count, that they were part of some Russian conspiracy,” Pollak charged. “To me, that’s the irony, that the civil rights movement is about marching for the right to vote, and here you are telling people that their votes don’t matter, that they’re part of some nefarious foreign plot. To me, that’s an irony for which John Lewis has to answer. ” He denounced Lewis’ tactics as an example of “politics distorting history,” given the implication that Trump is somehow worse than the racists who physically assaulted Lewis during the civil rights era and whom he forgave. As Pollak put it, Lewis is effectively stating he’s “not even willing to reconcile with the guy who had nothing to do with Jim Crow — and, in fact, for most of his life, Donald Trump was a Democrat, often seen in the company of Jesse Jackson and other people in the civil rights tableaux in New York City and urban America. ” “Now, I think John Lewis has made positive contributions,” he added. “I actually remember writing John Lewis a letter about a year ago because he spoke at my wife’s graduation. I expected him to give a very partisan address, and he didn’t. He gave a very nonpartisan, speech, and I wrote to him to say how impressed I was with the speech. I think you’ve got to reward these politicians when they do the right thing. But he is clearly not doing the right thing. ” As for Senator Rubio, Pollak suggested he is “trying to find his way” and “jockeying for a position among the leading voices in opposition, sort of conservative opposition, in Congress to Donald Trump. ” “There are some positive things in that. What’s missing, weirdly, from Rubio’s statement there and other issues is the sort of peppy joyfulness, the kind of optimism you associated once with Marco Rubio’s speaking style,” he lamented. “He seems very stern, very severe, sort of talking over the national anthem in the background. I mean, it’s just sort of weird. I don’t know where Rubio’s head is. ” Pollak ventured that it was unwise for a Republican with White House aspirations, such as Rubio, to give any degree of support to tactics that will be turned against him, should he realize his ambition to succeed President Trump. He also wondered if those tactics were going to pay off for Democrats, as they have done in the past, since they’ve made a habit of attacking voters, not just opposition political figures. “They’re not reaching out to those Obama voters in Pennsylvania and Michigan who switched their vote to Trump,” Pollak observed. “They’re not reaching out to them and saying, ‘Hey, we need to get back in touch with you. We need to understand your issues. You used to vote for us, you voted the other way this time. We need to figure that out and a relationship with you.’ No, what they’re telling those people is, ‘You’re part of a Russian conspiracy. ’” “It’s almost like back to the fifties and the McCarthy era, basically saying this is a Communist plot against the United States. Donald Trump is a Manchurian candidate who’s sent by the Kremlin to take over America,” he said. “It’s so ridiculously outlandish. It’s like birtherism elevated to a national political platform. Donald Trump pulled some shenanigans when he was going up against Barack Obama in 2011, 2012, we all know that, but a lot of that washed out by the time the presidential campaign happened, and he’s not doing that any more. Republicans as a whole never did that. Democrats are going down this really weird road, and it’s going to isolate them further from their own voters in the end,” he predicted. Pollak contended that the strength of the civil rights movement came from its unifying nature, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “succeeded by reaching out to what Americans held in common and refocusing it in a direction that he wanted to take the country. ” He noted that modern problems, such as persistent poverty, could only be solved through inclusive efforts, not by framing it as “a struggle by one group of Americans against another,” as today’s Left prefers. “One thing we forget about the civil rights struggle was how much faith was a part of it, how much religion, how much the Christian tradition was really brought to bear, and Americans were challenged to live up to it,” he added. “You don’t hear that when John Lewis is challenging Donald Trump and saying he wouldn’t invite him to Selma. I mean, that’s just silly. ” “Donald Trump’s statement that Lewis was ‘all talk and no action,’ I think, in a way, hit the nail on the head because he’s not talking about the civil rights movement. He’s talking about what Lewis is doing in politics today,” Pollak argued. He ran through the list of questions that flowed naturally from Trump’s response to Lewis: “What is John Lewis doing for his district? What is John Lewis doing for these problems of poverty in America? What are the Democrats doing? They’ve been in the minority now for six years, in the House. Have they achieved anything? What are they doing other than politics? What are they doing other than trying to take control again? Are they actually making any progress on those issues that they talk about every two years, around election time?” “I think that’s the challenge that John Lewis has to face, and I think every congressman has to face, but especially John Lewis. People who are elected to where they are partly because of who they are, partly because of their history, have a special burden to live up to that. Trump is saying, ‘Okay, well, where is it? What are you doing? Is this just about setting yourself up as a partisan every time somebody wants to attack the Republican Party, and you use the civil rights history — which, by the way, Republicans were much more on the side of civil rights than Democrats. The civil rights movement was largely a struggle against southern Democrats,” he noted. “Is that what you’re going to do — you’re going to just use this as a partisan hatchet every time? Or are you actually going to do something? I think that was a very appropriate challenge,” Pollak declared. Breitbart News Daily airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 weekdays from 6:00 a. m. to 9:00 a. m. Eastern. LISTEN: | 0fake |
Vertical Pools Help Heal Wounded Combat Veterans Seeks Positive Doers To Help Make It Happen | A combat veteran with PTSD wasn’t allowed to fly with her service dog. So she sued. ‹ › Since 2011, VNN has operated as part of the Veterans Today Network ; a group that operates over 50 plus media, information and service online sites for U.S. Military Veterans. Vertical Pools Help Heal Wounded Combat Veterans Seeks Positive Doers To Help Make It Happen By VNN on October 31, 2016 The Vertical Pool was inspired by the anticipated need of the returning wounded, and veterans of all past conflicts, who have limited options for recovery and healing at home. Even if they’re within an hour of a VA hospital, it can be a challenge to get there without assistance. A heated, sanitized, filtered, compact pool in the back yard, house, garage, means convenient, private, daily immersions for exercise, traction, rehabilitation, and recovery. These pools should be available to veterans without convoluted forms and wait times. Simply a doctor’s prescription should put them on a list for immediate consideration. VetPools.org (an effort to raise funds to donate these pools to vets) was formed with the specific objective of helping improve upon the methods and manners by which America receives and treats her returning wounded. The most formidable military force in the world deserves a commensurate comprehensive recovery, reintegration program focused on body, mind, and spirit for those who require assistance. The purpose of this message is to inform interested and connected parties of the desire to hand this product and mission off to veterans who would then become The Vertical Pool LLC and VetPools.org . They could be instrumental in healing themselves and their fellow veterans, as well as civilian America from the physically challenged to the physically fit. Interestingly, while initially intended for veterans, the retail market has turned out to be women. As only one person, innovator/owner of The Vertical Pool and founder/director of VetPools.org , I cannot fulfill this objective alone. The R&D, pool product, and non-profit are all paid for in full, no debt or encumbrances. This “on-demand” pool can be manufactured as needed without excessive, costly inventory and/or storage space. I do not advertise this product because one person cannot build, deliver, and install more than 5 pools in two months. Career options with this DME device and non-profit include owning, manufacturing, marketing, selling, donating, fund-raising, case managing, delivering, installing, and teaching The Vertical Pool’s diverse functions and benefits. This pool is efficient in energy, water, and space; critical qualities in this, the 21st century. A group or collective of 3 to 7 individuals might be prudent to start the program. I would remain teacher, mentor, and guide for years to come while others slip into the ownership of this product and its sister non-profit organization. Please share this idea with any and all contacts who might have the connections to give some veterans a lead to a worthy endeavor and career. To get involved contact; Director, Peter G. Hold | 1real |
Hillary Clinton plays literal attack dog in effort to shore up Nevada | Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton turned to animal impersonations Monday as the former secretary of state ramped up her effort to secure victory over surging Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in this Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
Speaking before a crowd in Reno, Clinton described how she would like to fact-check various Republican claims. He began her story with a recollection of a political ad that aired on the radio in Arkansas. The ad featured a dog that the announcer claimed would bark any time a candidate said an untrue statement.
"We need to get that dog and follow him around and every time they say these things, like, 'oh the Great Recession was caused by too much regulation," Clinton said before yelping, "Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf!" to general applause.
Clinton and her opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, have criss-crossed the Silver State in recent days. On Sunday, they wound up at opposite ends of a pew in the same Las Vegas church.
Sanders' ground game is catching up to the Clinton machine as well. The so-called Democratic socialist's campaign has over 100 staffers on the ground and has more than doubled its paid staff here since last month, along with spending double on his television spots compared to Clinton - $2.93 million to Clinton’s $1.46 million.
Adding to the uncertainty is a relative lack of polling coupled with a sense of the momentum being behind Sanders in the wake of his thumping victory over Clinton in last week's New Hampshire primary. Showing the importance her team has placed on Saturday's caucuses, Clinton skipped a campaign event in Florida, sending her husband, former President Bill Clinton, to stump in her stead.
As in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders has publicly pinned his hopes in Nevada to voter turnout. "Everything in my political gut tells me that we have the momentum here in this state," he told a rally in Las Vegas Sunday, "and if people come out in large numbers on caucus day, we’re going to win."
It is possible to win the Nevada caucuses, but lose the all-important battle for Democratic National Convention delegates. That's exactly what happened to Clinton in 2008 against then-Senator Barack Obama.
The Clinton campaign may not have helped its cause in Nevada with comments made last week by campaign spokesman Brian Fallon in which he compared Nevada to the more racially and ethnically homogenous Iowa and New Hampshire.
"There’s an important Hispanic element to the Democratic caucus in Nevada," Fallon said. "But it’s still a state that is 80 percent white voters. You have a caucus-style format, and [Sanders will] have the momentum coming out of New Hampshire presumably, so there’s a lot of reasons he should do well."
That remark reportedly angered allies of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, with one telling Politico that Reid had "pushed hard to move Nevada near the front of the primary calendar precisely because of its diversity." | 0fake |
Mike Pence Saw ‘DO NOT TOUCH’ On Critical NASA Tech, So He Touched It (TWEETS) | We already knew Vice President Mike Pence doesn t trust those funny people in lab coats called scientists. He doesn t believe them when they say global warming is a thing, he doesn t listen to them when they say the world is older than 10,000 years old, and he damn sure isn t going to listen to their goddamn propaganda they have posted about not touching stuff he wants to touch.Pence was photographed during a visit to NASA touching a piece of equipment adorned with a sign that reads:Critical Space Flight Hardware DO NOT TOUCH Fortunately for Pence, Republicans have a long-held tradition of being OK with touching things that don t want to be touched (just ask any woman who tries to get them to take rape seriously). So he touched it.Vice President Mike Pence, right, gets a tour of the Orion clean room with Sen. Marco Rubio, left, by Bob Cabana, Director Kennedy Space Center, center, Thursday, July 6, 2017. (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/TNS via Getty Images)Naturally, the internet is having a field day with this, with many wondering if Mother (the super-creepy nickname Pence has for his wife) is OK with him touching space things:Do you think mother approved of him touching this? Do you think he had dirty thoughts? Unclean. UNCLEAN! Steve Marmel (@Marmel) July 7, 2017Do you think Mike Pence is afraid to have dinner alone with spacecrafts? (((Neil Kaplan))) (@NeKap) July 7, 2017The man tugging at his jacket to stop him is my favourite part. pic.twitter.com/M9824I4eCp LayOffTheBooks (@layoffthebooks) July 7, 2017You expect him to read that liberal writing? Reading is for lefties elitists. Obviously. Skeeter (@popculturelol16) July 7, 2017That s what they get for putting the instructions in quotes. He probably thought they really didn t mean it. Julie Leto (@JulieLeto) July 7, 2017To be fair most 6 year olds would do the same ??? Paul Neaville (@pneaville) July 7, 2017but now that he s touched science, does he believe in it??? BG the Snow Queen (@bgraymua) July 7, 2017Pence misbehaves when mother is not around. B. Justice (@zefirotorna) July 7, 2017I guess mother said it was okay Euchre Player (@euchreman1022) July 7, 2017Mother told him he could, so that settles it. Gwendolyn Gee (@GwennGee) July 7, 2017To be fair, DO NOT TOUCH *is* in scare quotes, so David Pinion (@DavidPinion) July 7, 2017Fortunately, Pence didn t do any damage. In a statement on Pence acting like a four-year-old, NASA explained that touching the surface of that piece of equipment is not going to place lives at risk:And here is our statement on touching flight hardware. For more information about the @NASA_Orion spacecraft, visit: https://t.co/V2alO9n0Zk pic.twitter.com/maXQ8lri0O NASA (@NASA) July 7, 2017Whether or not he actually did any damage, this latest incident is just another example of how little regard anyone in the Trump administration has for rules, laws, or anything else that doesn t have a dollar sign by it.featured image via Getty Images | 1real |
Campaigners Want Barack Obama to Run for President — of France | Opponents of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen have launched an “Obama17” campaign to draft the former U. S. President to run against her. [Frustrated with the choice of candidates running against the Eurosceptic, candidate, organisers are hoping to draft President Obama as a last resort. One campaign organiser, who chose only to give the name ‘Antoine’ told CNN: “It’s totally crazy, but the cool thing is that once you get past that, you start thinking that maybe it’s possible. Who cares that he’s not French? He’s Barack Obama. ” The campaign has so far put up 500 posters around Paris and has launched a website with the slogan “Oui on peut!” [Yes we can]. They are aiming to get one million people to sign a petition urging the former U. S. President to run, although the organisers admit the prospects are low. “We want to show that people are fed up with the politicians here. People are tired about it and they like this joke. It gives people a little fun amid all these scandals,” Antoine said. France goes to the polls in late April in the first round of the presidential election. If no candidate wins 50 per cent of the vote, the top two go through to a two weeks later. Marine Le Pen, leader of the populist immigration Front National is favourite to win the first round, although she is unlikely to win outright. Antoine says he is not a fan of the frontrunner: “We are so fed up with what Marine Le Pen is doing, and with the fact that we weren’t able to find a candidate to vote for, only one to vote against,” he said. “We started talking about that and it came up that Obama is free — so why not hire him?” Although he admits the campaign started as a joke, he said supporters have been getting in touch with serious suggestions as to how they could get around basic problems, such as the fact President Obama is not French. “We’ve had some funny emails from lawyers telling us how it could be possible. He would have to be naturalized by the president of the French Assembly. ” Ms Le Pen hailed the victory of Donald Trump last November as a “victory of the people against the elites” and said a “global revolution” was underway against “unfettered globalisation”. | 0fake |
OBAMA’S FINAL 6 MONTHS…Racist, Desperate, Congressional BLACK Caucus Plans Gun-Control Antics On House Floor: “Be As Disruptive As Possible To Speaker Ryan” | We re still waiting to hear if the White Congressional Caucus will join in oh wait never mind The Congressional Black Caucus is calling on its members to be as disruptive to Speaker Ryan as possible next week when the House returns for business on Tuesday.The Washington Examiner has obtained a memo sent to Democratic offices that states that CBC members are coordinating a day of action on the floor in regards to gun violence. The plan involves members giving speeches throughout the day calling for further federal restrictions on the possession and use of guns. The memo also asks members to be present for a House Rules Committee that afternoon regarding on the terrorism and gun control legislation slated for action on the floor Wednesday. During Votes Members are encouraged to have a picture (not poster board, but a printed piece of paper with an image of a constituent killed by a firearm), the memo stated.Via: Washington Examinerh/t: Weasel Zippers | 1real |
Inside The Mind Of An FBI Informant; Terri Linnell Admits Role As Gov’t Snitch | Inside The Mind Of An FBI Informant; Terri Linnell Admits Role As Gov’t Snitch by IWB · October 27, 2016 Tweet
FBI informant Terri “Momma Bear” Linnell tells why she became an informant, and what she told the FBI during the Bundy occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Burns Oregon earlier this year, in her first-ever interview. The occupation of the refuge ended with the death of rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum and the arrests of dozens of other protestors.
Only much of what she said was a lie and interviewer Bobby Powell, Publisher of The Truth Is Viral news program, knew it. Eye-witness testimony from three separate individuals dispute Linnell’s account of events during the raid of a campground in Maryland during Operation American Spring by more than 40 agents from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, Maryland State Police, and the Secret Service.
The witnesses all say Linnell was escorted away from the campground by the Secret Service while her friends and fellow campers were on their knees with automatic assault rifles pointed at their heads for hours.
There is also evidence to indicate, including a slip of Linnell’s own tongue, that she has been an informant for the FBI, and possibly even a paid agent, since the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2010. | 1real |
FBI REDUX: What’s Behind New Probe into Hillary Clinton Emails? |
In a stunning turn of events 11 days before the 2016 presidential election, the FBI announced it is reopenning its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server case, by probing newly emerging emails linked to Hillary Clinton.
‘NEW PROBE’– The FBI gives Hillary Clinton a second look. (Photo illustraion 21WIRE)
FBI October Surprise?
According to reports , in a letter written today, FBI Director James Comey , stated that the FBI has begun a new probe into Hillary Clinton related emails once again. Comey offered scant details about the new probe, but due to an unrelated case, additional classified material may have been mishandled on Clinton’s personal email server.
CNBC reported the latest FBI developments, including a passage from Comey’s letter discussing the new investigation:
“In previous congressional testimony, I referred to the fact that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had completed its investigation of former Secretary Clinton’s personal email server. Due to recent developments, I am writing to supplement my previous testimony,” Comey wrote.
In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation. I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation,” he added.
Although the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant, and I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work, I believe it is important to update your Committees about our efforts in light of my previous testimony,” Comey concluded.”
Huma’s Estranged ‘Sexting’ Husband
According to a new report released via The New York Times :
“The presidential campaign was rocked on Friday after federal law enforcement officials said that emails pertinent to the now-closed investigation into Hillary Clinton ’s private email server were discovered on a computer belonging to Anthony D. Weiner, the estranged husband of a top Clinton aide.” “ In a letter to Congress , the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, said the emails had surfaced in an unrelated case, which law enforcement officials said was an F.B.I. investigation into illicit text messages from Mr. Weiner to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. Mr. Weiner, a former Democratic congressman from New York, is married to Huma Abedin, the top aide.” Comey has come under fire recently for apparently letting Clinton off the hook for mishandling, and lying to Congress, about classified emails coming through her ‘home brew’ email server while she was Secretary of State. After previously closing the case, Comey has done a U-turn and is now saying the FBI will review the new emails to for classified information, and see whether it was mishandled.
This unprecedented investigative move comes just two days after a Wikileaks docu-dump revealed a memo containing detailed financial information between Clinton Foundation donors and former president Bill Clinton ‘s private financial activities. Among those included in the memo, was a $30 million dollar business arrangement under “Bill Clinton, Inc.,” with another $66 million dollar deal scheduled over nine years.
The following is a tweet from Brad Jaffy of NBC Nightly News containing the new FBI recommendation…
The new investigation into the Clinton camp will most certainly spark new ‘Pay-to-Play’ allegations , as the new FBI revelations also comes days after a Project Veritas hidden camera sting operation revealed that the Democratic consultant Robert Creamer of Democracy Partners, discussed ways to commit ‘large-scale’ voter fraud as well as paying political agitators to cause violence at Donald Trump rallies. Out of Creamer’s 342 visits to the White House, also included his wife, a 9-term Illinois Democratic congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky some 47 times. White House visitor records show that Schakowsky took 47 “private meetings with Obama or his senior staff,” also over the past year. The consultancy Democracy Partners appears to have applied Schakowsky as a political buffering point, possibly in the event of a fallout over their operations at a grassroots level. The impetus of this type of procedural separation is to keep certain high-ranking officials of the hook in case of a massive upheaval over various underhanded campaign tactics – thus giving a political campaign or political entity plausible deniability. ‘CAUGHT ON FILM’ – Robert Creamer resigns over a massive Democratic Party controversy. (Image Source: CNN ) Creamer, a convicted felon , (in 2005, Creamer plead guilty $2.3 million in bank fraud and tax violations) was promptly “shoved out of the Hillary Clinton campaign’s inner circle,” following a heavily publicized video sting revealing his discussion about voter fraud and violence at Trump rallies. ‘PAY TO PLAY?’– Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe closely allied with the Clinton’s negotiated a a campaign contribution involving the FBI. (Image Source new republic ) It remains unclear what exactly reopened the new Clinton probe, but perhaps the FBI had its own cobwebs to clear out after it was revealed that a longtime Clinton associate , Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe , “helped steer $675,000 to the election campaign of the wife of an FBI official who went on to lead the probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email system, according to a report.” The NY Post also reported on the matter this past week:
“The political action committee of McAuliffe, the Clinton loyalist, gave $467,500 to the state Senate campaign of the wife of Andrew McCabe, who is now deputy director of the FBI, according to the Wall Street Journal .
The report states Jill McCabe received an additional $207,788 from the Virginia Democratic Party, which is heavily influenced by McAuliffe.
The money directed by McAuliffe began flowing two months after the FBI investigation into Clinton began in July 2015. Around that time, the candidate’s husband was promoted from running the Washington field office for the FBI to the No. 3 position at the bureau.”
In a CNN report from October 18th, a week before the McAuliffe revelations, “…According to notes from interviews conducted during an FBI investigation into Clinton’s email practices, Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy personally tried to convince FBI officials that the email should be declassified. One interviewee described feeling “pressured” by another FBI official at Kennedy’s request.”
The newly reopened FBI investigation into Clinton could be related to all or some of the items listed above, but there’s no doubt that due to public backlash the FBI received following the first Clinton investigation, in addition to concerns over dealings between the FBI and Clinton associates – the agency needed to save face.
It remains to be seen how new case will impact the US Presidential election.
More from RT below… | 1real |
Los grandes cambios en el transporte marítimo y negocios portuarios, por César Reaño Reaño | La revolución viene del Mar peruano
Los grandes cambios en el transporte marítimo y negocios portuarios por César Reaño Reaño Socios | 26 de octubre de 2016 Los grandes cambios en el transporte marítimo y negocios portuarios ¡Imprescindible modernizar la concepción del negocio marítimo y portuario en Perú para convertir al puerto del Callao en la salida hacia el Asia! La meta indudable, para los próximos decenios es llevar a cabo la gran revolución que viene desde el mar y ponernos a tono con el mundo moderno!
El sistema tradicional del sector comercial marítimo se ve totalmente alterado como consecuencia de la revolución emprendida por el descubrimiento del contenedor el 26 de abril de 1956, cuando Malcolm Mc Lean, transportó en la barcaza “IDEAL X”, los primeros 50 contenedores desde New Jersey a Houston; este impacto continuó y en 1966 se transformó el buque tanque Fairland, siendo el primer buque tanque petrolero convertido en portacontenedores, que estableció la ruta entre New York-Bremen; en 1967 se creó la primera línea naviera norteamericana, con 2 buques cargueros de la segunda Guerra Mundial, los denominados Liberty, transformados en portacontenedores, estableciendo la ruta San Francisco-Los Angeles-Tokio.
En 1968 la naviera japonesa NYK, construyó los primeros 2 buques especialmente diseñados para transporte de contenedores, primera línea competidora de la línea norteamericana.
La evolución y crecimiento de los buques portacontenedores no se detiene, contando el día de hoy con los buques 3E “Económicos, Eficientes y Ecológicos”, con una capacidad de transporte de hasta 21,000 Teus (contenedores de 20 pies), construidos en astilleros de Corea del Sur, por encargo de la CSCL (China Shipping Container Line) de Hong Kong, que cuenta con un motor MAN, de 17 metros de altura, con capacidad de ahorro de combustible, hasta en 20%, en comparación a otros buques que transportan 10,000 Teus.
Esta revolución en el transporte marítimo y negocio portuario se consolida en la década del 70, donde los transportistas marítimos de todo el mundo, se ponen de acuerdo e inician la construcción masiva de buques portacontenedores, como a la vez se inicia la gran transformación de los puertos del mundo para poder dar atención a este nuevo tipo de transporte, para lo cual había que dotar a los puertos de áreas de almacenamiento de contenedores y equiparlos con grúas para la carga y descarga de contenedores.
Lamentablemente los países en vías de desarrollo del Pacífico Sur, no atendieron estos cambios, por el contrario continuaron sus operaciones con el sistema tradicional, con excepción de Chile, que envió a 50 profesionales en el tema comercial marítimo a Europa a prepararse en el nuevo sistema, siendo el puerto de Valparaíso el primero en dar el paso a la modernización desde 1980, continuando el puerto de Santos-Brasil, México, Colombia, Ecuador.
Recién en el 2010 Perú recién asume esta responsabilidad, dotándose al puerto del Callao con las primeras 2 grúas Pórtico Panamax, con un brazo de alcance de 36 metros, siendo ya obsoletas para esa época, porque ya surcaban los mares buques Post Panamax, que necesitaban de grúas modernas y de mayor alcance.
Los temas señalados, sumados a la pésima visión del desarrollo de infraestructura portuaria, falta de vías de comunicación, como carreteras y líneas ferroviarias que alimenten al puerto, están originando que los puertos del Perú, y muy en especial el puerto del Callao, estén quedando rezagados, teniendo el agravante que hasta la fecha, 2016, el gobierno no asigna las zonas de expansión y crecimiento portuario, para crear confianza en los transportistas marítimos, captar nuevos clientes y fidelizarlos; por el contrario el actual gobierno ha quitado competencias a la Autoridad Portuaria Nacional, cediéndolas al sector Defensa, que no tiene competencia ni injerencia en este importante sector comercial, con el subalterno propósito de desaparecerla para engordar las arcas del sector Defensa, dirigidas a la Marina de Guerra del Perú; este manejo no técnico, menos profesional, no permite enganchar a los puertos nacionales en la cadena portuaria internacional.
César Reaño Reaño | 1real |
Sucking the Blood of a Declining Civilization | Leave a reply The 7 Maoi facing the equinox sunset at Ahu Akivi on Easter Island (photo copyright Ian Sewell)
Paul Rosenberg – Civilization has to be transmitted from one generation to another. If it isn’t, processes break down and life becomes difficult. Soon there must be a painful reform, or else the civilization will be lost.
This is fundamentally the job of families (especially parents), but at the moment that’s not really possible: How many families can survive on one income? And if one of the parents can’t stay home and teach the fundamental lessons of civilization, who will pass them to the next generation?
Certainly the better daycare facilities try, but to think that someone watching a couple dozen kids is going to transmit civilization to them as effectively as a parent who’s with the child day and night is simply ridiculous. The blame for this rests almost solely at the feet of the state of course, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
I’ll begin by quoting the redoubtable Fred Reed on the current situation:
We live in a dying culture and, soon, a diminished country. It cannot be saved.
Not true? Add up the bits and pieces. We laugh in horror, some of us, primarily the older, at the decline of schooling, the courses like Batman and the Struggle for Gender Equity. Comic, yes. Yet in aggregate, these constitute an academic and civilizational collapse both profound and irreversible. Enstupidation does not happen in a healthy country. Who even wants to reverse this onrushing night? Not the universities, nor the teacher’s unions, nor a professoriat gone as daft as the “students,” nor the banks battening on student loans [sic].
I’m more optimistic than Fred in that I think our civilization can be saved. But what he writes is true, and the West’s big institutions are simply vampires sucking the blood of a declining civilization.
I think we can all admit that every major institution of the West, including the mega-corps, is engaged in stripping the Western populace of everything they possibly can. There is no virtue involved, no principle, no honor… there’s not even much consideration for the future. These outfits, under whatever excuses they’re trotting out this year, are strip-mining Western civilization, not building it.
That said, let’s look at some particular villains. The Political Correctness Barbarians
When I first saw these people rising to power, decades ago now, I thought they were so ridiculous that they’d come and go quickly. Unfortunately I was wrong, and they subverted millions of children. The current insanity over “safe spaces” and such condemns them openly, and especially that it’s becoming acceptable to say “I hate white people.” Anti-Religionists
It’s one thing to be a simple agnostic. It’s quite another to go out and try to dismember religion… which in nearly every case means Christianity. And to be honest about it, most people who do this are acting out their personal traumas: either in permanent rebellion to their parents or in anger at one church or another.
Slashing and burning things simply bears bad fruit, but here’s the core issue with attacking Christianity:
The people who pushed Christianity out of Western culture were arrogant and destructive – not that they pushed it away, but that they never bothered to replace it .
If you want to remove the moral core of a civilization, you have to replace it with something better. And the religion-haters did not. They sawed off the limb that held them and were too arrogant to consider the consequences. Academia and the Education Vampires
The Enlightenment sits before us as a twisted wreckage. Its destruction followed the usual path: first setting up institutions, then monopolies and fiefdoms, and finally lording it over others as far and as long as they could.
Education has whored itself out to the state and treats its students as income-generating tools. Are there a few exceptions? I’m sure there are, but they are few. Academia, including most of scientific academia, has disgraced itself. Could any serious Enlightenment thinker have respected “scientific consensus”? Please! Science places experimentation above all and never ever sells itself to a page full of names and initials!
The scientific process has been subjugated by institutions that thrive on restricting access. Cronyism is massive, peer review is corrupted, and the uncredentialed are treated like lepers. These institutions sit atop the corpse of the Enlightenment. Corporatized Art
The arts – music, film, painting, sculpture – are not widgets. They are immensely more important than that, forming minds and cultures in deep ways.
How to pay the artist (singer, writer, whatever) has long been a problem and remains one. Hopefully a good answer arises at some point. Until then, seeking profit by dumbing down every art form is simply degrading.
The corporations that now control music and film have bastardized art for money. I’m not ready to jail them and I certainly don’t think the state could do a better job, but I am willing to say that they have disgraced art. Have you ever wondered why elegance is gone? Why loudness and drunkenness are treated as virtues? The State
Being that it forcibly skims half of the West’s production every year, given that it punishes all who do not obey it, and given that its laws are for sale to the highest bidders, the number one destroyer of Western civilization is the state. Hands down. Think of what people could do for their children and grandchildren with twice as much money.
And don’t get me started on enforced charity, the victim culture, “you didn’t build that,” and “it takes a village.” I don’t like to swear in print. A Final Point
I could go on, but this is a column, not a treatise. My final point is this:
None of the above are transmitting civilization, even if some of them once did. They are tools for reaping the masses, and we need to leave them behind. But far more importantly, we need to build methods and systems that will transmit Western civilization.
The authentic Western virtues – cooperation, initiative, creativity, curiosity, co-dominance, and real justice (not merely a form thereof) – are necessary for a prosperous humanity, and the institutions of our time have flamboyantly failed.
It’s time to start building afresh. SF Source Freeman’s Perspective Nov. 2016 Share this: | 1real |
FBI Reopen Hillary Clinton Email Investigation, New Emails Found | Sean Adl-Tabatabai in News , US // 0 Comments
The FBI has announced it will reopen it’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server whilst serving as Secretary of State.
The news was broken on Friday morning by Jason Chaffetz, Chairman of the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
In a tweet Chaffetz confirmed that the FBI had learned about the existence of additional emails that appear “pertinent to the investigation”. FBI Dir just informed me, "The FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation." Case reopened
— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) October 28, 2016
FBI Director James Comey told members of Congress on Friday that new emails had been discovered and that he had instructed officers to reopen the case so they could investigate.
Though Comey had previously recommended no criminal charges for the Democratic presidential candidate in July, the discovery of new emails opens up the possibility that Hillary Clinton could be indicted for mishandling classified information.
Theguardian.com reports:
“In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation,” Comey wrote. “I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.”
Comey added: “Although the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant and I cannot predict how long it will take to complete this additional work, I believe it is important to update your Committees about our efforts in light of my previous testimony.”
The letter comes 11 days before the presidential election and nearly four months after Comey announced the FBI would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton for her “extremely careless” use of a private email server while secretary of state. The FBI director said then: “Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes … our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.”
The controversy over Clinton’s use of a private email server while at the state department has loomed over her candidacy since before she even announced her intent to seek the White House in April.
The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BIG: The FBI is reopening its investigation into @HillaryClinton 's email server. Here's the letter from the FBI to Congress: pic.twitter.com/OKjipTeiJp | 1real |
HOW THE CLINTON’S GOT RICH Off Donations From People Who Thought They Were Helping Poverty-Stricken Haiti Earthquake Victims [VIDE0] | In January 2015 a group of Haitians surrounded the New York offices of the Clinton Foundation. They chanted slogans, accusing Bill and Hillary Clinton of having robbed them of billions of dollars. Two months later, the Haitians were at it again, accusing the Clintons of duplicity, malfeasance, and theft. And in May 2015, they were back, this time outside New York s Cipriani, where Bill Clinton received an award and collected a $500,000 check for his foundation. Clinton, where s the money? the Haitian signs read. In whose pockets? Said Dhoud Andre of the Commission Against Dictatorship, We are telling the world of the crimes that Bill and Hillary Clinton are responsible for in Haiti. Haitians like Andre may sound a bit strident, but he and the protesters had good reason to be disgruntled. They had suffered a heavy blow from Mother Nature, and now it appeared that they were being battered again this time by the Clintons. Their story goes back to 2010, when a massive 7.0 earthquake devastated the island, killing more than 200,000 people, leveling 100,000 homes, and leaving 1.5 million people destitute.The devastating effect of the earthquake on a very poor nation provoked worldwide concern and inspired an outpouring of aid money intended to rebuild Haiti. Countries around the world, as well as private and philanthropic groups such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, provided some $10.5 billion in aid, with $3.9 billion of it coming from the United States.Haitians such as Andre, however, noticed that very little of this aid money actually got to poor people in Haiti. Some projects championed by the Clintons, such as the building of industrial parks and posh hotels, cost a great deal of money and offered scarce benefits to the truly needy. Port-au-Prince was supposed to be rebuilt; it was never rebuilt. Projects aimed at creating jobs proved to be bitter disappointments. Haitian unemployment remained high, largely undented by the funds that were supposed to pour into the country. Famine and illness continued to devastate the island nation.The Haitians were initially sympathetic to the Clintons. One may say they believed in the message of hope and change. With his customary overstatement, Bill told the media, Wouldn t it be great if they become the first wireless nation in the world? They could, I m telling you, they really could. I don t blame the Haitians for falling for it; Bill is one of the world s greatest story-tellers. He has fooled people far more sophisticated than the poor Haitians. Over time, however, the Haitians wised up. Whatever their initial expectations, many saw that much of the aid money seems never to have reached its destination; rather, it disappeared along the way.Where did it go? It did not escape the attention of the Haitians that Bill Clinton was the designated UN representative for aid to Haiti. Following the earthquake, Bill Clinton had with media fanfare established the Haiti Reconstruction Fund. Meanwhile, his wife Hillary was the United States secretary of state. She was in charge of U.S. aid allocated to Haiti. Together the Clintons were the two most powerful people who controlled the flow of funds to Haiti from around the world.Bill and Hillary weren t the only ones profiting off the devastation of poor Haitians. This video shows how Hillary s brother cashed in on a lucrative gold-mining permit in Haiti:An unusual nexus of mining interests, relief work in Haiti, and a former U.S. first family is raising new ethics questions that could affect Hillary Clinton s presidential ambitions.Clinton s brother, Tony Rodham, was a board member of a North Carolina mining company that enjoyed prime access to Haitian gold deposits in the wake of post-earthquake relief work organized in part by former president Bill Clinton through the Clinton Foundation.Another board member of the firm, VCS Mining, was former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, who co-chaired the charitable Interim Haiti Recovery Commission with Mr. Clinton.https://youtu.be/nlS4SimQfv8The Haitian protesters noticed an interesting pattern involving the Clintons and the designation of how aid funds were used. They observed that a number of companies that received contracts in Haiti happened to be entities that made large donations to the Clinton Foundation. The Haitian contracts appeared less tailored to the needs of Haiti than to the needs of the companies that were performing the services. In sum, Haitian deals appeared to be a quid pro quo for filling the coffers of the Clintons. For example, the Clinton Foundation selected Clayton Homes, a construction company owned by Warren Buffett s Berkshire Hathaway, to build temporary shelters in Haiti. Buffett is an active member of the Clinton Global Initiative who has donated generously to the Clintons as well as the Clinton Foundation. The contract was supposed to be given through the normal United Nations bidding process, with the deal going to the lowest bidder who met the project s standards. UN officials said, however, that the contract was never competitively bid for.Clayton offered to build hurricane-proof trailers but what they actually delivered turned out to be a disaster. The trailers were structurally unsafe, with high levels of formaldehyde and insulation coming out of the walls. There were problems with mold and fumes. The stifling heat inside made Haitians sick and many of them abandoned the trailers because they were ill-constructed and unusable.The Clintons also funneled $10 million in federal loans to a firm called InnoVida, headed by Clinton donor Claudio Osorio. Osorio had loaded its board with Clinton cronies, including longtime Clinton ally General Wesley Clark; Hillary s 2008 finance director Jonathan Mantz; and Democratic fundraiser Chris Korge who has helped raise millions for the Clintons. Normally the loan approval process takes months or even years. But in this case, a government official wrote, Former President Bill Clinton is personally in contact with the company to organize its logistical and support needs. And as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has made available State Department resources to assist with logistical arrangements. InnoVida had not even provided an independently audited financial report that is normally a requirement for such applications. This requirement, however, was waived. On the basis of the Clinton connection, InnoVida s application was fast-tracked and approved in two weeks. The company, however, defaulted on the loan and never built any houses.An investigation revealed that Osorio had diverted company funds to pay for his Miami Beach mansion, his Maserati, and his Colorado ski chalet. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in 2013, and is currently serving a twelve-year prison term on fraud charges related to the loan. Several Clinton cronies showed up with Bill to a 2011 Housing Expo that cost more than $2 million to stage. Bill Clinton said it would be a model for the construction of thousands of homes in Haiti. In reality, no homes have been built. A few dozen model units were constructed but even they have not been sold. Rather, they are now abandoned and have been taken over by squatters.THE SCHOOLS THEY NEVER BUILT USAID contracts to remove debris in Port-au-Prince went to a Washington-based company named CHF International. The company s CEO David Weiss, a campaign contributor to Hillary in 2008, was deputy U.S. trade representative for North American Affairs during the Clinton administration. The corporate secretary of the board, Lauri Fitz-Pegado, served in a number of posts in the Clinton administration, including assistant secretary of commerce.The Clintons claim to have built schools in Haiti. But the New York Times discovered that when it comes to the Clintons, built is a term with a very loose interpretation. For example, the newspaper located a school featured in the Clinton Founation annual report as built through a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action. In reality, The Clinton Foundation s sole direct contribution to the school was a grant for an Earth Day celebration and tree-building activity. Via: National Review | 1real |
Number of the week: How long until Russia can end its oil dependence? | By RBTH Yevgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti
The Russian economy will need at least 10 years to end its oil dependence, according to a statement made by the head of Sberbank, German Gref.
"A very large amount of today's GDP is based on oil and gas,” he said at a Sberbank conference on Oct. 28. “And it takes time to create an economy with half of the existing digital businesses, to digitize traditional forms of business. I think it will be at least 5 or even 10 years," he said. | 1real |
AUDIT REVEALS: 150 AFGHAN TROOPS Have Gone AWOL In U.S. During Training…Some Still Missing | The new report on the number of missing Afghan trainees draws attention to the current policy that obviously needs to be changed. The terror risk is bad enough and the cost to train these soldier is HUGE. Remember when Obama was famously called out for the outrageous cost per trainee? Reuters reported in October of 2016 that Washington has allocated more than $60 billion since 2002 to train and equip Afghan troops. This is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Immigration agents say they re worried about the terror risk with these AWOL trainees.While other foreign troops on U.S. military training visits have sometimes run away, a U.S. defense official said that the frequency of Afghan troops going missing was concerning and out of the ordinary. More than 150 Afghan troops brought to the U.S. for military training have gone AWOL since 2005, with 13 of them still unaccounted for and perhaps living as here illegal immigrants now, an inspector general said in a new report Friday.Part of the problem is that the U.S. never puts the trainees through an in-person interview and exempts them from registering as aliens when they arrive both steps that other visitors would normally have to go through.In-person interviews and requiring the troops to register beforehand would help the government gauge whether someone is likely to go absent without leave, and would give immigration officers information about relatives in the U.S. as starting points when someone does go AWOL, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said.But the State Department rejected those suggestions.The audit said that while no acts of terrorism have yet been traced to the trainees, immigration agents say they re worried because a number who go AWOL end up trying to claim asylum in the U.S., stymieing any national security investigation into their behavior.Beyond the potential danger, American taxpayers also miss out on the investment in the troops, the inspector general said. It is clear that Afghan trainees go AWOL while in the United States at a far higher rate than do trainees from any other country, and we believe that the State Department (as well as other government agencies) should use all the tools at their disposal to reduce these occurrences and ensure that Afghan trainees return to Afghanistan and make use of the substantial U.S. taxpayer investment in training, the audit concluded.The number of troops going AWOL surged in 2015 and 2016 as security back home deteriorated.Some Afghan troops currently being trained in the U.S. said the Taliban threatened their families back home once it became known they had a relative training here. Many of them said the training made them bigger targets when they returned.Investigators identified 152 Afghan trainees who have gone absent without leave under the training program. Seventy of them fled the U.S., 39 managed to obtain legal status here, three returned to duty, 27 were arrested and put in deportation proceedings, and 13 remain unaccounted for.The largest number disappeared from training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, but four went AWOL from training in D.C., three disappeared from Quantico, Virginia, and one from Arlington.The State Department and Homeland Security said they don t think there s a reason to be concerned.Read more: WTA PREVIOUS REPORT ON TWO AFGHAN TRAINEES THAT WENT MISSING:THE TWO TRAINEES ARE STILL MISSING! The public has received no picture or description of the two Afghan men who were last seen on Friday of last week. They will not say why they re not giving a description to the public. It would help if they let people know what these two men look like. MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. Authorities are searching south Georgia for two male Afghan air force students who did not report for duty Monday, officials said.The students have been at Moody Air Force Base since February of this year and were screened prior to coming to the U.S. more than a year ago, according to officials with the base.The base says that both men have trained alongside U.S. troops for the entirety of this year and do not pose any apparent threat. The students and their class were set to graduate on Dec. 18.Federal authorities are involved because these are international military students, said Captain Korey Fratini, Chief of Public Affairs for the air force base.The two students were last accounted for Friday but did not show up for duty on Monday.They are part of Afghan Air Force and are maintenance aircraft students here training to learn how to maintain the a29 Super Tucano. Foley said they are not pilots.There are 9 Afghan pilots at Moody and 14 Afghan aircraft maintainers, according to Foley.There is a coordinated effort among federal agencies to locate these men as quickly as possible and return them to the proper authorities, a statement from the base said.They were both assigned to the 81st Fighter Squadron. The base is near Valdosta, Ga. off of Interstate 75.According to Forey, the students are considered absconded for now.They are not releasing missing males names, ages or pics right now but did not say why.When they are located he says they will be brought back to Moody AFB and Foley does not know what will happen next.Foley said the main focus is trying to get info out to local communities that the information they have is there is no indication they pose any threat.Read more: FCN | 1real |
Obama launches mission to cure cancer 'once and for all' | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday pledged to undertake a historic push to develop a cure for cancer, tapping Vice President Joe Biden to lead the effort. Obama, in the last State of the Union address of his presidency, said America must use its spirit of innovation to help tackle the challenge of cancer. “For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for the family we can still save, let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all,” Obama said. As Biden smiled from his seat behind the president, Obama said he would put the vice president in charge of “mission control” for the effort. Biden, who lost his 46-year old son to brain cancer last year, received a standing ovation from lawmakers when Obama made the announcement. Following his son’s death, Biden said he would not run for president in 2016, but he promised he would focus his remaining time in office on working on a “moon shot” to end cancer. In a blog post released during the State of the Union address, Biden said the White House would focus on increasing public and private resources to fight the disease and to improve information sharing among researchers and medical professionals. “It’s personal for me,” Biden said, regarding the push. He will travel on Friday to the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine to speak with physicians and next week he will meet with experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the initiative. The cancer initiative will build upon the $2 billion increase in funding approved for the National Institutes of Health last year, White House chief economist Jason Furman told reporters ahead of Obama speech. Earlier this month, private companies and academic cancer centers joined together to launch their own mission to fight cancer. The Cancer Moonshot 2020 program is aimed at developing a vaccine-based immunotherapy to combat cancer by the end of the decade. Companies involved include Celgene Corp (CELG.O), Amgen (AMGN.O) Inc and NantKwest Inc (NK.O). In his speech, Obama also stressed that the United States should continue to help fight against disease in African countries and around the world. “Right now, we are on track to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS, and we have the capacity to accomplish the same thing with malaria,” Obama said, noting that he would push Congress to fund this effort in 2016. | 0fake |
WOW! HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS BLASTS Ben Affleck…Posts Video Showing When He “Grabbed Hilarie Burton’s Breasts” During Taping of MTV Show | Yesterday, actor Ben Affleck came out with a statement of shock over allegations that mega-Democrat donor and kingpin Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein raped and sexually assaulted multiple women in the industry. A disgusting audio tape was released yesterday by the New Yorker that was secretly done by then 19-yr. old Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez that showed how Weinstein used his position of power to make women perform sexual favors or take part in his sexual fantasies, or pay the (obvious and unspoken) consequences.Affleck, who is close to Harvey Weinstein and has spent a considerable amount of time around him, made the following statement on social media yesterday:tabloids He was quickly shot down by actress Rose McGowan who claimed he knew all about Harvey Weinstein s antics, despite his statement of fake outrage and disgust. YOU LIE she tweeted in response to Affleck s comments.You want to play let's play #ROSEARMY pic.twitter.com/uqd26Z78gc rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017Rose then went on to call all of the Hollywood A-list Golden Boys, LIARS and warned them, We have just begun. But that wasn t the end of it for Affleck who seemed to be feigning shock over Weinstein s actions when according to at least a few young Hollywood actresses, he s got some explaining to do about his own actions.Hilarie Burton claims she was groped by Ben Affleck during his appearance on TRL in 2003.Daily Mail The former host of the show made the allegations on Tuesday night, just hours after Affleck made a statement condemning Harvey Weinstein s alleged abusive actions in his sexual assault and harassment scandal.In it, he said he was saddened and angry over the sickening claims.Affleck s statement was quickly slammed by a number of people including Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan who called Affleck a liar.When a fan tweeted that Affleck might as well have kept quiet, another Twitter user wrote: He also grabbed Hilarie Burton s breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though. The One Tree Hill Star then surprised the Twitter thread by interjecting with: I didn t forget. The incident reportedly happened when he appeared on the show in 2003. Burton was 21.A video clip from the show shows Affleck telling Burton a story mid-interview which appears to be about moves men use to pick up women.He leans his arm around the young host who is wearing a yellow bandeau dress. No groping is seen on camera but Burton noticeably jumps and looks shocked on the footage as Affleck smiles and returns to his seat.Here is how the exchange went down after a Twitter user suggested Affleck would have been better off keeping his mouth shut over the Weinstein allegations.Ben Affleck should ve just kept quiet. Clearly he wasn t thinking about his daughters when he left them to gallivant with their nanny. I am I, Naima (@naimaism) October 10, 2017Shanice Brim, a female producer of the TLR show replied with a stunning admission that, He also grabbed Hilarie Burton s breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though. He also grabbed Hilarie Burton's breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though. Shanice Brim (@ShaniceBrim) October 10, 2017Actress Hilarie Burton quickly replied, I didn t forget. I didn't forget. Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 10, 2017Shanice Brim told Burton how sorry she was that Affleck sexually assaulted her, saying, It s infuriating that people never bring up all the gross, predatory things he s done. I m so sorry that happened to you. It s infuriating that people never bring up all the gross, predatory things he s done. Shanice Brim (@ShaniceBrim) October 11, 2017Seriously, thank you for that. I was a kid. Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 11, 2017She then tweeted a clip from an interview she did taking fans behind the scenes at TRL. In it, she relives and laughs off the incident. He wraps his arm around me and comes over and tweaks my left boob, she says. I m just like, what are you doing Some girls like a good tweakage here and there I like a high five. Further footage shows Affleck asking the host, how old are you 19? . He would have been around 31 at the time of the recording.Watch:https://t.co/wh2MpJVQzlGirls. I'm so impressed with you brave ones. I had to laugh back then so I wouldn't cry. Sending love. Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 11, 2017Here is the same video in a different format. | 1real |
GOP Civil War Brewing As Delegates Plot To Dethrone Trump At Convention | Donald Trump has been irritating everyone lately. It has gotten to the point that even many of the most horrific conservatives can t look past the hate speech and general insanity that has accompanied The Donald s attempt to become Dictator-in-Chief. For the most part, they have been fine with Trump s bigotry: his suggestion that Muslims should be crammed into concentration camps while those not already in the country should be banned, his talk of building walls to keep brown people out of the country, his numerous racist and misogynist statements, and his support of his horrible followers beating African-Americans at his rallies. They ve even been fine with his itchy trigger finger when it comes to launching nuclear weapons.But Trump s recent attacks on a Mexican federal judge from Indiana, his rapidly-dropping poll numbers, and his slightly more reasonable remarks about gun safety regulations, have the delegates he has earned ready for mutiny. The Washington Post reports that delegates are hatching plans to stop Trump. While many others have attempted to start movements to end Trump for good, this time it s different the people who make the rules are the ones leading the movement:The delegates are angered by Trump s recent comments on gun control, his racial attacks on a federal judge and his sinking poll numbers. They are convinced that Trump is an insufficiently conservative candidate and believe they will find enough like-minded Republicans within the next month to change party rules and allow delegates to vote for whomever they want, regardless of who won their state caucus or primary. This literally is an Anybody but Trump movement, said Kendal Unruh, a Republican delegate from Colorado who is leading the campaign. Nobody has any idea who is going to step in and be the nominee, but we re not worried about that. We re just doing that job to make sure that he s not the face of our party. The fresh wave of anti-Trump organizing comes as a growing number of Republicans have signaled that they will not support Trump for president. In addition, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who is slated to chair the Republican National Convention next month in Cleveland, said in remarks released Friday that House Republicans should follow their conscience on whether to support Trump.The new anti-Trump movement is pushing for a change to party rules that would allow them to vote for whomever they want if their conscience (term used loosely because our friends on the Right don t have those) doesn t allow them to support that person.On Friday, Trump dismissed the plot against him. I won almost 14 million votes, which is by far more votes than any candidate in the history of the Republican primaries, Trump said. I have tremendous support and get the biggest crowds by far and any such move would not only be totally illegal but also a rebuke of the millions of people who feel so strongly about what I am saying. People that I defeated soundly in the primaries will do anything to get a second shot but there is no mechanism for it to happen, the billionaire concluded. But those in charge of the latest effort to shut Trump down say they do not have a specific candidate in mind.According to those involved, at least 30 delegates in 15 states have signed on a small fraction of the more than 2,400 delegates who will be at the convention in Cleveland. Trump just continues to embarrass himself and his party and this is not going to let up, Iowa GOP delegate Cecil Stinemetz told the Post. Trump just continues to embarrass himself and his party and this is not going to let up. Will the movement succeed? Will Trump continue to embarrass his party and Americans as a whole.Featured image via Getty Images/Rob Jenkins | 1real |
Open Thread (NOT U.S. Election) 2016-39 | Open Thread (NOT U.S. Election) 2016-39
News & views not U.S. election related ... 18, 2016 at 01:44 PM | Permalink Comments
The Podesta emails - After Hillary, John Podesta had been seriously warned about the Syrian chaos Posted by: nmb | Nov 18, 2016 1:59:59 PM | 1
Although it is hilarious to see the Hillary supporters throwing a massive tantrum about 'fake news,' it does make it clear just how powerful having direct access to information is in negating money, mainstream media capture and control, and government propaganda.
I don't know how much the new Trump presidency will change the US intelligence agency culture. But one has to assume they are apoplectic over their failure in Syria. Billions of dollars and years wasted all because people have direct access to information unfiltered out of Syria.
It should have a completely unremarkable US regime change operation:
* Send in the NGOs to agitate locals * Make promises of support for attacks on the government by the sole world superpower * Get selectively edited footage of your collaborators on the ground being attacked by the government(after they attacked the government) * Pump out mass amounts of propaganda based off that footage: "Simple farmers rising up to overthrow a brutal regime!" * Wield the tremendous economic power of the US to ensure the vast majority of smaller countries are on board with military action sanctioned by the UN * Flood the country with arms for anyone no matter how crazy to attack the government * Fake chemical attacks, US intelligence agency compromised UN reports and inspectors, etc.
All of that derailed by nothing more than people having direct access to information uncensored out of Syria.
I think it is safe to assume the US intelligence agencies are actively working on ways to make it illegal or impossible for anyone to publish, share, or consume 'unauthorized' information from countries that are targets of regime change.
The easiest way would be to designate any source of information not actively working with or approved by the US intelligence agencies will be increasingly labeled as 'terror propaganda' and US social media and Internet providers will be required to censor or shutdown any such sources. Posted by: Stevens | Nov 18, 2016 2:16:40 PM | 2
Stevens @ 2: Great post, thanks.
This "regime change" U$A foreign policy, has been implemented around the globe for many many years now, all in the interests of big corporate profits, and global hegemony. The sad truth seems to be, there are no signs its about to change. Posted by: ben | Nov 18, 2016 2:34:13 PM | 3
I was watching a travelogue program on PBS. The trip was to Cuba. The narrator traveled by train across the country. A train line that was originally built in the 1870s by Spain to divide the country for defensive and control purposes. The locomotives pulling the passenger cars were 1950s USA manufactured vintage and date to a time when our Federal Government had good economic relations with the Batista Regiem.
When I think of the cruel and unusual economic punishment dished out to Cuba by our Federal Government all I can see is a bunch of financially poor peasants who bear the brunt of U.S. economic warfare. Just as in the Middle East and now Europe economic sanction wars hurt the farmer, the small business operator, the basic family unit, etc., while rich people get richer. Isn't it about time to back off on the economic war against Cuba and the rest of the Planet? Our collective cruelty seems to know no bounds?
Just my opinion Posted by: ALberto | Nov 18, 2016 3:00:02 PM | 4
Bernhard, I should think most of us reading and commenting here have pretty much accepted the result of the US presidential elections and are glad that Killer Klinton's ambitions have crashed and her future seems to be in a white house with steel bar columns and uniformed prison guards.
The focus is now on President-elect Donald Trump's likely cabinet appointments, who are the most likely choices for critical positions like Defense Secretary and State Secretary, what the process is and how that is being carried out (or not carried out), and what that says about Trump's leadership and decision-making style, how he plans on being President and whether his choices are the right choices for his agenda (if it is genuine) of reforming the political culture on Capitol Hill, or "draining the swamp".
If indeed Trump is intent on bringing changes to Capitol Hill, then there's a strong likelihood that the Soros-funded "Color Revolution" rioting around the US East and West Coasts will come to Washington and we'll be seeing a re-enactment of the Kiev Maidan events there. Posted by: Jen | Nov 18, 2016 3:01:27 PM | 5
Does the Constitution of the United States require the president to have a specific number of executive departments? The answer is no. George Washington only had four departments in his administration as first President of the United States.
Perhaps if Mr. Trump can't find suitable candidates for his cabinet when he "drains the swamp", he could assume the role as interim department head until such time as qualified non-militarists emerge from the private sector to serve in his administration. Posted by: PokeTheTruth | Nov 18, 2016 3:04:34 PM | 6
@2 stevens..thanks for your comments. lets hope open access to information continues.. the signs of this happening don't look great, but they remain open still.. thankfully, moa is one of many sites where sharing info is of great benefit and continues..
M K Bhadrakumar's latest..
meanwhile obama, merkel, hollandaze and their italian counterpart have all agreed to continue for another year, the sanctions on russia over ukraine.. the bozo head for nato jens stalenbread or however his name is spelled, continues on with the disingenuous musings of an old king about to reenact a version of humpty dumpty..
meanwhile the witch hunt on acedemics, or anyone associated with gulen continues in turkey.. erdogan was visiting pakistan the past few days and i happened to read this on the usa state dept daily transcript from yesterday in the form of a question.
Question :"Turkish President Erdogan is in Pakistan today, and he publicly suggested to Pakistan that the West was behind ISIS in order to hurt Muslims, quote, “It is certain that Western countries are standing by Daesh. Now Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and many others are suffering from terrorism and separatist terrorism.”What’s your comment on that? Do you think it’s a reasonable statement?
MR KIRBY: No, I do not."
it is pretty funny how these daily press briefings highlight usa propaganda in such a distinct and colourful manner.. fortunately the odd journalist asks questions that lift the veil that is constantly being thrown out by these same masters of propaganda.. Posted by: james | Nov 18, 2016 3:36:30 PM | 7
@5 If indeed Trump is intent on bringing changes to Capitol Hill, then there's a strong likelihood that the Soros-funded "Color Revolution" rioting around the US East and West Coasts will come to Washington and we'll be seeing a re-enactment of the Kiev Maidan events there.
No, you will not be seeing "Maidan". Middle America white (and not only) working class men are extremely well armed and are really angry still. So, if this rioting will come to Washington, who says that good ole' Ford Truck can not run over mountain bike of Tesla? Once the shooting starts (hopefully not) it will be a totally different game than Kiev "Maidan". There is also a trend, call it a hunch--most of US combat veterans from US endless wars tend to lean towards people like Trump. Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Nov 18, 2016 3:49:18 PM | 8
2
The Right firmly believes in Onward Xtian Soldiers for the Judeo-Xtian Axis, remember the $150,000,000,000 that 'Obama Paid As Hostage to Iran' was just a setup by the Right, that was Iran's sovereign national wealth held in overseas investments and illegally frozen by the Right as an *act of war*.
When Obama agreed to end those illegal sanctions and let Iran retrieve their investments (which they may have done today, if you look at the huge market selloff), the Right again illegally crossed into Iran territory with their Navy patrol boats to create a false 'hostage' narrative.
Those Navy boats know where they are by GPS withing 3.5 meters (10 feet), and Iran didn't beat them or waterboard them like AbuGraib or Gitmo, instead, they traded them for their *interest losses* on their illegally frozen foreign investments.
With Huckabee as nee Ambassador to Israel, and neocon Pompeo as named CIA Director, and Jared Kushner getting top secret briefings to pass along to his Israeli blood-diamond partner Lev Leviev, you can bet the Xtian Soldiers will be pouring our blood and our treasure onto the radioactive sands of the Middle East, filling up the VA hospitals again for the Judeo-Xtian Axis of Greater Isreal.
If anyone else has a happier sitrep, we'd all like to hear it. Posted by: chipnik | Nov 18, 2016 4:22:24 PM | 9
#8 - I read somewhere the majority of the enlisted were voting Trump and the officer corp leaning Clinton. It would be interesting to see the breakdown of the military vote. Posted by: h | Nov 18, 2016 4:24:54 PM | 10
Anybody witness the duet between Obama and Merkel on youtube? Merkel talked first while Obama stood off to the side with a ridiculous smirk on his bobble head. It was so horrible I couldn't watch. Posted by: ruralito | Nov 18, 2016 4:27:09 PM | 11
Jen | Nov 18, 2016 3:01:27 PM | 5 and SmoothieX12 | Nov 18, 2016 3:49:18 PM | 8
We have one month before the electoral college votes. I suspect that this is the venue that the neolibcons will use to try to steal the election from Trump. The "demonstrators" paid and organized by Soros et al help set the background and provide the rationale for the "need" to "accept the will of the people".
If this should transpire, then you will see civil unrest. The red states will not go along with the theft of the election for Clinton. Posted by: Perimetr | Nov 18, 2016 4:28:35 PM | 12
@12
Soros "paid for" protesters is just more of b's "fake news". I have friends, middle class professionals, who've been participating in California and all they know about Soros is he made a ton of $$ on Brit Currency bets 2 decades ago.
The elector's "switch" is not going to happen, just more hysteria. Posted by: jdmckay | Nov 18, 2016 4:40:06 PM | 13 If this should transpire, then you will see civil unrest. The red states will not go along with the theft of the election for Clinton.
Even the "blue" states have very large and populous "red" areas--mostly beyond large urban centers which long ago became a cloaca of depravity. My point is, that this possible (how probable--that is totally another discussion) civil unrest, once "red" states America gets involved seriously, will not last too long for a number of purely tactical, operational and logistical reasons. This is if to discount the possibility of law enforcement actually enforcing the law and order which may, under certain conditions, turn very violent against those who will try to undermine constitutional process. Blue states can not win for mostly cultural reasons since, as I already stated, "Red" states' America is simply armed on several orders of magnitude better and is really angry. It is also tougher. Social and cultural composition of HRC's electorate speaks volumes--it is, in Steve Sailer's words (I think it was him), a "coalition of the fringes" and not very capable to start with. Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Nov 18, 2016 4:47:57 PM | 14
@10 It would be interesting to see the breakdown of the military vote.
I don't hold my breath but, again--call it a hunch, I think that majority of US Armed Forces officer corps, especially officers "in the field" are Trump supporters. Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Nov 18, 2016 4:50:06 PM | 15
@13
WRT "fake news" and Soros paid rioters : Paul Horner — the 38-year-old self-made titan of a fake news empire on Facebook — is claiming responsibility for pushing Donald Trump to the White House, and says he has no plans to stop publishing fake news.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Horner attributed his success to Trumps’ particular base of supporters. He is the man behind such viral headlines as “The Amish in America Commit their Vote to Donald Trump” and “President Obama Signs Executive Order Banning the National Anthem at all Sporting Events Nationwide” — neither of which were true.
“My sites were picked up by Trump supporters all the time. I think Trump is in the White House because of me. His followers don’t fact-check anything — they’ll post everything, believe anything. His campaign manager posted my story about a protester getting paid $3,500 as fact. Like, I made that up. I posted a fake ad on Craigslist,” he told The Washington Post. Posted by: jdmckay | Nov 18, 2016 4:52:36 PM | 16
The coming conflict is between globalism and nationalism. The basic problem is numbers. Rule by monopolistic global corporations, at best, supports 20% of the population in the short term. It enriches the ruling elite and their servants and improvises everyone else. In the long term, climate change or a nuclear war, brought on by the blind needs of greed, will end the world as we know it. Brexit and the Trump Presidency proved that globalism and democracy are incompatible. For globalism to proceed in the middle term, it will require a surveillance police state, total propaganda, reeducation camps and the shutdown of this bar. Posted by: VietnamVet | Nov 18, 2016 4:56:50 PM | 17
Who decides which news is fake? Sounds like an easy way to limit freedom of speech and of the press.
Why can't people be allowed to decide for themselves which news is fake? Posted by: lysias | Nov 18, 2016 4:58:30 PM | 18
As a retired officer of the U.S. Navy, I would be very disappointed if a majority of the officer corps supported Hillary. It would be very disappointing if they put their increased chances of promotion in new wars over the good of the country. Disappointing, but not exactly surprising. Posted by: lysias | Nov 18, 2016 5:01:17 PM | 19
I find it interesting that this open thread was not suppose to be about the US election but darn near all of the comments are to one degree or another. Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 18, 2016 5:12:13 PM | 20
It's great that there's some dialog between Trump and Putin. I think at least Western Syria will be cleansed of jihadis as a result.
But Trump might be a little more hard nosed in the future. After the tensions are dialed down and having the score at basically Russia 1, US 0, he's not going to be so pliable. He sure as fuck isn't going to throw Israel under a bus. He's not going to roll over on all American commitments in the region.
Trump's been getting a complete rundown on the big picture. It's no secret that until recently he couldn't have found Damascus on a map. Now he knows about the Shiite Crescent and how the arms can flow from Iran to Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon in volumes like never before and how upsetting that is for Israel.
Now there's action towards taking Raqqa by the Kurds and who knows who else. The US and its posse will provide the air cover and logistics plus lots of special ops once it kicks in. I'm surprised the Kurds bit again after taking it up the arse from the US a couple of months ago They're not going all in right now as things are ongoing in Mosul and will be for a while. But you don't hear Assad and the Russians squawking much about it. It's like they both know that parts of Eastern Syria are bye-bye.
Trump's good will towards Russia certainly doesn't extend to Iran. And no American will ever call Hezbollah anything bur a terrorist organization after the Marine barracks truck bombing in Beirut all those years ago. If Putin and Trump are going to come to a general understanding in the ME there's going to have to be some give and take.
Putin's done quite a turnaround in taking Russia from a pariah state a couple of years ago to the player on the world sage that it is now. It's looking good for him to keep his man in power in Syria and to establish a permanent presence in the ME with Khmeimim and Tartus. Once Trump is fully up to speed on the totality of American interests in the region he is bound by his office not to walk away from them. There will have to be some serious deal-making. Posted by: peter | Nov 18, 2016 5:16:47 PM | 21 Putin's done quite a turnaround in taking Russia from a pariah state a couple of years ago to the player on the world sage that it is now.
Your timeline is a bit off. The coming of Putin was a direct result of NATO's 1999 aggression against Yugoslavia, while War of 08-08-08 was the start of Russia's return into big league. So, it is not a "couple of years". Results of War of 080808 actually stunned DC's neocon interventionist cabal. Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Nov 18, 2016 5:28:28 PM | 22 Who decides which news is fake?
Buzzfeed did some analysis on Social media generated fake news during the election. An awful lot of it was simply false. You can look at some of those headlines and judge for yourself.
Ironically, Paul Horner (guy behind "fake news empire" I linked in prior post) said: He said he didn’t do it for ideological reasons. “I hate Trump,” he told The Post. “I thought I was messing with the campaign, maybe I wasn’t messing them up as much as I wanted — but I never thought he’d actually get elected.”
Just happens 70% + of fake news this election cycle (according to Buzzfeed) was anti-Clinton. Posted by: jdmckay | Nov 18, 2016 5:47:15 PM | 23
....and how the arms can flow from Libya and Zio-Ukraine to ISIS in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon in volumes like never before and how 'upsetting'(sic) that is for Israel.
Yeah, 'upsetting' to the Israel Likud former-Soviet mafia which fully supports ISIS and maintains 'Hezbullah' straw dog, to keep UN forces out of Greater Israel and torpedo the Two-State Solution and the Right-of-Return agreements which Netanyahu freely boasted he lied about supporting.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/02/07/when-reagan-cut-and-run/
MoA isn't another Likud psyop disinformation campaign for the new Trump-Israel First Regime. Remember it was your team's counterfeit Yellow Cake Big Lie that assassinated the Baathists, and paved the way for Shi'ia's defensive action against the Bush-Cheney IL Wahhabi's usurpers and crusaders. You theory will do much better on Breitbart. Posted by: chipnik | Nov 18, 2016 5:52:07 PM | 24
@22
I was referring to his exclusion after annexing Crimea. The G8 turned into the G7 and he was shunned at the G20. It was decided by the US and its posse that world events would move along without any input from Russia. That changed when he entered Syria. Posted by: peter | Nov 18, 2016 6:45:39 PM | 25
And on the climate change or not front there are these articles: | 1real |
Catalan govt to blame for companies' exodus from region: Spanish finance minister | LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Spain s finance minister on Monday blamed the Catalan government for companies moving their headquarters out of the region, while his euro zone colleagues played down the impact of the Spanish crisis on the shared currency. In recent weeks, a stream of Catalonia-based firms and banks have moved their legal bases outside the regionas a crisis over a Catalonian push for independence from Spain deepened. Caixabank, Spain s number 3 bank, and Banco Sabadell, the number 5, have both moved their head offices out of Catalonia last week following an independence referendum that the Madrid government attempted to block. The exit of many companies from Catalonia is the consequence of the irrational and radical policies implemented and pursued by the (regional) government, minister Luis de Guindos said as he arrived for a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Luxembourg. Losing Catalonia would have a significant impact on Spain, as the region makes up a fifth of the country s economic output and more than a quarter of its exports. Some fear it will impact on the euro zone economy, which is slowly recovering from a recession at the start of the decade. Nevertheless, most euro zone ministers declined to get drawn into a discussion on the situation in Catalonia, with Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem describing it as a domestic issue . I hope that those prevail in Spain, who understand that, as the Spanish Prime Minister has said, law and constitution are the basis on which we operate, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said. European Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, asked about the economic impact of the Catalan debate, said the Spanish constitutional order must be respected. This situation cannot be solved by violence, we have to find a solution through dialogue, this is also true when you consider the economic oint of view, he said. Spain also sought to reassure international investors concerned about the political situation in the country. The message is crystal clear: Catalonian independence is not going to happen, De Guindos said. | 0fake |
Frustrated Europe hopes Clinton win can spur elusive Iran deals | BERLIN (Reuters) - After a year of disappointment, European businesses are hoping a victory for Hillary Clinton in the U.S. election next week may help break the logjam that has prevented large-scale Western investments in Iran since the opening of its economy. While no one in Europe is predicting a flurry of new deals should Clinton defeat her Republican rival Donald Trump on Nov. 8, a win for the Democrat would remove some of the political clouds hanging over last year’s nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Business groups say this could help fuel a more aggressive push into the Iranian market in 2017, especially in the second half of the year, if a Clinton victory is followed by the re-election of moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani next May. “If Clinton and Rouhani win, then we will have a political window of opportunity that is much bigger than we have now,” said Matthieu Etourneau, who advises French firms on the Iranian market for MEDEF International, the French employers group. “This is what the European banks and companies are waiting for,” he said. Back in January, when the United States and Europe lifted sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, the excitement in Europe’s business community was palpable. With a population of 78 million and annual output higher than that of Thailand, Iran was the biggest economy to rejoin the global trading and financial system since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union. European politicians flocked to Tehran with dozens of corporate executives in tow. Rouhani, a pragmatist elected in 2013 on a platform to reduce Iran’s isolation, traveled to Paris and Rome to promote his country to eager investors. But within months the euphoria had vanished, replaced by frustration on both sides. The biggest obstacle for European firms seeking to do business in Iran has been the reluctance of the continent’s largest banks to finance deals out of fear they could run afoul of U.S. sanctions and incur massive penalties down the line. The United States has taken steps to reassure the banks. Last month the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued new guidance to allay concerns about doing U.S. dollar transactions with Iran. But Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged at a think-tank event in London this week that banks remained skittish. German officials raised their concerns about the hurdles during a recent visit by U.S. sanctions coordinator Daniel Fried. This caution is likely to persist, regardless of who is sitting in the White House. Beyond the issue of sanctions, the poor state of Iranian banks after a decade outside the international financial system, the strong state role in the economy and a lack of clarity about the legal system are all deterrents to foreigners. “Everyone knows now that this will be a long, step-by-step process to build up our economic ties,” said Friedolin Strack, head of international markets at the Federation of German Industries (BDI). Still, a Clinton victory would be a reassuring signal to Europe. Her close adviser Jake Sullivan was a key figure in the secret negotiations in Oman that paved the way for the landmark agreement that curbed Iran’s disputed nuclear activity, and she has defended it during the election campaign. Trump, by contrast, has called it “one of the worst deals ever made” and promised to renegotiate it if he is elected. Bankers say the risk of the deal unraveling under a Trump presidency has contributed to the reticence in Europe. Recently however, there have been signs of movement. Smaller German banks, pressed by their clients to support them in Iran, are beginning to offer limited financing and payment services. “Medium-sized banks that finance the German Mittelstand have a great deal of interest in Iran business and are preparing the groundwork intensively,” said Siegfried Utzig, acting head of economic policy and international affairs at the Association of German Banks (BvB). “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel but it’s still quite far away.” In June, the German government began offering export credit guarantees via insurance group Euler Hermes for firms wanting to trade with Iran. Edna Schoene, head of German government business at Euler Hermes, said about 30 formal applications had been received since then with a total value of about 2.5 billion euros. Nine of them have been approved. Add to that roughly 70 non-binding letters of interest (LOIs) that have been issued and the volumes push up into the double-digit billions of euros, Schoene said. “The potential in Iran is enormous and the demand for export credit guarantees is high, both in terms of formal applications and expressions of interest,” Schoene said. “I expect that we will see the first large-scale, credit-financed deals in 2017.” Some European firms are already benefiting from the opening of the Iranian economy. Last week French carmaker PSA Group (PEUP.PA), once the market leader, announced it had produced 105,000 cars in Iran under the Peugeot license in the third quarter, 15 percent of its total sales volume. Etourneau of MEDEF International is also optimistic that Iran’s order of 118 jets from Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA) and a recent joint venture deal between carmaker Renault (RENA.PA) and Iranian investment fund IDRO will prove a boon for smaller European suppliers. MEDEF International announced last month it was opening an office in Tehran, its first outside France, to support small and medium sized French firms seeking to enter the Iranian market. “We expect that 20-30 billion euros in public contracts to be attributed by the Iranians before the end of their fiscal year in March,” Etourneau said. “What we are telling companies is that they need a 5-10 year strategy. The market will open up progressively.” | 0fake |
Intensified by Climate Change, ‘King Tides’ Change Ways of Life in Florida - The New York Times | FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In an enclave of a city known as the Venice of America, where houses look out over a maze of picturesque canals, the comparison to the Venice of Italy no longer seems so appealing. On Monday morning, shortly after November’s supermoon dropped from view on Mola Avenue, it was easy to see why. The tide swelled on command. Seawater gurgled audibly up through manhole covers and seeped from the grass. Under a sunny sky, the water drowned docks and slid over low sea walls. By 8:15 a. m. peak tide, this street in the Las Olas Isles neighborhood was inundated, just like the Venice across the pond. Sergio Lafratta, an independent business consultant who moved in just three months ago, stood shirtless in tall waders, watching the saltwater seep into his new lawn. “There goes my grass again,” Mr. Lafratta said. His grass squares floated away down the street. His wife, Marilia, a psychologist, stood on the doorstep in her pajamas and chimed in. “We spend too much money to live here,” she said. “We knew about this” — the flooding — “but we didn’t think it would be this bad. ” In South Florida, which takes rising sea levels seriously enough to form a regional compact to deal with global warming, climate change is no abstract issue. By 2100, sea levels could swell high enough to submerge 12. 5 percent of Florida’s homes. These king tides, which happen frequently, are the most blatant example of the interplay between rising seas and the alignment of the moon, sun and Earth. Even without a drop of rain, some places flood routinely. Monday’s planetary dance was particularly notable: The moon was both full and at its closest distance to the Earth since 1948. The closer the moon, the stronger the gravitational tug on the oceans, the higher the tide. Rising sea levels exacerbate the flooding, scientists said. In much of South Florida, including Broward County and Fort Lauderdale, finding and fixes to the challenges of flooding caused by rising seas is a priority. A new position now exists to deal with it: resiliency chief or sustainability director. Pumps and backflow valves have been put in place. Roads will be or have been elevated (most famously in Miami Beach, which invested $400 million to deal with flooding). Sea walls are being raised. Counties are also beginning to rethink building codes. Taken together, the costs will be enormous. In the next five decades, the seas could rise two to three feet, said Jennifer Jurado, Broward County’s chief resiliency officer. Already, life on Mola Avenue has changed considerably, depending on the moon cycle, the month, the wind and the rain. Residents are already gearing up for the next king tide. It arrives next month. Adapting to the “new normal,” as some call it, is a requirement now. Sherry Harris kicks off her heels and splashes to her car to go to work. The Lafrattas, both originally from Brazil, pore over tidal charts for the first time in their lives. “No wake” signs warn cars to slow to a crawl so the brackish water does not inundate lawns. Residents know to park on high ground. Garbage cans are kept safely away from the curb, or they wind up bobbing up and down the road like wayward buoys. “I forgot them one time,” Mr. Lafratta said, “and there was garbage everywhere. ” People who live here have complained to city officials for years but said they might wind up having to pay for some of the fixes themselves (one proposal asks for $20, 000 from each resident). Already, many have to elevate their sea walls because they sit on private property. Raising the roads may also cost them. All of these options inevitably give rise to ’ squabbles. And even as new mansions rise from the saturated ground, those who live on Mola fret about property values. “Flood?” said Michael Asser, poking fun at the situation after he opened his front door to a waterlogged reporter. “What flood? The city says there is no flood. ” “It’s been going on 25 years, but each year it’s worse,” he added. “When I first came here, during spring tides, you had a splash here, a splash there. ” Does he ever think about selling? “I’ll probably have to stay here forever,” he said. Standing in front of the whimsical garden outside his Coconut Grove house, Dr. Karl H. Muench, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of Miami, said he and his neighbors got lucky this week. The forecast called for widespread king tide flooding, but West Fairview Street dodged the worst of it on Tuesday. “It can come up to here,” he said, pointing to the edge of his property. “I’ve had to wade home from a block away I didn’t want to bring my car into the saltwater. ” A stone’s throw away, a canal threatened to spill over a sea wall as a manatee frolicked by a small bridge. But the water held back, reaching the brim. Instead, it seeped up through the storm drains and pooled onto Fairview. County was largely spared the tide cycle this week: Miami Beach’s pumps and elevated roadways easily dealt with the incoming water (save for an inundated parking garage where an octopus swam). Other problem pockets near the Miami River and in Shorecrest got minimal flooding. It was an example of the unpredictability of nature, which can make planning and preparing for floods tricky business. Last month, when the wind was churned up by a passing hurricane, the king tide was much worse. And last year, residents said, it was spectacularly bad. Erratic as the weather can be at times, Dr. Muench, 82, who has lived in this graceful neighborhood of banyan trees and air for 40 years, said he was certain about one thing: Global warming is the culprit for the water that regularly covers the road in front of his house. “There has been a definite, gradual increase since the onset of information about global warming,” he said. “In my mind, there is no question about the relationship. The canal is rising because the ocean is rising. ” Dr. Muench said he fretted about Donald J. Trump’s position on global warming. In a 2012 post on Twitter, Mr. Trump said the concept was “created by and for the Chinese in order to make U. S. manufacturing noncompetitive. ” Now that Mr. Trump has chosen Myron Ebell to lead his Environmental Protection Agency transition team, Dr. Muench’s concerns have deepened. Mr. Ebell has helped lead the charge against the scientific consensus that global warming exists and is caused by people. James Murley, County’s chief resilience officer, said the rising sea level did not cause king tides, “but it amplifies these events. ” Claudia Falero was drying her French bulldog inside her gleaming house as it drizzled outside. When she and her husband bought the house seven years ago, the flooding took them by surprise. “It wasn’t something advertised,” she said, laughing. The couple’s letters to city officials have gone unanswered, she said. Residents say they hear that the road may get elevated, the sea wall fixed. So far, though, it is just talk. “It gets you mad,” Ms. Falero said, “because you pay taxes, and nothing is getting done. ” Shirley Borg gripped the steering wheel of her Honda Accord, traveling at a turtle’s pace through saltwater a few inches deep that was rising all over her street. The homeowners here on Adams Drive know the drill: Drive slowly to keep the splash down, or drive quickly and risk ruining your car. “I just replaced the wheel bearings because the seals were broken from saltwater,” she said. “I asked, ‘How does that happen?’ And they said, ‘Do you go through a lot of brackish water?’ Oh, yeah. ” The Florida Keys have a unique problem: Unlike areas farther north, which have barrier islands and then the mainland, the Keys are made up solely of a chain of islands built on porous limestone. Stopping the water from rolling into neighborhoods here is not an easy task. Sea walls, for example, do not work. Patience is a requirement nowadays on some Keys roads. Ms. Borg has lived in Twin Lakes, a waterfront community, for 11 years, and floodwaters are now a regular feature of the neighborhood. They vary, like everywhere else in South Florida, depending on moon cycles, and they are compounded by poor infrastructure and rising sea levels. “The first seven years, we only flooded twice,” Ms. Borg said on Tuesday. Last year, 10 inches of water outside often trapped residents in their homes. Ms. Borg’s car sits five inches off the ground, so do the math. In 2015, she went carless for two weeks — not even flatbed truck drivers wanted to chance it. Some people in her neighborhood left their cars somewhere else and commuted, Florida Keys style, by boat. Others lost their cars altogether saltwater is particularly corrosive to engines and metal. Climate change is on many of their minds. And, like Dr. Muench, they worry — not just about the incoming president, but also about Florida’s governor, Rick Scott. Some former state environmental employees accused Mr. Scott, a Republican, last year of banning the phrase “climate change” in conversation and on documents, a charge he has said is untrue. “A climate change denier?” quipped Benjamin Klitzkie, standing in his driveway on Tuesday morning as the water encroached. “I got a house for you in Key Largo. ” Mr. Klitzkie bought his home on Shaw Drive in 2011, but worries about his investment. Houses on the street are still selling — one is listed for $729, 000 — but what if the water keeps coming? Recently, he said, it approached a neighbor’s front gate. County officials are meeting regularly with homeowners to discuss raising the road and other improvements. They have stopped issuing building permits on the street, Mr. Klitzkie said. “It’s sinking,” he said. “And the seas are rising. ” Rhonda Haag, Monroe County’s sustainability director, said officials had done an analysis of some county roads. The conclusion was that elevating them, including on Shaw Drive, would be the best option. But it is expensive — raising one road six inches costs $1 million for a third of a mile — and complicated. “And we do recognize the fact that we will lose certain places sooner rather than later — some of the natural areas first,” Ms. Haag said. For Frank Garces, an insurance adjuster who moved here less than two years ago, it cannot happen fast enough. He said he never used to give global warming a second thought. “Now,” he said, “I’m researching moon phases and tides. ” | 0fake |
War-ravaged South Sudan may scrap expensive oil subsidies | JUBA (Reuters) - War-ravaged South Sudan is considering scrapping state subsidies on oil because it hasn t been able to pay civil servants for four months and diplomatic staff abroad are being evicted over unpaid rent, the deputy finance minister said. Ending the subsidies would free up desperately needed cash, Mou Ambrose Thiik told Reuters in an interview. Nearly four years of civil war have destroyed South Sudan s economy. Inflation was at 165 percent in August, the 21st consecutive month of triple-digit growth. The government depends on oil revenues, but attacks have slashed production to less than a third of pre-war levels. The government expects to receive $820 million from oil this year. Out of that, $453 million will go to neighboring Sudan as payment for using its infrastructure for export; $183 million on the oil subsidy; and $166 million is allocated to the budget, which has a gaping deficit. We were thinking that we would lift subsidies on the oil and will be able to cover this (deficit) and pay our salaries more easily, said Thiik. But we have some resistance from the parliament. Lawmaker Nailo Mayo, the chair of the finance committee, said parliamentarians just wanted more information on who might be affected by ending the subsidies. The committee ... is concerned about the social cost, I mean the suffering that could accrue to the poorer section of the community, and also we are afraid of the political cost, that is stability, arising from lack of transport, he said. State-subsidized oil sells at 22 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per liter, but severe shortages mean many people buy it on the black market for 300 SSP per liter. The SSP trades at about 17.5 to the dollar on the black market and 17.68 at the central bank. The process for allocating subsidized fuel, which is purchased with government-issued coupons, is unclear. South Sudan s conflict began in 2013 after President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, fired his deputy, Riek Machar, a Nuer. The conflict degenerated into ethnic fighting marked by widespread sexual violence. Out of an original population of 12 million, 4 million have fled their homes. More than half of those who remain in South Sudan need food aid and nearly three-quarters of children are out of school. Thiik acknowledged social services were dire and said the finance ministry was trying to save money. It wants to reduce the number of embassies by a third, he said, because it is unable to fund them. They (embassy staff) didn t get their salary for seven months and also they have arrears in their premises, he said. Asked about civil servants who had not been paid for four months, he said: it is true that we have not secured money to pay salaries. | 0fake |
When Campus Rapists Are Repeat Offenders - The New York Times | MANHATTAN, Kan. — She was 18, majoring in and settling in for her first year at Kansas State University, her dream school. Barely six weeks later, Crystal Stroup’s college career was suddenly and violently derailed. In October 2015, after a small at their apartment, her friends got worried because Ms. Stroup had had too much to drink. They enlisted the male student from downstairs to look after her while they went out for food. The next morning, Ms. Stroup woke up disoriented and in pain. Large bruises in the shape of hand prints were emerging on her upper arm and thigh. She struggled to go to class, where she told a friend, “I’ve been raped. ” Kansas State University had been warned about the man, Jared Gihring. Another student, Sara Weckhorst, said she had complained to university officials more than a year earlier that he had raped her while she was passed out drunk at a fraternity house. On Jan. 3, Mr. Gihring, 22, pleaded not guilty to charges of raping both women. A lawyer for Mr. Gihring, Brenda Jordan, did not respond to requests for comment. But it was only after Mr. Gihring’s arrest by the police here in July — more than two years after Ms. Weckhorst first complained — that Kansas State took action to expel him. Whether or not Ms. Stroup’s alleged rape was foreseeable — one of the issues posed by a lawsuit she filed against the university — her case raises disturbing questions about repeat offenses on campus, and whether universities do enough to prevent them. For several years, researchers have been fiercely debating how many campus rapes are committed by serial offenders. A 2002 study based on surveys of 1, 882 college men and published in Violence and Victims, an academic journal, found that as many as 63 percent of those who admitted to behaviors that fit the definition of rape or attempted rape said they had engaged in those behaviors more than once. But in 2015, a study of 1, 642 men at two different colleges was published in JAMA Pediatrics and found that while a larger number of men admitted to behaviors that constituted rape, a smaller percentage of them, closer to 25 percent, were repeat offenders. The difference could affect how universities approach rape investigations and prevention. For example, repeat cases raise questions of whether universities should be faster to remove students from campus after accusations. “There are repeat offenders who seek out victims and will do this time and time again with impunity because there is no punishment,” said Annie E. Clark, a of End Rape on Campus, a nonprofit organization that works to assist those who have been raped and to prevent campus sexual violence. She added, “Whatever the number is, it’s way, way too high. ” A few recent cases, and the lawsuits they have spawned — like the one at Kansas State — have again put a spotlight on repeat campus rapes, and the questions they leave about whether something could have been done. Many university administrators say they are hampered in sexual assault investigations by women who are reluctant to identify their assailants or press charges. They also say that assaults frequently occur during parties at which students were drinking, leaving their memories clouded and the truth of what happened elusive. At Kansas State, the federal government is now involved, investigating the university’s handling of the 2014 complaint by Ms. Weckhorst. The university is facing lawsuits by Ms. Weckhorst and another Kansas State student, Tessa Farmer, who also alleges she reported a rape that was not properly investigated, as well as the case brought by Ms. Stroup, now 19, who joined Ms. Weckhorst’s lawsuit in November. At Indiana University, a former student, John P. Enochs, pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor battery, the result of a plea bargain. He had initially faced two counts of rape. A lawsuit filed against the university in June by one of his accusers, identified as Jane Doe 62, says Mr. Enochs raped her while she was passed out from drinking at his fraternity house. The suit says the university ignored Mr. Enochs’s history of sexual assault, failing to take steps to protect her from rape. Nearly two years before Jane Doe 62 said she was raped, Mr. Enochs had been accused of sexual assault by another student. That woman supplied his name to university police, but initially declined to press charges. In a statement by its spokeswoman, Margie the university said its policy “provides for prompt response, a fair, impartial and robust investigation, and adjudication process when responding to reports of alleged sexual assault. ” But, she added, “our ability to do so is also reliant on the involvement and cooperation of those who may have been harmed. ” Stanford University is fighting a lawsuit by a student who says she was sexually assaulted in 2014 by a man who had done the same to another student as early as 2011 and physically or sexually assaulted two other students. Nonetheless, the lawsuit says, the university permitted him to remain on campus through his 2014 graduation. The university — roiled last year by the Brock Turner sexual assault case and more recently by an article in The New York Times about its handling of sexual assault accusations against a football player — says in its court papers in the lawsuit that the first woman did not identify the man for nearly a year, then initially declined to participate in an investigation. “We have sympathy for the plaintiff in this case, but we will be vigorously defending the lawsuit as we believe that Stanford has acted with appropriate diligence and compassion within the constraints of privacy laws,” said a university spokeswoman, Lisa Lapin. Denise Cordova, the director of the office that investigates sexual assault accusations at the University of Nevada, Reno, said most students do not provide the name of the person they say assaulted them. “I think, from my perspective,” she said, “we don’t always have the information about the person who has done this. ” That was not the situation, however, at Kansas State. Danielle a former Kansas State University sexual assault investigator, said she urged the college to be more aggressive in handling sexual assault complaints, ultimately reporting the university to the United States Education Department. “It makes me feel terrible that we might have been able to prevent it,” she said. She and others at Kansas State say the problem was that the university had taken the position that it was not responsible for investigating accusations of rape in fraternity houses because they are off campus. In her complaint to the Education Department, Ms. said she was ordered to “stall” investigating a rape accusation at a fraternity house because the university did not want to be responsible. Also, the departing president of the university’s Interfraternity Council, Zach Lowry, said the university referred sexual assault complaints involving fraternities to his organization without investigation. “When we get these, they’re pretty disturbing,” said Mr. Lowry, a senior political science major from Stockton, Kan. “When we give them to our judicial board, they’re students. They’re not trained to handle investigations. ” Officials at Kansas State declined requests for interviews, but, in a statement, the university said its protocol was to “address misconduct and safety concerns expeditiously and it always has been. ” It added that “the blanket statement that does not investigate incidents is simply inaccurate. ” But Ms. Stroup believes her rape could have been prevented if the university had heeded warnings from Ms. Weckhorst, of Doylestown, Pa. On April 26, 2014, when she was a freshman, Ms. Weckhorst had joined friends at Pillsbury Crossing, a recreation area near Kansas State’s campus that is known for its picturesque waterfalls and a shallow swimming area. After drinking as many as 13 shots of liquor, she said, she recalled little of what happened that day after 4 p. m. When she woke up hours later, she said, she was in a room filled with beds, completely naked, intoxicated and confused. As she lay face up on a mattress, a man she did not know was having sexual intercourse with her. “When Sara was able to get the male off her, she got up from the mattress and at that time the male made a statement that he wasn’t the first guy she’d had sex with that day,” the police report said. The man told Ms. Weckhorst that she also had sex twice that day with another man — once in the bed of a truck at Pillsbury Crossing and again when he drove her to the Sigma Nu fraternity house, according to the police report. Word of what had happened at Pillsbury Crossing circulated on the social media app Yik Yak, according to Ms. Weckhorst’s lawsuit. Ms. Weckhorst filed a complaint with an investigator for the university, naming Mr. Gihring and the other man, both Sigma Nu pledges. But the university employee told her that because the reported events occurred off campus, Kansas State would not take any action, according to her lawsuit. After the semester ended, she and her parents met with university officials on campus. “This will continue to affect our daughter for the rest of her life,” her mother said during the meeting. Nothing “will ever what has been done by this facility of higher education. ” Mr. Gihring, of Newton, Kan. eventually moved to University Crossing, an apartment complex within view of the university’s football stadium. Ms. Stroup arrived at Kansas State from Clay Center, Kan. for her freshman year in August 2015. She also moved into University Crossing, in an apartment near Mr. Gihring. The lawsuit she filed in November says that, after the small gathering at their apartment on Oct. 6, 2015, her roommates left Mr. Gihring to watch over her while they went for food. “Once alone in the apartment, J. G. went into Crystal’s bedroom and raped her,” the complaint says, referring to Ms. Stroup. On the advice of her lawyer, Cari Simon, Ms. Stroup would not discuss details of that night because she may be called to testify in the criminal trial against Mr. Gihring, scheduled for May. Ms. Stroup said she had been under immense stress, partly because it was impossible to avoid Mr. Gihring on campus and at her apartment complex. Ultimately it affected her grades and forced her to drop out of school, she said. She now works in a nursing home kitchen, not exactly the health care career she had hoped for. “I don’t know how to pick up the pieces and start over again,” she said. | 0fake |
Rationale for U.S.-EU trade deal still strong after Brexit vote: USTR | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, the case for a U.S. free trade deal with the EU remains strong, the top U.S. trade official said on Friday. “The economic and strategic rationale for T-TIP remains strong,” U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said in a statement, referring to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated by Washington and the EU. “We are evaluating the impact of the United Kingdom’s decision on T-TIP and look forward to continuing our engagement with the European Union and our relations with the United Kingdom,” Froman said. | 0fake |
Proposed new U.S. sanctions ruse to force Russia from EU energy market: TASS cites Putin ally | MOSCOW (Reuters) - Proposed new U.S. sanctions against Russia look like an attempt to squeeze Moscow out of the European energy market, Valentina Matviyenko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, the TASS news agency reported. Matviyenko is speaker of the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament. She was speaking after the White House said on Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump was open to signing new legislation after Senate and House leaders reached agreement on a sanctions bill late last week. | 0fake |
Cheese shortage due to enlarged moon. More soon. | Posted: Nov 14th, 2016 by Guest Click for more article by Guest .. More Stories about: Ticker | 1real |
In Show of Unity, Bannon, Priebus Address CPAC and the ’Opposition’ - Breitbart | OXON HILL, MD — White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus received a standing ovation and a heroes’ welcome at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday afternoon. [Bannon joked that he had graduated from the ranks of the “uninvited” — the title of an alternative conference that he led as the executive chairman of Breitbart News, which featured speakers who had been left off the CPAC agenda. Asked by American Conservative Union chair Matt Schlapp to name the biggest misconception about the Trump White House, and their work together, Priebus replied: “Everything. ” Bannon agreed, repeating one of his most controversial lines of President Donald Trump’s administration thus far, greeting “the opposition” — the media — in the back of the room. He referred to them as such throughout his remarks, recalling how the “opposition party” had constantly disparaged the Trump campaign, to no avail. “If you want to see the Trump agenda, it’s pretty simple,” he said. “It’s all in the speeches. ” He added: “Our job, every day, is to execute on that. ” But the “opposition party” missed the story, he said. “Just like they were dead wrong on the cast of the campaign, just like they were dead wrong on the cast of the transition, they are absolutely wrong about what’s going on today. ” Bannon outlined the administration’s approach to implementing its agenda, including what he termed the historically significant withdrawal from the Partnership (TPP) which he said would be replaced by bilateral trade arrangements. He said that Trump’s Cabinet appointees would lead the “deconstruction” of the “adminstrative state. ” Priebus, picking up on that theme, proudly described Trump’s executive order requiring that for every new regulation promulgated by federal agencies, two old regulations had to be repealed. When Schlapp asked what the media kept missing about Trump, Priebus pointed out that the media were constantly underestimating Trump’s chances — first of winning the Republican nomination, then of winning the presidency, then of governing successfully. He expressed hope that the media would improve. Bannon, noting that he and Priebus could disagree and still work together, offered a different outlook on media bias: “It’s not only not going to get better, it’s going to get worse every day,” he said, adding that the “corporatist, globalist media” were opposed to change. Conservatives, Bannon told the audience to applause, would have to remain active and involved. “If you think you’re going to get your country back without a fight, you are sadly mistaken. ” He asked the audience to have the administration’s back — but asked them: “Hold us accountable. ” Asked to say what they liked best about each other, Priebus praised Bannon, “a very dear friend,” for being loyal and “extremely consistent. ” Bannon praised Priebus for being “indefatigable” and “steady” under intense pressure. “I can run a little hot sometimes,” he joked. “Reince has been unwavering. ” Joel B. Pollak is Senior at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. His new book, How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak. | 0fake |
Critic of Rwandan president to face criminal trial on Friday | KIGALI (Reuters) - A critic of Rwandan President Paul Kagame will appear in court on Friday charged with inciting insurrection and forgery, the prosecutor s office said on Thursday. Diane Shima Rwigara, a 35-year-old accountant, is the latest political opponent of Kagame to face criminal charges. She was barred from contesting the presidency in an August election he won with 98.8 percent of the vote. She has repeatedly accused him of stifling dissent and criticized his Rwandan Patriotic Front s tight grip on the country since it fought its way to power to end a genocide that killed more than 800,000 people in 1994. The Court will examine the serious grounds justifying provisional detention of the suspects, the prosecutor s office said on Twitter. The office noted that the other two suspects to appear in court are Rwigara s mother Adeline and sister Anne. The three women have been in detention for around two weeks. They were first taken from their home in the Rwandan capital on Aug. 30 on tax evasion allegations related to the family s tobacco company. That charge was not listed in those filed on Tuesday. Kagame has been widely praised for restoring stability in Rwanda and presiding over a rapid economic recovery after the genocide in the East African nation. But human rights groups say he has muzzled independent media and suppressed potential democratic opponents. Some critics of the government have been imprisoned or killed. Rwanda last month charged another opposition official and eight others with forming an armed group and seeking to overthrow the government. With each arrest in Rwanda, fewer and fewer people will dare to speak out against state policy or abuse, read a Human Rights Watch in a report released last month. | 0fake |
null | No they will be barking to China for their crumbs. | 1real |
Trump intensifies attacks on Ryan with four weeks left until Election Day | OCALA, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump escalated his attacks on U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Wednesday, deepening a fracture in the party with only four weeks to go until the Nov. 8 election. Trump, at a rally before thousands of supporters jammed into a livestock arena in Ocala, Florida, also attempted to drive voters away from Democratic rival Hillary Clinton with an overwhelmingly negative speech in which he described her as corrupt and unqualified for the presidency. Ryan said on Monday he was no longer going to campaign for or defend Trump and advised House Republicans not to support the White House candidate if they did not want to. His move followed outcry over a video that surfaced last Friday showing Trump bragging in 2005 about groping women and making unwanted sexual advances. Trump’s response to being abandoned by Ryan, the country’s most senior elected Republican, has veered between saying he feels free now to campaign on his own terms and assailing Ryan and other “disloyal” Republicans. “Already the Republican nominee has a massive disadvantage and especially when you have the leaders not putting their weight behind the people,” the New York businessman said on Wednesday, complaining that Ryan and others had not called to congratulate him on what he felt was a strong performance at a debate against Clinton on Sunday. “You’d think they’d say great going Don, let’s go. Let’s beat this crook,” Trump said. “No, he doesn’t do that,” he added of Ryan, as the crowd booed in sympathy. “There is a whole deal going on there. There is a whole deal going on and we’re going to figure it out. I always figure things out. But there’s a whole sinister deal going on.” The release of the video has plunged Trump and the Republican Party into a deep crisis that has jeopardized his chances of winning the White House, when he was already lagging Clinton in national opinion polls, and possibly put Republican control of the U.S. Congress in danger. Trump’s fresh round of attacks came even as his campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, heard concerns from some House Republicans that Trump’s criticism of Ryan was distracting from his message on how to defeat Clinton and win the White House. Conway convened a conference call with House Republicans who support Trump that lasted about an hour. A congressional aide said Conway went through a list of differences between Trump and Clinton and talked about how to make the case for Trump and against Clinton. The general theme of comments from lawmakers on the call was that Trump needed to focus on his message to the United States and distinguish it from Clinton’s, the aide said. The aide said members specifically brought up Trump’s attacks on Ryan as a distraction from that message. The tone from House Republican was one of frustration at Trump’s attacks on a fellow Republican, the aide said. The campaign and Conway did not respond to requests for their comments about the call. Nonetheless, Ryan has been facing considerable blowback from a number of his fellow House Republicans since announcing his decision to focus on electing Republicans in Congress. Oklahoma Republican Jim Bridenstine, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, tweeted on Wednesday that he will not support Ryan – presumably, for speaker in the next Congress — because of Ryan’s failure to defend Trump. “Given the stakes of this election, If Paul Ryan isn’t for Trump, then I’m not for Paul Ryan,” Bridenstine tweeted. Republican Senator John Thune, who called for Trump to withdraw from the race in a Saturday tweet, says his position has not changed but that he will vote for all Republican candidates on the ticket including Trump. “I intend to support the nominee of our party. But he’s got a lot of work to do, I think, if he’s going to have any hope of winning this election,” Thune told KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in an interview that aired late on Tuesday. Thune was among a string of Republican officials and former officials who called on Trump to withdraw from the race over the weekend. | 0fake |
Megyn Kelly Special: Trump defends tone, says bid will be ‘complete waste’ if he doesn’t win | Donald Trump, in an extensive interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, responded to critics of his barbed campaign style by saying he never would have been successful in the primary race if he had acted “presidential” and held back on hitting his political rivals – while declaring that if he doesn’t win the election this fall, he’ll consider his campaign a “complete waste.”
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was blunt in describing the stakes of the 2016 race as he sees it. Without a victory in the fall, he said, he won’t be able to lower taxes, strengthen the military or “make America great.”
“I will say this: If I don’t go all the way, and if I don’t win, I will consider it to be a total and complete waste of time, energy and money,” Trump said, in the interview that aired Tuesday night on Fox Broadcast Network affiliates.
The candidate addressed a range of topics in his sit-down with Kelly, from his tone to the lead-off presidential debates to his past clashes with the Fox News host.
Trump conceded that, in looking back, he “absolutely” has regrets, without going into detail. But he said if he hadn’t conducted himself in this way, he wouldn’t have come out on top.
“If I were soft, if I were presidential … in a way it’s a bad word, because there’s nothing wrong with being presidential, but if I had not fought back in the way I fought back, I don’t think I would have been successful,” he told Kelly.
Trump argued that he’s a “counter-puncher” who’s only responding to the attacks against him.
“I respond pretty strongly, but in just about all cases, I’ve been responding to what they did to me,” Trump said. “It’s not a one-way street.”
The interview was conducted on the heels of an April meeting between Kelly and the Republican candidate at Trump Tower in New York City.
Before that meeting, the two had been at odds for months – dating back to a Fox News-hosted debate last August, when Trump accused “The Kelly File” host of asking him unfair questions.
Today, Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, having vanquished 16 primary rivals and now turning his attention toward an expected general election battle against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state, while still trying to shake a primary challenge from Bernie Sanders, has sharpened her criticism of Trump as well in recent weeks, even saying Monday that he’s a “loose cannon” who would be dangerous for the country. And she said he’d return to “failed” economic policies.
Speaking with Kelly, Trump suggested the August debate actually helped prepare him for the battle ahead.
“In a certain way, what you did might have been a favor, because I felt so good about having gotten through -- I said, ‘If I could get through this debate, with those questions, you can get through anything,’” he said.
Trump pointed to that debate when asked at what moment he realized he might actually win the race. “I think that first debate meant something,” Trump said, adding that he felt comfortable with the subject matter and the people he was competing against.
At the same time, Trump tried to explain why he fired back at Kelly for confronting him about his past disparaging comments about women. “I thought it was unfair,” Trump said of the question, while noting it was the first question he’d ever been asked at a debate. “And I’m saying to myself, man, what a question.”
He added, “I don’t really blame you because you’re doing your thing, but from my standpoint, I don’t have to like it.”
As for his role in the presidential election in this year, Trump said: “I really view myself now as somewhat of a messenger… This is a massive thing that’s going on. These are millions and millions of people that have been disenfranchised from this country.”
Trump for the last several weeks has been working to reach out to members of the so-called Republican establishment in Washington he’s spent much of his campaign railing against. He met last week with GOP congressional leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan – who has held back an endorsement for now. Trump and the lawmakers came away describing the meetings as positive.
In the interview with Kelly, Trump briefly discussed his personal life, and how his older brother Fred died after a battle with alcoholism. “I have never had a glass of alcohol,” he said, calling his brother’s death the “hardest thing for me to take.”
And while defending his tone on the campaign trail, Trump also said he takes “very seriously” the responsibility of the office he’s seeking.
“I understand what's going on. And when I see the fervor, when I see 25,000 people that have seats, and not one person during an hour speech will sit down. I say, sit down, everybody, sit down. And they don't sit down," he said. "… I mean, that's a great compliment. But I do understand the power of the message. There's no question about it.” | 0fake |
Kellyanne Conway Announces Trump’s HUGE ‘Thank You’ Gift To Putin, And It’s Treasonous As F*ck (VIDEO) | Kellyanne Conway accidentally announced exactly how Donald Trump intends to reward Vladimir Putin for all the help he received from the Russian dictator s propaganda team, internet troll squad, and hackers on Monday. Conway told Capitol Download that she doesn t feel more investigations are needed into the Kremlin s attack on our nation last year that helped barely win Trump the presidency (with a huge asterisk). In fact, we re such good friends with Russia now that Putin helped The Donald with his little getting elected issue that Conway says Trump is going to look into lifting some of those pesky sanctions Putin couldn t get Obama to lift. I predict that President Trump will want to make sure that our actions are proportionate to what occurred, based on what we know, Conway said, claiming that we have imposed harsher sanctions on the country that directly interfered in our election rather than North Korea and China after they hacked our nation.Conway attacked a bipartisan effort to get to the bottom of the hack, mocking Democrats not Republicans, who have spent the last eight years focusing solely on obstructing President Obama for attempting to work with the other side. It s curious and a little bit humorous that Democrats would talk about anything bipartisan given how they have vowed to obstruct everything we do, she said, adding that there is a great deal of information out there about the hack. I do find it to be very ironic that the uptick and the hue-and-cry of investigation and information has occurred after the election results are in, she added, completely forgetting that Hillary Clinton warned us of this exact scenario during the time leading up to the election and was mocked by Republicans when she suggested we look into it. The fact is, the Democrats became super-duper interested in this entire issue after the election did not go the way they, quote, wanted and the way they expected. But it s not just Democrats who think that a foreign power interfering with and manipulating our election, especially at this level, is a problem. While most Republicans have remained silent in cowardly acceptance of the huge gift that has been given to them by Vladimir Putin and company, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and a few others have also called for an investigation.Now, our next President whom a foreign dictator helped get into office by personally spearheading a hack of his political opponents and an aggressive propaganda campaign is poised to reward said dictator by lifting sanctions. You know how Trump kept saying we should lock someone up? Perhaps we should consider it but not the person he wants behind bars.Watch Conway s interview below:Featured image via screengrab | 1real |
TRUMP PROMISED TO PUT AMERICANS FIRST AND D.C. TREMBLED: “Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs” [VIDEO] | This wasn t a smooth-talking politician inviting us to climb aboard his fancy word ship for a voyage beyond the stars. He did not call upon the angels. Instead, he spoke in dark tones to the forgotten man. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer, Trump said. Everyone is listening to you now. He began by punching the elites right in the mouth the bipartisan Washington establishment sitting up there with him. For too long, a small group in our nation s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost, Trump said.Trump s campaign was nothing if not audacious, but to see him say such things in front of the Capitol, right to the establishment s face as those sitting behind him wore those tight smiles, was beyond audacious. It was Jacksonian.You could feel Washington trembling. But you could also feel the establishment wise men like Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and the K Street boys who buy them all with campaign checks, Democrats and Republicans smirking and telling themselves a Washington truth:Fresh presidents talk a lot about change, and finally, when they re not fresh anymore, the presidents leave town, humbled, while the insiders remain.It was that beginning that was astonishing, his declaration of war on the establishment, especially as they all sat there with him, with former Presidents Carter and Bush and Clinton and Obama looking on, outgoing first lady Michelle Obama frowning, Hillary Clinton icy and distant.Bush bobbed his head and smiled as if in pain. Bill Clinton s eyes were two frozen blue grapes, locked in a thousand-yard stare. But what he was looking at inside his own head, I wouldn t ever want to know. We ve defended other nations borders while refusing to defend our own, Trump said, and spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world. The Bush Republicans and neoconservatives and European elites won t like his America First message one bit.Predictably, the left hated his speech. They love the working-class hero in the abstract, unless working-class heroes dare to support Trump. Then the left mocks them. The culture clash between liberal commentators and Trump voters has gotten so petty that I ve even seen Trump voters mocked as fools for spelling mistakes.They re not fools. They re not deplorable. They re hardworking Americans, people who sent their children to our wars, people who were pushed aside by our politics, slapped down by our economy and abused by Democrats, Republicans and the very elites who formed the establishment.They were once the forgotten. But now their guy is president of the United States.For entire story: Chicago TribuneWatch Trump s full inauguration speech here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcfrbB9hpoI | 1real |
Eleven killed in clashes in Ethiopia's Oromiya region, official says | ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethnic clashes killed 11 people this week in Ethiopia s Oromiya region, a regional government official said on Sunday, the latest unrest in a province that was wracked by violence in 2015 and 2016. Nearly 700 people died last year during one period of the violence in Ethiopia s largest region and other areas, according to a parliament-mandated investigation. The unrest forced the government to impose a nine-month state of emergency that was finally lifted in August. Sporadic protests have taken place since then. Violence broke out this week in two districts in the province s west after protests led to clashes between ethnic Oromos and Amharas, the spokesman for the region s administration said on Sunday. Eight Oromos and three Amharas died, spokesman Addisu Arega Kitessa said in a statement. The previous unrest was provoked by a development scheme for the capital, Addis Ababa, that dissidents said amounted to land grabs. Broader anti-government demonstrations followed, over politics and human rights abuses. The violence included attacks on businesses, many of them foreign-owned, including farms growing flowers for export. Separately, clashes along the border between the country s Oromiya and Somali regions last month also displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The area has been plagued by sporadic violence for decades. A referendum held in 2004 to determine the status of disputed settlements failed to ease tensions. Those clashes have fueled fears about security in Ethiopia, the region s biggest economy and a staunch Western ally. | 0fake |
Senators urge regulators to ID vehicles with possible faulty Takata air bags | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. Senators urged auto safety regulators to publicly name the makes and models of tens of millions of vehicles with potentially faulty Takata air bag inflators, according to a letter made public late on Thursday. “There may still be 50 million airbags installed in vehicles whose owners not only have no idea, but also no way to find out, that they are driving a car containing potentially lethal airbags,” wrote Senators Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. On Wednesday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed the Japanese air bag manufacturer would declare between 35 million and 40 million additional inflators defective by 2019, which will prompt automakers to recall vehicles with the inflators. The 50 million inflators that could still be recalled include 27 million side air bags and 23 million frontal air bag inflators. As part of a November agreement with NHTSA, those vehicles must also be recalled by 2019 unless Takata can prove they are safe. Takata must issue five separate defect reports starting May 16 and ending in 2019. Takata said the first report will cover 14 million of the 35 million to 40 million inflators being recalled. The second report is not due until Dec. 31 and subsequent reports are due in 2017, 2018 and 2019. NHTSA spokesman Bryan Thomas said automakers “will provide the information about the models and makes in the coming weeks.” He did not directly respond to the senators demands on the inflators that have not yet been recalled. Takata spokesman Jared Levy declined to comment. The senators want NHTSA to release regular updates regarding testing data on Takata airbags and their failure rates. To date, 14 automakers have recalled 28.8 million Takata inflators in about 24 million vehicles. Three additional automakers are part of the expansion. The latest recall means all Takata ammonium nitrate-based driver and passenger frontal air bag inflators without a chemical drying agent, known as a desiccant, will be recalled. But 23 million Takata frontal air bags with a desiccant have not been recalled. When exposed to moisture, ammonium nitrate, which is used to inflate the air bag, can cause the inflator to rupture with deadly force, spraying shrapnel into vehicle occupants. The defect is linked to at least 11 deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide since 2008. Takata said it is not aware of any ruptures in the inflators in the vehicles that are part of recall announced Wednesday. | 0fake |
The Set-Up For Gold & Silver: CARNAGE in the Bond Market Pre-Cursor to Market Crash? | Eric Sprott | October 28, 2016 at 11:28 AM
Reflecting on the WMD called ZIRP, I conclude that ZIRP is the best evidence of the “New World (dis)Order WORL” weapon of mass destruction in which we’ve lived for the last 8 years. This represents the equivalent of having no sheriff in town.
A simple Occam’s Razor view of ZIRP clearly shows interest rates are the equivalent of a sheriff making sure we adhere to the Constitution, both a document that helps insure that monetary rules are followed while being protected against undue harm via the Sheriff’s color of authority.
When rates reflect reality we have a monetary Sheriff watching over our fiscal safety. When rates are zero we see a total absence of law in the world.
Interest rates are the monetary rule makers and law enforcement that drive the reality of risk and reward. If a person, company or country follows the rule and obeys the normal laws of economics, finance and investment and adheres to some reasonable variant of Say’s Law, they are rewarded with reasonable rates that helps them create value,wealth and worth by accessing some form of debt that aids in that growth. The investor is rewarded with a return commensurate with risk. If the same entity runs rampant, disregarding the restraints of interest on their investments, they are called to account and forced to pay for their transgressions.
When ZIRP drives out the rule of law; the equivalent of the interest rate Sheriff being driven out of town; put out to pasture, the potential for high crimes and misdemeanors ramps upward exponentially. Is it an accident that we have seen the ascension of crime family actions that now brings us to ZIRP and its attendant insanity. The last 60 years has seen the constant unrelenting actions against real money and the reality of interest rates as one of the strongest arbiters the world of finance. ZIRP has replaced the rule of law.
Is it an accident that we see the criminal rentier class rolling in with heavy weapons, tanks and bombs, whether in a hard kinetic form that destroys entire countries, cities and neighborhoods (banks now have their own armies) or rolling in with their interest rate WDMs?
This ultra wealthy rentier class strip mines the little wealth remaining in the hands of We, the People with hard force, demented interpretations and variations of good Constitutional law or simply no law except that which they create on the fly, with the aid of a DOJ and FBI complicit i these crimes ( reference our criminal justice system).
The penumbra of destruction that weighs against the rule of law extends to politics, from the lowest to the highest levels and begets the likes of the Clinton, Bush and Obama Kriminal Klans; AJs like Lorretta Lynch and Holder and bankers like Bernanke, Yellen, Draghi, Blankfein and Dimon, all of whom go on to form new age oligarchies that steal from the people with not a single substantive charge levied or day spend in prison.
The system is rigged. There is no justice. There’s Just Us.
None of these people suffers the consequences of their predations because they not only have unlimited access to interest free capital, they own the banks that provide them with tens of trillions in capital with which to engage in war against us. They own the armies to hold us in bond and bondage if we raise a challenge to their rapacity and theft of our substance
If they win a bet against us they make billions or trillions. If they lose a bet against us, we, the tax payers, are forced to make up the losses. Their capital has no cost. Their losses are never charged against the house. Unless it’s your house and you’re forced to move or are thrown out by some variation of their army or Praetorian guard.
I’m guessing that these financial rapists will never stop because there is never enough for them. Pitchforks, torches, molotovs and the weight of humanity pressed against our oppressors will win the day and it will take some serious sacrafices and lives to win against these new age feudalists
On a lighter and better side, the Oregon jury acquitted Aamon Bundy and his friends of all charges. Count one in the win column for the good guys. Now we need to see Cliven Bundy freed from his bondage. | 1real |
TWITTER Posts Hilarious Images After Announcement That It’s NOW ILLEGAL To Post Images Of Putin As “Gay” | Here s the original post by the Washington Post:It s now illegal in Russia to share an image of Putin as a gay clown https://t.co/trihoOp6nt Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 5, 2017Here are some of the hilarious responses:Huh. Is this illegal? pic.twitter.com/ZIK2xBHslt Jessica (@NoFascistsPls) April 5, 2017Like this? pic.twitter.com/YNa6CB61ML B3r$A (@ScamGoggles) April 6, 2017What about this pic.twitter.com/LlA6cEV6KT Jessica (@NoFascistsPls) April 5, 2017Really? Because I like this one. pic.twitter.com/ZiEVbUddqr Lisa Stewart (@holachola) April 6, 2017Or this? pic.twitter.com/29syZcNkbt Jessica (@NoFascistsPls) April 5, 2017Well, the demand for gay Putin clowns just went up. I m gonna capitalize on this meme. pic.twitter.com/iD2wST92q9 Tyler (@Dy5function) April 5, 2017Here ya go.Courtesy of https://t.co/tJWNKZbBEv pic.twitter.com/Bi0VGOKe4a Stranger Thingamabob (@MikeyMooseNC) April 5, 2017 | 1real |
How The GOP Became The Party Of White Supremacists Under Donald Trump | The Republican Party has always had a problem with racism. That s no accident; after all it was their racist Southern Strategy that got them the votes of racist white southerners once the Civil Rights Act was signed. Modern day Republicans like to point out that it was the Democrats who were the party of the Ku Klux Klan and other racists, but the parties switched sides once the Civil Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, because Southern Democrats couldn t abide the idea of de-segregating the south and starting down the path of trying to kill racism as a matter of policy and practice as they knew it. That s how the racists wound up in the GOP, and the Democrats lost the South for a generation. It s also why, to this day, the GOP has such a hard time with minority voters. However, something amazing has happened to the Republican Party in this area with Donald Trump as its titular head. They have literally become the party of white supremacists and they aren t even trying to hide it anymore.Just a few years ago, no one would have thought this possible not even elected Republicans themselves. For instance, when notoriously racist Rep. Steve King ( R- Iowa) made his infamous comment about Mexican immigrants having calves the size of cantaloupes because they re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert, then- House Speaker John Boehner said, from a podium to the press that the comments were hateful, and offensive. There were also reports that Boehner said privately that King is an asshole for saying what he said.That was just three years ago in 2014. To compare, here in 2017, when King made a much worse remark the infamous and openly white nationalist we can t restore our civilization with somebody else s babies tweet current House Speaker Paul Ryan was tepid in his response, only saying that he is sure that Rep. King misspoke. To top it all off, King tweeted that in support of far-right Dutch candidate for high office Geert Wilders, who literally wants to outlaw the religion of Islam. Something tells me that if given the chance, Steve King would outlaw Islam in America.Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017When King doubled down on the remarks, Speaker Ryan said nothing. Further, only a few GOP elected officials had the nerve to rebuke King almost all of them minorities. This is because these people know who their base is, who Donald Trump s base is, and they know they need the racists and white supremacists that helped propel Trump to the White House to get reelected.This is all perfectly in line with Trump s infamous call to ban Muslims from entering the nation, and of course, there was former New York Mayor and close Trump confidante Rudy Giuliani s admission that Trump asked him to put together a way for him to ban Muslims that would pass Constitutional muster:Then, we get to the Donald Trump campaign itself. Let s not forget Trump entered the political arena by trying to delegitimize the first Black president by spreading the racist lie that President Barack Obama was not born here, and forcing him to show his birth certificate in a show me your papers, boy, type of way. Even when Trump let his birtherism go, he still lied and said Hillary Clinton started it.Also, we all remember how long it took Trump to disavow David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan when Jake Tapper asked him about it. Only then did House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rebuke him. However, that was before Trump had secured the nomination, too. There was radio silence from GOP leadership on the open racism and anti-Semitism and misogyny of the Trump campaign unless they were cornered, as when #NeverTrump conservative radio host Charlie Sykes forced House Speaker Paul Ryan to answer for Trump s repeated retweets of anti-Semitic images.As for the Trump Administration itself there are no words for the level of bigotry allowed therein. First, we have Trump campaign CEO turned White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon, who ran the openly racist and anti-Semitic website Breitbart.com prior to joining Trump s campaign. Bannon is a literal white supremacist. He has said that one book that shapes his world view is a French novel called Camp of Saints, which fantasizes that immigrants conveniently of the black and brown variety are coming to destroy the white race. Every educated analysis of the novel reveals that it is virulently racist (this is a book that also happens to be a favorite of Steve King). Then, we have head speechwriter and immigration policy maker Stephen Miller, who shares this ideology and has for a long time; after all, this is a guy who spent his high school years harassing Latino students. Then, there is adviser Sebastian Gorka, who wore a medal from a Hungarian Nazi group to Trump s inauguration. The group said they were proud to see Gorka wearing the medal.Through all of these clearly white supremacist appointments, prominent GOP leaders have been silent. Nothing from House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, or any of the others. In fact, when asked about Bannon, Speaker Ryan only said he hadn t met him. Well, I haven t met David Duke either, but I let his past work inform my opinion of him. When McConnell was asked about Bannon, he was silent, then told the reporters in his office, It s great to be with you guys today. Then, aides rushed the reporters out before anyone could press further.What did Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have to say today about Steve Bannon s appointment? Not much. pic.twitter.com/bPZ2UtRkxW The Last Word (@TheLastWord) November 16, 2016And let s not forget Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the guy who they all say isn t a racist but was deemed too racist to be confirmed to a federal judgeship by a GOP-controlled Senate in Ronald Reagan s administration in 1986. There s also White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer s saying that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons all while referring to Nazi death camps as Holocaust Centers. And there is the White House s engaging in Holocaust denial by omitting any mention of Jewish people from their Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. It turns out that this was deliberate, which is definite Holocaust denial because while other minorities died in the Holocaust as well, Hitler s Final Solution was to eradicate the Jewish people from the planet. In short, the Holocaust was specifically about Jews, and the White House is deliberately denying this. Here is video of their statements regarding their omission of the original purpose of the Holocaust, and why they deliberately omitted the mention of Jews:I could go on, but you get the picture. The GOP, in the past, had no issue rebuking open white nationalism. They do now because that is literally who they are. There are white supremacists working in the White House, and all throughout Trump s government. And the mainstream leadership of the Republican Party has absolutely no problem with that at all because the people with those same repugnant ideas are their base. This is who the GOP is.So, I implore you to look at all the evidence provided here and think if you are a Republican, but you abhor racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy, why are you still a member of the GOP?Featured image via BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images | 1real |
Despite Tillerson overture, White House says not right time for North Korea talks | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - No negotiations can be held with North Korea until it improves its behavior, a White House official said on Wednesday, raising questions about U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson s offer to begin talks with Pyongyang any time and without pre-conditions. Given North Korea s most recent missile test, clearly right now is not the time, a White House official told Reuters. Tillerson said on Tuesday the United States was ready to talk any time North Korea would like to talk, appearing to back away from a key U.S. demand that Pyongyang must first accept that any negotiations would have to be about giving up its nuclear arsenal. The White House has declined to say whether President Donald Trump, who has taken a tougher rhetorical line against North Korea than Tillerson, gave approval for the overture. A day after Tillerson s comments at Washington s Atlantic Council think tank, the White House official, who declined to be named, laid out a more restrictive formula for any diplomatic engagement with North Korea. The administration is united in insisting that any negotiations with North Korea must wait until the regime fundamentally improves its behavior, the official said. As the secretary of state himself has said, this must include, but is not limited to, no further nuclear or missile tests. In his speech, however, Tillerson did not explicitly set a testing freeze as a requirement before talks can begin. He said it would be tough to talk if Pyongyang decided to test another device in the middle of discussions and that a period of quiet would be needed for productive discussions. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on Wednesday appeared to walk back part of Tillerson s proposal, saying there would have to be a suspension of North Korean nuclear and missile tests for an undefined length of time before any talks could take place. And we certainly haven t seen that right now, she told reporters, insisting Tillerson had not unveiled a new policy and was on the same page as the White House. Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over North Korea s weapons advances have grown this year and recent exchanges of bellicose rhetoric have fueled fears over the risk of military conflict. Tillerson s relationship with Trump has been strained by differences over North Korea and other issues, and he has seen his influence diminished within the administration. Senior administration officials said late last month that Trump was considering a plan to oust Tillerson, though the secretary of state has dismissed that. Tillerson said in his speech that Trump has encouraged our diplomatic efforts. Trump, however, tweeted in October that Tillerson was wasting his time trying to negotiate with North Korea. Tillerson s overture came nearly two weeks after North Korea said it had successfully tested a breakthrough intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that put the entire United States mainland within range. North Korea has made clear it has little interest in negotiations with the United States until it has developed the ability to hit the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped missile, something most experts say it has still not proved. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said following Tillerson s speech that China welcomed efforts to ease tension and promote dialogue to resolve the North Korea standoff. Russia also welcomed Tillerson s statement, the Interfax news agency cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying. Ahead of Tillerson s speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to develop more nuclear weapons while personally decorating scientists and officials who contributed to the development of Pyongyang s most advanced ICBM, state media said on Wednesday. Despite that, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tillerson s remarks followed speculation North Korea might be willing to talk having announced it had completed a major milestone with last month s missile test and suggested he was trying to take advantage of a potential opening. | 0fake |
TOXIC CULTURE: ‘Suicide (Skank) Squad’ Film | Jay Dyer 21st Century WireSuicide squad is who they call to counsel the people leaving this vapid movie. Possibly the worst superhero film yet, it even rivals the likes of Spawn, Catwoman and Ghost Rider. At least there was Nic Cage, but here, only a confused and garbled CGI wasteland that is as messy as the single mom tats emblazoned every scene. Nothing in this movie makes sense, much less is the plot even coherent, as a selection of the worst of America s convicts are chosen to become Task Force X, a microchipped hit team to take on the meta-humans (X-men, yawn) and the extra-dimensional entities that possess two paper-thin characters.Side note the film is adapted from my old essay, United Skanks of America.This film is one of the few instances I can think of where the overt propaganda is actually more interesting to spot than the film itself. Will Smiff plays a hitman baby-daddy whose only concern is scoring 2 million dollars to buy his daughter s attention. Yes, all those noble baby-daddies are really just striving for ghetto release so they can become responsible parents. Next, a hot chick plays a psychiatrist babe-turned skank who, after falling in love with the joke that is The Joker, morphs into the average American skank, graffiti ed to the hilt with thug-style sleaze. In this sense, Harley Quinn makes sense as a representation of the mental illness that plagues the young western female, as evidenced in their body-defacing obsessions and self-mutilation.Planetary sigils adorn the headdress.As Matt Forney writes:No girl has ever improved her looks with a gaudy mural injected under her skin or a piece of metal dangling from her nostrils. There s no man on Earth who has ever thought about his girlfriend or wife, Man, you know what would make her even sexier? A butterfly emblazoned just over her ass. Yet, despite this objective reality, thousands of girls continue to mutilate themselves at an astounding rate, to the point where more girls now have tattoos than men.Indeed, nothing captures the full throttle ruination of the western female than this slut character which drives the ridiculous simulacrum of a plot by seeking to be reunited with Joker Leto. Since Grant Morrison is an open fan of Crowley, chaos magick and summoning entities through sigils, I am curious which god he offended to have the legions of suck demons inspire his advice to Leto. That is the only explanation.The Crowleyan elements of this film are really the only noticeable esoteric themes, with the Joker now being apparently bi-sexual (perfect embodiment of the ruined western male), and the planetary sigils that adorn Cara Delevingne s headdress. From here, you can divine the rip off of a rehash semblance a story a giant garbage vortex has opened up over a city with the intent of destroying humans who no longer worship the entities as gods. The giant garbage vortex was actually filmed when in reality it opened up over New York the night this film premiered.Faith, the Hillary-hero. Originally, the skank squad was formed through the machinations of Reagan (presumably based on the Latin American death squads) and now, even Obama plays a positive role in the storyline from the comic. Indeed, comic books have long been tools of propaganda, from World War 2 Americanism to Cold War absurdity, comic books have been a staple in the establishment-promoted anti-establishment toxic culture.The sad fact, as I have been arguing for a long damn time now, is that the increase in corporate government control of entertainment realm only results in the degeneration of artistic creativity. I can wait for the 5th version of the plot of Ghostbusters-Avengers-Ghostbusters-Suicide Squad, but can you? Aside from this, the other amazing, little-known tidbit is that since the market for comics is generally teenagers, the script was written by a teen how else would an ancient goddess lithely intone, You don t have the balls! ?Nowadays, comic books are the tip of the queer spear in promoting transgender heroes, fat acceptance heroes that promote Hillary, and the absurd reversing of racial and gender roles (such as Thor becoming a woman and Iron Man a black girl). The cultural degeneration and toxification is a symbiotic relationship as the west devolves at lightning speed into a troglodyte, Morlock genetic experiment, the comic book world then comes to reflect that gluttonous, scooter-bedeviled psych ward in its art. Since comic books now drive the film industry s big blockbuster productions, blockbuster films continue to foist the Disney-Degeneration of social justice warriors rabidly attempting to quell dissent.Meanwhile, the self-devouring ouroboros of the left is its own punishment and destruction. In sum, don t waste your time, as it s all chaos, and no magic. However, if you liked John Leguizamo s farting clown in spawn, you ll probably love the ebonics-speaking crocodile in this garbage.The comedy gold of the farting clown. READ MORE HOLLYWOOD NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Hollywood FilesTo hear Jay s full podcasts, see more information and learn how you can become a subscriber to JaysAnalysis.Jay Dyer is the author of the forthcoming title, Esoteric Hollywood: Sex, Cults and Symbols in Film from Trine Day. Focusing on film, philosophy, geopolitics and all things esoteric, JaysAnalysis and his podcast, Esoteric Hollywood, investigates the deeper meanings between the headlines, exploring the hidden aspects of our sinister synthetic mass media matrix. | 1real |
Progressives Find ‘White Trash’ More Threatening Than Nuclear War | Here's something interesting from The Unz Review... Recipient Name Recipient Email =>
The American electorate’s preference for Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders has established two facts. One is that the majority of the American people do not believe the media presstitutes. The other is that only the “progressives” and “liberals” who inhabit the Atlantic Northeast and Pacific West coasts believe the presstitutes.
Trump’s election to the presidency has confirmed these holier-than-thou souls in their strongly held belief that America is a white trash racist country. They have told us this all day long today.
From these people and from the presstitutes we hear that white supremacy elected Trump. This is their propaganda, the intention of which is to discredit a Trump administration before it is inaugerated. Funny how white supremacy elected black Obama twice previously.
Truthout has lost it completely. John Knefel declares “The David Dukes of the World Prevail.”
Kelly Hayes declares “White Supremacy Elected Donald Trump.”
William Rivers Pitt declares “We have elected a fascist that Mussolini would have recognized on sight.”
Hillary carried only a handful of states, the states that comprise the One Percent’s stomping grounds. Yet Amy Goodman of Democracy Now sees meaning in political writer John Nichols claim that as Hillary carried New York and California, she won the popular vote and should be in the White House. I remember a few days ago George Soros saying that Trump would win the popular vote, but that the electoral vote would go to Hillary, thus ridding the oligarchs of Trump.
Earth Justice promises to hold Trump accountable. Trump who promises to end the threat of nuclear war with Russia and China, thereby doing more to save animal and human life than the entirety of the Democratic Party and environmental organizations, is going to be held accountable by an organization that allegedly is beyond politics and is dedicated to preserving animals from destruction.
The ACLU, of which I am a member, has also put “on notice” the president-elect who has said he will save us from nuclear war. Faced with this idiocy from the ACLU, I will not renew my membership.
Feminists tell us that we are “grieving, scared, and in shock,” and that “it is critical that we stand together and support each other.”
Jeremy Ben-Ami of the J Street Jewish Community tells us that it is “an incredibly sad and difficult day. For tens of millions of Americans who share a core belief in tolerance, decency and social justice, the election results are a severe shock. In this challenging moment, we turn to one another for comfort and community. During this election, J Street made unequivocally clear our conviction that Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States.”
Van Jones, a CNN commentator, said that Trump’s election is a nightmare, “a deeply painful moment,” a “whitelash” against minorities. While he bemoaned the pain inflicted upon poor little presstitute Van Jones, he didn’t mind insulting the American electorate and the President-elect of the United States. After all, Van Jones sees that as his racist prerogative.
And so, the holier-than-thou crowd prefers Hillary, despite her unambigious position that she would maximize conflict with Russia and China, provoke direct military conflict between the US and Russia by imposing a no-fly zone in Syria, attack Iran and other of Israel’s targets, further enrich her Wall Street handlers by privatizing Social Security, and prevent any dissent from the lowly people class of her high-handed ways. If William Rivers Pitt sees Trump as a Mussolini fascist, Trump is too mild for Pitt. He prefers Hillary, a Hitler to the third power.
The progressives have totally discredited themselves just as the presstitutes have done. Their need for a bogyman to nourish their hysteria indicates serious psychological disturbance. They actually prefer the risk of Armageddon to peace among nuclear powers. As their 501(c)3s live off corporate contributions, they prefer globalist corporate profits to jobs for ordinary Americans.
These are the people who think of themselves as our instructors and our betters.
If only Trump could exile the lot of them. They are anti-American to the core. (Reprinted from PaulCraigRoberts.org by permission of author or representative) | 1real |
Donald Trump: The Hundreds Of People I Insulted On Twitter ‘Deserved’ It | The New York Times published a piece displaying the 282 people Donald Trump has insulted on Twitter since he announced his run for the White House. It had to be a daunting task for the paper because the GOP nominee uses his Twitter account like a punching bag against anyone who hurts his tender feelings. The GOP presidential nominee needs to be in an anger management group instead of social media. According to Donald, though, the people he lashed out at deserved it. It s ok, most of them deserved, Trump said on ABC s Good Morning America. I believe in fighting back when people are against me, when they tell lies, you know, I have the power of this instrument and frankly sometimes I ll use that, he continued. And I agree sometimes it will revert back or sometimes maybe it doesn t come out you have to be careful with it. Melania Trump was also interviewed. She explained that as First Lady, she would focus on social media. The wife of a cyberbully said, What s going on is very hurtful to children, to some adults as well. We need to teach [children] how to use it, what is right to say, what is not right to say, because it is very bad out there and children get hurt, she added without one bit of irony.Trump said that he agreed that so many people are hurt by social media. She feels very strongly about. She understands it very well, Trump said.Trump hasn t changed. Even before his run for the presidency, he insulted random Twitter users. Are you making less than minimum wage, don t worry, the government will protect you. Afraid to give your real name? You should be, Donald tweeted to a Twitter user in 2013. By the way, Trump blocked that Twitter user after the exchange.Imagine if Barack Obama lashed out at random people on the Internet because people hurt his feefees in 2008 then in 2012.Donald continued his rigged election rhetoric in the interview. That s likely because he s preparing himself for defeat in November. He won t take losing gracefully and neither will his supporters.Image via screen capture. | 1real |
A Push to Lower Drug Prices That Hit Insurers and Employers the Hardest - The New York Times | Americans have expressed outrage at drug companies for raising prices on products like EpiPen, the severe allergy treatment needed by thousands of children, and Daraprim, a rarely used but essential drug to treat a parasitic infection. But insurers and employers — who pay the bulk of the cost for drugs — say that a bigger financial shock has come from a largely overlooked source: expensive medications like Humira and Enbrel, drugs taken by millions of people for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years, the prices of the medications have doubled, making them the costliest drug class in the country by some calculations. Now, one of the most powerful forces on the side of drug payers is pushing back. On Thursday, Express Scripts, the nation’s largest drug benefits manager, changed its recommendations to insurers and employers, saying they should cover fewer drugs for many inflammatory conditions. The idea is that the new limits will force drug companies to lower their prices, saving insurers and employers money. The approach has already set off some complaints among patients, who rely on regular injections of the drugs to keep painful and uncomfortable symptoms in check. If an approved drug does not work, patients will have to take extra steps to get a different drug. But Express Scripts said that the move was necessary to contain costs. The drugs account for nearly 10 percent of all drug spending among its members in the United States, the company says — costing an estimated $7. 5 billion — even though fewer than 1 percent of its members use them. “This is a category of drugs that are used for crippling, very painful conditions, yet they don’t affect huge numbers of people,” said Dr. Glen Stettin, the chief innovation officer at Express Scripts. The rising costs, he said, are due less to a rising number of patients who need the products and “much more because of the increase in the prices of these medications. ” The approach is the latest effort by insurers and drug benefit managers to more closely manage drugs in diseases, limiting which ones are covered or requiring patients to take additional steps to get approval for certain products. In 2014, Express Scripts shook up the market for hepatitis C drugs when it required its patients to use a new treatment by AbbVie rather than more expensive competitors. It made similar moves last year with the approval of expensive new treatments for high cholesterol. Like those previous efforts, the effort for inflammatory conditions will most likely help the company’s specialty pharmacy, Accredo. Express Scripts said patients getting the medications through the new program would need to use Accredo, not a competing pharmacy, giving the service a bigger base of customers. As a drug benefit manager, Express Scripts provides services like negotiating with drug companies and approving or denying drug claims. The new program is voluntary for employers and insurers who use the company, but its recommendations are usually widely adopted. Humira, made by AbbVie, and Enbrel, made by Amgen, each carry a monthly list price of just over $4, 000, and each have increased those prices by about 130 percent from 2011 to 2016, according to the Gold Standard Drug Database compiled by Elsevier Clinical Solutions. That price does not include rebates that the manufacturers negotiate with insurers. Express Scripts said that the actual monthly cost of drugs, before the new program, was about $3, 000. Representatives for large employers, who subsidize the health insurance of their employees, said the efforts were welcome. Drugs like Humira and Enbrel are known as specialty drugs, a category of products that treat serious conditions and whose rising costs have increasingly alarmed those who are paying the bills. “If you go back to 2014, it wasn’t even on the radar screen for employers, and now it’s No. 1,” said Brian J. Marcotte, the chief executive of the National Business Group on Health, which advocates for large employers. But some patients questioned whether it would further limit the options for some people or make it more cumbersome to get the medications they needed. The program would apply only to new patients those already stable on drugs would be allowed to remain on them. “Jumping through hoops may not seem like a big thing to somebody that doesn’t have to live with the condition,” said Nicole Martin, 33, of Blaine, Ky. who has rheumatoid arthritis and takes Enbrel. “But even being a day or two behind can cause massive issues for somebody. ” Traditionally, patients were offered all the drugs that were covered by their plans no matter which inflammatory condition they had — from rheumatoid arthritis to psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. Under the new guidelines, Express Scripts has devised a separate list of preferred and nonpreferred drugs for each condition. Patients who want to use a drug on the nonpreferred list will need a letter from their doctor. The company said the move would require drug companies to compete more directly. The motivation to get on the preapproved list, the company said, would push drug companies to offer better discounts to employers and insurers. Express Scripts declined to provide specifics about the discounts that it had negotiated through the new program. “We expect to make a big dent in the cost of caring for people in this category, without compromising the care that people get,” Dr. Stettin said. Dr. Stettin said the company looked at patient data first when deciding which drugs would be preferred. “Clinical always comes first, and the cost is second,” he said. Representatives for drug companies, including AbbVie and Amgen, said they believed doctors and patients — and not insurance companies — should decide which therapy is best. And they said the list price does not reflect the rebates and other discounts that insurance companies and managers negotiate, which make the actual cost lower. “Because of the magnitude of these rebates,” said Kristen Davis, a spokeswoman for Amgen, “price increases have become part of the competitive dynamic. ” The program will also refund up to $2, 000 a month to employers and insurers if a patient has to switch from a preferred drug to a different medication in the first three months, a potential savings of about $250 million a year. About a quarter to a third of patients end up switching to a new drug in the first few months, Express Scripts said. But that guarantee does not necessarily go to the patient, even if the patient has a plan and paid for all or most of the drug. Employers will decide whether to pass that refund along to the patients, Express Scripts said. A reason that the rising cost of drugs like Humira and Enbrel hasn’t stoked greater outrage is that many patients are shielded from the costs. In addition to the discounts the companies negotiate with drug benefit managers, AbbVie and Amgen run assistance programs that often reduce patients’ costs. The average Express Scripts member paid $127 in monthly for a drug to treat an inflammatory condition, the company said. Dr. Stettin said patients would be better served by using the company’s specialty pharmacy, Accredo, which has pharmacists that specialize in inflammatory conditions. He cited company data showing that patients with those conditions were more likely to take their drugs when they used Accredo compared with other pharmacies. But some industry observers said the move was a ploy to build Accredo’s business, by essentially locking in patients whose employers opt in to the new program, then making money by filling the prescription. “They really, really want their hands on that script,” said Michael Rea, the chief executive of Rx Savings Solutions, which advises employers on how to reduce drug costs. | 0fake |
LOL! JOE BIDEN FLIES TO SERBIA…Is Greeted With MASSIVE Rally For Trump [VIDEO] | Hillary can t even find this many supporters to attend her rallies in the US! Biden shouldn t have expected anything less from a majority Christian nation overrun by mostly Muslim refugees The welcoming committee in Belgrade, Serbia for Joe Biden's visit earlier today pic.twitter.com/8ujDwTdyeK Ian56 (@Ian56789) August 16, 2016Biden gets massively trolled on his visit to #Serbia (part 2). #Trump #Trump2016 pic.twitter.com/5150fU0nNX Nina Byzantina (@NinaByzantina) August 17, 2016h/t Gateway Pundit | 1real |
U.S. Mideast intelligence analysts felt superiors distorted findings | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Officials in the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees combat operations in the Middle East and South Asia, were much more likely than counterparts elsewhere to believe superiors distorted or suppressed their analyses, according to a government intelligence survey. Results of the December 2015 survey are likely to reinforce questions in Congress and elsewhere about whether the administration is pressuring officials to make over-optimistic claims about progress against Islamic State and the Taliban to help U.S. President Barack Obama leave office in January on a high note. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) survey, which had not been reported until now, was one of the main topics of a House intelligence committee hearing on Thursday. In one of its more striking findings, only 36 percent of Central Command officials surveyed said they were confident that their mid- and senior-level managers were not deliberately distorting or suppressing their analyses. The average for the other eight U.S. military commands, which include those in the Pacific, Africa and Europe, was 72 percent. Central Command directs the American military missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and South Asia. Its analysts typically assess intelligence such as potential targets for bombing and an enemy’s strength. Asked if “anyone attempted to distort or suppress analysis on which you were working in the face of persuasive evidence,” 40 percent of the CENTCOM respondents said yes, compared to an average of 13 percent. The survey found that when that question was asked, 65 percent of the command’s respondents said “politicization” was an issue. “The data suggests respondents from Central Command believe their workplace adheres to objectivity standards relatively less than do workplaces of their IC counterparts,” the report said, using an acronym for the U.S. intelligence community. Outgoing Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said the situation at Central Command had improved in the 2016 survey. Clapper told a congressional intelligence hearing on Thursday that CENTCOM objectivity numbers were now similar to those in other combatant commands. “I do think there is, by virtue of the change in commanders and...(there) has been a change in the atmosphere there and so I’ve been encouraged by the trends particularly this year,” Clapper said. CENTCOM did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Separately, Clapper told the hearing that he had submitted his letter of resignation but would stay until the end of the Obama administration. The survey has been conducted annually since 2006 and about 4,000 analysts and managers responded to it, including 125 CENTCOM analysts and managers. It cautions, however, that because responses were voluntary, “care should be taken when broadly interpreting results” for each command. Officials in other U.S. intelligence agencies said the Central Command issues were not the product of pressure from White House or other senior officials, and played a minor role in the administration’s public claims of progress against Islamic State and the Taliban, many of which have proved to be overly optimistic. That is true, these officials said, because much of the Central Command analysis consists of daily bomb damage assessments and other situation reports, not strategic intelligence, and constitutes only a small part of the material that finds its way from numerous other intelligence agencies, including the CIA and the National Security Agency, into the President’s daily intelligence briefing. Nevertheless, the findings of the survey, which was posted with no notice last month on a remote part of the ODNI website, are likely to raise questions about intelligence assessments provided by Central Command. Earlier this year, a U.S. congressional report said Central Command painted too rosy a picture of the fight against Islamic State in 2014 and 2015 compared with the reality on the ground and grimmer assessments by other analysts. The Defense Department Inspector General is investigating the findings and is expected to issue a separate report, military officials said. | 0fake |
Russia Signs Deal for Syria Bases Turkey Appears to Accept Assad - The New York Times | BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia signed a agreement on Friday to greatly enlarge its military presence in Syria, more than doubling the space for warships in Russia’s only Mediterranean port and securing rights to an air base that may already be adding a second runway. The agreement covers the port in Tartus and an air base near Latakia, which have been pivotal in Russian assistance to President Bashar of Syria in fighting an array of insurgents. It ensures Russia’s ability to deploy forces in Syria for the next and perhaps beyond. News of the agreement came as Mr. Assad received what appeared to be another positive development: A Turkish official suggested publicly for the first time that Turkey would accept a peace deal in Syria’s war that would allow Mr. Assad to stay in power. The remarks by the official, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, indicated that Turkey — Syria’s northern neighbor and one of Mr. Assad’s most implacable foes — had softened its position in the interest of finding a solution. While Turkey’s government later said that Mr. Simsek’s remarks had been misconstrued, it was clear that he had said a settlement without Mr. Assad would be “not, you know, realistic. ” Both developments came as Russia, Turkey and Iran prepared to convene Syrian peace talks in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on Monday. For the first time, it looked likely that the main Syrian opposition, along with many other factions, would sit down with Mr. Assad’s government for peace talks. The last effort at such negotiations was held by the United Nations in Geneva in February, and it collapsed in days. The new Russian military agreement with Syria provides for an expansion of Russia’s Tartus naval base on the Syrian coast under a lease that could automatically renew for a further 25 years, according to Tass, the Russian news agency. Tass said the expansion would provide simultaneous berthing for up to 11 warships, including vessels, more than doubling its present known capacity there. Tass reported that the agreement also provided for a similar commitment for the Russians to use the Khmeimim Air Base in the Latakia area, which the Russians built in 2015 as they mobilized to help Mr. Assad’s forces. There were news reports that the Russians were building a second runway at the air base. The military agreement came despite Russia’s announcement this month that it was drawing down its forces in Syria after successes by the Assad government against Syrian rebels, which were achieved with much help from the Russians. The rebels were ousted from their strongholds in Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city, late last year, partly because of Russian air support. The agreement came as momentum grew among dissidents to join the peace talks in Astana, although it was a foregone conclusion that any deal from those negotiations would be rejected by jihadists. At least 14 rebel factions are participating. At the Turkish government’s insistence, however, Kurdish groups fighting the Islamic State in the east of the country and backed by the United States were not invited. Turkey’s government has accused those Kurdish groups of affiliations with militant Kurdish separatists in Turkey. Mr. Simsek’s remarks were made at a World Economic Forum session titled “Syria and Iraq: Ending the Conflict. ” He suggested that Turkey would accept continued rule by Mr. Assad. “As far as our position on Assad is concerned,” Mr. Simsek said, “we think that the suffering of the Syrian people and the tragedies, clearly the blame is squarely on Assad. ” “But we have to be pragmatic, realistic,” he said. “The facts on the ground have changed dramatically, and so Turkey can no longer insist on, you know, a settlement without Assad, and it’s not, you know, realistic. We just have to work with what we have. ” Hours later, Mr. Simsek’s office in Ankara issued a statement saying news accounts had distorted Mr. Simsek’s remarks and “tried to create the perception that our deputy P. M. said, ‘Turkey cannot insist anymore on an agreement without Assad. ’” But a review of the videotape of the session left no doubt that that was what he had said. The Astana talks are the outcome of a throughout Syria that began at the end of December. It has been widely observed except in areas where extreme jihadist factions prevail — but with many accusations of breaches elsewhere as well. “The priority for us is to put an end to human tragedy, human suffering in Syria and Iraq,” Mr. Simsek said in Davos. “The process is to make sure we translate the current lull into a more lasting and then talk about more mundane stuff of settling the conflict. ” Russia is the lead host of the talks in the Kazakh capital, with support from Turkey and Iran. Over the last week, Turkey and Russia have also invited the United States and the United Nations to attend the Astana negotiations. | 0fake |
PAUL RYAN Won’t Fund Border Fence For US Citizens…But Check Out The Fence Around His Mansion | Ryan has never made any secret about his desire to welcome immigrants to America. How many will live with him in his large family home in the confines of his fenced in compound? A recent Breitbart News investigation reveals that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), who has a two-decade-long history of promoting open borders immigration policies, seems to support border fences for himself, even as he denies the American people those same protections.While Paul Ryan s omnibus spending bill does not provide funding for the mandatory completion of a 700-mile double-layer border fence that Congress promised the American people nearly a decade ago when it passed the 2006 Secure Fence Act, Paul Ryan has constructed a fence around his property.As Breitbart News s photographic documentation reveals, Ryan s home is surrounded by a tall border fence reinforced by equally high bushes ensuring both privacy and security. Moreover, the fence is manned by an on-duty agent who guards his property s perimeter. Upon even the slightest appearance of any unusual activity such as a 5 2 female taking a photograph of the fence Ryan s border agent will deploy into action to ensure the perimeter s sovereignty.Over the course of the past six months, there has been heightened national focus on Americans desire for a border fence following the GOP presidential frontrunners call for a border wall. A Rasmussen Reports survey released in August of this year found that likely Republican voters, by greater than a 4-1 margin, support Donald Trump s plan to build a border wall (70 percent vs. 17 percent). Amongst all likely voters, a majority (51 percent) support building the border wall.Congress promised the American people a 700-mile border fence in the 2006 Secure Fence Act. However, funding for the project was subsequently gutted and, as a result, construction was never completed.While Paul Ryan s $1.1 trillion year-end omnibus spending package was able to allocate funding for immigration programs that benefit foreign nationals such as federal grants for lawless sanctuary cities and the U.S. resettlement tens of thousands of refugees his bill does not require an allotment of funds be spent on the completion of the 700-mile-long fence that the American voters were promised.Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)has previously highlighted the hypocrisy of immigration expansionists who surround their homes with border fences and monitor who comes on their property but do not apparently believe the American people deserve the same protections. Sessions pointed specifically to open borders advocate Mark Zuckerberg who, according to reports, spent $30 million buying the surrounding four homes around his own property in order to get a little more privacy. Sessions said, Well, the masters of the universe are very fond of open borders as long as these open borders don t extend to their gated compounds and fenced-off estates. On previous occasions, Ryan has repeatedly suggested that the American people are not entitled to discriminate against who enters their country on a visa. When Sean Hannity asked Paul Ryan about whether or not he would support curbs to Muslim immigration, Paul Ryan declared, That s not who we are. However, Ryan s fence ensures that no refugees will be able to enter his property without his permission even as U.S. communities are not able to make any such restrictions.In 2013, when Ryan traveled with Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)to stump for Sen. Marco Rubio s (R-FL) immigration agenda, Ryan declared that America is more than our borders and that the U.S. ought to have an open door system where foreign nationals can come and go as they please. America is more than just a country, Ryan said. It s more than Chicago, or Wisconsin. It s more than our borders. America is an idea. It s a very precious idea. Ryan disparaged Americans who opposed large-scale immigration, characterizing that attitude as ignorant, declaring that throughout American history, Each wave [of immigration] is met with some ignorance, is met with some resistance. Ryan said, We want to have a system where people can come here and work go back and forth if they want to so that we have an open door to the people who want to come and contribute to our country, who want to come and make a difference in their families lives, and our economy. Via: Breitbart News | 1real |
Comment on Trump’s Walk of Fame Star Vandalized by MeThePeople | Posted on October 27, 2016 by DCG | 14 Comments
Liberals are such tolerant folk.
My car was keyed three times when I had an anti-Obama bumper sticker on it. My car was never keyed before I had that sticker and never again after I removed it. What a coincidence…
From CNN : Los Angeles police are looking for the man who destroyed Donald Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star with a sledgehammer and a pick ax. Police tweeted Wednesday that they’re seeking the public’s help in identifying the vandalism suspect.
The man identified himself as James Otis, an heir to the Otis family’s elevator fortune , in an interview with CNN on the Walk of Fame Wednesday morning. He said he was doing it to help the 11 women who have accused Trump of sexually assaulting them, and other victims who he said could come forward in the future.
“I had four or five family members sexually assaulted, and I’m terribly upset that we have a presidential nominee who’s become sort of a poster child of sexual violence,” Otis said.
CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment and not yet gotten a response.
Otis managed to remove the gold emblem from the middle of the star and damage the star itself and the area around it. The shape of the star was still recognizable after Otis had vandalized it.
Leron Gubler, President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said work to repair the star will happen immediately but the star is expected to remain covered for several days.
Gubler said the Chamber is working with the police and intends to prosecute to the full extent of the law. “ When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark,” Gubler said.
Otis said he plans to sell parts of Trump’s star and donate the proceeds “to the women who have been sexually assaulted by Mr. Trump.”
“I know I can sell it. I think I can get over $1 million for this star, to be distributed to these women and many others that will be going forward,” he said.
Otis noted he previously auctioned off personal items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi, saying he “donated all the money to countries that were fighting dictatorships with non-violent strategies.” That 2009 auction of Ghandi’s possessions attracted news coverage at the time, including by CNN , and Gandhi’s items were sold for $1.8 million.
Otis said he knows he might be arrested — though he doesn’t want that to happen.
DCG | 1real |
Report: NBC Holding ’Crisis Meetings’ Over Megyn Kelly-Alex Jones Interview | NBC is holding “crisis meetings” as the network has come under intense pressure to pull anchor Megyn Kelly’s upcoming interview with controversial InfoWars founder and radio host Alex Jones, according to a report. [The planned interview — in which Kelly questions Jones about his previous assertion that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre was a hoax — is scheduled to air on Sunday June 18 as part of the anchor’s new show, Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly. However, NBC has faced pressure from social media users — including some relatives of the victims of the Sandy Hook attack — to cancel the interview. In the wake of the controversy, J. P Morgan Chase reportedly decided to temporarily pull its advertising from the network. Nevertheless, the network has pledged to move ahead with the interview, with NBC News Chairman Andy Lack saying the interview will be edited to provide sensitivity to the Sandy Hook victims. “No one expected sponsors to pull out, but this is why they hired Megyn. They expect to lose and gain viewers and they want the buzz,” one source told Page Six. Next Sunday, I sit down with conservative radio host @RealAlexJones to discuss controversies and conspiracies #SundayNight June 18 on NBC pic. twitter. — Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 11, 2017, However, Page Six reported that the network held multiple meetings Wednesday to discuss its response to the criticism, with some employees urging the network to axe the interview. “It’s a sh*t show. No one wants to withstand a whole week of criticism over this. There are a number of people who want to pull the interview,” an unnamed source told the outlet. In a statement posted to her Twitter account Tuesday, Kelly said: “I find Alex Jones’ suggestion that Sandy Hook was ‘a hoax’ as personally revolting as every other rational person does. It left me, and many other Americans, asking the very question that prompted this interview: How does Jones, who traffics in these outrageous conspiracy theories, have the respect of the president of the United States and a growing audience of millions?” As a result of the controversy, Kelly has agreed to step down as host of a gun violence prevention fundraiser being held Wednesday by Sandy Hook Promise, a group that was founded after the 2012 attack. “What I think we’re doing is journalism,” she said. “The bottom line is that while it’s not always popular, it’s important. I would submit to you that neither I nor NBC News has elevated Alex Jones in any way. He’s been elevated by 5 or 6 million viewers or listeners, and by the president of the United States. As you know, journalists don’t get the choice over who has power or influence in our country. ” You can follow Ben Kew on Facebook, on Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart. com | 0fake |
Taxpayer Funded Left-Wing Church Organization Will BREAK LAW To Hide ILLEGAL ALIENS (2016 Democrat Voters) From Authorities | This isn t just any church organization, this is a church organization that takes in $45 MILLION in taxpayer funds every year! Why do we give them so much money? Because they re bringing MOSTLY MUSLIM refugees into our country where they ll get housing, food, clothing, education and spending money with MORE of OUR tax dollars. They ll also be fast-tracked to citizenship. What s the end goal? The fundamental transformation of America Ohio peace and justice groups getting ready to break the law and hide aliens from Obama illegal alien raids, click here.The recent Obama Administration order to round up illegal aliens (a tiny number!) and deport them is simply a ploy to fire up the No Borders movement, the Democrat base, in this all important election year.Church World Service will be hiding illegal aliens!Here is a story about the hard Left Church World Service, a federal refugee resettlement contractor, which uses $45 million of your dollars every year to change America by changing the people, is setting up hiding places throughout America where illegal aliens can be placed out of the reach of federal ICE agents.There should be a law, if you break federal immigration law, you lose your federal funding (come on wimps in Congress!).They want to resurrect the glory days (as they saw them) where churches broke the law and helped Central Americans get into America and then hid them until they could be spread out to towns across the US. It was called The Sanctuary Movement.***It is so apparent that this deportation order is part of a Democrat strategy, most likely cooked up in the White House, because (have you noticed!) no one blasts Obama personally (as they would if this were George Bush or Donald Trump).Religious groups and activists vowed Wednesday to offer refuge to illegal immigrants who are the targets of ongoing federal raids meant to combat a new wave of border-crossing from Central America.The announcement recalled the sanctuary movement of the 1980s that provided safe haven to several thousand people fleeing civil wars in El Salvador and Guatemala, with churches in Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities sometimes filled with people seeking asylum in the United States.At the start of the year, the Obama administration launched a large-scale effort targeting those who have already been ordered to leave the country. About 120 adults and children have been apprehended in raids in several states.Central American illegal aliens are NOT refugees. They do not fit the long-understood definition that a refugee or asylum seeker must prove they would be persecuted if they returned to their home country.Escaping poverty or run-of-the-mill crime is not persecution, but these NO Borders activists have been for years attempting to blur the definition. And, that is mostly because when someone is defined as a refugee all welfare goodies flow their way and they can then bring in the family they left behind. (Of course the WaPo isn t going to explain any of that to its readers!).The effort, which is expected to include several hundred more apprehensions, has drawn sharp criticism from those who advocate for undocumented immigrants. They argue that Central Americans who are entering the country illegally should be offered the same protections extended to Syrian refugees.Via: Refugee Resettlement WatchHere is the list of churches affiliated with the radical Church World Services group:Member CommunionsAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Churches USA Armenian Church of America (including Diocese of California) Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Church of the Brethren Community of Christ The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America Ecumenical Catholic Communion The Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Friends United Meeting Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Hungarian Reformed Church in America International Council of Community Churches Korean Presbyterian Church in America Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Mar Thoma Church Moravian Church in America National Baptist Convention of America National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America Orthodox Church in America Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Polish National Catholic Church of America Presbyterian Church (USA) Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. Reformed Church in America Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada The Swedenborgian Church Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America United Church of Christ The United Methodist Church | 1real |
Lie to Me: Fiction in the Post-Truth Era - The New York Times | American novelists have long complained about the ability of real life to outstrip fiction. In his landmark 1961 essay “Writing American Fiction,” Philip Roth observed that “actuality is continually outdoing our talents, and the culture tosses up figures almost daily that are the envy of any novelist. ” The figure Roth cites is Charles Van Doren, of scandal fame but place Mr. Van Doren next to Donald J. Trump, and you can measure the change in the nature of credibility over the past . Mr. Van Doren was disgraced when it was revealed that he had been given the answers to the questions on the game show “” a contest that television viewers believed was real, not staged. Today an entire flourishing genre of television goes by the name “reality,” yet no one who watches it thinks it is genuinely real — that is, unplanned and unedited. Artificiality is what makes reality television enjoyable, even though these same shows, if advertised as fiction, would appear banal, repetitive and undramatic. Reality is the ingredient that turns a bad fiction into an enthralling one. This dynamic is part of the novel’s origins. The earliest English novels, from “Moll Flanders” (1722) to “Clarissa” (1748) were published anonymously, with titles that implied they were true stories. It took generations to establish the conventions of fiction sufficiently to allow readers to take pleasure in novels that were explicitly untrue. The suspension of disbelief that fiction involves is a late stage in the evolution of taste, and it may prove to have been a temporary one. The rise of the memoir over the past few decades doesn’t mean that readers are ready to abandon the techniques of fiction but, like readers three centuries ago, they want the freedom of fiction along with consequentiality of fact. The author David Shields diagnosed this desire in his 2010 manifesto “Reality Hunger”: “I find it very nearly impossible to read a contemporary novel that presents itself as a novel. ” Many fiction writers share this intuition, though they respond to it in different ways. One way is to make the novel by turning its imitation of reality into an exaggeration, a mirror. Has our reality since felt apocalyptic? Then imagine Manhattan being destroyed by zombies (Colson Whitehead’s “Zone One”) or a flood (Nathaniel Rich’s “Odds Against Tomorrow”) or civil war and foreign bankers (Gary Shteyngart’s “Super Sad True Love Story”). Because we know such things “could never happen,” they mark the story as fiction because we know similar things have happened and will happen, they become truthful fictions. An alternative approach is to make fiction as close to fact as possible, by reducing its scope to the one subject on which each writer is an unchallengeable authority: himself or herself. Ben Lerner’s “10:04,” Tao Lin’s “Taipei” and Sheila Heti’s “How Should a Person Be?” all seek to convince us that we are reading about the writer’s actual life. These writers are engaged in a sophisticated project, in which the line between truth and fiction becomes harder and harder to make out. But this game has a : Label a book “fiction,” and all is forgiven. A fiction can never be accused of being a lie. The problem is that, more and more, people seem to want to be lied to. This is the flip side of “reality hunger,” since a lie, like a fake memoir, is a fiction that does not admit its fictionality. That is why the lie is so seductive: It allows the liar and his audience to cooperate in changing the nature of reality itself, in a way that can appear almost magical. “Magical thinking” is used as an insult, but it is perhaps the most primal kind of thinking there is. The problem for modern people is that we can no longer perform this magic naively, with an undoubting faith in the reality of our inventions. We lie to ourselves now with a bad conscience. When the memoir is exposed as not having “really” happened, we want our money back. Fiction was one solution to this quandary, allowing us to suspend disbelief in the way that Coleridge said was essential for literature. But the postmodern solution is even more powerful: It is the simple shamelessness that allows us to recognize a lie as a lie but still treat it as if it were a reality. Reality shows are a trivial example of this technique, but when it comes to politics the same process can have deadly results. “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” was published, like “Moll Flanders,” with no name on the title page it, too, claimed to be a true account of real events — in this case, a meeting at which Jews plotted to take over the world and destroy civilization. Perhaps some of its readers, when it first appeared around 1903 and even today, sincerely believed that this was a real document. But the “Protocols” is even more powerful when endorsed by people who know it is false, because such an act turns fact itself into an irrelevance. People who can turn a lie into a truth have the power to shape reality they are poets of the real. And the audience that gives them its willing suspension of disbelief is a in this uncanny transformation, just as novel readers conspire in their enchantment. The bond between demagogues and their audience is cemented by their exhilarating consciousness of shared culpability. The problem with our “ ” politics is that a large share of the population has moved beyond true and false. They thrill precisely to the falsehood of a statement, because it shows that the speaker has the power to reshape reality in line with their own fantasies of beleaguerment. To call novelists liars is naïve, because it mistakes their intention they never wanted to be believed in the first place. The same is true of demagogues. From its beginning, the novel has tested the distinction between truth, fiction and lie now the collapse of those distinctions has given us the age of Trump. We are entering a period in which the very idea of literature may come to seem a luxury, a distraction from political struggle. But the opposite is true: No matter how irrelevant hardheaded people may believe it to be, literature continually proves itself a sensitive instrument, a leading indicator of changes that will manifest themselves in society and culture. Today as always, the imagination is our best guide to what reality has in store. | 0fake |
Trump baffles Sweden with crime comment, says it was based on TV report | (This story corrects paragraph 8 to clarify Swedish crime trends in the February 19 story.) By Anna Ringstrom and Jeff Mason STOCKHOLM/WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - A day after falsely suggesting there was an immigration-related security incident in Sweden, President Donald Trump said on Sunday his comment was based on a television report he had seen. Trump, who in his first weeks in office has tried to tighten U.S. borders sharply for national security reasons, told a rally on Saturday that Sweden was having serious problems with immigrants. “You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden,” Trump said. “Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.” No incident occurred in Sweden and the country’s baffled government asked the U.S. State Department to explain. “My statement as to what’s happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden,” Trump said in a tweet on Sunday. Fox News, a U.S. channel that has been cited favorably by Trump, ran a report Friday about alleged migrant-related crime problems in the country. A White House spokeswoman told reporters on Sunday that Trump had been referring generally to rising crime, not a specific incident in the Scandinavian country. Sweden’s reported crime rate has risen since 2005 but the annual government survey that asks Swedes whether they have experienced any of a broad range of crimes shows that rates are roughly unchanged over the last 10 years, even as Sweden has taken in hundreds of thousands of immigrants from war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq. Trump’s comment confounded Stockholm. “We are trying to get clarity,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said. Sweden’s embassy in the United States repeated Trump’s tweet about having seen the Fox report, and added, “We look forward to informing the U.S. administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.” Trump has been widely criticized for making assertions with little or no supporting evidence. He has said more than 3 million people voted fraudulently in the U.S. election, which officials say is false, and incorrectly stated that he won by the most decisive margin in decades. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom appeared to respond to Trump on Saturday by posting on Twitter an excerpt of a speech in which she said democracy and diplomacy “require us to respect science, facts and the media.” Her predecessor was less circumspect. “Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound,” former Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter. Other Swedes mocked Trump by posting pictures of reindeer, meatballs and people assembling IKEA furniture. “#lastnightinsweden my son dropped his hotdog in the campfire. So sad!” Twitter user Adam Bergsveen wrote. | 0fake |
Gawker.com to Shut Down Next Week - The New York Times | For nearly 14 years, Nick Denton and Gawker. com have defined Gawker Media. But over the last several months, a split of some kind between the company, its founder and its flagship site became inevitable: Gawker Media, under financial pressure from a $140 million legal judgment in an lawsuit brought by Hulk Hogan, the former professional wrestler, also encountered a seemingly unbeatable adversary in the form of Peter Thiel, the billionaire Silicon Valley entrepreneur who was financing legal efforts against the company. Left with few options, Gawker Media filed for bankruptcy and put itself up for sale in June. On Thursday, less than 48 hours after Univision’s $135 million bid won an auction for Gawker Media, the bond finally broke. Gawker. com will shut down next week, and Mr. Denton, whose sites pioneered a wry, conversational and brash form of web journalism that would influence publications across the internet, will leave the company. “Sadly, neither I nor Gawker. com, the buccaneering flagship of the group I built with my colleagues, are coming along for this next stage,” Mr. Denton wrote in a note to the staff on Thursday afternoon shortly after a bankruptcy judge approved the company’s sale to Univision. The fate of Gawker. com had been the subject of much speculation ever since the Hogan verdict. Still, it was an abrupt outcome after what had been a long period of uncertainty. “It was a culmination of a year of dread,” said John Cook, the executive editor of Gawker Media. “Through a year of just utter constant trauma and assault, it was the thing that I was trying to prevent — it was the thing that we were all trying to keep from happening. ” Gawker. com’s archives will remain online, but after Monday it will not publish new material, Mr. Denton wrote in his note. As for Mr. Denton, he said he would “move on to other projects,” but provided few clues as to what those were except to say they would be “out of the news and gossip business. ” Before the bankruptcy hearing, Mr. Denton gathered the staff of Gawker. com in a windowless conference room at Gawker’s offices to tell them the site would stop publishing. “I’m not going to say we lost, but Peter Thiel achieved his objective,” Mr. Denton said, according to a person at the meeting. Founded in 2003 as one of Gawker Media’s first two blogs, Gawker. com initially covered news and gossip about New York media and society. The site was considered by many as an incubator of talent, and its journalists have gone on to work at places like The New Yorker and New York magazine. Mr. Denton, a former financial journalist, was known for saying that journalists shared the most interesting stories they knew not in their articles but with each other at the bar after work. Gawker. com, perhaps more than any other site, reflected an attempt to change that. Its articles could be at turns witty and caustic, humorous and weighty. Mr. Denton often said that if something was interesting, it was news. But the site also attracted criticism for publishing articles that detractors said were in bad taste. Last summer, an article about a married male media executive who sought to hire a gay escort was published and then removed. The article drew widespread condemnation, and its removal led to the resignation of two top editors. In the aftermath, Mr. Denton vowed to make Gawker nicer, and the site shifted its focus to politics. Gawker Media’s portfolio of sites also includes the technology site Gizmodo the sports site Deadspin and Jezebel, a site aimed at women. The news that Gawker. com was shutting down was met with an outpouring of both relief and grief on social media. A number of journalists and news organizations tweeted and published articles that read like eulogies. “The loss of @Gawker is huge terrible,” Glenn Greenwald, the journalist, wrote on Twitter. “Most people disagreeing don’t read it. ” The site’s demise could also reignite the debate about press freedom and whether anyone with an agenda and deep enough pockets should be able to sink a news organization. No layoffs were planned in connection with the shutdown, and journalists had been assured they would be offered jobs elsewhere at the company. But the shuttering of Gawker. com nevertheless represents a victory for Mr. Thiel, whose fight with the company began in 2007, when Valleywag, one of Gawker Media’s blogs, published an article saying he was gay. “Since cruelty and recklessness were intrinsic parts of Gawker’s business model, it seemed only a matter of time before they would try to pretend that journalism justified the very worst,” Mr. Thiel wrote in an for The New York Times published this week. At Gawker Media’s offices, the mood on Thursday afternoon was sad but also angry and defeated. A goodbye party planned for two journalists was turning into a goodbye party for Gawker. “I think that people are going to find that they miss Gawker, even the people who hated Gawker,” said Hamilton Nolan, a writer for Gawker who has worked there for eight years. In his note, Mr. Denton said the company had been unable to find a buyer for the site. But while his words were somewhat wistful, he also provided a hint of optimism. “Gawker. com,” he wrote, “may, like Spy Magazine in its day, have a second act. ” | 0fake |
This Woman Was Body Shamed By Her Boss And Her Response Was PERFECT (IMAGES) | Oklahoma State University student Sherene Zarrabi loves fashion. She is so fond of it, in fact, that she found a job working at a clothing store called Danity Hooligan while she went to school. But now her beloved job is a thing of the past and it is all because of one extremely nasty boss, a body-shaming email and the young woman s respect for herself.While she worked at Danity Hooligan she also ran the store s Instagram page. During her down time at work, she would try on some of the store s clothes, snap a picture and post it on the social media website as a form of advertising.High buns and combat boots are my new thing. And apparently mirror selfies are my new thing also. #fallfashion #combatboots #highbun #selfieA photo posted by Sherene Zarrabi (@sherenemarie) on Nov 30, 2015 at 5:28pm PSTWhen I m bored at work, I take shameless mirror pics to show off my extra comfy outfit. Fall clothes make me so happy! ??? #fallfashion #ootdA photo posted by Sherene Zarrabi (@sherenemarie) on Nov 14, 2015 at 11:53am PSTYou d think her boss would be thrilled, right?Apparently, not so much. Instead of rewarding her for the time and effort she put into the business, her boss sent an email to the store manager complaining that Sherene didn t have a model figure:The email reads: Something I want to make sure you keep in mind: I want size small, the stereotypical model type to model our clothes. Please use our pictures of our models if Stillwater can t find someone who would be considered model material. This is not to put anyone down but to communicate the expectations of presenting our brand.Don t take it personal. All I ask is for really good representation. In exchange for the freedom, I ask you to take down all pictures of anyone that doesn t fit the criteria. Don t take it personal ? Really?First of all, this young lady is a beautiful woman and she looked amazing in those clothes. This vile human being was lucky to have such a lovely girl in their clothing.Secondly, no woman should ever be made to feel as if they are not good enough no matter what size they are. Body shaming is disgusting and has no place in our society.Fortunately, Sharene gave zero f*cks what her boss thought of her and she responded by promptly quitting and writing the following statement on Facebook:This is an email I was forwarded earlier. I just want to start by saying this: I am fully comfortable with who I am and the way I look. I have recently been attacked and discriminated against by the owner of Dainty Hooligan. She went on our stores Instagram and deleted all of the pictures where I was modeling the clothing and then sent this email to my manager. I do not want to respresent or support a business that has such archaic values and beliefs. THIS is the reason young girls have body image issues. This is disgusting. I quit immediately and I suggest that my friends and family do not support Dainty Hooligan. Love yourself, no matter what you look like.BRAVO!She is exactly right and the best response to that horrible email was removing herself from such a toxic environment. Frankly, if the store owner does not respect ALL women, they have no business selling clothes to us. Women have enough issues with body image as it is, we really don t need someone else shaming us. Featured image from Facebook; h/t Winning Democrats | 1real |
U.S. conservative leader optimistic of common ground on healthcare | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives could achieve common ground on a deal to win support for healthcare legislation on Thursday, after President Donald Trump intervened in negotiations, a conservative leader said on Wednesday. “We’re not there yet, but we’re very optimistic that if we work around the clock between now and Noon tomorrow, that we’re going to be able to hopefully find some common ground,” Representative Mark Meadows, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, told reporters. Meadows’ group has opposed House Republican healthcare legislation up to now and threatened earlier in the day to block its passage in a Thursday vote. | 0fake |
Democrats Refuse to Stand for Navy SEAL’s Widow When She Received a Standing Ovation at Trump Speech | Democrats in Congress refused to stand while a Navy SEAL’s widow was acknowledged by President Trump in his speech before a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. [Sen. Bernie Sanders ( ) Sen. Al Franken ( ) Rep. Nancy Pelosi ( ) and Sen. Patty Murray ( ) among others, remained firmly seated and did not applaud at all while the rest of the room gave Carryn Owens a standing ovation, IJR reported. “We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U. S. Navy special operator, Senior Chief William ‘Ryan’ Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero — battling against terrorism and securing our nation,” Trump said, introducing the widow. Ryan was killed in the line of duty during a raid on a terrorist haven in Yemen. His widow Carryn was seated next to First Daughter Ivanka Trump, clearly distraught as she took the national spotlight. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ( ) Sen. Al Franken ( ) and other Democratic members of Congress did stand and applaud on the second round of ovations, but many others still refused to stand. Sobbing widow of slain Navy Seal receives 2 minute standing ovation. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Keith Ellison stay firmly seated, no claps, — Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 1, 2017, FOR THE RECORD: Carryn Owens had 2 ovations. DWS Ellison stood for her intro. The really long, emotional 2 min one, they did not stand. — Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 1, 2017, Former DNC Chair and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz ( ) and Rep. Keith Ellison ( ) were among the Democratic leaders who remained seated during the second emotional standing ovation for Carryn Owens, though they did stand for her introduction. While Democratic congressional leaders were reluctant to show respect during the speech, former Obama adviser Van Jones had a different take on the moment, calling it “one of the most extraordinary moments” of American politics. Trump’s speech was by the American public and media outlets normally adversarial towards the president. A poll showed that 69 percent of American viewers felt “optimistic” about the country after the speech, while 28 percent felt “pessimistic” after the speech. The Washington Post called Trump’s speech the “best ‘big’ speech” from the president. | 0fake |
Italy adopts living wills allowing patients to refuse treatment | ROME (Reuters) - Italy s Senate passed into law on Thursday a bill allowing severely ill people to refuse treatment that would prolong their lives. The bill passed 180 votes to 71 in the face of opposition from right wing parties. It allows all adults to prepare a document to express their preferences on how to be treated if they lose the faculty to choose or express their choice. Some 10 years after legislation on patients rights to choose what care to receive at the end of their lives was first proposed, the lower house of parliament approved the bill in April. This will be one of the government s last acts before parliament is dissolved ahead of elections next year. The ruling Democratic Party (PD) had pledged another civil rights measure, making it easier for the children of migrants to obtain citizenship, but this law now looks unlikely to pass. Parliament s decision makes everyone takes a step forward in terms of civilization for the country and of human dignity, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who is not a party leader and is unlikely to run in the election, said in Brussels. By Italian parliamentary standards, the bill s passage was relatively swift thanks to an agreement between two of the biggest parties - the PD and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement - to vote it through. The deal was a rare example of cooperation between the two parties, which are usually bitter enemies. The anti-immigrant Northern League, which vies with former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi s Forza Italia party for the most votes on the right, fiercely fought the bill. Forza Italia also opposed it, though less strongly. This law is a precursor to euthanasia, said Northern League senator Gian Marco Centinaio. Final discussion of the bill coincided with the high-profile case of a disc jockey paralyzed and blinded in a road accident who went to Switzerland to be helped to die. A Radical party member and right-to-die activist who accompanied Fabiano Antoniani, known as DJ Fabo, to the Swiss clinic, is currently on trial in Milan for aiding suicide. In the living wills, which can be recorded on video if the patient cannot write, food and water can be refused as well as medical treatment. However if a patient refuses treatment, the doctor is still obliged to reduce their suffering, and can also use sedation. The law also gives doctors scope to object on conscientious or religious grounds. | 0fake |
Pentagon's No. 2 says cut in LCS ship program 'not an indictment' | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said the Pentagon’s plan to truncate the Littoral Combat Ship program at 40 ships instead of 52 reflected budget pressures and was “not an indictment” of the program. Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Australia’s Austal (ASB.AX) each build different models of the smaller, fast coastal warships. Carter said he wants the Navy to have a competition and pick just one supplier for future ships. Work said the Pentagon decided to buy two of the ships in fiscal 2017, instead of scaling orders back to just one ship as Defense Secretary Ash Carter had ordered in a memo late last year, at the Navy’s request. He said the move was meant to help ensure a smooth transition to a future competition by keeping both shipbuilders working for another year. | 0fake |
TAKE ACTION TO PUT SAFETY FIRST: Demand Congress Stop Funding Refugee Resettlement With YOUR Tax Dollars | PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY! You will find out this week if Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell put your safety first! We have no obligation to invite unvetted third world refugees to your towns to live off of your hard work (your tax dollars). Yes, you pay for this!ACTION ALERT: DEMAND CONGRESS STOP FUNDING REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS In the wake of the horrific terror attacks in San Bernardino and Paris, the FBI said it lacks the funds to stay ahead of the escalating terror threats right here in America. So why would we want to divert any of our tax dollars, which should be directed to reinforcing our nation s security and intelligence apparatus to protect our families and our nation, to opening the gates to refugees from terror-supporting nations whom we CAN NOT vet and whose ranks ISIS and other terror organizations target to infiltrate?This Monday (today!) and Tuesday, we must flood the offices of our US Representatives and Senators with calls (US Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121) urging them to vigorously oppose Refugee Resettlement Funding contained in the Omnibus Spending Bill that will be voted on by 12-11-15!Then make 4 more calls to insist the same:1. Speaker Paul Ryan/Phone: 202.225.3031 2. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell/Phone: 202.224.2541 3. Rep. Hal Rogers, Chair, Appropriations Committee/Phone: 202.225.4601 4. Sen. Thad Cochran, Chair, Senate Appropriations /Phone: 202.224.7257Tell your Members of Congress IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT YOU WANT THEM TO SUSPEND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FUNDING IMMEDIATELY.Read Sen. Jeff Sessions statement on this: OMNIBUS EXPECTED TO FUND OBAMA S ENTIRE IMMIGRATION AGENDAUS Rep. Candice Miller of MI, Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, said: I support Governor Snyder s decision to suspend efforts to relocate Syrian refugees to Michigan, and have cautioned against the Administration s decision to increase the number being admitted into the U.S. terrorist organizations like ISIS are looking for any and every opportunity to exploit a nation s hospitality to carry out their barbaric attacks against the innocent. Anyone who says we can adequately and safely vet these refugees is wrong because there is no database in Syria and no way to identify who s who. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE OF OUR TIME. If you don t want unvettable refugees from terror-supporting countries in your neighborhood, you must raise your voices NOW. The immigration industry is a powerful lobby and private resettlement contractors have the authority to send refugees to any town, city, neighborhood or location without public notification and local consent.REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT MONITOR MICHIGANWe have been telling you over the last week or so (here, here and here) that those (mostly the religious Left ) who want to bring in massive numbers of Muslim migrants and other refugees are pulling out all the stops to pressure Congress (yesterday we learned that even the Quakers are against you). They have never (in 35 years!) been so challenged! You must counter them!Next week there will be much to do locally and statewide, but this week, you must make this a priority!READ MORE: REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT WATCH | 1real |
U.S. 9/11 law exasperates Saudis, government silent | RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - A U.S. law allowing lawsuits against Saudi Arabia over the Sept. 11 attacks met a stony silence from Riyadh on Thursday but some Saudis bristled, saying the kingdom should curb business and security ties in response. The Senate and House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to approve legislation that will allow the families of those killed in the 2001 attacks on the United States to seek damages from the Saudi government. Riyadh has always dismissed suspicions that it backed the attackers, who killed nearly 3,000 people under the banner of Islamist militant group al Qaeda. Fifteen out of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. The Saudi government financed an extensive lobbying campaign against the “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act”, or JASTA, in the run-up to the vote, and warned it would undermine the principle of sovereign immunity. But Saudi officials who had lobbied against the bill stopped short of threatening any retaliation if the law was passed. There was no official reaction from Saudi Arabia after the votes, and in the short-term, few expect little more than a curt statement of disapproval from Riyadh. The long-standing alliance between the kingdom and the United States is one of the cornerstones of Middle East politics, security and trade, and in their reactions on Thursday some Saudis said JASTA would jeopardize what they see as an interdependent relationship. “What would happen if Saudi Arabia froze its cooperation with the United States with regards to counter-terrorism as a response to JASTA?” Salman al-Dosary, editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab, Saudi-owned Al Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, wrote on Twitter. The Saudi riyal fell against the U.S. dollar in the forward foreign exchange market on Thursday after the bill was passed, prompting a drop in dollar demand in Riyadh. “People are reluctant to buy dollars ... because of the price,” said Raed al-Sayari, whose family runs an exchange shop in a bustling commercial district popular with foreign workers. “We’re concerned that if the dollar keeps appreciating and the situation doesn’t stabilize in the coming days there will be no demand. This would be a big loss for the market.” The Saudi riyal SAR= is pegged at 3.75 to the dollar in the spot market, but banks often use the forwards market to hedge against risks. Some analysts argue the Al Saud ruling family will interpret the move as political expedience by lawmakers in a U.S. election season and that the chances of a successful lawsuit are uncertain at best. But the measure does nothing to ease long-standing friction in the alliance: President Barack Obama, who had vetoed JASTA but was overridden by Congress, is increasingly seen by the kingdom and fellow Gulf Arab as favoring their bitter rival Iran, a charge Washington denies, and differs with Riyadh over Syria and other Arab crises. “This bill reflects an anti-Saudi campaign. It is time to see less of America in our midst,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political scientist in the United Arab Emirates. Some analysts have speculated that Riyadh could retaliate by curbing U.S. trade with the biggest Arab economy or restrict cooperation on security, a crucial relationship for U.S. counter-terrorism and for peace efforts in Arab conflicts. Theodore Karasik, of Gulf State Analytics, wrote on al Arabiya website that JASTA would “ignite a firestorm of legal warfare that will directly undermine political relationships at a time when robust ties to fight terrorism is required”. He said the measure could also disrupt sweeping economic reforms meant to boost the private sector and foreign investment and wean the kingdom off oil dependence. Some analysts speculated that bilateral trade and investment could be hurt. The kingdom owns $96.5 billion of U.S. Treasury bonds, and is believed to hold at least that sum in other U.S. assets and bank accounts. | 0fake |
Comment on WATCH: Human Rights Activists Are Targeting The China Dog Meat Festival by information security architect | WATCH: Human Rights Activists Are Targeting The China Dog Meat Festival By Travis Bille on April 24, 2016 Subscribe
If you are easily sickened by dog cruelty, prepare yourself for this story. And if you have a dog or a cat that you love, I strongly encourage you to hold them and hug them right now as you read this. I assure you my three dogs are cuddled up with me as I write it.
In Yulin, China, the government has gotten very good at looking the other way as the annual Yulin Festival brutally slaughters and consumes up to 10,000 dogs and 4,000 cats. Of course, the local government does not endorse the killing of dogs for meat. In fact, they’ve specifically said that they would ban the practice after the international outrage and online petitions sparked unwanted interest in the locals.
But though it is no longer an officially-sanctioned festival, the yearly summer solstice celebration continues, the trading continues, the dog cruelty continues, and the outrage and protests grow larger every year.
Those taking part in the festival insist that the animals come from mass breeding facilities, where they are specifically raised in humane conditions for this purpose. But a disturbing report from a Hong Kong-based group called Animals Asia says they found no evidence of any dog mass breeding facilities that could produce the animals at this level.
The implication of this is what protesters have been saying for years: the dogs are either picked up as strays or, far too often, are family dogs stolen from their homes by city dog traders. Adam Parascandola of Humane Society International (HSI) confirms that many dogs rescued by protesters and brought to them are most definitely family pets: “We’ve seen all manner of dog breeds coming in to the rescue shelters, some of them obviously someone’s pet because they still have their collars on with their names.”
Another excuse lobbed by festival-goers is that it’s no different than other people who eat beef, pork, chicken, turkey, etc. However, one of the most prominent grievances against the festival has little to do with consuming the animals and everything to do with how they are slaughtered.
In the U.S., the farming industry has been under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act since 1958. That specific act had little oversight from the start, until Temple Grandin came in and revolutionized the industry . While the process is still not perfect, and perhaps the process of humane death can never be perfect, it nonetheless requires regularly-audited measures to ensure the least amount of suffering possible.
The Yulin Festival, however, has no such standards. Dog cruelty on display shows dogs and cats regularly shoved a dozen at a time into small cages where they await their fate. That fate is to be traded or sold, followed by a torturous death reported to include being beaten, skinned alive, electrocuted, boiled, burned, and finally eaten.
Under the guise of tradition, dog traders justify it as no different than eating turkey at Christmas. However, the summer solstice “tradition” in Yulin only really goes back to the 1990s , and the actual festival wasn’t officially started by city dog meat traders until 2009 . Most of China no longer uses dogs for meat, and younger generations are now standing with protesters to end the practice and drop the “old ways.”
As Yulin prepares for another year, the backlash prepares as well. There are many petitions on Change.org that have been going for years, some of which have millions of signatures, and many which are still active or new. Efforts are underway from WildlifePlanet.net to raise awareness, employing #Yulin2016 to bring together those opposed to the practices.
The video below is from ACTAsia for Animals , and at times is extremely graphic.
Featured image via Youtube screengrab About Travis Bille
Husband, son, dog dad, pit bull advocate, trombone player, religious studies scholar, grammar guru, amateur astrophysicist, Christian, cable TV-denier, Oxford comma apologist, Mountain Dew depository, football fan, baseball fan, climate change advocate, grill master, campaigner, writer, beer connoisseur, video game player, door knocker, book lover, music snob, hard worker, jazzer, gardener, lover, friend. Follow my dogs at MillicentBloggings.com and my other political writings at GreaterFoolSociety.com. Connect | 1real |
Turkish PM says Trump victory a chance to advance relations with U.S | ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, saying it was an opportunity to further bilateral relations. In a speech in the capital Ankara, Yildirim said a “new page” would be opened in U.S.-Turkey relations if Washington extradited the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating the July 15 failed coup. “An area of opportunity has been created for the new president to advance relations with policies taking into account Turkey’s fight against terror,” Yildirim said. | 0fake |
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