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Menendez’s ethical problems related to his dealings with Salomon Melgen, a wealthy Florida opthamologist now serving 17 years in prison for Medicare fraud, have been well chronicled — and underscored by the millions Hugin has spent on negative ads against him. Menendez has managed to keep his seat and run for re-election because a hung jury failed to convict him on corruption charges. But he was severely admonished by his Senate colleagues.
In exchange, the government alleged, Menendez received gifts of nearly $1 million in campaign contributions and gifts, including private plane trips around the world and a Paris hotel stay for the senator and his girlfriend. Menendez’s trial ended with a deadlocked jury, and the Justice Department declined to try him again after a federal judge acquitted him of some of the charges. But he was later “severely admonished” by the Senate Ethics Committee.
Hugin received $100 million in compensation over a three-year period by presiding over a company that jacked up the price of a cancer drug and kept competitors at bay by preventing generics from entering the market.
A class action lawsuit alleges that Celgene refused to provide the samples of the cancer-fighting drug Revlimid, the chief source of Celgene’s profits, to generic manufacturers needed to replicate the drug, while reaping huge profits from its success. Hugin was one of the chief beneficiaries of those profits.
Last year, Celgene agreed to pay $280 million to settle fraud allegations related to the promotion of two cancer treatment drugs for uses not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
At an editorial board meeting with USA Today Network — New Jersey editors last week, Hugin tried to defend Celgene’s actions. His defense wasn’t convincing. There is no reason to believe Hugin’s behavior as a U.S. senator would be any different than it was at Celgene. And we already know what to expect from Menendez.
Unfortunately, one of them will win on Tuesday.
Randy Bergmann: 732-643-4034; rbergmann@apjp.com; @appopinion.
Pisces - Daily Horoscope - HELLO!
Other peoples' bad behaviour is never a good enough reason to abandon your principles. At a time when the news is full of stories of political shenanigans, corporate tax-dodging and ecological challenges, you need to stand firm. The Astrological Blue Moon is highlighting a small amount of insincerity regarding a silly situation you're being forced to deal with. The best way to cope is to keep your focus on the job in hand - and to laugh off suggestions that a shady shortcut is the way to achieve success.
ONE OF A KIND HOME - No cookie-cutter colonial for you! BIG bedrooms & plenty of closets. TRIPLE garage. Efficient gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops and all appliances! 1st Flr Family room walks out to garden patio. Den/office has rich cherry woodwork. Covered & Open Patio area. New Electric service. Extensive landscaping. Low traffic location close to schools and shopping.
The Cougars’ two-month layoff will finally come to an end when they jump back in the pool Friday for a dual at North Texas, followed by a meet at SMU on Saturday.
The Cougars were led with strong performances by sophomore Beccy Hillis en route to a fourth-place finish at the Cougar Fall Classic Invitational on Nov. 22.
Hillis and her teammates look to build on that performance against the Mean Green on Friday.
“We are worried about a layoff-type situation, and we know we are a little bit rusty in a few areas, but with the Conference USA Championships the last week of February, we know we have to step up now,” head coach Mark Taylor said.
North Texas has been swimming well, lately, and is coming off a huge win against TCU on Jan.15.
Saturday’s meet against SMU will provide a challenge, but UH may have caught a break as the Mustangs have been on a skid. The Mustangs are coming off back-to-back losses to Texas A&M and Auburn in early January.
SMU will swim its first home meet tonight against Rice before facing the Cougars on Saturday.
(ALBUQUERQUE, NM) — Nonprofit organizations are urged to submit proposal for funding. Charities and 501(c)3 are invited to share their innovative and creative projects that are aimed at improving communities.
The PNM Fund, a division of the PNM Resources Foundation will award up to $500,000 through the PNM Power Up Grant program.
The PNM Power Up Grants aim to strengthen New Mexico by investing in our communities. The PNM Fund seeks unique and interesting proposals that will improve the quality of life and build vibrant community spaces.
Proposals should foster community engagement, capture the identity of a place and help to transform an area.
Nonprofit organizations can apply for up to $20,000 beginning today. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2015.
The PNM Power Up Grant program was introduced last year, and projects ranged from building youth sports fields to increasing wheelchair accessibility to creating gathering spaces or gardens for communities. Visit www.pnm.com/powerup for more information about the grants and view past winners.
Organizations planning to apply should register for the PNM Power Up Grant Webinar.
The time is short. The Webinar takes place today at 9 a.m.
Broadband users are clamoring for more speed, according to a just-released report by Horowitz Associates.
The report, "Broadband Content and Services 2008,"finds that almost one-third of data subscribers feel their Internet service does not meet their speed needs; 19% are thinking about upgrading to a higher speed (or would if it were available); 10% are thinking about switching to another provider; and 5% are not happy with their current speed, but are not planning to upgrade at this time.
Of all broadband customers, DSL subscribers are the least satisfied, and those with the telco services Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse report the highest satisfaction levels with the speeds of their respective services. According to the study, almost eight in 10, or 78%, of FiOS or U-verse customers are satisfied with the speed of their current service and are not planning to switch, compared to 70% of cable modem and 63% of DSL customers.
The study, which now includes a multicultural component, finds that almost one-third of Hispanic and Asian (both groups at 32%) broadband users say they are thinking about upgrading or switching to get faster speeds, compared to 23% of both white and black broadband users.
The study takes an in-depth look at current usage of broadband and mobile devices for video and TV content, as well as the growing demand for web and mobile TV services. According to the survey, multicultural broadband users, and especially Hispanics and Asians, tend to be more likely than their white counterparts to watch video content online.
In particular, just about four in 10, or 39%, of Asian and 35% third of Hispanic broadband users say they watch TV shows online at least weekly, compared to 22% of their white counterparts.
Multicultural Internet users are generally more likely than their white counterparts to view other forms of online video, including movies, sports segments, user-generated content such as YouTube, and music videos. Moreover, multicultural Internet users express more interest than their white counterparts in accessing TV shows online through the computer and connecting it to the TV to watch them.
"These data confirm what our clients in the multicultural space have known for a while now," Horowitz vice president Adriana Waterston said in a statement. "It is true that some segments of consumers have been slower to adopt broadband. On the other hand, we have documented a consistent trend that once online, black, Hispanic, and Asian consumers are on the leading edge when it comes to entertainment-oriented broadband content-including TV shows and movies online- and usage of mobile video. Entertainment-focused broadband content provides distributors with a tool to drive broadband penetration among these audiences, and allows content providers the opportunity to reach their audiences on alternative platforms."
Crowds watched in wonder as a Sheffield church tonight became a beacon of remembrance for soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Giant floating poppies were beamed on to historic St Nicholas Church in High Bradfield as its bell tower solemnly tolled at 6pm.
The installation - which began with red searchlights beamed into the sky to represent World War One soldiers standing on guard - aims to use state-of-the-art technology to remember local soldiers who gave their lives for the country in World War One and Two.
And it is boosted by a special Poppy Memorial Trail, where war graves in the churchyard are the cornerstones of a memorial walkway and people can inscribe the names of loved ones killed at war onto the plaques that will make up the trail.
More than 1,000 red plaques have been purchased.
Rev Alan Isaacson held a service in church after the illumination was completed.
He said there had been a ‘very positive’ response to the project.
The church will be illuminated each evening this week as part of the charity project to boost Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion and the church.
Sue Hague, of Pinkdotinc Design, designed the installation.
Editor’s note: Below, you’ll find the third essay in Matt McCall’s multi-part series on making a fortune in the coming marijuana boom.
I’ve spent the past few days making the overwhelming case for investing in the legal marijuana business. In case you missed them, here’s the first part and second part of my case.
I believe the incredible tailwinds blowing at legal marijuana’s back make it so the opportunity here is much like the one internet stocks offered in 1994 … or the one bitcoin offered in 2015.
If you missed the opportunity to make 50 times your money in internet stocks … or if you missed out on the opportunity to make 50 times your money in bitcoin, you’re going to want to know how to play weed.
As is the case in any commodity, the obvious way to play marijuana is by owning businesses that produce it. Right now, the landscape is full of small-time growers. But some larger growers are looking to consolidate production and increase their pricing power.
The largest marijuana stock in the world — Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) — became the first of its kind to trade on the coveted New York Stock Exchange. Canopy is a giant grower of marijuana for all types of consumption. Canopy made big news last year when alcoholic beverage giant Constellation Brands bought a 9.9% stake in the company.
When a leading alcohol company invests $245 million into a new industry, it cannot be ignored. It’s another step in giving the marijuana industry credibility.
Just behind Canopy is Aurora Cannabis (OTCMKTS:ACBFF). The company initiated the largest acquisition in the history of the marijuana industry earlier this year with the purchase of CanniMed. The combination will take a leader in Aurora and join its forces with the first-ever approved cannabis producer in Canada. For 13 of the last 18 years, they were the only producers north of the border.
Most investors are familiar with the “picks and shovels” approach to investing in a commodity boom for good reason. The right picks and shovels investment offers big upside, yet limited downside.
The most famous example of someone getting rich with the picks and shovels approach comes from the 1850s California gold rush. After gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, thousands and thousands of people from all over the world rushed to California. They risked everything trying to strike it rich. Most of these people found no gold and lost everything.
Instead of taking the risky “all or nothing” approach of looking for a big strike, a smart German named Levi Strauss sold basic goods to the miners. It was a much safer, surer way to acquire wealth than trying to hit the motherlode.
Eventually, Strauss started producing a new kind of durable pants for the miners. They became a huge hit and Strauss got rich. Again, Strauss didn’t risk it all on trying to find a big strike; he simply sold goods to everyone who was looking for the big strike.
This business model — selling picks and shovels instead of trying to find or produce a commodity — is very powerful. Any time I invest in a sector, I look around for good “picks and shovels” plays.
In the legal marijuana business, there are several ancillary companies that will profit as the addressable market increases. Once such company is Canada-based Namaste Technologies (OTCMKTS:NXTTF). The $310 million company manufactures and distributes vaporizers, pipes, papers, and other paraphernalia that is used in the ingestion of marijuana.
The company’s top product is called Guru. It’s used for vaporizing liquids, concentrates and dry herbs. I am sure you have noticed the growth of vape stores in your area — I sure have.
Along with the picks and shovels are the owners of real estate used to grow the marijuana. Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR) is a $263 million company that is trading at a historic high. Its business model is focused on acquiring specialized properties that are built for marijuana production. The company then leases these properties to state-licensed marijuana producers. Due to the specialization that is needed to outfit a property to correctly grow marijuana, IIPR is able to do the hard work for the producers — at a cost.
Health professionals have used marijuana for its medical benefits for hundreds of years. The compounds in marijuana can be a great help as pain relievers, glaucoma treatments, seizure treatments and in dozens of other situations.
The big name here is GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:GWPH), which I have been a fan of for many years. The U.K.-based biotech found out on June 25 that its drug, Epidiolex, became the first cannabis-based FDA-approved drug. The drug will treat epilepsy, and more specifically people who suffer from Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. This news is important for several reasons and is another huge step toward legalization of medical marijuana at the federal level.
I believe the number one outcome of this is that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will be forced to change marijuana’s current status as a level 1 drug. According to the DEA, a level 1 drug has no medicinal purpose, and that clearly is not true. The European Medicines Agency is expected to give its decision regarding approval on Epidiolex by early 2019.
I believe there will be a string of cannabis-related drugs approved for everything from seizures to pain to anxiety in the coming decade. These drugs will produce tens of billions in sales.
Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ZYNE) is also researching the effect of cannabis in several rare disorders that cause seizures. Its pipeline is also going after Tourette’s Syndrome and the genetic condition, Fragile X Syndrome. The company is further away from approval, however, a green light for GWPH will boost the entire sector.
If you look at the list of the all-time most successful businesses and the all-time best stocks to own, you’ll notice that many of them sold — or continue to sell — addictive or habit-forming products.
The list of Hall of Fame stocks that made shareholders rich includes McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) (addictive fast food), Hershey’s (NYSE:HSY) (addictive chocolate), Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) (addictive caffeine), Coke (NYSE:KO) (addictive sugar and caffeine), and Phillip Morris (NYSE:PM) (addictive cigarettes). Then you have makers of addictive drugs and treatments like Pfizer, Merck, Abbott Labs, and Schering-Plough, all huge stock market winners.
After all, when people form a habit around or become addicted to a product, it goes a long way toward ensuring repeat business. People get used to their favorite brands. They grow resistant to switching. When people get used to a certain brand, they are more likely to continue buying the product even if the price increases a little.
Both of these habits help companies sustain sales growth and healthy profit margins. That’s good for shareholders. By the way, sellers of branded, habit-forming consumer goods are the kinds of companies Warren Buffett, the greatest investor in history, is famous for buying.
Unfortunately, public stock investors will have to wait for a high-quality branded marijuana stock. We don’t have one yet. But keep an eye out for the company that begins to emerge as a producer of high-quality products that carry the brand power that KIND bars carries in the healthy snacks space … that Stoneyfield carries in organic yogurt … that Annie’s has in organic packaged food … or that Kashi has in cereals. I’m confident that any company that achieves this sort of success will produce big gains for its shareholders.
As you can see, you have a variety of ways to invest in marijuana in the coming years. My recommendation is to compile a list of the leaders in each field – the highest quality businesses with strong balance sheets – and look to buy them when they sell at compelling prices.
I didn’t mention the absolute best way to play a commodity boom in this essay on purpose. This business model is so brilliant, its profit margins are so high, and it rewards its shareholders so much (in some cases returns on investment are over 20,000%), that it merits an entire essay.
I’ll tell you all about this brilliant way to invest tomorrow.
Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2018/06/6-marijuana-stocks-to-invest-in-for-1000-gains/.
“God Only Knows” what diehard fans here are thinking about a statement by local promoters on Tuesday announcing that the Beach Boys have cancelled a gig set for Nov, 29 in Tel Aviv.
Israel Radio chalked up the cancellation to poor ticket sales, based on disappointment that only one of the original band members would be in the lineup at Nokia Arena.
Mike Love, Bruce Johnston, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Scott Totten and Jeffrey Foskett, were scheduled to appear, according to local promoter, Gad Oron.
The venues on the band’s tour page still showed Tel Aviv as a destination, as of Tuesday evening.
The legendary band would “return as soon as possible,” Oron Productions said, according to army radio.
Mon., Jan. 15, 2018, 11:59 a.m.
UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. says some 100,000 people in the Central African Republic city of Paoua urgently need humanitarian aid following clashes between armed groups.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that over 60,000 people have taken refuge in the city near the border with Chad as a result of the fighting and 40,000 live there.
He said a U.N.-led assessment mission on Jan. 11 reported that most of the displaced are women and children, and several cases of gender-based violence have been reported.
Published: Jan. 15, 2018, 11:59 a.m.
Tags: aid, Central African Republic, U.N.
Students at the University of London have called a protest for Wednesday of next week.
The “March on Senate House” will gather outside the University of London Union at 1pm.
It follows large protests at the end of last year against police repression.
The protest is set to coincide with a week of action by cleaners demanding sick pay, holidays and pensions—the same as other university workers.
HOUSTON - If you are one of thousands of Houston homeowners who will be making an insurance claim due to storm damage for the first time, the process can seem intimidating.
Consumer expert Amy Davis spoke with professionals with experience on flood insurance and repairs to help you with your claim.
According to FEMA, there are about 5,000 qualified flood insurance adjusters in the United States. Some have more experience than others. You have no control over which adjuster your insurance company sends to your home, so it's in your best interest to be nice and helpful, not combative. You want your adjuster in your court.
Sam Craven owns Senna House Buyers and knows a lot about the flood insurance claims process. He purchased a home that flooded in Meyerland in 2015. It was almost fully repaired when it flooded again in 2016. Harvey made the home a three-time flood casualty. Craven is sharing what he learned in last year's flood with victims who will be going through the claims process now.
"I was lucky," Craven told Davis. "I got a good adjuster that was experienced."
But yours may not be. Ask politely how long they've been certified to inspect flooded homes. The less experience they have, the more likely they are to miss things or make mistakes. Craven said most people don't realize that insurance adjusters are paid a percentage of your total claim. The more money you get, the more they get.
"In a way, they are incentivized to take care of the client and make sure everything is covered properly," he explained.
After an adjuster checks your home for damage, they will send you a proof of loss quote. It is a line by line item of everything your insurance policy will pay for.
"What you should do is you should review that," said Craven. "If you don't feel comfortable reviewing that, have someone review and see if they have missed anything."
Craven says he found $12,000 of items missing from his proof of loss quote last year. He was able to get that money added to his settlement amount. The items that he discovered missing from his proof of loss quote were custom trim around the windows that the adjuster had not fully accounted for and an allowance for a general contractor to oversee the job.
"With a project as big as this, a 4,000-square foot house that needs a lot of work, we need to have a GC on this job," Craven said.
Flood insurance policies will generally give you a profit and overhead allowance; but depending on the size of the job and the number of different tradesmen needed, you can probably get more money.