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1,401 | Dramatic Fox News ratings comeback | Sean Hannity | The #1 prime-time show in recent months MSNBC's Rachel Maddow at 9 P.M. E.T. has on most nights since September 25 been relegated to second – sometimes a distant second – place by Sean Hannity . Last week for example with overall cable news ratings pumped up by breaking news coverage of the Las Vegas shootings Hannity handily won the week against his competition on MSNBC and CNN. Not only that but as TV Newser reported on October 10:
Sean Hannity had the No. 1 program of the week across all of cable news beating rival Rachel Maddow and fellow Fox Newser Tucker Carlson both in total viewers and in the all-important [age] 25-54 demo.
Sean Hannity .
It was a significant week for Fox News. Not only was it the No. 1 basic cable network in total day but it showed off a revamped prime time lineup with Sean Hannity assuming the network's 9 p.m. slot. Hannity with help from some high-profile guests got off to a very strong start. He defeated new time slot rival Rachel Maddow both in total viewers and the key news demo en route to becoming cable news's No. 1 show of the week.
As Katz noted on October 10 Hannity has buttressed his show since it moved back an hour to 9 P.M. on September 25 by presenting a variety of high-profile political guests who have succeeded in making news on his shows. Most recently for example an in-studio interview two days ago with former Trump White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon (video here) generated a number of headline stories when Bannon described his intention to lead an effort next year to primary-challenge RINOs in Congress so that they can be replaced by true conservatives dedicated to passing President Trump's MAGA agenda.
Donald J. Trump and Sean Hannity after an interview at Trump Tower New York City during the 2016 campaign.
Tonight Wednesday October 11 Hannity is scheduled to welcome perhaps the top newsmaking guest: President Donald J. Trump. Originally scheduled for October 4 but postponed when the president traveled to Las Vegas that day in the wake of the Mandalay Bay hotel shootings tonight's sit-down with Trump will take place at the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Air National Guard Base "to discuss tax reform immigration and other top news headlines of the day " according to an FNC news release. Unlike most of Hannity 's programs since the recent schedule shift the hour-long conversation with the president will be prerecorded. President Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech in Harrisburg later the same evening which the cable news channels may also cover live.
It is assumed that Hannity with the assist from his friend President Trump will win the night's ratings for FNC by a wide margin. | The #1 prime-time show in recent months MSNBC's Rachel Maddow at 9 P.M. E.T. has on most nights since September 25 been relegated to second – sometimes a distant second – place by [TGT] . Last week for example with overall cable news ratings pumped up by breaking news coverage of the Las Vegas shootings [TGT]handily won the week against his competition on MSNBC and CNN. Not only that but as TV Newser reported on October 10:
[TGT]had the No. 1 program of the week across all of cable news beating rival Rachel Maddow and fellow Fox Newser Tucker Carlson both in total viewers and in the all-important [age] 25-54 demo.
Sean Hannity .
It was a significant week for Fox News. Not only was it the No. 1 basic cable network in total day but it showed off a revamped prime time lineup with [TGT]assuming the network's 9 p.m. slot. Hannity with help from some high-profile guests got off to a very strong start. He defeated new time slot rival Rachel Maddow both in total viewers and the key news demo en route to becoming cable news's No. 1 show of the week.
As Katz noted on October 10 Hannity has buttressed his show since it moved back an hour to 9 P.M. on September 25 by presenting a variety of high-profile political guests who have succeeded in making news on his shows. Most recently for example an in-studio interview two days ago with former Trump White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon (video here) generated a number of headline stories when Bannon described his intention to lead an effort next year to primary-challenge RINOs in Congress so that they can be replaced by true conservatives dedicated to passing President Trump's MAGA agenda.
Donald J. Trump and Sean Hannity after an interview at Trump Tower New York City during the 2016 campaign.
Tonight Wednesday October 11 Hannity is scheduled to welcome perhaps the top newsmaking guest: President Donald J. Trump. Originally scheduled for October 4 but postponed when the president traveled to Las Vegas that day in the wake of the Mandalay Bay hotel shootings tonight's sit-down with Trump will take place at the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Air National Guard Base "to discuss tax reform immigration and other top news headlines of the day " according to an FNC news release. Unlike most of Hannity 's programs since the recent schedule shift the hour-long conversation with the president will be prerecorded. President Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech in Harrisburg later the same evening which the cable news channels may also cover live.
It is assumed that Hannity with the assist from his friend President Trump will win the night's ratings for FNC by a wide margin. | 2Positive
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1,402 | High school shooter posed as student to carry out attack | Terry Wade | Atchison was also the subject of a 2016 FBI investigation after he made “generic comments” in an online gaming forum said the special agent in charge in Albuquerque Terry Wade . It’s unclear what those exact comments were.
The FBI checked databases and interviewed Atchison and his family in March 2016 but ultimately closed the investigation when it determined no crime had been committed. Wade said Atchison didn’t have a gun at the time he told agents he had no plans for an attack and he didn’t have any ties to any organizations.
On Thursday morning Atchison entered the 900-student school with multiple magazines on him and went to a bathroom. Student athlete Francisco Fernandez 18 walked in and was immediately shot by Atchison. The gunman then walked into the hallway and encountered Casey Marquez 17 also a student athlete and killed her according to officials.
He then walked up and down the hallway firing randomly and into classrooms before shooting himself .
Investigators searched his home and his computer following the shooting. They found a paper with scratch notes in the trash can that had “work packup prep walk die” written on it according to KOB 4. They also found a thumb drive on his person that included electronic notes that offer more evidence the attack was planned officials said. | Atchison was also the subject of a 2016 FBI investigation after he made “generic comments” in an online gaming forum said the special agent in charge in [TGT] . [TGT] unclear what those exact comments were.
The FBI checked databases and interviewed Atchison and his family in March 2016 but ultimately closed the investigation when it determined no crime had been committed. [TGT]said Atchison didn’t have a gun at the time [TGT] told agents [TGT] had no plans for an attack and [TGT] didn’t have any ties to any organizations.
On Thursday morning Atchison entered the 900-student school with multiple magazines on him and went to a bathroom. Student athlete Francisco Fernandez 18 walked in and was immediately shot by Atchison. The gunman then walked into the hallway and encountered Casey Marquez 17 also a student athlete and killed her according to officials.
He then walked up and down the hallway firing randomly and into classrooms before shooting himself .
Investigators searched his home and his computer following the shooting. They found a paper with scratch notes in the trash can that had “work packup prep walk die” written on it according to KOB 4. They also found a thumb drive on his person that included electronic notes that offer more evidence the attack was planned officials said. | 2Positive
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1,403 | Democratic Sen. Wyden On Revisions To Latest GOP Health Care Bill | MARY LOUISE KELLY | MARY LOUISE KELLY HOST:
KELLY : All right. Let's turn now to the Senate Finance Committee which later today will hold the only public hearing on this bill. Ron Wyden of Oregon is the ranking Democrat on that committee. And he joins me now. Senator good morning.
KELLY : If you had to put a percentage on this where would you put the chances of the Senate passing this bill by Friday?
KELLY : OK. So your committee is holding we said the only public hearing on this bill which is something for a bill that could potentially affect...
KELLY : ...So many Americans. You've got both senators Graham and Senator Cassidy testifying today. What questions do you have for them that would move this process forward in a constructive way?
KELLY : So real quick what's your top question for the senators today?
KELLY : That's Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. Thanks very much.
KELLY : And we also have here NPR's congressional correspondent Susan Davis. Susan in just a moment answer the question Senator Wyden wouldn't. What are the chances of this bill passing this week? | [TGT]HOST:
KELLY : All right. Let's turn now to the Senate Finance Committee which later today will hold the only public hearing on this bill. Ron Wyden of Oregon is the ranking Democrat on that committee. And he joins me now. Senator good morning.
[TGT] : If you had to put a percentage on this where would you put the chances of the Senate passing this bill by Friday?
KELLY : OK. So your committee is holding we said the only public hearing on this bill which is something for a bill that could potentially affect...
KELLY : ...So many Americans. You've got both senators Graham and Senator Cassidy testifying today. What questions do you have for them that would move this process forward in a constructive way?
[TGT] : So real quick what's your top question for the senators today?
[TGT] : That's Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. Thanks very much.
[TGT] : And we also have here NPR's congressional correspondent Susan Davis. Susan in just a moment answer the question Senator Wyden wouldn't. What are the chances of this bill passing this week? | 2Positive
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1,404 | Hugh Hefner The Founder Of Playboy Has Died At Age 91 | Hugh M. Hefner | American Icon and Playboy Founder Hugh M. Hefner passed away today. He was 91. #RIPHef
Born in Chicago Hefner served in the military and worked in journalism before founding Playboy at age 27 with a small loan. The first issue featured Marilyn Monroe in the centerfold with images taken for a nude calendar four years earlier before she became famous. In 2011 Hefner bought the crypt next to Monroe at the West Hollywood Cemetery though the two never met.
"You know I'm a sucker for blondes and she is the ultimate blonde " he told CBS2 calling Monroe "the definitive sex icon of our time."
Hefner 's magazine began publishing its now-iconic centerfold in 1955 — a two-page spread with a titillating photo of a woman. As the magazine took off in the '50s Hefner shed a marriage to his former classmate Mildred Williams and embraced the sybaritic life depicted on those glossy pages. In 1962 the magazine introduced the "Playboy Interview " which was lauded for its great writing starting a long-running joke that people read the magazine for the articles rather than the pictures. Hefner also hosted television shows related to the brand including Playboy's Penthouse in 1959 and Playboy After Dark in 1969.
Hefner was married three times and while he himself grew older his bride was always twentysomething as she walked down the aisle. Hailing from a Methodist family in the Midwest he styled himself as someone who transcended the sexual puritanism endemic in the United States despite his carefully tailored embodiment of an old-fashioned form of masculinity. He read Alfred Kinsey's research enthusiastically and experimented with bisexuality in the 1950s; he claimed to be a proponent and an instigator of the "sexual revolution"; and yet he acknowledged in his autobiography that Playboy was "a romantic reflection of earlier times." Although the Playboy fantasy was inherently conservative the philanthropic Playboy Foundation was a financial supporter of the fight for abortion rights. "Women were the major beneficiary of the sexual revolution " Hefner said in Esquire in 2007. "Unfortunately within feminism there has been a puritan prohibitionist element that is antisexual." In the same piece Hefner called himself a feminist. Playboy's circulation peaked at 7 million in the '70s around the time Hefner moved from Chicago to the storied Playboy Mansion where he continued to live and work for the rest of his life. His company took a dive in the 1980s when many of the Playboy Clubs were shuttered and again in the 1990s with the rise of easily accessible internet porn which made his pornographic magazine seem irrelevant. In 2015 the magazine abruptly announced that it would stop publishing nude photos although it reversed that decision earlier this year. Hefner and a collection of his live-in girlfriends also managed to reach a new audience starring in an E! reality TV series called The Girls Next Door from 2005 to 2010. He married one of those girlfriends Crystal Harris in 2012. It was at this time that he also announced his youngest son Cooper would take over Playboy Enterprises.
Hefner is survived by his wife Crystal Harris; his three sons David Marston and Cooper Hefner; and a daughter Christie Hefner. | American Icon and Playboy Founder [TGT]passed away today. [TGT] was 91. #RIPHef
Born in Chicago Hefner served in the military and worked in journalism before founding Playboy at age 27 with a small loan. The first issue featured Marilyn Monroe in the centerfold with images taken for a nude calendar four years earlier before she became famous. In 2011 [TGT]bought the crypt next to Monroe at the West Hollywood Cemetery though the two never met.
"You know I'm a sucker for blondes and she is the ultimate blonde " he told CBS2 calling Monroe "the definitive sex icon of our time."
Hefner 's magazine began publishing its now-iconic centerfold in 1955 — a two-page spread with a titillating photo of a woman. As the magazine took off in the '50s Hefner shed a marriage to his former classmate Mildred Williams and embraced the sybaritic life depicted on those glossy pages. In 1962 the magazine introduced the "Playboy Interview " which was lauded for its great writing starting a long-running joke that people read the magazine for the articles rather than the pictures. [TGT]also hosted television shows related to the brand including Playboy's Penthouse in 1959 and Playboy After Dark in 1969.
[TGT]was married three times and while [TGT] himself grew older [TGT] bride was always twentysomething as [TGT] walked down the aisle. Hailing from a Methodist family in the Midwest he styled himself as someone who transcended the sexual puritanism endemic in the United States despite his carefully tailored embodiment of an old-fashioned form of masculinity. He read Alfred Kinsey's research enthusiastically and experimented with bisexuality in the 1950s; he claimed to be a proponent and an instigator of the "sexual revolution"; and yet he acknowledged in his autobiography that Playboy was "a romantic reflection of earlier times." Although the Playboy fantasy was inherently conservative the philanthropic Playboy Foundation was a financial supporter of the fight for abortion rights. "Women were the major beneficiary of the sexual revolution " Hefner said in Esquire in 2007. "Unfortunately within feminism there has been a puritan prohibitionist element that is antisexual." In the same piece Hefner called himself a feminist. Playboy's circulation peaked at 7 million in the '70s around the time Hefner moved from Chicago to the storied Playboy Mansion where he continued to live and work for the rest of his life. His company took a dive in the 1980s when many of the Playboy Clubs were shuttered and again in the 1990s with the rise of easily accessible internet porn which made his pornographic magazine seem irrelevant. In 2015 the magazine abruptly announced that it would stop publishing nude photos although it reversed that decision earlier this year. Hefner and a collection of his live-in girlfriends also managed to reach a new audience starring in an E! reality TV series called The Girls Next Door from 2005 to 2010. He married one of those girlfriends Crystal Harris in 2012. It was at this time that he also announced his youngest son Cooper would take over Playboy Enterprises.
Hefner is survived by his wife Crystal Harris; his three sons David Marston and Cooper Hefner; and a daughter Christie Hefner. | 2Positive
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1,405 | Hope Hicks To Resign As White House Communications Director | Hope Hicks | Updated at 7:08 p.m. ET
White House communications director Hope Hicks President Trump's longest-serving aide is resigning and will depart in the next few weeks the White House says.
In a White House that has set records for staff turnover (and it isn't even close) the departure of Hicks still came as a shock.
Hicks who has been working with the president for three years managed to stay in his orbit even after many others had been pushed out. President Trump called Hicks "outstanding."
Earlier this month Hicks was deeply involved in the White House's botched handling of domestic abuse allegations against a former top aide to the president. But a White House official insists Hicks ' decision to resign wasn't related to either of those matters.
Another person close to Hicks told NPR the resignation has been in the works for weeks.
"There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump " Hicks said in the statement. "I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country."
Hicks joined the Trump organization in 2014 — recruited by Ivanka Trump who was impressed by work Hicks had done for her clothing line while working at a New York public relations firm. Hicks was then pulled into the Trump campaign before there even was a campaign becoming de facto press secretary while initially she continued doing work for the Trump Organization. | Updated at 7:08 p.m. ET
White House communications director [TGT] President Trump's longest-serving aide is resigning and will depart in the next few weeks the White House says.
In a White House that has set records for staff turnover (and it isn't even close) the departure of Hicks still came as a shock.
Hicks who has been working with the president for three years managed to stay in his orbit even after many others had been pushed out. President Trump called Hicks "outstanding."
Earlier this month Hicks was deeply involved in the White House's botched handling of domestic abuse allegations against a former top aide to the president. But a White House official insists Hicks ' decision to resign wasn't related to either of those matters.
Another person close to Hicks told NPR the resignation has been in the works for weeks.
"There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump " Hicks said in the statement. "I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country."
Hicks joined the Trump organization in 2014 — recruited by Ivanka Trump who was impressed by work Hicks had done for her clothing line while working at a New York public relations firm. Hicks was then pulled into the Trump campaign before there even was a campaign becoming de facto press secretary while initially she continued doing work for the Trump Organization. | 1Neutral
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1,406 | Bangladesh ex | Khaleda Zia | DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia will appeal against a five-year jail term for corruption handed down by a court on Thursday as thousands of supporters took to the streets of the capital to protest her innocence.
“We didn’t get justice. We’ll go to the higher court ” Khandker Mahbub Hossain the leader of Khaleda ’s legal team told reporters.
Khaleda ’s son Tarique Rahman and four others were jailed for 10 years at the end of a case that lasted nearly 10 years.
Khaleda and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) say the charges are part of a plot to keep her and her family out of politics. Party leaders said more than 3 500 supporters have been detained over the past few days.
The renewed tension between them raises the specter of a long destabilizing spell of unrest for Bangladesh and its economy. Khaleda is due to run in parliamentary polls set for December and can still do so if an appeal is pending.
Her party announced a plan for protests on Friday against what it called a “biased and compromised” ruling.
Khaleda ’s conviction “proves that Bangladesh has the rule of law and that no one is above the law ” Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters after the ruling.
“ She can challenge the ruling in the High Court after getting a certified copy of the verdict ” he added. “ She can also seek bail.” | DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh opposition leader and former prime minister [TGT] will appeal against a five-year jail term for corruption handed down by a court on Thursday as thousands of supporters took to the streets of the capital to protest her innocence.
“We didn’t get justice. We’ll go to the higher court ” Khandker Mahbub Hossain the leader of Khaleda ’s legal team told reporters.
Khaleda ’s son Tarique Rahman and four others were jailed for 10 years at the end of a case that lasted nearly 10 years.
Khaleda and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) say the charges are part of a plot to keep her and her family out of politics. Party leaders said more than 3 500 supporters have been detained over the past few days.
The renewed tension between them raises the specter of a long destabilizing spell of unrest for Bangladesh and its economy. Khaleda is due to run in parliamentary polls set for December and can still do so if an appeal is pending.
Her party announced a plan for protests on Friday against what it called a “biased and compromised” ruling.
Khaleda ’s conviction “proves that Bangladesh has the rule of law and that no one is above the law ” Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters after the ruling.
“ She can challenge the ruling in the High Court after getting a certified copy of the verdict ” he added. “ She can also seek bail.” | 2Positive
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1,407 | Massive Aztec Epidemic May Hinge On Salmonella : The Two | Kirsten Bos | "There have been different schools of thought on what this disease was. Could it have been plague? Could it have been typhoid fever? Could it have been a litany of other diseases?" says Kirsten Bos a molecular paleopathologist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and an author of a new study published Monday in Nature Ecology and Evolution.
A new algorithm allowed Bos and her team to identify fragments of ancient salmonella DNA with extreme specificity.
"It was an analytical technique that was really the game-changer for us " Bos explains. While scientists have been able to extract ancient DNA from bones and other tissue until recently it was impossible to compare that extracted DNA to a wide variety of potential matches.
But a new computer program called MALT allowed them to do just that. "The major advancement was this algorithm " Bos says. "It offers a method of analyzing many many many small DNA fragments that we get and actually identifying by species name the bacteria that are represented."
Bos and her team used MALT to match up the DNA fragments extracted from teeth of epidemic victims with a database of known pathogens. The program didn't entire save them from mind-numbing work — at one point PhD student and study author Ashild Vagene had to go through the results of the program by hand. | "There have been different schools of thought on what this disease was. Could it have been plague? Could it have been typhoid fever? Could it have been a litany of other diseases?" says [TGT] a molecular paleopathologist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and an author of a new study published Monday in Nature Ecology and Evolution.
A new algorithm allowed Bos and her team to identify fragments of ancient salmonella DNA with extreme specificity.
"It was an analytical technique that was really the game-changer for us " Bos explains. While scientists have been able to extract ancient DNA from bones and other tissue until recently it was impossible to compare that extracted DNA to a wide variety of potential matches.
But a new computer program called MALT allowed them to do just that. "The major advancement was this algorithm " Bos says. "It offers a method of analyzing many many many small DNA fragments that we get and actually identifying by species name the bacteria that are represented."
Bos and her team used MALT to match up the DNA fragments extracted from teeth of epidemic victims with a database of known pathogens. The program didn't entire save them from mind-numbing work — at one point PhD student and study author Ashild Vagene had to go through the results of the program by hand. | 2Positive
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1,408 | Will Trump start a nuclear war with North Korea? | Kim Jong-un | In August Trump told the North Koreans what to expect if they made any more threats against the United States: “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.” That warning didn’t deter Kim Jong-un from conducting a nuclear detonation and additional missile tests part of his quest for the capacity to execute a nuclear strike on the American mainland.
The other day Sen. Lindsey Graham R-S.C. told The Atlantic that “there’s a three in 10 chance we use the military option” — a figure he raises to “70 percent” if there’s another test. Based on their conversations he says Trump “has 100 percent made up his mind that he’s not gonna let Kim Jong-un” deploy “a missile and a nuclear warhead that can hit America effectively.”
Kim has shown no penchant for suicide. The only circumstance in which he would be likely to fire nuclear-armed missiles is if North Korea or his regime were under surprise attack — leaving him nothing to lose. In this case the remedy wouldn’t cure the disease; it would cause the disease.
The hawks speculate that the North Korean despot would use these devices to intimidate us while forcing South Korea to accept reunification under his rule. He might figure that an American president would not risk the radioactive obliteration of Los Angeles or Washington to save a distant ally.
But for Kim the risk of being wrong on that gamble would be annihilation. And if we want to remove any doubts in his mind we could turn over some of our nukes to the South Korean government — which would have every reason to retaliate. | In August Trump told the North Koreans what to expect if they made any more threats against the United States: “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.” That warning didn’t deter [TGT]from conducting a nuclear detonation and additional missile tests part of [TGT] quest for the capacity to execute a nuclear strike on the American mainland.
The other day Sen. Lindsey Graham R-S.C. told The Atlantic that “there’s a three in 10 chance we use the military option” — a figure he raises to “70 percent” if there’s another test. Based on their conversations he says Trump “has 100 percent made up his mind that he’s not gonna let Kim Jong-un” deploy “a missile and a nuclear warhead that can hit America effectively.”
[TGT]has shown no penchant for suicide. The only circumstance in which [TGT] would be likely to fire nuclear-armed missiles is if North Korea or [TGT] regime were under surprise attack — leaving [TGT] nothing to lose. In this case the remedy wouldn’t cure the disease; it would cause the disease.
The hawks speculate that the North Korean despot would use these devices to intimidate us while forcing South Korea to accept reunification under his rule. He might figure that an American president would not risk the radioactive obliteration of Los Angeles or Washington to save a distant ally.
But for [TGT]the risk of being wrong on that gamble would be annihilation. And if we want to remove any doubts in his mind we could turn over some of our nukes to the South Korean government — which would have every reason to retaliate. | 2Positive
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1,409 | Trump Uses Twitter To Criticize FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe : NPR | Andrew McCabe | Trump Uses Twitter To Criticize FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe
President Trump is once again lashing out at the FBI mounting a Twitter attack against Deputy Director Andrew McCabe who's planning to retire soon.
President Trump is celebrating Christmas in Florida but Washington is still clearly very much on his mind. He took a few moments out of his break to take aim at a frequent target of his lately the FBI. NPR's justice reporter Ryan Lucas has been following this and joins us now. Hey Ryan.
FRAYER: Trump's been going after one man in particular Deputy Director Andrew McCabe . What can you tell us about McCabe ?
LUCAS: Well McCabe is a career FBI official. He 's been at the bureau for more than 20 years. He rose up through the ranks worked a number of mob cases in New York City early on in his career before he shifted more to counterterrorism work. He 's held senior positions at the Washington field office at FBI headquarters in Washington. He was named deputy director by James Comey in January of 2016. This is the No. 2 position at the bureau. So McCabe was overseeing domestic and international investigations which gave him a central role of course into the biggest and most high-profile cases of late. That would be the Clinton email server investigation and the Russia probe. He also you may remember famously stepped in as acting director after Comey was fired in May. And McCabe is expected to retire early next year when he 's eligible for his full pension and that's been the plan for some time.
FRAYER: So why is Trump then taking aim at McCabe on Twitter like he is?
LUCAS: That's right. Yes. Now the FBI says McCabe cleared everything with ethics folks at the bureaus. Everything was above board. And also McCabe didn't become deputy director until after that election. But still Republicans have suggested that it may have tainted McCabe 's decision-making in the Clinton probe. And all of this of course is part of a broader pattern from the president and his allies of you know disparaging remarks directed at the FBI and the Justice Department alleging political bias in the upper ranks of the bureau in particular and by extension of course with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team conducting the Russia investigation.
LUCAS: That's very much so. McCabe was dragged up to Capitol Hill twice last week. He spent around eight hours testifying behind closed doors for the House Intelligence Committee. That was about Russia. And he spent a little more than eight hours with the House Oversight and House Judiciary Committees a few days later talking about the Clinton matter.
LUCAS: Well it's not a position that the bureau wants to be in. It was in the middle of the political fight in 2016 and that's continued into 2017. And there's a lot of pressure from Republicans to clean house in the senior ranks at the FBI. That's made life difficult for Christopher Wray. But one source has told me that there's not a lot of appetite at the bureau to bend to that pressure and dump McCabe before he 's set to retire. | Trump Uses Twitter To Criticize FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe
President Trump is once again lashing out at the FBI mounting a Twitter attack against Deputy Director Andrew McCabe who's planning to retire soon.
President Trump is celebrating Christmas in Florida but Washington is still clearly very much on his mind. He took a few moments out of his break to take aim at a frequent target of his lately the FBI. NPR's justice reporter Ryan Lucas has been following this and joins us now. Hey Ryan.
FRAYER: Trump's been going after [TGT] . What can you tell us about [TGT] ?
LUCAS: Well [TGT]is a career FBI official. [TGT] 's been at the bureau for more than 20 years. [TGT] rose up through the ranks worked a number of mob cases in New York City early on in [TGT] career before [TGT] shifted more to counterterrorism work. [TGT] 's held senior positions at the Washington field office at FBI headquarters in Washington. [TGT] was named deputy director by James Comey in January of 2016. This is the No. 2 position at the bureau. So [TGT]was overseeing domestic and international investigations which gave [TGT] a central role of course into the biggest and most high-profile cases of late. That would be the Clinton email server investigation and the Russia probe. [TGT] also you may remember famously stepped in as acting director after Comey was fired in May. And [TGT]is expected to retire early next year when [TGT] 's eligible for [TGT] full pension and that's been the plan for some time.
FRAYER: So why is Trump then taking aim at [TGT]on Twitter like [TGT] is?
LUCAS: That's right. Yes. Now the FBI says [TGT]cleared everything with ethics folks at the bureaus. Everything was above board. And also [TGT]didn't become deputy director until after that election. But still Republicans have suggested that it may have tainted [TGT] 's decision-making in the Clinton probe. And all of this of course is part of a broader pattern from the president and his allies of you know disparaging remarks directed at the FBI and the Justice Department alleging political bias in the upper ranks of the bureau in particular and by extension of course with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team conducting the Russia investigation.
LUCAS: That's very much so. [TGT]was dragged up to Capitol Hill twice last week. [TGT] spent around eight hours testifying behind closed doors for the House Intelligence Committee. That was about Russia. And [TGT] spent a little more than eight hours with the House Oversight and House Judiciary Committees a few days later talking about the Clinton matter.
LUCAS: Well it's not a position that the bureau wants to be in. It was in the middle of the political fight in 2016 and that's continued into 2017. And there's a lot of pressure from Republicans to clean house in the senior ranks at the FBI. That's made life difficult for Christopher Wray. But one source has told me that there's not a lot of appetite at the bureau to bend to that pressure and dump [TGT]before [TGT] 's set to retire. | 2Positive
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1,410 | Gal Gadot Confirms Brett Ratner Is Out Of 'Wonder Woman' Sequel | Brett Ratner | Actress Gal Gadot has confirmed that Hollywood producer Brett Ratner will not be involved in the “Wonder Woman” sequel calling the decision “the right thing to do” after multiple women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against him .
WATCH: Gal Gadot responds to report she didn’t want to work with Brett Ratner who has faced sexual harassment allegations on next installment of Wonder Woman pic.twitter.com/rBuSH2CE2Z — TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 15 2017
“She’s tough and stands by her principles. She also knows the best way to hit people like Brett Ratner is in the wallet ” a source with Warner Bros. told the publication.
David M. Benett via Getty Images Actress Gal Gadot has confirmed that accused sexual harasser Brett Ratner will not be involved in the "Wonder Woman" sequel.
“Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins also recently said on Twitter that the allegations against Ratner have left her “extremely distressed.” She added that she stands with and defends “all of the men and women who are revealing these horrific encounters all over this industry and this world.”
Jenkins’ statement came after she presented Ratner with an award at the Jewish National Fund dinner. Gadot who was initially scheduled to present it backed out at the last minute Variety reported.
Michael Kovac via Getty Images More than a half a dozen women have come forward with disturbing allegations against Hollywood producer and director Brett Ratner.
Last month former marketing executive Melanie Kohler wrote a Facebook post in which she accused Ratner of raping her over a decade ago. An attorney for Ratner denied the allegation and served Kohler with a defamation lawsuit ABC News reported.
The Los Angeles Times published allegations last week from six women who say they were either sexually harassed or abused by Ratner in some way.
Those women include actress Natasha Henstridge who accused Ratner of masturbating in front of her and then forcing her to perform oral sex on him in the early 1990s. Olivia Munn also accused him of masturbating in front of her between the 1990s and early 2000s.
Ratner ’s attorney Martin Singer “categorically” denied the accusations printed in the Times. | Actress Gal Gadot has confirmed that [TGT]will not be involved in the “Wonder Woman” sequel calling the decision “the right thing to do” after multiple women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against him .
WATCH: Gal Gadot responds to report she didn’t want to work with Brett Ratner who has faced sexual harassment allegations on next installment of Wonder Woman pic.twitter.com/rBuSH2CE2Z — TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 15 2017
“She’s tough and stands by her principles. She also knows the best way to hit people like [TGT] is in the wallet ” a source with Warner Bros. told the publication.
David M. Benett via Getty Images Actress Gal Gadot has confirmed that accused sexual harasser [TGT] will not be involved in the "Wonder Woman" sequel.
“Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins also recently said on Twitter that the allegations against [TGT]have left her “extremely distressed.” She added that she stands with and defends “all of the men and women who are revealing these horrific encounters all over this industry and this world.”
Jenkins’ statement came after she presented Ratner with an award at the Jewish National Fund dinner. Gadot who was initially scheduled to present it backed out at the last minute Variety reported.
Michael Kovac via Getty Images More than a half a dozen women have come forward with disturbing allegations against Hollywood producer and director Brett Ratner.
Last month former marketing executive Melanie Kohler wrote a Facebook post in which she accused [TGT]of raping her over a decade ago. An attorney for [TGT]denied the allegation and served Kohler with a defamation lawsuit ABC News reported.
The Los Angeles Times published allegations last week from six women who say they were either sexually harassed or abused by [TGT]in some way.
Those women include actress Natasha Henstridge who accused [TGT]of masturbating in front of her and then forcing her to perform oral sex on him in the early 1990s. Olivia Munn also accused him of masturbating in front of her between the 1990s and early 2000s.
Ratner ’s attorney Martin Singer “categorically” denied the accusations printed in the Times. | 2Positive
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1,411 | Louis C.K. admits masturbating in front of female colleagues | Louis C.K | Stand-up superstar Louis C.K. came clean Friday about his obscene behavior admitting in a lengthy apology that he masturbated in front of five women.
The Emmy-winning star of the acclaimed “Louie” television show said the New York Times' detailed expose about his creepy sexual antics left him reeling.
“But what I learned later in life too late is that when you have power over another person asking them to look at your d--- isn't a question. It's a predicament for them. ”
Louis C.K. ’s ‘I Love You Daddy’ won’t be released
The quintet of female actresses and comedians shared their stories of C.K. ’s crude behavior between the early 1990s and 2005.
C.K. acknowledged using the women’s admiration for his work to turn them into unwitting victims of his strange sexual behavior. And he said the woman remained silent because of his lofty position in the comedy world.
Louis C.K. admitted to the scathing sexual misconduct allegations. (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
“The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else ” he wrote in the nine-paragraph statement. “And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them.” | Stand-up superstar [TGT]came clean Friday about [TGT] obscene behavior admitting in a lengthy apology that [TGT] masturbated in front of five women.
The Emmy-winning star of the acclaimed “Louie” television show said the New York Times' detailed expose about [TGT] creepy sexual antics left [TGT] reeling.
“But what I learned later in life too late is that when you have power over another person asking them to look at your d--- isn't a question. It's a predicament for them. ”
[TGT] ’s ‘I Love You Daddy’ won’t be released
The quintet of female actresses and comedians shared their stories of [TGT] ’s crude behavior between the early 1990s and 2005.
[TGT]acknowledged using the women’s admiration for [TGT] work to turn them into unwitting victims of [TGT] strange sexual behavior. And [TGT] said the woman remained silent because of [TGT] lofty position in the comedy world.
[TGT]admitted to the scathing sexual misconduct allegations. (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
“The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else ” [TGT] wrote in the nine-paragraph statement. “And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them.” | 1Neutral
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1,412 | Vietnam prosecutes bank officials in corruption crackdown | Dong A Bank | HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has prosecuted five former officials of the unlisted Dong A Bank for violating rules that “lead to serious consequences” police said on Friday part of a widening investigation involving the Ho Chi Minh City-based lender.
The troubled partly private Dong A Bank is among several lenders under scrutiny of the authorities who say they want to tackle corruption including abuse of power and violation of lending rules.
Dong A Bank said it would respond to a Reuters request for comment later in the day.
The central bank the State Bank of Vietnam had placed Dong A Bank under special supervision in 2015 “for violations in financial management and credit grants” by some executives.
The ministry of public security said in a statement on Friday that 17 people have been arrested in the Dong A Bank fraud case. | HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has prosecuted five former officials of [TGT] for violating rules that “lead to serious consequences” police said on Friday part of a widening investigation involving the Ho Chi Minh City-based lender.
[TGT] is among several lenders under scrutiny of the authorities who say they want to tackle corruption including abuse of power and violation of lending rules.
[TGT]said [TGT] would respond to a Reuters request for comment later in the day.
[TGT]had placed [TGT]under special supervision in 2015 “for violations in financial management and credit grants” by some executives.
The ministry of public security said in a statement on Friday that 17 people have been arrested in the [TGT]fraud case. | 2Positive
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1,413 | Ariana Grande speaks out following attack at her concert in Manchester | Ariana Grande | Ariana Grande wrote that she was "broken" after a bomb exploded at her concert in Manchester England on Monday night killing at least 22 people and injuring dozens more many of them young children.
After the police determined that an attacker had set off a bomb near the entrance of the Manchester Arena where Grande was finishing a performance Grande tweeted that she was "broken" and "so so sorry."
Sources who were with the singer after the attack told TMZ that Grande was "in hysterics" from knowing that young children who came to see her were killed.
from the bottom of my heart i am so so sorry. i don't have words. — Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23 2017
Despite initial reports that Grande had suspended her world tour all future concerts were still on a source from Grande 's team told the Associated Press. The singer's future tour includes stops in London Belgium Poland Germany and Switzerland before heading to South America and Asia.
The source who did not want to be named said that Grande was focusing her attention on the victims rather than the tour.
Grande 's manager Scooter Braun issued a statement condemning the attack. | [TGT]wrote that [TGT] was "broken" after a bomb exploded at [TGT] concert in Manchester England on Monday night killing at least 22 people and injuring dozens more many of them young children.
After the police determined that an attacker had set off a bomb near the entrance of the Manchester Arena where Grande was finishing a performance [TGT]tweeted that she was "broken" and "so so sorry."
Sources who were with the singer after the attack told TMZ that [TGT]was "in hysterics" from knowing that young children who came to see her were killed.
from the bottom of my heart i am so so sorry. i don't have words. — [TGT] May 23 2017
Despite initial reports that [TGT]had suspended her world tour all future concerts were still on a source from Grande 's team told the Associated Press. The singer's future tour includes stops in London Belgium Poland Germany and Switzerland before heading to South America and Asia.
The source who did not want to be named said that [TGT]was focusing her attention on the victims rather than the tour.
Grande 's manager Scooter Braun issued a statement condemning the attack. | 2Positive
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1,414 | The "No" Campaign Got $1 Million From The Sydney Anglican Diocese To Fight Against Same | Glenn Davies | Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies announced the hefty donation in his address to the 51st Synod of the Diocese of Sydney on Monday afternoon.
He told the gathering that the diocese had been a founding member of the Coalition for Marriage along with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney Marriage Alliance and the Australian Christian Lobby.
"The Standing Committee has also enthusiastically backed our participation in the Coalition For Marriage and has taken the bold step of drawing down one million dollars from the Diocesan Endowment to promote the 'no' case " he said.
Davies told the gathering that "the stakes are high and the cost is high". | [TGT]announced the hefty donation in [TGT] address to the 51st Synod of the Diocese of Sydney on Monday afternoon.
[TGT] told the gathering that the diocese had been a founding member of the Coalition for Marriage along with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney Marriage Alliance and the Australian Christian Lobby.
"The Standing Committee has also enthusiastically backed our participation in the Coalition For Marriage and has taken the bold step of drawing down one million dollars from the Diocesan Endowment to promote the 'no' case " he said.
[TGT]told the gathering that "the stakes are high and the cost is high". | 2Positive
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1,415 | Scalia on writing well originalism and a turkey hunting mishap | Antonin Scalia | With “Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law Faith and Life Well Lived ” Christopher J. Scalia and Edward Whelan have given us a treasure that captures Justice Antonin Scalia’s brilliance wit faith humility and wide range of knowledge. When I read this collection of his speeches edited by the justice’s son and one of his law clerks I feel like Scalia is in the room with me. Taken together the speeches are a book-length argument for constitutional originalism and for Scalia ’s understanding of the role of judges in the United States. Anyone who wants to understand Scalia as a person and as a judicial philosopher should start by reading this book.
[ Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dies at 79]
Scalia in my view is the best justice who has ever served on the Supreme Court in its 227-year history. He and Justice Joseph Story are the only two justices to have published books on constitutional and statutory interpretation. Scalia articulated a clear philosophy of a judge’s role to which he always adhered. He was one of the two best writers ever to serve on the court and was equal on this score to Justice Robert Jackson known for his fine literary style. No other justice traveled so much and spoke to so many audiences in the United States and abroad. Finally he was to originalism what Saint Paul was to Christianity — a tireless and widely traveled evangelist of the gospel. Understanding Scalia is thus imperative for all law students lawyers and educated lay people. Because the book is a collection of speeches many of which were given to lay people it is very readable understandable and fun for most age groups.
“ Scalia Speaks ” by Antonin Scalia Edited by Christopher Scalia (Crown Forum)
Addressing the difference between American and European values Scalia notes that “the United States was settled primarily by people seeking in one way or another refuge from the ways of Europe. The men who founded our Republic did not aspire to emulating Europeans at all — to the contrary the project of drafting the American Constitution was largely about ensuring that the American people would never languish under the yoke of a European-style government.”
This is a critically important point that many fail to appreciate. The legal academics and public intellectuals who love European socialism overlook the fact that the United States under its unique Constitution is the third-most-populous country in the world covering the fourth-largest territory and has by far the highest gross domestic product per capita of any of the Group of 20 nations a strength that allows us to do more to help the poor around the world while offering military defense to a range of countries. Few people choose to move from the United States to other countries but millions of people want to live here. Scalia appreciated that the reason for this is that the U.S. Constitution is an engine of power and economic growth that sustains “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
As an excellent writer Scalia offers advice on the craft. “Time and sweat ” he says are the keys to good writing and a well-written document emerges only after many drafts. “I think there is writing genius ” he says just as there is musical genius “which consists primarily I think of the ability to place oneself in the shoes of one’s audience; to assume only what they assume; to anticipate what they anticipate to explain what they need explained to think what they must be thinking; to feel what they must be feeling.”
Scalia regrets that most American college and law students never read the Federalist Papers and therefore do not understand our Constitution or the American founding very well. He tirelessly urges us to learn from the wisdom of the framers of our Constitution which so few Americans tend to do.
In a chapter on “Original Meaning ” Scalia reveals that at a conference he challenged Attorney General Edwin Meese III on how to assess the Constitution’s original intent. Meese argued in favor of a judicial philosophy that searched for the original intentions of the framers. Scalia said he favored searching for the original meaning of the words of the Constitution instead. In his speech at the conference he strongly set out the case for original public meaning persuading Meese’s chief of staff Ken Cribb by the force of his argument. After Scalia finished speaking Cribb scrawled the word “Stipulated” on a piece of paper and taped it to the podium. Two days later President Ronald Reagan informed Scalia that he was going to be nominated to the Supreme Court.
Scalia speaks in his own words in this magnificent volume that should be on the bookshelf of every educated American. | With “Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law Faith and Life Well Lived ” Christopher J. Scalia and Edward Whelan have given us a treasure that captures Justice [TGT]’s brilliance wit faith humility and wide range of knowledge. When I read this collection of his speeches edited by the justice’s son and one of his law clerks I feel like Scalia is in the room with me. Taken together the speeches are a book-length argument for constitutional originalism and for Scalia ’s understanding of the role of judges in the United States. Anyone who wants to understand Scalia as a person and as a judicial philosopher should start by reading this book.
[ Supreme Court Justice [TGT] dies at 79]
Scalia in my view is the best justice who has ever served on the Supreme Court in its 227-year history. He and Justice Joseph Story are the only two justices to have published books on constitutional and statutory interpretation. Scalia articulated a clear philosophy of a judge’s role to which he always adhered. He was one of the two best writers ever to serve on the court and was equal on this score to Justice Robert Jackson known for his fine literary style. No other justice traveled so much and spoke to so many audiences in the United States and abroad. Finally he was to originalism what Saint Paul was to Christianity — a tireless and widely traveled evangelist of the gospel. Understanding Scalia is thus imperative for all law students lawyers and educated lay people. Because the book is a collection of speeches many of which were given to lay people it is very readable understandable and fun for most age groups.
“ Scalia Speaks ” by [TGT] Edited by Christopher Scalia (Crown Forum)
Addressing the difference between American and European values Scalia notes that “the United States was settled primarily by people seeking in one way or another refuge from the ways of Europe. The men who founded our Republic did not aspire to emulating Europeans at all — to the contrary the project of drafting the American Constitution was largely about ensuring that the American people would never languish under the yoke of a European-style government.”
This is a critically important point that many fail to appreciate. The legal academics and public intellectuals who love European socialism overlook the fact that the United States under its unique Constitution is the third-most-populous country in the world covering the fourth-largest territory and has by far the highest gross domestic product per capita of any of the Group of 20 nations a strength that allows us to do more to help the poor around the world while offering military defense to a range of countries. Few people choose to move from the United States to other countries but millions of people want to live here. Scalia appreciated that the reason for this is that the U.S. Constitution is an engine of power and economic growth that sustains “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
As an excellent writer Scalia offers advice on the craft. “Time and sweat ” he says are the keys to good writing and a well-written document emerges only after many drafts. “I think there is writing genius ” he says just as there is musical genius “which consists primarily I think of the ability to place oneself in the shoes of one’s audience; to assume only what they assume; to anticipate what they anticipate to explain what they need explained to think what they must be thinking; to feel what they must be feeling.”
Scalia regrets that most American college and law students never read the Federalist Papers and therefore do not understand our Constitution or the American founding very well. He tirelessly urges us to learn from the wisdom of the framers of our Constitution which so few Americans tend to do.
In a chapter on “Original Meaning ” Scalia reveals that at a conference he challenged Attorney General Edwin Meese III on how to assess the Constitution’s original intent. Meese argued in favor of a judicial philosophy that searched for the original intentions of the framers. Scalia said he favored searching for the original meaning of the words of the Constitution instead. In his speech at the conference he strongly set out the case for original public meaning persuading Meese’s chief of staff Ken Cribb by the force of his argument. After Scalia finished speaking Cribb scrawled the word “Stipulated” on a piece of paper and taped it to the podium. Two days later President Ronald Reagan informed Scalia that he was going to be nominated to the Supreme Court.
Scalia speaks in his own words in this magnificent volume that should be on the bookshelf of every educated American. | 2Positive
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1,416 | 'The system failed us ' says wife of man deported to Mexico after 30 years in US | Jorge Garcia | Undocumented immigrant Jorge Garcia and his family today spoke out on “The View” about his deportation to Mexico this week after living in the United States for 30 years.
Jorge Garcia who joined “The View” today remotely from Mexico City where he’s staying with an aunt said he had a message for President Donald Trump: “We're supposed to only deport people that are criminals and that's not what's going on. They're only basically hurting the economy and separating families just like mine.”
But amid the Trump administration’s ramping up immigration arrests and deportations ICE notified the family Nov. 20 2017 that Jorge Garcia had to leave. He was going to be detained at that point but ICE allowed him to stay with his family through the holidays giving him no later than Jan. 15 to leave for Mexico.
So on Monday Jorge Garcia was removed pursuant to the judge's removal order ICE said.
ICE said it wasn't aware of any criminal record for Jorge Garcia .
“Thanksgiving was very sad. It was devastating because we knew that our nightmare was coming to life since 2005 ” Cindy Garcia said of the dread the family experienced knowing they would have to say goodbye. “We knew he may have to leave but never wanted to face that fact.” | Undocumented immigrant Jorge Garcia and his family today spoke out on “The View” about his deportation to Mexico this week after living in the United States for 30 years.
[TGT]who joined “The View” today remotely from Mexico City where he’s staying with an aunt said he had a message for President Donald Trump: “We're supposed to only deport people that are criminals and that's not what's going on. They're only basically hurting the economy and separating families just like mine.”
But amid the Trump administration’s ramping up immigration arrests and deportations ICE notified the family Nov. 20 2017 that [TGT]had to leave. [TGT] was going to be detained at that point but ICE allowed [TGT] to stay with [TGT] family through the holidays giving [TGT] no later than Jan. 15 to leave for Mexico.
So on Monday [TGT]was removed pursuant to the judge's removal order ICE said.
ICE said it wasn't aware of any criminal record for [TGT] .
“Thanksgiving was very sad. It was devastating because we knew that our nightmare was coming to life since 2005 ” [TGT]said of the dread the family experienced knowing they would have to say goodbye. “We knew he may have to leave but never wanted to face that fact.” | 2Positive
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1,417 | Sam Smith's ' The Thrill of It All' shows he may be Adele's male counterpart | Sam Smith | Sam Smith’s “The Thrill of It All”
** *
Sam Smith follows up his 2014 debut “In the Lonely Hour ” with his sophomore effort “The Thrill of it All.” Much like its predecessor this album finds its core in soft ballads. Smith’s emotive voice can be a real asset somewhat flexibly conveying feeling.
The hit “Too Good at Goodbyes” and the second track “Say it First” seem to indicate that Smith is setting out to be a male counterpart to Adele. His voice is dynamic in the way it bends. While his singing is not as boomingly confident as Adele’s his voice is able to zig and zag even as it maneuvers into an occasionally whisper-y falsetto.
In addition to aiming for Adele’s turf Smith is going for a classic R&B and gospel vibe. That can be heard on both “One Last Song” and “Midnight Train ” the latter of which sounds like a soulful answer to Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Smith gets more righteous on “HIM” and gets softly groovy on “Baby You Make Me Crazy.” Sometimes Smith ’s higher register can be a tad grating. However he can somehow slightly irritate and entertain simultaneously. He duets successfully with up-and-coming singer Yebba on “No Peace ” and hits a sweet spot with the slow-burning “Palace.”
This record feels more lived-in and fully realized than his debut. Each of the songs on its own is decent but you get the feeling once you finish with the closer (and second single) “Pray ” that Smith is taking the easy route. He should stretch beyond the ballads as he 's capable of more. This feels like a sequel to his first record almost in a retreading kind of way.
“The Thrill of it All ” while a fitting showcase for Smith’s skill lacks an extra spark. It’s good but it could be better.
“Too Good at Goodbyes” Smith ’s songs often seem at first a tad innocuous but on repeat listens they begin to pack power. This one is a real winner.
“Midnight Train” Radiohead comparisons aside this song has some real momentum showcasing Smith at his most vocally butter-soaked. The doo-wop style backing vocals are also a nice touch.
“Baby You Make Me Crazy” This has some potent swagger. This song’s little boost makes you wonder what Smith would do if he was pushed a notch or two further. | "Sam Smith’s “The Thrill of It All”
** *
[TGT] follows up [TGT] 2014 debut “In the Lonely Hour ” with [TGT] sophomore effort “The Thrill of it All.” Much like its predecessor this album finds its core in soft ballads. Smith’s emotive voice can be a real asset somewhat flexibly conveying feeling.
The hit “Too Good at Goodbyes” and the second track “Say it First” seem to indicate that [TGT]is setting out to be a male counterpart to Adele. [TGT] voice is dynamic in the way it bends. While [TGT] singing is not as boomingly confident as Adele’s [TGT] voice is able to zig and zag even as it maneuvers into an occasionally whisper-y falsetto.
In addition to aiming for Adele’s turf [TGT]is going for a classic R&B and gospel vibe. That can be heard on both “One Last Song” and “Midnight Train ” the latter of which sounds like a soulful answer to Radiohead’s “Creep.”
[TGT]gets more righteous on “HIM” and gets softly groovy on “Baby You Make Me Crazy.” Sometimes Smith ’s higher register can be a tad grating. However he can somehow slightly irritate and entertain simultaneously. He duets successfully with up-and-coming singer Yebba on “No Peace ” and hits a sweet spot with the slow-burning “Palace.”
This record feels more lived-in and fully realized than [TGT] debut. Each of the songs on its own is decent but you get the feeling once you finish with the closer (and second single) “Pray ” that [TGT]is taking the easy route. [TGT] should stretch beyond the ballads as [TGT] 's capable of more. This feels like a sequel to [TGT] first record almost in a retreading kind of way.
“The Thrill of it All ” while a fitting showcase for Smith’s skill lacks an extra spark. It’s good but it could be better.
“Too Good at Goodbyes” [TGT] ’s songs often seem at first a tad innocuous but on repeat listens they begin to pack power. This one is a real winner.
“Midnight Train” Radiohead comparisons aside this song has some real momentum showcasing [TGT]at [TGT] most vocally butter-soaked. The doo-wop style backing vocals are also a nice touch.
“Baby You Make Me Crazy” This has some potent swagger. This song’s little boost makes you wonder what [TGT] would do if [TGT] was pushed a notch or two further." | 2Positive
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1,418 | Kevin McCarthy: Confidence in Mueller Questions Others in FBI DOJ | Robert Mueller | House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Sunday said there’s no need for legislation protecting Russia investigation Special Counsel Robert Mueller and questioned the integrity of the Department of Justice.
In an interview on NBC News’ "Meet The Press ” the California Republican said he has confidence in Mueller .
“I don't think there's a need for legislation to protect Mueller ” he said. “If there's an issue that arises we'll take it up. Right now there is not an issue. Why create one if there isn't one?”
McCarthy said he “never believed” in a “deep state” conspiracy against President Donald Trump but ticked off issues with the Mueller investigation that’ve cast doubt over its fairness.
“I have confidence in Mueller ” he said. “I have questions about others within the FBI and the DOJ ” ticking off a list of issues that have been brought up about the Mueller investigative team including anti-Trump texts between two former members. | House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Sunday said there’s no need for legislation protecting Russia investigation Special Counsel [TGT] and questioned the integrity of the Department of Justice.
In an interview on NBC News’ "Meet The Press ” the California Republican said he has confidence in Mueller .
“I don't think there's a need for legislation to protect Mueller ” he said. “If there's an issue that arises we'll take it up. Right now there is not an issue. Why create one if there isn't one?”
McCarthy said he “never believed” in a “deep state” conspiracy against President Donald Trump but ticked off issues with the Mueller investigation that’ve cast doubt over its fairness.
“I have confidence in Mueller ” he said. “I have questions about others within the FBI and the DOJ ” ticking off a list of issues that have been brought up about the Mueller investigative team including anti-Trump texts between two former members. | 2Positive
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1,419 | Four | Shomari Legghette | Shomari Legghette has a criminal history stretching back more than two decades court records show. He picked up new charges while out on bond on parole and serving probation making him the kind of repeat offender whom Bauer urged authorities to keep off the street.
Legghette was taken into custody. According to a source he was wearing a protective vest and was armed with a gun.
Legghette is expected to appear in court Thursday.
His first Cook County conviction came in 1997 when he pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced to a year of probation. While serving that probation he was charged with armed robbery and was ultimately found guilty and sentenced in 1999 to 16 years in prison.
While on parole in 2007 he was arrested for a slew of new offenses: unlawful use of a weapon and body armor by a felon possession of a gun with a defaced serial number and a heroin charge. He pleaded guilty to the gun charge and was sentenced to three years in prison.
While out on bond in that case he was again arrested and charged with drug possession — a case that was ultimately dropped.
In 2011 he was charged with resisting an officer and battery records show. He was found guilty on one of the two battery counts and was sentenced to probation.
His most recent conviction was similar to his first: He pleaded guilty in 2015 to drug possession and was given two years in prison. He was discharged from parole in August 2016 according to an Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman.
Johnson noted Legghette’s extensive criminal history calling the shooting “a devastating reminder” that repeat gun offenders are out on the streets.
“Police officers take a lot of knocks ” he said. “If Paul ’s actions yesterday remind us of anything they should remind us that police officers are the good guys and Paul was one of the best of the good guys.” | [TGT]has a criminal history stretching back more than two decades court records show. [TGT] picked up new charges while out on bond on parole and serving probation making him the kind of repeat offender whom Bauer urged authorities to keep off the street.
[TGT]was taken into custody. According to a source [TGT] was wearing a protective vest and was armed with a gun.
[TGT]is expected to appear in court Thursday.
[TGT] first Cook County conviction came in 1997 when [TGT] pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced to a year of probation. While serving that probation [TGT] was charged with armed robbery and was ultimately found guilty and sentenced in 1999 to 16 years in prison.
While on parole in 2007 [TGT] was arrested for a slew of new offenses: unlawful use of a weapon and body armor by a felon possession of a gun with a defaced serial number and a heroin charge. [TGT] pleaded guilty to the gun charge and was sentenced to three years in prison.
While out on bond in that case [TGT] was again arrested and charged with drug possession — a case that was ultimately dropped.
In 2011 [TGT] was charged with resisting an officer and battery records show. [TGT] was found guilty on one of the two battery counts and was sentenced to probation.
[TGT] most recent conviction was similar to [TGT] first: [TGT] pleaded guilty in 2015 to drug possession and was given two years in prison. [TGT] was discharged from parole in August 2016 according to an Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman.
Johnson noted Legghette’s extensive criminal history calling the shooting “a devastating reminder” that repeat gun offenders are out on the streets.
“Police officers take a lot of knocks ” he said. “If Paul ’s actions yesterday remind us of anything they should remind us that police officers are the good guys and Paul was one of the best of the good guys.” | 1Neutral
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1,420 | How A Medically Induced Coma Led To Love Marriage And The Oscar | GordonEmily V. Gordon | In the film which is set in Chicago as he and Emily begin seeing each other and falling in love Kumail's parents still expect that he will enter into a traditional arranged marriage. Rather than hurt his parents and risk being cut off from his family he keeps his relationship with Emily a secret. Meanwhile Emily is diagnosed with a life-threatening infection that requires her to be put in a medically induced coma. Emily 's parents and Kumail spend time together at the hospital sizing each other up as they worry about Emily . The coma may sound like a fictional contrivance but it really happened. Let's start with an early scene from "The Big Sick" in which Kumail and Emily first meet. He's just done a set at a small comedy club. He walks to the bar where he sees the woman who yelled out a woo-hoo during his set.
KAZAN: (As Emily ) I didn't heckle you. I just woo-hooed (ph) you. It's supportive.
KAZAN: (As Emily) So if I yelled out like you're amazing in bed that'd be a heckle?
NANJIANI: Yeah they had to take pressure off of Emily 's body. So they would put some of the vital functions on machines so that her body wasn't taxed. I remember when I got to the hospital Emily was in the E.R. And I went in and I was talking to her . And the nurse came in. And the nurse - first thing she said to - she was holding reports and she said to me - or to Emily she said oh you're a very sick girl.
And I was like what does that mean? She doesn't really look that sick.
GROSS: Kumail did you talk to her while she was in coma?
GROSS: So you know I've always wanted to ask this to someone. Emily what's it like when you come out of coma? Like what - what's the first feeling that you have?
NANJIANI: I think that might be an appropriate term. Emily mentioned that people were coming in to say hi to her . That was because Emily was by far the youngest person in the ICU at that time. So all the family members of all the other patients were very aware of Emily . So they were all kind of rooting for her . And so they were very excited. They were very excited when she was up because they just wanted her to get out of the ICU.
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. And if you're just joining us my guests are Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. They're married and they co-wrote the new romantic comedy "The Big Sick" that's based in part on their relationship. And one of the parts of the movie that is true is that after they started seeing each other Emily had to be put in a medically induced coma because she had such a raging infection that they had to do that.
And I actually recently found one of my mom's emails to me. And it was during the period that Emily and I were dating. And reading the email chain was kind of devastating because I saw how I was clearly leading them on and letting them think that I was going to do it. Honestly at the time I couldn't imagine a world where I did have an arranged marriage. And I couldn't imagine a world where I didn't have an arranged marriage.
GROSS: Kumail how did you tell your parents about Emily ?
NANJIANI: So I did while she was really sick. It had been - I forget you know what day it was or when it was. And I sort of remember where I was. My mom - my parents had been calling me just sort of to say hi to me all week. And I hadn't been answering the phone. And then one day when - you know because being in the hospital was a rollercoaster.
NANJIANI: In the moment her reaction was is she - what's wrong with her? Is she going to be OK? Are you OK? And then she sort of checked up on Emily every day called me every day. And then as soon as Emily was out of the coma that's when she got really angry. She was like how could you do this to me? But while Emily was sick she just wanted to make sure Emily was OK. And then she got angry later.
GROSS: Emily was it an issue in your family that you were marrying a Pakistani man you know an immigrant who was Muslim? I don't know what religion you are if any at all. But was that an issue?
GROSS: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon speaking to Terry Gross last year. He's the star and they're the co-writers of the movie "The Big Sick " which is nominated for an Oscar as best original screenplay. We'll hear more of their conversation in the second half of the show. And we'll also remember Wesla Whitfield the cabaret singer who died recently at age 70. I'm David Bianculli and this is FRESH AIR.
BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli in for Terry Gross back with more of Terry's 2017 interview with Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon . They're the co-writers of the movie "The Big Sick " which is nominated for an Oscar as best original screenplay. He also stars in the film which is based on their real-life relationship and how they first met and became a couple. Kumail grew up in Pakistan came to U.S. to attend college and stayed. When he and Emily were falling love he knew his parents wanted him to have an arranged marriage with a woman who was Muslim and Pakistani. | In the film which is set in Chicago as he and Emily begin seeing each other and falling in love Kumail's parents still expect that he will enter into a traditional arranged marriage. Rather than hurt his parents and risk being cut off from his family he keeps his relationship with Emily a secret. Meanwhile Emily is diagnosed with a life-threatening infection that requires her to be put in a medically induced coma. Emily 's parents and Kumail spend time together at the hospital sizing each other up as they worry about Emily . The coma may sound like a fictional contrivance but it really happened. Let's start with an early scene from "The Big Sick" in which Kumail and Emily first meet. He's just done a set at a small comedy club. He walks to the bar where he sees the woman who yelled out a woo-hoo during his set.
KAZAN: (As Emily ) I didn't heckle you. I just woo-hooed (ph) you. It's supportive.
KAZAN: (As Emily) So if I yelled out like you're amazing in bed that'd be a heckle?
NANJIANI: Yeah they had to take pressure off of Emily 's body. So they would put some of the vital functions on machines so that her body wasn't taxed. I remember when I got to the hospital Emily was in the E.R. And I went in and I was talking to her . And the nurse came in. And the nurse - first thing she said to - she was holding reports and she said to me - or to Emily she said oh you're a very sick girl.
And I was like what does that mean? She doesn't really look that sick.
GROSS: Kumail did you talk to her while she was in coma?
GROSS: So you know I've always wanted to ask this to someone. Emily what's it like when you come out of coma? Like what - what's the first feeling that you have?
NANJIANI: I think that might be an appropriate term. Emily mentioned that people were coming in to say hi to her . That was because Emily was by far the youngest person in the ICU at that time. So all the family members of all the other patients were very aware of Emily . So they were all kind of rooting for her . And so they were very excited. They were very excited when she was up because they just wanted her to get out of the ICU.
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. And if you're just joining us my guests are Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. They're married and they co-wrote the new romantic comedy "The Big Sick" that's based in part on their relationship. And one of the parts of the movie that is true is that after they started seeing each other Emily had to be put in a medically induced coma because she had such a raging infection that they had to do that.
And I actually recently found one of my mom's emails to me. And it was during the period that Emily and I were dating. And reading the email chain was kind of devastating because I saw how I was clearly leading them on and letting them think that I was going to do it. Honestly at the time I couldn't imagine a world where I did have an arranged marriage. And I couldn't imagine a world where I didn't have an arranged marriage.
GROSS: Kumail how did you tell your parents about Emily ?
NANJIANI: So I did while [TGT][TGT] was really sick. It had been - I forget you know what day it was or when it was. And I sort of remember where I was. My mom - my parents had been calling me just sort of to say hi to me all week. And I hadn't been answering the phone. And then one day when - you know because being in the hospital was a rollercoaster.
NANJIANI: In the moment [TGT] reaction was is [TGT] - what's wrong with [TGT]? Is [TGT] going to be OK? Are you OK? And then [TGT] sort of checked up on Emily every day called me every day. And then as soon as Emily was out of the coma that's when she got really angry. She was like how could you do this to me? But while Emily was sick she just wanted to make sure Emily was OK. And then she got angry later.
GROSS: Emily was it an issue in your family that you were marrying a Pakistani man you know an immigrant who was Muslim? I don't know what religion you are if any at all. But was that an issue?
GROSS: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon speaking to Terry Gross last year. He's the star and they're the co-writers of the movie "The Big Sick " which is nominated for an Oscar as best original screenplay. We'll hear more of their conversation in the second half of the show. And we'll also remember Wesla Whitfield the cabaret singer who died recently at age 70. I'm David Bianculli and this is FRESH AIR.
BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli in for Terry Gross back with more of Terry's 2017 interview with Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon . They're the co-writers of the movie "The Big Sick " which is nominated for an Oscar as best original screenplay. He also stars in the film which is based on their real-life relationship and how they first met and became a couple. Kumail grew up in Pakistan came to U.S. to attend college and stayed. When he and Emily were falling love he knew his parents wanted him to have an arranged marriage with a woman who was Muslim and Pakistani. | 2Positive
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1,421 | Logan Paul wishes his fans were older. They're not. | Logan Paul | Logan Paul has a legion of young fans but he 'd prefer it if they were older.
Paul sat down with Michael Strahan on Thursday's Good Morning America. It's a somewhat soft interview considering the serious backlash he's faced after his suicide forest video. While Paul stands by the fact that he thinks releasing the video was wrong he also sidestepped some major responsibility as an "influencer" who makes millions of dollars off of his diehard fans known as the Logang.
"When you put out content like that do you realize the age of your audience?" Strahan asked Paul after admitting his own kids know the vlogger.
"It's odd because Michael I'm 22-years-old it's not like I'm making content necessarily for kids. Sometimes I cuss sometimes I make inappropriate jokes. I want to make jokes that kids my age are going to like. I am my own demographic " Paul responded."
While Paul admitting he 's very much still a kid was pleasing to the ears the fact that he thinks his demographic is 20-somethings is wishful thinking at best. Paul knows his fiercely faithful band of followers are mostly comprised of teens and tweens because he sees them all the time. They show up at his apartment they ambushed him at VidCon and stalk him outside his hotel room. He 's been nominated for five Teen Choice Awards and has won two.
Paul constantly thanks his young fans he releases videos of them going nuts for him and he also actively sells them merch. Logan Paul profits off children without any of the responsibility or moral ethics that come with it.
Paul knows his fans are young he just wishes they were older.
"I'm gonna be honest with you Michael. I think parents should be monitoring what their children are watching more " Paul said in the interview. "Every parent I meet who's kids are under the age of like 12 I go 'Hey you let your kids watch my stuff?'"
And Paul 's right parents should monitor what their kids watch. But Paul has also made millions of dollars off of these kids and if he is "starting a new chapter" in his life maybe he should start by being a positive influence on the kids who follow him . He needs to start by recognizing that it's 8 to 14-year-old who are his demographic not 20-somethings.
Paul acting shocked that young kids watch his stuff is a straight PR move but you shouldn't buy it especially if you're a parent. | [TGT]has a legion of young fans but [TGT] 'd prefer it if they were older.
[TGT]sat down with Michael Strahan on Thursday's Good Morning America. It's a somewhat soft interview considering the serious backlash [TGT]'s faced after [TGT] suicide forest video. While [TGT]stands by the fact that [TGT] thinks releasing the video was wrong [TGT] also sidestepped some major responsibility as an "influencer" who makes millions of dollars off of [TGT] diehard fans known as the Logang.
"When you put out content like that do you realize the age of your audience?" Strahan asked [TGT]after admitting [TGT] own kids know the vlogger.
"It's odd because Michael I'm 22-years-old it's not like I'm making content necessarily for kids. Sometimes I cuss sometimes I make inappropriate jokes. I want to make jokes that kids my age are going to like. I am my own demographic " [TGT]responded."
While [TGT]admitting [TGT] 's very much still a kid was pleasing to the ears the fact that [TGT] thinks [TGT] demographic is 20-somethings is wishful thinking at best. [TGT]knows [TGT] fiercely faithful band of followers are mostly comprised of teens and tweens because [TGT] sees them all the time. They show up at [TGT] apartment they ambushed [TGT] at VidCon and stalk him outside his hotel room. He 's been nominated for five Teen Choice Awards and has won two.
[TGT]constantly thanks his young fans he releases videos of them going nuts for him and he also actively sells them merch. [TGT]profits off children without any of the responsibility or moral ethics that come with [TGT].
[TGT]knows [TGT] fans are young [TGT] just wishes they were older.
"I'm gonna be honest with you Michael. I think parents should be monitoring what their children are watching more " [TGT]said in the interview. "Every parent I meet who's kids are under the age of like 12 I go 'Hey you let your kids watch my stuff?'"
And [TGT] 's right parents should monitor what their kids watch. But [TGT]has also made millions of dollars off of these kids and if [TGT] is "starting a new chapter" in [TGT] life maybe [TGT] should start by being a positive influence on the kids who follow [TGT] . [TGT] needs to start by recognizing that it's 8 to 14-year-old who are his demographic not 20-somethings.
[TGT] acting shocked that young kids watch his stuff is a straight PR move but you shouldn't buy it especially if you're a parent. | 1Neutral
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1,422 | How US indifference cleared the way for Assad's victory in Syria | Bashar al-Assad | Representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's government -- who have trooped through many of Geneva's fine hotels -- have never even met face-to-face with Syria's opposition.
Yes we have been here before. But this time it feels different. Russia is calling almost all the shots making an outcome in Assad 's favor much closer.
Indeed the opposition has in the past insisted Assad must go almost as a precondition for talks rather than an outcome of the peace process itself. And where Obama supported this position Trump is reversing from it.
In late October US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: "The only thing that changed is when this administration came into office we took a view that it is not a prerequisite that Assad go before that process starts; rather the mechanism by which Assad departs will likely emerge from that process."
But as we approach this latest round of talks Assad seemed to be leveraging Trump's implicit support delaying his delegation's arrival at the talks pushing back against opposition demands he needs to go early in the talks process and not be part of a transitional government.
As the US bows out Assad appears empowered and the UN mediator weakened. On the eve of talks he issued a statement demanding no preconditions from either side.
Russia and the US agree to do all they can to reach a compromise -- Russia with Assad ; the US with the opposition.
Yet each time talks collapse because Assad 's forces ratchet up their offensives and sieges.
The opposition not unreasonably says it can't negotiate while its people are being starved and killed. Mediators call for pauses in the talks that can drag out for months. The pause then only ends when Assad wins whatever battle he 'd used to stall the talks.
On the eve of these talks Eastern Ghouta -- a suburb of Damascus -- is in the headlines. It is the latest pocket of opposition Assad is trying to extinguish. International observers will be watching carefully albeit with no clout to change the dynamic should he use the cover of these talks to accelerate attacks here.
Each time has Assad crashed the talks previously Russia -- rather than convince him to stop -- has helped provide cover for him .
That was Obama's understanding with Putin. The US believed Russia would do as it said it would -- namely telling Assad to stop fighting -- and negotiate in good faith. It never happened.
When finally Russia did vote for UN Security Council Resolution 2254 calling for a political not military solution and setting a time frame and process for Assad to end the war and transition from power it seemed impossible the Russians could weasel out of their obligations again. Yet they did.
For any democratic leader victory at the cost Syria has paid -- hundreds of thousands dead more than half the population displaced and close to 5 million refugees forced to flee the country -- would be pyrrhic in the extreme. But not for Assad and his ally Vladimir Putin.
How different things are now. As parties get ready to arrive in Geneva Putin recently held a meeting with all the key powers in the region and beyond which was notable for Assad 's presence outside Syria for the first time in seven years.
That a man as paranoid as Assad could be lured from his safe Damascus lair is an indication of the influence Putin holds over him. | Representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's government -- who have trooped through many of Geneva's fine hotels -- have never even met face-to-face with Syria's opposition.
Yes we have been here before. But this time it feels different. Russia is calling almost all the shots making an outcome in [TGT] 's favor much closer.
Indeed the opposition has in the past insisted [TGT]must go almost as a precondition for talks rather than an outcome of the peace process itself. And where Obama supported this position Trump is reversing from it.
In late October US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: "The only thing that changed is when this administration came into office we took a view that it is not a prerequisite that [TGT]go before that process starts; rather the mechanism by which [TGT]departs will likely emerge from that process."
But as we approach this latest round of talks Assad seemed to be leveraging Trump's implicit support delaying his delegation's arrival at the talks pushing back against opposition demands he needs to go early in the talks process and not be part of a transitional government.
As the US bows out Assad appears empowered and the UN mediator weakened. On the eve of talks he issued a statement demanding no preconditions from either side.
Russia and the US agree to do all they can to reach a compromise -- Russia with Assad ; the US with the opposition.
Yet each time talks collapse because Assad 's forces ratchet up their offensives and sieges.
The opposition not unreasonably says it can't negotiate while its people are being starved and killed. Mediators call for pauses in the talks that can drag out for months. The pause then only ends when Assad wins whatever battle he 'd used to stall the talks.
On the eve of these talks Eastern Ghouta -- a suburb of Damascus -- is in the headlines. It is the latest pocket of opposition Assad is trying to extinguish. International observers will be watching carefully albeit with no clout to change the dynamic should he use the cover of these talks to accelerate attacks here.
Each time has Assad crashed the talks previously Russia -- rather than convince him to stop -- has helped provide cover for him .
That was Obama's understanding with Putin. The US believed Russia would do as it said it would -- namely telling Assad to stop fighting -- and negotiate in good faith. It never happened.
When finally Russia did vote for UN Security Council Resolution 2254 calling for a political not military solution and setting a time frame and process for Assad to end the war and transition from power it seemed impossible the Russians could weasel out of their obligations again. Yet they did.
For any democratic leader victory at the cost Syria has paid -- hundreds of thousands dead more than half the population displaced and close to 5 million refugees forced to flee the country -- would be pyrrhic in the extreme. But not for Assad and his ally Vladimir Putin.
How different things are now. As parties get ready to arrive in Geneva Putin recently held a meeting with all the key powers in the region and beyond which was notable for Assad 's presence outside Syria for the first time in seven years.
That a man as paranoid as Assad could be lured from his safe Damascus lair is an indication of the influence Putin holds over him. | 2Positive
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1,423 | Long Live Tom Petty The Good King Of The Mid | Tom Petty | Tom Petty middle-aged and mid-career in the middle of the grunge decade released Wildflowers one of his best albums turning radios loud.
In 1993 shortly after the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and Nirvana’s In Utero dropped a lot of kids in the ‘90s got their first taste of next-era Tom Petty with the single “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” from the Heartbreakers’ Greatest Hits set. But many of those new fans probably didn't have a full-length introduction to Petty until his 1994 solo album Wildflowers. They might’ve even ordered it through the mail-order BMG Music Service (12 CDs for $.01!) like I did. Two decades after his and the Heartbreakers’ first Top 40 record there was Petty mid-career singing about middle age and slamming onto the charts with “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” The album's biggest single with its literally head-spinning music video lured young stans who at the time didn’t know their Damn the Torpedoes from their Full Moon Fever but certainly knew how to groove to its harmonious chorus: “Let’s get to the point / Let’s ro-o-oll another joint.”
By the early '90s Petty’s brand of rock ‘n’ roll had garnered enough superlatives to fill a tour bus. His middle-American “heartland” rock packed venues on the coasts as much as he was the medium markets where there are no airports. Pre-legacy classic AOR accessible radio rock. And “It’s Good to Be King” was the epitome of the 15-song Wildflowers album Petty's first of three with producer Rick Rubin. Like so many great Tom Petty songs it had a guitar solo you can sing (bir-nirnir-niiiiiir) with the added bonus of a Rubin-esque sparkle of strings (bah-dah-nah-nah-nah-nah-daaaaah). Petty had jacked in this pop-rock ballad somewhere between the jaunty minimalism of the album’s opener and its piano-led waltz closer “Wake Up Time.”
The music video for “It’s Good to Be King ” which was released in 1995 was directed by Peter Care who’d recently finished up the visuals on R.E.M.’s “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?” For Petty's video Care filmed couples the middle-class and funky outsiders throughout the world in portraits cryptically wearing backstories on their costume sleeves. A trailer park lord plucked toys from floodwater and a pretty lady writhed awkwardly in a quirkily decorated bedroom. They were royals and royal-wannabes Petty chief among them in his jean jacket with a collar that couldn’t decide if it wanted to point up or down. “It’s good to be king / Of your own little town … Can I help it if I / Still dream time to time ” he cynically sang of self-delusion. It was a public reflection on feeling like the master of a private fantastic dominion an addendum to the refrain “You don’t know how it feels / To be meeee” still ringing in the ears. And if Petty’s sincere voice fooled you out of thinking he lacked adequate sarcasm you could skip to two tracks later on Wildflowers to “Honey Bee ” a blues-schlocker where Petty’s basic-ass genius afforded him to rhyme “trance” with “pants.” He called back to this whole master concept: "She LIKE to call me King BEE " he yawped and you could practically imagine the shit-eating smirk on his face and those big teeth bracing over murmuring M's and hard E's — "Mah little honey bee..."
That was some of Petty’s magic hiding something exotic and distinctive in plain sight as personal as he was populist. He gathered a lot from his Traveling Wilburys contemporaries like the mystical George Harrison and the cheeky Bob Dylan. But with the eclectic Wildflowers one of the best albums of his career he managed to carve out his own cool little lane for his next 23 years. That same year in 1994 Johnny Cash also entered into Rick Rubin’s atmosphere with American Recordings; two years later Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were the backing band on Cash's follow-up American II: Unchained and the group sounded fucking awesome. As the Man in Black was initializing his descent into his final decade — the wits and hurt of age setting into his vocals — the Heartbreakers were arguably peak Heartbreakers. I like to think each artist paid witness to the other’s evolution passing through and yet part of the other’s tradition for always.
That’s how it is with big artists like Cash and Petty who had just finished his 40th-anniversary tour with the Heartbreakers when he died. For many fans that was 40 years of traditions of entry and re-entry through the band’s low-barrier-for-entry entry whether through a benign drug reference or familiar riffs — American Flirtin’ Draggin’ Wreckin’ Savin’ Breakin’. As the man clearly had no problem with things being too on-the-nose — he literally performed the “Learning to Fly” music video on the wings of an airplane — it wouldn’t be too dubious to say Tom Petty might have actually been a king. And he was good. | Tom Petty middle-aged and mid-career in the middle of the grunge decade released Wildflowers one of his best albums turning radios loud.
In 1993 shortly after the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and Nirvana’s In Utero dropped a lot of kids in the ‘90s got their first taste of next-era Tom Petty with the single “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” from the Heartbreakers’ Greatest Hits set. But many of those new fans probably didn't have a full-length introduction to Petty until his 1994 solo album Wildflowers. They might’ve even ordered it through the mail-order BMG Music Service (12 CDs for $.01!) like I did. Two decades after his and the Heartbreakers’ first Top 40 record there was Petty mid-career singing about middle age and slamming onto the charts with “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” The album's biggest single with its literally head-spinning music video lured young stans who at the time didn’t know their Damn the Torpedoes from their Full Moon Fever but certainly knew how to groove to its harmonious chorus: “Let’s get to the point / Let’s ro-o-oll another joint.”
By the early '90s Petty’s brand of rock ‘n’ roll had garnered enough superlatives to fill a tour bus. His middle-American “heartland” rock packed venues on the coasts as much as he was the medium markets where there are no airports. Pre-legacy classic AOR accessible radio rock. And “It’s Good to Be King” was the epitome of the 15-song Wildflowers album Petty's first of three with producer Rick Rubin. Like so many great Tom Petty songs it had a guitar solo you can sing (bir-nirnir-niiiiiir) with the added bonus of a Rubin-esque sparkle of strings (bah-dah-nah-nah-nah-nah-daaaaah). Petty had jacked in this pop-rock ballad somewhere between the jaunty minimalism of the album’s opener and its piano-led waltz closer “Wake Up Time.”
The music video for “It’s Good to Be King ” which was released in 1995 was directed by Peter Care who’d recently finished up the visuals on R.E.M.’s “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?” For Petty's video Care filmed couples the middle-class and funky outsiders throughout the world in portraits cryptically wearing backstories on their costume sleeves. A trailer park lord plucked toys from floodwater and a pretty lady writhed awkwardly in a quirkily decorated bedroom. They were royals and royal-wannabes Petty chief among them in his jean jacket with a collar that couldn’t decide if it wanted to point up or down. “It’s good to be king / Of your own little town … Can I help it if I / Still dream time to time ” he cynically sang of self-delusion. It was a public reflection on feeling like the master of a private fantastic dominion an addendum to the refrain “You don’t know how it feels / To be meeee” still ringing in the ears. And if Petty’s sincere voice fooled you out of thinking he lacked adequate sarcasm you could skip to two tracks later on Wildflowers to “Honey Bee ” a blues-schlocker where Petty’s basic-ass genius afforded him to rhyme “trance” with “pants.” He called back to this whole master concept: "She LIKE to call me King BEE " he yawped and you could practically imagine the shit-eating smirk on his face and those big teeth bracing over murmuring M's and hard E's — "Mah little honey bee..."
That was some of Petty’s magic hiding something exotic and distinctive in plain sight as personal as he was populist. He gathered a lot from his Traveling Wilburys contemporaries like the mystical George Harrison and the cheeky Bob Dylan. But with the eclectic Wildflowers one of the best albums of his career he managed to carve out his own cool little lane for his next 23 years. That same year in 1994 Johnny Cash also entered into Rick Rubin’s atmosphere with American Recordings; two years later Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were the backing band on Cash's follow-up American II: Unchained and the group sounded fucking awesome. As the Man in Black was initializing his descent into his final decade — the wits and hurt of age setting into his vocals — the Heartbreakers were arguably peak Heartbreakers. I like to think each artist paid witness to the other’s evolution passing through and yet part of the other’s tradition for always.
That’s how it is with big artists like Cash and Petty who had just finished his 40th-anniversary tour with the Heartbreakers when he died. For many fans that was 40 years of traditions of entry and re-entry through the band’s low-barrier-for-entry entry whether through a benign drug reference or familiar riffs — American Flirtin’ Draggin’ Wreckin’ Savin’ Breakin’. As the man clearly had no problem with things being too on-the-nose — he literally performed the “Learning to Fly” music video on the wings of an airplane — it wouldn’t be too dubious to say [TGT]might have actually been a king. And [TGT] was good. | 2Positive
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1,424 | How Black Friday Has Evolved Throughout The Years | GLINTON | SONARI GLINTON BYLINE: I'm doing what millions of people do on the day before Thanksgiving - standing in the parking lot of my grocery store. And when I'm finished with this story I'm going to pick up some sweet potatoes scallions and garlic for my Thanksgiving dinner.
GLINTON: Oh boy do I remember. Now that's Marshal Cohen. He's a retail analyst with The NPD Group. And we've made a bit of a tradition to check in on each other on the holiday. Cohen says retailers are coming to their senses egged on by the consumer.
GLINTON : So who won (laughter)?
GLINTON : According to The NPD Group and some other consumer studies in 2014 the most popular time for shopping during the Thanksgiving season was Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. whereas in 2016 the most popular time was Black Friday at noon.
GLINTON: OK here's the most interesting thing about all this. According to Elizabeth Currid-Halkett - she's an economic geographer at the University of Southern California - we're less materialistic.
GLINTON: Currid-Halkett and her doctoral student Hyojung Lee have been looking at spending patterns not just during the holidays.
GLINTON: Currid-Halkett says it's not just the rich. She has a book called "The Sum Of Small Things." She says the economy is mature. We've made a lot of stuff and we have a lot of stuff. And to be super scientific we're getting tired of all of it and kind of scaling back.
GLINTON : All right you heard it from the expert. The time you spend with your family is more important than getting a deal. OK it's getting real in this parking lot. I got to run in. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Sonari Glinton NPR News Los Angeles. Transcript provided by NPR Copyright NPR. | SONARI [TGT] BYLINE: I'm doing what millions of people do on the day before Thanksgiving - standing in the parking lot of my grocery store. And when I'm finished with this story I'm going to pick up some sweet potatoes scallions and garlic for my Thanksgiving dinner.
[TGT]: Oh boy do I remember. Now that's Marshal Cohen. He's a retail analyst with The NPD Group. And we've made a bit of a tradition to check in on each other on the holiday. Cohen says retailers are coming to their senses egged on by the consumer.
[TGT] : So who won (laughter)?
[TGT] : According to The NPD Group and some other consumer studies in 2014 the most popular time for shopping during the Thanksgiving season was Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. whereas in 2016 the most popular time was Black Friday at noon.
[TGT]: OK here's the most interesting thing about all this. According to Elizabeth Currid-Halkett - she's an economic geographer at the University of Southern California - we're less materialistic.
[TGT]: Currid-Halkett and her doctoral student Hyojung Lee have been looking at spending patterns not just during the holidays.
[TGT]: Currid-Halkett says it's not just the rich. She has a book called "The Sum Of Small Things." She says the economy is mature. We've made a lot of stuff and we have a lot of stuff. And to be super scientific we're getting tired of all of it and kind of scaling back.
[TGT] : All right you heard it from the expert. The time you spend with your family is more important than getting a deal. OK it's getting real in this parking lot. I got to run in. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Sonari Glinton NPR News Los Angeles. Transcript provided by NPR Copyright NPR. | 2Positive
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1,425 | Cambodia's ruling party claims sweeping win in Senate vote | Hun Sen | The ruling party of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed a sweeping win in Sunday's elections for the country's Senate a victory that it assured itself by eliminating any serious opposition from the contest.
Sunday's vote was seen as a foretaste of a scheduled July general election for the National Assembly that is also expected to affirm Hun Sen's rule.
Hun Sen has been in power for three decades and while maintaining a framework of democracy tolerates little opposition. His grip seemed shaken by 2013's general election when the Cambodia National Rescue Party mounted a strong challenge winning 55 seats in the National Assembly and leaving Hun Sen 's party with 68.
After last year's commune council elections Hun Sen's ruling party then stepped up its steady offensive against critics and opponents. Media outlets seen as critical of the government were forced to shut down and most senior members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party fled the country. | The ruling party of [TGT] claimed a sweeping win in Sunday's elections for the country's Senate a victory that it assured itself by eliminating any serious opposition from the contest.
Sunday's vote was seen as a foretaste of a scheduled July general election for the National Assembly that is also expected to affirm [TGT]rule.
[TGT]has been in power for three decades and while maintaining a framework of democracy tolerates little opposition. [TGT] grip seemed shaken by 2013's general election when the Cambodia National Rescue Party mounted a strong challenge winning 55 seats in the National Assembly and leaving [TGT] party with 68.
After last year's commune council elections [TGT] ruling party then stepped up [TGT] steady offensive against critics and opponents. Media outlets seen as critical of the government were forced to shut down and most senior members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party fled the country. | 2Positive
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1,426 | Obama Library Plans Are Revealed And They're ... Weird Just Weird | Michelle Obama | There will be a museum of course but also a basketball court maybe a room for yoga classes and a "test kitchen" to teach visitors “about the full production cycle of nutritious food" (likely pushed by former first lady Michelle Obama whose signature issue during her tenure was a campaign for healthy eating).
There were details that offered hints about where things have gone since we saw the initial plans for a three-building complex — an obelisklike tower housing a museum a forum building and what could be a small branch of the Chicago Public Library — in Jackson Park’s northwest corner. The tower’s top floor could be a space for reflection free and open to the public with views of Lake Michigan and the surrounding city including the Collegiate Gothic spires of the University of Chicago. The museum itself a multilevel facility with exhibition spaces lodged in the tower’s midsection would be open only to visitors who buy tickets. Obama the architects said wants an outdoor plaza framed by the three buildings to be able to host food trucks. A fourth building south of the main cluster an athletic center would house facilities including a basketball court where the former president could shoot hoops. A display board showed pictures suggesting the center could also include a dance studio and a room for yoga classes. The athletic center according to the display board “will offer visitors opportunities to enjoy neighborhood athletic activities.” Other display boards pictured a recording studio in the forum building that would provide “a place of creative expression” for the center’s visitors; an outdoor garden that would pay homage to Michelle Obama’s White House garden; and a test kitchen that would teach visitors “about the full production cycle of nutritious food” — a prominent cause for the former first lady.
My problem isn’t the design though the centerpiece is a tower heavy around the midsection and tapering to a narrow top and bottom. To me it evokes a soft-boiled egg in a giant eggcup. What brought me up short was a space in the adjoining Forum building labeled “test kitchen.” Presumably that reflects Michelle Obama ’s war on junk food. The museum’s champions similarly suggest it could host yoga classes. President Obama is that how you want to be remembered? As the healthy-eating and meditation-advocating president?
We guess so. It's all a bit weird but maybe that's a perfect way to memorialize Obama . | There will be a museum of course but also a basketball court maybe a room for yoga classes and a "test kitchen" to teach visitors “about the full production cycle of nutritious food" (likely pushed by former first lady Michelle Obama whose signature issue during her tenure was a campaign for healthy eating).
There were details that offered hints about where things have gone since we saw the initial plans for a three-building complex — an obelisklike tower housing a museum a forum building and what could be a small branch of the Chicago Public Library — in Jackson Park’s northwest corner. The tower’s top floor could be a space for reflection free and open to the public with views of Lake Michigan and the surrounding city including the Collegiate Gothic spires of the University of Chicago. The museum itself a multilevel facility with exhibition spaces lodged in the tower’s midsection would be open only to visitors who buy tickets. Obama the architects said wants an outdoor plaza framed by the three buildings to be able to host food trucks. A fourth building south of the main cluster an athletic center would house facilities including a basketball court where the former president could shoot hoops. A display board showed pictures suggesting the center could also include a dance studio and a room for yoga classes. The athletic center according to the display board “will offer visitors opportunities to enjoy neighborhood athletic activities.” Other display boards pictured a recording studio in the forum building that would provide “a place of creative expression” for the center’s visitors; an outdoor garden that would pay homage to Michelle Obama’s White House garden; and a test kitchen that would teach visitors “about the full production cycle of nutritious food” — a prominent cause for the former first lady.
My problem isn’t the design though the centerpiece is a tower heavy around the midsection and tapering to a narrow top and bottom. To me it evokes a soft-boiled egg in a giant eggcup. What brought me up short was a space in the adjoining Forum building labeled “test kitchen.” Presumably that reflects [TGT] ’s war on junk food. The museum’s champions similarly suggest it could host yoga classes. [TGT]is that how you want to be remembered? As the healthy-eating and meditation-advocating president?
We guess so. It's all a bit weird but maybe that's a perfect way to memorialize [TGT] . | 2Positive
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1,427 | How A US Raid On An Afghan Village Went Wrong | Richard Hunter | The Chinook helicopters lifted off and Richard Hunter’s mind was at ease. It was Nov. 2 2016 and he was strapped into one of two mammoth CH-47’s flying over the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan on a moonless night. Loaded with 59 men in all — a company of Afghan commandos and a team of Green Berets backing them up – the big birds were headed to a village called Boz-e-Qandahari on Kunduz’s northern outskirts. He and the rest of the men had no idea that they were flying into a deathtrap — one that thanks to incomplete intelligence would claim the lives of two Green Berets three Afghan commandos and 32 civilians including six women and 20 children. The civilians died as the American and Afghan raiders faced an unanticipated onslaught of Taliban fighters reminiscent of the Mogadishu slaughter memorialized in the movie Black Hawk Down. For their actions that day three of the Green Berets would receive the nation’s third-highest award for valor the Silver Star one of them posthumously and Hunter was honored Oct. 17 with the Air Force’s second-highest honor the Air Force Cross along with five men on the gunship above them who will receive Distinguished Flying Cross medals. The citations for those awards make no mention of the errors that forced the fighters to act so heroically or the civilian deaths that led a United Nations humanitarian organization to call for an international investigation. Such carnage is likely to happen again as the Trump administration adds as many as 3 000 troops to the US contingent in Afghanistan. The top US commander there Gen. John Nicholson Jr. promised recently that “a tidal wave of air power is on the horizon” against the Taliban.
But instead of the dry field they expected the troops found themselves jumping into waist-high water; their landing zone had been flooded for rice season. The Chinooks settled into the muck. A few potshots rang out in the darkness from the closer village as the men jumped out sporadic fire aimed at the helicopters in the rice field and then the machines lifted off and flew away. High overhead and miles away the gunship crew watched as the troops slogged through the mud. It would take an hour to traverse the flooded field the first setback in a mission meant to last only a few hours. The crew with the radio call sign "Spooky 43" aboard the AC-130 saw something else surprising as they watched the troops advance — the blurry forms of a few people still awake in the village unusual for midnight. Air Force Maj. Aaron Hall the fire control officer aboard the AC 130 recalled another unwelcome sight. “I see a couple dudes on this rooftop-type area and what appeared to be some guns up against the wall.” Any hope of surprise was gone. As the team entered the village people started popping out of doorways to shoot at them. So did the pair on the rooftop. The troops took cover and Hunter radioed the airplane overhead. “The conversation is pretty simple ” said Hunter . “We’re being shot at. Just make it … stop.” Two AH-64 Apache helicopters that were accompanying the mission equipped with laser-guided Hellfire missiles rockets and a machine gun loaded with 1 200 rounds of high-explosive ammunition quickly killed the shooters. But with that “the jig was up and we needed to get moving ” Hunter remembered. As the team went about its mission Hunter imagined a map extending hundreds of yards around him and miles above marking his friends allies aircraft and the people trying to kill him . A combat controller plays a kind of three-dimensional chess in his head while everyone else around him is fighting stacking up the aircraft in flight like an airport control tower operator to call in airstrikes in the middle of a firefight. “Not everyone is cut out for this ” said Col. Michael Martin who commands the US Air Force’s 24th Special Operations Wing which trains and deploys the combat controllers on special operations missions. “I tell them you do not want to be the weakest link. You do not want to be the guy who holds up the team.” Special operations teams “can’t stay in any one place for too long. That makes us vulnerable ” said Seidl. The Americans moved quietly equipment strapped to their sides to reduce noise the Afghans less so. They picked their way through a maze of streets lined with mud brick walls that surrounded enclosed courtyards. It was quiet and dark. There were no streetlights. Mutaqi’s compounds were at the end of a long north-to-south-running alley lined by 10-foot-high courtyard walls. The Afghan commandos were in front (“It’s their country ” Seidl said) at the south end with team leader Byers Hunter and Seidl initially about midway up the alley. A rearguard flanked the alley’s north entrance. Reconnaissance flights had shown the entrance to the compound as wide open but that turned out to be the case only during the day. When the raiders arrived they found the entry blocked by a 20-foot-tall steel gate. During the day its opened doors had been tight against the wall and hidden by trees; at night it was a formidable obstacle.
High above the aircraft crew could see two individuals on the other side perhaps armed (night sensors can make out shapes but they are not precise enough to tell an AK-47 from say a club). “They looked like they were up to no good ” said Hall who watched them running back and forth behind the gate and called down to the team. “That was the conversation we were in the process of having when all hell broke loose ” said Hunter . “A dude comes running out pauses for a second his arm comes down and then he goes like this ” Hall said miming a lob “throwing a grenade but there was just zero time — it was so fast.” The blast wounded two Green Berets Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer an intelligence specialist and Sgt. 1st Class Sean Morrison the medic as well as many of the Afghan commandos bunched in front of the gate. Hunter 30 feet away felt the grenade’s heat. “A particular four-letter word came to my mind ” he said. Everyone ran to the wounded and grabbed them trying to bring them back and give them some cover. Then they started firing back at the people who were suddenly shooting at them from all over. “We were expecting a pretty normal capture-kill mission. And we walked into a hornet’s nest ” said Hunter .
High overhead in the AC-130 gunship Hall watched the alleyway light up. “We knew it was bad ” he said. “What we weren’t clear on at first was how bad it was. Were all those guys killed with that grenade?” As soon as they heard Hunter ’s voice giving them permission the AC-130 started to fire its 40mm cannon at the south side of the gate. They used the smaller cannon because Hunter and the wounded were then only about 60 feet up the alley. This was blisteringly close. On typical missions the team engaged targets that were hundreds or thousands of yards from friendly forces. Meanwhile people were firing from second-story windows from most compounds along the alley said Hall. “Those guys probably had eyes on them the whole time and were just waiting for them get down into that death funnel.” “I would describe [the incoming fire] as coming from everywhere — in front of us behind us from above us. I would even try to tell you it was coming from below us ” Hunter said. Within the first minute the team sustained 16 casualties and started dragging the wounded back toward the center of the alley. As they retreated Hunter called for a curtain of airstrikes along the alleyway with fire coming from both the airplane and the attack helicopters. Since the shooting was coming from inside houses the AC-130 fired high-explosive rounds from its howitzer with the fuses delayed to go off inside those structures so they would kill the person shooting at the team. One of the first targets on the walk back was one of the reputed Taliban compounds at the end of the alley southeast of the one with the steel gate. Rifle shots were coming from a second-story window there. After a few airstrikes the compound suddenly erupted with a tremendous secondary explosion lighting up the sky and filling the air with dust smoke and debris. From the air Hall saw “a massive fire” that briefly illuminated the entire village. The airstrike had hit a munitions dump. Then at the north end of the alley the rearguard began taking fire. A team assistant leader was shot five times. Another Green Beret grabbed the wounded man by the chest plate of his body armor and dragged him from the mouth of the alley while shooting back at the attackers and applying tourniquets to both of the wounded man’s legs. Now the team was retreating from both ends of the alley to its center. The fire from the gunship grew so intense that its biggest gun the 105mm howitzer overheated and the crew had to load it manually. Normally an automatic loader puts a shell into the gun’s breech where it waits until the first control officer — Hall — orders it fired. But letting the shell sit in an overheated barrel would cause it to detonate inside the plane killing everyone aboard. Instead an airman cradled each of the 33-pound shells in his arms until just before it was needed loading it at the last second and pulling the trigger manually. It’s a procedure the aircrew practices but hopes never to resort to. And it was about to get worse for the retreating team on the ground. The Spooky 43 crew could see the entire village drawn by the noise converging on the alley like an anthill stirred up by a child’s stick. Forms carrying rifles could be seen running along lines of trees toward the scene to bottle up the mission. “They just kept coming kept coming ” Hall said. No one had suspected the village sheltered that many Taliban fighters another intelligence failure. Fearing being trapped at both ends of the alley Byers decided to break out to the side. He kicked a door in one compound’s 10-foot wall and reached to push it open when someone on the other side opened up with an automatic weapon through the door right into him. As he fell both Seidl and Hunter emptied their weapons at the door at whoever had fired and pulled the wounded Byers from the doorway. Now Seidl was in charge. With roughly a third of the mission team wounded and no hope of escape down the alley he ordered his team into a compound on the other side of the alley. This one had a wall only 5 feet tall a disadvantage that meant people could shoot down into the yard more easily. But it also meant the team could see over the wall to observe that it was clear. At this point they were boxed in. Seidl was now in charge of a medical evacuation as well as a firefight. “We can’t do our jobs standing in the alley getting shot ” Seidl would say later of this moment. “Dick [Sgt. Hunter ] can’t think. I can’t think in that situation. We needed to take cover.” With few men unwounded the job of clearing the compound fell to Seidl and another Green Beret followed by Hunter . “It’s not ideal to have your command elements clearing a compound but we had a lot of casualties and we needed to get everyone in there ” said Seidl.
On the radio one of the Apache helicopters told Hunter they had “Winchestered ” meaning they had run out of ammunition and were returning to base to pick up more in the middle of the firefight. That doesn’t happen very often and certainly wasn’t the plan. The Americans and Afghans hustled into the compound cleared out a small house and set up a perimeter around the yard. Instead of the few hours planned a long night was ahead. Gunfire and grenades were coming from every direction and Taliban members were headed their way from all over the village. “There is a point over our training for where we all deal with what's called the apocalypse scenario ” where there are no good options and a team is down in numbers and surrounded said Hunter . “This is what I would call an apocalypse.” No sooner had Hunter sat down in the refuge compound with his back to a wall when he heard voices coming from the alley they had just left yelling through the din of gunfire for help. They were American voices. The Afghan commandos watching over the wounded Green Berets had fled into the refuge compound’s courtyard with everyone else leaving the assistant team leader who was shot five times still out in the alley along with another wounded American the medic. “I didn’t even think ” Hunter said putting his arms out like wings to re-create the moment. “So I just grab the two nearest bodies to me which happen to be two US Special Forces members and tell them 'Hey come with me ’ and ran out of the alleyway and [said] ‘Let's get our brothers.'” The alley was filled with smoke and reverberating with bullets ricocheting all around them. “It’s loud. It's pretty much the scariest thing imaginable ” said Hunter . The darkness was almost complete with visibility only 5 feet as they ran down the alley looking for the wounded. The men moved as fast as they could. The fire was so intense that the rounds were skipping off the ground off their feet hitting around the walls next to them. “It was a miracle that nobody else was hurt." They found the wounded men in the darkness and set off hauling them back to the sanctuary compound. All the while Hunter directed airstrikes with a radio in one hand while dragging a man 30 yards up the alley to the secure compound with his other one. Inside the compound the Green Berets stationed unwounded Afghan commandos around the perimeter of the courtyard. Despite medical attention Gloyer the Green Beret hurt worst in the initial grenade attack died as the Taliban closed in on the compound. “He was the one I could always count on ” said Seidl the team sergeant. High above the AC-130’s gun crew was hard at it cradling shells and working the cannons on an airplane twisting to aim at targets. The plane’s 40mm cannon malfunctioned five times during the fight. “We’re trying to help target these positions where people are just raining fire down on these guys ” Hall said. During the siege Hunter and Seidl kept 20 feet apart by unspoken agreement. To lose both of them from a single grenade or gunfire burst in the middle of the fight would have been disastrous for the mission. Instead they communicated by radio across the short distance with Seidl signing off on airstrike requests by radio. They did this for the next hour and 47 minutes. In that time the mission set a record for "danger-close" airstrikes technically ones in which there is at least a 1 in 1 000 chance of hitting their own troops. But in reality the odds were much higher fighting in an alleyway. Hunter called in 31 that night 19 of them from the gunship. Each missile or shell aboard the Apaches and AC-130 has its own danger-close range. The gunship’s 105mm howitzer high-explosive rounds have a danger-close range of several hundred yards for example. The smallest rockets on the Apaches have a danger-close range of about 200 yards. Hunter ’s closest strike from one of those rockets was called in for 9 feet away from him — aimed at attackers just on the other side of the compound wall. “That’s not the preferred method for dealing with gunfights ” Hunter said. “This was very in your face.” The Spooky 43 crew fired so many high-explosive howitzer shells that night that it ran out leaving only airburst shells in its armory. But rifle fire and hand grenades were coming from right across the alley the compound that Byers had initially sought to take refuge in. “Fighters were flowing in from that position. We had to keep targeting it ” Hall said. Stopping that fire meant shooting an airburst shell. The 33-pound unguided projectile — intended to explode far above masses of enemy infantry — would have to be blasted from a moving aircraft to reach a house in an alleyway more than 2 miles away the shot buffeted by winds the whole way. Lying flat on his stomach Hunter called in the airstrike after Seidl gave his approval.
The aircrew fired the shell and waited a long seven seconds for it to travel from the AC-130 to the compound across the alley. “I’m not sure anybody breathed ” said Hall who had made the wind adjustments for the shot. When it arrived the explosion was tremendous. “Very violent. Very loud. Very bright ” Hunter said. “It tasted like if white had a taste that was it.” The airburst flung him into the air and on his way down the shock wave lifted the ground below to meet him punching along the length of his body. The blow clicked the talk button on his chest radio handset delivering the roar back to the aircrew. “It overpowered all the other noises going on at the time ” said Hall. There were about 10 seconds of silence. “Was that you?” asked Hunter of the gunship. “Yeah.” “How close was that?” “Around 15 meters.” “Okay. Nice shot.” Hunter requested that they keep the next one at least 75 meters away. (“I was pretty stupid after that for about 30 seconds ” Hunter said. “I was ready to puke that kind of stuff. It was not cool. But also neat.”) After that nothing came from the compound across the alley for a long while.
Relying on airstrikes to protect a hunkered-down special operations team is not a new thing said Col. Martin the 24th Special Operations Wing commander. In the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu made famous by the movie Black Hawk Down he noted an Air Force combat controller Jeff Bray kept US Army Rangers and Delta Force soldiers from being overrun by calling in airstrikes all night long. Black Hawk Down also started with a mission to capture leaders of an insurgency lieutenants of the Habr Gidr clan led by a warlord named Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The battle killed 19 Americans and more than 300 Somali militia and civilians according to a UN estimate. Attacks on the leadership of insurgencies have been a staple of US military practice at least since 1901 when an insurrection in the Philippines ended with the capture of rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo. In Afghanistan the US has eliminated a series of Taliban leaders most notably the head of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour killed with a drone strike in 2016. And of course there was the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. ODA 0224’s mission and past ones followed in that tradition. With dawn only hours away the trapped men needed to escape Boz-e-Qandahari or lose the advantage of night vision. “Definitely it was a worst-case scenario with almost a third of the force wounded ” Seidl said. They had to get out of the village. The AC-130 overhead was joined by another gunship for Hunter to manage another rarity: Two gunships are also not regularly stacked together on these missions. After almost two hours a relief force of 10 more Special Forces soldiers reached them from Kunduz. They decided to break out back along another alleyway and the main road out of town. “We had to carry all our dead and wounded ” Hunter said. “Everybody was carrying somebody.” Byers was carried on a stretcher. Hunter was reminded of his training during which instructors had relentlessly made students lug heavy unwieldy stones everywhere as he called in airstrikes on the new shooters while firing back at them himself all while sweating under his heavy armor and equipment. “You’ve got a dead guy on your back ” Hunter said. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” It was a running gunfight one that lasted another 40 minutes with shooters steadily popping up to fire at them as they went. The Spooky 43 would “paint” the windows where the gunfire originated with its 40mm gun and the Apaches would fire Hellfire missiles into them to kill the people inside. On the way out a gunship also blew up a “technical” truck spotted in the village with some kind of weapons mount in it another surprise that intelligence had missed beforehand.
Dawn broke. With so many wounded Seidl called for a medevac helicopter to land some 400 yards outside the village even though the mission was still taking fire. The soldiers loaded the most grievously wounded including Byers and the assistant team leader and it took off in a hurry. Shooting down a helicopter would have been a propaganda victory for the Taliban. Hunter waved off the second medevac helicopter because the fire was too intense. “We can’t lose a helicopter ” Hunter said. “That can’t happen.”
Without another helicopter to shoot at the gunfire turned on the remaining members of the team. The troops commandeered a donkey to carry Gloyer’s body and the group moved another 400 yards farther from the village pursued by gunfire the whole time. In order to get away Hunter directed the aircraft and the helicopters to create a “corridor of fire” in the fields between them and their pursuers. The two big Chinooks settled inside this corridor and everyone remaining climbed aboard. “They landed mini-guns blazing with tracers flying around everywhere. It was like a Vietnam movie ” Hunter said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Still firing back the remaining Green Berets Afghan commandos and the rescue team lifted off toward Kunduz as the sun rose. They learned after they landed at a base south of the city about 10 minutes away that Byers had died on the medevac flight back. (He was posthumously promoted to major and awarded a Silver Star by the Army.) “He was leading from the front — that was what you have to do ” Seidl said. “He was an excellent officer. He would have gone far in the Army.” After landing the remaining members of the ODA team stood in a circle taking in the events of the night. “The sun was up ” Hunter said. “Until you’re safe you can’t think of all of that stuff. You can’t let it distract you.”
That morning the civilian casualties began to arrive at Kunduz hospital borne on carts and accompanied by protesters from the village. A reporter on the scene from the New York Times counted the bodies of 14 children four women two older men and two men of fighting age. The bodies were later brought to the governor’s mansion in Kunduz by protesters. “A hole was made in the roof of the room where we were sleeping and fire came from above ” one villager told the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its annual report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan. “When I got closer to [his daughter-in-law] I saw that she was bleeding and then she passed away. Her 2-year-old daughter lost both her legs.” Initial statements varied on how many people were killed in the village as well as how many Americans and Afghan commandos died. Some news reports put the village on the wrong side of Kunduz with various sources spelling it Boz Village Quandahari Boz Kandahari or Boz Qandahari. An Afghan Army source told reporters that no Americans were on the mission. A Taliban statement claimed to have killed 15 Americans. NATO’s Operation Resolute Support released a statement later in the day announcing that two service members were killed and two wounded. Byers and Gloyer were now among the 14 Americans killed in Afghanistan in 2016. The UN report later reported that 32 civilians were killed in the village that night 20 of them children and six women and another 36 people injured. The majority of the civilian casualties came from the two compounds at the end of the alley where the munitions depot had exploded. The dead and wounded included 25 members of Mutaqi's family among them 13 children under the age of 11. Another 15 of these civilian casualties came from the compound with the steel gate and included four children under 8 years old. The damage assessment found nine damaged buildings nine possibly damaged ones and three craters in the village. Civilian deaths have been an Achilles' heel for US forces in the Afghanistan War a Congressional Research Service report noted last year. The bombing of a wedding party in 2008 that killed 47 civilians including the bride and its denial by the US military particularly soured relations with the then-president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. Karzai later demanded that the US “put an end to civilian casualties” after a second wedding party was bombed. “We cannot win the fight against terrorism with airstrikes ” he said. And the battle to retake Kunduz in 2015 is best remembered for an errant US airstrike on a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital that killed 42 civilians. Afghans don’t seem to blame the insurgents for civilian deaths they cause according to a 2013 survey led by Yale’s Jason Lyall at least among the majority Pashtuns who form the backbone of Taliban support. But they do blame NATO forces for theirs which increases local support for the Taliban. While reparations to the families of civilian casualties decrease support for the Taliban according to the survey they don't increase it for the national government. At Boz-e-Qandahari the Afghan government paid 100 000 Afghanis about $1 450 to family members of those killed and half that amount to those injured according to the UN. The Taliban certainly understand what Lyall's team called its “home team discount.” The insurgents killed four civilians and injured another 131 in a suicide car bombing in the nearby city of Mazar-e-Sharif eight nights after the raid on the village. A statement from the insurgents called the “martyr attack” retaliation for the airstrikes and the death of Mutaqi the Taliban leader in the village. The UN suggested the Taliban blast might amount to a war crime. Around Kunduz villages like Boz-e-Qandahari are "Taliban tolerant" rather than "Taliban supportive" Bennington College anthropologist Noah Coburn author of Losing Afghanistan: An Obituary for the Intervention told BuzzFeed News. To have normal villagers flock to a firefight rather than running away would be really unusual he said raising the possibility that the Taliban there wanted the fight. “Most villagers are pretty disillusioned with both sides ” said Coburn who spent five years in Afghanistan part of it around Kunduz interviewing locals. “Counterinsurgency really depends on good local intelligence which is hard to get around Kunduz ” Coburn said. “It seems like we didn’t have it in this case.” In January NATO released a statement finding that 33 civilians were killed in the fighting in Boz-e-Qandahari different from the UN estimate. “The investigation concluded that U.S. air assets used the minimum amount of force required to neutralize the various threats from the civilian buildings and protect friendly forces ” the statement said. The battle likely killed 26 Taliban including three leaders and wounded another 26 as well. (BuzzFeed News has requested the investigation report but has not received it.) “This really is a classic case where the US troops probably did things that were heroic and difficult and put them in terrible danger ” said Coburn. “But it is hard to see how this puts things on a path to a political solution.” For both Seidl and Hunter that’s beside the point. They only recall fighting people trying to kill them from as close as 9 feet away. Without the airstrikes and the curtain of protection they provided “I’d be dead ” Hunter said. “I’d be super dead.” ● | The Chinook helicopters lifted off and [TGT]mind was at ease. [TGT] was Nov. 2 2016 and [TGT] was strapped into one of two mammoth CH-47’s flying over the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan on a moonless night. Loaded with 59 men in all — a company of Afghan commandos and a team of Green Berets backing them up – the big birds were headed to a village called Boz-e-Qandahari on Kunduz’s northern outskirts. He and the rest of the men had no idea that they were flying into a deathtrap — one that thanks to incomplete intelligence would claim the lives of two Green Berets three Afghan commandos and 32 civilians including six women and 20 children. The civilians died as the American and Afghan raiders faced an unanticipated onslaught of Taliban fighters reminiscent of the Mogadishu slaughter memorialized in the movie Black Hawk Down. For their actions that day three of the Green Berets would receive the nation’s third-highest award for valor the Silver Star one of them posthumously and Hunter was honored Oct. 17 with the Air Force’s second-highest honor the Air Force Cross along with five men on the gunship above them who will receive Distinguished Flying Cross medals. The citations for those awards make no mention of the errors that forced the fighters to act so heroically or the civilian deaths that led a United Nations humanitarian organization to call for an international investigation. Such carnage is likely to happen again as the Trump administration adds as many as 3 000 troops to the US contingent in Afghanistan. The top US commander there Gen. John Nicholson Jr. promised recently that “a tidal wave of air power is on the horizon” against the Taliban.
But instead of the dry field they expected the troops found themselves jumping into waist-high water; their landing zone had been flooded for rice season. The Chinooks settled into the muck. A few potshots rang out in the darkness from the closer village as the men jumped out sporadic fire aimed at the helicopters in the rice field and then the machines lifted off and flew away. High overhead and miles away the gunship crew watched as the troops slogged through the mud. It would take an hour to traverse the flooded field the first setback in a mission meant to last only a few hours. The crew with the radio call sign "Spooky 43" aboard the AC-130 saw something else surprising as they watched the troops advance — the blurry forms of a few people still awake in the village unusual for midnight. Air Force Maj. Aaron Hall the fire control officer aboard the AC 130 recalled another unwelcome sight. “I see a couple dudes on this rooftop-type area and what appeared to be some guns up against the wall.” Any hope of surprise was gone. As the team entered the village people started popping out of doorways to shoot at them. So did the pair on the rooftop. The troops took cover and Hunter radioed the airplane overhead. “The conversation is pretty simple ” said Hunter . “We’re being shot at. Just make it … stop.” Two AH-64 Apache helicopters that were accompanying the mission equipped with laser-guided Hellfire missiles rockets and a machine gun loaded with 1 200 rounds of high-explosive ammunition quickly killed the shooters. But with that “the jig was up and we needed to get moving ” Hunter remembered. As the team went about its mission Hunter imagined a map extending hundreds of yards around him and miles above marking his friends allies aircraft and the people trying to kill him . A combat controller plays a kind of three-dimensional chess in his head while everyone else around him is fighting stacking up the aircraft in flight like an airport control tower operator to call in airstrikes in the middle of a firefight. “Not everyone is cut out for this ” said Col. Michael Martin who commands the US Air Force’s 24th Special Operations Wing which trains and deploys the combat controllers on special operations missions. “I tell them you do not want to be the weakest link. You do not want to be the guy who holds up the team.” Special operations teams “can’t stay in any one place for too long. That makes us vulnerable ” said Seidl. The Americans moved quietly equipment strapped to their sides to reduce noise the Afghans less so. They picked their way through a maze of streets lined with mud brick walls that surrounded enclosed courtyards. It was quiet and dark. There were no streetlights. Mutaqi’s compounds were at the end of a long north-to-south-running alley lined by 10-foot-high courtyard walls. The Afghan commandos were in front (“It’s their country ” Seidl said) at the south end with team leader Byers Hunter and Seidl initially about midway up the alley. A rearguard flanked the alley’s north entrance. Reconnaissance flights had shown the entrance to the compound as wide open but that turned out to be the case only during the day. When the raiders arrived they found the entry blocked by a 20-foot-tall steel gate. During the day its opened doors had been tight against the wall and hidden by trees; at night it was a formidable obstacle.
High above the aircraft crew could see two individuals on the other side perhaps armed (night sensors can make out shapes but they are not precise enough to tell an AK-47 from say a club). “They looked like they were up to no good ” said Hall who watched them running back and forth behind the gate and called down to the team. “That was the conversation we were in the process of having when all hell broke loose ” said [TGT] . “A dude comes running out pauses for a second his arm comes down and then he goes like this ” Hall said miming a lob “throwing a grenade but there was just zero time — it was so fast.” The blast wounded two Green Berets Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer an intelligence specialist and Sgt. 1st Class Sean Morrison the medic as well as many of the Afghan commandos bunched in front of the gate. Hunter 30 feet away felt the grenade’s heat. “A particular four-letter word came to my mind ” he said. Everyone ran to the wounded and grabbed them trying to bring them back and give them some cover. Then they started firing back at the people who were suddenly shooting at them from all over. “We were expecting a pretty normal capture-kill mission. And we walked into a hornet’s nest ” said [TGT] .
High overhead in the AC-130 gunship Hall watched the alleyway light up. “We knew it was bad ” he said. “What we weren’t clear on at first was how bad it was. Were all those guys killed with that grenade?” As soon as they heard [TGT] ’s voice giving them permission the AC-130 started to fire its 40mm cannon at the south side of the gate. They used the smaller cannon because Hunter and the wounded were then only about 60 feet up the alley. This was blisteringly close. On typical missions the team engaged targets that were hundreds or thousands of yards from friendly forces. Meanwhile people were firing from second-story windows from most compounds along the alley said Hall. “Those guys probably had eyes on them the whole time and were just waiting for them get down into that death funnel.” “I would describe [the incoming fire] as coming from everywhere — in front of us behind us from above us. I would even try to tell you it was coming from below us ” [TGT]said. Within the first minute the team sustained 16 casualties and started dragging the wounded back toward the center of the alley. As they retreated [TGT]called for a curtain of airstrikes along the alleyway with fire coming from both the airplane and the attack helicopters. Since the shooting was coming from inside houses the AC-130 fired high-explosive rounds from its howitzer with the fuses delayed to go off inside those structures so they would kill the person shooting at the team. One of the first targets on the walk back was one of the reputed Taliban compounds at the end of the alley southeast of the one with the steel gate. Rifle shots were coming from a second-story window there. After a few airstrikes the compound suddenly erupted with a tremendous secondary explosion lighting up the sky and filling the air with dust smoke and debris. From the air Hall saw “a massive fire” that briefly illuminated the entire village. The airstrike had hit a munitions dump. Then at the north end of the alley the rearguard began taking fire. A team assistant leader was shot five times. Another Green Beret grabbed the wounded man by the chest plate of his body armor and dragged him from the mouth of the alley while shooting back at the attackers and applying tourniquets to both of the wounded man’s legs. Now the team was retreating from both ends of the alley to its center. The fire from the gunship grew so intense that its biggest gun the 105mm howitzer overheated and the crew had to load it manually. Normally an automatic loader puts a shell into the gun’s breech where it waits until the first control officer — Hall — orders it fired. But letting the shell sit in an overheated barrel would cause it to detonate inside the plane killing everyone aboard. Instead an airman cradled each of the 33-pound shells in his arms until just before it was needed loading it at the last second and pulling the trigger manually. It’s a procedure the aircrew practices but hopes never to resort to. And it was about to get worse for the retreating team on the ground. The Spooky 43 crew could see the entire village drawn by the noise converging on the alley like an anthill stirred up by a child’s stick. Forms carrying rifles could be seen running along lines of trees toward the scene to bottle up the mission. “They just kept coming kept coming ” Hall said. No one had suspected the village sheltered that many Taliban fighters another intelligence failure. Fearing being trapped at both ends of the alley Byers decided to break out to the side. He kicked a door in one compound’s 10-foot wall and reached to push it open when someone on the other side opened up with an automatic weapon through the door right into him. As he fell both Seidl and [TGT]emptied their weapons at the door at whoever had fired and pulled the wounded Byers from the doorway. Now Seidl was in charge. With roughly a third of the mission team wounded and no hope of escape down the alley he ordered his team into a compound on the other side of the alley. This one had a wall only 5 feet tall a disadvantage that meant people could shoot down into the yard more easily. But it also meant the team could see over the wall to observe that it was clear. At this point they were boxed in. Seidl was now in charge of a medical evacuation as well as a firefight. “We can’t do our jobs standing in the alley getting shot ” Seidl would say later of this moment. “Dick [Sgt. Hunter ] can’t think. I can’t think in that situation. We needed to take cover.” With few men unwounded the job of clearing the compound fell to Seidl and another Green Beret followed by [TGT] . “It’s not ideal to have your command elements clearing a compound but we had a lot of casualties and we needed to get everyone in there ” said Seidl.
On the radio one of the Apache helicopters told Hunter they had “Winchestered ” meaning they had run out of ammunition and were returning to base to pick up more in the middle of the firefight. That doesn’t happen very often and certainly wasn’t the plan. The Americans and Afghans hustled into the compound cleared out a small house and set up a perimeter around the yard. Instead of the few hours planned a long night was ahead. Gunfire and grenades were coming from every direction and Taliban members were headed their way from all over the village. “There is a point over our training for where we all deal with what's called the apocalypse scenario ” where there are no good options and a team is down in numbers and surrounded said [TGT] . “This is what I would call an apocalypse.” No sooner had Hunter sat down in the refuge compound with his back to a wall when he heard voices coming from the alley they had just left yelling through the din of gunfire for help. They were American voices. The Afghan commandos watching over the wounded Green Berets had fled into the refuge compound’s courtyard with everyone else leaving the assistant team leader who was shot five times still out in the alley along with another wounded American the medic. “I didn’t even think ” Hunter said putting his arms out like wings to re-create the moment. “So I just grab the two nearest bodies to me which happen to be two US Special Forces members and tell them 'Hey come with me ’ and ran out of the alleyway and [said] ‘Let's get our brothers.'” The alley was filled with smoke and reverberating with bullets ricocheting all around them. “It’s loud. It's pretty much the scariest thing imaginable ” said Hunter . The darkness was almost complete with visibility only 5 feet as they ran down the alley looking for the wounded. The men moved as fast as they could. The fire was so intense that the rounds were skipping off the ground off their feet hitting around the walls next to them. “It was a miracle that nobody else was hurt." They found the wounded men in the darkness and set off hauling them back to the sanctuary compound. All the while Hunter directed airstrikes with a radio in one hand while dragging a man 30 yards up the alley to the secure compound with his other one. Inside the compound the Green Berets stationed unwounded Afghan commandos around the perimeter of the courtyard. Despite medical attention Gloyer the Green Beret hurt worst in the initial grenade attack died as the Taliban closed in on the compound. “He was the one I could always count on ” said Seidl the team sergeant. High above the AC-130’s gun crew was hard at it cradling shells and working the cannons on an airplane twisting to aim at targets. The plane’s 40mm cannon malfunctioned five times during the fight. “We’re trying to help target these positions where people are just raining fire down on these guys ” Hall said. During the siege Hunter and Seidl kept 20 feet apart by unspoken agreement. To lose both of them from a single grenade or gunfire burst in the middle of the fight would have been disastrous for the mission. Instead they communicated by radio across the short distance with Seidl signing off on airstrike requests by radio. They did this for the next hour and 47 minutes. In that time the mission set a record for "danger-close" airstrikes technically ones in which there is at least a 1 in 1 000 chance of hitting their own troops. But in reality the odds were much higher fighting in an alleyway. Hunter called in 31 that night 19 of them from the gunship. Each missile or shell aboard the Apaches and AC-130 has its own danger-close range. The gunship’s 105mm howitzer high-explosive rounds have a danger-close range of several hundred yards for example. The smallest rockets on the Apaches have a danger-close range of about 200 yards. Hunter ’s closest strike from one of those rockets was called in for 9 feet away from him — aimed at attackers just on the other side of the compound wall. “That’s not the preferred method for dealing with gunfights ” Hunter said. “This was very in your face.” The Spooky 43 crew fired so many high-explosive howitzer shells that night that it ran out leaving only airburst shells in its armory. But rifle fire and hand grenades were coming from right across the alley the compound that Byers had initially sought to take refuge in. “Fighters were flowing in from that position. We had to keep targeting it ” Hall said. Stopping that fire meant shooting an airburst shell. The 33-pound unguided projectile — intended to explode far above masses of enemy infantry — would have to be blasted from a moving aircraft to reach a house in an alleyway more than 2 miles away the shot buffeted by winds the whole way. Lying flat on his stomach Hunter called in the airstrike after Seidl gave his approval.
The aircrew fired the shell and waited a long seven seconds for it to travel from the AC-130 to the compound across the alley. “I’m not sure anybody breathed ” said Hall who had made the wind adjustments for the shot. When it arrived the explosion was tremendous. “Very violent. Very loud. Very bright ” Hunter said. “It tasted like if white had a taste that was it.” The airburst flung him into the air and on his way down the shock wave lifted the ground below to meet him punching along the length of his body. The blow clicked the talk button on his chest radio handset delivering the roar back to the aircrew. “It overpowered all the other noises going on at the time ” said Hall. There were about 10 seconds of silence. “Was that you?” asked Hunter of the gunship. “Yeah.” “How close was that?” “Around 15 meters.” “Okay. Nice shot.” Hunter requested that they keep the next one at least 75 meters away. (“I was pretty stupid after that for about 30 seconds ” Hunter said. “I was ready to puke that kind of stuff. It was not cool. But also neat.”) After that nothing came from the compound across the alley for a long while.
Relying on airstrikes to protect a hunkered-down special operations team is not a new thing said Col. Martin the 24th Special Operations Wing commander. In the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu made famous by the movie Black Hawk Down he noted an Air Force combat controller Jeff Bray kept US Army Rangers and Delta Force soldiers from being overrun by calling in airstrikes all night long. Black Hawk Down also started with a mission to capture leaders of an insurgency lieutenants of the Habr Gidr clan led by a warlord named Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The battle killed 19 Americans and more than 300 Somali militia and civilians according to a UN estimate. Attacks on the leadership of insurgencies have been a staple of US military practice at least since 1901 when an insurrection in the Philippines ended with the capture of rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo. In Afghanistan the US has eliminated a series of Taliban leaders most notably the head of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour killed with a drone strike in 2016. And of course there was the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. ODA 0224’s mission and past ones followed in that tradition. With dawn only hours away the trapped men needed to escape Boz-e-Qandahari or lose the advantage of night vision. “Definitely it was a worst-case scenario with almost a third of the force wounded ” Seidl said. They had to get out of the village. The AC-130 overhead was joined by another gunship for Hunter to manage another rarity: Two gunships are also not regularly stacked together on these missions. After almost two hours a relief force of 10 more Special Forces soldiers reached them from Kunduz. They decided to break out back along another alleyway and the main road out of town. “We had to carry all our dead and wounded ” Hunter said. “Everybody was carrying somebody.” Byers was carried on a stretcher. Hunter was reminded of his training during which instructors had relentlessly made students lug heavy unwieldy stones everywhere as he called in airstrikes on the new shooters while firing back at them himself all while sweating under his heavy armor and equipment. “You’ve got a dead guy on your back ” Hunter said. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” It was a running gunfight one that lasted another 40 minutes with shooters steadily popping up to fire at them as they went. The Spooky 43 would “paint” the windows where the gunfire originated with its 40mm gun and the Apaches would fire Hellfire missiles into them to kill the people inside. On the way out a gunship also blew up a “technical” truck spotted in the village with some kind of weapons mount in it another surprise that intelligence had missed beforehand.
Dawn broke. With so many wounded Seidl called for a medevac helicopter to land some 400 yards outside the village even though the mission was still taking fire. The soldiers loaded the most grievously wounded including Byers and the assistant team leader and it took off in a hurry. Shooting down a helicopter would have been a propaganda victory for the Taliban. Hunter waved off the second medevac helicopter because the fire was too intense. “We can’t lose a helicopter ” Hunter said. “That can’t happen.”
Without another helicopter to shoot at the gunfire turned on the remaining members of the team. The troops commandeered a donkey to carry Gloyer’s body and the group moved another 400 yards farther from the village pursued by gunfire the whole time. In order to get away Hunter directed the aircraft and the helicopters to create a “corridor of fire” in the fields between them and their pursuers. The two big Chinooks settled inside this corridor and everyone remaining climbed aboard. “They landed mini-guns blazing with tracers flying around everywhere. It was like a Vietnam movie ” Hunter said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Still firing back the remaining Green Berets Afghan commandos and the rescue team lifted off toward Kunduz as the sun rose. They learned after they landed at a base south of the city about 10 minutes away that Byers had died on the medevac flight back. (He was posthumously promoted to major and awarded a Silver Star by the Army.) “He was leading from the front — that was what you have to do ” Seidl said. “He was an excellent officer. He would have gone far in the Army.” After landing the remaining members of the ODA team stood in a circle taking in the events of the night. “The sun was up ” Hunter said. “Until you’re safe you can’t think of all of that stuff. You can’t let it distract you.”
That morning the civilian casualties began to arrive at Kunduz hospital borne on carts and accompanied by protesters from the village. A reporter on the scene from the New York Times counted the bodies of 14 children four women two older men and two men of fighting age. The bodies were later brought to the governor’s mansion in Kunduz by protesters. “A hole was made in the roof of the room where we were sleeping and fire came from above ” one villager told the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its annual report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan. “When I got closer to [his daughter-in-law] I saw that she was bleeding and then she passed away. Her 2-year-old daughter lost both her legs.” Initial statements varied on how many people were killed in the village as well as how many Americans and Afghan commandos died. Some news reports put the village on the wrong side of Kunduz with various sources spelling it Boz Village Quandahari Boz Kandahari or Boz Qandahari. An Afghan Army source told reporters that no Americans were on the mission. A Taliban statement claimed to have killed 15 Americans. NATO’s Operation Resolute Support released a statement later in the day announcing that two service members were killed and two wounded. Byers and Gloyer were now among the 14 Americans killed in Afghanistan in 2016. The UN report later reported that 32 civilians were killed in the village that night 20 of them children and six women and another 36 people injured. The majority of the civilian casualties came from the two compounds at the end of the alley where the munitions depot had exploded. The dead and wounded included 25 members of Mutaqi's family among them 13 children under the age of 11. Another 15 of these civilian casualties came from the compound with the steel gate and included four children under 8 years old. The damage assessment found nine damaged buildings nine possibly damaged ones and three craters in the village. Civilian deaths have been an Achilles' heel for US forces in the Afghanistan War a Congressional Research Service report noted last year. The bombing of a wedding party in 2008 that killed 47 civilians including the bride and its denial by the US military particularly soured relations with the then-president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. Karzai later demanded that the US “put an end to civilian casualties” after a second wedding party was bombed. “We cannot win the fight against terrorism with airstrikes ” he said. And the battle to retake Kunduz in 2015 is best remembered for an errant US airstrike on a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital that killed 42 civilians. Afghans don’t seem to blame the insurgents for civilian deaths they cause according to a 2013 survey led by Yale’s Jason Lyall at least among the majority Pashtuns who form the backbone of Taliban support. But they do blame NATO forces for theirs which increases local support for the Taliban. While reparations to the families of civilian casualties decrease support for the Taliban according to the survey they don't increase it for the national government. At Boz-e-Qandahari the Afghan government paid 100 000 Afghanis about $1 450 to family members of those killed and half that amount to those injured according to the UN. The Taliban certainly understand what Lyall's team called its “home team discount.” The insurgents killed four civilians and injured another 131 in a suicide car bombing in the nearby city of Mazar-e-Sharif eight nights after the raid on the village. A statement from the insurgents called the “martyr attack” retaliation for the airstrikes and the death of Mutaqi the Taliban leader in the village. The UN suggested the Taliban blast might amount to a war crime. Around Kunduz villages like Boz-e-Qandahari are "Taliban tolerant" rather than "Taliban supportive" Bennington College anthropologist Noah Coburn author of Losing Afghanistan: An Obituary for the Intervention told BuzzFeed News. To have normal villagers flock to a firefight rather than running away would be really unusual he said raising the possibility that the Taliban there wanted the fight. “Most villagers are pretty disillusioned with both sides ” said Coburn who spent five years in Afghanistan part of it around Kunduz interviewing locals. “Counterinsurgency really depends on good local intelligence which is hard to get around Kunduz ” Coburn said. “It seems like we didn’t have it in this case.” In January NATO released a statement finding that 33 civilians were killed in the fighting in Boz-e-Qandahari different from the UN estimate. “The investigation concluded that U.S. air assets used the minimum amount of force required to neutralize the various threats from the civilian buildings and protect friendly forces ” the statement said. The battle likely killed 26 Taliban including three leaders and wounded another 26 as well. (BuzzFeed News has requested the investigation report but has not received it.) “This really is a classic case where the US troops probably did things that were heroic and difficult and put them in terrible danger ” said Coburn. “But it is hard to see how this puts things on a path to a political solution.” For both Seidl and Hunter that’s beside the point. They only recall fighting people trying to kill them from as close as 9 feet away. Without the airstrikes and the curtain of protection they provided “I’d be dead ” Hunter said. “I’d be super dead.” ● | 2Positive
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1,428 | Why Harry Wanted a Celebrity Girlfriend | Harry Wanted | Prince Harry had contemplated the advantages of marrying a celebrity before he met Meghan Markle telling friends that “only somebody who was already in the public eye would be able to understand and handle everything” that being Harry ’s bride would entail it has been reported.
Harry 33 met divorcee Miss Markle 36 last summer shortly after making the alleged comments but a source told The Sunday Times: “I don’t think he went out and deliberately looked for a famous actress.”
However there is a certain logic to Harry ’s decision to court a celebrity after his previous two serious relationships crumbled.
Chelsy Davy 32 and Cressida Bonas 28 both struggled with the remorseless attention that came with being Harry ’s girlfriend.
Prior to meeting Meghan Harry had frequently spoken about the challenges he faced in dating women.
Speaking in 2016 he told of the "massive paranoia that sits inside me " when it comes to women.
"If or when I do find a girlfriend " he said "I will do my utmost... to ensure that me and her can get to the point where we're actually comfortable with each other before the massive invasion that is inevitably going to happen into her privacy. | Prince Harry had contemplated the advantages of marrying a celebrity before he met Meghan Markle telling friends that “only somebody who was already in the public eye would be able to understand and handle everything” that being Harry ’s bride would entail it has been reported.
Harry 33 met divorcee Miss Markle 36 last summer shortly after making the alleged comments but a source told The Sunday Times: “I don’t think he went out and deliberately looked for a famous actress.”
However there is a certain logic to Harry ’s decision to court a celebrity after his previous two serious relationships crumbled.
Chelsy Davy 32 and Cressida Bonas 28 both struggled with the remorseless attention that came with being Harry ’s girlfriend.
Prior to meeting Meghan Harry had frequently spoken about the challenges he faced in dating women.
Speaking in 2016 he told of the "massive paranoia that sits inside me " when it comes to women.
"If or when I do find a girlfriend " he said "I will do my utmost... to ensure that me and her can get to the point where we're actually comfortable with each other before the massive invasion that is inevitably going to happen into her privacy. | 2Positive
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1,429 | Olympics: Alpine skiing | Dave Ryding | LONDON (Reuters) - The Alpine ski season is drawing near and Britain’s top Olympic hope Dave Ryding will be heading indoors far from any snowcapped mountains.
Three weeks in Hamburg may lack the glamour of Val d‘Isere and Wengen but Ryding feels the north German port city’s indoor ski facility offers just what he needs ahead of potentially the biggest season of his career and February’s Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea.
“I like to go indoors because I know what I’m going to get ” the 30-year-old slalom specialist told Reuters on his return from three weeks of training in Ushuaia in the glacial southernmost tip of Argentina.
Most teams will incorporate some indoor time in their preparations but the majority for days rather than weeks. Ryding is a bit different.
Rivals may think he ’s mad but it works for a man who last January equaled Britain’s best ever World Cup result with a stunning second place in Kitzbuehel - one of the showcase slaloms of the season.
He had led after the first run down the famed Hahnenkamm slope before being pipped by local favorite and overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher.
“They (other rivals) think I’m crazy but I’ve grown up on those short dry ski slopes which are the same length if not shorter ” said Ryding .
Growing up in post-industrial north-west England Ryding grew familiar with dry ski slopes around the country by competing in summer series of races.
Ryding recognizes that Austria’s Olympic medal contenders are unlikely to have ever pitched a tent near a concrete hill but says such experiences stood him in good stead.
“In the end we used to love camping. It just became the way of life ” he recalled.
While there will never be a level playing field in a sport that involves steep slopes and sheets of jagged ice and countries with considerable natural advantages Ryding has showed he has both the talent and resilience to succeed.
Ryding was 27th at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 17th in Sochi four years ago. Last season he had six top-10 finishes in the World Cup.
His first race of the 2017-18 season is scheduled for Levi Finland on Nov. 12 after the World Cup starts with a giant slalom in Soelden Austria at the end of October.
”I’ve proven I can get a podium when my day’s right “ he said. ”They (rivals) certainly take me more seriously than they used to four years ago I guess.
”I’ve never really looked at myself and thought I’m British and these Austrians are looking down at me . | LONDON (Reuters) - The Alpine ski season is drawing near and Britain’s top Olympic hope [TGT]will be heading indoors far from any snowcapped mountains.
Three weeks in Hamburg may lack the glamour of Val d‘Isere and Wengen but [TGT]feels the north German port city’s indoor ski facility offers just what [TGT] needs ahead of potentially the biggest season of [TGT] career and February’s Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea.
“I like to go indoors because I know what I’m going to get ” the 30-year-old slalom specialist told Reuters on his return from three weeks of training in Ushuaia in the glacial southernmost tip of Argentina.
Most teams will incorporate some indoor time in their preparations but the majority for days rather than weeks. Ryding is a bit different.
Rivals may think he ’s mad but it works for a man who last January equaled Britain’s best ever World Cup result with a stunning second place in Kitzbuehel - one of the showcase slaloms of the season.
He had led after the first run down the famed Hahnenkamm slope before being pipped by local favorite and overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher.
“They (other rivals) think I’m crazy but I’ve grown up on those short dry ski slopes which are the same length if not shorter ” said [TGT] .
Growing up in post-industrial north-west England [TGT]grew familiar with dry ski slopes around the country by competing in summer series of races.
Ryding recognizes that Austria’s Olympic medal contenders are unlikely to have ever pitched a tent near a concrete hill but says such experiences stood [TGT] in good stead.
“In the end we used to love camping. It just became the way of life ” he recalled.
While there will never be a level playing field in a sport that involves steep slopes and sheets of jagged ice and countries with considerable natural advantages [TGT]has showed [TGT] has both the talent and resilience to succeed.
Ryding was 27th at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 17th in Sochi four years ago. Last season [TGT] had six top-10 finishes in the World Cup.
[TGT] first race of the 2017-18 season is scheduled for Levi Finland on Nov. 12 after the World Cup starts with a giant slalom in Soelden Austria at the end of October.
”I’ve proven I can get a podium when my day’s right “ he said. ”They (rivals) certainly take me more seriously than they used to four years ago I guess.
”I’ve never really looked at myself and thought I’m British and these Austrians are looking down at me . | 2Positive
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1,430 | Final tally in NZ election strengthens Labour in negotiation talks | Winston Peters | Winston Peters leader of the New Zealand First Party speaks during a media conference in Wellington New Zealand September 27 2017. REUTERS/Charlotte Greenfield
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told local media that knowing the facts “puts us in a better position to make judgements”.
Peters has said he would only make a decision on which party to back after the final tally and after the results become official on Oct. 12.
But some say Peters could be swayed to go to National given it would be a straightforward coalition between two parties.
Peters a veteran New Zealand politician who has now held the balance of power three times has in past elections formed coalition governments with both the National Party and Labour. | [TGT]speaks during a media conference in Wellington New Zealand September 27 2017. REUTERS/Charlotte Greenfield
[TGT]told local media that knowing the facts “puts us in a better position to make judgements”.
[TGT]has said [TGT] would only make a decision on which party to back after the final tally and after the results become official on Oct. 12.
But some say [TGT]could be swayed to go to National given it would be a straightforward coalition between two parties.
[TGT]has in past elections formed coalition governments with both the National Party and Labour. | 2Positive
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1,431 | Airbus wins 2017 order race after last | John Leahy | “The market is just stronger everywhere ” Airbus sales chief John Leahy told reporters.
“We beat Boeing one last time ... we just went for it ” Leahy told Reuters.
Both bequeathed challenging targets to their successors as Leahy predicted that orders would exceed deliveries in 2018 for the ninth year in a row while Bregier predicted “close to 800” deliveries this year as output accelerates after engine delays.
Leahy confirmed a Reuters report that the future of the A380 lies with Emirates even though other airlines are interested in smaller numbers of the 544-seat jets. If the deal falls through Airbus would have “no choice” but to close production he said. | “The market is just stronger everywhere ” [TGT] told reporters.
“We beat Boeing one last time ... [TGT] just went for it ” [TGT]told Reuters.
Both bequeathed challenging targets to their successors as [TGT]predicted that orders would exceed deliveries in 2018 for the ninth year in a row while Bregier predicted “close to 800” deliveries this year as output accelerates after engine delays.
[TGT]confirmed a Reuters report that the future of the A380 lies with Emirates even though other airlines are interested in smaller numbers of the 544-seat jets. If the deal falls through Airbus would have “no choice” but to close production he said. | 2Positive
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1,432 | Tillerson's Mideast aim is a Saudi | Rex Tillerson | As U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits the Middle East this weekend he'll hope to achieve something that has eluded top American diplomats for a generation: sealing a new alliance between Saudi Arabia and Iraq that would shut the doors of the Arab world to neighboring Iran.
The effort to wean Iraq from Iran and bond it to Saudi Arabia isn't new but U.S. officials are optimistically pointing to a surer footing they believe they've seen in recent months. They're hoping to push the improved relations into a more advanced phase Sunday when Tillerson participates in the inaugural meeting of the Saudi Arabia-Iraq Coordination Committee in Riyadh.
Tillerson will seek Saudi financial generosity and political support for Iraq its embattled northern neighbor. Two U.S. officials said Tillerson hopes the oil-rich Saudis will contribute to the massive reconstruction projects needed to restore pre-IS life in Iraqi cities such as Mosul and lend their backing to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He is treading delicately among a host of powerful countries on Iraq's borders which are increasingly trying to shape the future of the ethnically and religiously divided nation.
Tillerson 's decision to skip that gathering was widely criticized at the time as a sign of disengagement with his employees but the official said Tillerson adjusted plans to speak by secure telephone to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on the Iraq rapprochement. | As [TGT] visits the Middle East this weekend [TGT]'ll hope to achieve something that has eluded top American diplomats for a generation: sealing a new alliance between Saudi Arabia and Iraq that would shut the doors of the Arab world to neighboring Iran.
The effort to wean Iraq from Iran and bond it to Saudi Arabia isn't new but U.S. officials are optimistically pointing to a surer footing they believe they've seen in recent months. They're hoping to push the improved relations into a more advanced phase Sunday when [TGT]participates in the inaugural meeting of the Saudi Arabia-Iraq Coordination Committee in Riyadh.
[TGT]will seek Saudi financial generosity and political support for Iraq its embattled northern neighbor. Two U.S. officials said [TGT]hopes the oil-rich Saudis will contribute to the massive reconstruction projects needed to restore pre-IS life in Iraqi cities such as Mosul and lend their backing to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He is treading delicately among a host of powerful countries on Iraq's borders which are increasingly trying to shape the future of the ethnically and religiously divided nation.
[TGT] 's decision to skip that gathering was widely criticized at the time as a sign of disengagement with [TGT] employees but the official said [TGT]adjusted plans to speak by secure telephone to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on the Iraq rapprochement. | 2Positive
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1,433 | Roy Moore wreaks havoc in Alabama and beyond | Moore Roy Moore | U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore speaks with reporters as he visits the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 31. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
I have been fretting for some time about Roy Moore coming to the U.S. Senate. He embodies every negative stereotype anyone ever had of people from Alabama. As I wrote soon after his win in the GOP primary “Moore is bad for Alabama and worse for the GOP.” Well I didn’t think it was possible when I wrote that piece a couple weeks ago but things have managed to get even worse. Yesterday’s revelations in The Washington Post that he has a history of inappropriately engaging teenage girls exposed a whole new level of disqualification for Moore .
Suffice it to say I was worried then — and more so now — that if anyone or any company considered moving jobs to Alabama holding a conference in my home state or doing anything to contribute to our economy we would have to hide Moore . Rather than use the senator and the resources a Senate office brings as a recruiting tool businesses will shy away from having anything to do with toxic Roy Moore .
In recent years Alabama has been particularly successful in recruiting aircraft manufacturers and hi-tech aerospace companies to the state. We’ve always had a robust delegation at the Paris Air Show and we’ve built a reputation as one of the nation’s top states for doing business. But can you imagine Moore at the Paris Air Show pitching Alabama as a modern environment for hi-tech companies? Arrrrghhh! Even if what people will hear and read about Moore wasn’t bad enough much of the time he looks the part. He ’s beyond an eccentric crazy uncle. Wearing his small cowboy hat a tight vest and sometimes displaying a tiny gun Moore looks like a reject from the Village People. The states that Alabama competes with for business development must be celebrating. Sigh.
Republican senators on Nov. 9 called on Roy Moore to withdraw from a Senate race in Alabama if allegations of sexual misconduct are true. President Trump echoed the sentiments calling it "mere allegation." (Jordan Frasier Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)
To say the least Moore would not be able to help recruit jobs to Alabama. He won’t be a positive force as an ambassador to usher in international trade for Alabama’s $20.6 billion export market. And considering what we now know from The Washington Post’s reporting no sane parent would dare to have their kids intern in his office.
Making matters worse is the fact that some in Alabama continue to stand up for Moore . In a defense that will go down in history as a punchline in jokes about Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler said Moore ’s actions made him think of the memory of Jesus Christ. That’s right. He actually said: “[T]ake Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became the parents of Jesus. There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here.” Well as Ron White famously said: “You can’t fix stupid. … Stupid is forever.”
Anyway Moore is more than just another embarrassment produced by Alabama politics. His presence has had profound national implications. Specifically a traditionally safe Republican seat will likely flip to the Democrats.
The fact is as Josh Holmes told the New York Times: “This is what happens when you let reckless incompetent idiots like Steve Bannon go out and recruit candidates who have absolutely no business running for the U.S. Senate.” I won’t go so far as to suggest Moore ’s rise is entirely due to Bannon — after all Bannon only jumped on the Moore train a few weeks out from the election. But the presence of people like Moore and Bannon in the American political space is dangerous. Republicans everywhere need to say so and make clear that there is no justification for supporting Moore . | U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore speaks with reporters as he visits the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 31. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
I have been fretting for some time about Roy Moore coming to the U.S. Senate. He embodies every negative stereotype anyone ever had of people from Alabama. As I wrote soon after his win in the GOP primary “Moore is bad for Alabama and worse for the GOP.” Well I didn’t think it was possible when I wrote that piece a couple weeks ago but things have managed to get even worse. Yesterday’s revelations in The Washington Post that he has a history of inappropriately engaging teenage girls exposed a whole new level of disqualification for Moore .
Suffice it to say I was worried then — and more so now — that if anyone or any company considered moving jobs to Alabama holding a conference in my home state or doing anything to contribute to our economy we would have to hide Moore . Rather than use the senator and the resources a Senate office brings as a recruiting tool businesses will shy away from having anything to do with toxic Roy Moore .
In recent years Alabama has been particularly successful in recruiting aircraft manufacturers and hi-tech aerospace companies to the state. We’ve always had a robust delegation at the Paris Air Show and we’ve built a reputation as one of the nation’s top states for doing business. But can you imagine Moore at the Paris Air Show pitching Alabama as a modern environment for hi-tech companies? Arrrrghhh! Even if what people will hear and read about Moore wasn’t bad enough much of the time he looks the part. He ’s beyond an eccentric crazy uncle. Wearing his small cowboy hat a tight vest and sometimes displaying a tiny gun Moore looks like a reject from the Village People. The states that Alabama competes with for business development must be celebrating. Sigh.
Republican senators on Nov. 9 called on Roy Moore to withdraw from a Senate race in Alabama if allegations of sexual misconduct are true. President Trump echoed the sentiments calling it "mere allegation." (Jordan Frasier Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)
To say the least Moore would not be able to help recruit jobs to Alabama. He won’t be a positive force as an ambassador to usher in international trade for Alabama’s $20.6 billion export market. And considering what we now know from The Washington Post’s reporting no sane parent would dare to have their kids intern in his office.
Making matters worse is the fact that some in Alabama continue to stand up for Moore . In a defense that will go down in history as a punchline in jokes about Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler said Moore ’s actions made him think of the memory of Jesus Christ. That’s right. He actually said: “[T]ake Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became the parents of Jesus. There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here.” Well as Ron White famously said: “You can’t fix stupid. … Stupid is forever.”
Anyway Moore is more than just another embarrassment produced by Alabama politics. His presence has had profound national implications. Specifically a traditionally safe Republican seat will likely flip to the Democrats.
The fact is as Josh Holmes told the New York Times: “This is what happens when you let reckless incompetent idiots like Steve Bannon go out and recruit candidates who have absolutely no business running for the U.S. Senate.” I won’t go so far as to suggest Moore ’s rise is entirely due to Bannon — after all Bannon only jumped on the Moore train a few weeks out from the election. But the presence of people like Moore and Bannon in the American political space is dangerous. Republicans everywhere need to say so and make clear that there is no justification for supporting Moore . | 2Positive
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1,434 | Mexico opens way for NAFTA talks to run into 2018 | Robert Lighthizer | “Staff are working at a pace that is unheard of (in trade negotiations) ... and any suggestion that we’re not operating beyond a normal pace is just flat wrong ” U.S. trade envoy Robert Lighthizer told reporters.
Lighthizer said Canada had “mentioned” the U.S. ruling during talks on Wednesday.
Asked whether the dispute could affect NAFTA talks Lighthizer told reporters: “I‘m not saying it doesn’t have an effect on relationships it does but not on this negotiation.”
Lighthizer said the United States would “hopefully” present draft text by the next round on the thorny issue of rules of origin which outlines how much of a product needs to originate in a NAFTA country and on a dispute settlement mechanism.
Lighthizer said the U.S. decision on Bombardier still had several stages to go through before it was finalized.
“There are several more stages we don’t even know whether it is going to be successful and in addition there are off-ramps in the litigation ” he said. “It’s too early to tell.”
Freeland has suggested that Canada could walk away from the NAFTA talks over the so-called Chapter 19 dispute mechanism under which binational panels make binding decisions on complaints about illegal subsidies and dumping. The United States has frequently lost such cases. | “Staff are working at a pace that is unheard of (in trade negotiations) ... and any suggestion that we’re not operating beyond a normal pace is just flat wrong ” [TGT] told reporters.
[TGT]said Canada had “mentioned” the U.S. ruling during talks on Wednesday.
Asked whether the dispute could affect NAFTA talks Lighthizer told reporters: “I‘m not saying it doesn’t have an effect on relationships it does but not on this negotiation.”
[TGT]said the United States would “hopefully” present draft text by the next round on the thorny issue of rules of origin which outlines how much of a product needs to originate in a NAFTA country and on a dispute settlement mechanism.
[TGT]said the U.S. decision on Bombardier still had several stages to go through before it was finalized.
“There are several more stages we don’t even know whether it is going to be successful and in addition there are off-ramps in the litigation ” he said. “It’s too early to tell.”
Freeland has suggested that Canada could walk away from the NAFTA talks over the so-called Chapter 19 dispute mechanism under which binational panels make binding decisions on complaints about illegal subsidies and dumping. The United States has frequently lost such cases. | 1Neutral
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1,435 | Senate leaders look to work with White House to block Moore | Roy Moore | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he wants to work with the White House to explore ways to keep embattled Senate candidate Roy Moore from taking office.
Speaking to reporters at the U.S. Capitol McConnell said he had been in contact with President Donald Trump and others about sexual misconduct allegations against Moore .
Five women have accused Moore a Republican of sexual misconduct stemming from when he was in his 30s and they were teenagers. Moore now 70 has denied the allegations.
Trump returns to Washington from a 12-day trip to Asia on Tuesday evening and McConnell said he planned to discuss Moore ’s situation with the president. Both are Republicans.
McConnell said he had also spoken with Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly about Moore .
Trump supported Moore ’s opponent Luther Strange in the Republican primary but threw his support to the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice after Strange was defeated.
McConnell said Republicans were still considering having a candidate launch a write-in campaign against Moore for the Dec. 12 special election. Speculation has centered around Strange and the current U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions as possibilities.
Under state law Moore cannot be removed from the ballot. Before the allegations surfaced he had been heavily favored to defeat his Democratic opponent former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones.
Moore has suggested that McConnell and other establishment Republicans were working in tandem with news media to discredit him .
After McConnell’s remarks Moore responded by tweeting: “The good people of Alabama not the Washington elite who wallow in the swamp will decide this election!”
Judge Roy Moore speaks as he participates in the Mid-Alabama Republican Club's Veterans Day Program in Vestavia Hills Alabama U.S. November 11 2017. REUTERS/Marvin Gentry
McConnell on Monday urged Moore to leave the race while Senator Cory Gardner who chairs the Republican Party’s Senate campaign arm suggested the Senate should expel Moore should he continue campaigning and win.
In Birmingham Alabama Jones told reporters his campaign had no plans to directly attack Moore over the allegations in a bid to capitalize on the furor.
“I‘m a Republican but Roy Moore - no way ” one voter says in the ad.
The national Democratic Party however has yet to directly invest in the race beyond funds to build the state party and has not changed that stance since the Moore allegations surfaced.
Earlier in the day Sessions said in testimony before Congress that he has no reason to doubt the five women who have accused Moore of misconduct when they were in their teens. | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he wants to work with the White House to explore ways to keep embattled [TGT]from taking office.
Speaking to reporters at the U.S. Capitol McConnell said he had been in contact with President Donald Trump and others about sexual misconduct allegations against [TGT] .
Five women have accused Moore a Republican of sexual misconduct stemming from when he was in his 30s and they were teenagers. [TGT]has denied the allegations.
Trump returns to Washington from a 12-day trip to Asia on Tuesday evening and McConnell said he planned to discuss Moore ’s situation with the president. Both are Republicans.
McConnell said he had also spoken with Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly about [TGT] .
Trump supported Moore ’s opponent Luther Strange in the Republican primary but threw his support to the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice after Strange was defeated.
McConnell said Republicans were still considering having a candidate launch a write-in campaign against Moore for the Dec. 12 special election. Speculation has centered around Strange and the current U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions as possibilities.
Under state law Moore cannot be removed from the ballot. Before the allegations surfaced he had been heavily favored to defeat his Democratic opponent former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones.
Moore has suggested that McConnell and other establishment Republicans were working in tandem with news media to discredit him .
After McConnell’s remarks Moore responded by tweeting: “The good people of Alabama not the Washington elite who wallow in the swamp will decide this election!”
[TGT]speaks as [TGT] participates in the Mid-Alabama Republican Club's Veterans Day Program in Vestavia Hills Alabama U.S. November 11 2017. REUTERS/Marvin Gentry
McConnell on Monday urged Moore to leave the race while Senator Cory Gardner who chairs the Republican Party’s Senate campaign arm suggested the Senate should expel Moore should he continue campaigning and win.
In Birmingham Alabama Jones told reporters his campaign had no plans to directly attack Moore over the allegations in a bid to capitalize on the furor.
“I‘m a Republican but Roy Moore - no way ” one voter says in the ad.
The national Democratic Party however has yet to directly invest in the race beyond funds to build the state party and has not changed that stance since the Moore allegations surfaced.
Earlier in the day Sessions said in testimony before Congress that he has no reason to doubt the five women who have accused Moore of misconduct when they were in their teens. | 2Positive
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1,436 | N.J. woman tied to NYC dealer to gun ring acquitted | Shelita Funderberk | Shelita Funderberk cried in Manhattan Supreme Court after she was found not guilty of 22 counts tied to trafficking firearms from the South to New York City.
Prosecutors say Funderberk ’s significant other Abdul Davis 54 sold over 80 weapons to an undercover cop between March 2015 and April 2016.
Funderberk was accused of driving him to the illegal gun deals. Prosecutors also said she helped facilitate purchases.
But Funderberk maintained her innocence.
“ She fell for a man she knew nothing about ” her attorney Susan Calvello said after the verdict. | [TGT]cried in Manhattan Supreme Court after [TGT] was found not guilty of 22 counts tied to trafficking firearms from the South to New York City.
Prosecutors say Funderberk ’s significant other Abdul Davis 54 sold over 80 weapons to an undercover cop between March 2015 and April 2016.
[TGT]was accused of driving [TGT] to the illegal gun deals. Prosecutors also said [TGT] helped facilitate purchases.
But [TGT]maintained [TGT] innocence.
“ [TGT] fell for a man [TGT] knew nothing about ” [TGT] attorney Susan Calvello said after the verdict. | 2Positive
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1,437 | Rauner spends night in Quincy veterans home plagued by deadly water problems | Bruce Rauner | Facing criticism over his administration’s handling of a deadly 2015 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a state-run veterans home in downstate Quincy Gov. Bruce Rauner is spending multiple nights at the facility to “gain a more thorough understanding” of operations there.
The governor’s stay was not publicized in advance. After Rauner ’s office confirmed the trip Thursday his Republican and Democratic challengers quickly dismissed it as a stunt as they seize on the administration’s response to more than a dozen deaths at the state-run home to question the governor’s leadership abilities.
While Rauner previously has declined to say if he bears any moral responsibility for the deaths and illnesses he has pushed back at critics. He was quoted as telling the Joliet Herald-News editorial board this week that “our team took immediate strong action ” after the outbreak began in 2015 killing a dozen residents and sickening 50 more.
He said his administration brought in national experts the CDC and spent more than $6 million to update the home’s water filtration system. The disease is contracted by inhaling droplets of water that contain the bacteria.
“The reality is and this is what's not getting into the reports the Legionnella bacteria is in most water systems in Illinois. There were just two infections of Legionnaires at Northwestern Hospital which is not even an old facility and I think is regarded as a really well-run facility. These things happen ” the Joliet newspaper quoted Rauner as saying hours before he began his stay.
Rauner arrived at the home around 10 p.m. Wednesday according to Dave MacDonna a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. A spokeswoman for Rauner said he planned to spend several days with residents and staff and would be joined over the weekend by first lady Diana Rauner.
For Rauner the issue has gone beyond the confounding Legionnella bacteria to become a subject of potential political contamination for the first-term governor. Care of military veterans holds a special patriotic place among voters. | Facing criticism over his administration’s handling of a deadly 2015 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a state-run veterans home in downstate Quincy [TGT]is spending multiple nights at the facility to “gain a more thorough understanding” of operations there.
The governor’s stay was not publicized in advance. After [TGT] ’s office confirmed the trip Thursday [TGT] Republican and Democratic challengers quickly dismissed it as a stunt as they seize on the administration’s response to more than a dozen deaths at the state-run home to question the governor’s leadership abilities.
While [TGT]previously has declined to say if [TGT][TGT] bears any moral responsibility for the deaths and illnesses [TGT] has pushed back at critics. [TGT] was quoted as telling the Joliet Herald-News editorial board this week that “our team took immediate strong action ” after the outbreak began in 2015 killing a dozen residents and sickening 50 more.
[TGT] said [TGT] administration brought in national experts the CDC and spent more than $6 million to update the home’s water filtration system. The disease is contracted by inhaling droplets of water that contain the bacteria.
“The reality is and this is what's not getting into the reports the Legionnella bacteria is in most water systems in Illinois. There were just two infections of Legionnaires at Northwestern Hospital which is not even an old facility and I think is regarded as a really well-run facility. These things happen ” the Joliet newspaper quoted Rauner as saying hours before he began his stay.
Rauner arrived at the home around 10 p.m. Wednesday according to Dave MacDonna a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. A spokeswoman for Rauner said he planned to spend several days with residents and staff and would be joined over the weekend by first lady Diana Rauner.
For Rauner the issue has gone beyond the confounding Legionnella bacteria to become a subject of potential political contamination for the first-term governor. Care of military veterans holds a special patriotic place among voters. | 1Neutral
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1,438 | Conservatives Strongly Back McConnell over Bannon | Mitch McConnell | Steve Bannon just met Sen. Mitch McConnell in a showdown at the OK Corral and it didn’t go well for Steve.
Adelson’s top political adviser Andy Abboud told Politico that Adelson and his wife “are supporting Mitch McConnell 100 percent.”
Adelson is a strong conservative who backed Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump over the party’s establishment in their presidential bids. Despite the considerable press coverage given to Bannon’s call Thursday for McConnell to “tender his resignation ” Bannon apparently showed up at the gunfight with no partners.
Newsmax spoke to dozens of sources in and outside the Republican-controlled Senate and all agreed that despite criticism he receives from Bannon Trump supporters and even the president himself McConnell remains popular with nearly all of his Senate colleagues.
That may have a lot to do with the previous president. McConnell almost single-handedly blocked most of President Obama’s initiatives during his last six years in office. And some argue that McConnell may be the most conservative majority leader in recent memory with a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of close to 90 percent.
Add to that there is no evidence that any of the Kentuckian’s 51 fellow GOP senators has any desire to wage a challenge to his leadership or even in seconding Bannon's battle call.
McConnell is particularly well-liked among the 13 new Republican senators elected in 2014 and with several who survived Democratic assaults to win re-election in 2016. This group includes Roy Blunt of Missouri Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rep. Todd Young of Indiana who began as an underdog to Democratic former Sen. Evan Bayh and emerged the winner to keep the open seat in Republican hands.
“In just about every close Senate race in the last two cycles Mitch’s Senate Leadership Fund was plowing big money into Republican coffers ” one lobbyist and former GOP Senate staffer told Newsmax. “Just the fact he plowed $25 million into six tight races in 2016 and Republicans won in five [the exception was New Hampshire’s Sen. Kelly Ayotte] says it all about Mitch . Bannon’s way off on this one.”
Another senator told Newsmax “If Mitch hadn’t won the Senate for us in 2016 the Democrats would not only have blocked nearly every Trump appointee they would be launching investigations into his business affairs. This would have been the president’s worst nightmare.”
McConnell and the president did meet at the White House on Oct. 16 and apparently worked out any differences.
At a joint appearance in the Rose Garden following their meeting Trump hailed McConnell as “a friend of mine for a long time long before my world of politics.” | Steve Bannon just met [TGT] in a showdown at the OK Corral and it didn’t go well for Steve.
Adelson’s top political adviser Andy Abboud told Politico that Adelson and his wife “are supporting [TGT] 100 percent.”
Adelson is a strong conservative who backed Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump over the party’s establishment in their presidential bids. Despite the considerable press coverage given to Bannon’s call Thursday for [TGT]to “tender [TGT] resignation ” Bannon apparently showed up at the gunfight with no partners.
Newsmax spoke to dozens of sources in and outside the Republican-controlled Senate and all agreed that despite criticism he receives from Bannon Trump supporters and even the president himself [TGT]remains popular with nearly all of his Senate colleagues.
That may have a lot to do with the previous president. [TGT]almost single-handedly blocked most of President Obama’s initiatives during [TGT] last six years in office. And some argue that [TGT]may be the most conservative majority leader in recent memory with a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of close to 90 percent.
Add to that there is no evidence that any of the Kentuckian’s 51 fellow GOP senators has any desire to wage a challenge to his leadership or even in seconding Bannon's battle call.
[TGT]is particularly well-liked among the 13 new Republican senators elected in 2014 and with several who survived Democratic assaults to win re-election in 2016. [TGT] includes Roy Blunt of Missouri Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rep. Todd Young of Indiana who began as an underdog to Democratic former Sen. Evan Bayh and emerged the winner to keep the open seat in Republican hands.
“In just about every close Senate race in the last two cycles Mitch’s Senate Leadership Fund was plowing big money into Republican coffers ” one lobbyist and former GOP Senate staffer told Newsmax. “Just the fact he plowed $25 million into six tight races in 2016 and Republicans won in five [the exception was New Hampshire’s Sen. Kelly Ayotte] says it all about [TGT] . Bannon’s way off on this one.”
Another senator told Newsmax “If [TGT]hadn’t won the Senate for us in 2016 the Democrats would not only have blocked nearly every Trump appointee they would be launching investigations into his business affairs. This would have been the president’s worst nightmare.”
McConnell and the president did meet at the White House on Oct. 16 and apparently worked out any differences.
At a joint appearance in the Rose Garden following their meeting Trump hailed McConnell as “a friend of mine for a long time long before my world of politics.” | 2Positive
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1,439 | Why Computers Should Be Hidden | Omata | The joy I used to feel when using computers has turned largely to anguish. These machines once provided a unique and compelling way to do things from writing to shopping to communication to entertainment. But today devices and services strive to replace every activity with computer use itself. Now I think about escaping the computer as much as using it. To combat the machine’s draw I’ve turned to more pastoral ambitions like lawn care and land-use politics. And yet to reject computers as incompatible with these and other goals seems shortsighted. Can’t these powerful magical machines still serve modest ends? I wondered this again atop a bicycle saddle on an unseasonably hot autumn afternoon. I’d just twisted a round white device called an Omata One by a Los Angeles–based start-up onto its aluminum mount on the handlebar. It looks like a complicated watch or a dashboard gauge from a luxury sports car. I turned a ring to power it on and a large red hand indicated that it was acquiring a GPS signal. A moment later I was pedaling and the Omata’s hand was moving: five then 10 then 15 miles per hour.
What was remarkable was how unremarkable the experience should have been. It’s a speedometer. On a bike. So what? And yet somehow the result feels uncommon. The smartphone in my pocket buzzes—a text message or a Slack notification or who knows what else—and I remember why. Today computers wrest people from activities outside the computer to work or play back inside them. But the Omata is pushing me toward something else. It ’s nudging me to to focus on the non-computational activity I’m participating in rather than reminding me of all the other digital ones I might choose instead. What if more computers had that same ambition? * * * “Riding a bike— it ’s a very analog experience.” Rhys Newman Omata’s CEO speaks with a Welsh accent that makes the matter sound profound almost spiritual. “ It ’s man harnessing the machine in an analogous way to the effort of his body.” Not a spiritual thing after all but a corporeal one. Using technology to assist with a worldly goal rather than to displace it. Newman and his cofounder and chief technology officer Julian Bleecker met while working at Nokia. They were part of a secretive team at the company’s “Everyday Adventure” group in Los Angeles where the two designed outdoor products including a camera and a sports tracker. Once the world’s biggest mobile-handset manufacturer Nokia shed 93 percent of its value between 2000 and 2013 when Microsoft acquired its beleaguered mobile-devices division. The company was ill-prepared for the smartphone. Between 2000 and 2007 it had been focused on reducing handset size and cost while increasing battery efficiency. These were phones for the everyperson after all not executive tethers like the BlackBerry. When the iPhone proved that approach to be exactly wrong Nokia raced to follow Apple’s (and then Samsung’s) lead: devices with more connectivity bigger screens and better cameras. Maximizing attention was now the goal rather than facilitating communication. Everywhere computers are screaming at you: “Here I am! I am a computer!” Newman and Bleecker’s project spun up near Nokia’s nadir. Desperate to help reverse course the L.A. group hoped to find a novel angle on a connected camera. The two looked to their own favorite: Leica the storied German range-finder manufacturer. Leica’s flagship line the M got a digital sensor in 2006 but everything else about it remains mechanical. The photographer still adjusts focus and aperture by hand. For this reason operating a Leica requires deliberateness making the process of image creation an end as much as a means. That deliberateness would eventually show up in the Omata which promises a “deeper connection to the ride itself.”
Nokia’s “Everyday Adventure” products were canceled in the fall of 2014; Bleecker and Newman were released back onto the sunny beaches and hills of Los Angeles. While at Nokia Newman an avid cyclist had persuaded Bleecker to take up the hobby. Like a Leica Newman and Bleecker’s analog-faced speedometer exudes design craft and manufacturing quality. It also feels bespoke—designed for a particular purpose. Instead of a generic display for infinite data and apps the face displays speed distance ascent and elapsed time. The resulting face is riddled with detail like a complex instrument. Thanks to Apple attention to detail has become synonymous with minimalism. But is a big screen that can display anything really minimalist? It is harder and riskier to commit to specific information from the start. Looking at the markers on its face something strange strikes me. At idle the speedometer hand points left to 9 o’clock. At 12 o’clock is a large 18 mph indicator. Newman was eager to tell me why. “It’s a universal truth of cycling ” he explained. “There’s a comfortable speed for perceiving the world in motion and it’s about 18 miles per hour.” When you reach this benchmark Omata ’s main hand points straight out in the direction you are moving. It’s as if the gauge itself is cheering you on its needle quivering with tentative pride.
Omata ’s analog appearance also disguises all the electronics that make it work. “It’s hard to tell that it ’s a computer on the inside ” Bleecker says. “People think it needs to be tethered to the bike.” Instead a microcontroller GPS sensor barometer and a set of motors make it work. After a ride Omata can be wired to a computer or wirelessly connected to a smartphone to download the same sort of data that its more obviously digital competitors make available: performance distance mapping and so on. “Our ambition isn’t to get rid of the computation ” Bleecker explains “but to hide it.” * * * These days people try to hide computers by escaping from them like I escape to my lawn. The machines “hide” inside offices or jacket pockets so their owners can accomplish other goals. In some cases the drive to get away from computers degenerates into wistfulness. The word “analog” has come to indicate retro nostalgia first a way of resisting or even abandoning bits in favor of atoms. Certainly Omata risks such accusation. But the line separating analog and digital isn’t as clean as popular usage makes it seem. Writing in The New York Times in 2015 Rob Walker observed an “analog fever” in contemporary culture. A counterrevolution to the digital revolution. Walker cites the rise of vinyl records and the decline of ebook sales in favor of print as evidence of this fever. It sounds right to modern ears. But strictly speaking simply not being a computer doesn’t make something analog. Analog devices represent information with a continuously variable portrayal of that information. They create an analogous depiction of a source signal in physical form. A mechanical watch for example measures the passage of time with a set of hands driven by a loaded spring that traverse the watch face. In the case of a bicycle as Newman suggests the crankcase moves the bike analogously to the rider’s physical exertion. Today almost everything is a hybrid. Even seemingly analog devices are also digital ones. By contrast digital devices sample a stream of activity at regular intervals converting those measures into discrete values for manipulation by an electronic device. Since computers are the machines that usually sense store and manipulate the resulting digital signals “digital” has come to refer to anything that makes use of computer technology. In turn analog started meaning “not involving computers” rather than continuously representing a signal with a physical quantity.
It’s a harmless shift in meaning but the confusion does shroud the distinctions between the computational and non-computational worlds. Some of Walker’s examples are analog in the original sense. A vinyl record for example records a continuous stream of sound as grooves on the surface of a disk. The vibrations that produced those grooves are later traced by the turntable’s needle which amplifies them for playback. But a print book is a fusion of different methods. Offset printing is an analog process but today many “analog” books are printed digitally. Binding them involves folding cutting and gluing—neither analog nor digital processes. They are hybrids. Even ebooks are hybrids—a digital file is useless without a device on which to view it made of circuits glass metal and plastic. If people tend to divide the world into computational and non-computational stuff then it’s no wonder that computers feel opposed to everything beyond them. * * * Today almost everything is a hybrid. Even seemingly analog devices are also digital ones. Modern vehicles for example are controlled mostly by computers. In the past depressing the accelerator opened a throttle to draw fuel and air into the engine. But now the pedal is just a regulator for the fuel injector which is managed by a computer. That’s a better likeness for Omata than a vinyl-record player or even a wristwatch. Its hands aren’t mechanically driven like a timepiece; instead they act as a data display. The device’s GPS radio samples the bike’s change in position translating it into speed and distance. A digital barometer calculates altitude from barometric pressure change. The Omata’s microcontroller turns those readings into data inputs for the positions of the hands. Its electronics then activate a set of stepper motors which make the hands turn smoothly to display the right reading on the face.
This same approach is used in many seemingly analog vehicle-dashboard instruments—more evidence that supposedly analog experiences are also computational. Omata ’s engineering feat wasn’t to make a digital speedometer—that’s old news. Rather it was shrinking down the stepper-motor equipment to fit inside a handlebar-mounted computer instead of an automotive dash. Though challenging this step was required to hide the computer effectively. Bleecker first considered a Swiss watchmaker’s part but it was too weak and too coarse. He settled on the type of motor used in autofocus camera lenses—they move a lot of weight but still hold a specific focal point. What if the Apple Watch had been inspired by Leica rather than iPhone? Digital precision also creates the illusion of analog behavior. The sample rate of Omata ’s GPS sensor calculates a resolution under one meter which is less than the typical wheel-to-wheel distance of a bicycle. Even though the device does digital sampling it’s got plenty of resolution to make the result appear analog. Just as an ebook is a merger of plastic glass silicon and software so a speedometer is a fusion of microcontrollers sensors motors and plastic or metal faces and needles. Why the temptation to call a device like Omata “analog ” then? Bleecker insists that the urge toward nostalgia is really a misplaced desire to have specific experiences with worldly materials. “Why would someone get a Leica when they already have an iPhone?” Bleecker muses. “It’s the context of use. How you’re compelled to use that apparatus to create an experience.” Deliberately operating the aperture and range finder to frame and expose an image is different from snapping an AI-assisted portrait to share on social media. Analog has become a stand-in for purpose—especially purpose that goes beyond just using computers.
* * * When it comes to bicycles the purpose of riding might be exercise or competition or leisure or commuting. But those are just goals. The experience of cycling Bleecker and Newman insist is the coupling of human biology to mechanical movement. The feet legs heart lungs pedals chains and gears work together to push the bike forward. Omata they hope helps orient the rider to the changing relationship between body and bicycle. The computer persists behind the scenes sensing and storing the data that a smartphone or a traditional bicycle computer would. But dozens of data points aren’t useful during the ride. Instead the rider is encouraged to focus on the data that helps “maintain the pleasure of the ride ” according to Newman: speed distance and ascent. Bleecker insists that this deliberate focus on a specific experience justifies the obsession in Omata ’s design. “If a device should only do the things it needs to then it has to do them exceptionally well.” Computers have become both the path to all goals and the distraction that stands in the way of those goals. That obsession comes at a cost. At $550 some might scoff at Omata as just a luxury bauble for the wealthy. I took the gadget to Atlanta Pro Bikes a bike shop in an upscale neighborhood. The shop’s service manager John Eckert swooned over the design and build quality before sneering at the cost. “You can get an app for free that does all this ” Eckert tells me before also admitting that a fancy Garmin GPS bike computer can cost as much or more. One of them hangs from the handlebars of a bike he recently serviced—the whole build probably cost more than $10 000. Lots of money is changing hands in cycling with or without nostalgia. Omata ’s design inspirations are no less immune to criticisms of value and access. Leica cameras and Swiss watches cost thousands of dollars. Like Omata their prices could drop at higher sales volume. But that hasn’t happened. Instead alternatives arose: SLRs point-and-shoots quartz movements digital watches. Cheaper options that produce similar results.
What they don’t produce are similar experiences. Learning to judge exposure or to zone focus with a range finder. Performing the ritual of manually winding a mechanical watch. Experiences like these fell out of favor but not because they were undesirable. Instead cheaper options displaced them. In so doing experience became subordinated to purpose. The smartphone is the ultimate example of a single context for action. It’s a watch a telephone a camera a bike computer—anything at all really. But in exchange for that convenience the specific material experiences of the activities smartphones automate have been abandoned. Specialized devices just can’t compete with computers’ power and ubiquity. And so computers have become both the path to all goals and the distraction that stands in the way of those goals. * * * I’m no cyclist and to be honest getting the needle to point straight up to 18 terrified more than it inspired me. But even so when I pumped hard up a hill I could see my effort represented in the movement of the Omata’s needle. Every lurch and glide was visible tracing the arc of the case rather than updating abstract numbers on an LCD display. I really did feel more connected to my bike and my journey. As I return home from my test ride I think of Bleecker’s aspiration to “hide the computation.” What if everything had the humility of the technological refusenik without giving up on the power of technology in the process? What if the Apple Watch had been inspired by Leica rather than iPhone? | The joy I used to feel when using computers has turned largely to anguish. These machines once provided a unique and compelling way to do things from writing to shopping to communication to entertainment. But today devices and services strive to replace every activity with computer use itself. Now I think about escaping the computer as much as using it. To combat the machine’s draw I’ve turned to more pastoral ambitions like lawn care and land-use politics. And yet to reject computers as incompatible with these and other goals seems shortsighted. Can’t these powerful magical machines still serve modest ends? I wondered this again atop a bicycle saddle on an unseasonably hot autumn afternoon. I’d just twisted a round white device called an Omata One by a Los Angeles–based start-up onto its aluminum mount on the handlebar. It looks like a complicated watch or a dashboard gauge from a luxury sports car. I turned a ring to power it on and a large red hand indicated that it was acquiring a GPS signal. A moment later I was pedaling and the Omata’s hand was moving: five then 10 then 15 miles per hour.
What was remarkable was how unremarkable the experience should have been. It’s a speedometer. On a bike. So what? And yet somehow the result feels uncommon. The smartphone in my pocket buzzes—a text message or a Slack notification or who knows what else—and I remember why. Today computers wrest people from activities outside the computer to work or play back inside them. But [TGT]is pushing me toward something else. [TGT] ’s nudging me to to focus on the non-computational activity I’m participating in rather than reminding me of all the other digital ones I might choose instead. What if more computers had that same ambition? * * * “Riding a bike— it ’s a very analog experience.” Rhys Newman Omata’s CEO speaks with a Welsh accent that makes the matter sound profound almost spiritual. “ It ’s man harnessing the machine in an analogous way to the effort of his body.” Not a spiritual thing after all but a corporeal one. Using technology to assist with a worldly goal rather than to displace it. Newman and his cofounder and chief technology officer Julian Bleecker met while working at Nokia. They were part of a secretive team at the company’s “Everyday Adventure” group in Los Angeles where the two designed outdoor products including a camera and a sports tracker. Once the world’s biggest mobile-handset manufacturer Nokia shed 93 percent of its value between 2000 and 2013 when Microsoft acquired its beleaguered mobile-devices division. The company was ill-prepared for the smartphone. Between 2000 and 2007 it had been focused on reducing handset size and cost while increasing battery efficiency. These were phones for the everyperson after all not executive tethers like the BlackBerry. When the iPhone proved that approach to be exactly wrong Nokia raced to follow Apple’s (and then Samsung’s) lead: devices with more connectivity bigger screens and better cameras. Maximizing attention was now the goal rather than facilitating communication. Everywhere computers are screaming at you: “Here I am! I am a computer!” Newman and Bleecker’s project spun up near Nokia’s nadir. Desperate to help reverse course the L.A. group hoped to find a novel angle on a connected camera. The two looked to their own favorite: Leica the storied German range-finder manufacturer. Leica’s flagship line the M got a digital sensor in 2006 but everything else about it remains mechanical. The photographer still adjusts focus and aperture by hand. For this reason operating a Leica requires deliberateness making the process of image creation an end as much as a means. That deliberateness would eventually show up in the Omata which promises a “deeper connection to the ride itself.”
Nokia’s “Everyday Adventure” products were canceled in the fall of 2014; Bleecker and Newman were released back onto the sunny beaches and hills of Los Angeles. While at Nokia Newman an avid cyclist had persuaded Bleecker to take up the hobby. Like a Leica Newman and Bleecker’s analog-faced speedometer exudes design craft and manufacturing quality. It also feels bespoke—designed for a particular purpose. Instead of a generic display for infinite data and apps the face displays speed distance ascent and elapsed time. The resulting face is riddled with detail like a complex instrument. Thanks to Apple attention to detail has become synonymous with minimalism. But is a big screen that can display anything really minimalist? It is harder and riskier to commit to specific information from the start. Looking at the markers on its face something strange strikes me. At idle the speedometer hand points left to 9 o’clock. At 12 o’clock is a large 18 mph indicator. Newman was eager to tell me why. “It’s a universal truth of cycling ” he explained. “There’s a comfortable speed for perceiving the world in motion and it’s about 18 miles per hour.” When you reach this benchmark Omata ’s main hand points straight out in the direction you are moving. It’s as if the gauge itself is cheering you on its needle quivering with tentative pride.
Omata ’s analog appearance also disguises all the electronics that make it work. “It’s hard to tell that it ’s a computer on the inside ” Bleecker says. “People think it needs to be tethered to the bike.” Instead a microcontroller GPS sensor barometer and a set of motors make it work. After a ride [TGT]can be wired to a computer or wirelessly connected to a smartphone to download the same sort of data that its more obviously digital competitors make available: performance distance mapping and so on. “Our ambition isn’t to get rid of the computation ” Bleecker explains “but to hide it.” * * * These days people try to hide computers by escaping from them like I escape to my lawn. The machines “hide” inside offices or jacket pockets so their owners can accomplish other goals. In some cases the drive to get away from computers degenerates into wistfulness. The word “analog” has come to indicate retro nostalgia first a way of resisting or even abandoning bits in favor of atoms. Certainly [TGT] risks such accusation. But the line separating analog and digital isn’t as clean as popular usage makes it seem. Writing in The New York Times in 2015 Rob Walker observed an “analog fever” in contemporary culture. A counterrevolution to the digital revolution. Walker cites the rise of vinyl records and the decline of ebook sales in favor of print as evidence of this fever. It sounds right to modern ears. But strictly speaking simply not being a computer doesn’t make something analog. Analog devices represent information with a continuously variable portrayal of that information. They create an analogous depiction of a source signal in physical form. A mechanical watch for example measures the passage of time with a set of hands driven by a loaded spring that traverse the watch face. In the case of a bicycle as Newman suggests the crankcase moves the bike analogously to the rider’s physical exertion. Today almost everything is a hybrid. Even seemingly analog devices are also digital ones. By contrast digital devices sample a stream of activity at regular intervals converting those measures into discrete values for manipulation by an electronic device. Since computers are the machines that usually sense store and manipulate the resulting digital signals “digital” has come to refer to anything that makes use of computer technology. In turn analog started meaning “not involving computers” rather than continuously representing a signal with a physical quantity.
It’s a harmless shift in meaning but the confusion does shroud the distinctions between the computational and non-computational worlds. Some of Walker’s examples are analog in the original sense. A vinyl record for example records a continuous stream of sound as grooves on the surface of a disk. The vibrations that produced those grooves are later traced by the turntable’s needle which amplifies them for playback. But a print book is a fusion of different methods. Offset printing is an analog process but today many “analog” books are printed digitally. Binding them involves folding cutting and gluing—neither analog nor digital processes. They are hybrids. Even ebooks are hybrids—a digital file is useless without a device on which to view it made of circuits glass metal and plastic. If people tend to divide the world into computational and non-computational stuff then it’s no wonder that computers feel opposed to everything beyond them. * * * Today almost everything is a hybrid. Even seemingly analog devices are also digital ones. Modern vehicles for example are controlled mostly by computers. In the past depressing the accelerator opened a throttle to draw fuel and air into the engine. But now the pedal is just a regulator for the fuel injector which is managed by a computer. That’s a better likeness for [TGT]than a vinyl-record player or even a wristwatch. [TGT] hands aren’t mechanically driven like a timepiece; instead they act as a data display. The device’s GPS radio samples the bike’s change in position translating it into speed and distance. A digital barometer calculates altitude from barometric pressure change. The Omata’s microcontroller turns those readings into data inputs for the positions of the hands. Its electronics then activate a set of stepper motors which make the hands turn smoothly to display the right reading on the face.
This same approach is used in many seemingly analog vehicle-dashboard instruments—more evidence that supposedly analog experiences are also computational. [TGT]. Rather [TGT] was shrinking down the stepper-motor equipment to fit inside a handlebar-mounted computer instead of an automotive dash. Though challenging this step was required to hide the computer effectively. Bleecker first considered a Swiss watchmaker’s part but it was too weak and too coarse. He settled on the type of motor used in autofocus camera lenses—they move a lot of weight but still hold a specific focal point. What if the Apple Watch had been inspired by Leica rather than iPhone? Digital precision also creates the illusion of analog behavior. The sample rate of Omata ’s GPS sensor calculates a resolution under one meter which is less than the typical wheel-to-wheel distance of a bicycle. Even though the device does digital sampling it’s got plenty of resolution to make the result appear analog. Just as an ebook is a merger of plastic glass silicon and software so a speedometer is a fusion of microcontrollers sensors motors and plastic or metal faces and needles. Why the temptation to call a device like Omata “analog ” then? Bleecker insists that the urge toward nostalgia is really a misplaced desire to have specific experiences with worldly materials. “Why would someone get a Leica when they already have an iPhone?” Bleecker muses. “It’s the context of use. How you’re compelled to use that apparatus to create an experience.” Deliberately operating the aperture and range finder to frame and expose an image is different from snapping an AI-assisted portrait to share on social media. Analog has become a stand-in for purpose—especially purpose that goes beyond just using computers.
* * * When it comes to bicycles the purpose of riding might be exercise or competition or leisure or commuting. But those are just goals. The experience of cycling Bleecker and Newman insist is the coupling of human biology to mechanical movement. The feet legs heart lungs pedals chains and gears work together to push the bike forward. [TGT]they hope helps orient the rider to the changing relationship between body and bicycle. The computer persists behind the scenes sensing and storing the data that a smartphone or a traditional bicycle computer would. But dozens of data points aren’t useful during the ride. Instead the rider is encouraged to focus on the data that helps “maintain the pleasure of the ride ” according to Newman: speed distance and ascent. Bleecker insists that this deliberate focus on a specific experience justifies the obsession in Omata ’s design. “If a device should only do the things it needs to then it has to do them exceptionally well.” Computers have become both the path to all goals and the distraction that stands in the way of those goals. That obsession comes at a cost. At $550 some might scoff at Omata as just a luxury bauble for the wealthy. I took the gadget to Atlanta Pro Bikes a bike shop in an upscale neighborhood. The shop’s service manager John Eckert swooned over the design and build quality before sneering at the cost. “You can get an app for free that does all this ” Eckert tells me before also admitting that a fancy Garmin GPS bike computer can cost as much or more. One of them hangs from the handlebars of a bike he recently serviced—the whole build probably cost more than $10 000. Lots of money is changing hands in cycling with or without nostalgia. Omata ’s design inspirations are no less immune to criticisms of value and access. Leica cameras and Swiss watches cost thousands of dollars. Like Omata their prices could drop at higher sales volume. But that hasn’t happened. Instead alternatives arose: SLRs point-and-shoots quartz movements digital watches. Cheaper options that produce similar results.
What they don’t produce are similar experiences. Learning to judge exposure or to zone focus with a range finder. Performing the ritual of manually winding a mechanical watch. Experiences like these fell out of favor but not because they were undesirable. Instead cheaper options displaced them. In so doing experience became subordinated to purpose. The smartphone is the ultimate example of a single context for action. It’s a watch a telephone a camera a bike computer—anything at all really. But in exchange for that convenience the specific material experiences of the activities smartphones automate have been abandoned. Specialized devices just can’t compete with computers’ power and ubiquity. And so computers have become both the path to all goals and the distraction that stands in the way of those goals. * * * I’m no cyclist and to be honest getting the needle to point straight up to 18 terrified more than it inspired me. But even so when I pumped hard up a hill I could see my effort represented in the movement of the Omata’s needle. Every lurch and glide was visible tracing the arc of the case rather than updating abstract numbers on an LCD display. I really did feel more connected to my bike and my journey. As I return home from my test ride I think of Bleecker’s aspiration to “hide the computation.” What if everything had the humility of the technological refusenik without giving up on the power of technology in the process? What if the Apple Watch had been inspired by Leica rather than iPhone? | 2Positive
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1,440 | Seven Long Island mobsters hit with host of charges | Gambino | Federal prosecutors unveiled a 13-count indictment charging six members and associates of the Gambino organized crime family and a member of the Bonanno organized crime family with racketeering conspiracy illegal gambling and obstruction of justice.
In one intercepted call one of the suspects John (Johnny Boy) Ambrosio an acting captain in the Gambino family was caught on tape telling someone there was no need to travel to a casino — "you can play right here" and "save gas money."
Arrested along with Ambrosio were Frank (Frankie Boy) Salerno a soldier in the Bonanno family Thomas Anzaone Alessandro (Sandro) Damelio Joseph Durso Anthony Rodolico and Anthony Saladino associates of the Gambino family who were busted Tuesday.
Twin brothers busted in mob-style murder of Gambino associate | Federal prosecutors unveiled a 13-count indictment charging six members and associates of [TGT]and a member of the Bonanno organized crime family with racketeering conspiracy illegal gambling and obstruction of justice.
In one intercepted call one of the suspects John (Johnny Boy) [TGT]was caught on tape telling someone there was no need to travel to a casino — "you can play right here" and "save gas money."
Arrested along with [TGT]were Frank (Frankie Boy) Salerno a soldier in the Bonanno family Thomas Anzaone Alessandro (Sandro) Damelio Joseph Durso Anthony Rodolico and Anthony Saladino associates of the Gambino family who were busted Tuesday.
Twin brothers busted in mob-style murder of Gambino associate | 0Negative
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1,441 | Here's what could happen if North Korea sets off a huge nuclear explosion in the Pacific Ocean Business Insider | Kim Jong Un | Rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has escalated. In response North Korea’s foreign minister reportedly said the nation may set off the “most powerful” hydrogen bomb detonation in the Pacific. No other details were provided but at face value such a blast would be 1 000 times as powerful as the Hiroshima bombing. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons can lead to multiple dangerous scenarios.
Ri Yong Ho the foreign minister of the isolated nation reportedly told journalists that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is considering such a test blast.
“It could be the most powerful detonation of an H-bomb in the Pacific ” Yong Ho told reporters at the United Nations in New York on Thursday according to a story by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. “We have no idea about what actions could be taken as it will be ordered by leader Kim Jong Un.”
caption North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un stands before what may be a miniaturized thermonuclear weapon. source Thomson Reuters
The suggestion came in response to bellicose rhetoric exchanged between US President Donald Trump and Jong Un .
In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday Trump called Jong Un a suicidal “rocket man” and threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if the US is “forced to defend itself or its allies.” Jong Un allegedly responded with a written statement in which he called Trump a “mentally deranged US dotard” and said that “a frightened dog barks louder.”
“Trump is basically creating audience costs for Kim to back down ” Jeffrey Lewis director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey told Vox. “If you dare Kim it creates pressure for him to respond with his own provocation.”
“The stakes and heat in this conflict have not been this high since the Korean War ” Tristan Webb a senior analyst for NK News said in a story published by the outlet on Friday. “Kim Jong Un said in July that the … showdown was entering its final phase. He appears psychologically prepared for conflict.” | Rhetoric between President Donald Trump and [TGT] has escalated. In response North Korea’s foreign minister reportedly said the nation may set off the “most powerful” hydrogen bomb detonation in the Pacific. No other details were provided but at face value such a blast would be 1 000 times as powerful as the Hiroshima bombing. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons can lead to multiple dangerous scenarios.
Ri Yong Ho the foreign minister of the isolated nation reportedly told journalists that [TGT] is considering such a test blast.
“It could be the most powerful detonation of an H-bomb in the Pacific ” Yong Ho told reporters at the United Nations in New York on Thursday according to a story by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. “We have no idea about what actions could be taken as it will be ordered by leader Kim Jong Un.”
caption [TGT] stands before what may be a miniaturized thermonuclear weapon. source Thomson Reuters
The suggestion came in response to bellicose rhetoric exchanged between US President Donald Trump and Jong Un .
In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday Trump called Jong Un a suicidal “rocket man” and threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if the US is “forced to defend itself or its allies.” [TGT]allegedly responded with a written statement in which [TGT] called Trump a “mentally deranged US dotard” and said that “a frightened dog barks louder.”
“Trump is basically creating audience costs for Kim to back down ” Jeffrey Lewis director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey told Vox. “If you dare Kim it creates pressure for him to respond with his own provocation.”
“The stakes and heat in this conflict have not been this high since the Korean War ” Tristan Webb a senior analyst for NK News said in a story published by the outlet on Friday. “Kim [TGT] said in July that the … showdown was entering its final phase. He appears psychologically prepared for conflict.” | 0Negative
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1,442 | Best to hold Colombia interest rates after S&P cut: finance minister | Mauricio Cardenas | BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s central bank should take a pause in monetary policy this week and leave the interest rate stable to evaluate a decision by Standard & Poor’s to lower the nation’s long-term foreign currency rating Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas said on Tuesday.
FILE PHOTO: Colombia's Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas speaks during an interview with Reuters in Bogota Colombia August 8 2017. REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga
Cardenas is one of seven policymakers and represents the government on the board.
He said on Monday the country had already taken steps to stabilize the economy including last year’s tax reform monetary policy that lowered inflation and adjustments to the peso to close a trade gap. | BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s central bank should take a pause in monetary policy this week and leave the interest rate stable to evaluate a decision by Standard & Poor’s to lower the nation’s long-term foreign currency rating Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas said on Tuesday.
FILE PHOTO: [TGT]speaks during an interview with Reuters in Bogota Colombia August 8 2017. REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga
[TGT]is one of seven policymakers and represents the government on the board.
[TGT] said on Monday the country had already taken steps to stabilize the economy including last year’s tax reform monetary policy that lowered inflation and adjustments to the peso to close a trade gap. | 2Positive
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1,443 | Roy Moore Endorses Missouri GOP Candidate Who Expects 'Home Cooked Dinner At Six' | Courtland Sykes | Moore whose December defeat was a shocking upset announced Monday his endorsement of Courtland Sykes who is attempting to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo .) a top target of Republicans in this year’s elections. He praised Sykes as “a man of impeccable character courage and Christian faith” and “a leader who will do what is right!”
Sykes has fully aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s agenda pledging to support the president’s “MAGA and America First programs in 2018.” Trump endorsed Moore’s candidacy but hasn’t yet backed anyone in Missouri where the GOP field includes front-runner Josh Hawley.
Sykes says he opposes “career-obsessed banshees who forego home life and children and the happiness of family to become nail-biting manophobic hell-bent feminist she-devils.” A recent campaign questionnaire describing his “views on Women’s Rights” also says he wants his future daughters “to become traditional homemakers and family wives.”
Sykes wrote that he expects “to come home to a home cooked dinner at six every night ” and attacked “the non-stop feminization campaign against manhood.”
Sykes supported Moore’s failed Alabama bid. At Moore’s election night party he told HuffPost that Moore’s defeat to Democrat Doug Jones was “100-percent an effort by the Washington establishment” against what he called “MAGA candidates.” | Moore whose December defeat was a shocking upset announced Monday his endorsement of [TGT]. [TGT] praised Sykes as “a man of impeccable character courage and Christian faith” and “a leader who will do what is right!”
Sykes has fully aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s agenda pledging to support the president’s “MAGA and America First programs in 2018.” Trump endorsed Moore’s candidacy but hasn’t yet backed anyone in Missouri where the GOP field includes front-runner Josh Hawley.
Sykes says he opposes “career-obsessed banshees who forego home life and children and the happiness of family to become nail-biting manophobic hell-bent feminist she-devils.” A recent campaign questionnaire describing his “views on Women’s Rights” also says he wants his future daughters “to become traditional homemakers and family wives.”
Sykes wrote that he expects “to come home to a home cooked dinner at six every night ” and attacked “the non-stop feminization campaign against manhood.”
Sykes supported Moore’s failed Alabama bid. At Moore’s election night party he told HuffPost that Moore’s defeat to Democrat Doug Jones was “100-percent an effort by the Washington establishment” against what he called “MAGA candidates.” | 2Positive
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1,444 | Trump to Forbes: 'If Hillary Would Have Won Markets Would Have Gone Down' | Donald J. Trump | “Your stock market is at an all-time high ” Trump told Forbes.com.
"Your jobs your unemployment is at the lowest point in almost 17 years. We have fantastic numbers coming out " Trump said.
And while Forbes told Trump U.S. Stock markets are up 20 percent during his term he stretches the time period to yield an even glossier figure. "No 25 since the election. You have to go since the election " Trump said.
“That depends on the index of course (he's conveniently using the most Trump -friendly one Nasdaq) ” Forbes explained.
"Since Election Day it's 25 percent. It has gone up since Election Day $5.2 trillion -- $5.2 trillion. If Hillary Clinton would have won the markets would have gone down substantially " Trump said.
Aside from stocks Trump also is proud of tAmerica's gross domestic product (GDP) Forbes explained.
"So GDP last quarter was 3.1%. Most of the folks that are in your business and elsewhere were saying that would not be hit for a long time. You know Obama never hit the number " Trump said.
"He never hit it on a yearly basis. Never hit it on a yearly basis. That's eight years. I think we'll go substantially higher than that. And I think this quarter would have been phenomenal except for the hurricanes " Trump said.
For his part Trump has struck a constant tone of optimism over the economy touting the high stock market and low unemployment.
Stock Market hits an ALL-TIME high! Unemployment lowest in 16 years! Business and manufacturing enthusiasm at highest level in decades! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5 2017
RECORD HIGH FOR S & P 500! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 29 2017 | “Your stock market is at an all-time high ” Trump told Forbes.com.
"Your jobs your unemployment is at the lowest point in almost 17 years. We have fantastic numbers coming out " Trump said.
And while Forbes told Trump U.S. Stock markets are up 20 percent during his term he stretches the time period to yield an even glossier figure. "No 25 since the election. You have to go since the election " Trump said.
“That depends on the index of course (he's conveniently using the most Trump -friendly one Nasdaq) ” Forbes explained.
"Since Election Day it's 25 percent. It has gone up since Election Day $5.2 trillion -- $5.2 trillion. If Hillary Clinton would have won the markets would have gone down substantially " Trump said.
Aside from stocks Trump also is proud of tAmerica's gross domestic product (GDP) Forbes explained.
"So GDP last quarter was 3.1%. Most of the folks that are in your business and elsewhere were saying that would not be hit for a long time. You know Obama never hit the number " Trump said.
"He never hit it on a yearly basis. Never hit it on a yearly basis. That's eight years. I think we'll go substantially higher than that. And I think this quarter would have been phenomenal except for the hurricanes " Trump said.
For his part Trump has struck a constant tone of optimism over the economy touting the high stock market and low unemployment.
Stock Market hits an ALL-TIME high! Unemployment lowest in 16 years! Business and manufacturing enthusiasm at highest level in decades! — [TGT] (@realDonaldTrump) October 5 2017
RECORD HIGH FOR S & P 500! — [TGT] (@realDonaldTrump) September 29 2017 | 2Positive
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1,445 | Enes Kanter upset after Twitter mysteriously unverified him | Enes Kanter Enes | Enes Kanter is averaging a double-double through 17 games this season but apparently that isn't enough to warrant a blue check mark next to his name on Twitter.
Kanter publicly aired his frustration after he discovered Twitter mysteriously unverified him Sunday.
"Haha Yoo!! Even the freaking @Twitter against me Lol " Kanter wrote. "Why did you take my blue check away ?? You unverified me That's messed up."
Kanter was verified prior to Sunday.
against me 🤨
As a former Top 3 pick Kanter er qualifies as a user who would warrant verification according to Twitter's policy.
Twitter however has the right to remove verification at any time without notice. Reasons that could result in a user losing their verification include misleading people by changing one's name or bio harassing other users and promoting hate or violence among other actions Enes Kanter er is no longer verified on Twitter. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Based o Kanter er's recent Tweets it does not appear that the Knicks center violated any of these policies Kanter er however may have angered someone within Twitter wit his is political Tweets. The outspoken Turkish center has repeatedly criticized Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan once callin him im the "Hitler of our century" afte he he ha his is Turkish passport canceled Kanter er has also publicly state his is desire to take a knee during the national anthem prior to the Knicks' season opener but opted against it after talking wit his is teammates.
It's unclear i Kanter er's political stance and run-ins with the Turkish government had any bearing o his is loss of verification. | [TGT] is averaging a double-double through 17 games this season but apparently that isn't enough to warrant a blue check mark next to [TGT] name on Twitter.
[TGT]publicly aired [TGT] frustration after [TGT] discovered Twitter mysteriously unverified [TGT] Sunday.
"Haha Yoo!! Even the freaking @Twitter against me Lol [TGT]wrote. "Why did you take my blue check away ?? You unverified me That's messed up.[TGT]was verified prior to Sunday.
against me 🤨
As a former Top 3 pick [TGT] er qualifies as a user who would warrant verification according to Twitter's policy.
Twitter however has the right to remove verification at any time without notice. Reasons that could result in a user losing their verification include misleading people by changing one's name or bio harassing other users and promoting hate or violence among other actions [TGT] er is no longer verified on Twitter. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Based o Kanter er's recent Tweets it does not appear that the Knicks center violated any of these policies Kanter er however may have angered someone within Twitter wit his is political Tweets. The outspoken Turkish center has repeatedly criticized Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan once callin him im the "Hitler of our century" afte he he ha his is Turkish passport canceled [TGT] [TGT] has also publicly state his is desire to take a knee during the national anthem prior to the Knicks' season opener but opted against it after talking wit his is teammates.
It's unclear i [TGT] [TGT]'s political stance and run-ins with the Turkish government had any bearing o his is loss of verification. | 2Positive
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1,446 | ABC Suspends Brian Ross Four Weeks Without Pay | Brian Ross | Late Saturday ABC News announced it was suspending network investigative reporter Brian Ross four weeks without pay for an inaccurate report that aired Friday.
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Ross followed up his reporting later that day with a “clarification ” claiming it was not while Trump was a candidate but as president-elect.
We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday. The reporting conveyed by Brian Ross during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process. As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online. It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience –- these are our core principles. We fell far short of that yesterday. Effective immediately Brian Ross will be suspended for four weeks without pay. | Late Saturday ABC News announced it was suspending network investigative reporter [TGT]four weeks without pay for an inaccurate report that aired Friday.
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Ross followed up his reporting later that day with a “clarification ” claiming it was not while Trump was a candidate but as president-elect.
We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday. The reporting conveyed by [TGT]during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process. As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online. It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience –- these are our core principles. We fell far short of that yesterday. Effective immediately Brian Ross will be suspended for four weeks without pay. | 2Positive
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1,447 | Experts Aghast At Russian Claim Of Nuclear | Edward Geist | "I'm still kind of in shock " says Edward Geist a researcher specializing in Russia at the Rand Corp. "My guess is they're not bluffing that they've flight-tested this thing. But that's incredible."
The U.S. did go on to investigate the idea of a nuclear-powered missile Geist says. Known as the Supersonic Low Altitude Missile the idea was more like a nuclear-powered drone aircraft. "It was actually supposed to fly around autonomously and drop nuclear gravity bombs " Geist says.
The nuclear reactor that would keep SLAM aloft would also spew radioactive exhaust Geist says. At the time that was advertised as a feature not a bug because it would have had the added benefit of polluting the Soviet countryside.
"It was supposed to be really really dirty " Geist says.
The U.S. got as far as actually building the nuclear engine for Project Pluto a development project at the Nevada Test Site. The reactor was tested a number of times in the early 1960s and it performed well. But by that point awareness had grown about the dangers of nuclear fallout and arms control treaties were coming into place Geist says. Those concerns were among the reasons the project died in 1964.
The type of reactor used in Project Pluto was particularly messy because it exposed the nuclear fuel directly to the outside air. Geist says the new Russian missile may use a different system that keeps the fuel somewhat isolated from the air. But he quickly adds that wouldn't make it safe.
"There are a bunch of different ways to do it and frankly they're all terrible " Geist says.
He suspects that the Russian design would involve what's known as a "fast reactor " which is more efficient but also less safe than most nuclear reactors. If the missile crashed or the reactor failed it would trigger a major incident.
"It's just crazy they field-tested this thing " he says.
Geist says he expects Russia's provocations to continue. "They're sending us a message that they are not OK with our U.S. missile defense posture " he says.
That message? "They're willing to go full Strangelove on us " Geist says. | "I'm still kind of in shock " says [TGT] at the Rand Corp. "My guess is they're not bluffing that they've flight-tested this thing. But that's incredible."
The U.S. did go on to investigate the idea of a nuclear-powered missile [TGT]says. Known as the Supersonic Low Altitude Missile the idea was more like a nuclear-powered drone aircraft. "It was actually supposed to fly around autonomously and drop nuclear gravity bombs [TGT]says.
The nuclear reactor that would keep SLAM aloft would also spew radioactive exhaust Geist says. At the time that was advertised as a feature not a bug because it would have had the added benefit of polluting the Soviet countryside.
"It was supposed to be really really dirty [TGT]says.
The U.S. got as far as actually building the nuclear engine for Project Pluto a development project at the Nevada Test Site. The reactor was tested a number of times in the early 1960s and it performed well. But by that point awareness had grown about the dangers of nuclear fallout and arms control treaties were coming into place [TGT]says. Those concerns were among the reasons the project died in 1964.
The type of reactor used in Project Pluto was particularly messy because it exposed the nuclear fuel directly to the outside air. [TGT]says the new Russian missile may use a different system that keeps the fuel somewhat isolated from the air. But he quickly adds that wouldn't make it safe.
"There are a bunch of different ways to do it and frankly they're all terrible " [TGT]says.
[TGT] suspects that the Russian design would involve what's known as a "fast reactor " which is more efficient but also less safe than most nuclear reactors. If the missile crashed or the reactor failed it would trigger a major incident.
"It's just crazy they field-tested this thing " he says.
[TGT]says [TGT] expects Russia's provocations to continue. "They're sending us a message that they are not OK with our U.S. missile defense posture " he says.
That message? "They're willing to go full Strangelove on us " [TGT]says. | 2Positive
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1,448 | Cruz told everybody: 'I'm a killer!' | Nikolas Cruzes | We know that Nikolas Cruz wasn't hiding a thing about his killing rage in the months and even years before the Florida school massacre.
According to the best British newspaper in America the Daily Mail Nikolas Cruz abused his ex and sold knives out of a lunchbox. He was disciplined by the school 25 times and finally expelled.
Good Morning America could not pass up an interview with survivor Ariana Lopez. In her circle everybody knew that Cruz was dangerous. He didn't bother to hide it. According to Ms. Lopez Cruz was signaling his rage and murderous feelings like mad.
Lopez made it clear during her interview that Cruz 's problematic behavior and mental health issues were on clear display at school. 'He used to sell knives out of his lunch box which I thought was insane. You can't have knives this is a school' said Lopez of Cruz . 'He would be like "hey guys want some knives?"' One of the incidents that led to his being disciplined was a fight in September 2016. Footage of the brawl emerged over the weekend. Cruz was suspended for two days as a result of the fight which was over a former girlfriend.
This changes the picture completely: what the hell were the school counselors and police authorities doing while Cruz was signaling murderous intentions? There is an air of looming tragedy over the Florida school killings and secretly many people knew or suspected what was to come.
Any competent teacher administrator school cop or counselor should have seen the signs and should have diverted Cruz into a protected environment where he could be educated and monitored. If his friend Ariana knew he was selling knives so did dozens of other kids teachers administrators and all the rest. No person in authority acted responsibly. They just kicked the can down the road.
There is no mystery about the Nikolas Cruzes of the world. They have been around forever. It's just that they were spotted and taken care of with discipline and yes with love and acceptance whether they deserved it or not. If they acted out they were punished appropriately and if they looked dangerous they were diverted to activities where they could do no harm.
That's what fathering is all about and that is what the ancient phrase "in loco parentis" means. Cruz should have been effectively disciplined from childhood onward but he was allowed to grow into a raging menace recognized by other students and by numerous adults. | We know that Nikolas Cruz wasn't hiding a thing about his killing rage in the months and even years before the Florida school massacre.
According to the best British newspaper in America the Daily Mail Nikolas Cruz abused his ex and sold knives out of a lunchbox. He was disciplined by the school 25 times and finally expelled.
Good Morning America could not pass up an interview with survivor Ariana Lopez. In her circle everybody knew that [TGT]Cruz was dangerous. He didn't bother to hide [TGT]. According to Ms. Lopez Cruz was signaling his rage and murderous feelings like mad.
Lopez made it clear during her interview that Cruz 's problematic behavior and mental health issues were on clear display at school. 'He used to sell knives out of his lunch box which I thought was insane. You can't have knives this is a school' said Lopez of Cruz . 'He would be like "hey guys want some knives?"' One of the incidents that led to his being disciplined was a fight in September 2016. Footage of the brawl emerged over the weekend. Cruz was suspended for two days as a result of the fight which was over a former girlfriend.
This changes the picture completely: what the hell were the school counselors and police authorities doing while Cruz was signaling murderous intentions? There is an air of looming tragedy over the Florida school killings and secretly many people knew or suspected what was to come.
Any competent teacher administrator school cop or counselor should have seen the signs and should have diverted Cruz into a protected environment where he could be educated and monitored. If [TGT][TGT] friend Ariana knew [TGT] was selling knives so did dozens of other kids teachers administrators and all the rest. No person in authority acted responsibly. They just kicked the can down the road.
There is no mystery about the Nikolas Cruzes of the world. They have been around forever. It's just that they were spotted and taken care of with discipline and yes with love and acceptance whether they deserved it or not. If they acted out they were punished appropriately and if they looked dangerous they were diverted to activities where they could do no harm.
That's what fathering is all about and that is what the ancient phrase "in loco parentis" means. Cruz should have been effectively disciplined from childhood onward but he was allowed to grow into a raging menace recognized by other students and by numerous adults. | 2Positive
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1,449 | From obscure to iconic the rise of the 'W' flag | Candice Finnelly | Season ticket holders Ross and Candice Finnelly of Lemont brought a “W” flag poster to Thursday’s Game 5 of the NLCS. They ’re fully supportive of the new tradition with one caveat: They only fly it after the game.
“All the time I want to say put that away ” Candice Finnelly said with a laugh.
As unwitting Dodgers fans asked ballpark employees about the significance of the flag Ross Finnelly said he often finds himself explaining the history and meaning for family and friends from out of town.
“I think it’s a symbol everyone can get behind ” Ross Finnelly said. “It’s like singing ‘Go Cubs Go.’ Now the team is winning so we get to sing a lot more. It gives something for the fans to unite around. It gives everyone a common symbol to root for to rally around.” | Season ticket holders Ross and [TGT] of Lemont brought a “W” flag poster to Thursday’s Game 5 of the NLCS. They ’re fully supportive of the new tradition with one caveat: They only fly it after the game.
“All the time I want to say put that away ” [TGT] said with a laugh.
As unwitting Dodgers fans asked ballpark employees about the significance of the flag Ross Finnelly said he often finds himself explaining the history and meaning for family and friends from out of town.
“I think it’s a symbol everyone can get behind ” Ross Finnelly said. “It’s like singing ‘Go Cubs Go.’ Now the team is winning so we get to sing a lot more. It gives something for the fans to unite around. It gives everyone a common symbol to root for to rally around.” | 2Positive
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1,450 | Pope Francis Letter Scandal : Pope Informed of Barros Allegations | Pope Francis Letter | Well it’s now happened. The great scandal of the modern Catholic Church — its tolerance for clergy who abuse children and its laxity when dealing with bishops who themselves tolerated or enabled priest-abusers — now touches directly on the pope himself .
It ’s worth laying out the timeline clearly. In 2015 Pope Francis appointed Juan Barros Madrid to the bishopric of Osorno Chile. The appointment was met with local protests among Catholics and non-Catholics who believed that Barros was implicated in the crimes of child sexual abuse committed by his friend Father Fernando Karadima a prominent Chilean churchman who habitually kissed and fondled boys. In the days after the installation of Barros at Osono Pope Francis told an archbishop that there was “no objective reason at all” to oppose the appointment. The Vatican’s own department governing these matters the Congregation for Bishops released a statement saying they had “carefully examined the prelate’s candidature and did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment.”
In the months following the appointment Pope Francis became extremely dismissive of complaints. “Osorno suffers yes for silliness ” the pope said of the outrage in the media. “Think with your head and do not be carried away by the noses of the leftists who are the ones who put this thing together ” he added.
A few weeks ago Pope Francis ’s visit to Chile was marked by protests and the pope continued his extremely brusque dismissal. “The day I see proof against Bishop Barros then I will talk ” the pontiff said. “There is not a single piece of evidence against him . It is all slander. Is that clear?” Francis said that no victims had come forward to him . It was apparently this statement that caused Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston to scramble down to Chile and meet with the pope. After O’Malley’s intervention presumably the pope issued a half-apology but repeated that the accusations against Barros were “slander” before adding “I’m convinced he’s innocent.”
And now the news drops. In the time between the pope’s appointment of Barros and his commentary about protesters being carried away by leftists members of the Vatican’s own Commission for the Protection of Minors gathered to discuss the appointment. They had a representative hand-deliver a letter to Pope Francis from Carlos Cruz. The letter alleged in lurid detail that Barros had personally witnessed the abuse of Cruz at Karadima’s hands. Members of the commission photographed the hand-off of the letter to the pope to reassure Cruz that they were doing everything possible to make his cry for justice heard.
The facts as we know them leave us with a few interpretations. 1) Pope Francis simply never read the letter ignoring this extraordinary intervention by the Vatican’s own commission on a matter of public controversy for his pontificate. 2) Francis read the letter but forgot about it reverting to his original understanding of the case. 3) Francis read the letter but stuck to his decision for Barros committing unintentional or intentional deceptions about the state of his knowledge of the accusations. 4) He read the letter but either doubted the accusations in it or at least found them so unimpressive that he did not decide to follow up on them.
The first explanation would mean that Francis was culpably ignorant. The second that he may lack the mental or moral faculties to competently govern the Catholic Church. The third that he is too stubborn or vain to change course in the face of evidence. And the last that he has little trust or faith in the Commission on the Protection of Minors to pass on credible counsel to him . Perhaps more reporting or disclosure will change our understanding but none of these are satisfactory. | Well it’s now happened. The great scandal of the modern Catholic Church — its tolerance for clergy who abuse children and its laxity when dealing with bishops who themselves tolerated or enabled priest-abusers — now touches directly on the pope himself .
It ’s worth laying out the timeline clearly. In 2015 [TGT] appointed Juan Barros Madrid to the bishopric of Osorno Chile. The appointment was met with local protests among Catholics and non-Catholics who believed that Barros was implicated in the crimes of child sexual abuse committed by his friend Father Fernando Karadima a prominent Chilean churchman who habitually kissed and fondled boys. In the days after the installation of Barros at Osono [TGT] told an archbishop that there was “no objective reason at all” to oppose the appointment. The Vatican’s own department governing these matters the Congregation for Bishops released a statement saying they had “carefully examined the prelate’s candidature and did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment.”
In the months following the appointment Pope [TGT]became extremely dismissive of complaints. “Osorno suffers yes for silliness ” the pope said of the outrage in the media. “Think with your head and do not be carried away by the noses of the leftists who are the ones who put this thing together ” he added.
A few weeks ago [TGT] ’s visit to Chile was marked by protests and the pope continued his extremely brusque dismissal. “The day I see proof against Bishop Barros then I will talk ” the pontiff said. “There is not a single piece of evidence against him . It is all slander. Is that clear?” [TGT]said that no victims had come forward to [TGT] . It was apparently this statement that caused Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston to scramble down to Chile and meet with the pope. After O’Malley’s intervention presumably the pope issued a half-apology but repeated that the accusations against Barros were “slander” before adding “I’m convinced he’s innocent.”
And now the news drops. In the time between the pope’s appointment of Barros and his commentary about protesters being carried away by leftists members of the Vatican’s own Commission for the Protection of Minors gathered to discuss the appointment. They had a representative hand-deliver a letter to Pope Francis from Carlos Cruz. The letter alleged in lurid detail that Barros had personally witnessed the abuse of Cruz at Karadima’s hands. Members of the commission photographed the hand-off of the letter to the pope to reassure Cruz that they were doing everything possible to make his cry for justice heard.
The facts as we know them leave us with a few interpretations. 1) Pope Francis simply never read the letter ignoring this extraordinary intervention by the Vatican’s own commission on a matter of public controversy for his pontificate. 2) Francis read the letter but forgot about it reverting to his original understanding of the case. 3) Francis read the letter but stuck to his decision for Barros committing unintentional or intentional deceptions about the state of his knowledge of the accusations. 4) He read the letter but either doubted the accusations in it or at least found them so unimpressive that he did not decide to follow up on them.
The first explanation would mean that Francis was culpably ignorant. The second that he may lack the mental or moral faculties to competently govern the Catholic Church. The third that he is too stubborn or vain to change course in the face of evidence. And the last that he has little trust or faith in the Commission on the Protection of Minors to pass on credible counsel to him . Perhaps more reporting or disclosure will change our understanding but none of these are satisfactory. | 2Positive
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1,451 | China faces historic corruption battle ruling party's new graft buster says | REUTERSJason Lee Zhao | “If our control of the party is not strong and party governance is not strict then the party won’t be able to avoid being erased by history and the historic task the party carries will not be able to be fulfilled ” Zhao wrote.
Xi like others before him has warned that corruption is so serious it could lead to the end of the party’s grip on power.
Xi’s corruption fight has ensnared more than 1.3 million officials. At last month’s five-yearly party congress he said it would continue to target both “tigers” and “flies” a reference to elite officials and ordinary bureaucrats.
“The facts tell us and warn us that the party’s position as the top political leader and power is the foundation of our political stability economic development national unity and social stability ” Zhao wrote.
Zhao leads the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) having previously been in charge of the party’s powerful organisation department which is in charge of personnel decisions.
He added that there would be no tolerance of people who “just do what they want to do” and ignore orders or carry on with banned behaviours like trying to get around policy decisions.
Promotions also needed to be rigorously scrutinised he said a reference to numerous previous scandals where corrupt officials had abused their power or taken bribes to promote friends and family members. | “If our control of the party is not strong and party governance is not strict then the party won’t be able to avoid being erased by history and the historic task the party carries will not be able to be fulfilled ” Zhao wrote.
Xi like others before him has warned that corruption is so serious it could lead to the end of the party’s grip on power.
Xi’s corruption fight has ensnared more than 1.3 million officials. At last month’s five-yearly party congress he said it would continue to target both “tigers” and “flies” a reference to elite officials and ordinary bureaucrats.
“The facts tell us and warn us that the party’s position as the top political leader and power is the foundation of our political stability economic development national unity and social stability ” Zhao wrote.
Zhao leads the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) having previously been in charge of the party’s powerful organisation department which is in charge of personnel decisions.
He added that there would be no tolerance of people who “just do what they want to do” and ignore orders or carry on with banned behaviours like trying to get around policy decisions.
Promotions also needed to be rigorously scrutinised he said a reference to numerous previous scandals where corrupt officials had abused their power or taken bribes to promote friends and family members. | 2Positive
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1,452 | Apple vows to cut its $163 billion in net cash to 'zero' | Luca Maestri | "Tax reform will allow us to pursue a more optimal capital structure for our company " Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said Thursday on the earnings call. "Our current net cash position is $163 billion and given the increased financial and operational flexibility from the access to our foreign cash we are targeting to become approximately net cash neutral over time."
The executive noted that the company returned nearly 100 percent of its free cash flow during the past several years to investors.
Maestri said Apple will not make any changes to its mergers and acquisition strategy saying the company will continue to look "at all sizes" and aims to "accelerate our product road maps" from its acquisitions.
"What Luca 's saying is not cash equals zero. He 's saying there's an equal amount of cash and debt and that they balance to zero " he said. | "Tax reform will allow us to pursue a more optimal capital structure for [TGT]said Thursday on the earnings call. "Our current net cash position is $163 billion and given the increased financial and operational flexibility from the access to our foreign cash we are targeting to become approximately net cash neutral over time."
The executive noted that [TGT]returned nearly 100 percent of [TGT] free cash flow during the past several years to investors.
[TGT] said Apple will not make any changes to its mergers and acquisition strategy saying [TGT]will continue to look "at all sizes" and aims to "accelerate our product road maps" from its acquisitions.
"What Luca 's saying is not cash equals zero. He 's saying there's an equal amount of cash and debt and that they balance to zero " he said. | 2Positive
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1,453 | Jewish family's house defaced with swastika racial slur | Debra Calabrese | Debra Calabrese said her 17-year-old son found the slur “k— ” and a swastika spray painted in black on the family’s garage at around 5 a.m Wednesday.
“It feels like a nightmare not real ” said Calabrese who is Jewish . “It’s one thing when someone says something but to vandalize my property like this is a whole new level.”
Calabrese her two sons and teen daughter have been living in their Rossville residence for 14 years and said their home has never been attacked like this before.
Calabrese said she ’s working with police on the case and neighbors whose surveillance cameras may have caught the vandals in action.
“New York City is like the melting pot I don’t understand ” Calabrese said. “We should all live together. This shouldn’t happen.” | [TGT]said [TGT] 17-year-old son found the slur “k— ” and a swastika spray painted in black on the family’s garage at around 5 a.m Wednesday.
“It feels like a nightmare not real ” said Calabrese who is Jewish . “It’s one thing when someone says something but to vandalize my property like this is a whole new level.”
Calabrese her two sons and teen daughter have been living in their Rossville residence for 14 years and said their home has never been attacked like this before.
[TGT] said [TGT] ’s working with police on the case and neighbors whose surveillance cameras may have caught the vandals in action.
“New York City is like the melting pot I don’t understand ” [TGT] said. “We should all live together. This shouldn’t happen.” | 2Positive
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1,454 | THE PACKWOOD CASE | Bob Packwood | WASHINGTON Sept. 7— As his colleagues watched grimly Senator Bob Packwood announced his resignation today hours after the Ethics Committee released a 10-volume indictment much of it in his own hand of his personal and official conduct.
But Senator Bob Dole raised the possibility tonight that Senator Packwood would not leave immediately. Mr. Packwood an Oregon Republican did not set an effective date for his resignation.
"The Bob Packwood we heard today is the Bob Packwood we've known over the years " said Mr. Dole who looked as if a dark storm were playing out over his visage. Indeed Mr. Dole whose Presidential campaign has been losing some of its momentum lately has been relying on Senator Packwood to steer the Republicans' sweeping economic program through the Finance Committee and shepherd it into law.
Photo: Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon resigned yesterday heading off a vote to expel him for sexual and official misconduct. Members of his staff left the Capitol after Mr. Packwood's announcement. (Associated Press)(pg. D17) | WASHINGTON Sept. 7— As his colleagues watched grimly [TGT]announced [TGT] resignation today hours after the Ethics Committee released a 10-volume indictment much of it in [TGT] own hand of [TGT] personal and official conduct.
But Senator Bob Dole raised the possibility tonight that Senator Packwood would not leave immediately. [TGT]did not set an effective date for [TGT] resignation.
"[TGT] we heard today is [TGT] we've known over the years " said Mr. Dole who looked as if a dark storm were playing out over [TGT] visage. Indeed Mr. Dole whose Presidential campaign has been losing some of its momentum lately has been relying on [TGT] to steer the Republicans' sweeping economic program through the Finance Committee and shepherd it into law.
Photo: [TGT]resigned yesterday heading off a vote to expel [TGT] for sexual and official misconduct. Members of [TGT] staff left the Capitol after [TGT]'s announcement. (Associated Press)(pg. D17) | 2Positive
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1,455 | Ambulance service hit with suit over explicit gingerbread house | Ramis Ruiz | Plaintiffs Ramis Ruiz 21 and John Messing 41 accused their fellow volunteer EMTs at the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance of sexual harassment bullying and discrimination.
According to the suit Ruiz was slandered during a election for the service’s assistant chief position by charges that she was “sleeping around with (fellow) members” to win votes for her candidate.
Ruiz complained about sexual harassment and bullying but gripes fell on deaf ears.
Messing claimed he was suspended after backing Ruiz in her gripes about harassment and eventually fired from the department. | [TGT]accused [TGT] fellow volunteer EMTs at the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance of sexual harassment bullying and discrimination.
According to the suit Ruiz was slandered during a election for the service’s assistant chief position by charges that she was “sleeping around with (fellow) members” to win votes for her candidate.
Ruiz complained about sexual harassment and bullying but gripes fell on deaf ears.
Messing claimed he was suspended after backing Ruiz in her gripes about harassment and eventually fired from the department. | 2Positive
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1,456 | Rep. Franks proposed sex to female staffers he had offered money | Trent Franks | Arizona Rep. Trent Franks resigned effective immediately Friday afternoon amid damning reports that he made unwanted sexual advances toward female staffers and offered at least one of them millions of dollars to carry a surrogate baby for him and his wife.
GOP Rep. Trent Franks resigns amid 'inappropriate behavior' claim
A few hours later Politico reported that Franks had not just approached his female staffers about surrogacy — but also seemingly proposed sexual intercourse as a means to impregnate them.
The women said they decided to file complaints with the House Ethics Committee because they were concerned Franks was asking about sex not artificial insemination.
GOP sources aware of the complaints said one of the women claimed she was retaliated against after rebuffing Franks ' lewd proposal having her previous access to the congressman revoked.
Also Friday the Associated Press reported that Franks had offered one of the women a whopping $5 million to act as a surrogate for him and his wife. The woman claimed Franks pressed her repeatedly about surrogacy after she initially rebuffed him .
In addition to talks of surrogacy Franks tried to convince a female aide that they were in love after sending her an article describing how two people know they love each other according to the Politico report.
Franks' abrupt resignation comes as Washington D.C. reels from a sexual harassment scandal involving dozens of male politicians. Just hours before Franks initially announced his resignation Democratic Sen. Al Franken stepped down in response to shocking claims that he sexually harassed a number of women. A few days before that Franks’ Democratic House colleague John Conyers announced his resignation amid a sexual harassment scandal of his own.
Franks forcefully denied ever engaging in sexual misconduct in a lengthy statement on Thursday.
House Speaker Paul Ryan accepted Franks’ resignation on Friday. The House ethics investigation into the shocking claims against Franks has thereby been called off the committee said. | [TGT] resigned effective immediately Friday afternoon amid damning reports that [TGT] made unwanted sexual advances toward female staffers and offered at least one of them millions of dollars to carry a surrogate baby for [TGT] and [TGT] wife.
[TGT]resigns amid 'inappropriate behavior' claim
A few hours later Politico reported that [TGT]had not just approached [TGT] female staffers about surrogacy — but also seemingly proposed sexual intercourse as a means to impregnate them.
The women said they decided to file complaints with the House Ethics Committee because they were concerned [TGT]was asking about sex not artificial insemination.
GOP sources aware of the complaints said one of the women claimed she was retaliated against after rebuffing [TGT] lewd proposal having her previous access to the congressman revoked.
Also Friday the Associated Press reported that [TGT]had offered one of the women a whopping $5 million to act as a surrogate for [TGT] and [TGT] wife. The woman claimed [TGT]pressed her repeatedly about surrogacy after she initially rebuffed [TGT] .
In addition to talks of surrogacy [TGT]tried to convince a female aide that they were in love after sending her an article describing how two people know they love each other according to the Politico report.
[TGT]abrupt resignation comes as Washington D.C. reels from a sexual harassment scandal involving dozens of male politicians. Just hours before [TGT]initially announced [TGT] resignation Democratic Sen. Al Franken stepped down in response to shocking claims that he sexually harassed a number of women. A few days before that Franks’ Democratic House colleague John Conyers announced his resignation amid a sexual harassment scandal of his own.
[TGT]forcefully denied ever engaging in sexual misconduct in a lengthy statement on Thursday.
House Speaker Paul Ryan accepted Franks’ resignation on Friday. The House ethics investigation into the shocking claims against [TGT]has thereby been called off the committee said. | 1Neutral
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1,457 | This Year's Hurricane Season Was Intense. Is It A Taste Of The Future? : The Two | Kerry Emanuel | There are other factors at work besides warming. A global weather pattern called El Niño was absent this year and that often means a stormier Atlantic Ocean. One reason is that high-altitude "shear winds" in the Atlantic that often nip the tops off budding hurricanes were absent as well.
Atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel at MIT notes that there's also a rather mysterious cycle for Atlantic hurricanes. It seems to repeat about every decade. "We don't really understand it [but] it's there " he says and it also influences when and how often hurricanes arise. Sure enough it was 12 years ago in 2005 when the Atlantic saw such a similarly huge hurricane year.
Emanuel says scientists aren't clear whether hurricanes are becoming more common; reliable records for hurricanes go back only about 50 years in the Atlantic so it's difficult to detect a long-term trend and data for the Pacific are even scarcer. Theoretically he says some aspects of warming could actually decrease the frequency of hurricanes by drying out parts of the atmosphere. But those that do arise are likely to be nastier. "Insofar as the storms are intense and produce a lot of rain " he says "they're a window into our long-term future."
And it's a costly future Emanuel says. "We're just going to get more and more destruction " he predicts "because we just encourage people to live and build in dangerous places" like low-lying coastlines — a fact independent of climate change. | There are other factors at work besides warming. A global weather pattern called El Niño was absent this year and that often means a stormier Atlantic Ocean. One reason is that high-altitude "shear winds" in the Atlantic that often nip the tops off budding hurricanes were absent as well.
[TGT]notes that there's also a rather mysterious cycle for Atlantic hurricanes. It seems to repeat about every decade. "We don't really understand it [but] it's there " [TGT] says and it also influences when and how often hurricanes arise. Sure enough it was 12 years ago in 2005 when the Atlantic saw such a similarly huge hurricane year.
[TGT]says scientists aren't clear whether hurricanes are becoming more common; reliable records for hurricanes go back only about 50 years in the Atlantic so it's difficult to detect a long-term trend and data for the Pacific are even scarcer. Theoretically [TGT] says some aspects of warming could actually decrease the frequency of hurricanes by drying out parts of the atmosphere. But those that do arise are likely to be nastier. "Insofar as the storms are intense and produce a lot of rain " [TGT] says "they're a window into our long-term future."
And it's a costly future [TGT]says. "We're just going to get more and more destruction " he predicts "because we just encourage people to live and build in dangerous places" like low-lying coastlines — a fact independent of climate change. | 1Neutral
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1,458 | Chinese Scientists Clone Monkeys Using Method That Created Dolly The Sheep | Poo | "We're excited — extremely excited " Mu-ming Poo of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said. "This is really I think a breakthrough for biomedicine."
He sees a need to have "genetically identical monkeys for studying many human diseases especially brain diseases" such as Alzheimer's Huntington's and Parkinson's disease.
The Chinese scientists acknowledge that any new technology can be abused. But they stress they have no interest in ever trying to clone a person. "Technically speaking one can clone human " Poo says. "But we're not going to do it. There's absolutely no plan to do anything on humans."
Poo's team succeeded by removing the DNA from fetal monkeys instead of using adult cells as a starting point. The scientists then transferred the genes into monkey eggs that had had their own DNA removed.
The next step was also crucial Poo says. The researchers stimulated the eggs to develop into embryos with a new mix of chemical signals. "The trick is we choose the right chemicals to turn on these genes we transfer into the egg " Poo says. "So that's what we did different. I think that's the key."
"They are lively. They are walking jumping playing around like all newborn baby monkeys " Poo says adding that so far they seem very healthy. | "We're excited — extremely excited " Mu-ming [TGT] of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said. "This is really I think a breakthrough for biomedicine."
He sees a need to have "genetically identical monkeys for studying many human diseases especially brain diseases" such as Alzheimer's Huntington's and Parkinson's disease.
The Chinese scientists acknowledge that any new technology can be abused. But they stress they have no interest in ever trying to clone a person. "Technically speaking one can clone human " [TGT] says. "But we're not going to do it. There's absolutely no plan to do anything on humans."
[TGT]'s team succeeded by removing the DNA from fetal monkeys instead of using adult cells as a starting point. The scientists then transferred the genes into monkey eggs that had had their own DNA removed.
The next step was also crucial [TGT] says. The researchers stimulated the eggs to develop into embryos with a new mix of chemical signals. "The trick is we choose the right chemicals to turn on these genes we transfer into the egg " [TGT] says. "So that's what we did different. I think that's the key."
"They are lively. They are walking jumping playing around like all newborn baby monkeys " [TGT] says adding that so far they seem very healthy. | 2Positive
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1,459 | Craft Hard Cider Is On A Roll. How Ya Like Them Apples? : The Salt : NPR | Greg Johnson | Greg Johnson one of Anxo's cider-makers attaches an air of romance to cider.
"There's something special about apples that like a husk of corn doesn't have " Johnson says.
Wine has long had its connoisseurs. With the rise of the craft beer movement drinkers have learned to appreciate the nuances of that brewed beverage too. But cider in many drinkers' imagination remains an unrefined blandly sweet drink says Johnson . The reality is far different he says.
"There's a whole expansive world just as expansive as beer just as expansive as wine. I just keep working to show people that " Johnson says. | [TGT]one of Anxo's cider-makers attaches an air of romance to cider.
"There's something special about apples that like a husk of corn doesn't have " [TGT]says.
Wine has long had its connoisseurs. With the rise of the craft beer movement drinkers have learned to appreciate the nuances of that brewed beverage too. But cider in many drinkers' imagination remains an unrefined blandly sweet drink says [TGT] . The reality is far different [TGT] says.
"There's a whole expansive world just as expansive as beer just as expansive as wine. I just keep working to show people that " [TGT]says. | 2Positive
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1,460 | Rick Pitino fired from Louisville in October is open to coaching | Rick Pitino | CLOSE SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken goes inside the scandal that has rocked the sports world and the ripple effect it will have on college basketball and Rick Pitino's legacy. USA TODAY Sports
Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino (Photo: The Associated Press)
Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino told ESPN on Monday that while he is open to the idea of returning to coaching he is also trying to "get on with a different part of my life."
"If a school come April comes to me in Miami and says 'We believe you we believe you were innocent ' I would give it a shot " Pitino told ESPN.
"The way I feel today I'm not going to coach again " Pitino said. "But that may not be my feeling in February. I've got to get over the hurt. It's going to take some time. But the bitterness is gone."
Pitino was suspended by Louisville on Sept. 27 one day after an FBI investigation into college basketball recruiting became public. Pitino was allegedly aware of efforts by a Louisville assistant and Adidas executives to funnel $100 000 to recruit Brian Bowen to entice him to sign with the school. | CLOSE SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken goes inside the scandal that has rocked the sports world and the ripple effect it will have on college basketball and Rick Pitino's legacy. USA TODAY Sports
Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino (Photo: The Associated Press)
[TGT]told ESPN on Monday that while [TGT] is open to the idea of returning to coaching [TGT] is also trying to "get on with a different part of my life."
"If a school come April comes to [TGT] in Miami and says 'We believe you we believe you were innocent ' I would give it a shot [TGT]told ESPN.
"The way I feel today I'm not going to coach again " [TGT]said. "But that may not be my feeling in February. I've got to get over the hurt. It's going to take some time. But the bitterness is gone.[TGT]was suspended by Louisville on Sept. 27 one day after an FBI investigation into college basketball recruiting became public. [TGT]was allegedly aware of efforts by a Louisville assistant and Adidas executives to funnel $100 000 to recruit Brian Bowen to entice [TGT] to sign with the school. | 2Positive
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1,461 | Texas governor spares inmate | Patricia Whitaker | Kent and Patricia Whitaker and their two boys had returned home the night of Dec. 10 2003 following a restaurant dinner to celebrate Bart Whitaker’s college graduation when they were confronted by a gunman wearing dark clothes and a ski mask. Patricia Whitaker and her 19-year-old son Kevin were killed. Kent Whitaker and Bart were wounded.
Thomas Whitaker's father Kent Whitaker said he loves his son and has forgiven him. (JON HERSKOVITZ/REUTERS)
Nearly two years later Bart Whitaker was arrested in Mexico after investigators determined he arranged the plot in hopes of collecting a family estate he believed was worth more than $1 million.
“I’m 100 percent guilty ” Whitaker testified at his trial in 2007. “I put the plan in motion.”
Whitaker ’s father said he loves and has forgiven his son calling him a changed person.
The gunman Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 to a murder charge and is serving life in prison. Steve Champagne who drove Brashear from the Whitaker house the night of the shootings took a 15-year prison term in exchange for testifying at Whitaker ’s trial. | [TGT]had returned home the night of Dec. 10 2003 following a restaurant dinner to celebrate Bart Whitaker’s college graduation when [TGT] were confronted by a gunman wearing dark clothes and a ski mask. [TGT]and [TGT] 19-year-old son Kevin were killed. Kent Whitaker and Bart were wounded.
Thomas Whitaker's father Kent Whitaker said he loves his son and has forgiven him. (JON HERSKOVITZ/REUTERS)
Nearly two years later Bart Whitaker was arrested in Mexico after investigators determined he arranged the plot in hopes of collecting a family estate he believed was worth more than $1 million.
“I’m 100 percent guilty ” Whitaker testified at his trial in 2007. “I put the plan in motion.”
Whitaker ’s father said he loves and has forgiven his son calling him a changed person.
The gunman Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 to a murder charge and is serving life in prison. Steve Champagne who drove Brashear from the Whitaker house the night of the shootings took a 15-year prison term in exchange for testifying at Whitaker ’s trial. | 2Positive
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1,462 | Democrats: Papadopoulos Meeting Raises More Questions About Sessions' Testimony | George Papadopoulos | Democrats on Wednesday questioned again whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was forthcoming with Congress amid news reports he killed a suggestion by former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos to set up a meeting with Republican candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Jeff Sessions concealed his meetings with Russians and he had an obligation to be more forthcoming about the meeting that involved Papadopoulos as well " Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal a member of the Judiciary Committee told Manu Raju on CNN.
"In fact one of the points of question is whether Papadopoulos in that charging document where there's a reference to a campaign supervisor was in fact talking to Jeff Sessions."
According to charging documents unsealed Monday in Russia special counsel Robert Mueller's probe Papadopoulos suggested in a July 2016 meeting that he should make efforts to connect Trump with Putin.
Trump who was at the meeting of campaign advisers "didn't say yes and he didn't say no " an official who was in the room told CNN about the meeting.
Papadopoulos 30 a Trump foreign policy adviser pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI according to the unsealed documents in Mueller's investigation. | Democrats on Wednesday questioned again whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was forthcoming with Congress amid news reports he killed a suggestion by former Trump campaign adviser [TGT]to set up a meeting with Republican candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Jeff Sessions concealed his meetings with Russians and he had an obligation to be more forthcoming about the meeting that involved [TGT]as well " Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal a member of the Judiciary Committee told Manu Raju on CNN.
"In fact one of the points of question is whether [TGT]in that charging document where there's a reference to a campaign supervisor was in fact talking to Jeff Sessions."
According to charging documents unsealed Monday in Russia special counsel Robert Mueller's probe [TGT] suggested in a July 2016 meeting that [TGT] should make efforts to connect Trump with Putin.
Trump who was at the meeting of campaign advisers "didn't say yes and he didn't say no " an official who was in the room told CNN about the meeting.
Papadopoulos 30 a Trump foreign policy adviser pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI according to the unsealed documents in Mueller's investigation. | 0Negative
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1,463 | Special counsel subpoenas former Trump aide Bannon: report | Steve Bannon | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon has been subpoenaed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before a grand jury in a probe of alleged ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Mueller’s office declined comment. Bill Burck a lawyer for Bannon could not immediately be reached for comment.
The reported subpoena of Bannon does not mean he is a target of Mueller’s criminal investigation.
Bannon a champion of Trump’s “America First” agenda was among the Republican’s closest aides during the 2016 election campaign the presidential transition and his first months in office.
But the pair had a bitter public falling out over comments Bannon made to author Michael Wolff for his recent book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”
In the book Bannon is quoted as describing a June 2016 meeting between Trump associates including the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. his son-in-law Jared Kushner and a Russian lawyer as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”
Bannon was fired by the White House in August and returned to the right-wing news website Breitbart News. He continued to speak with Trump and tried to promote the president’s agenda.
But Trump accused Bannon of having “lost his mind” when news of his comments to Wolff surfaced earlier this month. Six days later Bannon stepped down as executive chairman at Breitbart.
Mueller’s subpoena which was issued last week could be a pressure tactic to induce Bannon to cooperate fully with his investigation.
Attorney Renato Mariotti a former federal prosecutor said the most likely reason for a Mueller subpoena of Bannon was that “he thought having an attorney present and giving Bannon a more relaxed setting would not yield the same testimony as if he got him in the grand jury room with no attorney there and a more adversarial style of questioning.”
Separately on Tuesday Bannon spent hours meeting behind closed doors with members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. He was the latest high-profile figure to appear before the panel as part of its investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election.
After Bannon refused to answer questions about his time in the White House - as opposed to during the campaign Devin Nunes the committee’s Republican chairman authorized a subpoena during the meeting to press Bannon to respond.
Asked if the White House had told Bannon not to answer certain questions spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: “As with all congressional activities touching upon the White House Congress must consult with the White House prior to obtaining confidential material.” | [TGT] has been subpoenaed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before a grand jury in a probe of alleged ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Mueller’s office declined comment. Bill Burck a lawyer for [TGT]could not immediately be reached for comment.
The reported subpoena of [TGT]does not mean [TGT] is a target of Mueller’s criminal investigation.
[TGT]was among the Republican’s closest aides during the 2016 election campaign the presidential transition and [TGT] first months in office.
But the pair had a bitter public falling out over comments [TGT]made to author Michael Wolff for [TGT] recent book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”
In the book Bannon is quoted as describing a June 2016 meeting between Trump associates including the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. his son-in-law Jared Kushner and a Russian lawyer as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”
Bannon was fired by the White House in August and returned to the right-wing news website Breitbart News. He continued to speak with Trump and tried to promote the president’s agenda.
But Trump accused [TGT]of having “lost his mind” when news of his comments to Wolff surfaced earlier this month. Six days later [TGT]stepped down as executive chairman at Breitbart.
Mueller’s subpoena which was issued last week could be a pressure tactic to induce Bannon to cooperate fully with his investigation.
Attorney Renato Mariotti a former federal prosecutor said the most likely reason for a Mueller subpoena of [TGT]was that “he thought having an attorney present and giving [TGT] a more relaxed setting would not yield the same testimony as if [TGT] got [TGT] in the grand jury room with no attorney there and a more adversarial style of questioning.”
Separately on Tuesday [TGT]spent hours meeting behind closed doors with members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. [TGT] was the latest high-profile figure to appear before the panel as part of its investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election.
After [TGT]refused to answer questions about [TGT] time in the White House - as opposed to during the campaign Devin Nunes the committee’s Republican chairman authorized a subpoena during the meeting to press [TGT]to respond.
Asked if the White House had told [TGT]not to answer certain questions spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: “As with all congressional activities touching upon the White House Congress must consult with the White House prior to obtaining confidential material.” | 2Positive
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1,464 | Sue Grafton writer of popular 'alphabet' mysteries dies | Sue Grafton | Sue Grafton author of the best-selling "alphabet series" of mystery novels has died in Santa Barbara. She was 77.
Grafton was surrounded by family including husband Steven Humphrey when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer her daughter Jamie Clark posted on the author's website.
"Although we knew this was coming it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago and then things moved quickly " the posting said.
Grafton began her "alphabet series" in 1982 with "A is for Alibi." Her most recent book "Y is for Yesterday " was published in August.
"Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows and in that same vein she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name " her daughter wrote. "Because of all of those things and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue as far as we in the family are concerned the alphabet now ends at Y."
The fictional heroine of the series Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone was Grafton 's alter ego she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.
"I'm an introvert so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities " Grafton said. "But it's fun to get to live her life without penalty."
Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.
"Yes as Sue said 'We're one spirit in two bodies and she got the good one '" Humphrey said.
While Grafton aged her heroine didn't quite as much.
"So when I started she was 32 and I was 42. Now she is 39 and I am 77. So there's a little bit of injustice there but she is single " she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. " She 's been married twice. She has no kids no pets no house plants."
She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with "Z is for Zero."
Lisa Scottoline author of legal thrillers tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton 's passing.
" She forged a path for women in crime fiction and all of us followed and adored her " she said.
Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer "graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit."
Grafton began writing at 18 and completed her first novel at 22. "A is for Alibi" was the eighth novel she wrote and the third she had published. | [TGT]has died in Santa Barbara. [TGT] was 77.
Grafton was surrounded by family including husband Steven Humphrey when she died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer her daughter Jamie Clark posted on [TGT]'s website.
"Although we knew this was coming it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago and then things moved quickly " the posting said.
Grafton began her "alphabet series" in 1982 with "A is for Alibi." Her most recent book "Y is for Yesterday " was published in August.
"Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows and in that same vein she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name " her daughter wrote. "Because of all of those things and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue as far as we in the family are concerned the alphabet now ends at Y."
The fictional heroine of the series Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone was Grafton 's alter ego she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.
"I'm an introvert so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities " Grafton said. "But it's fun to get to live her life without penalty."
Her husband agreed that Grafton was Kinsey.
"Yes as [TGT] said 'We're one spirit in two bodies and [TGT] got the good one '" Humphrey said.
While Grafton aged her heroine didn't quite as much.
"So when I started she was 32 and I was 42. Now she is 39 and I am 77. So there's a little bit of injustice there but she is single " she told NPR in an interview earlier this year. " She 's been married twice. She has no kids no pets no house plants."
She said she was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with "Z is for Zero."
Lisa Scottoline author of legal thrillers tweeted that she was sad to hear of Grafton 's passing.
" She forged a path for women in crime fiction and all of us followed and adored her " she said.
Crime writer Lawrence Block called Grafton a wonderful writer "graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit."
Grafton began writing at 18 and completed her first novel at 22. "A is for Alibi" was the eighth novel she wrote and the third she had published. | 2Positive
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1,465 | Pelosi: Not 'Going to Rest Until' Congress Acts on Gun Control | Pelosi | Congress must take action on gun control in the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi D-Calif. said Wednesday in a town hall hosted by CNN.
"We're never going to rest until we get this done " Pelosi said in response to a question from Bob Patterson a man whose wife was killed in the attack. Patterson had asked what Pelosi was going to do to prevent future mass shootings.
"We're talking about a bill that would say you have to have … a background check. It's 72 hours. It's a very short background check. So I'm not making it harder for you to have a gun. All we're just saying is that you have to have a background check " Pelosi said.
Pelosi said that she believed it would be possible to ban bump fire stocks which the shooter appeared to use in order to allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at automatic-weapon frequency according to CNN.
"I do think there would be bipartisan support coming together to pass a bill to make it illegal to sell those because you can buy them now " she said.
In a Thursday tweet Pelosi followed up on the town hall saying that many gun owners are in favor of "common sense" solutions to gun violence. | Congress must take action on gun control in the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi D-Calif. said Wednesday in a town hall hosted by CNN.
"We're never going to rest until we get this done [TGT]said in response to a question from Bob Patterson a man whose wife was killed in the attack. Patterson had asked what [TGT]was going to do to prevent future mass shootings.
"We're talking about a bill that would say you have to have … a background check. It's 72 hours. It's a very short background check. So I'm not making it harder for you to have a gun. All we're just saying is that you have to have a background check " [TGT]said.
[TGT]said that [TGT] believed it would be possible to ban bump fire stocks which the shooter appeared to use in order to allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at automatic-weapon frequency according to CNN.
"I do think there would be bipartisan support coming together to pass a bill to make it illegal to sell those because you can buy them now " [TGT] said.
In a Thursday tweet Pelosi followed up on the town hall saying that many gun owners are in favor of "common sense" solutions to gun violence. | 2Positive
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1,466 | North Korea Leader Impressed with South's Delegation Welcome | Kim Jong Un | SEOUL South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said it is important to continue a reconciliatory mood between the Koreas and expressed satisfaction with the North Korean delegation's visit to the South in his first remarks since the high-level guests led by his sister returned to the North.
The North's state-owned Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that Kim was impressed with Seoul's welcome and treatment of the high-level delegation.
Kim emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue between two Koreas according to the North's official news agency.
North Korea sent its nominal head of state and Kim 's sister Kim Yo Jong who extended an invitation to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang in the near future. | SEOUL South Korea (AP) — [TGT]said [TGT] is important to continue a reconciliatory mood between the Koreas and expressed satisfaction with the North Korean delegation's visit to the South in [TGT] first remarks since the high-level guests led by [TGT] sister returned to the North.
The North's state-owned Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that [TGT]was impressed with Seoul's welcome and treatment of the high-level delegation.
[TGT]emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue between two Koreas according to the North's official news agency.
North Korea sent its nominal head of state and [TGT] 's sister Kim Yo Jong who extended an invitation to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang in the near future. | 2Positive
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1,467 | Kyle Stephens: Inaction on sexual abuse is no longer excusable | Nassar Larry Nassar | Kyle Stephens tried for years to get anyone to believe her that family friend Larry Nassar had sexually abused her. Now more than 260 women and girls say the disgraced gymnastics doctor violated them. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Kyle Stephens tried for years to get anyone to believe her that family friend Larry Nassar had sexually abused her. Now more than 260 women and girls say the disgraced gymnastics doctor violated them. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Kyle Stephens testified in January at the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar who was convicted of child sex-abuse charges in a Michigan court. Her cousin Sophia Stephens contributed to the drafting of this op-ed.
Kyle Stephens who was sexually abused for six years by disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar talks to fellow survivors about the emotional and physical toll and how's she's healing. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Sexual abuse is hardly limited to Larry Nassar Michigan State University or USA Gymnastics. One in nine girls and one in 53 boys will experience such abuse by their 18th birthday. I find the way we ignore or sugarcoat our most vile issues to be offensive and a big part of our problem. Our silence and inaction create a culture where predators can thrive. | Kyle Stephens tried for years to get anyone to believe her that family friend Larry Nassar had sexually abused her. Now more than 260 women and girls say the disgraced gymnastics doctor violated them. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Kyle Stephens tried for years to get anyone to believe her that family friend Larry Nassar had sexually abused her. Now more than 260 women and girls say the disgraced gymnastics doctor violated them. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Kyle Stephens testified in January at the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar who was convicted of child sex-abuse charges in a Michigan court. Her cousin Sophia Stephens contributed to the drafting of this op-ed.
Kyle Stephens who was sexually abused for six years by disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar talks to fellow survivors about the emotional and physical toll and how's she's healing. (Kate Woodsome Gillian Brockell Kerri Pang Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)
Sexual abuse is hardly limited to Larry Nassar Michigan State University or USA Gymnastics. One in nine girls and one in 53 boys will experience such abuse by their 18th birthday. I find the way we ignore or sugarcoat our most vile issues to be offensive and a big part of our problem. Our silence and inaction create a culture where predators can thrive. | 2Positive
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1,468 | Conway: Clinton Kept Donations From 'Dirty Harvey' Weinstein | Clinton | Kellyanne Conway blasted Hillary Clinton for taking five days to come out with a statement about movie producer and Democratic mega-donor Harvey Weinstein following growing allegations that he'd been sexually assaulting women for years.
Further said Conway Clinton as far as anyone knows "kept the dirty money that dirty Harvey has given her in her campaign."
But now even if Clinton gives back the money that would not make her look any better said Conway.
"First of all she doesn't need to mollify me but not be a hypocrite about women's empowerment " Conway said. " She spent a month this time last year talking about an audio tape from 11 years earlier where a statement was made by the now president of the United States . . . what has she done privately in her private life? She is talking about herself and a campaign she lost on a book tour. She is not trying to help victims of sexual assault."
Conway invited Clinton to call her at the White House if she wishes to discuss the issue.
" She knows the number " she said. " She was the first lady for eight years and worked in a bipartisan fashion on sexual assault. We don't hear that from her ." | Kellyanne Conway blasted Hillary Clinton for taking five days to come out with a statement about movie producer and Democratic mega-donor Harvey Weinstein following growing allegations that he'd been sexually assaulting women for years.
Further said [TGT]as far as anyone knows "kept the dirty money that dirty Harvey has given her in her campaign."
But now even if [TGT]gives back the money that would not make [TGT] look any better said Conway.
"First of all she doesn't need to mollify me but not be a hypocrite about women's empowerment " Conway said. " She spent a month this time last year talking about an audio tape from 11 years earlier where a statement was made by the now president of the United States . . . what has she done privately in her private life? She is talking about herself and a campaign she lost on a book tour. She is not trying to help victims of sexual assault."
Conway invited [TGT] to call [TGT] at the White House if [TGT] wishes to discuss the issue.
" [TGT] knows the number " [TGT] said. " [TGT] was the first lady for eight years and worked in a bipartisan fashion on sexual assault. We don't hear that from [TGT] ." | 2Positive
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1,469 | Stephen Curry responds to Trump uninviting him from White House | Stephen Curry | President Trump isn’t on Stephen Curry’s side but his rival LeBron James is.
James and other athletes around the league came to Curry ’s defense Saturday after Trump like he often does went on Twitter to blast Curry for criticizing the administration.
Stephen Curry on Friday said that he doesn’t want the Warriors to go to D.C. and it would be a “short conversation” if the decision was solely up to him . (Janie McCauley/AP)
“U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” James tweeted in response to Trump withdrawing Curry ’s invitation to the White House.
“It was amazing to see all of these guys (NBA players) rally around each other. That’s what this about " Curry told the Washington Post.
President Trump singled out Stephen Curry on Twitter over his opinion on the administration. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating therefore invitation is withdrawn! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23 2017 | [TGT]but [TGT] rival LeBron James is.
James and other athletes around the league came to Curry ’s defense Saturday after Trump like he often does went on Twitter to blast Curry for criticizing the administration.
[TGT]on Friday said that [TGT] doesn’t want the Warriors to go to D.C. and it would be a “short conversation” if the decision was solely up to [TGT] . (Janie McCauley/AP)
“U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” James tweeted in response to Trump withdrawing Curry ’s invitation to the White House.
“It was amazing to see all of these guys (NBA players) rally around each other. That’s what this about [TGT]told the Washington Post.
President Trump singled out [TGT] on Twitter over his opinion on the administration. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.[TGT] is hesitating therefore invitation is withdrawn! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23 2017 | 2Positive
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1,470 | Olympic champ Simone Biles says she was abused by Larry Nassar | Nassar Simone Biles | Biles now 20 called Nassar's behavior "completely unacceptable disgusting and abusive especially from someone whom I was told to trust." She joins a list of high-profile gymnasts who have come out against Nassar including six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman 2012 all-around champion Gabby Douglas and two-time Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney.
Like her Olympic teammates Biles detailed abuse by Nassar that he disguised as treatment.
"It is impossibly difficult to relive these experiences and it breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing in Tokyo 2020 I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused " Biles wrote.
Biles says she initially wondered if she was to blame.
"For too long I've asked myself 'Was I too naive? Was it may fault?'" Biles wrote. "I now know the answer to those questions. No. No. It was not my fault. No I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar USAG and others."
USA Gymnastics said in a statement it is "heartbroken sorry and angry" that Biles and other athletes were harmed by Nassar.
That's not far enough for some. Raisman has urged the organization to remove chairman of the board Paul Parilla among others. Biles like Raisman wants USA Gymnastics to take a deeper look at the conditions that allowed Nassar's behavior to run unchecked for so long.
"We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to so many of us " Biles said. "We need to make sure something like this never happens again." | Biles now 20 called Nassar's behavior "completely unacceptable disgusting and abusive especially from someone whom I was told to trust." She joins a list of high-profile gymnasts who have come out against Nassar including six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman 2012 all-around champion Gabby Douglas and two-time Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney.
Like her Olympic teammates Biles detailed abuse by Nassar that he disguised as treatment.
"It is impossibly difficult to relive these experiences and it breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing in Tokyo 2020 I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused " Biles wrote.
Biles says she initially wondered if she was to blame.
"For too long I've asked myself 'Was I too naive? Was it may fault?'" Biles wrote. "I now know the answer to those questions. No. No. It was not my fault. No I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar USAG and others."
USA Gymnastics said in a statement it is "heartbroken sorry and angry" that Biles and other athletes were harmed by Nassar.
That's not far enough for some. Raisman has urged the organization to remove chairman of the board Paul Parilla among others. Biles like Raisman wants USA Gymnastics to take a deeper look at the conditions that allowed Nassar's behavior to run unchecked for so long.
"We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to so many of us " Biles said. "We need to make sure something like this never happens again." | 2Positive
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1,471 | 'Big Bang Theory' star Kaley Cuoco is engaged to Karl Cook | Karl Cook | "Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco and professional equestrian Karl Cook are engaged they announced on social media.
Cook posted a video to Instagram on Thursday Cuoco's 32nd birthday depicting the actress with an engagement ring on her finger in tears.
"Well after nearly two years I finally got up the courage to ask her to marry me. This is the best night of my life and I think the video shows it is the best night for Kaley as well...." Cook wrote in the caption.
This will be the second marriage for Cuoco who split from tennis player Ryan Sweeting in 2015 nearly two years after their wedding. She and Cook were first linked in 2016.
I am so so so happy. Thank you @nadis_diamonds for making the greatest ring I could hope for. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you thank you A post shared by Karl Cook (@mrtankcook) on Nov 30 2017 at 7:30pm PST
In life there is nothing like dancing right after getting engaged. The purity and grace of the moment are inexplicable it is truly as though life were a balloon bouncing on the smoothest zephyr. Honey; all I want is to be a balloon bouncing bobbing and flowing through life together. You are my everything @normancook A post shared by Karl Cook (@mrtankcook) on Nov 30 2017 at 11:07pm PST
Who knew my prior post was oracular. Well after nearly two years I finally got up the courage to ask her to marry me. This is the best night of my life and I think the video shows it is the best night for kaley as well.....if she said yes!!!!! A post shared by Karl Cook (@mrtankcook) on Nov 30 2017 at 7:05pm PST | [TGT]are engaged [TGT] announced on social media.
[TGT]posted a video to Instagram on Thursday Cuoco's 32nd birthday depicting the actress with an engagement ring on her finger in tears.
"Well after nearly two years I finally got up the courage to ask her to marry me. This is the best night of my life and I think the video shows it is the best night for Kaley as well...." Cook wrote in the caption.
This will be the second marriage for Cuoco who split from tennis player Ryan Sweeting in 2015 nearly two years after their wedding. She and [TGT]were first linked in 2016.
I am so so so happy. Thank you @nadis_diamonds for making the greatest ring I could hope for. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you thank you A post shared by [TGT] on Nov 30 2017 at 7:30pm PST
In life there is nothing like dancing right after getting engaged. The purity and grace of the moment are inexplicable it is truly as though life were a balloon bouncing on the smoothest zephyr. Honey; all I want is to be a balloon bouncing bobbing and flowing through life together. You are my everything @normancook A post shared by [TGT] on Nov 30 2017 at 11:07pm PST
Who knew my prior post was oracular. Well after nearly two years I finally got up the courage to ask her to marry me. This is the best night of my life and I think the video shows it is the best night for kaley as well.....if she said yes!!!!! A post shared by [TGT] on Nov 30 2017 at 7:05pm PST | 2Positive
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1,472 | Jane Fonda has zero time for Megyn Kelly's annoying question about her plastic surgery | Megyn Kelly | Hey Megyn Kelly . Here's an idea: maybe don't ask Jane Fonda about her plastic surgery when she's talking about a movie she worked on.
In an excruciating interview on the Today show Fonda and Robert Redford chatted to Kelly about upcoming film Our Souls at Night.
Kelly began by talking to Redford about his Hollywood career highlights and his iconic role as Hubble in The Way We Were. But when she turned to Fonda Kelly decided to ask her about her appearance and—specifically—the plastic surgery she 's had. Faced with this question Fonda's face said it all.
"You've been an example to everyone in how to age beautifully and with strength. You've admit you've had work done which I think is to your credit " said Kelly . Kelly then asked Fonda why she doesn't feel proud to admit that she 's had work done.
"Well thanks. Good attitude good posture take care of myself but let me tell you why I love this movie that we did Our Souls At Night rather than plastic surgery " Fonda continued. | Hey [TGT] . Here's an idea: maybe don't ask Jane Fonda about her plastic surgery when she's talking about a movie she worked on.
In an excruciating interview on the Today show Fonda and Robert Redford chatted to [TGT]about upcoming film Our Souls at Night.
[TGT]began by talking to Redford about [TGT] Hollywood career highlights and [TGT] iconic role as Hubble in The Way We Were. But when [TGT] turned to Fonda [TGT]decided to ask her about [TGT] appearance and—specifically—the plastic surgery [TGT] 's had. Faced with this question Fonda's face said it all.
"You've been an example to everyone in how to age beautifully and with strength. You've admit you've had work done which I think is to your credit " said [TGT] . [TGT]then asked Fonda why [TGT] doesn't feel proud to admit that [TGT] 's had work done.
"Well thanks. Good attitude good posture take care of [TGT] but let me tell you why I love this movie that we did Our Souls At Night rather than plastic surgery " Fonda continued. | 2Positive
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1,473 | In defense of Sarah Huckabee Sanders | Sarah Huckabee Sanders | Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied about baking a chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving. The White House press secretary further ruined the national holiday by humiliating the press corps by asking them why they are grateful. While none of this is true attacking Sanders personally has become the media’s latest and lowest method of attacking President Trump.
“Piegate” started after Sanders shared a picture on Thursday of a chocolate pecan pie with the caption “I dont cook much these days but managed this Chocolate Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving at the family farm!” April Ryan the American Urban Radio Networks correspondent and a CNN political analyst tweeted at Sanders the next day: “Show it to us on a table.” She then added “I am not trying to be funny but folks are already saying #piegate and #fakepie Show it to us on the table with folks eating it and a pic of you cooking it.” Ryan’s insinuation that Sanders used a stock photo launched a viral debate involving every nook and cranny of the crust and glazed pecan top of the pie.
Sanders responded to the second tweet with grace: “Don’t worry @AprilDRyan because I’m nice I’ll bake one for you next week ;-) #RealPie #FakeNews.”
Ryan’s fake news was so influential that other liberal media kept the rolling pin going. On Saturday MSNBC’s Joy Reid said she “cannot verify whether or not Sanders baked that pie.” Did anyone at MSNBC call the White House and ask? Fox News’s Todd Stearns did and Sanders told him “Of course I made the pie.” She added that “I make it for every holiday family gathering and have for years.”
Sanders was also attacked for asking reporters in a pre-Thanksgiving briefing to state what they were thankful for before asking their questions. Sanders started by saying she was thankful for among other things the people in the room her faith and family. Reporters almost all responded in kind which gave the usually antagonistic briefing room a kinder atmosphere.
Sanders is a practicing Christian who prays before she does the daily briefing so one would think she would be given the benefit of the doubt in understanding this as a good-will effort to transcend partisanship.
Piling on his colleague Kathleen Parker said Sanders ’s request was “candy-coating her usual condescension with faux fellowship.” Parker used the rest of her column to criticize every aspect of Sanders ’s professional skills and recommended that she be replaced with — naturally — a journalist.
The Thanksgiving nastiness wasn’t even the lowest the media sank in its attacks on Sanders .
Earlier this month Los Angeles Times writer David Horsey began his piece: “ Sarah Huckabee Sanders does not look like the kind of woman Donald Trump would choose as his chief spokesperson.” He went on to say she “looks more like a slightly chunky soccer mom who organizes snacks for the kids’ games.”
The backlash to this piece especially the reference to Sanders ’s weight was so swift that the Times deleted all of it from the column and added an apology from the author. This is not standard procedure in newspapers. The as-written text normally stays in the piece unless factually incorrect. There’s no way the Times did this because it cares about Trump supporters. It cares about female readership. And we don’t like men judging our weight and appearance at work.
The media hostility toward Sanders really has nothing to do with her but stems from its barely concealed hatred for Trump. So they want a Trump spokesperson to perform badly. But Sanders is effective in the way she does not give an inch in defense of the president while keeping her cool and appearing unfazed. That means she gives the media few sound bites to nourish liberal cable shows and late-night television. She ducks and dodges when needed which is part of the job.
Sanders has thick skin and a strong faith. None of these personal attacks appear to get to her no matter how low and mean. She knows her purpose is to defend and promote the policies of the president and the administration. At some point the elite pundit class in the media will realize that in attacking Sanders they are the ones who end up looking bad. | [TGT]lied about baking a chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving. The White House press secretary further ruined the national holiday by humiliating the press corps by asking them why they are grateful. While none of this is true attacking [TGT]personally has become the media’s latest and lowest method of attacking President Trump.
“Piegate” started after [TGT]shared a picture on Thursday of a chocolate pecan pie with the caption “I dont cook much these days but managed this Chocolate Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving at the family farm!” April Ryan the American Urban Radio Networks correspondent and a CNN political analyst tweeted at [TGT]the next day: “Show it to us on a table.” She then added “I am not trying to be funny but folks are already saying #piegate and #fakepie Show it to us on the table with folks eating it and a pic of you cooking it.” Ryan’s insinuation that [TGT]used a stock photo launched a viral debate involving every nook and cranny of the crust and glazed pecan top of the pie.
[TGT]responded to the second tweet with grace: “Don’t worry @AprilDRyan because I’m nice I’ll bake one for you next week ;-) #RealPie #FakeNews.”
Ryan’s fake news was so influential that other liberal media kept the rolling pin going. On Saturday MSNBC’s Joy Reid said she “cannot verify whether or not [TGT]baked that pie.” Did anyone at MSNBC call the White House and ask? Fox News’s Todd Stearns did and [TGT]told him “Of course I made the pie.” She added that “I make it for every holiday family gathering and have for years.”
[TGT]was also attacked for asking reporters in a pre-Thanksgiving briefing to state what they were thankful for before asking their questions. [TGT]started by saying she was thankful for among other things the people in the room her faith and family. Reporters almost all responded in kind which gave the usually antagonistic briefing room a kinder atmosphere.
[TGT]is a practicing Christian who prays before she does the daily briefing so one would think she would be given the benefit of the doubt in understanding this as a good-will effort to transcend partisanship.
Piling on [TGT] colleague Kathleen Parker said Sanders ’s request was “candy-coating her usual condescension with faux fellowship.” Parker used the rest of her column to criticize every aspect of Sanders ’s professional skills and recommended that she be replaced with — naturally — a journalist.
The Thanksgiving nastiness wasn’t even the lowest the media sank in its attacks on [TGT] .
Earlier this month Los Angeles Times writer David Horsey began his piece: [TGT]does not look like the kind of woman Donald Trump would choose as [TGT] chief spokesperson.” [TGT] went on to say she “looks more like a slightly chunky soccer mom who organizes snacks for the kids’ games.”
The backlash to this piece especially the reference to [TGT]was so swift that the Times deleted all of it from the column and added an apology from the author. This is not standard procedure in newspapers. The as-written text normally stays in the piece unless factually incorrect. There’s no way the Times did this because it cares about Trump supporters. It cares about female readership. And we don’t like men judging our weight and appearance at work.
The media hostility toward [TGT]really has nothing to do with [TGT] but stems from [TGT] barely concealed hatred for Trump. So they want a Trump spokesperson to perform badly. But [TGT]is effective in the way [TGT] does not give an inch in defense of the president while keeping [TGT] cool and appearing unfazed. That means [TGT] gives the media few sound bites to nourish liberal cable shows and late-night television. She ducks and dodges when needed which is part of the job.
[TGT]has thick skin and a strong faith. None of these personal attacks appear to get to [TGT] no matter how low and mean. [TGT] knows [TGT] purpose is to defend and promote the policies of the president and the administration. At some point the elite pundit class in the media will realize that in attacking [TGT]they are the ones who end up looking bad. | 2Positive
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1,474 | Boy found dead in Arizona elementary school bathroom | Amanda Griggs | Amanda Griggs said she kept her son also in third grade home from school Tuesday because he had a fever.
"I'm so sad for the family that has to get the horrible news today " she said. "I won't rant about bullying or gun control. I'm just sad that the child felt there was no other way."
She said she told her son about the incident because he would have heard about it.
"I told him what happened because he was going to hear about it at school and his only response was 'Why?' " she said. "I just told him that I didn't know and that now no one will ever know. He was shocked but had nothing else to say." | [TGT]said [TGT] kept [TGT] son also in third grade home from school Tuesday because he had a fever.
"I'm so sad for the family that has to get the horrible news today " [TGT] said. "I won't rant about bullying or gun control. I'm just sad that the child felt there was no other way."
She said she told her son about the incident because he would have heard about it.
"I told him what happened because he was going to hear about it at school and his only response was 'Why?' " she said. "I just told him that I didn't know and that now no one will ever know. He was shocked but had nothing else to say." | 2Positive
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1,475 | Texas shooting: Pastor encouraged members to lean on God in last week's sermon | Frank Pomeroy | Seven days before a deadly shooting took place in a Texas church its pastor gave a sermon encouraging his congregation to turn to God when life becomes difficult.
Pastor Frank Pomeroy was in Oklahoma when a shooter opened fire today inside his church First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. His 14-year-old daughter Annabelle Renee Pomeroy was among those killed he told ABC News.
But a week ago on Sunday Oct. 29 Pomeroy took to the wooden altar inside the church nestled on a dusty road to preach from Proverbs 3:5. It was a message he said that God placed on his heart.
"When you start to lean on your understanding of a situation that's when we tend to have issues " Pomeroy said.
Pomeroy used his hunter green and cream motorcycle placed at the altar in front of yellow and purple flowers to further make his point. He admitted that many church members had asked that morning why the bike was there.
He said he and his daughter had driven the motorcycle recently and "had a good time coming in. It was a beautiful ride " the pastor added.
Pomeroy said that his daughter "still tends at times to get a little nervous when we go around bends."
"It is very unnatural for us as human beings to want to lean into that road that's coming up so close to you " he said. "Yet the safest way around the corner on a motorcycle is to lean down into the turn. | Seven days before a deadly shooting took place in a Texas church its pastor gave a sermon encouraging his congregation to turn to God when life becomes difficult.
[TGT]was in Oklahoma when a shooter opened fire today inside [TGT] church First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. His 14-year-old daughter [TGT]was among those killed [TGT] told ABC News.
But a week ago on Sunday Oct. 29 [TGT]took to the wooden altar inside the church nestled on a dusty road to preach from Proverbs 3:5. It was a message [TGT] said that God placed on his heart.
"When you start to lean on your understanding of a situation that's when we tend to have issues [TGT]said.
[TGT]used [TGT] hunter green and cream motorcycle placed at the altar in front of yellow and purple flowers to further make [TGT] point. [TGT] admitted that many church members had asked that morning why the bike was there.
[TGT] said [TGT] and [TGT] daughter had driven the motorcycle recently and "had a good time coming in. It was a beautiful ride " the pastor added.
[TGT]said that [TGT] daughter "still tends at times to get a little nervous when we go around bends."
"It is very unnatural for us as human beings to want to lean into that road that's coming up so close to you " he said. "Yet the safest way around the corner on a motorcycle is to lean down into the turn. | 2Positive
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1,476 | Grandparents raising grandkids grapple with retirement and college costs at the same time | Sandra Bursch | Sandra Bursch watches as her grandson Gage gets a high-five from Shyla a 3-year-old labrador as Gage’s brother Mason watches at Bursch ’s home in Los Angeles. (Bob Riha Jr./for The Washington Post)
Each month 72-year-old Sandra Bursch withdraws $4 200 from her retirement savings to cover her bills. A chunk of it goes toward paying college bills — for her grandson Gage. She anticipates doing the same for Gage’s younger brother Mason when he graduates from high school in another year.
Every stitch of their clothing all of their meals and day-to-day expenses have been her responsibility since 2003 when drug use by her daughter and son-in-law prompted the police to remove the children from their home.
Sandra Bursch points to a favorite photo of her grandsons Gage and Mason who have been her responsibility since 2003. (Bob Riha Jr/For The Washington Post)
Bursch has saved the money she received from the state after adopting her grandsons out of foster care creating a trust for the boys in the event of her death. The boys came to Bursch and her husband emotionally scarred and in need of love and patience she said. There were rough patches especially when the boys’ parents and grandfather died leaving Bursch to care for the boys by herself .
Bursch ’s grandson Gage did not qualify for financial aid to attend Los Angeles Valley College because of the income she draws from her annuities she said. He was however allowed to register for classes early and provided counseling on campus because he was in the foster care system.
While Bursch has covered the costs of community college she said her grandson will use the $14 000 in the 529 college savings plan that she and her husband established for him as a child. The savings plan allows families to invest without the earnings being taxed so long as the funds are used to pay for college expenses. The money she said was not enough to pay for four years of college but it will give the boys a chance of graduating without a lot of student debt.
“I’d tell everyone now to go talk to them at the college and find out what they can do for you. I didn’t know to do that ” Bursch said. “I wasn’t aware of what was out there and I suspect many grandparents are in the same position.” | [TGT]watches as [TGT] grandson Gage gets a high-five from Shyla a 3-year-old labrador as Gage’s brother Mason watches at [TGT] ’s home in Los Angeles. (Bob Riha Jr./for The Washington Post)
Each month 72-year-old Sandra Bursch withdraws $4 200 from her retirement savings to cover her bills. A chunk of it goes toward paying college bills — for her grandson Gage. She anticipates doing the same for Gage’s younger brother Mason when he graduates from high school in another year.
Every stitch of their clothing all of their meals and day-to-day expenses have been her responsibility since 2003 when drug use by her daughter and son-in-law prompted the police to remove the children from their home.
[TGT]points to a favorite photo of [TGT] grandsons Gage and Mason who have been [TGT] responsibility since 2003. (Bob Riha Jr/For The Washington Post)
Bursch has saved the money [TGT] received from the state after adopting [TGT] grandsons out of foster care creating a trust for the boys in the event of [TGT] death. The boys came to Bursch and [TGT] husband emotionally scarred and in need of love and patience [TGT] said. There were rough patches especially when the boys’ parents and grandfather died leaving Bursch to care for the boys by herself .
[TGT] grandson Gage did not qualify for financial aid to attend Los Angeles Valley College because of the income [TGT] draws from [TGT] annuities [TGT] said. He was however allowed to register for classes early and provided counseling on campus because he was in the foster care system.
While Bursch has covered the costs of community college [TGT] said [TGT] grandson will use the $14 000 in the 529 college savings plan that she and her husband established for him as a child. The savings plan allows families to invest without the earnings being taxed so long as the funds are used to pay for college expenses. The money [TGT] said was not enough to pay for four years of college but it will give the boys a chance of graduating without a lot of student debt.
“I’d tell everyone now to go talk to them at the college and find out what they can do for you. I didn’t know to do that ” Bursch said. “I wasn’t aware of what was out there and I suspect many grandparents are in the same position.” | 2Positive
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1,477 | Head of U.S. Alpine team: 'Have to rebuild' before 2022 | Patrick Riml | U.S. Alpine director Patrick Riml began his trek back to Utah before the last ski race of the Olympics was done. He knows he has work to do after the country produced its fewest golds in the sport since 2002 fewest medals since 2006.
In a telephone interview Saturday Riml called his men's team's Olympic performance "disappointing" and acknowledged that "we definitely have to rebuild" before the 2022 Beijing Games.
"We had quite a few up and downs " Riml said about the past two weeks. "We had some very strong performances and in other events we definitely were struggling."
He said he was pleased with the U.S. women including having three members of the top seven finishers in the downhill.
But "on the men's side the performance was disappointing. ... We definitely would have hoped for better results there " Riml said adding: "Not just talking about medals but the performances on each day."
Looking ahead to the next Winter Olympics Riml noted that Vonn and Ligety — who have earned a combined five Olympic medals including three golds — are not expected to still be competing. Both would be 37 years old.
"We know we have to go into a rebuilding phase and develop some young skiers " Riml said "and hopefully next time around we can be competitive and perform on a high level." | [TGT]began [TGT] trek back to Utah before the last ski race of the Olympics was done. [TGT] knows [TGT] has work to do after the country produced its fewest golds in the sport since 2002 fewest medals since 2006.
In a telephone interview Saturday [TGT] called [TGT] men's team's Olympic performance "disappointing" and acknowledged that "we definitely have to rebuild" before the 2022 Beijing Games.
"We had quite a few up and downs [TGT]said about the past two weeks. "We had some very strong performances and in other events we definitely were struggling."
He said he was pleased with the U.S. women including having three members of the top seven finishers in the downhill.
But "on the men's side the performance was disappointing. ... We definitely would have hoped for better results there [TGT]said adding: "Not just talking about medals but the performances on each day."
Looking ahead to the next Winter Olympics [TGT]noted that Vonn and Ligety — who have earned a combined five Olympic medals including three golds — are not expected to still be competing. Both would be 37 years old.
"We know we have to go into a rebuilding phase and develop some young skiers [TGT]said "and hopefully next time around we can be competitive and perform on a high level." | 2Positive
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1,478 | An erupting volcano could save Earth from humanity | Mount Agung | NASA hopes to take advantage of the island’s erupting volcano — Mount Agung — to study the effects the belching beast has on Earth. They hope that by tracking Mount Agung’s eruption they’ll be able to learn more about how chemicals released into the atmosphere might be used to fight climate change.
After Mount Agung woke up and began erupting at the end of November it has been consistently pouring steam and gas into the atmosphere. This is pretty typical though some volcanoes are so powerful they can cause what is known as a “volcanic winter” that stretches near and far after they erupt.
For researchers Agung could be their chance to figure out just how volcanoes affect the climate like Mount Tambora did.
The research into Agung began with a ten-hour flight away from Agung when a volcano in the Philippines erupted in a big way in 1991. Scientists had picked up the trend during a smaller scale eruption in 1982 of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico but nothing quite like what they saw at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippine dubbed the biggest eruption of the 20th century.
Mount Agung’s eruptions bear similar trademarks to Pinatubo which is why NASA is hoping to send balloons into the air fitted with gadgets to measure the effects of the volcanic eruption on the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA hopes to study the effects for years to come.
If Agung was to blow again with a similar fury to Pinatubo’s 1963 eruption it could pump enough sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere to have a significant cooling effect and temporarily damage the ozone layer.
Alan Robock a Rutgers University researcher who models the effects of eruptions and who has been involved in discussions about the rapid-response project told The Times that though it’s hard to predict whether it’s Mount Agung or not an eruption is inevitable. | NASA hopes to take advantage of the island’s erupting volcano — Mount Agung — to study the effects the belching beast has on Earth. They hope that by tracking Mount Agung’s eruption they’ll be able to learn more about how chemicals released into the atmosphere might be used to fight climate change.
After [TGT]woke up and began erupting at the end of November [TGT] has been consistently pouring steam and gas into the atmosphere. This is pretty typical though some volcanoes are so powerful they can cause what is known as a “volcanic winter” that stretches near and far after they erupt.
For researchers Agung could be their chance to figure out just how volcanoes affect the climate like Mount Tambora did.
The research into Agung began with a ten-hour flight away from Agung when a volcano in the Philippines erupted in a big way in 1991. Scientists had picked up the trend during a smaller scale eruption in 1982 of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico but nothing quite like what they saw at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippine dubbed the biggest eruption of the 20th century.
Mount Agung’s eruptions bear similar trademarks to Pinatubo which is why NASA is hoping to send balloons into the air fitted with gadgets to measure the effects of the volcanic eruption on the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA hopes to study the effects for years to come.
If Agung was to blow again with a similar fury to Pinatubo’s 1963 eruption it could pump enough sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere to have a significant cooling effect and temporarily damage the ozone layer.
Alan Robock a Rutgers University researcher who models the effects of eruptions and who has been involved in discussions about the rapid-response project told The Times that though it’s hard to predict whether it’s Mount Agung or not an eruption is inevitable. | 2Positive
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1,479 | LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman "Success! How I Did It" | Reid Hoffman | Reid Hoffman is the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn and served as its CEO for four years.
He 's also an investing partner at Greylock Partners.
Hoffman was on the early executive team at PayPal and created web-based social networks in the 1990s.
People talk about Reid Hoffman as a philosopher of Silicon Valley. That's by design.
Before he was the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn and a partner at Greylock he planned to be a "public intellectual." Hoffman says his philosophical training guides his business and investment strategies every day.
"Formulating what your investment thesis is what the strategy is what the risks with the approach are what kinds of things you would be doing with it are all greatly aided by the crispness of thinking that comes with philosophical training " Hoffman said on Business Insider's podcast "Success! How I Did It."
He 's now one of the foremost experts on entrepreneurship and careers sharing his theories through his podcast "Masters of Scale " presentations essays and books. He 's built one of the most robust networks in Silicon Valley — Tesla/SpaceX's Elon Musk and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg are among his many friends — and he 's always gathering insights from them.
On this episode of "Success! How I Did It " Hoffman talks about how he sees his place in the world his 30-year friendship with his political opposite Peter Thiel and his love of playing board games.
Rich Feloni: Let's start at the beginning — a young Reid Hoffman playing board games.
Reid Hoffman : Probably my younger self would be embarrassed about how less good my older self would be. But like in Settlers of Catan I think it's one of the most entrepreneurial of the kind of social board games because it involves trading — you trade resources and so forth — and that kind of dynamic actually makes it much more entrepreneurial than your typical kind of board game slash war game.
Hoffman : It is. I got bitten by the independence to be out of the house a little earlier than your average kid. And part of what appealed to me about Putney was that in addition to having academics it was doing blacksmithing and woodworking and working on the farm and art and a bunch of things that I wouldn't otherwise had experience to do.
Hoffman : Yeah and very much so.
Hoffman : So this is one of those false-dichotomy questions because the answer is massively both right?
Hoffman : I actually never really thought about myself as an entrepreneur until years into LinkedIn which is after I had founded my second company. What I had been focused on almost from those early days at Putney was just building stuff being a public intellectual making something happen and then what's the way you do that?
Hoffman : Oh actually I didn't turn down that investment. Because I was worried about the appearance of conflict with LinkedIn I sourced it to Peter and then I co-invested a small amount of dollars along with Peter. So it was financially very expensive but it's always good to act first and foremost with a sense of ethics and integrity and what I had been worried about was that people would say "Oh well you're both invested in Facebook as a lead investor and you're doing LinkedIn " and I said "OK well Peter has no conflict so he can lead and then I can essentially co-invest."
Hoffman : I had had this notion of having a network be a platform and what a platform is is a number of applications are built on top of it. But a network is a platform primarily when it has your real identity and real relationships. When it is in fact Reid Hoffman and Reid Hoffman 's colleagues and friends and so forth. | [TGT]is the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn and served as its CEO for four years.
[TGT] 's also an investing partner at Greylock Partners.
[TGT]was on the early executive team at PayPal and created web-based social networks in the 1990s.
People talk about [TGT]as a philosopher of Silicon Valley. That's by design.
Before [TGT] was the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn and a partner at Greylock [TGT] planned to be a "public intellectual." [TGT]says [TGT] philosophical training guides [TGT] business and investment strategies every day.
"Formulating what your investment thesis is what the strategy is what the risks with the approach are what kinds of things you would be doing with it are all greatly aided by the crispness of thinking that comes with philosophical training [TGT]said on Business Insider's podcast "Success! How I Did It."
He 's now one of the foremost experts on entrepreneurship and careers sharing his theories through his podcast "Masters of Scale " presentations essays and books. He 's built one of the most robust networks in Silicon Valley — Tesla/SpaceX's Elon Musk and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg are among his many friends — and he 's always gathering insights from them.
On this episode of "Success! How I Did It " Hoffman talks about how he sees his place in the world his 30-year friendship with his political opposite Peter Thiel and his love of playing board games.
Rich Feloni: Let's start at the beginning — a young [TGT] playing board games.
[TGT] : Probably my younger self would be embarrassed about how less good my older self would be. But like in Settlers of Catan I think it's one of the most entrepreneurial of the kind of social board games because it involves trading — you trade resources and so forth — and that kind of dynamic actually makes it much more entrepreneurial than your typical kind of board game slash war game.
[TGT] : It is. I got bitten by the independence to be out of the house a little earlier than your average kid. And part of what appealed to me about Putney was that in addition to having academics it was doing blacksmithing and woodworking and working on the farm and art and a bunch of things that I wouldn't otherwise had experience to do.
[TGT] : Yeah and very much so.
[TGT] : So this is one of those false-dichotomy questions because the answer is massively both right?
[TGT] : I actually never really thought about myself as an entrepreneur until years into LinkedIn which is after I had founded my second company. What I had been focused on almost from those early days at Putney was just building stuff being a public intellectual making something happen and then what's the way you do that?
[TGT] : Oh actually I didn't turn down that investment. Because I was worried about the appearance of conflict with LinkedIn I sourced it to Peter and then I co-invested a small amount of dollars along with Peter. So it was financially very expensive but it's always good to act first and foremost with a sense of ethics and integrity and what I had been worried about was that people would say "Oh well you're both invested in Facebook as a lead investor and you're doing LinkedIn " and I said "OK well Peter has no conflict so he can lead and then I can essentially co-invest."
[TGT] : I had had this notion of having a network be a platform and what a platform is is a number of applications are built on top of it. But a network is a platform primarily when it has your real identity and real relationships. When it is in fact Reid Hoffman and Reid Hoffman 's colleagues and friends and so forth. | 1Neutral
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1,480 | Donald Trump: Roy Moore Will Help Make America Great Again | Roy Moore | President Donald Trump confirmed that he spoke with Roy Moore in the wake of his Senate primary victory in Alabama on Tuesday.
“Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time ” Trump wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning. “Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!”
Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27 2017
According to Breitbart News reporter Matthew Boyle Trump called Judge Roy Moore and spoke with him on the phone for about five minutes.
Moore beat the establishment candidate Senator Luther Strange who was endorsed by Trump by nearly 10 points.
The president also congratulated Moore on Twitter for his election victory on Tuesday.
Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy WIN in Dec! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27 2017
“Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race ” he wrote. “ Roy WIN in Dec!” | President Donald Trump confirmed that he spoke with Roy Moore in the wake of his Senate primary victory in Alabama on Tuesday.
“Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time ” Trump wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning. “Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!”
Spoke to [TGT]of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27 2017
According to Breitbart News reporter Matthew Boyle Trump called [TGT]and spoke with [TGT] on the phone for about five minutes.
[TGT]beat the establishment candidate Senator Luther Strange who was endorsed by Trump by nearly 10 points.
[TGT]also congratulated Moore on Twitter for [TGT] election victory on Tuesday.
Congratulations to [TGT]on [TGT] Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy WIN in Dec! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27 2017
“Congratulations to [TGT]on [TGT] Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race ” he wrote. “ Roy WIN in Dec!” | 2Positive
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1,481 | Selena Quintanilla Lost Footage Sad Reminder of Slain Tejano Pop Star (video) | Selena Quintanilla | Lost footage of Selena Quintanilla has emerged two decades later after an unmarked tape containing an interview with the Tejano pop star about winning her first Grammy Award was discovered in an old TV camera.
In the 1994 interview a year before she was murdered an excited and animated Quintanilla talks to Tejano USA about winning the award.
“When they first told us that we were nominated we all freaked out ” the singer says in the interview per People magazine.
Quintanilla died in 1995 at just 23 after being shot by the founder of her fan club Yolanda Saldívar in Corpus Christi Texas. Quintanilla reportedly had confronted her about embezzling money from the fan club.
Saldivar is serving a life sentence at the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville Texas and will be eligible for parole in 2025.
The interview itself had slipped into obscurity after Quintanilla ’s death. The production manager who was responsible for directing the segment with the pop star told Smithsonian staff he had searched high and low for the tape after the singer died. | Lost footage of [TGT]has emerged two decades later after an unmarked tape containing an interview with the Tejano pop star about winning her first Grammy Award was discovered in an old TV camera.
In the 1994 interview a year before she was murdered an excited and animated Quintanilla talks to Tejano USA about winning the award.
“When they first told us that we were nominated we all freaked out ” the singer says in the interview per People magazine.
[TGT]died in 1995 at just 23 after being shot by the founder of [TGT] fan club Yolanda Saldívar in Corpus Christi Texas. [TGT]reportedly had confronted [TGT] about embezzling money from the fan club.
Saldivar is serving a life sentence at the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville Texas and will be eligible for parole in 2025.
The interview itself had slipped into obscurity after [TGT]. The production manager who was responsible for directing the segment with the pop star told Smithsonian staff he had searched high and low for the tape after the singer died. | 1Neutral
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1,482 | Everyone Is Confused About What Trump Is Doing With DACA | DACA Trump | President Trump is at a crossroads with regard to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA the Obama-era initiative the president just rescinded that protected nearly 800 000 undocumented individuals who came to the U.S. when they were young. And instead of picking one path to go down he seems to be trying to jog down both sides at once which has brought fury and confusion to those on all sides of this debate.
Trump seems to have gotten the message and responded with reassuring tweets meant to placate his enraged base.
But the president also doesn't seem to want to alienate Democrats on the issue and come across as cold-hearted for going after young immigrants many of whom only remember life in the U.S. So as he boarded Marine One on his way to survey hurricane damage in Florida Thursday he reassured reporters he 's still committed to finding a way to reinstate some variation of the very program he just nixed.
King comes from a sprawling Iowa district where he says many of his constituents will stand by Trump despite the unpopular positions he may take – up to a point.
"There's a certain Trump base that they will never leave him for anything – they've proved that – provided he maintains his position on immigration " King says. "I think there's one thing that will destroy his base and that's amnesty."
Other conservatives fear the deal-maker-in-chief has become enamored by the positive coverage he received last week for undercutting GOP leaders and striking a bipartisan deal with Democrats on a massive economic package. That's why they're warning Trump not to forget who put him in the White House.
"The Trump voter is not in favor of amnesty " Republican Rep. Mark Meadows the leader of the far-right House Freedom Caucus tells Rolling Stone. "That is a very complex issue but certainly is one that we're not going to solve in one dinner with two Democrats."
Still it seems Republican leaders have once again been sidelined by Trump who is angry at them for failing to carry through on the party's promise to repeal and replace Obamacare or send him any meaningful bills to sign.
But Democratic leaders say the president has paved the way for resolving the bipartisan issue. They think Trump is honestly in their corner even while he tries to navigate his hardline anti-immigration supporters which is resulting in mixed signals on Twitter in interviews and in private phone calls.
"The base had a pretty strong reaction yesterday and that may have been it but still he said good things about DACA too " Dick Durbin the number-two Democrat in the Senate tells Rolling Stone. "It's still an active negotiation and I have a positive feeling towards it. We're not there yet."
When asked if Pelosi and Schumer should trust Trump in negotiations many Democrats say they shouldn't.
"I wouldn't no " Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus tells Rolling Stone. "There's a historical context to Trump and immigration and immigrants that I think always has to be in the front of your mind." | President Trump is at a crossroads with regard to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA the Obama-era initiative the president just rescinded that protected nearly 800 000 undocumented individuals who came to the U.S. when they were young. And instead of picking one path to go down he seems to be trying to jog down both sides at once which has brought fury and confusion to those on all sides of this debate.
Trump seems to have gotten the message and responded with reassuring tweets meant to placate his enraged base.
But the president also doesn't seem to want to alienate Democrats on the issue and come across as cold-hearted for going after young immigrants many of whom only remember life in the U.S. So as he boarded Marine One on his way to survey hurricane damage in Florida Thursday he reassured reporters he 's still committed to finding a way to reinstate some variation of the very program he just nixed.
King comes from a sprawling Iowa district where he says many of his constituents will stand by Trump despite the unpopular positions he may take – up to a point.
"There's a certain Trump base that they will never leave him for anything – they've proved that – provided he maintains his position on immigration " King says. "I think there's one thing that will destroy his base and that's amnesty."
Other conservatives fear the deal-maker-in-chief has become enamored by the positive coverage he received last week for undercutting GOP leaders and striking a bipartisan deal with Democrats on a massive economic package. That's why they're warning Trump not to forget who put him in the White House.
"The Trump voter is not in favor of amnesty " Republican Rep. Mark Meadows the leader of the far-right House Freedom Caucus tells Rolling Stone. "That is a very complex issue but certainly is one that we're not going to solve in one dinner with two Democrats."
Still it seems Republican leaders have once again been sidelined by Trump who is angry at them for failing to carry through on the party's promise to repeal and replace Obamacare or send him any meaningful bills to sign.
But Democratic leaders say the president has paved the way for resolving the bipartisan issue. They think Trump is honestly in their corner even while he tries to navigate his hardline anti-immigration supporters which is resulting in mixed signals on Twitter in interviews and in private phone calls.
"The base had a pretty strong reaction yesterday and that may have been it but still he said good things about DACA too " Dick Durbin the number-two Democrat in the Senate tells Rolling Stone. "It's still an active negotiation and I have a positive feeling towards it. We're not there yet."
When asked if Pelosi and Schumer should trust Trump in negotiations many Democrats say they shouldn't.
"I wouldn't no " Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus tells Rolling Stone. "There's a historical context to Trump and immigration and immigrants that I think always has to be in the front of your mind." | 2Positive
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1,483 | Delegate | Delegate-elect Lee Carter | From Delegate-elect Lee Carter ; I hope to see statements like from every elected Virginia Democrat:
Delegate-Elect Lee Carter Urges Virginians State Water Board to Reject Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipeline Projects
“Dominion Resources and EQT have not compellingly demonstrated the need for the additional natural gas capacity in Virginia ” said Carter . “And to make matters worse that natural gas wouldn’t even be used for Virginian homes – the pipeline will run through the Commonwealth and be sent to Japan and India for export.”
Carter also has concerns that the project will massively increase Virginia’s carbon footprint and destroy protected wilderness areas as well as state and federal parks.
“Hardworking Virginians are going to end up paying for these unnecessary projects through higher power bill in spite of the lack of economic benefit for Virginia and if anything goes wrong with the pipeline thousands of those Virginians will be in the ‘incineration zone’ – an area where all life would be incinerated if the pipeline explodes ” said Carter .
Carter urges all to attend the Water is Life Rally in Richmond on December 2 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Virginians need to fight back hard against these projects that are not only unnecessary – they’re dangerous ” said Carter .
He also urges residents to attend the State Water Control Board’s meetings on December 6 and 7 and December 11 and 12 for the pipeline projects and speak on their concerns about how these projects hurt our communities. | From [TGT] ; I hope to see statements like from every elected Virginia Democrat:
Delegate-Elect Lee Carter Urges Virginians State Water Board to Reject Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipeline Projects
“Dominion Resources and EQT have not compellingly demonstrated the need for the additional natural gas capacity in Virginia ” said [TGT] . “And to make matters worse that natural gas wouldn’t even be used for Virginian homes – the pipeline will run through the Commonwealth and be sent to Japan and India for export.”
[TGT]also has concerns that the project will massively increase Virginia’s carbon footprint and destroy protected wilderness areas as well as state and federal parks.
“Hardworking Virginians are going to end up paying for these unnecessary projects through higher power bill in spite of the lack of economic benefit for Virginia and if anything goes wrong with the pipeline thousands of those Virginians will be in the ‘incineration zone’ – an area where all life would be incinerated if the pipeline explodes ” said [TGT] .
[TGT]urges all to attend the Water is Life Rally in Richmond on December 2 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Virginians need to fight back hard against these projects that are not only unnecessary – they’re dangerous ” said [TGT] .
[TGT] also urges residents to attend the State Water Control Board’s meetings on December 6 and 7 and December 11 and 12 for the pipeline projects and speak on their concerns about how these projects hurt our communities. | 2Positive
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1,484 | Nashville Mayor Admits Extramarital Affair With Former Security Head : The Two | Megan Barry | Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has admitted that she had an extramarital affair with the former head of her security detail.
"I'm embarrassed and I am sad and I am so sorry for all the pain that I have caused my family and his family " she said at a news conference Wednesday. "I know that God will forgive me but that Nashville doesn't have to. ... I hope that I can earn your trust back and that you will forgive me."
Barry has stated that she will not take leave or resign over the affair as Nashville Public Radio reported. "I made a serious mistake but this is not a tragedy " she said.
This comes at a politically sensitive moment for the mayor as she tries to persuade the city's voters to endorse a $5.4 billion transit infrastructure plan. That measure will be voted on in a May referendum.
Barry has also recently faced personal tragedy — her only son died in July of a drug overdose.
She has denied improper use of taxpayer money during the affair with her security head identified by the Tennessean as Metro police Sgt. Robert Forrest Jr. | [TGT]has admitted that [TGT] had an extramarital affair with the former head of [TGT] security detail.
"I'm embarrassed and I am sad and I am so sorry for all the pain that I have caused my family and his family " she said at a news conference Wednesday. "I know that God will forgive me but that Nashville doesn't have to. ... I hope that I can earn your trust back and that you will forgive me."
[TGT] has stated that [TGT] will not take leave or resign over the affair as Nashville Public Radio reported. "I made a serious mistake but this is not a tragedy " she said.
This comes at a politically sensitive moment for the mayor as she tries to persuade the city's voters to endorse a $5.4 billion transit infrastructure plan. That measure will be voted on in a May referendum.
[TGT]has also recently faced personal tragedy — [TGT] only son died in July of a drug overdose.
[TGT] has denied improper use of taxpayer money during the affair with [TGT] security head identified by the Tennessean as Metro police Sgt. Robert Forrest Jr. | 2Positive
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1,485 | Pence to lead US delegation to Olympics | Karen Pence | WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The White House said Wednesday that Pence will attend the opening ceremonies of the games scheduled for Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang South Korea.
Pence will hold meetings with leaders in Seoul South Korea and Tokyo Japan where he will stress the U.S. commitment to stability in the region. The vice president is also scheduled to stop in Alaska to review intercontinental ballistic missile defense systems.
Jarrod Agen Pence 's deputy chief of staff said Pence would travel to the Olympics "to reinforce the strong U.S. presence on the Korean Peninsula and send a clear message of American resolve to the North Korean regime." | WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence and [TGT]will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The White House said Wednesday that [TGT]will attend the opening ceremonies of the games scheduled for Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang South Korea.
[TGT]will hold meetings with leaders in Seoul South Korea and Tokyo Japan where he will stress the U.S. commitment to stability in the region. The vice president is also scheduled to stop in Alaska to review intercontinental ballistic missile defense systems.
Jarrod Agen Pence 's deputy chief of staff said [TGT]would travel to the Olympics "to reinforce the strong U.S. presence on the Korean Peninsula and send a clear message of American resolve to the North Korean regime." | 2Positive
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1,486 | Irish Prime Minister aspires to a 'united Ireland' | Leo Varadkar | (CNN) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said he aspires to a united Ireland based on "cross-community support" in remarks released on Tuesday the UK Press Association reported.
"In terms of a united Ireland our constitution is clear on this " he said. "Our constitution aspires to there being a united Ireland. I share that aspiration."
But Varadkar made clear that unity between Ireland and Northern Ireland -- which is part of the United Kingdom -- could come about only "by consent."
"When it does come about I would like to see it command a degree of cross-community support " he added.
Building support for Irish unity across both Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland is "a 50-year project " Bew said. Varadkar 's remarks are "a way of saying ... we don't want unity any time soon."
Whatever his motivation Varadkar is likely to come under renewed fire from pro-unionist parties in Northern Ireland.
In the days before the border deal was brokered Varadkar and his government were accused of exploiting the negotiations to forward their ambitions for a united Ireland. Varadkar was insisting that talks should not progress until London committed to preventing a "hard" border. | (CNN) [TGT]has said [TGT] aspires to a united Ireland based on "cross-community support" in remarks released on Tuesday the UK Press Association reported.
"In terms of a united Ireland our constitution is clear on this " he said. "Our constitution aspires to there being a united Ireland. I share that aspiration."
But [TGT]made clear that unity between Ireland and Northern Ireland -- which is part of the United Kingdom -- could come about only "by consent."
"When it does come about I would like to see it command a degree of cross-community support " he added.
Building support for Irish unity across both Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland is "a 50-year project " Bew said. [TGT] 's remarks are "a way of saying ... we don't want unity any time soon."
Whatever his motivation Varadkar is likely to come under renewed fire from pro-unionist parties in Northern Ireland.
In the days before the border deal was brokered Varadkar and his government were accused of exploiting the negotiations to forward their ambitions for a united Ireland. Varadkar was insisting that talks should not progress until London committed to preventing a "hard" border. | 1Neutral
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1,487 | Villanova's Mikal Bridges entertains in win over Gonzaga | Mikal Bridges | Villanova guard Mikal Bridges reacts after blocking a shot during the second half Tuesday. (Julie Jacobson/Associated Press)
NEW YORK — Mikal Bridges was not even a top 80 recruit coming out of his suburban Philadelphia high school in 2014. In the one-and-done era of college basketball he was the opposite when he arrived at Villanova that summer and was forced to redshirt his freshman season because he simply wasn’t ready. When he was finally prepared to play as a relatively unknown reserve on the Wildcats’ national championship team the following season his older teammates chided him for his finesse tendencies in the lane. He preferred layups over powerful dunks.
Pray for the Gonzaga basketball team Nothings wrong with them it’s just that Mikal Bridges just ended their program pic.twitter.com/ywUj8Hhirx — Stri:(a (@StrikaNation24_) December 6 2017
More people stood after the sequence and a large group of fans started chanting “Mi-kal Bri-dges” briefly at one end of the arena. It ended after a few seconds but what Bridges did Tuesday night — scoring a career-high 28 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks — will likely reverberate across college basketball for some time. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said on the game’s telecast that Bridges had made a “case for first-team all-American.” On Twitter former Villanova guard Josh Hart claimed his former teammate would be a first-round pick and some even boldly projected that Bridges would be drafted ahead of Michigan State star Miles Bridges.
That wave of noise didn’t seem to faze the soft-spoken Mikal Bridges as he took the podium afterward where he said all the right things and told the story about the older veterans in the program who have challenged him to attack more over the years. One of the primary concerns for Villanova entering the season was finding a replacement for the graduated Hart and Kris Jenkins who were pillars in the program for four seasons. Villanova has another experienced star in 6-2 junior point guard Jalen Brunson who finished with 12 points Tuesday as well as redshirt junior Phil Booth a Baltimore product who scored 20 points on 9-for-14 shooting as Gonzaga turned in one of its worst defensive performances of the past two years. | Villanova guard [TGT]reacts after blocking a shot during the second half Tuesday. (Julie Jacobson/Associated Press)
NEW YORK — [TGT]was not even a top 80 recruit coming out of [TGT] suburban Philadelphia high school in 2014. In the one-and-done era of college basketball [TGT] was the opposite when [TGT] arrived at Villanova that summer and was forced to redshirt [TGT] freshman season because [TGT] simply wasn’t ready. When [TGT] was finally prepared to play as a relatively unknown reserve on the Wildcats’ national championship team the following season [TGT] older teammates chided [TGT] for [TGT] finesse tendencies in the lane. [TGT] preferred layups over powerful dunks.
Pray for the Gonzaga basketball team Nothings wrong with them it’s just that [TGT]just ended [TGT] program pic.twitter.com/ywUj8Hhirx — Stri:(a (@StrikaNation24_) December 6 2017
More people stood after the sequence and a large group of fans started chanting “Mi-kal Bri-dges” briefly at one end of the arena. It ended after a few seconds but what [TGT]did Tuesday night — scoring a career-high 28 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks — will likely reverberate across college basketball for some time. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said on the game’s telecast that [TGT]had made a “case for first-team all-American.” On Twitter former Villanova guard Josh Hart claimed his former teammate would be a first-round pick and some even boldly projected that [TGT]would be drafted ahead of Michigan State star Miles Bridges.
That wave of noise didn’t seem to faze the soft-spoken Mikal Bridges as he took the podium afterward where he said all the right things and told the story about the older veterans in the program who have challenged him to attack more over the years. One of the primary concerns for Villanova entering the season was finding a replacement for the graduated Hart and Kris Jenkins who were pillars in the program for four seasons. Villanova has another experienced star in 6-2 junior point guard Jalen Brunson who finished with 12 points Tuesday as well as redshirt junior Phil Booth a Baltimore product who scored 20 points on 9-for-14 shooting as Gonzaga turned in one of its worst defensive performances of the past two years. | 2Positive
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1,488 | Hugh Hefner's 31 | Crystal Hefner | 31-year-old widow Crystal Hefner says she is “still in disbelief” after the loss of her husband Playboy founder Hugh Hefner who passed away at 91 on September 27.
“We laid him to rest Saturday. He is in the place he was always certain he wanted to spend eternity ” she told US Weekly Monday.
Crystal Hefner expressed her love and gratitude to her husband who she called an “American hero ” and a “pioneer.”
The pair tied the knot on New Year’s Even in 2012. She was the media mogul’s third wife.
“I felt how much he loved me. I loved him so much. I am so grateful ” she said. She also said Hugh had given her “direction ” and “saved” her life.
Crystal Hefner thanked everyone for their condolences and said that she too is joining “the world in mourning” her late husband.
It has been widely reported that Crystal Hefner was not included in Hugh Hefner’s will but according to TMZ the media mogul made sure his wife would be provided for after his death. As a part of their prenuptial agreement Hugh Hefner reportedly made arrangements for Crystal Hefner to have her own mansion and $5 million upon his passing. | [TGT]says [TGT] is “still in disbelief” after the loss of [TGT] husband Playboy founder Hugh Hefner who passed away at 91 on September 27.
“We laid him to rest Saturday. He is in the place he was always certain he wanted to spend eternity ” she told US Weekly Monday.
[TGT]expressed her love and gratitude to [TGT] husband who [TGT] called an “American hero ” and a “pioneer.”
The pair tied the knot on New Year’s Even in 2012. [TGT] was the media mogul’s third wife.
“I felt how much he loved me. I loved him so much. I am so grateful ” [TGT] said. [TGT] also said Hugh had given [TGT] “direction ” and “saved” [TGT] life.
[TGT]thanked everyone for their condolences and said that [TGT] too is joining “the world in mourning” [TGT] late husband.
It has been widely reported that [TGT]was not included in Hugh Hefner’s will but according to TMZ the media mogul made sure his wife would be provided for after his death. As a part of their prenuptial agreement [TGT] reportedly made arrangements for Crystal Hefner to have [TGT] own mansion and $5 million upon his passing. | 2Positive
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1,489 | EPA spending almost $25 000 to install a secure phone booth for Scott Pruitt | Scott Pruitt | Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt will have a soundproof communication booth. (Susan Walsh/AP)
The Environmental Protection Agency is spending nearly $25 000 to construct a secure soundproof communications booth in the office of Administrator Scott Pruitt according to government contracting records.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 25 in Oxon Hill Md. (The Washington Post)
In recent months Pruitt and his top deputies have taken other steps aimed at heightening security. Some EPA employees have been asked to surrender their cellphones and other digital devices before meetings in the administrator’s office in much the same way visitors do when visiting the president in the Oval Office.
[ Scott Pruitt says it ’s not the time to talk climate change. For him it never is.]
Pruitt also has shied away from using email at EPA often preferring to deliver instructions verbally and hold face-to-face meetings. The shift stems in part from public disclosure by the New York Times in 2014 — following an open-records request of emails — of how Pruitt and other attorneys general had worked closely with the oil and gas industry to oppose Obama administration environmental safeguards.
Thousands more pages of emails from his time as Oklahoma’s attorney general released earlier this year after the Center for Media and Democracy sued for them to be made public detailed an often-chummy relationship between Pruitt ’s office and Devon Energy a major oil and gas exploration and production company based in Oklahoma City.
In addition Pruitt has largely avoided the agency’s decades-long practice of publicly posting the administrator’s appointment calendars. Only last week were details on months worth of meetings released after media outlets filed repeated Freedom of Information Act requests for that information; they showed he has met regularly with corporate executives from the automobile mining and fossil fuel industries — in several instances shortly before making decisions favorable to those interest groups.
Pruitt who has become a polarizing and high-profile figure as he seeks to roll back Obama-era policies and shrink the EPA’s footprint has essentially tripled the personal security detail that served past administrators. The detail now includes about 18 people to cover round-the-clock needs and his frequent travel schedule. Such 24/7 coverage has prompted officials to rotate in special agents from around the country who otherwise would be investigating environmental crimes. | [TGT]will have a soundproof communication booth. (Susan Walsh/AP)
The Environmental Protection Agency is spending nearly $25 000 to construct a secure soundproof communications booth in the office of [TGT]according to government contracting records.
[TGT]addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 25 in Oxon Hill Md. (The Washington Post)
In recent months [TGT]and [TGT] top deputies have taken other steps aimed at heightening security. Some EPA employees have been asked to surrender their cellphones and other digital devices before meetings in the administrator’s office in much the same way visitors do when visiting the president in the Oval Office.
[ [TGT]says it ’s not the time to talk climate change. For [TGT] it never is.]
[TGT]also has shied away from using email at EPA often preferring to deliver instructions verbally and hold face-to-face meetings. The shift stems in part from public disclosure by the New York Times in 2014 — following an open-records request of emails — of how Pruitt and other attorneys general had worked closely with the oil and gas industry to oppose Obama administration environmental safeguards.
Thousands more pages of emails from his time as Oklahoma’s attorney general released earlier this year after the Center for Media and Democracy sued for them to be made public detailed an often-chummy relationship between Pruitt ’s office and Devon Energy a major oil and gas exploration and production company based in Oklahoma City.
In addition Pruitt has largely avoided the agency’s decades-long practice of publicly posting the administrator’s appointment calendars. Only last week were details on months worth of meetings released after media outlets filed repeated Freedom of Information Act requests for that information; they showed he has met regularly with corporate executives from the automobile mining and fossil fuel industries — in several instances shortly before making decisions favorable to those interest groups.
Pruitt who has become a polarizing and high-profile figure as he seeks to roll back Obama-era policies and shrink the EPA’s footprint has essentially tripled the personal security detail that served past administrators. The detail now includes about 18 people to cover round-the-clock needs and his frequent travel schedule. Such 24/7 coverage has prompted officials to rotate in special agents from around the country who otherwise would be investigating environmental crimes. | 1Neutral
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1,490 | South Africa: ANC Moves to Recall President Jacob Zuma | Jacob Zuma | South Africa’s ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) party has decided to formally ask corruption-dogged President Jacob Zuma to step down following a marathon meeting by the party’s leadership this week.
The ANC’s executive committee gave the embattled president a 48-hour deadline to resign Reuters reports.
Zuma has refused repeated calls to relinquish the presidency amid mounting graft scandals and despite the election of deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa as leader in December. Zuma who has served as South Africa’s president since 2009 has insisted on seeing out the end of his term in mid-2019.
It remains unclear if Zuma 75 will relent on Tuesday but if he does not he is expected to face a vote of confidence in parliament that he is likely lose further jeopardizing his grip on power the BBC reports.
Zuma ’s popularity has plunged as his second presidential term has been married by allegations of corruption and mismanagement of state funds.
In 2016 South Africa’s highest court ruled that Zuma violated his oath of office when he used an estimated $15 million of government money to upgrade his private home. Zuma later repaid some of the funds but the BBC says a court ruled that parliament failed to properly hold the president to account and must lay down guidelines for impeachment.
In October South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal moved to reopen nearly 800 corruption charges against Zuma related to a $2 billion government arms deal in the 1990s.
Zuma ’s alleged links to South Africa’s influential Gupta family who are suspected of brokering influence in the government also led the ANC to open a probe last year. | South Africa’s ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) party has decided to formally ask [TGT]to step down following a marathon meeting by the party’s leadership this week.
The ANC’s executive committee gave the embattled president a 48-hour deadline to resign Reuters reports.
[TGT]has refused repeated calls to relinquish the presidency amid mounting graft scandals and despite the election of deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa as leader in December. [TGT]who has served as South Africa’s president since 2009 has insisted on seeing out the end of [TGT] term in mid-2019.
It remains unclear if [TGT]will relent on Tuesday but if [TGT] does not [TGT] is expected to face a vote of confidence in parliament that [TGT] is likely lose further jeopardizing [TGT] grip on power the BBC reports.
[TGT] ’s popularity has plunged as [TGT] second presidential term has been married by allegations of corruption and mismanagement of state funds.
In 2016 South Africa’s highest court ruled that [TGT]violated [TGT] oath of office when [TGT] used an estimated $15 million of government money to upgrade his private home. [TGT]later repaid some of the funds but the BBC says a court ruled that parliament failed to properly hold the president to account and must lay down guidelines for impeachment.
In October South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal moved to reopen nearly 800 corruption charges against [TGT]related to a $2 billion government arms deal in the 1990s.
[TGT] ’s alleged links to South Africa’s influential Gupta family who are suspected of brokering influence in the government also led the ANC to open a probe last year. | 2Positive
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1,491 | Man reports sexual harassment he witnessed and gets fired: An anonymous account | McLaughlin | Sadly this story is not unique says Dr. Heather McLaughlin a sexual harassment researcher and assistant professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University .
While many women fear that reporting sexual harassment will boomerang against them the truth is men who report witnessing it can be equally at risk McLaughlin said.
"Regardless of whether a man or a woman reports it the threat of possible repercussions is real despite whistleblower laws " McLaughlin said.
The uncertain outcome of speaking out is why sexual harassment mostly goes unreported. One study found that only 35% of young adults who were harassed at work reported it to HR or a government agency like the EEOC McLaughlin said.
That means that 65% of the harassment was never reported mostly because "they do not expect to be supported by their employer or co-workers. So we found that many report the harassment as a last resort rather than a first step in finding an effective resolution " McLaughlin said.
While companies tend to worry about the liabilities of sexual harassment allegations unchecked harassment has an economic impact on them too. It leads to high turnover and high absentee rates McLaughlin said.
Not reporting it and not quitting has other long-term consequences. It means being "complicit" and working in "a toxic work environment and anyone who works in tech knows this is a problem " McLaughlin said referring to the tech industry's long-standing reputation for frat house behavior.
Still those that do report sexual harassment often say they feel good about speaking out. They feel like they are paying it forward stopping a wrong McLaughlin said. | Sadly this story is not unique says Dr. Heather McLaughlin a sexual harassment researcher and assistant professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University .
While many women fear that reporting sexual harassment will boomerang against them the truth is men who report witnessing it can be equally at risk [TGT]said.
"Regardless of whether a man or a woman reports it the threat of possible repercussions is real despite whistleblower laws " [TGT]said.
The uncertain outcome of speaking out is why sexual harassment mostly goes unreported. One study found that only 35% of young adults who were harassed at work reported it to HR or a government agency like the EEOC [TGT] said.
That means that 65% of the harassment was never reported mostly because "they do not expect to be supported by their employer or co-workers. So we found that many report the harassment as a last resort rather than a first step in finding an effective resolution " [TGT] said.
While companies tend to worry about the liabilities of sexual harassment allegations unchecked harassment has an economic impact on them too. It leads to high turnover and high absentee rates [TGT]said.
Not reporting it and not quitting has other long-term consequences. It means being "complicit" and working in "a toxic work environment and anyone who works in tech knows this is a problem " McLaughlin said referring to the tech industry's long-standing reputation for frat house behavior.
Still those that do report sexual harassment often say they feel good about speaking out. They feel like they are paying it forward stopping a wrong [TGT] said. | 2Positive
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1,492 | Polish PM sends tweet hinting that she might be replaced | Mateusz Morawiecki | WARSAW Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo sent a tweet early Tuesday that seems to read like a farewell and comes amid rumors in Warsaw that she might be replaced by Finance Minister Mateusz Morawiecki next week.
Kaczynski is widely seen as the real power behind the government guiding its decisions from his party headquarters in Warsaw and from his seat in parliament where he serves as one of 460 members of the lower house or Sejm. It is not clear if Morawiecki could take an independent path or if he would also largely follow the direction Kaczynski sets.
The daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported Tuesday citing unnamed sources that Kaczynski has presented to party members his plan for Morawiecki to take the helm of the Cabinet next week.
Morawiecki 49 has won praise for overseeing an economy that has boomed in the two years since the Law and Justice party took power. He is widely considered one of the government’s most competent members and has the trust of Kaczynski.
While the ruling Law and Justice party and Szydlo herself are both popular among Poles Morawiecki could be better prepared to represent the country internationally as Poland faces off against the EU over legal changes seen as attacks on the rule of law.
Morawiecki speaks English and German and has international experience from his years as a banker while Szydlo only speaks Polish.
Igor Janke the head of the Freedom Institute in Warsaw said on Twitter that Morawiecki would be a good choice for two reasons — “unblocking relations with Brussels” and winning votes in the political center now that the party has guaranteed support on the right.
Morawiecki was due to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels Tuesday but his office said he would not go “due to current issues.” | WARSAW Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo sent a tweet early Tuesday that seems to read like a farewell and comes amid rumors in Warsaw that she might be replaced by Finance Minister [TGT] next week.
Kaczynski is widely seen as the real power behind the government guiding its decisions from his party headquarters in Warsaw and from his seat in parliament where he serves as one of 460 members of the lower house or Sejm. It is not clear if Morawiecki could take an independent path or if he would also largely follow the direction Kaczynski sets.
The daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported Tuesday citing unnamed sources that Kaczynski has presented to party members his plan for Morawiecki to take the helm of the Cabinet next week.
Morawiecki 49 has won praise for overseeing an economy that has boomed in the two years since the Law and Justice party took power. He is widely considered one of the government’s most competent members and has the trust of Kaczynski.
While the ruling Law and Justice party and Szydlo herself are both popular among Poles Morawiecki could be better prepared to represent the country internationally as Poland faces off against the EU over legal changes seen as attacks on the rule of law.
Morawiecki speaks English and German and has international experience from his years as a banker while Szydlo only speaks Polish.
Igor Janke the head of the Freedom Institute in Warsaw said on Twitter that Morawiecki would be a good choice for two reasons — “unblocking relations with Brussels” and winning votes in the political center now that the party has guaranteed support on the right.
Morawiecki was due to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels Tuesday but his office said he would not go “due to current issues.” | 2Positive
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1,493 | US cities states defy Trump still back Paris climate deal | Jerry Brown | Gov. Jerry Brown of California echoed those comments.
"In the United States we have a federal system and states have real power as do cities. And when cities and states combine together and then join with powerful corporations that's how we get stuff done " he said.
His speech was briefly interrupted by anti-coal and anti-fracking protesters who held up banners and shouted "We're still in! Trump's still out!"
California Governor Jerry Brown speaks in the U.S. Climate Action Center at the COP 23 Fiji UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn Germany Saturday Nov. 11 2017. Brown 's and Michael Bloomberg's "America's Pledge" campaign works to compile and tally the climate actions of states cities colleges businesses and other local actors across the entire U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
California Governor Jerry Brown speaks in the U.S. Climate Action Center at the COP 23 Fiji UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn Germany Saturday Nov. 11 2017. Brown 's and Michael Bloomberg's "America's Pledge" campaign works to compile and tally the climate actions of states cities colleges businesses and other local actors across the entire U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) | Gov. Jerry Brown of California echoed those comments.
"In the United States we have a federal system and states have real power as do cities. And when cities and states combine together and then join with powerful corporations that's how we get stuff done " he said.
His speech was briefly interrupted by anti-coal and anti-fracking protesters who held up banners and shouted "We're still in! Trump's still out![TGT]speaks in the U.S. Climate Action Center at the COP 23 Fiji UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn Germany Saturday Nov. 11 2017. Brown 's and Michael Bloomberg's "America's Pledge" campaign works to compile and tally the climate actions of states cities colleges businesses and other local actors across the entire U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
[TGT]speaks in the U.S. Climate Action Center at the COP 23 Fiji UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn Germany Saturday Nov. 11 2017. Brown 's and Michael Bloomberg's "America's Pledge" campaign works to compile and tally the climate actions of states cities colleges businesses and other local actors across the entire U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) | 2Positive
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1,494 | Something borrowed: grooms and guests for hire in Vietnam | Kha | Hanoi (AFP) – Kha’s wedding day looked perfect from the outside but she was hiding a dark secret: the 27-year-old was three months pregnant and her husband was fake hired for a staged wedding to avoid the social stigma of becoming a single mother.
“My parents would have been the first to be filled with shame if I was pregnant and without a husband ” Kha barely showing told AFP a month after the $1 500 fake marriage which was quietly paid for by her baby’s father who is married to another woman.
The wedding-guests-for-hire business is growing in Vietnam — where some 70 percent of people over 15 are married — and not just among pregnant women like Kha looking for stand-in husbands.
Kha and her fake husband were never legally married — a formality often overshadowed by lavish wedding parties in Vietnam — but she is forever grateful to him for playing the part in front of her friends and relatives.
“I felt like I was about to drown but I grabbed a life jacket ” said a smiling Kha whose name has been changed to protect her identity .
Her parents were in on the secret but Kha plans to tell the rest of her family that her ‘husband’ left her — preferring to be a divorced single mother than having a baby out of wedlock.
Kha who is due around April says her fake marriage finally freed her from her lie.
She said: “Hiding my pregnancy was so exhausting but now I feel very confident about the present and the future.” | Hanoi (AFP) – Kha’s wedding day looked perfect from the outside but she was hiding a dark secret: the 27-year-old was three months pregnant and her husband was fake hired for a staged wedding to avoid the social stigma of becoming a single mother.
“My parents would have been the first to be filled with shame if I was pregnant and without a husband ” [TGT]told AFP a month after the $1 500 fake marriage which was quietly paid for by her baby’s father who is married to another woman.
The wedding-guests-for-hire business is growing in Vietnam — where some 70 percent of people over 15 are married — and not just among pregnant women like [TGT]looking for stand-in husbands.
[TGT]and [TGT] fake husband were never legally married — a formality often overshadowed by lavish wedding parties in Vietnam — but she is forever grateful to him for playing the part in front of [TGT] friends and relatives.
“I felt like I was about to drown but I grabbed a life jacket ” said a smiling [TGT]whose name has been changed to protect her identity .
Her parents were in on the secret but [TGT]plans to tell the rest of her family that her ‘husband’ left her — preferring to be a divorced single mother than having a baby out of wedlock.
[TGT]who is due around April says her fake marriage finally freed her from her lie.
She said: “Hiding my pregnancy was so exhausting but now I feel very confident about the present and the future.” | 2Positive
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1,495 | WALTER PIDGEON ACTOR DIES AT 87 | Walter Pidgeon Walter | Walter Pidgeon the courtly actor who distinguished his 47-year career with portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise died yesterday at a hospital in Santa Monica Calif. He was 87 years old and had suffered a series of strokes.
Walter Pidgeon was born September 23 1897 in the city of St. John New Brunswick Canada. The New Brunswick schools paid attention to his his splendid singing voice and that inspired a glimmer for the stage. He went to the University of New Brunswick to study law and dramatics classes there affirmed his theatrical ambitions.
World War I however prompted him to enlist in the Canadian army. Before he could see action he was trapped between two rolling gun carriages in France and was hospitalized for 17 months.
After the war he found work as a Boston bank runner but found he did not like banking and moved to New York. According to a studio biography he walked in to the office of English actor and producer E.E. Clive and said he could act and sing and could prove it.
He made his debut in ''You Never Can Tell'' and growing a mustache starred in Broadway productions of ''The Mannequin '' ''Something Gay'' and ''There's Wisdom in Women.'' Teamed With Garson
In 1926 ''Mannequin'' was made into a film and Mr. Pidgeon's role there was his introduction to movies. Mr. Pidgeon was dissatisfied with the preponderance of singing roles and during that period intermittently left Hollywood for Broadway.
In 1939 he made his first film with Miss Garson ''Blossoms in the Dust'' and his career seemed to soar. With Miss Garson there followed ''Mrs. Miniver '' ''Madame Curie '' ''Mrs. Parkington '' ''Julie Misbehaves '' ''That Forsythe Woman '' ''The Miniver Story'' and ''Scandal at Scourie.'' | [TGT] the courtly actor who distinguished [TGT] 47-year career with portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise died yesterday at a hospital in Santa Monica Calif. He was 87 years old and had suffered a series of strokes.
[TGT]was born September 23 1897 in the city of St. John New Brunswick Canada. The New Brunswick schools paid attention to [TGT] [TGT] splendid singing voice and that inspired a glimmer for the stage. [TGT] went to the University of New Brunswick to study law and dramatics classes there affirmed [TGT] theatrical ambitions.
World War I however prompted him to enlist in the Canadian army. Before he could see action he was trapped between two rolling gun carriages in France and was hospitalized for 17 months.
After the war he found work as a Boston bank runner but found he did not like banking and moved to New York. According to a studio biography he walked in to the office of English actor and producer E.E. Clive and said he could act and sing and could prove it.
He made his debut in ''You Never Can Tell'' and growing a mustache starred in Broadway productions of ''The Mannequin '' ''Something Gay'' and ''There's Wisdom in Women.'' Teamed With Garson
In 1926 ''Mannequin'' was made into a film and Mr. Pidgeon's role there was his introduction to movies. Mr. Pidgeon was dissatisfied with the preponderance of singing roles and during that period intermittently left Hollywood for Broadway.
In 1939 he made his first film with Miss Garson ''Blossoms in the Dust'' and his career seemed to soar. With Miss Garson there followed ''Mrs. Miniver '' ''Madame Curie '' ''Mrs. Parkington '' ''Julie Misbehaves '' ''That Forsythe Woman '' ''The Miniver Story'' and ''Scandal at Scourie.'' | 2Positive
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1,496 | White House | Myeshia Johnson Trump | According to Roll Call the White House sent an email with the subject line "Condolence Letters Since 20 January 2017" to the Defense secretary's office on the evening of the day Trump said he had reached out to all the families of soldiers who had been killed.
Trump 's contact with Gold Star families came under fire this week after The Associated Press reached out to 43 families and got responses from 20 nine of whom said they had heard from Trump and nine of whom said they had not despite his remark that he had called the families of "virtually everybody" who had died in the line of duty.
Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida who was present during the phone call told the Miami ABC affiliate WPLG on Tuesday that Trump had told Myeshia Johnson her husband "knew what he signed up for but when it happens it hurts anyway."
Wilson said she was riding in the car with Johnson — who was on her way to the airport to receive her husband's body — when Trump called. She then told MSNBC on Wednesday morning that the soldier's widow was "crying the whole time" and that when she hung up the phone she looked at Wilson and said "He didn't even remember his name."
Though Trump blasted Wilson's account as "totally fabricated " the soldier's mother confirmed to The Washington Post that the congresswoman's account was accurate adding that Trump had "disrespected" her family.
As the controversy continued to unfold Gold Star families came out en masse to dispute the president's claims. That included Chris Baldridge whose son Army Sgt. Dillon Baldridge died in Afghanistan in June. Baldridge told The Post that Trump had offered him a $25 000 check but did not follow through.
"I could not believe he was saying that and I wish I had it recorded because the man did say this " Baldridge said. " He said 'No other president has ever done something like this ' but he said 'I'm going to do it.'" | According to Roll Call the White House sent an email with the subject line "Condolence Letters Since 20 January 2017" to the Defense secretary's office on the evening of the day Trump said he had reached out to all the families of soldiers who had been killed.
Trump 's contact with Gold Star families came under fire this week after The Associated Press reached out to 43 families and got responses from 20 nine of whom said they had heard from Trump and nine of whom said they had not despite his remark that he had called the families of "virtually everybody" who had died in the line of duty.
Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida who was present during the phone call told the Miami ABC affiliate WPLG on Tuesday that Trump had told Myeshia Johnson her husband "knew what he signed up for [TGT]but when [TGT] happens [TGT] hurts anyway."
Wilson said she was riding in the car with Johnson — who was on her way to the airport to receive her husband's body — when Trump called. She then told MSNBC on Wednesday morning that the soldier's widow was "crying the whole time" and that when she hung up the phone she looked at Wilson and said "He didn't even remember his name."
Though Trump blasted Wilson's account as "totally fabricated " the soldier's mother confirmed to The Washington Post that the congresswoman's account was accurate adding that Trump had "disrespected" her family.
As the controversy continued to unfold Gold Star families came out en masse to dispute the president's claims. That included Chris Baldridge whose son Army Sgt. Dillon Baldridge died in Afghanistan in June. Baldridge told The Post that Trump had offered him a $25 000 check but did not follow through.
"I could not believe he was saying that and I wish I had it recorded because the man did say this " Baldridge said. " He said 'No other president has ever done something like this ' but he said 'I'm going to do it.'" | 2Positive
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1,497 | 'The things you remember': Centenarians share what it's like to be 100 | Walters Thornton | When Armistice Day finally came Walter said the teachers at her four-room schoolhouse gave the children flags and "we paraded all through the town singing and praising God."
Walter is part of a growing demographic in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control the number of Americans aged 100 and over increased nearly 44 percent from 2000 to 2014 with females accounting for 80 to 84 percent of the total. A United Nations projection estimates that the number of people hitting the century mark worldwide is expected to reach 3.2 million by 2050.
Today three local centenarians — Walter Violet Kogut and George DeJong — share their stories.
"I'm just a day older " said Walter about her impending birthday. Born in November 1910 she attributes her longevity to her faith and good genes — her father died just shy of his 95th birthday and all of her siblings made it into their 80s she said.
Heidi Parent Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete Walter lived on her own in Thornton until a few years ago. Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete Walter lived on her own in Thornton until a few years ago. (Heidi Parent) (Heidi Parent)
Though she has been witness to many fascinating world events including Charles Lindbergh's Atlantic crossing and Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon Walters said what she remembers most fondly are the personal experiences — marriage children running a family business.
Today she has four children nine grandchildren 17 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren. " She also helped raise her sister's son whose father was killed during World War II " Parent said.
Walter said she doesn't really have any dietary "secrets." In fact she is still quite fond of baked goods and Parent said there's a running family joke about how much "Grandma likes her margarine and butter."
Baking Walter said was a lifelong passion. Every Christmas she 'd host cookie bake-a-thons for her children and grandchildren in her Thornton home. In the tradition of her mother and grandmother the sessions would result in thousands of baked treats that would be divvied up among family members.
Often those gatherings were filled with storytelling as Walter regaled the bakers with stories about having the first telephone on the block and about taking three streetcars to get to Fenger High School. On her wedding day Sept. 12 1931 temperatures soared above 100 sending female guests home to change out of their velvet dresses she said.
She was 67 when she learned how to drive a pursuit she kept secret from her husband Bill because she wanted to surprise him.
"One day while driving with the instructor I passed him on the road. He was driving a company truck " she recalled. "I was so glad he didn't notice me because he would have wondered what I was doing driving around with another man."
Later she said when Bill fell ill and needed to go back and forth to doctors offices she was grateful for that license.
Although she has her health and her wits she admits that living longer than your peers can be a lonely accomplishment.
"Once Bill died I was so lonesome I had to find things to do to stay busy " she said.
She served on several committees at St. Paul Church and continued to teach Sunday school. She also volunteered at Rest Haven and Holland Home senior centers where some of the residents were younger than her she said. | When Armistice Day finally came Walter said the teachers at her four-room schoolhouse gave the children flags and "we paraded all through the town singing and praising God."
Walter is part of a growing demographic in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control the number of Americans aged 100 and over increased nearly 44 percent from 2000 to 2014 with females accounting for 80 to 84 percent of the total. A United Nations projection estimates that the number of people hitting the century mark worldwide is expected to reach 3.2 million by 2050.
Today three local centenarians — Walter Violet Kogut and George DeJong — share their stories.
"I'm just a day older " said Walter about her impending birthday. Born in November 1910 she attributes her longevity to her faith and good genes — her father died just shy of his 95th birthday and all of her siblings made it into their 80s she said.
Heidi Parent Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete Walter lived on her own in Thornton until a few years ago. Catherine Walter turns 107 in November. A current resident of Village Woods Christian Retirement Community in Crete Walter lived on her own in Thornton until a few years ago. (Heidi Parent) (Heidi Parent)
Though she has been witness to many fascinating world events including Charles Lindbergh's Atlantic crossing and Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon Walters said what she remembers most fondly are the personal experiences — marriage children running a family business.
Today she has four children nine grandchildren 17 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren. " She also helped raise her sister's son whose father was killed during World War II " Parent said.
Walter said she doesn't really have any dietary "secrets." In fact she is still quite fond of baked goods and Parent said there's a running family joke about how much "Grandma likes her margarine and butter."
Baking Walter said was a lifelong passion. Every Christmas she 'd host cookie bake-a-thons for her children and grandchildren in her Thornton home. In the tradition of her mother and grandmother the sessions would result in thousands of baked treats that would be divvied up among family members.
Often those gatherings were filled with storytelling as Walter regaled the bakers with stories about having the first telephone on the block and about taking three streetcars to get to Fenger High School. On her wedding day Sept. 12 1931 temperatures soared above 100 sending female guests home to change out of their velvet dresses she said.
She was 67 when she learned how to drive a pursuit she kept secret from her husband Bill because she wanted to surprise him.
"One day while driving with the instructor I passed him on the road. He was driving a company truck " she recalled. "I was so glad he didn't notice me because he would have wondered what I was doing driving around with another man."
Later she said when Bill fell ill and needed to go back and forth to doctors offices she was grateful for that license.
Although she has her health and her wits she admits that living longer than your peers can be a lonely accomplishment.
"Once Bill died I was so lonesome I had to find things to do to stay busy " she said.
She served on several committees at St. Paul Church and continued to teach Sunday school. She also volunteered at Rest Haven and Holland Home senior centers where some of the residents were younger than her she said. | 2Positive
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1,498 | Peru opposition leader skeptical president's victory will last | Pedro Pablo Kuczynski | LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski ’s political troubles will likely continue despite his surprise victory over a bid in Congress to oust him this week a key opposition leader said on Saturday citing ongoing graft probes and opposing demands from allies.
Kuczynski on the other hand could see the cross-party alliance that defended him this week evaporate going forward said Chlimper. “I don’t see how he can come out stronger ” he said.
Chlimper said Kuczynski lured the rebel Popular Force lawmakers with a promise to free their movement’s political leader Fujimori from prison - an accusation denied by Kuczynski ’s government.
Kuczynski would lose the support of Fujimori’s left-leaning foes if he makes good on the deal to secure the elder Fujimori’s release said Chlimper. | [TGT] will likely continue despite [TGT] surprise victory over a bid in Congress to oust [TGT] this week a key opposition leader said on Saturday citing ongoing graft probes and opposing demands from allies.
Kuczynski on the other hand could see the cross-party alliance that defended [TGT] this week evaporate going forward said Chlimper. “I don’t see how [TGT] can come out stronger ” [TGT] said.
Chlimper said Kuczynski lured the rebel Popular Force lawmakers with a promise to free their movement’s political leader Fujimori from prison - an accusation denied by Kuczynski ’s government.
Kuczynski would lose the support of Fujimori’s left-leaning foes if he makes good on the deal to secure the elder Fujimori’s release said Chlimper. | 2Positive
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1,499 | Blythe Masters Tells Banks the Blockchain Changes Everything | Blythe Masters | These Wall Street veterans all know who Blythe Masters is. She ’s the wunderkind who made managing director at JPMorgan Chase at age 28 the financial engineer who helped develop the credit-default swap and bring to life a market that peaked at $58 trillion in notional terms in 2007. She ’s the banker later vilified by pundits unfairly some say after those instruments compounded the damage wrought by the subprime mortgage crash in 2008. Now one year after quitting JPMorgan amid another controversy Blythe Masters is back. She isn’t pitching a newly minted derivative or trading stratagem to this room. She ’s promoting something wilder: It’s called the blockchain and it’s the digital ledger software code that powers bitcoin.
Masters is the CEO of Digital Asset Holdings a New York tech startup. She says her firm is designing software that will enable banks investors and other market players to use blockchain technology to change the way they trade loans bonds and other assets. If she ’s right she ’ll be at the center of yet another whirlwind that will change the markets.
Masters had a hard time believing Digital Asset's Sunil Hirani was serious when he first talked to her about bitcoin. Photographer: Guzman/Bloomberg Markets
Blythe Masters swings open the door of her ninth-floor offices parks her suitcase and exhales. Fresh off a flight from London she’s relieved to be back on solid ground. Masters says her airliner was landing when it suddenly roared back into the sky to avoid a collision on the runway. “That’s the most dangerous moment I’ve ever had on a plane!” says Masters who’s dressed in a black knit tunic black tights and Burberry-plaid flats.
Her new digs at Digital Asset Holdings with a worn wooden floor and views of air shafts are a far cry from the Park Avenue executive suite at JPMorgan. The glass walls are covered in scribbled pieces of code and diagrams with a lot of boxes and arrows. A gray terrier named Luna the office pooch scampers under the conference room table. A guest notes that Nasdaq has just hired a “blockchain technology evangelist.” “We have a blockchain artist ” Masters replies pointing out the one decorative object in the place a painting depicting a network of black and blue lines. “That is our COO’s homegrown work ” she says with delight. “I rather like it.”
“ Blythe has about as much wrapped up in one brain as I’ve ever encountered in finance ” says John “Mac” McQuown co-founder of KMV a maker of widely used credit analysis tools. McQuown 81 has known Masters since the early 1990s. “ She is inventive a risk taker and beyond a doubt a force to be reckoned with.”
Masters advanced quickly up JPMorgan’s ranks. Following a stint as CFO of its global investment bank from 2004 to 2007 she was appointed chief of a newly formed unit that helped clients manage risk in commodities markets. During the next five years she built it into a profitable business that oversaw billions of dollars of physical assets. At the same time Masters served as a board member and then chair of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association known as SIFMA. Along the way she earned a reputation as that rare figure on the Street a corporate player with the innovative chops of an entrepreneur.
“ Blythe sees that a new industry is being created ” says Hirani who’s known Masters for 17 years. “There’s no infrastructure. There’s no companies that have any kind of scale. She ’s done the bank thing. She did commodities. She did derivatives. She did loan portfolio management. This allows her to bring all of that experience to bear in creating an ecosystem—and a company around it.”
Twenty-three years ago Masters opened up fresh territory with credit derivatives. Now she ’s determined to do it again although this time it’s with a technology that was initially designed to bypass the financial system. Masters with a very British dose of understatement puts it this way: “I’ve always been motivated to innovate where the implications are significant.” | These Wall Street veterans all know who [TGT]is. [TGT] ’s the wunderkind who made managing director at JPMorgan Chase at age 28 the financial engineer who helped develop the credit-default swap and bring to life a market that peaked at $58 trillion in notional terms in 2007. [TGT] ’s the banker later vilified by pundits unfairly some say after those instruments compounded the damage wrought by the subprime mortgage crash in 2008. Now one year after quitting JPMorgan amid another controversy Blythe Masters is back. [TGT] isn’t pitching a newly minted derivative or trading stratagem to this room. [TGT] ’s promoting something wilder: It’s called the blockchain and it’s the digital ledger software code that powers bitcoin.
[TGT]is the CEO of Digital Asset Holdings a New York tech startup. [TGT] says [TGT] firm is designing software that will enable banks investors and other market players to use blockchain technology to change the way they trade loans bonds and other assets. If she ’s right she ’ll be at the center of yet another whirlwind that will change the markets.
[TGT]had a hard time believing Digital Asset's Sunil Hirani was serious when he first talked to her about bitcoin. Photographer: Guzman/Bloomberg Markets
[TGT]swings open the door of [TGT] ninth-floor offices parks her suitcase and exhales. Fresh off a flight from London she’s relieved to be back on solid ground. [TGT] says her airliner was landing when it suddenly roared back into the sky to avoid a collision on the runway. “That’s the most dangerous moment I’ve ever had on a plane!” says [TGT]who’s dressed in a black knit tunic black tights and Burberry-plaid flats.
Her new digs at Digital Asset Holdings with a worn wooden floor and views of air shafts are a far cry from the Park Avenue executive suite at JPMorgan. The glass walls are covered in scribbled pieces of code and diagrams with a lot of boxes and arrows. A gray terrier named Luna the office pooch scampers under the conference room table. A guest notes that Nasdaq has just hired a “blockchain technology evangelist.” “We have a blockchain artist ” [TGT]replies pointing out the one decorative object in the place a painting depicting a network of black and blue lines. “That is our COO’s homegrown work ” she says with delight. “I rather like it.”
“ Blythe has about as much wrapped up in one brain as I’ve ever encountered in finance ” says John “Mac” McQuown co-founder of KMV a maker of widely used credit analysis tools. McQuown 81 has known Masters since the early 1990s. “ She is inventive a risk taker and beyond a doubt a force to be reckoned with.”
Masters advanced quickly up JPMorgan’s ranks. Following a stint as CFO of its global investment bank from 2004 to 2007 she was appointed chief of a newly formed unit that helped clients manage risk in commodities markets. During the next five years she built it into a profitable business that oversaw billions of dollars of physical assets. At the same time Masters served as a board member and then chair of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association known as SIFMA. Along the way she earned a reputation as that rare figure on the Street a corporate player with the innovative chops of an entrepreneur.
“ Blythe sees that a new industry is being created ” says Hirani who’s known Masters for 17 years. “There’s no infrastructure. There’s no companies that have any kind of scale. She ’s done the bank thing. She did commodities. She did derivatives. She did loan portfolio management. This allows her to bring all of that experience to bear in creating an ecosystem—and a company around it.”
Twenty-three years ago Masters opened up fresh territory with credit derivatives. Now she ’s determined to do it again although this time it’s with a technology that was initially designed to bypass the financial system. Masters with a very British dose of understatement puts it this way: “I’ve always been motivated to innovate where the implications are significant.” | 2Positive
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1,500 | Rodriguez key at both ends as Switzerland reaches World Cup | Ricardo Rodriguez | BASEL Switzerland (AP) — Switzerland is going to the World Cup after left-back Ricardo Rodriguez denied Northern Ireland hope in both games of their playoff at either end of the field.
Switzerland needed only a draw Sunday to advance to Russia and a tense 0-0 result in rain-soaked Basel was preserved by Rodriguez 's goal-line clearance in stoppage time from Jonny Evans' header.
Rodriguez scored that spot kick on Thursday when Corey Evans was whistled harshly for an incident that few agreed with.
Switzerland's players Valon Behrami Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez from right celebrate winning the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)
Switzerland's defender Ricardo Rodriguez clears the ball off the line during the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)
Rodriguez moved across the goalmouth toward the post and hooked the ball clear as he fell backward into the goal.
Switzerland's defender Ricardo Rodriguez center right saves a ball on the line goal during the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP) | BASEL Switzerland (AP) — Switzerland is going to the World Cup after left-back Ricardo Rodriguez denied Northern Ireland hope in both games of their playoff at either end of the field.
Switzerland needed only a draw Sunday to advance to Russia and a tense 0-0 result in rain-soaked Basel was preserved by [TGT] 's goal-line clearance in stoppage time from Jonny Evans' header.
[TGT]scored that spot kick on Thursday when Corey Evans was whistled harshly for an incident that few agreed with.
Switzerland's players Valon Behrami Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez from right celebrate winning the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)
Switzerland's defender Ricardo Rodriguez clears the ball off the line during the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)
Rodriguez moved across the goalmouth toward the post and hooked the ball clear as he fell backward into the goal.
Switzerland's defender Ricardo Rodriguez center right saves a ball on the line goal during the World Cup play-offs second leg soccer match between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel Switzerland Sunday Nov. 12 2017. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP) | 2Positive
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