Read more: Food Stamps, Snap, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Snap Cuts, Welfare, Gene Alday, Politics News
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Who Gets Food Stamps? White People, Mostly
WASHINGTON -- Gene Alday, a Republican member of the Mississippi state legislature, apologized last week for telling a reporter that all the African-A...
Dems call GOP homeland security strategy political blunder
The logo of the Department of Homeland Security is seen at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Washington, DC on Feb. 25, 2015. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.
WASHINGTON — Democrats are losing some skirmishes over the Department of Homeland Security, but many feel they are winning a political war that will haunt Republicans in 2016 and beyond.
Democrats lacked the votes Friday to force Republicans to fund the department for a year with no strings. Still, even some Republicans say party leaders are on a perilous path with a very public ideological struggle only highlighting the GOP’s inability to pass contested legislation and possibly worsening its weak relationship with Hispanic voters.
Worst of all, numerous lawmakers said, Republican leaders have offered no plausible scenario for a successful ending, so they simply are delaying an almost certain and embarrassing defeat.
Conservatives defend their doggedness. They say they courageously are keeping promises to oppose President Barack Obama’s liberalization of deportation policies, which they consider unconstitutional. Several said their constituents support their stand, while others said the issue transcends politics.
As a deadline fast approached Friday night, the House agreed to extend the department’s funding for a week. But some in both parties said the Republicans were losing political ground.
“It’s bad policy and bad politics,” said Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who once oversaw his party’s House campaigns. The short-term fix, he said, “doesn’t help the country, and it just shows that they’re incapable of governing” despite holding House and Senate majorities.
As for an important voting group in presidential elections, Van Hollen said: “Any effort to earn the support of Hispanic voters has been torpedoed by these antics.”
Some Republicans are nearly as pessimistic.
“Bad tactics yield bad outcomes,” GOP Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania told reporters. Republican leaders, he said, have engaged “in tactical malpractice, and at some point we’re going to vote on the negotiated Homeland Security appropriations bill,” a bipartisan plan that most Republicans oppose but cannot kill.
Weeks ago, Republicans embarked on a strategy that targeted Obama’s executive order protecting millions of immigrants from deportation. They voted to cut off the department’s money flow after Feb. 27 unless the order was rescinded.
But they never figured how to overcome Democratic delaying tactics in the Senate that, as many predicted, blocked the GOP plan. Stymied, Senate Republican leaders agreed to fund the department for the rest of the budget year, through September, and to deal separately with immigration.
House Republicans rejected that approach. Shortly before Friday’s midnight deadline, the House extended funding for a week without resolving the larger dispute.
“We all know how this is going to turn out,” said an exasperated Republican, Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho. “Politically, it’s devastating.”
Democrats turned up the heat, saying short-term extensions will damage morale at the agency.
“It’s a staggering failure of leadership that will prolong this manufactured crisis of theirs and endanger the security of the American people,” said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
But Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona said he and his fellow conservatives are taking a principled stand against Obama’s “unconstitutional” action. The president, he said, has forced lawmakers to choose between “potential short-term national security threats and almost inevitable long-term damage to the constitutional foundation of the nation.”
He and his allies will “do the right thing, even if it doesn’t make us look good,” Franks said.
Lawmakers from strongly Republican districts tend to closely track the fiercely conservative voters who can dominate GOP primary elections. Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas said he tried to persuade some of his Dallas-area constituents that a federal judge’s order to freeze Obama’s move lessened the urgency to use Homeland Security funding as political leverage.
“But they don’t have the confidence back home that some of us do” about the likely longevity of the judge’s order, Marchant said.
He said his supporters see reversing Obama’s order as more important than preventing a partial and temporary funding lapse at Homeland Security. He noted that most agency employees are considered “essential” and would stay on the job.
After Obama won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2012, a Republican National Committee-commissioned report said the party must embrace “comprehensive immigration reform” to win future elections, including the 2016 presidential contest.
Democrats say Republicans are heading in the wrong direction.
Pelosi hinted at possible Democratic campaign themes next year when she said of the funding fight: “This crisis exists only because Republicans prioritize anti-immigrant extremism over the safety of the American people.”
Republican Rep. Peter King of New York said his party’s wounds are self-inflicted.
“Politically it’s going to kill us,” he said of conservatives’ demands to link Homeland Security funding with Obama’s immigration policy. “Morally, you’re equating an immigration order with the lives of American citizens.”
“I’ve had it with this self-righteous delusional wing of the party that leads us over the cliff,” King said.
The post Dems call GOP homeland security strategy political blunder appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
Vatican's Finance Czar Cardinal George Pell Defends Spending By His Office
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis' finance czar has defended the expenditures of his office following reports it had racked up a half-million euros ($575,000) in bills in the last six months.
Australian Cardinal George Pell's office has been insisting on a spending review elsewhere in the Vatican.
A spokesman for the Secretariat for the Economy, in a statement Saturday, said the expenses were normal for a new operation and below budget.
Italian newsweekly L'Espresso recently detailed opposition within the Vatican to his financial reforms, and cited receipts for expenditures including the salary and housing costs for his Australian aide and clerical tailor's bill for more than 2,500 euros ($2,800).
The leaks were apparently aimed at discrediting Pell, who has ruffled feathers in entrenched Vatican bureaucracy.
Australian Cardinal George Pell's office has been insisting on a spending review elsewhere in the Vatican.
A spokesman for the Secretariat for the Economy, in a statement Saturday, said the expenses were normal for a new operation and below budget.
Italian newsweekly L'Espresso recently detailed opposition within the Vatican to his financial reforms, and cited receipts for expenditures including the salary and housing costs for his Australian aide and clerical tailor's bill for more than 2,500 euros ($2,800).
The leaks were apparently aimed at discrediting Pell, who has ruffled feathers in entrenched Vatican bureaucracy.
Dirty Pig Pulls Over Man, Takes Bribe (VIDEO)
Let's hope no one squeals.
A Bradford, Maine, man was cruising along last Sunday when an officer of the hog stopped his vehicle.
"What's up, big guy?" the man in the vehicle says during the 51 second confrontation.
It's clear the swine isn't taking any beef, snorting and sniffing at the man until finally, the terrified driver feels he has no other choice but to offer a bribe.
"You want a cookie?" the man asks.
The pig accepts and the man is allowed to continue on his way.
After reaching out to his superiors, owners Stacey and Brian -- who identified the rogue pig as Buster -- came to the animal's defense.
“We made him our buddy,” Brian told WAIBI. “In the summertime, he gets daiquiris and deserts for breakfasts and then he gets some grain and what not, whatever we can come up with and he’s just part of the bunch. He hangs out. Does campfires with us in the summer and in the winter time, he runs amok and startles the neighbors.”
Running amok? Startling neighbors? It's time we got these crooked hogs off our streets.
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A Bradford, Maine, man was cruising along last Sunday when an officer of the hog stopped his vehicle.
"What's up, big guy?" the man in the vehicle says during the 51 second confrontation.
It's clear the swine isn't taking any beef, snorting and sniffing at the man until finally, the terrified driver feels he has no other choice but to offer a bribe.
"You want a cookie?" the man asks.
The pig accepts and the man is allowed to continue on his way.
After reaching out to his superiors, owners Stacey and Brian -- who identified the rogue pig as Buster -- came to the animal's defense.
“We made him our buddy,” Brian told WAIBI. “In the summertime, he gets daiquiris and deserts for breakfasts and then he gets some grain and what not, whatever we can come up with and he’s just part of the bunch. He hangs out. Does campfires with us in the summer and in the winter time, he runs amok and startles the neighbors.”
Running amok? Startling neighbors? It's time we got these crooked hogs off our streets.
Like Us On Facebook | Follow Us On Twitter | Contact The AuthorFriday, February 27, 2015
'I Am Whole Again...' New Pup For Man In Heart-Wrenching Viral Photo
No dog will ever replace Schoep.
The adorable, arthritic dog became an Internet sensation in 2013 when photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson snappe...
The adorable, arthritic dog became an Internet sensation in 2013 when photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson snappe...
Read more: John and Schoep, Schoep, John Unger, John Unger and Schoep Facebook, John Unger Takes in New Dog, Schoep the Dog, Dogs, Heartwarming-Animals, Good News News
Um Uber para chamar de seu, Brasília!
A Capital Federal do Brasil é agora oficialmente uma cidade que pode contar com a elegância, segurança e confiança de um UberBLACK. Brasília entra também na lista de mais de 280 cidades em 53 países do mundo em que usuários podem solicitar motoristas particulares com um toque no celular.
University Of Oregon Decides Not To Sue Rape Survivor
The University of Oregon dropped a countersuit Thursday against a student who had reported being gang-raped by three of the school's basketball players and who subsequently sued UO for the way it handled her case.
UO sparked outrage among students and faculty this month when it filed a counterclaim against a lawsuit from a current student known only as Jane Doe, demanding that she or her attorneys pay for the university's legal fees and any other damages the court is willing to issue. Last month, Doe filed a lawsuit against the university and against men's basketball coach Dana Altman, alleging that they'd recruited a student athlete despite knowing about his previous sexual assault allegation, and that they'd later created special arrangements for the accused assailants based on their athlete status.
In its updated response to Doe's suit, the school maintains that it did not know about the athlete's previous sexual assault case during recruitment, and says it did not violate any laws in how it responded to Doe's sexual assault report. However, UO retracted the line that her "claims are frivolous, unreasonable, and without foundation," and is no longer suing Doe.
"Today I decided that it is in the best interest of the university community to file an amended answer to the lawsuit that withdraws the counterclaims," Scott Coltrane, UO's interim president, said in a statement Thursday. "The university never intended to seek costs, fees, or damages against our student. With this action, we make that clear."
More than 2,100 people had signed a petition asking the university to drop the suit against Doe.
Thursday's filing from the university keeps the language that "plaintiff's counsel's false allegations threaten to harm not only Oregon and Altman, but all sexual assault survivors in Oregon's campus community." In an email to the UO administration, three faculty members -- law professor John Bonine, media studies professor Carol Stabile and psychology professor Jennifer Freyd -- expressed disappointment that the school kept some of the "most victim-blaming language."
"Someone has confused a legal filing with a press release," the professors wrote to the administration Thursday night, according to a copy of the email shared with The Huffington Post. "A response to the court is no place for public relations talk about the University’s supposed devotion to women and Title IX. It is a place to admit or deny factual allegations."
UO is also claiming that while it did access Doe's therapy records in the weeks prior to her suit against the school, it did not violate any laws in doing so.
Last week, 12 faculty members, including five law professors, sent a letter to the UO administration objecting to the university's having accessed Doe's therapy records, which it did in December 2014. The school has insisted it acted legally in handling her records, but the professors said even if that was true, "that would not make this action right," according to a copy of the letter obtained by HuffPost.
The university said that after the 12 faculty members sent their letter, school officials met with them to discuss their concerns. It also said that it only collected Doe's records and has not viewed them. UO is also planning a campus event Monday to discuss sexual violence.
Doe says the three athletes sexually assaulted her in March 2014. In June, all three athletes were found responsible for sexual misconduct and were suspended from campus for a minimum of four years.
UO sparked outrage among students and faculty this month when it filed a counterclaim against a lawsuit from a current student known only as Jane Doe, demanding that she or her attorneys pay for the university's legal fees and any other damages the court is willing to issue. Last month, Doe filed a lawsuit against the university and against men's basketball coach Dana Altman, alleging that they'd recruited a student athlete despite knowing about his previous sexual assault allegation, and that they'd later created special arrangements for the accused assailants based on their athlete status.
In its updated response to Doe's suit, the school maintains that it did not know about the athlete's previous sexual assault case during recruitment, and says it did not violate any laws in how it responded to Doe's sexual assault report. However, UO retracted the line that her "claims are frivolous, unreasonable, and without foundation," and is no longer suing Doe.
"Today I decided that it is in the best interest of the university community to file an amended answer to the lawsuit that withdraws the counterclaims," Scott Coltrane, UO's interim president, said in a statement Thursday. "The university never intended to seek costs, fees, or damages against our student. With this action, we make that clear."
More than 2,100 people had signed a petition asking the university to drop the suit against Doe.
Thursday's filing from the university keeps the language that "plaintiff's counsel's false allegations threaten to harm not only Oregon and Altman, but all sexual assault survivors in Oregon's campus community." In an email to the UO administration, three faculty members -- law professor John Bonine, media studies professor Carol Stabile and psychology professor Jennifer Freyd -- expressed disappointment that the school kept some of the "most victim-blaming language."
"Someone has confused a legal filing with a press release," the professors wrote to the administration Thursday night, according to a copy of the email shared with The Huffington Post. "A response to the court is no place for public relations talk about the University’s supposed devotion to women and Title IX. It is a place to admit or deny factual allegations."
UO is also claiming that while it did access Doe's therapy records in the weeks prior to her suit against the school, it did not violate any laws in doing so.
Last week, 12 faculty members, including five law professors, sent a letter to the UO administration objecting to the university's having accessed Doe's therapy records, which it did in December 2014. The school has insisted it acted legally in handling her records, but the professors said even if that was true, "that would not make this action right," according to a copy of the letter obtained by HuffPost.
The university said that after the 12 faculty members sent their letter, school officials met with them to discuss their concerns. It also said that it only collected Doe's records and has not viewed them. UO is also planning a campus event Monday to discuss sexual violence.
Doe says the three athletes sexually assaulted her in March 2014. In June, all three athletes were found responsible for sexual misconduct and were suspended from campus for a minimum of four years.
Presentando UberXL: Nuestra Opción Económica de SUV
¡Hoy puedes pedir tu uberXL en la Ciudad de México! Estamos felices de presentar este nuevo servicio cómodo y económico para hasta 6 pasajeros.
Scott Walker Budget Deletes College Rape Reporting Requirements
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's (R) nearly $70 billion budget proposal deletes language requiring colleges to report their sexual assault statistics to new students and to the Department of Justice, Jezebel reported on Friday.
The budget, unveiled earlier this month, removes a requirement that directs "each institution and college campus to incorporate oral and written or electronic information on sexual assault in its orientation program for newly entering students and to supply all students enrolled in the institution or college campus with the same information in either printed or electronic form."
It also deletes the requirement that any university employee who witnesses a sexual assault must report that assault to the dean of students, the requirement that each school report sexual assault statistics annually to the DOJ, and the requirement compelling the DOJ to include those statistics in crime reports.
Walker's two-year spending plan does not appear to replace the rape reporting requirements with anything, and it's out of step with federal law. Colleges are currently required to incorporate prevention programs and information about sexual assault reporting options in orientation per the Violence Against Women Act, and they are required to report their sexual assault statistics annually to the DOJ.
A spokesman for Walker said The University of Wisconsin system requested the deletion of provisions of "duplicative reporting requirements," since the federal government already requires reporting.
"Throughout his time in office, Governor Walker has made protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault a top priority," said Laurel Patrick, Walker's press secretary. "In his last budget, he increased funding for sexual assault victim services while also providing significant funding to support partnerships and state initiatives to shelter and protect victims of domestic abuse. His recent budget proposal increases funding to continue protecting victims and their families."
Walker's move follows a year of unprecedented attention on the epidemic of campus assault by the Obama administration and Congress. Ninety-seven colleges and universities are currently under federal investigation for mishandling sexual assaults on their campuses, according to the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
The budget, unveiled earlier this month, removes a requirement that directs "each institution and college campus to incorporate oral and written or electronic information on sexual assault in its orientation program for newly entering students and to supply all students enrolled in the institution or college campus with the same information in either printed or electronic form."
It also deletes the requirement that any university employee who witnesses a sexual assault must report that assault to the dean of students, the requirement that each school report sexual assault statistics annually to the DOJ, and the requirement compelling the DOJ to include those statistics in crime reports.
Walker's two-year spending plan does not appear to replace the rape reporting requirements with anything, and it's out of step with federal law. Colleges are currently required to incorporate prevention programs and information about sexual assault reporting options in orientation per the Violence Against Women Act, and they are required to report their sexual assault statistics annually to the DOJ.
A spokesman for Walker said The University of Wisconsin system requested the deletion of provisions of "duplicative reporting requirements," since the federal government already requires reporting.
"Throughout his time in office, Governor Walker has made protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault a top priority," said Laurel Patrick, Walker's press secretary. "In his last budget, he increased funding for sexual assault victim services while also providing significant funding to support partnerships and state initiatives to shelter and protect victims of domestic abuse. His recent budget proposal increases funding to continue protecting victims and their families."
Walker's move follows a year of unprecedented attention on the epidemic of campus assault by the Obama administration and Congress. Ninety-seven colleges and universities are currently under federal investigation for mishandling sexual assaults on their campuses, according to the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
Investors Should Check Out T.Rowe’s EM Bond Fund: S&P
S&P Capital IQ named the T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Bond Fund (PREMX) its focus mustual fund of the month for March, saying that the fund “stands out for its performance analytics and cost factors.” In a note out today, S&P’s Todd Rosenbluth writes that the fund is well diversified across regions, as well as [...]
Here's Every Claim Made Against Bill O'Reilly So Far
The list of accusations leveled at Bill O'Reilly grows by the day.
What began as a probe into the veracity of the Fox News host's war reporting experience has now snowballed into a slew of alleged lies, exaggerations and inaccuracies.
If you're having trouble keeping all these shifting stories straight, we've got your back. Here are all the major developments so far in the The People vs. Bill O'Reilly:
Count 1: Bill O'Reilly Exaggerated His 'War Reporting' Chops
The Allegation: O'Reilly first came under attack last Thursday when Mother Jones' David Corn and Daniel Schulman published a piece challenging the host's claim that he had "reported on the ground in active war zones" and "survived a combat situation" while covering the Falklands War for CBS News in 1982. American reporters were not allowed in the Falklands during the conflict. So how could O'Reilly have been in the war zone?
The Defense: O'Reilly arrived in Buenos Aires shortly before Argentina surrendered to Britain. The Fox host contends that the riots he covered after the war -- demonstrators, angry that the military government had given up, took to the streets in protest -- constituted a "combat situation." When CBS released its coverage of the riots, O'Reilly declared victory, saying the tape showed "horrific” violence. While Corn and others agreed the tape showed a "chaotic, violent protest," they maintain that it was not a "combat situation."
The Verdict: While O'Reilly seems to think clashes between civilians and police constitute "combat," the technical definition of the term involves "fighting between armed forces" -- i.e. the British and Argentine militaries. The streets of Buenos Aires after the war were no doubt dangerous for reporters, but no matter how violent things got, you need two armies to have a war. The Huffington Post has covered the O'Reilly controversy from our headquarters in Greenwich Village -- we can't claim we've been "on the scene" in the host's living room.
Count 2: O'Reilly Lied About Witnessing The Suicide of George de Mohrenschildt
The Allegation: O'Reilly has claimed, both in interviews and in his book Killing Kennedy, to have been present at the suicide of George de Mohrenschildt, a Russian immigrant and friend of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
"As the reporter knocked on the door of de Mohrenschildt's daughter's home, he heard the shotgun blast that marked the suicide of the Russian, assuring that his relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald would never be fully understood," O'Reilly wrote in Killing Kennedy. "By the way, that reporter's name is Bill O'Reilly."
But the host's former colleagues at Dallas radio station WFAA told liberal watchdog Media Matters that O'Reilly was in Texas when de Mohrenschildt killed himself. "Bill O’Reilly’s a phony," one colleague said. "There’s no other way to put it.”
In addition, Gaeton Fonzi -- "one of the most relentless investigators" on the House Select Committee on Assassinations and a journalist who covered the killing of President Kennedy extensively -- wrote in his autobiography that O'Reilly had called him from Dallas after de Mohrenschildt's death to confirm the suicide.
The Defense: While Fox News has not addressed this specific allegation, it released a general statement of support:
O'Reilly's publisher also voiced its support in a statement to The Huffington Post.
"We fully stand behind Bill O’Reilly and his bestseller Killing Kennedy and we’re very proud to count him as one of our most important authors,” a spokesperson said.
The Verdict: The idea that O'Reilly arrived at de Mohrenschildt's daughter's doorstep at the exact moment a gunshot rang out indeed seems apocryphal -- it's almost too cinematic to be true. That said, with no further evidence than the word of two former employees to challenge the account, it remains a "he said, she said" situattion.
Count 3: O'Reilly Lied About Witnessing The Execution Of Four Salvadoran Nuns
The Allegation: Wednesday afternoon, Media Matters accused O'Reilly of lying about having witnessed the execution of four nuns in El Salvador while reporting on the country's bloody civil war for CBS News in 1980.
"I was in El Salvador and I saw nuns get shot in the back of the head," O'Reilly said on his program in 2012.
The Defense: Through a spokesperson, O'Reilly told The Huffington Post Wednesday that he had not seen the execution of the nuns first hand, but was rather referencing unaired footage of nuns being murdered that reporters were shown at the time:
The Verdict: Much like his Falklands War claims, O'Reilly's tales from El Salvador lead viewers to believe the host was at the center of the actual events -- rather than the periphery. For this one, O'Reilly might get off on a technicality.
Count 4: Bill O'Reilly Lied About Being Attacked During The LA Riots
The Allegation: On Thursday, the Guardian published an article in which six of O'Reilly' former colleagues from "Inside Edition" dispute the host's claims of being "attacked by protesters” during the 1992 LA Riots.
“They were throwing bricks and stones at us,” O’Reilly said in a 2006 interview. “Concrete was raining down on us.”
“It didn’t happen,” Rick Kirkham, the lead reporter on the riots, told the Guardian. “If it did, how come none of the rest of us remember it?”
O'Reilly's former colleagues do, however, remember a single man hurling a chunk of rubble at their camera. The man was allegedly angered by O'Reilly's limousine being parked in "the smoking remains" of his neighborhood. According to two former colleagues, the driver had been polishing the vehicle and O'Reilly yelled at the man, "Don’t you know who I am?”
The Defense: A spokesperson for Fox News declined to comment on the new charges, opting to give The Guardian a familiar defense: The allegations are “nothing more than an orchestrated campaign by far left advocates” and "responding to the unproven accusation du jour has become an exercise in futility."
The Verdict: We're beginning to see a pattern here. O'Reilly was on the scene for protests in Buenos Aires, not a war on the Falkland Islands. He called a man to confirm the death of George de Mohrenschildt, but didn't hear the gunshot himself. He saw images of murdered nuns, but wasn't present for the actual executions. And now one man threw a rock at his camera, instead of an avalanche of bricks, stones and concrete raining down on his head. If not an outright liar, O'Reilly seems to have an issue with exaggeration, taking small kernels of truth and spinning them into tall tales of journalistic heroism.
Count 5: O'Reilly Threatened Journalists From Mother Jones and The New York Times
The Allegation: Throughout the saga, O'Reilly has been accused of threatening journalists reporting on the controversy. O'Reilly said that he "expected David Corn to be in the kill zone" and told a New York Times reporter, "I am coming after you with everything I have."
While left-leaning cable news network MSNBC has largely stayed silent on the story (perhaps because of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams' own credibility crisis), Rachel Maddow blasted O'Reilly Wednesday night for intimidating journalists, saying it is "untenable" for Fox News to continue to stand by its host.
The Defense: O'Reilly brushed off the idea that he had threatened Corn with actual violence, saying the term "kill zone" was "simply a slang expression."
The Verdict: This one is pretty hard to deny, especially since O'Reilly made a point of telling the Times' reporter "you can take it as a threat." Whether O'Reilly lied about his reporting experience, threatening members of the press crosses a serious line and is unbefitting of a prime time news anchor on any network.
"Like everyone in media today, we are concerned about the safety of our staff," Mother Jones Clara Jeffery and Monika Bauerlein wrote in a letter to Fox News. "We'd have hoped that statements with this kind of violent tone would not come from a fellow media professional."
But after all the evidence has been compiled -- from from Buenos Aires to El Salvador to Dallas, Texas, and back again -- is Bill O'Reilly ultimately guilty in the court of public opinion? Did he lie to his audience, threatening journalists along the way? What should the consequence be? That's for the public to decide.
What began as a probe into the veracity of the Fox News host's war reporting experience has now snowballed into a slew of alleged lies, exaggerations and inaccuracies.
If you're having trouble keeping all these shifting stories straight, we've got your back. Here are all the major developments so far in the The People vs. Bill O'Reilly:
Count 1: Bill O'Reilly Exaggerated His 'War Reporting' Chops
The Allegation: O'Reilly first came under attack last Thursday when Mother Jones' David Corn and Daniel Schulman published a piece challenging the host's claim that he had "reported on the ground in active war zones" and "survived a combat situation" while covering the Falklands War for CBS News in 1982. American reporters were not allowed in the Falklands during the conflict. So how could O'Reilly have been in the war zone?
The Defense: O'Reilly arrived in Buenos Aires shortly before Argentina surrendered to Britain. The Fox host contends that the riots he covered after the war -- demonstrators, angry that the military government had given up, took to the streets in protest -- constituted a "combat situation." When CBS released its coverage of the riots, O'Reilly declared victory, saying the tape showed "horrific” violence. While Corn and others agreed the tape showed a "chaotic, violent protest," they maintain that it was not a "combat situation."
The Verdict: While O'Reilly seems to think clashes between civilians and police constitute "combat," the technical definition of the term involves "fighting between armed forces" -- i.e. the British and Argentine militaries. The streets of Buenos Aires after the war were no doubt dangerous for reporters, but no matter how violent things got, you need two armies to have a war. The Huffington Post has covered the O'Reilly controversy from our headquarters in Greenwich Village -- we can't claim we've been "on the scene" in the host's living room.
Count 2: O'Reilly Lied About Witnessing The Suicide of George de Mohrenschildt
The Allegation: O'Reilly has claimed, both in interviews and in his book Killing Kennedy, to have been present at the suicide of George de Mohrenschildt, a Russian immigrant and friend of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
"As the reporter knocked on the door of de Mohrenschildt's daughter's home, he heard the shotgun blast that marked the suicide of the Russian, assuring that his relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald would never be fully understood," O'Reilly wrote in Killing Kennedy. "By the way, that reporter's name is Bill O'Reilly."
But the host's former colleagues at Dallas radio station WFAA told liberal watchdog Media Matters that O'Reilly was in Texas when de Mohrenschildt killed himself. "Bill O’Reilly’s a phony," one colleague said. "There’s no other way to put it.”
In addition, Gaeton Fonzi -- "one of the most relentless investigators" on the House Select Committee on Assassinations and a journalist who covered the killing of President Kennedy extensively -- wrote in his autobiography that O'Reilly had called him from Dallas after de Mohrenschildt's death to confirm the suicide.
The Defense: While Fox News has not addressed this specific allegation, it released a general statement of support:
Bill O’Reilly has already addressed several claims leveled against him. This is nothing more than an orchestrated campaign by far left advocates Mother Jones and Media Matters. Responding to the unproven accusation du jour has become an exercise in futility. Fox News maintains its staunch support of O’Reilly, who is no stranger to calculated onslaughts.
O'Reilly's publisher also voiced its support in a statement to The Huffington Post.
"We fully stand behind Bill O’Reilly and his bestseller Killing Kennedy and we’re very proud to count him as one of our most important authors,” a spokesperson said.
The Verdict: The idea that O'Reilly arrived at de Mohrenschildt's daughter's doorstep at the exact moment a gunshot rang out indeed seems apocryphal -- it's almost too cinematic to be true. That said, with no further evidence than the word of two former employees to challenge the account, it remains a "he said, she said" situattion.
Count 3: O'Reilly Lied About Witnessing The Execution Of Four Salvadoran Nuns
The Allegation: Wednesday afternoon, Media Matters accused O'Reilly of lying about having witnessed the execution of four nuns in El Salvador while reporting on the country's bloody civil war for CBS News in 1980.
"I was in El Salvador and I saw nuns get shot in the back of the head," O'Reilly said on his program in 2012.
The Defense: Through a spokesperson, O'Reilly told The Huffington Post Wednesday that he had not seen the execution of the nuns first hand, but was rather referencing unaired footage of nuns being murdered that reporters were shown at the time:
While in El Salvador, reporters were shown horrendous images of violence that were never broadcast, including depictions of nuns who were murdered. The mention of the nuns on my program came the day of the Newtown massacre (December 14, 2012). The segment was about evil and how hard it is for folks to comprehend it. I used the murdered nuns as an example of that evil. That's what I am referring to when I say ‘I saw nuns get shot in the back of the head.’ No one could possibly take that segment as reporting on El Salvador.
The Verdict: Much like his Falklands War claims, O'Reilly's tales from El Salvador lead viewers to believe the host was at the center of the actual events -- rather than the periphery. For this one, O'Reilly might get off on a technicality.
Count 4: Bill O'Reilly Lied About Being Attacked During The LA Riots
The Allegation: On Thursday, the Guardian published an article in which six of O'Reilly' former colleagues from "Inside Edition" dispute the host's claims of being "attacked by protesters” during the 1992 LA Riots.
“They were throwing bricks and stones at us,” O’Reilly said in a 2006 interview. “Concrete was raining down on us.”
“It didn’t happen,” Rick Kirkham, the lead reporter on the riots, told the Guardian. “If it did, how come none of the rest of us remember it?”
O'Reilly's former colleagues do, however, remember a single man hurling a chunk of rubble at their camera. The man was allegedly angered by O'Reilly's limousine being parked in "the smoking remains" of his neighborhood. According to two former colleagues, the driver had been polishing the vehicle and O'Reilly yelled at the man, "Don’t you know who I am?”
The Defense: A spokesperson for Fox News declined to comment on the new charges, opting to give The Guardian a familiar defense: The allegations are “nothing more than an orchestrated campaign by far left advocates” and "responding to the unproven accusation du jour has become an exercise in futility."
The Verdict: We're beginning to see a pattern here. O'Reilly was on the scene for protests in Buenos Aires, not a war on the Falkland Islands. He called a man to confirm the death of George de Mohrenschildt, but didn't hear the gunshot himself. He saw images of murdered nuns, but wasn't present for the actual executions. And now one man threw a rock at his camera, instead of an avalanche of bricks, stones and concrete raining down on his head. If not an outright liar, O'Reilly seems to have an issue with exaggeration, taking small kernels of truth and spinning them into tall tales of journalistic heroism.
Count 5: O'Reilly Threatened Journalists From Mother Jones and The New York Times
The Allegation: Throughout the saga, O'Reilly has been accused of threatening journalists reporting on the controversy. O'Reilly said that he "expected David Corn to be in the kill zone" and told a New York Times reporter, "I am coming after you with everything I have."
While left-leaning cable news network MSNBC has largely stayed silent on the story (perhaps because of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams' own credibility crisis), Rachel Maddow blasted O'Reilly Wednesday night for intimidating journalists, saying it is "untenable" for Fox News to continue to stand by its host.
The Defense: O'Reilly brushed off the idea that he had threatened Corn with actual violence, saying the term "kill zone" was "simply a slang expression."
The Verdict: This one is pretty hard to deny, especially since O'Reilly made a point of telling the Times' reporter "you can take it as a threat." Whether O'Reilly lied about his reporting experience, threatening members of the press crosses a serious line and is unbefitting of a prime time news anchor on any network.
"Like everyone in media today, we are concerned about the safety of our staff," Mother Jones Clara Jeffery and Monika Bauerlein wrote in a letter to Fox News. "We'd have hoped that statements with this kind of violent tone would not come from a fellow media professional."
But after all the evidence has been compiled -- from from Buenos Aires to El Salvador to Dallas, Texas, and back again -- is Bill O'Reilly ultimately guilty in the court of public opinion? Did he lie to his audience, threatening journalists along the way? What should the consequence be? That's for the public to decide.
GIVE AND GET FREE UBER CREDITS
Är du trött på att det alltid är du som får beställa Uber i ditt sällskap? Har du vänner och familj som inte testat Uber än? Vi har sedan länge ett smart erbjudanden som vi själva tycker är smått fantastiskt. Så vi tänkte att om du missat detta eller kanske glömt av att det finns berättar vi lite kort om hur det fungerar i detta inlägg.
How Low Oil Affects Governments In Texas, Alaska, North Dakota: U.S. Trust
Speaking of oil’s effect on governments, earlier this week Moody’s parsed state and local governments it sees as winners and losers amid ongoing low energy prices. Not surprisingly, Texas, Alaska and North Dakota were among the losers, given their dependence on energy-related businesses. John Donovan and his fixed income research team at Bank of America’s [...]
Moschino Pays Homage To The Looney Tunes' Hip Hop Days In Fall 2015 Collection
There's never a dull moment when it comes to Moschino fashion, especially when Jeremy Scott is at the helm.
In the year that Scott has been designing for the Italian fashion house, he has definitely infused the quirky point of view that he's known for in his eponymous line. He's already given us an ode to McDonald's and Sponge Bob -- and now for the fall 2015 collection he's taken on the Looney Tunes. More specifically, the thugged out Looney Tunes.
That's right, on Thursday during Milan Fashion Week Scott filled the runway with models decked out in 90's streetwear emblazoned with images of the iconic Warner Bros' cartoon characters, like Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat in their finest hip hop gear.
As WWD so accurately points out, the collection pays homage to one of the "cheesiest moments in marketing history, when Looney Tunes tried to regain relevance by giving its characters hip-hop makeovers."
We love a good fashion-meets-pop-culture reference and this one is spot on and super fun!
Check out the collection below. What do you think of Moschino's Looney Tunes duds?
In the year that Scott has been designing for the Italian fashion house, he has definitely infused the quirky point of view that he's known for in his eponymous line. He's already given us an ode to McDonald's and Sponge Bob -- and now for the fall 2015 collection he's taken on the Looney Tunes. More specifically, the thugged out Looney Tunes.
That's right, on Thursday during Milan Fashion Week Scott filled the runway with models decked out in 90's streetwear emblazoned with images of the iconic Warner Bros' cartoon characters, like Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat in their finest hip hop gear.
As WWD so accurately points out, the collection pays homage to one of the "cheesiest moments in marketing history, when Looney Tunes tried to regain relevance by giving its characters hip-hop makeovers."
We love a good fashion-meets-pop-culture reference and this one is spot on and super fun!
Check out the collection below. What do you think of Moschino's Looney Tunes duds?
Uberに乗って、スターウッドホテル＆リゾートのポイントをゲットしよう
Uberはスターウッド ホテル＆リゾート ワールドワイド Inc.と提携し、Uberに乗るたびに「スターウッド プリファードゲスト（SPG®）」でご利用いただけるスターポイント（Starpoints®）を獲得することができるプログラムを全世界で開始しました。Uberが利用できる世界290都市以上のうち、72%の都市でスターウッドのホテルやリゾートにご宿泊いただけます。ぜひお試しください！
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Remarkable Drop in Car Commuting to Downtown Seattle
In a testament to how quickly travel behavior can change, new stats out of Seattle show that the share of downtown workers who commute alone by car has dropped significantly in the last 15 years. The rate of solo car commuting to downtown Seattle was 50 percent in 2000. Now it’s down to 31 percent, […]
Moody’s Tackles Bondholder Protection In Tech
Moody’s Investors Service recently put out a report for bondholders in tech companies. Analyst Stephen Morrison and his team take a look at tech companies’ covenants, which act to shield investors from the firms engaging in large, debt-financed mergers and acquisitions, which weaken credit quality trigger a credit downgrade. Leins covenants offer weak protection, Morrison [...]
Montréal - C'est le temps de bouger!
Dites au Conseil Municipal ainsi qu'au maire Coderre que vous soutenez la modernisation des législations afin d'intégrer des services de transport sécuritaires et fiables que procurent les plateformes telles que Uber.
Manifestez votre soutien pour le progrès, des routes plus sûres, pour Uber à Montréal. Signez la pétition dès aujourd'hui!
The Truth About Exercising When You're Sick Or Hurt
SPECIAL FROM Next AvenueBy Linda Melone
When you're under the weather with a cold or achy muscles or joints, it may be best to skip your regular workout. But it’s not always necessary.
Obviously, a severe injury requires rest, but for less serious ailments, a little activity may actually make you feel better. Here are some of the most common health issues you are likely to encounter and ways to exercise around them as well as when you should avoid working out:
You Feel a Cold Coming On
If you have mostly “head symptoms” like a scratchy throat, mild headache or runny nose, you can likely go ahead with your workout with a few adjustments, says Dr. Kristine Arthur, internal medicine physician with Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, Fountain Valley, Calif.
“Avoid strenuous activities like sprints, a marathon, boot camp or heavy lifting,” she says. “Heavy exercise while sick can strain your heart.”
If you normally run, consider a light jog or brisk walk, preferably indoors during cold weather. “Pilates and yoga are usually fine, but avoid hot yoga, as you may become overheated,” Arthur says.
You Have a Sinus Infection
If you have anything more severe than a runny nose and suspect you may have a sinus infection, see a doctor before doing your regular exercise, Arthur says.
"If you stress yourself with exercise and don’t get proper treatment for sinusitis, it can turn into something more serious, like pneumonia,” she says.
Be particularly careful if you have a history of asthma. Exercise can trigger bronchial spasm. Stop exercising if you hear yourself wheezing or feel you can’t catch your breath, Arthur says.
You Spike a Fever… and More
It’s best to stay home and avoid working out if you have “full body symptoms,” Arthur says. “This includes symptoms like muscle aches, chills, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and particularly if you have a fever.”
Exercising with a fever of 100 degrees or higher puts you at risk for increasing your temperature even further.
“Never try to ‘sweat out’ a fever with exercise,” Arthur says. “This can put you at risk of dehydration. In general, listen to your body. If you start feeling worse while exercising – stop! You may make things worse and prolong the illness.”
You Develop Elbow Tendonitis
Called tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, depending on whether it’s on the outside of your elbow (tennis) or inside (golfer's), this syndrome makes it painful to shake hands, hold a racket or turn a wrench.
“Avoid any activity that triggers the pain, such as practicing backhand in tennis, painting or using a tool repetitively,” says Dr. David Geier, orthopedic surgeon in Charleston, S.C. “Upper body exercises that don’t recreate the pain should be alright to do.”
Supportive straps worn just below the elbow can also take stress off the affected area and can help you perform activities with less pain.
Your Wrists Ache
Wrist arthritis makes it painful to bear weight on your wrists and hands, such as while doing push-ups.
“The pushup places the wrist in full extension while the person transfers stress through the wrists,” Geier says. Avoid exercises that cause pain, or modify the move. For example, try push-ups on dumbbells (grasp them to enable your wrists to stay straight). Or wear wrist braces that limit the range of motion, which can help decrease pain during the exercise, Geier says.
It Hurts to Walk
Inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, that runs along the bottom of your foot and connects to your heel, is called plantar fasciitis. It’s common in runners, overweight individuals and in people who wear shoes without good support.
“It is unclear if any activity is particularly harmful with plantar fasciitis,” Geier says. “The biggest problem is getting up from a chair and going straight into physical activity or waking up and moving around a lot.”
Plantar fascia- and Achilles stretching exercises first thing in the morning, and possibly several times a day, can help.
You Have General Aches and Pains
Waking up with achy muscles from simply doing more than your usual activities the day before can be eased with stretching or by using a foam roller.
“Use a foam roller to promote flexibility of your mid-back and stretch your pectoral muscles (across the front of your chest),” says Jesse Phillips, sports rehabilitation supervisor at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. “If you have knee pain, using a foam roller followed by stretches can help improve the mobility of the hip, knee and ankle.”
Keep in mind the difference between the discomfort associated with muscles working hard and excessive strain being placed on joints/ligaments/tendons, Phillips says.
“Moving a joint or muscle to the point of mild stretch is typically acceptable, but moving through pain is not,” he said. “If you are concerned about the potential of the latter kind of pain, consult a physician or a physical therapist for an evaluation.”
Next Avenue contributor Linda Melone is a California-based freelance writer specializing in health, fitness and wellness for women over 50.
Read more from Next Avenue:
6 beliefs that sabotage your health
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Stretches and exercises for tired, achy legs
Firefighter Claims He Killed Neighbors' Dogs In Horrifying Facebook Photo
Police are investigating a Texas firefighter who claimed on Facebook that he killed two of his neighbors' dogs.
On Tuesday afternoon, a graphic photo showing two dead dogs was posted on the Facebook page of volunteer firefighter Tim Conatser, according to the Dallas Morning News. The photo, which quickly went viral and drew international outrage, came with the caption, "Somebody didn’t put any truth my warning. Keep your damn dogs on your property."
The Facebook post has since been taken down.
Police say the dogs' bullet-riddled bodies were discovered in southwest Hunt County, though they wouldn't specify where due to the ongoing investigation, CBS-DFW reports.
A family friend told the station that Conatser was angry because the dogs were attacking his livestock.
"So he went over to his neighbor’s and told him that his dogs was getting in his barn and attacking his animals, to please ya know keep ‘em at home, put ‘em on a leash, build a fence, do something," said Kevin Forester.
Conatser was suspended from his position at the Union Valley Volunteer Fire Department after the photo started going viral on Wednesday. Chief Edward Ragsdale said he "can't be responsible for [a volunteer's] actions when he's off duty," but noted that the station has been bombarded with angry messages -- and even death threats -- from all over the world.
Hunt County Constable Terry Jones launched a criminal probe into the Facebook post, NBC-DFW reports. Jones said he didn't know who owned the dogs and added that nobody has filed a complaint.
There's a Texas statute that allows property owners to kill dogs or coyotes that attack livestock or domestic animals, according to CBS-DFW.
The Huffington Post has reached out to Conatser, but has not received a response. It's unclear whether he'll be charged.
On Tuesday afternoon, a graphic photo showing two dead dogs was posted on the Facebook page of volunteer firefighter Tim Conatser, according to the Dallas Morning News. The photo, which quickly went viral and drew international outrage, came with the caption, "Somebody didn’t put any truth my warning. Keep your damn dogs on your property."
The Facebook post has since been taken down.
Police say the dogs' bullet-riddled bodies were discovered in southwest Hunt County, though they wouldn't specify where due to the ongoing investigation, CBS-DFW reports.
A family friend told the station that Conatser was angry because the dogs were attacking his livestock.
"So he went over to his neighbor’s and told him that his dogs was getting in his barn and attacking his animals, to please ya know keep ‘em at home, put ‘em on a leash, build a fence, do something," said Kevin Forester.
Conatser was suspended from his position at the Union Valley Volunteer Fire Department after the photo started going viral on Wednesday. Chief Edward Ragsdale said he "can't be responsible for [a volunteer's] actions when he's off duty," but noted that the station has been bombarded with angry messages -- and even death threats -- from all over the world.
Hunt County Constable Terry Jones launched a criminal probe into the Facebook post, NBC-DFW reports. Jones said he didn't know who owned the dogs and added that nobody has filed a complaint.
There's a Texas statute that allows property owners to kill dogs or coyotes that attack livestock or domestic animals, according to CBS-DFW.
The Huffington Post has reached out to Conatser, but has not received a response. It's unclear whether he'll be charged.
The “Urban Renewal Mindset” Persists in St. Louis
St. Louis is home to one of the more notorious failures of the “urban renewal” era: the Pruitt-Igoe housing project. When these towers were demolished a generation ago, it seemed like the end of an era in city planning. The clearance of city blocks to make way for mega-development projects is now considered a colossal […]
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Weed Is Now Officially Legal In Alaska
Marijuana is now legal for adults in Alaska.
Alaska on Tuesday becomes the third U.S. state to end prohibition of marijuana, officially putting int...
Alaska on Tuesday becomes the third U.S. state to end prohibition of marijuana, officially putting int...
Read more: Marijuana, Marijuana Legalization, Legal Weed, Alaska Marijuana Legalization, 420, Marijuana Prohibition, Drug War, US Drug Policy, Alaska Marijuana Law, Politics News
Black History Month
This year is the 100th anniversary of Black History Month with “A Century of Black Life, History and Culture”. With only a few more days left, the century celebration is certainly alive! There are many Black History Month events within the DFW area that are acknowledging the history, the culture, and many lives of both past and present African American influencers.
When The Best Sex Is Extramarital - NYTimes.com
I received a voice mail from a 40-something woman, Cynthia, who requested a late-evening session because she worked long hours at her law firm. She said that I was one of the few therapists she had Googled who seemed to have the expertise to help her. In recent years I have noticed that when potential patients Google me, they discover my university faculty profile, where I list as a research interest the psychology of infidelity. They also find a YouTube clip of an interview with me from a documentary on infidelity. Thanks to Google I am getting more patients looking for someone they think of as an infidelity expert.
Must see: A video critique of the driving skills of your citizens
Showing the public right from wrong when an emergency vehicle approches
In Major Shift, Central Cities Edging Out Sprawl in Competition for Jobs
Job sprawl — picture suburban office parks with lots of parking — might be past its peak. The last few years have been good ones for central cities, as far as job growth is concerned, and not so hot for mid-height, reflective glass office campuses. That’s according to an analysis by researcher Joe Cortright at City Observatory. […]
Kim Kardashian Goes Five Days Without Washing Her Hair
Every time we see Kim Kardashian head into a restaurant wearing head-to-toe Givenchy, step onto the red carpet with her perfectly contoured makeup or tote around her 1-year-old daughter in a fur coat, we are reminded that celebrities aren't just like us.
But it turns out, Kimmy might be a little more like us muggles than we initially thought.
The reality star spoke to Into The Gloss about her beauty routine and we learned some pretty surprising things. Besides the fact that her dad gave her makeup classes for Christmas when she was a mere teen, the 34-year-old bombshell also divulged that she hates washing her hair just as much as the next girl.
"For my hair, I don't wash it every day," she told ITG. "We start out with a blowout on day one, then we go into a messier vibe the next day, and then we flat iron it and do a really sleek look on day three since that requires a little oil in the hair. Day four could be a slicked-back ponytail, and on the fifth day is when you wash it," she explained. Welp, if Kim isn't going to wash her hair every day, we sure as hell won't be either.
Find out more about Kim's skincare regimen (along with her favorite drugstore beauty buy) over on Into The Gloss.
But it turns out, Kimmy might be a little more like us muggles than we initially thought.
The reality star spoke to Into The Gloss about her beauty routine and we learned some pretty surprising things. Besides the fact that her dad gave her makeup classes for Christmas when she was a mere teen, the 34-year-old bombshell also divulged that she hates washing her hair just as much as the next girl.
"For my hair, I don't wash it every day," she told ITG. "We start out with a blowout on day one, then we go into a messier vibe the next day, and then we flat iron it and do a really sleek look on day three since that requires a little oil in the hair. Day four could be a slicked-back ponytail, and on the fifth day is when you wash it," she explained. Welp, if Kim isn't going to wash her hair every day, we sure as hell won't be either.
Find out more about Kim's skincare regimen (along with her favorite drugstore beauty buy) over on Into The Gloss.
It’s now legal to take a toke in Alaska
A woman rolls a marijuana cigarette in this Aug. 30, 2014, file photo. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Alaska became the third U.S. state, along with Washington and Colorado, to legalize recreational use of marijuana on Tuesday, but it still is illegal to smoke marijuana in public.
People who do smoke in public will be fined $100. But the initiative didn’t define what being in public means, so the alcohol regulatory board planned to meet early Tuesday to discuss an emergency response, according to the Associated Press.
State regulators also are drafting rules to cover the taxation and sale of marijuana by Nov. 24. The first business licenses will be accepted starting in February 2016.
The post It’s now legal to take a toke in Alaska appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
Florida Man Says He Wants The Death Penalty, Not The Help Of 'Scumbag Liberals'
A Florida man acting as his own attorney at his murder sentencing is pushing to get himself the death penalty.
While seeking a death sentence in court Monday, 39-year-old Craig Wall of Clearwater rejected efforts the efforts of The Florida Capital Resource Center, a group that provides resources for defendants in capital cases, to have an independent attorney appointed for him. Wall said he didn't want the help of "scumbag liberals" who think he can't make his own decisions, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
"The presentation of my case and my mitigation is my constitutional right," Wall said, according to Bay News 9. "This is my case. This is my life. All the choices are mine alone to make."
At a previous court appearance earlier this month, a judge asked if Wall was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "I wish," he replied, according to ABC Action News.
Wall pleaded guilty February 13 to murdering girlfriend Laura Taft in 2010 and pleaded no contest to killing the couple's infant son, who died several days before Taft's murder. After the baby's death, Wall was jailed for violating a domestic violence injunction Taft had filed against him, but neither a recent 14-year stay in prison nor his status as a suspect in his son's death was mentioned in court. Three days after he was released on $1,000 bail, Taft was stabbed to death in her apartment.
"Yeah I killed her," Wall said in court. According to Tampa Bay's 10 News, the plea agreement was settled only after prosecutors promised to seek the death penalty.
Wall's case has had more than few strange turns: Despite seeking the death penalty for himself, Wall on Monday requested more time to assemble evidence. He's peppered his testimony with curse words and references to "rabid-dog liberals," according to the Tampa Tribune. And during a preparatory hearing in April of 2014, the Times reports, a judge asked if Wall understood the purpose of voir dire, the process of questioning and discarding jurors. Wall pointed to the jury box and said "Picking some idiots to sit over there."
Taft's parents told local CBS affiliate Action News that Wall is simply manipulating the legal system now and reject his testimony that he pleaded guilty to "spare them the heartache" of a trial.
"Craig is doing this for Craig," Rhonda Lyon-Buttita, Taft's mother, said earlier this month. "He's put us through pain for five years."
The Times notes that despite Wall's wish to represent himself, previously-appointed attorneys will be on hand as standby counsel. A doctor has declared Wall mentally fit to act as his own attorney.
While seeking a death sentence in court Monday, 39-year-old Craig Wall of Clearwater rejected efforts the efforts of The Florida Capital Resource Center, a group that provides resources for defendants in capital cases, to have an independent attorney appointed for him. Wall said he didn't want the help of "scumbag liberals" who think he can't make his own decisions, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
"The presentation of my case and my mitigation is my constitutional right," Wall said, according to Bay News 9. "This is my case. This is my life. All the choices are mine alone to make."
At a previous court appearance earlier this month, a judge asked if Wall was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "I wish," he replied, according to ABC Action News.
Wall pleaded guilty February 13 to murdering girlfriend Laura Taft in 2010 and pleaded no contest to killing the couple's infant son, who died several days before Taft's murder. After the baby's death, Wall was jailed for violating a domestic violence injunction Taft had filed against him, but neither a recent 14-year stay in prison nor his status as a suspect in his son's death was mentioned in court. Three days after he was released on $1,000 bail, Taft was stabbed to death in her apartment.
"Yeah I killed her," Wall said in court. According to Tampa Bay's 10 News, the plea agreement was settled only after prosecutors promised to seek the death penalty.
Wall's case has had more than few strange turns: Despite seeking the death penalty for himself, Wall on Monday requested more time to assemble evidence. He's peppered his testimony with curse words and references to "rabid-dog liberals," according to the Tampa Tribune. And during a preparatory hearing in April of 2014, the Times reports, a judge asked if Wall understood the purpose of voir dire, the process of questioning and discarding jurors. Wall pointed to the jury box and said "Picking some idiots to sit over there."
Taft's parents told local CBS affiliate Action News that Wall is simply manipulating the legal system now and reject his testimony that he pleaded guilty to "spare them the heartache" of a trial.
"Craig is doing this for Craig," Rhonda Lyon-Buttita, Taft's mother, said earlier this month. "He's put us through pain for five years."
The Times notes that despite Wall's wish to represent himself, previously-appointed attorneys will be on hand as standby counsel. A doctor has declared Wall mentally fit to act as his own attorney.
This Is A Darlin' Of A Marlin
It was a fight to the fin-ish.
Brooklyn's own Kai Rizzuto, 16, was fishing with his grandfather off the coast of Hawaii last week when he caught a 1,058-pound, 14-foot-long blue marlin, according to CNN.
It took 30 minutes to reel in the catch, which was about 300 pounds short of the International Game Fish Association's 1982 world record for blue marlin, CNN said.
"It was jumping straight out of the water, fully breached, shaking its head trying to free itself," Kai told CNN. "I was really hoping and praying that nothing would happen to this fish and that it wouldn't break off [the line]."
McGrew Rice, the captain of the fishing boat where Rizzuto caught the fish, told NBC News the marlin was "the fish of a lifetime."
"That's like hitting a grand slam home run in the last inning of the World Series," Rice said.
But the fish didn't go down without a fight, Rizzuto told the New York Daily News.
"I've never felt anything close to that amount of force,” he said. “There's nothing I can compare it too."
Photo from IHUNUI.COM
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Brooklyn's own Kai Rizzuto, 16, was fishing with his grandfather off the coast of Hawaii last week when he caught a 1,058-pound, 14-foot-long blue marlin, according to CNN.
It took 30 minutes to reel in the catch, which was about 300 pounds short of the International Game Fish Association's 1982 world record for blue marlin, CNN said.
"It was jumping straight out of the water, fully breached, shaking its head trying to free itself," Kai told CNN. "I was really hoping and praying that nothing would happen to this fish and that it wouldn't break off [the line]."
McGrew Rice, the captain of the fishing boat where Rizzuto caught the fish, told NBC News the marlin was "the fish of a lifetime."
"That's like hitting a grand slam home run in the last inning of the World Series," Rice said.
But the fish didn't go down without a fight, Rizzuto told the New York Daily News.
"I've never felt anything close to that amount of force,” he said. “There's nothing I can compare it too."
Photo from IHUNUI.COM
Like Us On Facebook | Follow Us On Twitter | Contact The AuthorTrở lại làm việc hay cùng Uber #UberMe2Phuket?
Hôm nay chắc hẳn là ngày đi làm đầu tiên trong năm mới của bạn sau một kỳ nghĩ lễ dài. Bạn có hào hứng với những dự án, hợp đồng, cơ hội gặp gỡ đối tác mới mà Năm mới mang đến không? Hay là, đâu đó trong bạn đang mong chờ đến kỳ nghĩ lễ tiếp theo?
Marijuana Is Officially Legal In Alaska
Marijuana is now legal for adults in Alaska.
Alaska on Tuesday becomes the third U.S. state to end prohibition of marijuana, officially putting into effect Ballot Measure 2, approved by 53 percent of state voters in November.
Alaskans age 21 and older may now legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana, grow as many as six marijuana plants in their homes (with no more than three flowering), and possess any additional marijuana produced by those plants.
Shops selling legal recreational marijuana aren't likely to open until 2016, after the state legislature establishes a regulatory framework. State lawmakers have begun introducing legislation to that end.
"State laws allowing adults to use marijuana are becoming less and less of a novelty," said Mason Tvert, communications director for drug policy reform group Marijuana Policy Project. "It won’t be long before it’s the rule instead of the exception nationwide. Colorado and Washington are proving that regulating marijuana works, and soon Alaska will, too.”
The Marijuana Policy Project, a backer of the Alaska ballot measure, is launching a public education campaign reminding marijuana users to "consume responsibly," with ads that read: "With great marijuana laws comes great responsibility.”
“Most adults use marijuana for the same reasons most adults use alcohol,” Tvert said. “We want them to keep in mind that it carries the same responsibilities.”
Voters in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., passed similar marijuana laws last year, joining Colorado and Washington state, which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012 and opened retail shops in 2014.
Oregon's law is scheduled to go into effect later this year. D.C.'s law, which prohibits retail sales, is expected to take effect later this week, when a congressional review period expires.
Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and states that have proceeded with legalization have been able to do so because of Department of Justice guidance that urges federal prosecutors to refrain from targeting state-legal marijuana operations.
Despite the conflicted federal stance, legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., according to a recent report from industry analyst ArcView Group. At least 10 more states are considering legalizing marijuana by 2016. By 2020, there could be as many as 18 states where recreational marijuana is legal.
When regulated marijuana sales begin next year in Alaska, the industry is likely to generate millions in tax revenue. According to a recent study, as much as $8 million in marijuana taxes could flow into state coffers in the first year of sales, with more than $20 million projected by 2020.
Alaska on Tuesday becomes the third U.S. state to end prohibition of marijuana, officially putting into effect Ballot Measure 2, approved by 53 percent of state voters in November.
Alaskans age 21 and older may now legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana, grow as many as six marijuana plants in their homes (with no more than three flowering), and possess any additional marijuana produced by those plants.
Shops selling legal recreational marijuana aren't likely to open until 2016, after the state legislature establishes a regulatory framework. State lawmakers have begun introducing legislation to that end.
"State laws allowing adults to use marijuana are becoming less and less of a novelty," said Mason Tvert, communications director for drug policy reform group Marijuana Policy Project. "It won’t be long before it’s the rule instead of the exception nationwide. Colorado and Washington are proving that regulating marijuana works, and soon Alaska will, too.”
The Marijuana Policy Project, a backer of the Alaska ballot measure, is launching a public education campaign reminding marijuana users to "consume responsibly," with ads that read: "With great marijuana laws comes great responsibility.”
“Most adults use marijuana for the same reasons most adults use alcohol,” Tvert said. “We want them to keep in mind that it carries the same responsibilities.”
Voters in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., passed similar marijuana laws last year, joining Colorado and Washington state, which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012 and opened retail shops in 2014.
Oregon's law is scheduled to go into effect later this year. D.C.'s law, which prohibits retail sales, is expected to take effect later this week, when a congressional review period expires.
Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and states that have proceeded with legalization have been able to do so because of Department of Justice guidance that urges federal prosecutors to refrain from targeting state-legal marijuana operations.
Despite the conflicted federal stance, legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., according to a recent report from industry analyst ArcView Group. At least 10 more states are considering legalizing marijuana by 2016. By 2020, there could be as many as 18 states where recreational marijuana is legal.
When regulated marijuana sales begin next year in Alaska, the industry is likely to generate millions in tax revenue. According to a recent study, as much as $8 million in marijuana taxes could flow into state coffers in the first year of sales, with more than $20 million projected by 2020.
Clint Eastwood And New Girlfriend Are Red Carpet Official
The bad news for Clint Eastwood is that his film, "American Sniper," was largely snubbed at the Oscars last night. The good news? He looked like a ver...
Read more: Clint Eastwood Girlfriend, Clint Eastwood, Clint Eastwood Divorce, Clint Eastwood Marriage, Christina Sandera, Erica Tomlinson-Fisher, Clint Eastwood Dating, Divorce News
Monday, February 23, 2015
New online training tool for school staffers on reporting suspected child abuse, neglect
SACRAMENTO — A new online tool will give school employees easier access to the training they need to identify and report suspected cases of child abuse and/or neglect, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced Monday. The online Child Abuse Mandated Reporting Training lessons teach school employees how to identify suspected cases, the obligation they have to [...]
Beyoncé Rocks A Bob And White Gown For Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Beyoncé celebrated with Hollywood's biggest stars Sunday night at the Vanity Fair Oscar party.
The "XO" singer wore an elegant Stella McCartney d...
The "XO" singer wore an elegant Stella McCartney d...
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Foreign runners banned from North Korea marathon due to Ebola worries
A colorized, magnified electron microscope image of the Ebola virus grows out of an infected VERO 46 cell. Image by NIAID
Last year was the first time North Korea allowed foreign runners to participate in the country’s Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon. But this year, due to Ebola concerns, the country has banned outsiders from participating in the race.
According to CNN, North Korea has imposed border controls for other diseases, including SARS in 2003. In October, nonessential travel visas were halted because of Ebola fears, and those allowed in the country were subject to a 21-day quarantine under medical observation. Bans were expected to lift in time for the April race, but Beijing-based travel agency Koryo Group announced today that neither professional nor amateur foreign runners would not be allowed to partake in the race.
Last year, about 30 foreigners ran in the full marathon in the capital city of Pyongyang, although more competed in the half marathon and 10-kilometer races. Nick Bonner, the founder of Koryo Group, told the AP that more than 400 foreign runners were planning on competing in the race through his agency alone. Now, travel agencies are tasked with cancelling and rearranging travel plans. It is possible the travel ban will be lifted by March, but Bonner said the short time span would likely prevent runners from being able to compete.
While the Ebola virus has not been reported in North Korea, according to the AP, “North Korean media have suggested Ebola was created by the U.S. military as a biological weapon.”
The Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon is one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions, and is one of a number of events that take place every year in April to celebrate the birthday of North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung.
The post Foreign runners banned from North Korea marathon due to Ebola worries appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
‘The Imitation Game’ spurs petition to pardon 49,000 prosecuted gay men
Alan Turing died in an apparent suicide in 1954. Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images
“The Imitation Game” has prompted more than just awards and acclaim. In light of the buzz surrounding the movie, a petition to pardon 49,000 men convicted in Britain for being homosexual is picking up momentum.
The family of Alan Turing — the codebreaker whose story is at the heart of “The Imitation Game”, and who was one of those prosecuted for being gay — brought the petition to British Prime Minister David Cameron Monday morning. The petition attracted signatures from over half a million people, including the film’s stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley.
Turing played a key role in cracking the German “Enigma” ciphers during World War II. It has been said that his team’s code-breaking work was responsible for shortening the war by as many as two years. Turing is widely considered to be the father of modern computer science.
In 1952, Turing was convicted of “gross indecency” with a 19-year-old man. He didn’t contest the charges, and ended up being chemically castrated. He died in an apparent suicide two years later.
It wasn’t until almost 50 years after his death, in 2013, that Turing was granted a posthumous royal pardon.
Turing’s great-niece Rachel Barnes delivered the petition to 10 Downing Street along with her son, Thomas, and Turing’s great-nephew Neville Hunt. Barnes believes that Turing would have supported pardons for all those prosecuted.
“I consider it to be fair and just that everybody who was convicted under the Gross Indecency law is given a pardon,” Barnes said. “It is illogical that my great uncle has been the only one to be pardoned when so many were convicted of the same crime. I feel sure that Alan Turing would have also wanted justice for everybody.”
The post ‘The Imitation Game’ spurs petition to pardon 49,000 prosecuted gay men appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
Getting a Divorce? Top 3 Tax Tips to Consider
Taxes aren't fun to think about in the best of times. And if you're going through a divorce, how such a split may affect your taxes might be the furthest from your mind. But if you're not paying attention,...
Jet Capital Letter A Positive For SunCoke, MLP: Wells Fargo
Investors in SunCoke Energy (SXC) and its master limited partnership SunCoke Energy Partners (SXCP) have a reason to be frustrated, according to Wells Fargo’s Sam Dubinsky given the company’s restructuring and less than ideal promotion of the MLP. Dubinsky today reiterated an Outperform rating on the tock writing that a recent letter from Jet Capital [...]
Low Rates Entice Corporate Bond Issuance: Moody’s
While not everyone is happy with low interest rates, the current environment does benefit corporations looking to borrow funds at low costs. According to a recent report by Moody’s David Munves and team, that’s exactly what’s happening, with investment grade corporations issuing debts so far in 2015 at the same pace as last year, “to [...]
Human Rights Official Identified As One Of Fans Involved In Chelsea Race Storm
A human rights official has apologized for his part in an alleged racism incident involving Chelsea supporters on the Paris Metro, but has insisted he is not a racist.
And The Best-Dressed Stars At The Oscars Were...
If there is ever a time to really go for it, it's at the Oscars. The most glamorous night of the year is the perfect opportunity for Hollywood to show...
Read more: Fashion Trends, Oscars 2015 Dresses, Oscar 2015 Best Dressed, Oscars 2015 Red Carpet, Oscars Best Dressed 2015, Oscar Best Dressed 2015, Best Oscar Dresses 2015, Oscars 2015 Best Dressed, Best Dressed Oscars 2015, Best Dressed Oscars, Oscars 2015, Oscars Best Dressed, Oscar 2015 Dresses, Oscar Best Dressed, Style News
Lloyds Banking Group Hopes To Restart Dividend
Although Greece will likely dominate Europe’s headlines today, The U.K.’s Lloyds Banking Group may have some good news of its own. The bank, which passed the Bank of England’s stress test before the end of last year, is now hoping to pay its first dividend since it nearly dissolved in the financial crisis. Although the [...]
Eating Late At Night May Disrupt Learning And Memory
That dinner you’ve been putting off until late at night or bowl of ice cream you can’t resist before bedtime could mess with your head.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Pre-arrival video & 911 call: large house under construction burns
Passersby discover fire and call 911
Emma Stone Proves That The Makeup Is Just As Important As The Dress
Emma Stone is probably one of our most favorite stars to see on any red carpet. Her fashion risk-taking always pays off, so it's no surprise that she ...
Read more: Fashion Trends, Oscars 2015 Dresses, Emma Stone Oscars Dress, Emma Stone Academy Awards, Emma Stone Oscars 2015 Dress, Oscars Dresses, Emma Stone Oscars, Emma Stone, Emma Stone Red Carpet Dress 2015, Emma Stone Oscars 2015, Oscars 2015 Emma Stone Dress, Emma Stone Oscar Dress 2015, Emma Stone Oscar Dress, Hplifestyle, Style News
Rita Ora Performs At The Oscars Despite Not Caring About Her Nominated Song All Year
Rita Ora hasn't shown much interest in "Grateful," the Oscar-nominated song from "Beyond the Lights" that scored song-writer Diane Warren a seventh career nod, but that didn't stop her from performing at Sunday's Oscars. Ora took the stage to sing "Grateful," this after barely acknowledging its existence in the weeks following this year's Oscar nominations.
"I have to be really honest, I don't want to be a jerk or anything, but had I known about this lack of support, there are other artists I'm working with that -- if it had been up to me -- I would have gone with," Warren told HuffPost Entertainment in a frank interview this month. "She sang it great! But, come on. How on Earth are you not wanting to [promote it] ... I don't get it. Everybody around me, we're all shocked. How can ... just ... you know?"
Warren said both she and "Beyond the Lights" director Gina Prince-Bythewood tried to contact Ora to see if she would film a video for "Grateful," but their texts were not returned.
Ora never made specific comment on Warren's claims, but did provide this statement to Yahoo! Movies:
"I have to be really honest, I don't want to be a jerk or anything, but had I known about this lack of support, there are other artists I'm working with that -- if it had been up to me -- I would have gone with," Warren told HuffPost Entertainment in a frank interview this month. "She sang it great! But, come on. How on Earth are you not wanting to [promote it] ... I don't get it. Everybody around me, we're all shocked. How can ... just ... you know?"
Warren said both she and "Beyond the Lights" director Gina Prince-Bythewood tried to contact Ora to see if she would film a video for "Grateful," but their texts were not returned.
Ora never made specific comment on Warren's claims, but did provide this statement to Yahoo! Movies:
I'm so thankful to be have been able to participate in a piece of Diane Warren's lyrical genius. I am incredibly 'grateful' that I will have the opportunity to perform at the Oscars thanks to her work, and I'm so glad that I'll be able to share it with a wider audience on February 22."
2015-march
http://www.crawfordchiropractic.com/2015-march/
Give It All You Got In sports, a common phrase. “leave it all out on the field” is used to motivate players. This suggests that an athlete put forth his or her best effort on the playing field or in the game. One doesn’t leave the field or gym without playing to their maximum effort […]
Joey Logano Wins Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Joey Logano, the driver who seemed washed up at 22 years old, has won his first career Daytona 500.
Logano took the lead in the white-knuckle race following a restart with 19 laps remaining on Sunday. Once out front, his Ford was stout and he seemed to have the race in control until a caution with three to go at Daytona International Speedway stopped the race.
NASCAR needed nearly seven minutes to clean the track, which gave Logano a two-lap sprint to the finish. He got a terrific jump on the field, and as Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. mounted a push for the lead, a wreck further back brought out the yellow flag.
It froze the field and Logano won under caution.
Logano was looking for work near the end of 2012 when Joe Gibbs Racing decided to cut him loose. He was snatched up by Roger Penske, and rewarded "The Captain" with owner's second Daytona 500 title.
Logano took the lead in the white-knuckle race following a restart with 19 laps remaining on Sunday. Once out front, his Ford was stout and he seemed to have the race in control until a caution with three to go at Daytona International Speedway stopped the race.
NASCAR needed nearly seven minutes to clean the track, which gave Logano a two-lap sprint to the finish. He got a terrific jump on the field, and as Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. mounted a push for the lead, a wreck further back brought out the yellow flag.
It froze the field and Logano won under caution.
Logano was looking for work near the end of 2012 when Joe Gibbs Racing decided to cut him loose. He was snatched up by Roger Penske, and rewarded "The Captain" with owner's second Daytona 500 title.
Norwegians Plan Human 'Peace Circle' Around Oslo Mosque
One peace ring begets another.
A group of Norwegians plans to link hands and encircle a mosque in Oslo, Norway, next Saturday, offering the symbolic peace gesture as a "thank you" to the city's Muslim population, more than 1,000 of whom formed their own "peace circle" around Oslo's synagogue this weekend.
Organizers of the event say they want the human shield to be a seen as an endorsement of peace, tolerance and respect for Muslims, who they say are "a vulnerable minority in Norwegian society."
"We want to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Muslim fellow citizens to show disgust towards increasing Muslim hate and xenophobia in society," the organizers say, according to a translation of the event's Facebook page.
"In this time of fear and polarization we feel it is more important than ever to stand together and show solidarity," the organizers continue. "We believe in and will highlight [the] human will to live together in peace and in [respect] for each other regardless of religion [and] ethnicity."
This past Saturday, members of Oslo's Muslim population encircled a synagogue there. The gesture came a week after a Danish-born man, reportedly of Arab origins, killed two people at a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Humanity is one and we are here to demonstrate that," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the organizers of the synagogue event, told Reuters. "There are many more peace mongers than warmongers ... There's still hope for humanity, for peace and love, across religious differences and backgrounds."
A group of Norwegians plans to link hands and encircle a mosque in Oslo, Norway, next Saturday, offering the symbolic peace gesture as a "thank you" to the city's Muslim population, more than 1,000 of whom formed their own "peace circle" around Oslo's synagogue this weekend.
Tonight Norwegian muslims formed a human shield in front of the Oslo synagogue. Historic. #ringOfPeaceOslo #Norway pic.twitter.com/iCQxJrQSrt
— Oda Leraan Skjetne (@oSkjetne) February 21, 20151300 Muslims link hands in a Ring of Peace around Jewish synagogue in Oslo. Best news from Europe all year. pic.twitter.com/CnsrbC3o1c
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 21, 2015Organizers of the event say they want the human shield to be a seen as an endorsement of peace, tolerance and respect for Muslims, who they say are "a vulnerable minority in Norwegian society."
"We want to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Muslim fellow citizens to show disgust towards increasing Muslim hate and xenophobia in society," the organizers say, according to a translation of the event's Facebook page.
"In this time of fear and polarization we feel it is more important than ever to stand together and show solidarity," the organizers continue. "We believe in and will highlight [the] human will to live together in peace and in [respect] for each other regardless of religion [and] ethnicity."
This past Saturday, members of Oslo's Muslim population encircled a synagogue there. The gesture came a week after a Danish-born man, reportedly of Arab origins, killed two people at a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Humanity is one and we are here to demonstrate that," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the organizers of the synagogue event, told Reuters. "There are many more peace mongers than warmongers ... There's still hope for humanity, for peace and love, across religious differences and backgrounds."
Clinton family foundation may pose political risk for campaign
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks on “Smart Power: Security Through Inclusive Leadership” at Georgetown University in Washington Dec. 3, 2014. Family foundation may pose a threat to her anticipated 2016 presidential campaign. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS.
WASHINGTON — The foundation launched by former President Bill Clinton more than a decade ago has battled HIV and AIDS in Africa, educated millions of children and fed the poor and hungry around the globe. It also has the potential to become a political risk for Hillary Rodham Clinton as she moves toward a second presidential campaign.
The former secretary of state has struggled with some recent bad headlines over large donations given to the foundation by foreign governments in the past two years, and the $200 million-plus the organization has raised since 2013, ahead of her anticipated White House campaign.
Republicans contend that foreign governments donating to a foundation led by a potential U.S. president creates unacceptable conflicts of interests. Also, the involvement of big money reinforces a long-standing narrative pushed by the GOP of the Clintons as a couple who frequently mix business and politics.
“Unless Hillary Clinton immediately reinstates the ban on foreign countries giving to her foundation and returns the millions of dollars these governments have already donated, she’s setting an incredibly dangerous precedent,” said the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus. “The American people are not about to elect a president in Hillary Clinton who could expose them to the demands of foreign governments because they dumped massive sums of cash into her foundation.”
The foundation, which is scheduled to hold events in Morocco and Greece this spring, defended its financial support and addressed how it might function if Clinton runs for president. If she seeks office again, something taken as a given by most, the foundation said it would ensure its policies and practices are “appropriate, just as we did when she served as secretary of state.”
In 2009, when Clinton became President Barack Obama’s chief diplomat, the foundation stopped raising money from foreign governments. The fundraising involving non-U.S. entities resumed in 2013, after she left the his administration.
The Wall Street Journal last week reported the foundation had received money in 2014 from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and others. The Washington Post reported the charity has raised nearly $2 billion since the former president started it in 2001. About one-third of its donations of $1 million or more come from foreign governments or non-U.S. entities, the newspaper found.
Democrats say the Clintons can defend their work at the foundation because of its track record and history of tackling some of the world’s biggest problems, from AIDS and clean water to hunger, educational opportunities and the protection of endangered wildlife.
They also note that the foundation voluntarily discloses its donors – nonprofits are not required to do – and say there is no evidence the Clintons have used it to enrich themselves. Nearly 90 percent of the foundation’s money goes toward its programming.
“The foundation has done amazing work,” said Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, a Democrat who campaigned with Bill Clinton last year. “It has been a unifying force in our national affairs and in our international affairs.”
Yet the influx of corporate and foreign money just before a potential Hillary Clinton campaign has caused some anxiety within her party.
“There was a reason they stopped taking foreign government donations when Hillary was secretary of state,” said Mike Carberry, a Johnson County, Iowa, supervisor and former county Democratic chairman. He said the foundation should reinstate the policies used from 2009 to 2013. “It doesn’t seem right.”
The foundation has strong ties with several corporations and other large foundations. Last September’s annual meeting in New York was sponsored by an array of companies that regularly lobby the federal government, including financial firms HSBC Bank USA, Barclays and Deutsche Bank, as well as Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Monsanto, Procter & Gamble and ExxonMobil.
Goldman Sachs, whose corporate officers have played leading roles in the Treasury Department in recent years, has worked with the Clinton Foundation on the 10,000 Women Initiative aimed at helping female entrepreneurs around the globe access capital.
Many of the same donors to the Clintons’ political campaigns have given money to the foundation. Dennis Cheng, a former Hillary Clinton campaign fundraiser, recently left the foundation as its chief development officer and is expected to be a top fundraiser for her expected campaign.
The examination of the foundation’s finances come as many Democrats want Clinton to take on a more populist economic agenda that would demand more oversight of Wall Street firms. It also follows efforts by Democrats to scrutinize Republican Mitt Romney’s business practices in 2012 and tie Republican candidates to millions of dollars provided by the Koch Brothers and their business interests.
Beyond the headlines, many Democrats say it shows the need for Clinton to begin actively campaigning and build an apparatus better suited to rapidly respond to these types of critiques.
“There’s a vacuum,” said Tom Henderson, the chairman of the Polk County, Iowa, Democrats, who noted potential candidates such as former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb are visiting soon. “She isn’t doing anything” in Iowa, he said.
The post Clinton family foundation may pose political risk for campaign appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
New ISIS Video Allegedly Shows Peshmerga Fighters In Cages
In a disturbing propaganda video released online Saturday, footage purports to show Islamic State militants holding 21 peshmerga fighters prisoner in metal cages.
In the slow-motion opening shots of the video, armed militants lead the captives towards the camera through an empty concrete lot and around what appears to be a Chevrolet Suburban SUV. The prisoners are then forced into cages similar to the one in which Jordanian fighter pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh was murdered, as depicted in a previous video released by the extremist group. A split-second cut uses footage from al-Kaseasbeh's killing, showing him engulfed in flames.
A presenter then addresses the camera before the video cuts to interviews with some of the captives, who, in keeping with other IS propaganda, are clad in orange jumpsuits. In the interviews, prisoners warn peshmerga forces to give up the fight against IS, reports CNN. The footage then shows the prisoners standing in the same cages, which have now been placed onto the backs of pickup trucks. A convoy of these trucks parades the caged prisoners through a street as chanting crowds line the way.
It is unclear when this video was filmed, and the images depicting street scenes were allegedly seen online earlier this month, Mashable reports.
A final scene of the video shows the captives kneeling in a row, and the camera pauses on the faces of each before focusing in on one man's eyes and cutting to black. Much of the style of the music, editing and imagery is similar to that of other propaganda footage released by IS militants. The footage could not be independently verified by The WorldPost.
This particular video was allegedly released by the Kirkuk provincial division of IS, according to jihadist monitoring service Site Intel Group. The Kirkuk province in northern Iraq has seen numerous battles between Kurdish peshmerga forces and Islamic State militants in recent months.
In the slow-motion opening shots of the video, armed militants lead the captives towards the camera through an empty concrete lot and around what appears to be a Chevrolet Suburban SUV. The prisoners are then forced into cages similar to the one in which Jordanian fighter pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh was murdered, as depicted in a previous video released by the extremist group. A split-second cut uses footage from al-Kaseasbeh's killing, showing him engulfed in flames.
A presenter then addresses the camera before the video cuts to interviews with some of the captives, who, in keeping with other IS propaganda, are clad in orange jumpsuits. In the interviews, prisoners warn peshmerga forces to give up the fight against IS, reports CNN. The footage then shows the prisoners standing in the same cages, which have now been placed onto the backs of pickup trucks. A convoy of these trucks parades the caged prisoners through a street as chanting crowds line the way.
It is unclear when this video was filmed, and the images depicting street scenes were allegedly seen online earlier this month, Mashable reports.
A final scene of the video shows the captives kneeling in a row, and the camera pauses on the faces of each before focusing in on one man's eyes and cutting to black. Much of the style of the music, editing and imagery is similar to that of other propaganda footage released by IS militants. The footage could not be independently verified by The WorldPost.
This particular video was allegedly released by the Kirkuk provincial division of IS, according to jihadist monitoring service Site Intel Group. The Kirkuk province in northern Iraq has seen numerous battles between Kurdish peshmerga forces and Islamic State militants in recent months.
Must see video: Man won’t leave burning car that sets home on fire
Very interesting pre-arrival video from West Hanover Township, PA
Aziz Ansari Remembers 'Parks & Rec' Producer Harris Wittels In Heartfelt Letter
After Amy Poehler paid tribute to "Parks and Rec" producer, writer and guest star Harris Wittels on Thursday night, her co-star Aziz Ansari took to Tumblr to pen a heartfelt letter to the 30-year-old co-executive producer. Wittels, who "Parks" fans will also recognize as the animal control guy, was found dead at his home on Thursday.
Ansari opened his letter by saying how "devastated" he felt over Wittel's death. "There are so few people that you meet in life that give you that feeling that you’ve found a real unique, original person," Ansari wrote. "Harris Wittels was one of those and we lost him yesterday. I’m still waiting for the other phone call to let me know that Harris is okay and this was all a horrible misunderstanding."
The "Parks" star looked back on his favorite memories and jokes with Wittels, who he was collaborating with on two unfinished film scripts. Ansari wrote that he always insisted on working with Wittels for things outside of "Parks," including the time he hosted the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.
"His jokes were so weird, unexpected, often brilliantly dumb that they were in that ultra-exclusive club of ones that made comedy people laugh -- and laugh hard. This was why Harris was such a go-to for everyone. Anyone that was ever in a writers room with him knew he was probably the funniest comedy writer out there. He was just a machine."
The emotional letter shares a handful of touching anecdotes about Wittels' bold and hilarious emails, his characteristic eating habits on set and Ansari's last memory of working with him the day before his death. The actor also wrote about Wittels' known struggle with addiction: "We knew Harris had issues with addiction but things were pointing in the right direction. He was getting treatment and focused on his career and the opportunities ahead. It all seemed to point in the right direction."
Ansari closed the tribute with saying how much of a "brutal loss" Wittels' death is. "You are far too special to sum up in any kind of piece like this. You were one of the best and we all will miss you."
Read Ansari's full letter here.
Ansari opened his letter by saying how "devastated" he felt over Wittel's death. "There are so few people that you meet in life that give you that feeling that you’ve found a real unique, original person," Ansari wrote. "Harris Wittels was one of those and we lost him yesterday. I’m still waiting for the other phone call to let me know that Harris is okay and this was all a horrible misunderstanding."
The "Parks" star looked back on his favorite memories and jokes with Wittels, who he was collaborating with on two unfinished film scripts. Ansari wrote that he always insisted on working with Wittels for things outside of "Parks," including the time he hosted the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.
"His jokes were so weird, unexpected, often brilliantly dumb that they were in that ultra-exclusive club of ones that made comedy people laugh -- and laugh hard. This was why Harris was such a go-to for everyone. Anyone that was ever in a writers room with him knew he was probably the funniest comedy writer out there. He was just a machine."
The emotional letter shares a handful of touching anecdotes about Wittels' bold and hilarious emails, his characteristic eating habits on set and Ansari's last memory of working with him the day before his death. The actor also wrote about Wittels' known struggle with addiction: "We knew Harris had issues with addiction but things were pointing in the right direction. He was getting treatment and focused on his career and the opportunities ahead. It all seemed to point in the right direction."
Ansari closed the tribute with saying how much of a "brutal loss" Wittels' death is. "You are far too special to sum up in any kind of piece like this. You were one of the best and we all will miss you."
Read Ansari's full letter here.
Homeland Security Chief Agrees With Obama's Refusal To Call ISIS 'Radical Islam'
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson on Sunday reiterated President Barack Obama's contention that the Islamic State should not be referred to as a branch of "radical Islam" because the term grants the terrorist group religious legitimacy.
"In our engagements around the country -- I do a lot of these myself in Muslim communities, Islamic cultural centers -- the thing I hear from leaders in the Muslim community in this country is 'ISIL is attempting to hijack my religion. Our religion is about peace and brotherhood. ISIL is attempting to hijack that from us,'" Johnson told "Fox News Sunday," referring to the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIL or ISIS. "They resent that. Most victims of ISIL are Muslim. It seems to me to refer to ISIL as occupying any part of the Islamic theology is playing on a battlefield that they would like us to be on."
"I think that to call them some form of Islam gives the group more dignity than it deserves," Johnson added.
Johnson's remarks echoed similar comments made by Obama earlier this week. "They are not religious leaders; they are terrorists," the president said at a White House summit on violent extremism. "We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam."
Some conservatives, including several who followed Johnson on "Fox News Sunday," have seized on Obama's comments, insisting that he does not fully understand the motivations of groups like the Islamic State or al Qaeda.
"The American people are justifiably upset with a president who lectures us on the Crusades but is unwilling to call Islamic extremism by name," Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) said on the show.
Other pundits find the entire semantic exercise to be meaningless.
"It is not clear what needs to be done in fighting ISIS," USA Today columnist Kristen Powers told Fox. " I don't think it is an open and shut case. As much as Republicans have been critical of Obama, they haven't given a lot of great ideas other than constantly attacking him [on what to call ISIS]."
"In our engagements around the country -- I do a lot of these myself in Muslim communities, Islamic cultural centers -- the thing I hear from leaders in the Muslim community in this country is 'ISIL is attempting to hijack my religion. Our religion is about peace and brotherhood. ISIL is attempting to hijack that from us,'" Johnson told "Fox News Sunday," referring to the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIL or ISIS. "They resent that. Most victims of ISIL are Muslim. It seems to me to refer to ISIL as occupying any part of the Islamic theology is playing on a battlefield that they would like us to be on."
"I think that to call them some form of Islam gives the group more dignity than it deserves," Johnson added.
Johnson's remarks echoed similar comments made by Obama earlier this week. "They are not religious leaders; they are terrorists," the president said at a White House summit on violent extremism. "We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam."
Some conservatives, including several who followed Johnson on "Fox News Sunday," have seized on Obama's comments, insisting that he does not fully understand the motivations of groups like the Islamic State or al Qaeda.
"The American people are justifiably upset with a president who lectures us on the Crusades but is unwilling to call Islamic extremism by name," Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) said on the show.
Other pundits find the entire semantic exercise to be meaningless.
"It is not clear what needs to be done in fighting ISIS," USA Today columnist Kristen Powers told Fox. " I don't think it is an open and shut case. As much as Republicans have been critical of Obama, they haven't given a lot of great ideas other than constantly attacking him [on what to call ISIS]."
Scott Walker: 'I Don't Really Know' Whether Obama Loves America
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Friday continued to dance around controversial comments made by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Asked ...
Asked ...
Read more: Scott Walker, Scott Walker Rudy Giuliani, Scott Walker Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Rudy Giuliani Controversy, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, Politics News
Saturday, February 21, 2015
It Really Might 'Get Better' For LGBT Teens
In September 2010—spurred by a slew of media reports about LGBT young people committing suicide—sex columnist and gay-rights activist Dan Savage posted a YouTube video with his husband, Terry Miller, directly addressing LGBT teens struggling with bullying. “It gets better,” the couple promised, pointing to their own lives as inspiration.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Kanye Finally Heard Beck's Album
Kanye West wasn't even familiar with Beck's "Morning Phase" before he took umbrage with the record besting Beyoncé's "Beyoncé" for Album of the Year...
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Group Urges Holiday Inn Boycott Following Lawsuit To Shut Down Colorado Marijuana Industry
One of the nation's largest marijuana policy reform groups is calling for a nationwide boycott of Holiday Inn after a hotel management company that owns a Holiday Inn in Colorado filed a federal lawsuit Thursday aiming to shut down the state's legal and regulated marijuana program.
Marijuana Policy Project urged a boycott of the hotel brand after New Vision Hotels Two, LLC filed a lawsuit claiming that they have already lost business at their Holiday Inn location in Frisco, Colorado, and fear that the brand could be damaged due to a nearby state-legal retail marijuana shop and grow operation that hasn't opened yet.
In the suit, New Vision claims that some hotel guests are opting out of lodging at the Frisco Holiday Inn location because of a proposed nearby marijuana shop, and that guests are concerned about potential crime that the new shop could bring with it. The suit argues that under the U.S. Constitution's supremacy clause, which states that federal law generally takes precedence over state law, Colorado's regulation of recreational marijuana is unconstitutional, because marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.
“A majority of Americans want to end marijuana prohibition, and we expect many of them would prefer not to spend their money at businesses that are fighting to maintain it," Mason Tvert, communications director for MPP, said. "We’re encouraging everyone who agrees marijuana should be legal for adults to think twice before spending their holidays at a Holiday Inn. If they won’t accept marijuana businesses, we shouldn’t give them our business."
On Friday morning, MPP called for the boycott in an email newsletter sent to about 200,000 subscribers, as well as on its Facebook and Twitter pages. MPP also launched a Change.org petition calling on New Vision Hotels Two to withdraw its lawsuit and urged Holiday Inn's parent company, InterContinental Hotels Group, to support a withdrawal of the suit. At the time of publishing, the petition had already received close to 5,000 signatures.
"The lawsuit undermines a set of laws and regulations that were designed to make Colorado communities safer by ensuring quality-controlled marijuana is produced and sold by licensed, taxpaying businesses instead of drug cartels and criminals," the Change.org petition reads.
Colorado voters strongly approved Amendment 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state, in 2012, and the first retail marijuana shops opened their doors on Jan. 1, 2014. Though the industry has undergone some trial and error since then and there have been some worrying episodes -- largely about the regulation of edible products -- a July 2014 report from the Brookings Institution concluded that the rollout of the new marijuana laws has been largely successful thus far.
Colorado's marijuana industry has ballooned to a value of around $700 million and the state has taken in about $60 million in taxes and fees, some of which is going toward school construction and renovation.
Today, more than a year since sales began, Colorado voters still don't appear to regret ending prohibition of the drug.
New Vision Hotels Two and InterContinental Hotels Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Marijuana Policy Project urged a boycott of the hotel brand after New Vision Hotels Two, LLC filed a lawsuit claiming that they have already lost business at their Holiday Inn location in Frisco, Colorado, and fear that the brand could be damaged due to a nearby state-legal retail marijuana shop and grow operation that hasn't opened yet.
In the suit, New Vision claims that some hotel guests are opting out of lodging at the Frisco Holiday Inn location because of a proposed nearby marijuana shop, and that guests are concerned about potential crime that the new shop could bring with it. The suit argues that under the U.S. Constitution's supremacy clause, which states that federal law generally takes precedence over state law, Colorado's regulation of recreational marijuana is unconstitutional, because marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.
“A majority of Americans want to end marijuana prohibition, and we expect many of them would prefer not to spend their money at businesses that are fighting to maintain it," Mason Tvert, communications director for MPP, said. "We’re encouraging everyone who agrees marijuana should be legal for adults to think twice before spending their holidays at a Holiday Inn. If they won’t accept marijuana businesses, we shouldn’t give them our business."
On Friday morning, MPP called for the boycott in an email newsletter sent to about 200,000 subscribers, as well as on its Facebook and Twitter pages. MPP also launched a Change.org petition calling on New Vision Hotels Two to withdraw its lawsuit and urged Holiday Inn's parent company, InterContinental Hotels Group, to support a withdrawal of the suit. At the time of publishing, the petition had already received close to 5,000 signatures.
"The lawsuit undermines a set of laws and regulations that were designed to make Colorado communities safer by ensuring quality-controlled marijuana is produced and sold by licensed, taxpaying businesses instead of drug cartels and criminals," the Change.org petition reads.
Colorado voters strongly approved Amendment 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state, in 2012, and the first retail marijuana shops opened their doors on Jan. 1, 2014. Though the industry has undergone some trial and error since then and there have been some worrying episodes -- largely about the regulation of edible products -- a July 2014 report from the Brookings Institution concluded that the rollout of the new marijuana laws has been largely successful thus far.
Colorado's marijuana industry has ballooned to a value of around $700 million and the state has taken in about $60 million in taxes and fees, some of which is going toward school construction and renovation.
Today, more than a year since sales began, Colorado voters still don't appear to regret ending prohibition of the drug.
New Vision Hotels Two and InterContinental Hotels Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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