text:
Katharine McPhee says 'control issues' around her body 'played with my mind a little bit' during pregnancy
February 18, 2022, 1:13 PM ·3 min read
Katharine McPhee spoke to Katherine Pratt about dealing with body image issues during pregnancy, as well as her reaction to fans who criticized her husband David Foster's compliments of her online. (Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
Katharine McPhee is opening up about struggling with her body image during pregnancy.
In a conversation with Katherine Schwarzenegger-Pratt on her Instagram Live show BDA, the American Idol alum and new mom spoke about dealing with her changing body prior to giving birth to her son Rennie with husband David Foster. McPhee, who has long been open about her battle with eating disorders, explained, "Even though you know your body is going to change, and you expect that, if you're someone who has control issues with your body … psychologically, it just does something different. It played with my mind a little bit."
McPhee also shared that it was difficult for her being extremely hungry during her first trimester, as she was afraid she would gain excessive weight.
"I was losing control and I was going back to this old disordered version of myself, which was upsetting because I just wanted to enjoy my baby," she recalled. "I actually called my old psychiatrist, from when I was in a program in my early 20s, and he came and sat with me, and said, 'What's going on?'"
Ultimately, her psychiatrist was able to reassure her that feeling triggered by her pregnancy experience was perfectly normal. Though McPhee was seeing a dietitian at the time, she told Pratt that she decided to scale back on appointments and let her body decide what foods were right for her.
"The way I was able to overcome disordered behavior in terms of food, was not obsessing, and letting my body tell me what was needed," she said. "Not being like, 'It has to be oatmeal in the morning, four ounces of protein,' because that makes me crazy."
McPhee also recalled her followers' reaction to her husband complimenting her post-pregnancy body, with an Instagram caption reading, "What baby!" At the time, McPhee's fans criticized the music producer for putting too much focus on the star's physical appearance, especially given her public struggles with body image issues. The Smash actress defended Foster in her own follow-up post, writing, "Stop being so offended by what people post who have zero impact on your life and move on. Maybe you should have more of an attitude of like, let's say… 'oh that's nice he thinks his wife is hot.' I cannot with this overly sensitive society right now."
She recalled the drama on BDA, saying, "It feels like everybody is so hypersensitive towards everybody else's journey ... It becomes a reflection on their own personal life, their own things that they are struggling with. Something that somebody says becomes offensive to them."
For McPhee, her hope is that it's possible to celebrate all post-pregnancy stories.
"The story for me is, I didn't really try to lose weight, and was eating more than I ever did," she explained, noting that she felt "shamed" for being thin following her pregnancy.
Despite her initial struggles, McPhee told Pratt she's in a much better place.
"I didn't expect to me in such a place of gratitude towards the end [of my pregnancy] and after giving birth, which was the most incredible experience," she said. "My body was f****ing amazing."
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Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri is a French National, he earned an MD from the University of Marseille, he is qualified in Tropical Medicine from the University of Paris, and has followed postgraduate studies in Epidemiology and Tropical Microbiology from the Institut Pasteur Paris. During the last 20 years he has been posted in various locations in Africa and the Americas as a Medical Officer for the French Government and for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Aldighieri is currently the coordinator of the International Health Regulations, Alert and Response and Epidemic Diseases Unit with PAHO/WHO.


text:
Q: Is there anything wrong with using private classes in my Java Servlet? I have Servlet that looks something like this:
public class MyServlet extends Servlet {

  private class Page {

    private Page(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
      /* Do stuff */
    }
  }

  protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {

    Page page = new Page(request, response);

    /* Do other stuff */
  }

}

I also have a Cache that looks something like this:
public class Cache {

  private Hashtable<String, CacheValue>;

  public Cache() {
    Hashtable<String, CacheValue> table = new Hashtable()<String, CacheValue>;
  }

  public void put(String key, String value) {
    table.put(key, new CacheValue(value));
  }

  private class CacheValue {

    private value;

    private CacheValue(String value) {
      this.value = value;
    }
  }
}

My question is this: is there anything wrong with using private nested classes in this way? I know that you'd usually have a separate public class in a separate file, but a CacheValue is only ever used by a Cache. A Page is only ever used by a MyServlet. Organizing the classes this way makes sense to me, but I'm no old pro at Java, so I'm interested in the pros and cons.
Is using nested classes generally regarded as a matter of style? Or of preference? Or something to be avoided? Or a tool to reduce complexity?

A: No, there's nothing wrong with keeping things private.
When code is less accessible, fewer things depend on it, and that gives you more freedom to make modifications.
However, you should declare your CacheValue and Page classes static, because they don't access any members of an enclosing instance.

A:
My question is this: is there anything wrong with using private inner classes in this way? I know that you'd usually have a separate public class in a separate file, but a CacheValue is only ever used by a Cache.

Nothing wrong with this.  The Page class is a private nested class.  By definition nested classes live in the same file as their enclosing classes.
This is fine, in general and in the context of a servlet.  If there were problems with (for example) visibility of the private class or its members, then the compiler would tell you.
EDIT

Is using nested classes generally regarded as a matter of style?  Or of preference?

It is hard to say which.  I guess, appropriate use of nested classes is good style, especially if you declare them static when they don't need to be non-static.  However, I don't think that the canonical Java style guidelines mention it.

Or something to be avoided?

No.

Or a tool to reduce complexity?

Yes ... sort of.  I tend to view nested classes (and especially private nested classes) as a modularization mechanism.  It doesn't reduce complexity in the "cyclomatic complexity" sense, but it certainly helps to hide / close off implementation details.

A: As long as the only calling of those functions happens inside that class you shouldnt have any problem with them being private.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Don't Let It Happen To You: 10 Things That Get Agents Into Legal Trouble
Justin Malonson
As trusted advisors for some of the biggest investments a person will make in a lifetime, real estate agents are at a high risk of facing legal action. Especially during some of the busiest-ever markets agents have experienced in their careers amid pandemic-fueled demand, it's easy for multiple clients and contracts to take a hit during chaotic times.
To avoid making a false step that could cost a hefty price, read on to learn about common mistakes agents make and how to prevent them.
1. Misrepresentation of a property
Generally speaking, clients don't like to feel as though they've been misled — particularly when it involves a large investment. When trying to set themselves apart, it can be all too easy for an agent to push a little too far and maybe exaggerate a property's high points. But what might seem like harmless promotion might put an agent in hot water later.
Leighton J. Hyde | Law Office of Leighton J. Hyde
"Sometimes an agent may be really hungry for a sale and hasn't made one in quite a while, so they may be tempted to leave out that piece of information they're afraid might turn the buyer off or cause them to lose a sale," Leighton J. Hyde, president of the Law Office of Leighton J. Hyde, said in a video the firm produced about common legal issues real estate agents face. "But that simple nondisclosure could actually cost you your license and the ability to make a living."
If clients feel they've been deceived in any way about a property, they might file a lawsuit against their agent. To avoid this, it's best to make completely truthful claims about a property and steer clear of any kind of misinterpretation.
2. Not disclosing property defects
Like misrepresentation, full disclosure about a property's dirty secrets is important for any agent to stay on top of.
No client who uncovers something wrong with their house after closing will be happy about it. Although the issue may not always be something that the real estate agent should reasonably have known, some clients will still be ready to trace blame back to the agent.
Therefore, it's important to encourage clients to complete a thorough set of inspections on the home before making any final decisions, and to be completely transparent about your own assessment of the property. It will also help if you know a trusted inspector or two with a good track record who you can refer to them.
3. Breach of duty
Because the typical layperson doesn't have nearly the same breadth of knowledge about conducting a real estate transaction as an agent, clients rely on agents to guide them in the right direction and put their best interests first. Therefore, agents are expected to be completely honest and exercise full disclosure to clients — any failure to do so, either intentionally or not, can put agents at risk of being sued.
The best way to avoid a breach of duty charge is to be truthful and practice excellent documentation to prove you've represented your client's best interest.
4. Breach of contract
A lawsuit filed because of a complaint of breach of contract is often made in tandem with claims of negligence and breach of duty or fraud, and can often be traced back to an agent not fulfilling time frames outlined within the contract.
Reviewing all parts of a contract with a lawyer in advance can help avoid issues down the line. Be sure all terms are clear — that way, there's less risk of confusion later on.
5. Negligence
Being charged with negligence is similar to breach of duty in that it results from agents failing to guide their clients appropriately. More specifically, it's when an agent should be aware of certain information but fails to take the appropriate action in order to exercise "due care" to the client using that information.
In this case, the client cannot prove that the agent had any intention of doing harm to them (that would be considered fraud). Charges of negligence can be challenging, because, particularly for less experienced agents, you may not be aware of the information you should have known.
One helpful way agents can protect themselves against these kinds of lawsuits is by making sure to get insurance coverage for negligence.
6. Issues with funds
There are many ways to handle earnest money deposits — from electronic funds transfer to direct deposit. However, it's extremely important for agents to ensure that timelines outlined in a contract for these funds are followed to a T.
To avoid any mishaps, follow up with the title company to be sure that funds are in escrow on time, and keep your own escrow timelines organized. Verifying that buyers have sufficient funds to close will allow everyone — especially the sellers — to breathe easier.
"If you're working with a buyer on a Friday, they give you a check for your dream house, you put it in your briefcase or your purse, the weekend passes, you've totally forgotten about it, and the next thing you know, you've violated the law because you haven't gotten it to your broker or to the escrow agent in a timely manner," Hyde said.
With wire fraud on the rise this year as most business moved remote, it's also paramount that clients understand the very real risk of wire fraud and do everything to protect themselves against it.
Be sure to communicate with them in person or through a phone call about how they should expect the process to go, and that they're communicating appropriately with their lending company.
7. Mishandling data
Along the same vein, agents should make sure to take all necessary precautions when handling client data on their computers. Keeping up to date on antivirus/malware, privacy and server protection should be at the front of agents' minds in order to prevent bad actors from stealing client data.
Again, getting covered with E&O insurance (errors and omissions insurance) that covers business vulnerabilities and cyber liability — as well as exercising every possible precaution — can help protect agents.
8. Injuring clients
Unfortunately, clients getting injured either en route to a property or at a property showing is a real risk agents face.
The best way agents can protect themselves from facing a lawsuit as a result is by having ample E&O insurance and making sure the property is free of any potential hazards. Remove any tripping hazards on stairs or otherwise, be sure any insecure handrails are tightened, secure loose bricks, and look out for anything else in a precarious position. Fix it before any showings begin.
Though most agents are likely refraining from it now anyway due to the pandemic, it's probably a good rule of thumb to simply avoid driving clients anywhere — unless it's absolutely necessary.
9. Giving legal advice
Because real estate and the law are inherently intertwined, navigating the line between real estate adviser and legal adviser can sometimes be a tricky tightrope for real estate agents.
It's part of an agent's job to advise clients in their best interest, but it's important to avoid wading into legal territory since it's illegal in most states for real estate agents to give any kind of legal advice or represent themselves as practicing law without a license.
"I see this a lot in landlord-tenant matters," Hyde said. "As a real estate agent, you're permitted to fill in the blanks on a lease, but you're not allowed to alter the lease itself. So, a tenant may make an innocent request, you scratch something out on the lease form, and the next thing you know, you're practicing law without a license."
Rather than get into a hairy situation later if you get blamed for a bad move, it's best to have lawyer referrals at the ready to pass off to clients.
10. COVID-19-related issues
Given the current surge in coronavirus cases across the country, the best practice right now is to not actively conduct any showings with buyers and sellers who have or might have COVID-19.
Aside from the moral dilemma of potentially exposing someone who is vulnerable to the virus, showing the home of a client with COVID-19 to potential buyers could cost agents their job — and potentially end up in a lawsuit as well.
One Compass agent who conducted in-person showings of a COVID-19 infected couple's home was let go from the company in June after not disclosing the sellers' COVID-19 status. Had things gone the wrong way for any of the home's prospective buyers, the agent could very well have faced a lawsuit for not disclosing this information.
Bonus: For developer brokers, details, views and taxes
Shaun Pappas, a partner at Starr Associates, said the most common dubious legal situations he sees developer brokers get into involve not being completely familiar with lengthy contracts, promising protected views in an offering and not disclosing details about how property taxes can increase in the near future.
Shaun Pappas | Starr Associates LLP
Since offering plans on new developments can be quite hefty, it's all too easy for a broker to let noteworthy details slip through the cracks. Oftentimes, brokers are expected to have these 400-page documents down pat, which, Pappas said, "the attorneys that addressed them don't even necessarily know."
All to say, it can seem impossible for anyone to remember every line in a document that large. Still, brokers should make every effort to do so to cover their own and their clients' backs.
Whether a property's views are protected or not are "always disclosed in the offering plan," Pappas said. But that doesn't mean a broker necessarily has total control over how views might change in the future, so it's important to be thoroughly familiar with that portion of a contract. "If that portion of the offering isn't known specifically by the broker in and out, sometimes they can make a mistake there," he said.
Likewise, if a broker fails to disclose how property taxes might increase after the first year on a new build, a client might be able to make a case against a broker for negligence.
"In new construction, offerings the first year of taxes is typically a lot lower than the actual taxes will be upon completion of the building," Pappas said. "The reason why is taxes are assessed on a pre-built building in the beginning, and then on a fully-constructed building after it's actually built, so that first year, even sometimes second year of a building, the taxes are lower significantly in certain instances. I've seen issues where that's represented to the buyer, and year two comes and the taxes double, and it wasn't fully discussed why that happens and how that happens."
Email Lillian Dickerson
IDX Real Estate
Justin Malonson is the Founder of LyfeLoop a 16+ year tech innovator, investigative media researcher and host of the Freedom Not Control Podcast live on Voice America. Justin is a highly sought-after tech entrepreneur, industry speaker and winner of the coveted Business Achievement Awards "Top Digital Marketer" award. With 16+ years of demanding experience, Justin has worked with over 3,000 businesses including amazing clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Sotheby's International Realty, Duke University, White House Black Market,Tiffin Motorhomes, Bass Pro Shops and Beazer Homes USA.
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Justin Malonson is the Founder of LyfeLoop a 16+ year tech innovator, investigative media researcher and host of the Freedom Not Control Podcast live on Voice America. Justin is a highly sought-after tech entrepreneur, industry speaker and winner of the coveted Business Achievement Awards "Top Digital Marketer" award. With 16+ years of demanding experience, Justin has worked with over 3,000 businesses including amazing clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Sotheby's International Realty, Duke University, White House Black Market,Tiffin Motorhomes, Bass Pro Shops and Beazer Homes USA.
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Discover the new real estate technology trends from idxglobal.com. We cover the latest real estate technology news on tools, tips, gadgets, conferences, and more.
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text:
Home » Introduction
Following the success of the internationally famous Asian EFL Journal, the Executive have established the Asian ESP Journal.
The Asian EFL Journal is a Division of TESOL Asia (Australia) and part of the English Language Education Journal group and are wholly owned by SITE Australia Ltd.
The Asian ESP Journal academic section examines issues within the Asian ESP Zone, and considers how traditional approaches are integrated with or contrasted against what is arguably a very specialized and relatively new field of study.
This journal is now accessible to the global Academic and teaching community, where articles relating to Asian ESP may be published and viewed by all Academic and Teaching professionals. The primary function of the Asian ESP Journal is to provide a journal on a quarterly basis through the user friendly and highly accessible medium of the Internet that widens the target audience and authorship, particularly in the Asian-Pacific region.
The Asian ESP Journal also provides new insights into key issues and subjects that are emerging and are of contemporary interest that may not gain space in a variety of hard copy and more 'established' publications. These articles, for the most part, may not find their way into costly journals that have the added problem of lacking accessibility for the highly mobile Business professionals.
What is ESP?
Anthony (nd) states
"Variable Characteristics
ESP may be related to or designed for specific disciplines
ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a different methodology from that of General English
ESP is likely to be designed for adult learners, either at a tertiary level institution or in a professional work situation. It could, however, be for learners at secondary school level
ESP is generally designed for intermediate or advanced students.
Most ESP courses assume some basic knowledge of the language systems
Authors shall make reference to at least two (2) references from the Asian EFL Journaland at least one (1) reference to an article in either the TESOL International Journal, English as an International Language Journal or Asian ESP Journal


July Cold River Radio Show!
Visit Our Website for Full Details about this July's Show!
Tickets for this fast paced variety show are $25 and can be purchased by clicking on the link below or at The J-Town Deli in Jackson, White Birch Books in North Conway, or Spice & Grain in Fryeburg, ME. If you would like to learn more about the live show, e-mail our Producer or Executive Producer, or call 603-356-3756.
White Birch Books will be hosting a meet/greet and book/CD signing immediately after the show at the theater.


text:
Who is hefner dating rich people dating website
Nicole Kidman, a Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role in When Best Actress winner Emma Stone arrived, she was "immediately mobbed" by fans and photographers.
"She was hugging her brother and swaying back and forth—very happy.
"The crowd cleared the way for him and he was dancing in the middle of the circle."Meanwhile, Best Actor nominee Andrew Garfield "was in a great mood and talked to almost everybody who approached him.
He seemed just happy to be here and happy for everybody."Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali was "giving and receiving lots of hugs." When the rest of the cast arrived, it was "another mob scene," a source tells E! "The kids are all here posing for pics with Mahershala.
When she's not penning Playboy.com's Sex & Dating Column you can usually find Bridget trolling celebrities on Twitter. It is now her primary reason for getting out of bed.
Hugh Hefner is not amused that his ex-girlfriend Holly Madison is releasing a tell-all book about her time in the Playboy Mansion.
'Taz is our king and yes we all share him, the way I look at it is we rather have a quarter of a real n****r than a whole f*****g n*****r, most ya b*****s sharing ya man with ur best friend, ur neighbor, shit, even ur sister and don't even know it.From the first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe in December 1953, Playboy expanded into a multimillion-dollar enterprise mirroring the often controversial sensibilities of its founder.By the 1970s, Hefner set himself up at the Playboy Mansion West in Holmby Hills, California, remaining editor-in-chief of the magazine he founded.In the book, she remembers her first time with Hefner as a "disconnected experience" that the other Bunnies had to watch. Besides, it's the truth." Hefner broke his silence by releasing a statement to the media that indirectly references his tension with Madison."Much to my surprise, my turn was over as quickly as it started. It was so brief that I can't even recall what it felt like beyond having a heavy body on top of mine." Madison said the "nightmare" of living in the house was so traumatizing that she considered suicide at one point. "Over the course of my life I've had more than my fair share of romantic relationships with wonderful women," he said.And whatever we did, would the keyholders be disappointed? Because it was Playboy, they brought the fantasy with them.We also put together a very good club.""Since both 'The New Yorker' and 'Esquire' use men as their symbols, I felt the rabbit would be distinctive, and the notion of a rabbit dressed up in formal evening attire struck me as charming, amusing and right.".was named Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars Sunday, the night's attendees, nominees and winners rubbed elbows at some of the most exclusives parties in Hollywood.For many stars, their first stop was at the Governors Ball.By the time I was able to wrap my head around what was happening, Hef had already moved on to Candice [the other new Bunny], then to a few of his actual girlfriends before finishing off by himself, as he always did," Madison wrote. "Many moved on to live happy, healthy, and productive lives, and I'm pleased to say remain dear friends today.Sadly, there are a few who have chosen to rewrite history in an attempt to stay in the spotlight.
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I first learned about Forklift Danceworks when I met Allison Orr during a leadership/mentorship program with Dance/USA in 2015. As one of my first jobs out of graduate school in Michigan in 2018, I looked forward to being under the hot Texas sun, riding my bike, swimming in the waters of Yanaguana, and weaving back into the world outside of academia. The smiles and enthusiasm that I was greeted with by the Forklift staff made it easy to immediately feel a part of the team. The Nadamos Dove Springs project would carry this sentiment throughout the summer enticing dozens more from the local community to become a part of its happening.
My fellowship was a perfect combination of all of things that I love with dance. This includes block walking, speaking and writing in Spanish, dance making, community leadership development, learning from grassroots leaders, and developing intergenerational relations. As a previously trained cultural worker and political organizer, I often feel pulled in two opposite directions between activism and dance. Because of socio-cultural difference between contemporary dance and social justice work, this sometimes this leads me to question my role in the field.
For the first time in my life, I was working in a professional dance context that allowed all of these elements to coexist in a way that was closer to my grassroots and direct engagement training. The project was situated in Dove Springs, a majority African American and Mexican American community with an increasing Latin American immigrant population in Austin, Texas. Having grown up myself in Black and Brown working class neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas, I fell right into my comfort zone. I realized that the assets that I brought to Nadamos Dove Springs were my familiarity with and knowledge of how to engage with these particular communities. My asset was my cultural competency and lived experience.
As a Spanish speaking Mexican immigrant, it is rare that I get to work with people that I identify with in dance. "Who do we usually see on television, in magazines, and in newspapers? Who do we see and who do we not see on stage?" I asked this to the Spanish speaking majority group of seniors and adults that I worked with for the production. We waited backstage during the opening night of Nadamos Dove Springs carrying the same jitters that I recognized from working with elementary dance students during recitals. They were just as excited about their performance and knew almost immediately what I meant by my questions. "If we don't make our presence visible then we will always be invisible," I stated.
On my bike and on public transportation over the winding and hilly roads of Austin, I took note of who got on the bus. I saw the changing architectural landscape throughout the city and the demographics of riders change with it. Riding the bus was my part of my research practice giving me a sense of the socio-economic context of the city. As a once undocumented person, I was familiar with invisibility. For example, there is a division between who we see in front of the house and those who work in back of the house. These are concepts I learned in the service industry while working in restaurants. On the bus, I was able to see who provided the physical labor of the city and occasionally, through newly gentrified spaces or neighborhoods, who reaped the benefits of this work. I realized that the "Keep Austin Weird" mantra that makes the city cool and appealing to highly educated students and professionals is only possible because of the labor of working poor native and immigrant communities who are struggling themselves to maintain their own presence.
Amongst the performers, we gathered in a circle to hold hands and give each other our blessings as we waited for the cue for the opening number. I shared with the cast that the only reason that I was a dance maker was because I had dance teachers that looked like me and that I related to. I wanted them to understand the impact of our visibility. Had it not been for this, I would have never believed that dance could be a professional career option for me. I learned recently, that this was not the norm from other dancers of color however. Almost all that I have spoken to have only had White dance teachers, highlighting our lack of representation in the field.
"We need to see ourselves beyond just labor. We need to tell our own stories with our own bodies," I said to the performers backstage. They affirmed their connection to what I meant by this as they nodded their heads. I noticed an immediate shift in the group's energy as their gaze widened and their chests expand with breath. Tears rolled down a few faces with the realization that after the performance, we may never see each other again. It was in this moment that I was reminded of why I needed to be in this field. I needed them just as much as they needed me. Together we put our hands in the center of our bodies and chanted "Si Se Puede" lifting our arms and spirits. What a privilege it is to be able to work with "Mi Gente." What a joy it is to be seen together.


When he got the invitation to the Hagerstown Fire Department's annual awards banquet Saturday night, Washington County Sheriff's Department Deputy 1st Class David R. Norford said he was pretty sure he knew why he was on the guest list.
Norford was there to receive a certificate of appreciation for rescuing children a year ago from a burning building before firefighters arrived.
"Firefighters do that kind of thing every day ? I'm no hero," Norford said by telephone Thursday. "I just did what needed to be done."
Norford was on routine patrol the afternoon of Feb. 25, 2005, when he spotted smoke in the 100 block of East Washington Street in Hagerstown.
A 16-year veteran of the Sheriff's Department, Norford entered a burning building, where he found three children sleeping in their apartment. He took the children, then ages 6, 9 and 15, to his patrol car, covered them with a blanket and called their mother, who was working in Frederick, Md.
Investigators determined the fire was caused by a 4-year-old playing with matches elsewhere in the building. No one was injured in the blaze.
At last year's General Assembly session, Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington, welcomed Norford to Annapolis as the Maryland House of Delegates honored him for his actions.
Donoghue sponsored a House resolution in recognition of Norford's "courageous, quick-thinking and heroic rescue before the arrival of firefighters, saving the lives of three sleeping children from their burning Hagerstown apartment."
Norford, 37, said he checks on the children every once in a while. "They are doing great," he said Thursday.
"I'm a second-generation police officer ? I have to live up to that," Norford said. His father, Ronald Norford, served both in the Maryland State Police and Washington County Sheriff's Department.
Corey M. Sprecher, rookie firefighter of the year for his initiative and desire shown in becoming a firefighter.
Donovan M. (Donnie) Boward, outstanding volunteer firefighter ? 50 years of service.
"Anytime you get someone who is dedicated to doing anything for 50 years ... that's something," Chief Gary Hawbaker said of Boward.
Franklin W. Ridenour, chief's award for setting an example of dedication and devotion.
Capt. Russell A. Grim, John A. Latimer IV, G. Glenn Fuscsick and Cindy L. Lewis, special awards of excellence for extra effort in winning another $222,920 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. Hawbaker said their work had resulted in more than $500,000 in grants in the past two years.
Elwood's Auto Exchange, a certificate of appreciation for providing more than 40 vehicles for training.
Capt. James L. Sprecher Jr., special commendation for volunteer firefighter who responded to the most incidents ? 274 ? in 2005.
Sprecher has been first or second in responses over the past decade, Hawbaker said.
"I'm happy to see his son (Corey) is following in his footsteps," he said.
The next nine highest responders are Travis J. Barkdoll, 245; Christopher M. Fortin, 226; Robert L. McGhee, 166; David C. Sheppard, 159; Tony L. Lida, 146; James B. Forberger, 138; Edward L. Bryan, 116; Frank L. Shupp Jr., 111; and Scott E. Reese, 105.


text:
ladypolitik
ONTD_Political's PotD: July 29, 2010.
PHOENIX (AP) -- Arizona asked an appeals court Thursday to lift a judge's order blocking most of the state's immigration law as the city of Phoenix filled with protesters, including about 50 who were arrested for confronting officers in riot gear. Republican Gov. Jan Brewer called U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton's Wednesday decision halting the law "a bump in the road," and the state appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Thursday. Outside the state Capitol, hundreds of protesters began marching at dawn, gathering in front of the federal courthouse where Bolton issued her ruling on Wednesday. They marched on to the office of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has made a crackdown on illegal immigration one of his signature issues. At least 32 demonstrators were arrested after blocking the entrance and beating on the large steel doors leading to the Maricopa County jail in downtown Phoenix. Sheriff's deputies in riot gear opened the doors and waded out into the crowd, hauling off those who didn't move.
Source: Arizona's immigration enforcement law SB 1070 | The Frame | SacBee.com
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US Senator continues to be perplexed by tiny countries doing things wihthout US approval
US Senate Lockerbie bomber inquiry 'may visit UK'
The US senator, who is to chair a rescheduled congressional inquiry into the Lockerbie bomber release, has said he may send investigators to Britain.
In an interview for the BBC's Newsnight programme, Senator Robert Menendez said he wanted to take up offers from some witnesses to be questioned in the UK. Scots Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and former UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused to testify in the US.
BP's outgoing chief executive Tony Hayward also declined to appear. Mr Menendez has rescheduled the hearing for September and issued fresh invitations to all potential witnesses.
Oil questions
The senator told Newsnight: "In addition to making a request for them to come to the hearings, we will be sending individuals... to Great Britain and Scotland to interview the individuals and to ask questions and get a thorough understanding of how they came to their decisions."
Also speaking on the programme, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said he was happy to offer a visiting US senator "the courtesy of a meeting". But he said there was "no way on Earth" Scottish ministers would formally give evidence to a committee hearing of a foreign legislature, even if it was held in the UK. "It's a point of principle that you're not responsible to the committee of another parliament," he said.
"I don't think there is a recorded case in history of a serving American secretary going to another jurisdiction to give evidence to a committee of another parliament. That applies to the Chilcot Committee, it applies to coroners' inquests in England, it applies to extraordinary rendition and all the other controversies the US has been involved in. "You shouldn't ask other people to do things that your own government would never dream of," he said.
The proposed Senate hearing focuses on whether BP oil deals influenced the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi.
Megrahi is the only man to have been convicted of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 on 21 December 1988.
The flight, from London to New York, exploded over Lockerbie in south west Scotland killing all 259 people on board, along with 11 people on the ground. Megrahi was released from a Scottish prison in August 2009 on compassionate grounds having been told he had three months to live but is still alive almost a year later.
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill rejected moving Megrahi as part of a prisoner transfer agreement (PTA). It has been alleged BP pressed for an agreement in order to help secure an offshore deal with Libya. BP has confirmed it did press for a PTA because it was aware that a delay might have "negative consequences" for UK commercial interests. However, it has said it did not express a view about the specific form of the agreement which was a matter for the UK and Libyan governments. At the time Megrahi was the only Libyan prisoner in the UK.
The UK government said the release was a matter for the Scottish government and Scottish ministers have said they had had no representations from BP on the matter. The US Senate foreign relations committee had wanted to hold an inquiry on Capitol Hill this week but postponed it until September as none of the key witnesses it wanted to call agreed to attend.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10810315
And I may stick a boot in your entitled, ignorant arse.
eclectic_soul
Anthony Weiner goes all in.....
Him and Grayson (D-FL) should form a angry Dem tag team......
turn your speakers down a bit... he gets slightly agitated....
syndicalist
Yahoo Finance: Middle Class is Shrinking; Here are Stats
The Middle Class in America Is Radically Shrinking. Here Are the Stats to Prove it
Posted Jul 15, 2010 02:25pm EDT by Michael Snyder in Recession
From The Business Insider
Editor's note: Michael Snyder is editor of theeconomiccollapseblog.com
The 22 statistics detailed here prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the middle class is being systematically wiped out of existence in America.
The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer at a staggering rate. Once upon a time, the United States had the largest and most prosperous middle class in the history of the world, but now that is changing at a blinding pace.
So why are we witnessing such fundamental changes? Well, the globalism and "free trade" that our politicians and business leaders insisted would be so good for us have had some rather nasty side effects.
It turns out that they didn't tell us that the "global economy" would mean that middle class American workers would eventually have to directly compete for jobs with people on the other side of the world where there is no minimum wage and very few regulations. The big global corporations have greatly benefited by exploiting third world labor pools over the last several decades, but middle class American workers have increasingly found things to be very tough.
Here are the statistics to prove it:
• 83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people.
• 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.
• 36 percent of Americans say that they don't contribute anything to retirement savings.
• A staggering 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement.
• 24 percent of American workers say that they have postponed their planned retirement age in the past year.
• Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
• Only the top 5 percent of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.
• For the first time in U.S. history, banks own a greater share of residential housing net worth in the United States than all individual Americans put together.
• In 1950, the ratio of the average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one.
• As of 2007, the bottom 80 percent of American households held about 7% of the liquid financial assets.
• The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation's wealth.
• Average Wall Street bonuses for 2009 were up 17 percent when compared with 2008.
• In the United States, the average federal worker now earns 60% MORE than the average worker in the private sector.
• The top 1 percent of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America's corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago.
• In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks.
• More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
• or the first time in U.S. history, more than 40 million Americans are on food stamps, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that number will go up to 43 million Americans in 2011.
• This is what American workers now must compete against: in China a garment worker makes approximately 86 cents an hour and in Cambodia a garment worker makes approximately 22 cents an hour.
• Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010 - the highest rate in 20 years.
• Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.
• The top 10 percent of Americans now earn around 50 percent of our national income.
Giant Sucking Sound
The reality is that no matter how smart, how strong, how educated or how hard working American workers are, they just cannot compete with people who are desperate to put in 10 to 12 hour days at less than a dollar an hour on the other side of the world. After all, what corporation in their right mind is going to pay an American worker 10 times more (plus benefits) to do the same job? The world is fundamentally changing. Wealth and power are rapidly becoming concentrated at the top and the big global corporations are making massive amounts of money. Meanwhile, the American middle class is being systematically wiped out of existence as U.S. workers are slowly being merged into the new "global" labor pool.
What do most Americans have to offer in the marketplace other than their labor? Not much. The truth is that most Americans are absolutely dependent on someone else giving them a job. But today, U.S. workers are "less attractive" than ever. Compared to the rest of the world, American workers are extremely expensive, and the government keeps passing more rules and regulations seemingly on a monthly basis that makes it even more difficult to conduct business in the United States.
So corporations are moving operations out of the U.S. at breathtaking speed. Since the U.S. government does not penalize them for doing so, there really is no incentive for them to stay.
What has developed is a situation where the people at the top are doing quite well, while most Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to make it. There are now about six unemployed Americans for every new job opening in the United States, and the number of "chronically unemployed" is absolutely soaring. There simply are not nearly enough jobs for everyone.
Many of those who are able to get jobs are finding that they are making less money than they used to. In fact, an increasingly large percentage of Americans are working at low wage retail and service jobs.
But you can't raise a family on what you make flipping burgers at McDonald's or on what you bring in from greeting customers down at the local Wal-Mart.
The truth is that the middle class in America is dying -- and once it is gone it will be incredibly difficult to rebuild.
SOURCE: http://yhoo.it/cxVHyD
stoichiometric
Unemployment extension 101: how health care is affected
Congress excluded a subsidy for 'COBRA' from the unemployment-benefits extension. As of June 1, thousands of unemployed face higher insurance costs.
Unemployment extension: People wait in line to enter the City University of New York (CUNY) Big Apple job fair in New York, in this April 23 file photo. As of June 1, thousands of unemployed workers face higher insurance costs. [Shannon Stapleton/Reuters/File]
When President Obama signed the six month federal extension of unemployment insurance, one item not included was an extension of the subsidy for health insurance for newly laid-off workers.
That means that as of June 1, thousands of workers are either paying out most of their unemployment checks for health coverage under "COBRA," or just not getting covered.
COBRA, which is administered by the Department of Labor, allows for unemployed individuals to continue to get group health insurance from their former employer who had been subsidizing their coverage. But, they must pay the whole cost of the insurance, plus a 2 percent administrative fee, making the insurance expensive.
Advocates for the unemployed say Congress' decision not to help out those who have lost their employer-subsidized health care is forcing families to put off getting health care if they need it, and is putting even greater pressure on emergency room facilities. Opponents say the benefits extension is expensive if not paid for, and it doesn't fix the underlying problem – getting people a stable source of health-care insurance.
the rest @ csmonitor
bludstone
'Worst Bush-era policies' becoming the 'new normal': ACLU
From the point of view of civil libertarians, the Obama administration has been an exercise in frustration, with every hopeful sign followed by failures to live up to its own promises.
The ACLU has just issued a report (pdf), titled "Establishing a New Normal: National Security, Civil Liberties, and Human Rights Under the Obama Administration," which focuses on this pattern of inconsistency.
"The administration has displayed a decidedly mixed record," explains ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romaro, "resulting, on a range of issues, in the very real danger that the Obama administration will institutionalize some of the most troublesome policies of the previous administration -- in essence, creating a troubling 'new normal.'"
As summarized in a press release announcing the report, "President Obama has made great strides in some areas, such as his auspicious first steps to categorically prohibit torture, outlaw the CIA's use of secret overseas detention sites and release the Bush administration's torture memos, but he has failed to eliminate some of the worst policies put in place by President Bush, such as military commissions and indefinite detention. He has also expanded the Bush administration's 'targeted killing' program."
The report is divided into seven sections covering transparency, torture and accountability, detention, targeted killing, military commissions, speech and surveillance, and watch lists. The most striking areas of the report, however, are those which focus not on torture or secret prisons but on less-publicized recent actions by the Obama administration.
The transparency section, for example, emphasizes that the program of "targeted killing" of suspected terrorists has been "shrouded in secrecy," and that despite a FOIA request by the ACLU, "the CIA has refused even to confirm or deny whether it has records about the program."
It also points out that rather than living up to Obama's promise as a candidate that he would make sure whistleblowers got protection, "the administration has been prosecuting them."
merig00
McMahon Campaign Hits Grimm For Taking "Jewish Money"
Mike Grimm, a G.O.P challenger for Mike McMahon's Congressional seat, took in over $200,000 in his last filing.
But in an effort to show that Grimm lacks support among voters in the district, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, the McMahon campaign compiled a list of Jewish donors to Grimm and provided it to The Politicker.
The file, labeled "Grimm Jewish Money Q2," for the second quarter fundraising period, shows a list of over 80 names, a half-dozen of which in fact do hail from Staten Island, and a handful of others that list Brooklyn as home.
"Where is Grimm's money coming from," said Jennifer Nelson, McMahon's campaign spokeman. "There is a lot of Jewish money, a lot of money from people in Florida and Manhattan, retirees."
As a point of comparison, the campaign also provided in-district and out-of-district fundraising totals from McMahon and Grimm's G.O.P primary opponent, Michael Allegretti. However, they did not provide an out-of-district campaign filing from Grimm, but only a file of Jewish donors to him.
Nelson said that the list was compiled by the campaign's finance director, Debra Solomon and that she did not know exactly how the finance team knew who was Jewish and who was not.
"She herself is Jewish so she knows a lot of people in that community," Nelson said.
Nelson stressed that the point of compiling the list was not to show that Grimm had a lot of Jewish support, but that he had little support in the district.
"I don't think ethnicity matters. When people look at who is funding his campaign it's not people who have a direct vested interest [in the district.]"
The campaign also wanted to point out that Grimm benefited greatly from his endorsement by Rudy Giuliani, and made a separate column to denote donors who have to the former mayor's presidential or Senate campaigns. Only five appear to have done so.
Grimm recently went to a religious service led by Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, a Kabbalahist who is known as a rabbi to the rich and famous. Several of his followers, including Haim Revah, whose company owns the Lipstick Building and Ilan Bracha of Prudential Douglas Elliman, donated to Grimm.
McMahon meanwhile has been trying to make his own in-roads into the Jewish community. A source said that he is scheduled to meet next week with several major Jewish donors.
Reached by phone, Grimm, who is part-Italian, part-German, said he was proud of his Jewish support and said he was disturbed to hear that the McMahon campaign compiled a separate list of his Jewish donors.
"The fact that a U.S. Congressman would separate out any group by religion or even by ethnicity is nothing short of outrageous," he said. "This goes beyond politics."
Oh, those whacky Democrats!
congress, democratic party, elections, fundraising, jewish people
White House Seeks Easier FBI Access To Internet Records, Blocks Oversight Attempt...
...Just As FBI Caught Cheating On Exam To Stop Abuse
We're still at a loss to explain why there's been so little outrage over the fact that the FBI got a total free pass for its massive abuse in getting phone records. As you may recall, reports came out about how the FBI regularly abused the official process for obtaining phone records, avoiding any of the required oversight, but right before that info came out the White House issued a ruling saying that it was okay for the FBI to break the law. That's not how things are supposed to work.
And, it appears that since there was no outrage over all of this, the White House keeps pushing further. Three new articles highlight what a travesty this has become. First, the White House wants to quietly make it easier for the FBI to demand internet log file information without a judge's approval." Just as I finished reading that, I saw Julian Sanchez's new writeup about how the White House blocked and killed a proposal to give the GAO power to review US intelligence agencies. The GAO is the one government operation that seems to actually focus on doing what's right, rather than what's politically expedient. Sanchez notes that, beyond the sterling reputation of the GAO, it's also ready, willing and able to handle this kind of oversight:
The GAO has the capacity Congress lacks: as of last year, the office had 199 staffers cleared at the top-secret level, with 96 holding still more rarefied "sensitive compartmented information" clearances. And those cleared staff have a proven record of working to oversee highly classified Defense Department programs without generating leaks. Gen. Clapper, the prospective DNI, has testified that the GAO "held our feet to the fire" at the Pentagon with thorough analysis and constructive criticism.
Unlike the inspectors general at the various agencies--which also do vital oversight work--the GAO is directly answerable to Congress, not to the executive branch. And while it's in a position to take a broad, pangovernmental view, the GAO also hosts analysts with highly specialized economic and management expertise the IG offices lack. Unleashing GAO would be the first step in discovering what the Post couldn't: whether the billions we're pouring into building a surveillance and national security state are really making us safer.
Oh, and just to make this all more comically depressing, just as I finished reading both of these stories, I saw a story about a new investigation into reports that FBI agents were caught cheating on an exam, which was designed to get them to stop abusing surveillance tools. Yes, you read that right. After all the reports of abuse of surveillance tools, the FBI set up a series of tests to train FBI agents how to properly go about surveillance without breaking the law... and a bunch of FBI agents allegedly cheated on the test that's supposed to stop them from "cheating" on the law. And, not just a few. From the quotes, it sounds like this cheating was "widespread." But, of course, it might not matter, since the requirements for surveillance are being lowered, oversight is being blocked, and apparently the White House is willing to retroactively "legalize" any illegal surveillance anyway.
Obama, you need to stop lying SOME day.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100729/11415410413.shtml
cia, fbi, spying, white house
lidane
Miserable Old Cow Phyllis Schlafly: All Unmarried Women Are On Welfare
Yes, you read that right. If you're a woman and aren't married, you're clearly on welfare:
Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly took aim at "unmarried women" at a recent fundraiser and in an interview with TPM, saying that they overwhelmingly support President Obama and are all on welfare. Democrats aim to exploit the comments to pressure the more than 60 Republican candidates who have earned Schlafly's endorsement.
"Unmarried women, 70% of unmarried women, voted for Obama, and this is because when you kick your husband out, you've got to have big brother government to be your provider," said Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum and infamous for her opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.
A liberal organization recorded the Schlafly comments at a Troy, Michigan fundraiser Saturday for a Republican congressional candidate, the Detroit Free Press reported. In an interview with TPM this afternoon Schlafly stood by her comments and said Obama is trying to boost welfare rolls to help with his reelection and to help Democrats.
"Yes I said that. It's true, too. All welfare goes to unmarried moms," Schlafly told TPM. "They are trying to line up their constituency for Obama and Democrats against Republican candidates."
She also told me she doesn't care if Republicans are targeted over her comments since she thinks they are truthful.
gruimed
Rocket explodes in heart of Ashkelon
Air raid siren sounded in southern city after long period of calm, followed by loud explosions. Grad rocket fired from Gaza Strip hits populated area; two people suffer shock, two empty floors of apartment building and several cars sustain damage
evildevil
ADL Refudiates Ground Zero Mosque
Anti-Defamation League Comes Out Against Ground Zero Mosque
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization whose programs "counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry," has released a statement excoriating plans to build an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero.
"Proponents of the Islamic Center may have every right to build at this site, and may even have chosen the site to send a positive message about Islam. The bigotry some have expressed in attacking them is unfair, and wrong," the statement reads.
"But ultimately this is not a question of rights, but a question of what is right. In our judgment, building an Islamic Center in the shadow of the World Trade Center will cause some victims more pain unnecessarily and that is not right," it says.
The ADL recommends the city "would be better served if an alternative location could be found."
Conservatives, including Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani, have been frothing over the plans for the mosque, calling it an insult to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
religion, religious politics
ubiquitous_a
The 5 Myths of Social Security
This ended up in my email yesterday from MoveOn.org.....what I think is important to note is that they aren't just making assertions with nothing to back them up. Each of their points has references to the relevant backup material (with footnotes located at the bottom) , which lends it a lot more credence to my mind.
Thought it might be of interest to some here.
Rumors of Social Security's demise are greatly exaggerated. But some powerful people keep spreading lies about the program to scare people into accepting benefit cuts. Can you check out this list of Social Security myths and share it with your friends, family and coworkers?
Myth: Social Security is going broke.
Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits--and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.
Myth: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.
Reality: This is red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than did 70 years ago.3 What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly--since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.
Myth: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.
Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.
Myth: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs
Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market--which would have been disastrous--but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.
Myth: Social Security adds to the deficit
Reality: It's not just wrong -- it's impossible! By law, Social Security funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.1
1."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security" New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
http://www.newdeal20.org/2010/06/14/to-defict-hawks-we-the-people-know-best-on-social-security-12290/
2. "The Straight Facts on Social Security" Economic Opportunity Institute, September 2009
http://www.eoionline.org/retirement_security/fact_sheets/StraightFactsSocialSecurity-Sep09.pdf
3. "Social Security and the Age of Retirement"Center for Economic and Policy Research, June 2010
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/social-security-and-the-age-of-retirement/
4. "More on raising the retirement age" Ezra Klein, Washington Post, July 8, 2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/07/more_on_raising_the_retirement.html
5. "Social Security is sustainable" Economic and Policy Institute, May 27, 2010
http://www.epi.org/analysis_and_opinion/entry/social_security_is_sustainable/
6. "Maximum wage contribution and the amount for a credit in 2010." Social Security Administration, April 23, 2010
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/240
7. "Trust Fund FAQs" Social Security Administration, February 18, 2010
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html
8. "To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security" New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
economy, moveon, social security
Battle Looming Over Bush Tax Cuts -- Will Your Tax Bill Go Up?
To extend or not extend the Bush tax cuts? That question is at the heart of the debate between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers line up to let the tax cuts expire, make them permanent, or do a little mix and match.
Most Republicans, who have traditionally advocated for lower taxes, say that letting Bush's tax cuts expire amounts to a tax increase -- the last thing a country should do in the middle of a recession. Democrats counter that with the federal deficit at a record high, the country cannot afford to take more money out of the treasury, especially to finance lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans.
The most likely scenario is one President Barack Obama and most Democrats in Congress prefer -- keeping the current income tax rates for lower- and-middle-income earners, but raising the rate for the wealthiest Americans -- namely individuals making more than $200,000 a year and families making $250,000 or more. Many of the other cuts would remain under this scenario.
But Congress must act soon to prevent any of the Bush tax cuts from ending and there's no guarantee it will pass a bill before next year's expiration date. To help you understand what's at stake, we've put together a Bush Tax Cut Primer below.
But first, a little background.
In June 2001, Congress passed a large package of tax cuts that President George W. Bush pitched on the presidential campaign trail. Not only did the legislation reduce income taxes for nearly all Americans, it sent $300 or $600 rebate checks to every taxpayer. The legislation also phased out the estate tax, reduced the "marriage penalty" for couples filing jointly, increased the threshold for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), and raised the child tax credit that parents could claim on their annual returns.
The most unusual aspect of the 2001 package was that the cuts were temporary, with some reductions phasing in as late as 2006, and all of them expiring by the end of 2010. Not only did the bill stipulate that some of the cuts would be good for only a year or two, it also left the task of ending or extending tax relief to whomever followed Bush in the White House.
Despite the $1.35 trillion price tag, which some Democrats complained was too expensive, Bush and Congress would go on to pass five more tax-cut packages over the next seven years, with the biggest breaks coming in 2003. In that bill, Congress trimmed taxes on capital gains and dividends; accelerated most of the 2001 cuts that were scheduled to be phased in; temporarily erased the "marriage penalty" for couples filing jointly; again increased the child tax credit; and made another AMT fix. That price tag in 2003: $330 billion.
Subsequent years saw more fixes to the AMT and extensions for the marriage penalty break, capital gains and dividend cuts, and other targeted measures, which were all originally short-term fixes. All together, the Bush tax cuts cost just north of $2 trillion.
Unless Congress acts this year, all of the tax cuts mentioned above will expire as the legislation originally called for. Here's what that would look like:
"Not only did the legislation reduce income taxes for nearly all Americans, it sent $300 or $600 rebate checks to every taxpayer."
Just FYI, I recall quite vividly that I had to repay that so-called "rebate" the following year on my tax return. Reminds me of that episode of The West Wing where Charlie had the President helping him do his taxes and he found out he actually owed money rather than getting a refund because of the exact same situation. So, as Charlie put it, it was a "loan" and not a rebate.
I like this article, because it really outlines the actual items and who it will effect rather than whitewashing the Bush Tax Cuts as being the same across the board to everyone. I think this is the kind of message that needs to be talked about.....what are the specifics, and how do they affect you?
economics, george (h.)w. bush / bush family, taxes
Shenanigans Friday: July 30, 2010.
"We have to do a better job of helping those individuals who get those jobs in the media, education and the presidency [understand] their LOLstory." --ShirLOL Sherrod
Please exploit these resources:
macro blanks: browse by ALBUMS
macro blanks: browse by TAGS
ROFLBOT (for your caption needs)
MOAR Picture Sources:
DAYLIFE (click)
PIXCETERA (click)
THE BIG PICTURE (click)
hillary_daily, obama_daily, and biden_daily
The White House Flicker photostream
by perfectisafault
!shenanigans sunday
notgarystu
Sandoval Isn't Afraid of AZ Law; His Kids "Don't Look Hispanic"! But He Never Said That.
In a newspaper column critical of Republican Nevada gubernatorial candidate Brian Sandoval, Univision news director Adriana Arevalo dropped this bombshell:
It wasn't long ago that [Sandoval] said in an interview on Univision that he vehemently supported Arizona's anti-immigrant law. In reference to the same law, he was asked how he would feel if he his children were stopped in the street and asked for their papers. He answered, with a note of pride in his voice, "my children don't look Hispanic."
The thing is, Univision never aired video of Sandoval saying that. So, when Nevada political reporter Jon Ralston asked Sandoval about that comment, Sandoval twice denied ever saying it. Which makes sense, because Sandoval is running to be "the first Hispanic governor in the history of Nevada," according to one of his Latino-targeting TV commercials.
The problem is, Sandoval did say it. And while they won't release the video, Univision has confirmed that it has it.
Sandoval denied (twice) making the comments during an interview with "Face to Face" this week. But the comments are on videotape, I have confirmed. Univision, however, is declining to release the tape, claiming (as most media organizations would) that it is work product.
Whoops! Well, incredibly insensitive comments about racial profiling followed by lies about those comments happen.
Source isn't racist, it has PoC friends!
Hopefully more will happen to rip the teeth out of this bill.
arizona, immigration, nevada, race / racism
draperyfalls
Recent scenes from Afghanistan
This past month, much of the attention focused on Afghanistan centered on the release of thousands of classified documents from the war effort by WikiLeaks. While the consensus appears to be that nothing significantly new was revealed by the release, the picture painted by the documents remains rather bleak. NATO and the United States now have 143,000 troops in Afghanistan, set to peak at 150,000 in coming weeks as they take a counter-insurgency offensive into the insurgents' southern strongholds. Taliban control remains difficult to dislodge, and once removed from an area, Taliban forces often return once larger forces leave a region, especially in rural areas where local government presence remains small. Collected here are images of the country and conflict over the past month, part of an ongoing monthly series on Afghanistan.
trigger warning: some photos are disturbing
afghanistan, photography, war
But it was The Magical Witch Octopus Fault! Damn You Paul!
North Korean football team shamed in six-hour public inquiry over World Cup
North Korea's football team has been shamed in a six-hour public inquisition and the team's coach has been accused of "betraying" the reclusive leader's heir apparent following their failure at the World Cup, according to reports.
The entire squad was forced onto a stage at the People's Palace of Culture and subjected to criticism from Pak Myong-chol, the sports minister, as 400 government officials, students and journalists watched.
The players were subjected to a "grand debate" on July 2 because they failed in their "ideological struggle" to succeed in South Africa, Radio Free Asia and South Korean media reported.
The team's coach, Kim Jong-hun, was reportedly forced to become a builder and has been expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea.
The coach was punished for "betraying" Kim Jong-un - one of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il's sons and heir apparent.
The country, in its first World Cup since 1966, lost all three group games – including a 7-0 defeat to Portugal.
The broadcast of live games had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the spirited 2-1 defeat to Brazil, state television made the Portugal game its first live sports broadcast ever.
Following ideological criticism, the players were then allegedly forced to blame the coach for their defeats.
Only two players avoided the inquisition - Japanese-born Jong Tae-se and An Yong-hak, who flew straight to Japan after the tournament.
However, media in South Korea said the players got off lightly by North Korean standards.
"In the past, North Korean athletes and coaches who performed badly were sent to prison camps," a South Korean intelligence source told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
kim jong il, north korea, sports
petalsinthewind
Henna is significant in tribal things?
A friend just shared this with me. Not super topical but appropriation and commodification is always relevant. I love this video sfm. Is there a 'commodification' or 'appropriation' tag?
'yellow apparel: when the coolie becomes cool' (2000) explores the commodification and appropriation of Asian cultural elements into mainstream America and examines the effects of this trend on Asian Americans.
yellow apparel: when the coolie becomes cool from Yellow Apparel on Vimeo.
In examining the recent trendiness of Asian cultural elements, such as bindis, Buddhist beads, and Chinese character tattoos, 'yellow apparel: when the coolie becomes cool' (2000) seeks to address whether this commodification of Asian culture signals the acceptance of Asian Americans into the cultural fabric of America.
Produced by a group of undergraduates at UC-Berkeley, the video forces the viewer to consider the contradictions between the current fashionability of Asian symbols and the history of oppression suffered by Asian Americans. For example, what does it mean that many white folks like to dress up as Asians while, at the same time, scientist Wen Ho Lee is systematically mistreated because of his Asian appearance?
Combining commentary and spoken word poetry, 'yellow apparel' presents the material with humor, pride, and passion.
The documentary also draws connections between these issues as they concern Asian Americans and the ways in which Black culture is appropriated while Black communities are marginalized throughout society. While explaining the appropriation of an exotic Asia as an attempt to fill the void created by a bureaucratized suburban lifestyle in America, yellow apparel does not attempt to provide a clear-cut solution but rather a critical and informed examination of the commodification of Asian culture.
ETA: I forgot about this but it's amazing! Big Bad Chinese Mama: Your Source for Meeting a Nice, Subservient Asian Bride.
asian people, capitalism, race / racism
paulnolan
Gay hate preacher Stephen Green to air views in Channel 4 documentary
Stephen Green, the director of anti-gay lobby group Christian Voice, will air his homophobic views in a short Channel 4 programme on Monday.
Mr Green is notorious for his remarks on homosexuality and recently accused gay rugby star Gareth Thomas of "promoting sodomy to children" for supporting LGBT History Month.
He will appear in 4thought, which is screened at 7.55pm every day on the channel. The five-minute films have weekly themes, with this week's being homosexuality and religion.
According to promotional materials, the seven speakers shown this week will offer "radically different perspectives on homosexuality and sin", including advocating the belief that God can cure homosexuality.
Mr Green is expected to quote from the Bible's Book of Revelations to support his belief that God is against homosexuality. He will also argue that there has been a "homosexualisation" of British society and that gay people are destructive.
A Channel 4 spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Green was being given a platform.
When asked whether racist views would be given similar airtime, she said he would share his programme with a pro-gay Christian cleric.
In a later comment, the channel said: "Homosexuality is the theme of next week's films because it has become a major battle ground for the world religions – for many it is seen as a sin in the Bible, the Koran and the Torah.
"4thought offers seven radically different perspectives on this subject. The aim of these films is provide an insight into why homosexuality is such a divisive issue in some of the world's major faiths whilst also featuring personal reflections from individuals who have reconciled their sexuality with their faith.
"These 4thought films air less than a month after a Dispatches investigation into the persecution of gay people in African countries by Sorious Samura."
Mr Green's segment will be followed by one with the Rev Rowland Jide Macaulay, of the Metropolitan Community Church, who believes that those who use the Bible to condemn homosexuality are hypocritical as they should also advocate the stoning of adulterers.
Others in this week's series will be a gay Hindu who believes his religion is compatible with his sexuality, a preacher who says God helped him overcome being gay and an Imam who says the Koran is evidence that men and women were created to be heterosexual.
Source: Pink News
What do you think? Should Channel 4 be giving Green and these other religious nutters a platform?
My opinion: no. Freedom of speech doesn't come into it (it's just TV, not speech in general), and for them to give Green et al. an unchallenged platform to spout their bigotry and hatred (even if done in the name of ~balance~, as it appears they are doing by having a pro-gay person following them - ignoring of course that gay rights aren't an issue where "balance" is appropriate in the first place - a white supremacist wouldn't get this treatment I'm sure) just seems like another attempt to be the ~edgy~ channel, like the time they got Ahmedinejad to do the alternative Christmas speech. They used to do a great job pushing boundaries (until the mid-90s or so), but now it's just pathetic.
batshit, lgbtq / gender & sexual minorities, tv, uk
Rep. Chris Smith's New Bill is Necessary to Restore Abortion Funding Neutrality
WASHINGTON, July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- D.C. Family Research Council Action today praised U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for introducing bipartisan legislation to codify federal abortion funding restrictions that have been greatly undermined this year.
abortion, congress
NY reps. bicker over 9/11 responder bill's defeat.
congress, new york
professor_chaos
Sarah Palin Knocks Obama's View Appearance
Earlier today, prolific (and creative!) Twitterer Sarah Palin tweeted about Barack Obama's appearance on The View yesterday. Not surprisingly, she was unimpressed with the president's hot topics, writing "President w/no time to visit porous US/Mexican border to offer help to those risking life to secure us,but lotso' time to chat on The View? I'm headed to border in near future… let's see how quickly his travel schedule will allow that border visit after all." (Interesting gambit, turning it back on immigration. And here I thought she'd call out Obama for Snooki-gate.)
My friends and I often talk about celebrities whose Twitter privileges should be revoked. But when it comes to politicians — for the most part, at least — I think they all should be effectively banned from tweeting. Twitter's just too flip a medium and the bad grammar just looks…undignified. That's all well and good for my favorite celebs, but I don't want to see it from people who may or may not want to lead the free world. Should Sarah Palin just resist the urge from now on? I mean, she won't. But should she?
Take it away folks......
barack obama, sarah palin / palin family, stupid people, the view
Damn These Activist Judges, They are Ruining Our Country!!
Florida Judge Throws Out Anti-Health Care Reform Ballot Measure Because Of 'Manifestly Misleading' Language
Last month, The Hill reported that Republicans in a number of states across the country were putting anti-health care reform measures on the ballot for the mid-term elections this year in order to bolster conservative voter turnout. "What we're trying to do is give voters an added reason to show up to the polls," said one South Carolina GOP official.
The GOP-led legislature in Florida put forward a measure to be included on this year's ballot that would "prohibit the state from participating in any health insurance exchange that compels people to buy insurance." But yesterday, Circuit Court Judge James Shelfer (who was appointed to a lower court by GOP Gov. Jeb Bush and elevated by current Gov. Charlie Crist) ordered that the proposed constitutional amendment be removed from the November ballot, calling the wording of the measure "manifestly misleading":
Threats flood into Arizona judge's office after SB-1070 ruling.
In a long-awaited decision, federal district court judge Susan Bolton blocked several key provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law Wednesday. Since preliminary injunction, reports Arizona's U.S. Marshal David Gonzales, Bolton has been "inundated" "with hundreds of threats" at her court offices:
"She has been inundated," said U.S. Marshal David Gonzales, indicating his agents are taking some seriously. "About 99.9 percent of the inappropriate comments are people venting. They are exercising their First Amendment rights and a lot of it is perverted. But it's that 0.1 percent that goes over the line that we are taking extra seriously."
Bolton is not the only official facing hostility following Wednesday's ruling. Yesterday, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) was forced to close his district office in Yuma, AZ, after "finding a window shattered and a bullet inside." In April, when SB-1070 was signed into law, Grijalva — an outspoken opponent of the legislation — closed two district offices after death threats to his staff.
Judge who ruled on Arizona law is well versed in immigration cases
The federal judge who blocked key aspects of Arizona's new immigration law was so well regarded across the political spectrum that she was nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, who tapped her on the recommendation of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), one of Congress's most conservative senators.
This week, however, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton became one of the nation's most divisive figures, after halting much of Arizona's high-profile effort to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
Hate mail and threats flowed into her court offices, according to news reports. Conservative bloggers decried her "activist" leanings and accused her of falling in with the American Civil Liberties Union, a prominent challenger of the law and a favorite target of the right. And Kyl, who during Bolton's nomination hearings in 2000 lauded her expertise and fairness, did not conceal his disappointment.
"I really thought that she would uphold most of the law and allow Arizona to try to do its best to enforce the law to the extent that the federal government wasn't doing so," he said on the Fox News program "Happening Now."
fail, health care, immigration, law, undocumented immigration
elasticlimit
BBC sports presenter resented tone of Sunday Times' critic AA Gill's review of her new show Britain by Bike and his editor's defence
The BBC presenter Clare Balding is embroiled in a furious row over a newspaper columnist's "homophobic" remarks about her sexuality. The 39-year-old sports journalist has lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission following a review of her new programme, Britain by Bike, written by the Sunday Times's TV critic, AA Gill.
Balding, who is gay, complained to the newspaper's editor, John Witherow, about the tone of the article. But, she said, she was then even more horrified by his response.( Collapse )
Sorry about the source thing mods, but it's not letting me select any tags =/
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/30/clare-balding-lesbian-complaint-gill
If Britain decides to ban the burqa I might just start wearing one
There's too much harping on about respect and banning. What about the huge gulf of toleration in the middle?
Tattoos and burqas are all the rage. One in five of us now has a tattoo and there are enough burqas around to invoke talk of banning them. Some people, presumably, sport both – but they're difficult to identify without causing an embarrassing scuffle. Especially if the person under the burqa turns out to be a woman.
Nothing good has come out of the tiresome burqa-banning debate, other than a timely reminder that the French aren't really to be trusted. Most of the time they're OK – quite like us, relatively affluent, but not so as to make us feel bitter, the kind of people you'd happily share a school run with. But, every so often, they'll do something a bit mental – have a revolution, nearly elect Le Pen, capitulate in the face of an evil empire whose armies they outnumber, ban the burqa from public places. It's always a bit of a shock, an undermining of confidence, like noticing that your accountant has a tattoo.
Damian Green, the immigration minister, deftly dismissed calls for a burqa ban as "rather un-British". I imagine he was hoping that this would cause a sort of feedback loop in the minds of xenophobes: "Hate not British! Burqa not British! Hate burqa! Ban burqa! Banning not British! Hate banning! Ban banning! Ban burqa! Ban burqa banning! Does not compute!"
I certainly prefer that argument to his colleague Caroline Spelman's view. She thinks burqas are "empowering". That's only true in the sense that a ban would be massively disempowering and colossally violate the rights of free-born citizens. It would, in fact, be the only thing that would persuade me to wear one myself, in the spirit of Guillaume Morand, a Swiss businessman who last year responded to his country's outlawing of minarets by defiantly erecting one over his shoe shop.
Governments and legislatures shouldn't tell people what they can and can't wear. By doing so, they would, in every sense, be taking a massive liberty. As long as people aren't wearing crotchless jeans outside primary schools or deely boppers with attached sparklers on petrol station forecourts, we've all got the right to wear exactly what the hell we like and I can barely believe that we're having this debate.
But we are. Stupid people are thinking about an issue that doesn't need to be thought about and a YouGov survey says 67% of us want full-face veils outlawed. Just when I thought my estimation of humanity couldn't fall any further, I discover that two-thirds of my fellow countrymen are, or at least were for the duration of taking a survey, morons. I'm so glad the Conservatives are committed to local referenda.
Source: David Mitchell @ The Guardian
Erasure - The Circus | Powered by Last.fm
ONTDP on last.fm
ONTDP on Facebook
ONTDP on Twitter
ONTDP: Cooks
america fuck yeah
flames on the side of my face
fuck this guy
fuckery
internet/net neutrality/piracy
lgbtq / gender & sexual minorities
not the onion
race / racism
sarah palin / palin family
you stay classy


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text:
Свадебная плётка () — один из главных атрибутов марийской свадьбы. Оберег, защищающий дорогу, по которой предстоит пройти молодым, будущей семье.

В традиционной марийской свадьбе каждый участник наделён особыми полномочиями. Стражем порядка, следящим за соблюдением свадебных традиций, является шафер (савуш). Помахивая плеткой над своей головой во время плясок, он демонстрирует своё особое положение и отгоняет злых духов. Об этом сообщает звон маленького колокольчика на плётке. Савуш может «хорошенько огреть» нарушителей порядка.

Перед выходом жениха и невесты из родительского дома, освещая и освобождая дорогу, шафер ударом плётки очищает дорогу. Также, проговаривая наставления и пожелания, он провожает молодожёнов к супружескому ложу.

Наступив на сорок и одно зло, приняв сорок и одну доброту, свадебная плётка открывала дорогу молодым в светлое будущее.

Ссылки
 «Со свадебной плеткой жизнь будет легка». Газета «Марий Эл» (на марийском)
 Войтович А. А. «Функции музыкальных инструментов в обрядах и повседневном быту мари и удмуртов»

Марийские обычаи
Свадьба
Обряды и ритуалы

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


AL.Com - The NEA's $148 million budget is 0.004 percent of the federal budget, less than half of one hundredth of one percent. The argument then is more one of philosophy, politics and the role of the federal government. In this arena there are very different points of view that are surfacing from people with contrasting opinions about how government should address quality of life issues for a broad diverse population.
....In Alabama the State Council on the Arts receives $4.7 million from a state appropriation and $775 thousand from the NEA. The match of these funds is at a level of seven to one. It is a fact that government dollars are a stimulant for matching funds from businesses, foundations and private giving. The private sector contributions amount to billions of dollars. You might counter by saying that the private sector can fund the arts and the loss of government dollars would not be missed. Testimony and experience from the private sector indicates this would not be the case. Government funding puts a "good housekeeping seal of approval" on projects and organizations that go through a rigorous review process that focuses on quality, impact and outreach, educational value and diverse audiences served.
Another fact is that the US system of funding the arts is a huge success because multiple partners have a distinct role to play and depend on one another to do their part in sharing responsibility in a well-crafted funding chain. The result is the existence of the most vibrant and diverse cultural environment in the world that impacts the economy by $704 billion and produces a trade surplus of $22.3 billion. All of that would seem to be a pretty good investment of a modest federal appropriation of $148 million.
There is data and evidence that the arts contribute significantly to education and the learning process. The arts are an important component in a student's problem solving skills. Statistics indicate the arts enhance learning in other subjects including technology based math and science. It has been proven and documented that different students learn differently and often the arts provide avenues to success in learning that otherwise would not take place. Drop-out rates are reduced where the arts are part of school offerings, providing alternatives to athletics and other electives. Federal funding through NEA and state grants make arts education available in schools that otherwise would have very little or no exposure to the arts.